Top 5 Underdog Albums of 2009

Having gotten my obvious choices out of the way, it's now time for the albums that didn't quite make it. These 5 albums were all amazing, I just didn't think they were part of my Top 5 for the year. Still, attention they deserve, and attention they will get. So without further ado, I present my Top 5 underdog albums of 2009, in no particular order.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Self-Titled

Another All Songs Considered discovery for me. The album itself disappointed the show's host after he saw them live, but I loved it. They have a sort of band of hippies quality to them, but even though you were likely beaten down and brought to absolutely hate "hippies" with the resurgence of the trend this decade.

A clarification: The kids who wore Pink Floyd shirts and smoked pot in your high school weren't hippies. This band, is much closer to the title -- just a completely harmless, ragtag group of musicians. You can't help but find them adorable. And I'm not sure why I turned this into a whole conversation about hippies simply because the band reminds me of them, but I'm leaving it this way.

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My Top 5 Podcasts of 2009

I've never thought about ranking podcasts. To me, they occupy my time in two ways: either a podcast is interesting and informative, or it provides more non-diegetic sound while I play a video game or read. Either way I love podcasts and will use this opportunity to fill you in on some excellent shows that I've enjoyed this year. (Note: Only numbers 1 and 5 were created in 2009)

5. Active Time Babble

What is it? An offshoot of 1UP's Retronauts podcast, Active Time Babble is Jeremy Parish and Kat Bailey's new addition to the myriad of shows 1UP already has -- only this one is especially awesome. The title's pun should be obvious to RPG players, but if not it comes from the title for a common battle mechanic in JRPGs called "active time battle." The podcast therefore, naturally, concerns itself with all things role-playing, including (so they say) everything from Final Fantasy to western table-top games.

Why I love it: I've always enjoyed Parish and Bailey on their various podcasts and shows, and this one is no different. They are generally eloquent and concise speakers, so the "Babble" part isn't so much "meandering" as it is "dialog for a specific audience." Guests like Thierry Nguyen contribute interesting discussion as well. Simply put, if you like RPGs or video game conversation in general, you're bound to enjoy this one and learn something too!

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The Top 5 "Well, duh!" Albums of 2009

I'm not going to be anything but glaringly obvious in this list of my 5 favorite albums of 2009. If you know me at all, then these picks will be pretty straight-forward. Fortunately for most everyone, you don't know me very well, yet, and my top two choices are much different from those of the more mainstream music blogs.

I have ranked these, but let's be honest, it doesn't really matter. So, let's just jump right into it.

#5 - Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest

When Grizzly Bear buzz was at max for their last release I gave it a listen, I just could not get into it at all. I tossed it aside without even a second chance.

When I heard Two Weeks on All Songs Considered, though, I loved it. So I gave them a second chance with Veckatimest. Even as a someone who normally listens to pretty strange music to most, it took me a little while to permeate this album. Still, I found myself drawn back to it often.

Nowadays, it not only gets regular rotation, but their video for Ready, Able gets played constantly on YouTube when my nearly 2 year old daughter comes up to me while on the computer and wants to watch something. She is entranced by that video, almost as much as Shakira's gyrating hips, something I'd like to ween her off of in the near future.

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Nick Suttner Interview

Usually, when looking for inspiration, we choose idols that we feel are most like us. Sure, I wanted to be a writer since I was a little kid, but I sort of fell off the train in high school. After high school, when thinking about what I would do with my life, video game journalism was always somewhere at the back of my head, but I just never had the drive to start trying to achieve it.

I could easily say that several industry veterans finally inspired me to make a go of it, but that would be a lie. Thinking back, it was Nick Suttner that started it all for me. I quickly learned that his tastes mirrored mine almost exactly, and he was only a few years older then me. So, when he recommended people start a blog and write write write, I did just that.

Nick was kind enough to jump through hoops for me just to answer some questions. He was one of the victims of the 1upocalypse early this year, when Ziff Davis closed down EGM and sold off 1up.com, but he landed on his feet and is now playtesting games over at Sony. This is an interview of the man though, not his job -- so let's get to know Nick Suttner a little bit better, shall we?

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Dear Canabalt, Go to Hell! P.S. I Love You.

