Posted by
Ronnie Brown
- Sunday, September 15, 2013
"I met a traveler from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away."
I now fully understand why this episode of Breaking Bad was named after that Percy Shelley poem. And I wish I didn't. This is going to be a short review because I'm both physically and emotionally drained and have so much other stuff to do tonight, but here it is.
That was, without a doubt, one of the best episodes of any television show I've ever seen. It completely shattered all of my expectations, and the fact that I'm still devastated an hour later really says a lot.
R.I.P. Hank and Gomez
I can say that the transition from the flashback that opened the episode to the aftermath of the shootout was beautifully done and definitely one of my favorites in the entire series. Seeing Gomez dead, though expected like I said last week, was still rough, and the matter-of-fact way that Hank was killed was a brutal moment that was very difficult to recover from. I expected Hank to die in this episode, but not like that. I thought- no, HOPED- that Hank would make it out of the shootout alive, but it's actually a much better story point that he didn't. And it was still in the first few minutes of the episode! Then seeing Jesse's ultimate fate, being chained up to be a slave after suffering a (thankfully unseen) brutal beating, was almost worse than it would've been for Jesse to die right there in the desert. But the episode pressed on. Once Junior found out about everything, it was obvious nothing good could happen anymore. Sure enough, one of the most shocking scenes in the episode was the confrontation between Walt and his family. What really surprised me was how physical it all was, and then Skyler actually made contact with the knife. Walt realizing that he had completely lost his family was actually an upsetting moment, but at this point he really did get what he deserved. I should probably see a therapist if I can still feel any sympathy for Walter White at all, but this is not about any of my possible mental problems. Walter White truly has nothing left. Like the poem says and like Vince Gilligan promised in last week's Talking Bad, we definitely looked upon Walt's ("Ozymandias's") works and despaired. His empire has truly crumbled now, and that final phone conversation between Walt and Skyler was astonishing. Walt said the worst things he's ever said to anyone to his wife of all people, and as awful as they were, I maintain that Walt didn't truly mean a word of what he was saying. He most likely didn't believe Skyler when she said that no cops were involved, and he said the things he did because he knew he had to go for broke and cut all ties with his family while helping to save Skyler by making her seem far more blameless and ignorant than she actually was. We saw how upset he got by the end of that conversation, so of course he still loves them more than anything, but he did what was best for them by making himself seem like even more of a monster than he actually is, and it seemed to me like Skyler picked up on what he was doing too. Finally, Walt riding off with the "disappearer" was a pretty chilling end to one hell of a rough episode, and since Walt's fake identity is from New Hampshire, the Granite State, and next week's episode is called "Granite State," it seems like we'll finally catch up to those cryptic flash forwards. Random Thoughts
The only thing that disappointed me actually had nothing to do with the episode itself. Like I said last week, IMDB had lots of dead characters listed in the cast, which was very intriguing, so it was pretty disappointing to see that IMDB was misinformed and none of those characters actually appeared. Oh well, that's what I get for believing something I saw on the internet.
I also thought it was interesting that for the first time in the history of the series, the cast and crew credits were actually placed in act 2, almost halfway through the episode, instead of in act 1 after the teaser scene. Good choice there because seeing random names would've taken away from the intensity of act 1.
Huge moment I decided to save for this: Jesse finally found out the truth about Jane! Anyone who has heard me talk about this show knows that I've hoped Jesse would find out about her somehow, but I did NOT see this one coming. Walt and Jesse's relationship was basically beyond repair, but if there was anything left at all, that revelation shattered it. So cold and cruel on Walt's part, and as stunned as Jesse was, he knows what Walter White is capable of, so of course he believed it. Also, poor Jesse. He's a slave who's had the shit beaten out him and has been forced to cook for Todd and Uncle Jack, and he has to look at that picture of Brock and Andrea so Todd and Uncle Jack can keep him in his place. I can only hope that when we catch up to the flash forward scenes, Walt uses that gun on Uncle Jack's crew and frees Jesse, but considering I'm sure Walt blames Jesse for Hank's death, I'm sure it won't be that easy.
What the hell was up with that dog at the very end that jumped off the side of the road? Is it symbolizing Walt being on his own now? Or maybe the dog was just as devastated as we were and couldn't take it anymore, so it wanted out. Clearly the latter is more likely.
I'm still reeling even after writing this review. The fact that there are still two episodes left baffles me; if so much can happen in one episode, how much story is really left to tell? That's really a superficial doubt though. I fully trust everyone behind Breaking Bad and I'm sure that these last two episodes will be one hell of a ride. I wish they wouldn't be as draining as this one was, but I know better. So let's all recover for the next week and nobody escape with the disappearer yet! Join me next Sunday night for "Granite State."
Doritos' annual "Crash the Super Bowl" contest has a special twist this year that should already have your panties in a twist: the winner gets to work on Avengers: Age of Ultron!
The contest winner will have made the most effective and eye-catching Doritos commercial out of thousands of entries from 42 different countries around the world. The prize includes seeing your ad during Superbowl XLVIII, one million dollars and the chance to have Joss Whedon tell you how he takes his coffee. Score!!! The runner-up won't meet Loki but will get $50,000 as a consolation prize.
Submissions can be taken starting October 8th and are due by November 24th on Doritos.com
This is an amazing opportunity for a lucky fan (or group of fans, let's face it, you won't do this alone). The contest doesn't specify if it would prefer a comic book themed commercial but I wouldn't mind one.
Posted by
Travis Goss
- Saturday, September 14, 2013
For those looking for new games for the Nintendo Wii U, 3DS, 3DS XL and DSi, Nintendo has some new games to choose from this week. So, here's a list which was announced from the latest press release:
There are more than 101 reasons to love The Wonderful 101. Lead a team of the world's strongest and strangest superheroes to fight off a massive alien invasion. As Wonder Red, leader of the Wonderful 100, unite a mob of heroes to morph into powerful transformations such as a fist, sword, glider and gun to battle aliens throughout Blossom City. You and the Wonderful 100 are the city's best weapon. The Wonderful 101 will be available on Sept. 15.
