You know, I think I talked about most of this stuff already, but it’s too damn awesome not to be remembered for this year.  Let’s begin! 

Back Dynamite:  Okay, so technically the movie was released in 2009, but how many of us saw it in the theater? The awesomeness of this film became truly widespread when it was released onto DVD back in February. The internet was abuzz at the uniqueness of this film, and after at least six different viewings this year I can see why. The brilliance of this film isn’t in it’s clever writing, quotable one-liners, or how it never really takes itself seriously; no the magic comes in how every time you watch it you pick up on something new and funny. It has become my “go to” movie whenever I have company over, and I’m always thanked when the film is done. As of last week, this film was one of the few Netflix streaming videos that won’t allow you to have a Netflix party with. The reason? Everybody would be doing it as this movie is even more awesome in a  shared viewing. I don’t believe Netflix has the bandwidth available for the nightly Black Dynamite parties that would no doubt be going on.  Until then, I say you go just go and buy this film.  It will sit nicely next to The Blues Brothers, Animal House, and Caddyshack.

The Walking Dead: You know, the sad thing about a zombie movie is after two hours the feature ends and we are left wondering what happens next. But what if we could watch what happens to our survivors for a long period of time? At least that was the concept behind the popular comic series developed by Robert Kirkman. For a comic, The Walking Dead is unique as it focuses far more on character development and less on the zombie hoard.  The zombies, in fact, act much like a dangerous natural element that the characters have to deal with and less of a plot element. The other cool thing about The Walking Dead is how real it is. People resort doing doing some pretty nasty things to one another in their quest to stay alive just one more day. Main characters come and go and we should expect that in a world where the dead rule the Earth. This past Fall, AMC released a six-part mini-season based on the comic. I was both excited and a bit anxious as to what we might see onscreen as Hollywood has a tendency to mess things up or dumb things down for their audience. But this was AMC, and the first episode stuck true to the comic storyline. And with over five million viewers, it was the highest-rated premier on AMC and became the most watched cable series for its demographic. The storyline would eventually split from the comic, but the overall tone and emphasis of character development over action stayed the same. AMC has picked up this classic for another 13 episodes, and I personally can’t wait to see what happens next. 

No Ordinary Family:  2010 had some great TV shows: Madmen, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, but this little show on ABC has become a guilty pleasure for me. The show is essentially a live-action version of one of my favoriute films, The Incredibles. The Powells are an ordinary, dysfunctional family who gain super powers after their plane crashes in Brazil. The father (Micheal Chiklis) has super strength, can leap several blocks, and is seemingly invulnerable. The mom (Julie Benz aka Rita from Dexter) is super fast, and as a scientist by trade she is more than curious about how they got their powers. Their kids (Kay Panabaker and Jimmy Bennett) have lesser powers as the girl can read minds while the son has become a Reed Richards super genius. There is a bit of Heroes-like mythology going on in the back-story, but the real strength of the show is the characters and how they interact with one another and grow from their new found abilities.  Whomever is writing the reboot of the Fantastic Four should pay attention to this show, as Disney and ABC “get it.” It’s campy and fun, and even the bit characters play their roles to the tee. Even the unlikely pair of Chiklis and Benz seem to pull off a believable couple together. Bottom line, the show is just plain fun, and I hope I get to see more of it in 2011.

Kinect: I’m one of those people Microsoft was targeting when they thought up Kinect. I don’t own a Wii, but I am interested in what it can do. But with all the shovel-ware and stories about it collecting dust, I could never get myself to drop the cash to jump into the experience. Kinect seemed like a more logical transition for me, and upon purchasing one last Fall I can finally understand what motion gaming is really all about. Folks can argue that there really isn’t a lot out there right now, especially for the hardcore gamers. I can admit that may be true, but I am also convinced that Kinect is here to stay and that the future looks bright for the peripheral. I say this for many reasons, but mainly because the tech just seems to work and there is something magical about gaming with no controllers. It has revitalized the gaming experience for my entire family, and for me that is well worth the money I paid for it. Here’s hoping that the new titles that come out for the system are as tantalizing and cool as Dance Central and Kinect Sports.

