Goodbye, Mr. Iwata

Posted on July 12, 2015 by geelw

Not how I wanted to start or even end a day, but this sad news popped into my inbox a few hours back and will take time to fully sink in. Nope, I never met Mr. Iwata and neither did millions of people who enjoyed what he worked on and/or his informatively entertaining Nintendo Direct videos and Iwata Asks series of interviews with game creators. But I did play many games he was part of, from Balloon Fight, Alchahest, EarthBound, Animal Crossing and many more.

The man may be gone, but his many works and those who will continue to play them and pass them down to a new generation will last as long as the planet still spins. Hopefully we’ll see some sort of physical presence of his collected works from Nintendo at some point. While a huge convenience, this digital-mostly age has been pretty poor at making sure a pure legacy exists of many games outside the hands of the most dedicated collectors.

Anyway, you’ll be missed by many, sir.

Book Review: Film Noir 101: The 101 Best Film Noir Posters from the 1940s-1950s

Posted on July 11, 2015 by geelw

Thanks to a colorist probably following instructions to the letter about the use of the color red, Both Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall wear lipstick on the poster to The Big Sleep. The poster for White Heat almost looks like the one for the aforementioned film. Edward G. Robinson’s face is Hulk green in the poster for Scarlet Street. Richard Widmark doesn’t even appear on the poster to Kiss of Death, but in the one for Night and the City he looks as if he’s doing a “jazz hands, down!” pose. You miss these details when poking around online for some classic film posters, but in Fantagraphic’s beautiful Film Noir 101: The 101 Best Film Noir Posters from the 1940s-1950s, all you see is some amazing poster art for arguably some of the best film noirs of the era. Film Historian Mark Fertig has compiled quite a healthy list of films and their respective one-sheets here and the big 10.75″ x 14.25″ hardcover book will thrill film fans while possibly promoting a bit of discussion about some of the choices among others. Continue reading →

The Walking Dead Season 6 Trailer: Apoca-Rick’s, Wow

Posted on July 11, 2015 by geelw

(thanks, AMC!)

So, it seems the A-Rick-stocracy is coming to a dramatic close in this upcoming sixth season of The Walking Dead as far as the former Sheriff Grimes running things in Alexandria. But I could be wrong as these trailers are meant to thrill and divert (and do it quite well indeed). Given that we’ve been Rick-rolled by the show in the past, what’s here is looking even more grim than usual. The show’s longevity thus far is due to the usually fine writing, acting and the ability for its showrunners to turn on cast favorites and cut loose some in unexpected (and usually gory) ways. By the end of this particular trailer it’s more than clear that NO one is safe and that Rick-ety footing includes some cast members that should they buy the farm, would upset the fan apple cart somewhat fiercely.

But that, as they say, is showbiz, kids. Things are certainly going to get interesting this October, that’s all I’m saying. Which is a good thing because this summer is lousy with lousy shows amongst a few hidden or under appreciated gems. If AMC’s other walker-fest, Fear The Walking Dead is half as good as its daddy is, It’ll be hard trying to stop people from camping out at home for both shows when they air.

BUY IT! Silver Scenes Sells Stellar Stills

Posted on July 11, 2015 by geelw

"Let's see now. If I sell this dog and kid, I can buy ALLLL those movie stills!"

“Let’s see now… if I sell this dog and kid, maybe I can buy ALLLL those movie stills!”

(photo from Silver Scenes)

Want a piece (or a few pieces) of Hollywood history for a potential song? Even if you can’t carry a tune at all (and there’s no need to sing for your supper here), you can carry a wallet or purse and that means you can (and should) support classic film site Silver Scenes through their an awesome movie stills auction on ebay. The auction is off and running with a few bids already, so click on over to peruse the lovely selection of primarily black and white stills (only one is in color) and bid away at your leisure.

Prices start an an affordable $9.95 for each still and proceeds from the auction will go to the UCLA Film & Television Archive. So go do some charity work this weekend and add some beautiful black and white images to your collection. And hey, if you happen to strike it rich today in the lottery, make sure to spend some of Saturday’s Millions on tomorrow’s treasures!

“That Handsome Man” Passes: So Long, Mr. Sharif

Posted on July 10, 2015 by geelw

I’m smiling a bit through this latest gloomy news because I can recall many years back sitting in a diner eavesdropping on a rather amusing conversation between two older ladies chatting about movies with part of the chatting being about actors they’d get swoon-y over. Omar Sharif’s name came up and one of the gals got a bit carried away, saying “Oooooh, that handsome man! I’d keep him tied up with my stockings for DAYS!” Yikes. Well, I had to make a mad dash from my booth behind them into the restroom to have a big laugh and of course, those ladies were cracking up when I returned because they knew why I scooted away. When some guys say stuff like that in a far different tone, it’s usually not a good thing. But two ladies of a certain age dressed in their Sunday best? They get a welcome and well-deserved pass. Anyway, goodbye, Omar – you’ll me missed but your best work will live on forever.

Random Film of the Week: Invisible Invaders

Posted on July 10, 2015 by geelw

Sometimes revisiting an old film can reveal a load of new surprises, particularly if it ends up being a possible inspiration for later and better works. While not a great film by any stretch of the imagination, 1959’s Invisible Invaders managed to actually be a lot more thrilling than I recall from seeing it as a kid.

For one thing, it’s both an alien invasion and a zombie flick, melding sci-fi and horror pretty well despite some rather incredulous plot shenanigans. It’s also an unintentional response to Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space (also released in 1959) because it features more or less the same story executed far more effectively. Well, for a low budget flick, that is.

