Monthly Archives: December 2015
Season 2 Premiere of Serial Podcast
Today, Sarah Koenig and Serial are back with the second season of the hit podcast. This season she follows the story of Bowe Bergdahl, the United States solider who was captured by the Taliban and imprisoned for five years.
The podcast features Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker screenwriter, who spent some time talking with Bergdahl after his return home.
This season will explore "why one idiosyncratic guy (Bergdahl) decided to walk away, into Afghanistan, and how the consequences of that decision have spun out wider and wider." It's a story that's been heavily documented in the press, so it'll be interesting to see how Koenig and her team dig deeper this season.
In Dustwin, the first episode, we'll hear from Bergdahl himself as to why he left his post. Next week, Sarah calls the Taliban.
See Fans React to Star Wars: Phantom Menace in 1999
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is just over a week away and fans' excitement has reached incredible heights, rivaling that of The Phantom Menace back in 1999.
Despite the overwhelming negativity surrounding George Lucas' prequel film today, Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace was initially received quite well by fans.
Check out the compiled interview footage from Funny Local News Bloopers below, to see just how positive the fan reaction was when the film first debuted 16 years ago.
Free Dying Light ‘Drink for DLC’ Content Revealed
Dying Light developer Techland has detailed free DLC coming as a reward for their "Drink for DLC" campaign.
Starting on February 9, players will get access to three pieces of DLC. The Fountain of Youth will bring an exploration-based quest found in the Old Town area. A new blueprint, dubbed Water 2.0, will let players create a new throwable weapon that intensifies the electrocution effect of other weapons. Two parkour challenges are also coming and are designed around the theme of water.
Back in June, Techland launched the "Drink For DLC" campaign designed to poke fun at Destiny's Red Bull marketing promotion. "Drink for DLC" was designed to have players take a picture of themselves drinking water, post it to Twitter with the hashtag, and get some free content as a reward.
Wu-Tang and Bill Murray Can Pull Off a $2m Heist… Legally
In a world with finite resources, scarcity is often synonymous with value. With the laws of economics firmly in place, an item both scarce and desirable can therefore fetch a high price.
Legendary NYC rap collective Wu-Tang Clan understands this basic law of supply and demand, which is why it created only a single copy of its new album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. Wu-Tang producer RZA dreamed up the concept of a single-sale album and set out to make it a thing of not just lyrical and rhythmic beauty, but a multi-faceted work of art.
"We’re making a single-sale collector’s item. This is like someone having the scepter of an Egyptian king," RZA told Forbes in 2014. The 31-track record comes in a hand-carved box, accompanied by a 174-page parchment-paper book bound in leather. All surviving members of Wu-Tang contributed to the record, and so far only RZA and his co-producer Cilvaringz have heard the album in its entirety. All other copies, including the album's master, have been destroyed.
Fallout Shelter Gets Lots of New Features in Latest Update
The latest Fallout Shelter update is available now, and it adds a number of new features, including pets.
"Vault-Tec research has shown that 4-legged companions can have a profound impact on Vault happiness and productivity," says the update's description.
You're now able to evict "lazy layabouts" from your vault, and your Dwellers have some new pickup lines and conversations.
There is a new Sell All function for when you're clearing out your inventory, and there have been some Dweller management improvements, along with new objectives.
Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate’s Jack the Ripper DLC Release Date
The first expansion for Assassin's Creed: Syndicate will be available on December 15.
The appropriately named Jack the Ripper DLC jumps 20 years past the events of the main game. You'll play as Evie Frye, just one of the game's dual protagonists, and she hunts the infamous killer across London.
Xbox One and PlayStation 4 players will get the content first, while PC users can expect the DLC a week later on December 22. The pack will run buyers $15 if bought independent of the game's $30 season pass.
The latter option will also include The Last Maharaja expansion, and a season pass exclusive mission at a later date.
X-Men: Apocalypse Trailer Teased
20th Century Fox has released a new teaser image for X-Men: Apocalypse, while also announcing that the film will make its trailer debut tomorrow, December 11.
The image and trailer tease first surfaced on the X-Men Movies Twitter account. See the new motion promo below.
Tune in tomorrow for the #XMen: #Apocalypse trailer. Be the first to watch it on https://t.co/FdFZxM4TOv pic.twitter.com/dl1iWHbqCR
Hamill to Host Evolution of the Lightsaber Duel
Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill, will be hosting a documentary that focuses on Star Wars' iconic weapon, the lightsaber.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Star Wars: Evolution of the Lightsaber Duel will be shown on ESPN on December 15.
"What people don’t realize is how much goes into what appears to be just minutes on the screen," said Hamill. "The elaborate choreography for the actual fight is done on several different sets over a period of weeks and then it is edited down to what you see on the screens, so I am happy people are able to see the amount of work that goes into it."
Will Smith’s Deadshot Might Join The Batman
Will Smith has signed on for multiple appearances as Deadshot, and there are rumors that one of them might be with Ben Affleck in the proposed solo film The Batman.
According to Latino Review and its sources, "Will Smith may join Ben Affleck in his solo Batman movie, which might not end up being so solo."
"Nothing's locked down completely, but most of the involved parties seem enthusiastic," says LR.
In the comic book universe, Batman and Deadshot teamed up earlier this year in the Arkham Knight comics.
Ben Affleck might be directing The Batman himself, as well as starring in it. In addition, it's rumored that the film might be based on "A Death in the Family" and "Under the Hood."
Oculus Sweetens Pre-Orders With Free Game
Pre-orders of Oculus Rift will include a copy of EVE Valkyrie, Oculus has announced. The game will premiere first on Oculus.
Oculus founder Palmer Luckey said his company is "excited to partner with CCP to bring this experience to Rift owners everywhere." The bundle will release "Q1" of 2016.
Luckey believes EVE Valkyrie "perfectly captures the promise of immersive gaming," citing its combat and multi-player dogfights as draws and strengths on the Oculus platform.
Valkyrie is an off-shoot of the massively multi-player EVE Online, which is perhaps one of the most complex MMOs currently on the market. Valkyrie focuses on the space combat aspect of the MMO, distilling the experience down to something arguably more palatable to mainstream audiences.