Week of « Prev | Next »
1-20 of 26 items « Prev | Next »
TV Review: Dexter 8.1, “A Beautiful Day”
8 hours ago
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
It’s been said before that Dexter won’t have a happy ending. Knowing this is the show’s final season the question shifts from ‘what’ to ‘how’. Although I found this episode to be a bit underwhelming one thing I liked was that the rug’s been pulled out from under us slightly as it turns out Dexter’s already been figured out by one of the presumably few people on the planet that could do so (you know, other than what should be anyone working in Miami Metro the last few years). Although he hasn’t technically been caught by Dr. Evelyn Vogel in the way he was caught by Doakes, Laguerta, Deb, or Trinity, she’s discovered Dex’s secret similarly to how Rudy/Biney, Miguel Prado, Isaak Sirco, Louis, Lila, Lumen, or Hannah learned what Dexter really is (Jesus, I know after »
- Joseph Kratzer
10 Things We Can Thank Richard Matheson For
10 hours ago
In the past few years, we’ve been losing some of the real pioneers and giants of geekdom, those individuals that stood above and apart from any genre distinction and crafted work after work that defined those arenas of science fiction, fantasy and horror that we take for granted today. In a year’s span that has seen the passing of Ray Harryhausen and Ray Bradbury, we’ve taken yet another blow in the form of Richard Matheson.
Although any fanboy worth their salt can recite to you the merits of Matheson, I was always surprised at the relatively low level of acclaim that followed the man, a writer responsible for some of the best genre stories out there and a pioneer when it came to genre work on television. So much of the content we adore today can be traced back to things Matheson wrote or barriers he broke »
- Nathan Bartlebaugh
Game Of Thrones: 10 Most Shocking Deaths You Didn’t See Coming
10 hours ago
There’s a lot of death in Game of Thrones, an awful lot indeed. It appears you can’t turn a corner in King’s Landing without getting ran through by some knight or other, and if you happen to be a soldier of any kind, you really aren’t going to make it home at all. There’s a lot of soldiers at the bottom of the Blackwater Bay and spread out in the garden of The Twins who can attest to that fact – if they weren’t, y’know, dead – and though the Westerosi wars appear to be over, the fatality count shows no sign of slowing down over the Narrow Sea.
But of course, in sprawling quasi-medieval epics, you half-expect a lot of people without nametags to die – it quite literally comes with the territory. Yet what marks Thrones out as a series is that just about »
- Edward Owen
August 2013 EU PlayStation Plus Games Revealed
10 hours ago
A leaked image on the web has revealed next month’s EU free Ps-Plus titles will include Dmc and Spec Ops: The Line for PS3, and New Little King’s Story for Ps Vita, along with another Ps Vita game that has not been identified (but is believed to be a Psn title).
Sony have really upped the quality of games recently, no doubt in an attempt to gain brand-loyalty in preparation for their upcoming PS4 release. The last few months have seen Hitman: Absolution, Battlefield 3, Uncharted 3, Xcom: Enemy Unknown, and Demon’s Souls, all of which have proven extremely popular in their respective genres, yet Sony is willing to give them away for next to nothing!
Now Spec Ops: The Line joins this proud gallery of quality gaming. A title that redefined the Fps genre, portraying war realistically rather than just having the yay-aren’t-you-great-now-go-kill-that-guy feeling most of those »
- Charlie Oldfield
10 Easily Solved Movie Moral Dilemmas
10 hours ago
A great moral dilemma can transform a good movie into a great, indelible one that lives on for years and is discussed fervently forever more. A movie with a water-tight moral dilemma will provoke fierce, intense, divisive emotional reactions in viewers, who will come down on one side or the other and irrefutably defend that viewpoint to the hilt. However, some films often push the binary nature of the dilemma a little too hard, and the result is one that’s actually not that complex at all when you think about it.
