The Office: New Characters in Dwight Spin-Off

TVLine.com has learned some details about the upcoming Dwight-centric Office spin-off, The Farm.

Dwight, after inheriting a large family farm/bed and breakfast, will leave Dunder Mifflin behind and in the first episode/potential pilot (which will air as an episode of The Office in Season 9) Dwight will have to convince his brother and sister to run the B&B with him. Right now casting is underway for an entire new set of supporting characters. Here are the descriptions of Dwight's Farmers and Farmettes.

FANNIE SCHRUTE - "Attractive, urban and in her late 20s/early 30s, Dwight’s younger sister fled the Schrute farm life for Boston as soon as she could, and has had little to do with her roots for quite some time. Now divorced with one son, Fannie is 'a bit of a pseudo-intellectual lefty' with an ironic sense of humor and a great heart."

JEB SCHRUTE - "Dwight’s easygoing thirtysomething brother hasn’t done well in any of the career paths he’s followed – worm breeder and Bigfoot hunter among them — but has found some success with a pot farm. He’s got none of Dwight’s dedication or work ethic, but he has made an exercise video about things you can do with a knife and a canoe."

CAMERON WHITMAN - "Dwight’s smart and slightly weird 9-year-old nephew (Fannie’s son) is a cosmopolitan lad who nevertheless feels the pull of his Schrute heritage, especially when he’s around someone — his uncles, perhaps? — who can offer the fatherly guidance he lacks."

HEINRICH MANHEIM - "The Schrute siblings’ great uncle is charming, greedy, manipulative… and just may have had to spend time in Argentina following World War II, thanks to his German National Socialist roots. Oh, and he vows to kill Dwight by the end of the first episode."

Since the once-in-a-while Office role of Dwight's cousin Mose was played by former Office co-EP Michael Schur (who now runs Parks and Recreation), it's not known at this time if the character will appear on The Farm.

Source : ign[dot]com

Believe in Namco’s Super Smash Bros.

Masahiro Sakurai promised the world that change would come to the Wii U and 3DS versions of Super Smash Bros., but few would have interpreted that to mean Project Sora wouldn’t develop the game entirely on its own.

In the aftermath of the announcement that a core team from Namco Bandai will assist in executing Sakurai’s vision, many wondered if developers responsible for the likes of Tekken and Soulcalibur could bring the appropriate tone and feel to Smash Bros. Those games, though technically all existing in the fighting genre, are worlds apart in virtually every respect. That’s to say nothing of the folks involved with other Namco franchises like the Tales of RPG series and Mobile Suit Gundam.

Change can be feared, or it can be embraced. What Smash Bros. fans should understand is the series has been developed in an environment of constant change. Though the first installment was technically developed by HAL Laboratory, both Melee and Brawl were created by completely different ad hoc teams assembled specifically for those projects. Those teams technically don’t exist anymore. This situation with Namco Bandai is no different. In fact, the developer is doing its own version of a team scramble, pulling not only from its Tekken and Soulcalibur veterans, but Tales, Ridge Racer and Mobile Gundam developers as well.

Namco and Sakurai appear to be seeking balance in the Smash Bros. team, pulling in folks responsible for a wide range of genres, skillsets and ideas. And in the end, that could be the best thing for the Smash Bros. franchise, which has increasingly tried to do more yet incrementally achieved less innovation and, some might argue, quality.

Take the single-player Subspace Emissary mode in Brawl. It not only suffered in terms of storyline but a feeling of progression and achievement as well. Don’t give us stickers and a bizarre plot featuring subspace goblins. Give us something more meaningful that has a strong sense of purpose, with mechanics to support that. Bringing in members of the Tales team, including series producer Yoshito Higuchi, who will be directing the upcoming Smash games, is the perfect way to address some of these issues. Developers responsible for 60-plus hour RPGs understand how to sustain a lengthy campaign, and the idea that Smash Bros. will benefit from that experience is reassuring.

While most of the focus of Tekken and Soulcalibur developers working on Smash Bros. has been on tone, my immediate reaction is that the series will now have the combined experience of two groups responsible for highly technical, highly competitive fighting games. Smash Bros. has grown as a competitive fighting series, yet as most dedicated fighting game enthusiasts will tell you, Brawl isn’t exactly the most balanced game. In fact many have taken to developing their own mods to attempt and bend the game to have a more technical edge to it. While Tekken and Soulcalibur no doubt have their fair share of issues, most fighting games evolve over time through patches and adjustments. The key, however, rests in the fact that Tekken and Soulcalibur rest on core concepts that have a great deal of depth and nuance when executed properly. Though Smash never needs to get too complicated, a solid foundation is something that any fighting game ought to have.

Namco’s cherry-picked team doesn’t end there, even looking to projects such as Ridge Racer and Mobile Gundam for assistance. Developing two Smash Bros. games at once, and attempting to design them to interact with each other, is a massive undertaking the likes of which Nintendo has rarely seen. It’s the sort of ambition that Sakurai is no doubt used to, having developed Melee and Brawl under extreme, last-minute conditions.

The news of Namco Bandai assisting with development of Smash Bros. should highlight several important things. First, the game is going to be made faster. In his statement released alongside the Nintendo Direct broadcast, Sakurai mentioned his new team has already developed a prototype that “looks pretty good, and [is] working great.” Had Sakurai attempted to build a team from scratch much in the way he did for Melee and Brawl, he’d likely still be figuring out the pieces to his own development puzzle.

Additionally, the larger implication of Nintendo’s willingness to work with outside partners is something that should be embraced by fans. While there is a risk that a team won’t capture Nintendo’s magic, we’ve seen time and time again that the publisher’s mentorship and collaboration can bring considerable benefits. Look at projects with Rare, Retro, Square and Capcom. Look at how incredible Project X Zone looks. Consider some of the more subtle partnerships we’ve seen, such as the case of Monolith Soft assisting with Skyward Sword development. Best of all, Namco’s teams have years of experience working in HD, meaning their skills can immediately help Sakurai’s Sora crew cross many hurdles.

Nintendo partnering with other developers isn’t exactly new. This work with Smash Bros. is one of the most high profile examples of that kind of development deal, but with Masahiro Sakurai watching over development, implementing his razor-sharp vision as he always does, it would seem premature to be anything but optimistic. We’re likely still years from seeing Smash Bros. arrive on the 3DS and Wii U, but thanks to Namco, that’s far closer to becoming a reality than before.

Rich is an Executive Editor of IGN.com, and the leader of the network's Nintendo team. He also covers all things Assassin's Creed, Resident Evil, WWE and more. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN, if you dare.

Source : ign[dot]com

Tech Fetish: We're All Getting Nexus 7 Tablets

This week Justin Davis, Mark Ryan Sallee and Nic Vargus talk about the big Google news out of this year's Google I/O, from Android 4.1 to the the Nexus 7. Awesome things are afoot in the science world as well, from organs on chips to water on distant planets. We received tons of great reader feedback, so thanks, and keep them coming!

Justin also sounds a little less like a wizard than last week.