Dear Canabalt,

I can't do this anymore. I just stopped playing you after two and a half hours straight. When I died, I would just smack the space bar again and start over. All I wanted from you was the Kongregate achievement for getting 5000 meters before dying, and I couldn't even get that.

4946 meters. Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to come that close to finally getting something out of our relationship, only to have it ripped away by the sudden placement of a very short rooftop that I could never hope to have landed on at the speeds I had attained? VERY FRUSTRATING!

But it's not you, it's me. You're so simple that it has to be my fault for everything. If I felt like I didn't jump after having hit the button in time, it must be because I didn't actually hit the button in time. If I felt like I had made it within the range of a window, but instead my character smacked against it and fell in the pit below, then I must have misjudged my jump just the slightest bit.

I can't blame you for any of my frustration because you delivered exactly what you claimed you would, one simple button press and I jump. With such little commitment on your part, it's left entirely up to me to get what I can out of our time together.

And that's exactly the problem -- I can't do it. I've come so close to feeling the thrill of success, but have failed each and every time. When I land on a crumbling building and leap off of it just in the knick of time, I feel a rush of adrenaline. Sometimes, when I am running like the wind, and a bomb hits a rooftop I've just landed on, my crappy old computer lags for a second as I'm jumping it. It's like something straight out of the Matrix, and I feel like an incredible badass when it happens.

But ultimately, none of that matters. I always fall short of achieving my goal, and it's tearing me apart. My child has been neglected, and my wife's yelling unheard. When I fail, I immediately hit the button again to restart the game. I can't go on living like this, or I will be a shell of the man I once was. For my own good, I have to leave you, Canabalt. It's the only way.

I hope you understand.

Love,
Alex

If any of you feel sorry for Canabalt and want to take it on a date, just go here.
It's an incredibly cheap date. Free, in fact.

Movie Review: Avatar

Note: This is not a review of the movie as a whole. The story was very familiar but good -- it was engaging, thrilling, and spectacular. Since it will be a familiar story to almost everyone over the age of 10,I feel a review of the story isn't necessary. This is a review of the experience, which most people will be talking about.

I saw Avatar at a wanna-be IMAX theater. It claims to be IMAX, but when I think of IMAX I think of the huge dome enclosures with a screen that takes up half of the dome -- this was not the case here. It was more like an enlarged movie screen. Screens like this have been around for years, but for the sake of space, most movie theaters go for smaller screens so that they can add more, which brings in more money... but I digress. What I'm saying is that this wasn't a real IMAX screen.

This disappointment was not a factor after the movie started though, the sound and picture were great. At first I was skeptical of the new 3D technology that everyone has been hyping. I was still seeing some blurriness that I thought was supposed to be non existent. It didn't seem any different than other newer 3D films such as Up, at first. However, there were some sprinkled-in scenes of beauty at the beginning that made me forget these problems. It took a good 30 minutes for my eyes and mind to get used to having the movie tell them what to focus on. This is how they enhance the depth of field in 3D, they have certain things in focus which is what you should be looking at, if you try to focus on anything else you will most likely get a headache.



All of my worries and skepticism faded away as soon as we were taken into the heart of Pandora. Everything was alive and moving, and felt so real that, at some points, I actually felt that leaves were falling on me and I was getting wet from the dew and the mist in the forests. During mostly all of the more visually brilliant scenes, you will find your mouth agape with the beauty and complexity of the shots. There were dust specks floating around and bugs whizzing by -- it really does make you feel as though you are there. At points I had to remind myself that what I was watching was pretty much all computer generated. Instead of trying to make myself believe it was real, there were instances where I had to step back and remember that what I was seeing was all computer generated.

It is this aspect of the film that really makes it incredible. Sure it's a movie with a pretty good story and great acting (for the most part), but it would not be as amazing were it not for the 3D technology used. I have not seen it in 2D, but after seeing Avatar I don't want to see any other action movie not using this 3D technology.

The action sequences in the movie were unlike anything I have ever seen. The 3D and the shots that Cameron used to portray the action worked in perfect unison. There was so much going on, yet it was so easy to see everything. It is really hard to explain exactly what it looked like other than what I've said earlier, it makes you feel like you are there and it is happening before your eyes. Even the stills from the movie don't fully capture what that scene actually looks and feels like with the 3D technology. There are a few amazing scenes that put you in the middle of the action, like some that put you inside one of the Mech suits or inside one of the helicopters under attack by the Navi. These scenes are simply incredible.



