We love Star Wars here at Big Shiny Robot, and it’s no secret that many of us bots also enjoy classic anime such as Robotech, Gundam Wing, and other series that defined the genre of sci fi / mecha anime. Well, Otaking77077 has done something truly impressive and brought Star Wars and Anime together with incredible success in this anime-style Star Wars video.

The detailing and coloring are full of depth, and the animation is really brought to life through an awesome interpretation of the heavily stylized sci fi anime of the 1980’s and 90’s. What I like most about this, though, is that the style has been modernized with a bit of polish. Originally there was no audio, but Youtube user SuperMulciber has added the track “Sleigh Bells” to match the fast-paced action (I like the video both with and without the track). Honestly, I really hope this short becomes a full length feature!

Geek Girls note – I think it’s awesome that the animator has included this ultra-badass Tie Bomber Pilot:

Otaking77077, we salute you.

(source: i09)

The full video of this year’s Acquisitions Incorporated live D&D Campaign is finally live! Give it a watch before reading the article below. Please note that this video contains adult language and content, but of course that helps to make it the best two hours of live D&D you can get on the internets! Enjoy!

Of all the events that happen at PAX, the one I look forward to most of all is the chance to watch Jerry Holkins (Penny Arcade), Mike Krahulic (Penny Arcade), Wil Wheaton (Tabletop, The Guild, etc.), and Scott Kurtz (PVP) team up to form Acquisitions Incorporated and play D&D under the always incredible Dungeon Master Chris Perkins (R&D – Wizards of the Coast). This year, the live session was brought to the beautiful Paramount Theater across from the Washington State Convention Center. This theater isn’t just a large, classy-gold-trimmed venue,  it’s also the perfect place for way more PAX attendees to witness the epic journey of Acquisitions Incorporated in person.

Since the performance will be available online to watch at some point (hopefully soon) I won’t be spoiling the campaign itself, but I did want to cover some of the things I thought they did incredibly well this year.

First of all: Holkins, Krahulik, Wheaton, Kurtz and Perkins were incredibly fun to watch and were great at humoring the audience while various attendees shouted out ideas and criticisms. There was a moment in which the audience suggested Wheaton climb up a rather unsavory place to explore, and it was definitely one of the highlights of the night. The fact that Wheaton went along with the audience’s suggestion was really pretty hilarious (especially since it was potentially quite dangerous for his character).

Also, if you have been watching prior Acquisitions Incorporated live campaigns or following the podcast – there are some awesome throwback references to previous episodes in the campaign that you will really enjoy.

Holkins rolls the first critical miss (1) of the game…on his first roll.

Second: the set, though simple – was pretty good. The map/mini setting they choose looked great and this year’s backdrop of a giant demon was a nice touch, too.

Wheaton and Perkins share words about the turn the campaign has just taken. Also, Wheaton has acquired Chris’ pony.

Third: the Acquisitions Incorporated campaign is still going strong after years of development. Perkins is an amazing DM and he makes me want to work harder to write a really good D&D campaign for my friends back home to play. I actually got the chance to attend the “Ask the DM” panel this weekend in which Perkins and other R&D members (Greg Bisland and a few other awesome folks) from Wizards of the Coast answered audience questions and covered some suggestions for becoming a better dungeon master. Hearing him speak is a great experience because the passion, enthusiasm, and knowledge he brings to the table is phenomenal. If you ever get the chance to hear him speak I highly recommend it.

My only wish is that each year’s live D&D event could be a bit longer, but sadly at the end of 2 hours (plus waiting in line a couple hours before that) I don’t think our bladders could honestly take much more.

Enjoy the following photos from the show and stay tuned because I will embed and link the Youtube videos once they have gone live!

Steven Spielberg taking on the story of Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation with Daniel Day Lewis in the lead is something I can’t wait to see.

You can’t even tell it’s him in the trailer.

This November can’t come soon enough.

Well, DC Comics’ New 52 is just over a year old now, and the company’s latest gimmick is to publish a bunch of #0 issues to explain the origins of the various heroes/concepts in their books. One of these is the concept of Earth 2. The series is meant to show, well, a second Earth with vastly different heroes than our own. That’s all well and good. In fact, alternate worlds/realities have always fascinated me. The story that made me aware of the concept is the first story of the original Earth 2. Not only is it a fun story, it also explained the concept of how two Earths can exist far better than the recent Earth 2 #0 did. I want to share it with you all, so here’s the Secret Origin of Earth 2!

