Incoming...

Darth Disney

Yep, that's right - the shocking news came out yesterday that Lucasfilm and in turn the Star Wars franchise has been handed over to Disney. Certainly a fair number of Star Wars fans will have turned to the dark-side over this revelation, but personally I am not too fussed. Firstly, the prospect of another Star Wars film in 2015 (as is rumoured) doesn't do anything to take away from the original saga, or even the prequel saga - if you're really that distressed, don't watch the film. Secondly, there are going to be more Star Wars films! I grew up on Star Wars, my dad took me to see the original saga when they were re-released in the '90's, just in time for the prequel saga to begin. Which I loved. Yes, as a young boy, the adventures of Anakin, Qui-Gon Jinn and Padmé were just as easily able to inspire me to swing lightsabers around in my back garden and try to use jedi mind-tricks on my younger sister. When I watch the saga now, of course I can see some of the weaknesses, but I can also see the depth of imagination and pure epicness that Lucas created, and one only has to look at the multitude of books, games and television shows that have branched from these six films to know that this droid, alien and jedi universe still has more to share. New, young audiences will be introduced to the lore of Star Wars in new ways, opening the gate for you to expose them to the original material. By the time these new films are released, most of the Star Wars fans old enough to actually have seen all of the films when they were shown in theatres will have to admit that they aren't likely to be the target audience, and will hopefully be able to see the films just to appreciate them as additions to the universe they already love. So, here are some of the things that I hope, as a Star Wars fan, are thought about when Disney get the ball rolling.

No more Clone Wars

Now, I was at first very sceptical about the CGI television version of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, following Jedi Padawan Ashoka and her master Anakin with various other Jedi as they fight the separatists between Episode II and III. But since actually sitting down and watching it from the start, I have to say I was mistake to brush it off so easily. The action is great, the writing is superb, and it allows Jedi and characters who had little screen time in the films to have their own roles in the Clone Wars fleshed out and explored - personally I was thrilled to see that Jedi Plo Koon, a personal favourite of mine, has a prominent role in a number of episodes. So, I think the Clone Wars era is in good hands - there's no need to make films around the same battles - let's have something new.

The Old Republic

Now, the majority of Star Wars fans who have sunk their teeth in to the expanded Star Wars universe will probably be rooting for films that are based in the time long, long, LONG before Darth Vader showed his face. The times of the Old Republic have both Jedi and Sith in abundance, so there would be plenty of action to be had, and there are plenty of conflicts and adventures to be told. Some fans may want the story of Revan and the Exile to be told, stories made popular by the Bioware role-playing games released a number of years back and linked to the MMORPG; The Old Republic that is available now. I would be cautious of this because...

Don't mess with the lore

The only way more Star Wars films can truly work without upsetting too many people is if they leave the history and storyline of the saga that has already taken place untouched. This can also extend to other popular storylines in the Star Wars universe, including that of the adventures of Revan in The Old Republic games and so on. By all means, do something new with new characters and new areas, but you couldn't suddenly bring in Han Solo's long lost son, or have a storyline that would conflict with another already in place. So whoever is working on the new films better make sure they have well-versed writers who can call out when something doesn't add up, because you can be as sure as hell the members of the Star Wars community on the internet will voice it furiously on their keyboards.

Less Jedi

Now, don't get me wrong, I love lightsaber duels and the force as much as the next guy, but everyone can admit that Han Solo was the coolest character in the original saga, not to mention the mysterious Boba Fett who was noteworthy enough to bag an origins role in the prequel saga and plenty of off-screen action since then. So I think maybe put the focus somewhere else. Sure, there have to be Jedi somewhere in the films, but just as much fun can be had with a cocky smuggler or a gritty bounty hunter. The original saga had Han Solo and Chewbacca, but the prequel saga didn't really have a cool non-Jedi character who survived all three outings. The animated series The Clone Wars does a good job of creating clone troopers with different personalities who we can actually grow attached to even without the use of a lightsaber, so I hope that any new Star Wars films will have at least a worthy support character not in touch with the force, if not a lead.

Good directing, good writing, good cast

It would be unfair to suggest that just because Disney is attached to Star Wars that the writing or cast choices are going to suffer. Look at the Marvel films - The Avengers was, in my opinion, the best film of the year so far, and I include The Dark Knight Rises in this judgement. Disney feature films don't mean that Zac Efron will be the new Jedi Knight, or that the films will suddenly become musicals, instead there is the opportunity for directors like Joss Whedon or Kenneth Branagh to take the helm, and bring in stalwart actors like Robert Downey Jr or Samuel L Jackson (...wait a minute...). So, as long as they keep Michael Bay far away from this franchise and manage to get actors and directors to do the universe justice, I have high hopes for the continuation of the Star Wars adventure.

