Titan Maximum wallet and DVD giveaway!
Titan Maximum Wallet
Want to win a swank Titan Maximum wallet, or a DVD of the first season?
You can win these cool prizes from Nerdage by e-mailing mprice at opubco.com with what kind of robot you’d like to pilot! Funniest and/or most original answers will be selected by a panel of experts at Nerdage HQ. Must be 18 or over! Want to avoid creative writing and buy your own? Wallet available at the Adult Swim shop here and the DVD is available at this link.
Titan Maximum Season One DVD
Here’s the show description: The team that brought you Robot Chicken is ready to transport you to the far-flung future and beyond the stars with the first season of Titan Maximum on DVD! Marvel as the reunited members of Titan Force Five slam evil with their giant robotic powerhouse, Titan Maximum, and valiantly generally combat the heinous machinations of their former teammate-turned-villain, Gibbs, in his attempts to conquer the entire Solar System. This nine-episode set delivers plenty of alien monsters, Titan Power Punches, and skintight-jumpsuit-clad, catfight-prone female lieutenants.
The show was created by Robot Chicken executive producer/co-creator/writer/director Matthew Senreich and Robot Chicken co-executive producer/head writer/director Tom Root. The stop-motion, 1980s adventure recalls shows like “Thunderbirds” and “Voltron,” but with an Adult Swim twist. Set 100 years in the future, the Titan Force Five protect the Solar System as the pilots of the spaceships that combine to form the robot Titan Maximum. Robot Chicken executive producer/co-creator/writer/director Seth Green serves as the show’s executive producer along with Senreich and Root, and also voices the show’s villain, Gibbs. Robot Chicken veterans Breckin Meyer, Rachael Leigh Cook, Dan Milano, Eden Espinosa and Billy Dee Williams serve as voice actors for the series.
- Matt Price
Felicia Day’s “The Guild” tops iTunes, returns on web, DVD, in comics
Felicia Day
In just the latest sign that geeks rule the earth, Felicia Day has topped Katy Perry with the No. 1 best-selling pop music video on iTunes in the United States and United Kingdom.
On Aug. 4, “Game On,” a Bollywood-themed gamer anthem by Day and the cast of the Web series “The Guild” topped Perry’s “California Gurls” on the chart. It’s the second music video for the “Guild” crew, who last year released “Do You Wanna Date My Avatar?”
“The Guild” is in its fourth season online as a Web series; the third season was recently released on DVD. “The Guild” follows the wacky real-world antics of a group of gamers who play a “World of Warcraft”-like game.
In a recent interview with The Oklahoman, Day, who created, writes and stars in the Web series, talked about the differences between creating a Web series and a traditional television show.
“The privilege I have with a Web series is that it doesn’t have to be as episodic as TV would be, where characters kind of stay emotionally static, and they go through different ideas every week,” Day said. “I think it’s important that like, just in real life, people are changed by what happens to them.”
She also said because people tend to watch Web series on a browser, they need to stay shorter and more on point.
“You can’t have as much space or time to tell the stories,” she said. “So you really have to kind of be ruthless and say we have to cut down to the bone.”
At Comic-Con International, it was announced that further “Guild” comics would be released this fall, following the well-received miniseries written by Day. She talked about writing the “Guild” miniseries and how it focused on some of the drama behind the characters.
“The comic, especially the way it started, is a lot more dramatic than some people actually expected,” Day said. “Because to me, these characters do come from a place of loneliness, and that’s why they’re together. So there is a hint of reality and a little bit of sadness in everybody. And for me, that’s kind of the basis of everybody finding themselves online.”
Day said she was pleased with the response, especially from comic-book fans.
“The biggest compliment is when somebody who’s a hard-core comic reader (gives) me a compliment, because I feel like comic guys and geeks are the most hardcore of the bunch, and I know they aren’t going to cut me any slack,” she said.
This fall, five one-shots featuring the main characters of “The Guild” will be released by Dark Horse. The first one-shot, “Vork,” will be co-written by Day and Jeff Lewis, who plays the Vork character.
