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Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 11, 2014 in Videogames 
Games publisher Sierra was well known for their extensive catalog and popular titles like King’s Quest and Space Quest. In addition to those, they also created games like Leisure Suit Larry and published Half-Life 1 for Valve. They were swallowed up by Activision in 2008, but now a teaser video has shown up on Sierra.com, whispering that more will be announced at Gamescom. Geoff Keighley reported than upon looking into it, he discovered that The Odd Gentleman, the developer behind the P.B. Winterbottom series, is developing a new King’s Quest game! It appears that for now the Sierra name is returning… as a publishing label? We’ll find out more at Gamescom. Read more…
Tags: adventure games
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 10, 2014 in Videogames 
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies was one of my favorite games last year. It combined great characters with an engaging story that keeps you hooked, trying to figure out the true culprit in each murder mystery. Now, it’ll have an even wider audience! The game has already come out on iOS in Japan, but Capcom has now confirmed that the iOS version will see a release in the US as well – in gorgeous HD. Huzzah! WE’re also getting the Ace Attorney Trilogy HD release on the 3DS this fall, so it’s a good time to jump into the series if you’ve never played it before! Read more…
Tags: Ace Attorney, iOS, Phoenix Wright
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 10, 2014 in Fandom 
No really, it actually won something. This Matrix video features all sound effects replaced by video game sounds, from various generations and systems… so of course it’s labeled “8-bit!” Despite the mislabeling, it’s a wonderfully entertaining video, especially as you work to figure out where each effect is from. It won Best Sound Design at BECAFest 2013, and was posted online in May of 2013 too, but the internet didn’t catch onto it until now. Such is the way the winds of the web blow! Check out the video below. Read more…
Tags: The Matrix, Videogames
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 9, 2014 in Cinema 
In a radio show on CBS Detroit, Zack Snyder took some time to defend Aquaman. By calling in. Yes, according to SlashFilm, this is really Snyder and not some impostor calling into the radio show. He doesn’t confirm Aquaman in in Batman v Superman (“Anyway, not to say he’s in my movie or anything like that […]”), but it’s the worst-kept secret in the industry right now. He goes on to say, “The cool thing with Aquaman is he’s Triton so you have to realize that could cut the flesh of Superman if they came in contact. That’s a thing that’s in the canon.” I believe you, dude! I mean, you have Jason Momoa playing him, so by default he’s already the best Aquaman yet. The full quote is below or listen to the call here.
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Tags: Aquaman, Batman v. Superman, Zack Snyder
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 9, 2014 in Cinema 
Everyone knows Drew Struzan, right? His work on movie posters is pretty well-known, but just as influential (if not more so) was John Alvin. His poster design work for E.T., Blade Runner, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Gremlins, and more have shaped people’s first impressions of films for decades. A new hardcover book is coming out August 26th, featuring a wide collection of Alvin’s work and original sketches. To promote the book, the publisher has released a cavalcade of unused Jurassic Park posters and sketches, giving us an insight into the process of poster design. Check them out below! Read more…
Tags: John Alvin, Jurassic Park
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 8, 2014 in Cinema, Comic Books 
Warner Bros. saw that massive list of Marvel films and said, “Hey! We can totally do that too! Yeah!” and released a bunch of dates for their upcoming slate of DC Comics films. Yes, they have announced nine new films and dates, but no titles. It’s kind of close to Nikki Finke’s supposed leaked list from a few months earlier, but with a few more items. Also of note, Warner moved up Batman v Superman from May 6 to… March 25, 2016! Yes, they moved it up to an unusual March date to avoid directly competing with Captain America 3. Crazy! Check out all the unknown film dates below! Read more…
Tags: Batman v. Superman, DC Comics, Warner Brothers
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 8, 2014 in Animation, Cinema 
I’m really impressed by the visual stylings of The Book of Life! This new trailer has a better overview of the art on display, but you’ll have to wade through the stereotypical trailer announcer and hamfisted cameos. I have hope for the final film, as Jorge Gutierrez and Guillermo del Toro are talented folks. I’ve already seen some “Tim Burton” jokes though, so if you make any… I’m coming for you. The cast features Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum, Ron Perlman (of course), and more. The film comes out October 17th. Check out the trailer below! Read more…
