Over the weekend, we were given the final installment of Doctor Who – Season 6. It closed where it opened, with the death of the Doctor in Utah, and it came to an emotional final conclusion, answering questions we’d all been scratching our heads about since the season opener.

It was apparent this episode was going to have to cover a lot of ground to tie up all the loose ends and unanswered questions dropped throughout this season and it answers most of them in a surprising fashion. Showrunner Steven Moffat has been very good at doing the unexpected on this show, and if he does something that’s even half-expected he does it in a completely new, off the wall sort of way. Taking a page out of Vonnegut’s book of telling stories involving time travel, Steven Moffat has really excelled at telling stories completely out of order in a jumbled mess of timey-wimey stuff, but completely understandable to an audience watching for rising levels of drama.

It’s honestly absurd how complicated yet simple it all really is.

This episode is no exception and he takes the beginning as the end in all sorts of different directions, but never straying from the one thread of story that takes you to the next logical step.

I guess this is all a roundabout way of saying that I really loved this episode of the show. I didn’t feel cheated by the ending whatsoever and I feel it leaves enough unresolved issues to keep me on the hook for another season. Yes, the Silence is still out there. Did anything that happened in that aborted timeline stick?

And this is setting up a next season that can be even darker than previous seasons. The Doctor seems to have committed to letting the whole of time and space (or at least his companions) think he’s dead. He’s going off the map to find himself and he seems at least a touch bittersweet and possibly angry about the way things played out.

Matt Smith has completely worked his way into my heart as the title character. Any lingering love I had for the previous two regenerations has been matched equally by my love for Matt Smith. He’s an incredible actor and always fun to watch (I suppose in the same way the last two were.) In this episode, though, he seemed to age a hundred years right before our eyes. It was remarkable.

Also, I hope this episode doesn’t signal the end of Amy and Rory’s time on the show. They’re fantastic additions and I’ve absolutely adored having them as the companions.

Do I think this was the best season finale we’ve had since the relaunch of the show? No. I still think the David Tennant’s season finale where Rose is left in the alternate dimension might still be the best… (Though Christopher Eccleston’s finale was very good, too…) This was good… Who knows. Only time will tell if I feel differently about it in the future, perhaps I’m still to close to it.

Bottom line is: If you’re not watching Doctor Who, you’re doing it wrong. This season was great.

“The Shadow Warrior” is set on Naboo and details the manipulations of the Gungans on the part of the Separatists in the hopes that the Gungan Army will march on Theed against the Naboo.

There is a lot to like in this episode that managed enough to overpower the fact that the story went by far too quickly, too quickly to give it a satisfying climax.

In the first act, we learn that the Gungan Boss (who looks strikingly similar to Jar Jar) is under some kind of mind control (it doesn’t matter what kind) and is going along with the Separatist plan. The plot is discovered, Anakin and Padme bring him to his senses, but before he can rescind his orders he’s stabbed by the Gungan traitor (whose name is startlingly similar to the evil Cardinal in The Three Musketeers). With no other options and the Gungans ready to march on the former commands of their leader, Jar Jar is forced to take the mantle of the king and handle negotiations with the likes of General Grievous.

Last week, I mentioned that this story line could easily be compared to Akira Kurosawa’s Kagemusha and if anyone denies that it was an inspiration you could easily call them a liar. Kagemusha is about the double of a feudal lord who is forced into service after he’s been wounded so his enemies don’t know he’s been killed. It’s a much richer, deeper story though, where the shadow warrior struggles to find his place in the world and is eventually cast out, despite his service. It’s a heartbreaking film and has one of the most gut-wrenching endings I’ve seen in a Kurosawa film. Wisely, the makers of The Clone Wars only take the premise from the film and infuse it with an energy uniquely Star Wars. There is so much homage to the films in these episodes it was fantastic.

First, it was great seeing classic Episode 1 sets and music on this show. Whatever anyone might say about The Phantom Menace, the musical cues leading into Otoh Gunga and the reveal of the underwater city are nothing short of breathtaking and seeing wisps of it animated on the show was exciting. There are a lot of fans who seem to think that The Phantom Menace was irrelevant but, in my opinion, I just don’t think they’ve thought it through and episodes like “The Shadow Warrior” help tie the importance of that film into the context of the greater saga. This is where it all began and even Dooku admits as much, saying that the Sith have their hands in everything.

