30 mins of 90's cartoon intros

If you're around my age this will probably take you back to those good old Saturday mornings. Make sure you have some time set aside because this is a little over 30 mins long.

Book Adaptations

So I got to thinking yesterday what book or book series would you like to see adapted to the big screen? It can be something that is in production or something that might never see the light of day. Here’s my list so far.

C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy

Now I know this would be incredibly challenging and require a lot of alterations but I really enjoyed the story and atmosphere of these books.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

I know that this film is in pre-production-hell and has been for several years, but this classic book would make for a really great original sci-fi film.

I, Jedi by Michael A. Stackpole

Of course this would have to come straight from Lucasfilm but the book’s story was good enough to stand apart from the franchise and it would probably exceed the prequels, at least story-wise.

This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti

Although I read the book a couple of years ago I really enjoyed it and could definitely see a worthy film adaptation, of course with a decent budget.

The Raft by Robert Trumbull

I’m not sure exactly how this would work on the big screen but I absolutely loved this survival story back when I read it.

Here, There be Dragons by James A. Owen

A fun and interesting fantasy that not only pays homage to Lewis and Tolkien but uses them as the main characters in the story. Last I heard, Harry Potter Producer David Heyman was involved with bringing this to the big screen.

Halo: The Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund

If the Halo movie ever does get off the ground I hope they start with this story first, because I believe it would make a much better movie than a strict adaptation of the first game.

Post your picks in the comments

How would you like to get hit by this?

Not looking good

This is not what I wanted to see when I went to the weather channel. Click for more.

The 2008 Olympics

I’ll be the first to say that I really don’t care about sports at all. I was never into them growing up and the rest of my family feels pretty much the same way. That is the number one reason why people who know me were surprised at my evening devotion to the Olympics. As I was watching I began to think of the reason as to why the Olympics are my exception to sports viewing. One of the main reasons is that it truly is a global event where other countries participate in a common goal. That point really hit home during the opening ceremony (more on that in a minute). It really just gives you some perspective on how many people share the earth with us and how different their backgrounds are.

Another reason is that the Olympics were the only time that we ever watched sports growing up and I have good memories of all of us gathering around the couch in the evenings and cheering our fellow country men and women on. I still remember watching the Olympic Torch being carried through our neck of the woods before the Georgia Games in 1996. During the 2000 Sydney Olympics I remember watching it at my grandparents’ house and it was just a whole lot of fun. My grandma would always bring us chocolate ice cream at around 10 o’clock and she’d say “It’s never too late for ice cream”. And indeed it wasn’t.

So sitting down and watching the Olympics this year really brought back a lot of those good old memories. This year’s Olympics haven’t been a letdown either. The opening ceremony alone was unlike anything I’ve ever seen and I can’t even imagine what it would have been like to be sitting in the actual stadium. You’d almost have to come up with a new superlative to describe it because words like, incredible, amazing, astounding and groundbreaking just don’t do it. I was left with the same sense of wonder and awe during the closing ceremony.

Just the individual stories this year were awesome, the whole Michael Phelps thing and the deal with the men’s indoor volleyball coach. It really makes the games all that more compelling.

I think Volleyball, Gymnastics, BMX Racing and Mountain Biking were some of my favorite things to watch this year. But even watching swimming was interesting this year due to Mr. Phelps.

All in all I really look forward to the next Olympics that is going to be hosted by London in 2012, and I probably won’t watch any other sports until then.

-Dane

The Japan craziness continues

This time with none other than Mr. Harrison "Han-Solo" Ford.

The Skunk

This is old but nonetheless awesome. It's really funny seeing how people react to things differently.

Geometry Wars 2 Sig

Just go to mygamercard.net, type in your gamertag and then select geometry wars 2 signature.

Jesus was Left4Dead

This idea sort of came to me while I was trying to go to sleep. It's a parody of the XBOX 360 and PC zombie game coming out in November called Left4Dead. If you want you have my permission to use it.

Japanese Bruce Willis

Well minus the muscle and height that is.....

