Skewed and Reviewed’s 2013 Summer Movie Preview

Posted on April 28, 2013 by simeon

Please Excuse our state as we are recovering, updating, and restoring from a hack.

With Iron Man 3 already out in parts of the world and opening next week in the states,here is our 2013 Summer movie preview from our March 2013 magazine.

May

By Chris Daniels

3 – Iron Man 3 – The next in what’s already an extremely popular, well made, and profitable Marvel franchise, Iron Man 3 will see Robert Downey Jr. reprise his role as the enigmatic and egotistical, fast-talking, billionaire playboy and superhero. Other notables include Guy Pearce, Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, and Don Cheadle as James Rhodes/War Machine. Iron Man 3 features the incomparable Sir Ben Kingsley as Iron Man’s arch nemesis: The Mandarin. I have high hopes for this film I feel confident they will deliver, as they have twice before!

10 – The Great Gatsby – While this film has been done many times, the trailers give me hope that it will truly be a masterful rendition of the famous book by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Leonardo DiCaprio is well chosen, in my opinion, for the title role of Gatsby, is accompanied by another great casting choice: Tobey Maguire as the other main character, Nick Carraway. If the trailers are any indication of the production values, this is sure to be an epic film, which I suspect will garner some Oscar nominations.

17 – Star Trek: Into the Darkness – The cast of recently rebooted, beloved cult show Star Trek will find themselves on the silver screen again, with a salivating audience. Two years ago, JJ Abrams stunned everyone with a film that further bridged the gap between geek and pop culture. The fans are hungry for more, and your second helping is only weeks away. All of the same faces from before have returned, with the addition of Benedict Cumberbatch (best known for BBC’s Sherlock) as the villain. Nothing more need be said. This will be epic.

24 – Fast and Furious 6 – Last year, Vin Diesel came back to the Fast and Furious franchise and reignited the quality of the films. The addition of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson cemented F&F 5 in the books of worth-watching speed films. This year they look to continue the trend and the storyline. Ever since the first film, the lives of these outlaws have been the focal point of the franchise, but development has been very slow, given the nature of the films: speed action, not drama. The stunts and production values always make these films entertaining, along with beautiful cars and fast women. Or is that the other way around?!?

24 – The Hangover: Part III – What really needs to be said here? Hollywood is capitalizing on you spending money on these films! The funny is coming, and it’s the same drunkards from the previous two big screen hits, with brand new antics and witty one-liners. If you are a fan of the series, this will be for you. If you’re not, keep reading!

24 – Epic -Chris Wedge, one of the brains behind Ice Age, broke off on his own to do this project, which is an amalgamation of “The Leaf Men” and “Brave Good Bugs.” If you are a lover of animated films, this will likely be the one you must take your kids to, or just see yourself. It is already being compared to the work of Hayao Miyazaki. That’s a tall order, as far as statements go.

31 – The Purge – If Sci-Fi thrillers are a dollar-spender for you, then catching Ethan Hawke and director Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity) with their latest film, may be a requirement. The Purge is being heralded as a story that scares because of its believability; all things illegal are legal for 12 hours. WHAT?!? This one sounds like it could be a very interesting twist on conventional law movies.

JUNE

7 – After Earth – For those of you like me who’ve been craving another M. Night Shyamalan film: it has finally arrived. (Please take note of my sarcasm) It arrives in theaters this summer, and it does so with the recently absent Will Smith, and also his child-star son, Jaden Smith. One saving grace for this post-apocalyptic alien planet film is that Shyamalan didn’t write the script, and is only directing, which he actually does reasonably well. The buzz is quiet, which raises the intrigue.

7 – Now You See Me – Continuing with the trend of blockbusters this summer, Now You See Me is a highly anticipated film about illusionists that rob banks during their shows, giving their proceeds to the audience! The star-studded cast and famous French director easily propel this movie to the must-see list. The Chemical Brothers score this Louis Leterrier movie, and they’re aided by big names like Morgan Freeman, Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, and Woody Harrelson.

7 – The Internship – It’s been eight years since Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson brought us the comedic genius of Wedding Crashers, and now they team up again to show us what happens when two washed-up salespeople, pushed out of jobs by technology, get internships with Google. I have two hopes: first, that it’s not just Wedding Crashers in difference pants, and second, that this isn’t one giant ad placement for Google. Aside from that, I’m excited for some very fun entertainment!

7 – Much Ado About Nothing – Shakespeare’s classic is being remade yet again, but this time it’s in Joss Whedon’s hands. Enough said. Go see it.

14 – Man of Steel – This is the year’s most anticipated film. Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon star in this Superman movie, and it’s directed by Zack Snyder. You will go see this film. You don’t need to know anything more.

14 – This Is the End – Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, and Paul Rudd star in this short, which looks absolutely ridiculous. But hey, if you like this type of comedy, perhaps you’ll piss yourself laughing! The end of the world is nigh, and these jokers are going to show you how they handle it!

21 – Monsters University – Monsters, Inc. was a marvel of moviemaking. But this time, instead of a sequel, Pixar has decided to do a prequel, much to my chagrin. Monsters University is the story of how Mike and Sulley met. Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi return, with the addition of Sir Ben Kingsley. They are the star power that will drive this film (which I nonetheless remain dubious about). Regardless, here is your Kid Film of the Year!

21 – World War Z – Marc Forster directs Brad Pitt in this film adaptation of the popular book. This movie comes as no surprise to me, as we are amidst a huge zombie craze. Movies, books, TV shows, comics, gear, games, and everything else you can think of. It’s no shock that a very popular novel was turned into a movie to capitalize on the millions of zombie fans cropping up around the world. The production values look to be high, and World War Z may be a very entertaining action film, laced with drama.

28 – The Heat – Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy star in this comedy about an FBI agent and a Boston cop who are rigid and career driven, with no friends. Hilarity ensues, as one might guess, when two socially awkward people are forced into partnership. I don’t like Sandra Bullock, but if you’re a fan of her work, then undoubtedly this film will entertain you. If you are in my camp, then stay away, dear friends!

28 – Kick Ass 2 – The cult classic Kick Ass is getting something that most people wouldn’t have bet on: a sequel. Films of this caliber are rarely graced with another opportunity to tell a different chapter in the story (and make potentially even more money than its progenitor). If you enjoyed the first, then this will be a must-see on your summer list.

28 – White House Down -Jamie Foxx, Channing Tatum, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Richard Jenkins fill the screen with action and drama as the White House is overtaken by a rogue group and a Secret Service agent must protect the President. I don’t smell any awards, but the movie is likely to be very entertaining. If you are in need of an action fix, and White House films do it for you, this one should be on your list.

JULY
By Gareth von Kallenbach

3 – Lone Ranger – Disney kicks up the lucrative Fourth of July weekend with their adaptation of “The Lone Ranger”, which stars Johnny Depp as Tonto and Armie Hammer as the masked crusader. The film has been plagued by budget issues were reportedly the initial budget of 250 million was trimmed to 215 million before production even began. Issues ranging from weather to set design have reportedly pushed the budget over the $250 million Mark the Disney was so anxious to avoid and rumors of script rewrites in order to control the spiraling budget have been reported. Director Gore Verbinski worked well with Depp on “Pirates of the Caribbean”, and there is hope that he can breathe life into what is considered a stagnant Western genre. The film chronicles a Texas Ranger who is betrayed and left for dead. Assisted by Tonto is returned to health and the duo set to seek justice in the Wild West.

3 – Despicable Me 2 – Steve Carrell returns as Gru, this time with Al Pacino, Kristen Wiig, and Miranda Gosgrove joining the cast. Of course the lovable minions who will be getting their own movie in 2014 are back, as are the lovable scamps that made the first film such a delight. Expect more 3-D hijinks on this merry band of misfits reunite. As anyone who’s seen the trailer to this point can attest this is going to be one highly anticipated film that hopefully will retain the humor and originality that vaulted the original box office gold.

12 – Pacific Rim – Director Guillermo del Toro’s action epic is set to debut which portrays humanity’s struggle between trying creatures from beneath the Sea and gigantic robots built to save humanity. The film promises post converted 3-D l visuals, solid action, and epic adventure.

Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, and Charlie Day represent humanity’s last hope and as anybody who’s seen the trailer knows, they face a daunting task indeed. Typically action disaster films do well for the summer season and Warner Bros. is certainly hoping that they got a smash and perhaps a franchise on their hands with this one.

12 – Grown Ups 2 – Adam Sandler and the crew from the first film are back for seconds to their smash hit. Sandler has had a couple of duds with “Jack and Jill” and “That’s My Boy”, so both star and studio are hoping for better results this time out and would be delighted to see the revenue similar to the first film. Chris Rock, Kevin James, and David Spade bring their talents to the ensemble picture which should stay fairly close to the successful formula of the original and focusing on the bond between friends and families.

26 – The Wolverine – Hugh Jackman returns to the titular role, which had its planned production and filming delayed by the tragic tsunami in Japan. Dir. James Mangold takes over from Darren Aronofsky who departed film amidst the production delays. Despite some issues with the previous film, he did well enough at the box office to give the popular character another chance to stand on his own studio hopes will lead to several films in the future. Set in Japan and pitted against the Silver Samurai, expect plenty of romance, action, and character development this time out which hopefully will satisfy fans who were very upset with previous film especially with the liberties taken with the characters back story in regards to his brother.

AUGUST
by Joseph Saulnier

2 – 300: Rise of an Empire – In this follow up to 2006’s 300, we see the Greek General Themistocles battle an invading army of Persians under the mortal-turned-god, Xerxes. This prequel finds Noam Murro directing and Zack Snyder producing. The cast, aside from Eva Green, are mostly unknown. But that’s okay. Because it really worked for 300. There’s not a lot out there about this movie yet, but if they can pull off the same stunning visuals and stick true to the graphic novel as they did in 300, it should be rather good.

2 – RED 2 – Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich return for round 2 in what looks to be as a humorous and action packed as the first; possibly even more so. This time Catherine Zeta-Jones, Neal McDonough, Anthony Hopkins and David Thewlis are along for the ride. The first was thoroughly enjoyable, and with the Hoeber’s (Jon and Erich) returning to write and Dean Parisot of GalaxyQuest, Fun with Dick and Jane, and several TV Series fame set to direct, this should prove an interesting outing.