Dooku was another excellent addition to the episode and his fight with Anakin was fantastic. There were hints of the fight with Yoda in Attack of the Clones, there were specific sounds and motions from that fight incorporated here, but there was also a healthy dose of The Empire Strikes Back. Dooku has objects floating around Anakin’s head, distracting him from the fight, in the same way Anakin later does to Luke on Cloud City. In classic Clone Wars fashion, though, the fight was amped up times four because there were four Magna Droids present, helping Dooku make short work of Anakin.

There is one part of the episode that I think some fans of General Grievous might take issue with, and that’s how quickly the Gungans make short work of General Grievous in capturing. It isn’t without sacrifice though and it literally takes an entire army against Grievous to take him down. Whatever anyone might say about the story content and implications of the scene, it was beautifully rendered. The storms gathering in the horizon and flashes of lightning were expertly put together and it makes sense, too. Using weather to enhance the mood of a scene is particularly Kurosawa-esque, and it’s no surprise they used it here. For a live action director, Kurosawa directed the weather the same way he’d direct an actor.

I’m also glad to see that Tarpals, a Captain in Phantom Menace and a General by this time, is given his due. I’ve always liked him as a side-character as much as, say, Nien Nunb or Admiral Ackbar. He had some great moments in Phantom Menace and he’s given a great scene in this episode that is worthy of him. I don’t want to say too much about the scene in case you haven’t seen the episode, but you’ll know it when you see it.

My biggest problem with this episode is that I could have seen it extended and the themes from the source material better explored. I felt the denouement came too easily. Though I do love the idea that Palpatine is using his own pieces on both sides, Anakin and Grievous, against each other and as bargaining chips, I though it ended far too swiftly. I honestly thought that when Palpatine proposed the trade of captives we were seeing a foreshadowing of the next episode. That it was resolved in a scene and a half was a little disappointing, but then I have to remind myself how much they’re really accomplishing in a 22 minute show.

All in all, this is an episode I wouldn’t hesitate to watch again. Top tier? Maybe not as much. Great TV? Definitely.

Next week, it looks like we’re getting Gulliver’s Travels by way of Willow starring Artoo and Threepio. I’m excited.

I look forward to the NHL’s opening day like fat girls look forward to the new Twilight baby making movie. I hear in this one he knocks her boots so hard she trades her Timberlands in for a wheel chair. That being said, it should come as no surprise that the one video game title I look forward to the most is not the one where I’m fighting dragons with my wizard stick but the one where I’m slamming the opposing teams leading scorer into the side boards. September 13 could have not have come soon enough. Or so I thought. . . . .

If you purchased NHL 12 and have made any attempt to play the game online, then you are already familiar with the freezing bug that has yet to be addressed by EA Sports. On the game’s release day, forums across the internet were flooded with angry posts from players all over the world complaining about the freezing bug that stretched across all platforms. The game’s most popular modes, “Be A Pro Mode” and “Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT)”, were the most plagued. I was unable to play more than two games at a time in either mode without the game freezing up, forcing me to restart.

Luckily, two days after the game’s release, someone was able to figure out a quick install/delete/restart trick that has helped me to avoid any freezing problems since. Instructions can be found here http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/7534597.page) . The overall consensus is that games “New Tuner Set” is to blame for the freezing. It’s insane to me that a such a small feature could cause such a huge problem. Hey EA! Get better testers! People are going to buy Madden no matter what. Move some of the reliable guys from the FIFA department over and have them run through some exhibition games. Better yet, answer my friggen emails. I will test the crap the out of a hockey game.

With the freezing issue solved, I was able to enjoy the game the way I hoped I would.

Because I was forced to wear woman’s shorts and kick a soccer ball around for damn near 16 years I have thoroughly enjoyed the games “Be A Pro Mode” since it’s addition a few years ago. BAP allows to either create your own or choose an existing player and control them through their career. Your coach will start you out with limited ice time, but as you complete tasks from your coach your playing time increases allowing you more chances to raise your numbers. When you finish your shifts on the ice you can sit in on the action or choose to simulate to your next shift. BAP is definitely a fan favorite and with the additions they made this season I can’t imagine popularity will take a hit.

New this year is the “Legends in NHL 12” feature. By completing player specific tasks within the game you can unlock a few of the NHL’s most famous players. Steve Yzerman, Borje Salming, Patrick Roy, Jeremy Roenick, Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux, Ray Bourque, Chris Chelios, and Wayne Gretzky can all be added to any team once they are unlocked. Strangely enough, yelling at Chris Chelios soo much he asks another player on the ice to switch spots with him, will not gain you an XP in the game. Yeah I did that. Bitch Chelios. I didn’t play in any of the Cup Final games that lead to Detroit’s last championship either. Can I have a ring too?

