In news that really didn’t surprise anyone, Disney is damn sure going to get their $4 billion worth out of the Star Wars license.
In other news that may surprise, the rumored standalone Star Wars films that will center on stories outside the new trilogy are officially happening with Empire scribe Lawrence Kasdan and Sherlock Holmes writer Simon Kinberg working on the scripts.
But we already heard about that. I hear you exclaiming.
I know that. The surprising part is that it has been found out that one movie will focus on a young Han Solo and his origin story and the second will center on everyone’s favorite Sarlacc dinner (yes, I know he didn’t die technically) and bounty hunter Boba Fett.
The Boba Fett movie would either take place between A New Hope and Empire or between Empire and Return of the Jedi. Either way, as long as they get as far away from the horrible orphan boy clone in Episode 2, then we will be good to go.
On the Han side of things, we don’t know if this will be how he met Chewbacca or if the Wookie will even be involved. The most fun aspect of this new Han-centric movie has got to be the casting. Let’s take for granted that a script by Kasdan or Kinberg is going to be pretty good. Now who do you find to take over an iconic role this large? And do you try to get Harrison Ford to come back? Maybe have Han reflecting back on days gone by as he sits on his intergalactic rocking chair.
The good folks over at Edge have put their ears to the ground and heard some rumors about the next Xbox. First we will go through the list, then discuss.
1. The new Xbox will require an internet connection in order to function and come with an overhauled version of Xbox Live.
2. Games will be put on 50GB Blu-Ray discs.
3. The rumored specs of the system (AMD eight-core X 64, 1.6 Ghz CPU, 8GB DDR3 RAM) are what will ship inside the system.
4. The system will launch with a new version of Kinect packed in.
5. Final size of the hard drive has yet to be decided.
OK, here we go.
First off, I don’t believe that the first rumor will be true. Now Microsoft could easily say that to get the full Xbox experience it is suggested to have an internet connection at all times, but Microsoft also has to realize that there is still a large batch of the population that either don’t have internet or just refuse to get it. I know, I know it is hard to imagine, but take it from me and where I live (insert southern joke here) there are people like this and they play plenty of games, just not online. So to require a connection may burn a bridge to some customers who would have otherwise bought a system especially if Sony is looking at them with arms wide open saying they don’t require internet to play.
The games being put on Blu-Ray discs is almost a no brainer. Microsoft put all there eggs in the HD-DVD basket and came out on the losing end of the HD battle last go round. Now if they are going to keep up with data capacity disc wise, they have to break down and use Blu-Ray. No one will want to play an eight disc DVD version of Fallout 4 when they could have one disc on PS4.
The guts of the system is most likely what is coming inside the new Xbox. There have been too many rumors and reports about the internal make-up of the system that are exactly like the specs above or extremely close.
The Kinect being packed in is making me think that Microsoft will go with a two sku launch. If it is true then I can see a $399 launch without a Kinect and maybe like $449 with a Kinect 2.0 packed in. If Microsoft didn’t want to break that $400 point then they either go one sku at $399 and Kinects all around or drop the Kinect free bundle to $349.
I am already on record thinking that Sony launches with a 1TB hard drive. I may be wrong in that but it just seems right especially if there will only be one Playstation bundle (which i also think). I don’t believe Microsoft will be as generous. I am of the mind that the new Xbox’s will launch with a 500GB hard drive, 750GB if they are feeling frisky. I think 500GB is the one we get.
With Sony’s Playstation event set for February 20th, the wraps of the next generation are slowly being removed. Microsoft should not be far behind with their announcement so Sony won’t have the spotlight all to themselves.
It seems like there are a lot of people that appreciate quality shooters with a quirky style and loot galore. 2K Games has announced that [amazon_link id=”B0050SX9VO” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Borderlands 2[/amazon_link] is close to shipping 6 million copies of the game since its release last September.
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick had this to say about the success of Borderlands 2:
“Building on its extraordinary launch in September, Borderlands 2 continues to expand its audience and remains on pace to become the highest-selling title in 2K’s history. It has also been the largest contributor to our digitally delivered revenue this year, driven both by strong sales of full game downloads, and high attach rates for the title’s add-on content, especially the Borderlands 2 Season Pass.”
With almost 6 million copies of the game out in the wild (actual sale numbers were not given), I would love to know just how much money has been looted total in all the games. I can’t think of a number that high.
Rob Zombie and I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with his movies. While I was rather indifferent about House of a 1000 Corpses its followup, The Devil’s Reject,s was a much better structured horror flick. Next, he reinvented the Michael Myers legend with his remake of Halloween which I still hold as the second best in the series behind the original. Then came the inevitable sequel which took everything good he did in the first film and proceeded to take a massive dump on it.
The trailer for The Lords of Salem has given me a little hope that Zombie is getting back to the feel of Rejects.
The trailer seems like it has a lot of influences flowing through it. The Devil’s Rejects, Rosemary’s Baby and The Wicker Man (the classic, not the Nic Cage debacle) all seem to be guiding the way Zombie is crafting this movie.
