“Holy shit.” That’s what I said when I first saw the limited edition Majora’s Mask New 3DS XL during the Nintendo Direct earlier this week — when I first felt that overwhelming need that fueled a post about limited availability that’s so far racked up over 1.5 million page views.
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It seemed like a totally preposterous idea: turn Terry Gilliam’s weird, clever movie 12 Monkeys into an ongoing TV show. This seemed clearly doomed to suckitude. But in a totally implausible twist, the Monkeys show is actually surprisingly terrific. Spoilers ahead…
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Earlier this week, we brought you news of deliciously evil prank site ShipYourEnemiesGlitter.com, which, for a modest fee, will ship your enemies glitter. Unfortunately, it seems the world has too many enemies and not enough glitter: the man behind the site is overwhelmed and selling out.
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I first learned about director (and /Filmcast listener) Ben Aston when he wrote me an email a year ago asking me to check out one of his short films. Since then he’s put out two more short films, both of which have gone on to play at prestigious film festivals all around the world. His latest short film, He Took His Skin Off For Me, blew me away and represents an exponential step in his growth as a filmmaker.
Hit the jump to see Aston’s films, and to listen to a podcast interview I did with him about finding success as a maker of film shorts. We discuss the sacrifices Aston has had to make for his art, as well as practical tips to get a short film seen.
Dinner and a Movie – This was one of Aston’s earlier short films, and while it is highly enjoyable, I think Aston was still finding his voice here. The performances are fantastic and the technical aspects are great, but the pacing is slow for a short and as a result, the payoff doesn’t land for me as well as I’d like. Nonetheless, it has a lot of heart to it and I can definitely understand why Vimeo chose to honor it with Staff Pick status.
Russian Roulette – Made for under $100 in the course of a few days, Russian Roulette is a brief but sweet and touching tale of two people trying to find company in the midst of loneliness. I was shocked to hear this film had been shot using a Canon T2i (which can be purchased for less than $200). It is a true testament to what can be accomplished with a sharp script, some great actors, and some basic production design. This film will play at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival.
He Took His Skin Off For Me – Beautiful, haunting, and profound, this short film is Aston’s latest. The practical effects are astonishing for a student short and the way Aston uses horror movie tropes to convey the idea of a toxic relationship is unique and somehow avoids being overstated. Weeks after watching this, I can’t get over how perfect it is, and how much that last shot haunts me. Definitely worth 8.5 minutes of your time.
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The post Watch: The Beautiful Short Films of Ben Aston appeared first on /Film.
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We hope you weren’t too excited about the idea of Frank Darabont directing the Snow White and the Huntsman sequel, because that is no longer happening. The movie is happening, just not with Darabont as part of the package. The director dropped out of the endeavor this week. So now there’s The Huntsman, as the movie is called, with Chris Hemsworth set to return, but no Snow White (originally played by Kristen Stewart). But despite the fact that Darabont won’t direct The Huntsman there is good news, as a new lady villain is in the wings, with Emily Blunt in talks to play her.
The Wrap reported both Darabont’s departure and Blunt’s arrival. The site says that Darabont” abruptly left the high-priority project” earlier this week, and that Universal will hire a new director next week.
All we have as a reason for Darabont’s departure is that old bugbear “creative differences.” Darabont did write the current draft of the film, based on earlier work by Craig Mazin and Evan Spiliotopoulos.
Hemsworth returns as Eric, the man who helped Snow White stay alive in the last movie. Now he has to go in search of a stolen magic mirror “forcing him to face not only his past but the evil Snow Queen” who has a grudge against Eric for the his role in taking action against the Snow Queen’s sister Ravenna. Charlize Theron is set to return as Ravenna, though we don’t know how large her role will be, given the end of the last movie.
Blunt would play the Snow Queen.
The Huntsman is set for release on April 22, 2016.
The post Frank Darabont Leaves ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ Sequel; Emily Blunt in Talks appeared first on /Film.
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Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they’re seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: What better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? This week we grow up, get drunk, get Shakespeare’d, get a life, and wonder what hides in the minds and hearts of office a-holes.
All the Wilderness Trailer
One credit.
When you’re someone who is given a shot to craft something personal, professional and polished you obviously want to let the world know you’ve arrived. Director Michael Johnson is such a guy that, based on the strength of this trailer, there is no other reaction to have other than feeling compelled to want to know more about it. Yes, it’s a coming-of-age yarn that will unfurl itself in a manner that might not be incredibly original but I’m willing to forgo any presumptions as we enter this world of uncertainty and into the life of a kid who, convincingly, makes me believe there is still something to be mined in this genre. I just don’t know what takes hold when you hit the 45 second mark but there is an elevation of the usual navel gazing in the hopes of some profound breakthrough in the life of an artist as a young man and morphs into something far more interesting and engaging. I could be wrong, maybe I’m just working through some things in my own head, but this appears to be a very, very welcome diversion to the usual noise.
