STUFF: News, Technology, the cool and the plain weird

[MIKA27]

Warhammer 40K Crossed With Diablo Sounds Pretty Damn Good

Sure, there's already too many Warhammer 40,000 games flying around on Steam and mobiles right now. But you know what we don't have? Warhammer 40k games crossed with Diablo. And I could totally use more of those.

That's the basic hook for W40K: Inquisitor - Martyr, an action RPG being developed by Neocore Games, the same team behind Deathtrap and The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing. It's billed as an open world sandbox game with a story mode and co-op for up to four players, although the gameplay seems a little more on the Helldivers side of things.

W40K Inquisitor - Martyr is scheduled for release next quarter, although the official FAQ says "a lot depends on the Founding". The "Founding" is basically a marketing push to encourage people to pre-order, so the game would presumably be delayed if the reception isn't that strong.

Nonetheless, an ARPG in the W40K world works for me. The first two Van Helsing games were decent too, so fingers crossed for this one.

[MIKA27]

First ‘Bright’ Trailer Finds Will Smith Fighting Against Elves & Reptile People

Netflix has unveiled the first full-length trailer for the upcoming feature film Bright. Directed by David Ayer (Suicide Squad) and scripted by Max Landis (American Ultra), the film blends the realms of fantasy and cop drama and takes place in a world where humans live and work alongside orcs and elves. Will Smith plays a human cop forced to team up with an orc (Joel Edgerton), the first of his kind to join the force.

The first half of this trailer plays like the most obvious metaphor about race ever as Smith’s character talks about how there are different races (orcs, humans, faeries, etc.) but that doesn’t make anyone better than anyone else.  He’s also saddled with a “diversity hire”, his orc partner.  But then the trailer throws that stuff out the window so everyone can indulge in a macguffin relating to a magic wand leading to stellar dialogue like “It’s like a nuclear weapon that grants wishes.”  Just really, top-notch stuff.  Definitely worth the exorbitant price Netflix paid to see if people would stay home to watch a new blockbuster.

Watch the new Bright trailer below and look for our full recap of the film’s Comic-Con panel on Collider soon. The movie also stars Noomi Rapace, Lucy Fry, Edgar Ramirez, Ike Barinholtz, Enrique Murciano, Jay Hernandez, Andrea Navedo, Veronica Ngo, Alex Meraz, Margaret Cho, Brad William Henke, Dawn Olivieri, and Kenneth Choi. Bright will be available on Netflix on December 22nd.

Here’s the official synopsis for Bright:

Quote

Set in an alternate present-day where humans, orcs, elves and fairies have been coexisting since the beginning of time, this action-thriller directed by David Ayer (Suicide Squad, End of Watch, writer of Training Day) follows two cops from very different backgrounds. Ward, a human (Will Smith), and Jakoby, an orc (Joel Edgerton), embark on a routine night patrol that will alter the future of their world as they know it. Battling both their own personal differences as well as an onslaught of enemies, they must work together to protect a young female elf and a thought-to-be-forgotten relic, which in the wrong hands could destroy everything.

[MIKA27]

BIZZY COFFEE SHOTS

Most of us rely on caffeine to kick start our day. But knowing how much to consume, and being able to combine it with ingredients that aren't terrible for you is tricky. Bizzy Coffee Shots helps solve these problems with their small but powerful bottles of liquid energy. Each one contains high-quality Arabica coffee from Central and South America along with water, and that's it. So no additives, sweeteners, or preservatives. Using a unique cold-brewing process, each Bizzy Shot contains 130-150mg of caffeine, which is equal to about two shots of espresso. Easy to pocket and bring anywhere, these zero calorie shots come in caramel, vanilla, or black coffee flavors. 

[polarbear]

So many trailers

Must be comic con or as I like to call it "movie trailer you tube channel Christmas"

[Fuzz]

3 hours ago, polarbear said:

So many trailers

Must be comic con or as I like to call it "movie trailer you tube channel Christmas"

Uhm... it is comic con. Or to be more specific, San Diego Comic Con.

