There has been a definite theme of cute and quirky family friendly games with the releases of Games for the Holidays. The final game in this cross promotional trilogy is ilomilo. ilomilo is the story of two tiny friends who wake up every day at opposite ends of an ever changing park and spend much of their time making their way through obstacles to reach each other. This puzzler can be played with either one or two players and takes a simple concept and put its own imaginative spin on it.

Gameplay:

ilomilo starts off each level with ilo and milo on two opposite ends of a complex structure of interconnected blocks. Moving only one at a time, ilo and milo must alternate moving various objects in the environment around to aid the other in meeting at a center point.

A simple enough sounding concept right? Well the level designers took this and ran with it in a way that they were able to create some incredibly challenging puzzles along the game’s 49 levels.

Some blocks pop out and block the way while others can be picked up and moved, extending bridges or launching ilo and milo over gaps. Through the levels, ilo and milo are guided by their friend Sebastian as they not only attempt to reach each other, but collect hordes of, well, collectibles along the way. These collectibles unlock music and artwork as well as other stages and pieces of letters that help further explain the backstory of ilo and milo’s friendship.

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It may be a lull between Twilight films and True Blood seasons, but vampires are still very much hot. It takes a film in that lull to remind us that those bloodsuckers are still out lurking in the dark, and have a taste for B-list actors like Michael Madsen and Armand Assante. That’s where The Bleeding comes in.

The film stars a range of names you’ll see at any basement comic book convention like Madsen, Assante, Vinnie Jones, DMX, and everyone’s favorite inked hottie Kat Von D. Here’s the official synopsis of the film:

Shawn Black (Matthias) knows pain. His parents and brother were killed in front of him. Beaten, bloodied and left for dead by a gang of ruthless vampires led by the charismatic Cain (Jones) and his lethal lieutenant Vanya (Kat Von D). But like his would-be murderers, Shawn has come back from the brink of death to take his revenge. He soon comes upon Reverend Roy (Madsen), who reveals to Shawn his calling as a “slayer,” the only human capable of truly destroying vampires.

A little bit Buffy, a little bit Blade, and a lot of DMX. You can check out the first full trailer after the jump. Catch The Bleeding on DVD and Blu-Ray March 1st.

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In a time when not even adaptations of board games are off the table for most of the bigger Hollywood studios, a story like this isn’t as far fetched as it should be. McG, director of the Charlie’s Angels films and Terminator Salvation, is taking the lead on directing Ouija for Universal. From THR.

The studio’s planned film adaptation of the classic Hasbro board game about conjuring up spirits of the dead has had a tough go at finding a director but before the town shut down for the holidays, Heat Vision reported that McG presented Universal execs his vision for the project, which has a script by Tron: Legacy writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and is being produced by Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes.

He was vying for the gig against The Crazies director Breck Eisner, who pitched his take on the material the week before.

So not only is a multi-millionaire director taking on this project, but he was actually battling another one for this acclaimed position. Unfortunately, this one has been done. A few times, actually, since 1986′s Witchboard.

That hasn’t stopped McG from taking home the prize….of directing a film based on a supernatural board that allows people to speak with the dead. Well worth it.

I was surprised at how much trouble I had narrowing down my top ten movies this year.  My top 20 were all very close, but here are the movies that I ultimately enjoyed the most. I readily admit that I did not see near as many foreign films as I would have liked, but by the time I cover most of the mainstream fare, there is simply no time left.

Honorable Mentions: Fair Game, Tiny Furniture, Greenberg, Cyrus, The Tillman Story, The American, Mother and Child, Scott Pilgrim.

10. Waiting for Superman
This Documentary was equal parts frustrating, inspirational, and heartbreaking. Director Davis Guggenheim (No End in Sight) sheds light on the dismal state of our public school system. He follows the plight of several children who live in various geographic regions who are placing all of their hope for an decent education into lottery systems for charter or private schools. Guggenheim relies on their compelling stories for a narrative, while interspersing lots of graphics and cartoons illuminating some pretty harrowing statistics.

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If you’ve been doing this as long as I have you often see people get work they don’t seem to deserve based on their experience or track record of previous films. In fact, it often seems like people getting directing gigs in Hollywood really have no business directing traffic let alone a big budget studio feature.

But sometimes Hollywood makes the right decision and a person gets a job they are perfectly suited for and will no doubt handle with consummate skill. Case in point is the news today that Monsters writer/director Gareth Edwards has been chosen to take on a new Godzilla incarnation for Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros.

According to the report, the deal is about to close with Edwards directing the film and working with a writer to be named later who will re-write the original scrip by David Callaham. No word yet on what the new Godzilla will contain story-wise but you can be sure story and character will play a large part in the new film, that is if Edward’s previous work is any indication.

You may be able to tell that I’m a fan of Edwards film Monsters, having seen its premiere at SXSW last year and writing one of the first reviews. With the talent and skill he displayed in that film, I have no doubt Godzilla is in very capable hands. Needless to say I will be following this one very closely as it develops.

