Nintendo today held a conference call where they had numerous announcements, some of them bigger than others. For starters The Last Story has been confirmed for a North American release later this year. Unlike Japan and Europe the game will not be published by Nintendo in America. Instead, XSEED will be publishing The Last Story who have set a release date of “Summer 2012″.

Xenoblade Chronicles was also finally given a North American release date of April 6.

Next Nintendo gave a release date for the 3DS title Mario Tennis Open which is being developed by Camelot. The game will be released in North America on May 20 and Europe May 25, just in time for Wimbledon. Mario Open Tennis will feature full touch screen support and gyroscope support will also be included in the game. Finally local and online multiplayer up to four players will be included.

While they were at it Nintendo also announced a Brain Age Sequel and a few Game Gear titles which will be headed to the 3DS later this year as well. The Brain Age sequel will focus on concentration and memory because according to Dr. Kawashima we have all become “information obsessed” which supposedly makes it harder to concentrate.

In addition, former Game Gear titles Sonic the Hedgehog, Shinobi, and Dragon Crystal will be released on the 3DS eShop this March 14 in Japan and  sometime in the month of March for fans in Europe.

Finally Europe will also be getting a localized release of Fire Emblem on 3DS later this year. In addition, Fire Emblem will also receive paid DLC with new missions and maps.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The title of this episode does not mislead. “When the Guns Come Out” saw the turf war between rival pill pushers heat up and hit on all the best parts of Justified: a compelling stand-alone story with an effective twist that ties directly to the seasonal arc, Boyd being a detective, dancing with Limehouse and Raylan, meaningful contributions from supporting characters as well as those seen previously as opposed to new throw-away extras, Quarles being an enigmatic and hysterical psychopath, a general lack of Winona, and a pissed off (hat-less) Raylan beating down a pimp.

The action of the episode, which there was plenty of, stemmed from Boyd’s oxycontin clinic getting robbed and shot up by a couple of guys immediately resulting in three corpses and one very traumatized young woman (though to be fair, she was already pretty messed up). Though I didn’t recognize any of them right away, except the doctor Boyd effectively stole from Quarles, turns out the robbers were Tanner and Taylor, a couple thugs Quarles and others have used before, and the two girls attempting to score pills were the same prostitutes Dewey Crowe once visited (only to be interrupted by Raylan). I also know I’ve seen the girls’ pimp, Delroy, before, but I can’t remember if it’s from Justified as well or just other shows. I’ve said it in past reviews, but I so very much appreciate Justified for reusing extras that they could so easily have replaced without anyone noticing. This is such a noteworthy accomplishment because these minor characters’ reappearances build mythology and add layers of character to the general setting of Harlan County as well as emotional weight to the individual characters’ contributions transforming their singular appearances into legitimate narratives.

We were also exposed to more from other seldom seen supporting characters. My favorite sniper, Tim Gutterson, got some screen time, which, as minimal as it was, still managed to further characterize Tim as someone who’s willing to be a team player but not get dragged into something he wants no part of, a theme later touched on when Raylan chews out Arlo (whom I was glad to see as he was noticeably absent a couple episodes back, and not just because he was talking to his dead wife without pants on) and Boyd for setting up shop at his Aunt Helen’s old home. Like Rachel Brooks, I wish we could see more of Tim, but I also approve of how sparingly he’s used as Justified could easily be an overcrowded, rote-feeling series were it to include each and every supporting character too consistently like other less exceptional procedural series. The eccentric and loveable Judge Reardon also made an appearance, warning Raylan to let Winona go and not chase her farther away, as did Chief Deputy Art Mullen who, like the rest of Raylan’s closest coworkers, somehow knew the details of Winona’s departure before Raylan did. This was an explanation I probably just missed while note taking; I suppose Winona informed Raylan’s peers to help keep him from pursuing her?

Speaking of crafty(ier) women, Ava definitely earned more street cred in this episode through her cunning interrogation of Delroy the pimp. I love how brazen yet smart Ava is and how she and Boyd complement each other. When Raylan heeded Boyd’s advice to go find Ava at Audrey (now Delroy’s) bar after their tense meeting, her coy demeanor was extremely reminiscent of her partner’s. The key difference between Ava and Boyd is a more pronounced sense of empathy for what could arguably be considered innocent bystanders, especially women. Earlier in the season when Boyd laid out the plans for his crew he mentioned (because of Ava) how they will no longer be involved in prostitution, a commendable and humanist decision indeed, further speaking to the pragmatic nature of Boyd’s criminality.

What sparked Ava’s involvement was Boyd’s investigation of his clinic robbery which led first to a very rich and illuminating conversation with Limehouse, a curious direction to move in because, as I mentioned earlier and as Ava did in the episode, the robbers were known employees of slick and criminally ambitious carpetbagger and bondage enthusiast, Quarles. However, as Boyd explains, and Quarles echoes and Limehouse later elaborates on, Limehouse is a more likely suspect because even though it stands to reason that Quarles would want retribution for Boyd hijacking his clinic doctor, such a move would be too obvious and short-term for Quarles’ style. It’s later revealed that although Quarles was not responsible, neither was Limehouse, not directly anyway. Turns out it was Limehouse’s right hand man who is getting anxious in his present position and wishes to flex some muscle. The subsequent conversation Limehouse has with his lieutenant harkens back to the one he had with Boyd in which Limehouse discusses the unique and delicate situation the African-American residents of Nobles Holler find themselves in – because of the history of deep-seeded racism and segregation in Harlan County, and indeed much of the American Deep South, Limehouse and his crew need to be especially aware of the details of their neighbors as well as their potential reactions to moves like the one Limehouse’s man perpetrated, reactions that are implied, possibly foreshadowed by Limehouse, to play into the rest of the season and which bear a very ominous and bloody tone.

And since I can’t mention ominous without noting Quarles and especially his partner, Wynn Duffy’s hilariously scary dead-faced reactions to Quarles’ “Shit, that’s awesome” comment on Raylan’s involvement as well as his perpetually bed-bound captive, I must praise Justified’s impressive demonstration of set-up for the future as Quarles has become aware of Raylan’s inquiry into Quarles’ FBI file as well as his connection to Arlo whom is now Quarles’ known soft spot “to squeeze” when Raylan inevitably gets too close to his operation. This further emphasizes how inextricably connected Raylan is to the criminal world he’s bound, whether he likes it or not, to keep under control.

Finally, I’m very pleased with “When the Guns Come Out” because in its scene between Raylan and Winona, whom was hiding out at her sister’s, the location Raylan probably should’ve thought of right off the bat, the plot thread of possibly moving to Glenco, the Marshal training facility the two characters discussed relocating to that was brought up at the end of last season then not touched on again throughout their discussions of moving this season, was finally recognized and discussed. The bottom line apparently is that Winona, despite getting back together with Raylan and becoming pregnant with their child, has decided he’ll never change into the safe and responsible family man she wants (even though he has repeatedly said he would – ugh), and no longer wants to continue their romantic relationship. I would say good riddance primarily because Raylan is so badass when he’s in a dark place, but Winona will of course remain in the picture as she will be the mother of her and Raylan’s child so unfortunately we will have to continue enduring her flaky presence.

The only element of this episode that left me scratching my head a bit was where the missing evidence money Raylan thought Winona had stolen actually is – with the evidence locker supervisor, Charlie, in Mexico. This felt kind of random but I suppose it could lead into future stories, though I hope not as it doesn’t seem very interesting or ripe with potential.

