Saturday's Best Deals: Custom Timbuk2 Bags, Wi-Fi Range Extender, LifeStraw, and More

March 18, 2017, 7:30 am

≫ Next: Zelda Fanatic Controls His Dang House With an Ocarina

≪ Previous: 'BBC Dad' Interview Gets Inevitable Star Wars Parody

Custom Timbuk2 bags, TP-Link range extenders, and a hand vacuum for pet owners lead off Saturday’s best deals.

Bookmark Kinja Deals and follow us on Twitter to never miss a deal.

Top Tech Deals

Wi-Fi range extenders can’t work miracles, but if there’s one spot in your house with spotty coverage, they can be a much cheaper solution than buying a new router. So at $22, why not give this one a try? That’s within a couple bucks of an all-time low.

Every modem rental fee you pay to your ISP is padding for their bottom line, and a total rip-off for you. Fortunately, you can buy your own modem for a relatively small upfront cost, and knock a few bucks off your monthly bill.

There used to be a general consensus that Motorola’s SB6141 was the best modem for most cable internet subscribers, but the newer SB6183 is supports double the maximum download speeds (686mbps), which is important for future-proofing purposes, if nothing else.

If wall-mounting your TV has been a permanent fixture on your to-do list for years now, this $28 VonHaus mount can articulate in any direction, and hold TVs up to 100 pounds, so no more excuses.

Mpow Portable Battery Case for Bluetooth Headphones, $11 with code SDPHVWJX

The advent of inexpensive Bluetooth headphones has been a net positive, but there’s no getting around it: They’re a pain in the ass to charge.

Luckily, Mpow’s new headphone carrying case includes a built-in 800mAh battery and microUSB cable, so you can recharge your earbuds while simultaneously keeping them from getting lost or tangled in your bag. Yeah, you’ll still need to recharge the case, but this definitely makes Bluetooth earbuds a simpler option while traveling.

Sony MDR1000X Noise-Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones, $348

Sony’s MDR line of Bluetooth headphones sold like gangbusters during Deals Week, but if you were holding out for noise cancelling models, Amazon’s rewarding your patience today with a $50 discount on the top-of the line MDR100x.

These headphones have all the features you’d expect in a good pair of Bluetooth headphones these days: NFC pairing, 20+ hour battery life, and even LDAC Hi-Res audio compatibility. But the secret sauce here is noise cancellation, including a special mode that lets ambient voices through either at all times, or just when you cup a hand over the right earcup. $348's still a pretty penny, but it’s the largest discount Amazon’s ever listed on this model in its 6+ months of existence.

Kmashi Quick Charge 2.0 20,000mAh Battery, $19 with code HP5DKI9O

$19 is a very good price for any 20,000mAh USB battery pack. But when you consider that this one includes Quick Charge 2.0 for your Android devices, it’s a no-brainer. You should be able to get 4-5 phone charges out of this thing, making it perfect for sharing during a long flight or camping trip.

Velocifire Tenkeyless Mechanical Keyboard, $28 with code HYVFPVEN | Full-Width, $38 with code SNTX546Z

You’ve probably heard a lot of fuss about mechanical keyboards lately, and if not, you’ve at least heard the clicking. If you’re curious to try one yourself without dropping a bunch of money, you can get a tenkeyless Velocifire model for $28, or a full-width keyboard for $10 more today.

The keys don’t use name brand Cherry MX switches, but the switches it does include should closely mimic Cherry MX Brows, which are easy to press and quieter than most other switches, making them popular for office use.

Lamicall Adjustable Phone Stand, $8 with code UVUCS8E3

Earlier this week, our readers bought thousands of phone stands from Lamicall for $6. That deal is still available with promo code 6VGBXP2D, but now, you can get an adjustable model for $2 more with code UVUCS8E3.

Anker 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Kit, $10 with code E3DWNLGE

Phone cameras will never have true interchangeable lenses, but you can still take fisheye, wide angle, and macro photos with this 3-in-1 clip-on lens kit from Anker. Be sure to check out the sample photos uploaded by customers to get an idea of what this kit is capable of.

Vansky White Bias Light, $10 with code CCT8XE05 | Vansky RGB Bias Light, $12 with code CCT8XE05

Bias lights can make just about any TV look better, and you can get a set for just a few bucks today on Amazon.

If you aren’t familiar, Vansky’s LED bias light strips plug directly into your TV’s USB port for power, and stick to the back of the set via built-in adhesive. Once you turn your TV on, the light strip will cast a soft glow on the wall behind it, which can reduce eyestrain when watching in the dark, and improve your TV’s perceived black levels.

We’ve posted deals on these several times now, but today’s $12 (RGB) and $12 (white) price points are some of the best we’ve ever seen. Just be sure to use code CCT8XE05 at checkout to get the deal.

Top Home Deals

Ninja’s new high-end coffee maker has all the bells and whistles you could want in a coffee machine, and you can pick one up for $100 today on Amazon.

The headlining feature here is Ninja’s Auto-iQ system, which automatically adjusts the water level based on the brew size and type you select, but you’ll also get a permanent filter, milk frother and tumbler in the box. Just note that this deal is only available today, so don’t sleep on it.

$50 Cold Stone Creamery Gift Card, $40 with code COLDSTONE

This deal is a bit oddly timed given the weather of the last week, but your discounted Cold Stone gift card will be waiting for you once it’s warm enough out to enjoy it.

If you’ve ever thought about pulling out your blender to make a smoothie, sauce, or dip, and then held off because you didn’t want to clean/reassemble/cut your fingers on a million different blender parts, this deal is for you.

The big advantage of an immersion blender is that unlike a traditional blender, you can dip it into whatever container you were already using to hold your ingredients; be it a single-serve cup or a huge mixing bowl. That saves you time, and means fewer dishes to clean up once you’re done. Reviewers also say it chops through everything from fruit to ice cubes with no trouble, so it really can be a full blender replacement for most use cases.

A $40 hand vac might not seem all that notable, but this is one of the only ones I’ve seen with a motorized brush to loosen up pet hair from your couches and car seats. Of course, you can also swap in standard crevice and upholstery tools if the job calls for them.

4-Pack Pet Seat Belts, $7 with code N4OQGQAC

If you want to keep your furry friends in the backseat where they belongs on your next road trip, these dog seat belts clip into most standard seat belt buckles on one end, and a dog harness on the other.

A few things here: First, these aren’t designed to keep your dog safe in an accident, if that wasn’t obvious. They’re meant to keep her from jumping into the front seat to tell you she loves you while you’re merging onto the highway. Second, use a dog harness instead of a collar, just in case you get into a fender bender or have to come to a hard stop. Third, use promo code N4OQGQAC to get a 4-pack for $7.

Leeo Smart Alert Smoke/CO Remote Alarm, $30

Smoke and CO alarms can keep you safe while you’re at home, but they’re totally useless if something goes haywire while you’re away. Leeo fixes that by alerting you on your phone whenever they go off, and you can get yours for just $30 today, or about $20 less than usual.

To be clear, Leeo isn’t a smoke or CO alarm on its own; it’s basically an internet-connected microphone that listens for your existing alarms. It can also alert emergency services and/or neighbors if you’re away from your phone, and it even operates as a full RGB night light that you can control from your phone or via IFTTT. That’s a ton of features for the price.

Before you go out and flush $30 down the drain on a Yeti Rambler, check out this RTIC alternative for just $10 on Amazon today, within a dollar of the best price Amazon’s ever listed. It uses the same vacuum-insulated stainless steel construction, and according to this YouTube video at least, actually keeps ice frozen for longer. No-brainer.

Note: It’s listed as an add-on item, but if you look on the sidebar for other sellers, you can buy it from RTIC directly with free (albeit slower) shipping, without adding any extra items to your cart.

