Justin Timberlake & Jay-Z are going on tour this summer

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That post title–it’s like music to your ears. Justin Timberlake and “Suit & Tie” featured artist Jay-Z are headlining a tour together. The “Legends of the Summer Stadium Tour” starts July 17 in Toronto and ends August 17 in Miami travelling through a total of 12 North American venues (the others include New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Hershey, Detroit, Baltimore, Boston, and Philadelphia). Tickets go on sale next week on Thursday, February 28 at Ticketmaster.com; if you RSVP to the event on Facebook you can gain access to presale tickets one day earlier. Also, if you obtain tickets using the Live Nation app you can snag tix on the 27th as well. All dates excluding the stop at Yankee Stadium will be available to the general public starting 2/28; New York sale information is “to be announced soon.” Jump after the break to view all the tour dates.

In addition to a summer tour, JT is exposing his brand in other ways. On March 9 he’ll be hosting Saturday Night Live for the fifth (!) time and he’ll also be serving as the evening’s musical guest. And from March 11 through 15 he’ll be featured on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

JT is back and in a big way. His third solo album The 20/20 Experience is out March 19. Get your preorder on today. Continue reading Justin Timberlake & Jay-Z are going on tour this summer →

John Noble readies an emotional performance in upcoming short film ‘Friend’

Entertainment, Short film, Video, , , ,

Since Fringe ended, nobody has swept us off our feet and into the heart of a man like John Noble did. His powerfully emotional character Walter Bishop is certainly one of the most memorable fictional portrayals to grace television. Need your weekly Walter fix now? Unfortunately that character has been put to rest as Fringe aired its series finale last month, but I have for you the next best thing.

John Noble is set to star in a mysterious short film that goes by the name of Friend. Noble’s daughter Jess wrote the script and together they produced the project. Noble called upon Fringe‘s director of photography David Geddes to direct.

Collider scooped a synopsis: “A lonely, grief stricken man of wealth finds a new lease on life after an unusual ‘friend’ is mysteriously delivered to his door. A unique and unexpected relationship quickly forms, bringing hope and color to the man’s bleak existence. But will tragedy strike again?”

Noble had this to say about his daughter’s short: “Friend was a labor of love. During the turbulent last stage of filming the Fringe series finale, my Fringe colleagues gave their precious time and amazing talent to realize my daughter Jessie’s beautiful short film. Two intense and fun filled days of filming, and then over to Ari Margolis and Jeremy Little to weave their magic with the editing and score.  It was an unforgettable experience. I adore the film. Sad, and funny, and special.”

Check out tantalizing trailer for Friend above; it was put together by Ari Margolis, the guy behind all of those incredibly epic Fringe promo trailers. The short will play at film festivals this year and will hopefully release in full to the public in the coming months. I wonder who’s behind that door… could it be, dare I say, September?! I kid.

NBC sets premiere date for ‘Hannibal’ (teaser and key art inside) [Update: full-length trailer]

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Hannibal is coming to television this spring. NBC had ordered the serialized adaptation of the classic tale about Dr. Hannibal Lector (famously played by Anthony Hopkins in 1991’s Silence of the Lambs, originating in the Thomas Harris novel Red Dragon) last May and has since been keeping it warm on the bench. With midseason bust Do No Harm dead and gone, the Peacock’s schedule suddenly has a vacant Thursday at 10PM slot that’s begging to be filled. On April 4 Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) will play the role of the mad serial killer and he’ll unleash his bag of mind tricks onto a gifted criminal profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy). Laurence Fishburne and Caroline Dhavernas also star. Hannibal is from Bryan Fuller, the man behind such visionary treats as Pushing Daisies and Heroes.