A new physics engine makes this installment the the smoothest yet. Every hit is different, the puck seems more “live”, and the animation of the goalies is nuts. If you are a hardcore hockey gamer there is no reason not to jump all over this game. With a growing online community of competitive players, I really think the NHL gaming community is one of the best out there. I have yet to encounter any overly racist, homophobic 12 year old’s. That’s a huge plus for serious online gamers.

If you are remotely interested in trying your hand at a hockey, maybe you should try out last years model instead of dropping the $60 on a game that has yet to be patched. With the adjustable difficulty levels on both versions you can jump in where ever you feel comfortable and learn the basics before deciding to update to NHL 12. But if you’re like me, you’ve already earned Gordon Bombay like numbers and had a killer time doing so. Despite the in game freezing, Ea has once again proved why 2K should stay on the court and out of the rink.

If anyone out there wants to lace up and skate it out, hit me up on Xbox Live, Patrick 3009.

After the events of the season premiere, we’re left with a broken Mon Cala, Prince Lee Char and Ahsoka are in exile, looking to find a way to fight back at Tamson, the shark-like Separatist leader. Anakin, Padme, Kit Fisto, and Jar Jar have been captured, as well as pretty much any soldier in fighting shape.

The episode revolves around the Separatists hunt for the missing Prince, and the Prince’s quest to untie the Mon Cala and the Quarren people to fight back. The themes explored in this episode are very much similar to those in The Phantom Menace, with the Gungans and the Naboo uniting.

Altogether, this might have been one of the darkest episodes of the show, not just in terms of lighting under the water, but in tone and emotion. There is a lot of torture and killing in this episode. It’s a little intense, but in a good way. Like Guillermo Del Toro says, there should be frightening things in children’s stories.

The main torture scene, however, had a beautiful brutality to it that was very fun to watch on the show. The Karkaradon General, Tamson, nicks a pinhole in Padme’s mask, slowly leaking water into her helmet while Anakin is trapped inside of electric eels, keeping him contained. I was hoping he’d take another step to the dark side with Padme drowning, but Master Fisto was there and reminded him to use methods that fit within the light side of the force. Beyond that, Jar Jar helped save the day with his “Gungan Water Burp” that was, to be honest, pretty gross. But the kids loved it.

There were plenty of film references in this episode, too. From the get-go, Kit Fisto references Sallah’s infamous line from Raiders of the Lost Ark: “Asps. Very dangerous.” It brought a smile to my face, but not more than the climax.

It’s no secret that Jaws is a favorite film of mine, and watching the final showdown in this episode was one of the most satisfying experiences I’ve had watching this show. Tamson has an array of blades loaded with explosives that he’s exploding enemies with. Lee Char manages to get his hands on one and embed it into Tamson’s shoulder. Enraged, Tamson charges Lee Char who shoots repeatedly at the shark-like creature with varied results until… Well, “>if you’ve seen this scene in Jaws, you know what happens.

I squeed like a thirteen year old fan girl. It was a incredibly satisfying moment.

Coming back to the violence, I’m impressed and a little surprised. The stakes are raising in the series as more and more flesh-and-blood species are caught up in the wider conflict. More people can die. There’s more gravitas to losing a battle. It’s heartbreaking.

It brings me to something Dave Filoni told me in an interview. He explained the Palpatine’s plot was so insidious (no pun intended) that he was forcing the Jedi to make increasingly uncomfortable decisions and causing the deaths of many people. They’re supposed to be peacekeepers, and drawing them into a bloody, protracted conflict that forces them to tear off a little piece of their soul each time. Seeing it come to fruition is a thing of beauty and I’m grateful of the job they’re doing on this “kids show.” It’s so layered and deep in the mythology of Star Wars that I sometimes wonder how much kids are getting out of it. And it makes me think that, just like the movies when I was a kid, kids watching these now will grow up with the entire Star Wars saga and these shows and as they get older the colors will become less black and white and they’ll see all the shades of grey folded carefully into each episode of the films and the show.

It’s an intensely well crafted experience that is clearly in the hands of people who care about the stories as much as we do.

Overall, Prisoners is a solid episode. Not my favorite, but very, very solid.