Now that we’ve reached the half-way point in the season and all its major players have been clearly defined and positioned for the battle for control over Harlan’s drug trade, Justified’s absolutely stellar first half of the third season should hopefully be topped by an outstanding second half.

Edgar Wright will direct The Night Stalker, Disney’s remake of the 70′s ABC supernatural telefilm and series that is being developed as a big screen starring vehicle for Johnny Depp.

Depp has long loved the show and its lead character Carl Kolchak (played by Darren McGavin), a fearless tabloid reporter whose cases usually dealt with the supernatural…. whether it be werewolves, zombies, aliens, vampires, or anything else you might have found in Famous Monsters of Filmland. Though no matter how many monstrous creatures he ran into, nobody ever believed him and his editor would never let him run the outrageous stories he would make claim too. Yet he would keep risking his life time and time again to get to the truth.

The Night Stalker was a huge inspiration for The X-Files and although Depp isn’t committed to making the film, you can bet he wants too. He setup the project last summer at Disney and at his production company Infinitum Nihil and just like his next starring vehicle Dark Shadows that opens in May at Warner Bros, it is based on a property he watched and love during childhood. These are the personal projects Depp just loves to make and he has wisely attracted such a creative helmer to bring the story to life rather than going with Tim Burton again, whose creative juices ran out of gas years ago.

It is also very much a Depp sounding project, a cross between The Rum Diary and Sleepy Hollow in some ways.

Wright, who made the modern comedy greats Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz before giving into his own artistic excessiveness with Scott Pilgrim vs. The World that resulted in a flop, is obviously wise to attach himself to a movie being developed by one of the biggest stars on the planet. Depp’s name on the film will give Wright the kind of creative license and the opportunity for genre flourishes that he probably couldn’t be afforded at other studios after the Pilgrim disappointment at Universal.

Disney are obviously always in the Johnny Depp game and see this as huge potential PG-13 family friendly franchise starter but with Depp’s schedule packed, this one probably will be on the back burner until 2014 for both guys.

Wright has been busy the last 18 months developing the screenplays for The World’s End (the final of his Blood & Ice Cream trilogy with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) and his Ant-Man superhero project at Marvel that he hopes to also direct. I would expect one of them or something else to fill his directing time later this year before The Night Stalker, which looks to be a major Disney tentpole, gets underway maybe in 2014.

Sounds like a fun project though and let’s hope it does happen.

source – deadline

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

It seems that despite major advances in technology, portable gaming will always be defined by quirky cerebral puzzlers, rather than graphically advanced games. It makes perfect sense really, as it’s easier to engage yourself with a quick and absorbing logic puzzle, than it is to immerse yourself in the epic adventures of Nathan Drake while sat on a crowded train. That’s why when you look at the history of handheld gaming, you’ll see a cascade of classic puzzle titles which stand among the best of their respective consoles. The Gameboy had Tetris, the DS has Professor Layton and the PSP had LocoRoco.

Sega now brings forth its own attempt to create a definitive handheld puzzler for the Nintendo 3DS in the form of Crush 3D. You play as Danny; a young teenager whom has befriended a mad scientist in the hope to cure his chronic insomnia. Using a new invention known as C.R.U.S.H, Danny is forced to enter into his very own mind to cure his sleep disorder. Their relationship is essentially that of Doc and Marty from the Back To The Future films, and there’s also a similarly irrelevant and wacky humour running through the game – reminiscent in many ways of classic Lucasarts games like Day of the Tentacle.

Originally released in 2007 for the Sony PSP, Crush failed to find an audience despite some glowing reviews. On the Nintendo 3DS it’s now given a new lease of life, with a colourful graphical overhaul and some new added features, but the puzzles remain essentially the same. As you might also expect, the crux of the gameplay and Crush 3D’s unique selling point, is identically carried over. Thankfully, it’s still an intriguing gameplay mechanic even five years on.

Upon entering each puzzle you’ll find yourself in a 3D world, scattered with collectable marbles and a hidden exit. With a mere touch of a button you can transform (or crush) this three dimensional world into a platforming style 2D side-scroller. For instance, if you’re standing on one platform with another seemingly unreachable in the distance, crushing the landscape into 2D will push you towards and onto that platform. Likewise, if you need to get higher, crushing the floor below you will bring it to the same level as all other higher platforms.

It’s a concept which can seem initially daunting, and playing through your first few puzzles will be likely driven by as much confused random crushing as anything else. However, once you get to grips with Crush 3D’s clever perspective shifting gameplay, you’ll soon be able to wrangle your head around some of the more complex puzzles. Many of the worlds will require a decent amount of brainpower before you’ll be able to find the solutions to escape. Graphically, it takes a more comic book approach than its oppressive PSP counterpart, and the 3D effects are generally well done, giving the world some further dimension without being essential.

A total of 40 puzzles drive the game forward rather than its minimal story, and they take place across four differently styled worlds. Difficulty is also cranked up rapidly, making many of them require much head scratching before you’ll figure out the solution. As you progress, new elements are added to the worlds of Crush 3D, giving you brand new problems to deal with. Puzzles are complicated further by the appearances of deadly cockroaches and traps, which spruce up the gameplay but can’t quite hold back a nagging feeling of repetitiveness.

Outside of the main story in Crush 3D are some added bonus modes which help flesh out the title beyond the bulk of its signature puzzles. Hidden within the environments are well buried trophies and unlockable artwork books, all of which give incentive to explore worlds you’ve already completed. By doing so you can also unlock new dressing gowns for Danny, presumably to make his dimension-shifting adventures a little bit more stylish.

Then there’s also a Trophy Mode, which offers the same 40 levels of the story mode but with the difficulty having been fiendishly ratcheted up. Rather than having the freedom to explore, you’re now up against a strict time limit with a specified number of marbles to collect before finding the exit. If you find yourself blasting through the main story with cocky ease, the Trophy Mode will test both the patience and skill of even the most hardened puzzle solvers.

While it’s essentially little more than a spruced up remake of the PSP original, Crush 3D is still an absorbing, complex and surprisingly funny addition to the increasingly solid line-up of Nintendo 3DS puzzle titles. However, anyone with a short fuse should be warned that Crush 3D is often as frustrating as it is additively fun. Likewise, its longevity will be personally dictated by your own love for solving puzzles, as others might get tired of Crush 3D’s quirky mazes long before it’s over.

Crush 3D Scoring
Gameplay
The intriguing idea at the heart of Crush 3D is a great one, and it’s always fun to shift perspectives in its complex worlds. Understandably, the confusing nature of the game can lead to some frustrating moments, while a feeling of repetition can also eventually set in.
Graphics
Well animated backgrounds bring another dimension to the boxy environments, which are well designed but basic looking. Danny and his flapping dressing gown look great, as do the 3D effects which further add to the perspective shifting gameplay.
Sound
With enjoyably bizarre music and amusing sound effects, Crush 3D sounds just as wonderfully weird as it should do.
Replay Value
It’ll take a while to master the 40 main puzzles, while hidden items and unlockables (including new dressing gowns) encourage replaying worlds.
Presentation
A striking visual style with pleasingly well animated menus and loading screens make Crush 3D feel like a well polished product.
Overall
Crush 3D stands proudly as one of the best puzzle games on Nintendo’s 3DS. The clever concept is supported by polished graphics and a decent amount of content which will keep you playing despite the lack of an engaging story. It’s not quite perfect, but portable puzzle fans will find much to love in this quirky and charming title.

