The Flickcast

Jar-Jar Binks In 3D? That’s Right, ‘Phantom Menace’ 3D Gets a Release Date

Posted on March 3, 2011

We’ve talked much over the last couple years here at the site and on The Flickcast podcast about how much we really don’t care for the first trilogy of films in the Star Wars saga. For those of us who thought of the original Star Wars (before it was known as Episode IV) as an inspiration for what we do, the second trilogy of prequel films, beginning with The Phantom Menace, were better left alone and unspoken of as if they didn’t even exist.

Sadly, one man in particular seems determined to keep reminding everyone that the prequel trilogy does exist and also seems determined to squeeze every penny he can from it. That man is, of course, George Lucas. His latest transgression? The Phantom Menace in 3D, coming to a theater near you on February 10, 2012.

Yes, you read that right. We can now look forward to the exploits of Jar-Jar Binks, the “acting” of young Jake Lloyd and the excitement of discovering that a once gifted storyteller has clearly lost his way, all in the marvelousness of 3D. This information comes to us via a press release from Lucasfilm.

My favorite part of the press release? This gem: “Supervised by Industrial Light & Magic, the meticulous conversion is being done with utmost respect for the source material, and with a keen eye for both technological considerations and artistic intentions.” Excuse me while I throw up a little in my mouth.

Mr. Lucas, in the name of human decency, let it go.

Twisted Pixel Showcases ‘Ms. Splosion Man’ and ‘The Gunstringer’ at GDC 2011

Posted on March 3, 2011

In December, the Flickcast was happy to reveal that Twisted Pixel Games had announced a new member of the ‘Splosion family with Ms. ‘Splosion Man. Without seeing actual gameplay footage though, one major concern did come up. Would Ms ‘Splosion Man just be more of the same with a pink coat of paint? From what we can tell from the GDC demo (see below) this isn’t the case. While the core mechanics of ‘Splosion Man haven’t changed (i.e. blowing up), it looks like a whole new level of complexity has gone into the levels.

New traps, tactics and tools look like they await in the levels of Ms. Splosion Man. It does look like certain characters and bosses will be making their return as well alongside movie quotes and Twisted Pixel’s eccentric sense of humor.

Check out the full gallery and gameplay trailers after the jump.

New ‘Blade Runner’ Prequel and Sequel In the Works

Posted on March 3, 2011

Once again proving that Hollywood has indeed run out of original ideas and instead is looking to the past to try and generate something at least half-way decent, the production company behind such films as The Blind Side and The Book of Eli has now set its sights on a prequel and sequel to Ridley Scott’s classic 1982 sci-fi film Blade Runner.

The announcement came today from Alcon Entertainment, who are currently negotiating to secure the rights to the Blade Runner franchise from producer-director Bud Yorkin, who currently holds them. If Alcon is successful (and they probably will be) their franchise rights would be all-inclusive, but exclude rights to remake the original. Well, at least that’s something, right? Dodged that bullet.

The company’s co-founders and co-Chief Executive Officers Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove are, as you may expect, pretty excited about the prospect of getting their hands on Blade Runner.

“We are honored and excited to be in business with Bud Yorkin. This is a major acquisition for our company, and a personal favorite film for both of us. We recognize the responsibility we have to do justice to the memory of the original with any prequel or sequel we produce. We have long-term goals for the franchise, and are exploring multi-platform concepts, not just limiting ourselves to one medium only.”

Okay, they seem to talk the talk at least. But, of course, this is Hollywood and that could just be fan-service. Which, let’s face it, it probably is. All I can say after hearing about this is thank goodness they can’t do a remake of the original film. At least we will always have that.

Click through if you want to read the full press release.

NBC to Air ‘The Cape’ Finale Online Only

Posted on March 3, 2011

If you needed a more clear example of TV-based original superhero shows, there is none more showing than this. NBC has decided to pull their two-part Cape finale from TV and only air the episodes online.

The series was on a steep decline in ratings since it’s start back in January, and NBC had even cut it’s original order of 13 episodes for the season down to 10. Now they have pulled this past week’s episode and have decided to air both parts of the finale online only. From TV Line:

The disappointing performance of both The Cape (which early last month saw its 13-episode order cut to 10) and The Event has caused much shuffling of NBC’s midseason schedule. At first, The Event‘s return from a winter hiatus was pushed back a week so that The Cape could wrap its run on February 28 with a pair of episodes. Instead, NBC made way for Chuck (no argument there!), leaving The Cape‘s finale unaired.

