At E3 2009, the world was given a brief teaser showing a planet from space erupting in war.  With “Halo: Reach” being displayed, the hardcore fanboys knew what it meant. This was the big battle we had heard about. This was the last stand of the Spartans. At the Spike Video Game Awards,  we were treated to a peek at just what the game looked like with an in-engine cut scene. And as I talked about on this past week’s Flickcast, Halo: Reach is one of my personally most anticipated games of the year.

Now, the Halo fanbase has just gotten their fill of new information about Noble team, one of the squads on Reach, and specifically Noble 6, the Spartan players will be stepping in to the boots of in a story that takes place before the events of Master Chief and Halo: Combat Evolved. In the Halo: Reach developer vidoc “Once More Unto the Breach”, more footage and information than ever before has been revealed about what we can look forward to seeing during the fall of Reach.

Hearing, “We are rebuilding everything from the ground up,” is a staggering revelation when looking at the technological achievements of past Halo games. From totally redesigned enemies, environments and Spartans, Halo: Reach looks to be the new quintessential Halo story. With a tale meant to focus on characters, Noble team may even surpass Master Chief as the favorite characters of the franchise.

Take a peek below the fold at the massive amount of screen shots we were able to get from X10 as well as the amazing ViDoc. Keep your eyes peeled to the Flickcast as we further cover Halo: Reach.

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Because today is a holiday in the United States and I like to let the writers out of their cages once in awhile to get some air and sunlight, we will have a lighter posting day today. That doesn’t mean we won’t be putting up anything for you to read and enjoy. Quite the contrary.

We’ve got some great stuff today including a bunch of info from Microsoft’s recent X10 event like new screenshots from Halo: Reach and a trailer for Dead Rising 2, previews of NBC’s new comedy/drama Parenthood and, in honor of today, the debut of a brand new feature here at the site: War Movie Mondays.

So, be sure to check back throughout the day for all these great articles, and more, right here at The Flickcast. We’ll resume our usual posting schedule tomorrow. That is, if I can get all the writer back into their cages in time.

Now set for a May 2010 release for the XBox 360 and PC, many thought Alan Wake may never come out. For the longest time, no one knew exactly what the game was about until it was revealed at E3 2009.

Now, just a few months before Alan Wake comes out, Microsoft has released a new trailer which looks to give some more insight in to the game’s story. We get introduced to Alan’s wife and see some of the horrific moments he may be encountering when the game hits shelves.

With a town named Bright Falls, it looks like only dark times lie ahead for writer Alan Wake. For now, take a peek below at the game that looks like light is your only weapon.

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Once again with last night’s lineup of comedies, NBC proved they are a force to be reckoned with on Thursday nights. And if you missed any of the shows, which include Community, Rock and Parks and Recreation, you’re in luck because we’ve got highlights of all of the shows to share with you right here. Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about The Office as we already had a full recap of that show earlier today.

On Community, Jeff and Slater hit a rough patch but Britta saves the relationship by playing some touching moments from a drunken voicemail that Jeff left her. See how Valentine’s Day ended for Jeff and the rest of the gang in last night’s episode highlights. On 30 Rock, Jenna finds out her stalker has been seeing someone else and Liz deals with Valentine’s day by scheduling oral surgery. Of course, that doesn’t go exactly as planned. Plus, the awesome Elizabeth Banks shows up to give Jack (Alec Baldwin) a run for his money.

Finally, on Parks and Recreation, Andy dreams of being a rockstar were slightly derailed last night as his band was relegated to playing at the senior center. He wants to know how his band sounds, but how does he find out?

Check out all the highlights and some deleted scenes, after, you guessed it, the jump.

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This week we’re pleased to have guest reviewer Jane Almirall join us at The Flickcast. Here’s her review of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief — Editor

Until very recently, I hadn’t even heard of Percy Jackson.  I have not read any of the books and managed to not read or see anything about the movie until I saw the film trailer a few weeks ago. Now, having seen the film, an adaptation based on The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, I couldn’t help but notice similarities between Percy Jackson and another literary figure who has successfully segued onto the big screen.

