Sonic Lost World for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS Announced

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June 12, 2013

SEGA® of America Inc. announced details of the next Sonic the Hedgehog franchise title to be published on Nintendo platforms as part of the exclusive partnership recently announced between the two companies. Sonic Lost World™ puts Sonic up to the challenge as he faces his most powerful enemy to date – and this time there are six of them to conquer! Sonic Lost World™ will be available exclusively for Wii U™ and Nintendo 3DS™ platforms later this year.

Dr. Eggman has harnessed the power of six menacing creatures collectively known as the Deadly Six, but when the Deadly Six rise up against their master, Sonic has to unite with his arch nemesis in order to take on the new enemies head-on. Using his dynamic new parkour moves and improved Color Powers, Sonic must run, jump and race through a variety of ever-changing terrains in order to defeat the Deadly Six.

Alongside a single player adventure, the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS versions of Sonic Lost World will feature a range of competitive multiplayer modes. In addition, each platform will also contain distinctive features that take advantage of the consoles’ unique capabilities. Exclusive Wii U Color Powers can be controlled with the Wii U™ GamePad by tilting, touching, aiming and more. The full game can also be played using only the GamePad screen and will feature a two player support mode. Sonic Lost World for the Nintendo 3DS is the first handheld Sonic game ever to feature fully realized 3D levels which include exclusive Special Stages and Color Powers unique to Nintendo 3DS.

“We are proud of the strong relationship between Nintendo and SEGA and look forward to continuing success with Sonic Lost World on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS,” commented Hiroyuki Miyazaki, Chief Content Officer, SEGA of America. “The game marks an evolution of the Sonic series and fans –both old and new — will be excited by a story which sees two of video games biggest adversaries, Sonic and Dr. Eggman, joining forces for the first time to help defeat a new deadly threat.”

Sonic the Hedgehog™ first appeared as a videogame character in June 1991 and instantly became an icon for a generation of gamers. Defined by his super-fast speed and cool attitude, in the years since he first raced on to videogame consoles Sonic has become a true global phenomenon with over 75 million videogames and smartphone apps sold worldwide. SEGA’s iconic blue blur has also gone on to enjoy incredible success in many licensed areas, such as toys, apparel, comics and animation.

Sonic Lost World™ will be distributed by SEGA® of America Inc. throughout the USA, Canada and South America, with Nintendo of Europe GmbH looking after distribution throughout Europe and Australia.

Blu-ray Review: Oz The Great And Powerful

By

Joel Covey

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June 11, 2013

You gotta love Blu-Ray… Blu-ray has allowed this absolute visually stunning film to be able to make way in the audiences living room without losing that immersive element Oz The Great and Powerful was able to create in the theater. This rendition/prequel to The Wizard of Oz stories that we all know and love is a wonderful way to look at the world before Dorothy.

I invite you to read our review of the film (click here), but I wanted to focus on the DVD features and quality. I am going off a DVD + Blu-ray + Digital Copy set in which I mainly focused on the Blu-ray copy. It’s good to note that Disney will finally no longer be having that 3^rd disc for the digital copy. Instead you can now just enter a code online and download. Makes complete sense and I’m surprised it took this long to go this route and catch up to many of the other studios.

This particular edition has some marvelous extra features. The movie is jam packed with special effects and magical characters that come to life through digital effects. The special features allow for you to really see a bit in to all the main areas of the movie. No, these aren’t half-hour long documentaries of every aspect, but it did feel like I got a chance to really dive into the creation rather than just having a sneak peek behind the scenes. If you are already a fan of the movie, this is completely worth buying just for the extra features. Again, they aren’t terribly long, but there are some goodies that really give an in depth look at the making of the film.

Bonus Clip: Influence of Classic Disney

Let’s begin with Walt Disney And The Road to Oz. This is a short featurette that explains the history of this tale in the Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney was actually planning do his own take on The Wizard of Oz tale during the opening of Snow White. A real natural fit into what Walt Disney was truly all about. Unfortunately, he missed out on the rights as Samuel Goodwin with MGM bought the rights. Goodwin’s interest was all thanks to Disney’s success with his fantasies making him realize that adults too could enjoy these fantasy driven films. Walt came close to eventually making his own rendition, The Rainbow Road to Oz, however it never quite got off the ground and never came to fruition.

This eventually led to creation Babes in Toyland, which by watching this quick extra feature you’ll see how this led to the makings of many of the Disney classics we know today. This short doc told a story that I never knew and that many other Disney enthusiasts may be unaware of.

Bonus Clip: Practical Sets

One of the big extra features is the The Magic of Oz The Great And Powerful Second Screen Experience. Sadly I do not have an iPad, however this is supposed to interact with the film as it is played. You must download the app and connect your Wi-Fi enabled Blu-ray player. Finley from the movie will guide you through. (2^nd generation iPad or above)

There is also a great extra of James Franco telling his journey in Oz. This has a little longer running time and has James Franco interviewing the main cast about their roles and thoughts of being on the film as well as digging into Sam Raimi and how the film came to be. This is a fantastic feature as it gives a sense of what it truly was like on set and how everyone got a long together.

