MPZ: the official obligatory blog bit

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2010-04-26T16:54:00.001+01:00

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The End...

2010-03-27T15:54:00.000Z

In case anybody still checks this page, this will be the last post to this particular blog. I may start blogging again in some form in the future, but whether I do or not, you can see what I'm up on the main Monkey Pirate Zombie site, where I am still posting animations, comics and the like. So long blog readers it's been a blast!

New Blog coming....

2009-08-27T22:05:00.002+01:00

Yup, I'm going to be relaunching this blog soon in a new format. I've got other MPZ things to do before I do that, but watch this space (and the main news page) for updates. It may continue to be here or move elsewhere, but either way I'll keep you up to date.TTFN

Time for Change??

2009-06-16T17:23:00.002+01:00

This blog is just about to turn 3 years old. Somewhere along the way it morphed into it's current form whereby I blog pretty much anything that interests me. mainly for my own amusement. However I have begun to wonder if it wouldn't be more fitting if I were to change the way I do things. I am planning on making it more relevant to the site as a whole- blogging about the animations/games/comics I am working on and sharing some artwork. there will still be room for my random interests occasionally but not as the main focus. This is where you come in. I'm putting it up to the vote, and if enough people care enough about the old format, and would miss it, then I will drop my plan to change it. So pick an option and vote! Multiple votes will be kicked in the special place.

State of Play at E3 part three: It's-a-him

2009-06-04T20:46:00.003+01:00

So the final part of my E3 2009 round-up brings me to the conference of my game's company of choice, Nintendo. Last year's confrerence was a PR disaster for the big N as many of the company's 'core' fanbase felt left out in favour of the "expanded audience". Which was a bit of a cock-up as they are the only people who actually will be watching the E3 coverage. But fair play to Ninty they admitted their mistake and apologised. This year was a different story.

It might have not seemed so when they unveiled the 'vitality sensor' and Wii Fit Plus, but some major core games were shown too. Firstly Super Mario Galaxy 2 was announced. It looks simply fantastic, and is the first time a 3d Mario Game has recieved a sequel on a single system and will add Mario's beloved dino pal Yoshi to the mix. Frankly as SMG is my favourite game there needn't have been any other news. They could've just showed the trailer for Galaxy 2 and left the stage and I would've been happy. But No! They just kept on giving. Metroid Other M is a continuation of the classic Metriod series that returns it's to it's roots and away from first person shooters such as Metroid Prime. It's being made by Team Ninja the acclaimed developers of the Dead Or Alive and Ninja gaiden series. A new Wii Zelda was announced behind closed doors too- no footage was available but it's hoping to be released next year but I wouldn't be surprised if it gets delayed.

But wait... another game featuring Mario was unveiled. And unlike SMG2 this one will be released in 2009. It's not a sports game or spin-off but a real true proper Mario Game. Not a 3d one but a true original old school 2d platformer only with shiny modern graphics to go with the classic gameplay. With up to 4 players at once. For an old school Nintendo fan like me who mourns the demise of the 2d platformer this is like a dream come true. New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the game I've been waiting for...and it's coming out this Christmas!

State of Play at E3 part TWO: Sony but so far

2009-06-03T21:11:00.002+01:00

Sony really surprised everyone (note: sarcasm mode engaged) with the announcement that PlayStation 3 is to get a Wiimote like motion controller. Unlike Microsoft's Natal however it doesn't seem to have anything to distinguish it from it's competitors- at least nothing that's been unveiled yet. Maybe Sony is keeping that under it's hat for now. However it really can't help but seem like a very 'me too' addition and seemed to be tacked on to their conference as a bit of an afterthought. Sony's big hardware announcement was the remodelled third generation PSP (PSP Go!), a very badly kept secret (it leaked days before E3) that drops the UMD drive and really doesn't seem to make me any more keen to get one to be honest. It's the lack of decent games that's the PSP's big problem not the design of the machine itself.

Speaking of games the PSP is getting a new Metal Gear game plus a portable Gran Turismo that may go someway to improving the handheld's library, but the PS3 has a couple of exclusives worth mentioning too. I loved Uncharted: Drake's fortune and find it to be one of the best PS3 games I've played, so it's good to hear that Uncharted 2 was shown off at E3, even though it was already announced. Completely new however is the interesting sounding (if unimaginatively monikored) Agent made by the bods behind GTAIV- Rockstar North. It's someway off but promises to give you a chance to be a super secret agent in a 70's setting. Could be ace.

Next time: Nintendo!

State of Play at E3 part one: Post Natal

2009-06-02T21:46:00.004+01:00

It's that time of year again, the E3 when all the players in the videogame ...er.. game gather to show off their wares and we the fans get to see what games will be released in the future. And so I will be breaking my extended Blogging break (sorry about that) to write a series of posts about the big news from LA. First up is the 'shock' announcement from Microsoft....

OK so It was pretty much inevitable when Microsoft showed off their Natal motion controller. The video showed will be familiar to anybody who's seen any of Nintendo's Wii ads, this is a pretty blatant declaration of War on the big N. Which seeing as the Wii makes more money than God is understandable from a business point of view. Doesn't mean I have to like it. I'd also balk an calling this 'innovative' as it's essentially a combination of the Wiimote and Sony's Eyetoy. I can't see the 360 Hardcore's taking to it, but it all depends on the software support it has. As of now the video didn't win me over but I will reserve judgement until we've had a chance to see what it has to offer. The real question is will it be able to tempt the New expanded audience away from Nintendo? I don't know, but as a self confessed Ninty fanboy I have to say I hope not.

Coming up next: Sony and Nintendo's slate plus other big game news

Wildly Anticipated

2009-03-23T20:54:00.003Z

More info is finally leaking onto the interwebs about Spike Jonze's forthcoming adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. It seems to have been in development forever, and there have been concerns that Jonze has had to fight the studio to be able to get his particular vision on the screen. Adapting a much loved book is always going to be tricky ( and WTWTA is one of the most perfectly crafted Children's books of all time, part of the childhood's of generaion after generation) let alone one that consists of less text than the average cereal packet. However I always felt if anyone could pull it off, it was Spike Jonze. Check out these pictures that appeared on Slashfilm, and I suspect you'll agree with me. It looks as if it could be something akin to a live-action My Neighbour Totoro, and believe me my friends, praise doens't come higher than that. Can't wait!

I watched the Watchmen

2009-03-14T11:56:00.004Z

So, Watchmen came out, opened big but then negative word-of-mouth seemed to set in and caused a big drop-off and that's likely to be even bigger on the second weekend. It seems largely that the mainstream audience(non-fans of the book) hate it but fans of the source material are divided. Some love it, some hate it but everyone seems to have an opinion.

As for me? Normally I emerge from a cinema, blinking into the light my opinion fully formed- I will turn to my viewing companion and declare "that was awesome!"", "that was awful" or "that was OK". After Watchmen, I just didn't know. Both the 'for' and 'against' columns had plenty of entries. For everything that was done really well, another thing really annoyed me. A real blend of the 'ace' and the 'arse' Now, having had time to mull it over and hear the opinions of others, I have come to realize that the things that i enjoyed generally come directly from the source material, whereas the things I hated were largely down to Snyder- the way he directs violence really rubs me the wrong way.

At the end of the day though it was far from the disaster I feared. The film is a genuine love-letter to the book, and many of the little details are just perfect. It is one of the most faithful adaptations of any material ever, arguably to the point where it's impenetrable to those unfamiliar with the material. It's made by a director with all the subtlety of a breeze block, but you can't fault him for commitment. When it's released on DVD (and shiny shiny Blu-ray) I'll watch it again and maybe I'll be able to forgive the things that annoyed me so much.

For the curious here's a (completely inexhaustive ) round up of the good and the bad (in my opinion)
Ace: set designs, the performances of Rorschach, Night Owl, the Comedian and Dr Manhattan, most of the soundtrack, the opening titles, the effects (mostly), all the little references for the fans

Arse: the action, the slow-mo, the new ending, the performances of Ozymandias, the guy who plays Nixon and most of the bit-parts, Ozy's pet cat-thing, the virtually pornographic depiction of violence, the rest of the soundtrack and that sex scene.

Will I watch Watchmen?

2009-02-26T22:39:00.003Z

I'm so conflicted about the upcoming release of Watchmen. A lot of movie fans online are reacting like it's the second coming (the first presumably being The Dark Knight) but I'm not so sure. I wasn't eagerly anticipating it as I had never read the graphic novel and I hate the previous films of the Director Zak Snyder (300 and the Dawn Of The Dead remake). I've now read the comic, and it is indeed very good and if you watch the trailer having read the book it's undoubtedly very impressive. However I'm a long way from convinced that Snyder can direct a film with such an intricate plot and so much dialogue. Not only that but if the action is too 300-style with over use of slow-mo and other annoying techniques, then I will be annoyed. Some early word has suggested it's actually too faithful to the book.

Then again that trailer does look deeply cool. So, Mr Snyder I am prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt. Whether I can bring myself to risk seeing it at the cinema remains to be seen.

State of Play: Game on through the crisis

2009-02-22T22:08:00.002Z

Despite the current Global Recession (or as the UK media would have it the much less worrying-sounding Credit Crunch) 2008 was still the biggest year ever for the video games industry. Propelled by the ongoing success of Nintendo worldwide the market has continued to expand. Companies may be going bust left and right and people are losing their jobs but it seems to be salad days for gaming markets as people look fore entertainment to escape the gloom. Or more accurately it's good times for some in the gaming industry- for while Xbox 360 had it's best year to date and Wii and DS have sold in ridiculous amounts, sales fell across the board for all PlayStation formats (PS2, PS3 and PSP), and gaming behemoth EA posted massive losses. The UK has now officially overtaken Japan to become the second biggest gaming market in the world and more than 50% of total software sold last year was on a Nintendo format. How the tables have turned.

