Monthly Archives: February 2015
The Americans’ Keri Russell on Elizabeth’s “Hardcore” Tactics
The spy life is hitting home for the Jennings in a huge way this season on The Americans, as embedded Russian/KGB agents Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip (Matthew Rhys) debate what to do now that their leaders want their teenage daughter Paige (Holly Taylor) brought into the fold.
I sat down with Keri Russell to discuss this huge turn of events on the show and the struggle between Elizabeth, who wants to tell Paige, and Philip, who is incredibly against it, and how it develops.
We also chatted about the newly-introduced Gabriel (Frank Langella), the rare times she and co-star Matthew Rhys get to work with their fellow castmates and a certain recent scene involving a body and a suitcase…
Thor’s Jaimie Alexander Joins High-Profile NBC Pilot
Warner Bros. Television and Greg Berlanti Productions have tapped Jaimie Alexander (Lady Sif in the Thor films) to star in their NBC pilot, Blindspot.
According to Deadline, Alexander will star as Jane Doe, "a beautiful woman who finds herself at the center of an investigation after climbing out of a duffel bag in the middle of Times Square in New York City with her memory wiped and no clue as to what the extensive tattoos on her body mean." As the FBI begin to trace the road map on Jane's body, they uncover a "larger conspiracy," while discovering the secrets behind Jane's identity.
First e-Sports Arena in UK To Open Next Month
The e-Sports live scene in the UK is about to get bigger, as a new e-Sports venue named the Gfinity Arena is to open in March following a partnership between Vue cinemas and Gfinity.
The venue, located in the Vue Fulham Broadway multiplex in London, is able to cater for more than 1000 people over the course of a weekend and around 25,000 throughout a season. Three custom-built stages will house over 600 spectators.
There will also be a player lounge, Gfinitiy's own entrances, confectionery stalls and automated ticket machines.
Spectators will find an adjacent shopping centre for food and drink, as well as hotels in the surrounding area. This move proceeds an eSports event last year at the Copperbox Arena in London's Olympic Park which attracted around 4000 spectators.
Amazon Picks Up Man in the High Castle, Mad Dogs, More
The results of Amazon's first "Pilot Season" of 2015 are in as full seasons of Shawn Ryan and Cris Cole's Mad Dogs, Frank Spotnitz and Ridley Scott's The Man in the High Castle, and The New Yorker Presents have been officially greenlit.
The Man in the High Castle (which was Amazon's most watched pilot ever) is based on the famous Philip K. Dick alternative history novel while Mad Dogs is an adaptation of the U.K. series of the same name. The New Yorker Presents is a docu-series based on the award-winning magazine.
Animal Crossing Speedrun Record Set at 70 Hours
A world record of 70 hours, 51 minutes and 47 seconds has been for the GameCube version of Animal Crossing.
The record comes via Twitch user 0xa101, who ‘completed’ the game by paying off every debt, filling the museum by identifying all fossils, catching every type of fish, insect, and art, and by collecting every in-game item needed to complete the catalogue.
As well as the above, the challenge also saw 0xa101 having to collect all gyroids, craft every villager statue, and build an additional bridge.
As DigitalSpy points out, there’s a list of rules players need to abide by to avoid having to start over, which includes not being allowed to stop the timer at any point. The use of cheat devices or an existing save file is a big no-no too and, while you can use some codes, certain Nook items are banned.
Release Date Revealed for Europa Universalis 4: El Dorado
Paradox Interactive has announced that the latest expansion for Europa Universalis IV, El Dorado, will release on February 26.
According to the press release, in El Dorado you will be "setting sail for adventure, guarding treasure fleets and unlocking the secrets of the Amazon".
This will be the fifth expansion for the grand strategy game, adding depth to the Aztec, Mesoamerican and Incan cultures. Additionally, there is a new Nation Designer, allowing players to create custom challengers anywhere in the world.
Lastly, a new system which automates sea and land exploration has been implemented.
Be sure to check out IGN's review of the base game, which is "easy to recommend to anyone interested in historical strategy".
Will Smith Discusses the Psychology of Deadshot
Will Smith has been discussing his role in forthcoming comic book movie Suicide Squad, talking about the psychology of his character Deadshot, and revealing that he's yet to read the film’s screenplay.
While promoting new film Focus – in which Smith plays a con-man who falls for the wrong woman – the star explained that director David Ayer is keeping his cards close to his chest when it comes to the forthcoming super-villain flick.
“It’s really cool the way that David Ayer works is all images, all ideas” he explained. “He holds
the screenplay and he just keeps giving you things about your character – he just wants you to be prepared for anything. He only sends you your character stuff so you don’t know what’s going on with the other characters. I think he wants it to come alive on set.”
Nintendo Reveals Why New 3DS Wasn’t Released in US
Nintendo has revealed it didn't bring the New 3DS to North America as it wanted to create a clear distinction between models for consumers.
Speaking at Indiecade East (via Nintendo Life), the company's Damon Baker explained the controversial decision to only bring the New 3DS XL to the US while other territories got both models.
Master Chief Motorcycle Helmet Available From July
The National Entertainment Collectibles Association has confirmed its Master Chief motorcycle helmet will be available to buy from July.
First teased last June, the Halo-inspired headgear is completely street-legal and approved by the US Department of Transportment, with front air intakes to prevent fogging and rear vents to keep your head cool. There's also a reflective shield with UV protection and removable top and cheek pads.
Capcom Pro Tour Prize Money and Schedule Announced
After a successful first season, the Capcom Pro Tour is returning in 2015 with a total prize pool of $500,000.
The game of the tour will be Ultra Street Fighter IV.
According to the announcement, Capcom has three main goals coming into this season:
- Give fans more Street Fighter content to enjoy and look forward to.
- More evenly distribute the tournaments and point totals across the different world regions.
- Increase tournament prize pools across the board, and incentivize more players to get involved with the tour.
For the Capcom Cup, the number of player spots is being doubled from 16 to 32. In addition, the 16 Premier events you can attend in order to qualify for the Cup have been split into four regions in order to equalise point distribution: North America, Europe, Asia, and Wild Card.