[LLC]

Looking forward to the next Kingsman movie.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MIKA27]

Here Are All The Best Trailers From ComicCon 2017

San Diego Comic Con is ostensibly a comic book convention. In reality, it's the place where Hollywood drops new trailers for genre TV shows and movies. Here is the cream of this year's crop: from Netflix's Stranger Things 2 to Marvel Studios' Thor: Ragnarok.

There are a whopping 90 minutes of trailers and teasers to feast your eyes on below, divided into each day of the convention. Whether you're into horror, sci-fi, super heroes, action or Lego you sure to find something to get excited about. Happy viewing!

 

 

 

 

 

[MIKA27]

Socialising, Mental Health And Stress Relief: Why Aussies Play Video Games

Kids and adults, young and old, for recreation and for rehabilitation - video games are now firmly cemented into the daily lives of Australians, with new research showing 67 per cent of us are gaming.

Smashing the stereotype of "mindless fun", video games are increasingly turned to as a way to stimulate, socialise and positively benefit mental health.

The research is a collaboration between Bond University and the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association. It found 97 per cent of Australian households with children have video game devices, with eight out of 10 owning multiple game devices. Almost half of parents play games online with their kids, with reasons for playing together including family enjoyment, education, and as a way to monitor what children play.

The report, Digital Australia 2018 looked at the gaming habits of 1,234 Australian households and 3,135 individuals, with 67 per cent putting their hands up as gamers. Older Australians make up the largest group of new players over the past six years - 43 per cent of people aged 65 are playing video games. Women account for 46 per cent of all players.

The average age of players has increased by a year to 34, and the reasons for playing are also shifting.

"The fun continues through interactive games, but the research shows that games increasingly serve other uses," said Dr Jeff Brand, Professor at Bond University and lead author of the report.

"Australians are playing for social connectedness, whether that be with family or friends. They’re playing to reduce stress, to be challenged, to learn, to keep the mind active, or for physical and mental health benefits."

Dr Brand says everyone finds their own reason for playing, and the research shows that motives for playing video games differ by life stages. Young adults play to help pass time, have fun, and de-stress, whereas older Australians, while also playing for enjoyment and to pass time, report keeping the mind active as a top reason for playing.

The Digital Australia study, which has been running since 2005, also highlights just how social game play has become. This year's report found only eight per cent of Australians play alone, with the remaining 92 per cent playing with friends, partners, family and strangers online at least once in a while.

Most players share their enjoyment of games with others in the community through various methods. Seven in 10 Australian players have watched videos and used walkthroughs to help their gameplay and more than a quarter have posted their own videos of gameplay. Australians also enjoy watching other people play games, particularly at a competitive level with a third watching esports.

"Games are no longer a subculture – everyone plays. We've moved far beyond the classic cliches that dogged video games in their early years," said Dr Brand. "Interactive games are woven into the fabric of our culture – a culture more nuanced and capable of enjoying the benefits of the digital economy than ever before."

Ron Curry, CEO of IGEA, said the Digital Australia 2018 report shows how the state of game play in Australia has progressed - that games are one of the many things shaking up traditional viewing culture, and Australians are consuming games in more ways than ever before.

"We're also playing with purpose," Curry says. "with more and more Australians recognising the value of games, beyond entertainment, in the family home, schools, workplaces and socially."

[MIKA27]

Seth McFarlane's Star Trek Spoof The Orville Looks Like A Ton Of Fun

Fox's new scifi sitcom The Orville wowed us in its first look, mainly because it managed to come off as both a loving homage to the campiest aspects of classic Star Trek while also being genuinely funny. The new Comic-Con trailer is much the same — reminding us that exploring the strange new frontiers can be a truly ridiculous endeavour.

Very pointedly dropped just as Star Trek: Discovery began its panel at San Diego Comic-Con, the new trailer delivers a few more glimpses at the show's premise than we got in the first one, but mainly decides to skip most of the jokes and focus on the big scale scifi action we can expect to see when the titular ship's dysfunctional crew isn't running their mouths off ever other second.

Honestly, if The Orville can balance traditional Star Trek style action and its goofy ribbing of the beloved franchise, we could be in for something very fun — at the least, it will be nice to get two Trek-ish shows on TV this September with both this and Discovery.

[MIKA27]

And They Lived Happily Ever... Whoops!

Hana Haka and Tyler Noland married each other in McKinney, Texas, but their marriage started off on a rocky road.