While Broadway’s Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark may just be doomed as it enters it’s second month of being open, there is a new live superhero show on the horizon, which could just prove to be the one we needed all along. Get ready for Batman Live: World Arena Tour.

This is less of a musical and more of a live show with an 80-piece orchestra that will be the closest portrayal to the source material since the animated series in the 90s. Here’s the official synopsis.

Based on an original story being created exclusively for the show, Batman Live is a theatrical extravaganza of thrilling stunts, acrobatic acts and illusions. Never before has Gotham City, Wayne Manor, the Batcave and Arkham Asylum been brought to life on stage in a more visually exciting way. Join Batman and Robin as they battle their nemesis The Joker and other super-villains such as The Riddler, Catwoman, The Penguin, Two-Face and Harley Quinn, set on destroying Gotham City.

The show comes from the mind of Nick Grace, the man who brought Abba’s Mamma Mia! to the stage, and is currently touring in the UK and Ireland. There isn’t any official word on when the show is scheduled to hit the states, but you can expect the Dark Knight and Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man to go head to head in the least manly of ways sometime by the end of 2011.

Check out some impressive set images from the dress rehearsal after the jump, and check in at the official Batman Live website for more updates.

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Back in the old days we had three TV networks and they scheduled new shows to premiere in the Fall and reruns all Summer. That scheduling model is now a distant memory as new shows premiere pretty much any time of the year these days.

One of the biggest times for networks to bring out new shows is during what is known as midseason. This midseason is no exception with many new shows hitting the air for the first time or previous ones coming back after the holiday break. So, to help you get your DVRs ready, here is a list of the major premiere dates on broadcast and cable compiled by the extremely helpful folks over at Deadline.

It includes season/series premieres and many return dates for series with split seasons. Now to find that DVR remote and get to programming.

Jan. 3
The Bachelor, ABC, season premiere
Pretty Little Liars, ABC Family, winter season premiere
Greek, ABC Family, season premiere

Jan. 4
V, ABC, season premiere
Live to Dance, CBS, series premiere
The Biggest Loser: Couples, NBC, season premiere
Southland, TNT, season premiere
Chopped, Food Network, season premiere
Caprica, Syfy, final 5 episodes

Jan.5
Ghost Hunters International, Syfy, season premiere
Are We There Yet?, TBS, season premiere
Flying Wild Alaska, Discovery, series premiere

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So first there was Bejeweled, and that was awesome. Then there was Bejeweled 2, and that was awesome too. So you might be asking yourself, “Do we really need a Bejeweled 3? Weren’t two of these jeweled-swapping games enough?” My answer to you, doubters and naysayers, is that yes, we did need Bejeweled 3. Because it is indeed awesome, and brings some really new, innovative game modes, cool graphics, and more of the jewel-swapping, color matching madness that we all know and love.

At its core, Bejeweled 3 does provide more of the same, but there’s nothing really wrong with that. It brings the well-known Classic mode, the untimed game that only ends when there are no more moves on the board. It also has Lightening Mode, which is basically the same as the previous Action Mode, or the timed version. Zen Mode is the same as Endless, with no time limit or end to the game if moves run out. These modes feature new music and graphics, and they’re a nice update to their previous counterparts in Bejeweled 2.

What I really want to talk about is Quest Mode, which is quite different from Puzzle Mode in Bejeweled 2. In Quest Mode, there five levels, with eight puzzles to solve in each level. As you progress through the levels, the nature of the quests remain pretty similar while the difficulty increases. The quests vary from clearing gems in a certain amount of time to matching 10 time bomb gems before they run out of time and explode.

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Indeed it is the time of year when inevitability the lists appear and people pick their favorites of 2010. Some have already done their lists and some, like me, like to wait a bit. That said and since I don’t want to be accused of not following trends, I will also be making a list (or two) of my picks of the best of 2010. However, in the interest of clarity and brevity (or neither), I’m going to pick my top 5 (or so) things in the main categories we cover here at The Flickcast.

Although, as our own John Carle covered the best of 2010 in games so well already, I won’t make much (if any) a list of those and will just mention my two favorites. In case you’re not familiar with those main categories we cover, they are as follows: Movies, TV, Comics, Games, Tech and all things Geek.

So, to that end, here’s my list (or lists really) of my picks of the top stuff of 2010.

Movies

Inception – I love smart movies and this one is pretty damn smart. Featuring great performances, a mind-bending plot and twists galore, director Christopher Nolan delivers with one entertaining ride I was talking about for weeks (and months) afterward. And with all the ways I can get distracted by other things, to still be taking about this movie now is a testament to just how great it is.

True Grit – I love Westerns and this one will go down as truly one of the best I’ve seen in a long time. Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and the rest of the cast are superb and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld owns the screen. She is definitely one to watch. Plus, the Coen brothers have a genuine love and reverence for the classic Western conventions, even when they twist and turn them into new and even more compelling shapes.