After seeing all of these amazing 3D visuals, and feeling as though I was actually at Pandora, I am concerned about how this movie will translate to DVD/Bluray. I'm confident enough that the story will still be a good one and it will still be an exciting movie, but I feel as though it will be a different movie once that 3D is absent. I'm guessing that when they do release it for home viewing, they will package it with 3D glasses like they've done with Up and Coraline, as well as others. I have not yet watched any of the newer 3D movies on Bluray, but I don't think it will be anything like how it looked in theaters, and I'm not just talking about the size of the screen and the amazing sound system... or maybe I am.

Maybe the experience as a whole can only be enjoyed in a movie theater. Maybe it's possible that Cameron has created a movie strictly meant to be viewed on a big movie screen, with the best sound system available. All I know, is that nothing can compare to what it was like to be sitting in that theater and watching Avatar for the first time. I might be able to compare it to all of the cool rides at Disney World that were so awe-inspiring and magical as a kid, yet when seen through the eyes of adulthood are pretty lame and only cool for the nostalgic effect. I'm hoping that when it comes out on Bluray, which most likely won't be for awhile, the magical effect that the movie first instilled is not lost. I feel that Cameron has enough sense to make a movie that is well translatable for home viewing.

All in all I give the movie and the experience 5/5. It was a great story, though familiar (Dances With Wolves anyone?), presented with a cool sci-fi aspect and some great environments and creatures. And it was an experience that I have never had while sitting in a theater watching a movie. I suggest seeing it on the biggest screen you possibly can. Pay the extra money and see it in fake or real IMAX. You won't regret it.

If you've seen it how do you feel about it? If not, are you skeptical or pumped?

Score: 5 out of 5
Confused about our scoring system? Read this explanation.

Rushed to Market

I feel like I'm a crotchety old man who's about to rant about how things "used to be", but it must be done -- what has become of the durable and dependable consoles we used to buy? My Genesis still works like a dream, as does both mine and my wife's NES -- though I bought that super-pimp Generation NEX so that I wouldn't have to blow in cartridges anymore. Hell, my Atari 2600 still works everytime I dig it out for a little Joust.

What are the chances you will be able to pull out your Playstation 3 or Xbox 360 in twenty years for a little gaming? Slim to none. These systems are dying on people mere years after release -- the 360 quite possibly being the worst piece of junk ever produced in the video game realm. If it weren't for Microsoft's vault of money to appease the masses of red-ringed 360 owners, the system would have failed after the first year.

My launch PSP just crapped out on me. It freezes almost immediately after being turned on, and then restarts itself. I spent a good hour trying to use my precious few seconds before it froze to make a mad dash for the system settings so I could reset them to the default. It didn't help.

I have yet to purchase anything other then a Wii, because of a lack of expendable income. I assumed I would always have my PSP to stay somewhat up to date with current games, and was almost excited within the last few months because of the flood of digital content appearing on PSN. Now I'm glad that I had to return two 16gb memory stick pro duos to Amazon because they were fake (another issue I could rant about, but I digress).

Where will we be left several console generations from now when we want to get some retro-gaming goodness? Will there be any working PS3, 360, or PSP left? Will we have to have them repaired every single time we pull them out of the closet? I doubt that Sony or Microsoft will continue to even repair them, so a whole cottage industry will have to spring up around repairing this generation of shoddy consoles.

As soon as enough time has passed for backwards compatability of these systems to be forgotten, a whole crop of companies will either have fill the void, or we'll be left with giant paper weights. All because, in the increasingly mainstream game industry, a bunch of crap was rushed out to market so that they could beat or keep up with the competition. Way to keep the consumer in mind, guys.

Trailer Park: December 18th

Trailer Park is a weekly post, every thursday, where we feature trailers for the upcoming weekend movie releases.