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The Flickcast – Episode 89: Young and (Broken) Hip

Posted on March 3, 2011

As it is every week, this week’s episode of The Flickcast is brimming with fun, entertainment, knowledge and all sorts of humor and insightful commentary. Hey, we think its funny so there.

Anyway, this week Chris and Matt are back after a short break with all new topics of discussion. Some of these topics include the Oscars, new trailers for various movies including Source Code, the iPad 2, and a whole lot more.

Chris and Matt also make some new picks this week to help guide you and highlight movies, TV shows, games and more that you may not have heard of. What were the picks? Well, Matt picked a movie and so did Chris. For what those picks actually are, you’re going to have to listen to the show. Trust us, it’s worth it.

As always, if you have comments, questions, critiques, offers of sponsorship or whatever, feel free to hit us up in the comments, on Twitter, at Facebook and MySpace or via email.

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It’s Raining Guns In Freddie Wong’s Latest Awesome Video

Posted on March 2, 2011

Previously, we told you about Freddie Wong and his gang of pals who make cool videos featuring great visual effects just because they can. On that occasion, the video in question featured one of our favorite actors: Spartacus himself Andy Whitfield.

The video was awesome but also a little sad because now Whitfield is ill and won’t be returning to Spartacus. But fear not, we’ve got a new video for you today that’s full of more amazing visual effects and even a little humor that will help make the sadness go away. This one, called Epic VFX, features just that — some epic visual effects made all the more epic by some funny commentary.

Check out the new video after the jump. Also, for your viewing pleasure, we’ve included another video from Freddie highlighting all of the action scenes in all of his videos from 2010. It’s pretty damn impressive too so be sure to check it out.

Interview: Topher Grace Talks ‘Take Me Home Tonight’ and the Eighties

Posted on March 2, 2011

Topher Grace recently went on a mini-city tour to promote his upcoming film, Take Me Home Tonight. Look for our review on Friday. In the meantime, we had the opportunity to sit down with Topher and talk about the film, which takes place in the eighties.

Synopsis: As the summer of 1988 winds down, three friends on the verge of adulthood attend an out-of-control party in celebration of their last night of unbridled youth.

The Flickcast: You are not a product of the eighties, so how did you come to do a movie about the eighties? I know this was kind of your project. You helped conceptualize and produce the film, and acted in it as well.

Topher Grace: I grew up watching Dazed and Confused, which was made in the nineties, but it was about the seventies. There’s also a movie made in the seventies, which was about the fifties, it was American Graffiti. We thought, ” This generation doesn’t have that kind of movie.”

There will be another movie about the nineties in about 10 years. Right now, no one has done this for the eighties. We’ve had movies that came out closer to the eighties, like The Wedding Singer, which I love, but which makes fun of the eighties, or spoofs it.

To be honest, you couldn’t really do that movie about the nineties yet. You need about twenty years in order to look back the same way George Lucas did or Richard Linklater did with those other two movies. Right now if we tried to do a nineties one, it would probably be grunge, and those big jackets-you could figure some stuff out, but I think it would be more like The Wedding Singer.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs Announces New iPad 2, Available March 11

Posted on March 2, 2011

The big announcement from Apple that everyone was waiting for happened this morning. Some were wondering if Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO who has been experiencing health-related absences of late, would do the honors of introducing the company’s update to the popular iPad tablet device. That he did.

Let’s just get this out there: the iPad is Apple’s most important product line at the moment. In 2010, the company dominated the tablet market by getting there first, producing the devices at the price-points they have, and frankly by creating a tablet far superior to anything else that has arrived to market since.

In 2011, that market dominance is by no means guaranteed. Hot new tablets like the Motorola XOOM are encroaching on Apple’s dominance and in response, Apple didn’t so much perform a year-end spiff of the iPad; instead, they completely revamped it. Meet the NEW iPad 2. Here are some bullet points on the device itself:

• All new design. Radically thinner.
• 1/3 thinner than the first iPad. 13.4 Mm down to 8.8 mm thick.
• The iPad 2 is thinner than an iPhone 4.
• White and black models. White will be available launch day.
• All new CPU, the A5, 2x faster but same power consumption.
• Graphics are 9x faster.
• Front and rear cameras.
• Built in gyroscope.
• iPad 2 is lighter. 1.3 pounds instead of 1.5 pounds.
• AT&T and Verizon both supported from launch day.
• Same impressive 10-hour battery life.

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