On a purely personal level the most satisfying statistic among those that have been released about last year is that after all the massive hype about the enormous sales Grand Theft Auto IV racked up (described as 'the biggest entertainment launch ever' by several sources) the biggest selling game of last year was.... er Mario Kart Wii. Sales of GTA were very impressive but Mario won. Not only was Kart my personal fave of the year but I also find something reassuring that more people would rather take to the track with the plucky plumber than nick a car and shoot a prostitute. Or maybe I'm just going soft

There are no Crimes behind enemy lines

2009-02-12T12:17:00.005Z

Fans of Quentin Tarantino, prepare to soil yourselves. For the day has arrived- the teaser trailer for Inglorious Basterds QT's much-talked up WWII movie- is here. And it is aweeeeesome. Most eagerly awaited live-action film of 2009 hands down.

Watch it here

2009-02-10T15:36:00.002Z

Please note: Normally I keep the blog and the news section of the site seperate, but I'm making an exception as this might be of interest to both sets of readers- so this appears reproduced from the news page.

Waaaay back in 2005, I produced Trailer Trash IV, a little piece called Sense and Sensibility and Zombies- combining period drama with zombie movie at last. Fast forward to today when I learn (via Slashfilm) that a book called Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is to be released in April and that Hollywood producers are allegedly fighting for the rights. It's probably unlikely that the author of the mash up book has ever seen my animation or ever heard of monkey pirate zombie (the Internet is an awful big place) but it does seem like a pretty big coincidence. Even if I did think it was a rip-off there wouldn't really be anything much I could do about it, so I'm justgoing to have to assume it's a big ol' coincidence. And it would make an awesome movie. However I'll be watching out. If this guy's next project is Leprocop, there will be trouble!

Dod gud.

2009-01-25T22:13:00.003Z

I love zombies, obviously. You should know that by now. So naturally I am looking forward to Dead Snow (aka 'DOD SNO') the first zombie movie that I know of to hail from....um... Norway. two words for you; Zombie Nazis. If you're not sold instantly, there's no hope for you. Even though the English trailer reveals these are running zombies ( a pet peeve of the true Zombie enthusiast) my enthusiasm cannot be dampened. The tagline? "Ein.... Zwei.... Die!" Pure genius. Cannot wait.

Ha ha ha ha ha....

2009-01-22T17:18:00.003Z

...Ha Ha ha de ha!!! This is the sound of my laughing at all the fanboys crying into their Batman mouse mats because The Dark Knight didn't get nominated for best Picture at the Oscars. Well duh. I enjoyed the film, don't get me wrong. I thought it was awesome first time I saw it, admittedly the impact decreased on the second viewing. However some people seriously overreacted to the film. Anytime anybody dare criticise it, they were shot down in flames. Anyone who spoke out was accused of just doing it to try and stand out.

So basically people- relax and just get over it. You've got the film you wanted and be happy with that. It's already made a fortune and mainly positive records. But some people just quite like it, and that's OK. Hell- some people don't like it at all. That's their opinion. It doesn't make them wrong. Now it's time to move on. Look to the films of the future and enjoy speculating about (the inevitable) Batman 3 (then probably bitch about it when it comes out).

More to the point, I never thought it would get nominated. at the end of the day it's a comic book movie. And there's nothing wrong with that, but it's not the kind of film that wins Oscars. Anyone who thinks it should be rewarded simply because it broke box office records is also missing the point. The people who are now claiming that "The Oscars are over!" following this 'snub' are probably the kind of people who wouldn't be interested normally anyway. So when the results don't match their personal views, they have a tantrum. Well news flash- all awards are based on the opinions of others. And sometimes they won't match your own. That's the way it is. Anyway... everyone knows Wall-E should have been up for best picture. And that's not my opinion. That's a FACT!

Full list of nominations here

on the seventh day... he kicked ass some more

2009-01-14T22:18:00.003Z

After a year and a half off our screens (not counting the TV movie Exile) 24 has finally returned this week. The sixth season was such a disappointment even the show creators admitted it was balls (admittedly not in so many words) and promised to do better next time. Add to this that the writer's strike and Keither Sutherland's real-life spell behind bars have bought them plenty of time to improve and suffice to say expectations for a return to form were high.

The first episodes have now aired, and while it's far too early to say if the Seventh day will be worthy the first two hours (which screened on UK channel Sky One on Monday the 12th) were promising. Even if the show's shocking big reveal was spoilt in the trailer we saw more than a year ago. It may not have been the best opening the show has had but it provided the requisite thrills and spills and it wasn't long before Jack Bauer was displaying his trademark badassery. Welcome back, Jack, we've missed you...

2008-12-16T22:11:00.002Z

I was really saddened to hear of the death last week of Oliver Postgate, one of the most legendary figures in British animation. For anybody who grew up in this country in the seventies or eighties, the classic show that Postgate co-created with collaborator and friend Peter Firmin are likely one of their most treasured memories. They made just thirteen episodes of Bagpuss (old saggy cloth cat-puss) back in the seventies, yet they seemed to be permanently on TV at least into the late Eighties when I would have got the chance to see it. Years later it is regularly voted the most loved Children's programme in polls, and is still available on DVD and showing on satellite TV. If you don't know Postgate's work, or even if you do, you can see some of his finest moments here or here

Bagpuss has a really personal resonance with me, even to this day. Lovingly hand-made in a shed only a few miles form where I live, I even got a visit from the real Bagpuss at my primary school (sadly I can't remember if it was Postgate or Firmin who visited with him, seeing as I was just a nipper at the time). Today the original old Cloth cat has a permanent home at the local museum in my hometown. However the loss was felt all over the country by many different people, and I've heard tributes from as different sources as animator Nick Park and Screenwipe host Charlie Brooker. Rest in Piece Mr Postgate, you'll be sorely missed.

Wii is 2.

2008-12-08T19:05:00.003Z

This week marks the second anniversary of the Nintendo Wii launching in Europe, and what a couple of years the little white box has had. Even the most hardened Nintendo fanboy would have to admit it hasn't all been plain sailing. The console boasts a modest library of classic titles but there aren't enough, and at times it can seem that the majority of games for it are shoddy, badly presented mini-game cash-ins. However I've had more fun with my Wii than with any other system I can remember. It's worth baring in mind that the reason there's so much crap on it is because it's been such as success at expanding the audience.I'm sick of so-called hardcore gamers who criticise the Wii and DS as being for 'girls, kids and grannies', when that's just part of the audience- they are trying to appeal to everybody. Anybody who likes to call themselves a 'true gamer' should be pleased that the audience is expanding and that more people are playing games. Maybe the games they enjoy are not the same as what you do, but why begrudge them that? There's enough games for everybody. And who knows, having played Brain Training and Wii Sports, maybe they'll graduate to more 'gamey' games later. Personally I don't care whether games are casual or 'proper' games- as long as they're fun. The Wii's future looks bright- it looks likely to sell out again this Christmas, (the third in a row) and all without ever having a price cut. Not so long ago Ninty's stratergy was seen by many as crazy, now here we are with them outselling the competition (Put together!) and with Microsoft desperately trying to grab a bit of the casual market. What a difference two years can make.

ice ice baby....

2008-11-23T17:31:00.003Z

Regardless of what you think of the finished films (and I enjoy them personally) you'd have to be missing some vital organs not to enjoy the teaser trailers for the Ice Age movies. Featuring the lovable and unlucky saber-tooth squirrel Scrat, the trailers stand alone as animated shorts that bring to mind the classic Chuck Jones old school of animation. My point here being that the Ice Age 3 trailer is now online, and you should watch it. It's a hoot. Link

toon times

2008-11-17T19:26:00.002Z

If you wanted proof of how animation is becoming more important in Hollywood, then you might look to the number of live-action directors are getting involved. Last week John Boorman, best known for directing Deliverance released information on his first foray into the medium, a new CG adaptation of the Wizard Of Oz. It's occurred to me before that an animated version of that particular book could work, so I'm looking forward to finding out more. It's going to be more faithful to the book than the old musical version and the concept art is just gorgeous, so consider me thoroughly interested.

Meanwhile, Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy 2 director Guillermo Del Toro will be writing and producing a dark stop-motion take on Pinocchio (he'll be too busy with the Hobbit to direct) and Danny Boyle (28 Days Later director) has just co-founded an animation studio named Treat studios. It's certainly an interesting time to be an animation fan.

Panda Power

2008-11-16T18:08:00.002Z

The general noise from critics about Kung-Fu Panda was that it was surprisingly good. Personally I was won over as soon as I heard the title, but then I am basically an overgrown kid. I finally got to see it this week (on beautiful shiny Blu-ray) and I loved it. Unless something unexpected happens, I expect it to battle Wall-E for the best animated film Oscar next year (and most probably lose). Gorgeous as it looks though, my favourite thing about it is the beautifully stylish 2d animated segments that open and close the film. I personally could have watched a whole film like that, but unfortunately that would have been too risky a prospect for the studio. Thank god Pixar have insisted that Disney bring back 2d animations. Maybe if they succeed, it will see other studios following.

Everybody loves a bit of Bondage.

2008-11-05T22:13:00.002Z

The new James Bond flick Quantum Of Solace opened first here in the UK last Friday, so I've seen it before the majority of my readers (who hail mainly from the US of A) will have had a chance to. You've likely seen the trailer and I can confirm that despite some indifference form the critics, this movie kicks substantial amounts of arse. Daniel Craig has now completely made the role his own, easily putting him up with Connery as the best of the Bonds to date. What makes the new rebooted Bonds even more interesting is how they balance the classic elements you expect from Bond while bringing it up to date and making it more relevant. Basically, I recommend QOS without hesitation- it's quite ridiculously exciting and I can't wait to watch it again.

I'm clearly not the only one who thinks so because Quantum broke all box-office records here in the UK, scooping the highest ever opening day on Friday with a massive £4 million (about $8 million US). Bond is obviously a British icon and 007 fever has swept the nation. Just as an interesting comparison it has made almost as much* as High School Musical 3 already despite having been out half the time and HSM being a big hit with the kiddies. It'll be interesting to see how it fares when is opens Stateside in a couple of weeks.

* This is only going on the weekend-so it may have surpassed it by now!

Dead Good.