Tech Fetish Podcast - Episode 133 (Must Right Click to Save)

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Source : ign[dot]com

Rainbow Moon Review

SideQuest Studios may be an unknown quantity to most gamers, but for the hardcore PlayStation Network audience, the small German developer has made a name for itself. Its two previous titles -- side-scrolling shooters known as Soldner X and Soldner X-2 – were popular forays into a retro genre. And for its third outing, SideQuest Studios decided to throw a curveball in the form of an equally retro RPG called Rainbow Moon.

Rainbow Moon may have a deceptive name suggesting that it’s more of an ‘80s cartoon than a hardcore role playing experience, but rest assured that it’s very much the latter. Taking inspiration from a variety of games from the past, Rainbow Moon combines obsessive grinding, equipment and character upgrading with strategy-based battling. While it doesn’t quite soar to the heights occupied by the best RPGs ever created, it’s still a worthwhile purchase for those looking to dump scores of hours into something that we don’t see too much of today: a bona fide old-school RPG.

The plot of Rainbow Moon is simple and, like many old-school RPGs, largely unimportant. The game’s protagonist, Baldren, finds himself stranded on a mystical satellite aptly known as Rainbow Moon. The same dimensional rip that deposited him there also brought a plethora of monsters to the once serene moon, and it’s up to him, along with the various characters that join him on his adventure, to rid the moon of its unwelcome new inhabitants before getting back home. Don’t expect a story in the vein of Final Fantasy VI or Wild Arms here; Rainbow Moon emphasizes mechanics and gameplay far more than plot. Mountains of roughly-translated (yet strangely endearing) text and an almost complete lack of character development affirm this fact.

As soon as the game begins, it becomes impossible to ignore Rainbow Moon’s crisp graphics and vivid colors. Sure, the character designs leave something to be desired, but the enemies you fight might as well have been lifted straight out of Dragon Warrior on your NES. Battle a poison-hurling scorpion here, a laser-firing mech there, or a fast-moving zombie in another locale; the variety of enemies is fairly vast, but expect palate swaps as enemy types get stronger (no doubt a nod to the RPG glory days of yore). Rainbow Moon also benefits from a strong soundtrack with some truly catchy tunes and a limited voice track that gives virtually all characters you speak with quirky “hello” and “goodbye” sound bytes bound to put a smile on your face with their ridiculousness.

But let’s get down to the nitty-gritty: gameplay and, more succinctly, combat. As you explore, you’ll run into enemies both directly (like in Chrono Trigger) and via random battles (like in Final Fantasy IV). Regardless of how an enemy party is engaged, things typically play out the same way. Your party – which can consist of up to three characters at a time – will be pitted against a hostile crew that may only contain a single enemy, 20 enemies, or anywhere in between. Even if the way you initially get launched into battle proves conventional, the actual fights themselves are anything but.

Don’t assume you’re going to get a deep combat experience like Final Fantasy Tactics here, but you’ll still get something very much inspired by that kind of game. Turn-based combat plays out on a grid, forcing you to think more tactically than many other games in the genre. Your characters will have various skills at their disposal, varying speeds at which they move, and even a certain amount of moves they get to execute each turn. Enemy and character strengths and weaknesses also play a huge part in combat. Fighting is only marginally deep, but still exceptionally satisfying and quite different from what you’d find in other likeminded games.

Outside of battle, Rainbow Moon assaults players with all manner of options, upgrades, equipment and more. The game’s two currency types – Rainbow Coins and Rainbow Pearls – serve different purposes that make your party stronger in equally different ways. Coins purchase items, weapons, armor, skill scrolls and more, while Pearls upgrade specific character traits ranging from strength and defense to speed and luck. Purchased equipment can be further upgraded by using items found during and after battle. These items provide varying types of permanent statistical boosts to your gear that can make a strong character setup even stronger.

All of these features mix seamlessly with a fairly straight-forward questing and side-questing system that’s shallow on story but still fun to work your way through. The main quest often sends you from character to character for brief conversations, an occasional fetch quest or a foray into a deadly dungeon. Side quests have you doing all kinds of activities, from retrieving lost items to killing devious enemies. Combined with Rainbow Moon’s vast map to explore – rife with geographic diversity and plenty of territory to cover – the game is dense. For the audience that this game is aimed squarely at, that’s a good thing.

Source : ign[dot]com

How Are Consoles and Handhelds Selling in Japan?

Japanese hardware numbers have been released chronicling how things have been selling both overall, as well as in the last six months. These figures and the details surrounding them have been translated and provided by Andriasang.

The story is a fairly predictable one. The Nintendo DS has dominated the handheld market, with PSP coming in second. In the realm of the console, Nintendo Wii has been the strongest seller this generation, with PlayStation 3 coming in second. You can see the total number of each current generation console and handheld sold in Japan below.

• Nintendo DS - 32,855,741 sold since December 02, 2004


• PlayStation Portable - 18,737,441 sold since December 12, 2004


• Nintendo Wii - 12,433,321 sold since December 02, 2006


• PlayStation 3 - 8,112,613 sold since November 11, 2006


• Nintendo 3DS - 6,355,287 sold since February 26, 2011


• Microsoft Xbox 360 - 1,554,547 sold since December 10, 2005


• PlayStation Vita - 756,451 sold since December 17, 2011

In the last six months, Nintendo 3DS has by far been the best-selling handheld, with PlayStation 3 selling the most consoles.

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.

Source : ign[dot]com

First Look: The Art of ParaNorman

Everybody loves a good ghost story, especially one that not only gives us a fright, but shakes the creative juices and inspires the imagination. The world of ParaNorman should do just that for audiences when the Focus Features stop-motion animated film hits theaters at the end of the summer.

So what exactly is ParaNorman? “The film is very much, intentionally, John Carpenter meets John Hughes,” director Chris Butler suggests. “It's kind of like throwing the kids from The Breakfast Club into the story of The Fog and seeing how things unfold around them.”

ParaNorman focuses primarily on a young horror-film obsessed kid named Norman. Having grown up watching horror cinema at a very young age, he's become obsessed with B-movies, sci-fi and gritty horror films, from zombies to monsters, ghosts, killer dogs – you name it. This is embodied in Norman's own bedroom. It's a place of ghoulish delight, filled with bold, vivid colors, loving homage and surprising realism.

“The biggest influence to ParaNorman is my childhood, quite sadly,” Butler remarks. “When I was a kid, I loved the sorts of movies that I wasn't supposed to watch. And I would rent these movies, probably when I really shouldn't have been allowed, and they exposed me to all kinds of things. Gory horror films, sci-fi pictures, Italian B-movies, Dario Argento or Mario Bava's films – stuff like that. Norman is sort of drawn from those films, using their imagery.”

“We even got to make one of those movies,” co-director Sam Fell adds. “The film actually opens with a snippet from a crappy old zombie movie, circa 1981 – color, with a synthesizer soundtrack. It was great fun to do that.”