NES Classic available on the Wii U Virtual Console
Link™ returns to Hyrule to search for the Triforce and awaken Zelda™ from an endless sleep. Embark on a quest to find the Triforce of Courage and save Hyrule from ruin. In this unique, side-scrolling sequel to the original classic, learn magic spells, talk to people in towns to get clues, collect items to increase your power and explore six palaces where the underlings of the evil Ganon await you.
Toki Tori 2 has just received a huge update. Toki Tori 2+ includes an expanded soundtrack, new songs, additional puzzles, new landmarks and themes, and more exciting improvements. For a limited time, download Toki Tori 2+ in the Nintendo eShop on Wii U at a discounted price of $8.99 until 9 a.m. PT on Sept. 19.
A super BIG sale for a super little game. Get your acorns stashed for winter in this awesome platform adventure. Starting Sept. 13, download Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS™ at a discounted price of $3.99 until 9 a.m. PT on Oct. 2.
Bike Rider DX is a platform-action game with tons of power-ups, fun gimmicks and a large variety of stages. Simple controls and multiple modes provide fun for both newcomers and experienced gamers. Download Bike Rider DX in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS at a discounted price of $2.99 until 9 a.m. PT on Oct. 10.
If you've read the latest installment of Cullen Bunn's Fearless Defenders #9 (SPOILER ALERT), you know that Doctor Strange and Clea have come to a critical moment in their long-standing marital union. In a flashback, we discover that upon returning to Earth, Clea finds her husband fooling around with three scantily clad mistresses. This culminates in the final confrontation act of the issue when Clea asks Stephen for a divorce.
If you know me, you know that I have some major issues with how Stephen Strange is being written in more modern comics. One of the aspects I find unsettling about the contemporary approach to Strange is the perpetuation of the idea that the Doctor is a womanizer. Yes, that may have been the case back before Stephen became a sorcerer, but we all know that he did a moral one-eighty after meeting and training with the Ancient One.
Furthermore, the relationship and love between Doctor Strange and Clea is perhaps one of the strongest in the Marvel universe that I know of. The two have been through a hell of a lot together, from saving the world multiple times over to organizing an extradimensional coup d'etat. Stephen is crushed when Clea leaves him so that he can pursue what she perceives to be a "truer love," and this event proceeds to give birth to perhaps the best issue of Doctor Strange ever: Doctor Strange Vol. 2 #55. Time and time again, the two are separated, but issues pre-dating the past decade have had Stephen acting as the ever faithful husband.
Despite all this history, though, contemporary writers insist on "hooking up" Doctor Strange with a string of female characters such as the Night Nurse (The Oath), a college student (Defenders Vol. 4), and a bunch of lowly escorts (Fearless Defenders). In the past decade or so, Doctor Strange has become less of the noble and virtuous character he used to be and has turned into something akin to something out of House or Grey's Anatomy. This, to me, is a severe departure from the established personality of Doctor Strange and his relationship with Clea, and I find it extremely distasteful and disappointing.
Looking through Tumblr and some other social media, it's clear that there is an overall negative tone to peoples' reactions to Stephen's recent transformation into a playboy that has been simmering for some time. It would also seem that Cullen Bunn has received some feedback from fans with regard to the newly christened Strange/Clea fallout, and Bunn has very cryptically replied that there is certainly "more out there to explore" with these two. I sincerely hope that there is a possibility for reconciliation for these two in the near future, because it would be a great shame to let this relationship fall into the abyss of failed marriages in the Marvel Universe.
Let me know what you think! Tweet me @DrStrangeMD or comment below!
Hey Hey Hey Dacetacular F.A.N.!! Chris "The Dace Man" Dace here to celebrate the first of two Friday the 13ths in the year 2013. Nothing says lets celebrate horror and the 13th more than having a camp fire. That's right yours truly will be sitting by a fire sipping hot chocolate and projecting Friday the 13th out side for a night of fun. You jelly bro? With that in mine it's time to run down my top 3 Jason Vorhees movies. Yeah top three ya heard?
Slashing its way in at number 3. The original Friday the 13th
The original Friday the 13th hit theaters in 1980 and was directed by Sean S. Cunningham. Considered one of the first true slasher movies the franchise busted on the scene following a group of teenagers who are murdered while attempting to re-open an abandoned campground. The movie was prompted off the heels of John Carpenter's Halloween . The movie has gained approximately 39.7 million in gross profit on what is assumed a $550,000 budget. The film garnered mainly negative reviews upon its release but captured a huge cult following that is felt today. Now the reason I put this at number three, for all you butt hurt fans out there, technically Jason wasn't the killer in this film he made his debut in Part 2 to avenge his mother. So suck it. The film follows a murder who picks off the camp counselors one by one and is later revealed to be Mrs. Voorhees who is pretty upset her son was left to drown by previous camp counselors and clearly now she wants revenge. Best leave things abandoned that were abandoned right? Though Jason wasn't the one hacking up horny young adults in the original his mom took care of the dirty work. So technically this isn't a Jason movie but it does how ever set up a legacy that would pan out across 10 movies and for ever be held in the hearts of the cult horror followers as one of the big three and awesome ass kickers of slasher films!