With FOX’s The Following gaining a cult of its very own, is there room for another, more familiar serial killer drama on network TV? The 30-second spot embedded above even evokes some of the Ryan Hardy/Joe Carroll back-and-forth that has come to pass on Kevin Williamson’s thriller. And yet it’s dark and just intriguing enough to warrant anticipation for Hannibal‘s premiere. Share your take in the comment section below. After the break you’ll find creepy yet tantalizing key art featuring Mikkelsen as Lector at the dinner table. Who’s hungry?

Update: There’s a new full-length 2-minute trailer now available for your viewing pleasure. Watch it after the break.

Update 2: A couple more new clips are posted after the break. Continue reading NBC sets premiere date for ‘Hannibal’ (teaser and key art inside) [Update: full-length trailer] →

Justin Timberlake & Jay-Z suit up for “Suit & Tie” music video

Music, Video, , , ,

Justin Timberlake shows off the moves we’ve missed in a music video that’s all dressed up in black and white and directed by The Social Network helmer David Fincher for the Sexy Back singer’s latest single “Suit & Tie.” Rapper Jay-Z breaks out a smoking cigar for the occasion and makes a cameo, too.

JT’s third solo studio album The 20/20 Experience is due out March 19; preorder at iTunes today.

Bungie reveals its ‘Halo’ followup game ‘Destiny’ (concept art & video inside)

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Since ending its partnership with Microsoft making Halo games and cozying up with Activision, Bungie finally revealed its next project. The game, which is currently being designed for Xbox 360 and PS3 with an undisclosed post-2013 release date, is called Destiny and it’s a bold, new first person shooter with MMO tendencies. Bungie hasn’t shown all its cards yet, only releasing some concept art and a short video documentary that peels back a thin layer on the new adventure it’s cooking up.

The company offers up this brief bit of background:

Everything changed with the arrival of the Traveler. It sparked a Golden Age when our civilization spanned the solar system, but it didn’t last. Something hit us, knocked us down. The survivors built a city beneath the Traveler, and have begun to explore our old worlds, only to find them filled with deadly foes. You are a Guardian of the last safe city on Earth, able to wield incredible power. Defend the City. Defeat our enemies. Reclaim all that we have lost. Be brave.

Joystiq reports that Destiny will require gamers to have an always-on Internet connection in order to play. The game comes built with quests and an overarching story, but what Destiny is truly about is bringing gamers together and creating an online community where the players decide which direction their customizable avatars traverse inside the massive new universe built by Bungie. “The most important stories we tell won’t be told by us,” admits Bungie’s Joseph Staten said. “They’ll be told by players. Personal legends built from shared adventures.”

Since Bungie is still keeping in the lid on more plot details and character classes, upgrades, and customizations, you’ll have to satiate your hunger for this exciting new title by checking out the concept art below and watching the epic “reveal trailer” that’s embedded after the break.

Continue reading Bungie reveals its ‘Halo’ followup game ‘Destiny’ (concept art & video inside) →

Quantic Dream’s David Cage explores the video games industry and proposes ways for it to grow

Technology, Video, , , , , , ,

David Cage, founder of video games developer studio Quantic Dream which has produced games like Heavy Rain and the upcoming Beyond: Two Souls, took the stage at D.I.C.E. 2013 to lead a thought-provoking presentation he called “The Peter Pan Syndrome: The Industry That Refused to Grow Up.” The keynote speech, which clocks in at just under half an hour, explores the video game industry today and Cage argues that it is about time the industry as a whole undergo some radical changes so that it can reach its full potential and a wider, mass audience. For example, he notes that video games have been around for over 40 years and during this time the majority of titles feature the same themes, worlds, and paradigms. He imagines a future where developers push the envelope and embrace storytelling; he wishes for more games like Journey and less like Call of Duty. He shares a humorous anecdote about a developer who couldn’t comprehend a game without the hero carrying a gun or some sort of weapon. We need to break free from this mold, says Cage, and over the course of his engaging presentation he presents a number of ways in which industry can do so.

