Another film confirmed for the 50th Anniversary compilation game! On Her Majesty's Secret Service will feature as one of the five levels in new James Bond video game 007 Legends, Activision has confirmed this week. Legends sees Daniel Craig's Bond shipwrecked on a dark island, where he is forced to piece together his past by reliving five adapted modern versions of his classic adventures. We already know Moonraker will feature in the game too (Skyfall will come in later via DLC), so it's cool to see a more snowstorm-based episode of the history of Ian Fleming's character incorporated into this exciting new title! 007 Legends ships on October 16th for 360, PS3 and Wii.
The Summer Of Film reaches its end, with some exciting blockbuster hits along the way and after the season concludes!
As we enter the third quarter of 2012 (July-September), people may start to feel a little down as they realise that the Summer Of Film is barrelling towards its end. On the plus side, though, some of this blockbuster season's best entries are still to come in these upcoming three months, and even once those are over and done with we've still got more to come before the Autumn slow period for movies. Here are the five films I reckon you'll want to check out this quarter: 5. KEITH LEMON: THE MOVIE- Leigh Francis' much-loved cult British Celebrity Juice character is making his big-screen debut alongside stars such as Jedward, David Hasslehoff, Kelly Brooke, Gary Barlow, Ronan Keating and so many other stars. Prepare for a hilarious comedy extravaganza! (August 24th) 4. THE CAMPAIGN- Almost the antithesis to the previous entry on this list, The Campaign has Will Ferrell and Zach Galifinakas at its head. Having those stars wrying for control of a US state in a general election sounds like pure comedy class, so don't be surprised if this proves to be a major hit as the Autumn slum beckons the film industry. (September 29th) 3. TED- Seth McFarlane's Family Guy and Cleveland Show comedy programmes have always had a great reputation- it's great, then, to see the writer and director take a new creative vision to the screen with Ted, a creative blend of live-action and CGI filming. Expect laughs aplenty and some incredible animated work on offer here! (August 1st) 2. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN- We're getting the Spider-Man reboot in the first few days of this quarter. Can it kick things off with a bang? I wouldn't put its chances down until it releases, yet it really will depend on the loyalty of Spidey fans and indeed their willingness to overlook the fact that it has not been five years since the original trilogy of Sam Raimi films concluded. (July 3rd) 1. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES- Batman is back. That not enough for you? Well, thrown in Bane, Catwoman, Lucius Fox, Alfred, Ra's Al Ghul, the League Of Shadows, the Scarecrow and so many more fan-favourite elements to a dark and unpredictable narrative and hopefully you've got a sure-fire contender for Film Of The Year. Here's to all-out success for this one...(July 20th)
Prepare yourself- the Autumn Of Gaming is coming!
The next three months are going to be a strange period for the world of video gaming. Originally, it seemed as if the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut and Skyrim: Dawnguard DLC packs and Far Cry 3 would ship in Q3 2012, but we now know that that is just no longer the case. So are there any more titles to look out for as the Autumn Of Gaming starts to dawn? Yes, as long as you're prepared to step out of your comfort zone a little this time around. Here are the five games I reckon you should look out for from July-September... 5. BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY GAME OF THE YEAR EDITION- Okay, so this is a Game Of The Year re-release of a 2011 game, but for goodness sake, Batman: Arkham City was our Game Of The Year 2011! With the Harley Quinn's Revenge DLC, the Catwoman, Robin and Nightwing packs and many more exclusive add-ons packaged into this killer expansion at a budget price, the chance to catch one of this generation's games has never been more essential for newcomers to pick up! (September 7th)
4. NEW SUPER MARIO BROS 2- Super Mario is back on handheld consoles later in the Summer with an all-new side scrolling 3DS adventure. Don't expect massive game-changing innovations here, but still get ready for great co-op fun and a new coin collecting special mode. (August 17th) 3. SLEEPING DOGS- Originally a True Crime game, Sleeping Dogs is now its own standalone GTA competitor that looks to bring some true Chinese class to the world of open-world gaming. We've been lacking in a strong free-roaming shooter for a while now, so it'll be interesting to see if FreeRadical Games can bring us the true definition of that titles. (August 31st) 2. BORDERLANDS 2- 2K Games' most successful RPG franchise ever is back for more classic looting with a sequel to the brilliant original 2009 shooter. Borderlands 2 boasts a new narrative, new characters and exciting new locales, so expect a long-lasting, genre-defining hit right here. (September 21st) 1. TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON- This one undoubtedly represents what I meant about moving out of your comfort zone- licensed games can be hit-or-miss and this could swing either way. On the other hand, Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron looks truly epic, and the confidence it shares with Arkham City makes for an exciting proposition that the two might match up to each other! (August 24th)
Find out the best music and TV releases of 2012's second quarter! BEST SINGLE: SING (COMMONWEALTH VERSION)
In the closing days of June, Gary Barlow unveiled his special Diamond Jubilee-celebration song, Sing, featuring dozens of voices from African communities aided by charity and indeed the beautiful tones of the Military Wives. It's an uplifting piece that positively bookends what has been a quiet few months for the music industry, with little more than a few rehashed-esque Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj tracks to keep us busy. I'm looking forward to things seemingly picking up in months to come! BEST TV SERIES & TV EPISODE: HOUSE & HOUSE: EVERYBODY DIES
Usually, I'll do a 'Top 5 Best TV Episodes' feature for this award, but as per usual the early Summer months have been rather uneventful for the world of television. As such, the relatively strong series finale to House, Everybody Dies, gets the honor of this award for giving the show perhaps its perfect conclusion despite the lack of Cuddy back to help Greg out in what appeared to be his final day of freedom. It was most certainly a great swan song for the medical drama, and if anything I'd rather not ever see it return just so that I can leave it with the neat lasting image of the great, uplifting final shots of the programme. Congratulations to the show's writers and producers for sustaining House for eight seasons- a truly momentous achievement, and due in no small part to the phenomenal talents of Hugh Laurie himself.
WINNER: MAX PAYNE 3
Though I think it's fair to say that it may not get Game Of The Year status for 2012, Max Payne 3 is an incredible third-person shooter that elevates the violent action-adventure genre out of the depths it has so disgracefully fallen into these past two years. Through protagonist Max, we see the journey of a hardened war veteran into the slums of South Africa, as dark civil wars break out from beneath the surface and our hero finds the lines between good and evil increasingly blurred. The compelling narrative is boosted up by some phenomenal cinematic values and a great (if repetitive) gameplay system that almost revolutionises its style of play in each and every level. I did consider giving this award to the equally fantastic military shooter Spec Ops: The Line, but Max Payne 3 just edged it out in terms of innovation and using ideas that didn't feel so similar to the Gears Of War franchise. This isn't the next Grand Theft Auto by any stretch of the imagination, yet in the current games slum it's pretty much the best new game out there, and it will still remain one of my most memorable first playthroughs of the year! Here's to a busier second half for the industry, though...