OxyLED OxyMas Stage Light, $8 with code 1OXYST01

I wouldn’t normally post a rotating RGB stage light like this, but hell, it’s $8 and it includes a microphone so it can spin at the same speed as your music. Loan it to one friend for a wedding, and that’s money well spent.

Vansky USB Rechargeable LED Flashlight, $15 with code ZK9BWQ3K

We’re quite familiar with LED flashlight deals, and this is one of the cheapest we’ve seen that includes the ability to recharge over USB. And since the battery is just a removable 18650 (included, which is rare), you can also swap in spares if you’re off the grid.

Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker, $34

Everyone should own a slow cooker, and more specifically, everyone should own a programmable slow cooker. If you’re going to be at work for nine hours, but your recipe only calls for six hours of cooking, these will automatically switch to warm mode at the time of your choosing, so you can walk in the door and enjoy a delicious dinner.

This 6-quart model from Crock-Pot is Amazon’s top seller, and $34 is a match for an all-time low.

Not only is the new WeMo Mini Smart Plug smaller than the top-selling original so as to only cover one outlet, it’s also cheaper. You’ll almost always see it available for $35, but today on Amazon, it’s knocked down to $30.

Despite its diminutive size, this includes all the same features as the full-sized WeMo Switch, including IFTTT support, Alexa compatibility, and an Away mode that will randomize your lights to deter ne’er-do-wells.

Top Lifestyle Deals

Another huge sale from Timbuk2 brings a ton of their excellent bags down to hard-to-resist levels. All custom bags (if you didn’t know you could get a custom bag, now you do) are up to 40% off. Check out all the styles you can choose from here.

So, how do you redeem your discount? Start with your base bag, whether it’s their new Folsom Laptop Backpack, or the ever-popular Classic Messenger Bag. Then hit the customize button and go to town making your own one-of-a-kind Timbuk2 bag. Show us your designs in the comments.

Whether you spend a lot of time camping, or just want to be prepared for an increasingly plausible apocalypse, the LifeStraw Family 1.0 can purify nearly 5,000 gallons of water in its lifetime with no electricity, iodine, chlorine, or other chemicals. That’s enough water to last a family of four for three years.

The oral thermometer probably didn’t need to be reinvented, but if you’re the kind of person who likes everything to be smartphone-connected, Kinsa’s smart thermometer works with both iOS and Android, and is down to $15 today.

Kinsa markets this as a kids thermometer, mostly because it only takes 10 seconds to get a reading, and its smartphone app includes a little bubble popping minigame that kids can play while they wait, but it’s a neat little gizmo for sick people of any age.

The app automatically tracks your temperature over time, and you can add your own metadata about symptoms and medication if you want a more complete record of your illness. Plus, if you own an iPhone, the temperature data is compatible with Apple’s HealthKit.

Dry shampoo has become a necessity these days (when used sparingly). Grab a 3-pack of Batiste, your favorite dry shampoo, for only $16 when clip the $1 off coupon and sign up for Subscribe & Save (you can always cancel) and make sure you never have greasy roots again.

While the East Coast is still sort of recovering from the snow fall (with more to come this weekend, of course), Marmot is thinking about getting you outside and get you geared up for less. Take 60% off outerwear, bottoms, layering pieces, and more, for everyone in the family. It’s like Christmas for the outdoorsy people in your life.

Right now, Nordstrom Rack is having a pretty extensive Adidas sale, with discounts on shoes for men and women, bags, and tons of socks, plus men’s activewear, and kids’ sizes. With prices this low, these will go fast, even before the sale itself ends in three days.

It’s not quite Clear the Rack, but it is an extra 25% off select discounted items from Nordstrom Rack (prices reflect discount). This one is a sale full of winter staples, like outerwear, boots, and cold weather accessories, plus some other random pieces thrown in as well. End of the season means discounts, just in time for you pack them away for next winter.

Extra 30% off clearance items with the code EXTRA30

Another day, another J.Crew Factory markdown. This time, get an extra 30% off all clearance styles with the code EXTRA30. J.Crew Factory is basically always on sale, but it works even better when they have extra discounts, so if you haven’t stocked up on workwear staples and outwear galore, maybe this one will change your mind.

$5 Off Sonicare Brush Heads. Discount shown at checkout.

Our readers have purchased a ton of Sonicare toothbrushes over the years, so today, it’s time to stock up on replacement brush heads. Pretty much every style Sonicare makes is $5 off, just remember that you won’t see the final price until checkout.

Top Media Deals

Six Month Rolling Stone Subscription, $1

For one day only, Amazon will sell you a six month subscription to Rolling Stone for just $1, no strings attached. You even get to choose between a digital and print subscription.

Legend of Korra: The Complete Series, $30

Legend of Korra was one of the best shows on TV during its time, let alone one of the best anime series, and you can own all four seasons on Blu-ray for just $30, courtesy of Amazon.

Top Gaming Deals

Sphero’s BB-8 RC droid remains one of the coolest toys ever made, and now that its Force Band can also control your home through IFTTT, it’s even more enticing.

Today only, Amazon will sell you the BB-8 and the band together for $145. The band alone usually costs $72, so adding the adorable rolling droid for $73 seems like a no-brainer to me.

Keten 2-Pack 6' NES Classic Extension Cords, $8 with code X9REC3WB

Nintendo, ever intent on fumbling on the one yard line, made the otherwise-excellent NES Classic’s controller cables shorter than Trump’s fingers. Luckily, you can get a pair of 6' extension cables for just $8 today with promo code X9REC3WB. You can even chain them together if your couch is really far away from the TV.

Just Cause 3 isn’t without its flaws, but if the idea of a massive open world where you can fly jets, skydive in a wing suit, and blow up basically anything appeals to you, it’s definitely worth $20. Amazon has it on sale for PS4, but Xbox One owners will need to go to Toys R Us.

Xbox One S Controller + Metal Gear Solid V, $40

$40 is about as cheap as Xbox One controllers ever get, but today, that gets you a controller and a copy of Metal Gear Solid V. That’s not even, like, a terrible game that they’d be trying to get rid of. It’s pretty good!

The shockingly dark Batman Arkham Knight is one of the few video games based on a superhero that’s worth playing, and you can download a copy to your PS4 for $10, or the premium edition with the DLC season pass for $18.

↧

Zelda Fanatic Controls His Dang House With an Ocarina

March 17, 2017, 3:13 pm

≫ Next: Robb Stark Is a Space Priest in Amazon's Promising Pilot Oasis

≪ Previous: Saturday's Best Deals: Custom Timbuk2 Bags, Wi-Fi Range Extender, LifeStraw, and More

OK, you think you like the Legend of Zelda? You don’t. Not compared to this guy. His entire goddamn house is ocarina-operated now, and if he forgets to bring a plastic toy instrument with him he’s probably locked out. So suck on that, I guess.

In all seriousness, this is a really impressive and complicated build. The Raspberry Pi-based system is able to recognize a variety of tunes from Zelda games, all of which correspond to different actions like unlocking the front door, turning up the thermostat, flipping the lights on, or watering some house plants via a little pump mechanism. There’s wifi-enabled modules spread all around, so the Song of the Sun will fill the house with light no matter what room it’s being played in.

Other than having to carry around an ocarina always and forever, my main concern would be forgetting and/or mixing up songs and overwatering the plants while I’m just trying to get the door unlocked. But hey, that’s what separates the real fans from the casuals.

[YouTube]

↧

Robb Stark Is a Space Priest in Amazon's Promising Pilot Oasis

March 18, 2017, 9:45 am

≫ Next: Any Live-Action Mulan Without 'I'll Make a Man Out of You' Is Simply a Tragedy

≪ Previous: Zelda Fanatic Controls His Dang House With an Ocarina

It’s pilot season, and Amazon is again asking viewers to suggest which of their shows should move forward this year. One of them is Oasis, a scifi drama about a chaplain who helps bring religion to a dying space colony. Also, God might be there. Or aliens. Or both. It’s kind of hard to tell at this point.