2008-11-01T22:42:00.002Z

As you may have guessed I am quite a fan of zombie movies, so when a new zombie flick comes out, I'll always at least give it a look. However I'm pretty sure that Dead Set is the first time that the undead have had their own TV series. Mind you, at four half-hour shows and and extended opener it's pretty much a slightly long movie cut into chunks. It's got a killer hook- zombies meet Big Brother, and is written by the hilarious Charlie Brooker, best known for his Screen Burn column in the Guardian Guide. However it's not a spoof, but a full blooded horror, albeit one with a strong satirical edge and excellent writing. It's proper scary and probably the most violent thing I've seen made for TV. The Big Brother angle is smart (the house being an ideal location for a traditional zombie siege) and being made by Channel 4 enabled it to use the actual Big Brother house, and feature cameos from the presenter and some former housemates. As a card-carrying Big Brother hater, the chance to see BB contestants eaten by Zombies was a chance not to be missed. I was even able to forgive the fact the zombies were the modern 'running' kind, so well was it pulled off. There's a cute and spunky female lead too I urge zombie and horror fans to check it out- you should be able to find it on e4's website- or it's coming out soon on DVD

Trailer here:

Hulu phooey

2008-10-04T10:39:00.002+01:00

Online TV is really taking off, so traditional broadcasters have to adapt or face being left behind. Now it finally seems most broadcasters are getting on board. I'd heard a lot of mention of the site Hulu, but didn't know anything about it, so decided to finally see for myself this week. And? There's a real wealth of the latest TV out there, available free and legally at the click of a mouse. And I can't see any of it. You see, Hulu is not available to visitors outside the U.S. Which is a bummer. Still, it's swings and roundabouts- only those of us in the UK have access to the BBC's awesome iplayer which has the advantage over most of it's rivals in that it allows you to download it's programmes as well as stream them online. With a bit of luck though Hulu (or an equivilent service) will be available in my part of the world before too long.

[...and no, I'm not going to link to Hulu! Not til they get their finger out and make it available internationally. So there!]

2008-09-25T19:37:00.002+01:00

Fear(s) of The Dark is an animated anthology based around a horror theme, that has come out of nowhere to suddenly be one of my most eagerly awaited movies of the rest of the year. It's due a UK cinema release in the next couple of weeks, but probably on a very limited release, so it may not come anywhere near me. Fear(s) consists of a number of sequences animated by different directors in different styles, and it looks ace. I like anthologies, and it's really refreshing to see a non-anime animation for adults that isn't a comedy. Thanks to more than a decade of The Simpsons, South Park and other shows, I think that only the really closed-minded still believes that animation is a medium only for children, but the idea that animation can tackle more than the funny? It's an area where the Japanese are streets ahead, but here in the west (or more accurately the English speaking world) this is the next barrier for art of animation to overcome.

You can see the trailer for Fear(s)..... here

We've been expecting you Meester Bond..

2008-09-11T22:42:00.002+01:00

The proper Trailer for the new Bond film Quantum of Solace has been released on the interwebs, and very exciting it is too. Casino Royale was ace, and Daniel Craig more than proved his doubters wrong, probably being the most convincingly hard 007 to date. I was looking forward to it before, but it's such a kick-arse trailer I now can't wait. See what you think here. While you're at it, why not check out this video of what surely has to be adopted the offical theme song for the flick?

In other news, this blog now matches the rest of the site and has had a shiny makeover. Let me know what you think guys and guyesses.

anime central RIP

2008-08-29T22:17:00.002+01:00

Last year I was please to see the UK get it's first dedicated anime channel, Anime Central. It wasn't run in the ideal way (six shows running a new episode each night, repeated 3 times from 9pm) and it was easy to lose track if you missed an episode, but the thought of having a source of free anime I might never have seen otherwise was an enticing one. They showed some awesome shows too- though the best of the lineup were Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell, two series i already own on DVD. However some months ago it became clear the channel was dying a slow and protracted death. New shows failed to appear, and the channel simply repeated Bebop and GITS on loop (apparently the only shows they still have the licence to) every frickin' night for months on end, until this week AC was finally replaced by 'True Entertainment' a channel that mixes music chart shows, horrible sounding 'true story' TV movies and (naturally) yet more repeats of those esme two anime shows. So what killed AC? Mainly it was probably down to a lack of viewers, which is understandable as how many people could've still been watching the same two shows loop seemingly into infinity? Some blame must lie with Anime fans though who bitch about there being no anime on UK TV but then didn't watch it when it was available- either because it showed dubbed or because they already downloaded it (illegally) months or even years ago. Ah, well it was good while it lasted, for a few months anyhow....

Something's different....

2008-08-20T18:23:00.003+01:00

Yes the blog is looking subtly different today. This is not a new look but an in between stage. As I reported on the main site recently I am fiddling around doing some redesigning that will end up with a whole new look, for the whole site. By the way the blog will get a whole facelift so the way it's looking today is no indicator of how it will look when the new MPZ launches!

Spooks club 7

2008-08-12T16:42:00.003+01:00

Spooks is one of the most exciting British TV shows or recent years. Last year's series of the spy drama was one of the year's highlights. So when the BBC announced a gritty hardedged spin-off Rouge Spooks was being developed for digital channel BBC3, my interest was piqued. Somewhere along the line they had a rethink, retitled it Spooks: Code 9, which is the form it finally hit screens in last week. The advert had me worried- it looked like it had been retooled to fit BBC3's 'yoof' demographic into a kind of 'Spooks meet Hollyoaks'. I decided to reserve judgment til I saw the finished result but now I have. How did it turn out? My God, it's horrible. Basically they've used a near future setting to give an excuse for why all the agent in MI5 are now all seeming under the age of 30 ( most of the previous agents were killed in a terrorist attack), which I suppose is a fairly interesting idea. However the show's a mess- the performances are universally awful (hollyoaks level in fact) the script's embarrassing. The attempts to make it young fresh and hip are painful. Thankfully there's only six episodes in the run, so hopefully we can just pretend it never happened, for everybody's sake.

For the sake of our international readers-who may not know what Hollyoaks is- just take comfort in the fact you're better off that way. Seriously, just trust me.

Monkey Magic

2008-07-28T15:10:00.005+01:00

The BBC has started advertising it's coverage of the Beijing Olympics that starts in a few weeks. I know before anyone says something- sport isn't something that gets much of a mention in this blog- (quite rightly!) but I'm only mentioning the ad because of the form it takes. For anyone who hasn't seen it- it's an animation and a smart one at that- and one involving monkeys. Brilliantly it's based on the Chinese Monkey King legend (a.k.a. Journey To The West) that's best known as the inspiration for a couple of Japanese series Dragonball and the 70's cheesefest live action series aired in the UK as Monkey. It also has a visual style reminiscent of Gorillaz/Blur front man Damon Albarn's Monkey Opera. Most of this will go over the head of most of the mainstream audience, but it's cool that they've produced something that will bring a smile to the face of those in the know.

Check out the ad here

EDIT// Um ....yeah it turns out Mr Albarn and his Gorillaz cohort, comic artist and Tank girl creator Jamie Hewlett are actually the creators of this ad- which explains the similarity. I didn't know that when I originally posted but of course it seems kinda obvious with hindsight :-) There's an interview with the guys in UK Tv listings mag Radio Times, complete with four collectible covers designed by the genius Hewitt.

The Master of animation returns..... and no I don't mean me!

2008-07-24T22:45:00.003+01:00

I was surprised to find out the new film by animation Master, Hayao Miyazaki has just been released in Japan. I knew it was coming, but I hadn't realised it would be so soon. Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea is the latest production from the Spirited Away director has unsurprisingly opened an number 1 in the box office charts. Now it has been released it has instantly become my most wanted film and I am impatiently awaiting the release of the English language version of the film. Even though I know next to nothing about it- I haven't seen a clip or more than about two pictures from the movie. But Miyazaki made it- so it will be excellent, of this there can be no doubt!

2008-07-18T23:10:00.003+01:00

If you're UK based (or otherwise have access to UK channel BBC2) then I recommend making time to watch the excellent 3 part documentary Comics Britannia. Taking a look at the often overlooked history of British comics, it's a must for any fan of the art of comics. It was previously aired on BBC4, but it gets a terrestial airing starting this Saturday at 9.30pm on BBC2 (and presumably continuing for the next three weeks). If you miss is then it should be available on the iplayer for the week after each episode airs.

2008-07-17T15:13:00.002+01:00

This week is the E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) confrence in L.A., where all the video games companies traditionally show off all their future releases and make announcements, although recently the event has become much less of a big deal. Nintendo have been facing some criticism from the specialist games media for a conference that leaned heavily towards the casual or mainstream games (including Wii Music and a Wii Sports sequel). Some have felt they neglected their hardcore fans. Criticising them for releasing mainstream games is daft- they have proved have very successful and opened up the gaming market to a much wider audience. And the likes of Wii Sports appeal to practically everyone (if you think "not me sir!" then you've probably never tried it!). There have been a few tidbits of info for the hardcore though- and these should be enough to temper any sense of disappointment. New games for Wii are in development in the Mario and Zelda series, as well as a long awaited third installment in the Pikmin series that started on Gamecube. There may have been nothing to show at the show but Nintendo often don't show games until their near completion- unlike certain competitors who have been know to mock-up footage for such events. The most unexpected announcement though? Grand Theft Auto is coming to the DS. Hands up who saw that one coming?

2008-06-29T15:21:00.002+01:00

The two-part series finale of Doctor Who is always a guaranteed televisual treat, but this year they certainly seem to have outdone themselves. Some people have felt the current run took a while to pick up, but the last five or so shows have been steadily increasing in quality, culminating with episode 11, Turn Left, one of the smartest, best episodes ever (despite hardly featuring The Doctor himself). Last night's* episode 12 though was on a whole another level, ranking as about the best 45 minutes of TV I've seen so far this year. Brilliantly for fans it featured pretty much every contemporary character from the show's recent history (including characters from adult spin-off Torchwood) and showed a scale and ambition unheard of in British TV. Somewhere along the line the effects in Doctor Who have got good, and the effects shown last night rivalled a Hollywood blockbuster (and I never thought I'd say that). I'm still in shock however from the cliffhanger ending (which I won't spoil for anyone who wants to watch it but hasn't yet) which is either the best kept secret in sci-fi or possibly a spectacular cheat. I actually hope it's the latter, but i can't say why without going into spoiler territory. I can't wait for the resolution, but sadly I won't be around to watch it live next Saturday, so I'm going to have to wait even longer, dammit!

