Monthly Archives: September 2010

Hard Rock Cafe Seattle

Posted on by

It always seemed odd to me that Seattle, which is the birthplace of the grunge music scene and home base for such iconic bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden, never had a Hard Rock Café to call its own. What better place to showcase the rich and varied musical history of the area which also gave us Heart and the immortal Jimmi Hendrix? Thankfully the wait is over, as the Hard Rock has at long last come to Seattle to the delight of music fans everywhere with a 14,000 square foot locale that offers great music, drinks and food and tons of memorabilia.

Located near the entrance to the historic Pike Place Market, the Hard Rock Café Seattle offers up not only a very inviting menu of food, drinks, appetizers, and desserts, but blends technology and relics to make a unique and memorable dining experience. Mementos from Hendrix, Nirvana, Elvis, Heart, and many more adorn the walls,educating and amazing guests with the history of the famous (and almost famous) artists with varied connections to our city.

Sandra Bird, the Sales and Marketing Manager for the Hard Rock Café Seattle showed me many of the wonders of the new restaurant, from a gift shop with Seattle-themed souvenirs to the countless memorabilia that adorned the walls. She also shared how the company policy was that whether or not a person was a celebrity, everyone waited in line. Eric Clapton, who favored the original London locale, wanted a way to mark which seat he sat in and since he was not allowed to sign the chair, a compromise was reached that he could hang his guitar over the chair. A couple of days later, a guitar from Pete Townsend of The Who arrived, and the hanging of memorabilia began.

I asked Sandra how the chain has been able to survive not only fickle music tastes but also hard economic times and expand to include hotels and casinos all over the world.It was explained that the Seminole Tribe of Florida purchased the Hard Rock Café and helped fuel their move into hotels and casinos without ever losing the focus of the company and the brand name.

Diners on the main floor, which houses a bar and dining area, can get a similar tour without leaving their table, with the Microsoft Tablet technology that allows you to browse the souvenirs on the wall and get more information about each, as well as view it from numerous angles. Thetablesalso allow diners to play a variety of gamesand the booths have a feature where diners could vote on which music video would be played next.
Venture upstairs to find a bar and performance area where bands ranging from rising talent to established veterans play. While spacious, the area provides an intimate setting for those that like their music up close and personal. I enjoyed the roof area as the open-air lounge offered a fantastic view of Puget Sound and allowed those who want a quiet area to congregate.

While music and memorabilia is a key part of the chain, so is the food and I enjoyed a very large plate of nachos and one of their outstanding smoothies on my two trips. The food is varied and offers everything from burgers and sandwiches to even tastier fare such as smokehouse barbecue. While the food was satisfying and the locale impressive, the Hard Rock is first and foremost about music and that tradition is alive and well in Seattle

Geek Goddess Catherine Taber Talks about Star Wars gaming and Season Three of The Clone Wars

Posted on by

As part of our next magazine, we got a nice Q&A with Catherine Taber of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Catherine also has done alot of voices in many popular games including plenty of Star Wars games. This is a portion of the full interview, the full interview is in Issue 3 of our mgazine, contact me for more information.

What attracted you to The Clone Wars?

The idea of a new installment of Star Wars was just super exciting! I feel honored to be a part of Star Wars! And to have the chance to play the part of Padme…all I can say is I was REALLY happy to get the call that I had won the role.

What sort of research did you do?

The movies, for starters. And not just episodes 1-3. I really studied the original trilogy as well. I also refer to the database online all the time. Not just to learn Padme’s history and life – but even now when there is a new planet, or race of alien introduced on the show. I always look them up if I don’t know what they are to see if they are in there. It is such a cool resource!

Are you a tech head or gamer in real life and what do you like to do in your spare time?

Yes, I love games, and they are especially fun if I or someone I know are in them! But, I really like being outside – I enjoy hanging out with my dog and going on hikes, and I also love horseback riding. Another thing I do is find and fix up old furniture and turn them into something cool and new. My shed is full of tools and projects! And my house is an archive of my past projects!

With your past work in Video games, you have voiced both Leia and her mom. Do you have a preference for either character?

I love Padme, she is very close to me. But I actually try to infuse her with the best parts of Leia – her bravery, her humor. They are both such strong women! Now, I just want to play Jaina Solo, the granddaughter and complete my own trilogy…I am thinking Live Action!