So I guess we'll be hearing a lot about how the films are looking to develop in the next few years - I will be in my mid-twenties by the time it's released and probably more concerned with grown-up stuff like...I don't know...bills? I think that's what grown-ups are always talking about...I will probably stop referring to adults as 'grown-ups' as well. But anyway. I may have other concerns, but I will be eager to see what direction the films will take and whether or not I need to hurry up and have children so I can convert them to the light-side of Star Wars and not the dark-side of High School Musical, or whatever it is young people watch these days.

Alex Reviews...

The Walking Dead: Episode 3

It took a while for Telltale Games to get The Walking Dead: Episode 3 released in the UK, for Playstation 3 at least, but for anyone that has followed the series up to now and managed to give this little gem a play; it was worth the wait. If you haven't experienced the point-and-click style (ish) adventure inspired by The Walking Dead comic series (Robert Kirkman) and developed by the games company responsible for Sam and Max Adventures and the successful adaptation of the Back to the Future series, then you are certainly missing out. The game is released in a episodic format, with new content downloaded every few months or so, which means that you might be forgiven for becoming frustrated with long waits but you will certainly be well rewarded for your patience. Don't expect the same sort of shoot-em up style of game that has seen zombie brains splattered across screens for the last few decades, rather a more emotional and thoughtful experience. Sounds boring? I guarantee that you'll experience more of that cold shiver of unease than you ever would in some of the more popular zombie-filled outings as you follow a group of survivors who not only have to evade the undead, but everything else that comes with an end of the world scenario. You take the role of a convict who finds himself caring for a young girl forced to face the hordes of undead on her all by her lonesome. The two of you come face to face with zombies as well as the arguably more dangerous other survivors along the road, and it is how you choose to interact with each of these fleshed out characters that makes the gaming experience that much more enthralling. I have no intention of ruining the experience, so you are just going to have to take my word for it that you definitely want to invest in a season pass for this series - with each episode taking around two hours or so to complete, it'll be the best money you'll ever spend. If you don't want ANY sort of hint as to how Episode 3 of the series plays out, stop reading here!

We can all agree that Episode 2 was pretty shocking in its content - where Call of Duty games barely invoke a flinch when a member of the online community stabs me in the back, each of the Walking Dead episodes so far have provided genuine 'oh what the F***?!' moments. In that sense, it looks like Telltale Games are looking to increase the shock factor with each episode, leading me to believe that I might have a heart-attack or some sort of emotional breakdown in whatever the final episode throws at us. The group of survivors Lee Everett and Clementine have come to know are still coping with the events of the last two episodes, particularly the members who were involved in the rather gruesome outing to that farmhouse out in the woods.  Tensions are rising and it's becoming clear that you can no longer hold out in the motel you've adopted as a temporary home. It isn't long until the tension boils over and you are forced, in typical Telltale fashion, to make some hefty decisions. My play through so far has had Lee as a rather kind but stern character, but there are definitely moments in this episode where, in hindsight, I wish I'd been more confrontational and less diplomatic. For most who really enjoy this game and have yet to play through again to see what different routes can be followed, the relationship between Lee and Clementine is the most interesting and engaging aspect of the series, and with each episode I find myself becoming more and more protective of her. Whereas in earlier episodes a lot of my interactions with the other survivors were primarily influenced by whether or not they would be useful to me, by this point decisions are valued by whether or not I feel I can trust them around Clementine, as we all know that Lee is perfectly capable of looking out for himself. Person A might be crazy, but Lee is pretty good with a blunt instrument in his hands, but would I trust Person A in a room alone with the little girl under my care? These are the thoughts that tinker with your conscience at each crucial event where the timer forces you to make dramatic decisions. There's a fair amount of action in this episode and you'll have to start using guns a little more effectively, but there's also the familiar puzzle-solving element that always proves satisfying upon completion. Generally being a spoiler-free sort of guy, I won't discuss in detail the decisions and events that transpire over the course of the episode, but if there aren't moments that have you talking or yelling at the screen then I'll eat the hat that I am yet to buy. Enjoy.

Gangnam Style!

This is why South Korea is the best Korea....oh, and the lack of really scary dictatorships too...