What were the best movies of this second quarter of 2012?
It's been a pretty eventful second quarter for 2012, with the Summer Of Film engaging itself in full force through blockbuster movies and sleeper hits. Just which entries were the most memorable and unique for the world of cinema, though? Here are my picks for the Top 5 Best Films of this annual quarter... 5. DARK SHADOWS (4/5): Despite its traditional quirks of having Tim Burton as its director, Dark Shadows proved to be a thoroughly likeable surprise hit for me. Johnny Depp was again at his charasmatic best in the role of Barnabus Collins, relishing the chance to play a character with little depth but plenty of room for great laughs. Watch this if you just want a great way to relax and revel in the glorious madness of Burton's modern fantasy worlds. 4. MEN IN BLACK III (4/5): Again, this one will hardly win any Oscars for narrative depth, and yet Men In Black III pulled an absolute shocker by managing to be perhaps the best entry in the sci-fi comedy franchise so far. Will Smith was back to the top of comedy alongside newcomer Josh Brolin, and their on-screen chemistry was sublime enough to warrant the hope that there might be more sequels in the pipeline! 3. ROCK OF AGES (4.5/5): Rock On! What, you want more reason than that? Okay, then- with Don't Stop Believin' being just the tip of the proverbial iceberg in terms of this fantastic sleeper hit's amazing setlist of rock classics, I couldn't help but fall in love with the innovative twists and plot ploys that this great adaptation of the West End show manages to pull out of its hat. 2. THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (4.5/5): Had it not been for the slight weaknesses present at the movie's end and indeed the strength of this quarter's winner, The Cabin In The Woods could well have stood a chance at winning the top place, which is saying something for a film I hadn't heard of until a few days before I went to see it. That this quarter's winning director Joss Whedon helmed this fantastic, innovative horror piece too is testament to his creative vision and indeed his ability to craft killer movies. 1. AVENGERS ASSEMBLE (5/5): But in all honesty, no movie could go top of this list over Avengers Assemble for me. I've always loved superhero films, but in the past other flicks have been able to top them with relative ease- not this time, though. This time, Joss Whedon and his production team brought to the pain to their Summer Of Film competitors with a deep narrative, stunning setpieces and above all a perfect team chemistry that you could truly believe in as the Avengers went to war. There really wasn't much for me to fault here, and I'm sure each and every comic-book and action movie fan here would agree that no other flick should really go in this place. Congratulations to Disney, who have one heck of a superhero franchise on their hands...and the limelight now falls to The Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises to top it!
A great surprise hit, Rock Of Ages rocks the house out this month!
Although June wasn't exactly packed with full-blown 5/5 releases (there were no releases which I awarded that to or indeed games that earned the subsequent 10/10 rating), there were a great deal of near-equally fantastic sleeper hits that swept the rug from under my feet to prove a neat surprise. At the forefront of this was Rock Of Ages, a sublime throwback to both 1970s and 80s rock and indeed the classic musical movie. Although the plot was undeniably shallow, it was all such great fun and the tracklist so brilliantly selected that I couldn't help but be blown away by the bravado and confidence of the entire piece. Reviews have been mixed so far, but personally I loved it, and I reckon any rock fans out there who haven't given it a try really should do so before it leaves cinemas for good. For those reasons and so many more, Rock Of Ages wins the much-deserved title of June 2012's Best Release. JANUARY 2012- SHERLOCK: THE REICENBACH FALL (RUNNERS-UP: WAR HORSE; SHERLOCK: A SCANDAL IN BELGRAVIA) FEBRUARY 2012- THE MUPPETS (RUNNER-UP: KINGDOMS OF AMALUR) MARCH 2012- MASS EFFECT 3 (RUNNERS-UP: GLEE: YES/NO; THE HUNGER GAMES) APRIL 2012- AVENGERS ASSEMBLE (RUNNERS-UP: THE WITCHER 2; THE CABIN IN THE WOODS) MAY 2012- MAX PAYNE 3 (RUNNER-UP: HOUSE: EVERYBODY DIES) JUNE 2012- ROCK OF AGES (RUNNERS-UP: LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPERHEROES; SPEC OPS: THE LINE)
Because who wouldn't want a game version of this?...
...Well, actually I could name a few people. Nevertheless, Ubisoft Studios have recently announced the release of The Expendables 2: The Game on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade close to the film's launch. The game follows an alternate plot to that of its inspiration, featuring the voices of protagonist Sylvester Stallone and some of his on-screen teammates as their characters try to save an international billionare in a corrupt warzone. It's hardly going to be Game Of The Year stuff, and based on past recent movie tie-ins like Avengers: Battle For Earth and Battleship, I wouldn't hold out too much hope of a high quality, but who knows? The Expendables 2: The Game ships later this Summer on the downloadable networks.
The hit comedy is back later this year once again!
They say you can't keep a good comedy show down, and the BBC are hardly ones to argue with their mainstay returnee Outnumbered. The commissioners have now confirmed that the programme will return for a Christmas Special and a fifth season of six episodes in the near future. I have to admit, I felt that the last run was losing the ingenuity and spark the previous series of the comedy had, but obviously if the appeal and strong ratings are still there, then it's hard to fault the BBC's decision on this one, and given how well it's served shows like Doctor Who and Merlin in the past I certainly wouldn't want that mantra to change anytime soon. Outnumbered returns this Winter and in Spring 2013.
The Spike VGA shock reveal returns this Summer!
Those of you with good memories may recall that a certain game called Fortnite was announced by Epic Games at the Spike Video Game Awards last November. This zombie-survival title looked to innovate deeply upon the rehashed genre to the point of a totally unique perspective, and yet we've heard nothing from it since its initial reveal last year! Thankfully, though, Epic have scheduled a panel at the upcoming ComicCon convention called 'Epic Games Presents: Fortnite Revealed', which heavily suggests to me that we're going to hear proper details on the game, its engine and its release window at the new panel. Look for more news on the panel and indeed ComicCon as a whole as the convention begins on July 12th.
Find out more about one of 2012's most hotly anticipated shooters!
Microsoft set off their hype-crazy promotional campaign for Halo 4 in full force at E3 2012 earlier this month, unveiling a stunning new demo for the sci-fi shooter that gave just a taste of what we can expect from the full retail package. Via a leaked survey on the sequel, a couple of interesting new details have been revealed about the project. The first concerns Spartan Ops, the 1-4 player additional DLC campaign that picks up from where the main storyline leaves up. The first 'season' of these free downloadable episodes will consist of fifty different missions, released in downloadable packs over the course of ten weeks in much the same vein as an American TV show. The kind of content 343 are offering for those who buy the game new rather than preowned is phenomenal here, and it definitely begs the question as to whether a 'Season Two' code may be readying itself to come along should the new missions prove a success. On top of that, it's estimated around ten new multiplayer maps will be added to the War Games online multiplayer segment via DLC in weeks to come too, though this will be offered at a reasonable price rather than as extra freebies. All the same, this is all shaping up to be one heck of a package, and fans and 360 owners would be fools to miss out on it! Halo 4 arrives on November 6th.