Tags: guillermo del toro, Jorge R. Gutierrez, The Book of Life
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 7, 2014 in Cinema, Comic Books 
In the original plan for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy movie, Ronan the Accuser was assisted by the Badoon race. Obviously, that’s not the version of the film we got. Since Fox somehow got the rights to the Badoon when they licensed the X-Men and Fantastic Four properties, Marvel couldn’t use them in their official films. (Never mind the fact that Fox hasn’t used the Badoon and in all likelihood won’t ever use them.) Instead, Marvel used the Sakaarans. But apparently the Badoon were on the table at some point, as concept artist Goran Bukvic created this piece above that shows what the Badoon might have looked like using a Badoon Bazooka. There’s also some additional concept art here, including an unused environment piece for Spartoi, a planet — to avoid anything too spoiler-y — tied to Star-Lord’s past. I’m with most fans that wish Fox and Sony would stop putting out their middling, uneven films and sell back all their Marvel rights to Marvel. But until then, here’s glimpses of things that almost were. Read more…
Tags: Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 7, 2014 in Videogames 
There’s really no reason to ever play the original PlayStation version of the first Resident Evil game, since the 2002 GameCube remake completely blew the previous versions out of the water. Next to gorgeous pre-rendered backgrounds, the PS1 version just looks laughable. But there’s the rub: it’s hard to update the game in high-definition when all your backgrounds were made for 4:3 480i screens. Capcom has announced an HD remake, with better models and upressed backgrounds.
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Tags: Capcom, Resident Evil
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 6, 2014 in Videogames 
Previously rumored as Comet, Ubisoft has announced Assassin’s Creed: Rogue for a PS3 and Xbox 360 release on November 11. Since Assassin’s Creed: Unity is only for current-gen consoles, Rogue will be exclusive to last-gen systems. The story follows Shay Patrick Cormac, a former Assassin who is betrayed and joins the Templars to hunt his former allies. The game is set during The Seven Years War, with locations in the northeastern US. Naval combat should also be returning, which should delight anyone who played Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, a game that added much depth to sailing compared to its predecessor. The only downside is that this isn’t on newer systems; while Black Flag was available on both old and new systems, it had some nice bells and whistles on PS4 and Xbox One, including a higher resolution. With 2014 release trends on these newer systems, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Assassin’s Creed: Rogue: Remastered released in 2015. Read more…
Tags: Assassin's Creed, PS3, Ubisoft, Xbox 360
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 6, 2014 in Cinema 
Not content with the 2003 TV movie version, Disney is planning a big screen adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, a science fantasy novel that’s the first of the Time Quartet (now the Time Quintet, I suppose). Though a director has not been confirmed, Variety has announced that Frozen co-director Jennifer Lee will write the screenplay. Lee in particular will be well-experienced when it comes to writing strong female leads, having written the screenplay to Frozen as well. While it could be argued that Frozen‘s feminism isn’t necessarily that progressive as it appeared to be, it was still a strong step in the right direction, dismantling many tropes used in earlier Disney princess movies. Tasking Lee to adapt a book whose lead is a female science nerd seems like a safe bet. I have fond memories of reading the book, so I’m looking forward to the adaptation! Read more…
Tags: A Wrinkle in Time, Disney
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 5, 2014 in Videogames 
There are Monopoly variants of pretty much every other thing in existence, so why not The Legend of Zelda? Nintendo’s mainstay fantasy series is lending its branding to this new version of Monopoly, despite the economic system of Hyrule likely being incompatible with the fanciful capitalism of this Depression-era game. But whatever, everyone knows how to play Monopoly, even if finishing a game (and doing it without burning bridges) is much harder. You can get Zelda Monopoly on September 15 for $39.99, but be sure to buy it from Gamestop; like videogames, Gamestop really wants you buy from them, so their version will offer a Hyrule map lithograph and an exclusive Ocarina game piece. Read more…