9 – Elysium – Set in the year 2159, where the very wealthy live on a man-made space station while the rest of the population resides on a destroyed earth, a man takes on a mission that could bring equality to the polarized worlds. That man: Matt Damon. Rounding out the cast in this movie is Jodie Foster and Sharlto Copley. This looks to be a really good step for Matt Damon as he is taking a leap into science fiction. With Neil Blokamp set to write and direct, an A-list cast, possible alien planet setting and the layers of secrecy surrounding this project, this whole movie looks very promising as a new entry into the vast science fiction landscape we have coming this year.

9 – We’re the Millers – A veteran pot dealer creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico. Starring Jason Sudekis, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts and Ed Helms and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story), this looks like it has a good formula for a classic comedy. Though, there have been many flops coming from the comedy genre in recent months, this looks to be very smartly written and executed by a talented cast.

9 – 2 Guns – A DEA agent and an undercover Naval Intelligence officer who have been tasked with investigating one another find they have been set up by the mob – the very organization the two men believe they have been stealing money from. While this movie was originally conceived as an action/comedy with Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, it has been evolved to a straight-up action thriller starring Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington and Baltasar Kormakur directing. I am a big fan of both actors and am really looking forward to what this teaming can bring.

23 – The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones – When her mom is attacked and taken from their home in New York City by a demon, a seemingly ordinary teenage girl finds out truths about her past and bloodline on her quest to get her back that changes her entire life. Based on Cassandra Clare’s six-novel series, Mortal Instruments, this looks to be a movie that will please many fans and newcomers alike. I have been hounded to read this book series, but I am not sure I want to as the trailer looks absolutely gorgeous. I am very much looking forward to the dark magic, secret family histories and love-triangle dynamics this movie looks to offer, even if it does make me sound like somewhat of a teenage girl.

SEPTEMBER

6 – Riddick – Left for dead on a sun-scorched planet, Riddick finds himself up against an alien race of predators. Activating an emergency beacon alerts two ships: one carrying a new breed of mercenary, the other captained by a man from Riddick’s past. This much anticipated (at least on my part) addition to Riddick series has been kept under wraps for the most part. A few on-set photos have leaked here and there, and a bit of the plot has been set out, but so far mum is the word on a lot. But with Vin Diesel’s return to power, as it were, in Fast Five, this should prove to have a good outing.

13 – Machete Kills – The U.S. Government recruits Machete to battle his way through Mexico in order to take down an arms dealer who looks to launch a weapon into space. It is my opinion that Machete was a fluke. It stemmed from a fake trailer and actually turned it into a decent movie. But sequelizing it… I do not think this is the best thing to do. Typically we see recycled material that was used in the first movie, only in a slightly new setting. But who knows, I could be wrong. Look at the success of The Expendables 2.

Why The Next Xbox’s Always On Feature Is No Big Deal

Posted on April 23, 2013 by simeon

By Joseph K. Saulnier

(Site is being restored and updated after a security hack, please excuse the mess)

Rumors are swirling about Microsoft’s next generation console, but none bigger and more controversial than the “always on” issue. Though, it is not a rumor at this point, as we all saw with Microsoft Studios Creative Director Adam Orth’s twitter post from last Thursday. In case you missed it, Orth sent out some tweets basically announcing that the next generation Xbox was going to have an “always on’ requirement, as in always online. This sent the internet in an uproar, citing people to tweet him and bash him, and (in Orth’s words) cause so much drama. But is he wrong in what he said?

Now, don’t get me wrong. The guy didn’t handle it in the best of ways. He could have done it with more grace, or not even started the whole thing at all. I have a feeling he knows this now as his tweets are now private. But really, why is “always on” so bad. I have to agree with Orth when he said (paraphrasing) that in this day and age pretty much every device is connected to the internet. It’s the world we live in now. We are heading towards the reality of Total Recall, Gamer and even Blade Runner. The Xbox is just taking one of the first steps in that direction.

People can argue and say that I am in an area that is connected location living in Seattle, that the smaller towns in the country have more issues. But in reality, this could be blown way out of proportion. In truth, internet access is more available than ever before with more and more expansion of the major distributors. And yes. It sometimes goes down. It does everywhere, even in big cities like Seattle. But hey, there are power outages every now and then too. But nobody’s is up in arms about a battery pack being available (connected or preinstalled) for the situations when the power is out.

I am not saying “deal with it” like Orth did. I am just saying that people may be overreacting without being a little reasonable. People cite issues like those seen with Diablo III and SimCity, but then they forget about all of the shining examples of where it works. World of Warcraft, Everquest, Star Wars: The Old Republic and any other MMO you can think of. Yes, they have server issues every now and then, and they only focus on one game, but they are massive games and can’t be overlooked.

Not to mention that this is Microsoft we’re talking about. While they have had hiccups over the years, there was also a lot of controversy when Xbox Live was introduced. But look at the success they have had in pioneering and perfecting the online social aspect of gaming in consoles. Everyone forgets this and has little faith in the company and their decision despite their success, and their willingness to atone when mistakes are made.

And here begin the attacks that it’s not Microsoft that people are upset with, that the worry is about troublesome internet connections. But let’s remember. All we have is the tweet of one man who didn’t even directly say that the next gen Xbox will have the “always on” feature. Microsoft has not confirmed anything. And to another point, how many times have we seem something “officially” announced that changed before launch date, which is still a long way off. I think we will just have to wait and see what is announced at E3 this year. I know the current rumor is something will be announced on May 21, but again… rumors

Updates Are In The Works

Posted on April 16, 2013 by simeon

Hello,

Just wanted to update you that we had a site hack and are in the process of doing some restorations and site updates. The main thing we have left is restoring the images and that will be coming. We have tons of articles, interviews, and other content in the que ready to go as well as our Cinemacon 2013 coverage and much more.

Gareth

Editor

Skewed and Reviewed

Wondercon 2013

Posted on April 15, 2013 by simeon

Story by Albert Valenzuela & Ricardo Valencia, all photos by Albert Valenzuela

This weekend’s Wondercon was a great success at the Anaheim Convention Center. Sold-Out all three days, geeks, cosplayers, movie buffs, and anime characters of all kinds reveled in the perfect 70 degree weather.

Other than the long lines on Saturday, everything seemed to run perfectly including the food trucks that lined the convention center entrance.

Many of the attendees dressed in their best zombie, anime & Star Wars costumes, which worked out in the beautiful weather and nicely air conditioned convention halls. All were looking except for one dirty looking Wookie that could have used a good washing next door at Splash Mountain.

Not many ”giveaways” as expected, at all, but there was a fleet of Pacific Rim ”army girls” handing out 3 pack trading cards. Sadly no fava beans or glasses of Chianti during the Hannibal screening that was way ”sold out”.

Those that were lucky enough to see the super extended Evil Dead trailer were not disappointed, gore gore galore, who knew Suburgatory’s Jane Levy could me such a screamer! Quick suggestion, dont eat dinner before seeing this movie.

There was not a big presence of ”movie booths” handing out premium posters and such, but the Pacific Rim army girls were there Saturday handing out 3 packs of trading cards.

The big award goes to Universal Pictures for bringing the full scale, life-size Bubbleship from Oblivion, the pod-like ship Tom Cruise flies around in the upcoming IMAX science fiction adventure.

Director Joe Kosinski even made a brief appearance early Saturday morning, before going back to work to do some final editing!

Overall, all seemed to have a great time the entire weekend, including the hundreds of vendors that were busy the entire time, including an hour past the 5pm closing on
Sunday afternoon., but sadly, no appearance by a zombie or Jedi Easter Bunny.

One suggestion if you’re going to the much larger San Diego Comic Con later this year, plenty of Red Bull for all the miles you’ll be running around trying to make all the panels and trying to see all the different costumed attendees.

Wondercon 2013 Images Part 2

Posted on April 4, 2013 by simeon

Ricardo valencia and Albert Valenzuela did a great job of capturing the action at Wondercon 2013. Here is more of their pictures.

Blizzcon 2013 Tickets on Sale April 24th and 27th

Posted on April 4, 2013 by simeon

Blizzard warning in effect for Southern California!
Massive Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo community gathering coming to
Anaheim Convention Center November 8-9th.

IRVINE, Calif.-Get ready for a storm of epic proportions! Blizzard Entertainment,
Inc. today announced that tickets for its seventh BlizzCon gaming convention will go on sale in two batches on April 24 and April 27.

In addition, a limited number of tickets to an exclusive pre-BlizzCon dinner to benefit Children’s Hospital of OrangeCounty will go on sale May 1.

Set to tear through the Anaheim Convention Center this November 8 and 9, BlizzCon is a thundering celebration of all things Warcraft, Diablo, and StarCraft.
The annual-ish two-day community gathering features in-depth discussion panels with Blizzard developers, hands-on play time with the latest Blizzard games, and tons of other exciting events and activities.

As announced earlier this week, BlizzCon 2013 will also host the StarCraft II World Championship Series Global Finals-a high-stakes showdown where the top pro players in the world will battle for the right to be crowned StarCraft II World Champion. “We love having the opportunity to hang out with our players at BlizzCon, and it’s always awesome to see the greatest gaming community on earth swarm Anaheim,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment.
“We look forward to delivering two full days of gaming, activities, and other entertainment, and we can’t wait to show some of the exciting projects we’ve been working on.”
Tickets to attend the convention will be priced at $175 USD each and will be available for purchase from the official BlizzCon website(in two separate batches.
The first batch goes on sale Wednesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. Pacific time, and the second batch goes on sale Saturday, April 27 at 10 a.m. Pacific time.

Tickets to the BlizzCon Benefit Dinner, which include admission to BlizzCon, will be priced at $500 USD each, with proceeds going to Children’s Hospital of
Orange County. Taking place the evening of November 7, this exclusive event offers guests an opportunity to /eat, /drink, and /lol with Blizzard game developers,

community managers, and other folks from Blizzard before the show. Approximately 200 tickets to the benefit dinner will be available for purchase beginning Wednesday, May 1 at 7 p.m. Pacific time through Gamers from the far reaches of Azeroth, the Koprulu sector, or Sanctuary looking to enjoy BlizzCon from the comfort of their own home will once again have the option to order a BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, offering comprehensive live coverage of the event via a multi-channel Internet stream. Further details on the Virtual Ticket, including pricing, availability, and programming information, will be announced at a later date.