“There is a lot more to be told in that format; because the great thing about comics is you don’t have to worry about the production values or how expensive something’s going to be to shoot, you just write it,” Day said.
- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
The Guild Season 3 DVD review
Felicia Day (“Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”) returns as Codex in the third DVD collection of the popular Web series “The Guild.”
As the third season begins, the group of gamer friends who make up the “Knights of Good” in a “World of Warcraft”-like game are fracturing. When they are publicly humiliated by a rival guild, The Axis of Anarchy, led by Fawkes (Wil Wheaton of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”), Vork (Jeff Lewis) resigns as leader, throwing the entire mess to Codex to handle.
A member short after Tink (Amy Okuda) defects to the Axis, Codex invites a new member to the Guild. Hoping to avoid asking love-struck Zaboo’s (Sandeep Parikh) sadistic new girlfriend, Riley (Michele Boyd), she instead invites Clara’s (Robin Thorsen) completely game-inept husband, George (Brett Sheridan). He’s so hopeless at the game, the group thinks he may be a saboteur.
Meanwhile, the Axis continues to humiliate the Knights, in game and out. Bladezz (Vincent Caso) nearly gets expelled after questionable materials are found in his locker; additionally, his modeling pictures are posted online with disastrous results.
Codex eventually pulls the group together for a final confrontation with the Axis that’s enthralling and hilarious. “The Guild” remains a must-watch for gamers, but even those who don’t play online games will recognize these characters. More clever and deeper than it gets credit for, “The Guild” is among the Web’s best series.
This DVD includes all 12 episodes from Season 3, along with bonus material not seen on the Internet.
— Matthew Price
“Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1980s, Vol. 1” DVD review
Saturday Morning Cartoons of the 1980s vol. 1
Warner Home Video’s “Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1980s, Vol. 1” makes me want to pour a big bowl of sugary cereal and sit down for a few hours of relaxation through questionable animation.
The shows included on the DVD aren’t the best of the 1980s, though they are nostalgic fun for those who grew up in the era. Included are 11 episodes of mostly short-lived cartoons:
“The Biskitts”: These were the Smurfs of CBS (though not nearly as successful) as cute, tiny dogs attempted to keep the king’s treasures safe from the king of a rival land.
“The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley”: Based on Martin Short’s “Saturday Night Live” character, the dorky Ed Grimley had a 13-episode animated run in 1988.
“Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos”: This 1986 five-episode run inspired a comic-book series and an action-figure line. Oklahoma-born Norris introduced each episode in a live-action segment, then wrapped it up at the end.
“Dragon’s Lair”: Based on the fantasy video game that featured art by former Disney animator Don Bluth.
“The Flintstone Kids”: Like the Muppet Babies, only here it’s the Flintstones as kids.
“Goldie Gold and Action Jack”: A socialite and reporter have adventures.
“The Kwicky Koala Show”: One of the final shows directed by Tex Avery.
“Mister T”: An animated version of the “A-Team” star coached a gymnastics team and solved mysteries. The live-action Mr. T provided introductions and wrap-ups.
“Monchichis”: Cute monkey-like creatures starred in this show based on the Mattel toy line imported from Japan.
“Thundarr the Barbarian”: Popular with comic-book fans, as the show was created by Steve Gerber (“Howard the Duck”) and featured production design from Jack Kirby and Alex Toth. Thundarr was a Conan-inspired adventurer in a post-apocalyptic world.
There’s also a bonus featurette in the DVD set called “Lords of Light!: Thundarr the Barbarian.”
— Matthew Price
Princess and the Frog DVD review
While 3-D, Pixar-style computer graphics have become the predominant art form for animated releases, Disney has made a successful return to traditional animation with “The Princess and the Frog.”
“The Princess and the Frog” features a princess that’s not really a princess, and a frog that’s not really a frog. This tale is directed by the “Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin” team of John Musker and Ron Clements.
