Month: October 2017

Chance The Rapper Hits The Big Screen In Pizza-Themed Horror Movie SLICE

~ Moses Eckman ~ Leave a comment

TAKING A CHANCE

A lot of hip hop artists have crossed over into the acting realm. A lot. From LL Cool J to Queen Latifah to Ludacris to Andre 3000, there have been many success stories. Now, the question is: is Chance the Rapper (real name: Chance Bennett)  going to join this illustrious company? Because the horror genre is about to get a new entry.

Extra Cheese?

Here’s the lowdown on this upcoming delivery:

Uproxx:

A24 is the distribution company behind such contemporary classics as Green Room, The Witch, Room, Ex Machina, and the Oscar-winning Moonlight. Chance the Rapper released one of 2016’s best albums, and he’s a constant source of joy in this often-bleak world. Together, they made a movie that, based on their shared histories, will somehow win Best Picture and Album of the Year.

Maybe that’s somewhat overstating it, but there’s a lot of talent behind Slice. It was written and directed by Chance’s frequent collaborator Austin Vesely, and also stars Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Joe Keery (Stranger Things), and Paul Scheer (The Disaster Artist). As for what it’s about: Slice “takes place in mysterious city, and centers around an enigmatic outlaw framed for a killing spree that targets unsuspecting pizza delivery boys,” according to Variety.

SPECIAL DELIVERY

 . . . Vesely told Pigeons and Planes that Slice began as a drunken scribble of an idea for a short film: “Person orders pizza to houses. Kills the driver.” But the idea eventually expanded with help from Chance, who plays a former Chinese delivery food driver who’s also a werewolf, obviously. “People ask me often if the film is really scary,” Vesely said. “I hope it has its moments but it’s more of a comedy for me. Tonally, I was really inspired by Twin Peaks… I studied Paul Thomas Anderson’s movies to figure out how to balance multiple narratives. TV shows as well, like Twin Peaks, to discover how to establish a sense of place. I guess this movie is like Magnolia with ghosts. Just kidding. Kind of.”

 

Bring it on: all dressed!

Jay-Z Has 99 Problems, But A Grammy Salute to Industry Icons Award Ain’t One

~ Moses Eckman ~ Leave a comment

HOVA CRAFT

While he’s now world-famous for being Queen Bey’s baby daddy, Jay-Z is still considered one of hip hop’s most notable talents. He’s been The Man, for a long time now, even though he’s now riding a Tidal wave (gettit?) of celebrity.

OUNCES TO GRAMMYS

And now, it’s award season. Again.

Billboard:

At 47, JAY-Z has emerged as a perennial powerhouse in the realm of music. His unblemished resume on the rap front combined with his business acumen will be recognized at the 2018 Pre-Grammy Gala, where he’ll be presented with the Grammy Salute to Industry Icons Award. 

On Jan. 27, the 4:44 wordsmith will be presented his award at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel the night before the 60th annual Grammy Awards.

“We are absolutely thrilled and delighted to honor JAY-Z with this year’s GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Award. His contributions as an industry trailblazer and music visionary only begin to touch on the tremendous impact he’s made both in entertainment and beyond,” said Neil Portnow, president/ceo of the Recording Academy. “JAY-Z also embodies the vibrant spirit of New York City and we couldn’t imagine a more fitting honoree as we return to Manhattan for this year’s GRAMMY Awards.”

. . . Co-host of the Pre-Grammy Gala, Clive Davis, echoed Portnow’s sentiments. “JAY-Z is a quintessential icon and I couldn’t be happier and more excited to share the evening with him,” he said. “What a night this will be!”

For JAY-Z, his laundry list of accomplishments ranges from his launch of Roc Nation Sports, which boasts a line-up featuring Kevin Durant and Robinson Cano, birthing his Made in America Festival, and recently, being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In addition, Hov’s philanthropic work has been highly documented through his Shawn Carter Foundation, which works to further education for those with socio-economic hardships.

 

Forget The Life and Times of Shawn Carter . . . this is The Coronation of Shawn Carter. And he’s earned it.

Who’s Next For CONOR MCGREGOR? Could it be . . . Tony Ferguson or Nate Diaz?

~ Moses Eckman ~ Leave a comment

EASY COME, EASY OCTAGONE

 

Everyone wants to know: who’s Conor McGregor going to fight next? Well, MMA fans, here are some scenarios.

FIGHTING FOR A FIGHT

MMAJunkie:

If it’s Tony Ferguson you’d like to see as Conor McGregor’s next opponent then you might like this. Audie Attar, who represents both fighters at Paradigm Sports Management, said during Monday’s episode of Michael Bisping’s “Believe You Me” podcast that it’s “inevitable” McGregor and Ferguson will eventually fight each other. “The sport is one where they’re going to compete,” Attar said. “If you have clients in the same weight class, and they’re the top of the division, they’re going to meet. … With Tony and Conor, it’s inevitable. You have the lightweight champ and the interim lightweight champ, so that’s a fight that’s naturally going to happen.”

