Comedy studio Pixels Per Second recently launched this awesome parody trailer for a Super Mario Bros. movie. No, not that one (which…okay, which really never should have been), but a better one. Think Super Mario Bros. as an indie flick about a down-on-his-luck guy who find the spark he needs to become a hero. And maybe takes a few drugs on the way. Hit the jump for the video! Read more…
The Britain (and world at large) of the Harry Potter series has a lot of rebuilding to do after Voldemort’s defeat. How can the Ministry of Magic reclaim its good name? What can the leaders of both the Muggle and magical governments do to prevent the same thing from happening again? Those questions and more drove the creation of Post-Conflict Potter, an article by Foreign Policy magazine, wherein real experts on foreign policy suggest the ways that post-Potter Britain could fix itself. Honestly, I loved the Harry Potter books, but my larger questions about how the magical society presented in the books could even function put kind of a damper on Rowling’s otherwise meticulous world-building. Post-Conflict Potter is a great read that helps address some of those very questions. Read more…
Posted by Michael Sacco on Aug 13, 2011 in Television
Sometimes by boss sends me links via email with a request to feature them on the site. Normally they’re self-explanatory — here’s a cool Star Wars case mod someone made, or here’s a neat artist — but sometimes they’re mystifying even to me. Take the Thunderbirds Lab, for example. It’s a website for a pharmaceutical group that lets you take some Thunderbirds-inspired tests, play a game or two, and create a neat custom Thunderbirds badge for yourself. Of course, it’s also nearly 100% in Japanese, which made the process a little more difficult for me, admittedly. But if you speak Japanese, you’ll be in puppet heaven, and you may be able to fumble your way through (as I did) even if you don’t. Thunderbirds are go! Read more…
Err, you know what I mean. Another science show. It’s totally different than the other one; this one deals with horrific experiments, fringe science, and … okay, okay, I get it. But this one’s about real science! That’s right, Fringe’s John Noble will be hosting a new show on the Science channel called Dark Matters, dealing with the dark side of science using real historical examples. The first six episode descriptions read like Fringe summaries, which is, of course, wildly appropriate. Expect to see body transplants, reanimation, and more, with Noble’s trademark mug to guide you through the creepiness. Who could ask for anything more? Read more…
In celebration of the its 15th anniversary and upcoming Blu-ray release, Aniplex has decided to simulcast the entire four episode OVA, Rurouni Kenshin – Trust & Betrayal for both North American and Japanese audiences. The events being hosted at NicoNico on August, 19th at 10:00 PM PST, and you will need an account to view the stream, so if you haven’t already signed up for one, you’ll need to. If you’ve already signed up for an account on their Japanese website, you should be able to use the same login to access the English site. If you’re a fan of the series but haven’t seen the OVAs, you’ll definitely want to. This particular OVA serves as a prequel to the manga and animated series, however it takes itself much more seriously and is geared towards a mature audience. Trust & Betrayal also features a gorgeous soundtrack by Taku Iwasaki, and is easily one of my favorite animated scores of all time. For a summary and additional info, click here.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 11, 2011 in Videogames
It looks like BioWare wants to reward players for pre-ordering their upcoming MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic with early access and a in-game item. From what it looks like, you’ll be allowed to keep your character along with any items and experience you acquire when the game officially launches in November. Unfortunately, there’s no details in regards when that early access period will actually start. I imagine BioWare will e-mail you directly once you’ve entered your pre-order code. The free item included in both limited and standard editions of the game will allow you to change the color of your lightsaber or blaster bolts. I suppose that’s kind of awesome if you want your character to stand out in a crowd. I’m not really fond of paying a monthly subscription for a game, but I suppose I could deal with it as long as its better than Star Wars Galaxies — I’m sure if anyone could manage that, it’d be BioWare. Let’s just hope they’ll leave our shoulder pads alone.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 10, 2011 in Television
If you’re a fan of Syfy’s Eureka, you’re probably already sulking about this, but it wouldn’t be fair to ignore this piece of sad news. Syfy announced this week that they’ve reversed — yes, read that again, reversed — their decision to renew the series for another season. Last week the network announced plans to renew the series with six more episodes, and had even denied rumors that pegged those episodes as being the end of the series. To add insult to injury, the fifth season of the show hasn’t even aired yet and will finish filming later this week. Naturally the writers will be forced to rewrite what has now become the series finally before it they shoot this Thursday. Read more…
I never had a chance to see it person, but Odaiba’s full-scale Gundam statue had served as a magnet for giant robot enthusiasts and tourism from around the globe. I had hoped to catch a glimpse of the statue after it had moved to Shizuoka, but the statue was dismantled at end of March. Given the recent drop in tourism, I’ve wondered if we’d ever have another chance to see the statue again. It doesn’t look likely, but Sunrise Studios recently announced plans to display at least a portion of the statue in Odaiba later this month. Starting Sunday, August 21st, visitors to Odaiba island’s Shiokaze Park can pay 500 yen to gain admission to the event between the hours of 6 AM to 10 PM. No word on which parts of the statue will be on display but guessing by the image on the official site, I assume it’ll be the head. Sure, it’s not the full statue, but it’s still a piece of history and definitely worth checking out.
He’s done it again. Check out one of the latest sets of Star Wars customs from Sillof’s Workshop. This time the theme’s centered around 1940s pulp sci-fi. He does a fantastic job of capturing that retro aesthetic made popular by serials like Buck Rodgers and Flash Gordon. Come to think of it, I’m sure if Star Wars had been filmed in the late ’30s or early ’40s, Buster Crabbe would have been cast as a dashing and slightly cut Luke Skywalker. I’m not sure I’d want to sit through a trilogy of him dressed in tanned tights, but I suppose it wouldn’t look as gaudy if it were in black and white. Any way, check out the rest of these fantastic figures at Sillof’s official website. I just wish he’d strike a deal with Lucas Arts to manufacture them. Who wouldn’t totally buy these?
Oh Flash Gordon, all the bad acting in the world couldn’t stop my love for you. No, it’s not quite as timeless as the 1936 classic, and it might be plagued by its camp, but that’s really why we loved it, isn’t it? The costumes and sets were so over-the-top that one can’t help but be entertained by what was obviously a clear attempt by director Mike Hodges to pay homage to everything remotely related to the franchise, no matter how absurd it may seem. Add to that the fact that the film’s entire score is performed by Queen, and its easy to overlook most fans gripes. The film finally made its way to Blu-ray last year, and while I’m not sure what kind of high-definition experience you could possibly expect for something shot in 1980, it’s still a must have for any collector or fan. Amazon is currently selling it for 46% off, so head over and pick your copy up today.
