Geekscape Roundtable: Our 2019 Holiday Wishlist!

by GeekscapeStaffDecember 12, 2019

The holiday season is here, and regardless of the exact holiday that you plan on celebrating this year, we know that you’re just in it for the presents (well, and the family/friends, and the food, and some other things too, but mostly the presents).

As always, instead of doing a traditional gift guide (if your giftee likes x, get them y, etc), we thought we’d take another route: tell you what we‘d want for our holiday gifts. You know our writers, so chances are that if you need to pick up a gift for someone similar, they’ll probably be into the same stuff!

Here goes! Enjoy, and be sure to let us know what gifts you’re hoping to receive this year!

Derek Kraneveldt

5. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Yeah, I’ve already maxed out my subscription (you can’t have more than 36 months of Xbox Game Pass on your account at any one time), but as Xbox Game Pass is the very best value in video games, I want to stock up as much as I can now before the price inevitably goes up.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gets you full access to Xbox Live Gold (and the free monthly games included with it), Xbox Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass for PC, all for one shockingly low monthly cost. Just the console version of Xbox Game Pass has more than 200 games on it at this point, and I’ve discovered so many amazing titles that I wouldn’t have ever played otherwise.

Seriously, I love Xbox Game Pass so much that I have a freaking podcast focussed on it.

4. Control for Xbox One

I’m a huge fan of Alan Wake and Quantum Break. I was so freaking excited for Control, but somehow it slipped right by me. Between games like Blair Witch, The Outer Worlds, and Death Stranding (not to mention all of the other awesome Game Pass additions… see recommendation above), I just didn’t make the time for Remedy’s latest.

After walking by the Control booth at PAX West back in September, I just became more and more interested in the title.

In the game, “after a secretive agency in New York is invaded by an otherworldly threat, you become the new Director struggling to regain Control in this supernatural 3rd person action-adventure.”

I’m finally ready to take the time to get through it. Check out the game’s launch trailer below, and you will be too!

Note: there are also rumblings right now of Control coming to Xbox Game Pass. 505 Games has denied this shortly after Xbox’ chief Phil Spencer himself said that he was excited for the game to come to the service.

3. TV Bias Lighting

I won’t be able to explain just what bias lighting is as well as Linus here, so maybe just watch this (semi) quick video to understand some of the benefits.

We use our TV a lot (especially so over the past year as I’ve made the Xbox Game Passengers podcast). It’s a decent television with a low amount of FALD zones, and I’ve been very happy with it aside from in a few specific situations.

Bias lighting seems like an very inexpensive way to help increase the apparent contrast of the unit, and if for just a little bit of money it can actually make my TV look better, I’m absolutely down for that (especially as Mikaela won’t let us buy a new one)

2. A Quip Toothbrush

I’m a sucker for advertising, and apparently I really love things that are pushed on podcasts.

I’ve never thought much about the type of toothbrush that I use — whatever works, and I replace it a few times per year. I’ve tried those expensive electric toothbrushes, but always found the vibrations just too harsh for my apparently baby mouth.

Based on all of the podcasts I listen to, Quip has become my new obsession. Oh god, I’m excited about a toothbrush — I must be getting old.

The toothbrush brush is sleek, available in either plastic or metal finishes (and in many cases, even the bristles match), and powered by a single AAA battery. When you press the single button on the Quip, the sonic vibrations start — this will continue for two minutes, and every 30 seconds you’ll feel a different vibration letting you know that you should move to a different quarter of your mouth. Pretty cool.

If you sign up for their refill plan, every three months you’ll get a new brush head and battery, and you can also choose to have their neat-looking dental floss or toothpaste delivered as well.

I may be super lame, but I’m super interested in the Quip.

https://youtu.be/8-q18uSsDgo

1.‏‏‎ ‎Oculus Quest

Three years after the PSVR first released, I still love watching people have their very first VR experiences on the platform.

I’ve had so many incredible gaming moments with the PSVR myself — I’ve literally been blown away by it far more than any other platform in recent memory.

But I barely ever use the damned thing. It’s super awkward to set up / tear down (especially as I own the v1 headset that didn’t support HDR passthrough through the breakout box), and because it’s tethered to the PS4 itself, I always feel like the I need to clear out a ton of space in the living room before starting it up.

The Oculus Quest is Oculus’ first completely untethered 6DOF headset. Everything you need to play a huge selection of VR video games and experiences is built right in. There are no cables or physical connections (though you can connect it to your supported gaming PC to play SteamVR and other titles that require more resources. A ton of games that I loved on PSVR like Moss, Superhot VR, and Beat Saber are available on the Oculus Quest (but again, without any wires, tethers, or setup), as are ports of bigger Oculus games like Crytek’s The Climb and Robo Recall.

I’m love VR, and I think that I would love it even more with one of these.

Deidra Kathleen

1. ‎Geeky Getaways by Blue Monarch Travel

I was lucky enough to have met Kat Baxter, the owner of Blue Monarch Travel, at Geeky Teas & Games during one of their Diagon Alley Craft Faires. They have specific trips called Geeky Getaways that really piqued my interest – two in particular – a LARP cruise and a Harry Potter-inspired trek through Scotland. With the latter, you get a chance to ride the Hogwarts Express and check out places that inspired the infamous magical series. With the formerly mentioned LARP cruise, you get to delve into non-combative LARP with fellow fantasy lovers at sea! I absolutely love traveling, tack on the geek factor – especially Harry Potter, and I’m extra sold! It also doesn’t hurt to help a local business! (LARP Cruise: $704.64-$784.64, Harry Potter Tour: To Be Announced Soon)

2. Harry Potter Murder Mystery by Maid to Order Mysteries

I have actually attended this event before as you can see in the picture below – and I had a BLAST! For all of my fellow Potterheads, this is a must if you can. I absolutely love solving mysteries/puzzles and with the Wizardverse focus, this was quite rightfully my cup of tea – grim not included. And, I won some magical gifts to boot! I would love to go to another one!

(Price: $55 counting handling fees)

**(Used with permission from Maid To Order Mysteries)**

3. The Labyrinth Masquerade Ball

I absolutely love any reason to dress up and pretend to be some sort of character, so when I stopped being a virtual recluse and found out about the Labyrinth Masquerade Ball, my eyes turned into stars anime-style. You get to dress as whatever fantasy creature your heart desires and step into another realm for a night! What’s not to like? (Price: $35-$330)

***(Photo used with permission from Bernie Bregman, The Geek Gatsby.)***

4. Beginner Hip Hop Classes at Millenium

For someone as clumsy as I am, you would be surprised to find out I used to take dance classes. Lately I have been having an itch to start up again and am in the process of saving up so that I may consistently – excuse me while I put on my Picard voice – “Make it so.” (Price: $14-$17 per class)

5. Geffen Playhouse Create Your Own Package

I absolutely love live theatre – whether onstage or in the audience, it’s my favorite place to be. I would absolutely love to have a show package subscription to the Geffen Playhouse. I was able to see Alan Tudyk of Firefly in Mysterious Circumstances this past year with a visiting Welsh friend of mine. And I was mesmerized by the extraordinary work they do there. Their Create Your Own Package is what I like to think of as a customizable theatrical Groupon. (Price: $144-$387)

Mikaela Maxwell

Sewing Supplies

A couple of years ago a sewing machine was on my list, and it actually happened (thanks Mom).

It sat unopened in its box for an extended period of time, until a little over a year ago when I made a wicked halloween costume, and I was off!

Flash forward to a kitchen table conversation with my sister about how difficult would it actually be for me to dabble in quilting… well, here we are a little over a year, 3 cushion covers, and 2 (baby sized) quilts later, with the answer: not that incredibly difficult.

Last year I was hoping for sewing accessories, rulers, sheers, rotary blade, etc, and I got a whole lot of that (thanks to my Mom and Derek’s parents). In truth, being supplied with these things made a big difference in me being able to take on quilting, and I am absolutely loving it!

This year I continue my request to be decked out with all the quilting comforts. Funny that somehow my interest in cosplay took some twists and turns and brought me to this lovely hobby of quilting. I will accept my honorary Grandma status now, thank you.

Now that I have the basics covered, I’m looking for a few accessories that feel positively luxurious. I’ll link a few of them here in case you’re looking for something to make your sewing life a little easier!

A Rotating Self Healing Cutting Mat:

After cutting a million quilting squares, and then re-cutting them because I am learning all of this as I go along, I recognized the value of being able to leave the square laying flat and not having to reposition and smooth it out four times in order to trim each edge! This mat will be a time saver and make it cutting more accurate.

Quilting Ruler Grip:

I find I am constantly struggling to keep the ruler from sliding as I try to make a 2 foot cut with my rotary cutter, and if it slips, well now my cut is crooked and I have to trim the edge before I can even start the piece again, and I better hope there is enough fabric for me to off this up multiple times!

This accessory distributes the pressure across the ruler more evenly, which helps it to stay in place even when making long cuts.

Pre Cut Fabrics:

You know what’s easier than picking fabrics that will hopefully match, and then cutting them into the desired shape and size? Getting a package of rematched, pre cut fabric!

Ok Sewing aside, there are other things I am interested in… I think.

This year I have noticed myself leaning into buying a few more things locally. It seems every time I am on the Vancouver Island, visiting friends and family, if I end up anywhere near the cute downtown shop Blue Poppy, I inevitably end up coming home with a piece of art that I simply can’t live without. Some of my faves include this beautiful Vancouver Island mug from Pottery For Peace, and this wall art from West Coast Art, and this year I am hoping that someone will be leaving a beautiful hoodie from Vancouver Island local West Coast Karma:

Personal Health

Looking back it seems like every year I hope and wish for some magical force of nature to swoop down and provide me with motivation to get my butt into shape… that hasn’t changed, I’m still searching for this.

I would like to figure out the physical activity that I am into so that I can start working towards cultivating a healthier body, while actually enjoying myself.

That being said I would also like to work on my mental health. I’m not totally sure what the best strategy is to make this happen either, but I am hoping that I will stumble across this in the near future as well.

I would also like to find a way to give back, I don’t know how to articulate that without feeling my eyes roll at my own self. So I will leave it at that for now, but it is time I start putting it out into the universe, so I can find the thing that fees my soul while allowing me to be of service to others.

As always the New Year is creeping up, and fresh starts are in the air, so maybe, miraculously, this year I will actually figure it out! (Stay tuned next year to see how I do!)

More Travel

For years I have been hoping to go on an amazing adventure to Bali, and I believe it has been on every wishlist I’ve made for Geekscape, but this year it will not be. BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY MADE IT HAPPEN!

This October, Derek and I ventured off to Bali for 16 fabulous days and it was the dreamiest vacation a girl could ask for. And the biggest thing that this dream vacation did for me, was make me realize that I want more!

I am not sure where, or what, or how yet, but I do know that I would like more adventure. So if Santa wants to surprise me with tickets to somewhere mysterious under the tree, well, no complaints here!

Jonathan London

“Pick It Up: Ska In The 90’s” on BluRay!

I’ve been following this documentary since it was crowdfunded and it kept getting better and better along the way! Filmmaker Taylor Morden assembled the ultimate who’s who of Ska groups to tell the story of the late 90’s Ska explosion, including Less Than Jake, Geekscape friends and guests The Suburban Legends, The Aquabats, Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish, Geekscape’s own Scott Klopfenstein (who is hilarious in his man on the street appearance) and more! My favorite band growing up was local Austin group The Impossibles and it’s a credit to how thorough a job Taylor did that some of these lesser known but still incredible groups are included. Tim Armstrong from Rancid narrates and for the nostalgic ska fans in your family (or Matt Kelly and I because Geekscape pretty much IS a family), this one is not to be missed!

The Baby Yoda Plush Doll

I don’t care that it won’t actually show up until April! As a quick convert to the awesomeness that is The Mandalorian (and the cuteness that is Baby Yoda), this plush doll is the second best thing to having the real deal! Sure, it won’t use its nascent force powers to get you out of trouble but it also won’t wander around getting itself INTO trouble so let’s call that even! You don’t even need to feed it any alien frogs (but you can try)!

Another Year of Geekscape!

There aren’t many material things that I want for anymore and I can honestly say that starting Geekscape all those years ago on Christmas Day, 2006 has grown into one of the most rewarding decisions of my life. I’ve made countless friends, family members and collaborators over the years and don’t know where I would be without you all. So in the spirit of the holidays, let’s keep this gift that I once gave to you that you in turn increased in value and gave back back to me going and growing! Geekscape Forever and Happy Holidays!

Shane O’Hare

This year has been the most life changing for me. I’ve had the biggest and most monumental shift towards living a happier and healthier life.

As of the writing of this, I am ten months sober, with my nine month AA coin in my wallet. Giving up alcohol, for me, has brought upon an intense clarity and zen like I’ve never experienced. I am not against alcohol in any way, it’s just not for me anymore.

That all being said, all my old booze money can go to buying some sick gifts for the holiday season!

1.‏‏‎ ‎The first on my list isn’t a tangible thing. Obviously, you can’t BUY happiness and prosperity (even if you got a small loan of a million dollars). I wish everyone at Geekscape happiness and healthiness for life. I cannot be more grateful for the myriad of crazy adventures, memories, and opportunities this absurd group of misfits has given me. Jon, Derek, Josh, Juan, Carlos, Matt, and everyone else past and present, I love you dearly.

2: Geekscape Games Revival Tour 2020

THATS RIGHT BABY! Much like Tiger Woods and his epic comeback, I wish for the OG Gaming Pod on the GeekscapeDotNetwork to come back. During the first year of one’s sobriety, it is HIGHLY suggested to not enter any new romantic relationships. The failure rate in AA for those is astronomically high. So, I obviously had to give up my first love during this time of healing. So maybe come February, Cupid will reunite the cutest couple on Geekscape.

3: Nokia 8110 4G

This is at the top of my Christmas list, so far at the top that I already bought it for myself. The Nokia 8110 4G is the younger Brother to the 8110 made famous in The Matrix as Mr. Anderson’s phone.

After reading the book Industrial Society and Its Future for a second time, I’ve realized the harm constant connectivity is. Checking RSS and news feeds at stoplights, checking Twitter and Facebook, wondering what’s happening on Tinder, not using your brain and natural direction finding capabilities to get to a destination. These are all harmful to the human mind.

When Facebook bought Instagram, they teamed up with a consulting firm to see how they could up engagement and get more eyes on ads. They determined that changing the Insta-Feed to an endless scrolling, putting posts out of chronological order, it would trigger the same portion of the brain that gambling does. Scrolling and scrolling, hoping for that big jackpot of a new post to like. It drove up engagement, and more ads could be served.

The 8110 4G is my attempt to go Off The Grid (OTG). It has great voice calls, predictive texting is easy enough but just annoying that I actually would prefer to pick up the phone and talk to someone. Battery lasts a week, and it has Google Maps and a basic GPS if I ABSOLUTELY get lost. No turn by turn though, so I still have to rely on looking at signs.

I still keep my old decommissioned smartphone for podcasts and music, but after two weeks on the 8110, I am feeling a great reduction in anxiety. Even if this is all hokum, it gives me moral self licensing to feel superior to other people, and at the end of the day, isn’t thats what is MOST important?

4: ROSEN-X Custom Techwear clothing

Ever wanted to look like an extra from Bladerunner? Well now’s your chance.

I’ve been a huge fan of the techwear/cyberpunk fashion aesthetic for ages. Futuristic lines, synthetic materials, high collars, and outlandish pockets. All fun things to start adding to your wardrobe. ROSEN is a fantastic company run by a great group of people, that will answer your questions and help you design your custom garments. They’re made to order, and can even accept odd measurements. Their entire collection is stellar, but the Tenjin Hanten is my number one choice from their shop.

5: Kotobukiya My Little Pony Statues

Announced last year, anime figure creation company Kotobukiya My Little Pony Mane Six figures are shaping up to be some of the best looking figures you can get, if you’re a Brony. The cute anime designs of the Human girls, with the show perfect sculpts of the ponies has my clopping all the way to the bank. Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity are out now, and Applejack was just revealed. Collect the whole set.

6: If you want to get me, your favorite recovering alcoholic, please feel free to check out my Amazon Christmas List!

Scott Roger

I know it may seem odd that a guy who does a horror movie podcast would be into books, but rest assured, I can in fact read. I love reading! Reading makes me feel powerful, like I could take over the world…or reanimate the dead…summon demons…bring ruin to my enemies…that kind of thing. Books are perfect Christmas gifts, and here are the top 10 on my wishlist this year:

Necronomicon Ex-Mortis (Evil Dead)

Great for calling on some Deadite pals to keep you company through the lonely winter. Gift wrap suggestion: garbage bags and barbed wire!

The Grand Grimoire (Warlock)

A puzzle, board game and scavenger hunt rolled into one! See who can learn the Name of God first and undo creation!

Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis (Ghoulies)

The problem with gremlins is that they can’t be controlled and have that pesky water allergy. Ghoulies have neither downside, and love partying just as much!

The Diary Of Patience Buckner (Cabin in the Woods)

For the biography junkie in your life. A thrilling tale of family bonding!

Initiation of the Virgin Goddess (Silent Night, Deadly Night 4)

Every little girl needs strong female role models, and this book is a great starter! Full of great tips on how to get a leg up in the world, and how to chill out when things start getting too hot.

In the Mouth of Madness by Sutter Cane (In the Mouth of Madness)

This hard-to-find manuscript never actually made it to print, but I’ve heard it’s CRAZY. People are going nuts over this one!

Libro Mortis (Evilspeak)

This one is for the gamer on your list. Strengthen your computer knowledge, stand up to bullies, and even learn how swordplay – it’s got everything!

The Arcanum (Thir13en Ghosts)

A wonderfully illustrated fairy tale set that tells 13 heart-warming stories of the enduring bonds of love. Read to your kids before bed!

Handbook for the Recently Deceased (Beetlejuice)

The industry standard of posthumous self-help; the extended version will keep even the most voracious reader busy for centuries!

Divana’s Spellbook (Elvira, Mistress of the Dark)

Equal parts spells and recipes, this one is perfect for the cook in your family who wants to add some bite to their casseroles, and some sexiness to the next potluck. Look for one with the companion estate ring!

John Moorehouse

Book It! The Pro Wrestling Card Game

As a lifelong fan of professional wrestling and a pretty avid fan of card games and deck builders for the past few years, this game has been in my sights for a while now. You run your own promotion, drafting cards to upgrade your roster, your venues, and also potential dirty tactics to sabotage competing promotions. Most of the cards are wrestling-related gags (a saluting gal in a baseball cap named Joan Sienna, for example). Between a busy life and expenses (2 girls in competitive cheer at once… the horror…), I haven’t picked it up but I hope to find it waiting underneath the tree this holiday season!

Ray Electromatic Mysteries

I love a good hard-boiled PI story. Now… add robots. That’s right, robots. I’ve heard some positive feedback about the series and “Made to Kill” is the first in the series. Since my other favorite PI series, the Dresden Files, is still on its extended hiatus, I might as well hop on the cybernetic horse and indulge in some speculative noir.

Homicide, Life on the Street: The Complete Series

With so many streaming services, there are still plenty of shows and movies out there you can’t find. Homicide is one of them. Created by David Simon, who went on to be the man behind The Wire, this was one of my all-time favorite shows and features my all-time favorite TV character, Detective Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher, currently in a completely different show in a similar setting, as Captain Holt on Brooklyn Nine-Nine). The complete run of episodes only is available second-hand, it seems.

Geekscape Roundtable: Our 2016 Holiday Wishlist!

by GeekscapeStaffDecember 19, 2016

Instead of doing a traditional gift guide (if your giftee likes x, get them y, etc), we thought we’d take another route: tell you what we‘d want for our holiday gifts. You know our writers, so chances are that if you need to pick up a gift for someone similar, they’ll probably be into the same stuff!

Here goes! Enjoy, and be sure to let us know what gifts you’re hoping for in the comments below!

Natalie Kipper

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (for the Nintendo 3DS)

Now technically, this game comes out just after the holidays (January 20, 2017) but I am so excited for this baby that I would happily take an IOU. Truth be told, I never managed to finish the original PS2 version of the title so I am especially excited to get another chance to tackle it with the new release’s extra features. I eagerly look forward to playing the game on the sofa. And in bed. And on planes. God, I love my 3DS!

Hashtag Collectibles’ Water Bear Plush (available at ThinkGeek and directly from Hashtag Collectibles)

Bizarre critters are kind of my thing. That is actually how I became acquainted with the makers of this adorable plush. I met Hashtag Collectibles through their Stuffed Blobfish years ago and I have been a fan of theirs ever since. Their stuffed Water Bear just looks so soft and huggable. And just look at those big, shiny eyes! I want one so freaking bad.

Popplio Plush – Trainer Size

Yes, I have more than one plush on my list. If you know me personally, than you are probably surprised that they aren’t all plushes. Anyways, back on topic. I am hooked on Pokémon Sun and Popplio was my choice for a starter. Who wouldn’t want a life-size plush of this lovable water-type?

Kitties Draped Ladies’ Hooded Cardigan

I am a sucker for cats and cardigans. Combine the two and it is love at first sight. And dude, it even has a hood. You can’t beat that!

The Art of Fire Emblem: Awakening

Fire Emblem has some damn pretty art and I would love to have them in a book to admire, preferably over a nice cup of tea. Not only are there illustrations but there are story boards and even scripts for every piece of dialogue. When you consider all the options you have during conversations and situations, that is really very impressive. This book looks to be not only yummy eye candy but fun reading.

Adam Lemuz

NES Classic Edition

While the Nintendo Switch is still 3 months away from release, that’s not stopping Nintendo from releasing a new(ish) console for the holiday season. Enter the NES Classic. While it may just seem like a simple plug ‘n play, it’s a much better investment than if you were to buy the included games on Nintendo’s Wii U Virtual Console. The game selection is very varied, and has even been color corrected from the Wii U’s dark and drab color palette. That’s if you can find it in stock. Yes, just like Amiibo back in 2014, Nintendo has “underestimated” demand for the product, causing a nationwide storage and many MANY people in hysteria. Still, for what it’s worth, Definitely pick this up if you find it.

We can’t really link this one, because it’s sold out everywhere forever.

Uncharted 4 PS4 Slim 500GB Bundle

2016 has been a pretty awful year for most things in general. Everything except for video games. Weirdly enough, this has been a pretty great year for games such as Street Fighter V, Uncharted 4, The Last Guardian, and many more. What do all of these have in common? They’re all PS4 exclusives. Sony has been on fire with their games division (One of the only parts of the company that’s actually profitable and good), and their recent showings at E3 2016 and PSX 2016 show that the company shows no signs of slowing down the hype train! Right now you can even get the 500GB Uncharted 4 Bundle for only $270 instead of $300 on Walmart’s website right now! So if you already have an Xbox One, it’s never been a better time to join the Playstation nation.

Gravity Falls Journal #3 Collectors Edition

While we had to say Goodbye to Gravity Falls as a TV series this year, that doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to gravity falls as a whole. While Disney did release a Journal #3 earlier this year back around Comic Con, they have decided to release a special collector’s edition of the item for hardcore fans. This new edition includes invisble blacklight ink, a monocle, and much more to give the book a more authentic feel than the current hardback version. Right now, it’s going for over $100 pre sale, but you can currently pre order it on amazon for only $90! If you’re a fan of Gravity Falls, you NEED this in your life.

Watch Dogs 2 (Xbox One)

The first Watch Dogs is pretty notorious by now. While the final product ended up being just an alright game, many people were disappointed by how limiting and underwhelming the full game actually was compared to its original E3 debut. A big graphical downgrade coupled with very limited hacking, and too serious of a story completely turned people off of the first game, leaving them with a very sour taste in their mouth. Not so much with Watch Dogs 2 though. The devs over at Ubisoft really took the criticism to heart, and in return, created a goofy, over the top, adventure where the only thing you can’t hack is the game itself. Watch Dogs 2 is a fine example of game devs listening to fan feedback in order to create a better product for both sides. The game is even going on sale for only $40 at Target on December 18th. So if you’re looking to catch up on any fall games you may have missed, Definitely take the offer, and hack into this deal.

The Nice Guys (Blu-Ray)

Let’s be real. 2016 was pretty bad for movies in general. Bad Summer blockbusters, boring Oscar noms, etc. The only real good movies this year have really been the animated movies, but that doesn’t mean all live action movies were bad. Enter The Nice Guys, a movie that’s a love letter to 70’s buddy cop films. Directed by Iron Man 3’s Shane Black, The Nice Guys stars Russel Crowe, Ryan Gossling, and is a smart, and clever take on the once popular genre. This has got to be one of the best overlooked movies this year. The crazy part is that you can get the Blu-Ray for only $13 at some stores! So if you’ve been burnt out by blockbusters like me this year and want something new, take this film for a spin.

Karson Braaten

Audible

Last year, I raved about Audible, and I’ll do it again this year. For me, audiobooks have essentially replaced reading books of the non comic book variety. At the very least I listen to a book on my commute to and from work (which totals 40 minutes/day). So multiply that by 20 days and you have 13 hours of reading/month! Get use to listening on the 1.5x setting to burn through even more books!

Some of my favourites this year include:

Off to be the Wizard by Scott Meyer, narrated by Luke Daniels
Replay by Ken Grimwood, narrated by William Dufris
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, narrated by Nick Podehl

ComiXology Unlimited

Think of ComiXology’s service as the Netflix for comic books. They have some great content available and starting to get into the production game. Take a look at the available titles and see if you’ll get your money’s ($5.99 a month) worth from it. If you like Image Comics this’ll be up your alley.

Raspberry Pi

I like retro (SNES era) video games, this will let me play them all! Well, hopefully. I’ll be using this kit and following the instructions from Lifehacker. Any suggestions, let me know!

Derek Kraneveldt

Playstation VR

Yeah, I’m a sucker for new stuff.

That said, I’ve been pretty enamoured with the Playstation VR (and VR in general) since the very first time that I put on one of the headsets. I don’t own a gaming PC, and likely never will, so the fact that I already have a PS4 sitting on my shelf makes biting the bullet for a PSVR a little easier.

The Playstation VR is by far the most comfortable VR headset that I’ve worn (which is fantastic as a glasses-wearer), and I’m enthralled by the promise of being able to play full titles like Resident Evil VII using the headset. PSVR already has so much more support coming down the pipeline than any of Sony’s previous peripherals, and with some of the slick games that have already been released (Arkham VR, Until Dawn, etc), it’s seriously hard not to just throw this on a credit card.

Apple AirPods

Again, I like new stuff.

I was looking forward to picking up a pair of Apple’s new, wireless AirPods at the end of October. The earphones weren’t quite ready for consumers at that point, and saw a delay that had them completely unavailable until earlier this week.

These things look slick as hell. Apple’s new W1 wireless chip ensures that there’s none of the annoying pairing-with-every-device-all-the-time annoyances of standard Bluetooth headsets, and the fact that there’s no wire connecting the left bud to the right is super cool.

You’ll get about five hours of battery life from the AirPods, and the clever little floss-sized carrying case will stop you from losing them, as well as give you another ~19 hours of charge. Damn.

More Philips Hue Stuff

This is a staple on my yearly wishlist. Philips Hue is a smart, heavily expandable lightbulb system that lets you set automation patterns for your lights, turn them on and off with your phone (or even Siri), and much, much more.

The Hue website will tell you all about the science of the colour of light and why it’s important, and as much as I love all of that stuff, Hue is just convenient as hell. When I leave the house, my lights turn off. When I come home, they turn back on. When my Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock app wakes me up in the morning, my lights simulate a sunrise. I sit down for a movie, and turn off or dim them via Control Centre on my phone, or just ask Siri to do it for me.

Also, using the slick Ambify app, you can have them pulse and change color to the beat of any music.

Really, I’m barely scratching the surface of what Philips Hue is capable of (just look at IFTTT), but I have been absolutely in love with these light bulbs for a year now, and would love to add more to my collection.

The Encyclopedia of Sports Entertainment

Last December my fiancé and I decided to give the award-winning WWE Network a try. “Just for a month,” we said. A year later we’re still hooked, have friends over for every PPV event, and the Network is probably the most-used streaming service of the several we’re currently paying for.

I watched professional wrestling briefly as a child, and now that I’m back, I’m very aware of the decades and decades of incredible characters, gripping storylines, and dearly missed superstars that the industry holds. I’d love to learn all about them, and the recently released Encyclopedia of Sports Entertainment seems like a great way to do so. The book contains “over 400 full-color pages and over 1,200 Superstar and event profiles. The WWE all-time roster in this book has been expanded to unprecedented proportions, and now features all your favorite heroes from the modern era.”

Sounds pretty awesome to me.

The Last Guardian: Collector’s Edition

I (well, more so everyone) has been waiting for this game forever (and ever). It needs no introduction, as we’ve been hearing people begging for it for the better part of ten years.

The Last Guardian finally released (to fairly divisive reviews) earlier this month, and I’m so excited to finally learn about Trico whenever I can get my hands on the title. I was just out of high school when The Last Guardian was first announced, and it’s hard to believe that all theses years later, it’s finally here.

The Collector’s Edition of the game includes a slew of extras, including a Premium statue, Premium Steelbook game case + Blu-ray game disc, 72-page art book, Digital sountrack (10 songs), Sticker sheet, Collector’s box. I’m in!

Alexandra Gallarza

Tile Slim Bluetooth Tracker

Have you ever lost your phone in your house? Or put your wallet somewhere? Or left your keys in an obscure place? There is a thing called a Tile . You attach it to your keys, your phone, slip it in your wallet and you can track your items. It’s a little thicker than a credit card so it’ll fit into your wallet perfectly. And it’s cheap!

Donations to the Sunshine Kids

Every year, or almost every year, I try to donate to a new charity that I’ve found. This year it’s the Sunshine Kids. The Sunshine kids was established in 1982 and the non-profit organization is dedicated to children with cancer. What makes them different from say Make-A-Wish? Once a sunshine kid, always a sunshine kid. So if you had cancer when you were 8 and are now 30? You’re still part of the organization. Based out of Texas, there are two chapters in Los Angeles and the kids are just full of life.

Copper Smartphone Projector

It’s a vintage inspired projector for your smartphone! Easy to assemble and easy to use, not only does it project against a wall, it also amplified the sound. Another ‘cheap’ item for Christmas courtesy of Urban Outfitters. I’m sure there are other places you can get smart phone projectors, but I’m a fan of vintage things.