As our story opens, Barry (Flash) Allen is late (again) for a date with his sweetheart, Iris. As he arrives at the Central City Community Center, Iris is indeed incensed. Luckily for our bow-tied boychick, Iris isn’t mad at him, but rather the magician that was hired to give a group of orphans a show at the very same community center. Relieved to be off the hook, Barry immediately apologizes, but offers to get his pal, The Flash to fill in. What a guy, he gets to blow off his lady friend and impress her at the same time! Anyway, The Flash speeds in and entertains the roomful of waifs with a variety of speed-based tricks including playing a game of tennis by himself. That’s not as impressive as it sounds. I can do the same thing, provided there’s a wall handy. Anyway, the show goes on, and Flash ends the show by emulating an old fakir trick. He uses his speed to keep a rope in the air, then he climbs it and then…

This is also how he avoids paying the check in restaurants.

The Flash does reappear, but when he does, it’s in an empty, flat field. He surmises that he was vibrating so swiftly that he may have inadvertently created a wormhole and transported himself outside of the city limits. He’s not entirely correct, but as we’ll see, he’s closer to the truth than he thinks. Barry soldiers on, but nothing is looking familiar. Thinking he may have also traveled backward in time, he dashes over to the local newshawk to get a copy of the paper. From that he finds the date is correct, but he is now in Keystone City. Barry, being a police scientist, has a hunch, and checks the phone booth to see if “he” still lives in KC. It turns out “he” is actually Jay Garrick. So Flash decides to zoom on over (as Barry Allen, natch), and tell the original Flash he knows who he really is. This seems like an ill-conceived idea to me. Anyway, he does regale Jay, and his former girlfriend, now wife, Joan Williams-Garrick with his the aging speedster’s own origin. I won’t repeat it here, but you can check out the Secret Origin I wrote about it here. After their stunned reaction, Barry reveals that he too is a Flash, and recounts his origin, which I told in my way in the very first Secret Origins column here. Barry-Flash then does his best to explain his theory of “What the holy heck is going on around here!?”

Well, um, thanks for simplifying that for us lay-people, Flash.

This is actually pretty cool. It’s still very comic-booky, but the writer, Gardner Fox, knew his science. This theory is actually based on the Bose-Einstein condensate. Who said you can’t ever learn anything from comic books? Anyway, back to the story, Barry-Flash explains to Jay that he knew of his exploits thanks again to Gardner Fox. You see, Fox said the original Flash stories came to him in his dreams, so obviously his brain was tuned in to the vibrational frequency of this other Earth. Science! Furthering this early example of meta-fiction, Fox stopped writing Flash stories in 1949, the very year Jay says he retired! Anyway, with all of the “scientifical” explanations over with, Jay mentions he was actually going to come out of retirement because of a strange rash of robberies that have befuddled the police of Keystone. No one knows who is perpetrating these crimes, but we the readers quickly find out!

Why thank you villains, for your succinct exposition!

And as is the custom in 60’s-era comics, both the villains and heroes split up to pad the story cover more ground. Jay get the first crack at the villains, specifically, the Thinker. Yet, the Thinker is of the old school. So confident is he that the Flash he knows is a pushover, he leaves a rather obvious, if not completely ludicrous clue which Jay finds toot suite.

The thinking cap is amazing. Not only can it fool people’s minds, it can also give animals vocal cords!

And so, Jay-Flash makes a beeline to grab the Thinker, and he does, kind of. Unfortunately, it’s just a mental projection. The Thinker pulls this trick on Jay like, 10 more times, until Jay is nearly exhausted, his endurance not being what it once was. So tired is he, that he is felled by a door slammed by the Thinker at the speed of thought. Oops!

Meanwhile, Barry-Flash is canvassing the city when he comes across a strange inky blackness on the city’s waterfront. Going to investigate, Barry finds the blackness is actually enveloping a yacht. but he can’t do much about it, seeing as he can’t see a thing. Thankfully, this is a silver age comic, and physics don’t always apply, so Barry is able to use a spectacular speed stunt to dissipate the darkness…

“There’s no WAY the Flash could outrun a boat!”