Hacking its way in to Deep Space 2. Jason X
Now I know what you're thinking..."Its a terrible movie Dace you are off your damn rocker!" Well you are correct I'm absolutely bat shit crazy but I really enjoy this movie and here's why. The movie is over the top and complete gory. Isnt the whole point to slasher films to be god awful but entertaining. Jason X does that 10 fold. The mere concept of Jason being in space is a hundred times better than a leprechaun in a hood. Jason terrorizes a space team that discovered his frozen ass and decided "Hey it might be a good idea to unfreeze the dude who has a huge criminal record and a machete....what's the worst that could happen?" The worst that could happen is your future gadgets made the dude with a lazy eye in to a jacked up Supper Shredder looking mofo. Big Daddy Diesel Kevin Nash has nothing on this guy. So enter pure entertainment. I love this film and there is no way I'm taking it down from this list. One of my all time favorite murder scenes in a slasher resides in this film. Big Poppa Pump Jason is walking through a Camp Crystal Lake simulation and finds two nude lesbians. I feel like that's a beginning of an awesomely bad joke. Long story short he puts em in a burlap sack and just keeps beating the two of them on a rock where all you hear are female yelps. Not to mention the awkward romance between that dude and the android. So Deal with it this is number 2.
Having the clash of the century at number 1. Freddy vs. Jason
Now after writing an entire article dedicated to Mr. Voorhees you think I was a big fan of him right? Wrong. The reason Im doing an article based on Jason is because it's Friday the 13th. The true king of horror and my favorite slasher is sir Freddy Krueger. So when these two juggernauts when toe to toe in the 2003 slasher Freddy v.s. Jason I was pulling for the pervert on Elm Street. Don't get me wrong Jason is one of the kings of horror but Freddy brings a certain....what do you kids call it these days...Swag...to the horror scene. He busted onto the playing field in 84, and in his killing spree he hacked up Johnny Depp....that's a feather in his cap right there! Fred brought a new kind of murder to the big screen, the kind where he taunted you before you died. Jason was obviously the king of slow walking yet catching you death but Freddy was a pure genious who wanted to mess with you and possibly rape you prior to your death. So when these two squared up it was an interesting concept. They played it perfect. Freddy was forgotten and needed to be remembered in order to gain back his power, enter the log known as Jason to do his dirty work. Freddy said it perfect in the film "He'll get the blood but I'll get the glory.". The plan went perfect till Freddy realized once the dog is off the chain you cant stop him, so ring the bell and lets get it on! That's my top 3 Jason movies and yes my bias tone brought in Krueger deal with it. You don't like it tell me why?
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no not just porn) as well as all other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. So for The Few, The Proud, and of course The Dacetacular, grab a beer, or in this case your machete, and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Thursday, September 12, 2013
What is up Dacetacular F.A.N.?!?!? Chris "The Dace Man" Dace bringing you another installment of YouTube Spotlight! This week we go to the parody specialists The Key Of Awesome! The group is headed up by Mark Douglas and Todd Womack from barely political and the two comic geniuses write parodies poking fun at the top hits and their artists. Ranging from Lady Gaga to Kesha and even young Miley and One Direction, the two have pumped out with the help of many others YouTube sensations! The group formed in 2009 when Mark Douglas and Ben Relles with their first video ever, Heavy Metal Cats, which has a total of 10.6 million views!!! A quarter of a million subscribers later and seventy six music videos the Key of Awesome is still going strong! The group has even seen success when they went on tour to perform many of their hits. The musical talents come from the core duo Douglas and Womack but the majority of female voices, and once Beiber, come from Mark's wife Anastasia. The man behind the camera Tom Small has directed the vast majority of videos we enjoy on YouTube. The group has seen much success but outside the core four there have been other contributes to the gang that help boost popularity, some of which we may see in future installments of YouTube Spotlight here on Fanboys Anonymous!
The group has hit huge success with their parodies of Ke$ha, played by the lovely Andrea Fczko, and the always fun to play Lady Gaga, portrayed by the nerd goddess Lauren Francesca and lastly the Teenie Bop sensation Beieber presented by Jan Uckowski! The trio previously listed has stared in key roles for The Key of Awesome. Seeng some of the largest views the group has experience with their repeated portrayals of Lady Gaga, Ke$ha and Justin Beiber. Lauren Francesca out of the three holds the most apperances in Key of Awesome videos not only portraying Lady Gaga on numerous occasions but as well as other roles such as J Woww in the Jersey Shore Parody. Other re occuring roles have seen the infamous Bearded Nun! Though he lost his beard in the Lady Gaga Judas parody he was a key staple in the Key of Awesome franchise played by Michael Stevens. Two other main stays in the Key of Awesome line up are the mom and dad figures portrayed by Bricken Sparacino and Michael Birch. Oh and there's Jake....he shows up a lot to....
So check out the Key of Awesome on YouTube. Trust me you wont be disapointed.
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no not just porn) as well as all other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. So for The Few, The Proud, and of course The Dacetacular, grab a beer—a seat in front of your computer, and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Have you ever looked at a super hero and though, "Oh man. I would pay bottom dollar for a lot of questionably reputable plastic surgery to look just like that person."? Well, meet Herbert Chavez.
The difference is nothing if not staggering.
And for 300,000 pesos (as well as a trip to the Philippines) you, too, can look like an Asian ladyboy Clark Kent. That's right. It only takes just under 7,000 USD and 16 years worth of bad decisions. Although, perhaps finding a surgeon unscrupulous enough to take on the project would be difficult. The surgery is quite far from finished, though. Maintaining the chiseled looks of Clark Kent requires regular maintenance, which Chavez says his surgeon does for free in exchange for promotion.
In an interview, Chavez claims, "If you talk about super heroes, the expectation of people is that they are flawless, they do not get hurt, they do not die. But as human beings, we can only copy their looks."
If Superman were a real person this would be illegal.
... What about their values?
Fueled by the poor decisions of years gone by.
The whole point of super heroes are the fact that these are characters that ceaselessly stand up for what they believe to be right, and just. They're an example of overcoming things like circumstance, and tragedy. Rather than averting tragedy, Herbert is just content turning himself into one. Reading various interviews, it's clear that Chavez is a man made happier by his decision. Hopefully, as the years see him fade from Clark Kent to Bizarro he will remain complacent with the decisions he has made.
Am I being too critical, or is there something wrong with this level of fandom? Sound of in the comments and either agree with me or put me in my place.