Well here we are folks. It's time to see whether or not James Cameron's ridiculously huge budget will pay off. If this thing bombs, then it will be the biggest waste of money ever created. I'm sure it'll make back it's almost half a billion, after marketing, budget at some point though -- even if it takes 20 years. But it probably won't bomb. It's just a matter of the mainstream movie-going audience's interest. The nerds can't carry half a billion.



I stopped watching this trailer about halfway through. It quickly became clear that it was going to explain the plot of the entire movie. That sort of shows the problem that has plagued the entire marketing campaign for Avatar -- they have no clue how to market it. That's a really bad problem to have when your movie's budget will likely hit the half billion mark when all is said and done.

So they went all out. Avatar day was an unprecedented marketing move. The idea was to get people into 3D theaters so they could see for themselves what all the buzz was about. They would get excited once they saw it in full blown 3D. Great, then don't release the trailer the morning before they are supposed to go see it the "real" way. I showed up for Avatar day, which I wrote about here, but more then half of my showing didn't.

Who knows how this whole thing will play out? James Cameron has to be crossing his fingers pretty hard right now though.



Meh. Not a musical guy. Still, Daniel Day Lewis and lots of half naked women might be alright.

Other Releases:
Did You Hear About the Morgans?
The Young Victoria
A Town Called Panic
Crazy Heart
Ricky

What will you be seeing?

Music Review: Jean Baudin's Solace

Solo releases usually run the risk of being great show-pieces for the musicians talent that are ultimately boring to listen to repeatedly. It's often difficult for me to listen to the few solo CDs I have collected over the years, more than just the few times I do when I get them. Usually I'll listen to it only enough to say, "Yep, that's technically great playing, but still kind of bores me."

I suppose this has to do with the fact that, not being a musician myself, I easily lose interest when there is no supporting band or vocals. A great show-piece for someone's ability to play a specific instrument is usually only interesting to people who also play that specific instrument.

Jean Baudin has crafted a release that can keep both parties interested though. In case you are unaware, he has slowly graduated to a 13-string bass guitar, that was custom made for him. This was all in an attempt to push the limits of his instrument of choice.

This means that his range with the bass is far greater than most, and it's precisely that fact that helped him create a release that not only keeps a non-musician's interest, but serves as a show-piece for his talent. Solace runs the gamut from spacey, atmospheric post-rock type music, to trippy, experimental stuff, to amazing bass breakdowns, and back again.

It is expertly crafted to provide a seemless journey from beginning to end, but before I ever listened to it straight-through, I enjoyed the sample cuts on his myspace just as much by themselves. If you're a fan of any of the stuff being labeled "post-rock" -- the kind of thing you put on, turn up, close your eyes and let take you to a new world. Or as I enjoy it, while delivering my papers in the dead of night -- then you should like Solace quite a bit.

It's definitely a divergence from Jean's past projects, but if you aren't very close-minded about your music, then you should find something to like. Personally, I enjoyed it just as much as I do much as I do bands like Godspeed! You Black Emperor -- which is to say, a lot.

Here's a choice-cut to wet your whistle.



The full thing can be purchased here.

Score: 5 out of 5
Confused about our scoring system? Read this explanation.

The Great Debate: Shadow of the Colossus

Alex R. Cronk-Young and Jon Shults have had very different experiences with the Team ICO games. The following is an attempt for them to come to terms with their very opposing views.

The following includes SPOILERS for Ico. Read at your own risk.

Sure, I grew up playing video games, but by the time I got to high school I had grown out of them a bit. Nostalgia for the few NES games that we owned when I was a kid, and the 16-bit RPGs that my friend and I played together was one thing, but I didn't really obsess over what was coming out then. Still, video games interested me, and I would pick up a magazine every once in awhile to read about them.

It was in one of those magazines that I first heard about Ico. It sounded completely different from the games I had been playing, which were mostly holdovers from my past gaming days, like Final Fantasy. But like I said, I didn't really obsess over games then, so I didn't rush out to the store to buy it anytime soon.

Several months later I found myself in a GameStop digging through the bargain bin. There was Ico for ridiculously cheap, like $6 or something. Getting it home and playing it completely changed the way I thought about games. RPGs were always my favorite genre because I cared about the story. Ico told the story in a way I hadn't ever experience with RPGs. I'll get into a specific example of how a little later.