Oasis stars Game of Thrones’ Richard Madden as Peter, a priest with a past who’s asked to travel to Oasis, a distant space colony that’s supposed to be humanity’s last hope (in 25 years, our entire planet’s gonna go to shit... so we all have that to look forward to). The corporate-sponsored colony is presented as a sustainable utopia for the 1%, an Elysium-type paradise that’s also proudly free of religion. Only problem is, Oasis is far from perfect. The crops are dying, the station’s leader has vanished, and oh... people keep oddly killing themselves like they forgot The Happening sucked.

As Peter grows accustomed to his new life on Oasis, along with his dyslexic botanist buddy played by Haley Joel Osment, he grows more worried that something truly strange is going on. Colonists keep having visions of people and animals close to them, leading them to hurt or even kill themselves. This episode’s victim is Mark Addy, who previously shared screen time with Madden as Robert Baratheon on Game of Thrones. His death came after an emotional confessional scene between Addy and Madden, easily the best in the episode because those two can act circles around everything else. Then, he walked into a drill, and I was pissed. Dammit, another Baratheon gone too soon.

The pilot ends with more questions than answers. The interim station manager has seized command, Peter’s having visions of his dead wife, and no one’s explained what’s actually in the “Turkey Surprise.” It’s obvious something metaphysical is going on, but right now there’s no way of knowing who or what it actually is. At this point, it’s unclear how much Oasis will even follow the plot of The Book of Strange New Things, the 2014 novel it’s based on, which was about a preacher teaching aliens about Christianity.

The Oasis pilot has its flaws, as most pilots do, but it shows a lot of potential. It’s directed by Kevin MacDonald, who previously did The Last King of Scotland and 11.22.63, and it’s fantastically put together. The whole planet looks dangerous and foreboding, and MacDonald really makes you feel lost in space, but the limited sets of the inner colony do get repetitive. Madden sells every scene he’s in, giving Peter a lot of depth and sincerity, but most of the other colonists need more character development. They’re kind of two-dimensional stick figures at this point. Plus, and this is a minor nitpick, the score sounds like it was ripped straight out of Mass Effect... and even that soundtrack was inspired by other futuristic works.

Still, I definitely recommend checking Oasis out and sharing your thoughts with Amazon. Given the positive reception so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if this gets picked up for a season, and I’d be excited to see what they do with the show. I love seeing scifi stories that examine the relationship between faith and science, from Shepherd Book on Firefly to Netflix’s show The OA. On Sunday, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on one of Amazon’s other intriguing pilots, the vigilante comedy The Legend of Master Legend.

↧

Any Live-Action Mulan Without 'I'll Make a Man Out of You' Is Simply a Tragedy

March 18, 2017, 11:00 am

≫ Next: American Says In 2007 It's His Dream To Work At Nintendo, Winds Up In Credits For Breath Of The Wild

≪ Previous: Robb Stark Is a Space Priest in Amazon's Promising Pilot Oasis

Mulan director Niki Caro has broken my heart. Don’t get me wrong, she’s an amazing director, and I’m thrilled Disney is hiring more women like her to head their films. But she’s now saying the live-action Mulan most likely won’t have singing, which means no “I’ll Make a Man Out of You.” No, Mulan, NO.

In an interview with Moviefone, Caro confirmed that, as of now, there won’t be any songs in the upcoming remake. This matches what Disney did with 2015's Cinderella, since that barely had any singing, but it breaks “tradition” with the live-action Beauty and the Beast, which is a full-scale musical. Sources told Vulture that things could change in the future, but most signs point to little-to-no songs in the movie.

“Yes, from what I understand, no songs right now, much to the horror of my children,” Caro said.

Let me just say, as a rational adult, I completely understand why Disney wouldn’t want songs in the Mulan remake, and as a whole I think it’s a smart idea. They don’t want Mulan to be like Beauty and the Beast, a silly musical romp with magical clocks swinging on chandeliers. Caro wants “a big, girly martial arts epic,” with Sean Bailey (president of Motion Picture Production at Walt Disney Studios) wanting to add a touch of Ridley Scott-style production. Singing would take away from that.

None of that applies to “I’ll Make a Man Out of You.”

“I’ll Make a Man Out of You” is the most kick-ass song Disney ever produced in one of its musicals. Seriously, have you heard anything more perfect? I’m sure you’ll say you have, and you’ll let me know exactly what those preferred songs are, but I don’t care. “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” is pure action-adventure poetry. It’s Rocky and Enter the Dragon and Gymkata all rolled up in a yoga mat, making you feel like you’re working out even when you’re not. Plus, IT’S DONNY FUCKING OSMOND!

“Lets get down to business...”

“...to defeat...”

“...THE HUNS!”

I’m sure Mulan would be better off for not having musical numbers— hell, I’m of the mind that they should get rid of Mushu entirely and replace him with that chicken-chasing dog. But “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” transcends time and space. It’s the song to end all songs, the montage to end all montages, and the baddest mother-fucking Disney number on the planet.

“Mister, I’ll...”

“...make a man...”

“...out of YOUUUUUUUUUUU!” (and look he totally did!)

[Moviefone]

↧

American Says In 2007 It's His Dream To Work At Nintendo, Winds Up In Credits For Breath Of The Wild

March 18, 2017, 8:00 am

≫ Next: Watch How Tom Cruise Pulled Off Zero-G Plane Stunt for The Mummy

≪ Previous: Any Live-Action Mulan Without 'I'll Make a Man Out of You' Is Simply a Tragedy

Corey Bunnell, wildlife programmer for Breath of the Wild.

Everyone has a dream. Corey Bunnell’s was to one day work for Nintendo. But he wasn’t sure how to make that happen so he asked for advice one day on a forum. That was ten years ago. This month, Nintendo shipped The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with his name in the credits under “Wildlife Programming.”

Among the hundreds of Japanese names scrolling past at the end of the game, the words “Corey Bunnell” are hard to miss. Doing a Google search of the name, Reddit user Tizzlefix then found that Bunnell had once posted on the Translators Cafe forum asking for advice on how to study more and eventually work in Japan.

Posted on Sunday, October 7, 2007, the aspiring game designer wrote about his experience as an exchange student in Japan during high school and his desire to try and study there during college. He continued,

“My dream is to live in Japan and work for Nintendo as a game designer. I realize this is a very large goal but it has been my dream since I first played Mario. I need help figuring out how to achieve this goal. I know I would need to goto a game design school of some sort, and also get my Japanese to a level where I can speak and write professionally.”

One commenter to respond on the forum suggested he try to teach English there first. Moving from the states to Japan isn’t the easiest thing. The country can be very discriminating when it comes to issuing work visas to foreigners. But getting work in the country teaching a language and transitioning to becoming a university student can be more viable than most other paths.

Three years after posting on that forum, Bunnell was admitted to Japan’s Ritsumeikan University where he studied programming. In an alumni video posted a few years ago, Bunnell mentions the skills that he learned at the school and also that he was able to begin interning at a video game company and eventually go on to work there full time.

“I want to make a game that everyone can enjoy, the whole world,” Bunnell says toward the end of the video, and with his contributions to Breath of the Wild, I’d say he’s done exactly that. According to the staff database site Kyoto Report, Bunnell joined Nintendo in 2014, the same year he graduated from Ritsumeikan.

Bunnell also appears to be in a picture taken of some of the game’s development team that began circulating recently after this year’s Game Developers Conference. The guy in the pink shirt toward the back left certainly looks a lot like Bunnell from the video above.

His brother, Justin Bunnell, also tweeted the news of his brother’s long journey earlier today, writing “It’s amazing that my brother Corey Bunnell is doing exactly what he wanted to do. Awesome work ya bum!”

Everyone always used to try and pretend that they had an uncle who worked for Nintendo, but Bunnell took his passion for the company’s work to the next level and set out to actually one day work there himself. Not everyone’s dreams come true, but some do. Remember that next time you’re bouncing around the hill of Hyrule hunting wild boars.