Sphero Force Band

As someone who likes Star Wars ( I love it and I blame my mother) having the power to control a BB8 unit from my wrist is pretty damn cool. Having played with my light saber, pretending I was a young Jedi when I was well, young, having the power of the Force now, I think would be pretty awesome. Do I sound like a nerd yet? No. I could continue, but we don’t want to go there. Anyway – having this would be amazing.

Making of Books

I like knowing how things are made. I like knowing how a director figured out how they’re Oscar winning movie was going to be made. What processes they went through, how the script jumped off the page and onto my screen, what costumes were picked and how they were picked, things like that. I know the basics, but I like to see how other people do it. It could be for anything, movie, TV, theater – all of it interests me. I’m a nerd for that kind of thing. If I know how one piece of the puzzle works, then when I see the finished project, it’ll make more sense.

Adam Korenman

Bose QC 35

Due my work as a billionaire playboy philanthropist movie star (or something) I travel pretty regularly. In order to stay true to my roots, and to stay connected with the little people, I fly coach. As I’m sure you all know, flying coach is about the same as riding a Greyhound bus through a tire fire factory.

Fuel today is so prohibitively expensive, airlines have to cram in every last passenger in order to make any flight financially sustainable. They pack in people like insulation, shrink down the aisles to fit more seats, and remove anything but the bare minimum of amenities to keep us from—God forbid—consider taking a train instead.
And babies? I think they hand those out instead of headphones nowadays. It seems that every flight I’m on contains at least a bushel of newborns, still swaddled in hospital rags, screaming at the world for having the audacity to exist!

Enter the Bose QC 35. Bose has been the leader in noise-reduction/cancellation headphones for years now, and this current model only improves on the old formula. The over-the-ear design, combined with a plush leather cushion, effectively silences even the most egregious noises. Once you turn on the active cancellation tech, the world dissolves into a muted paradise, where you could vanish from the horrors of manned-flight into your escape of choice.

“But Adam,” you cry from your cramped middle seat. “Those cords are so invasive and tangly.”

First of all, how dare you speak to me when I’m in the middle of a rant? Secondly, the QC 35 is wireless. That’s right. They’ve done away with the most annoying part of the headphone.

Yes, this means you have to connect via Bluetooth, but the battery lasts 20 hours on a single charge. So even if you’re flying to Fiji, you’re covered.

And, as a final bonus, the headband is made of Alcantara. “What is Alcantara?” you ask while fumbling with your peasant food. Alcantara is the luxury material used by only the fanciest manufacturers of yachts and impractical automobiles. Why is that important?

Because if you’re dropping $300+ on headphones, you’d better be getting something worth bragging about.

Whiskey Making Kit

I’ve only recently started dabbling in home brewing for beer, and already I consider any other form of beverage unpalatable and plebian. How dare I sully my taste buds with anything so uncouth? Surely only the hand-crafted ales of a red-bearded god (me) should ever pass forth between my lips!

But beer is so carby, and living in California means I have to counter every intake of carbs with violent stretches of—shudder—exercise (because we’re all very vain here). So instead, I delight my senses with barrel-age, peat-soaked scotch.

Until recently, I’ve been forced to accept the substandard distillations of the aged families of the Highlands, Speysides, and Isles. Sure, they have hundreds of years of history making whiskey, and sure they are objectively the greatest distillers of our time, but certainly a 30-something millennial can figure out how to make the same amazing concoctions with nothing more than cheap wood and grain alcohol. Right?

Enter the Whiskey and Rum making kit. It’s pretty simple, really. You dump about 750ml of pure, unadulterated poison (grain alcohol) into a barrel made of cheap wood, drop in a powder of “flavors,” and wait a few weeks.

That’s got to be just as good as taking the time to culture a drum of 21-year-old nectar of the gods?

Serenity Film Scale Replica

Take my love, take my land. Take me where I cannot stand…

Firefly ran for just half a season more than a decade ago, and yet I can recall every detail of that show even now. Sure, that could be because I have a bimonthly marathon of every episode + Serenity (the fan-driven movie that changed an empire), but I choose to believe it is due to the enduring legacy of Joss Whedon’s greatest epic.

Like all Browncoats (a term us Firefly fans use lovingly), I am often depressed by the sheer lack of available tools for acting out my pages of fan-fiction. Season 8 is when things really heat up, when a pulsar launches Serenity into an alternate reality and Mal and the crew face off against Admiral Adama and the crew of the Battlestar Galactica!

But alas, in order to fully realize that dream, I was forced to use my poorly constructed cardboard version of the iconic ship. This often led to my characters (repurposed G.I. Joes, if you’re wondering) falling through the vessel enroute to places unknown.

No longer, with the new Film-Scale Artisan Replica from QMx. This faithful and gorgeous reproduction of the Firefly-class starship features an incredible amount of detail. It’s a steal at under $10,000, and who can put a price on being able to FINALLY film my award-winning short: Mal and the Anger Bunnies.

Marvel Groot Car Charger

Let’s all be honest for a minute. Let’s stop with the games and facades and let it all be real for just a moment.

LA traffic sucks donkey stones.

There. I said it. And you know what? There are few out there who would argue with me.

So how do you survive the literal HOURS you have to spend going from point A to point B in the godforsaken town?

Some people choose to text and drive, but that’s basically becoming Hitler on wheels if you ask me.
Others listen to books on tape. You know what, you might as well beat puppies with rolled up copies of Harry Potter for all the evil you’re bringing into the world.

For me, maintaining my sanity while living inside my gas-guzzling money pit only takes one thing: A Baby Groot Car Charger.

The best thing to happen to cinema since the first talkies has to the be the all-encompassing Mavel Cinematic Universe. And the best thing to come out of the MCU has to be Guardians of the Galaxy. And if we’re all gonna lay out some truth today, we can agree that the best part of GotG has been Groot. Given how amazing the teaser for Vol. 2 has been, I think we can safely assume Baby Groot will cure the misery that has been 2016.

So now you can have a tiny, plastic version of Planet Earth’s favorite sapling. And better yet? He’ll charge your useless electronics.

You’re welcome.

Longclaw

I don’t know about you, but I count Zombie Apocalypse (Zompocalypse) as one of my top 3 priorities for preparing for the future. If you’re dying to know, the other two are Robots Gain Sentience and Being Abducted by Sexy Aliens. No, building a dependable portfolio nor investing in land are not on the list.

When I think about the ways the eventual undead uprising could occur, I grow concerned that our (not-so-subtle) craving for the shambling dead may be for naught. Given how well the rest of this year has gone, it’s a safe bet we’re in for a Game of Thrones style army of the dead.

Since Bran the Builder has yet to seal off Canada with a great mountain of magical ice, I think we’re going to all need to get our hands on an authentic Valerian-steel sword, and I call dibs on Long Claw.

Made famous by the late Commander Mormont of the Night’s Watch, and then wielded by the perpetually ignorant Jon Snow, Long Claw is a song of metal and leather. It cuts through undead flesh like a…well, like a magic-infused sword through rotten flesh. If you’re up against White Walkers, Wights, or even White Supremacists*, then you can’t do better than Long Claw.

Then again, if we end up with a Dawn of the Dead (remake) style Zompocalypse, where the dead are Olympic-level sprinters, we’re all dead in five hours anyway.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

*Hey. Don’t be a dick and use this prop to hurt people. That would be a dick move. You dick.

Gary M. Kenny

Loot Crate Socks Subscription

Loot Crate Socks (lootwear): I have had a few of these subscriptions and as a man who wears a lot of suits (for work), these socks are amazing. They tend to use great quality fabric ranging from hiking to dress. All of Loot Crate’s socks are exclusive prints; check out their backlog, my legend of Zelda 8 bit socks are a hit when I show them off. Plus, as an “adult” with a wife and 2 kids, owning geeky socks lets me keep my fanboy membership. Just like most online subscriptions you can do yearly or 3-month or monthly. Their customer service is top notch as well, I received a hole in one of my socks, within a week I had a brand new pair, no questions asked. Loot Crate itself tends to have some quality boxes but I’m telling you for a cheap (depending on the plan), fun, stylish subscription- this is the one I recommend.

Triad Trike Bike

Triad Trike Bikes: Adult Big Wheels! I’ll repeat: Adult Big Wheels! They are almost custom made, with bullet proof – oath free wheels, oversized handle bars with lock grips, and a groovy color scheme. They cost a hefty price tag of over $300 but if you want to be king of school yard (as an adult), sometimes you have to shell out the green. They are built to drift and do they! Triad has put a few videos up of how they handle, you owe it to yourself to go on Amazon and watch. Even if outside activities aren’t your thing; acting crazy and drifting on an oversized trike should be tried at least once (especially if you missed out as a child). So, relive those Big Wheel glory days and buy a triad. These toys are a sure fire bet for fun.

Shane O’Hare

The 12 Bottle Bar: A Dozen Bottles.

I’ve always fancied myself a wannabe bartender, and the art of making cocktails has always interested me.

The inherent problem you run into when trying to start your own home bar, is the sheer amount of stuff you need to buy and stock to have a competent selection for your drinks. I’ve read plenty of bartending/home bar guides that say you need to shell out a lot of money to start. Then I came across the 12 Bottle Bar Book.

This book has over 200 recipes in it that only need access to 12 bottles in total. That includes stables like bitters and vermouth. This is a fantastic book for someone starting into their own home bar experience, and when you get down to it. Cocktail making is BASICALLY just alchemy, and we all need that level 1 tome to start our training.

Grado Labs DJ100 Cartrdige

Grado Labs is one of the most prestigious companies around when it comes to audio gear. They’ve been independently owned and operated for over 60 years, making top shelf headphones and cartridges (turntable needles) in Brooklyn. They are the epitome of the American dream, and their care for their product comes through.

When this article was originally a gift guide I was going to suggest their SR80e Headphones. Since this is all about me me me, I want to get a pair of their DJ needles!

Their DJ cartridges are designed to take a beating. They resist heavy tracking forces, have top notch channel isolation and incredible frequency responses. I’ve had an opportunity to hear their Prestige Series cartridges in person, and I was blown away.

They lay slightly on the pricey side, $100 a cartridge, but they have user replaceable styli and are sure to take a beating any DJ will throw at them.

ASUS ROG Radeon RX 480

I will admit it. I am an AMD fanboi. I will always have their CPU’s and GPU’s in my rig. My first gen R9 290X dual is starting to struggle a bit, so it might be time for an upgrade.

The RX 480 series is the latest and greatest from AMD, and delivers incredible performance for the dollar. Fully supports Direct X 12, so you know this card will be future proof for some time.

This particular pressing from ASUS and their Republic of Gamers line of products is fashionable to boot. Featuring full spectrum RGB lighting and intelligent cooling, this will look fantastic in any gaming case.

FiveFour Club subscription

FiveFour Club is probably one of my most favorite things I’ve discovered over the last few years. The one thing that us Geeks usually fall short on is fashion. Dressing well is something we kind of ignore, we’re way to busy being occupied with D&D campaigns, Kill-Death Ratios, Uber Micro, Sick Vids, collecting toys, gaming, Comic-Con, and finding that perfect raid group. So obviously when it comes to getting nice clothes and dressing like “ADULTS” (disregard the fact that I dress as Rarity from MLP at SDCC) falls to the wayside. Now, there isn’t anything inherently WRONG with those #lit graphic tees, but your sister in laws wedding ins’t the place to show off your Killing Joke shirt you got signed by Alan Moore in 2004.

FiveFour’s beauty is it’s simplicity. You fill out a style guide and every month a stylist will put together some clothing options for you. That’s it! They show up in your mailbox ready to wear. After having it for a few years, half my wardrobe is FiveFour. They run a tad SMALL. I have a big belly and big shoulders, so I have to size up a tad.

Physical Release from Dreamcatalogue

Vaporwave is a very divisive thing. People either are completely absorbed in the ａｅｓｔｈｅｔｉｃ, or hate it. I am in the former camp. I love everything about it. The music, the vibes, the essence, the art, the clothing, the anachronistic nature of it all. It’s something I extremely enjoy. Dreamcatalogue is my favorite record label publishing some incredible artists such as 2814, COCAINEJESUS, and telepath just to name a few. Dream is putting the time and effort in making incredible physical releases of music that tries to be a lowfi and retro as possible. The cassette tape releases are works of art and I would LOVE to get my hands on one eventually.

That’s it for us! What are you hoping to see this holiday season?

Geekscape’s Favorite Things Of 2015: Movies

by GeekscapeStaffDecember 30, 2015

Can you believe that 2015 is coming to a close? In just a couple of days, we’ll abolish that dreaded five for ten more years, and a cool, clean, sexy six will take its place.

2015 has been an incredible year for all forms of media, so as always, we rounded up our ever-growing pool of writers to share their favorite things of 2015. Yesterday, we published the list of our favourite video games of 2015, and next up, Movies!

Take a look at everyone’s top 10, top 5, or favourite film altogether, and be sure to let us know yours in the comment section below!

David Traverso

#1. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Typically we have to wait until November and December to catch the best films the cinematic year has to offer. Yet, 2015’s finest entry, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, came straight out of the Sundance Film Festival in January and reached theaters nationwide by summertime. The emotional coming-of-age story follows a high school loner (Thomas Mann) who forms an unlikely bond with a female classmate (Olivia Cooke) recently diagnosed with cancer. Superb performances, well-timed humor and excellent direction each help in transcending the film far beyond its all too familiar premise.

#2. Room

Lenny Abrahamson’s unforgettable drama is one that will stick with you long after the credits roll. Brie Larson has emerged as the Oscar frontrunner in the Best Actress category for her soulful performance as a young female sex slave being held captive in a 10 foot by 10 foot room. After years of abuse she finally gives birth to her captor’s son (Jacob Tremblay), and she must raise him in this sheltered environment where “room” becomes the only world he’s ever known. Room is a thought provoking and emotional roller coaster that consumes your attention from start to finish.

https://youtu.be/mQpnyb3k3Eg

#3. Infinitely Polar Bear

During my film-watching journey at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, while everyone clamored for the Best Picture nominee, Whiplash, I threw my support into a much different corner. Infinitely Polar Bear tells a more light-hearted side of a bi-polar father, Cam Stuart (Mark Ruffalo), who’s struggling to keep both his employment and his family. After separating from his wife (Zoe Saldana), a rare opportunity allows her to venture from Boston to New York in order to attend graduate school. In the meantime, an unstable Cam is left to care for their two young daughters. This Mr. Mom comedy is a heartfelt and hilarious film that recently shocked the industry after Ruffalo landed an unexpected Golden Globe nomination for his impressive onscreen work.

#4. Spotlight

Although it’s been a tempered cinematic year, Tom McCarthy’s gripping true story drama, Spotlight, has solidified itself as a Best Picture juggernaut. Set during the early 2000s, the film follows The Boston Globe’s investigative reporting team (known as “Spotlight”) and its diligent efforts to expose the Catholic church’s massive child abuse scandal and cover-up. There are a plethora of strong characters and fine performances scattered throughout the film’s lengthy unveiling of the truth. Any other year Spotlight may feel like a watered down choice for Best Picture, but it’s one of the 2015’s finest offerings.

#5. The Revenant

With all eyes on Leonardo DiCaprio’s desperate quest for Oscar immortality, The Revenant has evolved into the year’s most mysterious selection. Thankfully, I was able to catch a screening early in December and can confirm that it’s an impressive feat of filmmaking. Oscar winning director, Alejandro G. Inarritu, does a remarkable job of placing you into the time and setting of 1820s frontier life where Leo stars as famed explorer, Hugh Glass, who is left for dead by a member of his expedition team (Tom Hardy) after a violent grisly attack. Yet, rather than die peacefully, Glass fights to survive harsh winter conditions until he regains enough strength to seek vengeance on his nemesis. It’s a lengthy and brutally violent affair, but certainly worth the investment.

#6. Brooklyn

It may be hard to believe, but behind this macho exterior is a big softy. Therefore, you shouldn’t be surprised to see John Crowley’s charming love story, Brooklyn, nestled comfortably on my top 10 list. Saoirse Ronan will almost assuredly find her way into the Best Actress race for her portrayal of Eilis, a young Irish immigrant who leaves her mother and sister behind as she ventures to the U.S. during the 1950s in hopes of a better life. Homesickness becomes nearly unbearable for her until she meets an Italian plumber named Tony (Emory Cohen). But despite their natural chemistry and affection for one another, their relationship is put to the test when Eilis unexpectedly must return to Ireland. There’s no shortage of laughs in this otherwise crowd-pleasing romantic drama.

#7. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Anticipation was certainly high for J.J. Abrams’ first shot at the iconic Star Wars franchise. The Force Awakens didn’t disappoint as the 500+ day countdown until Episode VIII is already in motion. Yes, there were a large number of similarities between A New Hope and the latest entry, but Abrams does a spectacular job of using this familiarity to his advantage all while branding a fresh new set of characters to take over the saga. The Force Awakens is a wonderful transitional film that sets up its next installment very well. Now, if only Abrams would climb back into the director’s chair for another go-around, all fears would easily subside.

#8. The End of the Tour

There’s something profound and existential about James Ponsoldt’s masterful 2015 work, The End of the Tour. As a fan or his entire filmography, this title manages to elevate the collection even further. The film centers around Rolling Stone Magazine interviewer, David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg), on a five-day road trip with American author, David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel), during the closing parts of his book tour for the acclaimed novel, “Infinite Jest”. This dialogue-heavy journey forms a very personal and insightful connection with the viewer, clearly labeling The End of the Tour as a thinking man’s movie. Jason Segel’s turn is the finest work of his career and a performance that has been unjustly omitted from the awards season discussion.

#9. The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Despite my minimal interest in seeing the film, I was pleasantly surprised to discover one of the year’s most entertaining movie experiences. Set during the height of the 1960s Cold War with Russia, news of a criminal organization with plans of mass producing nuclear weapons forms the unlikeliest of duos comprised of American CIA agent, Napolean Solo (Henry Cavill), and a Russian KGB operative (Armie Hammer). Supporting star, Alicia Vikander, has had herself quite a year with other major releases, The Danish Girl and Ex-Machina, to add to her profile of work. Together, this trio of stars lead an action-packed and fun-filled secret mission that plays wonderfully as both a spy film and a comedy wrapped beautifully into one magnificent package.

#10. The Hateful Eight

When it comes to unique storytelling and dialogue unlike any other, Quentin Tarantino is your guy. Those shining attributes continue to exist in his latest Western, The Hateful Eight. I’ve always been a fan of plays and Tarantino stages his film in such a framework. This long-winded three hour affair is separated by a perfectly-timed intermission that also serves as a sturdy divide between the film’s vastly different halves. A wordy introduction to a collection of untrustworthy characters snowed in together during a blizzard, eventually culminates in typical Tarantino fashion as a visceral and bloody showdown that refuses to hold back. Although I would still admit a preference to Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight is a very strong and worthy film in its own right.

https://youtu.be/gnRbXn4-Yis

Honorable Mentions: The Gift, The Martian, 99 Homes and Kilo Two Bravo

Jonathan London

Looking back at my past years’ selections for Favorite Movies of the year and comparing it to 2015, this is for sure my most Geekscape-friendly year of all. Almost every title on the list is a sci-fi, superhero or genre picture! But still, looking at the list, I’ll argue that there’s a good range of differences between them, from Documentary to Animation to Sports to Live Action Thriller. And of course, you’ve got the Star Wars. Thanks for coming back to us, Star Wars!

10. The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Did any of you even see this movie? If not, you absolutely missed out as it was some of the most fun that I had in the theater in 2015. This is one of my favorite Guy Ritchie movies and he nails the pop-energy, dialogue, wit and charm of the 1960s spy film while cranking the whole genre to 11. From the opening sequence in East Berlin to the multiple twists and turns of the character and plot machinations, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was a complete surprise. It’s a shame that audiences didn’t turn out for it as it not only set up for a sequel but promised to take things to a whole new level with it. This is going to be a fun movie to re-watch (second only to the energy of Mad Max: Fury Road on the Zip Pop Editing And Crazy Camera Moves Scale) and it also contains my favorite interrogation scene in recent memory (you’ll know it when you see it… and you will laugh your ass off, you twisted, twisted puppy, you).

9…? – The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened? / The Toy Masters

Hmm… two genre fan documentaries made out of sheer love and ceaseless curiosity… and I have them TIED FOR 9TH. No… maybe one of these is 9th and one of these is 10th. I just can’t decide which because they both do an incredible job of answering questions about topics I love that I never knew that my fandom was even asking! Jon Schnepp’s The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened? is fantastic… potentially the best fan documentary I’ve ever seen. The interviews and revelations in this film about Tim Burton’s deceased late-90s Superman movie are equal measures damning and illuminating. Even as you see the events that lead to its slow and ultimate destruction you’ll be beside yourself wishing that you could watch even 10 seconds of it on screen. This is the closest you are ever going to get and it is more satisfying than you’d ever imagined. The Toy Masters hit me right out of left field. This chronicling of the creation, success and legacy of the He-Man toy and cartoon property might be the most fascinating movie that I saw this year. It focuses on the men, corporations and ideas that gave birth to basically our entire childhood. As a study on ego and delusion, some of the moments within are hard to watch, as several creators vie for authorship of the popular toy character. As a celebration of everything that we loved as kids it exceeds in large amounts, blasting a light on the process of creation on a corporate level and how art, commerce and imagination sometimes meet at just the right time to catch lightning in a bottle… But when the bottle is mishandled the things that spill out of it can shape people’s lives for decades. Very, very amazing documentary storytelling.

https://youtu.be/_5Q1j0XJQPI

8. Inside Out

So Bing Bong might be the single best characters introduced on film in the last 10 years. Yes, Inside Out is a very, very good movie, but it didn’t totally rank as one of my favorite Pixar films. Is it very impressive? Of course! These guys are at the top of their game! The story is tight, the performances and animation are top notch. Really, Inside Out deserves to be on this list just for the continued achievement that it is, maintaining the Pixar standard of quality storytelling! But that character Bing Bong, at one moment making me cry from laughter and the next putting a pin to the balloon of my emotions… Wow. What an incredibly dynamic and amazing creation. Congrats, Pixar, on another trophy from the fans to you!

7. Tomorrowland

Guys, I loved it. From opening scene to the final, rapid action sequence, I fell hard for Brad Bird’s Ode to Positive Thinking. I found it beautiful and flawed in a way that some might have found it preachy and clunky… because the hooks were already in me from the get go. I wanted to love this movie and I did. It’s fun, has a message that we obviously have not heard enough of (even if you thought it beaned you over the head with it… um, that means it hasn’t worked on you yet) and the journey of George Clooney’s Frank Walker might be my favorite character progression of the year. If there’s any flaw in Tomorrowland’s construction, it’s that the protagonist Casey Newton is the same go-for-broke optimist and positive instigator on upon meeting her that she is when the end credits hit. She’s a singular force pointed forward throughout the film. Frank, on the other hand, goes from child to adult and takes us on an incredible voyage of heart break and redemption along the way. If I’m in the minority on this one then I am okay with it. I’ll have the ride all to myself!

https://youtu.be/lNzukD8pS_s

6. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Um… after The Prequels I never thought this movie was going to happen. And then it did. And despite all of the smug reservations about plot similarities and cow-towing to fan service, it was awesome. And it was undeniably Star Wars in a way that we hadn’t seen since Return of the Jedi.. You want more thoughts? Here’s an hours worth between Ian Kerner and I on the podcast.

5. Ant-Man

Hell yes! Keep it weird, Marvel! And keep it funny! If there’s a positive side to the complaint that Marvel’s tent-pole films are getting bigger and more laborious (Avenger: Age of Ultron wasn’t exactly met with the same level of adulation that the first Avengers film was) it’s that Kevin Feige and company can take more risks… or at least what everyone else thinks of as risks! Fun, poppy movies like Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man that explore the wider canvas of the Marvel mythos are what us hardcore, 4-color fans have been waiting for since the first Iron Man knocked it out of the park! And Ant-Man was not only Marvel’s funniest film yet but maybe its most surprising. Equal parts heart, humor and action, I’ve already got a place for it on my Blu-Ray shelf.

4. Sicario

This movie took me by surprise in the best way. I thought I’d seen all I could see with Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin playing gritty sides of the law in movies like Traffic, Savages and No Country For Old Men. But not only did they exceed all of those expectations but they did a fantastic supporting job in supporting Emily Blunt to the best role of her career. Denis Villeneuve gave me one of my favorite movies of 2013 with Prisoners and this study of the complexities of the U.S. Mexico border war gives him a much bigger canvas in which to tell a story (ie. some fantastic action sequences and thought provoking views of the U.S. military). But it never loses the personal feeling of loss and disorientation in our main character that made Prisoners so engaging.

3. Mad Max: Fury Road

The year of revisitations (and at it’s worst “regurgitations”) continues and until Creed entered the ring I didn’t think any movie was going to do it at the level that George Miller delivered with Mad Max: Fury Road. It’s a completely high-octane, breakneck thrill ride and it’s simple story leaves tons of room for Miller to go nuts with his 2000 A.D. style characters, insane action sequences and bold visual designs. This was the movie that really kickstarted the Summer and when the dust settled in August it had left all of the other movies way behind.

2. Creed

Wow. Ryan Coogler’s sophomore film packs more punch than the last few Rocky films combined! From the incredibly shot One Take Masters that bring you right into the ring to the dialogue to the respectfully disciplined and well written homages to the original Rocky films, this movie is above and beyond what any other franchise reinvigorating addition has to offer. Sylvester Stallone’s performance alone is enough to remind everybody that he came of age as an actor alongside the likes of Pacino and DeNiro and deserves to be thought of in the same way. Had he not gone all 80’s Action Hero and Expendable, whose to say what incredible performances we would have witnessed? I’m thankful to have gotten this one and can’t wait to see it again.

1. Ex Machina

As the months went on, Alex Garland’s sci-fi masterpiece about the dangers of A.I. stuck with me. Incredibly well written, directed and put together, there are so many pieces to it that struck a chord and kept me engaged. Oscar Isaac and Domhnall Gleeson have rarely been better but newcomer Alicia Vikander owns every frame she’s in as the robotic experiment that wants to be more than just the sum of her parts. This movie is as thought provoking and horrifying as it is entertaining.

Daniel Campozano

5. Beasts Of No Nation

Netflix’s first forray into original films started off on the right foot. Following the story of a child, forced to join a rebel force after his family and village is decimated caused by a civil war. The film has already garnered Idres Elba a Golden Globe nomination for his role as the Commandant.

4. Mad Max: Fury Road

TONIGHT WE DINE IN THE HALLS OF VALHALLA! The film that wasnt really on my radar. I went on a whim with my brother in law to a midnight showing and boy was i pleasantly surprised at how awesome this film was. Furiosa portrayed by Charlize Theron stole the film as the strong female lead. Tom Hardy was almost secondary to her as they battled Immortan, racing to the green lands.

3. Inside Out

A film that has you running through a gamut of emtions. I sat there reflecting on myself as young child and that of my daughters. Questioning my response to whenever my daughter over reacted to simple situations. Bing Bong. Bing Bong.

2. Ant-Man

This movie was so much fun and and had so much heart that it easily became one of my favorites of the MCU. The highlight of the film was definetly Michael Peña he lieterally stole any scene he was in. I was glad to see that Marvel had invested in a sequel and integrating Ant-Man into the rest of the MCU starting with the upcoming Captain America: Civil War.

1. Star Wars The Force Awakens

This movie accomplished something that most films can’t and that’s live up to the massive hype. The casting was spot on the actors really knocked out of the park. Oscar Isaac as Poe was easily my favorite character he just oozing with charisma. It’s a fantastic start for the trilogy to come.

Gabriel von Grünbaum

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Well, duh! Such an excellent return to form for the franchise. With so much at stake, J.J. Abrams managed to balance every element needed to make the film work while comfortably laying the groundwork and set up for all the expansion of the galaxy far far away to come. Combined with solid writing, performances and production across the board—everything that went into the film so wonderfully well is as awesome as the story itself.

Krampus

This freakin’ movie comes up out of nowhere and runs off with my heart! Rarely have I felt so charmed by a movie. This exists in the rarefied air of the “delightful horror” movie—that it’s Christmas themed makes it all the more effective. Really, the closest comparison that could be made is Gremlins, another delightful horror that takes place at Christmas. Who knew there could be two distinctly wonderful treats made with so many of the same ingredients?—and then one is gingerbread and the other is chocolate chip! What I’m trying to say is, gobble up Krampus as soon as you can, it satisfies a hunger you may not even realize you have.

Mad Max: Fury Road

A balls to the wall action poem! A diesel fueled opera explosion of fire and survival. If you have yet to shove this deep into your eye sockets you need to reevaluate your life choices. It’s not unlike what NASCAR might be if there was no track to circle, the object was to blow up the competition and all the drivers were from Cirque du Soleil with a death wish.

The Martian

I love the whole story of this story: guy self-publishes his novel, novel sells so well that it gets picked up by a big publishing house, film rights end up in the hands of Ridley-Freakin’-Scott, who goes on to make a fantastic Oscar-worthy film with a top notch cast! Amazing! It’s funny. It’s moving. It’s thrilling. “Get your ass to Mars” for this winner, if you haven’t already.

Jurassic World / Ant-Man and Avengers: Age of Ultron

I’m going to give these a three-way tie for the final spot on this list. This is not a bad thing. I think these films were very successfully in different aspects respectively. Jurassic World was a visual feast! Ant-Man was amusing and accessible! Age of Ultron kept all the various threads of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe connected while dishing up the action! I think I was just hoping to feel and connect a bit more with these than I did—maybe that’s on me? Bottom line, each one is a shouldn’t miss.

Also…

Whereas, I missed a lot in theaters this year so I’m still hoping to enjoy Ex Machina, What We Do in the Shadows, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and Age of Adaline. In the next few weeks I’m pretty sure that I’ll be adding Joy and The Hateful Eight to my favorites list.

Derek Kraneveldt

Room

I don’t really have words to describe just how Room made me feel.

I went into the film as a Brie Larson fan with limited knowledge of the feature, aside from the universal acclaim that the film had been receiving since its TIFF debut.

Really, I don’t want to get into it. This is an unbelievably powerful film, and said power was amplified by the fact that I had no idea what was coming. This was a career-defining performance for Larson, and I really cannot wait to see the opportunities that appear for her from this point forward. Don’t even get me started on little Jacob Tremblay. That kid is AAA star material, no freaking doubt. I absolutely could not believe the incredible range of emotion coming from such a tiny human.