Check out Blizzcon

My Farewell to Lucasarts and Thanks For The Memories

Posted on April 3, 2013 by simeon

Disney’s decision to close LucasArts is a very sad thing not only for the talented employees and gaming industry but for the fond memories I had of the company and their games. When it was announced that Disney was going to acquire the Lucasfilm and other Star Wars assets, my first thought was that 1313 was likely in trouble as I could not see Disney releasing a mature rated Star Wars game especially with planned films on the horizon. Disney has always made more family-friendly games that are based on their intellectual properties most notably “Brave” and “Epic Mickey 2″ as well as casual games for mobile devices.

I did not see the company as being one who would take on the tremendous production cost of doing an A level Star Wars title without bringing in other companies. While it is too early to say, Disney has said that their preferences to sign licensing deals with other companies so that they can develop Star Wars games and now former LucasArts employees have said that 1313 could still see the light of day provided a deal can be struck with another company.

While the business side of things sadly plays out, fans can be content that there will be future Star Wars games to look forward to especially as we get closer to the premier of the first sequel movie in 2015. Rather than focus on the doom and gloom side of things today has there’s certainly plenty of that to go around, I wanted to instead look back upon the fond memories I have with LucasArts.

I remember when I was in college doing my first radio show how the LucasArts general store made games such as X wing versus Tie Fighter, Outlaws, and Full Throttle available to me at a student friendly rate of $10 title. I also remember a life-size Indiana Jones cut out that was sent to us for a Star Trek convention we were at prior to my days of speaking at conventions and launching the site and magazine. At that time I was working in the gaming industry and doing articles for several publications prior to the creation and launch of our site in 2001. Regardless of how my reps change over the years, I always remember getting great treatment from the company even when we were working to establish ourselves. Titles such as The Dig, Knights of the Old Republic, and the Dark Forces series provided not only plenty of entertainment and provided more Star Wars for a ravenous fan who could not get enough, especially during the three year wait between prequel films.

I have seen how changes in the company can come on unexpectedly and have dramatic results. I was at Monolith and Sierra during times of change and closure and I also know how a sense of family can develop at a good company amongst the staff. It was one of the main reasons that I moved out of the industry into journalism full-time as I did not like the transitory nature of working in the gaming industry. Sierra was very supportive of my writing and provided me with fantastic job that I loved as well is the ability to develop my website and journalism interests. For me it was the best of both worlds and had the closure not happened, I would’ve stayed on as long as I possibly could.

It is never easy saying goodbye to good people and it is also difficult to close a formative chapter of your life. At last year’s E3 I was thrilled with what I saw of 1313 and looked forward to what I saw as a potential triumphant return of LucasArts to the action gaming genre. Bolan sadly looks as if that will not happen let’s remember fondly the good people and company that brought us countless hours of entertainment and memories and hope that their brighter days ahead not only for the workers but for the Star Wars gaming franchise.

What The New Call of Duty Gaming Engine May Allow And What We Want To See

Posted on April 2, 2013 by simeon

During the 2013 game developers conference in San Francisco, Activision raise some eyebrows with their impressive looking graphics that are part of a new rendering engine for the Call of Duty series. Naturally details of when gamers might see the new engine in action were not forthcoming but speculation has it that the next Call of Duty game might be exclusively for the PC and next-generation gaming consoles. If this is correct not only would this be a fantastic achievement, but could breathe fresh life into the franchise. I recently wrote about the difficulty of having multiple developers working to ensure a new game every fall. While some jaded gamers have insisted that taking some time off might be the best thing for the franchise, financial responsibility would dictate otherwise especially when the most recent game generated $1 billion in revenue in just 15 days for the company.

Developing and implementing a new engine is not only a costly undertaking but it can be potentially filled with issues and delays. I have first-hand experience with a gaming engine that was the basis for three games that never provided the functionality and stability that the designers had envisioned which in turn resulted in the end of two popular franchises as well as the developer and publisher. Now admittedly this is the worst-case scenario but there is security in going with the tried-and-true rather than taking chances with and incurring the costs of a new engine development.

If the new graphics are any indication that a new engine is coming, then Activision is to be credited for being able to keep the series moving along while at the same time listening to the demands of gamers for bigger and better things for the franchise. Despite record sales, some people have bashed recent entries into the series claiming that they did not offer anything that new and were essentially reissuing the same game annually just for some new maps and weapons. Why do not agree with this sentiment I do understand that for some gamers change in the series is needed is I myself found the multiplayer element far more compelling than any part of the story campaign in the most recent release, Black Ops 2.

So aside from better looking graphics and facial animations what would I like to see from a new gaming engine? For starters, I would love to see the ability to include more players in an online game. Imagine if team sizes can be increased to 16 or more to truly build an epic team or even squad for some challenge-based missions or co-op play.

I would also like to see the return of vehicles in the series is outside of World at War, the ability to use vehicles and online play has been sadly absent from the series in my opinion. I’m not saying that they should go the full Battlefield route, but being able to bring in jets, helicopters, tanks, and other vehicles would definitely bring a new wrinkle into both the solo and multiplayer modes.

Another thing that I would love to see is an enhancement to the physics of the game. Imagine a more open world map where I can dispatch enemies by collateral damage or knocking them off buildings. This is been done to a limited extent in past games but being able to have a more sandbox approach could be just the thing. I’d also love to see a flamethrower added to the weapons options again and having fire travel over various surfaces to take out an enemy could be highly satisfying.

Of course the settings can also now become deeper and more involved. Jungles can now be teeming with dangerous animals and other dangers. The players pin down might be able to even things out by taking down various trees and using the falling logs to inflict damage upon the enemy. There is also the twisted idea of strapping explosives to a fallen comrade, animal, or landmark to set a trap that will make the enemy think twice about encountering you again.

The final thing for me would be a greater degree of character customization online. I would like to easily be able to upload and customize artwork and logos as well as unique uniforms and skins for my character. The game is always been highly customizable so wouldn’t it be great to be able to upload a photo of yourself to be digitally re-created as your online player?

Well nothing has been finalized bead on showing new facial animations and rendering the possibilities are endless and I for one am really looking forward to seeing what the future of the series holds especially with the new abilities that the next generation consoles, graphic cards, and processors, will allow.

Disney•Pixar’s “Finding Dory” to Dive into Theaters Nov 25, 2015

Posted on April 2, 2013 by simeon

Disney•Pixar’s “Finding Dory” to Dive into Theaters

November 25, 2015

Ellen DeGeneres, the Voice of the Beloved Blue Tang Fish in 2003’s “Finding Nemo,” Shares Plans for the All-New Big-Screen Adventure

BURBANK, Calif. (April 2, 2013) – When Dory said “just keep swimming” in 2003’s Oscar®-winning film “Finding Nemo,” she could not have imagined what was in store for her (not that she could remember). Ellen DeGeneres, voice of the friendly-but-forgetful blue tang fish, revealed details today about Disney•Pixar’s “Finding Dory”—an all-new big-screen adventure diving into theaters on Nov. 25, 2015.

“I have waited for this day for a long, long, long, long, long, long time,” said DeGeneres. “I’m not mad it took this long. I know the people at Pixar were busy creating ‘Toy Story 16.’ But the time they took was worth it. The script is fantastic. And it has everything I loved about the first one: It’s got a lot of heart, it’s really funny, and the best part is—it’s got a lot more Dory.”

Director and Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton takes audiences back to the extraordinary underwater world created in the original film. “There is no Dory without Ellen,” said Stanton. “She won the hearts of moviegoers all over the world—not to mention our team here at Pixar. One thing we couldn’t stop thinking about was why she was all alone in the ocean on the day she met Marlin. In ‘Finding Dory,’ she will be reunited with her loved ones, learning a few things about the meaning of family along the way.”

According to Stanton, “Finding Dory” takes place about a year after the first film, and features returning favorites Marlin, Nemo and the Tank Gang, among others. Set in part along the California coastline, the story also welcomes a host of new characters, including a few who will prove to be a very important part of Dory’s life.

“Finding Nemo” won the 2003 Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature; the film was nominated for three additional Oscars® (Best Writing, Original Screenplay; Best Music, Original Score; Best Sound Editing). It was also nominated for a Golden Globe® Award for Best Motion Picture–Comedy or Musical. In 2008, the American Film Institute named “Finding Nemo” among the top 10 greatest animated films ever made. At the time of its release, “Finding Nemo” was the highest grossing G-rated movie of all time. It’s currently the fourth highest grossing animated film worldwide. The film has more than 16 million Likes on Facebook, and Dory—with more than 24 million—is the most Liked individual character from a Disney or Disney•Pixar film.

DeGeneres’ distinctive comic voice has resonated with audiences from her first stand-up comedy appearances through her work today on television, in film and in the literary world. Her syndicated talk show, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” is in its 10th season and has earned 38 Daytime Emmy® Awards. DeGeneres has won 12 People’s Choice Awards and the Teen Choice Award for Choice Comedian for three consecutive years. Additionally, her show won two Genesis Awards and a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Talk Show Episode. For her unforgettable turn as Dory, DeGeneres was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance.

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						GDC 2013 Images
			
						
				Posted on March 31, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			We had Elvin DeGuzman on site and he was not only getting all the news on what gamers can expect but he got some great images of the event.













































































































					

		
		
												
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						Wondercon 2013 Photos
			
						
				Posted on March 31, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			Albert Valenzuela and Ricardo Valencia were on hand to cover for us and have sent in the first round of inmages. Gen and I had planned to cover until I was laid up sick but Albert and Ricardo stepped in and did an amazing job. We will have audio and pictures from the panels up later but for now, enjoy the pictures.






