Crush 3D is available in stores now, and is also available as a playable demo from the 3DS eShop.

EA Sports’ behemoth football franchise has come to the handheld market with a bang, heralding in a new era and next generation of mobile sports gaming, with the typical slickness in presentation and gameplay that always comes with EA Sports titles.

The PS Vita released FIFA Football delivers the first true next generation football experience in the palm of your hands. Enjoy the award-winning FIFA console gameplay, HD graphics, and the largest feature set ever created by EA SPORTS for a handheld device. The same physics-based, data driven technology that powers FIFA gameplay on PlayStation3 drives FIFA Football on the Vita across eight different game modes, including authentic 11 versus 11, Be A Pro, Tournament Mode with over 50 real-world competitions, a full in-depth Career Mode, and head-to-head online. Innovations that utilize front and back multitouch screens create an intelligent and unique gameplay experience. Touch Screen Shooting delivers pin-point accuracy and removes the element of “hit and hope” from shooting, Touch Screen Passing opens up the field of play for more creative, precision passing, and Touch Screen Free Kick Control enables players to swipe a finger to aim and curl the shot around the wall. Plus, compete with over 500 officially licensed clubs in 11 v 11 matches in authentic stadiums from around the world.

Key Features

• Award-winning FIFA gameplay—Experience the same authentic, responsive and intelligent gameplay as the console game.
• HD Graphics—Stunning player models, graphics and animations in High Definition.
• Touch Screen Shooting— Enjoy complete control over shooting—the most rewarding part of football—by removing the element of “hit and hope.” Pick a spot precisely from the back touch screen and then finesse a shot with pin-point accuracy.
• Touch Screen Passing— A more intelligent and creative way to play and distribute the ball. Make decisive passes with precision and ease utilizing the front touch screen.
• Touch Screen Free Kick Control—Enjoy creative new ways to take free kicks and score utilizing optional touch screen controls on set pieces. Swipe your finger to aim and curl a shot around the wall for the match-winning goal that lifts your club to victory.
• Touch Screen Defending—Take control of a specific defender simply by tapping on the player using the front touch screen, taking all the guess work out of auto switching.
• Career Mode—Play or manage your way to glory through an authentic experience that mimics the real-world game. Begin as a real player or created player and evolve into a player-manager and manager-or just begin at the top-and enjoy a 15-season career.  Enjoy authentic tournament structures and results, a Calendar system featuring simultaneous simulations that accelerate game flow, Team Management system for player comparisons, and Friends Leaderboards to compare stats and earnings.
• Be A Pro—Create yourself in game and become the next football legend.  Build your reputation, and develop your skills to ultimately compete for your favourite club and national side.
• Tournament Mode—Compete in over 50 real-world tournaments from around the world. Play with/against friends in leagues ranging from the Barclays Premiership to the Bundesliga.
• Head-to-Head Online—Play head-to-head online against a friend in authentic 11 v 11 matches.
• Training Mode—Master Touch Screen controls, perfect set pieces and practice moves before playing games.
• 360° Fight For Possession —True freedom in man-to-man interactions, transforming physical play from individual lateral jostling to full 360° collisions involving multiple players.
• Be A Goalkeeper—Experience the thrill of the one-on-one battle, diving to make a save from a free kick, punching balls safely out of danger, and the pressure of keeping a clean sheet. Learn the position, track stats, complete achievements and test yourself against the best players in the virtual world.
• Unmatched Authenticity—Compete with over 500 officially licensed clubs in 11 v 11 matches in authentic stadiums from around the world.

Here’s the launch trailer…

Look out for our review proper coming in the next couple of days.

FIFA Football is available to buy now.

Let me start off by saying something that may make some of you spit your drink at the screen but……I don’t like JJ Abrams. I didn’t like Lost, Fringe or any of the films that have had his name on the poster. I could go into detail why but that is for another article.

So when it was announced that he was taking the helm of the Star Trek franchise, my initial reaction was to break into a cold sweat and hyperventilate. Ive always been a huge fan of Star Trek and to read that JJ Abrams (who quite openly said he didn’t like Star Trek) was in the directors chair, well it was very worrying.

When I saw the film, to my surprise I did enjoy it and I understood why some of the drastic changes were made in order to make it more appealing to a mainstream audience. BUT that didn’t excuse some of the major errors that had me ranting on the train ride home.

So here are my top five things that I’m hoping they fix in the next Star Trek film, currently unnamed, which is currently filming for a release in May 2013.

1. Science

Star Trek has always had ‘’believable’’ science incorporated into the show. The endless techno babble made you believe that whatever problem they were facing, it could be solved by ‘’reversing the polarity of the flow sensors’’ or by ‘’firing a tachyon beam.’’ You didn’t know what they were and it didn’t matter because in Star Trek it made sense, it worked and it was ‘’believable.’’ Even in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock when it was announced that the Genesis Device that created habitable planets from nothing was a failure due to ‘’proto-matter’’ being used in its matrix, you went along with it as being perfectly plausible even though you have no idea what proto-mater is.

The problem in the JJ Abrams directed Star Trek film is that they decided to play around with science that has been established as fact and for some strange reason make it totally unbelievable.
The perfect example of this is the supernova that destroys Romulas in the film. At one point Spock says the supernova threatened to ‘’destroy the galaxy.’’ Supernovas are big but they are not that big and certainly there is no way it could destroy a whole galaxy. Most people know that a supernova occurs when giant stars explode, that doesn’t have to be explained. But then asking people to believe that a single supernova is a threat to the other hundred billion stars that make up the Milky Way is a stretch too far. It makes no sense and takes you away from the plot of the film.
And don’t get me started on the ‘’Red Matter’’!??!

So I’m hoping that they consult with an actual scientist at some point in the development of the film and make the science fiction plausible so that you don’t sit there thinking WTF!

2. Engine Room

Some of the last film was shot on location in a Budweiser factory. That is why some bits of the ship looked like a……factory. This was at odds with the sleek design of the exterior but you went with it to some extent. One place it didn’t work though was the engine room.

The engine room has always been easily identifiable on any ship. Also it being the future you would expect it to look futuristic, but for some reason on this ship, they went with the option of making it look like the engine room on a steam ship. You had vents and pipes, leavers, valves and running water.

When I first saw it in the cinema, I thought that as well as making sure the ships warp drive was working like it should, the engineers also had to ferment coke for the crew to drink and to do that they brought along a fully functioning Coca Cola factory. It was later that I found out that it was actually filmed in a Budweiser factory and that’s what those giant silos and pipes were. So please don’t be lazy and design a proper engine room!

3. Spock & Uhura’s Relationship

My eyes are rolling so far back as I write this, I’m worried I might hurt myself so ill keep this bit brief. I found watching Spock and Uhura kissing to be a bit like watching your uncle kiss your mother, a bit sickly and unnecessary. It didn’t add anything of value to the film, it was unbelievable and I wasn’t the only one who let out a deep sigh when they started getting off with each other.

So I’m hoping they have a falling out in the next film. Especially as this Spock came across as such a jerk in this film, you kept thinking, what exactly attracted Uhura to him in the first place? Maybe it was Uhura’s plan to use Spock to get posted on the Enterprise. She was very quick to play that card when she realized she was going to be serving USS Farragut instead of the USS Enterprise early on in the film.

