Category Archives: News

Nintendo deems the New 3DS XL ready for US gamers

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At last, the house that built Mario is spreading the (portable) love. After releasing the New Nintendo 3DS XL in Japan in October of last year, Ninty is launching the updated dual-screen portable game machine here in the States next month. The latest version of the 3DS boasts a slew of enhancements; most exciting is the inclusion of not one or two but three new control input mechanisms. The C stick (that small round nub located above the ABXY buttons) allows for intuitive camera control in games that decide to support it. And new ZL and ZR buttons positioned behind and below the top screen add even more functionality for gameplay. Nintendo has also modernized the 3D display; new face-tracking technology makes for a more stable and immersive experience. Elsewhere, an NFC chip is packed inside and with an upcoming software update you’ll be able to push your amiibo collection to Super Smash Bros. 3DS. Last, the camera has been improved and a beefier CPU will have you noticing faster game start-ups and load times.

The New Nintendo 3DS XL hits the shelves February 13 in black and red paint jobs for $199.99. Watch a video reveal after the jump. (Also coming out that day is the 3D remake of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask–score!) [Note: Ninty is only releasing the New XL in the States; the New (regular-sized) 3DS remains an overseas exclusive, for now.]

[Via Nintendo 1, 2] Continue reading Nintendo deems the New 3DS XL ready for US gamers →

‘Community’ season 6 premieres on Yahoo March 17 (video inside)

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Mark your calendars: class is in session March 17, for Community season 6, that is. With series creator Dan Harmon back at the helm and a new reign of creative freedom ahead thanks to Yahoo scooping it up after NBC cancelled it last season, Community is primed to premiere its best season yet. Original cast members Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Alison Brie, Danny Pudi, Jim Rash, and Ken Jeong are all returning, and they are joined by newbies Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds) and Keith David (The Cape). Yvette Nicole Brown joins Chevy Chase and Donald Glover on the bench this season but you never know–perhaps Harmon will surprise us with special appearances by the dearly departed study group members. Community will be watchable at Yahoo Screen (supported by ads but no subscription required). On the 17th of March two episodes will land, and then the season will unfold with one new episode every Tuesday following the double-dose premiere.

As we approach our wish for #sixseasonsandamovie, does this sixth season mark the beginning of the end for the Greendale Gang? According to Harmon, nope! When asked about the future of the series at the Television Critics Association winter press tour today, he responded like this: “I’m definitely not writing [this season] as if it’s the end. My sixth-grade mentality about it is this show has lived by the sword of its intimate relationship with the fans, and needs to die by that sword. Only when people stop watching would I ever want to stop making the product. I have to continue writing the show as if it’s going to last for 20 seasons.” Be gone, darkest timeline! For today we live in the light!

But still. As long as we get the movie in and solidify that special preordained fate, I am one happy Human Being. Now jump after the break to watch a fun little promo for the upcoming season of Community.

[Via Yahoo; TVLine; EW] Continue reading ‘Community’ season 6 premieres on Yahoo March 17 (video inside) →

‘Boyhood’ & ‘The Affair’ big winners at the Globes

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Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Affair, and Transparent came out as the big winners of the 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards.

Boyhood, the unique coming-of-age film shot over an 11-year period, came out on top crowned Best Motion Picture Drama. Director Richard Linklater and supporting actress Patricia Arquette took home statues for Boyhood, too. Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel took home only one award but it’s one that counts: Best Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. Though they didn’t win the crown, Birdman and The Theory of Everything grabbed two trophies apiece: Birdman star Michael Keaton was named Best Lead Actor and the film also won Best Screenplay. Actor Eddie Redmayne also won the Lead Actor award for his turn as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything and the film was also recognized for its Original Score.

In TV, Showtime’s breakout freshman series The Affair won Best TV Drama, and its lead actress Ruth Wilson walked away with a globe. Amazon original series Transparent won Best TV Comedy or Musical and its star Jeffrey Tambor was named Best Lead Actor. FX hit Fargo also won twice being crowned Best TV Miniseries or Movie, and Billy Bob Thornton was recognized for his memorable performance in it.

For the full list of winners, including surprise winner Gina Rodriguez of The CW series Jane the Virgin, click here.

