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Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 17, 2012 in Animation 
Sometimes news comes from the strangest places. We’d been hearing rumors of a Powerpuff Girls reboot for a long while now. Lauren Faust’s name also popped up in relation to it, in addition to Craig McCracken and Genndy Tartakovsky. While Genndy confirmed the reboot in his Reddit AMA two months ago, he stated he isn’t involved. But we do know one person involved: Ringo Starr. Yeah, that Ringo Starr. He posted a video update in which he mentioned him doing a voice for a character in the new show… so I suppose that’s about the most random way to get confirmation of a Powerpuff Girls reboot. But now the real question is: they’re doing voicework, but if they haven’t even officially announced the show, when will we “hear” about it? Perhaps 2013 will bring us some new news. Read more…
Tags: Powerpuff Girls
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 16, 2012 in Videogames 
Ever had a virtual gun you wanted to sell? Perhaps a virtual hat you no longer need? Well Valve is taking the first steps into establishing a legit digital market within Steam, starting with Team Fortress 2, their eternal guinea pig, and Dota 2. Currently, you’re now able to sell and buy “Tool” items for real money, and eventually Valve plans to add weapons and cosmetic items into the mix as well. While this sort of market has existed for a while, it required third-party websites or middlemen to make the transaction happen (because you better not be PayPal-ing money to random people for virtual hats by yourself – that’s scam city). Now, with a solid trading system backing it, Valve will be able to monitor and foster their virtual economy even more. It’s pretty fascinating stuff! Read more…
Tags: Dota 2, Steam, Team Fortress, Valve
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 16, 2012 in Cinema 
Django Unchained is almost here… along with Christmas Day. The hype train is in full gear, so what better way to get ready for the movie than by spoiling yourself watching 3 new clips from it? Maybe you’re like me and can’t help yourself, or maybe you just want to get a feel for the tone of the film. Either way, you can catch Leonardo DiCaprio chewing the scenery and Christoph Waltz trying his best to keep Jamie Foxx in line. If you’re looking for a little bit of Samuel L. Jackson, he shows up in the final clip, intimidating Kerry Washington. Watch them after the break! Read more…
Tags: Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 15, 2012 in Animation, Cinema 
You may have seen a few pieces of art relating to this before, but here’s your first Disney-approved look at their next CGI film: Frozen. They’re following in Tangled’s (excellent) footsteps and applying traditional animation style to modern CGI tech, and of course, renaming old fairy tales so as to attract a larger audience. In this case, as you may have gathered, this film is based off of the story of the Snow Queen. It’ll be starring Kristen Bell as Anna, along with what the PR calls an “extreme mountain man” to find her sister, the Snow Queen (Idina Menzel). If they can do what Tangled did – or better – I think we’ll have another winner on our hands. I’m not sold on Bell as the main character… but the art looks great! Read more…
Tags: Disney, Frozen
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 15, 2012 in Anime 
Been wondering what the Ghibli folks are up to? We had heard inklings from the domain names register earlier and Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata’s comments over the past few years, but now we have official word on the next two Ghibli films. The first will be Miyazaki’s Kaze Tachinu, based on the life of Jiro Horikoshi, the designer of the Mitsubishi A6M fighter plane. Miyazaki has already done a 2-part manga series on the man, so presumably he’ll be drawing upon that and the book Kaze Tachinu by Tatsuo Hori. Isao Takahata is returning to the director’s chair as well, with Kaguya-hime no Monogatari, based on the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Both films will be released on the same day this summer in Japan, something that hasn’t happened since Totoro and Grave of the Fireflies in 1988. Wow! Read more…
Tags: Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 14, 2012 in Cinema, Comic Books 
I guess using Flash to create moving posters is a new and hip thing right now for the movie industry, eh? The Wolverine is the next film starring Hugh Jackman as the adamantium-boned mutant, directed by James Mangold, who previously helmed such films as 3:10 to Yuma and Walk the Line. The story will feature Wolvie in modern-day Japan, and I’m sure he will encounter plenty of ninja and samurai. He’s even wielding a katana himself, as is no surprise – when in Rome, and all that. The motion poster here has Wolverine brooding over a Japanese cityscape while rain pours down. I’d make some joke about him needing an umbrella or warning him he could catch a cold, but we both know that would end painfully for the both of us. Watch the poster below! Never thought I’d say that, huh? Read more…
Tags: The Wolverine
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 14, 2012 in Cinema 
I like giant robots. Do you like giant robots? I also happen to like giant monsters… Fighting giant robots. It’s silly, it’s fun, and ridiculously cool. So that’s why I’m so excited for Guillermo Del Toro’s latest, Pacific Rim. It combines all the trappings of Japanese giant robot anime with the giant monsters of Godzilla – and it looks to be succeeding. The robots (called Jaegers) are built by various countries around the world to combat the Kaiju, huge, evil monsters that are crawling out of a portal at the bottom of the ocean. So, of course, we have two pilots who have to team up and work together to combat the alien menance. With rocket punches. Oh yes. Read more…
