DeckMonster.com - Entertainment

Nerdvana!

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:54:29 -0700

News overload in the past day or two...

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog - Watch Joss Whedon's latest bout of brilliance while you still can.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic MMO - Finally!
DC Universe Online - Sounds like its coming along nicely.
Champions Online - Lots of recent coverage of this superhero MMO too.
Watchmen - I'm watching the Watchmen.
The Dark Knight - It's been a loooong week so I'm passing on the midnight show, but I'll definitely be visiting Gotham this weekend.

It's a good time to be a geek!

What About 9?!?

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Mon, 12 May 2008 00:42:00 -0700

Another interesting video tonight...

This one of course is from my favorite band, Barenaked Ladies. It's from a new CD called Snacktime just released by the band. However, as you might be able to tell from the song, this CD is intended for a slightly unique audience...

"Our collective kids now outnumber the band more than 2 to 1," explains vocalist/guitarist Ed Robertson. "We set out to make a record that would be entertaining for themnot strictly a children's record, but a record that children would really enjoy. Our kids are in to all kinds of music. They love the They Might Be Giants kids records, but they also love The Beatles, Fountains of Wayne, Randy Newman, Black Eyed Peas and Green Day. Making the focus about what our kids like was a truly liberating process and fun for the whole band."

I believe it when he says it was fun for the whole band. I've played the whole disc (24 songs!!) twice now, and I've had a ball listening to the lyrics and picking out all of the musical styles that are there to find. There's one song called "Eraser" that starts with Ska, has a brief flirtation with Pink Floyd and then Queen, and ends up back with Ska again. Where else can you find that kind of variety?

Highly recommended for children of all ages.

Apple Mac Music Video

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Sun, 11 May 2008 00:16:18 -0700

Very cool video, produced entirely on an Apple Mac...

The catchy though repetitive song is "Again & Again" by The Bird & the Bee.

Lori Loughlin's New Zip Code

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Sun, 04 May 2008 22:13:00 -0700

According to Entertainment Weekly, Lori Loughlin has joined the cast of the as-yet untitled Beverly Hills 90210 spin-off that is currently in development.

I know... I don't understand either why anyone would think to create a 90210 spin-off now, but that's beside the point.

The point is that I've been in love with Lori Loughlin since I was a teenager (anyone else remember Secret Admirer?), and I'm overjoyed at the possibility of seeing her on a weekly basis again.

Welcome back Lori!

Win a dinner with Kaylee!! (...and some dude)

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:19:33 -0700

Jewel Staite and a number of other actors are auctioning off dinner dates on eBay to fund cancer treatments for a fellow actor named Babz Chula (which explains the sign Jewel is holding in the photo above)...

The winning bidder will receive a free dinner with Paul McGillian and Jewel Staite at a pre-selected restaurant in Vancouver, BC at a mutually agreeable date to be determined by both parties in between May 1, 2008 and December 1, 2009.

As any red-blooded sci-fi geek is aware, Jewel played the role of the adorable Kaylee in the Firefly TV series and the follow-up movie Serenity. She is currently appearing in Stargate Atlantis on the Sci-Fi Channel.

The auction runs through April 12th and is currently at $1,500 (Canadian). Other dinner dates include David Duchovny and Chris Carter from the X-Files, as well as other actors that you might (or might not) recognize.

So, anyone have a couple grand and a ticket to Vancouver to spare?

50 Reasons Lord of the Rings Sucks

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 14:38:23 -0700

Cracked.com has a hilarious list of the 50 Reasons Lord of the Rings Sucks (referring to the movies).

A few selected favorites...

Speaking of Orcs... The Orcs were obviously stolen from PC game maker Blizzard and its Warcraft series. Too bad Blizzard is apparently too scared to sue New Line over it.
Homage or theft? The "happy village of little people" idea was stolen from Willow.
Homage or theft II? The wise old wizard character was stolen from Harry Potter.
What's that smell? As bad as the Lucasfilm internet leaks were with the last Star Wars trilogy, the filmmakers of Lord of the Rings allowed the paperback novelizations onto shelves years in advance. As if we needed any less of a reason to go see it.

However funny the list itself is, that's not really the point of this post. What's really interesting is the number of people who were moved to leave a comment ripping the article as if it were a serious criticism of the movies.

Now I'm sure that more than a few of the comments are from trolls just trying to stir things up, but I'm also sure that some ~~moron~~ well intentioned (but sarcastically challenged) individual somewhere feels that they struck a blow against the evil forces of sloppy journalism.

Things like this make me question whether there's any intelligent life on this planet.

Calling All Champions!

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 20:32:06 -0700

Champions Online is the superhero MMO that Cryptic Studios is doing instead of Marvel Universe Online.

And based on everything I've read so far, I couldn't be happier. Highlights include...

Hi-Octane Excitement: No more boring auto attacks and lengthy recharge times. Champions Online combat is instantaneous and electrifying!

Total customization: Choose from hundreds of different costume pieces, colors and body types to create your character's one-of-a-kind costume and look.

Keep your enemies close: Every hero must have an archenemy. Design your character's supreme adversary, choosing a name, powers and costume for a superpowered foe to bedevil your hero throughout his or her career.