Red Dead Redemption:  I might piss off some Grand Theft Auto fans out there, but Red Dead Redemption is a better game.  In fact I do believe that it is RockStar’s BEST game yet and one that I can’t seem to stop playing. Maybe it’s the newness of the Old West that got me hooked. Or perhaps it was the amazing storyline and characters. Or maybe it was the surprise ending that got the internet abuzz with discussions. Whatever the reason, Red Dead Redemption is in my top ten list of favorite games ever played and the new DLC keeps me coming back to the environment for more fun partners.  Not to mention that the DGR night we had in the game, holding the fort from sleazebags on our server was quite frankly one of the best times I have had on Xbox Live ever.  Thanks guys (and Token). 

Inception: Christopher Nolan has proven that he’s the King of the Mountain when it comes to directing movies. Not only did he make us rethink how we view one of the most iconic super heroes of all time, but he can take us to places we never dreamed of before. Such is the case of Inception, a movie that is as close to perfect storytelling as I can remember. We follow Leonardo DiCaprio and his team into the world of the dream and are left wondering if what we experienced was ever real at all. When asked if he could explain what he actually meant by the end of his film he stoically explained, “If I did that it would ruin the entire reason why I filmed Inception. The movie is supposed to leave you questioning. If you feel that way, it did its job. The man is a stud, and I can’t wait for how he ends his Dark Knight trilogy and the upcoming Superman project.

Lost Finale: Never has a show left me feeling so satisfied and with so many unanswered questions at the same time. For six seasons we watched the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 unravel the mysteries of the strange island they were stranded on. The storytelling and acting were top notch, and the show spawned several podcasts as viewers tried to decipher the clues left behind in each episode. Whether you enjoyed the final episode or not, Lost and its canon have secured their place in our society and lore. Just the other day my colleagues warned us not to open the hatch when dealing with a sticky project. It is a show that I will miss, and one that I will also enjoy revisiting on BluRay. 

Mass Effect 2: This is my pick for the Daryl Awards this year. Why, you ask? No, not just because I can bone alien creatures (ohhh yeah) but because the character development in this game is so strong, I actually miss them when I am not playing. Bioware has simply mastered the dialogue tree and you can’t help but feel a connection to the characters in the game. That, and it’s the only game I can remember that built on my decisions from the previous game. Countless references to seemingly unimportant characters and my encounters with them solidify that the world of Mass Effect is uniquely mine; there are no two universes that are exactly alike. They fixed the combat system so things flow much smoother and no more tedious armor and weapon upgrade guessing games, just lock, load, and kick ass. Downloadable content for the title has been nothing less than stellar and the last installment (Lair of the Shadow Broker) dramatically changed the universe I play in. I have to wonder how the addition of that single piece of content will affect Mass Effect 3. That, my friends, is sheer brilliance in game design. 

Good BAD Movies:  As Hollywood searches for some creative ways to express itself without rehashing old ideas (thanks but no thanks Yogi Bear) certain directors have seemingly created their own genre by making really bad movies that are just plain FUN to watch. The story-lines (if any) are paper thin, the acting is laughable, and the effects are ridiculous, but for some strange reason they work. Maybe because these movies know they are bad and never try to be anything other than what they are. This summer, we saw what may be the goriest and most awesome killer fish movie of all time, Pirhana 3D.  A movie that took the 3D realm to new heights with 3D boobage (and mind you there was not one boob onscreen that I didn’t care to see, they were all excellent). It was campy and fun and one of the best times I have had at the movies this year. Later in the fall, I gathered my fellow DGR faithful for a Netflix showing of Bitch Slap, a movie that truly must be experienced in a group setting. The movie was awesomely terrible and one that I plan to enjoy with a group of friends over and and over again. Let’s hope that we see this trend continue as directors take their craft just a bit less serious. It may not make a good movie, but if we are entertained I certainly don’t care.     