As you might have guessed, the Flash uses his incredible velocity to run across the surface of the water, but the Shade is a tricky devil and casts his darkness on the water as well, only this time, he also mixes oil with the darkness… somehow, and Barry can’t keep his footing, allowing the sinister shadow to get away.

Going 0-2 against the nefarious crooks, both Flashes meet back at Jay’s apartment to come up with a new game plan. Namely, a team-up. They speed off together into the city. While they do that, the FIddler is playing his hand (and his violin). The Fiddler uses the literal discord of his maniacal music to cause distractions so no one will pay him any mind/ While he rides around in his gigantic car. That happens to be shaped like a violin. Villains don’t do “inconspicuous”, OK? Anyway, due to the Fiddler’s machinations, the Flashes are momentarily pre-occupied with saving civilians, giving us the in-comic version of one of the more famous covers in comics history.

“You knock him out, and I’ll get his wallet!”

Eventually, the Scarlet Speedsters track the Fiddler to his hideout, and are about to storm the building. Meanwhile, the Shade and the Thinker are comparing notes, and discover there are two Flashes to deal with. Unfortunately for the good guys, the Fiddler already knows that…

“I have the strangest feeling that I’m dancing like a puppet!” Image by Kerry Callen

Not only is he making his puppets dance, the nefarious Fiddler is also making them steal jewels for him! Laden with treasure, the terrible trio are set leave. The Fiddler commands the Flashes to stay motionless for 24 hours. You have to love old-time comic bad guys, especially in Flash. They don’t want to kill anyone, then just want to be rich. Inexplicably (well, not really, since it’ll be explained in a second) the Flashes are free, and use their new-found element of surprise to take out the triumvirate of terror in an incredibly fun sequence.

“Curses, how could I overlook that incredibly convoluted reasoning!”

Actually, it does make a bit of sense. Earlier, the Fiddler ordered the Flashes to ignore the smaller jewels and focus on the more elaborate treasures. Instead of tossing them aside, the Crimson Comets actually stuck them in their ears, causing the pitch of the Fiddler’s music to change just enough that it allowed them to break his control. Makes perfect sense, right?

So with the day saved, it has come time for the speedsters of two worlds to say their goodbyes.  They return to the empty flat field outside of Keystone and we’re left with a status quo that will define the DC Universe for the rest of its days, both in terms of multiple earths and of having character legacies! And on a personal note, I was even more hooked on comics than before thanks to this story.

Even I’M surprised I didn’t make ONE vibration joke in this whole column!

This story first appeared in The Flash v1 #123 September 1961. It was reprinted in The Greatest Team-Up Stories Ever Told & Flash Archives Vol. 3. It is not yet available digitally.

Eric Geller was kind enough to provide video and audio of the entire “Why We Love the Prequels” Panel that I moderated, held in Orlando at Star Wars: Celebration VI.

On the panel was Pablo Hidalgo, Jesse Hildreth, Clare Grant, Tom Hodges, Kyle Newman, Eric Geller, and myself.

It was a great time and I’m glad it’s available for people to enjoy.

In a press announcement this morning in New York, Nintendo announced it would put their new Wii U console on sale on Nov 18th, a week before Thanksgiving and Black Friday. It will come in two configurations, a white one for $299 with 8 GB of memory and a black one for $349 with 32 GB. The black version will also come bundled with Nintendoland, a game I quite enjoyed playing at a recent “hands on” event.

This follows their announcement earlier today that Japan will see the Wii U on Dec 8, costing 26,250 yen ($337; £210) and the premium version 31,500 yen ($405; £251).  Perhaps even more importantly, the console’s main selling point– its touch screen controller– will be available to purchase separately for households that want more than one for $169, or approximately the cost of a 3DS.

This marks a departure from the norm, where traditionally Nintendo consoles are released earlier in Japan than in the US. For instance in 2011, the 3DS was released in Japan one month earlier than the US. Obviously, Nintendo is conscious of the US holiday shopping season. Also interesting is the US versions will come with a sensor bar standard, whereas the Japanese versions they are sold separately.