Cartoon Network has a preview of next week’s episode, The Shadow Warrior, here. Between the clip and the title, I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am. In 1980, George Lucas produced an Akira Kurosawa film called “Kagemusha” (literally The Shadow Warrior) about a feudal samurai leader who is killed in battle but knows that his family and kingdom will perish if anyone discovers it. His dying command is that his double fill in for him until the danger has passed. It’s a heartbreaking, beautifully told story about the double. It was Kurosawa’s first color Samurai film and paved the way for the masterpiece Ran. Based on the clip for the next episode, it’s pretty obvious that Jar Jar is the shadow warrior.

Kurosawa homages are my favorite. And so far the Jar Jar episodes have all been top-notch, too. If you love this show, do yourself a favor and watch Kagemusha before the next episode. Something tells me this episode will be twice as good with that knowledge.

This could end up as one of my favorites. We’ll see next week.

This week’s Star Wars comics reviewed by GONK: Jedi – The Dark Side #5 (the finale), and Knight Errant – Deluge #2.
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Scott Snyder has once again that he understands Batman better than any other writer working in Gotham now, or in recent memory.

Batman #1 breathes a fresh start into Bruce Wayne and Gotham, beginning with Batman’s return from the events of Batman, Inc. (though it’s only implies and not necessary to know for the book.) It’s a very refreshing, classic take on the Bat. It’s back to basics and it suits the book perfectly after so many years of increasingly outlandish situations. This is the Batman I know and love and, while it seems familiar, there are still surprises to be had. In fact, the ending has such a fresh twist and take, that Batman #2 has skyrocketed to the top of my must-read list for next month.

An interview I did with Scott (being published here and on Huffington Post tomorrow) seems to shed even more light on potential directions this story might go and the possibilities are beyond exciting.

Take this snippet:

I know a lot of people think that Clark will bring down Bruce if Bruce ever went too far they’d wind up on different sides of the fence. I really feel that Bruce would beat Clark and the person that would wind up bringing him down would actually be Dick Grayson, almost his figurative son, so that relationship is one of the richest veins in all of comics and I’m very, very interested in it in terms of the stories being very different. Detective was really about Dick facing a Gotham that was changing and adapting so it could be a more vicious enemy to him.  Gotham was trying hard to convince him that his strengths were weaknesses and why he’d never be a good superhero, that’s what it does.  Bruce is a really different creature.  The things that scare Dick don’t scare Bruce. 

As soon as you read the book, come back and read this again and I guarantee you’ll get the chills.

There are hints of all the best eras of Batman in the book. There are recent villains, classic Batmobiles, modern gadgets, and a great feeling for the character. One important aspect of Bruce that I think lesser writers gloss over is his preposterous optimism about Gotham and its future and it’s on display in fine form during a society party. And the whole scene reminded me (in the best ways possible) of Tim Burton’s first Batman film, with Bruce having to duck out of the party after eavesdropping on Commissioner Gordon getting a police call in the middle of the festivities.

Aside from the simple, startling set-up, sharp writing, and decisive command of the character, there are plenty of other talents on display. Greg Capullo’s art has never looked better and his sequential storytelling has taken a quantum leap forward. His level of detail is a complete contradiction to how clean the art looks, all a testament to the solid inking on display by Jonathan Glapion. To top off the art team is the colorist FCO Plascencia (who most of you know as the regular colorist on Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley’s Invincible) and you have probably the finest looking book of DC’s new 52.

Some might complain that Dick Grayson looks like a young, wiry teenager no older than 17 years of age, but I have little frame of reference for when and where this book takes place. Aging Dick down can breathe an interesting dynamic into relationships with Bruce, Tim, and Damian (all present in the book) and I’m dying to see where it all goes from here.

Batman #1 comes out 9/21 and it’s $2.99.

I recommend you get in to the comic shop as early as you can. Batman is, arguably, DC’s most popular character and, when word gets around that the relaunch of the book bearing his name is incredibly well-written, gorgeous to look at, and accesible to new readers, it will be selling out like crazy.

This MIGHT be my favorite book of the new 52. Animal Man #1 was fantastic and Swamp Thing #1 was, too, but there’s something to be said about the Batman. He’s my favorite character in comics and, since this is such a damn fine book, that might make it my favorite of the relaunch.

There is so much material crammed onto the Star Wars Complete Saga Blu-ray set that it’s difficult to know where to begin.