Tags: guillermo del toro, Pacific Rim
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 13, 2012 in Anime 
As noted last week, there’s another Dragon Ball Z movie coming out, subtitled Battle of Gods. We now have a trailer to go along with the announcement, and as it expected, it looks far more visually exciting than the budget of the original TV series, filler plot be damned. The movie is also taking more cues from artist Akira Toriyama’s post-Dragon Ball Z art style, which feels a bit more cartoony than what he used before. Read more…
Tags: Dragonball
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 13, 2012 in Videogames 
Like BioShock before it, BioShock Infinite looks to marry a unique, fantastical world with interesting story and fun game mechanics. With such a strong concept, fans were understandably disappointed to not see it reflected in the game’s cover art, which is reminiscent of any number of FPS games featuring a man (chin down, eyes up) holding a gun. Irrational Games’ Ken Levine has stated that this was to help capture the attention of those not in the know (by apparently making it look the same as other games?), since he felt that BioShock‘s more appropriate cover of a Big Daddy and Little Sister could be misinterpreted as being about a robot and a little girl. But fret not, you don’t have to deal with lame art once you buy the game! Read more…
Tags: BioShock: Infinite, PS3, Xbox 360
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 12, 2012 in Videogames 
Metro 2033 was a pleasant surprise when it released in 2010. Work has been progressing on the sequel, Metro: Last Light, which means we’ll soon be able to return to post-apocalyptic Russia and fight creepy super-powered mutants. The latest trailer, called “Genesis,” recounts the story of how God made the Earth in seven days, before concluding that he either left or died on the seventh day, because the excrement has hit the fan. If I was living underground in a metro system fighting horrible monsters, I’d probably feel that way too. Read more…
Tags: post-apocalyptic, PS3, Xbox 360
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 12, 2012 in Cinema, Comic Books 
I admit, I’m not the biggest Superman fan. The character is often just too powerful, removing tension and making everything around him dull, and when combined with his unwavering good nature, I find it hard to care about any of his problems. Why worry when you can throw any problem into the sun? If Superman’s personality is altered or presented in a different light (Red Son), then I can find enough interest to stick around. Fortunately, that seems to be what’s going on in this full trailer of Man of Steel. Read more…
Tags: DC Comics, Superheroes, Superman, Warner Brothers
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 11, 2012 in Star Trek, Star Wars 
Do computer parts and spaceships not have enough geek cred for you? Why not combine them? Etsy user Shankalonian makes a variety of objects, mostly bugs, out of old computer parts. But what’s coolest are his recycled versions of famous spaceships, such as the USS Enterprise, a Klingon Bird of Prey, and an X-Wing Fighter. He seems to have sold the Bird of Prey, but the Enterprise, X-Wing, and a whole lot of bugs are still up for grabs if you’re looking for a distinctive holiday gift. The models are both environmentally responsible and incredibly nerdy! Read more…
Tags: Klingons, USS Enterprise
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 11, 2012 in Videogames 
Grasshopper Manufacture does some quirky, yet interesting work, often courtesy of auteur director Suda51. Their latest game is a collaboration with Digital Reality, who also worked with them on previous downloadable game Sine Moria. Black Knight Sword uses a dark, yet charming puppet theater aesthetic to tell the story of a knight and his sword, questing through a sidescroller. The game also features music by former Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka. And as of Tuesday, it is out on PlayStation Network! Read more…
Tags: PS3, Xbox 360
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 10, 2012 in Cinema, Comic Books 
It seems 2015 is going to be jam packed with big films. We already have so many heavy hitters like Justice League, Avengers 2, Star Wars: Episode VII, and more (and who knows if they’ll hit their respective dates anyway). But Fox is throwing another one on the pile: The Fantastic Four. Fox has been trying to reboot the film series for a while now, and with them marking the calendar it seems they’re ready to move forward. Currently we have no story details, but Jeremy Slater will be scripting the project, with Chronicle director Josh Trank set to helm it. A much more promising set of folks than last time around, wouldn’t you say? While I’d love for the Fantastic Four to come back to Marvel, for now this seems to be an adequate substitute. Read more…
Tags: Fantastic Four, Marvel
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 10, 2012 in Cinema 
I’m always up for an original sci-fi film. Anything new to combat the endless remakes and licensing parties that Hollywood seems to love. I suppose I should be careful what I wish for, though. Joseph Kosinski, the director of Tron: Legacy, has a new film coming out starring Tom Cruise called Oblivion. Visually, it looks pretty interesting, in that “fake vision of the future” way. The designs of the ships and creatures are neat and it has Morgan Freeman in it along with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (aka Jaime Lannister). While it looks cool, the story seems a little generic. Will the film be any good? We’ll find out April 12th, next year. Read more…
Tags: joseph kosinski, oblivion, tom cruise
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 9, 2012 in Videogames 
Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls have been surprisingly awesome hits in the gaming industry, bringing back incredibly difficult gameplay that punishes you for making mistakes and rewards your skill. Well, Dark Souls is back for more, and this CGI trailer announcing the sequel looks fantastic. According to the PR material, the game will expand the world of Dark Souls and also have a bigger focus on the story. Let’s hope that all this ends up with another awesome game, because even if I might not have the strength to play these games, I can definitely appreciate what they do. Read more…
Tags: Dark Souls
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 9, 2012 in Videogames 
At the VGAs a trailer for a “new” game was shown, called The Phantom Pain. It was a pretty neat-looking trailer, but it also featured a very Snake-esque main character, looked to be running in the FOX Engine, and that studio is clearly fake. Ok, let’s face it, this is something Metal Gear Solid-related, but Hideo Kojima is coy and not saying anything at all. Whether this is Ground Zeroes, a new game, or some weird middle ground, this is (at the least) some creative viral marketing for MGS. And don’t miss Volgin in the fire and the overlaid text on “The Phantom Pain” title that seems to say “Metal Gear Solid V.” Video is below, starts at the 10:45 mark. Read more…
Tags: Metal Gear Solid
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 8, 2012 in Videogames 
The Last of Us is one of my most anticipated games for 2013, so any new information that creeps out for it I jump upon it instantly. The latest news is a fresh trailer out of the Spike TV Video Game Awards, and it looks fantastic, which is no surprise. While the VGAs themselves are still pretty embarrassing, the new game reveals are always a plus. This trailer gives a bit of a deeper look into the story of the game, as well as some new environments too! I love the visuals you see here, but I’m guessing most of it is cinematics. The gameplay we do see though looks great. I’m pretty excited! Read more…
Tags: PS3, the last of us, VGAs
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 8, 2012 in Fandom, Videogames 
The 2012 Machinima Interactive Film Festival has been getting some pretty amazing entries. The latest one that caught my eye was First Person Goomba, a short film that shows us life from the perspective of Mario’s stumpy little enemies. This kind of idea has been tackled before, but Pipoca does it with style and some solid animation. It’s definitely one of the better entries in the contest! Check out the full video below the jump to see how life goes on for those little guys that do their best to hinder Mario. Read more…
Tags: machinima, Mario Brothers
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 7, 2012 in Videogames 
The Walking Dead episodic game series from Telltale has definitely been one of the best games I’ve played all year, so I’m glad to see the recognition it’s been getting from the various gaming outlets. But not everyone wants to wait for a new episode each month or so, and not everyone wants to play games via digital download, so for those of you out there Telltale is releasing the game on disc. It was suppose to arrive earlier this week, but it’s been delayed till the 11th now. If you want, there’s even a larger edition full of the first 48 volumes of the Walking Dead comic. A pretty impressive collection! Read more…
Tags: The Walking Dead
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 7, 2012 in Cinema 
The moderate success with Tron: Legacy seems to be pleasing Disney, as they’re looking to continue the series. While it had seemed fairly likely that Disney would at least attempt to make a third film, much was still up in the air. Now, The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Jesse Wigutow is scripting the whole affair. Justin Springer is returning to produce, and director Joseph Kosinski is slated to return as well. I hope that they can improve on the shortcomings of Tron: Legacy and make an excellent sequel. And Daft Punk should come back for the soundtrack. And more Jeff Bridges. Lots of Jeff Bridges!
Tags: Tron, Tron Legacy
Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 6, 2012 in Star Trek 
You think your world is safe? No — not until I can stand in line to see this film! See the trailer here: Read more…
Tags: Star Trek Into Darkness
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 6, 2012 in Videogames 
Game Freak, the studio that makes the main Pokemon games with Nintendo, is putting out their first non-Pokemon game since 2006’s Drill Dozer. Rhythm Hunter Harmo Knight is their take on the runner genre, with a fantasy hero running automatically while the player controls the jumps and attacks. Each stage is a song, as the hero must gather notes and whack enemies in time with the music. And while this was previously only announced for Japan, Nintendo confirmed a Western release during their latest Nintendo Direct! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Pokémon
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 6, 2012 in Anime 
Look at that robot above. That’s a mech from Star Driver, the 2010 anime from Bones that features fabulous mechs. There is a semi-new anime movie coming out simply called Star Driver the Movie, and I can immediately tell that there are not sufficient levels of fabulousness to be found in the ad. For something that is being termed a “new construction” of the TV series focusing on Takuto, Waka, and Sugata (plus a new segment about their lives after the TV series), it seems they are taking the sass right out of that robot. The movie opens in Japan on February 9, so there is plenty of time for them to put those fabulous poses back into trailers to recapture the spirit of, well, that picture I posted above. Get on it! Read more…
Tags: Robots
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