Ferguson (23-3 MMA, 13-1 UFC), currently ranked No. 2 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings, claimed the interim lightweight belt with an impressive submission win over Kevin Lee earlier this month at UFC 216. It was Ferguson’s 10th consecutive victory and seemingly put him in line to next face McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) so they can unify the title.

A trilogy fight with Nate Diaz also has been talked about – to the point many consider Diaz the front-runner as the opponent in McGregor’s first title defense since he won the belt at UFC 205 in November 2016. Since then, McGregor has taken time off before competing in a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather in August, which he lost via 10th-round TKO. Originally, striking coach Owen Roddy believed a Diaz trilogy would happen upon McGregor’s return to MMA until he recently changed course and called a Ferguson title fight “more logical.” McGregor’s head coach, John Kavanagh, has said he prefers the Diaz trilogy.

Attar, meanwhile, wouldn’t go so far as to say McGregor-Ferguson will definitely happen next, because a third fight with Diaz does make sense to him. But Attar also believes in the importance of unifying the championship and the fact that Ferguson has earned his shot at McGregor. 

“No, I can’t say (who McGregor will fight next). Here’s what I will tell you: Tony earned a shot at the belt,” Attar said. “He won the interim lightweight title. Conor doesn’t shy away from a challenge. The Nate fight does make sense, obviously, because of the trilogy. They never fought at 155 (pounds), but they both make sense in their own respective way.“However, I do believe that when (McGregor and Ferguson) go at it, it will, in my opinion, validate the belt system. It will validate what a championship belt is all about.”

 

Hey, we don’t care, we just want to get it on! How about the rest of you UFC fans?

 

Will Ferrell As Producer+ NEW SHOW + Red Band Trailer = Hilarity!

~ Moses Eckman ~ Leave a comment

SOME ACTIVITY

Will Ferrell may chew the scenery from time to time (or, like, all the time) but he’s hilarious and successful and, most importantly to Hollywood, bankable. And now he has a new TV project coming out which he is co-producing.  He appears in the show, but it stars Patrick Brammall and Tim Meadows, formerly a Saturday Night Live colleague.

FUNNY, SO LIVE

Gamespot:

CBS has released the uncensored trailer for its next All Access-exclusive offering. Cop comedy No Activity comes from executive producers Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, and Funny or Die. The project is the fourth original offering from the streaming service, following Star Trek: Discovery, The Good Fight, and Big Brother: Over the Top.

No Activity stars Tim Meadows and Patrick Brammall as two cops with rather mundane careers who, based on the trailer, wind up in the middle of a series of insane events. The two aren’t the only pair featured on the show, however. Instead, duos seem to pop up throughout the series–from police dispatchers, to hole diggers, to a criminal team made up of a father and his son.

The show is based on an Australian series with the same name. Interesting, Brammall stars on the original series as well, though he plays a different character.

This American remake boasts a very impressive guest cast, likely thanks in no small part to Ferrell and McKay’s involvement. Among those set to appear in the first season, other than Ferrell himself, are Jake Johnson, Jesse Plemons, Amy Sedaris, Michaela Watkins, J.K. Simmons, Jason Mantzoukas, and Alex Rodriguez, just to name a few.

The premiere of No Activity will be available to stream on CBS All Access beginning Sunday, November 12. Its debut will coincide with the midseason finale of Star Trek: Discovery–a series that will return for the rest of its first season in early 2018. New episodes of No Activity will then debut on the service every Sunday.

Sounds awesome!

Here’s the trailer, so you can see for yourself what all the fuss is about:

 

CBS Renews Star Trek: Discovery For A Second Season!

~ Moses Eckman ~ Leave a comment

GOOD NEWS

You can breathe now, Star Trek fans. They’re coming back.

Deadline Hollywood:

The voyage continues for Starfleet as CBS All Access has announced today that Star Trek: Discovery has been renewed for a second season. The original series broke a new record for subscriber sign-ups in a single day, week and month for the digital service.

 “In just six episodes, Star Trek: Discovery has driven subscriber growth, critical acclaim and huge global fan interest for the first premium version of this great franchise,” said Marc DeBevoise, President and Chief Operating Officer, CBS Interactive. “This series has a remarkable creative team and cast who have demonstrated their ability to carry on the Star Trek legacy. We are extremely proud of what they’ve accomplished and are thrilled to be bringing fans a second season of this tremendous series.”