As I mentioned, I had the chance to play on a Wii U at a special event here in Austin a couple of weeks ago. It was absolutely amazing and made me incredibly excited for how the Wii U was going to change gaming for the better. A disclaimer: I consider myself a moderate console gamer. Not a pro who spends hours and hours a week, usually, and someone who would get easily pwned by going up against most core gamers, but I enjoy myself and I like spending time with friends and family playing games.  My first big impression was how much fun NintendoLand was. It was incredibly simple, but most of the games were pretty fun. We played a Luigi’s Mansion game and an Animal Crossing game with similar concepts: the person with the gamepad was the ghost/animal catcher, and had to get the other players and prevent them from achieving their objectives. We also played a Zelda-themed game where the folks with the Wiimotes were armed with swords and shields and the gamepad player could shoot a bow and arrow at the attacking enemies. Imagine playing the Wii Sports Resort swordfighting battle game, but on a team and with someone in charge of shooting volleys of arrows at your enemies as well. Casual gamers and families are going to love this.

Speaking of casual gamers, because I was there with my kids, we spent a lot of time playing Just Dance 4 and the new WiiSiing game. Lots of fun for the karaoke and dancing crowd. My 7 year old daughter absolutely rocked singing Carly Rae Jepson’s “Call Me Maybe”– and we were her “backup dancers.” Just Dance also introduced a “Puppetmaster” mode where the person using the gamepad could choose what dance moved everyone had to do next– pulling from both the library of dance moves in the fourth game but also including “classic” moves from previous Just Dance incarnations. Once again, proving the Gamepad experience as basically the “Gamemaster” for the evening and everyone else getting to play along. Yeah, fund for the casual and especially family gamers.

Nintendo is also being smart with making everything backwards compatible with Wii accessories. All of your Wiimotes will continue to work, as will your balance board. We got a chance to try out WiiUFit with some new trampoline and bobsledding games– hey, if you liked the WiiFit, it’s more of the same.

But of course the main attraction is Mario. New Super Mario Bros Wii U was a blast. Absolutely everything you want from a Mario game and then some. And, the best is how friendly it is to multiplayer. Although I can see people basically just doing it to mess up their opponents rather than help their teammates (which is probably more fun to begin with, right?). Speaking of fun, there was also a Pikmin, Scribblenauts, and a Game and Watch game which were all fun. That is the single bottom line of WiiU– high on concept and the fun factor. You might denigrate it as being only for casual gamers, but casual gamers are going to have a blast with this. So will core gamers if they just won’t be too cynical about it.

All I can say is, I’m in. I am probably the prime demographic for the WiiU– has owned a Wii and plunked down a decent chunk of change on accessories, am loyal to Nintendo and their games and IP, and not a hardcore gamer but someone who does always lament that the Wii isn’t in true hi-def and who might play Call of Duty more often if only he owned a PS3 or XBox. Also, has kids and wants to play games primarily with them but also wants the ability to connect with friends online to blow up some aliens every once in a while. Now, are there enough people like me out there to make this a successful console? I don’t care. For me and my family– we’re in. See you in line the night of Nov 17th.

Will continue to update as things go on.

UPDATE: 10:38 AM ET

Just announced is the new Nintendo TVii, a system that will work on your Gamepad as a giant interactive controller and media enhancement device. Customized for each Wii U user (you’ll have the icon of your Mii in the upper left corner), it will suggest all sorts of media based on what is available on the web, Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, and your dvr. These suggestions will come from what is popular, your previous choices, and also what is popular among your friends. You can also select your own favorites. While watching an episode of, say, Modern Family, the gamepad will offer you the ability to browse imdb, wikipedia, follow social media around the episode, tweet yourself about what you’re seeing, even see what has happened so far. If you’re a sports fan, it will be even more intense– sharing of stats, other scores, instant replays, and of course the social media tie-in.

This is, quite frankly, what I’ve been waiting for with TV. Thank you, Nintendo, for bringing it. And then, I’m sure, we’re going to see a ridiculous improvement when Microsoft announces integration between the new XBox and MS Surface.

UPDATE: 10:55 AM ET

Ahhhhh, the games. Nintendo has announced and demo’d even more games. They announced Bayoneta 2, which will be all online and published by Nintendo. They showed some footage from the new Bond game: 007 Legends. They also showed off how you’d be able to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 with the gamepad enhancement. From those who have been able to play Aliens: Colonial Marines, and these others, I have to ask– isn’t Nintendo making a play for the core gamers audience?  Looks like it– add some extra functionality and TV interactive experience, and a not incredibly high price, I think we could see a lot of people grab one up for Christmas and play with it until the next PS and XBox come out, the same way the Wii bridged the gap between PS2 and 2 and XBox and XB360.