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						Are Armchair Directors The Modern Movie Watcher/Critics
			
						
				Posted on March 30, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			By Joseph Saulnier
Everybody’s a critic these days.  It seems like no one can just enjoy a movie these days.  Everyone has these ridiculously high standards and thoughts in their mind of what a movie should be.  Whatever happened to just enjoying a film because it is entertaining.  Instead, you take movies that are meant to be just that (entertaining) and essentially shun them because there was too many references to “this”, and not enough mention of “that”.  
Armchair Directors is what I call them. These people who have no jobs, no ambitions, no lives… but they think they can critique a movie and call it bad when they have no idea what it took to make what they put out there.  Now… don’t get me wrong.  I do not believe that every movies is good.  I know there are some bad (sometimes very bad) movies out there, and nothing can justify why it was made and released.  But it’s these self-proclaimed Buddhist, naturalist, commie bastards who think just because they have a large blu-ray collection it makes them the end all, be all, final say in what the official opinion of a film should be.  Hey buddy, why don’t you take that some of that focus and effort and put it towards your own life so that you can better yourself, instead of trying to pull every one down with you.  Now, I know this is a broad generalization, but I am only dishing out the same sort of criticism that they give about everything and everyone on a daily basis.
Also, I know this sounds kind of pointless and hypocritical coming from me.  I am a professional critic.  I get paid (in a sense) to watch movies and give my opinion about it on a world-wide level.  I am supposed to be objective, and I am.  It’s just frustrating to see movies held to such a high standard these days.  Because let’s be honest, there are many hits from yesteryear that would not stand the test of the film Nazis (it’s about time someone called a spade a garden tool) of today.  Do you honestly think films like Clerks, Month Python and the Holy Grail, Spaceballs, Masters of the Universe, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, or Army of Darkness would survive the armchair directors of today?
So why is then that films like G.I. Joe: Retaliation or It’s A Good Day to Die Hard are getting such flack in this day and age?  In the case of G.I. Joe I have heard that it doesn’t follow the source material close enough.  So what?  Why should it?  It’s a different medium.  Why regurgitate the same story line from a comic book or cartoon, when you can introduce something new and different.  Something that will surprise every viewer.  “It killed my childhood.”  “It ruined the fond memories I had of growing up watching the cartoon.”  These are just two statements I have heard about G.I. Joe retaliation.  First, I am sorry to hear that your life can be affected so much by a movie.  It seems like you might have some more serious, deeper rooted issues you need to work out if a 90 minute film can “kill your childhood.”  
Second, why are you expecting anything more from an action movie than just that… action?  I didn’t go into either G.I. Joe or Die Hard expecting anything but implausible action scenes where I have to put my grasp of “can this really happen” aside, and just appreciate that the damn movie was entertaining.  It’s a Good Day to Die Hard followed the same formula that the original did.  It put an ordinary man in an impossible situation and he reacted as 99% of the rest of us wouldn’t.  People revere the first Die Hard as this great film and the new one should be ashamed to be part of the franchise.  Again, I ask why?  While some of the action may have gotten away from that every man aspect of the first one, it still is doing just what an action movie is supposed to do.  Put a bunch of explosions, some fight scenes and some gun fire in a jar… mix it all up and voila, entertaining movie.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has arguably made some of the greatest action films of the last 30 years or so.  Conan, Terminator, Commando, True Lies… All movies that are considered to be great (by most).  But have you actually watched them recently.  Many people quote lines from them, but have they actually sat and watched them all the way through.  Try it.  Try watching the movie as if it were something coming out today.  Put aside the whole technology and special effects things, because obviously that’s not on par.  But really ask yourself if this great movie that you love so much is something that you would enjoy if it was modern release.
Now again, don’t get me wrong.  I am not dissing these movies.  I truly enjoyed all of the movies that I have listed… old and new.  But why do so much of the population hold different standards to the movies of old and the movies of now.  Next time you watch a movie, try going in with no expectations.  If it’s based on a comic book, or a cartoon, or a (real) book… leave it at the door.  Watch the movie and see if you are entertained.  Don’t worry about whether it gets every little last detail about Duke, Roadblock, John McClane, Riddick, He-Man, Batman, Xerxes, Ron Burgandy, Luke Skywalker, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Han Solo, Captain Kirk, Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Oz,  Iron Man, Spiderman, Thor or Deadpool absolutely correct when compared to the (supposed) source material.  Instead, go in with an open mind.  Don’t set a movie up with a bar that it can never expect to reach.  Ask yourself, did I laugh, was it suspenseful, was the action great (whether it was plausible or not).
Not every movie needs to be an award winner.  Not all movies are great, but I kind of feel that a lot of movies of today are getting unfair reviews because of people’s wild expectations of what it should be.  Or am I wrong.  Will all of these movies become cult classics because that’s simply what happens to bad movies over time?  In 10 or 20 years, will people finally come to appreciate movies like Warm Bodies?  Why wait that long, though?  I will continue to write my reviews, and I will talk about what worked and didn’t work for the movie.  But can you do something for me?  Can you, when watching a movie, think about what genre it is?  Once you’ve done that, don’t expect anything more than it being what it is.  If it’s a comedy, do not expect it to be Inception.  If it’s an action movie, do not expect Citizen Kane.  I think you get the point.
Now it’s not to say that a movie can’t be ruined by horrible acting.  But I think that’s what started me to think about this in the first place.  If you expect award winning acting, screens or scripting from a film like G.I. Joe, then you need to get your head checked because that’s not what the movie is meant to be.  Blow stuff up.  Fight in an impossible scenario.  Have surreal technology.  That what’s the film is about.  Don’t gripe about it ruining your childhood.  They can’t make the movie that will match the cartoon/comic that you remember from your childhood.  You know why?  Because they sucked too, you are misremembering.  But also because we live in a different time now.  The limited scope from back then of what was out there in the world in terms of technology and threats is no longer relevant.  If we didn’t update the movie to the times, then you’d be griping about that.  
So next time you want to bash a movie, ask yourself this:  Do you think you could do a better job?  For those that answer “yes”, congratulations on not even being able to be honest with yourself.  Because 99.99% of the time the answer to this question is undoubtedly “No.”  You know how I know that?  Because if the answer was “Yes”, you wouldn’t be reading this article.  You’d be out there doing it.
Thanks for taking the time to read this long winded rant, though.  I encourage you to respond to it, wherever it may be posted.  I am not like some that I know where I claim to be an intelligent man who is open to all views and opinions, but then go and delete comments made by those who don’t agree with mine, or even challenge mine.  Just don’t be a troll.  Remember everything I have said here is a personal opinion, and as such I am entitled to it.  I like to hear what others have to say, and will without a doubt be the first to admit when I am wrong about something.  But remember, an opinion about something can never be wrong because that’s the way I feel.  And even though it seems like I have attacked the personal opinion of others with this article, all I was really trying to do was to open people’s eyes to the fact that we have set a high standard that may not need to be there, and that we can all be hypocrites considering what some of the movies we considered to be the greatest of all time.
Anyway, thank you again for taking the time to read this (if you’ve hung in for this long anyway).  I look forward to hearing from you.  In the meantime, you stay classy internet.
					

		
		
												
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						What to Expect When You’re Expecting A Star Wars Film
			
						
				Posted on March 30, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			By Daniel Ballard
I’ll be the first to admit that back in October when I heard Disney was buying the rights to the Star Wars franchise and making the final three episodes of the epic nine-part saga, I was really skeptical. Sure, Disney has done some excellent films whether animated or not, but my beloved galaxy far, far away? I openly stated that I thought Disney would kill the franchise. Then to my surprise a friend of mine came to the mouse’s defense. Amazingly it was a friend who’s a bit of a movie buff and someone who has never been a huge Disney fan, until recently. He pointed out that the entertainment giant was responsible for “The Avengers”, the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the phase-by-phase plan to successfully bring it to the masses in a way that both the average moviegoer and geeks alike could enjoy. 
At that point my faith in Disney to bring me the last three installments started to turn. As the next four months came and went, rumors flew. The biggest one was of course, what director would have what it takes to tackle such a huge project? Nolan, Whedon, Spielberg, I even heard someone suggest M. Night Shyamalan. Apparently Disney had the same idea I did though and opted for the man who was already in charge of the other massive sci-fi franchise, J.J. Abrams.  Honestly I’m not sure who at Disney decided J.J. was the man for the job, but as soon as I heard Episode VII was going to production and they would hit the ground running in putting it together as quickly as possible. Why? Simple. J.J. is an avid Star Wars fan and he made Star Trek tolerable to the typical Wars fan. If you’re like me and you don’t pirate your movies, break out the Star Trek DVD or BluRay and pop in the special features disk. Watch Abrams’ interview on how he approached the reboot. He states he wanted to give Trek a Star Wars feel. Nailed it sir. I have complete faith in J.J. Once they had their director, Disney set out to get star power. Thankfully in this case Channing Tatum and Vin Diesel were passed up in favor of the big three from the original trilogy. Thus far Hamill, Fisher and Ford have confirmed they will return to reprise their roles as Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa(-Solo) and Han Solo. Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker play the only two characters that appear in all of the nine stories and will most likely be present as C-3PO and R2-D2 respectively. Whether anyone else will return remains to be seen, but I hope to see Billy D. Williams return as suave Rebel Alliance general, Lando Calrissian. So where else do we go from here? What new characters can we expect? What new worlds will we visit? I have a few theories.
It’s been thirty years since Return of the Jedi. The timeline as it’s known in the extended universe is slightly off given that the main three characters are older than they should be. However, sources are saying the extended universe as it is known will be thrown out the window. Just about any fan with above average knowledge on the universe is aware of Han and Leia’s twins Jacen and Jaina, but given that Abrams has said this film will be all original material, the likelihood of seeing the twins is pretty slim. I do believe we will see a settled down Han and Leia though, and they will have children, most likely in the neighborhood of their late teens to early twenties. It would be smart to give hardcore fans some level of comfort and keep the J&J duo of names. Aside from the twins and those seen in episodes IV-VI, there will be an all-new lineup of characters. Luckily with Lucas only working as a consultant, we can breathe a collective sigh of relief at the fact that there won’t be any Jar-Jar-esque nuisances this time around. I’m personally looking forward to a new Jedi High Council and Academy. Look for Luke to be a combination of Yoda and Mace Windu and be the final word in all of the new order dealings. His niece and nephew (assuming the twins survive the final cut to get in the movie) will most likely be council members themselves or senior knights in the new temple. Han will probably a military officer of sorts but in a time of post-Empire peace he and Lando will probably be in business in some form. Between Lando’s experience on Cloud City running a mining operation and Han’s expertise in piloting and smuggling I see the rebirth of the trade federation, but this time in a less corrupt fashion. Han and Lando’s success will go a long way when one of the heads of the corporation is married to the new supreme chancellor of the senate. Rebuilding the senate will actually be easier than one would think since it wasn’t disband until early in “A New Hope” and Leia is sure to have enough pull within the rebellion to get the majority of star systems to recommit. But what system does Leia represent in the senate with her home world of Alderaan gone? Does she still represent the remaining citizens of the lost planet? Does she represent her mother’s home world of Naboo? Her new found position may be the answer to the next question in what to expect.
What new worlds will we see? There hasn’t been a new Star Wars film in which the audience was not treated to a new exotic planet. Based on Leia and Han settling down and having children of their own and helping to rebuild the Republic, the two will most likely call Corellia home. The capital planet of the Corellian system is the birth place of Han, Wedge Antilles and many other characters. The Antilles family is already very prominent in the system and on the planet. Based on prior exposure to the planet in video games and in the comic series, it has a very earth-like appearance in the same way Naboo and Kashyyyk did. The Corellian system is one of the largest in the Star Wars universe and will be key to rebuilding both the senate and the republic. One of the coolest things about this to me as a fan of the supporting roles is the fact that this gives us a higher probability of seeing what Rogue Squadron pilot and Rebellion officer Wedge Antilles is doing post-Battle of Endor. Corellian is one of the few key systems that fans have not seen depicted outside the realm of video games and it would draw great interest in the new film and because of its limited exposure can be brought to life how Abrams sees fit. The interesting thing throughout the films is we only see a handful of planetary systems and even within them only one or two planets. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of planets to use as settings through episodes VII-IX, so predicting where the new trilogy will go is as difficult as finding a fan who likes Jar-Jar Binks, but at this point is pretty much a given and personally I’m most excited about the idea of seeing Coruscant-post Empire and finally seeing Han’s home world for the first time on film. 
One thing is certain, speculation is one of the keys to success in building media hype, and when one of the biggest film companies in the world tells you the next installment of such a storied franchise is on the way, the rumors are bound to fly. Right now the internet and movie fans are providing more fuel to the fire of possibility than Disney could have ever hoped for. Recently J.J. Abrams told media outlets everywhere there are more questions than answers and even he is unsure of the direction in which they will take the franchise, but he is excited and he, Kathleen Kennedy (the film’s producer and head of Lucasfilm) and Steven Spielberg are all very engaged in making sure the film is a success and more importantly that it is a beloved, instant classic for the fans.



