E3 2013: Castle of Illusion Trailer: From Genesis to a Remake Full of Revelations…

Posted on June 24, 2013 by geelw

If you’re ancient enough to remember the Sega Genesis version of this classic Disney game, you’re probably pretty pleased to see it back and looking pretty amazing. In a way, it’s too bad this is going to be a digital download only release, as I could see this doing spectacular on a disc with a ton of bonus features, the original game and perhaps (as it’s a Disney property) Capcom’s upcoming DuckTales Remastered just to get people slipping in puddles of drool as they ran to their nearest game shop to pick up their copies. I know I’d run over a pack of old ladies with puppies if they were in my way. OK, I’d more likely leap over them or run around them than stomp on a few bunions. Those old ladies can be pretty spry and those swinging canes and yapping dogs kind of hurt when swung at one’s head a few too many times…

Playing With The Girls: Carrie Poster Makeover Adds Back A Little Suspense…

Posted on June 10, 2013 by geelw

OK, I was bored last night poking around the internet for E3 news and such, so when I happened to see this new Carrie poster, I had to chuckle a bit because it was a case of a little too much TMI in having the tagline AND title on the same ad. So, a quick MS Paint edit and voila! – you get at least a tiny bit of suspense back in a film that pretty much gives it all away in the poster and trailer anyway (just like the original did).

Hey, it only took me about 30 seconds to do this, so it’s not like I really did anything amazing… OK, back to actual work!

Castle of Illusion Behind the Scenes: Disney & Sega Stir Up That Nostalgic Stew Just Fine…

Posted on May 30, 2013 by geelw

Between this remake of the Sega Genesis classic and Capcom’s spectacularly remastered DuckTales coming to gamers, I’m almost ready to forgive Disney for it’s transgressions regarding killing off Lucasarts (although it remains to be seen if their new track for future Star Wars games and content will be as successful as they’re thinking and wanting it to be under new development hands). They have the game’s original director aboard as an adviser, the in-progress work looks gorgeous and if this one is as fun and challenging as the original, there’s going to be a new legion of gamers playing this. Er… as well as an older generation hogging that console for too long and getting dirty looks from the wee ones who might want to play what dad and or mom is waxing nostalgic over.

Say… If you’re one of those aging hipsters, just break down and buy your own console already, I say. You can let your kids have fun without pretending to show them those classics and somehow never letting them actually PLAY the games…

Gallery: Castle of Illusion – Disney and Sega Want Your Nostalgic Bones Smiling Away…

Posted on April 15, 2013 by geelw

Image converted using ifftoany

OK, I can’t stay too annoyed at Disney, as this latest blast from the past actually looks quite good. Granted, this one SHOULD be on MORE platforms (those high resolution screens on the Vita and Wii U Gamepad are begging for more love), but I guess Disney is going first and foremost where they’ll rake in the most immediate sacks of loot. Granted, I’d bet a LOT more Disney fans without Xbox Live or PSN accounts (or a fancy tablet) would want to throw money at this on a disc or cartridge of some sort (with that DuckTales reboot tagging along), but no one ever thinks of catering to that crowd these days unless it’s some crowdfunded project that grabs the collectors where they like it.

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Anyway, the game art and logo above look nice enough and that teaser video is just that (and too short!):

but those screens below are dipped in yummy chocolate and ready to eat (and they’re freakin’ HUGE when you click on them – go ahead… you KNOW you want to):

Look for this one this summer on PSN and Xbox Live Arcade. Will Disney Interactive, Sega of America and Sega Europe be able to recapture the glory and thrills of the 1990 Sega Genesis classic? Well, we’ll soon find out, right? So far, it’s looking like a real winner…

Nostalgia: Castle of Illusion Gets The Remake Treatment For A Summer Launch…

Posted on April 13, 2013 by geelw

Hmmm, so Disney is on a BIG nostalgia kick these days (with Sega along for the ride on this one), despite killing Lucasarts off and pretty much all chances for new Star Wars games. Or perhaps that demise was part of a larger game plan? Some not so deep thinking shows that between this reboot and the upcoming DuckTales remake from Capcom PLUS the other Disney related games on the way or out already (Kingdom Hearts, Disney Infinity, whatever device and mobile games there are I don’t care about because I don’t like the swipe and drag much), there might be enough loot raked in to put aside a few pennies for the future. As in if that upcoming in development Star Wars flick is looking as it needs some sort of interactive tie-in, whatever is coming will be developed in-house or by a developer contracted to do the job… that has (argh) excellent Metacritic scores for their previous titles.Whatever happened to just making good games, period?