But to help paint a more realistic light on what a child's sanctuary is like, directors Chris Butler and Sam Fell and production designer Nelson Lowry traveled to the most logical place they could go – real bedrooms.

“We wanted it to be a very real place, so people from the production company sent us photos of their child's rooms.” said Butler.

“We also asked them not to clean them up for us,” noted Lowry. “We wanted to capture their rooms in their natural state. And we learned that almost all of the rooms were just a mess – crap all over the place – toys, games, clothes, junk. We ended up building on that.”

“I think, even at one point, I took photos of my child's room to help create a sense of realism to Norman's environment.” adds Fell. “Everyone was always moving things around to get it just right. We wanted it to be as real as possible, like live-action.

“While the room was art directed with a focus on real world influence, there was also the sort of garish color you'd see in Italian horror cinema. There's a lot of great fanboy stuff there, too. You've got an illuminating zombie head. We even have this zombie alarm clock where a hand pops out of the grave when the alarm goes off. It's rather wild.”

Fell also noted that virtually everything in Norman's room paid homage to vintage horror cinema. “All the posters and artwork came from us sort of racing through the libraries of vintage posters, with stuff that we loved or used to watch being our influence. We ended up making that the basis for Norman's room, with zombie posters and all kinds of crazy movie posters spread throughout his room.”

But Norman's room isn't the only place of horror cinema inspiration. “At one point,” comments Butler, “we go to a bar and it's called The Bargento. A few people thought it was too obscure, but I refused to change it.”

“There's lots of little bits and homages like that,” remarks Lowry. “We reference dozens of directors and other horror films throughout. There was a fun challenge in figuring out all the pieces and fitting in as much as we could.”

Like Coraline, the previous film from stop-motion production house Laika, ParaNorman was shot in 3D, not only to take advantage of 3D's depth, but also to add some flavor to the zombie mayhem.

“With stop frame animation there's a tactile quality to it,” Butler suggested. "You can see that it's a real object, and you want to reach out and touch it. 3D just adds to that. It gives depth to those hand-made sets or hand stitched costumes and all the craftsmanship that goes into the film. With ParaNorman, the film is a bit of a roller coaster ride. We want to draw you in with lurid colors and depth, but having said that, we would have been remiss if we didn't have zombie hands sticking out of the screen. We are, after all, tipping our hat to all these really in-your-face types of movies, so sometimes we have to go there. But it's always done with a wink. It's always very knowing.”

Obviously, between the ghostly imagery and horror-inspired narrative, ParaNorman isn't your usual watered-down horror film, either. And those behind the lens wouldn't have it any other way.

“Things are pushed,” suggests Lowry, “but not in a very provocative way. We never take the film to any sort of gratuitous place, or anything like that. But it does have an edginess that attracted a lot of people to the project.”

“The best kids’ stories have always been challenging,” adds Butler. "They make children think. They introduce dark things that may present themselves during their lives.I hate the idea that kids literature and entertainment has to be dumbed-down or sanitized. It's not what we're about, and it really shouldn't be what filmmaking is about.”

ParaNorman opens on August 14, 2012 in the U.S., September 22 in the UK, and September 20 in Australia.

"Loneliness will sit over our roofs with brooding wings." Become a friend of R.L. Shaffer on Twitter, Facebook or MyIGN for quotes, rants, reviews, news and more!

Source : ign[dot]com

The Artist Blu-ray Review

The Artist is a victim of circumstance. The very minute it won Best Picture during the 2012 Academy Awards, the backlash against the film began. And while there's plenty of reason to be fuming over the choice (many of the nominees were worthy of the golden statue), most of the complaints really had nothing to do with the film itself.

Rather, much of the frustration was geared at the Weinstein Company, an indie powerhouse known for winning a great many Oscars throughout the years. They turned an otherwise harmless, cute, spirited comedy into something of a sideshow, painting it with as much hyperbole as they could throw on the film. And really, no film should have to undergo such misguided hype.

At its core, The Artist is just an enormously pleasing, if superfluous, ride down memory lane, to an era of great transition, and great depression. It's a silent film, shot much like the films of the era, and driven by its lovely score, terrific silent performances and an entertaining narrative.

In the film, we follow George Valentin (Oscar winner Jean Dujardin), a silent film star whose career is shaken with the birth of talking pictures. His go-to studio doesn't want to keep making pictures with him, and in a matter of years, he's a washed-up has-been with nothing to his name. Enter Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), a young starlet he met during his heyday, who's quickly transformed into a superstar of talkies. Having long had a crush on Valentin, she attempts to awaken his spirit.

Let me pause for a moment to note the film's amusing similarity to the narrative template of Doug Liman's Swingers. In that film, the main character is in a state of self-loathing following the breakup with his longtime girlfriend. Despite his best friends telling him how great he is, he continues to wallow and fall apart. Eventually (spoiler alert), he meets a young girl and bonds with her over dancing, finally escaping the clutches of a tragic fate.

In The Artist, our hero is a self-loathing man overcoming a breakup with the studio. Despite his friends (mostly Peppy Miller, who also acts like Vince Vaughn's character) telling him he's great, he continues to wallow and fall apart, losing his home and livelihood in the process. Eventually (spoiler alert, though the Blu-ray box art already spoils this) he bonds with Peppy over dancing, reclaiming his former stardom, escaping one possible, and very tragic, doom.

See the similarity? That's not really a complaint against the picture, just an observation. If the film has any faults, though, it's in the pacing. At 100 minutes, The Artist has a tendency to drag on, especially considering the simplistic, and silent, narrative.

The story also falters with the logic behind Valentin's forced retirement. If you know anything about the tragic transition from silent films to talkies, you'll know that most silent actors didn't make the leap not because the studio wanted “fresh meat,” but rather, because those stars were not trained in subtle acting, but exaggerated expression. And, in some cases, these actors couldn't even speak English. The motivation for Valentin's exit from cinema is certainly tragic, but it's not as truthfully tragic as the real story.

But don't hold these faults against the picture too much. The film is delightfully charming, riddled with wonderfully amusing performances, a terrific score (from Ludovic Bource), a great sense of nostalgia, and some of the best cinematography of the year. Director Michel Hazanavicius does a great job making the film look and feel like it was a product of the era, too. And Valentin's cute little dog steals the show more often than Snowy did in Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin.

The Artist is a touch superfluous, and some might find it lacking when it comes to depth and true meaning. But the film should provide 100 minutes of fun for anyone with a fondness and affection for silent cinema, with a dash of melodramatic romance and dancing. Is the film Best Picture worthy? That's debatable, but it's hard to debate that The Artist isn't a solid piece of classy movie-making.

The film comes to Blu-ray courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The Blu-ray/UltraViolet combo pack is presented in full frame (the intended aspect ratio), mixed in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio.

Shot with Super35, The Artist has an intentionally nuanced appearance. The black-and-white image has been matted to 1.33:1, and degraded to look like dated film. Alas, despite some great cinematography, this transfer doesn't really look like vintage (cleaned up) silent film, but boasts a softer, less detailed melodramatic look, similar to B&W films of the '50s, not the '20s and '30s. Also a bit troubling are the hard edges noticeable on text, both on the opening logos and text within the film. It's hard to say exactly why this happened, but it renders a transfer that simply isn't its very best.