UPDATE: 1 PM ET

Finally, an official press release.

Nintendo Announces Nov. 18 Launch Date and Details for Revolutionary Wii U Console

More Than 50 Games Confirmed for Launch Window, Including Super Mario Bros., Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed Titles
New Nintendo TVii Application to Change the Way Viewers Experience TV and Video Content Using Wii U GamePad Controller

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Nintendo today revealed full details about how the new Wii U™ home console and its groundbreaking touch-screen Wii U GamePad controller can revolutionize not only video game play but also the way people find and watch TV and video content. The new HD system will offer entirely new ways for consumers to play games and enjoy their favorite programming when it launches in the Americas on Nov. 18. During the launch window, more than 50 games will be available for Wii U, which will be offered in two different colors and configurations. The Basic Set will be offered in white at a suggested retail price of $299.99, while the Deluxe Set, which includes higher storage capacity, additional accessories and the new Nintendo Land™ video game, will be offered in black at a suggested retail price of $349.99.
At a special Wii U preview event in New York, Nintendo also unveiled Nintendo TVii, an application that will let Wii U owners in the United States and Canada find, watch and engage with their favorite video entertainment in fun new ways. Using the GamePad controller, Nintendo TVii lets viewers seamlessly explore available video content from a variety of sources – including live TV, their TiVo DVR and video-on-demand services such as Netflix – all in one easy-to-use interface.
Additionally, Nintendo shared new information about dozens of games on the way for Wii U, including Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Bros.™ U, LEGO® City: Undercover, BAYONETTA 2, The Wonderful 101™, Capcom’s Monster Hunter™ 3 Ultimate and Activision’s Call of Duty®: Black Ops II. New Super Mario Bros. U offers unprecedented ways for friends and families to play together and explore Mario’s world using the GamePad. Nintendo Land, which will be available as a standalone game or included with the Wii U Deluxe Set, is a virtual theme park featuring a lineup of 12 playable attractions based on Nintendo’s greatest game worlds, including The Legend of Zelda™, Metroid™, Mario™, Animal Crossing™ and Donkey Kong™. As an added bonus for consumers, a Chase McCain LEGO minifigure will come as a special pre-order bonus for those who pre-order a copy of LEGO City: Undercover at participating retailers while supplies last. All of these games will instantly immerse players in a variety of new game-play experiences that are available only on Wii U.
“The wait is almost over — in just 66 days, Wii U will arrive with the strongest lineup of launch software in Nintendo history,” said Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime. “With the integrated second screen of the included GamePad and features that instantly enhance the way people play games, watch video and interact with each other, consumers will see how Wii U delivers a completely unique experience and a remarkable value right out of the box. The new system also creates extraordinary new possibilities for game developers, bound only by the limits of their imaginations.”
The Wii U Basic Set includes a white Wii U console with 8 GB of internal storage, one white GamePad controller, AC adapters for both the console and controller, a sensor bar and an HDMI® cable. In the Wii U Deluxe Set, components are black. This bundle includes all elements from the Basic Set, as well as the Nintendo Land game, increased console storage capacity of 32 GB, a console stand, GamePad charging cradle and a stand that allows users to place the GamePad vertically on a table. Consumers who purchase the Deluxe Set also will be enrolled in the Deluxe Digital Promotion, which lets Wii U owners receive points for each digital download and redeem those points for future downloadable content from the Nintendo eShop. The promotion is currently planned through 2014.
Both configurations offer a wealth of one-of-a-kind entertainment experiences, including an online gaming community called Miiverse™ and the new Nintendo TVii application. Using the touch screen on the GamePad controller, Nintendo TVii users will be able to browse programming from sources they subscribe to, including cable and satellite channels, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube and even their recorded TiVo shows – all from a single starting point.
The selection of third-party games on the way for Wii U will include some of the industry’s biggest names and most beloved franchises. Activision is set to bring several of its leading properties to Wii U during the launch window, including Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Skylanders Giants™ and TRANSFORMERS PRIME™. Other third-party games coming soon to Wii U include Assassin’s Creed® III, ZombiU™, Rayman Legends® and Just Dance® 4 from Ubisoft, Madden NFL 13 and Mass Effect™ 3 from Electronic Arts, Scribblenauts™ Unlimited and Batman: Arkham City™ Armored Edition from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two from Disney Interactive.
“The integrated second screen of the GamePad creates new possibilities for how games can be played, and further reflects the innovation Nintendo has poured into the Wii U,” said Eric Hirshberg, Activision Publishing’s CEO. “We’re excited for our fans to experience the biggest franchises, like Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Skylanders Giants and Transformers Prime, in new ways made possible on Wii U.”
Below is a list of upcoming Wii U games that will be available on launch day or during the launch window*. (For information about third-party games, check with the individual publishers.)
Publisher               Title
505 Games               Funky Barn
2K Sports               NBA 2K13
Activision Publishing, Inc.             007™ Legends
Call of Duty®: Black Ops II
TRANSFORMERS PRIME™
Wipeout 3
Skylanders Giants™
Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013
Rapala Pro Bass Fishing
Capcom          Monster Hunter™ 3 Ultimate
D3Publisher             Rise of the Guardians: The Video Game
Ben 10: Omniverse™
Family Party: 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade
Disney Interactive              Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
Electronic Arts                 Mass Effect™ 3
Madden NFL 13
EA SPORTS™ FIFA Soccer 13
Frozenbyte              Trine 2™: Director’s Cut
Gaijin Games            Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien
Majesco Entertainment           Zumba® Fitness Core
Maximum Games           Jett Tailfin™
NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.                 TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT™ 2 Wii U Edition
TANK! TANK! TANK!™
Nintendo                Nintendo Land™
New Super Mario Bros.™ U
NINJA GAIDEN™ 3: Razor’s Edge
SiNG PARTY™
LEGO® City: Undercover
Wii Fit™ U
Game & Wario™
Pikmin™ 3
The Wonderful 101™
SEGA            Aliens: Colonial Marines™
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
Shin’en                 Nano Assault Neo
Tecmo Koei America Corporation          WARRIORS OROCHI® 3 Hyper
THQ             Darksiders® II
Wheel of Fortune®
JEOPARDY! ®
Two Tribes              Toki Tori 2
Ubisoft                 Assassin’s Creed® III
Just Dance® 4
Marvel Avengers™: Battle for Earth
Rabbids® Land
Sports Connection™
Your Shape®: Fitness Evolved 2013
ZombiU™
Rayman Legends®
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment          Scribblenauts™ Unlimited
Game Party Champions
Batman: Arkham City™ Armored Edition
* Launch window is defined as the period beginning Nov. 18, 2012, and ending March 31, 2013.
Broadband Internet access is required for online features. For more information, go to http://support.nintendo.com.
Remember that Wii U features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu.
For more information about Nintendo, visit http://www.nintendo.com.
About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.9 billion video games and more than 630 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website athttp://www.nintendo.com.———————————————————————–

