From the forthcoming Monopoly:® Fallout Edition, we present the Go Directly to Death card. Because no matter what level you're at, there's always that chance.
It's cool, you can respawn as soon as you roll doubles.
Falloutopoly:
Ript - $10 + shipping
Yesterday's Shirt:
Jon Fox is a Seattle hipster who loves polar bears and climbing trees. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN.
Syfy has just acquired Primeval: New World, the next generation of Primeval, from Entertainment One. The network will air 13 episodes in total.
New World will star Niall Matter (Eureka), Sara Canning (The Vampire Diaries) and Danny Rahim (Young James Herriot) as a team of animal experts and scientists investigating paranormal events, while battling both prehistoric and futuristic creatures. Sanctuary's Amanda Tapping is set to direct several of the episodes.
"This fast-paced entertaining and smart series will delight fans of the original program as well as introduce new viewers to this fascinating world," said Chris Regina, Syfy's senior vice president of programming.
Primeval: New World joins the network's slate of other original shows, which include Lost Girl, Merlin and the upcoming Sinbad. The series is scheduled to air in 2013.
Warning: Full spoilers from the episode to follow.
It didn't take long for New Girl to get back in the swing of things for Season 2. In a matter of minutes, I felt right back at home as Jess and Nick shared some quippy bathroom banter and Schmidt begged Winston to scratch the inside of his crotch cast. ("And before you ask, yes, I have been able to reach completion with some very precise and vigorous nipple play.") But after a long and seemingly uneventful summer, it was time to kick things back into high gear with Schmidt's DANGER-themed "rebranding" party, at which Jess, recently laid off from her job, volunteered to be one of the shot girls.
I must admit, I actually really like the idea of Jess's unemployment as an overarching plot device. Much in the same way that she had to cope with losing her boyfriend in the pilot, here we got to see how she handles another loss, this time with her teaching position. It was also fun to see the hilariously awkward support from the guys once they got the news (a la Nick's winking and Schmidt's disoriented sense of direction).
Jess's turn as a cocktail waitress was also pretty classic and -- what's that word again? -- "adorkable." Parker Posey's guest spot as Jess's "26-year-old" competition made it all the sweeter, too; her appearance was definitely one of the highlights. It's almost a shame we didn't get to see more of her, but then again, that almost made it funnier. Nick's comments comparing Jess to other shot girls were also pretty great. ("You're the nurse that I want to wake up to after I've had my stomach pumped. Different kind of hot -- but still hot!") And reintroducing the tiny silver hat from the lost and found was a nice touch.
We also learned that, not only are Schmidt and Cece are still broken up, but Cece now has a new boyfriend, Robbie (played by Franklin Nelson). Of course, that left the door open for Schmidt to continue his usual parade of shenanigans. His spinning flails of fire -- "the most dangerous element of all the elements!" -- was perhaps the most delightfully ridiculous, although I also enjoyed Robbie's nonchalant responses to Schmidt's interrogation. ("I don't like music. 'What's up with me,' you know?")
True to form, this episode also had a couple of really sweet moments, too. Schmidt and Cece's final conversation seemed to hint at a future reunion at some point, which would be preferable. Meanwhile, Nick and Jess's heart-to-heart outside was exactly what the episode needed to round things out. Indeed, "Re-Launch had just about all the makings of an exceptional episode of New Girl. Unfortunately -- as always, it seems -- Winston got the short end of the stick here. He never can seem to find his place, even when he's loosely attached to another character's storyline. While his drunken schtick was certainly not without its laughs, it felt like his character was kind of on the outskirts this time around. Having said that, Jess's storyline was the real draw this week, and it should be interesting to see how her unemployment pans out in future episodes.
Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love on Twitter and IGN.
Warning: Full spoilers from the episode to follow.
It didn't take long for New Girl to get back in the swing of things for Season 2. In a matter of minutes, I felt right back at home as Jess and Nick shared some quippy bathroom banter and Schmidt begged Winston to scratch the inside of his crotch cast. ("And before you ask, yes, I have been able to reach completion with some very precise and vigorous nipple play.") But after a long and seemingly uneventful summer, it was time to kick things back into high gear with Schmidt's DANGER-themed "rebranding" party, at which Jess, recently laid off from her job, volunteered to be one of the shot girls.