Instead of leaving an elephant in the room throughout the whole review, we’ll address the few changes to the films first. There are some changes made to the films and you’ve read all about them. As I’ve watched through the films in what little time I’ve had, I haven’t noticed anything major outside what’s been discussed. There are no evil surprises lurking in some unknown corner of the films for you. The changes that had attention brought to them were clearly the biggest, most notable changes that people took umbrage with. There were a number of great changes made, though. In the prequels, most of them involved polishing up effects that had instances of clipping in them, other effects were cleaned up. One of my favorite changes so far has been an update to Han being unfrozen in carbonite. If you’re not a giant Star Wars nerd you won’t even notice anything’s been done.

But there are two things I want to say about the changes:

Firstly, whether there are changes on this particular version you disagree with or not, you knew going into this set that there were going to be changes from the original theatrical releases that you didn’t like. One or two more shouldn’t enter into your decision whether or not you buy this set.

Secondly, for the most part, the vast majority of the changes are invisible. They are the upgrades to sound and picture quality people have been asking for all these long years. There are massive stretches of film where there isn’t a single, perceptible change in the films. People talk about the Special Editions as though George Lucas took a giant digital crayon to every frame of the film and it simply isn’t the case. I understand that for some people, some of the changes take you out of the film. I understand and respect that, but you knew that going in when you pre-ordered your Blu-ray set, a few more isn’t any reason to cancel your pre-order, especially since the original three films make up barely a third of the reason you’d buy the set.

Now that that’s out of the way, we can talk about everything else. I’ve tried to divide things up in some logical manner so you can skip ahead to what you’re interested in reading about. It’s a big set and this is going to be a big review. I’ll go over Picture and Sound Quality, Deleted Scenes, Documentaries, and Other Bonus Features. Hopefully, that will give you an idea of what I think of the set overall.

Picture and Sound Quality

One of my fondest memories was the first time I popped in my VHS tape of the brand new widescreen THX release of the Star Wars films in 1995 and thinking to myself, “Wow. These films have never looked better and I don’t see how they could with anything less than a movie theatre.” I was an incredibly naive 15 year old boy back then and the picture quality has improved so much with each subsequent release it’s ridiculous. Lucasfilm has consistently been able to maximize the most of every format they’ve released the films in and this Blu-ray is no exception. The picture and the colors and the sound is absolutely stunning.

The films are all crisp and clear, adding a definition and subtlety of color to them that I’m not even sure I realized watching the films on 35mm in 1997. Nothing about it, though, looks unnatural. There’s still that worn in grain and lived in feeling to the films. It’s not super-sharp in that live televised football sort of way. It’s much more painterly than that. Watching the films in the past you got that “lived in” look, but never has it been more apparent how “used” the Star Wars universe is. The painstaking attention to detail across all six films comes out when you can see the textures of cloth and furniture and set pieces and sets and props. It’s astounding.

The colors are brilliant and have never looked better. Ever. On the big screen or otherwise. As I write this, I’m rewatching The Empire Strikes Back and watching the Milennium Falcon make its escape from Cloud City and I can’t imagine the lighting looking any more beautiful. Maybe it’s because I’ve come to appreciate good lighting more and more over the years, but the films (aside from the minor changes) look flawless. It really has to be seen to be believed. All of the films look fantastic, but I have to say, Revenge of the Sith and The Empire Strikes Back are the standouts in picture quality. I’m not sure if it’s because more care and love were put into them or if they were just shot better, but they looked…more flawless than the rest.

And the sound… The sound mix (aside from one infamous addition) is utterly breathtaking and it taxes my sound system to the limit. In fact, this set might be the reason I upgrade (and get a bigger TV). I tested the films in a system with much better sound than mine and I felt like I was in a THX certified movie theatre. It was all mapped perfectly, the music was sweet and golden, and everything came together beautifully. Like I said, they’ve once again outdone themselves with the medium at hand.

Deleted Scenes

I was curious as to why the deleted scenes from the previous releases of the prequels weren’t included on this set. Not that I’d get rid of my old sets anyway, it’s just slightly annoying that my bonus features are spread over twenty some odd discs. But in some ways, that’s a good thing. We weren’t given the same material regurgitated over and over again. All of the behind the scenes material and deleted scenes featured are all new to this set. And there’s nothing more awe-inspiring than seeing new material from the Star Wars films we all know and love.

This is one of the biggest reasons to get the set. These are the historical documents of filmmaking attrition that we can learn from.

I’ll break the deleted scenes down by film:

Episode I and Episode II – There’s a reason these are deleted scenes. There’s not much to see here, just bits of scenes and animatics. nothing mind-blowingly impressive.