The film's sound mix, presented in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, is equally disappointing. Silent cinema was often accompanied by a live orchestra who would score the film while the action played on screen. One would assume this mix would match that level of enveloping power a live orchestra brings, providing a mix that plays like a live concert. Unfortunately, this track does nothing of the sort. Instead, it's a front-locked, shockingly soft mix that's disappointingly subdued and overly quiet for no good reason. It's possible director Michel Hazanavicius was going for a more mono-like listening experience, but it's a puzzling decision that dampens the overall presentation.

Extras include a series of explorative making-of featurettes (totaling roughly 40 minutes, in HD). There's also a lengthy, 45-minute in-depth Q&A with Missi Pyle, James Cromwell, Jean Dujardin, and Bérénice Bejo; director Michel Hazanavicius and producer Thomas Langmann. Rounding out the disc, there's a series of trailers and a blooper reel. The disc also comes with an UltraViolet cloud streaming digital copy of the film.

It's hard to fully recommend The Artist, as some will inevitably find the film boring, simplistic or just too “artsy,” and that's partly the fault of the Best Picture label – it attracts an audience who might not appreciate the film for what it is. That said, there's plenty to adore about The Artist, and the film should manage to win over many film goers, especially longtime lovers of cinema. If only the Blu-ray looked a bit sharper and sounded more lively. Regardless, this disc is worth a spin.

Source : ign[dot]com

Alan Wake Creators Bring Death Rally to PC

Remedy, the development studio behind Alan Wake and the first two Max Payne titles, has decided to bring its popular mobile game Death Rally to PC. Alongside enhanced graphics and controls tuned for mouse and keyboard, this version of Remedy's racer also includes a new track called "Savo" and sees the return of the 1996 Death Rally character, "Shadow Man." Also stated in today's press release, multiplayer and single player progress will now be integrated.

Death Rally PC releases on August 3rd for $9.99, a price point quite a bit higher than the 99 cents you'd pay on iOS at the time of this post.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Walking Dead: Episode 2 Having Issues on PSN

Today, The Walking Dead: Episode 2 launched on PlayStation Network. But unfortunately for many players trying to get into the experience, they’re unable to. IGN users rhoadesclark informed us of a thread on Telltale Games’ message boards chronicling the issue. As of the time of this story’s publish, the thread spans 14 pages.

The problem is associated with trying to launch the game. From dozens of accounts on Telltale’s message boards, when the game is downloaded, installed and launched, the game refuses to load and kicks gamers back to the CrossMediaBar (XMB). So the problem isn’t somehow in-game; the problem literally doesn’t let people play the game at all.

Telltale Games employees are trying to get to the bottom of the problem by asking users on the message boards questions, including if the game was deleted and then reinstalled and by which method the game was purchased (either individually or as part of the season pass). But there’s still no word on a fix, or when it might be forthcoming.

The problem isn’t only concentrated on Telltale’s forums. I put out a Tweet asking if any of my followers were having issues. They are. We’ve reached out to Telltale Games for official comment and, hopefully, a word on when these issues may be fixed. We’ll update when we hear back. In the meantime, let us know in the comments if you're having issues with The Walking Dead Episode 2 on PSN, and what the nature of your particular problems are, if any.

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.

Source : ign[dot]com

Wrath of the Titans Blu-ray Review

There are some very odd things going on in director Jonathan Liebesman's Wrath of the Titans. For starters, the film doesn't really feel like a direct follow-up to the surprise smash-hit, Clash of the Titans. Rather, it boasts a totally different feel and tone to the previous chapter, and in some ways represents a refinement of the ideas presented in the 2010 remake.

In the film, 10 years have passed since Perseus (Sam Worthington) defeated the mighty Hades (Ralph Fiennes) and the Kraken. His wife, Io, has passed away, leaving him to care for his son. But when Zeus (Liam Neeson) comes to Perseus in the night, warning him of his impending doom at the hands of Cronos, the father of Zeus, Perseus must decide if he will stay behind and ignore his fate, or prove himself worthy of the title of Demigod.

If Clash of the Titans represented the height of the power of the Gods, Wrath of the Titans represents the tragic end, when the once towering, armored, threatening beings of unlimited power are worn out, shriveling and dying, forced to stare fate in the eye. As such, Wrath is a surprisingly low-key experience, despite boasting far more visual effects and action than the previous chapter.

The narrative is more intimate, with a broken, decaying world surrounding our heroes. No more do we see the glistening hall of Olympus. No more does the eagle of Zeus fly free. And no more do the Gods seem like creatures to fear.

Focusing largely on the tumultuous, complex relationship between Zeus and his brother, Hades, Fiennes and Neeson provide the true heart and spirit of the picture. Fiennes is eons better than he was in Clash, borrowing less from Voldemort, and offering a slight Shakespearean twist to the character's inner-turmoil as he stares down his inevitable fate.

Neeson does the same, playing both the worried father of Perseus, and the regretful brother to Hades. There's an absolutely wonderful scene between Hades and Zeus where Zeus pleads with his brother, calmly and lovingly asking for forgiveness. It's a surprisingly rich scene that delves into the death rattle of these dying Gods, and it's a prime example of how the Titans franchise has evolved into its own being, far removed from the 1981 cult classic (though at least one amusing reference still remains).

Sam Worthington is actually a bit better this time around, too, dropping his infamous 'New York cabbie' accent for his homeland Australian accent. It's a jarring switch at first, but it also seems to free the actor to deliver a richer, more complicated performance.

Of course, the film is not without its faults. After all, it's pretty much just one big excuse for high-flying CG action and adventure, and the film provides a near-nonstop experience on that front. Unfortunately, it's at the cost of character.

While Perseus, Zeus and Hades are fairly well-drawn, Andromeda (now played by Rosamund Pike) has absolutely no purpose in the film, other than to play the token love interest. Bill Nighy and Danny Huston also chime in with quick one-note roles, adding a little color to the narrative, but not much else.

Edgar Ramirez and Tobey Kebbell play the sons of Zeus and Poseidon, respectively, but neither performer really captures their characters with any depth. Ramirez is forced into the tired mindless villain role, while Kebbell is a competent Demigod we're only told is not very competent.

F/X sequences are downright marvelous, though the Titans themselves are far less interesting or developed as those seen in the first film, though admittedly, Medusa and the Kraken were a hard act to follow. Also, the film's somewhat intimate character structure does limit set pieces, rendering a film that feels far smaller and cheaper, despite costing more and featuring even more impressive visuals and engaging action.

Wrath of the Titans is a great follow-up to Clash. It's still pretty dumb at times, even a little rough around the edges. The characters are fun, though, the visuals are awesome, the action is entertaining and there's plenty of replay value, especially for those with a taste for B-movies and Greek mythology. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes bring a lot to the table, too. Wrath is in no way a masterpiece, but it seems to be trying harder than most to be something more than just popcorn junk.