Buzzard Trailer
This looks like it was made for the kind of money you could find in the seat cushions of your AMC Pacer.
What director Joel Potrykus has crafted here appears to be born of a psyche only the most enlightened could ever hope to glimpse. It has some of the most raw energy of any movie I’ve been privy to as of late while also being about as tough to love as a trailer can get. We get the beats, we understand what’s at stake, but the real power comes from its distinctive voice and the power with which it wants to be in your face about why you need to kneel before it. By the end of it all there is just us, watching our protagonist gorge himself on a plate of spaghetti, while we try and piece together the last two minutes of our lives and wondering what it is, exactly, that we were just witness to.
A Year in Champagne Trailer
First burgundy, now this.
Last year, documentary filmmaker David Kennard brought us on a tour of wine country to look at how some winemakers in the Burgundy region of France developed this particular brand of vino. He’s back to look at champagne and I can’t think of a more understated documentary that is about to come out than this. It’s not about revolution or exposing any great truth about the world, it’s about this liquid that has been the hallmark for so many within the elite class, that is the unsung hero of many a hip-hop anthem, and for those among us who count How It’s Made as a show worthy of our collective fascination. Equally so, the footage here is alluring in its siren song beckoning us to almost taste the bubbles on our tongue. There are real people, farmers, really, who depend on the elements to keep their businesses going and there’s just enough uncertainty here to indicate that emotions will run high as we watch this process unfold before us.
Girlhood Trailer
I like it.
In 2011, we were exposed to director Céline Sciamma’s Tomboy. It was a small, quiet film that was genuine and moving. It exposed a wonderful chasm within childhood where some kids find themselves and the things they’ll do to hold on to something real. It was damn powerful and it showed that Sciamma had a way of being able to float within this young world and making it feel authentic. That said, this trailer for her latest only looks to continue the showcase of her abilities to drill into a moment and mine the moment for its essence. The trailer has a bubbly effervescence that captures the manic highs of a schoolgirl’s life while showing us the moments they can find themselves in that test their abilities to rise above. We don’t get much in the way of narrative or exposition but that’s OK, as what’s important here is to feel this girl’s joie de vivre and be in the moment with her. This is wonderfully put together with the way it slides in the critical praises without it ever dodging the fact you’re going to have to read in order to experience this girl’s life. It’s a beautiful thing to watch.
Anarchy Trailer
Know full well that the trailer for director Michael Almereyda’s last attempt at big screen Shakespeare, 2000′s Hamlet, was unquestionably bad. Ho-riffic. Sinister, even. What I see in this, though, is a shade of my former self who marveled and was swept up in the majesty of Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet, 1996′s Romeo + Juliet and even the 1993 version of Much Ado About Nothing. I love when there is a new interpretation of Shakespeare’s work that’s put to film and this is no different. I don’t know what to make of Ed Harris‘ Grease inspired look but it’s the content, verily, that’s a real treat. The trailer doesn’t linger long or let long soliloquies be its marketing hallmark and this is absolutely an improvement over the first trailer which was slightly stilted and didn’t quite sell the story well. It is difficult, to be sure, to bring something antiquated into a contemporary environment but this trailer gives me hope that there could be something special in this interpretation.
Nota bene: If you have any suggestions of trailers to possibly be included in this column, even have a trailer of your own to pitch, please let me know by sending me a note at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com or look me up via Twitter at @Stipp
In case you missed them, here are the other trailers we covered at /Film this week:
The post This Week In Trailers: Anarchy, Girlhood, A Year in Champagne, Buzzard, All the Wilderness appeared first on /Film.
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XBOX ONE PRICE DROP: Microsoft on Thursday announced an Xbox One price drop for the US. From January 16 on, the system will be available for $350, a $50 markdown from the regular price. The deal is valid in the US only. It’s only a timed price drop, but Microsoft won’t say when it will end.
GTA 5 PC DELAYED: Rockstar Games this week announced that the long-awaited PC version of the acclaimed open-world action game has been delayed for a second time. It was originally due to launch in fall 2014 alongside the Xbox One and PS4 editions, but was later pushed to January 27, and then again this week to March 24, 2015.
NEW 3DS DATED: During a Nintendo Direct on Wednesday, Nintendo officially announced that the upcoming New Nintendo 3DS XL (yep, that’s the real name) will launch in the United States on February 13 for $200. The units will come in red and black, but there will also be special, epic-looking bundles for upcoming games Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D.
