The Flickcast

‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’ Content Drop 3 ‘Overwatch’ Trailer

Posted on February 17, 2012

Last week, we let you in on a sneak peek of the Overwatch Content Drop coming to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Activision has announced that the Overwatch map will be coming out on February 21st to XBox 360 Elite Premium members. This Overwatch map is going to be the third in Call of Duty Elite’s nine month plan of new maps and gameplay modes to keep the Modern Warfare 3 servers packed to the gills with players before the next CoD from Treyarch inevitably comes out this November.

Take a peek after the jump at a video preview of Overwatch. Rob Riggle hosts the trailer again as he did with the first two content drops. Maybe in the future we can get Jonah Hill who made the Call of Duty commercials as entertaining as they were on other upcoming content packs. This trailer gives a much more detailed view than last week’s screen shots did of the Overwatch map. Riggle actually tells us that the map itself is the equivalent of a 13,000 square foot rooftop penthouse overlooking NYC.

Expect two things from this map. First off, it is going to be a sniper’s paradise as there are tons of little lines of site that encompass large areas of the map, giving lots of range between the sniper and their targets. Also, expect lots of people falling to their deaths. In any close quartered situation, players begin backing away if they feel they are being bested. In a normal game, this method of retreat is usually only halted by a wall behind the player. Now, they can fall to their deaths with a faulty step in the wrong direction.

Check out the full trailer below and stick to the Flickcast for more on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty Elite.

Film Review: 2012 Oscar-Nominated Live-Action Shorts

Posted on February 16, 2012

You may not have the chance to see the Oscar-Nominated Live Shorts (or the Animated ones, for that matter), and you probably will not even see who wins at the ceremony.

Hell, you may not even know that there are Academy Awards for shorts. I forget from time to time myself. After all, who goes to see shorts anywhere outside of a film festival? Do they even exist outside of film festivals?

No matter. Honestly, as far as the Academy’s selections, you’re not missing too much this year. I have a bit of a beef with the Academy for overlooking the best short of last year (hell, one of the best movies of last year, Jon Goldman’s fantastic Diplomacy).

There’s some charming films, and the best part is that all five directors look very promising. Only two of the selections (Pentecost and Raju) feel constrained by the running time; the former stretches on too long and the latter needed more. Time Freak andThe Shore are comfortable and left me wanting more, and Tuba Atlantic is a pleasantly self-contained eccentricity that’s totally Norway. Totally.

Anywho, on to the films. I’m going to provide a quick, TV-Guide-style summary and then include my thoughts.

Apple Releases Details on Mac OS X 10.8 ‘Mountain Lion’

Posted on February 16, 2012

With all the speculation and hype surrounding Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iOS, it’s nice to actually get some concrete details about the company’s next version of the OS that powers its Mac hardware. That’s right, the cat-themed software is back and this time around it’s called “Mountain Lion.”

Apple today released details of the next version of its Mac OS, also known by the more technical name as Mac OS X 10.8, and they are going to be good news for those of you wishing your Mac was more like your iPhone or iPad. Some of the highlight of the new release include the arrival of iMessage on the Mac as well as Notification Center.

Other new features include Game Center integration, AirPlay mirroring, enhanced iCloud support and a number of redesigned apps. A developer preview of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion will be released on Thursday of this week and the updated OS will become available to end users this summer.

For more, check out the full press release from Apple after the break.

First Trailer for Adam Green’s Horror Sitcom ‘Holliston’ Hits the Web

Posted on February 16, 2012

Horror is slowly becoming more and more a mainstream genre for today’s TV audience. With shows like The River and Walking Dead becoming popular staples of TV culture, and films like The Devil Inside and Paranormal Activity coming out of the woodwork and wooing American audiences, it only makes sense that a few modern horror icons like Adam Green and Joe Lynch would capitalize and use that to their advantage.

Enter their newest project, Holliston, which is unlike anything they’ve done before. It’s a sitcom that takes place in the horror world, with some of the biggest names in the genre stopping by along the way. Here’s the breakdown from FEARnet.

“Holliston” is FEARnet’s first original scripted television series, and is a riotous and offbeat multi-camera, buddy comedy set in the town of Holliston, MA. Pegged as “The Big Bang Theory” meets “Evil Dead II,” “Holliston” shines a light on the post-college life where everything is a struggle, and nothing works out like it’s supposed to, with terrifyingly funny results as Adam and Joe struggle to become big-time horror filmmakers and make ends meet. The series, and the SXSW session, reach beyond genre and horror.