Room is one of the most emotional, affecting films that I’ve seen in my 25 years on this Earth, and if I have just one tip for potential viewers, it’s to not have anything fun planned after you see this movie, because it’s going to shatter your whole heart.

I’m tearing up just thinking about it. What a freaking film.

Crimson Peak

If we had a list for ‘most breathtakingly gorgeous films of 2015’, there’s no doubt in my mind that Crimson Peak would find itself the winner of that category.

Crimson Peak is an impressive tale of gothic romance that was far too overlooked by moviegoing crowds this Fall. Sure, it fared okay at the box office, but due to a disappointing marketing machine and trailers that made it look more like a B-grade horror flick than anything that would bear Del Toro’s celebrated name, this film did not get the recognition that it deserved. It’s almost as though general audiences took the ‘Beware of Crimson Peak’ mantra to heart, and simply avoided this incredible feature.

From the moment that I met with Del Toro a couple of years back at SDCC, and had him explain to me the intricate beauty of the house (right down to the hidden messages in its wallpaper, and the haunting shape of its ceilings), its characters, and more, I knew that I was in for a treat. Then I waited for what felt like forever, and I was not disappointed with the outcome.

Mia Wasikowska was an absolute standout of this star-studded cast, and I cannot wait to see where Hollywood takes her next. Hopefully Crimson Peak gets the viewership that it’s meant for when its feature-laden Blu-Ray drops in February. I implore you to give this one a shot (or ten).

Mad Max: Fury Road

Yep, the above film (Crimson Peak) was the most beautiful film that I saw in 2015, but Mad Max: Fury Road wasn’t far from it. The conversation-worthy practical effects and incredibly realized world had my jaw on the floor throughout Fury Road‘s not-long-enough 2 hour runtime (I was absolutely desperate for more as soon as the credits began to roll).

Seriously, it’s not often that a film comes around that reminds us what movies used to look like (Evil Dead is the last one that I can recall), and Mad Max: Fury Road is an absolute assault on all of your senses (in a good way). Every beautifully photographed and coloured action scene in the film is infinitely rewatchable, and the movie slows down at just the right moments, and just long enough for you to catch your breath.

This was the most technically impressive movie that I saw this year, and it was also one of the best. George Miller, please, please don’t make us wait so long for a sequel (and please give us more Furiosa).

Inside Out

Pixar knows, better than any other studio, how to make a grown man cry. That said, I don’t know if I’ve every cried during a film as much as I have in Inside Out. They’ve absolutely perfected the tear-inducing formula, and now I’m completely terrified to see what they do next.

You’re watching a little girl grow up, and her confused, changing emotions figure out how to balance themselves, and it’s absolutely impossible not to reflect on your own adolescence and relationships.

Learning to adapt, to let go, and to remember what’s important. It’s all in here, and offers one of the most important messages that Pixar has ever made us adults think about. Inside Out is truly Pixar at its best, even though I don’t think that Riley is old enough to be dating just yet.

I’m getting all tingly just *thinking about the film. It’s that powerful.

https://youtu.be/zkBSRadEv8A

Ex Machina

What an incredibly impressive directorial debut.

It’s difficult to speak about Ex Machina without potentially ruining some of the intense edge-of-your-seat questions that you’ll constantly and consistently ask through its duration.

Oscar Isaac’s (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) Nathan hires Domhnall Gleeson’s (yep, also from The Force Awakens) Caleb to perform a Turing test on a new model of AI he’s developed, Alicia Vikander’s Ava. Nathan’s mysterious as hell, and it’s not long before Caleb begins to question everything. Although they also have a fantastic bromance to start.

It’s the most though-provoking sci-fi film that I’ve seen in as long as I can remember, and Ex Machina has begun a myriad of intense conversations between my fiance and myself since we first saw the film back in April.

Garland has crafted a gorgeous, smart, and terrifying film that feels a little too real for comfort, and paired with its phenomenal performances, Ex Machina has skyrocketed to become one of my favourite films of all time.

Run and see it, now, and then keep running, because something like this is probably going to happen for real (if it hasn’t already).

Honorable Mentions: It Follows, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Creed

Karson Braaten

When it comes to movies, this year was strange for me. Movies that I looked forward to like The Peanuts Movie and Sinister 2 let me down more than I could imagine. Then highly anticipated summer blockbusters like Jurassic World and Mad Max: Fury Road I have yet to see. Then just like every year, movies that are on my best of year radar like The Hateful Eight and Creed I haven’t had an opportunity to watch. That said, I have been able to come up with five movies that, in no particular order, I can proudly (well mostly) call my top five movies of 2015! … I’d like to replace one of the horror movies with Creed and maybe even Me And Earl And The Dying Girl but, hey, I haven’t seen them yet. So without further ado, my top five-ish movies of 2015!

It Follows

After hearing the premise of It Follows, I was sold on it. Basically, there is a curse going around where if you sleep with someone who is infected you end up getting stalked by a scary-ass demon that slowly walks, and only walks, towards you. If it ever gets to you, it kills you. It can take the form of a scary old people, someone, you know, a child, anything. This movie builds tension throughout and has a few nice jump scares as well. It takes a bit of a tumble near the end when things start playing out differently than I had hoped.

The Babadook

Speaking of movies whose ending didn’t live up to their beginnings, The Babadook was shaping up to be my new favorite horror movie of all time until it took a turn right around the third act that didn’t work for me. I understand the reasoning for it but what The Babadook went on to explore was something I wish would have happened in a different movie. The first half of it had me squirming in my seat more than any other movie this year or maybe even in my life, but the last half fell flat.

The Visit

Alright, I admit, this list is a little horror heavy but like I said I haven’t had a chance to see a lot of my “Best of…” contenders! Perhaps it’s lazy, but I think I judge M. Night Shyamalan’s movies on the quality of their twist; the twist is good, the movie usually is too, and damn did I love the twist in this movie! Along with the twist came great tension building, creepy ass dialogue, and plenty of jump scares! I know Shyamalan’s is a whole lot of miss and not a lot of hits, but he has himself a home run here!

Inside Out

I’m one of those guys who holds all Pixar movies near and dear to his heart, and Inside Out became one of my favorites. I had no idea how a movie that takes place inside the mind was going to work, but it exceeded all my expectations. I was thinking about this movie long after I finished watching it. The character development and writing was unreal! How sweet was Bing Bong!? Everything about it hit the mark for me. Perhaps my only complaint is that LAVA, the short that play in front of it, wasn’t their best offering.

https://youtu.be/7ZLOYXKmIkw

Meru

If you like your movie filled with “oh fuck” moments then Meru is for you. A documentary about a group of climbers who take on the challenge of climbing the technically challenging and dangerous mountain that makes climbing Everest seem like a breeze. The scenery shots in this are gorgeous. Not only does it do a great job of capturing all the majestic landscapes, but it also manages to capture some incredible and subtle character moments too. The characters face a handful of setbacks and have to battle many personal demons throughout the movie, many of which will leave your jaw on the floor. I cringed, I cried and left feeling uplifted and inspired. I can’t recommend this movie enough.

Natalie Kipper

Two things. One: I did not step into a movie theater once in 2015. I tend to prefer to watch movies in the comfort of my own home and if that means that I have to wait longer to view them, so be it. Two: I am not that big on movies in general. I am incredibly picky with what I will watch and it eventually leads to me re-watching older films that I know I like over and over.

I did eventually get a chance to view Disney-Pixar’s Inside Out and I must say, it was genuinely moving. The animation was beautiful as one would expect from the studios involved. The graphics weren’t what kept me watching however; it was the smart script. The writers did such a moving job of making each of the emotions’ actions and dialogue fit them. Their individual effects on Riley during the course of the girl’s life just seemed so real and relatable. It was brilliant. And can we talk about Bing Bong for a moment? Riley’s childhood imaginary friend was far and away my favorite character in the film. His design just spoke of youthful innocence and curiosity and I loved him for it. That is where Inside Out shines: the movie’s universe is at once realistic and fanciful.

Inside Out may have been the only movie I saw this year but I am glad I chose it over countless others. Disney and Pixar succeeded in making the film accessible to every age, with so many layers that every group got something slightly different out of viewing it.

Adam Lemuz

Best Movie of 2015: The Peanuts Movie

In today’s day and age of botched and unfaithful movie adaptions of licensed properties, it’s a pleasure and relief when something like The Peanuts Movie comes along. Released by Blue Sky Studios, the movie follows the life of Charlie Brown as he desperately tries to become a winner in order to impress the little red haired girl. While the movie at times can seem a bit simpler than some of the other Peanuts films, that doesn’t stop the movie from having an uplifting message as well as some beautiful backdrops and animation. If you’ve already filled your quota of watching Star Wars 7, then buy a ticket to The Peanuts Movie and give it a watch. I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed with it.

https://youtu.be/fVR4E6Q6u5g

What was your favourite film of 2015? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!

Geekscape Roundtable: Our 2015 Holiday Wishlists!

by GeekscapeStaffDecember 14, 2015

Here goes! Enjoy, and be sure to let us know what gifts you’re hoping for in the comments below!

Derek Kraneveldt

Philips Hue 2.0 Starter Kit

Now, I actually already have a Philips Hue setup, and it may just be the best thing that I’ve ever purchased. That said, Hue is heavily expandible, and the new 2.0 kit includes a refreshed Bridge that supports Apple’s HomeKit, meaning that, yes, you can control your lights with Siri.

Amazing.

Also, using the slick Ambify app, you can have them pulse and change color to the beat of any music.

Mega Yarn Yoshi Amiibo

If you’re a regular around these parts (or ever listen to Geekscape Games), you’ll know how much of an Amiibo fiend I am. Aside from the Animal Crossing series (I’ve never spent much time in the AC world, so they’re not that iconic to me), I have every Amiibo, first print, sealed in box.

Aside from the Animal Crossing lineup, and Mega Yarn Yoshi, I mean.

Look at this thing. It’s giant. It’s adorable (and comes from, in my words, the most adorable game that’s ever been made). It’s also $70 in Canada, and I just moved to the most expensive city in North America, so the one day that these things were available, it just wasn’t happening.

I’m settling for the minature versions right now, but I would certainly love to add this to my collection.

SAXX Underwear

Yeah, I’m just copying and pasting what I wrote about SAXX last year, but as the marketing states, it truly is ‘Life Changing Underwear’, and every man needs to get some.

Yes, this is a geek blog, and yes, I’m talking about underwear.

This shit is life changing. I never in my life thought that comfort and underwear could be synonymous, but then I discovered SAXX, and everything changed. Chafing? I don’t know the meaning of the word.

Yeah, some people have scoffed at me for spending $30+ on a single pair of underwear, but then, those people haven’t tried it. Plus, let’s switch gender roles and put it into perspective: women (clearly) require their support up top, and from what I’ve heard have no problem spending $30-$50 on a single brazier. Why is it then ridiculous to spend a similar (or smaller) amount on an undergarment designed specifically for areas where men need support.

Seriously, dudes. Buy one pair, then go broke on them, and you can thank me later.

iZombie Stuff

I don’t even care what it is.

I discovered this series just a few months ago, and absolutely fell in love with its world, its characters, and really everything else about it. iZombie has quickly skyrocketed to become my favourite currently-running television series, and as I absolutely can’t get enough of it, I was beyond excited when The CW extended its second season.

It even shoots in my city, which is clearly not Seattle. Nearly every day I have thoughts about leaving my boring desk job and trying to become a PA just so I can have an opportunity to help create some amazing television series like this one. I’ve just been too afraid to make that move thus far.

In any case, if you haven’t seen it, the first season is readily available on Netflix. Get on it.

Great… now the theme song is stuck in my head again.

Casper Sheets / Pillows

Looking back on my wishlist this year, I’ve gone decidedly less geeky than I have in the past.

Maybe I live in a small place and don’t have room for too many items to be on display (and I simply don’t love the cluttered look), or maybe I’ve been sleeping on a Casper mattress for the past few months and have never slept so well in my life.

Seriously, it’s too the point where I think ‘Do I really need to go and do that?’ if I’m going to be away from my mattress.

Mid-last month, Casper ‘scienced the shit’ out of sheets and pillows, and created a ‘responsive, dual-layer pillow adapts
to your movements through the night,’ and ‘soft, strong, breathable sheets are engineered with
one of the longest cotton fibers in the world.’

They’re definitely not cheap, but if it even approaches the quality of their incredible mattress, I can’t even begin to imagine the comfort that users are in for. While you may think that I’m just a Level-7 susceptible (woo Community reference), read this:

We designed our sheets to create the ideal microclimate around your body. To do so, we balanced thread quality, yarn construction, and weave for a cool, breathable sleep environment that’s so outrageously comfortable you won’t want to leave.

Yeah, it’s marketing, but the fact that these sheets are backed by the same incredible 100-night trial period means that they’re going to be freaking incredible. I really, really can’t wait to lay down on these (one day).

https://youtu.be/GRJN2uCWk9U

Honorable Mention: Unblock-Us, because I live in Canada and want HBO Now.

Daniel Campozano

Geek Clothing (That Fits)

Previously coming in at over 300 pounds made attaining pop culture gear pretty tough (among other things). Even if I ever did find a cool shirt in my size, I always had to pay extra which made the buying process emotionally and financially even worse. This past year I made big change in my life and have so far shed over a hundred pounds. The greatest side effect is now being able to fit into “regular” sizes and not get penalized for it. So what have I been asking for this Christmas? A bunch of Star Wars and Disney gear. Gotta love that synergy. Good thing the movie is coming out because there was a plethora of choices to be had. I’ve been to stores all over and I find that JC Penny has the most choices at a the best price.

Star Wars Battlefront Season Pass

Yes, I know the common complaints “the game isn’t worth the money” but damn it I’m having fun with the title, and that’s all that matters! What I really want from the season pass isn’t necessarily just the DLC but for it to make the game better. Like seriously, why even have the Bowcaster as a star card and not have Chewie! But iI digress. As a completionist I’m spending my nights completing tasks trying to fill up my diorama, and playing the battle of Jakku isn’t helping.

Add me on PSN: Bigyanks. I need more friends to try and complete the mission (and survival mode)!

I may have a Star Wars problem.

Adam Lemuz

Xenoblade Chronicles X

While Nintendo’s holiday line-up hasn’t been as strong this year as it often is, that doesn’t mean it’s been a complete failure for the big N. Enter Xenoblade Chronicles X; a spiritual sequel to 2010’s Xenoblade Chronicles for Wii, Xenoblade Chronicles X starts off with a literal bang so big that it causes the destruction of Earth as we know it. Just like its predecessor, the game implements a real time battle system with fully customizable moves to learn and master. Not to mention you get to fly around in giant mech like vehicles called Skells (which are also fully customizable.) If you’re a fan of JRPG’S and are a bit anxious for 2016’s Fire Emblem X Shin Megami Tensei crossover, this is the JRPG for you.

Ultimate Nintendo: Guide to the NES Library

Retro game collecting has become a very popular hobby for people in the last couple of years, more specifically NES collecting. Ultimate Nintendo: Guide to the NES Library hopes to help teach you about every game that came out for the NES along with its rarity and even hand written reviews for every game! Right now their Kickstarter has about 11 days remaining. While it will take until March 2016 for a physical version, you can easily back the project at $30 to obtain a digital version of the book that you’ll be able to access before the end of the year. If you’re a retro game collector or just a videogame/Nintendo fan in general, you should definitely consider backing this project.

Mega Ran: RNDM

Nerdcore is a thing that’s becoming more and more popular by the day. The idea of taking videogame songs and remixing them into something else has become somewhat of a phenomenon. One of the people leading this charge is Mega Ran. Former school teacher turned rapper, he’s been creating some of the catchiest nerdcore tunes since he arrived on the scene back in 2006 (almost 10 years ago!) One of his newest albums, RNDM, is a bit different though. Described as the album of his life, RNDM is a mix of hip hop, pop, electronica and funk/soul meet at the crossroads of introspective, hilarious and heartwarming songs featuring a variety of different artists. You can buy everything from a regular digital version of the soundtrack, to a physical version and even an NES cartridge (there’s some pretty cool ways to buy this soundtrack.) If you’re tired of the current selection of music out there, this is a great change of pace that you won’t be forgetting any time soon.

Jonathan London

Ant-Man on Blu-Ray

Ant-Man was not my top film of the year… but it was definitely my most re-watchable. Peyton Reed’s entry to the MCU feels as fresh and welcome as Guardians of the Galaxy did last year and included some of the biggest fanboy moments of any Marvel film to date. Scenes like Ant-Man meeting an Avenger for the first time and flashbacks to Hank Pym’s earlier heroics are big highlights, but overall the injection of straight comedy to the Marvel universe is a welcome addition. Scott’s return is probably what I”m looking forward to the most in next year’s Captain America: Civil War.

Punchline’s ‘Thrilled’

Yes. These are the boys who did the Geekscape theme song… and they’re still making kick ass songs 9 years later. This latest one sees them taking a bit of a turn and stretching their creative wings, as Steve and Chris add a bit more of an electronic dance sound to the classic Punchline melodies. Songs like ‘Thrilled’ and ‘Can’t Stop Us Now’ are as catchy and anthemic as this band has produced.

A photo posted by Punchline (@punchlion) on Dec 8, 2015 at 8:09am PST

Carl Ciarfalio’s ‘Stars, Stunts and Stories: A Hollywood Stuntman’s Fall to Fame’

As far as us geeks are concerned, actor and stuntman Carl Ciarfalio is still the best on-screen version of the Fantastic Four’s The Thing that has yet to appear this side of Yancy Street. But beyond that, this veteran of film’s like ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘Drive’ has appeared in many of our favorite films (he doubled Kevin Smith’s Bluntman in ‘Mallrats’ (“fly, fat ass, fly!”) and got his face squashed in a vice in ‘Casino’)! Now he tells it all in his auto-biography. If you have any interest in behind the scenes Hollywood stories, Carl’s book is one of the best you will find!

Sean Neil’s ‘From Unknown’

This is my favorite album of the year, a mellow, acoustic laced, soul spilling journey from one of my favorite song writers. An artful celebration of distance, remembrances and long goodbyes, you can’t help but reflect while listening to it. Songs like ‘It’s a Shame’ put a bounce in your step even while filling your heart with melancholy. I can’t recommend it enough.

Jake Lopez

Halo: Shadow of Intent

Long before the 343 Industries took over the Halo franchise, the creative direction was heavily influenced by one man: Joseph Staten. Staten wrote the cinematic fro Halo’s 1-3, and Halo 3: ODST. Much of the magic that was there for me growing up with these titles was because of Staten. In fact, Staten was such an idol to me, I not-so-famously interviewed him as my first guest on camera during my first San Diego Comic Con.

Staten is a storyteller, and seeing his talents leave the franchise when 343i took over was difficult. Staten went on to work for Bungie for a time before parting with them. Since then, Staten has made his way back to Halo and his first installment into Halo lore comes in the form of the novella, Halo: Shadow of Intent. Fans of the franchise will immediately recognize the name to be that of flagship belonging to the Sangheili (Elite) Spec-Ops commander. The events of the novella will take place immediately following Halo 3.

Unfortunately, Staten isn’t “back.” It’s said that Staten still has “no official role with Halo.” Regardless, I’ll take what I can get. Halo: Shadow of Intent was released on December 7, 2015.

Starwhal

We all have those memories in college partying it up at a dorm, drinking until we pass out, and ordering pizza after 1 AM. Well, I did all that, just not in a conventional way. Many nights, friends and I would gather around a console and duke it out in fun arcade-like video games. One of the games we loved was Starwhal. At the time, the game was only available on Steam, but it has since jumped to multiple platforms including the Xbox One and Playstation 4.

Starwhal is a free for all in which the sole purpose is to be the last starwhal left. Players are eliminated overtime a horn is stabbed into your abdomen. The controls aren’t as sharp as you might think, since you’re occasionally floating in space and what not, and that makes it even more fun. It also helps that you can dress your starwhal up in over 90+ costumes, each paying homage to internet memes and science fiction. It’s an ultimate party game, something that is seriously lacking in this era of online-only titles.

Starwhal is available now!

Natalie Kipper

Blu-Ray of Persona 3 the Movie #Falling Down [Jika-Net Tanaka edition]

Yes, this set is pricy as butts (¥10,800? Ouch!) but given all the goodies it comes with, I think it is perfectly fair. Plus, it the only way to get that adorable Koromaru plush, which I need in my life. The other Persona 3 movies blew me away and I am dying to see the final one. I still can’t believe the second one ended on such a cliff-hanger.

Peace on Earth

Seriously, what the hell, humanity? I know we as a species can do better than this.

Creamy White Cat from Hasbro’s Joy For All Companion Pet Line

The technology for this “toy” is definitely impressive. After losing my cat of 18 years a few months ago, I think I might find interacting with this robotic kitty soothing. I am curious about the whole “VibraPurr” thing, too.

Hyrule Warriors: Legends for the Nintendo 3DS

Having never played the original, I was already interested in this game as a chance to play it in a portable format with extra content. But after the last Nintendo Direct, Hyrule Warriors: Legends has hit the one of top spots on my list for Holiday game releases.

Vampire Hunter D Volume 2: Raiser of Gales [Kindle Edition]

I have read many of Hideyuki Kikuchi’s Vampire Hunter D novels but Raiser of Gales is far and away my favorite. My paperback copy is in an awfully banged-up shape from so many re-readings. I would love to own the Kindle version so I could take it with me on trips without fear of pages falling out (I told you it was in bad shape).

Josh Jackson

Yu-Gi-Oh: Yugi’s Legendary Decks

From a competitive standpoint, the cards in this three deck set are either long outdated, or have been banned many cycles ago. When it comes to nostalgia however, there’s not a better set to buy for a would-be duelist. Containing over 100 cards, this set comes with three different decks modeled after Yugi’s cards that he used throughout the classic show, including Ultra Rare versions of all five Exodia pieces, the Silent Magician set, the Egyptian God Cards and for the first time in the United States, the Dark Magician with Arkana’s red artwork. To top it off, a few new cards supporting the Spellcaster monster class and promo cards designed after some of the more iconic cards from the Duelist Kingdom series will give old and new fans something to look forward to. This set retails for $29.99.

Yu-Gi-Oh 2015 Holiday Tins

If you’re looking for something more modern, you can never go wrong with Konami’s annual holiday tins. At $29.99 each, each tin comes with their own set of guaranteed, sought after cards, including Odd Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon. In addition, each set includes three 16 card Mega Packs, each of which has one of every rarity type taken from every set released this year. So if you’re looking for those hard to find Shaddolls, Yang Zings, Performages, or anything else in between, this is a great place to start.

Disney Infinity 3.0 Star Wars: The Force Awakens Play Set

Disney Infinity fans, the wait is almost over! On December 18, the first video game version of The Force Awakens will release when the Play Set based on the movie is released. Including Finn and Rey, Kylo Ren and Poe Dameron will be sold separately on launch day. Much like the film itself, we know next to nothing about the contents of the set, but we’re excited to find out when Friday rolls around. Oh, and if light up lightsabers are your thing, you might want to check out the recently released Light FX figures while you’re there!

Seagate Xbox Game Drive

With all of those holiday games that you’ve picked up for ~~yourselves,~~ your friends, it might be time to think about expanding your hard drive space, especially considering how everything needs 50 GBs worth of installs and updates at this point. Seagate is making it easy for console gamers to set this up with their Xbox Game Drive. Retailing at $99.99, this 2 TB portable drive can technically work with anything that supports external hard drives, but with its Xbox Green design, why would you want to use it on anything else but your Xbox One? Using a single USB 3.0 cord, expanding your data is as easy as plugging the drive in. Considering that you don’t have to replace your 500 GB minimum internal drive to use it either, you’ll be able to game without having to delete anything for a long time.

Plantronics RIG Headset With Mixer

One of the aspects of the current generation of gaming that confused the hell out of me was audio mixing while game chatting. Thankfully, Plantronics’ latest headset makes this transition much easier. With multiple models that come with different colors and adapters for Xbox One, Playstation 4 and everything in between, you’ll be able to filter the game audio and voice chat with the flick of a switch. Oh, and it helps that the soft ear cups make it one of the most comfortable headsets I’ve ever worn. It might set you back a bit with its $119.99 price tag, but if you’re serious about competitive play, or just want a convenient way to communicate while you game, you can’t go wrong with the RIG.

Nepgear 1/8 Scale Figure and Kat PVC Statue

When you can’t choose which waifu you want under your tree, why not get them all?

First, this Nepgear 1/8 Scale Figure displays Neptune’s techy sister in all her glory. Fans of Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2 know why the CPU Candidate’s struggle to rescue the elder goddesses makes her worthy of her spotlight, which is why this statue is a perfect way to display your appreciation for her worthiness as a main character. Yeah, I said it.

And just in time for the remaster of Gravity Rush, Kat is back with her own PVC statue, showing off her gravity manipulation skills. With Dusty at her side, all those Vita fans out there now have something to display in honor of what I feel is the best exclusive on the often forgotten handheld. With a second one on the way, it’s good to see the gravity queen getting the appreciation she deserves.

Shane O’Hare

Every year Christmas comes and Christmas goes, and I am constantly asked what I want for Christmas. It’s always a hard thing for me to decide, as I am always very grateful for the things I have already, and the people in my life. BUT if Santa is done being busy conquering the martians and wants to bestow upon me lavish gifts then it would have to go a little something like this.

Duck Sauce Traktor Control Vinyl

Last year I wanted the Native Instruments Z2 mixer. Still haven’t picked it up, but I still use my digital vinyl control when I DJ. It’s special vinyl that sends a signal to the computer so you can manipulate the MP3s in your DJ software. Whenever you see a DJ with a laptop and two turntables, they’re 99% of the time using a type of Control Vinyl.

The market for custom Traktor vinyl is very small compared to their main competitor, Serato. So whenever a unique piece of wax comes out I am always interested.

The Duck Sauce Control Vinyl has Duck Sauce’s single Radio Stereo on one side, and the control tone for Traktor on the other. I like this particular record because of its color. It matches my DJ LOGO!

Corsair RM1000X Power Supply

If you are ever considering building your own custom gaming PC one thing you should NEVER skimp on is the power supply. A cheap power supply can potentially damage or destroy your precious components. It’s also a good idea to future proof your PSU, so that if you ever upgrade your rig you won’t have to complete disassemble and rewire the whole damn thing. I’ve had my 750W Corsair for YEARS and it has moved from a few builds. But now, it’s starting to hit the limit of its power output, and the stuff I am tossing at it is taxing it.

The RM1000X is a fantastic 1000W power supply from Corsair. One of my favorite companies. The best thing about this is that it’s modular! That means you can plug in the exact amount of leads required for your rig, and not have a big bulky mess messing up air flow!

Seriously kids. Get a modular PSU. You’ll thank me.

We Love Fine Chibi My Little Pony Vinyls

I’m a Brony. I’m THE Brony. I love almost everything about the show and the fandom. I love the toys, and these Chibi vinyls from We Love Fine are totes adorbs. A lot of the time, “Chibi-ized” toys tend to look goofy, but these are amazing. The cute little feets! AHHHH!

Constantine Zippo Lighter Movie Sized

I am a huge fan of the Constantine movie, as well as the TV Show (rest in peace). One thing from the movie that stood out was John’s big ass, engraved Zippo. There are a few replicas out there on the market, but they are your standard Zippo size. This one is jumbo!

Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon

If you’re a windows fan, and want a Macbook killer then look no further. Lenovo Thinkpads are my go to for laptops. Their magnesium chassis, and hardware level Hard Disk protection make them durable as fuck. You could frisbee disk one of these mothers across the room and it would probably do more damage to the wall.

Super thin, powerful and with a reserved look, I want one of these badly. It would be perfect for DJing.

Matthew Rodriguez

Yo-Kai Watch for the Nintendo 3DS

Yo-Kai Watch is one of the leading games in Japan, even rivaling Pokemon! As a huge Pokemon fan myself, I’ve been looking to try this game out myself, just to see what all of the hubbub is all about. It’s been getting rave reviews all around (including Geekscape), so I think it’s safe to say that it would be a great purchase!

Apple TV 4th generation

Ha! I thought I could provide an Amazon link to the Apple TV 4th gen, however recent controversies got it pulled on the shop.

However, I’m looking forward to seeing all that Apple is bringing to the table in terms of both video streaming and gaming! I haven’t yet owned an Apple TV in my lifetime, but with Apple’s ‘Metal’ technology (Metal is a graphics standard similar to openGL and DirectX), I’d rather be at the forefront of this new tech. Oh, and it would probably help that I own multiple Apple devices to interact with it, as well.

Skylanders Eon’s Elite figurines (Slam Bam, Voodood, and Zook)

I apologize once again for not being able to locate a suitable shopping link. Skylander’s Eon’s Elite are “superior” versions of the original Skylanders, and are all GameStop exclusive. So far, I’ve managed to nab the original eight, however there are three more coming out that I want to get my hands on—Elite Slam Bam, Elite Voodood, Elite Zook. I’ve been obsessed with these since I had learned that they’re even better than their legendary counterparts, and still playing through Skylanders Superchargers with my wife. They will be excellent additions to my little toy army!

Eric Francisco

To be honest I’ve given up having any kind of material wishlist. Besides the fact that I’m spending the holidays on vacation and putting all my money towards that, I’m just not feeling an itch for a must-have this year. I’m an adult! But if I did, it’d probably be…

PlayStation 4 Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection Bundle

I totally missed out on having a PlayStation 3 so I’ve never played any of the Unchartered games! So a remastered bundle on a cheaper PlayStation 4 sounds like a win to me. I’m happy with my Xbox One but there are a ton of Sony-exclusive games I want to get my hands on. And I almost did, until Rocket League was announced for the Xbox One.

S.H. Figuarts G-Stag and Reddle

I’m an avid collector of Bandai’s premium S.H. Figuarts and I seriously want to complete by B-Fighter collection with G-Stag and Reddle. You might recognize these guys: They’re the Big Bad Beetleborgs!

Legacy Blade Blaster

Bandai quietly released the collector’s version of the iconic Blade Blaster from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. It’s a must have for me, especially since I’m building towards my legit Red Ranger cosplay. I’m gonna rock Halloween so much.

Juan Carlos Marquez

Gift Certificate for Outer Limits in Long Beach, CA

I love tattoos. Always have. Now, I’m not talking about those cruddy tattoos people give their friends in a garage on a Saturday night in exchange for a six-pack of beer; I am talking about quality work from talented artists, and Outer Limits in Long Beach, CA has them in spades.