Michael Phelps FTW

I saw this on the inter webs today and it made me laugh. Thanks to Veetus for bringing this to my attention.

Schwarzenegger in a Japanese commercial

San Francisco Invasion

This is extremely well done.

Fun times with Fay.

The trash cans are still standing!

Yes that is a floating fire ant hive.

Thanks a lot Fay.

Wrath of the Lich King Cinematic

The Blizzard team never ceases to awe me with their incredible movie quality cinematics. I truly believe that they should make a full length film, especially after watching their latest creation. Check it out here in it's HD glory!

Force Unleashed Demo is out!

Wow, this game has really blown me away. I was really looking forward to it but I didn't expect it to be quite this good. The demo includes one of the first levels and it's not super long but this game has a high replay value. In fact I've already played through it three times. The new tech running in this game is phenomenal and is really going to change the way that games are played. If you own an Xbox 360 or a PS3 go download the demo now!

Star Wars according to a 3 year old.

This has been floating around for a while but I thought I'd post it for those of you who may have missed it.

McCain Green Screen

This cracks me up every time.

Cool Iris

This is a really fun and innovative way to browse media on the web. It only works on a handful of websites like youtube, facebook and flickr. But if you want to add some spice to your web browsing then I would definitely recommend it.

http://www.cooliris.com/

Muppet Rick Roll

Excellent editing.

The Harvest Crusade has Begun

Last night's service has been archived and you can catch it live tonight and tomorrow night, just click the banner above.

Willy Wonka Recut

崖の上のポニョ Ponyo on the Cliff Review

Note: Due to the fact that the film has only been released in Japan I will not be giving away any of the story.

So far very few companies in the film industry have a track record that can match that of Studio Ghibli. Founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki, Studio Ghibli has released a number critically acclaimed films that are adored by animation and film lovers all around the world. Just as with Pixar whenever a Ghibli film is released I always find myself crossing my fingers and hoping that the film will live up to the pedigree set by previous works. Well, I finally had the opportunity to see Ponyo and I was met once again with that apprehension, but after the opening credits those feelings began to dissipate.

Ponyo’s story is not as deep as some of Miyazaki’s other films like “Spirited Away” or “Princess Mononoke”. It is very simple and a great portion of the beginning of the film lacks a lot of dialog, but just like Pixar’s “Wall-E” this allows the film’s incredible animation to shine forth even stronger, and what incredible animation it is!

Miyazaki brings so much heart into this film that it just radiates through the characters onscreen. Just like his previous works Miyazaki reminds us adults of what it is like to be a kid again. It still amazes me that a man in his 70’s has been able to hold on to some of those memories and feelings and then express them in such a poignant way.

Instead of going for a hyper realistic animation style for the water effects Miyazaki delivers a beautiful and swaying world that makes you just want to dive into the screen. Some of the scenes are just breathtakingly fantastic and very dreamlike in their execution. The water comes alive and flows intelligently like paint on a canvas. But it’s the subtleties in the character’s movements and expressions that really bring the story to life like only Miyazaki and his team can do. One of the aspects that really compliments the on screen animation is of course Joe Hisaishi’s musical score.

I like to refer to Joe Hisaishi as Japan’s answer to John Williams, but in reality this is an unfair comparison for both of them especially considering that both have completely different ways of communicating through music. Mr. Hisaishi really brings a fantastic and unique style that just fits perfectly with Miyazaki’s films. The syncing of music, emotions and animation are spot on and doesn’t just compliment the film but rolls two different mediums into one beautiful package. From the angelic chorus, to the piano pieces and then the catchy theme song interwoven throughout the film, Joe has created another memorable score.

For a film that could very well be his last, Mr. Miyazaki has gone back to his light hearted and whimsical style

with a story about a boy and a fish. Much like the story of a young girl on a broom, or two sisters and their dad in the country side, this is a story that will live in the hearts of children and allow adults to reminisce about their own childhoods. Ponyo doesn’t have a US release date yet but according to an interview with the film’s producer Toshio Suzuki, it seems that Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy have been selected as the film’s US producers. So we can speculate on seeing the English version here in the states in about a year or so.