As family and friends cheered for the couple to leaving the reception to embark on their honeymoon, Hana and Tyler sat perched on the trunk of a Mercedes convertible, with a silver-haired gentleman at the wheel, but unbeknownst to the newlyweds, their driver Dave had a lead foot.

As Hana yelled, "Let's go, Dave!", he put the petal to the metal, and Hana and Tyler went ass over teakettle and landed on the pavement. Thankfully, according to the wedding videographer who posted the America's Funniest Home Videos-worthy clip on YouTube, the couple was uninjured.

[MIKA27]

Arctic Bath Is a Floating Hotel in Sweden

While it looks like a building modeled after the iron throne, the Arctic Bath has nothing to do with Game of Thrones and everything to do with enjoying the Northern Lights. Scheduled to open next year, the Swedish hotel floats on water and offers incredible views of the Aurora Borealis. Of course, viewing the spectacle that is the Northern Lights is not all this hotel offers, as there’s a central bath between all the cabins for vacationers to take a dip. There are also several saunas, spa treatments, shopping, a lounge, and a restaurant in the hotel that’s modeled after a natural dam. Want a view of the Northern Lights while also being as close to the water as possible? Don’t think you can do better than this. 

 

[MIKA27]

COMME DES GARÇONS CONCRETE COLOGNE

Inspired by its namesake's prevalence in today's modern cities, Comme des Garçons Concrete Cologne is an enticing contradiction. Its concrete bottle is molded to have curved edges, with an off-center metal cap and a box that also mimics the texture of the building material. While the exterior might suggest roughness, the fragrance itself is refined, with a base note of sandalwood mixing with hints of rose and spice.

[MIKA27]

REDEMPTION WHEATED BOURBON

There's a reason why there is a high demand for quality wheated bourbon. When you replace rye in the mash bill with wheat, it gives bourbon a softer, sweeter taste. Which makes Redemption Wheated Bourbon a welcome addition to the distilleries already impressive lineup. Aged for four years in new oak barrels and is bottled at 96 proof, it packs nearly double the amount of wheat typically found in a wheated bourbon, giving this offering from Redemption the potential to be something extraordinary.

[MIKA27]

Behold, Avengers: Infinity War's Epic Comic-Con Poster

Sure, we didn't get to see the Avengers: Infinity War footage that wowed Hall H in San Diego this weekend — but we do get a tiny glimpse at the movie in the form of this truly spectacular three-part poster Marvel had at the convention, giving us our first look at Earth's mightiest heroes, the sinister threat they will face, and his glove with glowy lights.

Painted by Marvel Studios Head of Visual Development Ryan Meinerding to give out to fans at Comic-Con, the three posters merge together to depict an epic image.

MIKA: Click on the image to enhance/magnify

[MIKA27]

We Know When The Next James Bond Is Coming Out, But Literally Nothing Else About It

Today, Eon Productions and MGM sent out a four-sentence press release announcing that the next James Bond movie will hit UK theatres on November 8th, 2019. That's it. There was literally nothing else. That's weird... but it's also telling.

For what feels like ages at this point, there have been rumours that the current Bond, Daniel Craig, is considering leaving the franchise after playing the character for the past nine years in four different films. It's understandable that Craig might want to pursue new projects after such a long commitment. But despite many a call from fans for Eon and MGM to consider recasting the role (hey, Idris!), there's been virtually no news about Bond's future up until now.

James Bond will return to US cinemas on November 8, 2019 with a traditional earlier release in the UK and the rest of the world.

It was always safe to assume that there'd be another Bond film. But today's announcement of a date before any news of a director, cast, or crew more than strongly suggests, at the very least, that the next time we see 007, he's still going to look exactly like Daniel Craig because he will be Daniel Craig.

Though the 25th Bond movie is still more than two years away from hitting theatres, in terms of a time frame for announcements, giving the public a specific date without mentioning who's making the movie suggests that Eon and MGM plan on sticking with Craig for at least one more film. While casting a new Bond would be more than fine, that's the sort of major change to a franchise that one imagines the studios would want to get people into the idea of as soon as possible. To be fair, there's still a chance that Craig won't be returning and that Eon and MGM are simply willing to wait on making any sort of announcement. But at this late stage in the game, it seems doubtful that they'd take a gamble that large on one of their flagship franchises.