Jon Shults, didn't really fall in love with the Team ICO games like I did. In the interest of a fair debate, I'll let him touch on his first experience with these games. More specifically we'll be talking about Shadow of the Colossus, but I had to start with Ico to relate my first encounter, and why I fell in love with it. Now I'll let Jon talk about his experiences.

Read full article.

Game Review: Modern Warfare 2

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is probably the most anticipated video game release ever. Infinity Ward promised us greatness and did not let us down. With the game essentially broken into 3 separate areas: Campaign, Spec Ops and Multiplayer, there is plenty here for everyone.

The campaign is an epic globe-trotting quest to bring down a madman and prevent a war. The missions are a thrill-ride, with set-piece after set-piece of intense action, if you follow the prescribed path, move away from the linear path that is set out for you and you will suffer death after death. This is a game best played at the pace it sets itself. The story in the game is over-the-top, full of intrigue and twists that you never see coming. Still, it's not a storyline that I would take very seriously, however, the campaign does have its serious moments.

I'm sure by now everyone has heard of the infamous airport scene, but don't be put off by it. It is a very emotionally powerful scene. It is handled well and the only fault with it is that it is perhaps too emotionally affecting for a Call of Duty game. The impact of that level will no doubt be lost on many of the younger players.



The locations of the game are jaw-dropping. From the alleys of Rio De Janeiro, to the top of a frozen mountain, to the streets of Afghanistan, the detail and beauty of the levels is breathtaking. It's also nice to see Infinity Ward use a real setting for the middle east sections, instead of a fictional country like they used in CoD4. Despite the minor faults, the campaign is still great fun, filled with fantastic set-pieces and a roller-coaster storyline set in some of the best locations I have ever seen.

A new addition to the CoD franchise is Spec-ops, a two player mode that see you and a friend playing cooperatively to complete various challenges to gain stars. The more stars you gain the more challenges you unlock, and the more you unlock the harder they become. Spec ops borrows locations from the single player and even the Ghillies in the Mist level from CoD4. With a great range of missions, no two alike, its easy to lose hours playing Spec ops with a buddy.

I think we all know the real reason why millions of people bought this game. It wasn't the action packed campaign or the fun and challenging Spec-ops. No, it was the online multiplayer, and it doesn't disappoint. The developer takes the CoD4 multiplayer formula that worked so well and improves it on every level. With a wealth of new weapons, perks, maps and equipment, you can easily customize your character to your own personal tastes.

They even brought in customizable kill streaks and death streaks. Tired of getting a helicopter after 7 kills? Change it for a predator missile after 5 kills or a tactical nuke if you're good enough to get 25 kills without dieing. But if you do die, and die often, then the new death streaks are your friend. Sick of being killed by that guy with the better gun? After 3 deaths you can have the option to take the same loadout as him, or after 4 deaths you can get a temporary health boost. Some were worried these might unbalance the game, but I can assure you they only serve to help the weaker players get a few kills and a bit more confidence.



Infinity Ward have introduced some new modes this time around too. Old favorites like Team deathmatch and Search and Destroy return, but they are accompanied by Capture the Flag and even a third person mode. It's nice to see them taking a few risks and changing things up a bit. Add some awesome new maps to the mix and you have yourself what I believe to be the definitive online multiplayer experience.

Modern Warfare 2 is a fantastic game with just a few niggling issues in the single player, but with the added Spec-ops and incredible multiplayer, the game becomes phenomenal. An instant purchase for anyone even remotely interested in shooters.

Score: 5 out of 5
Confused about our scoring system? Read this explanation.

Peter Piper's Pickles

In past giveaways, I've had you leave comments on the site to enter. But this time that bored me a little. I still wanted more comments on the site, but I wanted to spice it up a bit. Plus, I needed a way to make sure that the comment you were leaving was with the contest in mind, and not just someone who didn't even want the game leaving a comment because they wanted to.

So I made the requirement that all contest entry comments were to include the word 'pickle'. The comments that began to flood my inbox amused me. 46 of them in total, but these are a few choice cuts. I hope you enjoy.


