The Flickcast – Page 881 of 1030 – Stuff Nerds Love

Game Review: ‘Bakugan Battle Brawlers’ For Wii

959715_124094_frontScore: 7.5 – Nintendo Wii – $49.99

Bakugan. Two years ago, much like name like Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh and various other soon to be Japanese trends, the word “Bakugan” would have meant nothing to the average person, and especially not to any children or parents. Now, it is an obsession selling DVDs and tiny shape changing balls that play a game that could be described as a combination of Magic: The Gathering, the Transformers and marbles. Activision has taken this license that has become popular enough to earn itself a spot as this month’s McDonald’s Happy Meal toy and brought it in to the video game world.

Gameplay:

As mentioned above, the Bakugan game plays much like a combination of a collectible card game and marbles. Players place cards on the field that contain magnets in them. They then take turns rolling their Bakugan, trying to land on a card. Players try to steer their ball towards the appropriate card while their opponent takes pop shots to divert the ball in the opposite direction in a shooting gallery style minigame.

When they do, the small Bakugan ball will pop open, revealing the monster inside. When two monsters land on the same card, their stats are compared and extra cards are played to enhance the power of the monster. The Bakugan with the highest total wins. This formula ends up translating really well in to the video game format.

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Interview: Stephanie Lantry and Carrie Smith of Conjoined Comics

The Alternative Press Expo is a small convention that is geared to, as you can guess, the alternative facets of what the comics industry has to offer. What’s more than that is APE is as laid back a comic convention as you will find. Small shows will do that simply because smaller size means more attention, and the increased ability to interact with others in the comics community.

That’s whether it’s fans amongst professionals, professionals among their peers, or otherwise. So inevitably, this means discovering new creators and new comics in a way that’s different from other cons.

I first met Stephanie Lantry and Carrie Smith a few years back thanks to the online community that is the now defunct Brian K. Vaughan message board, the Cabal. As Conjoined Comics, the quick-witted indie-creators have collaborated to self-publish their own comic, To the Power Against, mini-comic Emogician (which the description should be pretty self-explanatory), and their newest book The Yeti, in a format that is quite unlike the first two. Recently at APE, I got a chance to chat with these two creators.

Joey Pangilinan: How did you two first meet, and come to start collaborate with each other?

Carrie Smith: We had a venn diagram of friends that met in the middle mostly through Star Wars.

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Steve Carr Takes on ‘Short Circut’ Reboot

short_circuitAs much as I might think this is yet another in a series of needless remakes, reboots and re-imaginings, it seems inevitable that they will keep getting made and my protests will go unheard. So, with that in mind I bring you the news that director Steve Carr (late of Paul Blart: Mall Cop) has been tapped to take on a reboot of the film Short Circuit for Dimension Films.

I’ll let that one sink in for a minute. Okay, now that you are probably making your “WTF?” face I can tell you some potentially good news about this project. It’s being scripted by Robot Chicken’s Dan Milano, so at least that gives it some kind of chance to be funny — especially if they actually follow the script. Plus, the story, which concerns military robot Johnny 5 who “develops a conscience and personality after being hit by lightning and then befriends a lonely boy and his fractured family” doesn’t sound that bad.

Also, I don’t really blame Carr for Paul Blart being terrifically unfunny. He didn’t write the thing after all. That blame lands squarely in the lap of writer/star Kevin James. Nor, did he edit it or probably even get final cut. So, its probably not completely his fault. However, seeing as his other credits do include Dr. Doolittle 2, Daddy Daycare and the far less amusing sequel Next Friday does not really bode well for this movie.

I guess we’ll find out to what level this movie sucks when it hits theaters sometime in 2010.

Microsoft backs out of ‘Family Guy’ Special

Sad StewieIn what may come as no surprise to some, Microsoft has backed out of the Family Guy special that would have promoted Windows 7. Well, thanks a lot Microsoft for completely undermining the article I already wrote regarding this very event. Microsoft responded in a statement:

“We initially chose to participate in the Seth and Alex variety show based on the audience composition and creative humor of Family Guy, but after reviewing an early version of the variety show it became clear that the content was not a fit with the Windows brand.

We continue to have a good partnership with FOX, Seth MacFarlane and Alex Borstein and are working with them in other areas.  We continue to believe in the value of brand integrations and partnerships between brands, media companies and talent.”