I must admit, I actually really like the idea of Jess's unemployment as an overarching plot device. Much in the same way that she had to cope with losing her boyfriend in the pilot, here we got to see how she handles another loss, this time with her teaching position. It was also fun to see the hilariously awkward support from the guys once they got the news (a la Nick's winking and Schmidt's disoriented sense of direction).
Jess's turn as a cocktail waitress was also pretty classic and -- what's that word again? -- "adorkable." Parker Posey's guest spot as Jess's "26-year-old" competition made it all the sweeter, too; her appearance was definitely one of the highlights. It's almost a shame we didn't get to see more of her, but then again, that almost made it funnier. Nick's comments comparing Jess to other shot girls were also pretty great. ("You're the nurse that I want to wake up to after I've had my stomach pumped. Different kind of hot -- but still hot!") And reintroducing the tiny silver hat from the lost and found was a nice touch.
We also learned that, not only are Schmidt and Cece are still broken up, but Cece now has a new boyfriend, Robbie (played by Franklin Nelson). Of course, that left the door open for Schmidt to continue his usual parade of shenanigans. His spinning flails of fire -- "the most dangerous element of all the elements!" -- was perhaps the most delightfully ridiculous, although I also enjoyed Robbie's nonchalant responses to Schmidt's interrogation. ("I don't like music. 'What's up with me,' you know?")
True to form, this episode also had a couple of really sweet moments, too. Schmidt and Cece's final conversation seemed to hint at a future reunion at some point, which would be preferable. Meanwhile, Nick and Jess's heart-to-heart outside was exactly what the episode needed to round things out. Indeed, "Re-Launch had just about all the makings of an exceptional episode of New Girl. Unfortunately -- as always, it seems -- Winston got the short end of the stick here. He never can seem to find his place, even when he's loosely attached to another character's storyline. While his drunken schtick was certainly not without its laughs, it felt like his character was kind of on the outskirts this time around. Having said that, Jess's storyline was the real draw this week, and it should be interesting to see how her unemployment pans out in future episodes.
Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love on Twitter and IGN.
Warning - full episode spoilers follow.
The problem with Ultron is that, no matter how many times you pound him into scrap metal, he always returns in a new body and with a new plan for wiping out humanity. The Avengers learned that the hard way in this week's episode of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. "Ultron Unlimited" picked up where "Behold... the Vision!" left off a few weeks ago, as the robotic villain sought to replace the Avengers with his own, "perfected" Synthezoid Avengers. Unfortunately, "Ultron Unlimited" turned out to be the first instance where the show's new, largely standalone approach to episodic storytelling took its toll.
The problem is that the idea of the real Avengers battling their evil replacements is a little too familiar coming so close on the heels of the Skrull invasion saga. Hawkeye even seemed to point out that fact when he quipped, "Just so we're clear, I'm the real me." That brief moment of levity didn't do much to spice up the conflict, however. Even Vision's fight scenes felt strangely diminished, as the character was far from the unstoppable powerhouse he was in his first appearance. Chalk it up to his conflicted feelings on his mission, I suppose. The best that could be said for the action in this episode is that, like in "Assault on 42", the fact that the Avengers were fighting inhuman opponents allowed them to be more brutal and decisive in combat than animated superhero shows typically allow. The rampant battling was entertaining enough, just not particularly noteworthy.
The focus on Avenger vs. Avenger brawling meant that Ultron himself was largely relegated to being a backseat player. We were never given a clear idea of what Ultron's larger goal was beyond swapping the Avengers out for Synthezoids.It was cool to see the team eventually unite to battle Ultron in his all new, all adamantium shell, but by that point the episode had too little running time left to take advantage of the scenario. And while Vision's evolution from uncaring soldier to would-be human was engaging, it could have been fleshed out and expanded upon. That's to say nothing of Jocasta, who played so little role in the episode it's enough to wonder why she was introduced at all. I don't know if she's intended to return before the end of the season, but if she does, hopefully the writers will actually do something with her and her relationship to the Pym family.