Robot Panic:  I remember when I got the email from Hilden, “Hey Ryker thanks for submitting all this cool shit. Here’s access to the blog and keep up the good work.” Those that read my stuff know that I haven’t always been a good writer, in fact we might be able to make a pretty good argument that I’m the opposite. But at least I have the opportunity to contribute to a community that shares my interests and is pretty bad ass. I’ve also been blessed to help the guys do their live shows and that is a real treat.  I am always impressed with their passion in delivering a great show every week, and just how genuine they all are.  Last Summer we all got together at Moe’s for the 5th anniversary show and bonfire (sorry about your neighbor’s house Moe). It was one of the best times I have had all year; hanging with the good friends I have made here and enjoying a night together.  For the real magic in all of this isn’t in the articles I write, or the awesome shows the guys do, but it’s in the community that we all share. So thanks to all my friends here, your are truly amazing.  Here’s hoping for a great 2011!

Howdy pardners!  I must admit that when I first heard about one of my favorite games was going to add zombies to it, I shook my head. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some zombies, but the latest influx of zombies has become a bit tiresome.  It’s as if to say that writers have become lazy and that by adding zombies to a game it will magically become better. I think we have all discovered that this isn’t necessarily true, and zombies in the Old West?  C’mon man…  But then again, this is Rockstar, masters at the art of creating interesting sandboxes that I want to play in. And any reason to go back to the Old West world they created for Red Dead Redemption, I was in. What I found is that Rockstar had not only successfully added zombies to a game, but they created a surreal Halloweentown environment that is sure to please fans of that genre.

The game starts off near the end.  Our good friend John Marston is home with his wife and son when Uncle shows up acting strange. He chases them around the home and bites John’s wife and son. In a matter of minutes the two turn into strange creatures and start going after Marston. So what’s a cowboy supposed to do? Well hog tie them up and go searching for a cure, that’s what. You don your steed and make for the nearest town, only to find it’s been overrun with flesh eating monsters as well. This is gonna be a long day, I reckon. 

I must admit that my skepticism about the DLC was almost immediately erased. For Rockstar hasn’t just added in extra missions and such for you to accomplish, but they have essentially changed the entire sandbox. The sky has a eerie orange tint to it and the landscape is riddled with undead creatures. Even the birds that fly overhead have been replaced with bats. This alone would be cool, but gameplay and strategy have changed dramatically as well. Ammo in the game becomes a huge concern as the shops you would normally go and purchase these items are all closed (victims of the zombie plague, I suppose). So looting each undead nasty is essential as you might find a bullet or two to help you out. The scarcity of ammunition adds to the tension of each encounter, and in a good way. You’ll need to be a good shot when fighting the zombie hoard, as only a shot to the head will kill these creatures. Multiple shots to the body will only piss them off and slow them down a tad.  Safe-houses are no longer just available for you to purchase, they have to be liberated. Each town you encounter has been overrun by zombies and must be defended.  If you help the few remaining survivors fend off the attack, you get a place to stay; at least for a little while as return attacks can and do happen. 
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“They’re coming to get you, Barbra!

I know I said earlier that Dawn of the Dead is the greatest zombie movie of all time, and I stick by that. But part of me really feels that the original Romero zombie classic lords over them all. It establishes the Romero rules, has an incredibly spooky vibe, and to this day is creepy as hell. And this was in 1968, when this sort of thing normally wasn’t seen in theaters.

For the two of you who haven’t seen Night of the Living Dead, the film focuses on a group of survivors hiding out in an abandoned farmhouse while the walking dead are outside, waiting to feed. The group includes the noble and level-headed Ben, the practically catatonic (and most certainly useless) Barbra, the hot-headed coward Harry, his wife Helen and their daughter Karen, and young lovers Tom and Judy. Somehow, this group of people has to figure out how to not only barricade the windows and doors, but also how to survive each other. And, in what would become a signature trait of Romero’s zombie flicks, surviving each other proves to be more daunting than surviving the zombies.