What can you tell us about your voice work in the Old Republic game?

Nothing. Haha – no seriously, I can’t say anything specific, – but I can say I can’t wait for it to come out and I am so proud of the work everyone has done on it – it looks so amazing! I mean, have you SEEN the trailers??? Wow!

How much interaction do you get with the Clone Wars cast and any fond moments you can share?

Wow – I could write a book of all the fun we have! We have seriously become like a family and just have the best time, whether we are recording together or off doing press. No joke, I literally had to start wearing waterproof mascara to sessions because we laugh so hard most of the times it makes me cry and I would end up coming out of the session with raccoon eyes!

Which Star wars character is closer to the real you and why?

I would say I’m a mix of Padme and Han. I have Padme’s sense of morals and desire to do good and fight for what is right, but I am much more sarcastic than she is, like Han. Hopefully, you do get to see a little of that shine through in our Clone Wars Padme.

How much time do you have between Clone Wars episodes to prepare for the next episode?

It all depends really. It could be a month between records or longer, but you may have pick ups for a previous episode 2 weeks in a row. But we only get our script the day before – so we don’t have too much time to prepare. They don’t like the scripts floating out there in the world for long for confidentiality and even then all of our scripts are watermarked with our names. It’s all very mysterious!

What can you tell us about what is ahead for Padme in Season 3?

I am so excited for everyone to see Season 3 of Clone Wars! There are classic characters people will be thrilled to see and brand new characters that are going to blow people away. Some of the cast got a chance to watch the season opening episodes at Celebration 5 in Orlando a few weeks ago and I have to tell you – it was a rollercoaster!

For Padme, season three is time of growing – she begins to see the truth in many situations she didn’t always see. Padme has disappointments, but it all serves to strengthen her resolve and remind her what is truly important.

You are hailed by fans as a Geek Goddess! How have you embraced this title?
Yes! I think it’s so flattering and I know the geek part true! Sci-fi fans come in all forms, and I am a part of that group and always have been.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole

Posted on by

First of all, Legend of the Guardians: the Owls of Ga’hoole (here after referred to as LotG) is a tragically horrible name. I couldn’t even remember what it was called while I was watching it. As it is, I just checked the internet three times to be sure I spelled and got it right. I think whoever green-lighted that title, both for the books and for the movie, ought to be fired. Immediately. (And hire me in their place?)

Second of all? I liked it. Did I love it? No. There are severe problems with this movie, not the least of which that they tried to cram the first three editions of the children’s book series into one and a half hours. Did it work? Only if you like feeling ripped off.

But let’s start at the beginning.

LotG is about a young owelet named Soren who has grown up listening to the tales of a battle between the Guardians of Ga’hoole and a horrible owl named “Metalbeak.” When he and his brother, Kludd, begin branching they fall victim to the owls of St. Aggies. These two captors return with them to their mountain home, far away from the forest land where Soren and Kludd had so far lived. There, young owls are being kidnapped and brainwashed, becoming either zombie like creatures of habit and toil or fierce fighters for the “Pure One’s” army. Soren is banished to “picking” with a new friend, Gylfie, while Kludd is promoted to warrior. Luckily for our hero he and the girl-owl he befriended manage to escape, sent on a journey to find and alert the Guardians about this new threat.

Onto the good.

It’s a pretty straightforward fantasy story which, as a DnD geek, I can appreciate. Being that I am pretty much a fan of anything that gets kids into fantasy I was pretty happy with that much. It felt like Lord of the Rings meets The Lion King and The Secret of Nimh with a dose of 300 (sans the nudity of course) tossed in for good measure.

The graphics are amazing. I was happy enough to stare at adorable owls on screen for ninety minutes. They’re so cute I’m surprised I haven’t been inundated with a ton of squishable, stuffed propaganda from the film (that I would totally snatch up). Maybe it’s out there but hardly as prevalent as most children’s movies as far as I’m concerned and that is simply a crime! The 3D special effects really blended seamlessly, making the whole experience feel rather natural, feeding into the movie rather than trumping and encompassing it.

An all-star cast rounds out the film. With the voice talents of Ryan Kwanten, Jim Strugess, Hugo Weaving, Emily Barclay, Sam Neil, and Helen Mirren, the characters spring to life, taken from merely cute avians to possibly believable characters. And these heavy hitters are not alone, joined by an equally stellar voice crew.