Three years ago at Outer Limits, I received the best tattoo to date–a full-color stained glass Legend of Zelda tattoo which covers my entire inner left bicep. It took 9 hours to complete–but dear Lord–was it worth it! I am still absolutely in love with it; the colors are bright and the line work is crisp and clean.Now I have the itch to make it a traditional half sleeve Zelda tattoo, and nothing would make me happier than to have the people at Outer Limits make that happen.

Power-Up Heart Pint Glass 4-Pack

If my 30+ years of gaming have taught me anything, it’s that exploring enemy-infested dungeons can make a man quite parched. What better way to quench a hero’s thirst than by drinking one’s cold beverage of choice out one one of these bad boys! When the pint is full, the three hearts turn red. As one drinks, the hearts deplete, promptly alerting anyone in view that you are in need of a refill. Hey, you could just ask for another Perrier (or beer), but you’re saving a kingdom, damn it. The least the town folk could do is keep your thirst at bay. Cheers to you, hero!

Big Trouble in Little China — Fu Manchu Muscle Shirt

Do I really need to explain this to anyone? It’s Jack Burton’s shirt! Forget about wearing this at the gym; I’d wear this thing to weddings! Laugh now, but when ancient sorcerers kidnap your green-eyed girlfriend and need back up to fight elemental kung fu masters, you’ll be thankful your buddy JC is already dressed for battle.

Mary Campos

Owen – Hart of Gold DVD/Blu-Ray

I always feel that Owen Hart was totally overlooked, and his death was totally senseless and tragic. I’m really excited that the WWE is finally releasing a DVD with footage, and interviews of Owen.

I’d probably spend the day watching this with my grandma. Don’t laugh. She’s the reason I pay for the WWE network.

Lego Dimensions

I am so head over heels in love with the Lego series of games. Maybe it’s just the fact that whenever I am stuck in the game I can usually smash something until I figure out what to do next. But I’m sure I’d lose lots of time, and money on this as its Lego’s answer to the Amiibo, Skylanders craze.

Star Wars Ice Cream

I want this. The price tag is a little hefty for my liking. $36.00 for 4 pints of ice cream? But by the same logic, I’ve paid $9.00 a pint for beer, so why am I complaining? This Ample Hills Creamery limited edition features collectable containers, and two pints of the Light Side flavor, and the Dark Side Flavor.

Death Wish Coffee

I love coffee, I really really do. So the Death Wish coffee, which claims to have “double the caffeine of an average cup”, sounds like a fantastic idea for the caffeine fiend in your life. Because we can all use a little more pep in our step during the holidays right?

Jeff Potter’s Cooking for Geeks

We all have to eat…but some of us are better at making food ourselves. But this book combines science and tech and brings them into the kitchen. I’m not usually a fan of cookbooks, since every recipe is on the Internet, but this one peaked my interest. There aren’t very many cookbooks that explain the science of smells, and tells you the science behind making a 500-pound doughnut. Not that I would ever attempt that. Ha, no I probably would attempt it.

Philip Dobson

Leviathan Wakes

I’m calling out the first book in the Expanse series because the SyFy show of the same name just launched, and this is really such a great series. It’s not going to open your mind up to new ways of thinking, but it’s a hell of a fun ride while you’re reading it. The first book, Leviathan awakes is wonderful introduction into this universe. There are some really wonderfully creepy sections in this book that may make the hair on the back of your neck. I don’t know how well the TV show will turn out, but the books are fantastic.

Future Shock! The Story Of 2000 AD

The documentary about one of the best episodic compilation comic books in history. Great titles like Judge Dredd and the Nemesis came from these pages. So much of the sci fi to come out of the UK has it’s roots in 2000 A.D. I should mention that there’s a drop of nepotism on this one. Our own Helen Mullane worked on this one in between her career as all around awesome geek, and dog sledder. Watch the trailer and tell me you aren’t compelled to go and get this right now.

It’s not available in North America, but after a limited theater run it’s made it’s way to Amazon.co.uk. You can find it here

Nexus 6P

I work in Telecom, I see phones come and go. Apple is of course the staple, they’ll put out a solid product all the time, everytime, but some are better than others. You know what you’re getting up front, what I look for though, is something a little more of the road less traveled. Most people know about the pure Android Nexus 5, it was a solid piece of hardware that cost around $300. The lastest Nexus devices, the 6P and the 5X are really where my heart is though. The price has jumped quite a bit, but the 6P is absolutely the best Android device on the market, and the 5X does a solid job of giving a good alternative to the 6P with a lower price tag. If you want to get slightly better value you can try the Moto Style, but it’s not pure Android, and that may be a slight turn off for you.

Hubsan X4 H107 R/C Micro Quad Copter

The market is being flooded with drones lately. There are a sea of cheap drones that I wouldn’t put a great deal of stock in, but if you want something cheap that works fairly well check out the Hobson 4X in any of it’s iterations. The non camera version is extremely inexpensive for what it is, and it’s fairly easy to control considering the price point. This one goes for only $40.

Karson Braaten

Audible Membership

Audiobooks have almost completely replaced reading for me and Audible is the best source for them. If you love books but never find the time to read, try listening to one. At the very least I listen to a book on my commute to and from work (which totals 40 minutes/day). So multiply that by 20 days and you have 13 hours of reading/month! Get use to listening on the 1.5x setting to burn through even more books!

Some of my favourites include:

The Graveyard Book – written and narrated by Neil Gaiman (and anything else narrated by Neil Gaiman!)

The Martian – written by Andy Weir and narrated by R. C. Bray

Ready Player One – written by Ernest Cline and narrated by Wil Wheaton

… Oh, and they recently released all the Harry Potter books narrated by JIM DALE!

Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones

One downside of listening to books (or podcasts) on headphones is it is easily interrupted by external noise. While walking passing vehicles can easily drown out the narrator. This beautiful headset will fix that issue. They’ll also come in handy for watching movies on my laptop while my girlfriend is doing something else on the television. Movies are much more immersive with headphones! Sure, this expensive set might be overkill but hey, it’s Christmas!

The Collected Works of Hayao Miyazaki

Just in case, Jonathan forgot to put this on his list, Santa can bring me his copy!

Gabriel von Grünbaum

Recommended: Smile.Amazon.com

Like a lot of people I do a large percentage of my shopping on Amazon these days. It’s really hard to beat the convenience of having things just show up at my door—and with Prime, it’s even faster. I remember the first time a friend was telling me how great Prime was back in the day. The pitch was just about the 2-Day Shipping back then. Now there’s the movies, shows, music and more—but honestly it’s still about the shipping for me and I love it. The other reason I like to do all the shopping I can through Amazon is Smile. You select the charity that’s most important to you and, with Amazon Smile, a small percentage of the purchase price you pay goes to that charity! I chose Lupus LA and I feel great that every comic book, video game, movie and spice rack I purchase is helping them fund research and raise awareness. It doesn’t cost you a dime, whether or not you’re a part of Prime, and it’s easy to set up. It even offsets the guilt I feel when I buy something like I, Frankenstein 3D only to realize it’s a horrid movie—at least I did a little good with that waste of money! Just remember it doesn’t work through the apps or anything; you have log into smile.amazon.com in a browser to make your purchase count (a catch I wish they’d correct).

Recommended: Amazon Echo

Holy crow! I have artificial intelligence in my home and I think I’m falling in love with it. Have you guys seen Her?—I’m connecting with that film on a whole other level now. The intelligence built into the Echo speaker is named Alexa and once I call out to her I can ask her to do a whole slew of things—with new functionalities being developed and added all the time. “Alexa, shuffle my Danny Elfman playlist.” Bam!—Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice bounce through the air. “Alexa, add vitamin C to shopping list.” Bam! “Alexa, what’s on my calendar for today?” Bam! “Alexa, did the Seahawks win?” Bam!—she gives me the score of the latest game and when they’ll be playing next. “Alexa, Wikipedia vampires.” Bam! “Alexa, tell me the news.” Bam! “Alexa, who stars in The Martian?” Bam! “Alexa, tell me a joke.” Bam!—(Where do you take a sick boat? To the doc[k].) Ha! She endears me when she starts getting cute about things like when I say, “Alexa, good night,” and she’ll reply with, “Good night—don’t let the bedbugs bite.” I’m in love. It doesn’t stop there; like I said, they’re developing new capability for her all the time. She can connect with home automation systems like Philips Hue and WeMo to start controlling connected devices and appliances with your voice! Like freakin’ Star Trek or something! I had to test this out, so I picked up. . .

Pronounced “Life-X” when speaking with Alexa, this light is amaze-bulbs! (Waka-waka!) The range of colors you can achieve is everything you’d hope for and then some. The brightness beats the other regular LED bulbs I have. Like Amazon Echo, LIFX is still adding new features and capabilities to the WiFi bulb that can connect to home automation systems, Echo and can also be controlled through the LIFX app on your phone. I can turn on the light at home from anywhere in the world I have a data connection. At home, I can ask Alexa to turn it on or off, change color and adjust brightness. Some of the current capabilities include being able to program it to change colors, turn on or off—even with a slow fade—at a given time or circumstance. It can flicker like candle/fire light and that programmable fade can be great as an “alarm light” to gently wake you in the morning! Can’t wait to see what new features they’ll be adding next. I’ll absolutely be getting more of these bulbs and networking them together.

Recommended: Google Cardboard

Google Cardboard has been around for a while already. Until recently, I hadn’t really paid much attention to it at all—seemed like some gimmicky thing you could do with your phone. Whoa, yeah, I came to discover it’s a bit more than that. Cardboard is an accessible, practically free, introduction into some of the latest virtual reality as it’s being developed. This is not the culmination of VR and all it promises—this is a chance for you to start experiencing it in its infancy—to get a taste of everything that’s about to come and realize that in no time this will be how we get all our entertainment and information. One of the first things I did was to VR my way around Google Earth and dive down into where I live. Then I started downloading games and little mini interactive shorts. There’s concerts to explore on stage too and so much more. With both creatives and business flocking to develop and shape the future of virtual reality, there promises to be fresh new experiences coming out at a brisk clip!

My Wishlist: Nomiku Sous Vide Immersion Circulator

Have you eaten anything cooked sous vide yet? No? Are you ready to feel like a fancy motherf***er? Are ready to feel like you’re actually eating food for the first time? Then it’s time for you to turn cooking into science! It’s hard to adequately describe the results but. . . Imagine your favorite bite of the best beef/chicken/fish you’ve had. Now imagine that every bite of it on your plate tasted like that best bite—but better—cooked exactly the way you like it, evenly, end to end. Nothing gets burned, overcooked or dry; and with every bite, an angel gets its wings. That almost succeeds in describing what you can do with sous vide cooking. The first time I had it, a friend had snuck me into an exclusive New York dining club in Manhattan and brought me a personal favorite dish, the Cobb Salad. I was lamenting that it was made with chicken breast because so rarely does anyone cook it properly; often the white meat is too dry or rubbery. The salad was all fancified as a glorified lettuce wedge with all the Cobb-ery draped over it, including the sexiest looking chicken breast I’d ever seen. I was blown away and it was the first time I started handing out angel wings. The next time was in Seattle at the home of some fancypants friends who are well-traveled trendsetters. They had prepared a selection of vegetables and various cuts of steaks that they then seared the edges of with a torch! So many angels got their wings that day. They had spent thousands of dollars getting their sous vide setup together and I haven’t been ready to make that sort of commitment. Well, thanks to Nomiku, none of us have to break the bank to eat like the gods of Olympus! The Nomiku Sous Vide Immersion Circulator is affordable and extremely adaptable. Could I get a bucket and cook the fanciest and most divine Thanksgiving turkey ever in it?! I think I may be testing that out next year.

My Wishlist: Philips Fidelio B5

Once upon a time, I lived out in the country where I could blast music and movies to my heart’s content without bothering the neighbors. City living changed all that. So, when considering a surround sound setup for my entertainment center, most offerings were just overkill on sonic power I’d never get to take advantage of anyway—additionally, finding a way to gracefully get those speaker wires around the room to the rear speakers never worked out as well as I’d like. I gave up years ago and settled for a nice Sony soundbar that’s been providing decent sound for my television ever since. However, I still greatly miss the experience I’d get with surround sound at home. Now it looks like someone finally heard my very specific prayers for completing my entertainment needs once and for all with the Philips Fidelio B5 Soundbar—with detachable wireless speakers that automatically adjust themselves when placed behind you to give you surround sound! Why has no one else done this yet? Seriously, look around—I have—this is literally the only product that’s doing this. It’s like some amazing dream come true—I hope. Someone still has to make my holiday wish come true so I can start using this at home and make sure. (Hint, hint.)

More from My Wishlist: Sphero’s BB-8 looks like the new droid from Star Wars: The Force Awakens that fits in your hand. Through the app on your phone, you can control him, set tasks and activities, hear his boops and beeps and even set up augmented reality “holographic projections” viewable on your phone’s screen using its camera pointed at BB-8. Personally, this exactly the sort of thing I would love forever but honestly only use for the first week or so—after which, it would likely be coming out to play only when I had guests to impress. . . with my geeky toy. One day soon, I’m going to get a Raspberry Pi 2 and take over the freaking world! (This will also require me becoming somewhat more independently wealthy so that I’ll have the time to learn all of the amazing things that this little beast is capable of—like: creating my own home automation servers, constructing my own customized gaming and entertainment center and building my AI robot army to protect me during the coming Zombie Apocalypse.) I think that the Pebble Time Steel might finally put my ol’ Casio calculator watch to rest at last. Ever monkeyed around with 3D modeling or animation and wished you could get it to look like it does in Hollywood movies? Wonder no more! Remarkably, Pixar is offering their RenderMan software FREE!—for non-commercial use (meaning evaluation, educational or personal use). So as long as, scouts’ honor, you’re not making money/profit off of using the software, have at it for free! (Some of you are literally freaking out right now while others are shrugging with indifference—such is life.) The reality of Los Angeles is that you’re living in a desert and when those Santa Ana winds start blowing it gets extra dry—I’ve gone through a few humidifiers. However, I may have just discovered the last one I’ll need when I found the Dyson Humidifier. I’m already a fan of their. . . fans—I own a tall one and a smaller heater one—and the famous vacuum cleaner. This new humidifier cleans the water with ultraviolet light before filling your home with the welcome vapors to combat arid climates. Humid, ultraviolet and Dyson are really the only three words I needed to hear—I’m on board! I was going to close out with a wish for this awesome self-tracking drone that basically follows you taking video—like your own aerial cameraman—but apparently the company making the ZANO just collapsed after raising over $3 million on Kickstarter! Like it literally fell apart just days ago. So I’ll close with a long shot wish: Dear other English blokes, please don’t sod off to get stupid pissed like those ZANO wankers before sending me a Hoverbike! Pip pip, off you pop. Cheerio!

What are you hoping for this holiday season? Sound out in the comments below!

Geekscape’s Favorite Things Of 2014: Movies

by GeekscapeStaffJanuary 2, 2015

Can you believe that 2014 is over? We’ve just abolished that dreaded four for ten more years, and a cool, clean, sexy five has taken its place.

This year has been great for all types of media, so as always, we rounded up our ever-growing pool of writers to share with you our favourite things of 2014. Next up, movies!

Take a look at everyone’s top 5, top 10, or favourite film altogether below, and be sure to let us know yours in the comment section below!

David Traverso

*** Disclaimer: I still haven’t seen A Most Violent Year, American Sniper and Into the Woods.

1. Foxcatcher – With close ties to my neighborhood and my sport of choice growing up, Foxcatcher was I film I had been dying to see for two years until it was finally released in November. Needless to say, it lived up to all the hype and Bennett Miller’s spine-chilling tale of obsession and manipulation is brilliantly brought to life by the onscreen talents of Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo.

2. Boyhood – 12 years in the making and Richard Linklater’s groundbreaking cinematic achievement is well worth the wait. You literally watch the film’s leading character grow before your eyes in a truly magnificent coming-of-age tale that is guaranteed to stand the test of time.

3. Gone Girl – It’s clever, it’s unpredictable and it’s everything we love about the master of thrillers, David Fincher. Despite being a long-winded affair, Gone Girl is a showcase for the Oscar Nom shoe-in Rosamund Pike who helps take this adapted film to soaring heights.

4. Nightcrawler – 2014 was a phenomenal year for dark-toned thrillers and right there near the top of the pack is Dan Gilroy’s Nightcrawler. Jake Gyllenhaal gives an unforgettable turn as a sociopath seeking his place in the work force. As a unique blend of Drive meets Taxi Driver, this is a can’t miss film.

5. Chef – One of the year’s pleasant surprises was the culinary delight, Chef. Jon Favreau hangs up his Iron Man director’s crown and relocates to the kitchen as the writer, director and star of this crowd-pleasing father-son story about a man fully committed to his craft.

6. Interstellar – Filmmaker Christopher Nolan isn’t afraid to take risks, and that’s clearly evident in his latest sci-fi adventure, Interstellar. Nolan uses a handful of wonderful performances to help transform everything we know and understand about time and space in this undeniable instant classic.

7. St. Vincent – One thing we all could use a little more of in our lives is Bill Murray, and his spectacular work as an unconventional role model for his new young next door neighbor is completely priceless. There are plenty of laughs wrapped around a hearty centerpiece that’s enjoyable for audiences of all types.

8. Cheap Thrills – One thing I appreciate here at Geekscape is our access to the great independent films we receive from our friends over at Drafthouse. This year, Cheap Thrills was one of their films that left an imprint. A modern day game of “fear factor” pushes a loyal husband and father to unfathomable extremes as he becomes desperate to provide for his family.

9. The Fault in Our Stars – Some naysayers will unjustly label the teen sensation The Fault in Our Stars as nothing more than unearned sentiment. Truth be told, the film is an insightful and beautiful examination of love through the eyes of cancer-stricken teens who have no idea what the future holds for them.

10. Guardians of the Galaxy – I’m picky when it comes to action-packed films, mainly because I love a captivating story more than visually pleasing special effects. However, Guardians of the Galaxy offers them both together with an abundance of legitimate laughs as well. Once a skeptic, I’m now an eager fan who’s excited for the next installment.

Shane O’Hare

Now I’m probably the WORST Geekscapist when it comes to movies. I don’t often go see them in theaters, and don’t usually see the movies I should until they’ve been out for a while. BUT I was able to find 5 that came out this year that I enjoyed.

5. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Not much TOO say about this film. Marvel by numbers and frankly those numbers make for an awesome film. I’ve recently finished Agents of SHIELD and watching it made me appreciate Winter Soldier so much more.

4. Guardians of The Galaxy

Pretty much same as old Cap. Guardians really exceeded my expectations. The film was paced wonderfully. I never felt like I was waiting for something to happen.

3. MLP: Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks

The second in the line of MLP movies, Rainbow Rocks had me LITERALLY smiling and giggling the WHOLE time. They really stepped up on the animation, and the huge amount of characters that was in it was amazing. If you’re a MLP fan and have been on the fence with the Equestria Girls films, you need to hop off the fence and join the herd!

2. Godzilla

Mutha. Fucking. Godzilla. I saw this movie TWICE in theaters. The atmosphere, pacing and payoff was so on point. It was as accurate to the old school Godzilla films that it could have been, but with that extra US flair.

1. Edge of Tomorrow

Groundhog Day with guns was how this movie was introduced to me. I saw the trailer and was fairly on the fence about the film. Then I was doing some research on the film and found out it was based on a fairly popular light novel from Japan, titled All You Need Is Kill. I found out that there was an English translated audio book version, and it topped in at about 5 hours. So I snagged it and listened to it before seeing the movie.

Having both versions back to back was probably the best way to consume this story. Edge of Tomorrow really paid proper homage to the book. The ending was a little bit too “Happily Ever After/Hollywood” for my taste, especially compared to the books ending.

The action, the pacing, the weapons and characters were all incredibly well done and is EASILY my favorite movie of the year.

Eric Francisco

Despite being a passionate film lover, there weren’t too many 2014-released films I had the pleasure of seeing. I saw the big blockbusters, sure, like Guardians of the Galaxy. But the few in the race for the Oscars (and thus the only films anyone will talk about from now until the awards) or the festival darlings passed me by. So, my claim for the absolute best film of the year will come with a severe handicap, but I assure you I stand by it.

But first, the runner-ups.

Big Hero 6

Twenty years of Power Rangers, Super Sentai, Ultraman, and Kamen Rider were all validated with Disney’s Big Hero 6. It was everything I loved as a kid, made palatable for everyone. Screaming out your attacks as you do them? Total staple of a tokusatsu. With hit after hit from Disney Animation Studios, 2014 may be the year fans turn from Pixar. I suspect a civil war brewing amongst the 3D animators of the House of Mouse. With the same warmth and care given to Wreck-It Ralph and Frozen, Big Hero 6 was like a Disney movie made especially for me.

And yeah, even though they’re cartoons, don’t forget the racial diversity of the characters, and (heavily stylized) Asian-American culture being front and center. That is so cool.

As Above/So Below

There’s a ton of rosy-colored glasses to this one, as it was the very first film I reviewed and interviewed the artists for Geekscape! But even so, I have a feeling As Above/So Below will become something of a modern classic in horror/Halloween marathons in the future. It will have to rise above genre perceptions — found footage is incredibly divisive — but for what it’s worth, As Above/So Below is better than anyone could have asked for. If anything, watch for Perdita Weeks as the very compelling Scarlett. She’s the kind of protagonist all films could use more of.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Anything good I have to say about this movie you probably already know from seeing yourself, heard from a friend, or read from another reviewer. Just know that Guardians may have been my favorite time in the movie theatre this year.

Snowpiercer – Eric’s Best Film of 2014

I’m sorry, Jonathan and Derek. But Snowpiercer is a neo-masterpiece.

Primal. Visceral. Gripping. It holds you and never lets go. This dystopian sci-fi starring Chris Evans, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, and Song Kang-ho stayed with me long after I finished watching. It made me feel how I always want to feel about movies: to be enthralled by the drama, pumped by the action, and forever musing on the aftermath. Much of the film’s detractors often point to the absurd premise; after spending twenty years watching teenagers from California wear multi-colored spandex fighting magical space aliens, no premise is too absurd for me.

And the action. Oh my god, the action filmmaking.

Like, you can watch this movie right now on Netflix. If you haven’t seen it already, the hell is wrong with you?

Jonathan London

2014 will always be memorable here at Geekscape as the year that we put out our first feature film, the Geekscape co-produced Doc of the Dead (now viewable in the States on Netflix, EPIX, VOD, etc. and in foreign markets in a lot of ways). But it was also a good year for everybody else’s movies… which only made it more difficult for me to make a list as I had to leave some great ones off. Of the films I think might be in contention that I just haven’t seen yet, I think Foxcatcher, The Babadook and A Most Violent Year could have been list possibilities. I was also intrigued by smaller films that I didn’t get a chance to watch like Under the Skin and The Congress. This was also a great year for documentaries, two of my favorites being I Am Santa Claus and Particle Fever (a really engaging look at the team behind the Large Hadron Collider, a must for any science fans out there). So with that disclaimer aside, here’s the list!

10 . Edge of Tomorrow (AKA Live, Die, Repeat, AKA All You Need Is Kill)

This one is the big marketing black eye of 2014… and it couldn’t have happened to a less deserving movie. Really, Xbox fanboys, if you want to see what a great Gears of War movie would look like, just watch the last 20 minutes of this film. But Edge of Tomorrow (because I have to call it SOMETHING) is much more than that: it’s one of the funniest movies of a year; an often morbidly hilarious Groundhog Day-style retelling of one completely unqualified and cowardly soldier’s repetitive attempts to first escape duty and then eventually undertake the responsibility of saving humanity. I was prepared for the massive action sequences and heavy FX work going in. I was not prepared for just how funny the movie would be. Watching Tom Cruise get tossed around and killed like a rag doll might be a welcome sight to some of his detractors but what it ultimately does is show that one of our last remaining mega movie stars has a great sense of humor about himself and a fantastic sense of craft. I wish more Hollywood blockbusters had this much of an interesting blend of tone, pace and scale. It’s got small character moments to balance the enormous, heavy action sequences to counterpoint the drama and some of the funniest repeating jokes to juxtapose against the moments in the film where you know humanity’s survival balances on the edge of extinction and the one soldier with a chance at saving it is the one who wanted the job the least. Don’t let this one slip past you because it was fumbled at the finish line. It’s a complete winner.

9. John Wick
I don’t know of John Wick is a good movie by most people’s standards. But I do know that it’s a fucking awesome one. When the unofficial tagline is “They killed my dog… so I killed everyone” you’ve already got me interested. Hearing the word out of Fantastic Fest that this film was a wall to wall action revenge film and a return to form for Keanu Reeves got me in the door. I NEEDED to see him make the bastards pay… and I needed to see him do it in high, gun blazing fashion. The entire movie is impressive from a visual and stunt perspective. Script wise, there are moments that are highly stylized and feel like they could easily have fit in a classic SNL skit. The sequence in which news of retired hitman John Wick’s return to the scene carries up the ladder of the Russian mob is one of the most hilarious, kick ass parts of the movie. “What did you do!?!” “I killed his dog.” Long dramatic beat filled with dread. “Oh (shit).” If you love your heroes with endless bullets and karate moves, this movie is a complete blast and I can’t wait to watch it again. And again. And again. Sequel please.

8. Animals
This movie is incredible, a semi-autobiographical telling of lead actor (and writer) David Dastmalchian’s battle with drug addiction on the streets of Chicago. It’s an incredibly personal and pensive experience and director Collin Schiffli’s often lyrical long lens way of telling the story both keeps you up close to the characters and the desperate battles they are fighting (and often losing) but it also keeps them trapped and isolated from each other in their self made prisons. This is the best movie that I saw at this year’s SXSW and watching Dastmalchian’s emotional post-screening Q&A about revisiting the tougher parts of his life in order to process, exorcise and possibly come to terms with his own past choices exemplified the power that film can have in changing people’s lives and creating a connection. You’ll cheer for these characters even as their decisions horrify you and you’ll pray that they find salvation before their demons drag them down for good. Put this at the top of your lists. It’s difficult to watch at times but it’s worth it in the end.

7. The Raid 2
Holy shit. Talk about a completely different yet equally breakneck experience than The Raid (which was on this list two years back). I wish all sequels dared to do what The Raid 2 does rather than the usual retread of the first film’s successes. If The Raid was a self contained powder keg of a single location action thriller, then the sequel is that powder keg’s resulting explosion. It both elaborates and escalates the storyline of the first film and does it in a way that is more stylized and complicated than the first. Here the setting isn’t a single battle up a criminal infested tenement building. It’s the entire city and criminal underbelly across a sprawling number of characters and locales. Watch this film for the prison yard fight and the car chase sequence if nothing else. It will all leave you on the edge of your seat. From the stunts to the choreography to the loud rogues gallery, The Raid 2 is a worthy successor to 2012’s best action film.

6. Blue Ruin
Another movie that a lot of people told me about that I didn’t watch until the groundswell around it became too great to ignore. first met Jeremy Saulnier at SXSW 2007 and we talked about his movie Murder Party, which he and his friends shot on a shoestring in Brooklyn. It sounded like fun but you’d never know from watching Murder Party then that Jeremy and collaborator Macon Blair would come back with one of the most gripping, sometimes dark and sometimes humorous revenge stories in recent memory. The movie starts off with such incredible visual and narrative momentum that you can’t help but hope that the pieces being set up don’t burn out by the end of the film, as they all circle the drain towards their inevitable conclusion. I’m glad to say that they don’t. In fact they surprise and exceed all your previous expectations. Don’t miss this movie. It’s dark. It’s mesmerizing. And it’s fantastic.

5. Birdman
Michael Keaton might be one of the best overlooked actors of the last 20 years and Birdman is both evidence to that fact and commentary on how it came to be. Not only does Keaton give arguably the best performance of the year (Eddie Redmayne in a completely chameleon-like role in The Theory of Everything is his stiffest competition) but he does it in a way that delivers skewering commentary on Hollywood, our current cultural obsession with big budget superhero films and Keaton’s own career. The entire film plays out in one long uninterrupted sweeping movement, the ensemble cast all deserve recognition and the technical and visual mastery from Alejandro Iñárritu and company deliver an emotional thrill ride that is as exhilarating as it is hilarious. Birdman is probably one of more artistic films of the year, and definitely isn’t for everyone, but if you are in the mood to appreciate some of the best work from some of the best artists currently working in film it will reward you with a very thought provoking and entertaining ride.

4. Big Hero 6
This year’s best superhero movie didn’t involve the X-Men or the Star Spangled Sentinel of Liberty. And it sadly wasn’t about your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. And of course, none of the Guardians of the Galaxy are superheroes at all. They’re aliens and science fiction characters. The best superhero film of 2014 was Big Hero 6… and it celebrated the idea of being superheroes in a great, colorful way. It’s easy to compare Big Hero 6 to Pixar’s The Incredibles, and with good reason. They’re both fast, fun commentaries on the idea of superheroes and comic books in general. But where The Incredibles is a fantastic roll through the history books of the Golden and Silver Age, Big Hero 6 is all about the modern day superhero. It’s sometimes dark and at times sad but always filled with a fresh attitude and inspiring sense of diversity and purpose. Oh… and it’s also the funniest movie I saw this year. You’ll be crying both from the humor and some of its most heart wrenching moments.

3. Whiplash
I love this movie. Holy crap, what a bunch of energy… and some incredible performances from Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons. I put off watching Whiplash for a long time, simply because I couldn’t be convinced that a movie about a kid going to a prestigious music academy and butting heads with his instructor would be interesting to me. Legions of friends told me otherwise but I resisted. Man, what a mistake. From the opening shots I knew I was in for a great film. Then the dialogue starts up and you’re in hook, line and sinker. Whiplash is phenomenal, one of my favorite films of the last few years. Everything about it strikes with the right amount of honest storytelling precision and I loved seeing the character’s machinations and mind games fall into place. It’s suspenseful, exhilarating and inspiring and I can’t recommend it enough. Please don’t make the same mistake as me and seek this film out.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy is the most fun movie of the year, and like it’s characters, the biggest underdog story as well. Who’d have thought after Captain America 2’s big box office take that the movie with characters that nobody had heard of would become the biggest domestic earner of 2014? Nobody. I knew at the beginning of the year that I was definitely more interested in discovering what Guardians of the Galaxy was all about than I was about returning to the familiar world of Captain America 2 (a pattern that is repeating with my interests this year with Ant-Man and Avengers 2). I’m just more intrigued by the unknown. A talking raccoon and a sentient tree? How the hell is this going to play out? Sure. I was familiar with the characters… but as a movie? I was excited to find out if James Gunn could pull off the same magic he had on films like Slither on a scale this big. Well, he could. This movie has tons of personality, loads of energy and is one that I can watch over and over again and have a great time with. I can’t wait to see what’s cooked up for the return trip in a few years.

