The year is 1980 and what you don’t quite understand as young fanboy is that your parents are dealing with a recession — so while you dream of giant Kenner playlets for your Land of the Jawas playset action figures instead you settle for using your imagination! Or at least that’s what your cash strapped parents told you to do, so alas the sandbox became Tatooine and when you were lucky to get a snow storm it was time to play on planet Hoth. Well through some magic we’ve come across three amazing vintage Kenner playsets from 1979 and 1980 — a magical time when the hype and merchandise machine for The Empire Strikes back was going into high gear: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Nov 27, 2011 in Star Trek
What I like about these Kirk and Spock Christmas Tree Ornaments is that they have a nice sense of style — they almost look art deco, yet are very cartoony and almost toy like. These ornaments are hand crafted by Lisa Penney who is based out of Phoenix, Arizona. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Nov 27, 2011 in Cinema, Science
While reading an interesting interview with a medical ethicist and I was suddenly struck by how much this premise reminded me of the 1982 classic film Blade Runner: “Do you think that granting corporations the rights of people in the Citizens United case is disturbing? Then contemplate the fact that corporations have been patenting human genes and tissues at alarming rates — in the last 30 years, more than 40,000 patents have been granted on genes alone.” Read more…
How many can say that attended the first science fiction convention that was ever held, were part of the first generation of great science fiction authors and are around today and blogging about it? That honor would go to Frederik Pohl who will celebrate his 92nd birthday today! Show above is a photo from the first science fiction convention in 1936 — Frederik Pohl is the gentleman in the center. To celebrate his birthday here are a number of cool vintage covers of his (and his co-authors) books: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Nov 26, 2011 in Animation, Anime
In the early 80s two short animation films created for the Diacon science fiction convention would give a start to an animation studio that would become known as Gianax. I first watched these animations on well worn VHS tapes in that era and all these years later the animation still holds up. But it seems that some younger otaku have adopted the shorts and made them their own by doing a recreated and updated 3D version which looks pretty nice — check it out: Read more…
As an animation fanboy I’ve always loved Terry Gilliam since I came across his Monty Python work in my youth, however it was his directing work on the classic film Brazil which made me a true believer. Gilliam’s new film is called The Wholly Family and there is an official Facebook page that just went up for it, plus a trailer on his website. The film has a very Federico Fellini feeling to it and stars Cristiana Capotondi. Here are some still from the Facebook page and you can find the official trailer here: Read more…
99 years ago today the silent film The Toll of the Sea opened in New York City. While this film wasn’t the first feature length color film (that honor goes to With Our King and Queen Through India from 1912) and not even the first Technicolor film (that honor goes to The Gulf Between from 1917) it was a real breakthrough: This was because it was the first film to use the two-color Technicolor process which allowed the film to be shown on a standard film projector, as where previous color films required a special projector which would simultaneously several reels of film that were projected through a beam splitter. Read more…
I’m not sure why I would want a Luke Skywalker with a scarred up face and missing hand, but if I did, Hot Toys would have me covered. Recently they unveiled the latest addition to their DX series of collectible figures, the 1/6th scale Luke Skywalk in Bespin outfit two-pack. Like all Hot Toys products, it’s sure to cost you a hand, or a leg (see what I did there,) but at least you’ll be able to faithfully recreate the greatest moment of Empire Strikes Back, and no, I don’t mean the scene where Han gets dropped into a vat of Carbonite after completely blowing Leia off.
It looks as though Star Trek 2, as it’s still tentatively titled, finally has a firm release date. Unfortunately for us, it’s over a year away. While I had been holding out hope, I’m not really surprised, seeing as they’ve taken so long to get under way. On the bright side, the film will be shot in 3D, so those of you who aren’t already over that fad, or who’ve recently purchased one of those over-priced 3DTVs are in for a treat. (Protip: Black Friday deals are great, but Cyber Monday is where its at. I recommend scouring Amazon for one if you’re interested.) Some other juicy details leaked out this weekend. Abrams confirmed the rumor that he’s been in talks with Benicio Del Toro for a role in the new film, and announced that composer Michael Giacchino will be returning for the sequel. The script is “finished,” but is currently going through its third draft of revisions. Star Trek 2 will hit theaters May 17, 2013.
Just like Darth Vader’s cameo in a series cell phone ads, Yoda recently starred in a Japanese commercial for Nissin’s Cup Noodles — speaking English, no less. Of course, they had to subtitle him, but it would seem the Jedi master wants Japan to recover from its recent tragedies as much as anyone else; the commercial ends with him wishing the force be with the entire nation, kind of a sweet little gesture on Lucas’ part. I wasn’t aware you could use the force to boil water, though. Also, the line “Boil Japan.” looks a bit strange out of context. Oh well, it’s still kind of cool.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 23, 2011 in Videogames
I don’t know how many of you play Street Fighter or Tekken, but I’m sure you’re probably aware of how over-the-top some of these characters look already. Now, thanks to the ability to customize the character with costumes and props, they’ve taken it even further. A batch of recently released screenshots gives us a glimpse of just how zany things can get. Why anyone would ever want to dress a bear like a female luchador is beyond me, but guess what? You can. I just hope, given Capcom’s penchant for microtransactions, we’re not stuck footing any additional fees for the “privilege” of playing dress up. That’d be annoying.
With filming just weeks away, new rumors are starting to surface regarding J.J. Abrams’ upcoming Star Trek sequel. Early rumors claimed the film would focus more on crew itself rather than pitting them against as single adversary, while others seemed to suggest that the Kirk and company could match wits with a classic villain like Harry Mudd or Trelane. Sources recently claimed that Abrams had approached Benicio Del Toro to fill that void, but we’ve yet to hear anything further regarding his involvement, if it’s indeed happening. This latest rumor, however, seems to suggest that we might even see the return of the Klingons.