LIVING LONG AND PROSPERING

 
Star Trek: Discovery has been well-received by new and old fans of the Star Trek franchise. The series starring  Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Jason Isaacs, Anthony Rapp, Michelle Yeoh, and Shazad Latif is a prequel of sorts to the original Star Trek.  The show follows Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new life forms, and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself. The series features a new ship and new roster of characters while embracing the same ideology and hope for the future that inspired a generation of dreamers. The first season’s plan is to air in two chapters with the final episode of chapter one debuting on November 12. The second chapter, featuring the remaining six episodes, will debut in January 2018. Star Trek: Discovery is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Secret Hideout, Living Dead Guy Productions, and Roddenberry Entertainment. 

We know we are!

Ghost Of Tsushima: New Project From Developers Of Infamous

~ Alex Crilly-Mckean ~ Leave a comment

From Lightning Bolts To Katana

The moral choice mechanics  and frantic action found in Cole and Delsin’s conduit exploits made the Infamous series a delight to play. There’s something oddly cathartic about letting loose an elemental rampage as either a force for good or as a selfish maniac.

Now, the developers are back with a brand new project. It may not feature a supercharged vigilante blowing up city blocks, but it does have a vengeful samurai at the helm. From the looks of things we are in for a gaming experience that’s less comic book and more seinen.

According to an article from Polygon –

Ghost of Tsushima, an open-world game set during the era of the samurai in feudal Japan, is coming exclusively to PlayStation 4.

Sony announced the game today during its Paris Games Week 2017 press briefing with a cinematic trailer, which you can watch above. In the trailer, Mongols capture some Japanese villages and burn others to the ground, and one of the invaders asks a samurai to surrender. Here’s the synopsis from Sony:

The year is 1274. Samurai warriors are the legendary defenders of Japan — until the fearsome Mongol Empire invades the island of Tsushima, wreaking havoc and conquering the local population. As one of the last surviving samurai, you rise from the ashes to fight back. But, honorable tactics won’t lead you to victory. You must move beyond your samurai traditions to forge a new way of fighting — the way of the Ghost — as you wage an unconventional war for the freedom of Japan.

Ghost of Tsushima is the next project from Sony subsidiary Sucker Punch Productions, the studio behind the Sly Cooper and Infamous franchises. Their most recent game was 2014’s Infamous: First Light, a download-only prequel to Infamous: Second Son.

Guess we can expect plenty of assassinations, stealth, and brutal, sword-wielding combat along the way. If this game turns out to be as ominous as Infamous was flashy, we should have a winner on our hands!

Be sure to check out the teaser trailer for Ghost of Tsushima below.

New Final Fantasy XV DLC To Launch This December

~ Alex Crilly-Mckean ~ Leave a comment

Ignis Is In Da House!

The bromance isn’t over yet! Following on from the other previously released side stories, the fourth (and arguably most stylish) member of Noctis’ crew is back with his own DLC, one that promises just as many boats as it does kick-ass action scenes.

According to an article on Gamespot –

New Final Fantasy XV DLC is coming soon featuring everyone’s favorite chef (and boat captain), Ignis. As part of Sony’s Paris Games Week pre-show, the company revealed that Episode Ignis launches on December 13, 2017.

Episode Ignis follows previous DLC chapters dedicated to party members Gladio and Prompto. The release date was revealed alongside news that Yasunori Mitsuda (of Chrono Trigger fame) will serve as the composer. We also got a new trailer that showed what appeared to be a meeting between a young Ignis and Prompto. Later, it transitions to the character driving a boat through a warzone before he gets into combat. There are also some hints of what the story will entail; you may want to avoid the trailer if you haven’t yet finished the main game.

A Square Enix press release adds that Ravus will fight alongside Ignis, whose “spelldaggers can be imbued with elemental properties, and his unique ability ‘Total Clarity’ allows him to target and attack multiple enemies at once.” Additionally, there will be “multiple” endings. It will be priced at $5 and is included as part of the season pass.

Also on the way for Final Fantasy XV is the Comrades DLC, which will introduce an online multiplayer component. It was recently delayed until November to allow for “final adjustments and to create the best possible experience,” according to Square Enix.

We have no doubt that the action will be fiery and frenzied, and as long as Ignis’ typically chilled personality shines through it looks like we’re in for another fun romp through the world of Final Fantasy XV!

Be sure to check out the trailer for Episode Ignis below.

The Hong Kong Massacre: Hotline Miami Meets Hard Boiled?

~ Alex Crilly-Mckean ~ Leave a comment

Lock and Load!

For those of you that adore the rapid-fire, ludicrous pace seen in top-down shooters, this little gem recently announced at Paris’ Game Expo should be right up your alley. Take what you love about the retro gameplay, splash it with a detailed noir-esque art-style and throw in a bunch of very angry Triads, and you have The Hong Kong Massacre.