Episode III – By far, the best deleted scene for the prequels included in this set is the animatic directed by Steven Spielberg of the Obi-wan/Grievous chase. Spielberg wanted a first hand primer in how to work an animatic and supervised the making of this one. It’s VERY impressive and has a lot of flourishes that would have been nice to see in the final film (though some did find their way inside). The only problem with this sequence is that it went on for far too long.

The other major deleted scene from Episode III is the an animatic of Order 66 as it was originally to occur, combining the Wookiee attack and Order 66 simultaneously. Obviously it’s different and not as emotionally disturbing as the final version, but they did show what was to be the end of Quinlan Vos. It was brutal and amazing and would have been great to see in the final film.

A piece of a scene had clones guarding the Jedi Temple after Order 66 dressed as Jedi. Tem Morrison in disguise as Jedi guarding the temple was great, though I understand the scene had too much humour too it and the mood of the film needed to be dour at that moment.

And though I’d’ve loved to see the scene of Yoda communing with Qui-Gon, I can see where it would have dragged the film back a little.

Episode IV – As I watched the scenes with Biggs and Luke, I was reminded of Curt and Steve from American Graffiti. These scenes are amazing to watch, but it’s a very good thing they didn’t make it into the final film.

I’m wondering why they included the crazy woman on Tatooine and the blue milk scenes on the disc. They’re fun, but have zero re-watchability.

One of the most fascinating things was the original rough cut of the Cantina scene. It was assembled out of the original shoot and seemed to utilize every scrap of footage they shot. It’s a good thing they did the reshoots they did, though, especially when it concerned Greedo’s closeups. Watching a side-by-side of the original Greedo and the one that made it into the movie is almost cringeworthy.

Episode V – The extended scenes on Hoth might be my favorites in this entire set. It doesn’t matter that they aren’t terribly well-acted and have all the charm of a daytime soap, there’s something oddly…. alluring about them. They brought a smile to my face. They would have fleshed out Leia a little more, but would have changed the dynamic of the love triangle completely. In fact, you can see with this the careful balancing act they had to perform in the editing room to keep the love story completely balanced and appropriate. They had to strike a middle tone and these scenes showed how precarious a position they were in.

Which leads us to the alternate Han-Leia kiss… I can see this being the prefered version for fangirls everywhere. And the line, “Okay, Hotshot” will find its way into the Star Wars lexicon of quotes.

Lobots capture is almost heartbreaking and somehow adorable and later, it’s weird hearing Leia and Luke say “Boba Fett” in an extended scene.

Episode VI – The building of Luke’s saber is incredible and would have added a different layer to the film. The fabled sandstorm is amazing to see, though it’s easy to see why they cut it. They did explain what Luke does with the ladder on his X-wing, though. He simply discards it. The supply of X-wing ladders must be inexhaustible.

In the new bunker scene, the piles of Stormtrooper bodies is actually comical, but not more comical (and cringeworthy) than watching Crix Madine try to fill in for Admiral Ackbar.

And that leads me to the one deleted scene that I think would have improved the saga if it had been included. “Jerjerrod’s Conflict” documents the scenes where Palpatine orders the commander of the Death Star to blow up Endor if, somehow, the rebels manage to destroy the shield generator. It would have added so much more to Luke’s conflict and tension to the battle over all. There are as many reasons for not showing at putting in, so I can’t complain. And the bits of footage they had on the disc could hardly be put in the film and communicate the story seamlessly.

Documentaries

This is the second biggest reason to get the complete saga set.

One of the things that set me down my career path was behind the scenes documentaries and I’ve sought out everyone I could ever get my hands on in the Star Wars universe and they managed to put the most elusive one I’d ever hoped to see on the ninth disc in this collection. SP FX The Empire Strikes Back is a documentary I’ve been trying to track down for the better part of two decades and I always turned up empty. I’d have paid full price for just that one documentary at this point, making this set worth more than it’s suggested price 9 times over. Getting to watch that specific documentary for the first time was as exciting to me as seeing a new Star Wars movie for the first time and I’m happy for the chance to finally see it.

But the documentaries don’t stop there. There are scores of other documentaries. The Creatures of Return of the Jedi is an interesting look at the creature shops for the sixth Star Wars film (even though I’d seen about an 1/8th of it in From Star Wars to Jedi). My favorite documentary, aside from the SPFX special was probably the retrospective of The Empire Strikes Back that featured interviews with Irvin Kershner, Lawrence Kasdan, and George Lucas and their parts in creating Empire and crafting its story. It was inspiring and made me want to quit what I was doing and get back to writing in my notebook.