Mario Party 10 now has a release date. Nintendo announced this week that the tenth entry in the party game series will launch for Wii U on March 20. The latest entry in the classic party game series includes a number of new features, including an “Amiibo Party Mode” that works with the real-world Amiibo toys you already own.
New DLC is now available for wrestling game WWE 2K15. 2K Sports on Tuesday released the WWE 2K15 Moves Pack, which adds more than 30 new moves to the game. You can read more about the DLC and watch a trailer now at the game’s site.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End doesn’t launch until later this year, but you need new information right now, don’t you? You’re in luck, as Game Informer has posted an excellent interview with the game’s directors and voice actor, Nolan North. The interview dives into the game’s story, and who Drake is as a person. “Everybody believes that he’s quippy and he’s off the cuff, but over the course of each game, you’ve seen that he’s actually driven by something way deeper than what’s on the surface,” co-director Bruce Straley says. Read the full interview here.
You already know what the best-selling games of 2014 were for the US, but what about the UK? Thankfully, now we know. The top-selling game of the year was, you guessed it, FIFA 15, followed by Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Grand Theft Auto V. See the full list here.
Nickelodeon this week released a new, browser-based Spongebob Squarepants game called SpongeBob QuestPants. It’s a free, episodic game. The first episode, The Legend of Dead Eye Gulch, is available to play right now here.
On Monday, free-to-play publisher Gazillion (Marvel Heroes 2015) announced the hiring of Eric Garay as its new Chief Financial Officer; he’ll oversee the company’s entire global financial and business operations. Garay previously worked at Electronic Arts for more than a decade, holding management positions at Sims studio Maxis.
Social gaming giant Kabam is expanding. The company on Tuesday announced that it had acquired LA-based game studios TapZen and Magix Pixel Games for undisclosed sums. Kabam says: “The move will expand Kabam’s global presence directly into the entertainment capital, bolster the company’s AAA console quality development experience, and add industry luminary Mike Verdu as a new executive on the Kabam team.”
Looking forward to checking out indie developer Poppermost’s upcoming extreme sports game, Snow? You’re in luck, as the developer announced this week that the PC game’s closed beta will begin on March 28. You can sign up here, and you’ll want to do so soon, as invitations will be delivered on the basis of when you signed up. There’s also a new trailer to check out. Watch it above!
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History has launched a new mobile app called “Skin and Bones.” It’s a free app (get it here on iTunes) that promises to “reinvent” how museum visitors can experience the specimens on display at the museum’s Bone Hall, which features almost 300 skeletons. Using the app, which uses 3D and AR technology, you can see how the creatures’ skeletons work.
Tropico publisher Kalypso is growing. On Thursday, the company announced the formation of a dedicated mobile studio in Hamburg, Germany. The new office will focus on making mobile games for iOS and Android devices. Kalypso has hired Marcus Behrens, who previously held a senior position at Bigpoint Games, to work as the studio’s new publishing director.
Team Ninja this week announced the latest playable character for upcoming fighting game Dead or Alive 5 Last Round. The new fighter is Honoka, and here’s how Team Ninja, rather excellently, sums her up: “Having been raised all her life by her gentle and loving grandmother, Honoka is a sweet, easygoing kind of girl… but when she sees a fight, she cannot contain her excitement, or the mysterious power surging within her.”
Master modder Ben Heck has revealed his latest creation: an Xbox One laptop. Yeah, he’s not the first one to tackle the job, but Heck’s creation is different in that it features an LCD tablet with a fold-out cover that morphs into a stand. How did he do it? Thankfully, cameras were rolling the entire time.
Independent game developer Hinterland Studio announced Thursday that its “exploration-survival experience” game The Long Dark has now sold more than 250,000 copies since its release through Steam Early Access in September. The developer also teased an upcoming update for the game, due to arrive in January, that will “nearly double” the size of the game world. Exciting times!
Excited for the upcoming release of Grim Fandango Remastered? if you are, you’re probably happy to learn that the $15 game is now available to preorder for PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, and PS Vita. GOG.com will sell a DRM-free version ofo the game that comes with exclusive wallpapers, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Mobile game Summoners War has taken over Los Angeles, at least one part of it. Publisher Com2uS tapped Melbourne street artists Meggs to create an epic-looking, 2,000 square foot Summoners War mural in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles. Check out an image of the mural above, which shows Summoners War characters Arch Angel, Dragon, and Angelmon.
Is Ubisoft working on a remastered version of the 2007 original Assassin’s Creed? Probably not, but that’s what we’re led to believe from this image that appeared on Twitter recently. For now, take this with a grain–or maybe a heaping–of salt. Until we hear from Ubisoft, this should be a considered a rumor–and a big one at that.