According to an article on Gamespot –

During Sony’s pre-show livestream at Paris Games Week, the publisher revealed the appearance of an upcoming top-down shooter from indie developers Vreski and Captain Rogue Production called The Hong Kong Massacre. Set in Hong Kong during an intense crimewave, you take the fight to the Triad, where you engage in intense, hectic gunfights with gangsters and criminals in the tight spaces of urban landscape.

The game is channeling aspects of the old-school Hong-Kong action films like Hard Boiled and A Better Tomorrow, with the moodiness and style of Blade Runner and Hotline Miami. In development for some time, The Hong Kong Massacre has made been making the rounds in the indie-scene for some time, and it’s now ready for its release on PS4 next year. The action looks to be very exciting, even letting you pull off a number of slick moves and abilities that are lifted straight from classic action films.

Please let there be bullet time, please let there be bullet time!

Given the recent influx we have seen in remakes, remasters and spiritual successors to the top-down shooter genre (Hotline Miami anyone?) this new title should fit right, and from the looks of things also inspire brand new bouts of rage quits.

Gangland warfare in China has never looked so much fun! Seriously John Woo would be proud.

Be sure to check out the trailer for The Hong Kong Massacre below.

Detroit: Become Human To Be Released Spring 2018

~ Alex Crilly-Mckean ~ Leave a comment

Grab Your Popcorn!

David Cage is well known for going out of his way to ensure that his stories blur the line between video games and cinematic experience. Sometimes these work to great effect such as the case with Fahrenheit and Heavy Rain, and sometimes that stumble like in Beyond: Two Souls. While the quality of each game can be debated, it can’t be denied that each project is ambitious and certainly delivers on the visual front.

Now, Cage and his studio Quantic Dream have returned with what looks to be their most bonkers game to date, where choice is literally everything!

According to an article on Polygon –

Detroit: Become Human will launch next spring, Sony announced today during its Paris Games Week 2017 press briefing. The company revealed the launch window for choose-your-own adventure game from French studio Quantic Dream alongside a lengthy gameplay trailer — which shows off one of the most intense family dinners we’ve seen in quite some time.

This gameplay footage stars the android Kara, who lives with a human family. While young Alice’s father Todd hurls insults and curse words and even dining tables at Alice, Kara is given the option to stand up for her young human companion … or stay true to her android nature.

The player controlling the scenario in this trailer decides to protect Alice, which is a nice, cathartic way to end this otherwise traumatic scene. It’s a little hard to watch, and the story ends on a cliffhanger — as director David Cage is known to do. We’ll see more of Kara and the rest of the androids’ stories when the PlayStation 4 exclusive Detroit: Become Human arrives next year.

Could this be Cage’s magnum opus? We’ll have to wait and see!

Be sure to check out the gameplay trailer for Detroit: Become Human below

THUNDER-STRUCK: Thor: Ragnarok Is Already Steamrolling Box Offices Around The Globe

~ Moses Eckman

THOR THOR THOR, HOW DO YA LIKE IT, HOW DO YA LIKE IT

Chris Hemsworth is hammering the competition around the world.

KICKING ASGARD

Don’t believe us? Here are the digits:

Deadline Hollywood:

Launching in about 52% of the world a week before entering the domestic arena, Disney/Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok hammered out a $109.1M international box office start this session. The strong debut on the Taika Waititi-helmed threequel was more muscular than the Sunday estimate of $107.6M. Through Sunday, it’s running 6% ahead of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2 and 24% above Doctor Strange when looking at the same suite of 36 material markets. As we saw in early mid-week bows, the Chris Hemsworth-starrer posted the biggest October opening weekend in many markets and continued to do so as more were added through the frame. The film can boast No. 1s everywhere.

 The top plays thus far are the UK ($16.2M), Korea ($15.7M), Australia ($8.4M), Brazil ($8.1M) and France ($7.7M). Europe made up the bulk of the increases between Sunday’s estimates and today’s full figures. The overseas opening on the third pic in the god of thunder’s franchise was eyed at a range of $85M-$100M by industry sources ahead of the early non-traditional Tuesday UK opening. Most topped it out at $100M with one seeing anticipation high enough to push it past the century mark.
.

. . .  The comps also include Thor: The Dark World, and Thor 3 is 34% above that which is little surprise given the lighter tone of this refresh on the series. At current exchange rates Guardians Of The Galaxy 2, which bowed in April this year, finaled at $481M internationally while Doctor Strange earned $456M overseas after opening at this same time in 2016. Thor‘s got critical good will behind him as well as some runway ahead — there are school holidays in several plays and big markets still to come including China and the U.S.

But, he’s also got Justice League beginning day-and-date on November 17.

BRING IT ON