Wrath comes to Blu-ray courtesy of Warner Home Video. The film is available on DVD, Blu-ray (a movie-only edition and a combo pack), Blu-ray 3D (combo pack) and digital download. The version we'll be looking at for this review is the Blu-ray/DVD/UV combo pack.

Presented in 1.78:1, encoded in 1080p/AVC and mixed in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Wrath of the Titans looks and sounds quite extraordinary. Shot on film and digital, the transfer provides a sharp, textured appearance, painted with a sandy palette. The only major issue here is a hint of noise and grain, present during a few low-light sequences, and during a few action set pieces, too. It's not too distracting, nor does it last for very long, but it's noticeable nonetheless.

Audio is incredibly engaging, rich with aggressive surround cues that aide in the film's exciting action sequences. But even during the down time, the track is atmospheric and immersive. Dialogue is clean and crackle-free, and bass is hefty and impacting, without overpowering the rest of the mix.

Extras include a series of deleted scenes (presented in HD), Warner's tightly edited, insightful Focus Points featurettes (35 minutes, HD) and two equally fascinating Maximum Movie Modes, one that explores the mythology of the series, and one that examines the production itself. While extras appear limited on the surface, there's quite a bit here to explore. The Maximum Movie Modes alone are filled with a wealth of trivia to explore.

Much like Clash, Wrath of the Titans plays better on home video, where the rough edges aren't as noticeable, the sometimes sloppy story is far more forgivable, and the film's strengths come to the surface. It helps that the Blu-ray looks and sound terrific, and extras are pretty great, too. If you liked the first film, give Wrath a spin.

"Enough! You are, all of you, beneath me! I am a god, you dull creature, and I shall not be bullied..." Become a friend of R.L. Shaffer on Twitter, Facebook or MyIGN for quotes, rants, reviews, news and more!

Source : ign[dot]com

Star Trek: TNG Second Season BD Includes Extended “Measure of a Man” Episode

With the Blu-ray of Star Trek: The Next Generation - The First Season on its way in July, fans are already chomping at the bit, eagerly awaiting future seasons of the hit show. TrekMovie.com managed to dig up an interesting tidbit about the forthcoming second season of TNG on Blu-ray, which is expected to hit shelves this winter.

Writer Melinda M. Sodgrass has confirmed, via her Twitter account, that she's currently prepping an extended cut of the episode "Measure of a Man" which will run 20 minutes longer than the current broadcast version. Fans will get a sneak peek at this episode during the one night Fathom Event, where episodes of the first season Blu-ray will screen at select cinemas.

It's not known just yet if "Measure of a Man" is the only episode getting an extended cut. Even if it's the only episode to be extended for these Blu-rays, it's a welcome addition. "Measure of a Man" is a fan-favorite that illustrates just how smart, intelligent and awesome The Next Generation series really was.

Be on the lookout for a review of Star Trek: The Next Generation - The First Season on Blu-ray in the coming days. If you haven't already, you can pre-order the Blu-ray on Amazon. Also, check out our review of Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Next Level, the first TNG Blu-ray -- a sampling of great things to come.

R.L. Shaffer wants you to "make sure that history never forgets the name...Enterprise." Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and MyIGN for quotes, rants, reviews, news and more!

Source : ign[dot]com

Watch this New Expendables 2 Clip

Technically speaking, Sylvester Stallone isn't really carrying a weapon in this new clip from this summer's The Expendables 2. And yet, he's still able to get the job done… with a little help from his friends. Just like Ringo always said!

Watch the clip below:

Follow Movies Editor Scott Collura on Twitter at @ScottIGN, on IGN, and subscribe to his Facebook updates.

Source : ign[dot]com

iPhone Turns 5, Now Available Prepaid at Virgin Mobile

Who would have thought the iPhone would be a $150 billion goliath five years after its introduction, with more than 250 million handsets sold around the world?

Certainly not the competition, which in 2007 included heavyweights like Nokia, Research in Motion and the now defunct Palm. These smartphone rivals had six months to prepare for the iPhone after its debut at Macworld Expo, finally hitting retail stores on June 29 - five years ago today.

The competitors left standing are feeling the pain of their inaction today as Apple remarkably continues to sell three out of the five models, with a sixth generation handset likely on the way this fall.

Apple is also leaving no stone unturned, with the iPhone 4S and previous generation iPhone 4 finally available at prepaid carriers across the United States.

The second in what's sure to be a long list of pay-as-you-go carriers to land the iconic handset is Virgin Mobile, the Sprint subsidiary who rolls out the iPhone on Friday, perhaps not so coincidentally timed with the handset's fifth anniversary.

In addition to being available wherever Virgin Mobile products are sold -- which includes Target, RadioShack and Best Buy, among others -- the company has opened 10 of its own branded retail stores across Chicago today. If successful, Virgin plans to roll out the red carpet at retail nationwide in the months ahead.

"This month marks Virgin Mobile USA's tenth birthday," said Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group. "And what better way to thank our fans for ten years of loyalty than by giving them exactly what they want: the perfect plan for the perfect phone. That is the essence of 'A Higher Calling.'"

Virgin Mobile now offers the 16GB iPhone 4S for $649 or the 8GB iPhone 4 for $549, with three unlimited text and data plans ranging from $30 to $50 per month, depending on how many voice minutes are required.

Source : ign[dot]com

Tron: Uprising - "Identity" Review

Note: Full spoilers for the episode follow.

Imagine that everything you know, every memory, everything that makes you you, was contained on an external storage device. Now imagine that device was stolen. That's the situation Beck finds himself in when he's duped by a small-time thief and nearly loses everything. You have to feel sorry for him as his memory begins to fade, but it was a pretty dumb mistake for someone who is supposed to be a freedom fighter in the mold of Tron. And considering how important identity discs are in the world of the Grid, and the dire consequences of being without one for any length of time, they're surprisingly easy to steal. But let's overlook that little plot convenience and get right to the heart of the story. Which, as it happens, had a lot to do with matters of the heart.

Since the beginning, Tron has kept Beck at a distance, relating to him solely as the cool, reserved mentor, even at times when Beck really needed a friend. As he explains in a rather exposition-y scene near the end of the episode, Tron once let his friendship with Clu cloud his judgement, and that experience has made him cautious about forming new emotional ties. But in "Identity" he puts it all on the line and risks exposure to bring Beck back from the brink of oblivion. It's an important turning point in their relationship. It's also worth noting that Tron's knowledge of strays and the process of memory loss was too thorough not to have come first-hand. We've seen in the first few episodes that Tron is badly damaged physically, now we know he's got some internal scars to match.

What the creators of this series seem to understand in developing Tron: Uprising so far is that you can have all the ultra cool light cycle chases through spectacular digital landscapes you want, but none of it is going to connect with an audience unless they care about the programs riding those bikes. I appreciate that the writers are taking the time to explore the characters' motivations, even one-shot characters like Lux. Her sacrifice wouldn't have meant as much without the insight that her actions were rooted in her love for Cobol. That she would betray him after learning of Tron's survival is a testament to Tron's power as a mythical figure.