1. Boyhood
This is an easy run away favorite for me. Not only was Richard Linklater one of my longtime hometown heroes, someone that inspired me to go into filmmaking myself as someone from my own backyard, but he now made his best film to date, his most auto-biographical, and one that resonates with me on multiple levels. As an experiment alone, Boyhood is impressive. As a story, it’s incredible. As a film, it’s mindbogglingly phenomenal. Did it strike a deep chord with me as a native Texan and a child of divorce? Maybe. But I think the movie’s small charms and broad strokes would work on any male (or person) who remembers their coming of age years as a ping pong ball’s emotional vacillation between hopelessness, frustration, empowerment, discovery and back again. Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke give the performances of their careers and Linklater’s simple, laid back observations about his own life pour together into a rich, emotional tapestry that profoundly and honestly captures those adolescent years. I’m shaken with so many emotions every time I re-watch the film.

Karson Braaten

For me 2014 was the year of animated movies. There are a few films I’ve yet to see that might make their way onto my list (notably Gone Girl, Boyhood, When Marnie Was There) but I loved these ones none the less!

Lego Movie

The Lego Movie proves that when taken seriously, anything can make an endearing, successful movie. The animation is fantastic! The lego pieces moved just as they do in real life. It’s packed full of humour, creative storytelling and a couple of surprises!

Big Hero 6

This movie makes you feel. There are moments of excitement, anxiety, sorrow and joy just to name a few. It delivered everything you could hope for from a movie right up to the credits (and after!). The short that plays before the movie, Feast, is every bit as awesome as the movie itself. It’s safe to say that Walt Disney Animation Studios has hit it’s stride.

The Boxtrolls

Laika’s follow up to ParaNorman is another visual masterpiece. The script is both tight and witty. I found myself laughing more at The Boxtrolls than Laika’s previous offerings. While it may not have the widespread appeal of Big Hero 6 and The Lego Movie, I still loved it.

Chef

I find something incredibly enjoyable about seeing people doing and pursing things they love. Yes, it probably oversimplifies becoming a successful food truck vendor. Yes, there are lot of Twitter pop-ups throughout. However, I think this feel-good movie is full of heart and there’s lots to love and learn from it.

Need For Speed

I had no expectations for this movie. There was no reason to think that it wouldn’t be a Fast and Furious rip off and in the best possible way that’s exactly what it was. While it took the Fast and Furious franchise a few movies to get their core group of characters nailed down, Need For Speed gets it right off the bat. While it’s sometimes over the top, I completely bought in and had a blast from start to finish.

22 Jump Street

This was hands down the hardest I’ve laughed at a movie all year. While it drug on a tad near the end, the laughs more than made up for it.

Derek Kraneveldt

I’ve missed a few heavy hitters over the past few months (Foxcatcher, The Boxtrolls, Whiplash, Wild, etc), but I saw more than my fair share of brilliant films this year. As always, the films listed below are not necessarily the best of the year, but they’re the movies I enjoyed more than any others. Just like last year, they’re in no particular order, aside from number one.

The Babadook

This movie is scary as shit and absolutely beautiful. The performances, with Essie Davis slowly descending into murderous madness and Noah Wiseman being the creepiest kid to ever be caught on film are beyond stellar. Writer/Director Jennifer Kent did an incredible job at keeping The Babadook (film and monster) terrifying well through its third act, and the fact that the film holds so many hidden and deeper means makes the conversations that follow the film wondrously deep.

This may not be my favourite horror film this year. This may be my favourite horror film ever. And it wouldn’t have happened without Kickstarter!

Guardians of the Galaxy

Ever since first seeing the film’s first trailer way back when, I knew we were in for something special with James Gunn’s latest. Then I got to go to the freaking WORLD PREMIERE. I still remember the moment Chris Pratt picked up that little lizard to use it as a microphone for Redbone’s ‘Come and Get Your Love’ during the film’s opening, when Jonathan leaned over to me and said “This is already way better than Iron Man 3.”

How right he was. I’ve seen the movie half a dozen times since then (and half a dozen more times than I saw Iron Man 3) and it really, really never gets old. It’s action packed, hilarious, heartbreaking, and more, and it’s definitely my favourite Marvel film to this date.

Gone Girl

Fuck. This. Movie. I went into Gone Girl having only seen a trailer or two, and I left wanting to sleep with one eye open. Fincher, Flynn, and crew did a commendable job at turning us against (and for) Affleck’s Nick Dunne (over and over again), and I don’t think anyone (well, anyone who didn’t read the novel) could have seen that ending coming. It’s an extremely powerful movie to watch a second time, as there are so (so) many elements you glossed over entirely the very first time, that are blatantly obvious in repeat viewings.

Big Hero 6

I was not expecting to cry during Big Hero 6. I was not expecting to cry multiple times during Big Hero 6. But I did. I also laughed my ass off and fell in love with Baymax. I wasn’t overly aware of any of these characters before seeing the film, but exiting the theatre (after wiping the tears away) I was beyond interested in these characters and their further stories.

This movie was gorgeous, and so much fun. Each and every character was lovable, and it’s also a rare film that really has you feeling for the villain at its conclusion. Baymax, of course, stole the show.

I can’t wait to watch this one again on Blu-Ray.

1. Boyhood

There’s really nothing that I could say about Boyhood that hasn’t been said a thousand times already, but this is really a life-changing and once-in-a-lifetime film.

Never mind the film’s incredible 12-year production or its Oscar-worthy performances (we better see some nominations here). Walking out of Boyhood this July seriously made me rethink the way I live day to day. It’s a movie about growing up (obviously), but it puts such an emphasis on the little moments. The moments we take for granted and often forget about, and the moments that I’ve spent far too long saying “no” too. I left Boyhood wanting to experience more of these moments, and have found myself trying to be more of a “Yes Man” (Jim Carrey style) ever since.

I love, love, love this film. It clocks in at just under three hours long, but I’d have happily watched another three hours if I could have.

Geekscape Roundtable: Our 2014 Holiday Wishlist!

by GeekscapeStaffDecember 12, 2014

The holiday season is here yet again (wasn’t it just December 2013?), and regardless of the exact holiday that you plan on celebrating this year, we know that you’re just in it for the presents (well, and the family/friends, and the food, and some other things too, but mostly the presents).

Here goes! Enjoy, and be sure to let us know what gifts you’re hoping for in the comments below!

Jonathan London

‘King Dork Approximately’ by Frank Portman

This is a follow up to ‘King Dork’, the 2006 YA book that was recognized as one of the Best Books for Young Adults in 2007 and was optioned by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay as a film that same year (the movie has yet to happen but I’m hoping)! The original book followed high school outcast Tom Henderson as he defends against the slings and arrows of sophomore year while investigating his father’s death, trying to identify a girl he made out with at a party and start a rock band… but the fun plot wasn’t the highlight of the book. It was Portman’s colorful and wry writing style that was as fun to read as his own rock band The Mr. T Experience is to listen to. This year’s ‘King Dork Approximately’ promises more of the awesome same, as Tom navigates the 10th grade. You don’t have to be a big Young Adult reader to enjoy this book, as the original ‘King Dork’ was my first since grade school, but this would probably make the most sense for any high-schoolers in your life.

Princess Mononoke, The Wind Rises and Kiki’s Delivery Service Blu-Ray+DVD

We love Hayao Miyazaki here at Geekscape. In fact, we worship him. So why not help spread the Studio Ghibli gospel with some of his best works from the past 25 years? ‘Princess Mononoke’ is arguably his best film and is presented here on a brand new Blu-Ray+DVD treatment with both the English and Japanese audio and original storyboards. It’s the perfect movie for anyone between 15 and 45 who appreciates incredible storytelling. If you’re looking for a gift that skews a little younger, Miyazaki’s classic ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ also received the gorgeous 1080 HD treatment. This one is a classic and also includes a French audio track. And finally, older audiences will probably appreciate the recent Miyazaki film ‘The Wind Rises’, which was a 2013 Oscar nominee for Best Animated Feature Film. The movie is a historical romantic drama centered around the designing of Japanese airplanes, so even though it’s not the most commercial of Studio Ghibli’s films, the filmmaking on display is Miyazaki at the top of his game. I can’t recommend all three of these films enough and Disney, Touchstone and Studio Ghibli really went out of their way to bring audiences the best presentations possible.

Shane O’Hare

Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol Z2

Much like last year, I want more DJ gear! The Traktor Kontrol Z2 is an independent 2 Channel DJ mixer. The best part is that it reads Traktor’s special timecode vinyl records! The way it works, is the records when played normally, emit this constant high pitched tone. When the software reads that tone, it translate it into software manipulation. So if you scratch the record, the MP3 file will scratch. This mixer is exactly what I want to go with my two new (to me) Technic 1200 turntables.

WeLoveFine Night Mare Vinyl

The folks at We Love Fine make some of, if not THE, best My Little Pony figures. They’ve been able to take the very unique shape of the characters, and translate it to a 3D space. If you’ve seen some of the disastrous toys from Hasbro like most Brony’s have, then you’ll understand. This Nightmare Moon vinyl is so freaking awesome, and I want it so desperately to sit next my other We Love Fine figs.

ShapeWays Mane 6 #3

To stay on the MLP hype train is this awesome 3D printed toy from shapeways. Very recently Hasbro decided to NOT sue the crowd sourced 3D printing company, and rather join forces! AND THANK GOD, because we would have to be out some of the incredible fan created 3D toys. This Rarity fig is of the Diva herself enjoying a good cry on her Chaise lounge.

Rocketeer Adventures Volume 1 Hardcover and Rocketeer Adventures Volume 2 Hardcover

It’s no secret that I am a gigantic fan of The Rocketeer. IDW has been putting out some incredible Rocketeer books these last few years. They are really doing the original comics justice. I am absolutely craving these two issues in Hard Back to go on my shelf of Amazing Rocekteer Things. Full disclosure, I have all the single issues, I just want dat hard cover binding.

Eric Francisco

Legacy Dragon Dagger

In the never-ending celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Power Rangers, Bandai America has released the most iconic weapon of the equally iconic Green Ranger in a 1:1 scale complete with the epic summon tunes of the Dragonzord. You or your loved one can finally complete that Green Ranger cosplay with a more size-appropriate side-arm, and not a puny children’s toy. Never mind that, yeah, this is still a toy. BUT STILL! I can’t wait to put this on my shelf.

“Yes Please” by Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler’s new book isn’t quite an autobiography, a memoir, or a self-help book. Rather, it’s basically all of that! The nice lady who rose the ranks of the Upright Citizens Brigade to Saturday Night Live and starred in the soon-to-be fabled Parks & Recreation tells the stories and challenges that defined her and gives advice that can inspire anyone, women, men, and anyone in between. Future generations will hate that they missed her. In a world where people brag about carrying guns, I want to brag about carrying this.

Batman: The Complete Television Series (Blu-Ray)

You either die a hero or you live long enough to make people realize just how much you rocked. Thing is, I really DID love this show with no irony whatsoever! Batman is cool when he’s gritty, but AWESOME when he’s hamming it up. This complete Blu-ray set not only has the expected remastering of picture and sound, but it contains 3 HOURS of bonus features and a handful of collectible items, including a Hot Wheels replica Batmobile! Gotham on FOX and the upcoming Zack Snyder films will ensure Batman will be dark for years to come, but you and the Bat-fanatic in your life can relive a time when having fun wasn’t looked down upon. Also, if I get this, I am immediately watching The Green Hornet crossover episodes!

“Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation” by Blake J. Harris

If anyone considers themselves a “gamer” or a “’90s kid” or whatever buzz-word people need to identify themselves, indulge them with author Blake Harris’ excellent, must-have chronicle of the late ’80s-early ’90s corporate war that took place in our living rooms. I was barely seven when I played on the SNES and Sega Gensis, and reading this book instantly took me back to those golden early years. A documentary is in post-production and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are working on a feature film adaptation. Should any of those movies live up to the book, they will go down as a classic in their own right. Think “The Social Network,” but with Sonic and Mario.

Broadcast News (Criterion Collection) (Blu-Ray)

Having watched this movie several times while at Rutgers, I can’t help but need it in its definitive form. This incredibly funny and still-relevant 1987 comedy classic from James Brooks is not only a sentimental reminder of my undergrad years, but as a textbook to study from. How can I make a smart, funny, and important movie people will remember in the years to come? I’ll find out in this high-def Criterion Collection release, which contains new audio commentary from director James Brooks, a new documentary, deleted scenes with Brooks on commentary, an interview with CBS veteran Susan Zirinsky, and an essay from critic Carrie Rickey.

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 Lens

A necessity for all DSLR filmmakers and photographers. A 50mm prime lens will really teach you how to frame a shot, as the 50mm measurement is the closest to mimicking the human eye. If you have an aspiring filmmaker or photographer in your life, this lens would be a big help.

NBC To Renew Constantine

PLEAE DON’T CANCEL CONSTANTINE. PLEASE. #SaveConstantine

Derek Kraneveldt

Nintendo Wii U

Yep. I totally had the Wii U in my Wishlist piece last year too. Nothing here has changed (except that the console has gotten SO MUCH BETTER). Nintendo’s latest is still the only console that you should be looking at if local multiplayer is a thing that you enjoy (it is) and the library has only gotten more and more stellar with games like Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros. For Wii U, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, and even more that I haven’t yet had an opportunity to play.

With some great bundles available to get you started (I think that the Super Mario 3D World or Mario Kart 8 bundles are the best value), you absolutely, positively cannot go wrong with a Wii U this season.

SAXX Underwear

Yes, this is a geek blog, and yes, I’m talking about underwear.

This shit is life changing. I never in my life thought that comfort and underwear could be synonymous, but then I discovered SAXX, and everything changed. Chafing? I don’t know the meaning of the word.

Seriously, dudes. Buy one pair, then go broke on them, and then you can thank me. I <3 SAXX.

Godzilla Blu-Ray / Graphic Novel

I’ve been enamoured with Legendary’s Godzilla ever since I was lucky enough to experience the Godzilla Encounter event at San Diego Comic-Con 2013. Following that, I waited patiently, ate up every image, trailer, clip, and teaser, and even had the fantastic opportunity to interview the film’s screenwriter.

Then, the movie came out. Jonathan saw it way before me and took to reviewing it for Geekscape, and I wholeheartedly agree with his thoughts on the film. I loved it, and I cannot (cannot) wait for the series to be expanded. The Blu-Ray edition of the film looks absolutely gorgeous (though you will miss the big screen of the theatrical experience) and boasts a ton of special features in its multitude of beyond-intriguing featurettes. If you’re at all interested in the monster, his history, or what director Gareth Edwards and his cast and crew did to bring the film to life, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up.

And don’t forget about the prequel graphic novel, which acts as a great introduction to the film and its titular creature (and the MUTO). The pair would make a great gift for existing Godzilla fans, as well as those who haven’t seen it yet!

Nintendo’s Amiibo

These things are crack. Jonathan, Juan, Josh and I actually refer to them as drugs at this point. I didn’t even want them, and now I own several, and I can’t and won’t stop until I own each and every one.

Any gamer, young or old, would love to have these on their shelves. The figures look great (especially for their price point) and their in-game functions are just beginning to be realized. It’ll be really, really interesting to see how Amiibo evolves over the next couple of years.

Be warned, if you’re planning to pick these up as gifts, you better get on it. They’re selling like hot cakes, some of them are reportedly already being discontinued, and prices are skyrocketing online. Wave two does release very soon however, so if you can jump on those as they come out, you could definitely be a hero this holiday season.

Also, they’re crack. So unless you want an addicted little (or big) monster, be very, very careful.

“Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation” by Blake J. Harris

Eric already covered this above, and Jonathan definitely covered it in his review of the book, but Console Wars was one of the most intriguing, revealing, and hard to put down books that I read all year.

I was born in 1990, so I was a little too young to understand the console war as it occurred, but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t interesting as hell to read about it. Don’t worry about gifting me this one though, as I’ve already got a copy signed by author Blake Harris, Tom Kalinske, Al Nilson, and more!

Matt Kelly

Do you have a horror fan in your family tree? If so, there’s really one two places your attention should be. The first is Scream Factory. This all Horror & Cult branch of Shout Factory has been dominating in the last year with tons of titles we never thought we’d see on any format other than VHS.

They gave us gifts like the 70’s Musical Phantom of the Paradise starring Paul Williams. This disco/rock version of Phantom of the Opera is a real delight. Throw in some great songs, good special effects and an amazing Blu-Ray transfer and you’ve got a great gift for that friend of yours who’s been obsessed with Rocky Horror Picture Show since high school.

They’ve also given us amazing collectors editions of The Funhouse, Night of the Comet, Day of the Dead and other well loved classics but the true gift that keeps giving to any horror fan is the Nightbreeed Director’s Cut (also known as the Cabel Cut). Over 2 decades since Clive Baker’s film was infamous cut against his will we can finally see the full story he wanted to tell.

Now sadly some films we will probably never see on DVD or Blu-Ray. For those titles you can really shock your friend or family members mind with a purchase from VHSPS (The VHS Preservation Society). These “VHS copies” include all the magic of your 90’s VHS memories on a DVD.   VHSPS is not in the business of stealing money from other companies. Their titles are available on their website until the day an official DVD/Blu-Ray is announced. Once they know that they have successfully preserved a film’s legacy they remove it from the store. Currently they’re the only way you can enjoy classic cult titles like Fade to Black, Possession and Linnea Quigley’s Horror Workout

The final gift is the gift that keeps giving to even the most mild Wrestling fan. A Subscription to the WWE Network. The fact that for $9.99 a month you have access to new shows, every pay-per-view and a constantly growing library of matches throughout wrestling history is nothing short of astounding.

On December 1st the Network blew up Twitter with a live Podcast between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon. Their original content has continued to be great, be it the countdown show (creatively named Countdown) or Legends House in which aged wrestling icons like Mean Gene, Roddy Piper, Hacksaw Jim Dugan and Pat Patterson all lived under one roof together for a month.

But at the end of the day the biggest reason to make this purchase is the Pay-Per-Views. Every month you get a new pay-per-view that in the pre-network days would have been a $60 investment FREE with your subscription. It’s never been a better time to be a wrestling fan and it’s never been an easier time to get into wrestling.

But better than all of those combined is the gift of the Saint Mort Show which you can listen to for free at www.thesaintmortshow.com and www.soundcloud.com/thesaintmortshow

Josh Jackson

What do you get for the gamer who has everything? Even more stuff! Luckily, there’s hardly a shortage on that, so let’s jump into the coolest gaming gifts a high interest GameStop credit card can buy!

First4Figures Vyse Statue

Straight out of the Dreamcast and onto your shelf, this limited edition figure displays the lead of Skies of Arcadia in all of his Sky Pirate glory! For nostalgic gamers who fondly remember pirate ship battles before Assassin’s Creed made them famous, or a time when JRPGs were actually good, this would be the perfect gift. That is, if you have $200 lying around and you REALLY like the person.

Winter Fest Lob Star

If you’re more on a budget, but you really want to do right by your figure loving friend, then you can’t go wrong with Winter Fest Lob Star. This special holiday edition of the water element Trap Master from Skylanders: Trap Team is great to display OR play with. Plus, I guarantee that you won’t find a toy with a beard as sweet as his.

Disney Infinity 2.0 Aladdin, Jasmine, and Stitch

If Disney is more your thing, then the recently released Aladdin, Jasmine and Stitch figures are the way to go. With a strong amount of detail and plenty of personality to match, taking these characters into the Toy Box that you and your family have been making since September will surely be a blast! And if you need to start the fireplace on those cold, winter mornings, you can always buy a couple Merida figures to throw in. Brave will finally be good for something!

PDP Disney Infinity 2.0 Play Zone and Power Disc Binder

Chances are if you have kids, (or are a kid at heart), you already have most of the Marvel and Disney figures that have hit the shelves. For those times that you want to bring your haul to a friend’s house, why not show off the hundreds of dollars you’ve spent than with a sweet carrying case? The Play Zone doubles as a travel bag that holds a portal, 10 power discs, and anywhere from six to about 20 figures depending on how you arrange them, which is perfect for those extended Play Set sessions.

If 10 power discs slots aren’t enough, the new Power Disc Binder is much improved over the albums. Replacing the hard to grab slots, the binder replaces them with traditional sleeves that hold up to 90 discs. And if you have 90 discs to hold, then I think an intervention is due.

Marth Amiibo

Speaking of interventions, Amiibo are like drugs. We’re hooked, and desperate for our next fix! Sadly, many of us are missing the hard to find Marth figure, sending us into a Tickle Me Elmo style frenzy! If you manage to snag this for someone, then you’ll surely be their hero for life.

PDP Nintendo Fight Pads

But let’s be honest. Most of us gamers are going to be too busy playing Smash Bros to buy anything. With that said, if you do get a few minutes to buy SOMETHING for that fighting aficionado, make it one of these Fight Pads. With designs for Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Yoshi that match each of the Wii Remote Plus designs that released over the last year, they simulate the GameCube experience without the adapter. Besides, there’s nothing more satisfying than spiking your friend using a neon pink controller!

That’s it for us! Again, be sure to let us know what you’re hoping for (or planning to give) this holiday season!

Stan Lee’s Comikaze Is Almost Here, And Here’s What We’re Looking Forward To!

by Derek KraneveldtOctober 30, 2014

Stan Lee’s Comikaze is finally right around the corner (better get those tickets quickly, it’s TOMORROW)! A myriad of Geekscape writers will be in attendance at the expo, and of course we couldn’t be more excited to hang out with you at the Geekscape Booth (that’d be Booth #1110)!

As the 3-day event has something for all sorts of different tastes, we thought that we’d make a list of our own personal highlights from the schedule! Here are the panels that each of us are looking forward to at next weekend’s Comikaze 2014!

If you’re attending the expo, be sure to visit us at Booth #1110, where we’ll have tons of shirts available (including the awesome new baseball t’s) and also an EXCLUSIVE print celebrating the return on Jonathan’s Own Super Action Man. We’ll be there all weekend! Now read on!

Kelsie Hernandez

It’s that Comikaze time of year again! And with each Comikaze, we get to see more awesome guests and more awesome panels to get excited for! Here are some of the panels that I’m looking forward to.

On Saturday morning, the iconic Adam West will be on the Hot Topic main stage to talk all things Batman, and help celebrate Batman’s 75th Anniversary! (10:30am – Hot Topic Main Stage)

Later on in the afternoon, Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman are bringing Hollywood Babble-On Smodcast live to Comikaze for Fatman on Batman: A tribute to Batman ’66! (1:30pm – Room 408AB)

Another one I’m looking forward to is Constantine: An Introduction, this gives Comikaze attendees a chance to meet the creators and get a sneak peak into the new series. (3:00pm – Hot Topic Main Stage)

On Sunday morning, there’s a spotlight panel on Jewel Staite, of Firefly and Stargate. (10:30am – Hot Topic Main Stage.

And shortly after, I might try to see the Comikaze Guest of Honor panel with John Barrowman, the star of Doctor Who, Arrow, Torchwood and so much more. (11:30am – 304ABC)

Juan Carlos Marquez

With Comikazee fast approaching, I find myself conflicted in trying to schedule my weekend in order to get in as much coverage as humanly possible. Right off the bat, it seems like the Hot Topic Main Stage will be the place to hang around all day Saturday–with the one and only Adam West kicking things off, followed by Rob Liefeld, and the folks behind NBC’s Constantine! Aside from the Main Stage action, I plan on checking out the Golden Age of Gaming panel in Room 301B and the Original Intellivision Game Designers Panel in Room 303AB. Of course, there’s no way I can miss our fearless leader in Geekscape’s Panel this Friday in Room 306AB at 6 P.M.

And since you lovely people will be there, stop by the Geekscape booth (#1110) and snag yourself some sweet Geekscape T-shirts and get an EXCLUSIVE Super Action Man print!

Jake Lopez

Comikaze is back and what better way to spend your Halloween then at the convention center celebrating all things geek! For those of you searching for a convention without the hassle or enormity of SDCC, Comikaze looks like the place to go. Honestly, looking over the programming schedule makes this year seem like one of the most laid-back stress-free conventions I’ve seen. And it’s not like there’s any shortage f sights to see. On Friday, panelists will screen a Batman Fan Film, “The Great Mistake of Dr. Miles”, which is of course followed by a Q&A with the creators in room 404AB at 4:00 PM. Afterwards, you should go check out Geekscape Live! in 306AB at 6:00 PM. *nudge nudge*

Saturday, I plan on hitting the sneak preview of the documentary “Showrunners: The Art of Running a TV Show”. I’m sure to find interviews with the likes of Damon Lindelof and Joss Whedon regarding television interesting. Afterward, I’m hoping to make it to the Dragon Ball Z – The Fall of Men panel in 304 ABC (1:00 PM). If you don’t know already, this particular DBZ installment is fan made and it looks fantastic. If for some reason I can’t make it to that, I plan at being in room 308AB at 1:30 PM for Spider-Man: The Animated Series 20th Anniversary. Need I say more?

On Sunday, one of the bigger panels will be taking place in 406AB at 10:00 AM with an early screening of “Gotham” episode 107. The screening is followed up by Executive Producer Danny Cannon.

I only wish I had more time to see some of the events Comikaze has to offer! The schedule is packed!

Derek Kraneveldt

I am so, so sad that I won’t be attending Comikaze this year. Last year’s convention weekend was by far one of the highlights of my year, both because of the chance to see all of my Geekscape friends and colleagues once more, but also because everything that Comikaze had to offer was beyond stellar.

This year, the guests are even better, the panel schedule has grown exponentially, and Geekscape is going live on the show floor. I’m almost debating jumping on a plane tomorrow and heading down, and here’s what I would be most interested in seeing:

Friday:

4:00 – 404AB – (BATMAN FAN FILM) THE GREAT MISTAKE OF DR. MILES

See the convention premier of 1960’s Batman fan film “The Great Mistake of Dr. Miles”, followed by Q&A and discussion with the cast and crew. The panel will conclude with a special announcement about the future of the project.

5:00 – 404AB – THE KAIJU KINGDOM LIVE PODCAST! – GODZILLA’S 60TH ANNIVERSARY/GAMERA’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Join a discussion about Godzilla 60th Anniversary and Gamera’s 50th Anniversary.

6:00 – 306AB – GEEKSCAPE LIVE! WITH SPECIAL GUESTS!

It’s freaking Geekscape, but LIVE. How the hell could I not show up to this?

Saturday:

9:00 – Hot Topic Main Stage – UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH STAN LEE, POWERED BY WEEV

Get intimate with Stan Lee and learn about all of the new projects he’s working on at POW! Entertainment.

10:30 – Hot Topic Main Stage – SPOTLIGHT: ADAM WEST

TV’s most prolific Batman joins us to talk all things Batman, and help celebrate Batman’s 75th Anniversary!

1:30 – 308AB – SPIDER-MAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES 20TH ANNIVERSARY

Spider-Man: The Animated Series introduced a whole generation to the famous web-slinger in the first of his adventures for TV that captured the true spirit of the original comic book.

2:30 – 308AB – RANDOM ENCOUNTERS’ VIDEO GAME MUSICALS

Watch your favorite games and series become Broadway show-stoppers, from an Arkham Asylum rock-opera to a Tim Burton-style Pac-Man musical! WARNING: This show contains catchy songs, nerdy humor and the dreaded Marshmallow Zone. Singalongs are welcome.

4:30 – Screening Room – THE ROOM

Join film-creator Tommy Wiseau at a special screening of his cult classic film!

Sunday

10:00 – 308AB – PUBLICIZING YOUR PROJECT

You’ve got a new comic, a new webseries, a new novel, a new TV show or movie? That’s great. But pretty meaningless if you and your friends are the only ones who know about it. How do you get the word out? Facebook and webpage, sure. That’s what everyone’s doing. What can you do to cut through the clutter and get your stuff actually seen, actually talked about, actually out there so people can see it, read it, watch it, buy it? People who have been getting projects seen dating back to “Star Wars” will give you advice on how you can do it for your project.

12:00 – 308AB – LION FORGE COMICS & IDW PUBLISHING: DIGITAL TO PRINT AND BEYOND!

Lion Forge Comics & IDW Publishing: Digital to Print and Beyond! Lion Forge Editor-In-Chief Shannon Eric Denton discusses Lion Forge titles Airwolf vs. Knight Rider, Miami Vice, Chavo Guerrero, Rampage Jackson, Andre the Giant, Care Bears, Saved By The Bell, Saber Riders & the Star Sheriffs, Punky Brewster and more! Join Shannon and the Lion Forge creative teams as they discuss these properties along with their recently announced print- partnership with IDW Publishing!

1:00 – 308AB – HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN NOVEL: FROM THE FIRST IDEA TO PUBLISHING AND WHAT YOU NEED TO SELL YOUR WORK TO TV AND FILM

Join the Winner Twins while they teach you how to create your own novel step by step, from building your universe to overcoming writer’s block to the different paths to publishing. The Winner Twins will be joined by bestselling author, and renowned actor, Richard Hatch, of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA fame, and Steven-Elliot Altman, author of such novels as DEPRIVERS and BATMAN: FEAR ITSELF.

I’m barely scratching the surface here. There is so much that I’d like to see at this year’s Comikaze, and that’s not even mentioning the show floor, where I’d be bound to spend far, far, far too much money on things that I love.

Also, I’m really, really going to miss Lawry’s Carvery!

Are you hitting up Comikaze this year? What are you most looking forward to? Sound out below!

SDCC 2014: Geekscape Interviews The Cast And Crew Of ‘Vikings’

by Shane O'HareJuly 30, 2014

The wonderful world of Comic Con has just passed us by, but the effects from the convention will stay with us forever.

One of the huge presences at this years SDCC was History Channels Vikings. An amazing combination of Drama and History. Season 3 is already started principle filming and what we learned at the press roundtable really makes us excited.

First up was Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and Rollo (Clive Standen)

What can we expect from Season 3?

Travis: Paris is a huge part in the upcoming season, we’ve done the England thing, setting up the farm. Ragnar wants to get back to raiding.

Is there anything specific that you are excited about in the new season?

Travis: I’m glad a lot of the family stuff is out of the way, he was all about exploring and got caught up in the family stuff back home. Now he gets to get back to what he loves to do.