Early series renewals at CBS, FOX, The CW, and more

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A smattering of networks are showing extreme confidence in some of their series by renewing them for another season. In brief:

CBS has renewed three freshman dramas Scorpion, Madam Secretary and NCIS: New Orleans.

“These freshman dramas have each made a big impact on key nights of the week,” said CBS Entertainment Chairman Nina Tassler. “Creatively distinctive, the series are backed by strong showrunners with amazingly talented casts, and have resonated with a big, broad audience.”

FOX is bringing back cult animated series Bob’s Burgers for a sixth season.

“This gem of a series is a rare feel-good blend of sharp wit and genuine heart that fans and critics alike have continued to love throughout its five seasons on Fox,” said network heads Dana Walden and Gary Newman. “We are proud of Loren and Jim and the extremely talented voice cast who bring these unique characters to life with both humor and charm each week.”

The CW is renewing a whopping eight series to return next fall and they include breakout rookies The Flash and Jane the Virgin and returning series The Originals (for a season 3), Reign (season 3), The 100 (Season 3), Arrow (season 4), The Vampire Diaries (season 7), and Supernatural (season 11).

“Each of these series have helped define what The CW is today, a network that is home to smart, provocative, quality programming, targeting a savvy adult audience,” said CW president Mark Pedowitz said. “By picking up these shows now, our executive producers can start planning next season’s storylines, and rolling these shows out throughout next season guarantees. The CW will have more proven original series for our fall, midseason and summer 2016 line-ups.”

Elsewhere, HBO renewed Girls for a fifth season prior to its season four debut which aired this past Sunday and Netflix is bringing back original series Marco Polo for a 10-episode second season.

‘Game of Thrones’ comes to IMAX theatres this month [Update: New release date & more participating theatres)

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It’s not Game of Thrones The Movie, but it’s as close as we’ll ever get to that. HBO has partnered up with IMAX to bring a couple episodes of the critically acclaimed fantasy series to the enhanced silver screen. This marks the first time ever that a TV series is being formatted for and screened in IMAX. From January 23 through the 29th, upwards of 150 IMAX theatres across the nation will showcase the final two episodes from season 4. As a refresher, those are “The Watchers on the Wall” (featuring the epic battle in which the Night’s Watch defend Castle Black from the wildlings) and “The Children” (the memorable season finale with deaths galore). In addition to showing these digitally re-mastered episodes, the event will also screen an exclusive trailer including never-before-scene looks at the highly anticipated upcoming fifth season of the series. Stick it here to find out if a theatre near you will host Game of Thrones in IMAX.

“The cinematic brilliance and grand scope of the series is perfect for the IMAX format,” said Pamela Levine, HBO’s Chief Marketing Officer. “We are always looking to provide fans with new and exciting ways to experience the show, and viewing two key episodes, along with the new trailer, on such an impressive platform makes for a great event.”

“IMAX always seeks innovative ways to provide moviegoers a unique and differentiated experience and today’s partnership with HBO and Game of Thrones achieves just that,” added IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond. “This deal also furthers our efforts to offer exhibitors the opportunity to participate in alternative forms of content in a new and exciting way.”

Update (1/14): Switch-up! IMAX has shifted the Game of Thrones limited-time screening event by one week. The two episodes plus the trailer will now hit big-screen theatres on Thursday, Jan. 29 and will extend through Feb. 5. The move was “prompted by extraordinary consumer response that drove online mentions for IMAX to record heights,” says IMAX, and the shift allows for a more expansive rollout; the event will now reach upwards of 200 theatres (that’s up from the previous count of 150). IMAX is also offering up the list of participating theatres now. Preorder tickets starting tomorrow, Jan. 16. And, if you’re one of the first 300 ticket holders you will be gifted a limited edition GoT poster at participating venues; eye them at that link.