All the details on the release date and collector's edition for the new FIFA game!
As if you didn't already know, a new incarnation of the FIFA video game series is on its way this Autumn. Developers EA Sports have this week confirmed new details on the 'Ultimate Edition' of FIFA 13 that will release alongside the retail version at launch- in essence, this will be a first-day bundle of a handful of timed-exclusive DLC packs of kits, players and stadiums. Of course, anyone who picks up the title preowned or post-release will still have the chance to pick up the content online at a neat price, but it's a great incentive for fans to get ahold of the game on Day One in order to get real mileage out of their £40. Once again, yep, it's £40. For a football game. A FOOTBALL GAME that bears remarkable similarities to last year...sorry, that's the yearly cynicism kicking in again (see what I did there?). FIFA 13 will ship on September 28th.
Lara Croft will be back after next year's reboot!
Anyone thinking that the upcoming reboot of the Tomb Raider video game series will be the last we see of everyone's favourite heroine for the foreseeable future is sorely mistaken. Crystal Dynamics' Karl Stewart had this to say when asked by VideoGamer about whether the studio's latest project was a one-off: "I have to be careful because I know exactly where [Lara Croft]'s going. You have to look at the future, you have to look at where...it's not just one game." Well, if we ever wanted more confirmation that the new title- which focuses on Lara's first adventure, as she is stranded overseas by a mysterious shipwreck- is not going to be the last we see of the franchise by a long shot, that was most certainly it. Here's hoping that the critics' scores fare well for the first game so that it's smooth sailing from here on out. Tomb Raider ships on March 5th, 2013.
Does BioWare's apology letter appease the fans?
Much as I enjoyed the original ending to Mass Effect 3, it seemed there was no pleasing the noisy minority of fans, as some of them went to the FTC and complained of false advertising on BioWare's part. Enter the Extended Cut DLC, a new compilation of new cutscenes and dialogue choices that aims to expand upon the three original endings while even adding in a whole new option of its own. Was it what the haters were waiting for? Get my definitive verdict on the new expansion over at Non Specific Action right now by following the link: http://nonspecificaction.co.uk/mass-effect-3-extended-cut-the-fans-verdict-13651
A possible sci-fi sleeper hit for the Summer Of Film?
We've already had one or two science-fiction epics in the Summer Of Film, not least Men In Black III and Prometheus for starters. Coming up are still a few more exciting entries into the genre, Total Recall being a prominent example. This remake of a 1980s classic entry that follows a man awakened for his destiny by a world of virtual reality looks set to cause some tremors in the genre form now onwards. The new trailer for the movie doesn't exactly reveal much in the way of new footage, yet it's still looking pretty darn thrilling all the same, perhaps a sure-fire sleeper hit entering the ranks of this blockbuster season. Total Recall arrives in cinemas on August 29th.
Colin Morgan helps kick off the Merlin hype train next month...
Colin Morgan and Kate McGrath will feature in a newly announced Merlin press conference at ComicCon, it has been confirmed this week. Their appearances will help kick-start the impressive marketing campaign that the BBC likely have in place to start promoting the new season of the show. More details are expected to be revealed on Series Five, the newly announced Facebook game Merlin: The Game and plus an S5 trailer is likely on its way too. The new series focuses on the Knights of the Round Table as the legend of Camelot moves very close to that which we know today. Talks about a sixth series have begun, and obviously whether or not a new season is commissioned will probably already be known by now as soon enough a finale (either for the season or the show) will have to be penned and filmed ready to air towards Christmas time. Merlin returns in October.
What new surprises will the next run bring? Glee ended on a bit of a sour note at the climax of its third series, as its finale didn't seem to know what it wanted to be and worst still its denouement was one of the most unrealistic twists I've seen on the show for a long while. Myself and other fans will await the next run with trepid anticipation, then, although what we've heard so far does sound interesting. Chris Colfer (Kurt) has revealed a few details on what we can expect. First off, Kurt definitely won't be going to NYADA, but instead being coached by a character played by Sarah Jessica Parker. Meanwhile, Rachel will be focusing on her dancing skills at the academy itself in his first semester, and Cory Moneith's Finn will require the actor to bulk up for what will be one of his most physically challenging roles as his character goes into training for the army. Glee returns to Sky1 this Autumn.
The fantasy hero will return in a new form...
It's safe to say that Hugh Jackman's incarnation of fantasy film hero Van Helsing didn't exactly go down a storm back in 2004, as we've yet to see a sequel to that troubled first outing. Producer Alex Kurtzman has revealed, though, that the new film for the character that has been announced will in fact be a reboot. Here's what he had to say on behalf of Universal Pictures: "Well, I don't want to give away too much, because we are actually at the very beginning of talking about what to do with it. I think that these kinds of movies have evolved a lot since [2004]. You know, The Dark Knight was a major, major corner-turning moment in the way that genre and superhero stories could be told. Really grounded in reality. Really grounded in really cool things. That's what I'd like to do without sacrificing the fantasy element." Van Helsing is likely to get either a 2014 or 2015 release date depending on the speed of progression on the project in the next year or so.
Two of the world's greatest superheroes blast onto the big screen once more!
If it wasn't enough to know that Batman returns in The Dark Knight Rises in less than a month's time and Superman in Man Of Steel in less than a year, then Warner Brothers have thrown another great hammer into the works. Both DC superheroes will feature in the upcoming LEGO film! The movie centres on an ordinary LEGO figure who is thrust into a team of strangers who must work together to take down an evil menace. It will contain both CGI and live-action elements, and quite frankly I'd say it's most definitely one to watch in two years' time! LEGO: The Piece Of Resistance arrives in February 2014.
Tonnes of trailers for some of the biggest films coming out in the next few months...
We're certainly heading into a strong second half of a year for the film industry. Each month holds exciting new entries to our cinemas for film-goers to check out before we hit the inevitable Christmas blitz of sequels, prequels, reboots and animated festive flicks. As such, film producers seem to be primed now to release loads of new trailers for their upcoming projects, leaving us endowed with so many promos that it'd be pretty near impossible to cover them all in separate articles. We've collated all of the big new trailers, then, for you to see below in order of when the respective movies arrive in UK theatres... THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (JULY 2012)- There's not much in the way of new footage, but this is still looking like quite the epic superhero finale!
KEITH LEMON: THE FILM (AUGUST 2012)- Packed with celebrity cameos, this first trailer doesn't exactly give much away about the actual quality of the plot. Still, it's hilarious stuff.