95/100

-Dane Gustafson

"Prince" Pushed to Summer '09

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince has officially been moved from a Holiday '08 release to Summer '09. This saddens me a little but it's not like we haven't had enough good films this year. Read the full article over at IGN.

TV news anchor gets Rick Roll'd

Somehow I missed this.

Ponyo Review Imminent

I've seen it! Ponyo review should be up either tomorrow or day after.

Subtitle Movie!

Make your own here.

Star Trek Online

Could this be Sci-Fi's answer to World Of Warcraft? Well they certainly have a good universe to pull from but I wonder how it will all work out? My brief encounter with Star Wars: Galaxies left a bitter taste in my mouth when it comes to Sci-Fi MMO's. I do know one thing for sure, if I wanted to even try this out I'd probably need a new PC. Check out the debut trailer below.

Slo-Mo Lightning

GOW2 Violence and Language Filter

I really wish more developers would catch on and do this too. I personally know a lot of people who are more willing to buy games if some of the mature content is optional. Of course this is really nothing new to Epic, they've been doing this in the Unreal franchise for a while and the original Gears Of War had some watered down filters. Hit the jump for more info.
Read IGN's article.

Call of Duty 5 Co-op

When I first heard they were going back to WWII after creating such a fantastic modern day shooter I thought that the CoD franchise was taking a turn for the worse. But if this new video is any indication of what we can expect from the final product then I don't think we have to worry. Not to mention Jack Bauer is in it. (Warning there is some strong language).

Fantastic Contraption

Prepare to lose a couple hours of your day.

Firefox vs. Internet Explorer, Netscape and Safari

I've recently switched over to Firefox and while I don't hate IE I thought this video was hilarious.

Totoro Project

This site has some really amazing artwork
and it's all for a good cause. Check it out!

Montauk Monster

In this first photo (above) it looks like some quadrupedal animal with beak like jaws on its face, leading some people to believe that it is some sort of sea turtle without a shell. Now the second photo (below) that the press has sort of brushed over looks much more canine like and the "beak" is apparently bone from the skull that has been revealed due to the decomposition of the body. Either way it is extremely hard to identify exactly what this creature is because of the state of the body. But I personally believe that it is a pit bull or some other variation of canine, of course I could be wrong. Click here for more.

The March of the Unqualified

Pauline Baynes has passed away

Wayne Hammond reports the death of Baynes at her home in Surrey. She was 85 years old. Pauline Baynes was the original illustrator of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia series, as well as of Tolkien's Farmer Giles of Ham (1948), The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book (1962), and Smith of Wootton Major (1967).

Read More

This is Epic

It's time to start digging in the sofa for some extra cash because this baby will set you back $379.

Link

Let's put a smile on that face.

Geometry Wars 2 Review

The gameplay formula for geometry wars is simple, throw a ton of colorful little shapes at you and see how long you can survive. Geometry Wars 2 takes that idea and expands upon it by giving you more game modes and better colorful shapes to shoot at. The new game modes really breathe new life into the game making it a true sequel and not just Geometry wars 1.5.

I really like all of the new game modes but my favorite besides the original Evolved is the new Pacifist mode. Pacifist is a mode that leaves you without the use of your guns and requires you to fly through little gates to destroy the enemy.

Another great little feature is the use of your Xbox Live friend’s list in-game. While playing a certain mode your friend’s name will pop up in the top right corner of the screen displaying his or her score on that particular game mode. Once you beat that person’s score then the next highest friend will pop up. It makes the game really fun and competitive and I spent a lot of time trying to get the best score out of everybody on my friends list.

My only real complaint with the game is the lack of online multiplayer. In this day and age it just doesn’t make any sense. It’s great that you can do it locally, but if they had the time to add it locally they should have spent a little extra time and make it work over Live.
Other than that little qualm I think that if you enjoyed the first game or you like old school arcade games in the same vein as asteroids, then you should pick this game up. It’s a little pricey at 800 MS points ($10) but it is well worth the money spent.

9/10