Usually because the sensible option is actually pretty obvious when you boil it down, these movies got a little big for their britches and thought they were being far more thought-provoking than they actually were. Though occasionally these films arrived at the right moral choice, most of the time they blew it, and we were left despairing at our televisions. »
- Shaun Munro
10 Subliminal Movie Messages You Probably Missed
13 hours ago
Subliminal messaging is a term we’ve all heard of, but what exactly does it mean? Back in the day, it was almost exclusively ascribed to advertising, whereby sneaky marketers would hide single-frame references to products in TV shows that they hoped would then transpire into the viewer’s unconscious mind and cause them to buy said product. It’s a highly questionable practice and one not typically employed (or legal) nowadays, at least for advertising…
Directors keen to give their viewers something to look out for, however, have used subliminal imagery from time to time, either to insert an easter egg for the keen-eyed viewer, or to enhance the mood of the film, or perhaps to suggest a certain truth the director wants known but isn’t allowed to explicitly say. Here are 10 subliminal movie messages you probably missed…
10. Image Of Topless Woman – The Rescuers
The classic Disney animation »
- Shaun Munro
Skins: 4 Reasons We’re Optimistic About Series 7 (And 4 Why We’re Not)
13 hours ago
Tonight, the seventh and (at least for now) final series of E4′s seminal teen drama Skins begins. Over its six years on the air, it’s had both high points and low points but its impact on a previously rather lame genre filled with teenage characters played by actors in their mid to late twenties is undeniable. It was touted as being full of drug-fuelled raves and rampant sex (which it is) but the viewers were won over by the quality of the writing and how relatable the characters and stories were rather than how good the sex scenes were.
A sad truth of life is that (apart from Bruce Forsyth) all things must come to an end and the time has come for Skins to leave our screens. But not before it gets a proper swansong in the form of three two-part stories: Skins: Fire, Skins: Rise, »
- James T. Cornish
Chelsea Transfer News: Blues To Win Race For Edinson Cavani?
13 hours ago
Chelsea are hoping to beat Premier League rivals Manchester City in the race for two summer targets, Napoli’s Edinson Cavani and Sporting Lisbon winger Bruma, according to the Daily Mail.
The Blues have offered £42.7 million for Uruguayan international Cavani, while Jose Mourinho has also been given the green light to make a move for Bruma.
Napoli are said to be “puzzled” by Chelsea’s offer for their striker however, and are demanding the full £53.9 million of Cavani’s release clause is met. The West London outfit are still some £11.2 million short of that particular valuation.
Real Madrid, also an interested party, have yet to match the Blues’ offer, which remains the biggest on the table so far, while Cavani himself admits the speculation is getting to him.
The South American, who has just finished contesting the Confederations Cup, helping his country finish fourth, said:
“At the beginning of the Confederations Cup, »
- Joseph Dempsey
Jay-z: Ranking His Albums From Worst To Best
13 hours ago
Since his debut in 1996, Sean “Jay-z” Carter has become the undisputed face of hip-hop. His music continues to revolutionize the genre with each new album he releases. “Hova” didn’t become a household name until two years later, but has now become one of the most influential and important figures in not only rap music, but also pop culture. It will truly be sad day when this phenomenal talent stops making music, and the next generation of listeners will have insignificant and irrelevant lyrics screamed at them by terrible rappers like Soulja Boy. Thankfully it doesn’t look like Jigga is going anywhere anytime soon.
Jay-z has used his ever-growing wealth to expand into all different kinds of areas. He is constantly making great decisions that make him more of a strategic businessman then just a rapper from Brooklyn. He created Rocawear, a very successful clothing brand. He has opened »
- Al Mannarino
10 Awesome Zombie Movies You’ve Never Seen (But Definitely Should)
14 hours ago
At this point in time, zombies have cemented themselves as a main stay amongst the litany of horror sub-genres which can be found spread across multiple mediums. With Brad Pitt starring in and producing a zombie film, The Walking Dead being the top rated scripted show of the last television season, and a legitimate horde of zombie themed games being released over the past year or two, there’s seemingly no end to this invasion of zombie fiction.
Due to the mass presence of zombie-themed media these days, it can be hard to sift through the bad in order to find the good. Cliches and stereotypes run rampant through zombie films, which too easily lend themselves to archetypical end of the world scenarios, so I’m here to help guide you.