Burn Notice has come to an end with its series finale, entitled "Reckoning". Season 7's episode 13 will be the last one of the show as they are ending on their own terms. Once the episode airs, a complete review will be posted here. But for now, let's take a look back in a retrospective of the series in general.
Burn Notice, created by Matt Nix, has essentially operated in a format where there are two plotlines in each episode: one overall arc for that season (or, the series in general) that deals with Michael Westen's burn notice itself and one weekly special case that the team takes in helping someone out. This episode seems to be combining these two into one, wherein Michael is actually the person who needs help from the rest of the gang in order to turn back to the good side and not join the crusade that James has warped his mind into believing.
Supposedly, someone is going to die in this episode and while everything will be wrapped up, not everything is going to be just a bunch of smiles. In a series that kept a pretty humorous tone despite some bittersweet and sometimes flat out sad moments, I can't imagine we'll leave upset in the end.
What I would like to see in the finale
If someone is indeed going to die, it needs to be Michael's mother, Madeline. While I had previously tried to predict several times that Jesse would bite the dust, they've proven me wrong at every single opportunity. Madeline's death will hit Michael hard, but can you imagine them really killing off Fiona or Sam? I doubt it. Nor do I expect them to kill off Michael himself. That would be a bit too cliche and depressing.
Madeline's death, however, could result in Michael and Fiona settling down to raise Charlie. After all, what's a better motivator to give up a life of danger than to raise a child with the woman/man that you love?
I've been hoping for the longest time that in the end, our heroes would decide to run a private investigator service and still kind of operate jobs, but just on a less explosive scale, so I'd like to see that included in here as well.
Oh, and there has to be some blueberry yogurt ;)
Reckoning Episode Review
After the last episode, we were left wondering if Michael would side with Sonya or Fiona. Obviously, Michael sided with Fiona and shot Sonya to her death. James gets away and Michael is in shock, feeling guilty about what he did to the point where he even almost commits suicide (via saving Jesse and Sam in a situation that was too risky).
The strawberry ice cream scene was one of my favorites, and I originally thought to myself "this is missing an 'I love you' moment for real". Thankfully, we got that later on with the phone call. Madeline didn't have to die, in my opinion. Nobody HAD to die. But out of everyone in the cast, it makes the most sense and I'm glad they didn't go with anyone else, despite how I kept thinking Jesse was doomed from the start.
"Should we shoot them?" was a nice little reference to the beginning of the series. The same with "you know spies, a bunch of bitchy little girls".
Michael and Fiona faking their deaths and going to Ireland to raise Charlie whilst setting up a potential spinoff for Jesse and Sam makes a lot of sense, and I'm glad that they acknowledged that they knew that Michael and Fiona were alive. I also liked the referencing of telling the story, as that could explain the narration.
Overall, I think this ended things the way it should have ended, and as a fan of the show since the beginning, I'm happy with what it all boiled down to.
Cheers, Burn Notice. Thanks for all the memories and congratulations on a great series!
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Want to know what happened the past few days in nerd culture? WEEK IN GEEK is your quick fix to catch up with the rest of the fanboys out there.
MOVIES
Rob Corddry wants to play the villain in Ant-Man, which is now moved up from November 6, 2015 to July 31, 2015 to get away from the 24th Bond film.
My take: With the horrible schedule, the lack of a confirmation that Hank Pym is even Ant-Man, and all the other problems going on with this, fuck it, let's have Rob Corddry play the villain. He could pull off serious, probably. It's not like this movie is going to be awesome anyway.
Along with the Alex Pettyfer, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Benedict Cumberbatch and other random rumors for Star Wars Episode 7 casting, two more names have popped up: Liam McIntyre and Ksenia Solo.
My
take: At this point, it's getting beyond ridiculous. The likelihood that Ksenia Solo is playing the daughter of Han Solo is just laughable. It's the type of IMDB jump-to-conclusions-over-nonsense bullshit that we see all the time, like when every person is cast in a comic book movie and people think they're automatically playing a character from the comics. He has red hair and he's in a Spider-Man movie? HE MUST BE CARNAGE AAAAAH!!
Sir Ian McKellen will play Sherlock Holmes is an adaptation of "A Slight Trick of the Mind", a novel by Mitch Cullin.
My
take: Sherlock Holmes, despite being such an old character, just keeps sticking around, doesn't it? Two TV shows are running at the moment about it, Robert Downey Jr. just had two fairly recent movies based on the character, etc. Hey, if that's what people want, give it to them. McKellen will be cool.
Another remake of The Island of Dr. Moreau in the works?
My
take: I've personally never seen any adaptations (unless you count the parody on the Halloween episode of The Simpsons), but it sounds like an interesting story. Maybe I'll check this new one out.
David Tennant as Plastic Man in Justice League?
My
take: Yeah right. I'll believe it when I see something concrete.
Pirates of the Caribbean 5 has been pushed back a year from summer 2015 to summer 2016.
My
take: If that's what they need to do, then they need to do it. Frankly, I thought the third one sucked so badly that I never saw the fourth.
VIDEO GAMES
The developers of Far Cry 3 are currently developing a Japanese-inspired RPG called Child of Light.
Sean Mitchell's take: Not only is the genre change surprising, but the unique art direction the game is taking as well.
FIFA 14's demo is now available for Xbox, PC and PS3.
Shaun Walker's take: This feels like a step backwards in the series. I, for one, have had enough of the same garbage EA feeds us every year. That's why I'm not making the switch to Pro Evo.
TELEVISION
Three possible actors that could play The Flash on Arrow are Matt Barr, James Mackay and Grant Gustin according to Latino-Review.
My take: I've never heard of these guys before, so I have no real comment.
Cynthia Addai-Robinson will be playing Amanda Waller in Arrow season 2.
My take: She's certainly not the older, overweight type of character I was expecting, but I guess she'll do fine.
October 16th, 8 P.M. ET on ABC, there will be a Toy Story special called "Toy Story of Terror".