DREDD (SEPTEMBER 2012)- A remake of the classic Sylvester Stallone movie Judge Dredd, this one seems to be suffering a little bit from sci-fi stereotypes in its presentation. All the same, fans of the original may get a kick out of the film.
TAKEN 2 (OCTOBER 2012)- Liam Neeson is back, and he'll be damned if he's not going to play a no-holds barred action hero again! Yep, the sequel to the great 2008 thriller is here, and boy is it looking exciting...
FRANKENWEENIE (OCTOBER 2012)- Tim Burton is back too. What's more exciting? It's a movie that doesn't star Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham-Carter! Or does it...?
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2 (NOVEMBER 2012)- There's no doubting that the final entry in the Twilight series is eagerly awaited by both fans and anti-series 'fans' who can't wait to see the back of it. Either way, it's coming and the scale is looking quite impressive so far.
MONSTERS' UNIVERSITY (JUNE 2013)- Finally, we've got a funny (if not particularly hilarious) teaser for the Disney prequel to the classic Monsters Inc. Roll on the next Summer Of Film!
One of the US' greatest presidents still holds surprising dominance even here!
In a turn of events that's actually a somewhat welcome shake-up for the British box office charts, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has raced to pole position via its opening weekend in what was an otherwise slow week for cinematic entertainment. Men In Black III still isn't doing half bad either on its fifth week after release, which is to be commended, and with Spider-Man arriving next week, you can be sure things won't stay the same for long! Here's last week's charts in full... 10. TOP CAT: THE MOVIE (TF: 1/5) 9. TERI MANI KAHNI (NEW) 8. AVENGERS ASSEMBLE (5/5) 7. CHERNOBYL DIARIES (NEW, TF: 2/5) 6. ROCK OF AGES (4.5/5) 5. SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN (TF: 3/5) 4. PROMETHEUS (3/5) 3. THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT (NEW, TF: 3/5) 2. MEN IN BLACK III (4/5) 1. ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER (NEW, TF: 2/5)
The studio will be taking over the NFS franchise too...
Remember at this year's E3 the happiness that fans of the Need For Speed racing game series displayed at the confirmation that the Most Wanted reboot would be helmed by none other than Hot Pursuit's Criterion Studios? Well, good news for them- the studio will now retain full control of that franchise from now on, as well as their own Burnout series. For all the details and my thoughts on this interesting development, follow the link over to my article at Non Specific Action: http://nonspecificaction.co.uk/criterion-confirms-racing-frenzy-13586
TechTroid Gets A New Name, And A Sad Announcement.
RIP TechTroid, long live Non Specific Action! This new name for the great gaming site I work as a part of signals a shift in tone to a more quirky and edgy domain, and it'll be a pleasure sharing links to many of the articles I write over there with you here at the blog. First up is the sombre revelation that FarCry 3 will no longer ship in September thanks to a marketing delay scheduled by Ubisoft. For all the news on why the game will now ship on November 30th, follow this link: http://nonspecificaction.co.uk/far-cry-3-delayed-again-13609
Our first look at the States' version of the Brit cult hit!
Well, this is...certainly...something. Here we've got our first glance at the American rendition of hit modern British comedy The Inbetweeners. Over in the US, the show will star Bubba Lewis as Simon, Joey Pollari as Will, Mark L Young as Neil and Zack Pearlman as Jay. I don't reckon this'll prove to be the hit that MTV clearly want the 'spin-off' to be, but it may well still do initially strong in the ratings at least and carry some weight here. The Inbetweeners USA debuts in the States on August 20th.
The Doctor returns very soon- but with what adventure?
The British Film Institute have today revealed that they will host a screening of the very first episode of Doctor Who Series Seven on Saturday, August 18th at their Southbank venue. Tickets for the event will go on sale on July 10th, but before that we've at least got confirmation of the title of this premiere adventure that kicks off the split fourteen-part run: Episode 1 will be titled Asylum Of The Daleks! Whether the word 'Asylum' refers to the Daleks gathering old incarnations of themselves to protect and strengthen them or indeed to a madhouse of ruined versions of the classic Daleks is something we'll have to wait to find out, yet nevertheless I'm sure that won't halt the speculation. As titles go, it's a pretty darn epic way to open what promises to be a hugely exciting new season. It seems, then, that the show is likely to return on Saturday, August 25th. If this is the case, then we're probably in for a BBC schedule of Who and Merlin along these lines for BBC1's Autumn line-up: DOCTOR WHO: ASYLUM OF THE DALEKS- AUGUST 25TH DOCTOR WHO: DINOSAURS ON A SPACESHIP- SEPTEMBER 1ST DOCTOR WHO: THE GUNSLINGER- SEPTEMBER 8TH DOCTOR WHO: CUBED- SEPTEMBER 15TH DOCTOR WHO: WEEPING ANGELS/PONDS FINALE- SEPTEMBER 22ND MERLIN: EPISODE 1- SEPTEMBER 29TH MERLIN: EPISODE 2- OCTOBER 6TH MERLIN: EPISODE 3- OCTOBER 13TH MERLIN: EPISODE 4- OCTOBER 20TH MERLIN: EPISODE 5- OCTOBER 27TH MERLIN: EPISODE 6- NOVEMBER 3RD MERLIN: EPISODE 7- NOVEMBER 10TH MERLIN: EPISODE 8- NOVEMBER 17TH MERLIN: EPISODE 9- NOVEMBER 24TH MERLIN: EPISODE 10- DECEMBER 1ST MERLIN: EPISODE 11- DECEMBER 8TH MERLIN: EPISODE 12- DECEMBER 15TH MERLIN: EPISODE 13- DECEMBER 22ND DOCTOR WHO: CHRISTMAS SPECIAL- DECEMBER 25TH
If the BBC choose to take this option of scheduling, as a fan I'd be very happy to hear that. We'll see very soon...Doctor Who and Merlin return this Autumn.
Our first look at a British film set to rock the world from London...
As strange as it might seem to look as far ahead as two years from now, it's already looking like a great year of entertainment. There'll be the first full twelve months of next-generation gaming to look forward to, an eighth season of Doctor Who and so much more, the latter part accounted for by the arrival of the first poster for the movie Paddington. Based around the classic children's novel series Paddington Bear and its various spin-offs, the new CGI animated flick will take the story back to its roots as everyone's favourite bear gets a fully-fledged origins story with his arrival in the London Paddington train station (See what the writers did there? Clever!). Whether it'll be a success remains to be seen, and it'll be quite some time yet, but given the popularity of the recent Tintin film all the signs so far are strong. Expect the first trailers for the movie to surface in the first few months of next year; Paddington arrives in cinemas in Summer 2014.
The Caped Crusader Is Back On Top!