Behold, my own list of ten awesome zombie films that you just have to see. But, just in case »
- Evan Tavares
Xbox One: 5 Reasons To Buy It Over PS4
14 hours ago
As the eighth generation console war gets on its way, many people have been quite dismissive towards the Xbox One console. During its announcement, Microsoft outlined several controversial policies, restrictions and a whopping launch price of $499. Add to that the fact that the competition — Sony’s PS4 — will not only be free of these disadvantages, but will also launch at a cheaper price of $399, and you have your answer as to why many gamers including those of the Xbox community are staying clear of the Xbox One.
However, despite the massive dark cloud hovering over the Xbox One, there is a silver lining to be found here. Due to recent changes in the Xbox One’s development along with a closer analysis in its reaming features, it has been revealed that the console is worth its price after all. For those who think they know which console to buy this generation, »
- Ryan Fanus
Man Utd Transfer News: Ezequiel Garay Deal Moves Closer?
14 hours ago
Manchester United manager David Moyes is one step closer to wrapping up the £17 million capture of Benfica defender Ezequiel Garay, according to the Mirror.
The Scotsman officially takes charge at Old Trafford today and one of his first orders of business will be to sign the Argentinian centre-back, possibly as a long-term replacement for Nemanja Vidic, who has been linked with a move to AC Milan.
The 26-year-old has been on United’s radar since February and could finally make the move to Manchester after his current club Benfica signed his apparent replacement – Arsenal de Sarandi’s Lisandro Ezequiel Lopez in a £3.5 million deal.
The 23-year-old, also Argentinian, is seen as Garay’s direct replacement, thereby freeing him up for a move to the Theatre of Dreams, according to the same report.
Moyes wants a new centre-half and will be given the money to land his targets, but sources in »
- Joseph Dempsey
Larfleeze #1 Review
14 hours ago
Larfleeze first made his presence known to the DC Universe in 2007, introduced in the run up to Geoff John’s epic Blackest Night event. Leader of the Orange Lanterns, made up of himself and an army of constructs based on the identities of those he has killed, he has being totally twisted by the orange light of avarice, and has given to an insatiable greed. His original appearance as a supremely creepy villain has slowly made way for him to take on a role more akin to comic relief, while still acting as antagonist for the most part. He may just be a more articulate Gollum, you can pretty much sum him up with ‘mine!’, but he is a fantastic character. He is larger than life, completely delusional, and just so much fun to read. His popularity is something you can’t deny, and after a series of back up stories, »
- Tom White
Dexter 8.1 Review
14 hours ago
Showtime’s Dexter has been a wild and crazy ride for the last seven years, with plenty of great seasons and a few that strained the momentum and tested fan patience. Last year, the show rebounded with another engrossing chapter that focused largely on the relationship our titular serial killer of serial killers has with his sister, Debra and it ended on an unrelenting and game-changing final note; Debra, choosing to protect her brother, who resigns himself to being killed by her hand, shoots María Laguerta dead. It was a show-stopping moment and a great way to head into the final season.
Despite the tasty cliffhanger, there’s a little bit of pigeon-holing that happens when a show does something so drastic with its characters; it absolutely requires that the following season spend a few episodes jumping through hoops that establish the fall-out and then get us to some relative »
- Nathan Bartlebaugh
5 Best Hollywood Reboots
14 hours ago
A big part of the film industry is the movie franchise. Some of the most iconic characters in cinema – Darth Vader, Indiana Jones, The Terminator, Ripley, Gollum, Batman, James Bond, etc. – have been at the center of a lucrative series. For studios, franchises provide an opportunity to use brand recognition and make more money. For audiences, it allows us to revisit characters we know and love as their story continues.
In some cases, the filmmakers will be smart enough to make every installment of a series high quality (see: Star Wars [original trilogy], Lord of the Rings, Toy Story, The Dark Knight), but every once in a while, a colossal screw-up like Batman & Robin happens and the once reliable film series is deader than dead.