↧

Watch How Tom Cruise Pulled Off Zero-G Plane Stunt for The Mummy

March 18, 2017, 1:30 pm

≫ Next: Pixar's Demo Reel From the '80s Is a Trip to the Digital Dark Ages

≪ Previous: American Says In 2007 It's His Dream To Work At Nintendo, Winds Up In Credits For Breath Of The Wild

A nausea-inducing behind-the-scenes featurette shows how Tom Cruise, Annabelle Wallis, and the crew defied gravity to bring a key scene from The Mummy to life. No Book of the Dead required.

When the first trailer for Universal’s The Mummy reboot came out, one of the most impressive moments was the scene where Cruise, Wallis, and a bunch of soldiers were being tossed around a crashing plane like a bunch of ragdolls. Turns out, Cruise came up with the idea to perform the stunt awhile ago... either because it was part of the script and he didn’t want to use a green screen, or he simply said, “Fuck it, let’s crash a plane in this movie because I wanna float in space.” Based on the director’s commentary, I’m leaning toward the latter.

“Tom said, ‘Yeah we’re gonna do it for real, we’re gonna get on a real plane and we’re gonna crash,’ and I thought, ‘This is just never gonna happen,’” director Alex Kurtzman said.

The crew converted a Zero-G plane from NoveSpace, a subsidiary of the French Space Agency, fitting it with specially designed padding to make it look like the inside of a airplane. They went on a series of parabolic flights, which take you thousands of feet in the air so you can float inside the aircraft. Each weightless session lasts about 20 seconds, which isn’t a long time to film. It’s amazing to see the actors, stunt doubles, and crew members floating around as they struggled to grab every shot they could. The result, though, is impressive... to say the last. The Mummy comes out June 9.

[ScreenRant]

↧

Pixar's Demo Reel From the '80s Is a Trip to the Digital Dark Ages

March 18, 2017, 1:43 pm

≫ Next: The Producer of Star Wars Rebels on Tonight's Incredible Episode

≪ Previous: Watch How Tom Cruise Pulled Off Zero-G Plane Stunt for The Mummy

Pixar may be known for its eye-popping animation and airtight storytelling these days, but in 1988 it was a struggling high-end computer manufacturer with a demo video aimed at boring government bureaucrats.

The Pixar Image Computer was cutting edge tech in the late ‘80s and it cost $135,000 a pop. Users also had to buy a $35,000 workstation from Sun Microsystems or Silicon Graphics to use the thing. At those prices, it would seem like Steve Jobs got a good deal when he paid George Lucas $5m for the company. Alas, the computer was still too pricey, even for the government. Only around 300 were ever sold.

The ‘80s don’t feel like they were that long ago but take a look at this behemoth in its half-tone print ad glory:

Odds are, your phone could smoke that big ass machine these days. But at the time it was impressive enough to blow away some of the greatest innovators of our time.

The graphics in the old demo video embedded below don’t exactly wow but they have a low-fi charm. What’s absolutely indefensible for a product from Pixar is how bad the video is overall. Generic voiceover, twinkly music, cringeworthy compositing, and a strange bearded man place this squarely in the Compuserve CD-ROM genre of advertisement. Thank god, John Lasseter came along and showed everyone at the company how to tell an engaging story.

↧

The Producer of Star Wars Rebels on Tonight's Incredible Episode

March 18, 2017, 6:00 pm

≫ Next: Chuck Berry, the First Rock n' Roller for Aliens, Dies at 90

≪ Previous: Pixar's Demo Reel From the '80s Is a Trip to the Digital Dark Ages

Obi-Wan Kenobi plays a major role in the latest Star Wars Rebels. All Images: Disney XD

The Star Wars canon changed forever Saturday night with the latest episode of Star Wars Rebels, “Twin Suns.” It was a massive episode in terms of character, Star Wars history, and precedent. So we simply had to talk to Dave Filoni, the executive producer of Rebels, to get the scoop on the Obi-Wan Kenobi/Darth Maul rematch... and that very surprising cameo.

There’s so much to discuss here, but let’s start with the biggest thing in terms of canon: Obi-Wan Kenobi kills Darth Maul. He’s dead. Gone. For good this time.

Since Filoni had decided to bring Darth Maul back in The Clone Wars originally, he felt a responsibility to end the former Sith apprentice’s story. So he and the Rebels production team checked with several members of the Lucasfilm Story Group to make sure there weren’t any future plans for the character in other Star Wars media. But for Maul, there really couldn’t be.

“If there’s a character like Maul running around during one of the old films, he’s such a big-time player you think there would have been an echo of that somewhere,” Filoni said. “So it was just the right time to tell the story and bring that thread to an end.”

Maul’s death comes very quickly and very decisively. Kenobi kills him with only a few short moves and Filoni knows that may be a controversial decision, but one he didn’t make lightly.

“It was a much-discussed thing on how that was gonna go down,” Filoni said. “The instinct would be, and probably, I admit, the expectation, is for some kind of prolonged lightsaber battle. But I’ve done a lot of prolonged lightsaber battles over the years and I think what’s most important about any kind of confrontation is what’s riding on it. What’s the tension going into it? It starts to matter less and less how you swing a sword or how creatively you do it if there’s not a lot riding on it.”

Filoni said the inspiration for the fight was Kyuzo, the master swordsman in Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, and his duel which he doesn’t want to fight because he knows it will be over quickly. Plus, Filoni saw an opportunity to really highlight their characters with a quick, decisive battle.

“I felt strongly Obi-Wan, if he could help it, would really rather not kill Darth Maul. Obi-Wan is at a point, in my mind, where he’s become rather enlightened. He’s been in the desert discovering who he is, really evolving as a character. He’s not that young brash kid that went into a fight with Maul out of anger for the fact his master was killed. It can’t be that same situation this is so many years later. Maul, for his part, is pretty much hung up on that exact moment. That’s where his life went wrong. He can’t let it go.”

Filoni hopes the duel, and the moments after, are the perfect representation of one of the most important conflicts in all of Star Wars.

“It really is to express the difference between the Jedi and the Sith. Which is the Jedi become selfless and the Sith remain selfish. When pressed, because Obi-Wan is protecting someone else in the end, he does fight. But because he is so true and knows who he is in that moment, you can’t defeat that. So Obi-Wan is going to strike down Maul because Maul is such a broken and lost person, which I think is why in the end you see Maul being cradled by Obi-Wan.
This idea is that Obi-Wan is willing to forgive this person who is so cruel and terrible because he feels pity for him. To his dying breath Maul is hoping there will be some revenge exacted upon his enemies. And in my mind, Obi-Wan expresses sadness there because that means that Maul has never grown and will never be released from his suffering. So I felt that moment had to be beyond a lightsaber fight and had to be more an expression of their characters.”

Also, you may not have noticed this, but Filoni pointed out a moment that showed how Obi-Wan has been ready for this fight since The Phantom Menace:

Maul tries to get Obi-Wan with a very similar move as he gets Qui-Gon. Which is he blocks and uses the blunt of his hilt to smack Qui-Gon in the face. So I had Maul try to do the same thing to Obi-Wan but again, to show growth, Obi-Wan is ready for that and slices it right in half. That slicing of the lightsaber hilt is to represent Maul being sliced. But we all joked that maybe Obi-Wan should dice him up and bring him to other parts of the planet because he tends to come back, that crafty Maul. But not this time.

The binary sunset from Star Wars: A New Hope, which is directly referenced in the latest Rebels. Image: Fox

All throughout the episode, it’s mentioned that Obi-Wan is watching over someone, “the chosen one.” “He’ll avenge us all,” Maul says.

Obviously, there’s no question who they could be referring to. And at the end of the episode, we see Luke Skywalker running around as a little boy at the Lars homestead, with the binary sunset, and hear Aunt Beru calling him, along with iconic John Williams’ iconic score.