Looking for a deal on last-generation console hardware? GameStop and coupon site RetailMeNot.com have parterned up for an in-store event where shoppers can buy secondhand Xbox 360 and PS3s for as low as $55. Here’s a rundown of the offers, which are valid through January 31 or while supplies last.
There has been an awakening. Have you felt it? By that I mean, the voice of the narrator in the Star Wars Episode 7 trailer, Andy Serkis, is lending his voice to Mike Bithell’s upcoming stealth title Volume. You can hear a brief snippet of Serkis’ voiceover right here.
The Lego franchise continues to grow, as Asian free-to-play publisher Nexon announced this week that it had signed a licensing agreement with TT Games and The Lego Group to make a new Lego role-playing game for mobile devices. The game will be based on “several” Lego franchises, including Lego Ninjago and others.
The PlayStation 4 (and PlayStation 3!) got another new media app this week in the form of SnagFilms. Users can now watch more than 5,000 movies–comedies, thrillers, horrors, and more–for free. Check out a screenshot of SnagFilms on PS4 above.
A really cool new indie game from Team 17, called The Escapists, will ship on Xbox One from February 13. It’s a 2D strategy game where a group of innamtes must plot their escape from a prison whilst avoiding detection. Looks really fun, here’s a trailer:
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com
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The ridiculous board game from the sitcom Parks and Rec, The Cones of Dunshire, may become a reality. Mayfair Games is attempting to create a “miraculously playable” version of the made-up game.
The project is on Kickstarter, so the developer won’t receive any funds unless they meet their full $300,000 goal. But to get a copy of the full game, you’ll have to pay at least $500.
Why is it so expensive? Mayfair writes on game’s Kickstarter page: “This is going to be a very small, one-time run of a giant prestige edition of the game, with disparate pieces, from a licensed property, for a niche audience. We think there exist a few hundred people who desire such a collector’s item, and we’ve provided a few cheaper items for folks that want more modest souvenirs of the show. This is why we went Kickstarter: to quickly gauge the actual interest for an expensive deluxe version similar to what you see on the show. This game will NOT be sold through any our normal channels; backers will receive it and there will be no more. “
Backers of the full version will receive a “multi-level board” that’s “over ten square feet in size.” Of course the game’s “box/crate” will also include “a mountain of coins…such that if they were real coins, you would be very rich.”
As of this writing, 25 people have backed at the $500 dollar and above, putting the total at just over $20k.
While the game is based on a joke, Mayfair games is taking the project (mostly) seriously. “This Deluxe version of the game is as close to the on-screen version of the game that you see in season six of Parks and Recreation as we can manage (and for us to be comfortable about the playability of it). This is meant to be the sprawling riot of pieces shown on the show, and the price reflects what it’s going to take to make something like that.”
As a huge Parks and Rec fan, I probably won’t be ordering a copy myself, but it’ll be interesting to see if Mayfair can pull it off.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com
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Green Man Gaming has the best new deal of the day, offering a Grand Theft Auto V for PC pre-purchase for $46.20 with the code SAVE23-PEROFF-MOSANT. The preorder also comes with $1,000,000 in-game currency, a bonus $300,000 for GTA Online, and a free copy of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
Below you’ll find the rest of today’s best deals divided by platform:
Sony has introduced a $400 PS4 bundle that comes with The Last of Us Remastered.
Ebay has a $370 PS4 that comes with your choice of a free game: Destiny, NBA 2K15, Far Cry 4, or LittleBigPlanet 3.
The company also launched a massive PlayStation Network sale that offers discounts on more than 60 titles from the its history, including Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn for $24, Need for Speed Rivals for $20, and more.
Other PS4 games deals:
PS4
PS3
PS Vita
Microsoft announced this week’s deals for Xbox One and Xbox 360 owners. Now through January 19, anyone with an Xbox Live Gold subscription can get The Jackbox Party Pack for $16.74, Never Alone for $10.04, Terraria for $10, and more. Check out the full list of Xbox One and Xbox 360 Deals With Gold.
Xbox One
Xbox 360
You can get $10 off an Amiibo when you spend $40 or more at Toys R Us.
The Humble Store has a huge sale on Games Workshop games, including Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine for $7.49, Dawn of War Franchise Collection for $56, and many more.
GOG.com has a weekend “Region-Neutral Non-Specific Seasonal Silliness” sale, which includes Leisure Suit Larry for $3, Commandos 2+3 for $3, and many more.
Other PC games deals:
Sears has the 3DS XL for $160, in stores only. But keep in mind that the New 3DS XL is coming out in February 13 for $200.
GameSpot’s gaming deals posts always highlight the best deals we can find regardless of retailer. We also occasionally use retailer affiliate links, which means that purchasing goods through those links helps support all the great content (including the deals posts) you find for free here on the site. Got questions? Email news@gamespot.com or ask us in the comments!
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