Sony highlights the PlayStations that have come before as we near its next major release

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Gamers, take a trip down memory lane with three videos from Sony that encapsulate three generations of PlayStation. All three clips come in at under three minutes but they manage to successfully and succinctly relive the hype surrounding the launches and extended lives of the the original PlayStation, the PS2, and the PS3. The videos end with the hashtag #PlayStation2013 reminding us that this nostalgic look back comes at a time that is mere days away from the highly anticipated launch of Sony’s next home console and entertainment hub, the PlayStation 4. The announcement is expected to go down this Wednesday, so make sure to check back here for all the exciting details.

Embedded above is the first of three clips in Sony’s “Evolution of PlayStation” series and features the OG PS that released in 1994. After the break you’ll find the two others highlighting the massively popular PS2 and the still-going-strong PS3. Continue reading Sony highlights the PlayStations that have come before as we near its next major release →

Apple upgrades MBP Retina Display processors, slashes entry point prices

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Last Wednesday Apple updated its MacBook Pro with Retina Display lineup with new processors and more affordable prices. The 13-inch MBP with Retina Display now starts at $1,499 (with 128GB of flash storage), and for $1,699 you can opt for a model with a new 2.6GHz processor and 256GB of flash storage. The 15-inch MBP with Retina also received a processor upgrades now featuring models complete with 2.4GHz quad-core and 2.7 GHz quad-core processors. Additionally, the Pro’s slimmer cousin the 13-inch MacBook Air also saw a price drop and now starts at $1,399 (with 256GB of flash storage). These new MBP and MBA models are available at these prices and with these specs today at Apple.com, Apple Stores, and authorized resellers.

[Via Apple]

Valentine’s Day treat: Learn the truth behind “The Women of LA”

Hilarity, Video, , ,

Here’s a brand new video that’s gone viral and rightfully so. It’s laugh-out-loud funny…because it’s true. Friends DJ Lubel & J. Abrams collaborated on this catchy clip that journeys the streets of Los Angeles and makes the ultimate point that the women of LA make it impossible to get with them. If you live there the on-location segments are a real treat but even if you’ve never been you’ll take pleasure in this genius concept that’s littered with fun celebrity cameos.

To all the lovers out there who just can’t get some, Happy Valentine’s Day. Now move back to NYC.

Funny or Die: Zach Galifianakis brings back the ‘Ferns’ for Oscar season

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Zach Galifianakis is back with a brand new Between Two Ferns, and this time it’s a special “Oscar Buzz Edition” that’s expanded across two clips. Over the years the Hangover star dresses up like a talk show host and sits down with celebrities and while the conversations mostly make no sense they are absurdly hysterical. And the latest episodes are no exception. Galifianakis and his ferns welcome Jennifer Lawrence, The Impossible Naomi Watts, Christ of Waltz, Anne Halfway, Amys Adam, Jessica Chestain, Sally Field, and Bradley Cooper.

Part 1 is embedded above; part 2 hangs after the break. Continue reading Funny or Die: Zach Galifianakis brings back the ‘Ferns’ for Oscar season →

Movie trailer round-up: ‘The Internship’, ‘Monsters University’, ‘Oblivion’ & ‘Fast & Furious 6’

Movies, Video, , , , , ,

Wedding Crashers duo Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson are teaming up again for The Internship. The comedy directed by Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum) and written by Vaughn and Jared Stern follows the guys landing a coveted internship at Google. The all-star cast also includes John Goodman, B.J. Novak, Aasif Mandvi, Rose Byrne,Max Minghella, and apparently Will Ferrell makes a cameo. The question remains if he can one-up his Chaz “Mom the meatloaf, f–k” appearance from Wedding Crashers. A very enjoyable trailer for The Internship is above. It hits theatres June 7. And who cares if it’s really one giant advertisement for the company behind Android–this looks funny.

Jump after the break to view more trailers. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: ‘The Internship’, ‘Monsters University’, ‘Oblivion’ & ‘Fast & Furious 6’ →