Here’s the recently released trailer for the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas special set to air Christmas Day. The episode, titled The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe, is an obvious homage to C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. The story is once again set during World War II, and while I’m starting to grow tired of that particular period of history, it certainly fits the Narnia gag. They haven’t said much about the plot, but from the trailer, it looks as though he’ll accompany a family of children, and who I can only assume is their widowed mother, on an adventure that takes them into a world that very much resembles the frozen forests Narnia. Both Amy and Rory are notably absent from the trailer, and there’s still no word on if they’ll be making any more appearances next season.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 21, 2011 in Videogames
I love a good soundtrack as much as the next guy, but these days I’ll be hard-pressed to purchase an actual compact disc, let alone a four-disc set. That said, here’s one I don’t mine shelling the cash for. Jeremy Soule’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 4-Disc original soundtrack contains all the audio from the game, almost all of which, I imagine, feature live recordings. The opening theme even used a thirty man choir to capture that Nordic-feel, while using a runic language they actually made up just for the game. There are some really beautiful pieces contained within, and I wouldn’t hesitate to call it Soule’s best work to date. It really says something when I haven’t grown sick of hearing any of the music — something that no other Elder Scrolls title has managed to date. The full four-disc set only retails for $29.99 via Jeremy Soule’s directsong online store, and all copies purchased before December 23rd will come personally autographed by Soule himself.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 21, 2011 in Television
HBO recently released a production trailer for their upcoming second season of Game of Thrones. I believe the new season will cover the events of the second novel in the on-going series of novels A Song of Fire and Ice, entitled A Clash of Kings. The trailer shows off some of the new faces will be seeing throughout the season, as well as the return of several fan favorite who managed to live through last season — there might be a spoiler or two for those who haven’t read the book or seen the show, but nothing that should ruin it for you. If you haven’t seen the first season, it’s currently available for pre-order via Amazon and won’t hit stores until January 10th. If you’d rather just read, or listen to the book itself, both the audiobook and original novel are currently available at your local retailers, or can also be purchased via Amazon or iTunes.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Nov 20, 2011 in Animation, Fandom
At first I didn’t take the Broniestoo seriously, but this has made me change my mind: Operation Winter Wrap Up is a site started by My Little Pony fans with the objective of “Bronies donate Ponies to children in need” with a holiday toy drive. Currently the Operation Winter Wrap Up site includes detail information on where to donate, toy suggestions and other ways that people can help: And there’s also a Facebook page as well. Read more…
Posted by Michael Sacco on Nov 20, 2011 in Videogames
Mojang’s block-building game Minecraft accomplished a rare feat in gaming — it’s been one of the most popular and recognizable games in the world for over a year, but it only came out yesterday. A two-year-plus beta testing period gave it all the exposure it needed to thrive, and now you can find the highly addictive game on Steam, ready for your real dollars. Minecraft is pretty much the definition of “indie darling” , but it has a ridiculously wide appeal; after all, who doesn’t like building with blocks? The possibilities are limited only by your imagination, time, and tolerance for bad graphics. (If you’re looking for something a little more two-dimensional, though, allow me to recommend Terraria.) Read more…
Posted by Michael Sacco on Nov 18, 2011 in Videogames
Developers at Runic Games quipped after announcing their hack-and-slasher Torchlight 2 that Torchlight 3 would see release before Blizzard’s juggernaut Diablo 3. It looks like they might have to eat a little crow on that one, since after announcing today that Torchlight 2 would not be released in 2011 as originally projected, they might not even beat Diablo 3 to release with this game. Regardless of when it actually comes out, Torchlight 2 should be a fun romp while it lasts, and it’s adding the most important part of games in its genre: multiplayer, a curious omission from the original Torchlight. The main appeal of Torchlight 2, though? Its bargain-bin price tag. The last one went for around $20 and Runic expects to have a similarly low price for their sophomore effort. Read more…
Get ready for the most adorable video ever. Believe it or not, this is an actual product — an inflatable, talking Dalek that a kid can actually drive around. Honestly, who needs Power Wheels when you can ride around threatening to exterminate people? Don’t bother trying to answer, it’s rhetorical. If I had a kid, this would be purchased immediately, despite the fact that you need a European power outlet or adapter to charge the sucker. I probably won’t have a niece or nephew old enough to drive one of these around for a few more years, I’m actually a little giddy at the thought. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll ever see an adult-sized model, but if anyone wants to build one for Halloween next year, that would be really cool. If you do, take pictures or shoot a video for us please. If, on the other hand, you want to pick one of these up, you can actually import one, just keep in mind my note about the power adapter. The Ride-in Dalek retails for a hefty $299.99 and ThinkGeek will toss in an optional adapter for an additional $20. Read more…
Tired of waiting for Lego to officially license your favorite films like Star Trek or Back to the Future? Me too. I had my hopes up when Lego started releasing those awesome Star Wars kits a few years back, but nothing ever came of it. Fortunately for us, the guys at Ichiban Toys have decided to release few custom kits to fill the void. There’s just a catch or two — the sets are incredibly small and extremely expensive for what you get. Don’t get me wrong, they look awesome, but judging by the size of some of these kits, $15 for a Klingon Bird of Prey that only usesaround fifty small pieces can seem a bit steep. That said, they’re all official Lego pieces, so anyone with access to the right ones could probably build it themselves after giving it a close enough look.