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LEGO Dimensions Gets A Doctor (Or 12) In The House

Posted on July 9, 2015 by geelw

Remember that Doctor Who episode where he goes into the LEGO universe and everything is turned into plastic bricks? No? Well, either you’re not paying attention or you haven’t got your copy of LEGO Dimensions yet because you can’t time travel and haven’t already played the game. Silly you. Okay, for mere mortals who don’t have the ability to travel through time (or who don’t know a certain other Doc named Brown), the game is out September 27, 2015 for PS3/PS4,Xbox 360/Xbox One and Wii U, is developed by TT Games (who else?) and looks pretty darn awesome.

The cool thing is not only do you get the current Doctor to play around with, expect to be able to regenerate into the eleven other Doctors (whee!) during the game. That alone should get console owning fans of the show to snap up and step into LEGO Dimensions when it ships out. Oh, as for the new season of Doctor Who, BBC has released a nice and long teaser trailer that packs in a few surprises:

The modern era of “Toys to Life” category started by Activision’s Skylanders has gotten even huger over the years thanks to later competition from Disney with its Infinity line, Nintendo’s Amiibo figures and now LEGO stepping into the fray. LEGO has a wild edge as the “new” kid on the block thanks to the massive popularity of the blocks and instant appeal to all ages. TT Games is also key to their success thanks to years of making some incredibly FUN games nearly anyone can pick up, play and have a total blast with. Expect Dimensions to be another winner on a few fronts. Well, it looks as if I know how my Saturday nights will be spent for a few months.

The Coop Brings Out Some Cool The Walking Dead Gear

Posted on July 8, 2015 by geelw

062615 THE WALKING DEAD NEW PRODUCTS FROM THE COOP With so much other stuff going on I’d almost forgotten that there’s a spin-off to The Walking Dead coming to AMC next month called Fear The Walking Dead. But fear not fans of the original show, The Coop’s troops have set up the release of a load of new gear you’ll want to drop that paycheck on. Just click away on this link and get ready to fill your closet up with some very nice licensed goodies.

I’m partial to the Daryl Dixon stuff on that page because it all looks awesome and hey, who doesn’t love them some Daryl? Er, besides Carol (YET. Ha and ha-ha). Anyway, just make like a starving chicken and peck away at those photos above to do some shopping. Unlike the show, nothing here is walk into a deserted town’s hopefully walker-less shop free. You’ll have to spend some of that hard-earned loot you’re socking away in that mattress on this stuff. Thankfully, it’s all well worth the money thanks to The Coop’s attention to detail and quality construction.

Hey, you can either by a giant can of pudding that will kill you because you’re lactose intolerant (and will make quite a farty zombie when you die after eating that can of pudding in one go, you glutton, you). Or you can save that funeral expense money and look good as you stroll down the street in style. Or run like hell from some zombies once they start popping out of the ground. I like living myself, so I’ll be taking the high road.

Curses ‘N Chaos: Time For The Monster Mash, Retro Style!

Posted on July 7, 2015 by geelw

Until today I hadn’t heard of Montreal-based indie developer Tribute Games or Curses ‘N Chaos (headed to the PS4, PS3 and PS Vita soon). Thanks to my inbox poking me in the eye with the game’s latest trailer above (Ow.), I’m now all over this one like duck feathers on a duck. Here’s a synopsis for you now that I have you in my clutches:

SMASH MONSTERS, ESCAPE DEATH!

CURSED! When brawny bounty hunters Leo and Lea are cursed by Algarr the Wizard King, they’re swarmed by all manners of creatures and monsters! Alchemist Allison knows one way to get rid of the curse: The Elixir of Life! But the only way to get the Elixir’s ingredients? SMASH ALL THE MONSTERS!

Hey, look! I found another cool trailer (It followed me home, Ma! Can I keep it?):

As you can see from the those two nice slices of game footage, the game screams NOSTALGIA in big blocky neon letters and everything from the lovely and well animated pixel art to the sound effects just plain WORK. The game is an arcade style scrolling brawler with plenty of cute but deadly monsters to kill and what looks like some challenging boss fights. Players can expect some classic couch co-op action along with online play for those of you who want to hop on the internet and make a few new annoying friends you’ll never meet in real life. Or you can avoid getting an elbow to the head from that “friend” who likes to distract you when he or she pops over for a visit and any game you play turns into an actual fight for survival.

Anyway, some gamers are tired of these bit-crazy retro games, but those are more than likely gamers who think “good graphics” circa whatever will blow up their PC’s 3D cards make a game worth buying. Foo to that. Curses ‘N Chaos will probably make some of those folks bust a controller over their collective kneecap because it’ll be too tricky for them to complete. Or perhaps some small amount of respect should be given to indie developers like Tribute that make games that keep the flames from the past burning and unforgotten? That’s a big, fat “Yep” from me. More on this one in a bit.

Star Wars: Uprising: Shoot First In Kabam’s Upcoming Co-Op Game

Posted on July 7, 2015 by geelw

(thanks, Kabam RPG!)

Hey, Kabam! You just made me want to play a Star Wars game. Reading up on Uncle George trying to rewrite movie history has of late almost put me off wanting to go near anything new owner Disney intends to do with the franchise. Any SW fan worth his salt knows Han shot first, grrrr! That said, I’m still not a 100 percent tablet, mobile or broswer-based MMO convert just yet…
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