This is, by no means, an exhaustive collection of Star Wars documentaries, but an excellent cross-section that gives you a pretty good taste of what there is. Again, though, there aren’t any documentaries that appeared on previous DVD releases, so be sure to hang on to your older versions.

There is also scores of new material in the archives. Each film has sections divided up by local and you can choose to watch smaller mini-documentaries that are prop (or character or costume or location) specific. They run 3 to 6 minutes or so and are all incredibly enlightening. I’ve been a lifelong student of Star Wars and there are plenty of stories I hit upon that I’ve never heard and pieces of the archives I’d never even known that existed. They’ve pulled out all the stops on this one. All told there’s close to three hours of documentaries and interviews of that nature, enough to keep you busy for a long, long time.

Other Bonus Features

The other two most notable bonus features are the commentaries (from the previous release and scene-specific commentaries edited masterfully together from a dozen or more other interviews) and they are, as ever, worth your time. I’ll be honest, of all the special features I’ve explored, these are the ones I’ve had the least time with. I’ve skipped around here and there on them enough to know that I’ll be visiting them as soon as I can.

And then there’s the spoofs. They cut a 2-plus hour montage of Star Wars references in the popular culture over the last 30-plus years. There’s a smattering of everything and footage from things I didn’t know existed. Sure, there’s the pre-requisite clips from Simpsons, Family Guy, and Robot Chicken, but they pulled in Weird Al, Clerks, LOTS of Saturday Night Live (sketches I didn’t even know existed), The Daily Show, That 70s Show, and dozens of others. The most surprising inclusion to me, though, were some of the fan films (Chad Vader, TROOPS, etc.) and Eddie Izzard’s canteen routine. And then halfway into his canteen routine, they actually cut into the lego version of it. I was giggling like an idiot.

In Conclusion

For fans who complain that Lucas just packages the same old thing over and over and over again, there is hours and hours and hours of material I’ve never seen released before that is worth the price of admission alone. Add to that the films that look and sound better than they ever have in history, with commentaries new and old to inform you on the making of the saga, and you have a collection that is well worth every penny a few times over.

I’ll admit, I was a little exhausted when the “controversy” was happening. I was filled with anxiety about some of the changes. And yeah, there’s still some changes I don’t like. But after a day and a half of watching vintage documentaries, brand new retrospectives, and watching people involved with Star Wars talk about it on the discs with the same level of passion and enthusiasm I have for the movies, all of my Star Wars fandom was renewed and refreshed and I couldn’t be more glad for this set.

Do I wish they release more bonus features and bonus discs of the original versions on Blu-ray, too? Sure. I’ll buy that set, too. In the meantime, I’ve got more than enough on this set to keep me more than happy.

You can buy it here on Amazon.

Hello all of you dust-collecting-plastic-lovers. It’s time for another edition of the Additions to the Nerdorium. September has been more forgiving on my wallet. But, October is going to be mucho espensivo. That’s Spanish for, “I can’t afford to eat lunch this month.” Let’s get down to the nitty gritty:

Egon Spengler – “Ready to Believe You”
$20.00 MattyCollector.com

Figures like this are what makes Matty’s Ghostbuster’s line so special. I’m really happy they are exploring all of these “variants” of our boys in grey. This is the second figure of the “Read to Believe You” set. The first being Ray, the third will be Peter (slated to come out later this Fall). For those who haven’t seen Ghostbusters in a while (for shame), above is the snippet from the movie this is in reference to.

PROS
• The same quality of detail we’ve come to expect from Matty.
• Finally Matty is including some extra accessories. This time with three different stages for the PKE Meter.
• The Library ghost! She’s the first spook we see on screen and is still one of my favorite.

CONS
• Egon’s body is another recycled body. This is to be expected with the “Believe You” series.
• I really wish they’d do a new head sculpt on some of these “variant” figures. Essentially this is a recycled head and body.

Master Chief – Halo 10th Anniversary
$14.99 ToyWiz.com

Oh Halo, I love you so much. The clip above is to prove how awesome I am. On the other hand, McFarlane Toys, you guys kinda suck. Let me some up how buying a McFarlane Halo figure goes down for me 80% of the time (Yes, I did the math):

Step 1: Stumble on a new figure.
“Oh a Halo figure! It’s the original Master Chief, but in scale with the rest of my figures. It comes with an Assault Rifle. Not a bad price either. This will make a great desk ornament.”