*this was the transmission date for UK only. It should be on the Sci-Fi Channel in the USA within the next few weeks I believe.

2008-06-27T13:01:00.003+01:00

George Romero, the director of the classic Dead trilogy (and the not classic but fun Land Of the Dead) has returned with a new zombie film that is arriving on Region 2 DVD (and shiny Blu-ray) this week. As a zombie fan, I had to check it out. Not a sequel to the earlier films (despite the name), this one goes back to the beginning of the Zombie Apocalypse (the sequels to Night Of The Living Dead all take place some time after the event) but shows in through the eyes (well cameras) of some film students- yep it's a zombie flick Cloverfield style (although they were almost certainly in development at the same time, so it's no rip-off). Much as it pains me to say so, unfortunately George Romero's Diary Of the Dead is a dud. Yes dear reader, it fails in almost every respect- the acting is awful, the 'scares' aren't scary, and while it's interesting seeing the Don Of The Dead trying to keep things fresh, the overall effect is like watching your Dad dance at a wedding*. It would be a great shame if this proved to be his last Dead film. Here's hoping he'll make at least one more that will be able to stand up next to the classics. But based on the evidence here, I'm not holding my breath.

*not my dad, your dad

2008-06-14T19:54:00.003+01:00

It's not fashionable to like M. Night Shyamalan. Pretty much from Unbreakable on, it's been the done thing for crtics and audiences alike to call him a one-trick pony, complain about his love of twist-endings and mock him for his apparent arrogance. But while he does seem to be rather full of himself (and he needs to stop writing himself roles into his films) I have to say that I've always rated his films. The Sixth Sense is a classic, Unbreakable is underrated, and despite being flawed I was still impressed by Signs and The Village. I am even one of only about seven people on earth who actually rate Lady In The Water. So I'm pretty eager to see his new flick The Happening which is now in cinemas. It'll probably flop, as most people seem to have made up their mind before seeing it (or even knowing anything about it) but I saw the 'Red Band' (uncut) Trailer today and to be honest it creeped me out. When a trailer makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up ( and only a trailer!) then it promises a pretty spooky film. It's just a shame most people probably won't even give it a second look.

EDIT// Upon watching the film, I TAKE IT ALL BACK! This film is a masterpiece.... OF SUCK! Avoid it like the plague!

2008-06-12T20:47:00.002+01:00

Strangely there's a campaign online to save Joss Whedon's new TV series Dollhouse. Nothing unusual there you might think, except that the show hasn't even aired yet. So the idea the show has fans in the first place might seem a little daft- how do they know if they like it? Basically to explain- Joss Whedon's last few shows- Buffy, Angel and the under appreciated Firefly got axed (as have many decent cult shows) by ratings-obsessed US network bosses, so some of Whedon's fans have assumed the worse and that the same thing will happen to his new show- and that it'll be worth saving- so some bright spark came up with the idea of starting the campaign preemptively- before a single episode has even aired. Now that's what you call a dedicated cult following!

Check out the trailer here (and it does look pretty awesome!)

2008-06-03T17:08:00.003+01:00

Film buffs and collectors the world over are like asking themselves the same question. Now the pesky High Definition Format War is over, is it time to upgrade to Blu-ray? For most people it's probably worth waiting a little longer. For starters, if you don't have an HD compatible TV there's no point, as you wont be able to watch films in HD anyway. If it's time to get a new TV then it's worth getting one with HD compatibility, but if you don't have one already then buying a new set, as well as a Blu-ray player is going to set you back loads of money. Which brings me to the next point- you won't find many BR players below £250, meaning that the most economical way of getting Blu-ray is currently to get a PS3 (as it's a similar price, and also lets you play the latest games). The discs are mightily expensive too, whereas DVD's have really gone down in price. BR players play DVD's too (and up scaled on HDTV's making them look better than ever), so there's no real need to rebuy your collection (unless you're a real film geek who has to have the best of everything). In time, both hardware and discs will go down in price, so the sensible option is really to wait. But then again, they do look awesome. Watching something like Sweeney Todd in HD is fantastic and you really can see the difference. So should you upgrade yet? Common sense would say probably not. But my inner Film Geek and Gadget Freak would say... "Hell yeah!" It's completely unnecessary, but boy is it pretty!

2008-05-31T22:48:00.002+01:00

So I've finally played the most hyped game of the year (possibly ever) the somewhat eagerly anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV. Coming off of lots of declarations that it's 'The best Game Ever', and lots of perfect review scores. it had quite a lot to live up to. And my verdict? Meh.

I know it's controversial, but I was distinctly underwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, it's not terrible. It's technically a marvel what they've achieved (although graphically it's not top of the pile) but it's not such a giant step up from GTA III, more of a evolution. Running amok in Liberty City will always be worth a giggle, but Best Game Ever? Hardly. Perfect scores? There's far too many niggling annoyances and there's a humongous list of classic games I'd rate higher. Think I'll stick to Super Mario Galaxy thanks. But I certainly do have to say- the little TV shows and radio ads you get to watch in the game? Genuinely very funny. So you know, I can be nice about it. But sheesh talk about Hype getting out of hand!

2008-05-22T15:56:00.005+01:00

I've never been keen on the practice of remaking British shows for the US market (it's not like there's a language issue, well not much of one anyway). It might be fine to export formats like Pop Idol (yeah, sorry American Idol is kind of our fault) Who wants to be a millionaire?, or The Weakest Link, but remaking comedies of dramas rather than just showing the originals always seems as insult. Not only to the original show, but in the assumption American audiences can't accept something not homegrown- blatantly not true if you consider how many of the recent hit movie franchises- Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings, Pirates etc- have largely British casts and a distinctly Anglo flavour. The remake of The Office is the only success so far. Despite that, I'd remained curious about the US version of the wondrous Life On Mars, thinking that it might be enjoyable on it's own terms. Now I've seen the trailer though, and this has gone out the window. It looks quite frankly rubbish. Colm Meany as gene Hunt will never live up to the iconic performance of the original. And the guy playing Sam Tyler just looks bland. In the interest of fairness, I should wait til I've seen a full episode, but can't say I'm looking forward to it now.

2008-05-20T20:06:00.002+01:00

The summer blockbuster season may have kicked off with Iron Man, but for most people the main event is Indy 4 (who said Sex and the City? Get out of my sight!) which is out this week! I'm getting the impression that crictial word isn't exactly great but I'm trying to avoid any reveiws. the thing is that for months I was convinced it was a bad idea, I may have even blogged on it. But then I saw the trailer and the hype started, and I got all excited. I can't help but wonder if I'm heading for a big disappointment. Not sure when I'll be able to see it, either. But know this- if it sucks, George Lucas I'm holding you personally responsible!

2008-05-18T22:17:00.002+01:00

In case you haven't heard Gremlins are back! Not in the long-awaited (but non existant) Gremlins 3, but in a UK tv commercial for British Telecom. What's more they're the original rubbery 80's/early 90's version not some rubbishy CG update. Even features the original theme music. Just makes me pine for what could have been- surely a third movie would have made mucho moolah! For those who haven't seen the ad you can check it out here. And if you think that's odd, the legendary Jackie Chan has cropped up on British TV's in adverts for Woolworths.

2008-04-27T14:58:00.004+01:00

Long time readers may have noticed a certain Nintendo bias in some of my posts, and may remember my less than glowing comments around the launch of the PlayStation 3. So how could it be that just over a year from the launch of said console, I have come to be an owner of Sony's massive box (snigger)? Have I had some massive u-turn and suddenly decided to turn my back on my beloved Wii (another snigger)? Well.... no it's all to do with the coming together with a number of circumstances- blu-ray winning the Hi-Def Disc war, me getting a very reasonably priced HDTV, and perhaps most importantly there being a pristine condition second hand PS3 available to me for under £200. So I was weak, and bought one. I'm only human. It's very shiny, and Blu-ray movies do in fact look spiffy but I'm not going to turn my back on my Wii any time soon. It's just now I have the option of shiny HD gaming as well as classics like Mario. So I don't have to miss out on any games..... unless their Xbox exclusives that is.

2008-04-13T21:30:00.003+01:00

Mario Kart Wii was released this Friday, so naturally I had to get my copy. If you have a Wii, and you haven't got it, then you need to correct this as soon as possible (if you don't have a Wii, then you have a couple of extra steps- you need to get a Wii, then get Mario Galaxy, then get Mario Kart, then thank me). It comes with the Wii Wheel (missed opportunity #42- shoulda been called the Wiil) which is great fun to use -although alternative control methods are available. Best of all though is the fantastic online features. I made my first steps into online gaming, and found myself racing against 11 strangers spread from across the world. And it was awesome. So those Wii owners out there might just find themselves racing against me one of those days (and probably beating me), so I'll see you on the track!

2008-03-31T14:48:00.002+01:00

Could this be the best movie Title ever? Brüno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable In The Presence Of A Gay Foreigner In A Mesh T-Shirt. It's the next film from Borat genius Sacha Baron Cohen, in case you don't know. Check this linky out for more info....

2008-03-06T21:46:00.002Z

If you've only discovered Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright through their awesome-tastic movies Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz, you might have missed their earlier colaboration the slacker sitcom Spaced (created by Pegg and Jessica Hynes) that showed on British TV in the late nineties. Or like me, you might have discovered it at the time and followed their career ever since (sadly Hynes hasn't followed it up with anything worth talking about). Spaced has been back in the news recently though, when the news broke that a pilot for a US remake has been greenlit. And is to be directed by Charlies Angels helmer McG (shudder) .Pegg, Wright and Hynes have all spoken out against the project, (being dubbed 'McSpaced ') as they are not involved at all, and have not been consulted in any way. Which is frankly rude, but due to contractual factors, they are perfectly legally entitled to do. The project is blatantly cashing in on Pegg and Wright's movie success (poor Jessica Hynes is not even mentioned, depsite being an equal creator with Mr Pegg) without giving a penny to the creators. There's already a Facebook Group in protest, which you can join here! As thousand already have!