My problems, however, just might outweigh these good points. Suppose it depends on who you are.

The first, most glaring, flaw was that the first act and the first “half” of the second act took up far too much of running time. In total we should have about one half of a movie but instead we’re treated to new characters, new concepts, and even a new world right up to the point that I would categorize at the climax. At least where the climax should be. The second “half” of the movie, something that should literally be one half of the film, is over and done with in about fifteen to twenty minutes. The first part may seem boring, as though it is preparing you for something, but the second will leave you feeling let down that all of the action came in one, giant squirt and nothing more.

I didn’t understand why this was while I was in the theater but further research has revealed that (as I said earlier) the first three books of a 15 book series went into this film. Having never read them I cannot truly give you an informed opinion but I honestly believe that when faced with the condensing process the writers could not manage to fit the stories and their beginnings and endings into a smooth single entity. Unfortunately it shows and it is likely what will ruin this otherwise rather likeable movie. Most movies that can’t follow a decent three act structure tend to fall short.

Additionally LotG is rated PG. I don’t know why. It has some intensely frightening moments and is remarkably violent for a story aimed at children between the ages of nine and twelve. Looking back on my experiences as a kid and thinking about what most of the parents in my life are willing and eager to let their children watch I don’t know that this would be easily accepted. The thing is, though, that I don’t believe that this is a moral issue. For a nine year old this could reasonably be too frightening to enjoy.

To sum this up and put an end to my tirade I would give LotG one star out of five if story alone were all that mattered. When other aspects are taken into account I might be willing to push it up to three. On a good day.

Prince of Persia DVD

Posted on by

When so much often goes wrong with movie adaptations of video games, it is always pleasant when the occasional one takes you by surprise and becomes a well written, well acted, adventure of a movie. Prince of Persia, directed by Mike Newell, previously of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, captures much of the fun of the video game while telling a compelling story obviously written for the screen, and not pulled straight from the game itself.

Prince Dastan, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, does a fitting job of balancing the devious and dignified sides of his character. Gemma Arterton plays the role of Tamina with good chemistry with Gyllenhaal, and their dialogue always seems to have a spark of something extra. Ben Kingsley and the rest of the supporting cast do a fantastic job of rounding out the story and providing a degree of comic relief, tension, and reasons to use the special effects budget. The special effects are as expected, coming from producer Jerry Bruckheimer, excellent. Still, they don’t distract or otherwise draw too much attention away from the story itself.

The movie, obviously enough, revolves around Prince Dastan and a mystical dagger that can turn back time for short periods. Despite the plot twists and turns (and there are several), this movie kept me guessing and absorbed in the story, but never confused. If you’re looking for a fun time at the movies to start the summer season, look no further than this lively and fun film.

4 stars out of 5

The Loaded Blu Ray has amazing picture and sound and is loaded with bonus materials which makes this a must own for any action fan.

Machete

Posted on by

This is the film your parents did not want you to see as a child. Violent, vulgar, and more than a little offensive Machete is shocking, not just for the eyes but also to moral sensibilities. Yet, it is also undeniably funny.

This make believe movie trailer highlighted in the movie Grindhouse was, due to its popularity, turned into a full length feature packed with ridiculous fight scenes and some of the most simplistic dialogue of any modern action film. The visuals stay with you. The action is impressive. This is not just another trip to the movies but a wild chaotic journey at the end of a giant blade.

Director and co-author, Robert Rodriguez, has mixed classic Tarantino styling, the wild world of B movies, and his own flair for dramatic character creation to create a film that is violently astonishing. The fight scenes are engaging from weapon selection all the way to last man standing, and do I really need to tell you who that man is? Of, course not.
Machete is not just your typical anti-hero, he is the vision of an anti-hero with ladies and one-liners in tow. While Danny Trejo (Machete) steals the show he is not the only big name appearing on this cast list. The film is packed with stars such as Jessica Alba (Sartana), Michelle Rodriguez (Luz), and Lindsey Lohan (April), who all play critical characters in this bizarre tale. And so far as the men go, there are also quality performances from Robert De Niro (Senator McLaughlin), Don Johnson (Lt. Stillman), Steven Segal (Torrez) and Cheech Marin (Padre).