Endless exploration: The battle against evil rages across the world into outer space and alternate dimensions.

Make your mark: The story of Champions Online is constantly changing, continually evolving. Villains are defeated. Heroes rise and fall. Cities transform. Your actions may decide the future!

The trailer doesn't show a whole lot so far, but I am kinda digging the pseudo-cell shading effect...

Marvel who?

Marvel Universe Offline

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:15:00 -0700

After months of rumors, Microsoft has finally confirmed the cancellation of the Marvel Universe Online MMO...

"If you really look at the data there's basically one [MMO] that's successful and everything else wouldn't meet our level or definition of commercial success," he said. "And then you have to look [and say]: 'Can we change the business model for that? Is that really viable given how far we are in development? And so forth. Does Marvel want to do that?' There's a whole bunch of factors [in canceling the game]."

So basically, they were intimidated by World of Warcraft and didn't feel that they would be able to replicate its success (or profits). And they're probably right.

I just wish they weren't so short-sighted. Trying to buy WoW-like success is definitely not a winning strategy, but innovative (and fun, of course) gameplay alongside superhero legends like Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, and the rest of the Marvel line-up would draw a dedicated (possibly rabid) subscriber base and make a decent amount of cash for Marvel and company.

Hopefully, the DC MMO will come to a more satisfying finale.

May "The Force Unleashed" Be With You

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:36:16 -0700

Holy crap, does this look incredible...

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is coming this spring. Unfortunately, it's only for the consoles at this point.

<In my best Yoda voice...>Hmm, an Xbox360 in my future, there may be...

Trading Spaces Turns Another Paige

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:35:37 -0700

Paige Davis returns to a new and improved Trading Spaces starting tonight at 9:00 PM central. Ratings for the show tanked after Paige was unceremoniously dismissed in 2005 when the producers wanted to "take the show in a different direction". But since then new management has taken over at TLC and one of their highest priorities was to return the show to its glory days.

Should be interesting to see how it works out. Good luck Paige!

Like, oh my gawd! Totally tubular!!

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 23:46:06 -0700

I'm having an 80s flashback! (No, it's not drug related. )

I've been watching MTV circa 1983 (in stereo!) for most of the night. Someone posted three hours worth of MTV on Google Video from the time when they used to actually play music videos and stuff...

The videos are pretty cool: Night Ranger, Huey Lewis, Prince, The Police, Quiet Riot, etc. (And a really strange Tubes video called "Monkey Time".)

But it's actually the commercials that are the most interesting slice of 80s life. When's the last time you saw a commercial for an Atari 2600?

If you remember the 80s fondly, check these video clips out. They're gnarly! (That's a good thing. )

(via Boing Boing)

They Don't Know Jack...

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:34:00 -0700

Moviehole is reporting that a new Jack Ryan movie is in the works... A completely new Jack Ryan movie based on original material not written by Tom Clancy. Starring Ryan Gosling, who would be brand new to the series and the fourth actor to portray Ryan in the movies.

I can't be the only one who thinks this sounds like a bad idea...

Life After People

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 09:00:00 -0700

The History Channel is airing an interesting-sounding new documentary this week called Life After People...

What would happen to planet earth if the human race were to suddenly disappear forever? Would ecosystems thrive? What remnants of our industrialized world would survive? What would crumble fastest? ...

Using feature film quality visual effects and top experts in the fields of engineering, botany, ecology, biology, geology, climatology and archeology, Life After People provides an amazing visual journey through the ultimately hypothetical.

It premieres this Monday, January 21st at 8:00 PM Central time.

(via Boing Boing)

The Scariest Thing About Cloverfield...

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 19:06:13 -0700

I just uncovered an extremely disturbing fact while browsing for additional Cloverfield information on IMDB...

The gorgeous young actress pictured here is named Odette Yustman. She plays Beth, the love interest of the lead character in the movie, but she's definitely not a newcomer to show business. In fact, Odette got her start in movies as one of the kids in the class of Kindergarten Cop.

I am getting so old.

UPDATE: If you've arrived here via Google, don't miss my other Cloverfield entry, which discusses the secret message at the end of the movie.

Cloverfield

dave@deckmonster.com (Deck) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 12:40:27 -0700

Saw Cloverfield last night... I liked it a lot, although I think lots of people probably won't.

It's like Godzilla + Alien + The Blair Witch Project. And it's that last part that's going to be a problem for a lot of people. The movie is about a giant monster attack on New York City, but it's shot entirely from the point of view of the people on the street via a hand-held video camera, with all the shakiness and lack of focus that entails.

** VERY MINOR SPOILER ALERT **

Knowledgeable fans might want to stay for one of those "You're still here?" moments at the end of the credits, when a garbled radio transmission can be heard. Unfortunately, it was so garbled that no one in the theater could understand it.

In this interview, director Matt Reeves discusses the movie including the secret message at the end, although he won't divulge what exactly it is.

** MAJOR SPOILER ALERT **

After a little Googling, I found someone who claims to have recorded the audio and reversed it, resulting in the following message...

boomp3.com

So, what do you think?