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						Hemlock Grove Footage From Wondercon 2013
			
						
				Posted on March 29, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			From executive producer Eli Roth and based on Brian McGreevy’s novel of the same name, Hemlock Grove is a riveting one-hour murder mystery that revolves around the residents of a former Pennsylvania steel town. When 17-year-old Brooke Bluebell is brutally murdered, any of Hemlock’s peculiar inhabitants – or killer creatures – could be suspects. Through the investigation, the town’s seamier side is exposed, revealing nothing is what it seems. Beautiful, terrifying and graphic, Hemlock Grove is unlike anything else in its genre.



New Trailer Update

 


 

All 13 episodes of Season 1 will be available exclusively on Netflix
beginning April 19, 2013

					

		
		
												
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						Video Games That Could Make Great Film Franchises
			
						
				Posted on March 29, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			I decided to look ahead at what I would like to see from Hollywood, as the current trends of sacrificing story, character development, and originality for bigger and more abundant special effects seems to have no end. Much maligned director Uwe Boll explained to me that the problem of getting a video game to the screen isa real exercise in patience. Boll stated that many times game studios will license the name, but will restrict the way a film can look as well as the storyline. For “Far Cry” he told me that while they were free to use the names, they could not be in a tropical setting and the mutants had to have a look and name different from the game as the developers did not want to infringe on any possible game sequels.
Boll was not alone in this regard as game based movies such as “DOOM”, Wing Commander”, and “Super Mario Bros.” varied greatly from their source materials.  
If films are to reach expectations both financially and critically then balance must be made to ensure continuity with the games that inspired the film as well as the changes that are necessary to compress several hours of gameplay into a 2hr or less film.
With this in mind, The following suggestions are for films that I think would do well, (providing they have a solid script, cast, and director), and could become franchises that will ensure lucrative sequels for years to come.
X-Com:  Before the successfull relaunch of the title by 2K Games, X-Com was one of the 90’s most popular computer games. It spawned several sequels and was awarded many awards in the gaming industry. The game is a turned based strategy game that cast players in the role of the supreme commander of X-Com, a unit designed to fight an invading alien menace on Earth. Players had to design their bases, research equipment, and invade and defend various locations while they dealt with financial and political pressures. 
The game would make an interesting film as the alien invasion is a good backdrop, but what would make the film different from say “Starship Troopers” is an open ended storyline that can show many facets to the conflict from the political, financial, and of course combat point of views. The film would also be a great franchise launching point as the games have established many scenarios for sequels to be based upon.
Crusader: No Remorse
While there had been a few rumors on this title, nothing solid has ever come of it. The popular computer game series from Origin tells of an enhanced killing machine called a “Silencer” who turns against his evil company and joins up with the resistance. 
The game was non-stop action, and the cut scenes were gripping and original as the drove the story. The futuristic game was so gripping, that as soon as I finished both games, I wanted even more.  The game featured a wide range of bad guys including some morphing robots and a dazzling range of weapons. The movie version of the game if done right, could become as big as the Terminator series, as it contains all the elements needed for success.
Hunters of the Red Moon:  A classic tale from Marion Zimmer Bradley that tells of a man who is sailing around the world, who is abducted by a UFO. Before he knows what is happening, he is caged with aliens from a number of worlds, and learns that they are to be sold into slavery.
Not content to become a slave, members of the group stage a revolt and soon find themselves captives again, yet separated from the prisoners who would not fight in the revolt. The group soon learns that they are to be the honored hunted, and if they survive the hunt on the Red Moon, they will be set free and granted riches beyond their wildest dreams. There is only one problem, few if any can recall anyone surviving the hunt, and the hunters have never been seen before, so how does one distinguish hunter from hunted?  
 A good story that spawned a good sequel called ¬The Survivors.  The story is tailor made for the screen and would be a good action feature in the right hands. This was a hit book long before “Predator” came around and has the potential to be a massive hit.
Half Life
The most popular computer game of all time sets players as Gordon Freeman as he attempts to escape the Black Mesa Research Facilty after a disaster. The game plays out as an interactive movie with plenty of tension, danger, and action to please even the most jaded gamer. This could be a huge film as the following for the game is enormous.
Yes we have waited forever for Episode 3 and many believe the next outing for Dr. Freeman will bypass Epsiode 3 in favor of a new game. Regardless of where the game series go, I belie a movie can be a huge hit.
Duke Nukem
With the long in development Duke Nukem Forever finally releaing to mixed reviews, rumors of a new game in the series have started to circulate slowly.  Would it not be great to see Duke make it to the big screen and bring his mission of eliminating the alien menace while maintaining his cool style to a local multiplex?  What a jump it could be for the series and would possibly launch a new action series fans could embrace for the next decade.
Dead Space
Animated movies aside, this one is rife for the undertaking. Imagine the dark horror of “Alien” blended with a mix of “The Walking Dead” as Isaac must face off hordes of CGI rendered Necromorphs in 3D. The character is dark, complex, and a man of action who is at his best when things are darkest. 
Bioshock
There were rumors before of a film that never came to pass. However with the success of Bioshock: Infite, the momentum on the series has never been greater. The new game also shows that the setting does not need to be Rapture, but can be a bizzare, Steampunk locale that has never been seen before.


What games would you like to see turned into movies? Comment below or drop me a line at gareth@sknr.net
					

		
		
												
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						Did Microsoft Vastly Underestimate The Release Date of the Playstation 4 And Enter Damage Control Mode As A Result
			
						
				Posted on March 29, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			There has been much speculation about the PlayStation 4 ever since Sony announced it back in February.  Aside from the usual things such as pricing, specs, titles, and features, one of the biggest questions from gamers has been what Microsoft’s response would be and when they would announce their new system.  Conventional wisdom has Microsoft announcing the successor to the Xbox 360 during the E3 convention this June.  In light of the attention Sony is getting with their announced system there has been speculation as to why Microsoft has not decided to make some kind of announcement sooner rather than later.
We checked with various technology and gaming insiders regarding this topic and will naturally nobody was willing to go on record regarding this topic they did provide some very interesting information.  The development of a news console involves millions of dollars in research and development as well as a significant amount of outlay in strategic partnerships and other licensing related to the games and hardware for the system.  Combine that with the billions of dollars in revenue that can be generated over the lifespan of the console, it is evident why it is important to do everything your power to ensure a stable and successful launch.
From what we have heard there is much speculation that Microsoft may have underestimated Sony as they did not believe that the next PlayStation would be announced as early as it was and did not expect the unit to be shipping to retail in November.  Some insiders reported to us that they anticipated and E3 announcement on the system with a release date sometime in 2014 similar to the way that Nintendo announced the follow-up to the Wii at the 2011 E3 with the launch date of November 2012.
As a result, there reportedly has been debate amongst the Xbox team as to the best course of action.  It was reported to us that some believe that the system should be delayed six months or so beyond its planned but as yet unannounced launch window so that further refinements could be done to the system.  There are also those that are concerned that launching two systems so close to each other might be detrimental to sales as many gamers will only be able to buy one system during the coveted holiday season with the first system to the market having a significant advantage amongst the more casual gaming consumers.
Naturally there are those who also state that the production and release of the new system will continue as originally planned and that the timing of Sony’s announcement although unexpected, does not alter in any way the release schedule for the new system.
I had to admit that when I first got the announcement from Sony that they would be making a significant announcement in Feb. by the World Wide Web and to assembled media, it did strike me as a rather unique way of making the announcement.  The timing was indeed earlier than I had expected as was the release date.  While Sony has indeed fired the first shot in what is to be a hotly debated topic, for now the world can only wait, wonder, and speculate as to what Microsoft’s response will be and which are the systems will spark gamers imaginations to become the must own console upon their release.  I for one plan to get both systems and look forward to seeing what both companies come up with in the ensuing years as I believe that when the two companies really push one another, then gamers win in the long run from better products.



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						Dark Knight Rises Exhibit Images
			
						
				Posted on March 28, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			Ricardo Valencia and Albert Valenzula were on hand at ”THE DARK KNIGHT EXHIBIT” AT L.A. LIVE ON DEC 14TH FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE RELEASE OF THE DARK KNIGHT RISES on DVD. They sent over some great pics from their coverage.



























































					

		
		
												
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						Disney Reveals Impressive Voice Cast for Planes
			
						
				Posted on March 27, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			BURBANK, Calif. (March 27, 2013) – Audiences worldwide are fastening their seatbelts

as “Disney’s Planes” prepares to take off this summer. Joining Dane Cook, who

provides the voice of Dusty, are Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett, Teri Hatcher, Cedric the

Entertainer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, John Cleese, Carlos Alazraqui, Priyanka Chopra,

Gabriel Iglesias, Roger Craig Smith, Colin Cowherd, Sinbad, Oliver Kalkofe and Brent

Musburger.
Adding some high-flying flair from a classic feature film are Anthony Edwards and

Val Kilmer.
Inspired by the world of “Cars” and directed by Disneytoon Studios veteran and

aviation enthusiast Klay Hall (“King of the Hill,” “The Simpsons”), “Disney’s

Planes” is an action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure about Dusty’s dream of

competing as a high-flying air racer-and his decidedly unfortunate fear of heights.