"Ultron Unlimited" was at its best when it focused on that family dynamic and Ultron's Oedipal relationship with his "mother," Janet. It's too bad Hank didn't make his long-awaited return here, because there's plenty of good material to mine with these characters. A script that downplayed the Avengers and devoted more time to Ultron's efforts to both please and supplant his father would have worked a lot better. Sadly, as far as I'm aware, this was Ultron's final appearance for the remainder of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. The most we can do is hope that Avengers Assemble takes a slightly more dark and psychological approach to the character.
Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and IGN Movies. He can't wait until he's old enough to feel ways about stuff. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.
It's never a simple matter bringing a beloved literary character to life on screen. And when that character happens to have legions of passionate fans, each with their own specific idea about who he is and how he should be played, it's even more challenging. Josh Hutcherson understands that pressure all too well. Since he was cast in the role of Peeta Mellark in last year's highly anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' bestseller The Hunger Games, life has been a whirlwind. Even now that the film has successfully opened, he still can't relax.
First, there's tonight's midnight DVD and Blu-ray release and all the buzz surrounding it, with retailers staying open late to host Hunger Games-themed events for eager fans. Then, of course, he'll soon be back to work on the next film in the series, Catching Fire, which brings with it a whole new set of acting challenges. And in November he'll be on the big screen once again, starring alongside Chris Hemsworth (the brother of his Hunger Games co-star Liam Hemsworth) and Isabel Lucas in the remake of Red Dawn. It's a lot to handle, but not unlike his Hunger Games alter ego, the modest and well-spoken Hutcherson manages to keep his cool and take it all in stride.
We had a chance to speak with Hutcherson on the phone as he prepared to get back to the role of Peeta.
IGN: Now that the film has come out, how would you describe the reaction from the fans after seeing it?
Hutcherson: It's been incredible. I'm still blown away by it. I think that when we started to make the movie we had an idea that there were a lot of fans of the books and whatnot, but I don't think that anybody really expected it to be this well received. So for me it's just a dream come true to make something that you love, that you're really proud of, that people also really loved.
IGN: Did you get satisfaction after?
Hutcherson: It does feel good. Especially when you have so many people who have so many different opinions of what the character should be like. It's good to know that all in all, they're pretty satisfied with it. It's definitely a little nerve wracking when you're making it because you're like, "Wow, a lot of people like this character so I hope I'm doing it the right way." So I'm very happy and the response has been really great.
IGN: Now that the movie is coming out on DVD and Blu-ray, do you feel that anticipation ramping up all over again?
Hutcherson: I'd say so, yeah. It's very similar to when the movie opened, because there are a lot of people who maybe didn't get a chance to see it in the theater and now they're going to see it for the first time. So I hope we get it right by them as well. So there's definitely some of that same nervousness I'd say, of just hoping that people respond well to it, even though it came out and people mostly did respond well to it. But yeah, there's definitely a bit of that, "Oh, god. I hope people like it" again.
IGN: Do you think the movie holds up on DVD?
Hutcherson: Definitely. I love watching movies on DVD. I love the moviegoing experience because of the popcorn and the big screen and the sound and everything with the audience is awesome. But there's also something nice about being able to sit and enjoy a movie in the privacy of your own home. It's really nice and calm. I feel like when I see it in the theater I'm there for the experience, and when I see it at home I'm there for the actual movie, seeing the movie itself.
IGN: There are a lot of special features on this disc, including that three-hour behind the scenes feature. Were you aware of the documentary crew hanging around while you were making the film? Was the future home video release even something you thought about back then?
Hutcherson: Yeah, Lionsgate was really proactive about making sure they got a lot of really good footage of the making of the movie. But it was never invasive, which is nice. You were aware that they were there kind of doing their thing, but it never really affected you, which is nice. I'm really excited for the fans to see what it's like from the beginning, just being a book, through the whole process that it went through to become a movie. Because as a moviegoer, for me that's always interesting. Especially with a book that's very popular. I think that's a cool process to see.