One of the first movies I remember seeing on the big screen was E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and it was probably at that moment my lifelong obsession with Spielberg films began.  And now, we all have the chance to see it once again at the theater, so grab your bag of Reese’s Pieces and turn off your cell phone.

The one-day event commemorates the film’s 30^th Anniversary as well as Universal Pictures’ 100^th Anniversary, and it is presented by NCM Fathom Events and TCM.  “TCM Presents ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ 30^th Anniversary Event” will take place on Wednesday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m. local time, with additional screenings in select theaters at 2:00 p.m.

Since its premiere on June 11, 1982, E.T. has become one of the highest grossest movies of all time, remaining at #4 adjusted for inflation.  Pretty incredible for a film about a little boy and an alien, but the movie obviously spoke to something inside of us.  A need to belong somewhere.  Being lonely and finding a friend.  Learning to interact with those that are different from us.

And I still get chills watching the bike soar in the air against the full moon, with John Williams’ dramatic score adding just the right touch to that particular moment.

In addition to viewing the digitally remastered feature film (and I’m hoping the guns will be back instead of walkie-talkies), fans will see a special taped introduction by TCM host Ben Mankiewicz, who will take audiences through the making of this modern classic. They will also discover how Spielberg came up with the idea for E.T. and learn what working on the film was like for the film’s three young stars.

As an added treat, Drew Barrymore, who plays Gertie in the film and who currently co-hosts TCM’s “The Essentials” showcase, shares what the film means to her 30 years later.