“…not a good fit with the Windows brand.”  Has anyone at Microsoft even watched an episode of Family Guy? How did they not see what was coming? Well, as much as I was somewhat skeptical of the whole deal it would have been interesting to see what Seth McFarlane thought up for the show. Maybe Apple should jump in and pick up where Microsoft left off to promote Snow Leopard?

Review: ‘Battlestar Galactica: The Plan’

cavil-bsg-the-plan

Before I begin this review I have to disclose that I’m a huge fan of Ron Moore and David Eick’s re-imagined Battlestar Galactica tv series. From the first moments I saw it I was hooked and I followed the show religiously through its entire run. To this day I regard it as one of the finest shows ever to grace the small screen. In fact, I liked it so much I even got the entire series on Blu-ray. Yes, I’m the one.

So, when it came time to watch and review the latest Battlestar Galactica movie The Plan, I went into it with high expectations but was wondering how they were going to pull off this movie and tell this very well-known story from a completely different perspective: that of the Cylons. Much to my happiness, when I did watch The Plan, I was impressed with the way it turned out and how this rather complex undertaking was handled, with a few notable exceptions.

Before I get too deeply into anything negative, let’s talk a bit more about the story. The Cylons began as humanity’s robot servants. They rebelled and evolved and now they look like us. Their plan is simple: destroy the race that enslaved them. But when their attack fails to wipe out every human, the Cylons have to improvise to finish the job. The Plan tells the story of two powerful Cylon leaders, Cavil (Dean Stockwell) and Six (Tricia Helfer) and their determination to finish that job.

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New Trailer For ‘Bioshock 2: Siren Alley’

bioshock2screenWe at The Flickcast can’t wait to play Bioshock 2, and although its release was delayed until early 2010, we’ve got a brand new trailer for your viewing pleasure courtesy of Game Trailers.

Siren Alley shows off the new weapons and plasmids you’ll wield in the single-player mode of the game. You’ll also get a look at what’s happened to Rapture since the end of the first game, battling the Big Sisters, underwater gameplay, and a taste of all the action awaiting you in Bioshock 2.

Set ten years after the events of Bioshock, Bioshock 2 puts you in the shoes of the Big Daddies you hunted throughout the first game, in an attempt to save the Little Sisters being kidnapped by the Big Sister.

Bioshock 2 will be available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC on February 9th, 2010. You can watch the trailer after the jump. By clicking through you certify you are 18 years of age or older.

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Shane Black to Helm ‘Doc Savage’ Movie

Doc Savage 3Not many people outside of the world of film know Shane Black by name, but most certainly do by reputation. Black is best known for being the driving creative writing force behind such films as Monster Squad, Last Boy Scout, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and all of the good Lethal Weapon films.

Black has been bouncing around for the past few years, with rumors that he would be working on a revamped Doc Savage property, with Schwarzenegger as a strong contender back in the 90s. Well, Arnie may be out, but Black is most definitely in, definitely writing and possibly directing, according to Collider.

“[the film] will be set in the 30s and not modernize the story….The producers of “Doc Savage” are Neil Moritz and Ori Marmur.  They’re the guys who are also producing “The Green Hornet”, “Battle: Los Angeles”, and “Jack the Giant Killer.”  Furthermore, they have a deal at Sony so if the film gets made, “Doc Savage” will be made at Sony.”

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Date Set For ‘Family Guy’ Windows 7 Special

Family GuyWhen I heard about Microsoft‘s Windows 7 tie-in with Family Guy I was slightly taken aback. Doesn’t Hollywood live and die by the Apple Mac? I thought so, which made me wonder why anyone in that industry would be pitching Microsoft products.

I may not have a specific answer to that (other then the most obvious one: money) but at least I now know the air date for the Family Guy special in which Windows 7 will be promoted, fiercely I imagine, to viewers of the hit series:

“The half-hour “Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show” will air at 8:30 p.m. Nov. 8 and star series creator Seth MacFarlane and his co-star Alex Borstein. The special will air without traditional commercials and instead will feature Microsoft-branded programming that Fox said will blend with the show’s content.”

Now, this could go one of two ways: brilliant or horrible. If McFarlane and company craft something in which they don’t try and hide the baked-in advertising, it could work.  30 Rock has had pretty good success in a comedic capacity when it comes to product placement and is definitely something to emulate.

On the other hand, should the writers try and trick the audience into thinking they are not watching an ad for Windows 7, that could backfire. Considering the quality of the show, I’m less inclined to think they’ll hide what’s really going on and fess up. This should bring the audience in on the jokes and make it that much funnier.

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