4. Old School Mannerisms

We all loved Karl Urban as Dr McCoy. It was great to see him eerily channel Deforest Kelly through his performance and keep everything that made Bones so loveable in the first place. Some of the best moments in the film were when he was on screen. The same needs to be done by Chris Pine with Kirk and Zachary Quinto with Spock.

I’m not saying that they should do a full blown impression of Shatner and Nimoy but they need to incorporate some of the mannerisms that made Kirk and Spock, Kirk and Spock. These characters have been developed over the past 45 years and you expect them to behave in a certain way. Taking alternative realities and the fact that they are younger into consideration, it still would be nice to see Shatner and Nimoy echo through their performance. A good starting point for Chris Pine would be to be a little less shouty and Quinto needs to stop smirking.

5. Soundtrack

All the Star Trek films always had the benefit of having very memorable soundtracks. This has been mainly down to the talents of Jerry Goldsmith and James Horner but even when they took a risk with the unknown Cliff Eidleman for Star Trek VI, it still paid off and that film has one of the best music from any Star Trek movie.

Michael Giacchino did an ok job but as with most modern soundtracks, it quickly sunk into bland orchestral blah music after the admittedly rousing main theme. Cliff Eidleman showed that you can produce something quite special even if you lack the experience but you have to take a risk. There is nothing worse than having to watch action scene 127 with bland orchestral music over the top. Giacchino’s music for the scenes on Vulcan incorporated lots of Chinese instruments, which rather than sounding alien and mysterious, just sounded a bit weird. Compare that to James Horner’s Vulcan tracks on the Star Trek III soundtrack where you immediately get a sense of wonder and grandeur. Giacchino’s soundtrack does the basic job of providing a soundtrack and it seems like a wasted opportunity.

It may sound like I hated the film but there is a lot I liked about it but you can’t ignore what was wrong it. I’m hoping the story is better developed this time round as there is no writer’s strike to blame, but recent reports that the film began shooting with an unfinished script are worrying.

It’s understandable that to bring in a new audience, you have to turn up the action and ‘’sexiness’’ but that doesn’t mean you have to remove the elements that make good Star Trek. The way Nicolas Meyer did a complete U-turn for the better with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan after the first film’s critical failure is a perfect example of keeping a good balance and that film still holds up as the best in the series.

Still we can’t wait for May 2013 and to see where Abrams boldly takes us this time!

Note: Also make sure you check out our ‘5 Things We Expect J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek 2 To Have‘ article from last year.

This post is going to contain some spoilers so you may want to avoid it if you are trying to stay in the dark pertaining to all the Mass Effect 3 news. Yesterday Mass Effect 3 DLC leaked for a very short time onto XBL revealing the name of a mission and revealed a secret character that can be recruited to your team.

Here is the description of the DLC called “From Ashes” Spoilers:

“Unearth lost secrets from the past and recruit the Prothean squad member in Mass Effect 3: From Ashes.”

The “From Ashes” DLC and the secret character were briefly available on XBL for 800 Microsoft Points. The DLC has been confirmed by Bioware to be the same content that you will get if you purchased the Mass Effect 3 Collectors Edition.

Here is an update from Michael Gamble of  Bioware on their  official message board confirming the content:

“We’re happy to confirm that Mass Effect 3: From Ashes DLC will be available at launch for all platforms. For those of you who have purchased the N7 Collector’s Edition (including the PC Digital Deluxe Edition), you will get this content at no extra charge. We’ll have a lot more details for you later this week! Stay Tuned!”

This is some of the best news I have heard about the game in a long time, the ability to recruit a Prothean to my team will be one of the first things I do in the game. Here is a image from Xbox.com most likely showing off the Prothean Spoiler Pic Below:

With Mass Effect 3 just around the corner, EA have stepped up the pre-release marketing campaign in ingenious manner, sending out a call to arms to all of the believers and amateur Fox Mulders in the world. Because today, the games publisher has launched a petition demanding the revelation of all sensitive and supposedly classified documents relating to alien activity on Earth.

Here’s the official word from EA’s press office:

As Commander Shepard prepares to defend the earth from the Reaper attack, Mass Effect 3 is urging fans of the game to sign a UK government petition calling for information held about UFOs and extra-terrestrials to be released and made public.

There have been 609 unexplained UFO sightings in the UK since 1961, so the petition will serve to lobby the government and call for a public enquiry, asking for files held about visitors from other planets to be revealed.

Inquisitive or suspicious Mass Effect fans can step up and sign the petition, by visiting this website…

http://www.petition.masseffect.com

Take back the Earth, because the truth… IS… out there. Or is it? I’m not entirely sure, to be honest, but 609 sightings looks like a compelling figure, and science fiction could well have more than a few roots in truth.

"Light is your ally."

If you haven’t been following the much anticipated sequel, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare centers around Alan Wake, the champion of light as he travels across Arizona to reach the town of Night Springs in search to save his wife Alice. Fiction and dreams come true in the world of Alan Wake, and as a result Mr. Scratch, a fictional character from the world of fiction Alan Wake creates, has become a terrifying reality.

Following the events of the original title, Alan Wake must battle the supernatural serial killer, Mr. Scratch, who has taken over Alan’s life. Through Wake’s disappearance after the events of the first game, Mr. Scratch has now become a legend, forcing Alan to travel the deserts of Arizona, finding video tapes and messages Mr. Scratch leaves behind to torment Wake.

Armed with an arsenal of new weapons, such as the nail guns and submachine guns, expect much more action this time around. With a new mode titled Fight Till Dawn, you must rack up a score multiplier, and survive through the night scoring as many points as possible. The new mode offers a unique twist on the Alan Wake we know and love.

Check out the launch trailer and prepare yourself to fight with light.

Pick up the game now on XBLA for 1200 MP. With a single-player campaign ranging around 5 hours, and the new arcade style game mode with leaderboards, this title is more than deserving of your precious Microsoft Points. Which are also referred to as real money.

WWE will release a brand new ECW DVD this year titled “WWE: Biggest Matches in ECW History”, which will feature the 25 greatest matches in the history of the company.

WWEDVDNews has got their hands on a release list from Shock Entertainment, the official company distributor in Australia, that has the DVD set listed with a release date of June 6th. Presumably that will also be released around the same time worldwide.

The set is listed as a three-disc DVD and two-disc Blu-ray release.

Shock have the synopsis;

“All new 3 DVD set, collecting The 25 greatest matches in ECW History! Extreme Championship Wrestling ran from 1992 to 2001, founded in Philadelphia. Their weekly TV show ‘Hardcore TV’, ran from 1993-2000, and they also ran 21 Pay-Per-View events from 1997-2001.

ECW was known for its hardcore and irreverent style, and it’s rowdy and raucous audiences. It launched Sports Entertainment legends such as Paul Heyman, Tommy Dreamer, The Sandman, Taz, Terry Funk, Sabu, Rob Van Dam, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, Cactus Jack, Raven and more.”

With WWE having an end date of 2001 on their set, that would indicate that this will be Paul Heyman’s true ECW and not the WWE version that ran for some years later. Whether or not they will try and avoid including ECW matches that have featured on previous WWE sets (such as The Rise and Fall of ECW or ECW’s Bloodiest Matches Ever) is unknown.