Good news for those of us waiting for the Games Charts to actually be topped by a worthy contender after so long of titles like FIFA 12 unjustifiably dominating it. LEGO Batman 2: DC Superheroes has debuted marvellously on top of the UK charts, beating out all of its competition likely thanks to the kid appeal. It'll be interesting to see how Spec Ops: The Line, Steel Batallion: Heavy Armour and The Amazing Spider-Man fare in the games race when they hit this Friday...Here's the full list: 10. FIFA STREET (8/10) 9. SNIPER ELITE V2 (6/10) 8. THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM (10/10) 7. MARIO & SONIC 2012 (4/10) 6. LOLLIPOP CHAINSAW (7/10) 5. BATTLEFIELD 3 (7/10) 4. MAX PAYNE 3 (9.5/10) 3. GHOST RECON: FUTURE SOLDIER (6/10) 2. FIFA 12 (8/10) 1. LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPERHEROES (NEW, 9/10, REVIEW COMING SOON)
The games industry gets a temporary boom, a great new animated flick arrives and some exciting news to come in the next seven days!
This week is quite full of less well-known but hugely important entertainment releases that could make all the difference for the industry's standing in the Summer. As always, I'll be making sure to highlight them for you below, and on top of that this week I'll be providing my verdicts on the best releases of this second quarter of 2012 and looking ahead to the third quarter. Is it July already? Where is this year going?... GAME ON- On top of the big releases I'll detail further in a moment, the Ratchet & Clank HD Trilogy is headed to PS3 while the Vita is finally getting ahold of its own version of the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection. Don't forget that LEGO Batman 2 is out now too, and is well worth a purchase for DC fans! AT THE MOVIES- ODEON are showing off an encore broadcast of the National Theatre's Frankenstein starring Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch this week. If that's a bit dark for you, though, why not check out the dazzling music blitz of Rock Of Ages, the feel-good Olympics sports drama of Fast Girls or even the over-the-top fantasy adventure of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter? Just saying that never gets old... SWITCH ON THE TELLY- After a strong week of television with True Love having just passed us, we're back to the quiet days, where a new episode of The Ricky Gervais Show is about all you have to look forward to, unless you like being reminded that we're out of the Euro 2012 by watching foreign matches. ON THE SHELVES- Tomorrow sees the releases of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel; The Vow and Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance on DVD and Blu-Ray, so why not check them out if you missed them first time around? THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: THE GAME- Beenox has had a mixed history with video games based around Spider-Man, with Shattered Dimensions an undisputed success and Edge Of Time a mediocre follow-up. Nevertheless, their epilogue story to the upcoming movie reboot is looking really promising, providing a great excuse to get back to swinging in New York! SPEC OPS: THE LINE- Meanwhile, 2K Games and Take Two are bringing us a thrilling new military shooter that really looks to boast a new emotional core not found in the likes of Call Of Duty, Battlefield or Medal Of Honor. Make sure to keep your eye on this one, as it may really surprise you and the larger gaming public... ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT- Everyone's favourite animated franchise is back for a fourth entry with advance screenings commencing next weekend. Scrat accidentally triggers a continental shakeup in his quest for the mythical acorn, leaving Manny and the gang desperate to reunite with their mates- is it an impossible task...? MASS EFFECT 3: EXTENDED CUT- BioWare have sure got their hands full here. Fan reaction to the ending of Mass Effect 3 was mixed to say the very least, so the developers have to prove to the haters that the new content redeems it and to those who enjoyed it that the additional content is useful and necessary. If they manage it, expect those who didn't consider ME3 Game Of The Year quality as I do to reconsider big time! THE ELDER SCROLLS V: DAWNGUARD- Everyone's favourite fantasy RPG is back for another full-blown explosion. Are you prepared to infiltrate a vampire cult and take it out from the inside? It's every Twilight hater's dream come true, and we can expect true overall gaming greatness here... ON THE BLOG- Here at On-Screen, we suffered a local internet shutdown for the past week. On top of covering the stuff we (and perhaps you) may have missed, I'll be bringing you reviews of Spec Ops: The Line and the Amazing Spider-Man game, plus revealing the Best Releases of June 2012 and Q2 2012 while looking ahead at July and Q3 2012 for my most anticipated releases for both periods. AND NEXT WEEK...The Amazing Spider-Man hits cinemas everywhere, and Sinbad debuts on Sky1!
Can anything top Ridley Scott's sci-fi megamoth?
Despite the negative word-of-mouth surrounding it, Prometheus seems to be taking high advantage of the recent quiet period the Summer Of Film has been going through. That's evidenced by the movie spending its third week on top of the British box office charts, failing to be seen off by films which in my opinion are far better (as you'll see by the scores below). On the horizon are The Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises, though, so it'll be interesting to see how things start to change up. Here's the list in full: 10. TOP CAT: THE MOVIE (TF: 1/5) 9. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING (TF: 2/5) 8. FAST GIRLS (NEW, TF: 3/5) 7. AVENGERS ASSEMBLE (5/5) 6. RED LIGHTS (NEW, TF: 3/5) 5. THE PACT (TF: 3/5) 4. ROCK OF AGES (NEW, 4.5/5) 3. SNOW WHITE & THE HUNTSMAN (TF: 3/5) 2. MEN IN BLACK III (4/5) 1. PROMETHEUS (3/5)
Find out the truth behind the Mass Effect 3 ending and become a vampire this week!
Bethesda Studios and BioWare have recently confirmed the release date of their new DLC expansions The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim- Dawnguard and Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut respectively. The former is a major expansion to last Winter's fantasy epic, featuring new locations for the Dovahkin to explore and the chance to enrol in a dark vampire cult, while the latter downloadable content will allow players to see the further ramifications of their actions throughout the whole Mass Effect trilogy and how they affected the galaxy's overall fate come the controversial original ending. Both The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim- Dawnguard and Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut ship this Tuesday, June 26th, and you can expect reviews of them from me in the next couple of weeks.
Sigh...
If ever you needed proof of how poor the Summer drought of video games has been recently, you need only refer to the past week's charts, where a six-month old rehashed football generic title regained the pole position. FIFA 12 is back up on top, with Lollipop Chainsaw failing to make a hugely substantial impact despite the general lack of overall sales. Still, with great games like LEGO Batman 2, Spec Ops: The Line and The Amazing Spider-Man on the way in the next fortnight, the drought should be temporarily over and the charts will hopefully change up accordingly. Here they are... 10. DIRT SHOWDOWN (7/10) 9. MARIO & SONIC 2012 (4/10) 8. SNIPER ELITE V2 (6/10) 7. GAME OF THRONES (NEW, 5/10) 6. DIABLO 3 (8.5/10) 5. BATTLEFIELD 3 (7/10) 4. LOLLIPOP CHAINSAW (NEW, 6/10) 3. MAX PAYNE 3 (9.5/10) 2. GHOST RECON: FUTURE SOLDIER (6/10) 1. FIFA 12 (8/10)
Get ready for another superhero comedy bloodfest next year!