Tickets are available now at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

Can’t make it to the theater on October 3?  Universal Studios Home Entertainment will celebrate the 30^th anniversary of E.T. The Extra- Terrestrial with the film’s Blu-ray release on Tuesday, October 9. Featuring an all-new, digitally remastered picture, as well as all-new 7.1 surround sound, the E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Combo Pack includes the 1982 theatrical movie, an all-new interview with Spielberg, and “The E.T. Journals,” featuring never-before-seen footage from the set of the film.

You’ll be able to watch E.T. phone home like never before.

Apple’s Press Conference has just wrapped up with news of the new iPhone, changes to iTunes, and new iPods flooding our dreams. We’ll start from the top and discuss the new iPhone.

Let’s talk specs:

• 4″ retina display
• Apple A6 Processor 2x speed, and 2x GPU
• 8 megapixel camera that through software will allow users to take still shots while filming video.
• LTE compatible for At&t, Verizon, and Sprint.
• Wifi 2.4ghz and 5ghz on 802.11n.
• Integrated touch: that’s right folks, no more separate glass over digitizer design, it’s all one unit. Make images pop more and making screen damage much more terrifying.
• 8 hours talk time on 3g, 8 hours web browsing on LTE

The camera features a multitude of new features including “Dynamic Low Light Mode”, Spatial Noise Reduction, and Smart filter. They have also reduced the time to take the photo by 40%.

User’s will also be able to snap panoramic shots directly from the camera app, and share photo streams through iOS 6. No more sending photos via SMS simply click share, type in the persons Apple ID and the photos will appear in their stream.

3 microphones bottom, front, and back. This will provide better pick up for speaker, better noise cancellation, and a better call experience.

Let’s of course not forget the new connector, Lightning, which is all digital, reversible, and much smaller. Consumers will be able to get an adapter to plug their existing Apple cables in. This connector is a much needed change, and as you can see with the internal picture below gives them more real estate for battery, and other components.

Image via The Verge

PRICING AND LAUNCH
The phone will go live for pre-order on Friday September 14. Which I do believe is exactly 11 months after the 4S pre-orders. The official launch will be September 21, 2012. iOS 6 will launch on the 19th giving users time to update and play with the new OS before they use it on their phones. The pricing structure for the phone will stay the same, and the subsequent models will drop in turn. The iPhone 4 will be free, the 4S will be $99.99 (for the 16 gig), and the 5 will be $199.99 (16 gig), $299.99 (32 gig), and $399.99 (64 gig).

Image via The Verge

The Design
Solid back which looks to be brushed metal, much thinner than the 4S, and that gorgeous retina display integrated into one piece touch screen.. I don’t really have much more to say, the phone looks undauntingly similar to a 4S and yet different enough that it’s enticing. I have my concerns that dropping may still be an issue, and highly doubt that the phone will continue to function with a cracked screen. It is, however, still beautiful.

Image via The Verge

Image via The Verge

The Ear Pods

It’s about time! The redesigned ear buds(pods) look fantastic. Apple’s challenge was stated correctly during the conference, how do you design earbuds universally to fit into one ear. Aside from simply realizing you don’t, these ear pods are the next best thing! I can’t imagine these will prevent audiophiles from simply picking up a pair of Beats or something similar to tag along, but the improvement was much needed. I cannot wait to try a pair of these myself.

Image via The Verge

The Opinion:

It’s definitely an upgrade from the 4s, it’s way more powerful. The question is will it be worth updating from a 4S to the 5, or simply running iOS6. I for one, think the omission of NFC is a slap to the future. The NFC integration on my ONE X has converted the phone from being a phone to being a life style tool. I suppose Apple has a good reason for not including it, but I simply can’t believe that they’d ignore an international standard. Complaining aside the processor, LTE integration, bigger screen, and better design make it worth the update in my opinion. If you’re still carrying Apple this is the way to go. If you’ve been holding out with your 4, or even 3Gs waiting, I’d say the time is upon you.

Who’s upgrading?

One of the things you do during Star Wars Celebration is talk a lot about Star Wars. And as long as I can remember knowing him, Jesse Hildreth and I have done more than our fair share of pontificating about our favorite saga. Since he got a job on The Clone Wars, we haven’t been able to talk much Star Wars and we’ve had to limit our conversations drastically because of his non-disclosure agreements. Pretty much anything involving The Clone Wars is off limits. Any time he has a smile on his face about anything (or even types one in instant messenger) the response I get to inquiries is “I’ll tell you in a year.”