2008-02-22T17:28:00.003Z

If you're even slightly interested in Japanese animation, or indeed cult cinema in general, chances are you have seen the classic 1988 movie Akira. The interweb is abuzz once again, as for about the third time plans are afoot to make a live-action Hollywood adaptation. This time however the plans are to turn the somewhat epic multiple-volume comic series that spawned the movie into two movies, one of which may hit screens as early as next year. Although in theory this sounds better than previous adaptations (one of which was to be helmed by Stephen Norrington, director of two of the worst films of all time Blade, and The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen) but it's still a bad idea. I've always been sceptical about attempts to bring this film to live action- the action will be moved from Neo Tokyo to 'New Manhattan', and rumours suggest Leonardo DiCaprio may play the lead Kaneda (note to casting directors: he's waaay too old to be playing a teenager). It's too early to get too worried though.As I said before, this is at least the third attempt to bring this adaptation to the big screen, so who's to say that this time will be any more successful? This is one of those projects which seems to be permanently stuck in development hell. Fingers crossed that it remains there.

2008-02-10T22:22:00.000Z

This week, some 7 million viewers tuned into the Life on Mars follow up , Ashes to Ashes, and quite likely over the next week, thousands more will tune in via the BBC iPlayer. But in case you missed it, is it worth a watch? Can it ever live up to it's ace predecessor? Well... yes and possibly respectively. Although there's perhaps unavoidably a slightly forced feel to the concept itself- sending a female detective back to the 80's, rather than a male one to the 70's- it's a price worth paying to see the return of the iconic character Gene Hunt. Whatever the more snotty critics may say, I recommend it heartily! You're nicked, you slaaaaaaags!!

2008-01-21T15:12:00.000Z

I've tried out the much publicised BBC iPlayer service. For the Uninitiated (or UnBritish) this is the online service from the BBC that allows you to view or download the programmes from the BBC'sTV channels the last 7 days (with fillm, sports and US imports- what few there are on the BBC- noticeably absent). And it's very nifty too. I was incredibly surprised by the pristine quality of the downloaded video, and was able to watch it full screen on media player. This could be very handy, if only all channels did their own version. I'm fairly sure that you'll need a UK-based IP address to access it, and videos delete after 7 days (or 30 days after the download) so you won't be able to archive programmes. Mind you I'm sure there are ways around both of those things, but obviously I would never endorse such mischief. You know that right?

2008-01-09T19:24:00.000Z

2008 has started with a bit of a disappointment for anime (Japanese animation) fans on both sides of the Atlantic. In the US the first 24/7 anime channel The Anime Network has gone off the air, and it's taken the UK block with it. The signs were there before Christmas when the UK'sAnime Network block on Propeller TV suddenly lost it's on-air presenters- Stuart Claw and the rather lovely Emma Viecelli were there one week, gone the next and seemingly unable to tell their viewers why. It's now clear that it was because the block was being axed- and the order must have come form high up- the Anime Networks' owners ADV. It's not all doom and gloom though. AN will live on Stateside as an on-demand service (and is now online too), whereas in the UK we have the ace channel Anime Central to ensure we get our anime fix. Still, I'll miss Miss Viecelli. Sniff!

2008-01-09T11:28:00.000Z

For those of you who only read the Blog (if you exist) you might wonder why I have apparently disappeared off the face of the earth. Well basically I was ill from about the second week of December, right through Christmas and New Year which was a bummer. But I'm back on feet now so normal service will resume imminently...

2007-12-07T21:42:00.000Z

This week saw the end of the first season of Heroes on UK TV. And it was frickin' ace! It's been a long time since the BBC has given a US show such a prominent slot and such a large amount of publicity. It even made the front page of the Radio Times. God only knows how long we're going to have to wait to see the second season over here. The BBC have the exclusive rights to show season 2, so people without satellite won't have to wait until it's been shown on the Sci-Fi channel this time. The trouble is what with the US writers strike, it's likely to be some time before the season finishes in the States, and British broadcasters prefer to show series in one go. However, as Heroes is split into 'volumes', (and volume 2 has finished stateside) hopefully the Beeb won't make us wait too long. There's been some negative press surrounding the direction of volume 2, but personally I'm looking forward to [SPOILER WARNING, HIGHLIGHT TEXT TO READ] Hiro's adventures in Samurai-era Japan. I can't wait!

2007-12-01T17:16:00.001Z

It's hard to believe that South Park celebrates 10 years on screen this year. Who would have thought that the crude and foul-mouthed antics of Stan, Kenny, Kyle and Cartman would still be on air a decade after it started? It's had a particularly odd history here in the UK, where it originally had a coveted Friday night prime time spot on one of the big terrestial channels and became a bit of a cultural phenomenon. The merchandise was massive and the nation was flooded by 1o year olds (who shouldn't have been watching) wearing the T-shirts and shouting "Oh My God! They Killed Kenny!". The conservative press had a field day about this latest filth from a Foreign Land (worse than that, America even) that was corrupting our youth. That didn't stop it launching a Number 1 Single and Movie though. However the novelty wore off - possibly due to a dip in quality from the second series on, but I've never been brave enough to go back and check... Ans so it's time slot got later and later and these days it's not on terrestial TV at all, and has found a new home on satellite and cable. However those in the know will tell you that it long ago got over it's quality dip, got back on form and is in fact is better than ever. It still knows how to cause a fuss (witness the contreversy over the Tom Cruise episode) and the incredibly juvenile humour disguises the fact that it's actually one of the Smartest satires on TV- albeit one that primarily works through the medium of toilet humour. So if you're one of those who gave up on it years ago. why not give it another try? Bet you'll be glad you did...

2007-11-30T22:45:00.000Z

I Have made a wonderful discovery- Captain Dan and The scurvy Crew- finest purveyors of Pirate Hip-Hop known to man, or monkey. Naturally of course Hip-Hop is usually rubbish, but that because it has no pirates in it. Well worry no more landlubbers, for this oversight has been seen to at last! Yarr!! Click here to check it out! Fo' Shizzle.

2007-11-24T20:31:00.000Z

It's just coming up to a year since the Nintendo Wii came out. And what a year the plucky little console has had. Just over a year ago it would be a brave person indeed who predicted that the console would not only hold it's own against it's more technologically advanced (well, in terms of graphics) rivals but actually outsell them. However fast forward a year and the dinky white box is still selling out everywhere having broken every record going and shows no signs of slowing down. Neither Sony or Microsoft were really worried by the release of the console, and were noticeably complementary in some statements before it's release, perhaps indicating they didn't really see it as a credible threat. Many games developers missed the boat too. Now of course seeing the huge success it's having everybody wants a piece of pie (mmmm, pie!) and MS and Sony are aggressively going after the casual market (In MS's case with Scene It a 360 version of a DVD board game. Wow. Board Games! Ninty must by quaking!) It's not all rosy in Wii land though. The stock issue is a real problem as some people who can't get one might turn to the dark side and pick up a High Def Console that's readily available instead. There's also a lot of lazy mini-games collections, bad PS2 ports and movie and TV licenses as developers rush to cash in. It's only now that the really big guns are starting to come out, with the likes of Metroid Prime and The Officially recognised Best Game Ever Super Mario Galaxy. However this is only one year in- we can only imagine the many delights that the big N have save up for us Wii gamers in the future!

2007-11-22T20:42:00.000Z

I was pleased to see Beowulf open in the US at number one in the box office. Not in this occasion because I think it looks good (although I do) but more as to what it represents. If Hollywood thinks there is a market for animation that is aimed at an adult audience and covers more adult themes (although sadly Beowulf was apparently turned from an original intended R-rating to a PG-13) then hopefully we'll see more. As an animation lover, I want to see animation films that tackle stories more challenging than a delightful caper about a talking squirrel. At least every once in a while. However as a cynic I do think that the days of seeing this happen in mainstream Hollywood are a long way off, if indeed they ever happen at all. Anyway I look forward to getting to check it out for myself. As a side note there's been debate over whether Beowulf should be allowed to compete for the Best Animated Film Oscar, as some people don't think it's really animation. Well it sure doesn't look like live-action to me!

2007-11-20T13:06:00.000Z

Sod Halo 3. Stuff GTA IV. Gears of War? Gears of Bore, more like. For the true Connoisseur there was only one game worth waiting for this year, and it's finally here. I'm talking of course about Super Mario Galaxy, the long awaited Wii incarnation of the world's best loved platform franchise. I was going to wait until Christmas but in the end I couldn't. It's therefore somewhat gutting that I can't really play it properly thanks to my recent eye-operation temporarily rendering the world in Blur-O-vision. Even through a slight haze I couldn't quite manage to not give it a good go so I am already able to let you know that it lives up to expectations (and the average 97% score awarded to it by metacritic- a website that works out the average review score for games across many review sites and magazines). The Graphics are gorgeous (why can only Nintendo make Wii games look like this?) the design is amazingly imaginative and the gameplay is spot on. In comparison to the overwhelmingly brown and grey games that make up the vast majority of the Xbox and PS3 line-ups it's a breath of fresh-air. Now I just have to wait until I can really appreciate it. Bummer....

2007-11-19T20:00:00.000Z

Regular readers will know about my feelings regarding 24 and the disappointment that was season six. For the benefit of the rest of you, basically all you need to know is- I love 24, but season six was just pants. Up until now i would have described my feelings regarding the revamped season 7 we've been promised as 'cautiously optimistic'. Well the trailer for season 7 had surfaced here in the UK (for some reason we got the exclusive) and has found it's way on to the net (for example here. just in case it's been taken down, you can do a quick search on Youtube for 24 season 7). Now having seen said preview, despite my best attempts to be cynical- I now can't wait to see it! It looks terribly exciting! Man, I hope Jack Bauer doesn't let me down! However I'll have to wait a wee bit longer still- it's been delayed due to the US writers strike. This will ensure it can run uninterrupted, so fingers crossed it'll be worth the wait!

2007-11-18T22:59:00.000Z

Only about six months behind every other blogger on the block, but I can finally report my opinion of the third Pirates flick (having finally seen it). A lot of people really slated it (maybe even more than the first sequel) but I wasn't going to let that cloud my judgement.