Tags: Board Games, Legend of Zelda
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 5, 2014 in Cinema, Comic Books 
Birdman is the story of a washed up actor once known for his comic book role who tries to make a comeback. While real-life Michael Keaton is doing okay, I’d like to imagine that Birdman is the true story of where his life went after playing Batman in Tim Burton’s films. Keaton’s character looks slightly psychotic, hearing the gravely voice (a la Batman) of his character telling him to do things. Seriously, can this movie be real-life? If not, I guess I’ll settle for the movie’s release on October 17, 2014. Read more…
Tags: Batman, Birdman
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 4, 2014 in Anime 
No, Ghibli is not dead. However, it appears that When Marnie Was There could be the final film animated in-house at Studio Ghibli — at least for the immediate future — if a planned restructuring happens. Producer Toshio Suzuki spoke on the MBS program Jounetsu Tairiku and said that the production studio is considering shutting down, as no new films are in the pipeline. Goro Miyazaki is directing a CGI TV series made by Polygon Pictures, Hayao Miyazaki has retired, Isao Takahata will probably not be making another film, and Hiromasa Yonebayashi’s Marnie didn’t do well in theaters. All of this means that (if true) Ghibli will essentially be taking a break, and the animators will be let go for now. If the studio comes up with another film to do, they may bring everyone back, or they could simply remain as a company shell solely for licensing merchandise and film rights. Time will tell! Read more…
Tags: Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli, Toshio Suzuki
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 4, 2014 in Cinema 
Someone in Hollywood is taking note of the recent success of female-led films: Ghostbusters 3 is getting some significant changes. While I still wonder if the film will happen at all, some recent strides have made it more likely. Sony is reportedly refocusing the movie on a team of female Ghostbusters, and Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) is being eyed to direct. While Bill Murray has refused to commit to the film, Dan Aykroyd has said he’ll return. I think setting up a new team in this film is a smart idea, as you’ll never replicate the original crew, plus having it be all women is a cool twist. I’d be okay with this version of Ghostbusters 3 actually getting made… but it still remains to be seen if that’ll actually happen. Read more…
Tags: Ghostbusters
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 3, 2014 in Cinema 
And no, it will not have aliens in it. The Martin has been scheduled as Ridley Scott’s next film, arriving November 15th, 2015. The tale is based off of Andy Weir’s 2012 novel of the same name, which follows an astronaut stranded on Mars when his crew leaves him behind. Believed dead and with very few resources to survive, the astronaut Mark Watney struggles to live in the harsh Martian environment until help can arrive… if it ever does! (Insert typical dramatic trailer music here.) This seems like a good fit for Scott (Apollo 13 meets Castaway, essentially), but I’m sure some fans will be upset he’s not doing Prometheus 2. Or that supposed Blade Runner sequel. I think this could turn out well, though — it’s definitely more appealing to me than Exodus! Read more…
Tags: Ridley Scott, The Martian
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 3, 2014 in Cinema 
Jon Favreau has been hard at work on a Jungle Book live-action and CGI hybrid film for Disney. To be honest, I wasn’t really keeping an eye on it, but the cast has steadily been increasing in both size and talent, so now I’m starting to pay attention. Bill Murray has been the most recent addition to the cast, playing Baloo. There’s some power casting! Along with Murray will be Idris Elba as Shere Khan, Christopher Walken as King Louie, Giancarlo Esposito as Akela, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, Lupita Nyong’o as Raksha, Scarlett Johansson as Kaa, and as Mowgli, newcomer Neel Sethi. Wow! Talk about a star-studded cast. I really hope that the complete package turns out well, because otherwise it would be a shame to squander so many talented folks! Read more…
Tags: Jungle Book
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 2, 2014 in Hobbies and Collections 
LEGO Cuusoo has morphed into LEGO Ideas — same project, just a different name. Their latest fan-made creation turned real set? The Exo Suit. The large grey robotic suit helps the two green space minifigures transport materials and excavate moon rocks on their various expeditions. The set is a bit more complicated than your average model but features lots of cool parts and tons of poseability. It’s $35 and comes out today on LEGO’s website and LEGO stores. Good luck getting one though, as this set reportedly has a small production run. The website currently predicts more will be available within 30 days, so let’s hope LEGO kicks it up a notch! Read more…