And yes, WWE are really trying to tell us that ECW started the career of Terry Funk and Dean Malenko…

No matter how big a story is, it always has a beginning. After almost fifty years, the chronicle of a certain unnamed Doctor has been an epic journey that millions have followed and many more have joined along the way.

With any decade spanning programme, the origins are sometimes virtually unknown to newer followers. Doctor Who is not just any programme through. It has a title character who can regenerate and completely change his character, a license to go anywhere in time and space and some of the greatest science fiction villains the genre has seen. Why would any fan of the show not want to delve into the archives to discover where it all started?

There are actually a number of reasons why some younger fans do not want to trek into the archives of the show. The simple fact that the early shows were in black and white is one of the biggest sticking points – there is a whole generation who believe that if it isn’t in colour then it isn’t worth bothering with. Similarly, wobbly sets and the sometimes unintentionally funny special effects make many run a mile, those spoiled by superior effects unable to watch men in flimsy Cybermen suits. Their loss really.

I was one of those people who discovered The Doctor through the revamped series in 2005, and who initially considered the programme to be ok. However, David Tennant’s arrival in the show made me change my mind. The Doctor suddenly became more unpredictable, outlandish and brilliantly clever. Having only known two incarnations of The Doctor, the question arose like it had been there all the time; a question that would, much more recently, be called “the first question hidden in plain sight” by the head of Dorian in the final episode of the latest series.

Doctor Who?

In this first series of The Doctor Who Chronicles, we will profile each of the eleven incarnations of one of Sci-Fi’s greatest characters, comparing their traits, whims and development. How are each of the Doctors identified by a single item or quirk? What constant thread runs through all of the Doctors? What significant events shape the way each Doctor is moulded and subsequently forced to regenerate?

And what of the Doctor’s enemies? His friends and companions? The places he visits and the technology he uses? All of this and more will feature later in the series, but for now there is only one place to begin – in a scrapyard at 76 Totter’s Lane, where a somewhat familiar police box is discovered for the first time, along with its elderly-looking “owner”.

Next… The First Doctor – William Hartnell (1963-1966)

Yes you read right, Borderlands 2 has an official release date of September 18th in the US and September 21st in the UK. What better way to announce the game than with one of the best trailers we have seen in a long time.

Taking us through the vast landscape, we get to see tons of the new locales, and a new glimpse at all of the new classes making their way into Borderlands 2. With classes ranging from the already revealed Gunserker named Salvador, to the amazing new character Zero who appears to be a cybernetic ninja with the ability to cloak. Some of the developers must love Raiden, and truthfully who doesn’t?

Also on display were the newly evolved character skill interface. Which look to be more visually pleasing and neatly organized. Offering more skill option’s as well as the ability to scroll through the pages instead of being required to navigate the wide bar interface of the original. With this also comes the information that it appears the original classes have been reworked with new skills, which should make playing your favorite class even better.

We even get a reveal of the main antagonist Handsome Jack, and if I do say so, they really did try to make him handsome. That could have gone either way I mean if they made him incredibly hideous, it would have fit the Borderlands world just as well.

Here you have it, the new trailer for Borderlands 2. Prepare yourself for wub wub.

When writing about the Brit awards, there are a few clichés that need to be touched upon in the review: be it Jarvis Cocker’s arse, Mick Fleetwood and Sam Fox, or Brendon Block’s stage invasion. Something always shocks the nation, and it’s rarely the awards.

The 2012 Brit Awards, hosted by James Cordon at the O2, took place last night and already there seems to be one event, and one event only that everyone is talking about- Adele’s middle finger to the ‘suits’ after being cut off during her speech.

Looking at the awards, themselves I can’t help but feel this year had the least imaginative bunch of recipients yet. From the blandness of the likes of One Direction or Ed Sheeran, to the plain predictability of Adele and Coldplay’s victories, you know it’s a bad year for the awards when the biggest surprise of the night award-wise is One Direction’s victory in the ‘best British single’ category. Still, it’s hard to argue with the awards- Adele and Ed Sheeran have had such success in the last year that however bland I find their music to be, they probably deserve it.

One interesting part of this year’s Brit award ceremony is the lack of a reward to a less popular, but critically acclaimed artist. Last year, both Arcade Fire and Laura Marling received awards, much to the disdain of my less musical friends and the Brit award crowd; this was not repeated this year, possibly for understandable reasons.

One aged old tradition in the Brit awards is the BIG DUET where two artists collaborate; from Florence and Dizzee, to PJ Harvey and Bjork to Tom Jones and The Sterophonics, every year seems to have one. Aside from Chris Martin on piano during Noel Gallagher’s performance, this year was duet free. Whilst this is probably a blessing, it’s always fun and interesting to see who is going with who.

Even after re-watching all the performances, I’m struggling to think of anything truly memorable about any of them. Adele was on perfect pitch as normal, Ed Sheeran, though boring delivered his performance very well. Although I’m not a fan of his music, Bruno Mars played excellently, in an upbeat Vegas version of one of his hits. The other performers of the night included Noel Gallagher and his High Flying Eyebrows who were pretty good with Chris Martin on the piano, Florence and the Machine, who was admittedly quite magnificent, and Coldplay, which was like watching the rain come down outside your window; you know it’s an impressive feat, but that doesn’t stop it boring the arse off of you.

All this aside though, there was one thing I was watching the Brits for: Blur’s magnificent comeback. After thanking half the country and taking about five minutes with their acceptance speech for the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ Blur went on stage and performed an eleven minute, five track long setlist. As usual, Blur were on excellent form, playing three tracks from Parklife, the album that won them three awards at the 1994 Brits.

LIST OF AWARDS:
British album: Adele, 21
British female solo artist: Adele
British male solo artist: Ed Sheeran
British breakthrough act: Ed Sheeran
British group: Coldplay
British single: One Direction, What Makes You Beautiful
British producer: Ethan Johns
International female artist: Rihanna
International male artist: Bruno Mars
International group: Foo Fighters
International breakthrough: Lana Del Rey
Critics’ choice: Emeli Sandé
Outstanding contribution to music: Blur

Team news ahead of Manchester City’s second leg Europa League tie against FC Porto at the Eithad Stadium tonight which has a much earlier than usual kick-off time of 5pm. The match is being screened live in the UK on ESPN.

City lead the first leg 2-1, with two potentially vital away goals.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has no fresh injury concerns going into tonight’s game, though Carlos Tevez who has both returned to the squad and apologised for his self-imposed exile in Argentina, is not eligible to field in this competition. Likewise former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves was similarly not registered.

African Cup of Nations runner-up Yaya Toure returned to the squad for the first leg last week, as did striker Mario Balotelli who featured after serving our his domestic suspension.

Line-ups from;

City (from): Hart, Pantilimon, Richards, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Savic, K Toure, Clichy, Kolarov, Nasri, Milner, Johnson, Y Toure, Barry, De Jong, Pizarro, Silva, Aguero, Balotelli, Dzeko.

With Sony’s brand new PS Vita launching today, gamers will be keen to find out which titles they can pick up from launch to try out the capabilities of their new handheld console, so we thought it useful to look at the very best titles that gamers will be able to pick up with their Vitas from today.

With around 30 titles to choose from on launch, there is more than enough depth in choice to satisfy even the most cynical of commenters, and for once it seems those who choose to buy the console early won’t be left kicking their heels until the really good showcase titles arrive on the market.