However I have to say, that as with Spiderman 3, I enjoyed it and don't get quite why it received such a pounding. It's probably because the original film (Curse Of The Black Pearl) was so universally loved- that it couldn't live up to the expectations. If you didn't see number 3 on the big screen then I say go rent it, don't listen to the cynics. Admittedly the sequels have tried to introduce an overall epic mythology to the saga that seems a bit unnecessary, and as usual Orlando Bloom is a charisma vacuum but still- ignore the flaws and it's an undemanding Brain-off popcorn flick. (Some people have claimed At Worlds End is comfusing and tough to follow, but it really didn't seem that way to me. Perhaps those people are a bit 'special'). Naturally Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow is the most memorable part of the film- but it's a close-run thing between him and the monkey- who has a much bigger part this time around. You probably shouldn't watch it if you thought number two was rubbish though- this ain't gonna change your mind.

2007-10-28T13:10:00.000Z

This week I got round to seeing Death Proof- Quentin Tarantino's half of the would-be double-bill Grindhouse. Infamously, after it tanked at the box-office stateside, it was cruelly torn apart and released separately outside of the US (and on DVD in America), provoking a lot of complaining from cinephiles across the world, put out that they missed out n the chance to see the full deal because the American audience didn't seem to get it. However in some ways I was only too happy to watch QT's half on it's own- partly because I personally prefer Tarantino to Robert Rodriguez (director of the other half), but partly because if these films exist in extended full cuts then that's the way I want to see them first. And so, on impulse I resorted to importing the US DVD, while it was still playing on the big screen over here.

And I'm glad I did. It's another great flick from the King Of Nerds, and really quite and unusual concoction that stands up perfectly well on it's own. The car chases are exhilarating and it's very funny. The little quirks in the editing and filming techniques (designed to emulate old style exploitation cinema) is the icing on the cake. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, this is really worth a watch. Having now seen the trailer for RR's Grindhouse feature Planet Terror, I'm going to have to buy that now too. It looks like a riot, and it's a zombie movie, so I don't really think I have a choice....

2007-10-15T19:40:00.000+01:00

Pretty high up the list of 'things that I never thought I'd see' would be a Hollywood re-make of the Japanese cult movie Battle Royale. However while checking out some trailers online earlier, I saw a list of 'Future Films'- and there, to my surprise sat the US version of that very film. Surely this had to be a joke?

But there's no doubt, It's listed on IMDB as in development and everything! On closer investigation I learned that work on the remake had been cast into doubt by the tragic real-life events at Virgina Tech. For the uninitiated, the plot sees a class of 15 year old high-school kids, dumped on an island, given weapons and told to kill each other dead, as some kind of far-out way of dealing with juvenile delinquency. You might wonder why they don't just refuse but if they don't cooperate (or try to escape) they have the explosive collars they've all been fitted with detonated. It sounds pretty sick, but it's actually a pretty smart movie that actually manages to actually provide a fairly accurate portrayal of teenagers (apart from all the killing). Considering the touchy nature of the subject, the original movie's never actually been released in America- what chance does a remake stand of getting past the development stage- unless it's so watered down so as to be unrecognisable. Not that that would be any great surprise, given the 'quality' of earlier Hollywood remakes of Japanese flicks.

But ignoring all that if you get the chance, check out the original but whatver you do give the sequel a miss- it's so bad the original director died halfway through production, just to get out of it....

2007-10-05T22:45:00.000+01:00

All Children of the 80's it's time to rejoice! The single greatest cartoon series from the 1980's is to be finally released on DVD. Yep, comeFebruary 2008 (in the UK- US release, coming later), Fabulous Films will be releasing the Mysterious Cities Of Gold! Hooray!! For the unitiated MCOG was a Japanese/French Co-production about a young boy called Esteban who searched for the titular Cities in South America. Shown on the BBC in the UK (and Nickelodeon in the States) but unavailable since, the series has taken on an almost mythical quality and has become something of a Holy Grail of retro cartoons. And it had a awesomely catchy theme tune Basically It's the Citizen Kane of 80's cartoons.

Gradually over the past couple of years, most of the classic cartoons from the era such as Dogtanion, Ulysses 31 and Count Duckula have been released on DVD, but the 80's cartoon connoisseur has been asking, just when will MCOG be joining them? So you could say I'm pretty excited. Not very much is known about the release details (such as if it will be a boxset, or available separately) but it doesn't really matter, I'll be getting it anyway!

Meanwhile, those of you who like their animation a bit newer, shinier and more adult might want to check out the trailer for the feature-length return of Futurama. To quote the Professor - Good News Everyone!

2007-09-29T20:42:00.000+01:00

This week I found out there's to be an animation festival in my home town. This kind of thing happens all the time if you live in a major city like London or New York but it's not the kind of thing you really expect in my neck of the woods. But while this should be good news, note that I said I found out this week. The catch? The festival is in November- and submissions for entry into competition close this Monday. Nuts!

If I'd had more time I could have made something for it, or at least made some modifications to some of my existing works, but it's a bit late. How could this have passed by under my radar? Hopefully it will be a success and will run again next year. In the meantime I'll have for trying to get something else on TV! Anyway I'm not bitter, so if you're in the South East of England you might still be interested in checking it out!

2007-09-22T11:12:00.000+01:00

I can't believe Prison Break is starting it's third series already. How time flies! Of course the third series is coming to the UK much quicker than the earlier series (Sky One are showing it just a week behind the US premier- we had to wait about six months before they were shown on Channel 5) meaning it's not long since the second series finished up over here. But more pointedly I'm quite surprised it's made it to a third series at all. If any show ever lent itself to a one series run this is it.

I enjoyed the first series. It was gripping and addictive (although completely ludicrous) but I got bored part way through the second series. To be honest I think they struggled to keep things interesting after they (hope this isn't too much of a spoiler for you) BROKE out of PRISON and the show's reason d'etre kind of vanished. That said the new series promises to put them in a different prison (which presumably they will try to BREAK OUT OF) so maybe it's time I gave it another chance. Maybe....

Meanwhile latest word from the new series of 24 is that it will see the return of a major character who I was fairly sure was very dead. I won't spoil it for you (If you really want to know click here) but no matter- if it helps them avoid a repeat of the goldawful lows of series 6
then they can bring back Nina Myers as a zombie for all I care (actually, that would be awesome).

2007-09-14T22:30:00.000+01:00

If you're in the US and have access to the channel BBC America, then apparently this weekend is your first chance to tune in to ace British sci-fi Torchwood. Knowledge of it's parent show Doctor Who is not essential (although apparently it shows Stateside on the the sci-fi channel, so check it out if you can) although fans of that show will get extra out of it. American mags TV Guide and Variety have given it the thumbs up too. Basically think of a more serious, more sweary version of Men In Black meets Buffy and you'll not be too far off. It's very silly (in a good way) but it can actually do dark and adult surprisingly well too. Which when you consider it's a spin-off of a family orientated show, is all the more remarkable. Consult your local TV guides for airtime and details!

Incidentally for those of us in the UK, coincidentally the show just started a repeat run on BBC3, so if you missed out, now's your chance!

2007-09-09T13:56:00.000+01:00

OK, so it currently looks like the Uk's first dedicated anime channel Anime Central, will be launching on Sky channel 199 from this coming Thursday ( September13th) from 9pm. To begin with it appears the same six shows will be showing each night showing in 3 hour blocks which will then be repeated (so the same episodes will be shown between 9-12, 12-3 and 3-6am). Of the initial crop I can recommend Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (an awesome sci-fi, even if I have no idea what's going on half the time) and Full Metal Alchemist, but the other shows should all be worth a look too!

Over on 195 (Propeller TV) the Anime network is now on between 8-10pm 7 days a week. Series premiers are on Saturday and Sunday but Monday to Friday are showing catch-ups, so if you're a late comer, you might still be able to get a clue what's going on. I recommend anybody who's yet to do so to try out some anime- there's a whole lot more to it than Pokemon!

2007-09-08T16:43:00.000+01:00

From this point on, all blog posts (excluding this one) will be posted not only here, but also in the new look news centre. Longer posts will be published in full here with the first paragraph or so being reproduced on the news page. Why am I doing this? So you'll be able to see at a glance when this page and others has been updated without needing to check all the pages separately. The new integrated RSS feed can be found here

2007-09-06T21:46:00.000+01:00

Hitting UK cinemas this week is Run Fatboy Run , a film that I'm chomping at the bit to see, but which bizarrely I wasn't even aware of little more than a month ago. It's particularly bizarre because not only do I like to keep on top of what films are coming out ( I read movie magazines and websites avidly) but also it stars and is co written by Hot Fuzz and Shaun Of The Dead star Simon Pegg. So how it managed to stay under my radar until I saw the trailer in front of The Simpsons Movie, is beyond me. It's a bit of an odd thing- it's set in London and features a largely British cast but is directed by David Schwimmer (a.k.a. Ross from Friends). But it looks like a hoot and it stars Pegg, ace comedian Dylan Moran and Hank Azaria who voices about half of the cast in The Simpsons. So it's sure to be worth a look, hopefully I'll be able to update you soon!

While I'm here- watch out for changes here at Monkey Pirate Zombie- some of which will affect this very blog.... but in a good way, promise! Watch this space...

2007-08-22T19:52:00.000+01:00

Animation fans should check out the trailer for Beowulf- it looks like it's going to be worth seeing. I became intrigued by the idea when I discovered that Robert Zemeckis was producing this as his third CG motion-capture effort in a row- following the saccharine Polar Express and the utterly ace Monster House. I was certainly interested to see them tackle a more dramatic, serious story. Then I found out my favourite author the god-like Neil Gaiman was writing the script.. and my anticipation glands went into overdrive. And the trailer gives plenty of other reasons to check it out- the excellent Brit actor Ray Winston gets a rare leading role, and there's even a flash of cgi booby in the international trailer- you sure don't get that from Pixar! In all seriousness, it's great to see someone using animation to tell a more grown-up story as we in the west are almost completely lacking in quality animation for adults (outside of the usual comedies). There's so much more potential in animation than merely fart jokes and swearing (although those things are great, obviously). Anyway take a look-see at the trailer here.