In 1920s New Orleans, Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) wants to open a restaurant to fulfill the dreams of her father (Terrence Howard). Tiana believes hard work will make her dreams come true. She’s had to work hard for everything she’s ever gotten, the opposite of visiting prince Naveen (Bruno Campos). Naveen’s never had to work for anything, and when problems come his way, he’s had little practice in self-reliance.
Keith David voices the voodoo-practicing Dr. Facilier, who believes he can use the prince’s naivety to his advantage.
Music by Randy Newman provides plenty of zest, especially in Dr. Facilier’s temptation of the prince and his adviser.
The supporting characters are fun, if derivative, including the jazz-loving gator Louis and the optimistic Cajun firefly Ray.
The film has some great twists throughout, and if it doesn’t quite reach the heights of “Aladdin” or “Little Mermaid,” it’s still fun and engaging.
It’s exciting to see Disney back into hand-drawn animation in such a major way. Tiana is a great addition to the line of Disney princesses, and this film should be enjoyed by anyone with young girls.
- Matthew Price
Ben 10 Alien Force Volume 6 DVD giveaway
Ben 10 Alien Force Volume 6 is out on DVD this week! In this latest release, Ben Tennyson is up to some serious monkey business that sparks an intergalactic war. Along with containing the final four episodes from the series’ second season, the DVD also includes an Alien Database bonus feature.
Want to get your hands on this DVD for your very own? E-mail your name, address and favorite Ben 10 character to featuresdesk@oklahoman.com. We’ll randomly draw one name to win a copy of the DVD. And we’ll reveal which Ben 10 character is the fans favorite after the drawing! Deadline to enter is midnight, April 11.
- Matt Price
Hulk evolves in animation in Planet Hulk DVD
“Planet Hulk” roared to DVD this month, as Marvel Comics’ green giant is sent to another world, where he becomes a gladiator. It’s based on the hit comic book by Greg Pak. At Comic-Con in 2009, “Planet Hulk” supervising director Frank Paur, “Planet Hulk” film writer Greg Johnson, and Craig Kyle, former senior vice president of animation at Marvel Studios, discussed why “Planet Hulk” was the right fit for a direct-to-DVD film.
“Hulk is a much-loved character,” Kyle said. “He’s just one of the greats. He just is with Spidey and X-Men and Thor and all those, but he’s just someone that fans cannot get enough of. And he’s someone that rules don’t apply to. I think that’s part of his huge appeal.”
While Hulk faced off with Thor and Wolverine in “Hulk Vs.,” another direct-to-DVD film, Kyle said the different films will allow Marvel “to show us the full range of Hulk.”
“‘Planet Hulk’ specifically is probably going to show you the complete Hulk experience that you can have,” Kyle said.
Pak, who wrote the comics that inspired the DVD, looked at a script in the early stages, and Kyle said the creators of the film heavily referenced the comics in developing the film.
Paur said the story line of Hulk on a savage planet, with new foes and friends, gave the filmmakers a chance to show the entire range of the Hulk.
“You see an evolution from monster into basically a man,” Paur said. “The other shows were a lot of fun, but this is the first thinking Hulk that’s ever been done (in animation).”
In the comics, “Planet Hulk” led into the blockbuster comic-book hit “World War Hulk.” Kyle said the success of “Planet Hulk” will determine if animation follows the same path.
“The fans are the ones that decide if there’s a second and a third,” said Kyle, currently a producer on the live-action “Thor” film. But, he said, each movie has to be satisfying on its own.
“It can’t be a cliffhanger,” he said. “You can’t let people feel like they’ve been given two-thirds of a movie. It’s just not fair to them.”
Johnson agreed that “Planet Hulk” is complete in itself.
“At the end of this, you feel like you’ve watched a movie that has ended, but with enough fuel there to ignite a sequel, if you wanted,” Johnson said.
- By Matthew Price
From The Oklahoman
DVD review – Doctor Who: The Complete Specials
David Tennant’s final turn as the Doctor comes to DVD and Blu-ray in “Doctor Who: The Complete Specials.”