The film takes off in theaters in 3D on Aug. 9, 2013.
·         Stacy Keach (“The Bourne Legacy,” Alexander Payne’s upcoming “Nebraska,”

Robert Rodriguez’s and Frank Miller’s “Sin City: A Dame To Kill For”) provides the

voice of Skipper, a reclusive old Navy Corsair who takes Dusty’s training to new

heights.
·         Brad Garrett (“Everybody Loves Raymond,” “How to Live with Your Parents

for the Rest of Your Life”) lends his voice to fuel truck Chug, Dusty’s buddy, coach

and biggest fan.
·         Teri Hatcher (“Coraline,” ABC’s “Desperate Housewives”) brings life and

charm to the say-it-like-it-is mechanic Dottie.
·         Cedric the Entertainer (“Barbershop,” “Larry Crowne, “Madagascar”) as

Leadbottom, a puttering old biplane who has no time for Dusty’s far-fetched flights

of fancy.
·         Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine,”

“Seinfeld”) lends her voice to Rochelle, a tough and confident racer who is the

pride of the Great White North.
·         John Cleese (TV’s “Whitney,” “A Fish Called Wanda”) is the voice of

Bulldog, the oldest and arguably wisest racer on the circuit.
·         Carlos Alazraqui (James Garcia on Comedy Central’s “Reno 911″) brings to

life the intensely charming El Chupacabra, a racer with more dramatic flair than is

recommended at high altitudes.
·         Priyanka Chopra (“Barfi!”) voices the exotic, mysterious and ruthless

Ishani, the reigning Pan-Asian champion from India.
·         Roger Craig Smith (Captain America in Disney XD’s “Marvel’s Avengers

Assemble,” voice of Sonic The Hedgehog in “Wreck-It Ralph”) voices world champion

racer Ripslinger-wings down, the biggest name in air racing-and he knows it.
·         Gabriel Iglesias (Comedy Central’s “Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand-up

Revolution”) provides the voices of both Ned and Zed, two not-so-sharp saboteurs who

work for Ripslinger.
·         Val Kilmer (“Batman Forever,” “Top Gun”) provides the voice of Bravo, a

member of the Jolly Wrenches and a fan of air racing.
·         Anthony Edwards (TV’s “Zero Hour,” “Top Gun”) is the voice of Echo, a

member of the Jolly Wrenches and a fan of air racing.
·         Colin Cowherd (ESPN) gives play-by-play coverage as Colin Cowling, an

affable blimp and an eye-in-the-sky reporter for the Racing Sports Network.
·         Sinbad (Comedy Central’s “Where U Been?”) brings to life Roper, an

irascible race official pitty full of sly remarks and colorful commentary.
·         Oliver Kalkofe (“Neues vom Wixxer”) provides the voice of meek German

minicar Franz and his brazen airborne alter ego Fliegenhosen.
·         Brent Musburger (ESPN, ABC Sports) brings Brent Mustangburger, the

excitable 1964½ Ford Mustang sports broadcasting icon, back to the big screen.
ABOUT THE MOVIE

From above the world of “Cars” comes “Disney’s Planes,” an action-packed 3D animated

comedy adventure featuring Dusty (voice of Dane Cook), a plane with dreams of

competing as a high-flying air racer. But Dusty’s not exactly built for racing-and

he happens to be afraid of heights. So he turns to a seasoned naval aviator who

helps Dusty qualify to take on the defending champ of the race circuit. Dusty’s

courage is put to the ultimate test as he aims to reach heights he never dreamed

possible, giving a spellbound world the inspiration to soar. “Disney’s Planes” takes

off in theaters on Aug. 9, 2013.
					

		
		
												
				Posted in Movie News			
															
			
					

	


				
					
	
		
						How Much Screen Time Should The Original Star Wars Characters Be Given
			
						
				Posted on March 26, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			With the very exciting news that “Star Wars: Episode VII” has entered pre-production a lifetime fan such as myself is delighted at the prospect of new films in my favorite series as well as the opportunity for adventures to rival that of the beloved classic trilogy.
Anyone who knows me well is very aware of how much the films impacted my life starting in 1977 and unlocked my imagination to the point where creative expression was a constant presence in my life.
Of all the characters, Han Solo was always the one that best captured my imagination. I liked the rough, take charge nature of the character as well as his way of living by his own rules, without apology as he seeks his fame and fortune.
Of course his brash exterior covered his softer side but it was the complexity of the character and his rogue nature that endured him to me decades ago.
I was very happy to hear that the plan is to return Harrison Ford and the classic cast to the new film series, but it has made me question if this is a good or a bad thing.  I think seeing the original characters is a very good and necessary step in the films if nothing more than to provide continuity in the series, but I have to wonder if time and age will have diminished the characters.
Do we want to see an older Han, Leia, Luke, and Lando awkwardly moving through fight sequences looking to be shells of their former greatness or do we want the former stars relegated mainly to cameos?
I am sure that Harrison Ford is not signing on to essentially wave to the crowd and move off into the sunset. It has been well established over the years about his issues with the character and his stated reluctance to ever play the character again.
I know money talks but to me, this indicates either a more substantial arch for the beloved scoundrel or perhaps Han is set to shuffle off his mortal coil.  I do not think Disney is eager to remove iconic characters but what better way to shake up fans and let them know that nobody is safe in the new films?
So there is the quandary that faces Disney. Are the characters so beloved and iconic that we as fans will not mind wrinkles, gray hairs, and stiffer and slower action or do we want legions of young stars assisted by CGI to carry the bulk of the action?
I think that the stars are more than capable of holding their own and with the digital tricks open to them the folks at ILM can work miracles. We should not forget 800+ year old Yoda unleashing a fury of motion and action when pushed into battle.
No matter what direction the film take, I think we as fans can all agree that seeing our favorite heroes in action again is a good thing and that perhaps an old school throw down can give fans what was sadly missing from the prequels.
					

		
		
												
				Posted in Daily Updates			
															
			
					

	


				
					
	
		
						Our March 2013 Magazine Cover Is Here
			
						
				Posted on March 23, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			The new issue will be out next weekend and you can get it at the usual outlets. We have some never before seen images from Star Citizen included as well as an interviw with Chris Roberts and so much more.  There is a little bit of tweaking to come on the cover but we wanted to share. Evin DeGuzman did an amazing job with it.



We were looking at a different cover from the images we were provided but the color scheme and dimensions were not working for us as we created thge cover. So we opted for the cover that we did and will present the images in the article.






Check out the latest issue of our new magazine at Barnes and Noble Here for the Nook, Tablets, and Smartphones.





Skewed and Reviewed Magazine at Barnes and Noble


					

		
		
												
				Posted in Daily Updates			
															
			
					

	


				
					
	
		
						BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES HEARTHSTONE™: HEROES OF WARCRAFT™
			
						
				Posted on March 22, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			
This sounds very good especially to fans of MAGIC. The full release is below.
New free-to-play strategy card game for PC and iPad® lets you hang up your sword . . . and throw down your gauntlet
Hands-on demos at PAX East this weekend, beta test starting soon
 



Boston, Mass.—March 22, 2013—Pull up a chair across from an old friend at the tavern table and prepare for a few rounds of lively card-vs.-card warfare. Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. laid its virtual cards on the table today with the unveiling of Hearthstone™: Heroes of Warcraft™, a new cross-platform free-to-play game for Windows®, Macintosh®, and iPad®.
In Hearthstone, players build card decks centered around one of nine iconic Warcraft® character classes and duel each other for fun, glory, and the chance to win awesome new cards. PAX East attendees are able to go hands-on with Hearthstone this weekend, and Blizzard will begin beta testing for the game very soon—no, seriously.
“We’ve always loved collectible card games at Blizzard, so it’s been exciting to bring everything we love about the genre to life in Hearthstone,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re putting a lot of focus into creating a fun new game that’s easy to pick up and play, but also has a lot of depth. We can’t wait to share it with everyone.”
Deceptively simple in design but epically engaging, Hearthstone will be instantly accessible to players regardless of their familiarity with Warcraft or collectible card games. Whether players prefer to wield magic or arms in battle, strike from the shadows or head on—or have never given any of that much thought—they’ll be able to jump right in, create a deck, and get in on the card-slinging action.
In addition to honing their skills in practice matches against the computer and taking on their buddies via their Battle.net® friends list, players can challenge each other in two competitive game modes. “Play Mode” features traditional head-to-head battles, with players facing off for a chance to increase their medal ranking and earn card packs along the way. And for a different type of challenge, players can enter “The Forge,” where they start each match by building a deck from a new set of cards, and then use that deck to duel other Forge participants. Aside from winning new cards, players will be able to round out their collections by purchasing new card packs or disenchanting some of their existing cards to craft the ones they’re missing.
With hundreds of cards to choose from, featuring a wide range of colorful Warcraft spells, weapons, and characters, players will have limitless possibilities for developing and fine-tuning their deck-building strategies. Further details about Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft will be announced as development progresses. To learn more about the game, stay tuned to http://www.PlayHearthstone.com. 
					