ATC 1982 has left a new comment on your post "What I Want from my PSP": I want more games like Diner Dash on the PSP. Then with the game make it hard to put the pickles on the sandwiches.

undergroundspectre has left a new comment on your post "The Demise of Split Screen Multiplayer": The problem with split screen is that split screen works well with few genres. Racing games like Mario Kart tend to work best, but with FPSes and other genres, you're trying to have a decent match-up with half of the screen at your disposal. Online means no more cramped screens and thousands of opponents to face off against -- that's why gamers tend to prefer it.

Although, there is a case to be made for local multiplayer. Nothing is worse than trying to play with/against family or friends, only to discover that you can't. I was over my cousin's house recently and we were playing Halo 3: ODST's Firefight mode via split-screen. I know that the screen was cramped, but I'd rather have a cramped screen than no local multiplayer and no fun.

I don't remember where, but I had read an article some time ago about a kind of display technology being considered for future televisions that might make it possible for them to project multiple screens. The article could've been all speculation, but if the technology ever becomes reality, local multiplayer will surge in popularity again.

Unfortunately, though, until technology like this becomes available, we'll likely have to pickle (preserve) local multiplayer and save it for a future date.

Shane has left a new comment on your post "Game Review: Dragon Age": Excellent review, Definitely agree with the reverse role played by the elves, had to start that as my origin line as well.

Only thing I thought was a bit disturbing was the Pickle On Pickle action, maybe its just because i've always been a Standard Traditional Vlassic sort of guy, U know good ol Pickle in the Pie sort of guy.

overall this has been a great game to play, too bad MW2 game out so close to it, its been a pickle toss to see which one I'll play

undergroundspectre has left a new comment on your post "Resident Evil 5 Review": RE5 was kind of a mixed bag for me. I liked it as a game, but as a Resident Evil game, I thought RE5 could've used plenty more horror. Even an encounter with El Gigante (an enemy with skin that probably has more bumps on it than a pickle), one of the toughest enemies from RE4, doesn't do a lot to make the player feel scared.

Horror aside, though, RE5 does offer solid action and fun gameplay. It's worth checking out.

ATC 1982 has left a new comment on your post "Hipsters / End of Civilization": I know something not trendy women can do. Like use Pickles instead of cucumbers on there face when going to the spa.

ATC 1982 has left a new comment on your post "The Boys: Thoughts on the Series": So in the next issue do they show her getting food for Butcher. Then he takes his burger opens it up and makes her beg for the pickles? Gotta say it would be an interesting plot twist.

undergroundspectre has left a new comment on your post "The Negatives of a Patched World": I don't know if we need to go as far as penalizing developers, but there should be more thorough testing. Bringing home a game and not being able to play it because of a major bug or not being able to connect online can be like unexpectedly biting into a sour pickle. Bugs that prevent major game functionality should be found and taken care of prior to release.

However, it also must be noted that given the size and complexity of games today -- especially open-world titles -- there are bound to be some bugs in some games that probably won't be caught until after release.

Chris Davidson has left a new comment on your post "Game Review: Dragon Age": Hey what are the achievements like in this game? That's a really big deciding factor in whether or not I play a game now. Are they like Mass Effect where the achievements consist of getting max level with every character, or more like collect x/100 pickles scattered across the world.


So there was a peak into my inbox during the week of the Dragon Age contest. It kept me entertained. So thanks to all who entered and got creative with the guidelines.

Trailer Park: December 11th

Trailer Park is a weekly post, every thursday, where we feature trailers for the upcoming weekend movie releases.

Most likely the biggest release this week is Disney's The Princess and the Frog. But since I covered that in it's limited release last week, I'll open with Clint Eastwood's latest instead. Still, if there was any chance that some of this weeks limited releases would come around me, then there is one movie I would be going to see.

Something about Nelson Mandela and soccer? I'm not really sure. I haven't paid attention to the commercials and our sound isn't working right now, so I'll talk about Gran Torino. It was alright I suppose. Terrible acting though. At least Invictus has talented actors. Matt Damon beats Clint Eastwood and a bunch of newbies any day.

This is the first time I've watched this trailer, and now I really want to see this movie. The visuals look great. Is this going to go wide on the same week Avatar comes out? Will that be a threat? I don't think anyone expects Avatar to make back its budget anytime soon, but it could be enough to make Lovely Bones fall by the wayside. Disappointing.