My take: Neat. I love the Toy Story movies, so I'll have to check this out.
COMIC BOOKS
Geoff Johns is leaving Aquaman in the hands of Jeff Parker (Thunderbolts).
My take: I've yet to check out his run on Aquaman but I've heard good things.
HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES
A rumor sprung up that Jack Nicholson is retiring from acting due to "memory loss", but it turned out that this was false.
My take: Glad to hear that it isn't true, as Nicholson's awesome, even if he does tend to play the same character in most of his films (but hey, a lot of actors do).
Watch out for this segment each and every Wednesday. We'll see you next week!
Did we miss something? What are your thoughts on these topics? Leave us a comment below!
Posted by
Ronnie Brown
- Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Hey, everyone! Even though I haven't gotten the chance to go to a show myself yet, I've been a big fan of Tommy Tallarico's Video Games Live concert series for years. Not too long ago, PBS sponsored a filming of the concert, which they later released on DVD and Blu-ray, and so far a few soundtrack albums have been released, including the filmed concert called Level 2.
For anyone who doesn't know about it or would like a refresher, Video Games Live brings a symphony orchestra and video games together, playing themes from a wide variety of games. But this isn't a typical symphony concert; clips from the games are shown during performances, lasers and other effects amplify the experience, and everyone just seems like they're having the time of their lives. It's more like symphony/rock concert experience.
Now that you're up to speed, the creators of Video Games Live want to go all out and create Level 3, another concert DVD/Blu-ray release with an accompanying album, currently set for release in February of 2014. A lot of exciting game additions have been announced, including Street Fighter II, Silent Hill 2, Skyrim, Shadow of the Colossus, Journey, and more. But they need a little help to make this all happen, so Tommy Tallarico created a Video Games Live Level 3 Kickstarter with a goal of $250,000 and the funding ends this Friday, September 13, at 9:20 AM Eastern time. Honestly, this campaign includes some really great rewards, from digital or physical copies of the album/concert video to digital conductor scores for different pieces and all the way up to a tour of Blizzard studios and actually having creative input in a Video Games Live segment for the big spenders.
As of this writing, they've collected about 91% of their goal- $228,844 out of $250,000. Fanboys Anonymous has no connection to this project and there's no incentive for me to promote it, but it's just something I'm really excited about and would love to see happen. Since the campaign is very close to its goal with so little time left, even a $5 donation could make a real difference at this point, so if Video Games Live: Level 3 is something you'd like to see happen as well, consider donating by Friday and spreading the word and hopefully we'll all be blown away early next year!
Update: With over 24 hours left to go, the goal has been reached! If anyone who read this article donated at all, then I consider it a success. I can't wait until February!
It is no surprise Miley Cyrus has caused quite a stir lately in the public eye. Breaking from her good girl image during her days as Hannah Montana, Cyrus has now spoken to the world saying she has grown up and how kind puberty was to her.
Miley Cyrus
In her latest video, "Wrecking Ball," she has no problem in cementing the fact.
Even though the music video has caused some controversy as Cyrus rides around on a wrecking ball completely naked, I do ask all of those who have seen the video the following question: Why does it shock you?
Well, watch the video first. Afterward, read my thoughts on the subject.
So, after viewing her latest video from her upcoming album, "Bangerz," here is how I feel.
Let us start with the song itself. It is your typical breakup song. A woman leaves her man and now she feels completely vulnerable. She is dealing with the breakup and it is practically tearing her apart.
Courtney, who is a very dear person in my life, put it like this: "The song is a break up song but it's also about vulnerability; and being naked in the video is one of the best ways to show it. Stripping naked is [as] vulnerable a person can be. It's like she's baring her soul, [her] everything. I think it's an artistic approach."
This is a very true point of view.
I am sure there are people out there who have seen this video and might be upset by the images. Perhaps some may have seen it as vulgar or tasteless. I disagree with these viewpoints because this is no more appalling than watching Lady Gaga videos where she has been naked a few times.
I honestly would like to know why people are still disgusted by images of naked people. I can possibly understand parents would want to shield their children from certain images on television and movies which are deemed too adult and inappropriate for minors. However, from my perspective, I would rather show two people making love than two people trying to kill each other. Think about it for a moment. One scenario sounds more pleasant and enjoyable while the other seems frightening and distressing.
If this does not help drive in both points, then I submit the following:
Would you rather see this?
Michelangelo's "David"
Or, this?
A very disturbing image, indeed.
Maybe I am looking into it more deeply than what it is. I just find it unacceptable for people to look at something beautiful and criticize it at the same time. Miley Cyrus is a very beautiful woman. She has a lovely voice and is very talented. While there are still some who objectify her raunchy appearance at this year's MTV Video Music Awards, we should all remember there have been other artists who have done similar acts on stage or in their music videos.
"Wrecking Ball" is a very powerful video with just as much of a powerful message. If the only thing people can take away from the video are the images of Cyrus naked and nothing else, then they have not fully understood what the video was trying to convey. We have come a long way since Michelangelo's "David." People really should relax. Above all, if you do not like it, then do not watch it. It is so simple.
Given this is the first time a live conference was streamed on Fanboys Anonymous, I have to say I have had quite an interesting time watching and listening to what Sony has in store. The main focus of the presentation was mostly regarding the company's upcoming gaming console, the PlayStation 4. Inside the packed auditorium, journalists from all over the world have gathered to gain the latest information.
What does Sony have up its sleeve?
With so much to cover, let us get started.
A new PS Vita model (PCH-2000) was shown in six different colors and will be released in October for Japan. It will keep all of the same functionalities of the current system and it will be twenty percent thinner and fifteen percent lighter. Battery life has been expanded by one hour and has a much rounder design.
Collaboration Battle was showcased as a new game series for Vita. Gundam Breaker will have some really sweet looking mech action and will be released Oct. 31 in Japan along with a bundle with a white Vita with etchings of the characters on the back of the unit.