The Lords of Salem stars Sheri Moon Zombie (per usual and with no complaints from me), Sid Haig, Bruce Davison and Clint Howard, who is working more than Ron these days. It will releases on April 19th.
There has been no studio confirmation, but reports are saying that Marvel Films has found its lead in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Parks and Recreation alum Chris Pratt has reportedly nabbed the role of Peter Quill known as Star Lord on the intergalactic team. Pratt beat out the likes of Joel Edgerton, Jim Sturgess and Jack Huston from Boardwalk Empire who all tested for the role.
The movie version of Guardians of the Galaxy will consist of Star Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora and Groot.
Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey have been in talks for an unspecified role but rumors suggest it will be for the voice of Rocket Raccoon. The role of Drax the Destroyer has been narrowed down to Isiah Mustafa, Brian Patrick Wade and former WWE wrestler Dave Bautista.
Guardians of the Galaxy releases on August 1, 2014.
The floating city of Columbia awaits us as Bioshock Infinite barrels its way to release. Now we have a look at the achievement list that will be in this spring’s largest game. Don’t worry, there are no plot spoilers in the explanations of the achievements. I am seeing a plethora of 5 point “kill enemies with different weapons and powers” so by this list it would seem like you will need multiple playthroughs to get a majority share of these.
My favorites would have to be the kill five enemies while drunk and kill five enemies with a headshot while riding the Sky-Line.
[amazon_link id=”B003O6E6NE” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Bioshock Infinite[/amazon_link] releases on March 26th.
Tin Soldier (10 points) – Completed the game on Easy difficulty or above.
Saw the Elephant (25 points) – Completed the game on Normal difficulty or above.
Stone Cold Pinkerton (50 points) – Completed the game on Hard difficulty or above.
Auld Lang Syne (75 points) – Completed the game on 1999 mode.
Should Auld Acquaintance… (10 points) – Unlocked 1999 mode.
Industrial Accident (5 points) – Killed 20 enemies with a Sky-Hook Execution.
Aerial Assassin (5 points) – Killed 20 enemies with a Sky-Line Strike.
A Real Pistol (5 points) – Killed 25 enemies with the Broadsider Pistol.
Passionately Reciprocated (5 points) – Killed 150 enemies with the Founder Triple R Machine Gun or Vox Repeater.
Street Sweeper (5 points) – Killed 50 enemies with the Founder China Broom Shotgun or Vox Heater.
Big Game Hunter (5 points) – Killed 100 enemies with the Founder Huntsman Carbine or Vox Burstgun.
Loose Cannon (5 points) – Killed 25 enemies with the Paddywhacker Hand Cannon.
On a Clear Day… (5 points) – Killed 30 enemies with the Bird’s Eye Sniper Rifle.
Here Little Piggy (5 points) – Killed 30 enemies with the Founder Pig Volley Gun or Vox Hail Fire.
Master of Pyrotechnics (5 points) – Killed 20 enemies with the Barnstormer RPG.
Seasoned to Taste (5 points) – Killed 30 enemies with the Peppermill Crank Gun.
Well Rounded (10 points) – Used all 8 Vigors against enemies.
Vigorous Opposition (50 points) – Killed 75 enemies either with a Vigor or while the enemy is under the effects of a Vigor.
More for Your Money (25 points) – Lured 3 enemies into a single Vigor trap 5 times.
Combination Shock (50 points) – Performed all 8 of the Vigor combinations.
Mind Over Matter (10 points) – Killed 20 enemies using Possessed machines.
Tear ‘em a New One (25 points) – Opened 30 Tears.
Strange Bedfellows (10 points) – Killed 20 enemies using allies brought in through a Tear.
On the Fly (10 points) – Killed 30 enemies while riding a Sky-Line.
Bolt From the Blue (25 points) – Killed 5 enemies with a headshot while riding a Sky-Line.
Hazard Pay (25 points) – Killed 10 enemies by utilizing environmental hazards.
Bon Voyage (25 points) – Killed 20 enemies by knocking them off Columbia.
Skeet Shoot (25 points) – Killed 5 enemies while they are falling.
Lost Weekend (10 points) – Killed 5 enemies while you are drunk.
David & Goliath (10 points) – Killed 20 “Heavy Hitter” enemies.
Heartbreaker (50 points) – Killed a Handyman by only shooting his heart.
Dress for Success (5 points) – Equipped a piece of Gear in all four slots.
Kitted Out (10 points) – Fully upgraded one weapon and one Vigor.
Raising the Bar (10 points) – Upgraded one attribute (Health, Shield, or Salts) to its maximum level.
Infused with Greatness (25 points) – Collected every Infusion upgrade in a single game.
Sightseer (50 points) – Used all telescopes and Kinetoscopes in the game.
The Roguish Type (25 points) – Used Elizabeth to pick 30 locks.
Eavesdropper (50 points) – Collected every Voxophone.
Grand Largesse (10 points) – Spent $10,000 at the vending machines of Columbia.
Coins in the Cushion (10 points) – Looted 200 containers.