The Social Network – When I first heard of this movie I was skeptical, as probably most were, about how interesting a movie about Facebook really could be. I had nothing to worry about. This brilliant film, directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin, delivers on all levels and tells a compelling story of one of the most impressive success stories in history. Along the way it also shows us a little something about the nature of greed, friendship and the real cost of success.

Winter’s Bone - This tale of a real heroes journey to find out what happened to her father before the bank forecloses on her home resonated with me for quite some time after watching this film. Jennifer Lawrence as the young mother and John Hawkes as her meth-snorting uncle really deliver top performances. Part crime movie, part thriller and part coming-of-age-story this film’s stark realism takes you into a world you didn’t know existed and holds you there until the lights come up.

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2010 may have been the year of the gun-toting action flick, but that doesn’t mean 2011 doesn’t get a little spillover. Expendables star Jason Statham is doing what he does best: shooting people while looking angry. This time, 3:10 To Yuma‘s Ben Foster joins in the fun as Statham’s would-be replacement. Here’s the synopsis:

Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) is a ‘mechanic’ – an elite assassin with a strict code and unique talent for cleanly eliminating targets. It’s a job that requires professional perfection and total detachment, and Bishop is the best in the business. But when his mentor and close friend Harry (Donald Sutherland) is murdered, Bishop is anything but detached.

His next assignment is self-imposed – he wants those responsible dead. His mission grows complicated when Harry’s son Steve (Ben Foster) approaches him with the same vengeful goal and a determination to learn Bishop’s trade. Bishop has always acted alone but he can’t turn his back on Harry’s son. A methodical hit man takes an impulsive student deep into his world and a deadly partnership is born. But while in pursuit of their ultimate mark, deceptions threaten to surface and those hired to fix problems become problems themselves.

Enough drama to justify some kick-ass gun fights? We think so as the newest red band trailer shows some of the films less family-friendly scenes. Check it out after the jump, and catch The Mechanic in theaters on January 28th.

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Raskulls has been one of those XBLA titles coming in just under the radar since its initial reaction at GDC 2010. With only an image of the game’s iconic King who is also featured prominently on the game’s artwork and the simple minded Dragon, Raskulls has made its way to consoles with an underground following, having been mostly promoted through trade shows such as E3 or PAX. It wasn’t until December when it was announced as a part of the cross promotional Games for the Holidays from XBox Live Arcade alongside ilomilo and World of Keflings that people found out that Halfbrick meant business when they were coming up with Raskulls.

Gameplay:

At first glance, Raskulls looks like a simple side-scrolling racing game. Even in the first seconds of the game, players will quickly realize this is far from the case. Similar to a game like DigDug, players are able to blast out bricks next to them to carve a path across maps. Unlike DigDug, Raskulls is an incredibly fast paced game where up to four players at a time are smashing through series of bricks while combating each other with special bonus item powers as bricks topple down around them at the same time.

The most basic modes of Raskulls revolve around racing. Players must either face off against single or multiple opponents or in a timed checkpoint race, hoping to earn the fastest time to success. These races can be compared to a platforming version of Mario Kart. A player is never really down and out as obstacles often impede whoever is in first place to give others a fighting chance. All the while, various weapons are deployed to help stun opponents or blow blocks out of the way faster.

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Happy New Year to all you faithful War Movie Monday fans, and thank you for a fantastic year of classic war films. This week’s pick to ring in the start of a new year is the John Milius 1975 classic The Wind and the Lion, which was loosely based on an international incident which led to possible war between the U.S. and European powers in 1904 Morocco. The film stars Sean Connery (Raisuli), Candice Bergen (Eden Perdicaris), Brian Keith (President Theodore Roosevelt), John Huston (Sec. of State John Hay), Geoffrey Lewis (American Ambassador to Morocco Samuel R. Gummere), Steve Kanaly (Captain Eugene Jerome, USMC), and Vladek Sheybal (The Bashaw of Tangier).

The film open up with a sweeping score from famed composer Jerry Goldsmith, who sets the stage for a fantastic adventure film with a tone of modern era warfare between desert tribesmen and the imperial powers of Germany, France, and Great Britain who are trying to establish their own spheres of influence throughout the Arab world.

Mulai Amhed er Raisuli (Connery) is the leader of a band of Berber tribesmen who are opposed to the Sultan and his Uncle (Sheybal) the Bashaw of Tangier who are corrupt and easily influenced by the European powers. The Raisuli plans to embarrass the rulers of Morocco by having his men kidnap an American woman, Eden Perdicaris (Bergen) and her two children from their home in Tangier, and hold them for ransom for gold, rifles, and sovereignty from the Europeans.

Milius wrote and directed the film which was loosely based on an actual account which was known as the “Perdicaris incident” in 1904. An American man and his stepson were kidnapped by Barbary pirates and were ransomed. Both were unharmed and the incident gave President Theodore Roosevelt a platform to wield the “big stick” of foreign policy for his re-election to office that year in November.

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