God Eater 2 will be released with a "Fenrir Edition" Vita bundle .
Soul Sacrifice Delta is set to release in March of 2014 as an update to Soul Sacrifice. Keiji Inafune came up on stage to talk about the game.
"After the release in one year, a new Soul Sacrifice [game] will be released," said Inafune.
Sega has announced a game set in the same world of Phantasy Star Online 2; called Phantasy Star Nova, the game is being developed by Tri-Ace and will be made available for the Vita in 2014.
Phantasy Star Nova
Final Fantasy X and X-2 HD re-releases are set to come out for the Vita with a special bundle.
A special edition Vita to coincide with the upcoming release of Final Fantasy X and X-2 HD
The most surprising news to come from the event is the announcement of the PlayStation Vita TV. The system plays Vita games on your television (obviously), has slots for Vita games and memory cards, will support PS3 controllers as well as access to 1,300 games from the Vita and PSP library and all available downloadable games and will support PS4 Remote Play later through a future firmware update. The Vita TV will be released for 9.954 yen ($100) and there will also be a special bundle with a PS3 controller and an eight gig memory card for 14,994 yen (#150).
Ladies and gentlemen, the Vita TV
According to our friends at Joystiq, "It connects to the TV via HDMI, supports Wi-Fi, and has an internal memory card of 1GB. Also, Vita TV can connect to two DualShocks at once, this functionality applied with PSOne games in mind."
Next up, PS3.
Rain, Grand Theft Auto V, Tales of Symphonia, BlaxBlue, Rocksmith, Monster Hunter Frontier G and Ace Combat: Infinity are just a few of the games coming out before the end of the year.
A representative from Polyphony Digital came on stage to talk about Gran Turismo 6. The game was shown and the main focus being a new simulation engine. This mostly makes the cars looks super sweet and more responsive. Gran Turismo Online was announced and can be accessed on smartphones. A video was shown which shows off the cars which will be accessible in-game. The game will release in Japan on Dec. 6 and a special 15th anniversary collector's edition to be released along with the standard version.
Now, it is PS4 time.
The system is set to release on Feb. 22, 2014. The reason for this date in Japan is because of availability to unique content and titles exclusive to Japanese consumers.
A new trailer for Knack was shown and I can tell this will be a very popular title upon release. Those who purchase a PS4 at launch, Knack will be available for download for free.
Here's a brief lineup of PS4 games to be released at launch: Killzone: Shadow Fall, Assassin's Creed, Driveclub, Need for Speed Rivals, Battlefield 4, FIFA 14, Hohokum, Infamous: Second Son, Wolfenstein, Psycho Break, Thief, a new Strider game, Witcher 3, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, The Crew, Kingdom Hearts 3, The Order: 1886, Final Fantasy XV and Medal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain are some of the games to be released for the PS4.
New trailers for Watch Dogs and Psycho Break were shown and I, personally, am excited to play these games when they are released.
A live gameplay demonstration of the new Dynasty Warriors game was shown and it looks mighty impressive with hundreds of bodies being thrown everywhere.
This looks to be a really exciting time for fans of the PlayStation brand. With some awesome games and systems coming out soon, it looks like Sony could have one heck of a show in store.
Posted by
Ronnie Brown
- Monday, September 9, 2013
It was hinted at and we saw a brief glimpse of the packaging during last night's episode of Talking Bad, but today Sony Pictures Home Entertainment officially announced Breaking Bad: The Complete Series Blu-ray box set! On November 26, this set will be released alongside a Final Season set.
I personally would've expected an RV replica, but this also makes perfect sense.
It may not be the prettiest packaging, but it really fits the tone of the show, and as you can see in this image, it comes with quite a few collectibles. These include a Los Pollos Hermanos apron, a booklet, and a collectible coin designed by Vince Gilligan, the creator of the show.
In addition to the physical collectibles, there are plenty of special features exclusive to this set, the most exciting of which is "No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad," a two-hour long documentary about the final season of the show. The set includes all of the bonus features from the previous seasons and a variety of new ones, including (courtesy of TVshowsonDVD.com):
Bad Memories - Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul talk about the show ending and some of their favorite moments.
Bryan Cranston: Director - Go on set with Bryan Cranston as he directs the first episode of the season entitled "Blood Money."
Scene Envy - The cast tell us which scene they wish they could have been in.
Shocking Moments - The stars reveal the moments that shocked them most.
From Walt to Heisenberg - From high school teacher to deadly meth dealer, watch as Walter White quickly transforms into Heisenberg.
How Will It End? - At the beginning of the season, the cast was asked to give their thoughts on how they thought the show would end.
Avenging Agent: Dean Norris as Hank Schrader- A look at the character Hank Schrader and the man who played him, Dean Norris.
Scene Stealer: Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader- A look at the character Marie Schrader and the woman who plays her, Betsy Brandt.
A Criminal Attorney: Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman - A look at the character Saul Goodman and the man who played him, Bob Odenkirk.
Jesse's Journey - Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman - A look at the character Jesse Pinkman and the man who played him, Aaron Paul.
Skyler Breaks Bad - Anna Gunn on Season Four - Actress Anna Gunn and series creator Vince Gilligan explore Skyler's character evolution through the fourth season.
Growing Up in the White House: RJ Mitte on Walter Jr. - RJ Mitte, Anna Gunn, Bryan Cranston, and series creator Vince Gilligan discuss the extraordinary dynamics of the White family, and Walter Jr.'s unique role.
The Ultimate Chess Match - Members of the cast and crew discuss Walter White and Gus Fring's extraordinary and complicated battle of wits and their struggle for Jesse's allegiance.
Looking Back: A Season Four Retrospective - Season Four's most surprising and memorable moments.
Ted's Wipeout - In Episode 411, "Crawl Space," Ted Beneke suffers a head injury while trying to escape from Saul's goons. In this featurette, Christopher Cousins (Ted) explains how this shocking stunt was accomplished.