Scavenger Hunt (75 points) – Completed the game in 1999 mode without purchasing anything from a Dollar Bill vending machine.
How odd is it to realize that the Fast series is about the have its sixth movie release? Paul Walker should definitely be thankful because I am pretty sure it has paid his mortgage for the past ten years. While I was never a huge fan of the first four in the series, the fifth (Fast Five) was undeniably fun to me because it got away from the street racing scene (which I officially give zero cares about) and turned it into a Oceans 11 heist movie on steroids.
Now the gang is all back together again in the new trailer for Fast & Furious 6 which sees them offered full pardons for their help in catching a new big bad played by Luke Wilson and assisted by Michelle Rodriguez who has died in more movies and shows than I care to count.
Maybe Adam Sandler has found his new niche in Hollywood. While the actors live action movies have been hitting a brick wall lately, Hotel Transylvania is his biggest hit since Grown Ups almost two and a half years ago. And while it doesn’t exactly blaze new trails in animation or even come close to touching Pixar’s unquestionable quality, it does serve as a mostly enjoyable Halloween romp.
Count Dracula (Sandler) has built an immense castle dubbing it Hotel Transylvania, a place where all monsters can come and vacation away from the real world and be human free. Drac really has a secondary reason for the hotel being so well hidden. His daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) lives with him and he never wants her to leave the castle so he has spent her entire life filling her head with all the reasons why humans are the most horrible creatures in existence. Now it is time for her 118th birthday and on the eve of her huge party, which will be attended by all of Dracula’s (and Sandler’s) friends Frankenstein (Kevin James), the Wolfman (Steve Buscemi), Invisible Man (David Spade) and the Mummy (Cee Lo Green), her father has promised her that she may leave the castle and explore the village closest to them for a few minutes.
After she realizes that humans are terrible creatures, thanks to Dracula’s horde of zombie bellboys playing humans, Mavis promises to stay at the castle forever. During her party a human named Jonathan (Andy Samburg) happens upon the castle. Dracula thinks quickly and dresses him up as a long, lost relative of Frankenstein to keep the guests of the hotel unawares that a human is in their midst. For them to find out would be the end of the hotel.
As is expected, Mavis and Jonathan fall for each other and he shows her and all of the guests that there is a lot more fun to be had in life if you just open yourself up more.
What did you expect? It is a kids movie. It is not like we are dealing with Inception here.
Photo courtesy nydailynews.com
While all the voice performances are good and the animation is serviceable, Hotel Transylvania does play it safe plot wise. We get the boy meets girl, boy leaves girl, friends band together to get boy back story. The jokes are more kid based and don’t have quite the adult bite as some other animated features, but that’s OK. This movie wasn’t made for the fat, cynical, Adam Sandler weary crowd like yours truly.
That is not to say there is no fun to be had in Hotel Transylvania. I had more than a few chuckles with jokes involving the zombie bellboys and Jon Lovitz’s performance as Quasimodo, who plays the foil of the movie as he tries to catch Jonathon and make a human pot pie out of him.
Also fans of Samurai Jack, Dexter’s Laboratory and Star Wars: The Clone Wars should take note and give this a watch because it is directed by the legen-wait for it- dary Genndy Tartakovsky and his certain vibe can be felt throughout the film. It is a good start for his feature film directorial debut and hopefully the film’s success will get him looked at to handle more animated features.
Hotel Transylvania has some good stuff going for it. A solid voice and quality director keep this movie from dragging into the Ferngully’s of kids films. It has its share of laughs and can easily be a Halloween movie to enjoy with your family. Your kids should have a great time with it and as an adult you can take it from me, you can watch a lot worse movies that have vampires in lead roles. Much, much worse.
Ouya, the console that helped put Kickstarter on the front page by garnering over $8.5 million in donations, will see its release in June. The system has over 200 titles in development for the Android based system including the hugely popular Minecraft.
Ouya will cost $99.99 and come with a console and one controller. Extra controllers will be made available for $49.99. Gamestop, Best Buy, Target and Amazon are among the leading retailers that will be carrying the system. If you backed the Ouya Kickstarter then you will be able to buy the system in March.
Pre-orders are now being taken for the June release. Will the Ouya truly start a console revolution or will it join the eternal closet of damnation with the Jaguar, 3DO and Virtual Boy?
Only a few weeks ago CD Projekt Red was front and center with their stunning reveal trailer for Cyberpunk 2077. Now they are back with a huge announcement. As you can see above from the newest issue of Game Informer The Witcher 3 exists. It will also be coming to next generation consoles. Over five million copies of The Witcher and The Witcher 2 have been sold.
The Polish developer took the wraps off of their newest adventure and how this will be a much more personal journey for series hero Geralt in a short video below. No gameplay was shown but there are shots of concept art as well as motion capture sessions and swordplay.
It was refreshing to hear them say that they want to stay independent from big publishers so that only fans can have a say in what defines the series. Bioware is probably wishing they still had that ability.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt releases in 2014 for next generation consoles and PC.