Are you surprised by the reaction from the fans? And have the writers written anything for you that has totally shocked you?

Travis: Yeah surprised I guess, but we have a great team at the helm so I guess it’s no surprised the show does pretty well. We haven’t read the last four scripts, so we don’t have any idea whats going to happen in Paris. I’m surprised I haven’t been killed yet.

Clive: We’ve seen some of the concept art, they’re still building Paris, its incredible. It’s so different from what we’ve seen before and its impressive. Paris is all about the architecture, the castles and structures are impenetrable but Ragnar and his team have managed to get inside. So we get to tell the story of the first raid on Paris. We’ve done our research on it, but Michael hasn’t really told us what to expect.

Has the relationship between you two squared away and will be actually be able to see you together more.

Travis: Yeah we’re together more, but once again the women cause us grief.

Clive: I think what draws us together, and a mutual respect, is that Pagan Christianity thing. There is unrest in the camp with some people not liking the Christians being involved in anything and keeping our Pagan ways. And I think the brothers being brought up the same way, so they have the same beliefs, they have that as a common interest and I think Rollo finds a way of having the Brother’s back. He doesn’t have to share that much with words and they can read eachothers minds.

Travis: And like I said, we go back to the raiding this year more so than all the drama. We’ll be back together on the boat.

When you are on the boat, are you actually on the ocean?

Travis: Yes, and no. We’re on a lot of lakes and in the sea and rivers. Have we shot in the ocean this year?

Clive: No, we filmed on a lake, but we get up on the Irish sea to when we need to get that great landscape behind us. But obviously a lot of raiding is down estuary so we can narrow it down. We haven’t had to break out the gimbal, its a big hydraulic boat that goes up and down like a ride, but we haven’t had to get it out from the garage yet.

Audiences of today, most people would have no idea of the concept of “roughing it”, but there is something about stories like yours where you exist in a world where everything is a struggle.

Travis: I think the appeal is the relationships, the same kinds of relationships go on between people. Yeah it is a struggle, its such a different life, we’re all used to this life. Its intriguing to people, a kind of escapism.

Clive: Ragnar has a line at the beginning of season 1 where he says “All things begin and end with stories”, and thats what I love about our show. It really is going back to the basic of storytelling, not just in a drama TV series, but actually the vikings are telling stories. There is no television, there is no Facebook, there is no way of sharing than sitting be the fire and telling stories. The first time something it was told it was a story about a snake, but seven generations down the line its a story about a giant serpent that bites it tail and wraps itself around the world. That fascinates me, the Chinese whispers of things, the hearsay and how legends are created.

What is it like going home after living in the world of The Vikings, and going back into the world of The Vikings.

Travis: I’ve got a pretty good groove going. We’ve got a great crew. It’s the same crew so nothing changes, we’re all really close and the sets are always there.

Clive: Well I’ve got three children to go home too, so I have to somehow leave Rollo at the door. I got into acting to draw attention away from myself, instead of drawing it towards myself. Rollo gives me that perfect chance to do that. I look in my mirror and I don’t recognize myself, its nice to remove all the war paint at the end of the day and step back into the role of Clive at the end of the day.

Travis, when you sat down Alex gave you a little water over the head. Is that retaliation to something you did?

Travis: Hahah, that’s just bad parenting on my part. I’ll get him back, I just thought that was really rude. ALEX! That was really rude! I’ve got a good practical joke coming up. I’ll get him back.

Are you guys involved in the creative process at all? As your characters develop do you ever think “He’d act a certain way in this situation or wouldn’t really act this way”.

Travis: No, not really. Michael writes so well, and he’s seen how we act in scenes and really picks up on it, and writes the characters in a certain way. He’s a very talented man.

Clive: Well its a really funny thing. You get some actors that say “My character wouldn’t do that”, and thats bullshit. The writers told you have to do that, and you have to find a way to do that. There is always a way, and that keeps you on your toes as an actor. In a long running series where you don’t see the scripts right away you have to be able to react.

Next we sat down with Alexander Ludwig (Bjorn) and Katheryn Winnick (Lagertha)

Can you tell us what the water over Travis’s head meant?

Alex: I promise I’m not a total dick, you don’t understand. Thats just the relationship we have. Haha. I just realized it must be tough for you (Katheryn) with all of us.

So tell us about Season 3.

Katheryn: Season 3 is bigger and better than the last two. You’ve heard the rumors about Paris, and you will be seeing a lot of new characters coming on board. With the existing characters, their dynamic has changed. For example Lagertha and Bjorn’s relationship has changed, as Mother and Son. You will see every character have their own arcs, ups and downs, all within ten episodes. That is the genius of Michael Hirst’s writing.

How has your relationship changed with Ragnar, with the two wives?

Katheryn: Thats a good question. I think…it’s really hard for a husband to see his exwife come into power in her own right and not need her anymore. You’ll have to ask Travis, it has to be challenging. Do they still have that love for each other? Maybe. We do touch upon it in this Season. You’ll see Lagertha change, she’s now an Earl and her status brings a lot of new challenges and struggles. It’s really fun to play and it’s great to watch. She’s a free woman, she can do what she wants and be with who she wants.

Alex: Even her son!

Katheryn: Hahahah, this isn’t game of thrones!

Alex: Hahahah. Well as we were saying earlier, historically, and we really pride ourselves in be as historically accurate as possible. Which is tough, because there is little to go off, obviously some little things have to change. Bjorn, in this Season, you really see him become a man. Before it was a coming of age story, now he’s his own man. She shares the same respect with his Mother and Father now, and they share the same respect with him. They’re more companions if anything. In terms of the rivalry, back then, they were more like friends or like a brother. Close companions. Which is tough because Bjorn is going to want to have his own power soon.

Katheryn: And in history, Bjorn is more famous than Ragnar is.

Alex: Yeah! There is a lot of that being touched on, but at the same time he’s smart. He has a powerful Mother and Father and he is learning as much as possible from them.

You liking the new hair?

Alex: Yeah! I’m really loving it.

Katheryn: You’re rocking it! One of my favorite things is the transformation process when you come on set. When I come on set, we start with the hair. I get the braids and it takes about 30 minutes, and they are absolutely amazing in terms of telling a story. A lot of her personality is told through stuff like her hair.

Alex: Our makeup and wardrobe department is really amazing. I really hope they get recognized for their effort.

Katheryn: What is interesting about this show, compared to others, is there is no records of how the Vikings or the Scandinavians looked. We don’t really know how they looked, or how they spoke. So you have to, and I also really hope it gets recognized for the creative effort that goes into it. A lot of other shows have a reference of how everything looked. Like say a show from the 60’s, or say a fantasy show where they don’t have to conform to anything at all. It’s really fun to see how they bring it all out even down to everyday life.

Do you find yourself learning new things from episode to episode?

Katheryn: *Long phrase in another language*. That was old Norse, I just learned that. Hahahah, I loved it. It’s really challenging, but it’s so fun. We’ll be invading France soon so there will be other languages in there as well. Lagertha is really evolving as a character, you will really see her in a different light this Season. We only get the scripts from episode to episode so I am still dissecting it myself.

You say the characters have changed over the Seasons, especially from the writers points of view, how has your approach to expressing the characters have changed?

Katheryn: It’s a TV show, we don’t have it all figured out. You can discover new sides of your characters personality. We only get two episodes (scripts) at a time, so I have no idea where Lagertha is going to go. Right now we’re shooting 5 and 6, so where she is going to end up in the finale? I don’t know. Which is amazing, cause in life you don’t know where the future will bring. You can see Lagertha is in a different place now. But because it is a TV show, you can explore different layers to the character, and have the freedom to do it for a longer story line. This doesn’t feel like a TV show, it feels like a movie. It’s not formulaic.

You’ve guys have been on really specific journey, and in a weird way the History Channel has been going on a new journey. How have they changed since the start of the show?

Alex: They took a big risk, and they put themselves out there and are really becoming a very credible channel. Before when you asked someone if they wanted to watch the History Channel they’d just be liked “What?!”. This is their first quote unquote “drama”, and I am blown away by how much they’ve put into this. The huge risk they took with it, and I am so proud to be apart of it.

Katheryn: Yeah, and I can’t say this show should be on any other network. If it was on another channel, it would probably be watered down, or prettied up, or too many cooks in the kitchen. They really trust the people they hired in Ireland. And, the Female viewers of the network have skyrocketed.

Alex: It goes to show that when you give your writer creative freedom and trust that they’ll do their job. So many other studios are riding the backs of the writers, and they don’t get the chance to do what they want to do.

Katheryn: What you may not know, is that Michael Hirst writes every episode by himself. He starts in November and writes everything by himself. He’s really comforting to know that your characters are in great hands.

Next up we sat down with the shows writer, Michael Hirst

Unfortunately, my recording from this interview didn’t turn out, so I can’t go into the same level of detail as I did with the others.

What Michael did put emphasis on was how important the attack on Paris would be, and having Ragnar start to settle outside Scandinavia. He said how important being historically accurate was to him as a Writer and he put a lot of effort to be as close as possible with the little source material they had. The pride he has for his show is incredible.

Final Thoughts

History is really coming strong with the third Season. They obviously have a great team working on the show and have consistently put out an amazing narrative. I cannot wait to see the show return 2015.

Photo Credit: Stanley Wong

Geekscape’s Favorite Things Of 2013: Everything Else!

by Derek KraneveldtDecember 31, 2013

We’ve already published our favourite video games and movies of 2013. We’ve also got Josh Jackson’s spoiler filled top moments in gaming this year as well as his top 10 gaming news stories.

We’re on a roll here, and we’re not quite finished yet. A few of us also submitted our top comic books, television series, and general moments on 2013, so read on, and let us know your picks!

Shane ‘Rarity’ O’Hare

These are my big geek highlights of 2013!

SDCC 2013 – I love SDCC, and each year is different, but this year was crazy. Getting actual press credentials changes everything, and seeing some of the places and things we got to enjoy was crazy. The best part was seeing the child like wonder in Derek’s eyes, as the little Canuck from a tiny island in Canada was awed by the Geek Mecca. I remember my first SDCC, before I became jaded, and watching Derek experience the same thing was awesome. Oh yeah and getting into a fight with a Twilight fan was cool too.

Equestria Girls Movie – When the My Little Pony rumour mill started dishing out rumors of Hasbro wanting to take our favorite little Ponies, and turn them into Bratz dolls, the community flipped their shit. When a couple of leaks came out of character stills, the community flipped out again. When the trailer came out, they flipped out AGAIN. It appears the MLP fandom likes to flip out a lot, stating every little change to be the end of the world! I tried to stay off the end of the world wagon, but I got caught up in it. So when the movie finally came out and I watched it I was expecting shit. Oh boy was I surprised. It was the same old awesome writing and characters, just bipedal. The music was a blast, and all the songs were charming. I really enjoyed it.

Getting Into Comics Semi Seriously – This was the year I finally decided to become a next level geek. So I made it a goal to start reading comics. Yeah I would get a single issue here or there, or some collectible hard back copy of The Rocketeer books, but I never really got into the serials. So the last few months I have been reading as much as I can get my hands on, mostly review stuff, but I am enjoying every page of it. I have a re-purposed Kindle Fire and a bunch of digital books. I’ve been a huge anti Digital Books guy for years, but finally getting into it I have changed my mind. Being able to have all your books on you at all times is awesome. The My Little Pony comics, and everything from IDW frankly, is amazing to read. I cannot get my hands on enough!

S.J. Borger

Favorite/Best TV Series of 2013:

1. Breaking Bad—Really, there’s nothing to say that hasn’t been said. Watch, if you haven’t. rewatch, if you have.

2. Game of Thrones—It just keeps getting better and better. Pretty soon they’re going to run out of books, so George, if you’re reading…write faster!

3. Almost Human—a debut show this Fall on Fox, this is one of the 2013 season stand-outs. A fun buddy-comedy set in the near future, the show may not stretch the confines of its genre but it does what it does really well.

4. The Good Wife—After getting a little lost early in 2012, The Good Wife came back, with style, for the final half of the 2012-2013 season, and continues strong this season.

5. Brooklyn Nine-Nine—It started slow and took a few episodes to really click, but Brooklyn Nine-Nine has found its footing as a solid ensemble comedy. And Andre Braugher is flat-out phenomenal as the openly-gay Captain of the unit.

6. The Bridge—An American remake of a Danish/Swedish series, The Bridge follows an American and a Mexican detective as they try to solve a series of murders which cross into both of their jurisdictions along the Texas-Chihuahua border. Dark, somber, and a little slow, the show still manages to compel with its harsh and uncompromising look into crime, corruption and immigration on both sides of the border.

7. Da Vinci’s Demons—A Starz original, this show was fun, interesting, educational and pretty much not watched. Which is a shame, because it’s 5-parts Indiana Jones to 3-parts Bill Nye the Science Guy to 2-parts The Borgias. What could be better? Starz has renewed for a second season and you can catch up on the first via OnDemand.

8. House of Cards—Netflix’s foray into original programming proved that the traditional television paradigm is no longer the only way to make good TV. With Kevin Spacy leading an all-star cast, House of Cards provided wit, drama, some comedy and a scathing look at American politics—all streamed directly to your device of choice.

9. Supernatural—Supernatural has been on the air for nine years, and while it had a few odd moments (we’re looking at you, Season Seven), the 2012-2013 season picked up momentum and brought the boys back to their killing-bad-guys-saving-the-world-angsty-talking roots. And the 2013 season has just kept getting better. Not bad for a show older than the computer I am typing this on.

10. Community—Ok, the 2013 Winter/Spring season of Community was not its best. It was bad. The showrunners lacked the insane-right-until-its-sane genius of the ‘not-really-fired-but-he-doesn’t-work-here-anymore’ show’s creator, Dan Harmon, and the show felt…different. Like Tofu Turkey when you’re expecting a real bird. Sure, the gravy and trimmings were all there but the texture was off. It made this list, though, because Dan Harmon is back (YAY) and we have high, high hopes for the show when it airs in January.

Favorite geek memories / moments of 2013:

1. The thesurvivor2299.com website/hoax. Sure it wasn’t real, but the good-natured hoax provided weeks of entertainment, puzzle decoding and rampant speculation. It also showed Bethesda (in case they weren’t aware) exactly how excited fans were about even the whiff of a possibility of a Fallout 4 announcement.

2. Disney buys Star Wars franchise, announces a writer, then a director, then a release date. I mean, sheesh. Princess Leia is now a Disney Princess. Fandoms collide!

3. Game of Thrones is the most pirated thing-ever—and breaks the internet with the infamous Red Wedding.

4. SimCity requires online play; EA forgets to make sure they have enough servers. But hey, we got a free game as an ‘apology’ gift so…

5. KHAAAAAAN. Whether you liked it, hated it, or were confused by the reference, the Star Trek reboot on a favorite villain was certainly a stand-out moment.

6. BlizzCon Roars: When announcing the new expansion, Warlords of Draenor, to their mammoth MMO, World of Warcraft, the fan reaction at BlizzCon was deafening.

Derek Kraneveldt

Favourite Comics of 2013 (in no particular order aside from #1):

Batman – Scott Snyder’s Batman is arguably the only book in the New 52 lineup that started out great, and has retained its must-read status for its entire run. This is the book that got me back into Batman after many years of ignoring the character at my LCS, and it’s also the first book that I read when I get back from picking up my weekly haul. From the Court of Owls, to Death of the Family, to Year Zero and beyond, Batman is currently DC’s best book by far. You won’t regret reading it if you haven’t already!

The Wake – You can’t go wrong with a Scott Snyder title (probably why two of them are on this list), and The Wake is no exception. The horror/sci-fi/creature feature created by Snyder and Sean Murphy is just halfway through its ten issue run, and it’s already exponentially more memorable than almost any horror film that I’ve seen this year (aside from The Conjuring). The Wake is a tale that will leave you guessing after every issue, page, and panel, and it should not be passed up by any comic reader, regardless of what you typically read.

Trillium – I’m also a sucker for Jeff Lemire (though I still need to read Sweet Tooth… yeah I know), and his epic, time-bending love story (between a World War I veteran and a botanist from the year 3797) is some of the absolute best sci-fi work in recent memory. It’s hard to talk about Trillium without spoiling it in some way, but I was hooked from the opening of its double-sided flipbook of a first issue. Like The Wake, Trillium will span just ten issues, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a better miniseries this year.

The Superior Spider-Man – I was as skeptical as anyone when Marvel announced that they were killing Peter Parker (again). Sure, BKV has done an incredible job with Miles Morales in the Ultimate Universe, but how could we live in a world without any Peter Parker, and especially a world where the evil-as-hell Doc Ock was in his body? As it turns out, Dan Slott putting Ock in Pete’s body has been some pretty damned fresh Spidey. There have been plenty of memorable moments during the series run so far (Ock finding morals, battling with his old pals, fighting with Peter’s mind, etc), and I’m sure that there’ll be plenty more before it’s finished. I’m not sure that I want Superior to go on forever (we do need Peter back one day, and issue #30 is rumoured to be the last), but for now it’s definitely my go-to Spidey book.

#1. Saga – Brian K. Vaughan’s previous book, Y: The Last Man, remains my favourite comic book series ever, but if Saga continues its incessant quality, direction, plot, and style, Y could become number two before long. Every single comic reader on this planet has been telling you to read Saga for over a year now, so freaking do it, because it is bar none the best series currently on the market. Seriously.

Favourite/Best TV Series of 2013:

1. Breaking Bad – What SJ said. It’s easily the best television series of 2013, and definitely among the best shows of all time. If you haven’t seen this yet, what the hell is wrong with you?

2. Suits – The antics of Mike Ross and Harvey Specter make for some of the best, funniest, and most touching moments on television. Mike Ross knows the law, but never went to law school, so simple things like filing for copyright and noting a subpoena elude him (at least in season one). The actors have great chemistry, the plot is gripping and exciting, and the writing is quirky and hilarious. Suits is definitely my most anticipated returning show in 2014 (except for maybe Community)

3. Bates Motel – Another series that I can’t wait to come back on air. Bates Motel began with Norma and Norman Bates moving into that fateful motel, and ended with plenty of murder, deceit and mystery. Norman’s going a little crazy, and I’d infinitely excited to see where Carlton Cuse and Co. take us next.

4. The Walking Dead – This year’s Scott Gimple led season of The Walking Dead has been the series best year yet. I’ve loved every episode so far, which is something that cannot be said for any other season. My only problem: had season three ended like we all wanted it to (pretty much verbatim to this year’s midseason finale), nothing that has happen thus far in season four would ever have needed to happen. It’s all a little redundant now, isn’t it? In any case, this is the best that the show has ever been, and I can’t wait for its return in February (it’s still not as good as the game though).

5. American Horror Story: Coven – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each season of American Horror Story (even Asylum when it got weird… though it almost lost me), but Coven is easily the best year yet. The story of Fiona, Cordelia, and the coven of Miss Robichaux’s Academy is gripping, gross, weird, and hilarious, all at the same time. If you haven’t started American Horror Story yet, it’s safe to start with Coven (as the seasons are not connected plot or setting-wise), but you’ll definitely want to go back and watch both Asylum and Murder House as well.

Favourite Moment: That’s an easy one. This year I had the pleasure of attending my first San Diego Comic Con. There, I incredibly got to meet the real life Jonathan London AND much of the Geekscape crew. Then I had the time of my freaking life.

I can’t wait to do it all again now that I know (a little bit) of what to expect! SDCC 2014 is going to ROCK!

A chubbier me meeting one of my gaming heroes!

Geekscape’s Favorite Things Of 2013: Movies

by GeekscapeStaffDecember 31, 2013

Can you believe that 2013 is nearly over? In less than 24 hours, we’ll abolish that dreaded three for ten more years, and a cool, clean, pointy four will take its place.

2013 has been a great year for all types of media, so as always, we rounded up our ever-growing pool of writers to share with you our favourite things of 2013. First up, movies!

Take a look at everyone’s top 5, top 10, or favourite film altogether below, and be sure to let us know yours in the comments!

MCDave

**** Disclaimer: I still haven’t seen Her, Lone Survivor, or August: Osage County

1. American Hustle – David O. Russell continues his reign with this smartly written and witty con-man drama that delivers the year’s best acting ensemble.

2. Rush – A surprisingly entertaining and adrenaline pumping real-life story about Formula 1 racing. Ron Howard returns to form with this memorable competitive sports drama.

3. About Time – “Love Actually” director, Richard Curtis, elevates his game with this delightful and charming tale of falling in love and discovering a new-found zest for life. Incorporating a mildly flawed, but still effective, sci-fi backdrop revolving around time travel, “About Time” is one of the year’s most sentimental features.

4. 12 Years a Slave – This freight train of an Oscar contender is visceral and unsettling to watch, but even harder to forget. It’s a real-life story of one man’s quest for freedom in the midst of a slavery-fueled 1860s Georgia.

5. The Wolf of Wall Street – Martin Scorsese’s satirical and over-the-top examination of a stockbroker’s greed and ambition is wildly engaging and laugh-out-loud hilarious. Jonah Hill gives a career best performance.

6. Trance – Danny Boyle’s unique style is a regular staple and it’s in tip-top form with his 2013 mind-bending thriller, “Trance”. Deciding who’s playing who, and differentiating between reality and subconscious has never been so much fun.

7. Short Term 12 – An eye-opening look at a state foster-care facility for at-risk youth serves as one of the year’s most compelling and moving independent dramas. A debut effort from director Destin Cretton, “Short Term 12” feels remarkably authentic.

8. Dallas Buyers Club – Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto give towering performances in this true story of Texas renegade Ron Woodroof’s battle with the pharmaceutical industry.

9. Gravity – This epic sci-fi adventure couples groundbreaking special effects with a captivating story of human survival. Superbly directed and well-acted on all accounts, “Gravity” is certainly a satisfying movie experience.

10. The Conjuring – James Wan’s “The Conjuring” has that rare classic horror feel. With genuine scares and a convincing story, we’re given a real horror movie gem.

Josh Jackson

Just to put this out there, I’m not a movie guy. I’ll go see the occasional film that catches my eye, but I’m the kind of person that’s perfectly happy with waiting for everything I want to see to hit my local Redbox before I see it. So for me to be compelled to contribute a movie piece for the end of 2013 is a testement to how much of an impression that Disney’s Frozen left on me.

I walked in knowing next to nothing about the movie, (which was intentional according to multiple sources citing Disney’s attempt to shy away from marketing princesses to attract a bigger audience.) The only reason I knew it wasn’t about Olaf the snowman as the advertisements would lead you to believe is because of the research I did for Disney Infinity at E3, but I never would have expected it to surpass Wreck It Ralph and Tangled. Once the credits rolled, not only would I have gladly place it above those two excellent movies, but I feel it deserves to be discussed in the same breath as the classics of the Disney Renaissance.

What made Frozen so great is that, because it’s so self aware, without being forced or preachy. The film’s first act is full of the typical Disney cliches; a princess who’s desperate for true love, meeting her prince charming, the two instantly falling in love, (with a musical number accompanying it,) and the eventual reveal that a curse that befalls the princess that can only be cured with an act of true love towards the movie’s conclusion. But once the second act starts, this whole concept is thrown on its head. The princess is the one who sets off to save her kingdom from its accidental plight caused by her sister and her uncontrollable ice powers, showing the bravery and assertiveness usually reserved for the prince. Along the way, Princess Anna meets Kristoph, an ice salesman who is an obvious secondary love interest, but acts as a reminder through most of the film that this fairy tale love is unrealistic. Despite this, both Anna and Prince Hans, her original love interest, seemingly go to great lengths to protect the kingdom and each other. It’s not until the final moments that the film’s greatest scene takes place that the film’s message becomes clear, redefining the meaning of “true love” in a fairy tale film while proving that two female leads can carry a movie without a “prince charming” to save them. It brilliantly sets the audience up with expectations that the writers are sure to have known their viewers would have, framed it in a way that exploits the typical Disney formula and takes a complete U-Turn half way through all the way up until the film’s climax, which deserves commendation in itself. And that twist! I can’t remember ever hearing a full theater audibly gasp before!

Once again, the message is strong without being forced, and unlike Enchanted, which dealt with similar themes, that film came off more as a parody. When I think Frozen, what I see is a huge first step towards redefining what a mainstream “princess” movie can achieve. With grand songs written by the people behind The Book of Mormon, recruiting broadway superstars like Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad, who are led by a surprisingly strong vocal performance by Veronica Mars herself, Kristen Bell, gorgeous animation that’s highlighted by a breathtaking sequence showing the construction of Queen Elsa’s ice castle, and the incredible feat of making Olaf legitimately funny instead of painfully annoying, and it’s plain to see why I was left with such a strong impression by Frozen. Unquestionably, the film is one of the best I’ve seen in years, and definitely my movie of 2013.

Jonathan London

(In no particular order.)

Rush – My favorite Ron Howard movie. There is so much energy in every shot, whether it’s the physical and kinetic movements of the races or the internal and interpersonal turmoil of the characters. This movie proves that Chris Hemsworth isn’t just Thor and Ron Howard isn’t just the guy who makes movies to take your parents to. And Daniel Brühl makes a big argument on why Hollywood should put him in more films to come. Rush felt like a newcomer arriving on the scene with the experience of a classic filmmaker. If you don’t like car racing or sports movies you’ll be surprised by it even more.

Pacific Rim – Geeks! This was our movie! A celebration of Japanese monster movies, anime and giant robot films? From the guy who brought us Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth? How was this possibly going to miss? Critics will argue that it had thin characters, a dull middle act and stretched running time. I’ll argue that none of the intended recipients gave a damn… and neither did the filmmakers! There was enough ridiculous spectacle to keep your blood pumping and enough shout outs and wink winks to let you know they they know that it’s all in the name of fun no matter how far this fun locomotive careens off the rails like a Coyote and Roadrunner cartoon. Made for us and approved by us. Sequel please.

The Evil Dead – If you’re going to do a remake/reimagining, this should be your blue print. This was as brutal, fresh and scary as you remember the original being way back when but it doesn’t alienate the fans or negate what came before. I loved every gross, brutal movement of this movie. Now let’s see the series continue!

Ang Nawawala (What Isn’t There) – This is the movie on the list that you probably haven’t seen (or heard of) but it premiered at Slamdance and hopefully the film’s distributor gets their act together so anyone outside of the Philippines can see it. My film school friend Marie Jamora made this movie about how fraternal loss and guilt can fracture a family over the course of decades. It’s also a pretty great movie about how that first true love in your life help begin the process of putting the pieces back together.

A Place Beyond The Pines – This one might end up overlooked on many end of the year lists and presents itself with a triptych act structure that might feel awkwardly paced for the unprepared but ends up being a pretty moving experience and meditation on legacy. The performances are all great and the film probably has the strongest tone of any movie I saw this year (Prisoners might be the other competitor here). The ideas that it presents about inescapability and responsibility will just stick with you as you watch the characters circle the drain of small town life.

This Is The End – The funniest movie of the year. As I talk about on the podcast, if we are moving past the current era of slacker improv comedies that started with Judd Apatow’s The 40 Year Old Virgin, This Is The End is a fitting cap. It’s vulgar, hilarious and doesn’t pull any of its punches. As nasty as it got at times, you welcomed it.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – In a year that offered up a darker Superman, a Wolf of Wall Street, American Hustles and loneliness leading someone to fall in love with their operating system, by the time it got to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty it just felt good to smile. I enjoyed all of those movies that I just referenced but Walter Mitty beats out Her, The Wolf of Wall Street and American Hustle for its level of positivity. By the time I watched it, I was done with watching a character’s self induced spiral over two hours and was ready for something that felt fresh. Ben Stiller finally finds himself making a movie on a bigger level, not necessarily a comedy and on a bigger scale than anything he’s attempted. The result is just something that is both inspiring and fun to watch. The argument against the movie could be that if you don’t like Ben Stiller it will be a long ride. He is in every scene. But at the same time let yourself be surprised by how innocent and likable the whole experience is. This really reminded me of another Christmas Day release that I enjoyed from years ago that played to the heartfelt moments but may not have been well received by theatergoers: Frank Darabont’s ‘The Majestic”.

Man of Steel – I’m ready to catch heat for this one but this was my favorite comic book movie of the year (sorry, Thor 2… I still love you for being a lot of fun). From the John Byrne style Krypton opening to seeing the apocalyptic results of super humans fighting it out for the real time on screen, Man of Steel was the cinematic relaunch that the character needed. Even though I missed John Williams score and dopey Clark Kent, this felt like the modern Superman that we needed to set the stage for what Warner Bros has in store. I’ll admit that it wasn’t perfect but it did the job it needed to do and I love arguing the merits of the film that a lot of people seem to overlook. Plus, when left with no choice Superman kills… just like in the comics!

Zero Charisma – I’d like to think that we were one of the first champions of this incredible film, having directors Andrew and Katie call in to the show prior to the SXSW premiere, then meeting and loving the film at SXSW and ultimately having them as guests on the show months later when Zero Charisma was released on VOD. I really do hope that you all have seen the movie by now because it is both the best movie about roleplaying culture and the best movie to ever portray geeks.

Prisoners – On top of this being Hugh Jackman’s best performance, Prisoners is just a really good mystery film combined with a revenge tale that twists and twists around itself like a snake. I hope this one doesn’t get overlooked by the awards but I’m worried that it. Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Paul Dano, Mario Bello, Terrence Howard… the movie is absolutely stacked and if it was released in November or December no one would question it being nominated in a few categories.

Gravity – Thin script? There’s just no pleasing Gravity’s detractors. Luckily, their easy to ignore… because you can’t hear their whining in the vacuum of space. As visually stunning as it is white knuckle stress-inducing, Gravity is also Sandra Bullock’s best performance. At times, the visuals felt informed by video games like Half Life (and some of the skin of your teeth escape sequences do too) but that’s not a detraction from the film but something it does well. You really are in the main characters shoes from beginning to end and from one spectacular panic attack to the next. What an incredible roller coaster.

Dallas Buyers Club – Can they give both Best Actor awards to Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto this year? Because Dallas Buyers Club contains the two best performances we’re going to see. This movie is as inspiring as it is heartbreaking and the main character’s journey, from being completely despicable to becoming a champion, is the most engaging story I’ve seen this year. This was probably my favorite film.