Despite its status as a classic and revered film, Night of the Living Dead has been treated like a cheap, second-class flick throughout the years. Because it’s in public domain, countless copies of varying (read: shitty) quality abound. It’s been colorized (blasphemy!) and bootlegged to death. Romero even produced a remake a couple decades later. But if you’re interested in picking up a copy of the original (and you should), I highly recommend grabbing the George A. Romero authorized version. Not only has it been completely remastered, but it contains some really nice historical special features. And hey, Romero actually profits off of this version.

Like John Carpenter’s Halloween, the family and I watch Night of the Living Dead every year on Halloween night, it’s that good. So why didn’t I use it as the final entry for SHOCKtober? Well, we’ll also be watching something else this Halloween. Tune in tomorrow to find out what it is.

Yes, the rumors are true. Like that kick ass comic miniseries that just can’t seem to end in four issues, Sunday SHOCK Theater is back for one more evening of thrills, chills, and a shit ton of fun!  And oh do we have a killer flick to end this Halloween night: the HorrorFest classic Zombies of Mass Destruction!.  The title alone shows you just how epic of a film this is.

Port Gamble is a quiet little island town. Like many small towns it is struggling with how life is changing. The classic American small town values are slowly being replaced by political corrrectness. Even the Mayor is on a campaign to get back to Port Gamble’s roots. But this quiet little town is about to receive an even bigger problem: an infestation of zombies! Directed by Kevin Hamedani, Zombies of Mass Destruction is a comedy horror flick akin to the classic Shawn of the Dead. Be prepared for some gruesome effects and a ton of laughs as a small bunch of survivors attempt to defend their small town from a hoard of flesh eating zombies. 

Gather on XBOX Live for Sunday SHOCK Theater at  7:15 PM CST this Halloween night.  The movie will start promptly at 7:30 CST ending just in time for the premier of The Walking Dead on AMC. Those who want to can stick around in Party Chat to watch the premier of this fabulous series!

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the greatest zombie movie of all time. Of this there is no debate. George A. Romero’s 1978 sequel to the classic Night of the Living Dead encapsulates everything great about the genre. There are thousands of undead roaming the streets, the survivors are interesting and engaging, and the setting is nothing short of classic.

Much of the film takes place at the Monroeville Mall in Pennsylvania. But the action begins at two different locations: a television studio that is slowly degenerating from an information source to all-out chaos, and a tenement building where the National Guard is invading in order to clear it of zombies. Two characters from each of these scenes join up and flee in a television news helicopter and eventually wind up seeking refuge at the abandoned mall.

Romero is a master not only of the living dead, but of using the zombie plague as a backdrop for a deeper narrative of social issues and human interaction. The longer the survivors stay holed up in the mall, the more they realize they’re not really living. And when events finally force them to act, shit hits the fan.

Again, this is the greatest zombie movie ever created and one of the greatest horror films of all time. If you’re going to seek it out (which you should), I highly recommend the Dawn of the Dead (Ultimate Edition). It contains multiple cuts of the film and tons of extra features.

It’s a zombie movie, it’s a zombie game, it’s an advertisement for a Kiwi pizza chain. But most of all, it’s awesome!

Below is the first scene of a choose-your-own-adventure zombie flick about a pizza delivery guy trying to deliver a pie to a busty blonde who’s trapped by a horde of zombies. It’s up to you to make the decisions.

Enjoy!

I know we really should stay away from politics on this site, as it never ends well. But I consider this to be less about politics and more a “people watching” exercise.

I think Michelle Bachmann is nuts and despite your views politically, you have to admit she’s said some REALLY fucked up shit over the last few years. Give this girl a spotlight long enough and she’ll tell you the spotlight is made up of the tears of angels and children with utmost sincerity.

This gift of hers has made her the target of a lot of folks and given her Democratic rivals a whole heap of ammunition to use against her. Her latest Democratic challenger, Tarryl Clark has created the site Michelle Bachmann Said WHAT? that pokes fun at the Minnesota’s “favorite” Tea Party idol. The site’s pretty damn funny and even has a soundboard. Always good for a laugh.