IGN: It's always a bit of a trick appealing to the fans of the books as well as people who have only seen the movies. Do you feel like there's something here for everyone?
Hutcherson: I actually haven't seen it yet, so I'm not sure, but I definitely feel like it would. I know that Lionsgate put a lot of work into it and took their time with it and wanted to make something really special, not just half ass it. So they wanted to give the fans and people who really loved the book a very real, up close experience of what it was like making the movie so they can feel like they were part of the making. And based on what I've heard about it and all the filming they did, I'm pretty sure they accomplished that.
IGN: Since The Hunger Games is a trilogy, did you keep the direction of Peeta as a character in your mind when you were making the first movie?
Hutcherson: I really tried not to, because in reality these characters don't know where they're going. So I thought it would be weird if I was too focused on what's happening in the future, because it would take the characters out of that moment and they would be knowing things they weren't supposed to know. I mean, obviously we all knew where it was going but I tried not to think about it too much while we were shooting. But now that it's actually coming and we're going to start shooting the second one, I can't wait. I can't stop thinking about it. And I'm really excited.
IGN: Peeta has one of the most interesting arcs of all the characters in the trilogy. Without spoiling anything for anybody who hasn't read the books, are you looking forward to what's coming for him?
Hutcherson: That's one of the things I've been most excited about with the whole series, the fact that Peeta does have such a really great arc, and he really goes through a big transformation. I mean, in the second book, he's caught in a situation where he's in love with this girl and she pretends to love him back, but only as a show. And that's like, I can't even imagine how deep that cut has to be, to be with this girl and be parading around and kissing and holding hands and pretending like you're in love, when you really are in love and you know that she really isn't. That's just a cool mind screw and I can't wait to play that out because it will be really fun.
IGN: Yeah, you've just got to feel sorry for the guy.
Hutcherson: I know! He's such a genuinely nice guy. He just wants love.
IGN: Separately from playing the role, just as a person watching the story, do you find yourself rooting for that relationship versus the Katniss and Gale relationship?
Hutcherson: Honestly, it's so hard to say. Because both have things that really make sense. Gale has been in Katniss' life forever, and they've been super close and now that they're older it's like, wait, what is this? And they're trying to define what their relationship is. [Peeta] is so in love with Katniss and has known it since the first time he saw her, but then never really acted on it. He's just kind of admired her from afar. And so to see that come to fruition as well, that's really intriguing. So it's really hard to say which one is the sole winner. I feel like just because Peeta has been in love with her for such a long time and it's this kind of undying love that he'd do anything for her, that's the one I'm rooting for. But at the same time, who's to say that Gale doesn't feel that same way? Gale's totally in love with her too. So it's really hard to say.
IGN: Did you learn anything on the first film that you're taking with you into the second?
Hutcherson: I think probably just how I learned how to work with our cast. There's a very cool, very dynamic cast and our relationship was so strong that we really built that up in the first movie. That's been something that will continue on in the second film with all the cast. And with the new people coming in I'm excited to get them into our group too. So I'm really excited to get back into it with these guys. I think in the first one I learned a lot about our dynamic. And to know that we have a couple of movies to do with that, it's nice to know that it's a good dynamic.
IGN: I read that you were in the gym bulking up to get ready for the next film. Is that what's going on for you right now?
Hutcherson: That is what's going on. I've been working on that for the last four weeks or so and it's going great. I'm very excited about it. I'm very proud of it. It's been a year since we filmed Hunger Games so I'm excited to be getting back into it. My hair's dyed blond now. So everything's coming back to life. It's really exciting.
IGN: Before I let you go, I have to ask you about the Red Dawn remake. For some of us of a certain age, the original movie was a touchstone growing up. I imagine there's a certain amount of anticipation for this movie as well, though probably not on the level of The Hunger Games.