Step 2: Busting open the package.
“Shit yah. I can’t wait to set this guy up. Should I have him crouching? Maybe I’ll try to make him teabag another one of my figures.”

Step 3: Realization of terrible articulation and loose joints.
“What the fuck is this shit? Why does his ankle articulate from left to right instead of front to back? I’m going to need pliers to adjust this. What a bunch of dog shit. Now I can’t fit his gun correctly in his hands nor pose him in any dynamic fashion.”

Step 4: Acceptance.
“Fuck it. This guy is going to just stand straight up and hold his gun like he does on the cover of the game (as well as the same pose of every other Halo figure I own).”

Step 5: Buyer’s remorse.
“Man, why did I buy this? I’m done buying McFarlane Toys.”

Step 6: Rinse and repeat.
“Oh a Halo figure! It’s the…”

PROS
• Resemblance to the biologically and cybernetically (real word, promise) augmented human we were introduced to ten years ago.
• With each figure in this series you get a piece of the Legendary Shield. Giving you a reason to fight the buyer’s remorse.

CONS
• Frustrating articulation. No great way to pose this guy. Especially regarding the gun in his hands.
• Only the one accessory. I wish these figures would start coming with a secondary weapon.

Millennium Falcon (7965) – LEGO Star Wars
$149.98 ToysRUs.com

Not so long ago, in a toy store in the suburbs of Salt Lake, I stumbled on a re-release of the LEGO Millennium Falcon. With a fat paycheck in my account I thought to myself, “Fuck it.” I missed out on the original release of Han’s ride and didn’t care to pay for the giganto version. You can imagine how excited I was when I saw this on the shelf.

PROS
• At 1254 pieces, this sucker took me a little over 4 hours to build.
• Great set of mini figs – Han, Chewie, Leia, Luke, Kenobi and Darth Vader.
• It’s the Millennium Falcon!

CONS
• Lightsaber hilts are no longer chrome. They have been replaced with a standard grey LEGO color. Boo.
• I’m greedy to say so, but a C3PO and R2 mini fig would’ve been the icing on the cake.
• The cockpit only fits one mini fig. Han must, in fact, ride solo.

In conclusion this month has been far more forgiving. You do the math, I did it earlier for that McFarlane stat. Egon is a wonderful addition to my Matty figures. The Millennium Falcon is gigantic and looks awesome. Master Chief is kind of forgettable. Until next month, or whenever I buy some more nerd shit.

Have you ever wanted to design your own stuffed animal, have it manufactured and embroidered and delivered directly to your door?

Happy Toy Machine lets you do exactly that. There are hundreds of options and thousands of combinations of body types, colors, accessories, embroidered facial expressions and anything else you can think of.

Adults and kids alike can spend hours designing different versions of toys before finally deciding to send one into manufacturing and receiving it on your doorstep within a matter of days. I can personally attest to the allure of designing the toys and the surprising quality of them once you get them in your hands. The minds behind Happy Toy Machine invited me to try out their service and I spent hours with my daughter designing what eventually turned into “Bluey.” You can see the fruits of our labor here (and even order your own version.) Scout decided Bluey needed a tail, a rainbow on her chest and butterfly wings. If you know her at all, you’d know this stuffed animal is so uniquely her that it’s hilarious. That’s what makes this so much more interactive and personalized than something like Build-A-Bear. Sure, Build-A-Bear is hands on, but the options are far more limited.

After Scout put Bluey together and we sent it off for manufacturing, I whiled away plenty more time designing other imps and robots and demons that I might well end up ordering for myself.

It’s a fun distraction and an activity that is a blast to do with your kids.

But the real magic came when the package arrived in the mail. It came with a speed I wasn’t expected and came with a photographed portrait of Bluey. The toy was very plush and cuddly and hasn’t left Scout’s bedside since. And really, that’s the best review I can give a product like this.

If you want to try it yourself, Happy Toy Machine has given readers of Big Shiny Robot! a a coupon code for 15% off. I would hurry over there, though. It expires in 60 days and is only good for the first 500 people.

Coupon Code: SHINYROBOT58

I had a great experience with the site, and I think you would, too. It’s priced comparably to Build-A-Bear ($30-$50) and is somehow much more satisfactory and personalized an experience.

GONK reviews this week’s Star Wars comics: Invasion – Revelations #3, and The Old Republic – The Lost Suns #4.
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