P.S.- if you need another reason to watch it- it has a dragon in it. Has to be good right? (Lets just ignore Eragon, Dungeons and Dragons, Reign of Fire and the other countless bad movies with dragons in... )

2007-08-20T16:11:00.000+01:00

I've just got hold of Daz3d, a completely free 3d graphics programme. It's dead exciting. Don't worry Monkey Pirate Zombie isn't going into 3d rendered animations that take 4 years to make, but if I produce any artwork that looks half way OK, then I'll be sure to post it on the site!

2007-08-19T19:05:00.000+01:00

It may have finished a while back, but ace retro-pyscho-cop-show Life On Mars continues to make the entertainment news. Firstly comes the news that the David E Kelley US remake is storming ahead, but the original stars of the British version have sensibly turned down offers to reprise their roles with American accents. In fact Sam Tyler actor John Simm took the opportunity to criticise the trend for American remakes. It is particularly redundant remaking show that were already in English to begin with. Still, if it makes it past the pilot it will be interesting to see what it turns out like. Back on this side of the pond, the follow up series has begun shooting (which surprised me, as I considered it merely a rumour until a couple of weeks ago). Ashes to Ashes will feature a female cop this time sent from the present back to the 1980's but will feature many of the characters from the original including the now legendary Gene Hunt. I have no idea how it'll turn out but I'm hopeful and anyway it stars Keeley Hawes from Spooks who is gorgeous, which is always a plus!

(By the way if you have no idea what I'm talking about you should buy the series 1 boxset right away. You'll thank me for it)

2007-08-13T20:29:00.000+01:00

Oh I don't know, you wait your whole life for a dedicated anime (Japanese animation) channel to hit the UK and then two come along at once... well sorta. The UK's version of The Anime Network (which shows in a 2 hour block on sundays on channel 195) is going 7 days a week but is still going to be a two hour block rather than a proper channel, but the UK is also getting a full blown anime channel called Anime Central that will broadcast from 9pm to 6 am 7 days a week. And both are happening within two days of each other. Mental! Brilliant, but mental. This will be a chance for me to sample loads of new anime without having to spend a fortune of DVDs. Hurrah! Fear not UK viewers, for I will at some time in the future fill you in in which shows you need to be watching. Of course I know what'll happen now- having had no anime on TV for years I'm now probably going to have incidents where two great shows are on at the same damn time! Maybe it's time I got Sky Plus..

2007-08-10T14:30:00.000+01:00

And so, for me at least summer blockbuster season is over for another year. There's no other big flicks that need to be seen on a big screen as far as I can see in the immediate future. The Bourne franchise bores me, so no Ultimatum for me, and much as the Rush Hour movies may be a guilty pleasure for me, I can't imagine I won't be able to wait until the 3rd one shows up on DVD. And how did this years efforts shape up. Firstly I have to confess I actually managed to miss out on Pirates 3, and I've already made clear my feeling on Spidey (and I'm sticking by it!). Which leads me to my main point.. The Simpsons Movie! There was never any doubt really in my mind that it would deliver, but that didn't stop it being a joy behind. If you've held out because you don't think you need to see on a big screen, or you're one of those types who insists the Simpsons has lost it's spark, I urge you to go see it. You won't be disappointed, and it's a unique opportunity to see the characters on a big screen, surrounded by people of all ages laughing and enjoying themselves. What with this, Spider-man 3 and Transformers, my DVD shelf is going to need to be reinforced come Christmas time..

2007-08-02T14:27:00.000+01:00

Spare a thought for the poor peeps in charge of promoting Evan Almighty in the UK. As if the tide (more watery puns coming up) of negative publicity about it's colossal budget and tiny box-office gross wasn't bad enough... the damp squib flood-based comedy arrives in a country which is half still under water after record breaking rainfall and flooding. Well good luck there guys, bet it'll go down a storm!

2007-07-26T19:20:00.000+01:00

If you haven't been keeping up-to-date you've missed some drama! The future of the podcast was looking in doubt, because my hosting company don't allow the hosting of podcasts. This lead to the account being locked out until I removed the files. This was awful timing, because the podcast has been an unexpectedly humongous success- this is already the biggest month in MPZ history. Fortunately I have been able to find a new home for the files, meaning it no longer is on my web space, but it is still accessible through the same place. So now I'm back on track and can get back to creating. Huzzah!

In other news, I have taken my first tentative steps into the world of Facebook. If you're on there why not add me as a friend? Maybe we can start a MPZ group too...

2007-07-25T17:54:00.001+01:00

The downtime over the past couple of days was due to my inadvertently breaking my web-hosts terms and conditions, with the publication of the video podcast. Apparently hosting such files on their servers is not allowed and so much data had been downloaded it was overloading the server. So, to get back online I've had to remove the episodes. So I need to find an alternative place to host the episodes. I may need to change hosting company but this will be a lot of hassle and I had been happy with them up until now. So I am working on finding a solution that will avoid this. Please bear with me in the meantime. New episodes may be released via Veoh until I find a satisfactory outcome.

If I am forced to change hosts it might see upkeep on the site increasing, so if you were ever planning on doing so, now might be a good time to support the site by buying our merchandise.

Thanks to you all for supporting monkeypiratezombie!

2007-07-23T21:18:00.000+01:00

Mainstream UK audiences finally get the chance to see latest US smash Heroes when in premiers on BBC 2 at 9 pm Wednesday. It's a long old time since there was a big Cult US show on the Beeb, (since they lost 24 to Sky) so the times about right. In fact so confident are the BBC in their new acquisition that they've already got the first-look rights to series 2- poaching it from the Sci-Fi Channel. The good thing is that they seem determined to treat it right and are showing it in a high-profile and appropriate slot, and are giving it a big push. Fans of US TV might not have been too keen on the way BBC2 have treated such shows in the past (Buffy put in a 6pm slot, cut to ribbons because it's y'know..for kids) but hopefully they've learnt their lesson. And of course, cause it's on the BBC it's showing without ads. Personally it gives me the chance to finally see how it turns out- my DVD recorder broke with about 5 episodes on it, scuppering my chance to catch the whole run on Sci-fi. Anyway check it out, it started off pretty well (and by all account gets even better) and it's certainly worth a look-see!

2007-07-17T21:57:00.000+01:00

It's about a week now until the Simpsons Movie finally hits cinemas. I'm so keen to see it, that it just about edges out Transformers as my most eargerly awaited film of the moment. It's really cool the way they've managed to keep plot points secret and I can't wait to see what they have in store. I'm not one of those people who insist the Simpsons has lost it. It's still the funniest and smartest adult animation to come out of the US, and anyone who 's thinking 'Family Guy' should be ashamed of themselves... Homer's still the Daddy! I have faith that the team won't let me down, in fact don't be surprised if this turns out to be the family's finest hour!

2007-07-13T15:25:00.000+01:00

This week is a busy one for me so I made the tough decision to not rush to get my latest animation finished for entry into the competition. I'm really pleased with how it's going so I want to make it the best I can. I have other plans to bring it to a wider audience too. Your first chance to see it will most likely be as part of the new-look podcast... Incedentally the podcast subscriber numbers have shot up in the past couple of days. If you are one of the new subscribers and you heard about it from somewhere then please drop me an e-mail or comment! I'm keen to know what's caused this sudden boom!

2007-07-11T22:06:00.000+01:00

The E3 games show has been on in the US today, the day when all the games developers show off the games they will be releasing. Naturally I don't give a toss what Sony or Microsoft said, but Nintendo have also had their conference. You can check out the games they've announced here. As suspected, Mario Kart Wii was officially confirmed (and it'll come with a natty steering wheel add-on). But the surprises were a couple of hardware add ons- the wii zapper and the balance mat
. The zapper turns your remote and nunchuck into a gun (not a real one obviously, that would be highly irresponsible) that should turn playing first person shooters on Wii from a bit of a pain in the arse to a more pleasurable experience. The Balance Mat will allow you to control games with full body movements and will be packaged with Wii Fitness a Wii Sports style package that aims to get you fit. Sound like fun. It seems the remote's motion sensing is only the beginning...

2007-07-06T18:35:00.000+01:00

The TV screening has not necessarily lead to a massive uptake in visitors to the site (seeing as the address wasn't published or broadcast anywhere) but it's certainly had other impacts. Not least the effect it's had on me. I'm now diving headlong into my animation and I have so many ideas cropping up all the time, I just can't stop. I'm working on an animation as an entry to a competition- if I were to win it would be great exposure. In the more realistic event that it doesn't get chosen (or finished in time) then obviously it will show up online sooner rather than later. I'm really pleased with how it's looking so far- probably my best looking animation to date so I can't wait to finish and show you guys the result. But you and I both are going to have to wait a while. I'm sure we'll cope though, there will be plenty of stuff to entertain us in the meantime.

2007-07-03T11:42:00.000+01:00

One of the criticisms of the line-up of games so far released for the Nintendo Wii is the number of lazy 'ports' from PS2 and Xbox, only with half-arsed motion control tacked on. However nobody complained when it was announced Resident Evil 4 would be getting a special Wii edition. On the contrary- the idea of playing through this modern classic with added Wii-enhancements was very enticing. It's here and it's fantastic. One of the most exciting (and pant-wettingly scary) experiences on any console just got better. Using the wiimote adds a whole extra dimension, and it was excellent to begin with! Monkey Pirate Zombie whole-heatedly recommends this to all Wii owners, and we give it five zombies* (out of five).

*even though this one doesn't have Zombies in it per se...

2007-06-29T11:16:00.000+01:00

Rumours are already circulating about the next series of 24 (not airing til January). It's common knowledge that the producers are planning a 'radical overhaul' for the next series based on the less than enthusiastic reception for series six. A reception it deserved. Because it was crap. Suggestions are only two or three characters are going to be brought back from the previous series- I don't think it's too much of a Spoiler to say one is obviously Big Jack himself. The thing is it wasn't the fault of all the other characters (or actors) that the last series sucked so hard- that was down to the writers. So if anybody is deserving of the chop, perhaps they should be looking closer to home. (Besides, I'd miss Nadia, she was a total hottie!) Whatever they decide I'll still reserve judgement until I see the finished result...