The follow-up to the hit 2010 superhero black comedy movie Kick-Ass will shoot this Autumn, it has been confirmed. Lead star Aaron Johnson (who plays Dave) had this to say on the project to Collider: "It's pretty much set to go, this fall. I think now Chloe [Moretz] and Chris [Mintz-Plasse] are on board. I'm certainly set up to do it. Jeff Wadlow to direct. Yeah, I think it's going to happen." If we estimate shooting, then, it's not unreasonable to think that this will have completed its main stage of production by the Summer of next year. Going further along this route, if the post-production team at Universal work at a good rate, we could well have the sequel in cinemas a few months later. Look out for Kick-Ass 2 hitting worldwide in Winter 2013 or Summer 2014.
The Dark Knight returns...although not quite as you'd expect just yet!
The LEGO video game franchise has gone from strength to strength in recent years, encompassing an all manner of successful film series into its lifespan and thus bringing us some of the best family-friendly titles on the market in a long time. With the release of the latest instalment on consoles this week, we'll be kicking off our LEGO Week here on On-Screen with various new features and reviews to accompany it. Here's a round-up of what the entertainment industry and the blog has to offer you in the next seven days... AT THE MOVIES- Jaws makes its return to the big screen tomorrow with its 3D re-release. Aside from that, there isn't much new on to watch out for, so why not catch Rock Of Ages while you're at it? GAME ON- Kinect owners in need of a new entry to fill the void in their need for the 360's motion peripheral are getting it this week; Steel Batallion: Heavy Armour is headed to Microsoft's console to kick some futuristic butt, so fans can get in on the action from Friday. ON THE SHELVES- Anyone who didn't get the chance to see Daniel Radcliffe's acclaimed horror The Woman In Black can catch it on DVD and Blu-Ray from tomorrow, as well as the sixth season of Dexter and a new Doctor Who classic release with Death To The Daleks. SWITCH ON THE TELLY- Another new episode of Ricky Gervais Show debuts on E4 on Tuesday, as well as an intense and romantic new drama that you can read more about below... TRUE LOVE- Across the week, every day BBC1 will be airing a new half-hour episode in this series of connected love dramas. Featuring stars including David Morrisey, Billie Piper and David Tennant, True Love is well worth a watch in its five-episode run that started tonight. LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPERHEROES- And best of all, the Caped Crusader is back for a sequel to 2008's hit LEGO Batman: The Videogame. You can now free-roam around Gotham, face off against the Joker and Lex Luthor and enlist the aid of the Justice League in what promises to be a truly fantastic superhero video game experience! ON THE BLOG- As well as bringing you definitive reviews of both Max Payne 3 and LEGO Batman 2: DC Superheroes via TechTroid and our overall LEGO week coverage, there'll be plenty of news on Who, The Dark Knight Rises and many more ambitious projects to come!
Does this star-studded musical adaptation rock out the show?
Do you want a brilliantly emotional ensemble film that ties together years of continuity for one great team-up? Go see Avengers. Are you looking for an epic time-travelling adventure featuring two of the world's best loved movie actors? Men In Black III is waiting in the wings. Rock Of Ages makes no claim to aspire to the particular strengths of those two Summer Of Film greats, and to a large extent comes out much better for it. One of its own primal strengths is certainly its own confidence to belt out killer renditions of 80s songs amongst occassionally Glee-esque drama and heapings of raunchy and satirical comedy no matter how ambitious that goal seems. Few other films you'll catch in this blockbuster season boast such vigour, such sheer (bordering on) filmic arrogance in terms of the setpieces that are pulled off and the classic songs thrown into no-bars-held hashes with one another at the writers' free will. Before you go worrying that iconic tracks of the rock genre such as Shadows Of The Night, I Wanna Rock and Wanted Dead Or Alive suffer in integrity from clashing with their fellow competitors in 'remixes', you can sleep safe and rest assured in the knowledge that the team really do know what they're doing here, and every piece of music that has been brought into the equation either solo or with another classic tagged on is toned and handled pitch-perfectly in just about every instance. Whether there's a little bit of an overdose in the balance of music to general drama and dialogue is really up to the personal taste of the viewer, yet to me this truly harkened back to the classic West End musical movie adaptations of old (and new) like Mamma Mia in the glorious sense of fun and aplomb that presents the whole experience in a hugely positive light. In terms of casting, the team have got things spot on, too: from Tom Cruise's sublime acting comeback (bar Mission Impossible, his roster hasn't been stellar recently) as drunken rock icon Stacee Jaxx to Russell Brand's incredibly familiar performance as bartender Lonny and Alec Baldwin as his 'lover' Dennis Dupree, to Mary J Blige's dazzling cameo as a strip club owner, the marketers of the movie sure knew how to pick their stars, and none of them feel as if they're a shallow inclusion. To be fair, Julianne Hough and Diego Bonata are still evidently finding their feet in terms of leading the show as protagonists Sherrie and Drew respectively, yet at least here the focus on their characters is a little more marginal than it was in the West End production, instead shifting a little more to Stacee's affairs outside of his gigs and the sudden rock vs. government battle that ensues in the late acts of the piece. The narrative of the original show was something I criticised when I first saw it on stage, but if anything the trims that have been made here actually do it a lot more justice, making for a suitably packed two hours of fun, romance and songs aplenty. Again, it's important to level your expectations in a good way, as this is a very different kind of film to others I've awarded the same score to such as The Hunger Games and The Hangover: Part II. All the same, as I've already said, the strengths of this musical extravaganzaare too great to miss, and its slightly shallow storyline is hugely overshadowed by the sheer exuberance of confidence it finds in its fantastic setlist, well-rounded/star-studded cast and the variety of the setpieces on offer. Some critics have lamented Rock Of Ages for the former element, but I believe to do so is to miss the point of its existence, as this really is fantastic fun the likes of which the Summer Of Film rarely finds beneath its layer of sequels and reboots, the music of which raises the comedy above the majority of those in that specific genre that have been released this year. 4.5/5
What next for Ricky Gervais' various TV projects? All the details...
Ricky Gervais must virtually be swimming in a pool of cash right now, as his recent projects An Idiot Abroad, The Ricky Gervais Show, Life's Too Short and Derek have managed to gain him nationwide acclaim and commercial success the likes of which hasn't been seen since Extras. That said, the writer and director has remained relatively quiet as to what the future holds for himself and indeed his TV shows recently. As such the man himself has come clean and spoken out with a handful of new details on where each of his mainstream projects are heading for the foresseable future. Here's a round-up of his various reveals...