The Truck Attack Storyboard Comparison - A side-by-side comparison of the Los Pollos Hermanos truck attack and the brilliant shot-by-shot storyboards that were created for the episode "Bullet Points."
Walt and the Challenger Storyboard Comparison - A side-by-side comparison of the sequence where Walt indulges in some crazy stunt driving in Walt Jr.'s Dodge Challenger and the storyboards that were created.
In addition to these features, the Final Season set includes plenty of features as well (all of which will also be in the Complete Series set):
"Blood Money" Table Read - A rare look at the only final season Breaking Bad table read. (Blu-ray exclusive)
Cast and Crew Commentaries on every episode.
4 Featurettes: The Main Event, The Final Showdown, Life of a Show Runner, Behind The Scenes of the Alternate Ending
Alternate Ending - A 3-minute alternate version of how Breaking Bad could have ended.
Deleted & Extended Scenes
Gag Reel
Walt's Confession
The Layers of a Sound Mix
Over 15 Episodes of Inside Breaking Bad
Uncensored and Extended Episodes
Whether you complete your collection with The Final Season set or spring for The Complete Series, you're in for a treat on November 26. Since the complete series set is sure to be expensive (Amazon currently has it listed at $224.99), I would recommend anyone who has the previous five sets go to MovieStop if you have access to one and trade them all in to help pay for it; that's what I plan to do. Pre-ordering something at MovieStop usually gives you the cheapest price available as well, so if you had things to trade in on top of that, it would be much cheaper there than anywhere else. While you're at it, reserve the pretty sweet looking poster sold exclusively at MovieStop. It costs $30 and must be paid for in full by 10/27, and you can pick it up on November 26 as well.
With just three episodes left in the series, I'm sure Breaking Bad is going to end in a big way, so be sure to check back on Fanboys Anonymous for my final three reviews. It may take a few days after the release date, but also expect a review-ish post from me about the complete series set at the end of November. Until then, everyone go break bad!
Junichi Masuda is scheduled to make an appearance on the September 15th edition of Pokemon Smash in an episode that will feature news on the new Mega Evolutions as well as more information on the Pokemon X and Y anime. Considering we still don't know who Ash's new traveling companions will be it's certainly possible there is a good chance of them being revealed during this episode. The new season will begin airing next month in Japan.
However CoroCoro will leak several days before the episode airs so while there is a chance we will see some things that aren't already being revealed as a part of CoroCoro we may just be getting repeat information that has already been revealed by the time the show airs.
Early this morning Sony Computer Entertainment Japan held a press conference from the Tokyo Game Show. During that conference they unveiled a surprising new piece of hardware: the PS Vita TV. This new system will be capable of playing PlayStation Vita and PSP games on the owner's HDTV.
This appears to be Sony's answer to compete with budgeted set top entertainment boxes such as AppleTV and the Roku. For media lovers, this system will have apps for all your video and music services as well as streaming media from your PC. However, unlike the other systems, the Vita TV will have access to roughly 1,300 software releases for the PS Vita, PSP, and original PlayStation.
Another neat feature is the ability to serve as a remote play hub for PlayStation 4. This allows gamers to play their PS4 games on a different TV in their home without moving their bulky console.
Games will be played with the Duel Shock 3 controller, with one included in each bundle. It features a PS Vita game card slot, a memory card slot, one USB 2.0 port, 1GB of memory built in, and HDMI output capable of 480p, 720p, and 1080i.
The base bundle will have a launch MSRP of 9,480 yen (about $100) and a white special edition bundle with an 8GB expanded internal memory will sell for 14,280 yen (about $145).
The Japanese release is slotted for November 14th. At this time, there are no announcements regarding an American release.
What do you think? Do you want the Vita TV to come States side? LEAVE IT IN THE COMMENTS!
Posted by
Ronnie Brown
- Sunday, September 8, 2013
Okay, are you all still alive? Barely? That's what I thought. Let's get through this together, shall we?
Holy. Shit. That ending was one of the most infuriating things I've ever seen, so much so that I literally ran around in circles in my front yard when it was done to blow off some steam. I'm hoping that there are no crueler cliffhangers in the next two episodes leading into the series finale, but I know that's probably very stupid and naive of me. To call this episode a game changer is a massive understatement.
Anyway, let's wade through the rest of the episode before diving into that ending. Todd is really gearing up to be the next Heisenberg, except for his inferior, non-blue meth. He's even got a little crush on Lydia, so maybe he's hoping he found his Skyler. I still absolutely love the fact that this half of the season has been framed as one continuous story, with the teaser this week showing what happened during Walt's phone call to Todd at the end of "Rabid Dog." And with the way this one ended, I'm sure that idea will continue come next week. But I'm getting ahead of myself...
I really loved the billboard in the background of this shot.
If there was one theme this episode, it was one of rather brilliant plans from most of the cast. Starting with Hank using the brain matter to trick Huell into thinking that Walt killed Jesse, that was an excellent way to get Huell to talk. Knowing that To'hajiilee is the Indian reservation where the desert scenes are shot, combined with seeing Walt bury the money again in the recap leading into this episode, it was obvious the money would come back. Which leads into Hank and Jesse's rather ingenious plan to have Walt lead them right to his money. I was surprised at how well it worked, and from the moment Hank, Jesse, and Gomez showed up, the tension was just too much. The most interesting thing about that moment to me is that Walter White, even when facing his downfall, still refuses to hurt Hank, trying to call off the hit on Jesse when he realized Hank was there too. And it almost did him in.
Meanwhile, Todd and Uncle Jack devised a great way to get Walt back into the business; they'd kill Jesse as long as Walt showed Todd the ropes so that he could properly cook Heisenberg's blue sky meth. I felt very uneasy about that plan, and of course it could be irrelevant come next week, but assuming everyone makes it out of this, there will be fallout. Jack and his crew already proved they won't listen to Walt, showing up in the desert even after he told them not to, so nothing good can come from this situation for anyone.