PlayStation Now game streaming service now offers subscription program

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Sony’s game streaming service PlayStation Now has been available in beta for months, allowing PS4 gamers to stream last-generation PS3 games on their shiny new consoles. As of today, PS Now is officially released in earnest and comes with more ways to play. In beta, gamers could only stream games a la carte, and pricing depended on the title and how long you rented the game for. Today, the service supports a subscription model; PS4 owners can cough up $19.99 for one month or $44.99 for three months of back-catalog gameplay. PS Now currently provdes “instant and unlimited access to a catalog of more than 100 PS3 games” with more on the way. This new model is launching exclusively on the PS4 first, and Sony promises it will reach other PS Now enabled devices in the future. Want a taste? The company’s offering a free seven-day trial to the subscription program; get it here or fire up your console. Click here to scan a list of all the currently available PS3 titles streaming today, and jump after the break for video.

[Via PlayStation Blog] Continue reading PlayStation Now game streaming service now offers subscription program →

TV reminder: 10 premieres to look out for in January

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New year, new TV. It’s time for the latest installment of what to watch this month! There are a total of 10 new and returning shows to look out for in January so let’s get right to it, after the break. Continue reading TV reminder: 10 premieres to look out for in January →

Kanye West releases Paul McCartney-assisted ballad “Only One”

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Kanye rings in the New Year with a new track called “Only One.” Paul McCartney (of legendary English rock band The Beatles—look it up, kids!) backs up ‘Ye’s autotuned vocals with keyboard improvisation. The quiet ballad is pretty much the opposite of what Kanye last put out in the world; “Black Skinhead” this is not. In fact, “Only One,” which is what “Kanye” translates into from its Swahili roots, is a very personal song for the rapper. Upon first listen it’s immediately apparent that ‘Ye is channeling his late mother Donda West; she’s speaking to him and his daughter North (Nori is her nickname) in the simple yet powerful lyrics. A press release tells the enlightening tale of how Kanye’s “stream-of-consciousness riff” came to him:

When they played back the recording afterward, something remarkable happened. Kanye sat there with his family, holding his daughter North on his lap, and listened to his vocals, singing, “Hello, my only one . . . ” And in that moment, not only could he not recall having sung those words, but he realized that perhaps the words had never really come from him. The process of artistic creation is one that does not involve thinking, but often channeling. And he understood in that moment that his late mother, Dr. Donda West, who was also his mentor, confidante, and best friend, had spoken through him that day. “My mom was singing to me, and through me to my daughter,” he said, astonished.

If you’re one to buy into the rumor mills, this is the first of many collaborations between the rap icon and the rock legend. West and McCartney recorded “Only One” in a small bungalow in Los Angeles, and some say this is just a sampling of their collaboration. Perhaps McCartney will pop up more than one on West’s upcoming seventh studio album when it purportedly releases sometime this year.

For now, click over to kanyewest.com; there you can hear the new track, croon along thanks to provided lyrics (likely) hand-written by West, and view the single artwork featuring Kanye and his daughter. “Only One” can be purchased at iTunes today.

Google, Twitter and Facebook mark the highlights of 2014

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As we close out the year, let’s journey back in time and explore the high points and the lows that made up the last 365 days. Google, Twitter, and Facebook gather our searches and publicly shared posts to make it super simple to do just that with dedicated portals, trending lists, and flashy videos. Let’s start with Google, as is tradition.

For 2014, Google is foregoing its “Zeitgeist” terminology for something simpler. The search giant is calling its retrospective portal “A Year in Search.” That’s got a nice ring to it. First, there’s the hopeful and inspirational video embedded above that summarizes the major events and discoveries that unfolded all around the world this year. And then there’s the Top Charts that show what we all searched for most across a myriad of categories including People, Cars, Beer, and Memes. Of course, it’s the top trending Searches of 2014 you’re likely most interested in knowing right off the bat and they are: Robin Williams, World Cup, Ebola, Maylaysia Airlines, Flappy Bird, ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, ISIS, Ferguson, Frozen, and Ukraine.

For Twitter and Facebook’s stamp on history, jump after the break. Continue reading Google, Twitter and Facebook mark the highlights of 2014 →

Surprise: It’s a ‘BoJack Horseman’ Christmas special!

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BoJack Horseman is an anthropomorphic horse voiced naturally by Will Arnett who stars in a wickedly smart and funny Netflix original series. If you’ve haven’t binged the 12 episode animated show yet, drop everything you’re doing and get going! Without getting too in-depth so as not to spoil the fun, BJH is about a dude (who happens to be a horse) navigating his life after being in the spotlight starring in a children’s TV show. When he’s tasked to help pen his tell-all biography with a ghost writer, his world slowly begins to get turned upside-down as he is forced to face his past. He contemplates love and so many other things, and it reaches some unexpectedly dark and cynical places, too. All in all, it’s very entertaining and it features slick animation with a stellar voice cast.