Moreover, it is not a stretch to say that this film abruptly addresses some significant stereotypes. In fact Machete doesn’t just confront these issues, it wields a large blade of sarcasm in their direction. Giving a new base line for “over the top,” Machete is sure to be a hit with anyone who is not easily offended.

4.5/5

Fallout New Vegas Interview

Posted on by

As part of our PAX coverage and as parft of our next magazine, we have an interview with Tess Treadwell mon the highly anticipated new chapter in the Fallout series, Fallout New Vegas

What is the background and setting for the new material?

Fallout: New Vegas takes place in the Mojave Wasteland, four years after the close of Fallout 3 (about 200 years after the nukes fell in the Great War). The New California Republic is growing in power, expanding east – and butting heads with Caesar’s Legion, a power expanding to the west. This area wasn’t hit by nukes the way the east coast was, and the Strip is still open for business. The strip is run by the mysterious Mr. House. People have jobs, grow crops, and populate small towns, but all is definitely not well.

You play as a courier, en route to deliver a strange package to the strip. Unfortunately, you don’t make your delivery date. Instead, you get shot in the head, left to die and your package stolen by a guy in a checkered suit. Finding him and the package will be your first major objective, one that will take you all the way to the Vegas Strip and beyond.

What are some of the locales gamers will see in the game?

As you traverse the Mojave, you’ll come across places you’d expect, such as small towns, campgrounds, and, of course, Vaults. You will also visit military camps (both NCR and Legion), the town of Primm (complete with roller coaster!), a rocket launch facility, and many more unique locations.

What sort of new enemies will players face?

Right from the start players will encounter a throwback to Fallout 2: Geckos. You’ll find bigger, nastier breeds as you go deeper into the Wasteland. Since you’re in the desert you’ll also encounter wild Coyotes, as well as a horrifying coyote/rattlesnake hybrid known as a Nightstalker. There are also new human enemies, new mutated insects…

As we’ve shown in some demos, there are also the west coast Super Mutants and their stealthy brethren, the mentally unstable Stealthboy-loving Nightkin.

What are some of the weapons we will see and will they change between locales? And can you tell us about how they become customized?

We tried to maintain a pretty good mix of all weapon categories, and hopefully players won’t ever feel neglected for having chosen a certain specialization. You will indeed find different weapons at different locales, and particularly with factions. Caesar’s Legion troops prefer melee weapons like machetes, and the Powder Gangers have a ready supply of explosives to exploit, so don’t be surprised when they lob a bunch of dynamite at you while you hotfoot around their mines.

Weapon customization comes in the form of mods, which you can buy in stores and then equip on weapons. Each weapon mod can affect magazine size, recoil, etc. as well as add functionality such as scopes. You’ll equip mods via a new menu in the Pip-Boy. You can further customize your weapons by equipping ammo subtypes, which you can purchase from vendors.

What can you tell us about the RPG aspect of the game and character creation and how this plays into the overall game? Some of my favorite moments from Fallout 3 were the choices you have to make and the consequences of each action.

We’ve retained all the RPG aspects of Fallout 3 and layered more on top – including the new reputation system for factions (both major and minor) within the game, Character creation lets you edit your appearance and tag skills, which will affect your conversations even if you don’t pick Speech. And, we’ve brought back Traits which adds to long-term character development.

How you treat people, the things you say to them, and the decisions you make will have a significant impact on the world. Some will have immediate effects, others you won’t see how they impact your story until the endgame. It’s not just about things you do. The things you don’t do will also impact the world.

What are some of the biggest obstacles you faced in creating the game and the biggest successes?

We had a few technical challenges. While we’re using a proven engine, we tried to do a lot of things that took it to the limit, and we had to come up with solutions that didn’t make the engine explode but that also didn’t compromise what the designers and artists wanted to accomplish.

I think we succeeded in expanding upon the gameplay of Fallout 3.We made dialogue more complex, and created an interesting new world with really cool, intriguing characters and factions. I think we succeeded in producing a quality title worthy of the Fallout name!

Where do you see the series heading in terms of future chapters? More DLC, an add on, or a new game?

It’s safe to say that there’s DLC slated for the future. We’ll let folks know when we’re ready to talk about what we have planned.

Follow us on Twitter at sknrgareth
Facebook at Skewed and Reviewed or Gareth Von Kallenbach
Catch our Weekly TV Show on UStream 8:15 Pacific Mondays.