So, without further ado, here are the ten best games released on the Vita, with their launch trailers…

1. Uncharted: Golden Abyss

• Developer: SCE Bend Studio
• Publisher: Sony CE

Buy it here.

2. WipeOut 2048

• Developer: Studio Liverpool
• Publisher: Sony CE

Definitely the first title that really grabbed my attention when the Vita was announced, or at least as soon as the game was released, the release of WipeOut 2048 not only offers gamers a return to the highest of high-octane futuristic racers, but also mirrors the launch release of WipeOut on the original Playstation console. The game itself is fantastically fun, and it’s all aided by the crossplay function, which means players can compete against PS3 users who own Wipeout HD. The show off.

Buy it here.

3. FIFA Football

• Developer: EA Sports
• Publisher: Electronic Arts

Not content with dominating the console market on release late last year, EA Sports have now turned their attention to the handheld market and the Vita launch, albeit with a brand new, chronologically ignorant title (presumably the next one will feature either a numeric or a year). This being EA Sports, the presentation and gameplay are typically slick, and best of all, the new touch-screen shooting mechanic works a treat.

Buy it here.

4. Rayman Origins

• Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier
• Publisher: Ubisoft

The console version that was released late last year should have sold more, and it probably would have if Ubisoft had released it in a different window – but the game itself was a joy, reannouncing Rayman for fans who might have been distracted by the rise of the Rabbids, and bringing back the simplest joys of Ubisoft’s flag-ship platformer. This Vita relaunch of the title might give the game some of the exposure it really deserves, and there really is no excuse to ignore it a second time around.

Buy it here.

5. Everybody’s Golf

• Developer: Clap Hanz
• Publisher: Sony CE

Buy it here.

6. Virtua Tennis 4

• Developer: Sega
• Publisher: Sega

Solid, dependable and entertaining: the three pillars of Virtua Tennis’ longevity and success across multiple platforms. It might not be the best Virtua Tennis title, and the recent arrival of EA Sports’ Grand Slam tennis might well have Sega looking over their shoulders, but it’s a great way to play tennis on the Vita, and it is still hugely enjoyable.

Buy it here.

7. Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3

• Developer: Capcom
• Publisher: Capcom

Buy it here.

8. Escape Plan

• Developer: Fun Bits Interactive
• Publisher: Sony CE

Download only.

9. Little Deviants

• Developer: Bigbig Studios
• Publisher: SCEA

Little Deviants isn’t the deepest gaming experience you’re ever likely to have on this new console, but it is a lot of fun nonetheless for fans of the shallower side of gaming. With most of the launch titles aimed squarely at the 18-25 year old male hardcore, it’s nice to see something that consciously resists the trend and offers something to simply entertain more casual players.

Buy it here.

10. Lumines: Electronic Symphony

• Developer: Q Entertainment
• Publisher: Ubisoft

Like a more trippy, psychedelic update of Tetris, Q Entertainment’s puzzler is the perfect partner for the new handheld gaming experience. And it is addictive as hell.

Buy it here.

Stick around on WhatCulture for reviews of some of these launch titles in the next few days…

Sir Alex Ferguson is considering making a summer transfer move for Sunderland’s in-form winger James McClean, according to our sources.

McClean’s excellent run of performances have caught the eye of the Manchester Untied boss who sees him as a long term replacement for Ryan Giggs.

The 22-year-old left winger has been an absolute revelation for new Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill who gave him a run in the Black Cats team as soon as he was appointed and whose goals and assists have helped thrust Sunderland into the top half of the table and into the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup. His run of form has also been noticed by Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni who has included McClean in his latest squad, and who could now go on to play at the Euro 2012 tournament this summer.

We are hearing Fergie might have some competition on his hands if he wants to add the impressive youngster to his Red Devils team. We hear that Liverpool have sent scouts to watch the player at Sunderland and will be hoping to make a quick offer in the summer before the player develops to the stage where he could command the amount of money they had to spent to secure Jordan Henderson.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

First things first, I definitely missed JA: BIA when it was first released many moons ago. Truth be told, I’ve heard of a lot of games and this wasn’t one. However, for the benefits of the internet is I’ve been able to get myself up to speed and into action (pardon the pun).

Jagged Alliance: Back In Action is a remake of the second game in the series of a franchise that started life on MS-DOS. It is a full remake with all of the expansions packs as well. The franchise gained a cult following through the application of its gameplay and personality. The early games were a mix of turn-based strategy, building your mercenary outfit and role-playing companied with sharp and sometimes cheesy humour – a trademark for the series.

JA: BIA is a real time strategy game with an isometric view.  By all accounts it is a faithful remake in terms of content voice acting and characters but with an overhauled and improved graphics and certain gameplay aspects. The focus of JA: BIA is on recruiting and using mercenaries in a bid to complete various missions which in this case is to overthrow the cruel dictator Queen Deidranna and free the country of Arulco from her evil grasp. To over throw the queen you have a slew of mercenaries at your disposable. Each mercenary has a personality and background unique to them. On top on this each mercenary has their own unique traits. These traits range from the useful (team player, night ops, melee mastery) to inconvenient (unfit, nude). The first mission starts with a briefing where you can read email and Intel before you decide which mercenaries to pick to tackle that mission.

What mercenaries you pick on the opening and subsequent missions is dependent on how much funds you have and your strategy to complete the mission. Any merc can go on any mission but depending on the force of the enemy and the skills of the merc you will pick accordingly, after a while picking mercenaries through personal preference rather than skill. However, some will opt to join and not to join depending on whom else is on the squad. For instance, while playing Igor wouldn’t join the assault team. Later, when I added Grunty to the squad, Igor was more than willing to join. The various combinations of mercs you can choose is staggering and the reason why they opt to join or not brings a sense of levity to the game. There is also a levelling system. Mercenaries gain exp from completing different objectives, which largely involves killing the enemy and healing teammates. Reach the next level for that mercenary and you are rewarded skill points to distribute as you see fit, adding an extra dimension to playing.

Once you mercenaries are picked you can customise their load outlets and fill up their kit. There is a large amount of choice available for you to choose from but as with most things these costs. The customisation range is extensive and any combination of gear can be given to any merc, however mercenaries utilizing equipment that they have traits in obviously provides a level of proficiency. So characters who have melee master work well with knives. Gear includes everything from weapons and ammo to clothes, fatigues gloves and shoes to utility items like crow bars, med kits and lock picks. There is three available slots for weapons then multiple for various items that you might pick up along the way. Once you’re ready to go you can start doing missions.

Once the opening mission is over the order in which you complete the rest is entirely up to you. The mission structure is freeform – open up the world map, select where you want to go and travel there. Travel takes place in ‘real-time’ so there is options to speed up time. This also helps speed up time between daily money updates. The nature of the game allows you to complete missions as you see fit, it is not structured into a restrictive course of action – you are given the freedom to choose where to go and when – only limited by your skill and mercenary numbers. The world map is clouded by fog of war meaning only structures on map as well as the main hostile areas are visible. So you can’t simply walk from point A to point B in most cases as road blocks will appear as you start opening the map. Areas that you have freed on the map will come under regular attack with a complete take over enaacted if you have no mercenaries in the area requiring you to retake the map or an automatic mission start if you have mercenaries in the area freed areas will come under at.