The Most Fun I Had In The Theaters This Year: This is a combined sub-category made up of two experiences… watching White House Down with my wife and brother Paul as if we were watching a prolonged South Park episode. Tied with watching Olympus Has Fallen a few weeks after watching Die Hard 5 and realizing Olympus Has Fallen was a much better Die Hard movie.

http://youtu.be/fvMPU0WaPcc

S.J. Borger

1. 12 Years A Slave — A must see. Bravura performances by Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dwight Henry, and, well, the entire cast, combined with a compelling script and a gripping visual style makes this, if not the year’s best movie, certainly a contender.

2. Frozen — Aside from the fact that our Princesses eyes are bigger than their wrists (really, Disney??), Frozen hits all the right notes: story, acting, music, comedy and romance.

3. American Hustle — Batman, Rocket Raccoon, Lois Lane, Hawkeye and Katniss get together to play a FBI agent, a con man and a corrupt Mayor (and the women who fascinate them). What more do we need to say?

4. Fruitvale Station — The true story of Oscar Grant III, who was shot to death by BART police at Fruitvale Station. The movie explores Oscar’s last day. While some critics have taken issue with the film omission and manipulation of facts, it is finely crafted and still worth watching.

5. The Way Way Back—A sweet, quirky comedy/drama about a family vacation to Cape Cod, with a charming coming-of-age story surrounding 14-year-old Duncan. It manages to avoid becoming too saccharine or too schmaltzy, thanks mostly to its strong cast.

Matt Kelly

1. The Kings of Summer – There’s a chance that this is my #1 because it’s the most recent film I’ve seen (thanks Netflix) but I genuinely believe regardless when I saw this movie I would have enjoyed it the same. It mixes drama and comedy in a delightful way just like the previously mentioned Way Way Back the only difference is that I was immediately enjoying myself from the first shot while WWB took some time to warm up to. When The Kings of Summer wants to be funny it hits the right notes but it shines when it wants to be dramatic. It beautifully captures the joys of summer in a fresh way.

2. The Way Way Back – This movie was a slowburn at first. In the first 5 minutes all I knew was that I hated Steve Carrel’s character (as well as most of the other characters) and felt depressed by what I was watching. Then Sam Rockwell walked on screen and reminded us why he is one of the best (and most under appreciated) actors working today. Every line he deliveries hits beautifully. It’s his charisma (as well as the beautiful water park set) that brings Nat Faxon and Jim Rash’s coming of age dramedy about adolescence and Water Parks to the top of so many other critics “Best of” lists this year. There was only one film that I believe captured the excitement of a great summer better…

3. Room 237 – When it played festivals last year this was the film I heard about in every podcast and festival summary. I could not wait to finally get around to seeing it. FINALLY it was available on DVD and it lived up to every single bat-shit crazy fan theory I was promised and more! The movie presentation is fairly simple. Footage from The Shining, random stock footage and voice over. It’s not a visually interesting film (although when they point out the source of people’s insanity it can sometimes be hilarious) the real star is the unseen narration. Every person is nothing short of crazy and I love them for it.

4. Monsters University – You gotta love how frequently Pixar writes movies like The Incredibles and Monsters University where their basic message are things like “Not everyone is special” and “Kids sometimes your dreams just don’t work out”. Beyond the fact the Pixar’s latest film dishes out some hard reality to its intended audiences, it’s also hilarious. Packed with fantastic voice acting, a great story and solid comedy Monster University turned into an enjoyable animated version of Revenge of the Nerds.

5. The First Time – My cowriter and I love the movie In the Land of Women. So the second writer/director Jon Kasdan’s follow up film came out we immediately watched it. Technically the film is from 2012 but since it was not available outside a few festivals screenings until this year I’m giving myself approval to include it (thank you me). It’s a charming little rom-com about high schoolers. I’m fairly confident that he and I are the only men in the world who love this movie as much as we do (much like our love of In the Land of Women) so I’m not even going to try to explain my insanity to you. I will say that after watching this movie with him, I watched it three more times alone and we began working on a script inspired by a conversation the movie started between us. So Jon Kasdan if you’re reading this thank you, and also please appear on my podcast (www.thesaintmortshow.com)

6. Maniac – I went into this with high expectations. Everyone was calling it the best horror movie of 2013. I was already pretty impressed by American Mary and Evil Dead but the fine people at r/horror were right (obligatory shout out to my Reddit peeps). This is what horror movie remakes should be. Franck Khalfoun, Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur took an infamous but pretty forgettable horror film from the 80’s and put a fresh vision on it to create a bizarre but fantastic viewing experience. I’m sure you’ve already read somewhere about how the film is shoot entirely from the serial killers perspective, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this going in but ended up loving the eerie effect it caused. Casting the otherwise lovable Elijah Wood as an uncontrollable killing machine also helps to drive home the message of never knowing the true person behind the mask.

7. Dear Mr. Watterson – One could argue that I’m slightly bias here as the director has appeared on my podcast. Some may even say this is another classic Matt Kelly way of plugging his podcast in a different article and while I’m certainly going to do that (click here and check out my interview) this documentary was a genuine delight. Joel Allen Schroeder appropriately captures the joy this comic strip has brought to countless people. The highlight of the film is the telling of Bill Watterson’s infamous anti-advertising speech from the perspectives of his peers who experienced it live.

8. Before Midnight – I still don’t quite know how I feel about Before Midnight. For that reason it has earned its place on my top 10. No film has felt as real as part 3 of Richard Linklater’s series of relationship analysis. If you’re a fan of the previous installments than you have learned to love Jesse and Celine. Until this point you’ve seen them strictly as people madly in love and constantly flirty. Before Midnight allows us to see those moments when even a perfect couple hits a rocky patch. As the film neared it’s end I remember feeling my heart hurting thinking ‘Please, it can’t end this way’. It’s an emotional roller-coaster unlike any other.

9. Inside Jaws – When I first heard about Inside Jaws I just assumed it was a documentary in the same vein as The Shark is Still Working. I was very wrong. Jamie Benning has compiled and created the ultimate viewing experience for not just Jaws fans but film fans. The movie works as a commentary track to Jaws compiled of interview clips over the years with people involved with Jaws as well a few interviews Benning conducted himself. Also included are outtakes, deleted scenes edited back into the movie and a few moments of instant replay to point out things you may have NEVER noticed before. I did not expect to stay awake until 3am watching it but I loved every second of it.

10. The World’s End – I genuinely thought this would be my number one film of the year. I was such a huge fan of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz that I could not wait to see the final pieces of their genre parody trilogy. I left the theater feeling indifferent. I didn’t hate it, but I certainly didn’t love it. I can honestly say that it was not going to be in my top 10 until I watched it last week for a second time. In typical Edgar Wright fashion, this is a grower. The second round I caught the fantastic foreshadowing that Wright has made himself known for. I wouldn’t be shocked if a few years from now this has climbed it’s way into my top 5 of 2013 in a retroactive article.

Top 10 Movies I didn’t seen in 2013 but hear are quite good and right up my alley: John Dies At the End, Spring Breakers, Downloaded, You’re Next, Bad Milo, Frozen, Saving Mr. Banks, Gravity, The Spectacular Now, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Derek Kraneveldt

My top five films for this year are not necessarily the best movies around, but simply the films that I enjoyed the most. That’s why you’ll see Pacific Rim in my top 5; not because it’s the best, but because it’s freaking awesome. Here goes:

1. Gravity – This is a film that you need to see in theatres if possible (it’s still playing all over the place, so get on it). Alfonso Caurón’s previous film Children of Men, in all of its post-apocalyptic, depressing as hell, incredibly shot glory remains one of my favourite films of all time, and Gravity sits right up there with it. Gravity is so believable that a reporter even asked the director what it was like to film in space. It’s the best 3D that has ever been released, and the only 3D film that has ever made me feel sick to my stomach (seemingly deliberately). There really isn’t anything not to love about Gravity, and its incredible cinematography and impossibly long takes are likely to leave you just as breathless as Ryan Stone is throughout the film.

2. Rush – I’m not a racing fan. I don’t even like sports. That being said, there were multiple moments throughout my first viewing of Ron Howard’s Rush that I though to myself “maybe I should start watching Formula One.” The film tells the incredible tale of the 1970’s rivalry of racers James Hunt and Niki Lauda, and it may just be one of the best sports films that I’ve ever seen. Superbly directed, acted, written, and edited, Rush should not be passed up by anyone.

3. Pacific Rim – I saw Pacific Rim more than a few times in theatres. It’s far and away from the best film to release this year, and it had more than its fair share of problems, but it was so freaking bad-ass that I didn’t care. This is Power Rangers for adults in an unbelievably realized apocalyptic world, it’s easily the most fun that I had in a theatre this year, and it had me repeating Idris Elba’s epic speech for weeks. Pacific Rim all but bombed in North America, so I desperately hope that its stellar overseas performance leads to a sequel being greenlit.

4. Prisoners – In a year of unbelievably intense and terrifying films, Prisoners may just take the cake. The film follows the investigation of the kidnapping of two young girls, focussing in on both the police officer charged with the case, and the parents dealing with everyone’s worst nightmare. Prisoners may have a few too many red herring moments, but the intensity of the plot and especially the performances (Hugh Jackman’s definitely being the standout) more than made up for them. If you’re a parent, I could easily see Prisoners being your top horror film of 2013.

5. The Kings of Summer – This is a film that I had never heard of until just a few weeks back (thanks, dad). Simply put, The Kings of Summer is a coming-of-age drama/comedy that takes you right back to being a 15 year old kid, debating whether or not to run away from home because your parents suck and you’re smarter than everyone else. The movie is hilarious (Bellagio could easily star in his own spinoff), touching, nostalgic, and heartbreaking, all at the same time.

Geekscape’s Favorite Things Of 2013: Video Games

by GeekscapeStaffDecember 31, 2013

Can you believe that 2013 is nearly over? In less than 24 hours, we’ll abolish that dreaded three for ten more years, and a cool, clean, pointy four will take its place.

2013 has been a great year for all types of media, so as always, we rounded up our ever-growing pool of writers to share with you our favourite things of 2013. This time, video games!

Take a look at everyone’s top five or top ten games below, and be sure to let us know yours in the comments below!

Jonathan London

1. Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – This was the runaway hit for 2013, a game that seemed to have been made perfectly for me (and probably many others). As a lifelong fan of Studio Ghibli and a longtime fan of Level 5, Ni No Kuni was the best way to get me back into JRPGs (after more than a decade). From the incredible score (the best of the year) to the familiar controls and beautiful visuals, there wasn’t a moment of Ni No Kuni that I didn’t enjoy. Even the large amount of grinding, which some could point out as the game’s only drawback, gave me flashbacks to playing the original NES Dragon Warrior and grinding for hours before venturing into a dungeon (and if you don’t like the grinding… the game gives you Tokos!). It will be a while before another game comes along and feels this perfect.

2. Grand Theft Auto 5 – As Lauren said in her initial piece upon the game’s release, every Grand Theft Auto game since III has been on that generation’s elite level, but with GTA 5 the writing and the characters took a big leap forward. Combined with a much bigger and more immersive open world map, reminiscent of the West and beautiful vistas in Red Dead Redemption, and everything just seemed to work. In fact, GTA 5 did for the Grand Theft Auto series what GTA III did. It brought everything to another level and now with the next generation of consoles there is no going back.

GTA5cast — Top 2013 Gaming Moment: That time Jonathan ran into Lamar (Slinky Johnson), Michael (Ned Luke) and Trevor (Steven Ogg) at Comikaze 2013!

3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds – I would argue that any site that gave this game a bad or mediocre review was blatant doing two things: Nintendo fan trolling and shock posting for publicity. There’s nothing mediocre about this game and after the beautiful fetch quest that Skyward Sword was this was the game that the Zelda series needed, introducing a new dynamic to the gameplay with it’s more open world approach. As a sequel to Link To The Past, Between Worlds makes a fantastic companion piece (and update) and as the first true Zelda game on the 3DS the wall painting mechanics bring back the sense of exploration that is crucial to the series. This is one of the rare games that I immediately wanted to replay as the credits were rolling. Now let’s bring on the 3DS Majora’s Mask!

4. Super Mario 3D World – Yes. The cat suit is awesome and gives New Super Mario 3D World a fresh energy… but that happens every time a new suit is introduced in each game. It’s fun. It’s fantastic. But it shouldn’t overshadow the real stars of this entry: the fantastic 3D level designs and the fact that it’s just fun to run around in this world and discover new places. It’s almost redundant to keep naming the level design as the strongest thing in each Mario entry (because it always is) but New Super Mario 3D World’s stages had a personality to them that wasn’t quite there in New Super Mario Bros U (although they were strong). Seeing Goombas lounging in the water and throwing baseballs at enemies, or blowing them away with the Gamepad microphone, gave a sense of a bigger game with much more to do and discover, like the random 8-Bit Luigis that would pop up when discovered.

5. The Walking Dead: 400 Days – This is an easy one for me. Telltale Game’s The Walking Dead: Season One was my favorite game of 2012 and 400 Days came as a welcome surprise when it arrived this fall. I love how it furthered the Walking Dead story from Season One, and in turn the Walking Dead comics, introduced fresh characters (although some had played directly into Season One’s events) and contained a few action sequences (like running through the cornfields while being chased by a rival group of survivors). It felt like the epilogue we didn’t quite get after the final, inevitable heartbreak at the end of Season One and did a great job of setting the stage for Season Two (literally, as you will see in the opening moments of Season Two, Chapter One).

The game that would have made this list if I’d allowed myself the time to play it: The Last of Us – Hands down this is the game that I stayed away from like a good grade schooler avoids the drug alleys on his way home from school. The second that Game of the Year edition shows up, you won’t be seeing me no more…

http://youtu.be/jDQiyD5zotE

Shane ‘Rarity’ O’Hare

1. Bioshock Infinite – This was the perfect game. The immersion, the storytelling, the voice acting and the overall narrative was literally perfection. I didn’t think I was going to get pulled in as much as I did, but as soon as the game started I didn’t want to stop. I literally fired up the game and played through it straight; almost playing for 24 hours without a break. The parallel to modern social politics was palpable, and the game did not suffer for it. This is the best video game I have ever played, and that ending. OH DAT ENDING!

2. Grand Theft Auto V – I feel a little cliched putting this here, as everyone else on the planet will be saying this is game of the year, but I cannot give this title more praise. The whole package was really a giant step up for Rockstar. Unlike games in the past this one was a true sequel. Best part for me was playing it with my Dad. He would just sit there and take in the story and the goings on and watched me play through the whole thing. He was actively engrossed and treated it like a film.

3. DmC: Devil May Cry – I was never a huge fan of the previous DMC games, but when the screenshots and trailers for this one started coming out I was blown away by the presentation. The new Dante was a problem for a lot of long time fans, but I fell in love with him the moment I started playing. The graphics are dark, but not in a way that makes it too over whelming. The Raptor News Network level was a stroke of genius.

4. DuckTales: Remastered – Whoa boy! When I saw this trailer come out I flipped the fuck out. DuckTales 1 and 2 were my favorite NES games growing up, and seeing the remastered version gave me a nostalgia explosion. The levels are all there, and besides the tedious tutorial level, it was exactly as I remembered. The best standout was the music. THE MUSIC! The classic songs from the previous games were faithfully and magically redone and updated. The Transylvania theme blew me away.

5. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate – This was the year of the 3DS for me. I got my first 3DS right before Comikaze (STREET PASS BABY) and grabbed MH3U and a couple other games. I cannot put it down! It is really overwhelming at first, but once you understand everything it just becomes a fucking blast. It is a huge grind to get materials for gear, but it never really feels like work. The world is alive, and the monsters really are monstrous. Couple it with the Circle Pad Pro (Thank you Juan Carlos!) and you have an amazing gaming experience.

Gaming Honorable Mention: Battlefield 4 – OK, so you’d expect me to put BF4 on this list but I cannot in all good conscious put it on my top 5 List for 2013. After playing the beta, and seeing how unbearable the game was I opted to wait a few days instead of getting it on launch. I am glad I did. Server crashes, client crashes, glitches and hacks were all over the place for the first few weeks. With all the leaks coming out about how it was rushed to beat CoD: Ghosts to market, and the multitude of bad choices being made (Can we talk about that hideous Client Side Hit Detection?) I am not impressed. Yeah I’ve played it, but it’s not the Battlefield I know and love. It is some weird bullshit Battlefield Test Bed. Let’s hope in a month or two this gets sorted because I honestly want to love this game so much more than I do.

Juan Carlos Marquez

Top Wii U games of 2013

1. Super Mario 3D World (Nintendo) – Nintendo, for all the criticisms it gets from journalists and gamers alike (some deserved, some not) will always do something to remind the industry, its fans, and critics that they are the best at what they do—making video games, and just when it seemed unlikely that a title would come along that would rival the brilliance of Super Mario Galaxy, along comes Super Mario 3D World.

The game is everything those who love Mario games and platformers in general could ask for—homages to World 4 in SMB3, a boat load of power-ups from previous Super Mario titles (Kuribo’s shoe!), levels littered with secrets, challenging landscapes to traverse, and next to Rayman Legends, one of the best soundtracks in gaming this year. Koji Kondo just hit it out of the proverbial park with the music in the game. Additionally, the last encounter with Bowser is by far one of the most memorable moments in gaming I’ve had all year. As a single player experience or a romp with friends, Super Mario 3D World is damn near perfect.

One of my favorite pro wrestlers once said “if you truly know me, then you’d know better than to doubt me.” Nintendo has once again shown the entire video game industry that they can not only make good video games, but create masterpieces. Super Mario 3D World is yet another jewel in Nintendo’s jewel-riddled crown.

Mario’s latest adventure is a proper way to end the year for Nintendo; they may have struggled throughout the year, but just as it was with the 3DS, Mario and company may have very well turned the tide in Wii U’s favor. With Bayonetta 2, Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze, Mario Kart 8, Smash Bros. Wii U, Scram Kitty and his Buddy on Rails, Shovel Knight, and more surprise announcements, there’s a lot for Wii U owners to get excited for in 2014. Here’s to a wonderful new year and may your body always be ready.

2. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (Nintendo) – I made the grave mistake of thinking this game would be nothing more than Wind Waker with a fresh coat of paint, but I have never been so happy to have been so wrong.

While the world found within Wind Waker HD was breathtaking, I was surprised just how much more fluid the gameplay was with the Wii U Game Pad allowing me to change weapons and items on the fly without interrupting gameplay, making my treks through my favorite dungeons all the more enjoyable. And of course, Wind Waker HD has given Link the most powerful ability of all: the pictograph box. It’s good to know that the legendary hero not only knows his way around a sword, but can take mean selfies while doing so. All kidding aside, Nintendo has perfected one of the greatest Zelda games ever made.

3. Rayman Legends (Ubisoft) – The follow-up to the brilliant Rayman Origins started 2013 with a bit of a thud. After Ubisoft announced that the game would be delayed from its original February release to September, gamers became irate. Twitter and Miiverse were flooded with messages from angry gamers proclaiming they are cancelling their pre-orders and/or they would never buy another Ubisoft product again, feeling that Wii U gamers are being punished for purchasing a system which was originally to be the exclusive home to Rayman Legends only to see it released across all major consoles. While the wait was painful, it seems that the months of extra time allowed the team at Ubisoft to perfect and polish what has become one of my favorite platformers ever.

Rayman Legends is gorgeous to look at and even more of a pleasure to listen to. Once again, Christophe Heral and Billy Martin have produced one of the most beautiful video game soundtracks I’ve ever listened to, and it makes jumping and running through the worlds in the Rayman universe an incredible experience. The varied levels (over 120 of them!) are cleverly designed and it challenges the most hardcore gamers around, giving anyone who can make it to the end of each stage a true sense of accomplishment. Rayman Legends deserves a spot on every Wii U owners shelf.

4. BIT.TRIP Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien (Gaijin Games) – The BIT.TRIP series from Gaijin Games was one of the best things to grace the Wii, and the announcement of a sequel to BIT.TRIP Runner thrilled me. Not surprisingly, BIT.TRIP Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien became an instant ‘must buy’ title when it released back in March. Commander Video never looked better and the challenge issued by Gaijin Games in the form of grueling obstacles which demanded perfect timing and reflexes sang like a love letter to old school gamers everywhere. I constantly found myself playing courses multiple times in order to beat my own high score, or better yet, destroy a time set by one of my Wii U friends.

BIT.TRIP Runner 2 is a joy to play and nearly impossible to put down once you get started. It is for the countless hours of practice, the numerous failed attempts, the sheer agony and jubilation Gaijin Games have caused me this year that I place Runner 2 among the Top 5 Wii U games of 2013.

5. Pikmin 3 (Nintendo) – With the cheers and cries of despair from the hundreds of different Pikmin players will meet, the exchanges between newcomers Alph, Brittany, and Charlie, there’s no denying how infectiously charming Pikmin 3 truly is. The environments are stunning (Twilight River, anyone?) and beg for exploration. Unlike most video games today which make one sit through arduous tutorials, Pikmin 3 offers the basics and allows gamers to explore the landscape freely with little to no handholding except when time’s running out. With a wide assortment of challenge maps, multiplayer modes, and downloadable content, Pikmin 3 not only is the best in the series to date, but a title that will make players say ‘just one more game” time and time again.

6. The Wonderful 101 (Platinum Games) – For anyone who complains that today’s video games are way too easy, may they pray that Hideki Kamiya never finds them. Through the humor and bright costumes, The Wonderful 101 demands respect. In the same vein of Bayonetta, the controls take some time to learn, but when mastered, the game is an absolute blast to play. The boss fights are some of the most cinematically grandiose found in any title this year, and anyone who grew up with Kamen Rider, Power Rangers, or Voltron will be quick to point out the many homages Hideki Kamiya and his team have embedded in what easily is one of the most original and fresh new intellectual properties of 2013.

7. Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate (Capcom) – If Wii U owners want a game that will easily eat up hours upon hours of your life, look no further than to the latest instalment of the Monster Hunter franchise (at least to those of us here in the United States). It’s pretty much a port of the 3DS title, but the incorporation of the Wii U Game Pad makes the experience better than its handheld predecessor. Of course, the heart of Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate is found within its multiplayer mode, and it does not disappoint. MH3: Ultimate boasts one of the most active online communities on the Wii U and anyone looking to hunt with other players will have little to no trouble finding a game to jump into.

8. Batman: Arkham Origins (WB Games) – I couldn’t stop playing Batman: Arkham Origins for two huge reasons: the gameplay and combat system were rock-solid and, more importantly, my wife couldn’t stop watching me play through the story. Any time Batman truly got into his detective mode and tried to recreate the crime scene in order to determine at which angle a bullet pierced a victim, which object was used to cause blunt trauma, or figuring out the height of the murderer by the angle at which the gun was fired, my wife was glued to the television. After learning all of Batman’s tools, she started giving me advice as to what I should do next. Not only did WB Games allow me to play as Batman, but they inadvertently transformed my wife into Oracle.

9. Ducktales: Remastered (Disney/Capcom/WayForward) – Leave it to Wayforward to take a beloved platformer and make it even better. The production value in DuckTales: Remastered is nothing short of impressive. Hand-drawn sprites, an updated soundtrack (The Moon Theme never sounded better!), expanded leves, challenges, fun little additions such as diving and swimming in Scrooge’s Money Bin, unlockable content, and every single member of the original voice acting cast reprising their role for the game makes DuckTales: Remastered one of those rare titles which met and exceeded all of my expectations.

10. New Super Luigi U (Nintendo) – The ‘Lost Levels’ of New Super Mario Bros. U is coated in green paint. New Super Luigi U offers some nasty levels to get through (albeit a lot shorter than those found in its predecessor) and allows those who fancy themselves a hardcore gamer to challenge their skills with Mario’s younger brother. It’s as if Nintendo heard the cocky bragging of gamers on Miiverse and said “oh, so you think you’re good, do you? That’s cute. Try getting through this.”

Josh Jackson

1. Pokemon X and Y – It’s true that GTA V, Tomb Raider, and to a lesser extent, ALBW all represent a series renaissance for their respective franchises, each of which are iconic in their own way. However, there’s no greater representation of perfecting an existing franchise than Pokemon X and Y. With the latest adventures, the Pokemon series was refined to the point where I can’t think of very many ways it can be improved. Sure, the usual expectations such as new Pokemon, a new region and new badges are all here, but brand new content like the Fairy type, Mega Evolutions that bring a completely new dynamic to competitive battling, the entire roster of 720 creatures being reanimated in full 3D, a retooling of how leveling up and training are accomplished, (eliminating the tedium of level grinding,) and new features like Pokemon-Amie give trainers so much more content to work with. On top of that, so many tools have been added to make getting that perfect Pokemon that much easier. Featuring the largest roster in franchise history, (454 are native to these two games alone,) one of the most emotional stories the series has ever seen, a renewed focus on playing with friends thanks to random trading through Wonder Trade and the Friend Safari that awards more Pokemon for every friend on your friend list, and about 70 brand new creatures to experiment with, I seriously can’t think of a way to improve on this legendary franchise beyond X and Y. Aside from a few great features that were strangely ommitted, these games are the new benchmark in which future titles in this 17 year old series will be judged. But most importantly, out of all the great games on this list, this is the only one that I’m still playing daily with no signs of stopping. A great story? Perfected game play? Fantastic visuals? Tons of practical online features? Hundreds of hours of content? Even in a year of tough competition as a console generation ended with a huge bang, this choice just shows how much of an accomplishment X and Y was. How else could it not be my game of the year?

2. Grand Theft Auto V – Let me get this out of the way first. I HATED GTA IV. In fact, GTAIII was the only game in the series that really blew me away. I kind of just picked this game up as a formaility, with cautious optimism towards the praise it was getting, but still unable to get the bad taste of Niko and friends out of my mouth. What I got however, was one of the craziest, most entertaining rides I’ve experienced this generation. The three protagonists, Michael, Trevor and Franklin, each brought so much individual flair to the story that I often felt like I was playing three intersecting campaigns. The story was gritty, offensive and violient, but it’s always tongue in cheek, which is what we’ve come to expect from Rockstar. Game play refinement made traveling and fighting through Los Santos an absolute joy, with new features like heists, special abilities and character specific missions putting a particular touch to GTA’s storied history. If messing around in the 30 plus hour campaign wasn’t enough, Grand Theft Auto Online launched about a month later, where would be criminals are still pulling off jobs and hunting each other down for as much cash as possible. GTAV is easily the highlight of the series, and one of the best games of the entire generation. Besides, what other game can you wake up stranded on a beach wearing a dress?

3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds – A Link Between Worlds had a ton of strange expectations going in. As the first Zelda game that takes place in the exact same world as one of its predecessors, which was none other than the beloved SNES classic, A Link to the Past, Nintendo set the game up for failure. After all, how can reusing a map and setting it in direct comparison to what many consider one of the best games of all time be anything but? However, A Link Between Worlds not only manages to fill the large Pegasus Boots of its predecessor, it surpasses it in nearly every way. ALBW is the first modern Zelda to allow players to tackle dungeons in nearly any order, thanks to a focus on Rupees since tools now need to be rented or bought instead of found. Link’s ability to turn into a painting acts as one of the most creative abilities I’ve seen in years, and the boss fights are some of the most creative in franchise history, which is saying a lot in comparison to other Zelda games. The amazing story with a touching ending tops off what is a timeless experience that any 3DS owner should experience. If it wasn’t so easy or short, this definitely would have made number 1.

4. Tomb Raider – I’m pretty sure that this is the third reboot that Tomb Raider has gone through over the decade and a half since Lara Croft enchanted gamers everywhere. Unfortunately, the decline in quality combined with a comfort level that the developers settled into after the early success of the series turned the brand into an afterthought in the minds of most. With the latest Tomb Raider, that trend seems to have changed. Giving Lara another fresh start, this origin story strands the adventurer on an island full of cultists who will stop at nothing to bring their would be prophecy to light. It’s a fight for survival at every turn, with improved combat, a large island to explore with plenty of hidden areas and a fun story that brings a level of humanity to Lara that’s been missing since her inception. Combining the best of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Uncharted, it seems like the series has found a winning formula. Back in March, I was sure this game was going to be my game of the year after I was so blown away, but that just goes to show how amazing the end of the year has been.

5. Super Mario 3D World – Like with Pikmin 3, Super Mario 3D World once again shows how Nintendo has a knack for milking insane amounts of creativity out of concepts that they’ve been working on for years. Taking the 3D platforming of Super Mario 3D Land and blending it with the four player co-op of the lastest New Super Mario Bros. games, on paper, the game sounds like a mash up of old ideas. However, thanks to brilliant level design that feels brand new, power ups like the cat suit and double cherry and five playable characters with unique abilities, and you have a rare sequel that’s completely unique while being fun as a single and multiplayer experience.

6. Project X Zone – If I told myself last year that I would be putting a strategy game on this list, I would think I was lying. But to my surprise, Project X Zone was a game that provided so much fun, there’s no way I couldn’t put it on this list. Bringing together both well known and obscure characters from Sega, Capcom and Namco franchises into one huge grid based RPG, and there’s sure to be plenty of fan service and tongue in cheek writing to go around. Street Fighter, Mega Man, Resident Evil, Tekken, Endless Frontier, Sakura Wars, Virtua Fighter, Space Channel 5, Valkyria Chronicles… you name a franchise, and it’s likely represented. But what carried me through close to 60 hours of play was the addicting combat that puts control directly in the player’s hands to maximize damage. Acting much like a fighting game, simple commands can be entered to combo and juggle enemies within a certain amount of commands. The better the combo, the more effective the turn. Even if you’re terrible at strategy games, anyone with an interest in these properties should give PXZ a shot. If nothing else, it’s probably the only way we’ll see Tron Bonne again.

7. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies – I have to admit, I was skeptical of the fifth Phoenix Wright game. After all, it seemed like Capcom was bringing Phoenix back despite his story being long over, and all because the forced him into AA4 and made the new protagonist an afterthought before he had a chance. Once I actually got the game in my hands however, everything changed. The new lawyer in town, Athena Cykes, as well as Apollo Justice, have huge amounts of focus placed on them, all while bringing their own gameplay tricks to the court room. While Phoenix himself is the character that gets the most play time, it’s only for good reason story wise, and is firmly in the mentor role rather than the main focus of the story. And speaking of the story, it’s an incredible one, complete with some of the best cases and characters in series history, all brought to life with the first game in the series to feature 3D animations. The ending alone is one of the best in the series, and is one of the best reasons to buy a Nintendo Points card. Now, if only we could get a physical copy…

8. Pikmin 3 – After a nine year wait, the long awaited third Pikmin game finally hit the Wii U. Nintendo used that time to work their 1st party magic that only they can. Despite being the third game in a series, so much of Pikmin 3 feels completely original. Whether it’s the new Flying and Rock Pikmin that create new situations for fighting and gather materials, the three protagonists that can be used simultaniously for traveling across the larger terrains faster or the numerous new abilities that make game play more exciting and efficient, Pikmin 3 was a godsend during a long Wii U drought.

