Gamer

Saw this trailer today for "Gamer" today. Before clicking the Youtube link, I was guessing it was a documentary about gamers that live and die over Halo and Call of Duty. Boy was I completely wrong. Here is the plot summary courtesy of IMDB.com

Set in a future-world where humans can control other humans in mass-scale, multi-player online gaming environments, a star player from a game called "Slayers" looks to regain his independence while taking down the game's mastermind.

This kind of looks like a straight to DVD/cable television type of movie but it's got some heavy hitting actors such as Gerard Butler, Milo Ventimiglia, Kyra Sedgwick and Ludacris. I hope this movie hits us with a surprise!

Dragon Ball See?

After our late night Star Trek show last Friday, my friends and I grabbed a bite to eat at the local diner, discussing upcoming movies we're looking forward to seeing. I'm not sure how Dragon Ball Evolution snuck into the conversation, but it was brought to my attention that the movie was already released in theaters. Really? Apparently so! Looking at the reviews, I can see why no one paid any special attention to this movie.

I thought this would at least have a fighting chance in the box office because Chow Yun Fat and James Marsters were a few credible names listed on the project. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to keep the film remotely afloat in the box office. Alas, speculation came to fruition as Dragon Ball was destined for failure. In addition, there were no marketing campaigns made for this movie as far as I could tell. The only offline presence this movie had were the horrible toys I saw warming the pegs at my local Walmart. Dragon Ball needs to stick to its animated form!

Bane looks insane in the membrain!

I found this great drawing of Bane from IGN.com, designed for the Batman: Arkham Asylum game. I'm hoping they won't make the mistake of turning him into a Hulk-like monstrosity, and actually show that he's smart. Joel Shumacher's 1997 "Batman and Robin" portrayed Bane as a muscled-out henchmen, simply to be told what to do and take care of any heavy lifting. If you've read the comic saga Batman: Knightfall, Bane is actually intelligent, making him a formidable opponent for Batman. I hope they don't repeat this in the game and show there is some brain behind his brawn.

Batman Beyond Long Overdue

I've been a Batfan for as long as I can remember. The animated television series "Batman Beyond," by Bruce Timm and crew, was actually responsible for reigniting my passion for the caped crusader. Hell, my first collection piece started with a limited edition Batman Beyond statue I got as a gift. Remember those Warner Brother Studio stores? I'll digress before I continue to age myself. It looks like Mattel is re-visiting Batman Beyond in action figure form. I can't wait to get my hands on these (particularly old Bruce Wayne), which should be released this spring. You can read the source review here.

Set phaser... to AWESOME!

I'm a sucker for movie prop replica's. It's a pricey hobby as most well made movie props are custom made. So when a $15.99 toy is nearly identical and aesthetically functional (minus laser blasts) like this Star Fleet Phaser, it's an absolute must buy for me. With a shiny metallic finish, this Star Fleet Phaser, is very well detailed.

There are three functioning pieces to the Phaser. The press-able trigger fires the weapon that mimics two sounds, "stun" and "kill" which light up when pressed. Red for kill and blue for stun. This is the weakest feature as it doesn't sound remotely movie accurate. In stun mode, it almost sounds like a gassy relief after eating several cans of beans (the magical fruit). There's a reloading/recharging button at the top of the gun, which lights up and makes a great re-energizing sound. Last, my favorite feature, is the button to the side of the gun that allows you to toggle from stun-mode to kill-mode, flipping the tip from blue to red, in turn adjusting the respective sound and light color. What's great about this feature is that it's screen accurate. In Star Trek, there's a gun-sling battle where you see Spock switch from stun to kill. Unfortunately, you have to manually reset it as the button doesn't go back from kill to stun.

Overall, this is a great toy that you can have fun with which also makes for a great display piece.

Iron Man 2 set photos plus a familiar SHIELD operative!

More Iron Man 2 set photos available. See them all here.