The world map system is efficient and accessible and makes moving troops around and going on mission’s simple and easy. As your funds build and you have regular attacks on more player occupied areas the mercenaries you hire and leave in specific areas becomes more and more important. Early in the game you will find yourself short of funds depending on which mercs you hired. This lack of cash will last a while and will play a part in how you go about things. Looting dead enemies occasionly nets you cash but the amounts in the being are very small so selling other items you find in the level becomes your main source of cash. Outside of this you make money from the areas you have cleared daily. the more you have cleared and keep free from enemies the more cash you will receive.

The in-game UI is clutter free and streamlined. There is a clear emphasis on navigating the game with the troops at your disposal. Your screen is geared towards showing as much of the map as possible and with that in mind the information at your disposal (mercs in your team, their stats, the mini map or merc actions) are all unobtrusive, semi transparent and all the information is situated at the side of the screen, making for a more dynamic playing area. On top of this the use of the buttons on the screen are for the most part are negligible as the hotkeys that these button use are more accessible and easier to use. Played with or without a mouse you will find that you tend to use the hotkeys over the onscreen buttons.

The game offers you a tutorial before you start playing and this effectively takes you through the use of all playing aspects of the game. Select your mercenaries making them engage with the enemy is familiar to anybody who has played RTS games before. There is no difference here. Select troops by clicking them or pressing their respective numbers and send them anywhere or engage with anyone on screen. You can also queue up commands and actions too making it easier to attack different enemies or points on the map. Pressing the spacebar pauses the action. From here you individually select a mercenary and issue commands – go here shoot, go prone, shoot that – then press the space bar again to watch the mercenary carry out your orders. To sync up their attacks simply set up commands for each mercenary individually then drag the shoot command icon from one merc on top of another mercs. When you press the space bar again the mercenaries will attack at the same time, with one merc waiting for another if he has more commands to follow or long to go to each his objective. Whether you are just sending your mercs in to pick off enemies or attacking more strategically – making choke points or attacking simultaneously – the game caters, effectively for man tastes. The further you get in the game the more this comes into play. What helps make this better is the environment and terrain. While playing you get a sense that you are playing at altitude. The areas are detailed and the various foliage, structures and obstacles make for a more strategic approach. Lying prone or crouched behind a vehicle or low wall while waiting for an enemy to pass will be a viable tactic.

The isometric camera, as with any RTS game plays a big part in how you tackle the game. Taking in a big area navigating is simple and zooming in and out during the game will change depending on the situation. The one fault that arises is during fighting in structures. By and large enemies, once they spot you will follow you, however not all enemies do. This becomes a problem when an enemy decides to stay indoors just beyond the entrance. if you have a sniper on your team or there is more than once entrance no problem, zooming in and then selecting the target (not always an option)or going around and flanking them respectively. If not getting to the enemy will become a grind especially when the roof of the structure only disappears when you are inside. Not a big problem but at times irritating. The only other problem with the game (although not really a problem) is the lack of fog of war in the actual mission. It effectively makes the game easier then it should be. Seeing all of the enemies on the screen means at all times you know their every move. It takes way a bit of the mystery and fun that RTs games deal in. Part of the fun of RTS games is the exploration of the terrain, sending out scouts to look for the enemy on large maps.

The team at Bitcomposer have done a serviceable job at bringing Jagged Alliance into the graphical age. It’s a streamlined game that’s fun, if not cheesy. It is easy to see that no harm has been done to a franchise that has reached a cult status. The content is fun and never feels repetitive and the graphics, while not making your jaw drop, adds enough detail and personality that playing never feels that a chore. There is quite a bit of replayability with 70 mercenaries, high customisation, levelling and areas to explore. While I never came across any bugs during my game time, there has been some reported but nothing that can be considered (as far as I ever found) game breaking. With that said the game never pulls out all the stops and takes the game to the next level or adds anything that you haven’t seen before. it the task was to simply to update the game it is a job well done. But something always felt missing and the game was slightly flat without a fog of war cloud during missions making it easier planning strategies. Although with that said it was still a pretty fun game and was addictive. If you’re looking for a more hardcore RTS experience you will probably be disappointed will this offering, everyone else though should have a good time playing.

Jagged Alliance Back In Action PC Scoring
Gameplay
A solid, if uninspired, gameplay experience let down slighty by being slightly easy.
Graphics
The graphics, while not spectacular do the game justice with a detailed game world that features enough variation.
Sound
The voice acting is what you come to expect from 1990's games - personalitiy, charm and cheesy but always fun.
Replay Value
The game packs a fair amount of replay value and theres enough content and reason to keep going.
Presentation
As with other areas the presentation is a serviceable job without doing anything different.
Overall
While not a bad game by any means, Jagged Alliance doesn't do anything different to what's come before (or after being a straight remake) but there is enough there to enjoy and hold your attention.

Jagged Alliance: Back In Action is available to buy now on PC only.

Starring Charlie Duchamp (Avatar, Fast and the Furious 4) and Ray Zancanelli (The Wire, Entourage) as the veteran US Marshals, with the remainder of their “special task force” made up of a psychoanalyst, an ex-gang banger, and a sexy expert tracker who has a bounty hunter for a father.

You can catch a preview of the new season of Breakout Kings below.

Watch Breakout Kings exclusively on the A&E network, starting Sunday March 4.

When I was but a wee lad, I would struggle mightily to fall asleep on Christmas Eve, ultimately succumbing to the Sandman’s beckoning for a few hours before rousing pre-dawn to coax my parents into believing that sleep was overrated. These days, Christmas seems more of a hassle than it’s worth, but there is still one event capable of stoking the fires of anxious excitement within me. The Oscars.

Yeah, I’m an Oscar geek. Judge me if you must. Being a movie buff, a love for the Oscars is an easy stretch. I get enjoyment in pouring over the nominees list, trying to determine who stands the best chance of walking away with the golden statuette.

If I’ve learned one thing from my many years of watching the Oscars, it’s that the most deserving and the most likely to win can be very different things. We can expect much of the same this year. When it comes to predicting the winners, it often pays to follow your head and not your heart. The Academy can be fickle, and while they try desperately to portray themselves as hip and progressive, reality is, the voting block still can’t seem to get out of it’s own way when it really boils down to selecting the winners.

Fear not, I’m here to help you make some sense of it all. Looking for an edge in your office Oscar pool? Want to impress your friends and family with your vast prognostication skills? Whatever your motivation, climb on board and take these fearless predictions to the bank.

In this article I will examine the Best Supporting Acting races.

Traditionally, if an upset is going to happen, it will come from one of the supporting categories. There are certainly front runners, but nothing is a given in these races.

Best Supporting Actress

• Berenice Bejo – The Artist
• Jessica Chastain – The Help
• Melissa McCarthy – Bridesmaids
• Janet McTeer – Albert Nobbs
• Octavia Spencer – The Help

Let’s eliminate Melissa McCarthy right out of the gate. Certainly she was the best part of Bridesmaids, but are we really naive enough to think hers was the best supporting performance of the entire year? Remember earlier when I said the Academy likes to fashion itself as hip and progressive? Consider McCarthy’s nomination as a smoke screen to drive home that point. I loved her in Bridesmaids, but she should just be happy for the invite and enjoy the after parties.

While the Academy loves weird period crap like Albert Nobbs, you must have some semblance of buzz around yourself come award season. Albert Nobbs has none. Janet McTeer has even less. McTeer’s name being called here would rank as one of the all time biggest upsets in Oscar history. No chance.