Zed is also turning out to be more than just a minor character whose only purpose is fill out the B story of each episode. Though he hasn't yet had much impact on the greater story arc, he has had some difficult choices put before him. His desire for recognition and respect from guys like Bartik and Hopper clash directly in this episode with his feelings for Mara. Luckily for Beck, love wins this round, but I was a bit disappointed that Zed walked away from the chance to join Paige's task force. I would have liked to have seen him go up against Beck as the Renegade.

All of this character stuff goes hand in hand, of course, with the slick visual design, which continues to impress. By now, it's easy to take the look of the show for granted, but the style is really distinctive from anything else on television. In "Identity" we got more thrilling action, including a cool sequence that climaxed in Beck jumping through a window, and some pretty fluid fight scenes. We also visited a new location, Pergos. It wasn't quite as gritty as I expected from Tron's description as a rundown "garbage heap," but it did have a different aesthetic from Argon City and the other locales we've seen so far.

In just four episodes, we've had a chance to explore more of the Grid than in either of the films, and I look forward to more of that world expansion in the show's future. Based on past experience, I fear that Tron: Uprising is bound to let me down sooner or later, but I'm happy to say that it hasn't happened yet.

Source : ign[dot]com

No 3D Shoot for Mad Max 4

Director George Miller and company have finally started shooting Mad Max 4: Fury Road in Namibia, Africa, but they have made a major last-minute change to their plans.

As Twitch Film notes, Miller has always been very adamant about filming the movie in 3D and even developing custom rigs from Dalsa Corporation. However, those plans have now fallen through, and although the film will still be screened in 3D, it will no longer be shot that way. Instead, the production team will be using a blend of Alexa digital cameras and Canon and Olympus DSLRs (for the trickier, more dangerous shots). The film will be converted to 3D in post-production.

Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron star.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Worst Video Games of 2012 So Far

The IGN staff joked recently that 2012 might be -- despite absolutely incredible games like Fez, Diablo III, and Mass Effect 3 -- the worst year in the history of games.

Eventually it stopped sounding like a joke. For every awesome, forward-thinking gem, we reviewed something abysmal, embarrassing, or downright unplayable. 2012 is a victim suffering from some serious games industry abuse right now, and we're only halfway through the year.

Here's hoping the next six months brings us better games than these piles of hot, smelly garbage. These are the worst of the worst, the least likable games IGN reviewed in 2012 so far.

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City

http://ign.com/http://ign.com/Game of Thrones

Bloodforge

Ridge Racer Vita

Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor

Ninja Gaiden 3

NeverDead

Orion: Dino Beatdown

Gettysburg: Armored Warfare

Amy

Brian Altano is IGN's Senior Features Editor. He secretly wishes somebody would combine something from every game on this list and make the greatest worst video game ever made. Mitch Dyer is IGN's Xbox Associate Editor and he secretly wishes that Brian's wish never comes true because he'd end up having to review it.

Source : ign[dot]com

G.I. Combat #3 Preview

Though we had Men of War in the New 52 relaunch, its replacement G.I. Combat has brought back the more fantastical war stories of old, like The War That Time Forgot -- which means, dinosaurs. DINOSAURS. Issue #3 comes out this Wednesday, and thankfully, the dino action isn't slowing down.

The War That Time Forgot portion of G.I. Combat #3 is written by J.T. Krul and drawn by Ariel Olivetti, while The Unknown Soldier portion is written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti with art by Dan Panosian.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. He will love Star Wars until the end of his days.

Source : ign[dot]com

World of Goo Dev Names Next Game

World of Goo sure was a bizarre, adorable and entertaining little puzzle game, but since its release in 2008 we've been dying to find out what's next for developer 2D Boy. Well, the wait is almost over...kind of.

While 2D Boy isn't announcing a new title, Kyle Gabler, the co-founder of 2D Boy and designer of the acclaimed World of Goo, is working with a couple of gents under the name Tomorrow Corporation to release Little Inferno.

Details on Little Inferno aren't currently available, but the developer's blog says that this "strange new game" will be released "this winter on multiple platforms." The "first bits of real info" will apparently be posted on the blog in the coming days, so we will be checking back on the blog as more gameplay elements are detailed.

In all likelihood, though, with a name like Little Inferno, as well as a blog post that asks the question, "What would you most like to set on fire?," we can expect arson of some sort to factor into how this game plays.

Source : ign[dot]com

What’s It Like Being a Male Gamer in 2012?

Our friends over at AskMen have launched the 2012 edition of the Great Male Survey. The survey takes a look at what it means to be a man in 2012, analyzing categories including dating, sex, lifestyle and more.

More importantly, the survey gives you a chance to answer burning questions about games, including which entertainment options you use on consoles, how much time you spend playing video games and even which of the presidential nominees you feel you could beat in a game of Mass Effect multiplayer.

This is the fifth annual Great Male Survey and is the largest survey of its kind, including more than 150,000 respondents worldwide.

So are you ready to define what it takes to be a man? Head over to AskMen and take the survey now!

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following him on Twitter or IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

PlayStation's Most Powerful Problems

The other day, I was helping Call of Duty expert Bobby Amos get a PS3 hooked up at his desk, and a lengthy firmware update began. He rolled his eyes and said "This is why I hate PlayStation." And... I couldn't argue. I could've pointed out the Xbox updates I sit through or how hard I think it is to find things on the Live Marketplace, but I didn't, because Bobby's right. The PlayStation hardware on the market right now is not player friendly -- it's not designed with the idea of you plugging it in and it being easy to use.

That's something that's go to change as we barrel toward the next generation.

For more than five years, I've been fortunate to cover nothing by PlayStation for IGN; with that have come heated debates over XMB/Xbox Blades, Trophies versus Achievements and so on. While I think the PlayStation wins on most counts, that comes from someone whose daily routine is firmware on memory sticks and holding the power button to switch the PS3 from HDMI to component. When you look at your iPhone constantly reminding you of updates for your apps or the 360 automatically updating your Achievements, it's simple to see the weak spots in PlayStation's user-interface.

However, it seems like lots of people are so used to the complicated mess that they can't see the sticky issues. Here are some of the more tucked away problems PlayStation has to address for next time around.

VIDIOTS

A few months ago, I posted the video above lamenting the purchase of Season 4 of Sons of Anarchy on the PlayStation Network. See, I bought the HD episodes fully expecting the ability to transfer them to my PlayStation Vita and watch them whether I be in front of my TV or my handheld. That wasn't the case. HD episodes purchased on the PS3 can't be transferred to the PlayStation Vita.

"Unfortunately, we do not have HD rights for mobile devices, nor do other device manufacturers," said Michael Aragon, vice president and general manager of Global Digital Video and Music Services at Sony Network Entertainment. "The studios have concerns about security and output control for these devices, but we are in constant dialog with them about this topic."