Filoni explained his decision to show Luke Skywalker wasn’t just for long-time Star Wars fans, but primarily for the new ones:

“We have to look at every episode of Rebels as if you’ve never seen Star Wars before. So if you think of it that way whenever Maul and Obi-Wan are talking about ‘The Chosen One’ or ‘Who are you protecting?’ if you never see or we don’t give the context of that, there are a lot of people who won’t know whats going on there. The Star Wars fan will but the average person will not. So at the very least the scene establishes, in its simplest form, there’s Obi-Wan, he was protecting someone, and there’s a woman yelling ‘Luke,’ and we see what we think of as a young boy running. ‘Oh, so Obi-Wan is protecting a boy named Luke.’ It’s designed to give you that specific bit of information that you need in the story.
Now, if you’re a fan and you go ‘OH MY GOD that’s Luke Skywalker, that’s even better. Now you’re getting the whole thing... But from a sensible story point you have to have that scene at the end to give some idea of what this old man is doing in the desert. You can’t rely on the Star Wars films as if they’ve been universally watched even though we know they’re pretty popular.”

Incidentally, the late actress Shelagh Fraser, who played Aunt Beru in the original 1977 film, actually voiced the character in the episode. Filoni said he believes they used one of her takes from the original filming of A New Hope. (If you were wondering, previous recordings of Alec Guinness were not used to voice Obi-Wan in the episode; voice actor Stephen Staunton is just that good.)

As fun as it is to talk about legacy characters like Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Maul, this is Star Wars Rebels after all. It’s not the story of those characters, it’s the story of young Jedi-in-training Ezra Bridger. Bridger is a key component in the episode, but how these events will change him remains to be seen.

“Season four will answer that,” Filoni promised. “Going into season four now Ezra has a much greater sense of who he is.... season three, in a lot of ways, has been about a quest for power, for true allies and true family. So you see most of the characters deal with that in season three.”

Filoni explained, however, that “power” means different things to different people. For the Sith it’s literal, but for the Jedi, it’s about selflessness and sacrificing to help others. “Ezra is taking a bigger step along that path, which is helping others,” Filoni said. “Which he has always wanted to do but knowing you should do that and knowing how to do that are vastly different things.”

Bridger’s involvement was so important to the director/writer/producer that he personally storyboarded the entire episode where Ezra walks out from the archway (above), all the way through the end credits.

I really wanted to get into the psychology of this moment and what it’s like for Ezra to commit to going out into this nothingness to find this man. And it’s a very searching moment. Mythically. Going out into the desert is almost like a purification thing. Traveling through fire, traveling through cold, coming out on the other side….It’s Obi-Wan. When it’s all on the line like that I have to be right there.

Star Wars Rebels wraps up next week with a two-part finale and then will be back later this year for its fourth season, already in production.

↧

Chuck Berry, the First Rock n' Roller for Aliens, Dies at 90

March 19, 2017, 7:15 am

≫ Next: Sunday's Best Deals: Tommy Hilfiger Accessories, Camping Gear, Bestselling Ebooks, and More

≪ Previous: The Producer of Star Wars Rebels on Tonight's Incredible Episode

Chuck Berry, the father of rock n’ roll, passed away Saturday at 90 years old. His music was sent to space for aliens to find, and for Back to the Future fans, he’s the guy on the phone who heard Marty McFly perform “Johnny B. Goode” and knew it would change the future. That’s right, Chuck Berry has transcended both space and time.

From the first guitar riff on, Berry ushered in a new era of rock n’ roll music across the world, inspiring The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and pretty much every other rock and blues musician we know. So it’s no surprise Carl Sagan agreed to add his iconic 1958 song “Johnny B. Goode” to the Golden Records on Voyager I and II, a 1977 time capsule that showcases the best and brightest of humanity for extraterrestrials... even though Berry’s music was considered “adolescent” at the time. He’s the only American rock musician on the record.

In the first Back to the Future film, Marty performed “Johnny B. Goode” at the Enchanted Under the Sea dance, because those darn kids wanted to dance and Michael J. Fox had already spent weeks learning how to play the song note-for-note. As Marty and The Starlighters performed this literally ahead-of-its-time song, injured guitarist Marvin Berry called his “cousin” and got him in on the ground level of that new sound that he himself had already invented. “Chuck, Chuck, it’s Marvin, your cousin Marvin Berry. You know that new sound you’re looking for? Well, listen to this!”

Berry passed away at his home about 45 miles outside St. Louis. He was working on a new album titled Chuck, set to be released in June, and was still performing live shows occasionally. It’s unknown whether any of the new songs will be released, but we’ve still got his lifelong collection of groundbreaking music... which could help us make First Contact one day. As Steve Martin showed on a 1978 episode of Saturday Night Live, future aliens will likely have one demand: “Send More Chuck Berry.”

[NY Times]

↧

Sunday's Best Deals: Tommy Hilfiger Accessories, Camping Gear, Bestselling Ebooks, and More

March 19, 2017, 7:30 am

≫ Next: Skull Island Director Originally Wanted to be a Total Dick to Previous Kongs

≪ Previous: Chuck Berry, the First Rock n' Roller for Aliens, Dies at 90

Tommy Hilfiger accessories, Coleman camping gear, and New York Times bestselling Kindle books lead off Sunday’s best deals.

Bookmark Kinja Deals and follow us on Twitter to never miss a deal.

Top Tech Deals

If you own a home theater PC, or just occasionally plug your laptop into your TV to watch videos, this wireless keyboard/trackpad combo is an ideal way to control it from across the room. It even seems to work with some smart TVs, but search the Amazon reviews for your specific model to be sure.

Update: Now up to $25, which is still a pretty solid price.

Wi-Fi range extenders can’t work miracles, but if there’s one spot in your house with spotty coverage, they can be a much cheaper solution than buying a new router. So at ~~$22~~, why not give this one a try? That’s within a couple bucks of an all-time low.

Bias lights can make just about any TV look better, and you can get a set for just a few bucks today on Amazon.

Top Home Deals

Contigo SnapSeal Byron Travel Mug 20 oz., $9 | 24 oz, $11

Contigo’s Autoseal West Loop travel mugs are a longtime reader favorite, but the similar SnapSeal Byron is marked down to great low prices today on Amazon.

You get to choose from either the 20 oz. or 24 oz. model in for this deal, though only in one color. When we post deals on these mugs, it’s usually the West Loop model, but the Byron’s a little bit different. Unlike the West Loop, the Byron’s lid doesn’t open and close automatically, though many reviewers say it’s easier to clean. The Byron also includes a rubberized non-slip sleeve, which is a nice touch, especially at these prices.

You know those safes that are bolted into the closets of hotel rooms? You can put one in your own home for $47.

Zestkit Tri-Blade Vegetable Spiralizer, $16

A vegetable spiralizer can cut your favorite fruits and vegetables into versatile stings and strands, and this particular model includes three different blades to adapt to different recipes, all for just $16.

Wool Dryer Ball 6-Pack, $12 | 3-Pack, $8

Update: Back in stock!

These dryer balls have an astounding 12,000 Amazon reviews at a 4.6 star average, and are unsurprisingly Amazon’s top-selling item in the fabric softener category. Like, good for them, but how does such a boring product get that much attention?

Top Lifestyle Deals

For one day only, Amazon’s offering huge markdowns on a variety of wallets, ties, and belts, and suspenders from Tommy Hilfiger to help you pull your outfit together.

Absolutely everything in the sale costs less than $23, so don’t be afraid to stock up and accessorize. Just remember that like all Gold Box deals, these prices are only available today, or until sold out.

It’s the perfect time of year for a camping trip, and Amazon’s celebrating with a huge sale on Coleman camping gear, including tents, sleeping bags, cooking supplies, and more. A few examples are below, but head over to Amazon to see the rest.