Fortunately for the studio suits, there’s a reset button available to them called the reboot. By rebooting a film franchise, the filmmakers erase the previous continuity »
- Chris Agar
6 Pixar Films Whose Endings Had Awful Consequences You Hadn’t Considered
16 hours ago
Nobody does wonder like Pixar. Now the Mouse House’s most reliable money-maker, the Emeryville-based studio have been on a run of form (Cars films aside) like no other organisation before it, causing envy and admiration throughout the industry. Their films are fun for kids, often have something there for the adults and can be either massively uplifting or heart-breakingly poignant. They’re masters of their craft, and can always be relied upon to deliver a rip-roaring good time.
Yet while they might appeal to adults, they have to stick to the formula for kids films – namely, there must be a happy ending, otherwise the three-year-olds in the audience might go home irreparably scarred. It just wouldn’t work if Nemo died in the end or Mr. Incredible hadn’t solved his midlife crisis, and the writers obviously know that. Yet in their efforts to make everything hunky-dory, they ocassionally slip up, »
- Edward Owen
10 Terrible Scenes That Ruined Highly Anticipated Movies
16 hours ago
Are there many things worse than sitting down in the cinema, watching your most anticipated film of the year, when you realise, in fact, it sucks? This will often be the result of a multitude of dreadful scenes – as is the case in most of these movies – but there’s almost always one scene that sticks out above the rest and truly pushes us past the tipping point, where we go from merely disappointed to downright outraged at the cinematic atrocity taking place before our very eyes.
Whether it’s an unsavoury plot twist, sheer goofiness, a gaping leap in logic, or a misjudged tone, these 10 highly anticipated movies all fell to pieces on the basis of one particularly disagreeable scene…
10. The Mandarin Reveal – Iron Man 3
Iron Man 3 was doing so well; Tony Stark’s beach-side mansion had been blown to smithereens, and the stakes were high as »
- Shaun Munro
12 Depressing Alternate Endings That Were Way Better Than The Originals
18 hours ago
Call me a glutton for punishment, but I don’t believe in Happy Endings quite as strongly as Hollywood seems to: the grimmer and more emotionally affecting an ending, the more enduring it is in the memory.
There’s no chance Se7en would be as profound as it is if the final shot was a post-credits reveal of Gwyneth Paltrow with her head still attached, and I can’t help but shake the feeling that Buzz and Woody would have been better off melted, rather than being forced to face more future rejection when Bonny grows up.
Adversity and depression inevitably lead to the most profound works of art, it’s just simple science. So it’s always deeply upsetting when Hollywood has the chance to make a statement with a grim ending and then drops it in favour of something more upbeat. Sometimes, the original, or alternate endings where everyone dies, »
- Simon Gallagher
WWE: Rob Van Dam’s Serious Car Accident Near Miss
20 hours ago
Rob Van Dam tweeted yesterday something that could have derailed his planned WWE return later this month. The Ecw legend apparently was involved in a very close near miss with a car while he was having dinner with his parents. According to the tweet (and its attached picture), he was sitting a mere 30 feet away from the car that drove into the restaurant’s window. Now that is crazy.
Rvd tweeted the following:
“Enjoyed the Ocala Comic Con today, then came this restaurant w/my parents and look what just happened 30 feet away! pic.twitter.com/D78QMtCszR“
Van Dam, who was last seen in-ring as part of Tna Wrestling a few months ago, ended his iMPACT tenure in early 2013. And following much speculation is now set for an in-ring WWE return this month. WWE confirmed this via a video package during last month’s Payback pay-per-view. The former Ecw »
- Darragh O'Connor
Batman/Superman #1 Review
20 hours ago
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
June has been an eventful month for Superman fans with the release of the film, Man Of Steel and the release of the first issues of the comic book titles Superman Unchained and Batman/Superman. Writer Greg Pak along with artists Jae Lee and Ben Oliver are off to a good start with the Batman/Superman comic book. The issue’s title, Cross World, is interesting due to the panels on the page that display the different upbringings of Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent. The work done by the creative team in the first few pages creates questions of how these two individuals can coexist.
The difference in the upbringings of Clark and Bruce are the highlight of the title page because their experiences have influenced how they view the world. Clark believes there are explanations for the bad choices people make. From Bruce’s perspective, »
- Matt Grazel
1-20 of 26 items « Prev | Next »
company.