Other Releases:
Broken Embraces
A Single Man

What will you be seeing?

Cool District 9 Concept Art

With the District 9 DVD and Blu Ray coming out this month (Dec. 29th to be specific) I figured I'd share some cool concept art from the movie. I'm a big art fan and seeing early concept art of what the people behind the movie had in mind is a pretty cool privilege. Thanks to io9.com we have a bunch of concept artwork. As always click on an image to see it full size.



io9 has also interviewed David Meng from Weta. Weta is the design company behind all of the aliens, vehicles, outfits, guns, etc. When asked about why the early designs were rejected Meng says:

Those designs weren't necessarily rejected outright, we just evolved away from them. A huge amount of work was done designing these things. There were so many iterations, by the time the final design was nailed down, these early images were out of sight and out of mind. The technical approach to realizing the creatures was always in flux, so that affected the look.

Meng goes on to say that at first they wanted to use actors in suits and makeup because they thought the budget would not allow or straight CGI aliens. I was blown away by how real the aliens looked in the film. So their very small 30 million budget seemed to not be a factor in making the aliens look realistic. Also the amount of emotion conveyed by the aliens was something that we do not see much in movies involving aliens with very little human characteristics. This gave a familiarity to the aliens which allowed the audience to really get a sense of what these foreign creatures were feeling.

When asked about how they approached the problem of emoting the aliens Meng says:

That credit should mainly go to the animators and Neill Blomkamp. They solved how this thing we designed should move and emote. But from a design standpoint, it would go back to the eyes. Throughout most of the design process, the aliens had mammalian eyes with pupils and sclera, etc., so we always knew they would be able to emote warm-blooded emotions. Neill didn't go with our versions of the eyes as solid black or cephalapod pupils, so they retained a relatable humanity to them.

You can see more of the concept are here and you can read the whole interview with Meng here. You can also check out our spoiler-free review of District 9 here which also includes a great video interview with director Neill Blomkamp which gives even more insight into the making of the movie.

And the winner is...

Fourty seven comments later -- Twenty five of which were from one person -- we have a winner. UndergroundSpectre!

I respect ATC1982's determination to win, but random.org has spoken.

I'll be sending an email to the winner. Thanks to everyone that entered with their thoughtful, and pickle related, answers. Maybe next time. Your comments were really fun to read and I just might post some of the better ones soon.

Dan's Internet Findings: The Art of BLU

Graffiti has always fascinated me. Whether it be some simple word on the side of a train, a piece in a seemingly impossible location, something with a message, or an elaborate time consuming and awe inspiring piece of art, graffiti constantly grabs my attention.

I must admit that graffiti done by people who have no talent can be annoying and I agree that most graffiti out there can be seen as an eyesore, but every once in awhile an artist comes along that takes graffiti to the next level and creates works of art rather than random scribblings. Most people not familiar with the graffiti world know who Bansky is today, especially people in the UK. I enjoy his work thoroughly. But another graffiti artist has caught my attention recently. He goes by the name BLU.



BLU incorporates the buildings and sites in which he creates on, like using a window as an eye or mouth. His works are usually mind-blowingly large and elaborate. I have no clue as to how he goes about painting these peices or if he ever has the OK from the owners of the property, but what I do know is that he is an extremely talented artist and I'm glad that he chooses to express himself in a way that the public can wittness. While some of his work is a bit disturbing, I would say that his work is not an eyesore. It in fact gives life to a seemingly bleak wall or factory.





You can check out more of his work at his website. Also below I have included a video project he has done with another artist named David Ellis which will blow your mind. I suggest going to the vimeo site for a larger video size. I wish I had as much artistic talent as these guys.

COMBO a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop) from blu on Vimeo.

Trailer Park: December 4th Weekend

Trailer Park is a weekly post, every thursday, where we feature trailers for the upcoming weekend movie releases.

This week looks pretty dull. Soon we'll be in the Christmas movie blitz though. For now, we've got another Oscar hopeful coming out in very limited release so that it will qualify. Thats something, right?



I would easily say that this might be a good popcorn action flick full of fun and explosions, but Hollywood has been dissappointing on those lately. I heard even Ninja Assassin sucked! How can you screw up a movie named Ninja Assassin?!