Then again, Disney doesn’t discriminate, as they also killed Junction Point Studios dead after Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two didn’t do so well critically (and it seems, commercially). Yeah, that’s where we are these days, kids – studios shut for spending too much money and their games not garnering great aggregated scores on a faulty site while older games from the back catalog get yanked from their graves and given new life with the hope all will buy and every sin will be forgotten. Yuck. Well, I guess not having to pay $50 – $60 for a cartridge game will draw in more old and new fans of both Castle of Illusion and DuckTales… but there’s still that crowd of noisy ducks who think every game these days should be cheap or free, no matter how much it costs to make…

In Case You Didn’t Go See EVIL DEAD, It’s Left A Little Note…

Posted on April 9, 2013 by geelw

Yeah, I was kind of busy too… just like you. I still have some reviews to write and that embargo lifts on the previews I need to hop to. I didn’t go see EVIL DEAD, but I knew what would happen. The weather got warmer and today was REALLY nice out. Too nice. All day, there’s been this sense of looming dread and I’ve been looking over my shoulder about every eight seconds. Now it’s dark out and the wind sounds weird. I think I saw something moving by the window. I think I’ll sleep in the closet tonight. Under a pile of clothes. Did I mention I live seven floors up and there’s no fire escape here? That damn clock is awfully loud… wait… it’s a digital clock.

Moral: When you’re Number One, you can do whatever the hell you want.

Um… Good Night?

Carrie Remake Trailer: Spoiler Theater Is Actually Just More Deja Vu…

Posted on April 6, 2013 by geelw

Amusingly enough, this trailer from the upcoming Carrie remake has actually been criticized a bit too harshly for basically spoiling the entire film even more so than most other genre flick trailers. While this may indeed be true, it’s actually just copying the same marketing from the 1976 original, which by the way, WORKED fine in filling seats way back then. Check out both (look up! Look down!) and see what I’m babbling about.

Granted, Brian De Palma’s film was probably a great deal more shocking back then this remake will be seen as when it hits theaters, but we’ll see if the actors in the new film can deliver performances as memorable as those in the original. As always, class… we shall see… we shall see…

Hey, Hollywood! If You REALLY Want to Remake Something…

Posted on March 17, 2013 by geelw

weekend at bernie's remake concept poster Steal this stupid idea from this sketch I drew up last year one late night when I couldn’t sleep. In plain English: take a dumb as shit “comedy” only remembered for its one joke premise and make it into a one-shot (and in NO sequels!) scary as hell horror flick about a few people who do in and bury their boss at his home away from home only to have the body go missing (and the body count rise as things get weirder) or do it up as a funky black comedy with some nice gore effects (practical, please). Think The Trouble With Harry meets Night of the Living Dead as shot by Jacques Tourneur and you’ll sort of get the idea… hopefully.

You’re welcome, by the way..

CARRIE: Hmmm… Well, It Better Be REALLY Good Is All I’ll Say…

Posted on October 16, 2012 by geelw

The original Brian De Palma film is a true 70’s horror classic, but I guess everything gets a remake at some point. Hopefully this will be a LOT better than the truly terrible remake of De Palma’s SISTERS that keeps popping up on cable these days. That waste of time and talent made me want my almost two hours back plus tax. The good news for this one is the casting of the two leads. Julianne Moore is great in anything and young Chloe Grace Moretz is one of those stars who’s made a name for herself in a few cool flicks, so we shall see. That said, there’s something near perfect about the original that’s a grabber right from the start. OK, so the ending sequence is a bit lame (and like a bunch of De Palma’s horror films, the ending is a bit of a fake scare that works until you see too many of his films and know you’re getting suckered into one final fright), but overall, it still holds up for my money. Hopefully fear fans who’ve never seen it will do the right thing and track it down before this remake hits theaters in Spring 2013…

Wait. They’re REALLY Going To Remake RoboCop? Why?

Posted on February 3, 2012 by geelw

I’m a little late on commenting about this deal, but I don’t waste a lot of time trolling the Internet for this sort of thing and when I come across it, I usually hope it’s a really bad joke. Unfortunately, it’s not. Paul Verhoeven’s near-perfect blend of sci-fi, action and satire is soon to join the ranks of many other classics that got the remake treatment. Now, I could be completely wrong here, but I’m old and have a very long memory, so I doubt it. Given the pile of changes made since the idea of the remake gained traction over the past two years and the recent rumor about Russell Crowe being attached as the lead, the project seems to me it’s going to be a very expensive failure even if it goes in a completely new direction (and makes a pile of money in the process). On the other hand, after watching the original yesterday just to see what what was wrong that a remake HAD to be green-lit, here’s what I found… Continue reading →