Monthly Archives: December 2019
Universal Pulls Cats From its Oscar Awards Campaign
Universal has reportedly pulled Cats from its Academy Awards campaign, according to Buzzfeed News.
It’s been a weird month for Cats, the “nightmare-inducing” musical adaptation that blends fur and CGI to create its cast of felines, played by the likes of Dame Judi Dench, Idris Elba, and Taylor Swift. Following an abysmal box office opening and Universal sending out updated versions of the film with less terrifying CG, it appears that Universal has pulled Cats from its “For Your Consideration” page, which features other films like Us and 1917, all for the purpose of soliciting attention from the Academy Awards AKA the Oscars.
All The Platform Exclusives We Know of In 2020
We’re gearing up for what might be the biggest year in gaming - ever - if 2020 ends up being as stacked as it looks right now. Currently, the biggest releases are slated for the first portion of the year, but many of 2020’s end-of-year releases and surprises are yet to be revealed. And, with two new consoles on the horizon in Sony’s PS5 and Xbox’s Series X that are looking to push gaming even further, we can’t wait to see what comes next.
But, for now, here are all the biggest platform exclusives we know of releasing in 2020. Check out the gallery below, or scroll down further to read the entire list.
Hong Kong Protestors Face Off Against Mainland China Players in GTA Online
Pro-Hong Kong protestors and their opponents in mainland China are now taking to the digital streets of Grand Theft Auto Online, according to a report from CNN Business.
The online hostilities began as players living in the semi-autonomous state of Hong Kong began to dress their avatars up in the now recognizable garb of real-life pro-Hong Kong protestors. Namely, their avatars started wearing black clothing, gas masks, and yellow construction hard hats, a common choice of clothing seen during the mass protests in Hong Kong over the past six months.
Star Wars’ Babu Frik Voiced by Moaning Myrtle Actress
Babu Frik, the breakout character from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, is voiced by Shirley Henderson, the actress who played Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter movies.
Henderson was born and raised in Scotland with one of her earliest film credits in Trainspotting opposite Ewan McGregor. She later went on to a role in the Bridget Jones movies and Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Moaning Myrtle (left) and Babu Frik (right)
The 5 Biggest WTF Moments of 2019 in Movies, TV and Comics
If one thing can be said about the state of pop culture in 2019, it’s that it certainly was eventful. With genre movies, television and comic books at the forefront of the entertainment industry, and with millions of dollars on the line and fan expectations higher than ever, it should be no surprise that things got a little wild. These are the biggest WTF moments across the pop culture landscape in 2019.
Sony and Marvel Split (and Then Make Up) Over Spider-Man
Hands down the biggest shock of the year came when Sony and Disney had a very public breakup over Spider-Man. It quickly became a game of pointing fingers, with studio figureheads on both sides making carefully sculpted statements about why it was the other guy’s fault.
Every IGN Game of the Year Ever
A Charlie Brown Christmas Producer and Lyricist Dies on Christmas Day
Lee Mendelson, the producer and lyricist behind A Charlie Brown Christmas, died at age 86 on Christmas day, according to a report from NBC News.
Mendelson is perhaps most prominently known for penning the lyrics to A Charlie Brown Christmas’ iconic holiday song “Christmas Time is Here.”
Mendelson died at his home in Hillsborough, California of congestive heart failure at the age of 86, according to a statement Mendelson’s son gave initially to the Associated Press.
59 Movies to Geek Out Over in 2020
2020 is shaping up to be yet another epic year at the movies. Film geeks can look forward to more blockbuster sequels, more superhero adventures, more terrifying horror movies and new efforts from some of the world's most acclaimed directors. With so much on tap for 2020, it's best to start planning your calendar now.
We've put together a list of the 40 most exciting and geek-worthy movie releases of 2020. But even as we count the days until the release of blockbusters like Black Widow, No Time to Die, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Dune, it's worth remembering that some of the best films in any given year come out of nowhere to astonish us.
Check out the slideshow gallery or scroll down to see what should be on your movie radar over the next 12 months.
How Speedrunners Completely Broke Zelda: Majora’s Mask
When you play The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, either casually or as a seasoned speedrunner, it's always a race against the clock. With only three in-game days, players need to spend their time wisely to complete its long list of quests, and even more so for speedrunners who need to get as much progress as possible out of each cycle to land a competitive time.
Earlier this year, that meant collecting the four boss remains and defeating Majora in a little less than an hour. But, as of this month, most of what previously wetn into a run became unnecessary thanks to the realization of a long sought after trick: the Moon Warp.
Moon Warp, as anyone who has played Majora’s Mask might suspect, allows players to warp directly to the moon and confront Majora without visiting any of the four dungeons. It’s an impressive trick that brought along an equally impressive new achievement: the first-ever sub-30 minute Majora's Mask speedrun, courtesy of longtime Majora's Mask speedrunner and world record holder Dennis “EnNopp112” Haugen. We spoke to EnNopp to learn a little more about this mind-blowing new trick and where he sees Majora's Mask speedrunning going from here.
Joker Screenplay Reveals Deleted Scenes With Neighbor Sophie
The screenplay for Todd Phillips' blockbuster Joker, written by Phillips and Scott Silver, is now online for all to read. Not only does the script feature an introduction by the writers -- detailing the tone of the film, its connection to the DCEU, and the year -- but it has a few cut scenes with Sophie Dumond, Arthur Fleck's neighbor played by Zazie Beetz.
The last we see of Sophie in the movie, she'd just walked into her apartment to find Arthur there - a man she barely knew. But Arthur had been imagining them together in a relationship for a few weeks, in a delusional state, split from reality. When he realized her feelings for him were all in his head, he left. But did he do anything to her (or her daughter) before we see him in the next shot? Did he kill her? It was a little mini-mystery fans chewed on for a while, fueled by the fact that Arthur was a staggeringly unreliable narrator.