[MIKA27]

After This Insane Trailer We're Dying To See The Lego Ninjago Movie and We're As Shocked As You Are

The first Lego Movie had the surprise of its material to work with. Lego Batman had, well, Batman. What can the Lego Ninjago movie do to keep things fresh? we wondered. According to this shockingly great new trailer the answer is: A lot of things, because the movie looks downright insane.

As someone not entirely familiar with the world of Ninjago — not only has it been a line of Lego sets for the past few years, it's actually had its own successful animated TV series too — I wasn't entirely sure going into the new movie in terms of what to expect other than Ninjas. The first trailer delivered on that (with a whole heap of daddy drama issues to boot), but this one serves as a reminder that this is still a Lego movie, too, which means jokes flying at a mile a minute and some truly bonkers spectacle.

Spectacle like, say, a live-action cat stampeding through a Lego city. The cat's pretty great, as is the revelation of how main character Lloyd's mum met his father, the evil warlord Garmadon. But honestly, the weirdest and best part of this whole trailer comes near the end, when Lloyd seemingly has one of his arms wrenched off, and it's surprisingly graphic for a Lego movie?

Like, there's a big hole where his arm used to be! And yet it's still funny! Well done, Lego Ninjago Movie.

[MIKA27]

Todd McFarlane Finally Gets His Chance To Make Another Spawn Movie

It might be a match made in hell. Todd McFarlane, creator of Image Comics' flagship character Spawn, has announced he's partnering with Jason Blum and Blumhouse Productions — the company that produced Jordan Peele's critically acclaimed horror-suspense movie Get Out — to bring the character back to the big screen. According to Deadline, McFarlane will write the first draft of the screenplay and will also direct.

During a Facebook Live with Kevin Smith, McFarlane revealed that his often-teased Spawn movie has been picked up by Blumhouse, the production company behind other horror hits like Paranormal Activity. "No more theoretical, we're now making movies," McFarlane said. "We're going!"

The first Spawn flick was released 20 years ago, and failed to have a major budget or be particularly good. McFarlane has been wanting to make a new Spawn movie basically since then, and while this doesn't mean we'll definitely see Al Simmons return to theatres... it does raise its chances considerably.

 

[MIKA27]

The New Justice League Poster Is Basically An Alex Ross Painting In Real Life

Look, I'm just saying. This new Justice League poster is either the movie's loving tribute to the heroic art of Alex Ross, or Batman somehow convinced his teammates to do their own cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". Either way, it makes for a damn good image.

Ahead of Warner Bros.' big panel at Comic-Con last weekend, a new poster for Justice League hit the web, featuring the team heroically gazing at the camera and some... let's say questionable mashups of each hero's emblem and the text. It's like a Justice League version of Wingdings!

Admittedly, it works way better in landscape than it does with the League crammed around it in portrait:

Either way however, the inspiration behind it seems to draw heavily on Alex Ross' sumptuous DC artwork, like his Justice League art, and/or his work for Kingdom Come.

It's a cool nod to the comic worlds these heroes come from... although now I very suddenly want Ross to paint a poster for Justice League, too.

[MIKA27]

Here's 13 Minutes From The New Uncharted

Here's 13 minutes of Chloe sassing her way through ruins and talking about drunken chats with Nadine.
It's the latest footage of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, which is due out on August 23. For the most part, Lost Legacy builds on a lot of advancements that previous Uncharted games added. There's larger open spaces to explore, supposedly larger than the Madagascar area from Uncharted 4, and a map you can access through the touchpad.

Importantly, there's plenty of banter between Nadine and Chloe. I'm already down with the idea of these two cracking jokes and asides throughout the entirety of The Lost Legacy, although I'll have a better sense of that later this week when I get hands-on with the game.

Looks good. The Lost Legacy comes out in just under a month, and is a standalone title as well. 
 

[MIKA27]

Lionsgate Looking to Expand the ‘John Wick’ Universe with Female-Led Action Movie

John Wick may be getting some company. Lionsgate is eyeing a female-led action project to serve as a possible spin-off for their breakout action franchise led by Keanu Reeves. Per THR, the studio won out in a bidding war for the spec script Ballerina, which follows a young woman raised as an assassin who goes on the hunt for the trained killers that murdered her family. So, yep, that sounds like a very Wick-esque movie.