THE RICKY GERVAIS SHOW: "So, I don't think I'm going to do a fourth series. 39 episodes is more than I've ever done for any project (Yes, I know that's pathetic but trust me) and I don't want to push my luck. I think the show has grown steadily both in quality and popularity and I'd love to go out on a high so to speak. My worry is that as we've used up all of the best material we'd have to record hours and hours of new stuff and it might ruin the naievity of the whole thing. Never say never though, like The Office. But certainly for now."
AN IDIOT ABROAD: "Karl and I have to decided to end it after the two specials we're recording at the moment. Again, I think these could be the funniest adventures yet and we don't want to outstay our welcome."
LIFE'S TOO SHORT: "We've just finished writing the finale special. We'll film it after Christmas ready for around Easter [2013]. It's got lots of Les, Shaun and Cheggers!"
DEREK: "I will be shooting another six episodes this Autumn for broadcast early next year. This is my new baby, I must admit. I've never been so in love with a project or character. It will be on Channel 4 in the UK."
So in essence, Derek is the only mainstay of Ricky's TV projects, but each of the other ones will get great finales in the near future, and the former has a great first full season of episodes to come. An Idiot Abroad: The Short Way Round airs this Autumn on Sky1.
Michael Bay's latest epic has hit a halt!
There was already a lot of angst surrounding Michael Bay's upcoming reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, but the latest development in its production has been the most worrying yet for fans. The film has ceased production as of now in order for more creative and general script refining to go on behind-the-scenes before casting and direction can even begin to be considered. Clearly Bay isn't happy yet with the direction of his latest spin on an aged, somewhat unwieldy brand of toys, so he's at least using all of the time and effort he has to make this troublesome project a successful endeavour for everyone involved. This will be a huge hit for Paramount Pictures, too, who were likely banking on Bay's influence to carry over from his past commercial success on Transformers to a new franchise of movies. Worse still, the now-projected 2014 release date would actually clash with Michael's intended release of Transformers 4 in cinemas, so it would be likely that one of the pair would have to shift out of the Summer Of Film- and let's be honest, we all know which one Paramount are likely to have more faith in come that blockbuster season. If it does indeed pick up off the ground again, then expect Ninja Turtles to reach cinemas in late 2014.
The Resident Evil team are back for another action-thriller this Autumn.
Despite the fact that the general reception to them seems to be mediocre, the Resident Evil films seem to just keep on coming back. Take Retribution, the latest entry in the series due for release later this year and now the owner of a brand new promotional trailer. The sequel sees all-out war emerge at the heart of a universal conspiracy that forces agent Alice to work with the Umbrella Corporation one last time in order to right her past wrongs. Judging by the quality of the preview, don't expect Oscars to come flying at this one, but there'll at least be fun to be had for franchise veterans. Everyone else? Stick well clear. Resident Evil: Retribution lands on September 14th.
All the latest on the new run!
We've still got a little bit of a wait until Doctor Who returns to our screens- just over two months, to be precise. On the plus side, though, we're getting more and more details of what to expect in the upcoming seventh season. Here's a round-up of all the details of the past few days...
MORE SCRIPTS: Well, specifically more reading scripts. As you can see here, the BBC have released another official image of Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman reading the script of Episode 11 shortly before filming a scene from the early 2013 instalment of Series Seven Part Two. The BBC are promising more official details on the series in the next week, so expect either airdates or at least more definitive broadcast windows very soon!
MORE CLARA HINTS: The unofficial website Doctor Who TV has scooped up some intriguing alleged details on the new companion (supposedly called) Clara. She'll apparently be from present day Earth, but carry an exciting plot twist that will guide her entire journey on the show and how characters interact with her...
MORE MONSTERS: On top of getting Daleks, Dinosaurs, Cyborgs, Killer Cubes and the Weeping Angels in the first five episodes of Doctor Who Series Seven alone, we'll apparently be seeing an all-new foe from Steven Moffat in the not too distant future too. "See this new monster I've invented?" he says, "This is a GOOD one. This will SCARE you. Oh yes." Coming from the man who gave us the Gas Mask children, the Clockwork Droids, the Weeping Angels, the Vashta Nerada, the Smilers and the Silence, I'm inclined to agree. Expect the Silence to make a return in Series Seven Part Two as well as the Fields Of Trenzalore loom upon the Doctor's fate...
Everyone's favourite pink blob gets a celebration collection!
What with the success of the recent Super Mario and The Legend Of Zelda twentieth anniversary collections on the Nintendo Wii, it comes as little surprise that Nintendo are in the mood to be a little self-self-congratulatory once again this year with Kirby's two-decade birthday. The games publisher and developer are bringing us a new 20th Anniversary collection later this year, and have confirmed which classic titles will feature on the retail title. Here's the full list with details of each original version, their release consoles and their gameplay:
Kirby's Dream Land (Game Boy, 1992)- A brief side-scroller that made use of the classic password save file system, a great romp for Kirby to debut with.
Kirby's Adventure (NES, 1993)- The first console incarnation of Kirby. Adventure was essentially an expansion of the Game Boy original, but a brilliant development of gameplay nevertheless.
Kirby's Dream Land 2 (Game Boy, 1995)- This sequel to the Game Boy classic added new animal friends into the equation. Again, nothing too groundbreaking over Mario here, yet huge fun all the same.
Kirby's Super Star (SNES, 1996)- Perhaps the greatest entry in the classic franchise. Super Star introduced 'helpers' to allow for multiplayer gameplay, so should work well on the Wii.
Kirby's Dream Land 3 (SNES, 1997)- Kirby acquired new powers aplenty in this third entry in the Dream Land series. As campaigns go, this was a long and extensive playthrough.
Whilst you're waiting for this bargain of a collection to arrive in stores, why not try out the equally brilliant spin-off Kirby's Epic Yarn, out now? Kirby 20th Anniversary Collection ships here in the UK this Winter.
Could we have hints at who will feature in Avengers 2?
Marvel Studios have revealed an intriguing link between them and Sony Pictures that could spell out what we might see to come pass in Avengers Phase 2 if we're not looking into things deeply. Originally within the production of Avengers Assemble, Sony offered Joss Whedon and his team the use of a CGI Oscorp building in their created model of New York. Marvelites may well recall that Oscorp were the organisation who held the late Norman Osborn (aka the Green Goblin) in the Spider-Man universe. Clearly Sony were starting to think that there's a possibility that the universes of the Avengers franchise and The Amazing Spider-Man may collide in the near future. Perhaps there's a chance that the sequel to next month's reboot could hold links to the recently announced Avengers sequel? Either way, that Sony are becoming more open to the two universes meshing is certainly exciting food for thought...The Amazing Spider-Man swings into cinemas on July 3rd.