Hutcherson: Yeah, it's cool. My parents grew up during that time, so it was more a part of their childhood, but I had seen it before the part came around to me. But yeah, it's a cool concept. Weirdly enough, it actually is similar to The Hunger Games in a sense, because these people are banning together to rise up against something that's much bigger than them. It's very kind of empowering movie as well. So I guess that's my new kind of role. I'm going to take on all these movies that empower the people [laughs].
Warning: Full spoilers for the episode to follow.
It was only a matter of time before Ryan attempted to integrate Amanda into his established group of friends -- or rather, Jenna and Drew. We already knew that there would be some unresolved tension between Amanda and Wilfred, given Amanda's darting looks of disapproval in episodes past. In this week's "Control," we got a chance to see Ryan confront the situation head-on.
It all started with a remixed auto-tune video of Jenna's infamous "Squishy Tits" incident from Season 1. Even after all the time that has passed, her televised black mark is still causing trouble (to the tune of 1.4 million views, I might add). Right off the bat, we were introduced to Ryan's first hurtle between Amanda and Jenna as Amanda caught Jenna and Ryan in a consoling embrace. It was that nail-biting anxiety that would set the tone for the rest of the episode. And things only got worse at Ryan's dinner party... thing.
Among the overall cumbersome atmosphere, it was a stroke of genius to incorporate Drew into the butt of every awkward pause. Some of his lines were unintentionally brilliant, particularly his analysis of the difference between Monet and Manet, which, as we learned, are "both correct." I never thought of Chris Klein's character as anything more than a one-note joke -- and in many ways, he still is -- but the degree to which they use him has been expertly played this season.
Meanwhile, Wilfred had his own problems with getting to know Amanda, who was immediately repulsed by Wilfred's clumsy gestures of affection. Pretty much every interaction that could go wrong, did go wrong. And "Bear's" drunken antics certainly didn't help matters.
Jenna and Amanda's polarizing stance on dogs was another fun (and inevitable) dynamic for the episode. Matters became doubly uncomfortable when Ryan started lying for both women to save face with either side, and the culminating trauma story for Amanda was the icing on the terrible cake.
However, in a rare moment for the show, I was pleasantly surprised to see Wilfred actually resolve everything with his final act of redemption. I supposed we should never underestimate the awesome power of the doggie snuggle. Once again, Ryan was able to narrowly escape a complete disaster.
As a self-proclaimed Amanda (Read: Allison Mack) fan, it seems as though we've seen our first real drawback in her relationship with Ryan. While this week's conflict did conclude rather nicely, who knows how long the peace will last. Nevertheless, it was great to see Amanda playing a central role in the story this week, as well as the return of Jenna and Drew. Now that the formal introductions have been made, it will be interesting to see where this newly formed ensemble eventually ends up, especially now that Amanda and Jenna are so buddy, buddy.
Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love on Twitter and IGN.
Bloomberg reported yesterday that Facebook “is working with HTC Corp. to build its own smartphone for release as soon as mid-2013,” vaguely citing “people with knowledge of the matter” (i.e. an anonymous source). But despite this rumor swirling around for years now, it will have to continue swirling.
During today’s 2nd quarter earnings conference call, Facebook’s CEO discredited the hearsay about a proprietary device, expressing the company’s intention to pursue alternatives “that aren't really building out a whole phone, which really wouldn't make much sense for us to do."
The Facebook team also revealed their struggles to monetize increasing mobile usage of the service; an exclusive mobile platform would give the company greater options - especially with regard to ad-placement.
For now, Facebook has a team of UI designers poached from Apple working on its notoriously sluggish iPhone app. “I think we're much closer to the beginning than the end in terms of what we can do with the apps we use today,” said Zuckerberg.
Facebook is expected to launch an improved and better-integrated app with iOS 6 this fall, with further updates to follow.
It appears that some gamers are having overheating issues with their PlayStation Vita handhelds, and now an independent agency sanctioned by the Japanese government is looking into the matter. Andriasang reports that Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun has an article discussing the inquiry, which is being conducted by Japan’s National Institute of Technology and Evaluation.
The overheating problem, which has only been reported a total of 31 times to Sony, appears to happen when gamers recharge their Vitas. Twenty-three of the 31 reported issues occurred in Japan; the remaining instances happened in Sony’s other three major markets: Australia, North America and the UK.