		
		
												
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						NVIDIA Announces Global “World of Tanks” Open Tournament
			
						
				Posted on March 21, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			
Regional Champions From Four Corners of the Globe To Be Flown

In For Grand Finals Event With $100,000 Prize Pool 
SANTA CLARA, Calif.—March 21, 2013—NVIDIA today announced the first ever GeForce eSports World of Tanks Open Tournament(1), where combatants will compete to win NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 600-series graphics cards and a shot at a $100,000 total prize pool awarded at a spectacular grand finals event. Preregistration is open today with team and player registration open starting March 28th for two weeks. 
“World of Tanks really strikes a chord with players looking for that ultimate competitive gaming experience, thanks to its team-based gameplay and strategic action,” said Kevin Van Ness, Head of Community at Wargaming in North America. “We’re looking forward to combining our world-class community with the world-class expertise of NVIDIA for this exciting event.”
World of Tanks is a team-based, massively multiplayer online game dedicated to armored warfare in the mid-20th century. With more than 55 million registered users worldwide,(2) World of Tanks is a fast-paced PC shooter game with in-depth weaponry, economics and robust eSports tools such as spectator mode and replay file support. In January, the game set a new Guinness World Record for the most players online simultaneously when the Russian MMO server reached 190,541 players. 
“GeForce users love eSports and World of Tanks is an easy and fun game to learn, yet incredibly deep and graphically exciting,” said James Grunke, manager of the GeForce eSports program at NVIDIA. “This free tournament and all the great video-on-demand and streaming coverage we’ve got planned are our way of providing a really fun and rewarding experience for our best customers.” 
There are five regions of eligible participation: China, APAC(3), the Americas, Europe and Russia. The five regional finalists will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the Grand Finals, at a location and time to be named later. 
All tournament matches are seven-person teams playing best of three game matches. There will be at least four weeks of guaranteed group play, with the top players from each group moving on to the double-elimination championship brackets.
In addition, World of Tanks community favorites, David “Nagatron” Williams and James “Relics” Starr, will be shoutcasting the battles in English for VoD and in real time with live broadcasts streamed on Geforce.com and Twitch TV. 
“I can’t wait for this tournament to begin,” said Williams. “With this $100K prize pool on the line and the GeForce GTX Cup and GeForce Green Jacket for bragging rights, the top players will be battling it out to win it all. It’s going to be big!”
Localized shoutcasting content will be available on GeForce.com sites around the world. World-class tournament features such as match setting, leader boards and blogging are being provided by tournament management veterans, Cevo. 
“I am delighted to cast this tournament for NVIDIA,” said Starr. “World of Tanks is a fantastic experience for competitive gaming, and this GeForce eSports tournament will help establish World of Tanks as a prominent professional platform.”
Official GeForce eSports World of Tanks Open Tournament rules and regulations will be available starting March 28th at http://esports.geforce.com. The tournament is free to enter and international players can register and compete where allowed by law. 
					

		
		
												
				Posted in Daily Updates			
															
			
					

	


				
					
	
		
						New Despicable Me 2  Poster
			
						
				Posted on March 20, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			

					

		
		
												
				Posted in Daily Updates			
															
			
					

	


				
					
	
		
						Can The Star Wars Sequel Writers Ever Hope to Create a Better Bad Guy Than Darth Vader
			
						
				Posted on March 20, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			We have a new segment we are going to try as I recouperate and get back to full health and schedule. It is a piece where a staff member or myself picks a topic and then writes a piece on it. I will then offer my two cents and we will update it later with the original authors reply to my feedback.
I picked the topic, and Joseph Saulnier is off and running with one that will ensure huge debate.
Can Star Wars Sequel writers ever hope to create a better bad guy than Darth Vader?  
Joseph:

Absolutely!  In fact, my opinion is that the character has already been created, just waiting to be adapted.  I was more than disappointed when it was announced that the new movies would not be adapted from The Thrawn Trilogy: Heir to the Empire, The Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command.  This book series is also named after the series’ antihero: Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Thrawn may not have the force on his side, but he is one of the most calculating, brilliant villains I have ever read.  He is dangerous because of his brilliance, his ability to see the consequences of actions, and his natural command that emanates from him.  There is much more to him than that, but these are the things that stood out to me as I read the books.  
Now some may argue that he was ultimately defeated, but think on it.  So was Darth Vader.  Okay, so he turned back to his good side and ultimately saved a lot of lives in taking out Emperor Palpatine and bringing about his own demise.  But that’s just it.  He had a good side to him.  He had an empathy that, while buried deep down, was still there none the less.  
Thrawn is cold, calculating, evil, and so on.  He did not have a bit of empathy, sympathy or good.  Not a single ounce of humanity coursed through his veins.  Every move he made was for the good of the Empire.  It was to bring the empire back to power.  He also had more vision and power than the Emperor and Vader.  He was a strategist who was not the, how do I say this, “specie-ist” that the Emperor was.  For those that didn’t catch on in the movies, or haven’t read any of the extended universe, Palpatine was very much the Hitler of the Star Wars universe in that he did not really have any high ranking officers that were not human… with the exception of Thrawn.  But nobody knew of the existence of Thrawn until after Palpatine was gone.
The other half of this equation though, is casting.  The only way Thrawn can pull off being the better villain than Vader would be the correct choice in casting.  If the actor casted cannot pull the role off, it ultimately just negates the argument altogether. 
The good news is that even though this next trilogy will be an original story line, with the rights to the Star Wars universe being in Disney’s hands there will still be a chance that it could be made in the future.  Maybe we will see that villain who can trump Vader… someday.
Gareth Von Kallenbach’s Point of View
While I’m hesitant to say never and I hear the words of Master Yoda admonishing Luke’s tendencies to say something cannot be done, I have to admit that I do believe that topping Darth Vader may be a next to impossible task.
This is not to say that it cannot be done but when you look at the enduring cultural impact of the character since his debut in 1977 and the fact that is constantly listed as one of the top villains and every annual poll done since, this is a monumental undertaking.
Even George Lucas who created the character of Darth Vader could not come close in the prequels and while there were other reasons viewers cited for their dissatisfaction with the prequels, I believe the lack of a strong central villain was a key point.  Darth Maul had the potential to be a very intriguing character.  He was cold, brutal, and driven by rage, all of which would really have been interesting to see explore of the three films.
Imagine the possibilities of Anakin and Maul having to face off against one another and in what should have been his triumphant moment, Anakin’s defeat of Maul is actually what tips him over fully to the dark side underscoring Sidious’s ultimate skillet manipulation and deception.
I’m sorry but Count Dooku and General Grievous although dangerous did not come across as a larger-than-life threat.  The only real threat was the Grand Master himself, Palpatine but he was content to work in the shadows and only came for when his hand was called or when it suited his needs.
For the new film the challenge is going to be to either create an iconic new villain or a team of villains that will torment heroes old and new and create an epic threat to the galaxy.  Let’s not forget it was 1983 when we last saw the classic characters on the big screen.  Since then there have been gigantic leaps in technology, which will create all manner of intriguing possibilities for director JJ Abrams and the creative team of the prequels.  
One of the ideas that I kick around is that the classic heroes have spent the time since we last saw them trying to restore the Republic and dealing with the remaining threats of the Empire.  This is been covered extensively in the extended universe but I think it’s a logical place to look for clues as to where the next film will go.  They will be essentially living legends, iconic figures that are propped up to meet with heads of state, chair committees, and influence and determine policy.  While this may not be what they choose to do, there sheer celebrity if you will doesn’t allow them to do much more than this.
This is where the crux of the new story is essential.  A new threat has to arise, one that is much larger than anything they’ve faced in the year since the fall of the Empire, one that goes beyond petty crime, corruption, system rivalries, people with a score to settle, etc..  The threat must be so epic that it will put the galaxy at its most pivotal point since the Empire and perhaps create a threat the likes of which has never been encountered before.
You could go with the threat of the invading army from another galaxy as they did over the course of several books.  I found this interesting at first but it quickly became a little too drawn out for my taste.  The word is that they will be moving an entirely new direction not based on any expanded universe content, which I think is a very wise move.
The new villain must combine everything that made Vader iconic.  An interesting look, cold brutality, an air of mystery, and a constant emanating of danger and menace with every step they take.
Vader was aided greatly by the mask as part of the allure was wondering what was beneath that black armor and what could drive a person to such extreme measures.  In many ways his creation was a perfect embodiment of everything from Frankenstein to an evil wizard for rogue samurai mixed in for good measure.
So the important thing for me is that they go in a very fresh manner this time out.  Do not try to re-create Vader, do not resurrect Vader, and do not give us forms of CGI created monsters to carry the threat and except one simple truth.  Nobody has been able to come up with a villain as iconic as start Vader since his debut and to attempt to do so is only setting up for failure.  Simply create a bold and compelling villain and let things progress from there as to where they compare to Vader when all is said and done.




Check out the latest issue of our new magazine at Barnes and Noble Here for the Nook, Tablets, and Smartphones.





Skewed and Reviewed Magazine at Barnes and Noble


					

		
		
												
				Posted in Daily Updates			
															
			
					

	


				
					
	
		
						Iron Man 3 IMAX Poster
			
						
				Posted on March 20, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			3D, IMAX 3D, or Standard, this film is going to be amazing.


					

		
		
												
				Posted in Daily Updates			
															
			
					

	


				
					
	
		
						Gears of War: Judgement Launch Pictures
			
						
				Posted on March 20, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			We had Joe Gutierrez at the Scotsdale Microsoft store to record the happenings when Micrsoft rolled out the latest in the Gears of War series.



























































					

		
		
												
				Posted in Gaming News			
															
			
					

	


				
					
	
		
						Olympus Has Fallen Camp Pendleton Screening Images
			
						
				Posted on March 17, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Rick Yune, and director Antoine Fuqua visited with men and women of service at the Naval Station in San Diego and Camp Pendleton on Saturday, March 16, 2013, prior to screening OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN at both facilities.
Photos from the event are below and now available for wide press use via Wire Image.
Photo Credit: Robert Benson/Wire Image



















					

		
		
												
				Posted in Daily Updates			
															
			
					

	


				
					
	
		
						Dr. Who Cast Interviews and Episode Synopses
			
						
				Posted on March 17, 2013  by  simeon			

			
					