Other special features also include:

Mr. Elfman’s Musical Concoctions
China Girl And The Suspension of Disbelief – This short featurette gives a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the famous doll and how they brought her to life.
Before Your Eyes: From Kansas to Oz – This is all about the cinematography, art direction and overall feel of the world of Oz. A great behind-the-scenes look at how everything was created.
Mila’s Metamorphosis
Bloopers – You have to have these.

You also have several options on how to hear the film. In the “Language” selection there are many audio settings:

English 2.0 Dolby Surround (best if you’re using TV speakers)
English 5.1 Dolby Digital
English 7.1 DTS-HMDA Near Field Audio Mix
English 2.0 Descriptive Video Services
French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital

My biggest complaint is that there were no commentaries from anyone. That would probably be the only other item I wish was on here though. Otherwise, this is a great addition if you are a fan or at least a bit interested in the creation of the film or any other heavily CGI oriented film for that matter. By no means do I feel that this is a perfect film, but I definitely found it beautiful and entertaining. This DVD/Blu-ray helps the audience have more of a connection with the film and see how it became a gorgeous masterpiece.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Teaser Trailer & Photos

By

Robbie Bulus

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June 11, 2013

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Own “42” on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download 7/16

By

Robbie Bulus

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June 7, 2013

Hero is a word we hear often in sports, but heroism is not always about achievements on the field of play. “42” tells the story of two men – the great Jackie Robinson and legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey – whose brave stand against prejudice forever changed the world by changing the game of baseball.

In 1946, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) put himself at the forefront of history when he signed Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the team, breaking Major League Baseball’s infamous color line. But the deal also put both Robinson and Rickey in the firing line of the public, the press and even other players. Facing unabashed racism from every side, Robinson was forced to demonstrate tremendous courage and restraint by not reacting in kind, knowing that any incident could destroy his and Rickey’s hopes. Instead, Number 42 let his talent on the field do the talking – ultimately winning over fans and his teammates, silencing his critics, and paving the way for others to follow.

Watch the true story of an American legend when “42” arrives onto Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download on July 16 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and Legendary Pictures. Starring Harrison Ford and Chadwick Boseman as two men who changed baseball forever, “42” follows the legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey and the great Jackie Robinson as they take a stand against racism and baseball’s infamous color line.

Directed by Academy® Award winner Brian Helgeland (“L.A. Confidential”), “42” also stars Nicole Beharie as Jackie’s beloved wife Rachel Robinson; Christopher Meloni as Leo Durocher; Andre Holland as Wendell Smith; Lucas Black as Pee Wee Reese; and Hamish Linklater as Ralph Branca.

“42” will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99 and on single disc DVD for $28.98. The Blu-ray Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in hi-definition on Blu-ray, and the theatrical version in standard definition on DVD. Both the Blu-ray Combo Pack and the single disc DVD include UltraViolet which allows consumers to download and instantly stream the standard definition theatrical version of the film to a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players.

Disney Cruise Line Guests and Crew Take Part in First AquaDucky Derby Fundraiser At Sea

By

Robbie Bulus

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June 6, 2013

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PARANOIA Official Trailer

By

Robbie Bulus

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June 6, 2013

The high stakes thriller Paranoia takes us deep behind the scenes of global success to a deadly world of greed and deception.

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Mickey Mouse in "Get A Horse" Poster Debut

By

Robbie Bulus

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June 6, 2013

Making its world debut Tuesday, June 11, 2013, at the Annecy Animation Festival in Annecy, France, is Walt Disney Animation Studios’ never-before-seen short “Get A Horse!” Starring the one and only Mickey Mouse and featuring Walt Disney himself as the voice of the iconic character, this black-and-white, hand-drawn short follows Mickey, his favorite gal pal Minnie Mouse and their friends Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow as they delight in a musical wagon ride—until Peg-Leg Pete shows up and tries to run them off the road.

Man of Steel Featurette 13-Min Special!

By

Robbie Bulus

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June 6, 2013

A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.

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The film also stars four-time Oscar® nominee Amy Adams (“The Master”) as Daily Planet journalist Lois Lane, and Oscar® nominee Laurence Fishburne (“What’s Love Got to Do with It”) as her editor-in-chief, Perry White. Starring as Clark Kent’s adoptive parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent, are Oscar® nominee Diane Lane (“Unfaithful”) and Academy Award® winner Kevin Costner (“Dances with Wolves”).

“Man of Steel” opens in 2D and 3D in select theaters and IMAX Friday, June 14. This film has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some language.