Top Media Deals

The theme for this weekend’s Kindle Gold Box is a simple one: New York Times bestsellers. Insider, you’ll find over 60 fiction and nonfiction titles—all of which are obviously very popular—marked down to just a few bucks each.

Legend of Korra was one of the best shows on TV during its time, let alone one of the best anime series, and you can own all four seasons on Blu-ray for just $30, courtesy of Amazon.

Top Gaming Deals

Tech

Anker PowerLine+ Micro USB (10ft) | $10 | Amazon
Toshiba - 43" Class (42.5" Diag.) - LED - 1080p | $230 | Best Buy
Logitech Wireless Touch Keyboard K400 | $18 | Amazon
Synology - RackStation 4-bay External Network Storage | $750 | Best Buy

Home

Lifestyle

Tommy Hilfiger Accessory Sale | Amazon
Coleman Camping Gold Box | Amazon
CAP Barbell Flat Weight Bench | $34 | Amazon
KEDSUM 6.8" 10x Magnifying LED Lighted Makeup Mirror | $18 | Amazon
20% off Full Price Items | Anthropologie | Must sign up for account

Media

Up to 85% off New York Times Bestseller Kindle Books | Amazon

Gaming

Guess Who? Board Game | $13 | Amazon

↧

Skull Island Director Originally Wanted to be a Total Dick to Previous Kongs

March 19, 2017, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Fan Film Makes Me Yearn for a Ms. Marvel Solo Flick

≪ Previous: Sunday's Best Deals: Tommy Hilfiger Accessories, Camping Gear, Bestselling Ebooks, and More

You’re not supposed to bite the hand that feeds you, but Kong: Skull Island was originally going to chew it up, spit it out, and dance on that poor hand’s grave. Thank Kong it didn’t happen.

Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts recently chatted with the Empire podcast about his new monster movie, which has made over $140M since its release on March 10. It’s a solid film that gives Kong some room to grow... literally and figuratively. The movie shines a new spotlight on the giant ape, making the character more powerful, threatening, and complex than he’s ever been before. But at first, that wasn’t going to be enough for Vogt-Roberts, who revealed his original studio pitch for the first scene in the film. Let’s just say it’s a little brutal.

“So it’s World War II. A full squad comes to this beach. They’re killing each other – and then suddenly, this giant monkey [that looks a lot like the monkey from the last King Kong movie] comes out of the jungle. And they just kill it. It’s dead. And you’re sitting there going, ‘Wait, did they just kill King Kong? Did they kill the hero of this film?’ And then you’d hear a roar and see a much bigger creature – the real King Kong. That was the crazy version of me wanting to send a message that this isn’t like other King Kong movies that you’ve seen. The studio were like: ‘You can’t do that.’”

I’m glad the studio nixed this opening because it seems mean-spirited as hell. The original 1933 King Kong movie is a modern classic, ranked as one of the best films of all time. The 2005 remake from Peter Jackson was a technological marvel, with some incredible motion capture acting by industry icon Andy Serkis, but its legacy is pretty mixed. Some love it, others loathe it, though most simply think it’s okay. And we’re not even going into the 1976 version, trust me I’m doing you a favor.

I’m sure Vogt-Roberts didn’t mean any harm by it, probably just wanted to start the movie off with a bang, but this would have been the wrong way to do that. If your movie is solid enough to stand on its own, which Skull Island is, there’s no reason to piss on the grave of its predecessors by burning an effigy to one of the most iconic characters of all time. Kong: Skull Island is far better off without it.

[Empire via /Film]

↧

Fan Film Makes Me Yearn for a Ms. Marvel Solo Flick

March 19, 2017, 9:45 am

≫ Next: Load Up Your Kindle With New York Times Bestsellers For $5 Or Less

≪ Previous: Skull Island Director Originally Wanted to be a Total Dick to Previous Kongs

Disney and Marvel might have the next several years already planned out, but after the second Avengers: Infinity War, they’re going to need to fill in some gaps. A fan film based on the adventures of Ms. Marvel makes a strong case for who should get a solo debut next.

YouTuber Anita Kalathara and Lansi Aponte have released a short fan film about Kamala Khan, the Pakistani-American teen who is Marvel’s first Muslim superhero. The five-minute film isn’t of the highest quality, but it does a great job at showing Kamala’s relationship with her family, powers, and faith. The dinner scene with Kamala and her family is especially well-done. I love how it portrays her dad’s not-so-subtle jab at Aamir to get a damn job.

Brie Larson will be playing Carol Danvers in 2019's Captain Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first female-led superhero film. Since Ms. Marvel was originally conceived as a female counterpart to Captain Marvel, who was traditionally a male character, it seems like a smart idea to introduce Kamala in Larson’s upcoming debut as the Captain. Could definitely set the stage for her own film, which would be simply super.

[YouTube]

↧

Load Up Your Kindle With New York Times Bestsellers For $5 Or Less

March 19, 2017, 8:13 am

≫ Next: Famed Comic Book Artist Bernie Wrightson Dies at 68

≪ Previous: Fan Film Makes Me Yearn for a Ms. Marvel Solo Flick

↧

Famed Comic Book Artist Bernie Wrightson Dies at 68

March 19, 2017, 11:15 am

≫ Next: YouTuber JonTron Tries To Clarify His Controversial Views On Race

≪ Previous: Load Up Your Kindle With New York Times Bestsellers For $5 Or Less

Bernie “Berni” Wrightson, a comic book artist known for his iconic Frankenstein illustrations and co-creating DC’s Swamp Thing, has passed away after battling brain cancer. The news was shared on his website by his wife, Liz Wrightson.

Wrightson had a long and accomplished history in comic book artistry. He co-created the character Swamp Thing for DC Comics with writer Len Wein, as well as Destiny, which was later featured in Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman. He worked on Spider-Man, Batman, and The Punisher, as well as painted covers for Nevermore and Toe Tags. In addition to comic books, he did conceptual art for films like Galaxy Quest, and worked a lot with Stephen King, drawing the poster for Creepshow and illustrations for the restored edition of The Stand.

One of his proudest accomplishments (beloved by many) would be the 50 pen-and-paper illustrations he crafted for a comics adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, working on it for seven years without pay because it was a labor of love. First published in 1983, it’s since gone down in comic book history as one of the greatest achievements by any artist in the field. So far, industry icons like Joss Whedon, Guillermo del Toro, and Gaiman himself have offered online tributes to Wrightson’s legacy.

↧

YouTuber JonTron Tries To Clarify His Controversial Views On Race

March 19, 2017, 11:00 am

≫ Next: Amazon's Legend of Master Legend Pilot Brings Real Life Superhero Down to Earth

≪ Previous: Famed Comic Book Artist Bernie Wrightson Dies at 68

Last week, YouTube personality Jon Jafari made a series of offensive remarks about race during a debate over on Steve Bonnell’s Twitch channel. Earlier today, he released a video on the Jon Tron Show YouTube channel to try and set the record straight.

“I said lots of stuff that could be misconstrued in all sorts of ways,” said Jafari, better known to his fans as JonTron. An alumnus of the let’s play group Game Grumps, the YouTuber has become better known for making comedy videos ever since he left the group in 2013.

In an effort to clarify statements like “if they immigrate they need to integrate, but also we don’t need immigrants from incompatible places,” and “I don’t think a pure society is possible, but in terms of a demographic majority, I don’t know that a nation can exist without one,” the YouTuber tried to lay out his views in a more prepared and ordered manner, away from the “pressure” of his almost two hour debate on Bonnell’s stream.

“I was trying to speak to the increasing tribalization of our culture,” said Jafari, and he believes the remarks brought up offhand late at night on a “random” Twitch stream viewed by tens of thousands of people didn’t accurately reflect this.