The other great plan, though less effective than the others in this episode, was Walt using Brock and Andrea to try to smoke Jesse out. We all know it would have worked if Jesse had gotten the call and wasn't working with Hank, but unfortunately for Walt, Hank saw right through him. I admit I was so nervous during that entire scene and wondered just what Walt was getting at until Andrea mentioned trying to get in touch with Jesse right there. Interesting that Walt's plans are much less effective now that everyone else is either on to him or against him. That does not bode well for him in the next three episodes, that's for sure. The man is slowly becoming powerless.
Now...that ending. When Walt saw that Jesse was with Hank, I truly believed that he would make that sacrifice and have Hank killed anyway. With Hank dead he could just leak his "confession" video, after all, and be absolved of all his sins. Yet even at this point in the series, Walt is still a family man at heart, so he's not a total monster. At that point I really didn't know what Walt was going to do; he was trapped, and I didn't think even the great Heisenberg could work his way out of this one. So it was totally shocking and nerve-wracking for Walt to not only surrender, but to actually get arrested. Regardless of whether or not you hoped for Walt to get caught in the end, it's hard to deny that it was a chilling moment, and everyone in that scene played it beautifully, from Dean Norris showing Hank's barely contained glee to the look of pure pain and betrayal from Bryan Cranston when Walt realized that Jesse sold him out. There was even a quick, simple shot of Jesse's excitement that this man was finally in custody that I loved. This was also about the time that I started getting unbelievably nervous; dread was slowly washing over me and pushing down on my chest. Something had to happen here. Hank can't pull it off this easily. Then the dread intensified when Hank called Marie. That shot of her looking down at the brain matter in her trashcan could've been a horrible bit of foreshadowing, something that Breaking Bad excels at. Then the two of them became so filled with joy, Hank mentioned that he probably wouldn't be home for awhile, and they said "I love you," possibly for the first time onscreen in the entire series. I really thought Hank was about to die, and my dread grew.
Then Jack's crew showed up, and my dread exploded into a full-blown panic. My palms were sweating, my heart was racing, and I thought the tension might really make me pass out. Could this episode really end in a standoff, waiting for shots to be fired? Nope. Instead the episode will end MID-SHOOTOUT. It was infuriating. It was unfair. It was amazing TV.
Now, as far as predictions go, you'd think I would've learned by now not to make any because they almost always turn out to be wrong. But with this shootout, now that I've had time to think about it, I really don't see Jesse dying at this point and we know Walt can't die because of the flash forward scenes, but Hank is still in very real danger in my mind and things could go either way with him. Of the three though, Gomez is the most likely to die. Maybe Hank gets shot but manages to make it to Walt's car, where he and Jesse can make their escape. I don't know, but whatever happens, I'm sure it will be just what the story needs to push it forward even more.
Random Thoughts
"Don't drink and drive, but if you do, call me!" It's still great to me that Breaking Bad has its humorous moments despite how dark it's become, and Skyler teaching Junior the family car wash business when Saul arrived was such a fun scene. Junior's starstruck reaction to Saul was great, and it's actually surprising that those two have never shared a scene before.
Huge moment in my mind: Jesse talking to Walt and actually calling him "Walt" instead of "Mr. White." That's only the second or third time in the entire series that that happened, and it's always a powerful moment when it does.
Next week's episode is called "Ozymandias," and it has me so curious. According to IMDB, a bunch of dead characters will be back next week, including Krazy-8, Mike, Gale, Tuco, and Jane. Interestingly enough no Gus though. I have no idea what this means. Flashbacks would seem like the most logical answer here, but Breaking Bad is not a show to waste time on flashbacks unless they serve the story well. Like when the end of "Gliding Over All" flashed back to season 4 to really drive home Hank putting everything together. But based on the title of the episode and the amazing trailer released back in July, Walt's empire seems to definitely be crumbling now and I can't wait to see it.
There you have it. I had a lot to say this week, so hopefully I didn't bore you all too much. Like I said, I promise we will all get through the home stretch together, so drag yourselves back here next week with me for "Ozymandias!"
Starting at 2 a.m. Eastern Time this Monday (Sept. 9), Sony Computer Entertainment Japan will present their press conference from the Tokyo Game Show and will be streamed live via Ustream.
What will come from this year's Sony TGS event?
Fans of PlayStation will receive the latest news from the live stream and Fanboys Anonymous will be on top of the latest stories to come out of this press conference. For those who will be watching the live show will be happy to know all English translations will be posted on the European Playstation Blog.
Nintendo has announced three popular Wii games to be available at a new low price.
According to the latest Nintendo press release, "Three of the best-selling and best-reviewed Wii games of all time are now available at a new low price. Starting [Sept. 6], Super Mario Galaxy 2, New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Wii Sports Resort are available at a suggested retail price of just $29.99 each."
Courtesy of Nintendo
This is very welcomed news for those who have not purchased a Wii or a Wii U since the system is backwards-compatible.
"Super Mario Galaxy 2 is tied with Super Mario Galaxy as one of the best-reviewed games of all time, with a Metacritic score of 97," as continued from the press release. "To date the game has sold more than 2.7 million in the United States alone. New Super Mario Bros. Wii has sold more than 9.4 million in the U.S. and Wii Sports Resort, the follow-up to the game that introduced motion controls to the world of gaming, has U.S. sales of nearly 7 million."
This is a nice incentive for late-bloomers to pick up some classic games at a very sweet price.
Episode 41 of the I Got Gameplay podcast is now online. On this episode, Michael Burhan, Samantha Jennings, Travis Goss, Nikki Mills and special guest Xander Skullion discuss the issue of gaming censorship. Should game developers create more child friendly games or should parents be the ones responsible for making sure that children have no access to this product?
The group also discuss Anita Sarkeesian and if there are no real female protagonists in gaming.
You can check out the episode by clicking on the following links:
