Monday 24 March 2014

Karen Gillan as Nebula



Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has posted a new photo of Nebula (Karen Gillan) on Instagram and Twitter.

Gunn describes Nebula as an interplanetary Clint Eastwood. The former Doctor Who actress looks all kinds of awesome.

Tuesday 18 March 2014

Star Wars: Episode VII set 30 years after Jedi



The news was confirmed on the official Star Wars website:

"It has also been confirmed that Star Wars: Episode VII is set about 30 years after the events of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, and will star a trio of new young leads along with some very familiar faces. No further details on casting or plot are available at this time."

Surely the press release all but confirms the return of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo?

Star Wars: Episode VII will start shooting at Pinewood Studios near London in May and release in theaters on December 18, 2015.

Monday 17 March 2014

Cosmos: The Next Generation



Last night's series premiere of National Geographic Channel's Cosmos reboot, hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, was enthralling and evoked fond childhood memories of the original 13-part landmark series with astronomer Carl Sagan.

In 1980 Sagan inspired me, in the much same way as movie directors George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, with a sense of wonder and uplifting themes.

The reboot, brainchild of Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy), is tantamount to exploring the universe through the telescopic lens of Disney Lucasfilm. The "Spaceship of the Imagination" owes much to Star Trek and Star Wars. Yes, I'm in my element, as if you hadn't guessed.

There were moments of schmaltz, but I yearned to watch Cosmos on an IMAX screen and can't wait to continue this next generation voyage aboard the Spaceship of the Imagination...

Friday 14 March 2014

Bluetooth controller for Kindle?



Much has been made of the recent Amazon Prime price hike in the UK and US! Combined with ongoing speculation the company will add a music streaming service and release its own media streamer to directly compete with Apple TV and Roku in the spring.

This has been further fueled by photos of an apparent Bluetooth controller for the unannounced streaming device. The controller could be used with Kindle Fire, which has a thriving Android-based games store. It's worth noting Amazon recently acquired Double Helix Games, developer of the Xbox One Killer Instinct and multi-platform Strider reboots.

Looks like a prototype Xbox One controller and the anthesis of ergonomic design. Please let me know your thoughts in comments.

Thursday 13 March 2014

Netflix adds Homeland and American Horror Story



Netflix has inked a deal with Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution to bring its award-winning drama series Homeland and American Horror Story to the streaming service from 13th March.

Ted Sarandos, chief content officer at Netflix, said: “We are excited to bring both of these brilliant series, Homeland and American Horror Story, to our members in the UK & Ireland.

“These global smash series are two of the most talked about shows in entertainment, and we think that our members are going to love these latest two additions.”

Homeland, starring Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, was a huge hit on Channel 4 during its first and second seasons. However, the series' audience declined during the third season despite a high profile social media campaign with Nokia 4 Drama. Incidentally, Nokia sent me a Lumia 1020 to trial last December, but I couldn't reconcile with Windows Phone 8.

American Horror Story is an eclectic anthology series on Fox (formerly FX) and boasts an enviable cast. Jessica Lange has won Emmy and Golden Globe awards for her varied roles in the series.

Monday 10 March 2014

Stream Game of Thrones Seasons 1-3 on NOW TV



Winter is coming! From today you can stream Game of Thrones seasons 1-3 in high definition ahead of the highly anticipated season 4 premiere this April on Sky Atlantic.

NOW TV subscribers can sign-up for the Entertainment Pack, which includes Arrow, Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Modern Family and The Walking Dead and box sets. I'm currently binge-viewing Mad Men.

Subscribe to the Entertainment Pass for £4.99 (introductory price) now.

Thursday 6 March 2014

From Dusk Till Dawn: A Netflix Original Series in UK



Cult movie From Dusk Till Dawn is reimagined in a new 10 episode series, which will be exclusively shown on Netflix from 12th March in the UK.

New episodes will arrive weekly in Europe and Canada within 24 hours of broadcast in the US, where the show will air on the El Rey Network.

"We're thrilled to premiere From Dusk Till Dawn: A Netflix Original Series exclusively in our international markets," said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer at Netflix.

"Robert Rodriguez is an amazing storyteller and we think our members will love his thrill-ride TV adaptation of the cult-classic."

From Dusk Till Dawn director Robert Rodriguez helms 4 episodes of the first season.

"I am excited about working with Netflix and Miramax to build an international audience for our series," said Robert Rodriguez.

"This property has always resonated for viewers around the globe and we believe that it will be just as relevant for this new generation of fans."

Wednesday 5 March 2014

Optimus Prime vs Grimlock in Age of Extinction!



A full length trailer for Transformers: Age of Extinction premiered last night.

This TV Spot introduces Mark Wahlberg’s character Cade Yeager, a deadbeat mechanic who discovers a derelict Transformer, and culminates in a clash between Optimus Prime and Grimlock.



Transformers: Age of Extinction premieres July 10th in the UK. Let the Bayhem begin...