Specifically, he feels that the national discourse is too racialized, and that double-standards prevent people from recognizing “discrimination” against white people. “Discrimination certainly exists but I do believe it goes all ways,” he said. As evidence of this, Jafari pointed to a sketch by Samantha Bee, where she jokingly blames white people for Trump’s election. “I suppose you could guess the reaction if Samantha Bee said black people ruined America for voting overwhelmingly for Barack Obama, which they did both times,” he said. As far as Jafari is concerned, the “same standard” should apply in both examples.

Despite the perception by some that Jafari wants some form of racial segregation after talking about how “white people are aggressed against in their own nations,” the YouTuber says that he doesn’t think that white Americans are superior, and admitted the nation’s dark history regarding white supremacy. “We as a country have had a terrible history of dealing with race...from slavery to Jim Crow to even the Irish,” he said. At the same time, Jafari believes that people ignore “uncomfortable statistic[s]” that paint certain races in a bad light, like his unsubstantiated claim that wealthy black Americans commit more crimes than poor whites. Only whites get criticized for thinking in negative “racial categories,” he seems to feel.

The video is no doubt an attempt to quell the fears, frustration, or confusion of some fans who said his remarks about “demographic enclaves” and “immigration” have made them feel uncomfortable about supporting his channel going forward.

“People looking at this think I’m some kind of explicit ethno-nationalist, but I’m not,” Jafari said.

↧

Amazon's Legend of Master Legend Pilot Brings Real Life Superhero Down to Earth

March 19, 2017, 1:45 pm

≫ Next: Some Photos of Earth For Shaq, Who Thinks the Earth is Flat

≪ Previous: YouTuber JonTron Tries To Clarify His Controversial Views On Race

Amazon’s pilot season continues with The Legend of Master Legend, its latest addition to the superhero genre. However, this show is a big departure from The Flash or Luke Cage. There are no superpowers here, or billionaires with battering rams. This is the simple story of a vigilante trying to save his city. Oh, did I mention he’s real?

The Legend of Master Legend is a dark comedy based on Master Legend, a Real Life Superhero who was famously profiled in Rolling Stone back in 2008. In this loose adaptation, Master Legend, a.k.a Frank (John Hawkes), lives in Las Vegas (instead of Orlando) and spends his nights helping people on The Strip. He gives homeless people food, poses for pictures with fans, tries to stop evil-doers using an equal amount of diplomacy and fisticuffs. And he loves every second of it.

The only problem is, Frank’s real life is far from super. He lives out of a storage unit, using a thrown-out coffee pot to heat water for his showers, and works as a tree trimmer and handyman. He’s divorced from his wife Tana (Dawnn Lewis), who struggles to make ends meet as a buffet host and parking lot operator since he’s clearly not helping with the bills. And he’s completely out of touch with his teenage daughter Cody (Anjelika Washington), who’s exploring her identity as a queer woman... and stealing money from strangers. Then there’s Frank’s brother, Peanut Head, who immediately starts stirring shit up after being released from prison. His final scene hints at the show taking some pretty dark and unpleasant turns.

Hawkes is pitch-perfect in this role... even if the long black wig is noticeably fake. Frank is a diehard optimist, believing wholeheartedly in the work that he’s doing, but you can see the cracks growing in the veneer. Frank has dedicated so much of his life to Master Legend that he’s afraid of what would happen if the mask was taken away.

At one point, right before Frank unsuccessfully tries to convince Tana they should get back together, he’s standing in her kitchen, in his superhero suit, holding a bag of groceries. He’d just beaten up some guys because they tried to give his daughter beer (suggesting that he doesn’t always do the right thing). As a result, a police officer took one of his weapons away. Tana asks him to take the suit off, but he slowly replies, “It’s all I got.” You can see it on his face. This is all he’s got, and that’s incredibly disheartening. It’s impressive how quickly and confidently Hawkes was able to get that across in his performance. And as someone who’s loved this actor for a long time, I’m always happy to see him in roles that deserve his talent.

That said, the pilot is kind of a mixed bag. People who are fans of dark comedies, especially those in the realm of Breaking Bad or Shameless, will find things to enjoy. But, for superhero fans, it’s a bitter pill to swallow. This is not a happy show. There’s a lot of heart, true, but there’s also a lot of pain. When Master Legend saves the day, you don’t feel a sense of triumph, it feels more like pity. The Legend of Master Legend doesn’t pass judgment on Real Life Superheroes, but it doesn’t pull any punches on what living as a superhero in the real world actually means.

↧

Some Photos of Earth For Shaq, Who Thinks the Earth is Flat

March 19, 2017, 12:56 pm

≫ Next: Flash and Supergirl Sing About Being Super Best Friends and It's Everything You Ever Wanted

≪ Previous: Amazon's Legend of Master Legend Pilot Brings Real Life Superhero Down to Earth

Dr. Shaquille O’Neal is no longer a professional basketball player, he’s a podcaster. That means he has unlimited opportunities to stick his size 22 foot in his mouth. On the latest episode, he threw his support behind the ridiculous belief that the world is flat. Why? He drives, and when he does, it’s flat to him.

Speaking with his co-host of The Big Podcast, John Kincade, Shaq addressed the controversy over the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving insisting that the Earth is flat. Without missing a beat, Shaq said, “It’s true. The Earth is flat. The Earth is flat. Yes, it is.” Kincade immediately started laughing. The small part of me that still has fond memories of wasting afternoons playing Shaq-Fu perked up. Maybe he’s just screwing around, right? There’s no way he really believes that, right? I don’t know. Read this:

“Listen, there are three ways to manipulate the mind — what you read, what you see and what you hear. In school, first thing they teach us is, ‘Oh, Columbus discovered America,’ but when he got there, there were some fair-skinned people with the long hair smoking on the peace pipes. So, what does that tell you? Columbus didn’t discover America. So, listen, I drive from coast to coast, and this s*** is flat to me. I’m just saying. I drive from Florida to California all the time, and it’s flat to me. I do not go up and down at a 360-degree angle, and all that stuff about gravity, have you looked outside Atlanta lately and seen all these buildings? You mean to tell me that China is under us? China is under us? It’s not. The world is flat.”

Shaq, buddy, you have an honorary doctorate degree in education focusing on organizational learning and leadership. I know you didn’t go to class to get that, but kids look up to you or something. Don’t do this.

I don’t need to fully rehash why we know the Earth is round. Lots of people have explained it over the years, but for Shaq’s sake, here’s a helpful video:

What about the satellite imagery we have of the Earth? “Oh, satellite imagery, that could be, that could be drawn and made up.” Facepalm. This kind of thinking is infecting so many people, lately. It’s a nihilistic skepticism that fuels destructive political discourse and accepts nothing as fact. The one hope that Shaq is just screwing around is that he asserts at the end that the world is “a square.” He can’t be serious.

Anyways, here are some photos of the Earth, taken from space by NASA following its very public launches of satellites and shuttles. If Shaq refuses to believe they’re real, he’s missing out on some awe-inspiring experiences.

Check out that curve.

Earth, seen here from the Apollo 17 spacecraft in lunar orbit. The moon is also round.

Earth, with satellites.

There it is, The Blue Marble. You ever see a square marble?

[Sports Illustrated]

↧

Flash and Supergirl Sing About Being Super Best Friends and It's Everything You Ever Wanted

March 19, 2017, 3:19 pm

≫ Next: Your Favorite Mouse and Keyboard Are Just the Appetizer In Amazon's One-Day PC Peripheral Sale

≪ Previous: Some Photos of Earth For Shaq, Who Thinks the Earth is Flat

This is not a drill, people. The first song clip from the upcoming Flash and Supergirl musical crossover for The Flash is out, and they’re literally singing about the power of super friendship. Yes yes YES!!