But here's the rub. There are three versions of most videos on the PSN -- HD, SD and an HD/SD bundle. While Sony doesn't have the rights to move the HD file to portable devices, it does for the SD file. So in the case of Sons of Anarchy Season 4, I could've purchased the SD version and transferred to my heart's content. Similarly, I could've nabbed that HD/SD bundle and passed the file around, but no one told me -- a man whose sole job has been to use the PlayStation platforms for years -- that this PS3/handheld relationship was the exact reason the bundle exists.

“

The clear choice for an informed consumer is to skip the PlayStation Store.

Why not throw a bone to users and explain this relationship when they're trying to buy just one version? Why not allow the one purchase to unlock all formats? Why not make the HD/SD version the only one to buy?

"We did a lot of consumer testing on these options, and strongly considered pushing the HD/SD SKU on every purchase," Aragon said. "However, our consumers wanted the choice to forgo the SD SKU because hard drive space is a very precious commodity. However, given your feedback, we are going to ensure this is still the right option for all of our consumers."

See, I understand that hard drive complaint, but when I bought all my Smallville episodes off of iTunes, Apple forced me to take both the HD and SD version. I didn't know why, but it was easy enough to opt out of the versions I didn't want at the time. As someone who uses his PlayStation Network download list a lot, I can tell you it'd be a breeze to add that I've purchased each version of whatever video I've nabbed and allow me to pick and choose my downloads from there.

Even outside of this HD/SD issue, PlayStation has included video apps on the platform that now show how outdated the PlayStation video store is. The Amazon Instant Video App launched a week or two after I bought Sons of Anarchy Season 4 off the PlayStation Store. If I had waited, I could have bought the season for $20 from Amazon and watched it on the TV via the PS3 and on my PC. Instead, it cost me $42 on the PlayStation Store and limited me to one way to watch.

"We make money when Amazon makes money, so it’s a very symbiotic relationship," Aragon said. "Our goal is to give PS3 users a choice for which services they use."

That's noble in a way, but the clear choice for an informed consumer is to skip the PlayStation Store. That's not a mindset you want next generation as the digital marketplace becomes all the more important.

(LACK OF) FOCUS ON THE GAMER

When the PS3 was first announced, Sony made a big deal about it being the center of the living room -- the entertainment hub. That sounded great, and for many a user -- myself included --  the system became just that. All my digital photos and music are stored on my PS3, but that focus led to the PlayStation 3 missing the boat on the simple stuff gamers want.

A couple years ago, Sony unleashed PlayStation.Blog.Share, a forum where users could post things that would improve the PlayStation experience. The "most popular" threads haven't changed much since the platformed launched.

I'm not going to beat the dead horse of cross-game chat (the PS3 can't do it because of the way it was built), I know PlayStation Plus automatically syncs subscribers' Trophies, and LittleBigPlanet 2 does allow separate PSN log-ins. But, let's be honest: this stuff should be standard for all users in every game. When designing the PlayStation 3, it's like Sony got way ahead of itself and skipped these simple steps and chose to include "Printer Settings" instead.

I should be able to play with you on your PS3 and earn a Trophy on both our accounts. Your PSN profile should be the start screen of your PlayStation experience -- a constant reminder of what you've accomplished, who your friends are, and the greater online world. Right now, most of the people I know play their Xbox 360s over their PlayStation 3s because they think "that's where my friends are." The clunky problems above are just the tip of the iceberg as to why people are making that choice.

In a way, the PlayStation.Blog.Share has backfired. Initially started to give users a voice, the site now stands as a monument to how unable Sony is to iterate on its hardware. Not only have the items above been at the top of the list forever, an IGN article two years ago endorsed a number of suggestions on the Share site and only two of them them have come true (PS2 games, new avatars). Re-reading the article, many of the items from above pop-up and are joined by similarly cumbersome items like the inability to charge PS3 controllers in standby mode and delete Trophies at zero percent.

Why advertise what the system can't do but fans want?

F*** Firmware

I've already mentioned PS3 Firmware a couple of times here -- that punch-in-the-gut moment you come home with an awesome new game, pop it in, and find out you have to wait another 20 minutes to download and install the latest PS3 OS. Again, Sony has admitted mistakes in designing the setup, but alas, the PS3 is out and this is what we live with.

However, this is where I beg PlayStation to fix it for next generation. You can scoff at me and tell me they obviously will, but they've already dropped the ball on the PlayStation Vita.

The image above is from a flight I was on a month or two ago. After a week of coverage in LA, I downloaded Resistance: Burning Skies the night before my flight and was ready to shoot some Chimera on my way back to San Francisco. I powered up the Vita and found the game completely installed. When I hit start, I was greeted with this screen at 30,000 feet -- a long way from anywhere I could download the update.

"Unacceptable" doesn't even begin to describe it. This was a well known problem with the PSP -- this exact thing happened to me with PSP games and was mocked on all sorts of forums. Back then, we wondered why the UMD didn't have the firmware needed on it. Here -- with my 3G, constantly connect Vita -- I can't fathom why the game I downloaded from the PlayStation Store didn't make me download the new firmware, why it didn't bundle the data together.

When it comes to the next PlayStation device, make automatic updates mandatory for everyone. Let us opt in so that whenever a new firmware is pushed, PlayStation devices turn on and download so that they're ready to do the things we want.

PLUG AND PLAY

I infamously declared that the debut of the PlayStation Move made me sick to my stomach. It wasn't that I was that against motion controls; it was that I could see that Sony had no chance at capturing the casual market the initial reveal was aimed at.

“

As much as it broke my Trophy-whoring heart -- I told them to get Xbox 360s.

My mom owns a Wii. She likes it and plays a game on it every few months. Now, I can only imagine the hypothetical phone call trying to walk through setting up her PlayStation 3 to play Sports Champions -- of course this is after the hypothetical conversation explaining she'd need a system, Move controller, game, PlayStation Eye, and possibly a navigation controller.

I have some friends from college who let this generation of consoles pass them by, and when they asked me what system they should get so we could all play together -- as much as it broke my Trophy-whoring heart -- I told them to get Xbox 360s. I didn't feel like trying to explain to them the process of buying a PS3 and then a bluetooth headset of their choosing and then the complicated setup for the ones that didn't buy the official Sony headset and then how not every game has party features.

Casual gamers love the Wii and everyone loves to play multiplayer games on the 360 because these systems are simple. You plug a few cords into the Wii, and you're paying. You buy an Xbox, and it comes with the headset in the box and you can setup groups once you're online.

If you're livid and telling me how easy the PS3 is to do similar things, I'm with you. I know how to setup a headset and game with friends, but I'm objectively telling you, other devices are doing it better than PlayStation.

THE NEXT STEP

This is just a small sampling of the hoops you have to jump through to use a PlayStation device -- devices I honestly love but have to admit aren't user friendly. What are the stumbling blocks you see when you use a PlayStation device? What devices are doing things you want to see in PlayStation's next generation? Let the world know in the comments below.

Greg is the executive editor of IGN PlayStation, cohost of Podcast Beyond and host of Up at Noon. Follow IGN on Twitter, and keep track of Greg's shenanigans on IGN and Twitter. Beyond!

