Posted on August 15, 2010 at 3:34 pm
I’ve been hoping someone would do this — Moviefone has found 30 references to games, music, and pop culture in “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.” Any that they missed?
Posted on August 7, 2010 at 8:00 am
An article in the Washington Post about the popularity of online games like Farmville, Mafia Wars, Sorority Life and updated versions of classic board and word games like Scrabble has a provocative assertion:
“Whereas the 19th century will be remembered for the creation of the modern novel, and the 20th century was dominated by movies and images on screens, I think we can now see that games will be the dominant form of entertainment in this century,” said Jon Radoff, an early Internet entrepreneur, game developer and armchair gaming historian.
If that sounds like blasphemy, consider that online games just passed e-mail as the second-most popular activity online, behind social networking, according to Nielsen. Last week, Disney paid $563.2 million to buy social game developer Playdom. Google is reportedly in talks with game companies to start a site called Google Games, having noticed that on Facebook, the fastest-growing Web site in the world, 40 percent of the company’s 500 million users regularly play social games.
Radoff predicts that these games, which are free but which charge nominal amounts for accessories and add-ons, will be a more viable business model for social networks than advertising. But what interests me more is his notion that this is the form of creative expression that fits our time better than books and movies. Is it because of the interactivity, with the player affecting the direction of the game and engaging with other players? After sororities, farms, the Mob, and fish, what will be the next venues for these games? Sports? Safari? Outer space?
Posted on July 15, 2010 at 11:02 am
“The Other Guys,” starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, opens in theaters August 6th, and the film will make its World Premiere in New York City on August 2nd. But, in keeping with its “other” theme, the movie will have another premiere — “The Other Premiere” — and moviegoers can help decide where it will be. Beginning today, moviegoers can go on Facebook to vote in a poll to decide which Other City will host The Other Premiere. Ferrell and Wahlberg will attend the red carpet event in the winning city on August 5th.
The 20 candidate cities are Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Seattle, Tampa/St. Petersburg, and Washington, DC. On August 2, Ferrell and Wahlberg will announce the winning city.
Commenting on the announcement, Adam McKay, director of “The Other Guys,” said, “We’ve all had those moments when we’ve had to watch some other guy be the cool guy. But your city can be the cool city. Get on Facebook and vote, and we’ll bring The Other Premiere to you.”
In The Other Guys, NYPD Detectives Christopher Danson and P.K. Highsmith (Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson) are the baddest and most beloved cops in New York City. They don’t get tattoos – other men get tattoos of them. Two desks over and one back, sit Detectives Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg). You’ve seen them in the background of photos of Danson and Highsmith, out of focus and eyes closed. They’re not heroes – they’re “the Other Guys.”
But every cop has his or her day and soon Gamble and Hoitz stumble into a seemingly innocuous case no other detective wants to touch that could turn into New York City’s biggest crime. It’s the opportunity of their lives, but do these guys have the right stuff?
The Other Guys stars Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, with Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson. Directed by Adam McKay and written by Adam McKay & Chris Henchy, the producers are Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Jimmy Miller, and Patrick Crowley.
Posted on July 10, 2010 at 3:35 pm
If you or your children are of a certain age, you will remember the computer game King’s Quest. I’m delighted that Phoenix Online Studios, the group behind the King’s Quest fan game The Silver Lining, has reached an agreement with Activision to release their project as a free downloadable series. The debut episode, “What is Decreed Must Be,” will release today, with several more installments releasing throughout 2010. Hurray for King Graham!
Posted on July 5, 2010 at 8:00 am
Just in time for summer vacation, Front Row Fun has a free download of more than three hours of selections from children’s programming including Sid the Science Kid, Pocoyo, Hopla, Hermie and Friends, Hurray for Huckle, WordWorld, Will & Dewitt, Animal Atlas, Tiny Planets and Dive Olly Dive. It can be played on For PC, Mac, DVD Player, or PlayStation 3.