I am speaking, of course, of Harry Potter.  Both young men resemble one another physically, grew up with absent (or dead) fathers and struggle to find acceptance within the context of the real world. Each discovers at a young age that they are powerful and special and are introduced to a magical world in which they are especially gifted and (for the most part) are made to feel welcome.  Both Harry and Percy are accompanied on their adventures by their two best friends – a boy and a girl.

That Percy Jackson & the Olympians:  The Lightning Thief is directed by Chris Columbus, who also helmed the first two – and my least favorite - Harry Potter films (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), is bound to invite comparisons between the two series – in which Percy Jackson will certainly fall short.

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We at The Flickcast are pretty diligent about serving up all the news that comes out each week. However, try as we may to cover it all, some things occassionally slip by. Well, no longer.

Welcome to On The Radar! This weekly post will be your premiere destination for a comprehensive roundup of items that may be developing stories we’re watching, Twitter commentary, or other relevant news that wasn’t quite ready for prime time just yet.  In short, a grab bag of geek items which are sure to please.

Let’s see what blips are on the radar this week.

‘Zombieland’ devours video rentals

Zombieland dominated the video lists this week, “…on the Nielsen VideoScan Blu-ray Disc chart, “Zombieland” went three for three, bowing at No. 1 and …racked up 31% of its total first-week sales from the Blu-ray Disc.” Way to go Zombieland, we can’t wait for the sequeal.

‘Avatar’ 3D boosts Cineplex ticket sales in Canada

3D showings of Avatar did wonders for Cineplex’s bottom line in Canada, “Despite running for only 13 days during its latest financial frame, “Avatar 3D” was Cineplex’s biggest boxoffice performer during the fourth quarter to Dec. 31, and has done around $74 million in Canadian ticket receipts to date.” No surprise really given the popularity of this film and the fact 3D showings are still being sold, out or causing line-ups.

Geek flicks drive Viacom profits

DVD and Blu-Ray disc sales from Star Trek, Transformers 2 and G.I. Joe stimulated Viacom’s fourth quarter earnings to the tune of $694 million.  Not bad considering the $173 million it made in the same quarter in 2008.  Also helping was the indie hit Paranormal Activity which increased operating expenses by 24%.

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Responding to rather vocal criticism from much of the online community, Google is making adjustments to its two-day-old Google Buzz service to enhance, and enable users to more easily manage, privacy. Buzz, as it currently exists, was to be Google’s answer to Twitter and Facebook with a dash of FriendFeed thrown in, but so far it seems off to a somewhat rocky start — at least when it comes to user privacy concerns.

The changes, to be implemented later today, include:

• More visible option to not show followers/people you follow on your public profile
• Ability to block anyone who starts following you
• More clarity on which of your followers/people you follow can appear on your public profile

These changes will hopefully help users feel more comfortable with the service. I, for one, turned it off due to concerns that my contact list was being viewed by anyone who follows me, regardless if they are someone I know. With these new privacy features, let’s hope Google gets Buzz going in the right direction again.

Do you use Buzz? Or, is it something you’re not interested in? Let us know in the comments.

I liked this movie quite a bit  when I first saw it in 2003, and it was called Love, Actually.  This is nothing but a watered down and americanized version of the British movie, and it is mired in mediocrity.  Just think of this as the ugly stepsister of Love, Actually.

Despite a massive ensemble cast (Jessica Alba, Kathy Bates, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway, Taylor Swift, Taylor Lautner, Julia Roberts, Shirley MacClaine, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Emma Roberts, and George Lopez) the film lacks any real zip, and for a film about Valentine’s Day, it lacks heart. Don’t let all that star power fool you.

There are a myriad of storylines woven throughout the movie, which takes place on Valentine’s Day, in Los Angeles.  Most of the principals are connected to one another in one way or another, and their connections are slowly revealed throughout the movie.  Some of the stories work quite well, and others just don’t work at all.

Ashton Kutcher plays Reed, a florist who proposes to his less than thrilled girlfriend Morley (Jessica Alba.)  His best friend Julia (Jennifer Garner) is giddy over her new boyfriend (Patrick Dempsey), who is actually a two timing married man. Her best friend Kara (Jessica Biel) is the desperate and lonely career girl with no one to spend Valentine’s Day with.