While it is a fascinating trailer, this doesn't really tell me much about the plot of the movie. Still, I've enjoyed Jason Reitman's other movies -- Thank You for Smoking, and Juno.

Other Releases:
Brothers
Everybody's Fine
Serious Moonlight
The Strip
Transylmania

What will you be seeing?

Planetary Overview

Recently I read an issue of Planetary for the first time. Thankfully it was the first issue. Planetary, for those of you who don't know, is a comic book series written by Warren Ellis and drawn by John Cassaday. It was originally published in April 1999. There are 27 issues in total. The final issue was recently released on October 7th 2009.

Planetary is a series I have heard a lot about during my time on comic websites and discussion forums, though until recently I had very little interest in it. It wasn't until I discovered how great a writer Warren Ellis is after reading some of his run on The Authority and subsequently doing a bit of research on him and his work. When I noticed he wrote Planetary I immediately remembered hearing about how good it was on all those forums. So I did a bit more research (i.e. I went to Wikipedia and CBR) and found out that it had been plagued with delays and that the final issue was due out in a few months. I decided to wait for it to be released before reading any of the other issues, so that I may enjoy the run in its entirety.

Now here we are, issue 27 of Planetary has been released for weeks. So while in my local comic shop (Its an hour and a half away!) recently, I decided it was time I got around to reading what is known as one of the greatest comics series of the last decade. I was not disappointed.

I had bought the first collected edition titled, All over the world and other stories -- it collects the first six issues and the Planetary Preview. The first issue immediately hooks you with the quick introduction of two of the mysterious principal characters, Elijah Snow and Jakita Wagner. Subtle allusions are made as to the superpowers they have, but superheroism isn't the focus of this book. Indeed they have little interest in heroics or directly protecting innocents.We are quickly introduced to the third main character, The Drummer, who can apparently communicate with machines.



They work for an organization known as Planetary, which is dedicated to uncovering the secret history of the world. They are in short,"archaeologists of the impossible", working to uncover and use for the greater good, the fantastical events and supernatural phenomena that have been hidden away from the world at large. Planetary, we are told is funded by the mysterious "Fourth man", who Jakita tells us, "could be anyone from Bill Gates to Adolf Hitler". The identity of the Fourth Man is clearly set up to become a later plot point, as is the history of the organization.

Throughout the series, the characters encounter various alternate versions of popular characters from other companies and pop culture in general, such as the Justice League, Doc Savage, The Fantastic Four and even Sherlock Holmes. The inclusion of these characters is to flesh out the world that the Planetary team is trying to uncover. These are both fun cameos, but also a pastiche of famous pop cultural characters. Ellis also makes use of scientific themes, such as the Monster Group, and he brings in the idea of a Multiverse. Fortunately, through the dialogue, these concepts are easily explained.

Little of the overall plot is revealed in the the first trade -- indeed you are only introduced to the main villains in the final issue of the collection. They are known as The Four, and are a thinly veiled evil version of the Fantastic Four, even sharing a similar backstory. You are only introduced to one of them, the alternate Johnny Storm. He alludes to various plot points and gives just enough to leave you begging for more. It is the mixture of great characters, mysteries and the rich backstory of the world that make Planetary a must read.



But you do not only read comics, you view the art, taking it in as you take in the story. Luckily, the art of Planetary is great. John Cassaday's work is fabulously realistic, and his distinctive style lends itself perfectly to the story. He crafts some breathtaking art, switching between styles for both the covers and interior artwork. The covers never feature a consistent logo or layout, which is parallel to the interior art. Cassaday changes depending on what sources the issue draws its inspiration from.

Overall, Planetary is an extremely well put together comic, with an epic and compelling plot which is complimented perfectly by the art. It is a series that, since it is now finished, should be read by anyone who has an interest in comics. This is not another superhero comic like Superman or Spider-Man, this is an altogether different beast. Ellis himself has said it is, "about the superhero sub-genre, and its antecedents", as opposed to the actual superheroes.

Planetary is a modern classic, that unfortunately suffered from serious delays which may in fact have actually helped the series by heightening the anticipation of its readers. I highly recommend the series if you are looking for something outside the usual conventions.