So, during Star Wars Celebration, Jesse and I were discussing an article I wrote quite a long time ago involving my theory that Moff Jerjerodd was a rebel spy.

“Jerjerodd? No. Ozzel was the real spy,” Jesse told me.

And the more we discussed it at length, the more I think he’s right.

I mean, you don’t get to be an Admiral in the Imperial fleet for being a bumbling incompetent. Ozzel at one point must have been an incredible leader. But the second his job demanded he hunt for rebels, he turned into a fool.

Think about this… When Piett, who is easily the most effective, efficient, and calculating of the Imperial Officers we’re shown in the classic trilogy (save for Tarkin), brings up the prospects of the rebels on Hoth, Ozzel is instantly dismissive and on the defensive. “There are thousands of probes searching the galaxy, I want proof not leads.”

When Vader intervenes, he softens but explains it could any number of things… uncharted settlements, smugglers…

If he was sympathetic to the rebels and an Imperial Admiral, he might not know the exact location of their base, but he’d know the telltale signs. Seeing them with Piett’s report, he works hard to deflect. But Vader is adamant. What can he do?

And notice that look he shares with General Veers… Veers is an excellent soldier and tactician, clearly the hero of the Hoth battle, and they share a cold gaze. They don’t like each other? Maybe they know their allegiances…

Even though Vader is adamant, Ozzel still has a chance to warn them. Since he can’t send them a signal, he can make a tactical blunder that will give the rebels an advantage. He thinks he can dress it up in sound tactical thinking, but even if it costs him his life, it’ll give the rebels a fighting chance.

Sure, he ended up paying the ultimate sacrifice, but isn’t that what being an entrenched spy is all about? To make the hard decisions and sacrifice yourself for the good of the cause if that’s what the mission is?

I think we have, perhaps, another rebel hero on our hands.

When it was first announced that Raiders of the Lost Ark would be released in IMAX, it seemed to be an exclusive for AMC theatres, of which there are none in my area. I was disappointed I wouldn’t be able to partake of this special event.

But, you know, it happens. No one thinks about Salt Lake City when throwing special events. My geographic handicap is my own fault.

I looked through some listings last week, saw that no shows were available in my area, and kept my chin up through the defeat. But I got a call from my brother on Friday morning telling me it was playing locally, and that I’d be a fool to miss it.

He was right, though in his defense, he claims I’m a fool for everything I do or don’t do.

I caught a screening last night and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve never seen Raiders of the Lost Ark on the big screen, and seeing it that way opened up new things in the storytelling I’d never even noticed before, simply because I was watching at home.

One thing I noticed and loved was how stylized the matte paintings were. On the VHS and even DVD versions of the film I’ve watched and re-watched a hundred times, the matte paintings seemed realistically seamless. But on the big screen, they felt much more like the 30s sort of over-stylized matte painting of the era the film was aping. The one painting in particular that stands out is the Pan Am plane that whisks Indy from San Francisco to Nepal. Take a close look at the cars in the background, it almost looks like the painted cover to a Fitzgerald novel.

The sound was crisp and clear and the film contained no changes whatsoever, though I couldn’t detect things like the reflection of the snake. Perhaps a few things were fixed, but it was nothing to the detriment of the film.

Raiders of the Lost Ark stands the test of time as not only the best of the Indiana Jones films, but one of the greatest films ever made. The screenplay is one of the finest and the adventure is nothing short of 100% rollicking.

I mean, honestly, how ballsy does a man have to be to start his own, rogue archeological dig in the middle of a Nazi camp?

Very ballsy.

And every time I watch the film, I catch new notes about the nature of Indy and Marion’s relationship.

It’s a film that keeps giving. And I was able to take my son to see it for the first time, which was thrilling for him. The only other one he’d seen theatrically was Crystal Skull (though he claimed that was still his favorite after seeing Raiders in IMAX…)

It plays until Thursday in IMAX. Make time this week to see it.

You will NOT be disappointed.

If you miss it, the Blu-ray collection drops next week. At Star Wars Celebration VI I was treated to some behind the scenes footage they included on the disc and it was nothing short of amazing. This is a set you want to pick up.