				
			The Doctor kicks off this new run of adventures by searching for his companion Clara – an Impossible Girl he’s already lost twice. Together they find themselves battling monsters on distant alien planets, trapped in a Russian submarine with a deadly passenger, chasing terrifying ghosts, delving into the heart of the TARDIS, facing the Crimson Horror in Victorian Yorkshire, and coming face to face with an army of upgraded Cybermen. The action grows and the Doctor’s oldest secret threatens to be revealed as the world’s longest running science fiction series builds toward its explosive 50th anniversary in November 2013. Doctor Who premieres Saturday, March 30, 8:00pm ET/PT on BBC AMERICA as part of Supernatural Saturday. 
Following the premiere of Doctor Who, Matt Smith will be one of the first guests on BBC America’s The Nerdist on Saturday, March 30, 10:00pm ET/PT.
SERIES CREDITS
The Doctor                                Matt Smith (Going for Gold, Christopher and His Kind)
Clara Oswald                             Jenna-Louise Coleman (Emmerdale, Captain America: The First Avenger)
Executive Producer
and Lead Writer                        Steven Moffat (Sherlock)
Executive Producer                   Caroline Skinner (The Fades)
Series Producer                        Marcus Wilson (True Dare Kiss, Life on Mars)
SYNOPSES
**SPOILER WARNING**
The Bells of Saint John – Episode 6
The Doctor’s search for Clara Oswald brings him to modern day London, where Wi-Fi is everywhere. Humanity lives in a Wi-Fi soup. But something dangerous is lurking in the signals, picking off minds and imprisoning them. As Clara becomes the target of this insidious menace, the Doctor races to save her and the world from an ancient enemy.  
Episode credits: Written by Steven Moffat, directed by Colm McCarthy (Ripper Street, The Tudors), and produced by Denise Paul (Taggart).
The Rings of Akhaten  – Episode 7
Clara wants to see something awesome, so the Doctor whisks her off to the inhabited rings of the planet Akhaten, where the Festival of Offerings is in full swing. Clara meets the young Queen of Years as the pilgrims and natives ready for the ceremony. But something is stirring in the pyramid, and a sacrifice will be demanded.  
Episode credits: Written by Neil Cross (Mama, Luther), directed by Farren Blackburn (Luther, The Fades) and produced by Denise Paul
Cold War – Episode 8 
The Doctor and Clara land on a damaged Russian Submarine in 1983 as it spirals out of control into the ocean depths. An alien creature is loose on board, having escaped from a block of Arctic ice. With tempers flaring and a cargo of nuclear weapons on board, it’s not just the crew but the whole of humanity at stake!
Episode credits: Written by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock) and directed by Douglas Mackinnon (Silent Witness). 
Hide – Episode 9 
Clara and the Doctor arrive at Caliburn House, a haunted mansion sat alone on a desolate moor. Within its walls, a ghost hunting Professor and a gifted psychic are searching for the Witch of the Well. Her apparition appears throughout the history of the building, but is she really a ghost? And what is chasing her?
Episode credits: Written by Neil Cross and directed by Jamie Payne (The Hour, Call the Midwife).
Details on episodes 10-13 will be released at a later date.
INTERVIEWS
STEVEN MOFFAT – Lead Writer and Executive Producer
Lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat gives us an insight in to the monsters and adventures that we can expect from the new series.
So it’s back and with James Bond-esque urban thriller.  Why did you decide to kick-off the new series with a very modern day threat?
It was Marcus Wilson’s idea. We were discussing how the first ep of the second run would probably be a contemporary Earth adventure, so the Doctor could meet the modern day Clara – and anyway, I wanted to do Wi-Fi monsters – and Marcus suggested we do a proper urban thriller.  The Doctor can never be Bond or Bourne – but if he tried it might look a bit like this.
What else can we expect from the new series?
A haunted house, a submarine, a planet with cool rings, Victorian Yorkshire, a journey into the TARDIS, Dame Diana Rigg and her daughter Rachael Stirling together on screen for the first time, new Cybermen, and the Doctor’s greatest secret revealed.
You are bringing back a couple of classic monsters with the Cybermen and Ice warriors, are there any new ones to look out for?  
Plenty of new monsters! Watch out for the Spoonheads, the Whispermen, and – my favorite – the Vigil. Oh and Neil Gaiman has done something horrible with the Cybermen!
We finally get to meet the Clara that will travel with the Doctor across the series’ eight epic adventures.  Can you tell us a little bit about her character?
You’ve sort of met her, but you sort of haven’t. The same shed load of attitude you saw before, the same rapid-fire banter with the Doctor, but this time she’s living in modern London with no memory of the Time Lord!
How has the dynamic of the relationship between the Doctor and his companion changed since the introduction of Clara?
It’s all new for the Doctor – this time the greatest mystery in the universe is standing right next to him.
What was it about Jenna that made you decide she would be right fit for the role of the new companion?
Casting is a funny process – the right people sort of choose themselves. It happened with Matt a long time ago, and when we saw him bantering with Jenna it happened again. Auditions start with you telling the actor about the character – sometimes they end with the actor telling you. That’s what happened with Jenna!
A ghost story, a period drama to end all period dramas and an underwater siege, was it intentional to go as big as possible with this series in the year of the 50th?
We try to make every year the biggest possible, but when you see that big, glittering 50 hanging above you, you start trying even harder. I’ve been a fan all by my life and I know we have to deliver!
MATT SMITH – The Doctor
Having run down corridors from every monster imaginable, Matt Smith returns as the Doctor to face old and new foe.  But he’s not alone.  Along for the ride in his brand new TARDIS is the Doctor’s latest companion, Clara Oswald.  Here Matt talks about what he is looking forward to from the epic new series.
“I think it is very exciting to introduce Clara to the world and Steven has hit a real vein of form,” explains Matt as he chats enthusiastically about the new series.
Along with a new costume this series, the Doctor has a new TARDIS to travel through space and time.  “Walking on to the new TARDIS was like the first day at school,” explains Matt.  “I actually found it quite difficult as I had got so used to the rhythm of acting on the old one, where I used to slide about on the glass floor, but Michael Pickwoad has done a fabulous job,” he continues, “this one is more like a machine.” 
Having lost his first companions, the Ponds, at the hands of the Weeping Angels in New York last year and after a period of mourning the Doctor is joined by a new companion this series, played by Jenna-Louise Coleman, “She’s done brilliantly well,” says Matt.  “She’s kind, charming, thoroughly prepared and very brave as an actress.  And most importantly of all we get on, which is vital on a show like this.  I’m so proud of what she has achieved in the last year,” he concludes.
So what do fans have to look forward to this series?  An urban thriller, The Bells of Saint John, brings the series back with a bang as the Doctor’s search for Clara Oswald takes him to modern day London, where Wi-Fi is everywhere. But something dangerous is lurking in the signals, picking off minds and imprisoning them.  Filming for this James Bond-esque thriller took Matt to Westminster Bridge, the Southbank and St Paul’s, “Amazing, I loved shooting in London,” says Matt. “There is something so brilliant about having the locations there rather than just adding them in.”  
Following on from this the second episode, The Rings of Akhaten, take the Doctor and Clara away from Earth and on their first proper adventure…..in outer space.  Featuring an alien market Matt remarks, “It was very ‘Whoey.’ We had between 50 to 60 prosthetic aliens, which is something that only really this show can offer,” he continues, “making it a very unique experience as an actor.”
As well as introducing some new monsters, the new series brings back a couple of old monsters in the form of the Ice Warriors and Cybermen, “I think it’s good to pay homage to the classic series,” says Matt, “especially for the fans.  This series we have modernized some of the monsters for a whole new generation.”    
“Soggy, like drowned rats,” Matt is explaining the shooting experience for the third episode Cold War, written by Mark Gatiss.  Set on a Russian submarine spiraling out of control in 1983 an alien creature is loose on board, having escaped from a block of Arctic ice.  “They built a submarine and the five-year old in me was like ‘Yeah it’s a submarine!’” says Matt. “I loved getting sprayed down at the beginning of the shoot,” Matt continues, “and it wasn’t a chore as it does so much of the acting for you, making it really authentic.  Mark Gatiss has delivered one of the best episodes of the series,” he concludes.  
JENNA-LOUISE COLEMAN – Clara Oswald
The new series will mark the official introduction of the Doctor’s latest companion, Clara Oswald.  Having already appeared in the series opener Asylum of the Daleks in September and as Clara in the Christmas special, The Snowmen, here Jenna explains a little bit about her character and working with monsters.
“Very excited,” Jenna is talking animatedly about her first series as the Doctor’s companion.  “It will be fantastic to see the final version with all of the elements put together.”
Having made a surprise appearance as one of the Doctor’s most notorious of enemies, a Dalek, in last year’s series opener, audiences have been treated to two different versions of the latest companion.  “We’ve had one introduction to Clara in the Christmas special, but not necessarily the same Clara we will see in this series,” explains Jenna.  “But the essence of all the different versions is the same,” Jenna continues, “she’s very brave and resourceful, a match for the Doctor and an explorer in her own right.  She dreams of travelling and seeing the world and wants more than what’s on offer.”
So how has Jenna found working with Matt Smith?  “Just a joy, it really is.  He is the most perfect leading man and sets such a lovely tone on set, making the atmosphere so wonderful.  There’s not much more you could ask for in your co-star,” she concludes.  
The series opener The Bells of Saint John is a modern day urban thriller, which sees the Doctor and Clara face a monster in the Wi-Fi, as minds are uploaded by an organization run by Miss Kizlet (Celia Imrie).  Set in London, Jenna was thrown in to the deep end as she was asked to get on a motorbike…driven by the notoriously clumsy Matt Smith. 
“I loved shooting in London, says Jenna, it was so much fun.  It was one of those moments where I thought ‘I’m filming Doctor Who, on a motorbike, riding across Westminster Bridge with the Houses of Parliament in the background.’”  So would Jenna trust Matt to drive her on a motorbike in real life?  “Well on screen it looks very exciting, but both of us were being very silly as we were so tightly strapped in.  I just clung on!”
As the newest edition to the show, Jenna explains how this series will take the viewer on the same journey of discovery she experienced when she first joined, especially for episode two The Rings of Akhaten which is set on an alien planet.  “It’s one of my favorite episodes,” says Jenna, “it’s so weird and wonderful and something that only this show can offer.  It shows Clara for the first time what life with the Doctor will be like.  It’s a complete fantasy,” she continues, “and it’s great for audiences as the story begins again and we get to explore all these strange new worlds together, as well as getting to know the Doctor again.”   
The third episode, Cold War, set on a Russian submarine marks the return of the classic Doctor Who monster the Ice Warriors.  “They were terrifying,” exclaims Jenna, “I think this is the first time Clara is really, really scared.  The whole set was really realistic and built to size, which wasn’t too much of a problem for me,” she jokes.  So how did they make it look so realistic?  “Before every take they would come and spray us, the whole make-up process was reversed as they would damp us down in the morning and rub my mascara off!  We were soaking wet for two weeks.”       
So having completed filming and watched most of the episodes, does Jenna have a favorite?  “I really like The Rings of Akhaten as and it’s the first proper adventure for the Doctor and Clara.”
					

		
		
												
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