Now, onto the good news! It was previously reported that Netflix is already underway with a second season of BoJack Horseman, but seemingly out of the blue today the streaming service dropped a full-length Christmas special for fans of the series. Huzzah! In “Sabrina’s Christmas Wish:

It’s Christmas, and BoJack Horseman wants nothing to do with it, especially when Todd (Aaron Paul) shows up with a giant candy cane and one of BoJack’s “Horsin’ Around” Christmas episodes from his TV star days. But BoJack agrees to watch it with Todd, if only for the residual check. One heart-warming orphan story and lots of cans of beer later, BoJack might be willing to re-think his attitude — unless Todd gets too enthusiastic about the whole holiday thing.

Stream the special at Netflix today. And if you’re new to the show, start with episode 1 right here. BJH season 2 is expected to arrive sometime in 2015.

Microsoft aims to break down language barriers with Skype Translator

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We’re living in the future, folks, in case you didn’t know. This week Microsoft is leading the charge in breaking down language barriers with its Skype Translator. Essentially, the new software allows Skype users to translate their conversations into another language in real-time. A perfect example of it in use is featured in the saccharine clip posted above. Students in America are video chatting peers in Mexico City; when an American student speaks English, the Spanish-speaking student on the other side can understand her completely (and vice-versa) as their spoken words are translated almost instantly. It’s quite magical, really.

Skype Translator is currently available as a preview and only supports English and Spanish. Skype promises that additional language support is on the way. You can help refine the incredible technology by signing up to become a preview user today.

[Via Microsoft]

‘Birdman’ & ‘Fargo’ lead this year’s Golden Globe nominations

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On Thursday the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced this year’s Golden Globe nominations. The hybrid award show that celebrates both film and television granted Michael Keaton vehicle Birdman and the breakout FX drama Fargo the most nominations with seven and five, respectively.

Best Motion Picture (Drama) nominees include Richard Linklater’s excellent Boyhood, Foxcatcher (Steve Carrell received a nod for Best Performance), The Imitation Game (so did Benedict Cumberbatch), Selma (and David Oyelowo), and The Theory of Everything (and Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones). And the Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) nominees: Birdman (Keaton received a nod for Best Performance), The Grand Budapest Hotel (so did Ralph Fiennes), Into the Woods (and Emily Blunt), Pride, and St. Vincent (and Bill Murray). And the five movies going after Best Animated Film are Big Hero 6, The Book of Life, The Boxtrolls, How to Train Your Dragon 2, and The LEGO Movie.

Moving over to the TV side of things, Best Television Series (Drama) nominees include Showtime’s The Affair (well deserved!, plus, Dominic West and Ruth Wilson received nods for Best Performance), Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, and Netflix original series House of Cards (so did Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright). And the Best Television Series (Comedy or Musical) nominees: Girls (Lena Dunham received a nod for Best Performance), The CW’s Jane the Virgin (s0 did Gina Rodriguez), Netflix’s Orange is the New Black (and Taylor Schilling), Silicon Valley, and Amazon’s Transparent (and Jeffrey Tambor). And the five series going after Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television are Fargo (Martin Freeman,Billy Bob Thornton, and Allison Tolman received nods for Best Performance), The Missing (so did Frances O’Connor), The Normal Heart (and Mark Ruffalo), Olive Kitteridge (and Frances McDormand), and True Detective (and Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson).

With so many great nominees also comes the snubbed. Per usual there are too many to count, but here are a few that come to mind. Interstellar was nominated for Hans Zimmer’s original score and nothing else. In TV, Homeland, Masters of Sex, The Leftovers, The Americans, Bates Motel, Hannibal, The Walking Dead, Orphan Black (poor Tatiana Maslany, again!), Mad Men, Modern Family, Parks and Recreation: all nada.

The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards airs live Sunday, January 11 at 8PM ET on NBC hosted once again by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Click here to view the full list of nominees.