The Doctor is the last Time Lord, a human-looking alien who saves the day in times of crisis and frequently travels through time and space in the TARDIS, a ship that resembles a 1950s police call box. Tennant’s wisecracking, ever-prepared version of the Doctor has provided popular with fans, and these five specials are the last in which he will star.
The first of the specials features the time-traveling Doctor in 1851 London on Christmas Eve. He meets someone else who also believes himself to be the Doctor, and the two face off against Cybermen, cyborg invaders from another dimension.
The second special, “Planet of the Dead,” features Michelle Ryan as a jewel thief who teams up with the Doctor when they are thrown through a rift in space. On an apparently desolate planet, they must find their way back to earth, along with a busload of passengers accidentally stranded.
The third special, “The Waters of Mars,” features the Doctor’s encounter with Earth’s first pioneers on Mars.
The final two specials, “The End of Time” parts one and two, feature the return of the insane Master (John Simm), who is intent on taking over the Earth. But the Master is just a pawn in a larger play. The first of the two-part episode feels oddly paced, but it all comes together in the end, as Tennant’s final episode of “Doctor Who” sends him out with emotion and grace. Fans also get the first look as Matt Smith as the new Doctor.
Extras include Doctor Who Confidential, deleted scenes, video diaries with Tennant, audio commentaries and featurettes.
- Matthew Price
DVD review – The Philanthropist: The Complete Series
The eight-episode series of “The Philanthropist” comes to DVD, but is it worth the donation?
Inspired by the real-life philanthropic work of Bobby Sager, “The Philanthropist” stars James Purefoy (“Rome”) as Teddy Rist, billionaire bad boy who decides he must do more with his life.
Rist is dealing with grief and guilt from the death of his son, and when he sees a child in Nigeria after the effects of a hurricane, he decides he’s going to use his money and power to help the boy and others like him. Throughout the series, he traipses off to new locations, aiming to provide hands-on philanthropy to those in need.
The cast is well-known: James L. Martin and Neve Campbell as Rist’s associates; Michael Kenneth Williams (“The Wire”) as Rist’s right-hand man; and Krista Allen (“Days of Our Lives”) as Rist’s ex-wife.
The show had a complicated genesis; it was originally developed by Tom Fontana (“Homicide: Life on the Street”), who was replaced by David Eick (“Battlestar Galactica”) who was then replaced by Fontana.
It’s beautifully shot, and Purefoy is well-cast as the good guy who isn’t always so pure of heart. The show has its share of dopey moments, but the feel-good premise and the talented cast push their way through them.
Despite the flaws and a lack of special features on the DVD, the short-lived series is worth a look, especially for Purefoy fans.
— Matthew Price
DVD review: Surrogates
Bruce Willis stars as FBI agent Tom Greer in “Surrogates,” based on the graphic novel by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele. In an alternate reality, robots have been developed that stand in for people in their everyday lives. People project their consciousness into these mechanical doppelgangers, which keep them safe from the dangers of the outside world. A small subset of humanity has rejected the use of the surrogates and lives in gated, humans-only communities. They are led by the Prophet (Ving Rhames), who decries the use of the surrogate technology.
Greer is called in to investigate the first murder in years, in which someone kills a surrogate operator via a weapon used on the surrogate. That’s not supposed to be able to happen — and it becomes an even bigger surprise when Greer discovers the murdered man is the son of the inventor of surrogates (James Cromwell).
It’s an interesting premise, but Jonathan Mostow (“Terminator 3”) doesn’t take a lot of time exploring how this world is different from our own; instead it becomes a slam-bang action flick. It’s not even entirely clear that it’s supposed to be an alternate reality without watching the audio commentary. Viewers may wonder how humanity has all these high-tech robot duplicates, but no advancements have been made in vehicles or cell phones.
Mostow has created a visually compelling film, with wide-angle shots and lots of right angles. He’s also made Hollywood actors appear even more perfect, and slightly unsettling, as robot duplicates of themselves. While the film, like “The Matrix” and others before it, has a point about overdependence on technology, it doesn’t give the audience much time to ponder.
— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