Sony is fully cooperating with the National Insistute of Technology and Evaluation; Andriasang notes that “Sony sent a detailed listing of the various incidents” to them. “In all cases,” the article goes on, “the problem involved the connection slot between the charging unit and the Vita burning during charging. There have been no reports of injuries.”
Yomiuri Shimbun has spoken to Sony’s Japanese PR department and received word that there will be no recall of the PlayStation Vita , as apparently the handheld itself isn’t to blame. Rather, Sony “believes that the problem is with people having liquids or other objects inserted into the connection.”
We’ve reached out to Sony for further comment and clarification, and will update when we hear back.
Colin Moriarty is an IGN PlayStation editor. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN and learn just how sad the life of a New York Islanders and New York Jets fan can be.
Warning: full episode spoilers follow.
This season of Earth's Mightiest Heroes has opened the floodgates as far as Marvel cameos go. It was only a matter of time until Spider-Man joined in on the fun. Spidey made his EMH debut in a fairly low-key episode that effectively explored the fallout of Captain America's public disgrace during the Secret Invasion storyline.
The Cap/Spidey pairing isn't necessarily one that crops up a lot in the comics, if only because Cap can be fairly immune to humor and sarcasm. But the angle this episode took worked. Cap was facing the wrath of every New Yorker (most of whom were being egged on by a vindictive J. Jonah Jameson), and who better understands what it's like to be hated and feared by those you protect than Spider-Man? Well, besides the X-Men...
After some early setup and tension between Tony Stark and JJJ, the episode narrowed its focus to Cap and Spidey as they escorted a group of survivors through the underground tunnels of Manhattan. In more ways than one, this episode reminded me of the classic Amazing Spider-Man #33, with Spidey trapped underground and forced to summon every last ounce of willpower to escape a mountain of debris. If a little heavy-handed at times, this episode really drove home the idea that Cap and Spidey are heroes because of their actions and not because of the whims of a fickle public. It helped that Spidey's portrayal was more toned down than I expected. Though ostensibly the same version as the one seen in Ultimate Spider-Man (sort of - see below), Spidey ditched the cutaway gags and fourth-wall breaking for more traditional snark.
The Serpent Society returned to serve as villains. For a brief moment the episode gave off a strong Dark Knight vibe as Clay Quartermain led a S.H.I.E.L.D. convoy through the deserted streets of Manhattan while eerie music played. But about the time the first half-man/half-snake super-villain popped up, that grim tone evaporated a bit. The conflict might have worked better if the writers had chosen a less ostentatious and more creepy set of villains and fully maintained that tone. Also a bit disappointing was the lack of any real depth to the Cap/Viper relationship. Those two took an interesting turn in "Prisoner of War," and it would have been nice to see Viper show more conflicted feelings about resuming her feud.
The voice acting in this episode deserves special attention. In case you missed Eric Goldman's original article, this episode has attracted a bit of fan notoriety because the Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes producers originally cast Spectacular Spider-Man's Josh Keaton but Marvel later chose to re-dub Keaton's lines using Ultimate Spider-Man's Drake Bell instead. Bell did a perfectly fine job, but it would have been nice to hear Keaton one more time to help ease the pain of Spectacular's untimely demise.
On the plus side, J.K. Simmons was on board as J. Jonah Jameson, and that's always a treat. The downside with JJJ was that Simmons practically ran circles around Eric Loomis' Iron Man. I've never been a huge fan of Loomis' portrayal in the first place. The producers seemed more intent on casting an actor who sounded like Robert Downey Jr. than one who truly embodies the charisma and humor of Downey's performance. A JJJ/Stark squabble could have been comedy gold, but the end result was disappointingly tame.
Though it seemed to miss its full potential in a few key areas, "Along Came a Spider" was still a fun team-up episode and a proper coda to the recent Skrull conflict. I suppose it's too much to hope that Ultimate Spider-Man could adopt a similar "less is more" approach to depicting Spidey?