The adorableness in this taste of musical greatness cannot be understated. The episode, which comes out Tuesday, is about Barry and Kara being trapped in a musical coma by the Music Meister (Darren Criss from Glee), so they have to sing and dance their way out. This first clip is a section of “Duet,” about how friendship is super-magic, and it’s already a gooey vanilla ice cream cone of deliciousness. These are real lyrics in the episode, people, these are the lyrics:

In times like these
When life is getting me down
And the world seems like it’s gonna end...ship

There’s at least one power
That we both still have
And that’s the power of...friendship!

The song doesn’t show either Grant Gustin or Melissa Benoist’s singing talents to their peak, probably so it can better transition them from superheroes to singing icons. But I simply can’t wait for these Glee alumni (and classically trained performers) to belt it out by the end, because those two can sing and dance like nobody’s business. Plus... SUPER FRIENDSHIP! “I’m your super friend.” Yes, please, Flash and Supergirl, be all our super friends now and forever and always. God, is it Tuesday yet?

[YouTube]

↧

Your Favorite Mouse and Keyboard Are Just the Appetizer In Amazon's One-Day PC Peripheral Sale

March 20, 2017, 5:41 am

≫ Next: What Are Sylvester Stallone and Michael Rosenbaum Doing in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2?

≪ Previous: Flash and Supergirl Sing About Being Super Best Friends and It's Everything You Ever Wanted

Whether you’re building a brand new PC, or just upgrading your current rig, Amazon’s one-day Gold Box deal is full of popular peripherals and accessories for great low prices.

Highlights here include Corsair’s K70 mechanical keyboard (your favorite mechanical keyboard), Razer’s DeathAdder gaming mouse (one of your favorite gaming mice), and Logitech’s G13 programmable game board, which has been a huge hit with our readers in the past.

That’s just scratching the surface though, so head over to Amazon to see the full list.

More Deals

↧

What Are Sylvester Stallone and Michael Rosenbaum Doing in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2?

March 20, 2017, 6:00 am

≫ Next: The Walking Dead Did Something I Didn't Think Was Possible

≪ Previous: Your Favorite Mouse and Keyboard Are Just the Appetizer In Amazon's One-Day PC Peripheral Sale

Rhett Rheese and Paul Wernick discuss Deadpool’s reaction to Cable. Zack Penn stresses plans for a new Matrix aren’t a reboot or a remake. Andrew Kreisberg promises next season’s Flash villain will be something different. Plus, a haunting new poster for The Dark Tower, and clips from Power Rangers and The Walking Dead. Spoilers!

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

In an interview with The Adam Corolla Show, James Gunn revealed Michael Rosenbaum has a “decent” role in the film that’s “important to the Marvel universe.” Likewise, Sylvester Stallone’s mystery character shares deep roots with Marvel history.

We do have a couple of characters who are very important to the Marvel Universe who are going to make their debut in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ which people don’t know about. Sylvester Stallone plays one of these characters… my friend Michael Rosenbaum also has a pretty decent role in the movie as well and it sort of works in tandem with Sly’s character.

There’s been conflicting reports about just who Stallone is playing in the film—footage shown at San Diego Comic-Con last year showed him as seemingly a member of the Nova Corps, but recent rumors alleged that he’s actually a member of a race called “The Ancients” who are pulling the strings behind the Guardian’s mission. Let us know who you think they could be in the comments!

Freakshift

Alicia Vikander will play the lead in a new film from director Ben Wheatley called Freakshift, hoping to film this August. According to Deadline, the story concerns “an all-guns-blazing action thriller about a band of misfits who hunt down and kill nocturnal underground monsters.”

The Batman

While making a personal appearance on Pittsburgh Today Live, Joe Manganiello played coy about whether or not he’s still set to portray Slade “Deathstroke” Wilson in the forthcoming Batman movie. This time around, Mangianello shrugs, “maybe, we’ll see” when the topic is broached. His attitude here is in stark contrast to the confidence the actor espoused last time he’d taken a question about filming. Perhaps he was put off by the giant Smurf gesticulating in the background?

Deadpool 2

Writers Rhett Rheese and Paul Wernick answered in the affirmative when asked if Deadpool would be constantly taking the piss out of the ultra-machismo nature of Cable in the movie.

Paul Wernick: Well you’ll have to see! (laughs) I don’t wanna jinx stuff, but yeah, probably. We’ll have to talk about that.
Rhett Reese: Yeah! Ryan plays Deadpool with a hint of femininity, and I think that can be funny opposite a Cable who’s über-masculine. That’ll come into casting and performance and the character design and his wardrobe and things like that too. I think we’ll definitely play into that.

[Coming Soon]

The pair also promised that the announcement of just who’s playing Cable “will be coming very soon,” at long last.

An announcement will be coming very soon. We’re gonna go into production in the next couple of months and cast announcements will be coming fast and furious.

[Comic Book]

The Matrix

Screenwriter Zak Penn stressed on Twitter the new Matrix movie is neither a remake or a reboot.

Green Lantern Corps

On the Meet the Movie Press podcast, Jeff Sneider claimed David Goyer may direct the movie himself.

I’m hearing David Goyer could very well wind up directing Green Lantern Corps himself. When you look at screenwriters that are taking the plunge and directing these movies themselves, we saw rumors last month that Simon Kinberg was going to direct the next X-Men movie. David Goyer is responsible for this entire DC Universe, he wrote Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. He wrote Man of Steel, he is the architect, if you will. He is writing and producing Green Lantern Corps, so it’s just very well, what I have heard, one of those situations where he could be like ‘Listen, I think I may be the best guy for the job, nobody knows this like I do.’

None of this seems entirely sure, though, so take it with the usual dosage of salt.

[/Film]

Power Rangers

Two new Rita and Zordon-focused clips appeared on NBC Today, during interviews with Elizabeth Banks and Bryan Cranston.

The Dark Tower

A new poster outlines the shape of the titular tower through the increasingly popular medium of inverted buildings.

The Inhumans

Here’s a couple of set videos of Black Bolt running in the middle of the street as pedestrians watch confusedly from the sidewalk.

Scream

Deadline reports MTV is considering rebooting Scream, again, in lieu of a third season. MTV is committed to the future of the TV adaptation of the horror movie franchise according to the site, but while a search for a new showrunner is underway, the possibility of the current main cast being ejected—presumably, as this is Scream, through copious amounts of murder—is being considered to go with the new direction for the show.

The Flash

Mercifully, Andrew Kreisberg revealed at Paley Fest that “next season we’re not going to have a speedster [as the villain].” [EW]

Legends of Tomorrow

Meanwhile, Marc Guggenheim promises a surprise character will make an appearance on Legends:

I will call it a surprise crossover. No one knows this because we’ve kept it under wraps, but there’s a surprise cameo, surprise crossover moment in the penultimate episode of Legends.

Remaining committed to keep Katie Cassidy on the show in some capacity, Guggenheim also revealed Laurel will share a scene in an upcoming episode with Sara that will delight fans of the DCAU.

I will say there is an easter egg—it’s more than an easter egg, it’s a little bit more obvious than that … that I think fans are really going to love it. And not necessarily fans of comics, but let’s say fans of cartoons.

[Deadline]

We also have a synopsis for the season finale, “Aruba.” Timequake!

As the Legends are about to take off for their next destination, a massive timequake rocks the ship. In order to try and fix what has happened, they are forced to break the one cardinal rule of time travel. But if they are able to destroy the spear, they will face the ultimate consequence.

[Spoiler TV]

Supergirl

Jeremy Jordan revealed to TV Line that Winn’s new alien girlfriend, Lyra, will frame him for robbing an art museum. Poor Winn just can’t catch a break.

Winn is feeling very deceived by Lyra, somebody he’s put his full trust in and fallen very fast and very hard for. It goes down a pretty dark path. Winn and Lyra’s future is definitely up in the air after this big deception.

The Walking Dead

Finally, here’s a clip from next week’s episode of The Walking Dead.

_{Additional reporting by Gordon Jackson. Banner art by Jim Cooke.}

↧