Movie Review: Star Trek

With my shinging Starfleet Phaser within arms reach, I can’t help but think about how awesome Star Trek was. The Starfleet Phaser in front of me is not part of a collection I already have, rather, it was an inspired purchase after watching Star Trek late last night. Please be warned, my review has some minor spoilers.

My expectations were high as well as my anticipation as I was with a group of friends, first in line waiting to be seated for the reignited franchise that is Star Trek. Finally settled in my seat, the projector rolled on and sounds sci-fi goodness began. The movie began with no credits, no fancy logo or title… rather the simple sound of the ever-so-familiar Star Trek bridge ping… and the movie begins.

Casting was brilliant for this film. Not only did Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Chekov, Ohura, Scotty and the rest of the crew look like youthful spitting images of their original counterparts, they were able to carry the weight of acting on an equal level if not better than I expected. Let’s face it, looking the part and acting the part is a tough feat to accomplish, even more so with a heavy fan following. What was great was that each actor embraced their character as their own, not trying to mimic the acting format of the originals. Kirk and Spock especially, which almost made me say “William Shatner who?” The tongue-in-check phrases such as “Damn it Jim I’m a doctor” and “I’m giving it all she’s got captain” stuck out like sore thumbs, but were cleverly placed in dialogue enough not to be terribly annoying.

Pacing of the film was moderate. My only complaint (which was very minor) was the transition of James Tiberius Kirk being the rebellious street punk in a rowdy bar to being a Starfleet Cadet within a matter of minutes. Before you know it, he’s being snuck into the Starship Enterprise. I got the feeling that a lot of footage during this transition hit the cutting room floor to keep the tempo of the film on a consistent beat. Do I hear “Blu-Ray extras?” Again, pretty minor complaint which can easily be overlooked. The rest of the film paced well, with no dragging scenes or overuse of action {ala Wolverine and Ultraviolet)

I couldn’t help but sit back and feel like a kid again watching this movie. You’ll laugh and cheer and in the end you’ll realize how bad ass Captain James T. Kirk is. The end of the film couldn’t have been better. Leonard Nimoy, the original Spock closed with the “Space, the final frontier” verbatim. A perfect segway to jump right back into the original series.

Let's mix a little mythology, science fiction and Vodka!

It wasn't a coincidence that Dan Aykroyd played Dr. Raymond Stantz in the 1984 classic "Ghostbusters." Not only did he write the film, Dan Aykroyd is a believer and advocate for all things paranormal. Well, it looks like Dan Aykroyd is currently taking advantage of the buzz that is being generated for the highly anticipated Ghostbusters game by introducing a premium line of Vodka. Using the Crystal Skull mythology as a driving force behind this Sweedish made, quadruple distilled Vodka, Aykroyd presents this Vodka in a way that combines science fiction and class. I'm not sure if this is a viral video to hype the Ghostbusters video game, but he's got me sold on it. Even if the Vodka taste like aged mildew, I'd buy it simply for the awesome skull! Watch the complete presentation of Crystal Head Vodka here.

Star Trek opens today!

Today embarks on a revolutionary trek (pun intended) as Star Trek, for a new generation of fans, officially hits theaters today. With JJ Abrams in the director's chair, along side an all star cast that seem to be mirror images of their Star Trek predecessors, I can't wait to see this movie tonight. I was surprised to find a full list of showings yesterday at my local theater, from 6:00PM to 12:01AM. Sign of the economic times presumably? Unfortunately, I was unable to make it, building even more anticipation for me to see it. A few friends of mine, closet Star Trek fans, managed to make it at 10:00PM last night and from what I'm hearing, they loved it. They are giving me the thumbs-up that I will like it just as much. I'll be back for a review sometime tonight.

Does the Punisher need Eminem vs. Does Eminem need the Punisher?

Comics can always use a resurgence of new readers, but I'm not sure using Eminem in a Punisher book or Punisher in an Eminem book (however you wanted to see it) is the best way to go. I like the Punisher and Eminem, but sharing panels in a comic book between the two of them is like water and vinegar, just not for me. To add insult to injury, the dialogue is absolutely horrible! You can read the full issue here.