The Ballerina script marks the first sale for screenwriter Shay Hatten, who cut his teeth as a writer’s assistant for Robert Downey Jr.’s Team Downy. Hatten’s dark comedy script Maximum King! landed a spot on the Black List in 2016 and earned the young writer representation at CAA. That script fictionalized Stephen King’s experiences writing and directing his 1985 Maximum Overdrive. Plot details for Ballerina are being kept under wraps for the time being.

Thunder Road’s Basil Iwanyk, who produced the first two John Wick films and will return for the announced third chapter, will produce Ballerina with an aim to expand the franchise. Per the report, “Ballerina has been described as being in the vein of La Femme Nikita, the 1990s female-centric assassin movie that helped launch the career of filmmaker Luc Besson, but with a more pulpy, hyper-stylized bent a la Quentin Tarantino or Matthew Vaughn.” The script went out to studios last week, and both Warner Bros. and Universal were reportedly bidding for it when Lionsgate saw it as a potential extension of the Wick franchise and won out.

This is a super smart play on the studio’s part. People love John Wick, but Chad Stahelski has already said he envisions the third film as a final chapter and who knows how long Reeves will want to play the character. But people also love the world of John Wick — the Continental, the coins, the High Table, all of it. It’s a fascinating piece of world-building unlike any other and it’s rife with potential for expansion.

MIKA: Can't wait, John Wick 1 and 2 were amazing.

[MIKA27]

Daniel Craig to Return for ‘Bond 25’

Yesterday, we learned that EON had set a release date for James Bond 25, but we didn’t know the distributor, the director, or if Daniel Craig would return. I speculated that he might be done because of the length between movies and that he seems to have grown tired of playing the role. But I was wrong!

According to The New York Times, “two people briefed on the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid conflicts with Eon and MGM,” say that Craig is coming back, and since the Times is pretty trustworthy publication (as opposed to DanielCraigShouldAlwaysBeBond.com), I’m willing to put my faith in their reporting that the actor will make his fifth appearance as Bond in the upcoming sequel.

While some fans have been eager to see a new actor take on the role, Craig has done a solid job throughout even if sometimes the movies themselves have let him down (I'm talking about Spectre). He’s not the reason Quantum of Solace and Spectre are bad, but he’s definitely part of the reason why Casino Royale and Skyfall are so good.

It’s also worth noting that Craig’s film career has struggled to take off outside of Bond. While it looks like he’s having a blast in Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming Logan Lucky, he hasn’t really had any hits outside of the Bond franchise. To be fair, Craig does a bit of stage acting, so it’s not like filmography is packed, but whenever he veers away from Bond, he ends up in something like Cowboys & Aliens or Dream House. In a studio system built on franchises, Craig hasn’t found a new place where he can maneuver if he stops being Bond, and being Bond gives him a lot of power for the time being.

What do you think about Craig coming back for Bond? Would you rather see a different actor take on the role?

James Bond 25 opens November 8, 2019.

[MIKA27]

The UK Plans To Ban All New Petrol And Diesel Cars And Vans By 2040

The days of the good old trusty internal combustion engine, which revolutionised transportation but also maybe helped usher in a looming environmental apocalypse, may be numbered across the pond.

Reports in the Guardian and Financial Times both indicated the UK is set to ban the sale of all diesel and petrol-burning cars and vans by the year 2040 as part of an air quality plan, including hybrid vehicles. If followed through, the plan would require all new cars and vans sold throughout the country to have purely electric engines.

A government spokesman told the Guardian, which said it was given access to parts of the proposal, the move was primarily related to concerns over air quality. A recent government report concluded smog kills at least 40,000 people throughout the UK a year.

"Poor air quality is the biggest environmental risk to public health in the UK and this government is determined to take strong action in the shortest time possible," the spokesman said. "That is why we are providing councils with new funding to accelerate development of local plans, as part of an ambitious £3 billion program to clean up dirty air around our roads."

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, told the Financial Times he thought the move could potentially undermine the UK's 800,000 automotive jobs unless the government provided incentives to offset "very low level demand ... over affordability, range and charging ports."