I find it odd that the Academy chose The Help as a representation of Jessica Chastain‘s performances from last year. I have no issue with her being on this list, but for my money she would have been up for her heartfelt performance in Take Shelter.  I’d even consider arguments for her turn in The Tree Of Life over The Help. In any case, of all of the great performances in The Help, hers just doesn’t stand quite as tall. She’s a great actress and I’d expect to see her back again very soon. Not her year.

No film is riding the wave of momentum quite like The Artist these days. The buzz is off the charts, but despite all of the frenzy, Berenice Bejo is hanging on for dear life. I did mention that these supporting categories sometimes surprise us on Oscar night, and if you are akin to rolling the dice on a possible upset, take a chance on Bejo. I just don’t think she has enough support to pull this off.

The clear front runner here is Octavia Spencer. Her turn as Minny Jackson stands out in a movie that was littered with phenomenal performances. Her role required moments of heart wrenching resolve, emotional poignancy and comedic timing. She met the task at every turn. She’s gathered quite a collection of awards for this role already. It would be unfortunate to see her fall short here.

Should Win - Octavia Spencer

Will Win - Octavia Spencer

Best Supporting Actor

• Kenneth Branaugh – My Week With Marilyn
• Jonah Hill – Moneyball
• Nick Nolte – Warrior
• Christopher Plummer – Beginners
• Max Von Sydow – Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close

Recall what I said about Melissa McCarthy and the Academy wanting you to believe it’s got a finger on the pulse of the younger audience? Put Jonah Hill in that same conversation. I liked Moneyball, but when I think about the best of the best in movies, which is what the Oscars is supposed to be about, a performance needs to stand out and be memorable.  Think back to Christian Bale’s role in The Fighter or Christoph Waltz in Inglorious Basterds. They were memorable. Did anyone walk out of Moneyball and truly say to themselves, “Wow, Jonah Hill was amazing.”? Exactly.

Nick Nolte was fine in Warrior.  The problem I have is that he essentially played Nick Nolte.  This role was no stretch for him.  This was nothing more than a courtesy nomination for whatever reason, and unfortunately, Albert Brooks (Drive) was the benefactor of the snub.

Kenneth Branaugh is suffering from the same fate as Janet McTeer.  What little buzz is circulating around My Week With Marilyn is falling at the heels of lead actress Michelle Williams. Branaugh has received more press over the last year for directing Thor than his role here. Not gonna happen.

Max Von Sydow is a sentimental pick. Unfortunately, he was in a movie that most critics and audiences aren’t too keen about, and he’s up against an even more sentimental pick in Christopher Plummer. I have to be honest, I haven’t seen Beginners, but what I know of Christopher Plummer tells me he was likely as impressive as advertised.  The Academy loves to dish out “lifetime achievement” awards in these categories, especially to the men. Since Plummer has the buzz and the better movie, expect him to walk away the winner here.

Should Win - Christopher Plummer

Will Win - Christopher Plummer

Stick with me over the next couple of days as I will continue to run down the key races for Oscar gold. For now, feel free to heap praises upon me or direct your ire as you see fit in the comments section below.

As if the guy didn’t already have enough on his plate, we can now add one more movie to our favourite Mexican auteur’s ever growing pile. Director of the modern fantasy classic Pans Labyrinth and the Hellboy Series: Guillermo Del Toro has recently signed on to produce an upcoming CG-animated feature ‘Day Of The Dead’.

At first glance the title may be a bit confusing but let me clarify something: This is not a remake of George Romero’s Day Of The Dead and contains no connection to his zombie franchise or zombies at all it seems;

The story is “an action-packed, fully CG-animated picture, with a “Romeo and Juliet” style love story set against a Mexican “Day of the Dead” backdrop”.

Setup at Reel FX, the project will be directed by Emmy Award Winner Jorge R. Gutierrez best known for Nickelodeons El Tigre, The Adventures of Manny Rivera.

Del Toro has not collaborated on a feature project set in Mexico for almost twenty years now and it will be interesting to see what he and Gutierrez can accomplish as they return to their country of heritage.

For those not in the know the celebration of Day Of The Dead has some similarities to our Halloween but far less commercial and is symbolised by the of painting skulls in a colourful fashion. Its focus is far more on the gathering of families and friends to pray for, remember and celebrate the lives of those close to them that have died.

With a backdrop of the colourful and vibrant Day Of The Dead holiday this is sure to be one project to keep an eye on.

For the full press release see below. Day Of The Dead is scheduled to be released in fall 2014.

GUILLERMO DEL TORO JOINS WITH REEL FX TO PRODUCE EPIC ANIMATED ADVENTURE

DAY OF THE DEAD

Jorge R. Gutierrez To Direct Tent-pole Project Set for 2014 Release

Los Angeles, February 21, 2012 – Reel FX has teamed with Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (Puss in Boots, Pacific Rim, Pan’s Labyrinth) to produce a groundbreaking, CG-animated film — working title, Day of the Dead. Del Toro will also present the film which is directed by Emmy Award winnerJorge R. Gutierrez (El Tigre, The Adventures of Manny Rivera). The film is being penned by Gutierrez and Emmy Award nominee Doug Langdale. Reel FX will produce alongside Aaron Berger and Carina Schulze of Chatrone, Inc. Day of the Dead is scheduled to be released in fall 2014.

The film is an action-packed, fully CG-animated picture, with a “Romeo and Juliet” style love story set against a Mexican “Day of the Dead” backdrop. It represents the first time in almost twenty years — since 1993’s Cronos — that del Toro has collaborated on a feature project set in Mexico. Music is also integral to the story; the film will feature an international roster of A-list recording artists performing new songs as well as re-imagined iconic songs. Reel FX’s Brad Booker brought Day of the Dead to the studio and is the development executive on the project.

“We’re thrilled to have Guillermo on board for Day of the Dead,” said Booker. “As individuals, Guillermo and Jorge share a cultural background and love for Mexican folklore, which brings a palpable authenticity to our project; however, as artists, each brings to the picture a vastly different aesthetic sensibility. Working together for the first time, we feel that they bring a truly unique balance to the style and story of the film.”

Notes del Toro, “I have admired Jorge’s work for a long time. He has a unique aesthetic and sense of humor. Day of the Dead offers a perfect opportunity for his sensibilities to shine. This is a colorful, vibrant, vital fable that utilizes the animation medium in an incredible way. The object of the tale is not only to talk about life but to dazzle us – jolt us- into living to the fullest. To join Reel FX, Cary Granat and Jorge in this adventure is a privilege and a joy.”

In addition to Day of the Dead, Reel FX has secured and is actively developing multiple CG-animated and effects-driven, live-action projects. Projects underway include an animated feature adaptation of the Dark Horse graphic novel, Beasts of Burden, produced by Andrew Adamson (Shrek) and Aron Warner; and Turkeys, the studio’s CG-animated comedy directed by Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears a Who!). The studio also recently collaborated on the production of the 3D film Cirque du Soleil’s “Worlds Away,” written and directed by Andrew Adamson, and executive produced by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker James Cameron (Avatar). Cary Granat and Ed Jones served as producers on the project for Reel FX. Cirque du Soleil’s “Worlds Away” is currently in post-production and set to debut in late 2012 from Paramount Pictures.