What’s even more hilarious is how someone can say all this stuff and STILL manage to win every time she’s up for election. I’m betting even money she’ll be right where she is when this election is over as well. Granted, this site’s purely political in nature, but it’s humorously done and at this point, what’s left?

Make no mistake, this girl’s nuts. And what’s more amusing than that? Eh? Here’s one to tide you over:

I was at PAX East over the weekend and good times were had by all. MC Wilson has some delightful pajamas, and I may or may not have made out with some of the L4D2 crew. Conjecture abounds.

All of that aside, there were a number of games and tabletop insanity going on at the Boston Convention Center. Here’s some stuff I played and what I thought about it:

Shank: If I was going to pick a game of show, I think this might be it. You’ve got knives, guns, a chainsaw, and some grenades. Your goal is to make a whole bunch of dudes real real dead. That’s pretty much all you need to know going into the game. The combo system is surprisingly deep, and I really hope the game gives you an opportunity to master it. Also, chainsawing dudes is really, really fun.

Breach: Ok, let’s just pretend that the ten minute speech about how this game is “real warfare” didn’t happen. Breach is a team-based multiplayer shooter with persistent experience rewards, fully splodable environments, and some pretty environments. It’s also coming to XBLA for $15. For that price I’ll definitely go for a moderny 1943.

Monday Night Combat: Hey, remember DOTA (Defense of the Ancients)? What if it had a love child with Unreal Tournament? You’d get this thing. Playtime was limited for me, but it looks like something that I’d enjoy. It has a fantastic cartoony feel and plays crazy arcadey. I’ll be interested to see more stuff about this.

You people are awesome. And by “you people”, I obviously mean the Jews our listeners. Take MSI Magus, for example. Not only did he donate the prize for the new contest (two copies of Nation Red, downloaded from Steam), but he also sent in a review of the game in order to give you a better idea of what the game is all about. And, without further ado, here it is.

Article by: MSI Magus

It seems that the market has been flooded with Zombie games recently. Off the top of my head, we have Plants Vs Zombies, World at Wars- Zombie mode, Zombie Apocalypse, Left 4 Dead (1 and 2), Zombie Driver, Zombie Bowling… You get the idea. With so many zombie games, people might see Nation Red and think, “Who needs another one of thes?” I would argue though that Nation Red is not just another cheap zombie cash in, but a great classic arcade style survival game from a developer who is actively communicating and listening to their fan base.

Nation Red sets you, as a soldier, in a zombie wasteland with the only goal being to survive and score huge points in the process. Think of it as Robotron X or Geometry Wars, but with zombies! The game controls via the keyboard and mouse, or with a dual-stick controller (your 360 controller being an option). The mouse/keyboard combo allows a little better accuracy with your shooting over the twin stick controls, with the trade off being the controller makes it much easier to use the barrel roll dodge. This is a trade off I’ll gladly taken given how important avoiding the mass of zombies will be!

One of the main things that makes Nation Red so fun and sets it apart from the flood of zombie and twin stick games on the market is its perks and item drops. As you kill zombies in most of the game modes, you will gain levels that grant you various perks. The simple ones give basic effects such as increased damage, attack speed or armor. Some perks, though, can majorly effect the way you play granting things like the ability to teleport or setting all zombies near you on fire. The zombies you kill, aside from giving experience, have a chance to drop new weapons, such as machetes, uzis, shotguns, and even some rather cool and unique weapons like the steam/nail guns. Zombies can also drop power ups from time to time that will last for a few seconds, giving benefits like a sentry gun that mows down enemies, grants invisibility, or inserts a doppelganger that fights with you, or double experience. All in all, there are dozens of perks, weapons and power ups that keep the game fresh.

There are several different modes you can play, most of which I find a blast. (more…)

TomLovesBacon over on the Twitters sent us this. Thought it was worthy enough to share on a Friday.