It's important to note that the plans would hinge somewhat in practice on the ability to manufacture affordable cars. As Jalopnik reported this month, the worldwide electric vehicle industry faces fundamental resource constraints like potential shortages of battery materials including lithium and particularly cobalt, which will require a lot of research into scalable alternatives.

Earlier in July, France announced a similar plan with the same 2040 date, though it described the policy as part of a strategy to meet its emissions reduction commitments under the Paris Agreement. India, which has one of the worst air pollution records on the planet, is preparing to set an even more aggressive target date of 2030 for its own petrol and diesel ban.

If we're being honest, this kind of nationwide regulation is barely even conceptually possible at this stage in the US, which is busy destroying the Environmental Protection Agency and preparing to drill, baby, drill as much as possible.

[MIKA27]

‘Demonic’: James Wan’s Long-Awaited Horror Flick To Air On Spike TV

News coming out of Bloody Disgusting: James Wan’s long-idling horror flick, Demonic to finally be released in the U.S…on Spike TV.

This flick has been sitting on the shelf for quite some time, having finished production before the summer of 2013. While beloved director Wan is the producer on this film, it does have Captain America and The Purge: Anarchy‘s Frank Grillo and Prisoners and A History of Violence’s Maria Bello both star in this film. The director is Will Canon, who co-wrote it with Max La Bella and Doug Simon.

A weird detail is that Dimension Films has pushed this film through to a short theatrical release and a DVD release in places like the UK, Germany, Japan, and Brazil in 2015, but not the United States until now. Even then, an edited and commercial-filled premiere on Spike TV is an odd place to air an U.S-made film in its country of origin. Then again, Dimension keeps pushing back Amityville: The Awakening, so maybe they’re just scared of their own horror films (or how they’ll do at the box office). When Demonic landed in the hands of film critics, it hasn’t had the warmest reception.

The premise of the film, for those who haven’t heard of this obscure and unreleased horror film, follows a police detective (Grillo) being called to a house to investigate the death of three people. There is a survivor who claims that they died after an attempted seance to summon the spirits of those who died in the house, and two of his friends are still missing — one of which is his pregnant girlfriend. The detective seeks the aid of a criminal psychologist, played by Maria Bello, and the two parcel through tapes to discover what really happened. So it’s another g-g-g-ghost film shot as a found footage/traditional film hybrid.

Found footage is a style that has caught a lot of flack in recent years after some underwhelming releases using it. Like any other style, there are those who are adept and those who aren’t. The original Blair Witch Project still holds up, Cloverfield, despite its flaws, is at least an atmospheric and daring film, and the original Rec is a damn masterpiece.

Demonic will air on Thursday, July 27th at 8 p.m. EST. It will hit DVD, Blu-ray, etc. on October 10th, and it is expected to get a Netflix release not long afterwards.

 

[MIKA27]

WATCH KEANU REEVES DEMOLISH TARGETS IN HIS LATEST GUN RANGE TRAINING

The world was in awe when they witnessed Keanu Reeves decimating targets with extreme precision and prejudice in preparation for John Wick 2.

Well now you can relive some of that sweet Gun-Fu action with the latest Director’s Cut from Taran Tactical Innovations, the guys who helped train the 52-year-old actor into becoming the now-iconic character.

The latest video is three and a half minutes of pure firearm bliss and probably a nightmare for gun control advocates. Nonetheless there’s something oddly therapeutic about watching Reeves go through the deadly motions in his usual stoic charm. 

One could play Mozart in the background and they’d feel right at home. We suppose they don’t call him ‘The One’ for nothing.

 

[MIKA27]

ANDY WARHOL: THE IMPOSSIBLE COLLECTION

Andy Warhol has been both popular and polarizing since the beginnings of his career, but there's one thing everyone can agree on: his pioneering, dynamic styles in art and commerce have left a lasting legacy. For the first time, the less-known works and projects — sculpture, photography, and film — are being brought together with his biggest hits in The Impossible Collection, a printed compendium of pop art appreciation that demands to be seen. Measuring in at 14 x 17 inches with over 100 illustrations and housed in a luxury clamshell case, it's sure to become a highlight of your coffee table reads. $845.00