“Holliston” also stars Corri English (“Unrest,” “The Bedford Diaries,” lead singer of Brokedown Cadillac), Laura Ortiz (“The Hills Have Eyes,” “Horton Hears A Who”), Dee Snider (Twisted Sister, “Strangeland,” radio/television personality) and Oderus Urungus (alien lead singer from legendary heavy metal band “GWAR”). FEARnet television debuts “Holliston” on Tuesday, April 3, 2012 at 10:30 p.m. ET, with a special sneak preview event hosted by Green and Co-Star Joe Lynch on Sunday, April 1 at 10 p.m.

Take a look at the first trailer after the jump, and join the whole gang on April 1st over on FEARnet for the premiere.

Playstation Vita Hands-On First Impressions

Posted on February 16, 2012

Sony’s newest handheld, the Playstation Vita, doesn’t launch officially in the US until February 22nd, but if you’re one of the antsy few like myself who just needed to get your hands on just a bit earlier than its official US Launch date, the “First Edition” bundle was available for sale yesterday if you preordered. Before I write up my full review on the Vita, I wanted to share my initial reactions to the system, especially for those of you who are still on the fence about picking it up next week.

First things first- the Vita is beautiful, both asthetically and physically. I love the way this device looks, and I LOVE the way it feels in my hands. The 5 Inch OLED screen obviously makes the Vita easy on the eyes, and games look great. I’ve never found myself questioning how much better this looks than the PSP- it’s astounding how much power they’ve packed into this thing, without making it very heavy or cumbersome.

If you’re a veteran of the PSP, or any Sony system really, the Vita is easy enough to pick up and play. They’vre rearranged some buttons, which I really appreciate, as the volume and start buttons on the PSP were too low for me to reach comfortably before. The biggest change has been the addition of a second analog stick. I cannot stress how much better these analog sticks are than the PSP’s, which I had break on me multiple times on multiple PSPs.

Hannibal Lecter to Terrorize on the Small Screen In Bryan Fuller’s ‘Hannibal’

Posted on February 16, 2012

NBC has officially ordered a series based upon novelist Thomas Harris’ unforgettable creation, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Hannibal will be a modern update on Harris’ novel and the subsequent film, Red Dragon. The show will follow the beginning of Lecter’s relationship with FBI agent Will Graham, before Lecter was exposed as a serial killer himself. Obviously, if the series is successful, there is the chance that the show may delve into the material presented in the Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal films.

Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller wrote the pilot script for the series and will also act as executive producer for the show. Fuller is also known for creating creative and visually striking shows like Wonderfalls and Dead Like Me. Fuller officially announced his involvement in the project last September and NBC’s interest was piqued shortly after.

Playmates Reveals ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Relaunched Line at Toy Fair

Posted on February 16, 2012

Later this year, Nickelodeon will be reinventing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon much in the way that IDW Publishing reinvented the TMNT comic line. While the core characteristics of the Turtles will remain intact, the creative teams behind these versions have gone in two very different directions. While IDW has gone for a more gritty and realistic (well as realistic as mutant turtles can be) version of the shelled foursome, Nickelodeon is going the other direction with a more kid friendly version much in the way the comics and cartoon series diverged over twenty years ago.

At Toy Fair, the Flickcast got to see some of these latest Turtles designs up close and personal. The first thing people will notice actually isn’t the turtles at all but the redesigns on Shredder, Splinter and April. Shredder’s redesign looks like it has some drastic anime inspired influences behind him. He has been beefed up in terms of muscles and has more exaggerated spikes on his armor than ever before. The same goes for the Foot Soldier’s who now have incredibly creepy white with red polka dotted eyes.

Another Snow White Film On the Way, This Time Starring Saoirse Ronan

Posted on February 15, 2012

Saoirse Ronan is not only starring in Twilight author Stephanie Meyer’s The Host, but is now attached to headline yet another Snow White centric flick called The Order of the Seven. The film will have a completely new spin on the old story.

It will follow a centuries old and once revered Order of Warriors from around the world, who are now a jaded group of outlaws, as they reclaim their destiny after the reemergence of an ancient evil empress. Ronan will play Olivia Sinclair, a British ex-pat of 19th Century Hong Kong who guides the warriors back to their noble roots. The film will be lined with stars from China, Russia and Japan.

Ronan has been making a name for herself over the past few years as she has taken on larger and larger roles, which have included Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones, the Oscar-winning Atonement and not to mention the action packed Hanna. This will be her first leading role.

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