9. Bishock Infinite – As one of the most hyped games of 2013, Bioshock Infinite had huge expectations to meet. After all, the original set a new standard for storytelling, gameplay through the creative use of Plasmids and a complete reworking of what the 1st Person Shooter genre could be. While Infinite isn’t nearly as groundbreaking as its predecessor, what really could be? What we get instead is an incredibly well told story spanning time and space with some of the most memorable characters you could meet in a game. The names Booker, Elizabeth and Comstock are irreplacable in my mind, which shows how memorable they were through the tale, (while I must commend Booker in particular for being a strong protagonist in a genre that typically has none.) Combine this with a fantastic early 1900’s setting in a city in the sky, and you get an unforgettable setting that complements the tried and true game play to a tee.

10. A Realm Reborn: Final Fantasy XIV – Most of the appeal of Final Fantasy XIV comes from how much more accessible the game is than its predecessor. It’s so much easier to jump in and do fairly well by yourself, which is important when trying to get the hang of a new MMO. More importantly however, is that the game is so fun and accessible that it made most people forgive the travesty that was the original FFXIV. Square Enix had a lot to prove with this massive reboot of their latest attempt at an online game, and I’m happy to say that they were successful in almost every way. They’ve earned my monthly subscription fee.

http://youtu.be/S5FG63P8kmE

S.J. Borger

1. The Last of Us — Lie down. Curl up. Feel all the feels.

2. Bioshock Infinite — So good. So good. Play it. Because it’s SO GOOD.

3. Gone Home — The little indie game that could. Put together clues and find out what happened to a family in their abandoned home.

4. Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag — Solid story and improved gameplay gave the franchise a much-needed breath of fresh air with this expansion.

5. Grand Theft Auto V — Not for kids! Not for kids! Do not buy for your eight-year-old! Adults, however, will enjoy the trademark GTA balls-out insanity.

6. Dead Space 3 — Some fans had issues with the fact that our hero could talk in this one. Others didn’t like the human-on-human fighting. Still, the game played well, the story was compelling and the final twists and turns worth the hours of playtime.

7. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds — A direct sequel to “A Link to the Past,” the games bright colors and retro-feel delighted fans of the 1990’s Zelda games.

8. Tomb Raider — A complete reboot, harder puzzles, and more intriguing gameplay. Fans and critics alike couldn’t find enough good things to say about it.

9. Beyond: Two Souls— Ellen Page and William Dafoe, digitally captured and ported into your console to tell a subtlety wrought, but moving, story.

10. SimCity (eventually)— Ok, ok, there were problems. So many problems. Problems that probably resulted in quite a few computers being thrown across rooms and even more rage-posts on forums. However, nine months later, SimCity is playable, enjoyable—and with updates and changes to the maps, definitely a time sink.

Derek Kraneveldt

I’ve had so little time this past few months that I have a few games still sitting on my shelf that would have definitely made it on this list. Super Mario 3D World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, I cannot wait to play you. Also, The Walking Dead: Season Two and The Wolf Among Us both had excellent first chapters this year, but seeing as 4/5ths of these titles fall into 2014, look for them on this list next year.

1. The Last of Us – I’m not sure if The Last of Us is the best game of the year, or the best game of this generation. I still recall experiencing the game’s incredible finale for the first time; after the credits finished rolling, I couldn’t bear to move for upwards of 30 minutes; I was upset at what had just occurred, I had just finished the most incredible gaming experience that I could have possibly imagined, and I still don’t know if I’ll ever have an experience like it.

Yes, The Last of Us lives up to the hype. Yes, The Last of Us is worth buying a Playstation 3 for. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, The Last of Us is my game of the year.

Fun fact: The voice of Joel in The Last of Us is the same voice actor as Booker in Bioshock Infinite. Not to mention The Joker in Batman: Arkham Origins and a million other roles.

Coolest moment: Visiting the Los Santos Observatory, and then standing in the Los Angeles Observatory in real life… It was EXACTLY the same!

2. Bioshock Infinite – This is the shooter that I’ve been waiting years for, and I loved every single second of it. The game didn’t quite change the shooter genre like Bioshock did, but it did take plot, storytelling, narrative, and mystery to a whole new level. Seriously, the game is so interesting that my mostly non-gamer girlfriend played through the entire title, and made me take the day off of work when the first chapter of Burial at Sea released. Seeing this alternate 1912, the parallels to our world, and the corruption of Comstock is an absolute treat, and its one that I could see myself playing over and over again. Playstation Plus members, you’re getting the game for free in January, and at this point it’s under $20 for everyone else. Again, even if you’re not a gamer, even if you’ve never touched a first-person shooter, the plot of Bioshock Infinite makes it worth a play through.

3. Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – I’ve had numerous conversations with Jonathan about Ni No Kuni over the course of 2013, and I really can’t state it better than he already has: this is a nearly perfect JRPG, and one of the first that’s been able to draw me in for a number of years. Level 5 and Studio Ghibli have done an incredible job crafting ~~this~~ these worlds, and it has resulted in what is arguably the PS3’s best RPG. With quick, clever combat, creature collection a lá Pokémon, incredible animation, and plenty of tear-jerking moments turned hilarious by Mr. Drippy’s crazy antics, if you have ever enjoyed an RPG before, you owe it to yourself to play this one.

Seriously, it’s Studio Ghibli AND Level 5, how can you not have already played this one?

4. Tearaway – Since the Vita’s release almost two years ago, I’ve owned two of them. The first, I bought on launch day, and sold months later (at a huge loss) because there really were no great games for it, and nothing worthwhile seemed to be coming down the pipeline. This February, I received a second unit as a gift (thanks John); it was white, looked way cooler on my shelf… and that’s where it sat until Tearaway‘s release. Sure, there are a few great titles on Playstation + (Gravity Rush is killer, and I’ve been having way too much fun with Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed), and remote play via the PS4 is useful (though still way too inconsistent), but with the plethora of amazing 3DS titles coming out consistently, what reason did I have to play my Vita?

Tearaway changed all that. Media Molecule, the creators of LittleBigPlanet have built a wonderful, heartfelt papercraft world with this game, and used the Vita’s superb hardware in a completely not cheesy or tacked on way; a feat that no other developer has really been able to achieve at this point. The platforming gameplay and simple puzzles are a welcome change from the plethora of action titles and bad first-person shooters on the console, and the game’s simple, intriguing plot (starring YOU) is one that you won’t want to miss. Tearaway is the Vita’s best game yet, bar none, and I can only hope that the console can continue to receive more quality titles like this one.

5. Grand Theft Auto V – I’ve never been a huge fan of the Grand Theft Auto Series. It’s often hard for me to get into open world games, and the extreme openness of the GTA franchise has always turned me off after a few hours of play. Grand Theft Auto V was completely different. The three sprawling, interlocking, far more down to Earth plotlines changed everything. In previous games it was easy to get tired of a line of missions or an area, and now with a simple-tap of the D-pad you can do something completely different (or head into the insanity that is Grand Theft Auto Online). Nearly everything is improved from previous GTA iterations (the shooting mechanics were something that always bugged me, and in GTAV they’re awesome), and I simply cannot praise Rockstar’s efforts here enough. Even if you’re not a Grand Theft Auto fan, you’re going to love this game.

Honorable mentions: Contrast, Gone Home, Pikmin 3, The Walking Dead: 400 Days.

Geekscape Roundtable: Our 2013 Holiday Wishlist!

by GeekscapeStaffDecember 17, 2013

Here goes! Enjoy, and be sure to let us know what gifts you’re hoping for in the comments below!

SJ Borger

I LOVE giving gifts to people, and I think online shopping is just the best thing ever (plus, no need to feel guilty about leaving items in your cart and virtually walking away). Christmas is like the ultimate combination of those two things!

My top five geek gifts this year are:

R2-D2 USB Car Charger

It bleeps and bloops and charges two phones/tablets while it’s at it. You can pretend you’re Luke, charging between tie-fighters as R2-D2 bleeps at you. His heads rotates, his eyes light up, and yes, he bleeps and bloops. – $49.99 at Thinkgeek.

Journal of Impossible Things

This gift is for the Doctor Who fan who may want to show their love for the Doctor without dressing up like a TARDIS. An embossed leather journal (a replica of the one the 10th Doctor used when he was John Smith to record his ‘impossible dreams.’ It also comes with a mini-sonic screwdriver pen. – $22.99 at Thinkgeek.

A Jayne Hat

Despite the hullabaloo earlier this year over who had the rights to sell these, a Jayne hat is still a must-have for the Firefly/Serenity fan in your life. You can by the mass produced one at Thinkgeek, or get a handmade one on eBay. – $24.99-$25.00

Electro Snap Circuits Lights

An ingenious so-fun-you-can’t-tell-its-educational toy, this set has over 175 projects, including one that lets you hook up your iPod and have it light up in rhythm to your favorite songs. For ages 8-108 (our niece LOVED it, and so did her Dad, so the box doesn’t lie). $79.98 at Amazon.

PS3 ‘The Last of Us’ Bundle

I know, I know, there’s a PS4 out—but for that friend of yours that never bought a PS3, they’re on super sale now, with a ton of games and titles (like The Last of Us). It’s still a solid platform and the deep discounts make them an ideal gift for the ‘likes to game but not hardcore’ dude or dude-ette on your list! – Available from multiple retailers (Amazon, Best Buy, etc.) with a price range from $225-$279.

Shane ‘Rarity’ O’Hare

I have weird tastes for a geek. What I want for Christmas really goes all over the place. Here are some of the things that Shane O’Hare would love to see under the tree:

Raspberry Pi

If you aren’t in the know let me bring you up to speed. The Raspberry Pi is a single board computer not much bigger than a deck of cards. It is super small and fairly high powered for something its size. It has USB ports, audio, Ethernet and HDMI on it making it an amazing little machine. Toss in a memory card and fire up the linux and you have yourself a proper machine for pretty much anything you can imagine. People run web and email servers on them, but I want one for game emulation! These things can run NES, SNES, N64 and all the other consoles in between. Perfect for carrying your entire game catalog over to Grandmas house for Christmas brunch! – $74.99 at Amazon.

Nintendo 64 USB Controller

This is the most essential accessory to go with your Raspberry Pi emulation machine. A 1 to 1 N64 controller allows you to play every game imaginable from the Nintendo 64 all the way back to the Magnavox Odyssey. Must have for the Pi! – $24.99 at Thinkgeek.

BenQ 144hz Pro Gaming Monitor

I just finished up my brand new computer build a few weeks ago. I haven’t upgraded my rig in over 5 years and it is amazing to see games like Bioshock Infinite and Battlefield 4 in all their high-def glory! Well… sorta. The weakest link in my setup right now is my monitor. A super old Gateway LCD monitor with the same old 60hz resfresh rate. That’s where the BenQ 144hz monitor comes into play. Designed with the help from Professional Counter-Strike players, BenQ’s pro line of panels is the best you can get. This particular model is a good 24hz higher than what is recommended for Professional FPS players. It will keep your games from tearing and will give you an edge. – $299.99 at Amazon.

Traktor Kontrol S4 mk 2

This is the peak of DJ controllers. Native Instruments revolutionized the market for portable DJ controllers with the release of the Kontrol S4 a few years ago, and this year they refreshed the model to reflect the changes in their software. Hook this up to your laptop and you will have full 4 Deck (4 songs) independent control over the gig. The update brings full RGB lights and a sturdier set of Jog Wheels for controlling the tunes. New outputs and a nicer finish means you will be using this baby for years to come. This is the ultimate tool for the mobile DJ who wants to have the usability of almost 10k worth of CD players and mixers all in one little package. – $799.99 at DJTechTools.

3D Printed Rocketeer Cufflinks

The Rocketeer is my favorite movie and comic series of all time. The story portrays the era perfectly, and in the movie the music and sets are the closest I’ve felt to being around Hollywood in the 1930’s. So, when I found this set of 3D printed Rocketeer Cufflinks I flipped. Shapeways is Etsy for 3D printed items, you can find pretty much anything on here. These particular cufflinks can be made in a couple dozen materials and I bet they would look amazing in the polished brass. – $18.30 at Shapeways.

Jonathan London

Image Comics Books

Image Comics is on fire. Well, not literally. That’d be awful! But as far as running on all cylinders as an indie comics publisher is concerned, they’re hitting it out of the park. Yes, you know to give your loved ones copies of The Walking Dead and Saga (or Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Criminal), but there was a whole slew of great Image books launched in 2013 that deserve a place on any gift list. Lazarus, by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark, has hit 5 issues and every one of them is a fantastic blend of futuristic, social commentary sci-fi, action and intrigue. Sidekick by J. Michael Straczynski and Tom Mandrake is great for anyone who loves both mysteries and superhero books. And Velvet by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting takes the whole Miss Moneypenny concept from James Bond and puts her front and center as the world’s top super spy turned secretary is now on the run from her former agency. Also, don’t forget Todd The Ugliest Kid on Earth if you’re looking to put some laughs alongside those Holiday smiles! Writer Ken Kristensen told you about the book first… right here on Geekscape!

Ni No Kuni

This might be my favorite game of the year… and is definitely the top JRPG of the year (sorry Pokémon… whatever the heck you are). The perfect blend of roleplaying, Studio Ghibli animation and Level-5 puzzle solving make this a no miss for any gamer who has even flirted with any of those three elements. Plus, sites like Amazon regularly have the game on sale (for ridiculously cheap too considering the game’s 70+ hour playtime) so there’s no excuse not to give this as a gift this year.

The Cornetto Trilogy Box Set

Let’s get real. This is worth it if only for Shawn of the Dead, but now that The World’s End is out on Blu-Ray… do you really have a reason not to combine them with Hot Fuzz and put this handsome collection on your shelf? No. You don’t. What’s more, when you have company over for the holidays, this gives everyone something great to put on TV in lieu of Christmas Story and Rankin/Bass Christmas movies (yeah… what if you’re company is Jewish? You don’t wanna make them watch that stuff, you insensitive jerk!). – Just $34.59 on Amazon.

Derek Kraneveldt

Pacific Rim Blu-Ray / Graphic Novel

I loved Pacific Rim. It was one of the most enjoyable theatregoing experiences that I’ve had this year, and it’s definitely a film that I’ll want to rematch again and again (it’s just so much fun). What I would really love this holiday season would be the official greenlighting of a sequel, but since that’s likely not going to happen anytime soon, let’s all pick up the Blu-Ray (bettering the chances for a sequel in the future).

Seriously, the movie is awesome, and so is its prequel graphic novel, Tales From Year Zero. – Blu-Ray $12.99 on Amazon. Graphic novel $19.19 on Amazon.

Game of Thrones Beer

I’m not really a beer drinker (or a drinker at all), but the Iron Throne Blonde Ale that I sampled (extensively) at this year’s SDCC was incredibly delicious. Just in time for the holidays, Brewery Ommegang Brewery and HBO have launched a second flavour: Take The Black Stout.

Game of Thrones is bound to be a topic of conversation at many-a dinner table this season, so how cool would it be to serve Game of Thrones beer at the same time?

Head to Brewery Ommegang’s official website for more info!

Nintendo Wii U

Of of the first things that I realized when I picked up a Playstation 4 last month was that there is virtually no reason (at this point anyways) to own a second controller. I then thought of the countless times over the course of the Wii U’s year of existence where I (and four friends) spent hours playing multiplayer New Super Mario Bros. U, all in the same room.

The Wii U has struggled since its release last November, but a phenomenal catalog of games (Super Mario 3D Land, Pikmin 3, The Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker HD, and The Wonderful 101 are all acclaimed titles that have released in just the last few months), and the console’s first price drop have things looking up for the system, which so far has been celebrated by its owners and seemingly ignored by everyone else. Console sales surged 340% in November (from October, which also saw a 75% increase), which leaves me very hopeful for the units future!

The Wii U has some great holiday bundles available (one including both New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U, and another including The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD, and many great launch titles can be had on the cheap), so there has really never been a better time to buy!

Apple TV

I’ve given a few of these as gifts over the past few years, and they always, always become one of (if not the) the most used items in the house. The Apple TV currently features content from the following sources, and more are being added all the time:

You can also, of course, use Plex from an iOS device, and simply AirPlay it to your television (along with music, video, photos, and anything else that may be on your iPhone or iPad).

The best feature of the Apple TV? Its simplicity! Its elegant interface is so easy to understand that even my grandparents can use it without issue (unlike their computers or cell phones). – $89.99 at Amazon.

Pebble Smart Watch

I’ve had one of these babies for months now, and I’d recommend it to anyone who spends too much time on their phone.

In my review, I said that the Pebble was “an indispensable part of my daily life” after just one week of using it. It’s sleek, it’s useful, it’s waterproof, and it costs a lot less than you may expect it to. Seriously, this thing is awesome, and with the upcoming 2.0 Firmware, the Pebble is about to get even more useful. -$119.99 at Amazon.

That’s it for us! Again, be sure to let us know what you’re hoping for (or planning to give) this holiday season!

The Stan Lee’s Comikaze Panels We’re Most Looking Forward To!

by GeekscapeStaffOctober 22, 2013

Stan Lee’s Comikaze is finally right around the corner (better get those tickets quickly)! A myriad of Geekscape writers will be in attendance at the expo, and of course we couldn’t be more excited to hang out with you at the Geekscape Booth (that’d be Booth #610)!

If you’re attending the expo, be sure to visit us at Booth #610, where we’ll have tons of shirts available and some freebies (and lonely Shane O’Hare would love to talk to you)! We’ll be there all weekend! Now read on!

Juan Carlos Marquez

Any sci-fi-loving kid who grew up in the 80’s knew the drill on Saturdays; you started the morning flipping between CBS, NBC, and ABC, but then you tuned in to Channel 5 (KTLA) and watched the Family Film Festival with Tom Hatten. It was during this afternoon routine in which I was introduced to the glory of Godzilla. I fell in love with way the giant Japanese lizard monster tore apart miniature cities, yet helped defend the poorly-dubbed humans from the likes of Mothra, Rodan, and Mecha Godzilla.

Sunday’s panel, ‘Giant Kaiju Monsters Vs. Men in Suits Attack Japan (And Hollywood)!’ is an absolute can’t-miss for me, especially seeing that George Krstic is going to take part in the panel discussion (as well as our very own Jonathan London). I was a huge fan of Megas XLR and I can’t wait to hear his thoughts on what appears to be the renaissance of the giant monster movie genre.

The panel takes place on Sunday, November 3rd at 2:30 in room 306AB! Here’s the description:

Everyone loves Godzilla, Power Rangers, Ultra-Man, Rodan, Kamen Rider and Giant Robots! And recently, Hollywood has gotten in on the act with Kaiju and Giant Robot films like Pacific Rim and next summer’s Godzilla film. Are these Japanese mainstays the next big thing in American pop-culture (or is it just another Hollywood trend)? Join a panel of working Hollywood professionals for an in-depth discussion on the past, present, future and Americanization of Kaiju and Japanese Men in Suit properties. These properties have long since taken over Japan. Are we next!?!

Participants: Jonathan London (Host of Geekscape!), F.J. DeSanto (Frank Miller’s The Spirit, Cyborg 009, Insurgent), George Krstic (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Action Pack, Megas XLR), Robert Burnett (Free Enterprise, Femme Fatales), Tommy Yune (Robotech)

S.J. Borger

I’ve never been to Comikaze before, though I’ve lived in Los Angeles for years. The panels this year look amazing (especially the panels that our own awesome, glorious leader Jonathan London* is a part of).

The panels span an eclectic and wildly interesting set of topics—I could barely decide between some of them. That being, said, I narrowed it down from ‘all of them!’ since I couldn’t seem to find a handy TARDIS or a Time Turner anywhere.

My (current, to be updated at any time) list of must-see panels:

The Doctor Who 50^th Anniversary Panel: because, well, the Doctor Who 50^th Anniversary special—and the mysterious ‘special guests.” Such a tease, Comikaze, such a tease! – Friday, 4PM, Room 306AB.

The Nerdist Writer’s Panel: Comic Book Edition; I’m a fan of The Nerdist podcast and comic books, so this was basically a done deal. I hope Ben Blacker doesn’t think I’m stalking him, though, since I just realized I’m attending ALL of his panels if I can. – Saturday, 10:30AM, 304ABC.

Icon: Bruce Campbell. I shouldn’t even have to explain this. – Saturday, 1PM, Hot Topic Main Stage.

Blizzard Storytelling: From the corruption of Kerrigan to managing to (by the skin of their teeth) write in Panda Bears and Aliens as beings consistent with their world, Blizzard Entertainment is one of the foremost storytellers of our digital age. I’m looking forward to insights from the minds behind the stories. – Saturday, 3PM, Room 306AB.

In Defense Of: A panel defending the truly ludicrous choices sometimes made in comics, gaming and film (the ones that made you cock your head and say ‘Wait, what? How? Why would you do that?’…for example, all of GI Joe: Retaliation). – Saturday, 4PM, Room 301A.

The Thrilling Adventure Hour: Enough said. Seriously, I’d watch Acker, Blacker, Paul F Tompkins, Marc Evan Jackson, Joshua Malina, Busy Philips and Mark Gagliardi read from the phone book. If they could find one, I guess. It’s not really a great saying, anymore, is it? So um…I’d watch them read from the ITunes user agreement. – Saturday, 5:30PM, Room 308AB.

That works better.

Writing Genre TV: A panel of writers from hit shows like The Walking Dead, Warehouse 13, Alphas, Justified and Once Upon a Time In Wonderland discuss what it’s like to work in genre TV. – Sunday, 3:30PM, Room 306AB.

Zombies! Everything You Wanted To Know But Were Too Alive To Ask! Zombie science, history, fiction and fact. Where else would I be on a Sunday? – Sunday, 4PM, Room 304ABC.

* I take cash or paypal, Jonathan.**

** You’ll take a pass to Comikaze is what you’ll take! – Jonathan

anyone have one of these that I can borrow?

Shane O’Hare

This is my FIRST Comikaze convention. I’ve been a huge fan of the expo and organizaiton (DJing their Comic Con party didn’t have anything to with that praise :P) and have always wanted to go. This year, the planets aligned perfectly and I was able to get off work to join in on the fun!

This being my first trip to Comikaze I really want to check out the booths and the main floor, I love seeing how cons other than SDCC stack up. I also really can’t wait to get to work at our very own Geekscape booth (booth 610) as well!

The Pacific Rim (Friday, 2PM, Room 306AB) and Sharknado (Friday, 4:30, Hot Topic Main Stage) panels on day one are a must see. The Lion Forge panels (Saved By The Bell is Saturday, 11AM, Room 306AB, Knight Rider, Airwolf, Miami Vice & More on Sunday, 12PM, Room 301A) are also a must attend as all their newest books are top notch and I am super excited for all of them.

Come Sunday I find myself stuck in a conundrum. Do I stay at Comikaze or head on down to Anaheim and join the Mega 64 Boyz for their annual Gamedays meetup at Disneyland? Decisions…decisions.

Either way, I am very excited to be attending Comikaze, especially since it’s in LA! My sister better get the couch ready cause baby brudda is coming for a visit!

Kari Lane

This will be my second year attending Comikaze, and there are definitely a few panels/films that I’m really excited to see!

I’m looking forward to the Geek Girls: Sexism Within the Geek Subculture (Friday, 1:30PM, Room 301B) panel because it has been a fairly common discussion topic lately. The Adapting Sherlock Holmes (Friday, 3:30PM, Room 301B) panel sounds cool since I just recently started watching the show (yes, I’m a little behind on some shows because I generally don’t watch live TV and have to rely on Netflix.) The Dollar Baby Film Festival (Saturday, 9AM, Screening Room 411) on Saturday also sounds awesome because it will be short films based on Stephen King stories and I love good horror stories. There’s a Grimm Fairy Tales Animated Pilot (Saturday, 11:30AM, Room 308AB)I am really excited about because I saw their presentation at the Long Beach Comic Con and I’m stoked to see their final product. And, of course, Weird Al will be at Comikaze this year. I’ve seen him in concert at least three times and he never fails to entertain. 🙂 I’m also curious to see Sweethearts of the Galaxy (Sunday, 10AM, Room 304ABC) because I interviewed those two lovely ladies not so long ago and their show seems really fun. There’s also several horror panels I wouldn’t miss such as a Ghosts, Bigfoot and Beyond: Paranormal TV (Sunday, 1PM, Room 304ABC) because who doesn’t enjoy a little paranormal in their life?! And last, but not least, there will be a screening of Legend of the Red Reaper (Sunday, 2:30PM, Screening Room 411) which I have been hearing about for quite some time so I’m really looking forward to seeing it!

Derek Kraneveldt

I absolutely cannot wait to get back down to Los Angeles and head to Comikaze! Of course I’m beyond excited to see all of my fellow writers again (and to meet some new ones too), and also participate in my very first 5K. The whole reason that I’m going down is for the expo however, and here’s what I’m most looking forward to:

It’s called Stan Lee’s Comikaze, so of course I need to meet Stan at some point. I picked up a copy of The Amazing Spider-Man #252 (first appearance of the black suit) at SDCC, and I would love to have him sign it. That being said, getting a photo with Stan the Man would literally make my life, as I’ve idolized the guy since before I could speak! He did say good morning to me at SDCC, but I need more!

I was a big fan of Pacific Rim, so as Shane said up above, the From Robots to Monsters: A Look Into Pacific Rim and Godzilla (Friday, 2PM, Room 306AB) panel is a must see for me. I’m also looking forward to the Full Time Creative on a Part Time Schedule (Friday, 2:30PM, Room 301B) discussion should be an interesting one. Between a full-time day job and my work for Geekscape, I find a hard time doing any of the creative writing that I used to love doing. Maybe this panel will offer some tips on how to find the time?

Later that day, I’ll be headed to the Making A Comic Step-By-Step (Friday, 4PM, Room 304ABC). This should go hand-in-hand with the previous panel, as it’s something that I’ve been interest in for as long as I can remember, but have simply never found the time to do. I’ll also want to check out the Fangasm: The Interns Reunite (Friday, 7PM, Hot Topic Main Stage) as I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the show (which ends tonight) and I’m sure that there’ll be plenty of laughs at the panel.

All that stuff, and that’s just the first day! I’m also looking forward to:

-The Death of ‘Superman Lives’: What Happened? – (Saturday, 2PM, Room 304ABC).
–Inspector Spacetime: The Panel – (Saturday, 6PM, Room 304ABC)
-The Writer’s Journey: Breaking Into Comic Book and Hollywood Scriptwriting – (Sunday, 10AM, Room 306AB)
-Meet The Actor’s From ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ – (Sunday, 11:30AM, Room 306AB)
-So You Wanna Start A Podcast – (Sunday, 5PM, Room 308AB)

I’m sure that I’ll find even more to attend once I get to the expo, but these are the events that immediately stood out to me!

It's my mission to meet this guy. — It’s my mission to meet this guy.

Our very own Jonathan London will also be hosting (and participating in) a few of Comikaze’s most prestigious panels. You know you’ll want to be in attendance for those. The panels are:

– Icon: Edward James Olmos – (Friday, 5:30PM, Hot Topic Main Stage)

The Emmy and Golden Globe-winning, Academy Award-nominated legend talks to the Comikaze crowd about his many appearances in some of the biggest and most recognizable of film and television projects.

– Lion Forge Comics Presents: Saved By The Bell – (Saturday, 11AM, Room 306AB)

It’s time to return to Bayside High! Host Jonathan London will take you on a nostalgic look at the world of Saved by the Bell and he’s bringing along some special guests to help him out. Mr. Belding himself, Dennis Haskins, will be one board to reminisce on the iconic shows past history. Joining America’s favorite principal are writer Joelle Sellner and artist Chynna Clugston who’ll be helming Saved by the Bell’s future with an exclusive look into the new comic coming from Lion Forge Comics.

Participants: Jonathan London (Geekscape), Dennis Haskins (Saved By The Bell), Joelle Sellner (SBTB Comic, Jackie Chan Adventures, Teen Titans, Wonderous), Chynna Clagston (Blue Monday, Queen Bee), Adam Staffaroni (editor)

– Lion Forge Comics Presents Knight Rider, Airwolf, Miami Vice, and Much Much More! – (Sunday, 12PM, Room 301A)

Lion Forge Comics has been hard at work bringing you the best titles in comics and you have a chance to hear first-hand from its creative team about its plans for some of your favorite TV shows from the 80s and other Lion Forge Projects. Also get an exclusive first look at our new project with writer Cullen Bunn (Sixth Gun & Deadpool). This is not your average boring publisher panel filled with press releases and boring home movies. Excitement, Adventure, Giveaways and more Surprises await you at the Lion Forge Comics panel!

Participants: Geoff Thorne (Leverage, Ben10), Brandon Easton (Thundercats, Shadowlaw), Jonathan London (Geekscape), David Gorden (Catalyst Prime: Accel, Catalyst Prime: Quincredible), Jason Johnson (Wetworks), Lorenzo Lizana (Rampage Jackson: Street Soldier), Carl Reed (Miami Vice)

– Giant Kaiju Monsters Vs. Men In Suits Attack Japan (And Hollywood)! – (Sunday, 2PM, Room 306AB)

Everyone loves Godzilla, Power Rangers, Ultra-Man, Rodan, Kamen Rider and Giant Robots! And recently, Hollywood has gotten in on the act with Kaiju and Giant Robot films like Pacific Rim and next summer’s Godzilla film. Are these Japanese mainstays the next big thing in American pop-culture (or is it just another Hollywood trend)? Join a panel of working Hollywood professionals for an in-depth discussion on the past, present, future and Americanization of Kaiju and Japanese Men in Suit properties. These properties have long since taken over Japan. Are we next!?!

Participants: Jonathan London (Host of Geekscape!), F.J. DeSanto (Frank Miller’s The Spirit, Cyborg 009, Insurgent), George Krstic (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Action Pack, Megas XLR), Robert Burnett (Free Enterprise, Femme Fatales), Tommy Yune (Robotech).

Now it’s your turn! Be sure to let us know what you’re excited to see at next week’s Comikaze! You can find the programming schedule here, and head here if you haven’t bought your tickets yet!