2007-06-26T12:40:00.000+01:00

It wouldn't be quite right to say that producing a cartoon for broadcast reawakened my passion for animating, because it never really went away. But it certainly meant I've had more fun doing it than I have for quite a while. Also getting the recognition for my work has given me a damn sight more confidence in my own abilities, which is invaluable. You wouldn't know if from the site, but I've always been lacking in that confidence, which has probably held me back from making the most of it. Hopefully this will be only the start. As a result I've got a lot of projects planned. You might be pleased to know a new game is underway too!

2007-06-25T19:15:00.000+01:00

And so it finally Happened. After running the site for more than 3 years I finally took my first steps into thew world of pro animation by getting an animation on TV. Not just TV, but terrestial TV to boot, on the spin-off of one of the highest-rated shows in the country too (for their shame). b So if you missed it (not being British would certainly be a valid excuse) yesterday Big Brother's little brother played out with my animation. Top TV bloke Dermot O'Leary even said my name on TV! It was very odd and I'm still in shock. I'm probably not going to shut up about this for a while. In the meantime those who were unable to watch should check out the news page.

2007-06-21T19:33:00.000+01:00

Brilliant UK animation studio Aardman Animations has recently come clean on their current slate of titles- the first I've heard since they announced a distribution deal with Sony. Mixing their traditional claymation style with Flushed Away-style CG, we can look forward to a selection of tiles, including a (non Wallace and Gromit) new film from the genius Nick Park. Although mentioned in the announcement as almost an afterthought, I was particularly excited by the prospect of Aardman co-founder Peter Lord's project- Pirates! Not just for the obvious reasons either- it's based by on a series of books by Gideon Defoe- once of which was the ace comedic novel Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists, a book I greatly enjoyed. In fact a couple of times I found myself thinking "this would make an awesome movie!". The fact that it'll be animated, and by one of the World's greatest animation studios (Part of the 'Holy trinity' that also includes Pixar and Japan's Studio Ghibli), well that's just icing on the cake. It would have been really expensive to make live action, that's for sure!

In other animation news the Web's greatest animator Weebl (aka Jonti Picking, Creator of Weebl and Bob) has got a doozy of a commission, creating animation for Seasame Steet! Well done Weebl! I've thought for a long time global stardom (beyond the web) beckoned for him, and it looks like it's on it's way. Why not celebrate by watching his latest strange creation Cat Face? He's got a big Cat Face dont you know?

2007-06-20T17:26:00.000+01:00

This month marks the first anniversary of this blog, so I thought it's time for a bit of a rejig. And I'm rather chuffed with how it's looking, but I'm probably going to continue fiddling. In fact I'm almost too chuffed with it, because I'm now thinking maybe I should make the news page look like this too, but I'm not sure if that would make things confusing. I've even thought of merging the two, so site news and blog posts would be in the same place. I'm not sure, maybe I'll just integrate elements of this redesign into the news page and leave it at that. I hate decisions. Which is why (hey, check out this neat segway) I have decided to ask readers of my regular comic Back To the Drawing Board how I should mark the publishing of the 5oth cartoon. So if you want to be involved you can vote here. It's democracy in action!

If you've checked out the main newspage recently you'll know that I'm close to getting my first piece of animation on TV. Unfortunately I'm not entirely sure when it will be airing, but it will be most likely be some Sunday in the next few weeks. If I get more concrete news it'll be posted on the newspage.

2007-06-19T16:15:00.000+01:00

This blog is undergoing a make-over please bare with me while I fiddle with the design!

EDIT/ by which I of course mean bear with me. I'm not asking you to get naked with me..*Not all of you anyway.

*may be reassesd on a case be case basis if you happen to be a foxy lady

2007-06-15T13:37:00.000+01:00

This is most irregular but I'm really going to have to insist you check out the news page... there's big news that you're going to want to hear!

2007-06-09T13:02:00.000+01:00

I've resisted and resisted, trying to believe it isn't so. But having seen the whole lot I just can't deny it any more... Series 6 of 24 was rubbish. Unusually, the show's producers have basically admitted as much- OK they didn't say it was actually rubbish but they confessed they might have begun to repeat themselves and that it's been a challenge to keep up the high quality of other series. I'm not going to criticise it for some of the completely ridiculous scenes in this run (I don't mind if it's unrealistic, that's not what I watch it for) but it committed the worst sin any entertainment can commit. It became boring. All the shocks and twists seemed like a mere shadow of what's gone before. The makers have promised radical rethink before the next series- so hopefully the next series will be a return to form. We can only hope.

To be honest, those of you waiting for the DVD release are just as well to give this one a miss- just pretend it never happened. You'll thank me later...

2007-06-03T19:13:00.000+01:00

Just a quick reminder to UK viewers- the anime network block starts 8pm tonight on Sky Channel 195. Check it out!

2007-06-01T21:59:00.000+01:00

Sheesh, how ace was the Season 3 Finale of Lost? Pretty damn ace, that's how much! The genius of the show is how it always manages to always say just on the right side of completely maddening- just when you think they're never going to tell you anything, they throw in a revelation or a plot twist that blows you away. And the final two episodes were full of such moments- it's going to be a long old wait until the next season!

[ beware! the following paragraph contains spoilers highlight text to read ] Charlies' "shock" demise was hardly a big surprise- being signposted for weeks and weeks- but it was doubtless a great, memorable and noble exit for a popular character (albeit one I was never particularly keen on). The flash-forward was a real humdinger of an ending though, because we really have no idea how the next season will unfold!

In unrelated news, I'm working on an animation project that will keep me busy for the next couple of weeks, so the update department might be a little lacking- providing I don't get too distracted.

2007-05-29T11:32:00.000+01:00

According to this here, there's a rumour we are very close to getting official confirmation that a version of Mario Kart is coming to the Wii, and could arrive next year! It was surely only a matter of time, but this is fantastic news. If more concrete information comes through, you can be sure I'll let you know!

2007-05-28T13:00:00.000+01:00

It was only this week, that I realised how close I was to the end of Day Six of 24- the last episode goes out on Sky One next week! Considering I won't be able to see the final episode until the following week (due to it clashing with the Anime Network block that starts next Sunday) I am saving up the last episodes to have a double-strength hit of Jack Bauer Goodness (maybe it's triple- it might end with a double bill??). Only then will I deliver my final (spoiler-free) verdict on Series 6, so hold on to your hats (like you care). Got the final two Losts saved up already though- I'll let you know my two cents on that imminently!

2007-05-25T21:06:00.000+01:00

At long last the seventh episode of Happy Bunny is now here on the interweb. The reason for the delay? You see this episode features a character based on a real person, and I wanted to make sure the lady in question was the first to see it! This episode features Claire Bear who is inspired
by Mopizo's Biggest Fan as a Big Thank You for all her support( and just for being generally fantastic -if you're reading this, it's all true! x x x). It's also a Big Thanks to all Happy Bunny's fans, (this originally being his 2nd birthday special) that sees the poor bugger get a little bit or luck at last- and also redresses the balance a little for those of you of the female persuasion!

2007-05-22T21:20:00.000+01:00

With the 3rd film hitting cinemas this very week, I decided time was right to rewatch the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie. This was the first time I watched it since my initial cinema viewing, nigh upon a year ago- I guess maybe the negative press might have has some effect. But I don't care what anyone says, I really enjoyed it second time round; without the big expectations I just appreciated it for what it was- a big fun popcorn movie made into something more by Johnny Depp's fantastic performance. And it features a genuine monkey pirate zombie! I expect number 3 will be more of the same, but doubtless the critics are already sharpening their knives!

2007-05-18T12:06:00.000+01:00

Being a fan of anime (Japanese animation) in the UK involves a lot of looking at the size of the US market jealously. Over the past couple of years one of the biggest sources of this has been that the US fan base is large enough to support two 24-hour anime channels (The Anime Network and now the horribly monikered Funimation Channel). Whereas DVDs and books can be imported, there's no getting round they are out or our reach! This week the news broke that the Anime Network is going to be making it's UK debut as a two-hour branded block showing on Sky Channel 195 on Sundays from the 3rd of June. Luckily for me of the 4 shows making up the initial line-up I've only seen one of them already (Evangelion, a classic of anime that 99% of fans must have seen by now). Unluckily for me it's on at the same time as 24, meaning I'm going to have to shift my 24 viewing to it's repeat showing on Saturdays just as it enters the final few hours. Never mind, musn't grumble!

the offical site

2007-05-16T13:18:00.000+01:00

I just don't get it. Why when something gets popular as is well regarded, why do people have to turn on it and start slagging it off? It happens all the time and we're seeing it again with Spider-Man 3 which is being slated in some quarters. And why? Largely the comic book fans (who have been largely pleased with the franchise thus far) are whingeing because some things are changed from the comic books. To them I say get over it, movies are different from comics and have different requirements to make things work. Don't forget there's a lot of people who never read the comics (myself included) for who the movies are spider-man and the film makers had responsibility to those people as well. Just enjoy the comics as comics, and the movies as movies in their own right. The other criticisms are mainly that they cram too much and that there are lot of plot-holes and unrealistic parts. Personally I think they did a great job to squeeze 3 villains into the film. And as for plot-holes and the like? When you're watching a film about a man who can do whatever a spider can, you're on shaky ground if you start saying things are unrealistic. Well duh. Its' escapism pure and simple. In case you couldn't guess I though the film was awesome. The action is truly phenomenal and the skill with which the Peter Parker sections are handled are what separate it from lesser super-franchises. So don't let what anyone else says put you off. It get the full Mopizo recommendation.( Five Monkeys) And if you disagree, you're entitled to your opinion (even if it's wrong).

2007-05-14T16:23:00.000+01:00

I'm back online at last! You never realise how reliant you have become on the magic of broadband until it is cruelly taken away. Or is that just me? This is just a quick post to let you know I'm back, new stuff will come later...

Back soon

2007-04-30T12:17:00.000+01:00

We've signed up with a new ISP so all being well should be back online
within a week. I'll see you all then! Toodles!