Source : ign[dot]com

The Secret World Early Access Begins

If you’ve been looking forward to playing Funcom’s latest MMO, The Secret World, you don’t have to wait for the official July 3 launch. Pre-ordering the game, even now, gets you into the Early Access period, which just started up today and runs until launch.

Funcom operates two other MMOs, Anarchy Online and Age of Conan. It also just announced a new MMO project in conjunction with LEGO Group.

Instead of an orc and elf-filled fantasy setting, The Secret World bases its action in numerous real world locations. There’ll still be magic, ghosts, demons and monsters, but there’ll also be assault rifles, pistols and shotguns, which seems promising. You can check out our impressions of a recent beta test, and look for review coverage in the near future.

Source : ign[dot]com

Storage 24 Review

Take a group of people, stick them in an enclosed space, add a monstrous creature to the equation, and watch the horror unfold. It’s a tried and tested formula that has served the genre well for decades, and new Brit-flick Storage 24 mines that very same territory, with decidedly mixed results.

Noel Clark – on whose idea the film was based – plays Charlie, a sorry excuse for a man struggling to come to terms with the fact that he’s just been dumped. Proceedings kick off with Charlie and best friend Mark (Colin O’Donoghue) travelling to the storage facility of the title to pick up his belongings post break-up.

Noel Clark as Charlie in Storage 24.

But wouldn’t you know it, former girlfriend Shelley (Antonia Campbell-Hughes) is there with friends Nikki (Laura Haddock) and Chris (Jamie Thomas King) to collect her things, making for a painfully awkward encounter.

Humiliation and embarrassment do not a horror movie make however, and at around the same time, something hits London hard. Initial reports suggest an earthquake or bomb, but it soon becomes clear that the threat is from another world, or more specifically, the alien contents of a military cargo plane that has crash-landed in the middle of town.

For convenience sake, the creature ends up in Storage 24, the crash sends the facility’s security system into lock-down, and the malevolent monster and our five miss-matched humans become  trapped inside. Cue broken bones and spilled blood as the creature goes on the rampage and the humans fight to survive.

And that’s about it in terms of story, though while Storage 24 hardly re-invents the narrative wheel, it does have enough jumps, scares and laugh to make it a passable entry into the over-crowded sub-genre.

Director Johannes Roberts’ previous effort was school-based horror F, and Storage very much follows in that film’s footsteps, the tension largely arising from the protagonists being stalked through dark corridors by an unseen assailant.

By the climax of the film we do get a good look at said creature however, and it proves to be the film’s crowning glory – an eight-foot monstrosity that’s a testament to the talents of effects maestro Paul Hyett – a mess of teeth and claws that’s a worthy opponent for our heroes.

Unfortunately, there’s just not enough meat on the bones of Storage 24 to put it in the same league as the numerous movies that follow the same template.

That’s because the internal strife between the characters never quite rings true, while the alien never gets the back story it deserves, making for an unsatisfactory (albeit visually arresting) villain. The addition of a homeless conspiracy theorist briefly livens things up, but he serves little purpose other than to fleetingly advance the plot.

Laura Haddock delivers a star-making turn as Nikki.

Noel Clark gives his most sympathetic performance yet as Charlie, kicking off proceedings an annoyance but gradually finding the hero within when the chips are down. The other acting standout is Laura Haddock – so memorable as Will’s love interest in The Inbetweeners – whose Nikki is a scream queen with brains whom you genuinely root for in the film’s final third.

But the result is a film that apes Alien at every turn without ever coming close to its slow-burning brilliance. And if you want to see a film about an alien invading South London, try Attack the Block, which betters Storage for both laughs and scares.

Without going into spoiler territory, the climax does set things up for a sequel, though while certainly a tantalising glimpse at what might be to come, I’m not sure the events that proceed it entirely warrant one. Taken on its own terms however, Storage 24 is an entertaining if unremarkable B-movie, and there’s no shame in that.

Source : ign[dot]com

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Complete Season Four Blu-ray and DVD Info and Trailer Reveal

Star Wars: The Clone Wars – The Complete Season Four is coming to Blu-ray and DVD on October 23rd, and IGN has your first look at what to expect.

This was a big season for the series, featuring epic battles beneath the sea, Obi-Wan undercover among Bounty Hunters, a dark storyline focusing on a rift between a squad of Clone Troopers and their Jedi leader and of course… the return of Darth Maul!

“Season Four allowed us to expand the series on many levels and achieve things that once were impossible,” says Supervising Director Dave Filoni. “It all culminated in the return of one of the most exciting characters from the Star Wars Saga – Darth Maul. To bring a classic character back to life, and know that his future is not yet defined, is really exciting.”

Check out the exciting trailer for the set below and then read on for more info on what to expect!

The Complete Season Four set includes five video commentaries featuring supervising director, cast and crew.

The Battle of Mon Cala: Dive into the depths of animation production as Supervising Director Dave Filoni and key members of his crew discuss the challenges of creating this complex series of episodes, full of underwater warriors and deep sea action.

Darkened World of Umbara: Supervising Director Dave Filoni and key members of his crew shine a light on the shadowy battlefields of Umbara, discussing the technical hurdles in creating this epic arc, as well as the storytelling challenges of placing Captain Rex and his loyal soldiers in this most difficult of situations.

Obi-Wan Undercover: The truths behind the deception are revealed as Supervising Director Dave Filoni and key members of his crew chat about the creation of this storyline full of betrayal, reversals, and shady underworld figures.

Slaves of Zygerria: Supervising Director Dave Filoni and key members of his crew discuss the development of a story that began life as a comic book before being transformed into an action-packed animated drama.

Darth Maul Returns: Darth Maul is resurrected to become a new menace in The Clone Wars, and Supervising Director Dave Filoni and key members of his cast and crew discuss how this shocking turn of events came to be, and what it took to bring the Sith warrior back to the screen.

The Clone Wars’ Dave Filoni Looks Back at Season 4

Those who purchase the Blu-ray version will also get an exclusive extra feature.

The Jedi Temple Archives: An extensive database exploring special effects footage, early concept art, 3D character and object turnarounds, early animation and more than 20 deleted/extended scenes. The Archives is a rare look at the assets in various stages of creation for The Clone Wars, with a wealth of surprises and never-before seen moments sprinkled throughout

Star Wars: The Clone Wars The Complete Season Four is presented in widescreen with English, Spanish and French 5.1 DTS audio and English, French and Spanish subtitles.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Season 5 Trailer

The series features the voices of Matt Lanter (90210), Ashley Eckstein (Her Universe apparel line), Dee Bradley Baker (American Dad), James Arnold Taylor (Johnny Test), Catherine Taber (The Old Republic) and Tom Kane (Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes). The fourth season also features a formidable line-up of guest stars – including Jon Favreau (Iron Man), Simon Pegg (Star Trek), Sam Witwer (Being Human), Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption), Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) and Jaime King (Sin City).

Source : ign[dot]com