No new releases can keep Ridley Scott's intense sci-fi down from the top! Prometheus is still kicking filmic butt on the UK box office charts, amongst very little new and fresh opposition coming onto the table in the past fortnight. Last week, The Pact and iLL Manors didn't make too much of a dent in the listings, as you can see below. Coming soon, though, we have got Rock Of Ages, The Amazing Spider-Man, Ice Age: Continental Drift and The Dark Knight Rises, so with any luck this temporary stay of a somewhat mediocre flick won't be too outlasted... 10. THE ANGELS' SHARE (TF: 4/5) 9. iLL MANORS (NEW) 8. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING (TF: 2/5) 7. THE DICTATOR (TF: 3/5) 6. TOP CAT: THE MOVIE (TF: 1/5) 5. AVENGERS ASSEMBLE (5/5) 4. THE PACT (NEW, TF: 3/5) 3. SNOW WHITE & THE HUNTSMAN (TF: 3/5) 2. MEN IN BLACK III (4/5) 1. PROMETHEUS (3/5)
Will this Summer's greatest movie return for an encore run?
I have no qualms in saying that Avengers Assemble is quite possibly the best movie I've seen this year so far. War Horse and The Muppets are great pieces in their own rights too, and you can expect to see both of them in favourable positions on the 'Best Films Of 2012' list in December, but to me Assemble is in another league thanks to it managing to satisfy and meet our expectations (and succeed them) with such aplomb and vigour. Although there's been no confirmation on this matter yet, it has been heavily rumoured in the past few days that this epic masterpiece of a superhero film will be making a return to cinemas in August. The encore edition would apparently be a Director's Cut, adding around 35 minutes of unseen footage focusing more on Captain America's displacement in time and the intimate moments that build the relationships of the various Avengers. If this were to come to pass, then we would be looking at a 3-hour version of the film, something that I'm sure would entice fans to return to the big screen to see it again for the umteempth time, and something which thus Disney would be well-justified to use if they want to push the film towards toppling Titanic and/or Avatar from their positions at the top of the highest-grossing films list. We'll have to wait for confirmation, it would certainly be a heck of a way to end the Summer Of Film! Avengers Assemble is out in cinemas now, and if the Director's Cut rumours are true then we'll see it in late August, before the DVD and Blu-Ray versions hit on September 17th.
The gang are back for one final adventure this Winter...
Love it or hate it, you can't deny that the Twilight Saga franchise has become a worldwide phenomenon unto itself ever since it hit the big screen back in 2008. Fans will no doubt be eagerly anticipating the final instalment in the series, Breaking Dawn: Part 2, and to sate their appetites US magazine Entertainment Weekly have revealed two brand new images of Bella (Kristen Stewart), Edward (Robert Patterson) and their daughter Renesmee (Mackensie Foy) standing together. The first of these can be seen on the left, and the latter below this text. Part 2 follows the Cullens travelling across the globe with the help of their werewolf allies to recruit a vampire army capable of helping to prove to the Volturi that their newborn child isn't a threat. Expect far more helpings of action than last year's dull opener to the two-part finale, and some much-needed resolution for each and every one of the series' landmark characters, locations and events. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 arrives on November 16th.
Get the first details on the anticipated sequel to one of 2012's best horrors...
It's fair to say that few film fans were expecting the success of The Woman In Black in February just gone. It's also fair to say that part of that aforementioned rise to fame for Horror's encore blockbuster horror was due to Daniel Radcliffe's role as the main protagonist. Will the announced sequel, Angels Of Death, be able to carry itself on its own two feet with the latter actor out of the way? Will another big star be drafted in to help build the ranks? We don't know for sure the answers to either of those questions, but we do have the first plot synopsis for the follow-up. It reads: "Seized by the government and converted into a military mental hospital in World War II, the sudden arrival of disturbed soldiers to Eel Marsh House has awoken its darkest inhabitant. Eve, a beautiful young nurse, is soon sent to the house to care for the soldiers but soon realises that she must save them from more from than their own demons. Despite Eve's efforts to stop her, one by one they fall victim to the Woman In Black." This seems like a bit of a spoilery plot blurb if I'm being honest, and not exactly the most original premise for a horror sequel, but we'll have to wait and see how it all turns out. The Woman In Black: Angels Of Death is likely to get a 2014 release.
The sci-fi animated series returns this Autumn! Star Wars: The Clone Wars has proved a marked success worldwide with kid audiences, hence it's no surprise to see the show in good health returning to our screens later in 2012. The first trailer for the series' fifth season has been released- it showcases events moving ever closer to those of Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith. As the Sith Lords Count Dooku and Darth Sidious close their grip on the titular conflict, Darth Maul and Asaji Ventress threaten to emerge into the battle with such a force that they could change the entire outcome of the war. Will Ahsoka make it out of this run alive, or has the time come for us to discover why she does not accompany Anakin as he steps into the Dark Side in the chronologically final entry in the saga? Expect answers to that question and many more in Series Five, as well as more ambiguous philosophical contemplations on Anakin's destiny as per the effective Dark Side trilogy of the 2011 run. Star Wars: The Clone Wars returns this Autumn on Sky Movies Premiere.
Does the movie's official soundtrack live up to its inspiration?
Having watched Rock Of Ages up at the West End earlier in the year, I can recall fondly how engaging the new renditions of classic 1980s songs were for a contemporary audience. The production's soundtrack did a great job of showing off some of the innovative ways in which the playwrights resurrected rock classics, so it's interesting to now see the movie's tie-in soundtrack on shelves. Here's a roundup of all of the tracks contained within the package, with the final verdict and score following beneath the list and the best tracks of the CD marked in yellow: PARADISE CITY- 4.5/5 SISTER CHRISTIAN/NOTHING BUT A GOOD TIME/JUST LIKE PARADISE- 3.5/5 JUKE BOX HERO/I LOVE ROCK & ROLL- 2.5/5 HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT- 3/5 WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU- 3/5 MORE THAN WORDS/HEAVEN- 2.5/5 WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE- 4.5/5 I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS- 5/5 I WANNA ROCK- 3/5 POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME- 2/5 HARDEN MY HEART- 4.5/5 HARDEN MY HEART/SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT- 5/5 HERE I GO AGAIN- 5/5 CAN'T FIGHT THIS FEELING- 4.5/5 ANY WAY YOU WANT IT- 4/5 UNDERCOVER LOVE- 2.5/5 EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN- 5/5 ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE- 2.5/5 WE BUILT THIS CITY/WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT- 5/5 DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'- 4.5/5
It is a mixed bunch of tracks, of that I have no doubt, but if you enjoyed the West End production, its soundtrack and/or the now-released film Rock Of Ages, then this is a decent follow-up. You can see the highlights above, although that comes with a warning as all musicals do that you may as a listener have your memories of the original renditions, at which point you may have to deduct a few points. Either way, for fans this is a great chance for more rocking out! 4/5
Another film confirmed for the 50th Anniversary compilation game!