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Fans of Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick have wondered for awhile now if a third film was ever going to happen. Rumors about a new installment have been circulating for years, most of which never panned out. Well, at long last, a new film is in development.

Variety is reporting that Vin Diesel will reprise the title role of Riddick in a new film simply entitled Riddick:

“Plot details are being kept under wraps. But insiders say the third outing will hew closer in tone to the cult hit “Pitch Black” and will focus on the character of Riddick as opposed to the universe he inhabits…”

While the second film suffered from bad reviews it did  go onto make $116 million at the box office. Personally, I enjoyed the movie and while it was not as unique as its predecessor, Pitch Black, Chronicles of Riddick was a really enjoyable action/sci-fi flick. So good in fact, I wish they would continue that story, but I’ll take whatever they give me at this point.

Riddick will be written by David Twohy who also directed the previous films. Shooting is said to be happening this year and will not impede Diesel’s other franchise, “Fast and Furious.” No release date has been set but we’ll keep you posted.

I know what you’re thinking. You can’t imagine a time before the Twilight movies existed and you can’t believe that now that they do exist, the ride may come to an end sometime in the future. Well, don’t worry too much about the end just yet because Summit Entertainment and the franchise’s producers have got your back and will do their best to prolong the end as long as inhumanly possible.

How, you may ask? Well, by turning the last film in the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn, into two movies. So, you’ll get double the pleasure and double the fun, presumably, and the studio and producers can get double your money. Seems fair, right? After all, they are doing it for the last Harry Potter film, doesn’t Twilight deserve the same treatment?  Of course it does.

But wait, there’s more. Those two movies may also be in 3D which will, of course, make them even better because as we know, any movie in 3D is automatically at least a full dimension better than any movie in 2D. So, to recap, the last Twilight book will actually be two films so fans will get at least two more chances to watch their favorite characters on the big screen and the films may also be in 3D for that added visual punch.

And you thought Hollywood didn’t care.

I get wary when The Office tends to fall back on material that’s been endlessly mined before—guest stars, Michael being an idiot, the threat of a new manager coming to make sweeping changes, romances that ultimately go nowhere—on the one hand, a lot of that stuff made The Office great (and granted you can’t go for six seasons without repeating some things), on the other, most of the rehashes this season fell splatastically flat.

But not tonight.

Call me a pessimist, but I never expected a lackluster season like this to deliver an episode so consistently laugh-out-loud funny as “Manager and Salesman”—it’s among the series’ best and may be in the running for highest number of laughs.

The CEO from Sabre (Kathy Bates in the show’s best cameo since David Koechner [and whatever happened to him?]) drops by to check in on the Dunder-Mifflin branch but mainly to make some changes, namely consolidating Michael and Jim’s jobs into one and setting the two in competition for the manager position…until they discover there’s no cap on sales commissions, leading to a similar power struggle over the salesman position.

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Remember how much you enjoyed Forgetting Sarah Marshall? That is, if you did. Either way, you’re in luck, because the least entertaining part of that film is back, and this time you get a whole 90 minutes of it!

Basically, director Nicholas Stoller loved the scene from Sarah Marshall where Jonah Hill acts quirky around Russell Brand’s Aldous Snow so much that he felt the need to work that into an entire movie. And here it is. The premise follows music label assistant Hill, who needs to get Brand’s “Snow” to L.A.’s Greek Theater, while learning to live life like a rock star along the way.

Even the use of comedians Nick Kroll and Aziz Ansari are instantly quashed when Sean “P. Diddy” Combs takes up a good half of the trailer. This looks to be Universal’s big attempt at comedy this year, which will go up against others like Date Night starring Steve Carrell and Tina Fey, the Death At a Funeral remake, and Katherine Heigl’s Killers.

It’s up to MacGruber, Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil, and Hot Tub Time Machine to save us in 2010. No matter what happens, check out the first trailer for Get Him To The Greek after the jump, which hits theaters on June 4th.

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