Tags: Lego
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 2, 2014 in Cinema, Comic Books 
Thanos plays only a small part in Guardians of the Galaxy, but the parts are slowly falling into place for the third phase of the Marvel movie universe. At San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel showed a video featurette that recapped the last two phases of the universe that will culminate in Avengers: Age of Ultron. It’s an impressive feat to see everything side by side, as one cohesive world. They’ve also released an official image of Thanos, so you can start to imagine what Avengers 3 might be like. Check it out! Read more…
Tags: Marvel, San Diego Comic-Con 2014
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 1, 2014 in Fandom 
Yes, Guardians of the Galaxy is out today, so take a moment and check out this fan-made trailer (commissioned by Marvel, though), which features many popular bits remade in LEGO form. It uses the official minifigures from the LEGO Guardians sets, so you can probably remake your own version with a little bit of time and dedication… on your kitchen table. Forrest Whaley and Sean Willets made this YouTube video, and the editing and smoothness of the whole affair is pretty impressive! I’ve embedded it below the jump. Read more…
Tags: Guardians of the Galaxy, Lego
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 1, 2014 in Cinema 
It’s not long now until Christopher Nolan’s next film arrives. Interstellar will show up in November, but until then you’ll have to make due with this new trailer. It features all the hallmarks of a Nolan production: interesting visuals, overly cheesy dialogue, and a solid cast. I’m really loving the cinematography and stellar imagery here, and I hope the alien worlds are as interesting as the glimpses in the trailer. McConaughey seems to be doing a good job too (but he’s been on a roll recently anyway). Check out the trailer and then begin your waiting! Read more…
Tags: Christopher Nolan, Interstellar
Posted by Bob Muir on Jul 31, 2014 in Videogames 
Modern videogame covers are always hampered by tons of logos, ratings, and various other text designed to help you buy a product. But for collectors who want a nice-looking product with a bit of thought behind it, the cover is a wasted opportunity. So I’m liking this recent trend of alternate box art printed on the reverse of the regular cover; more games should have this small bonus. Bethesda has a poll up right now to pick an alternate cover for The Evil Within. “Asylum” (pictured above) is currently winning, but I think “Piercing Eye” looks striking as well. Consider giving it a vote? Read more…
Tags: Bethesda, Horror, The Evil Within
Posted by Bob Muir on Jul 31, 2014 in Videogames 
When THQ exploded, its various gaming franchises, studios, and other assets were bought up by various other developers (except for Vigil Games, sadly). Crytek bought the rights to make a sequel to Homefront, the game about North Korea invading the US that got mixed reviews. I’m guessing they thought that they could do something with the property and make a good game, but after some recent financial difficulties, it seems that plan is no more. Deep Silver has announced their purchase of the Homefront IP, with development of Homefront: The Revolution continuing at a new Nottingham-based studio called Deep Silver Dambuster Studios. It seems that most of the team will be moving to the new studio from Crytek UK, including director Hasit Zala. Glad to see things are still continuing, especially if the game is supposedly still on track for a 2015 release on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. And the new studio will be right at home with fellow ex-THQ studio Volition. Read more…
Tags: Crytek, Deep Silver, Homefront
Posted by Bob Muir on Jul 30, 2014 in Videogames 
Though I’m a firm proponent of physical media, I can’t deny some of the potential benefits of a digital future, especially for rentals. While GameFly offers disc rentals similar to Netflix’s mail service, there currently isn’t a similar service for digital rentals — until now. EA has announced EA Access, a subscription service for Xbox One that allows gamers to play multiple EA games for a monthly rate. You won’t own the games, but you’ll have access as long as you keep paying, like a mix of Netflix and PlayStation Plus. The service has launched its beta with FIFA 14, Madden NFL 25, Peggle 2, and Battlefield 4, with more games on the way (likely before the full launch). Read more…
Tags: Electronic Arts, Xbox One
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