London Olympics 2012

Proud to be British

Taking immense amounts of pride in being English or British is not something I am known for generally - I'm not saying that I dislike my country or roots in any way, I just don't really feel a sense of superiority or awesomeness in the fact that I am British. A country is just a geographical place. But what elicits pride are the people of the country you come from, as they stand as real-life heroes and aspirational beings that have the power to inspire other countrymen to do something spectacular with their life.  Never is this more the case than when the Olympics roles around; the fact that this time round it is being held in Great Britain is just an added bonus. Sure, I will be rooting for the Brits or Englanders in the World Cups, Grand Slams, Gran Prix, and various other world events, but the Olympics is always something special. The chance for athletes to truly show that literally years (in most cases) of work have finally rewarded them with the recognition that they deserve in proving that they are the best in the world. In the world. Whether gold, silver, bronze or medal-less, the fact that athletes are even at this prestigious event is something that they should forever take pride in and can never be taken away from them. 

But hell, let's talk about winning, shall we? I just finished watching Great Britain's Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah win gold in the heptathlon and 10,000m respectively, and couldn't help but shout at my television in an obviously fruitless effort to urge them on. Ennis thrashed her opposition and will be forever remembered as the Sheffield-sweetheart, and Mo Farah seemed in complete control throughout his event before a thrilling thundering finish in the last few laps. And they weren't the only golds; rowing events, long-jump, cycling pursuits - all adding to our tally of Brits that have achieved the pinnacle symbol of their athletic careers. he sound of the crowds at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford was immense, I cannot begin to imagine how that must have felt to have an entire nation screaming for you to succeed and loving you come what may. That is what makes me proud, not the fact that Britain is an island on the edges of Europe, but that the British people will band together to support our own no matter what. The emotional investment in supporting our athletes is always evident - especially when we see success but even more so when our athletes 'fail' to live up to expectations and our presenters and crowd show such love and affection to let them know that we will never see them as a failure, and will always believe that they are the best in the world. You might be able to tell that I am in a bit of an Olympic fever at the moment, most of what I am saying is probably jibberish, but I think this may be the first Olympics that I have experienced where I really care about the athletes and feel pride in knowing that they are representing me, the country I was raised in and the people that I have known since living here. I was way too young for the Sydney Games in 2000, too teenage for Athens, too busy drinking for Beijing (though I was starting to feel the buzz), and now at the age where I start welling up at family dramas, I think London 2012 will stick with me for a very long time. So, goddamnit, go Team GB and congratulations to all the athletes who have achieved their dreams so far this summer.

In other Olympic related news, I had a very strange event today while out with my lovely ex-housemate. We happened upon a mobile phone on a bench-type-thing whilst wandering around central London. Luckily it was a phone that was a few versions prior to the invention of password-locks, so I was able to phone one of the most recent dialed numbers to try and find the owner. No, this isn't just me trying to come across really saintly - I genuinely think most people would do the same - the story gets interesting (for me) from here. The voice that answered the other end was a lovely American accent, and as I explained why I was calling it was revealed to me that the phone belonged to an American athlete by the name of Gia Lewis-Smallwood and I was speaking to one of the American head-coaches! Cue a trip across London with my equally excited companion to return this phone to its rightful owner, all the while secretly harbouring the hope that some other American athletes would ring young Gia up so that I could brag even more to my friends. This didn't happen, but I was able to meet the lovely Mike Turk (I really hope I've remembered that right, I will feel like such a douche if I've got that wrong) who vowed to return the athletes only means of contacting the outside world while in the UK for me and even spared the time for a photo. So, if there's a lesson in this for anyone - always try to return lost items because, you never know, you might have a interesting story to tell! And of course, I'm sure when Gia wins her next medal she will dedicate it to me...right? If only!

Alex Reviews...

Ted

Bit bummed out after the serious-broodiness of The Dark Knight Rises? Your country not doing as well in the Olympics? Generally just a sad, depressing person? Well, for us Brits the new comedy from the genius Seth McFarlane has arrived in cinemas across the country and I finally managed to take a break from my busy schedule flipping between rowing and weightlifting events to give it a look. Is Ted worth the trip or is it all buttons but no stuffing? Did that make sense? I don't think it did...

For those of you who don't know, Seth McFarlane is the mind behind Family Guy, American Dad and The Cleveland Show, lending both his humour and his voice to one of the most popular animated shows on television. If you aren't a fan of any of these shows, then you probably won't like Ted. Everything in the film hits the same style of comedy that have made the Griffin family so famous, so if the likes of Peter, Quagmire and Stewie can't produce a chuckle from you then you won't find much to appreciate in this film. If you DO like McFarlane's work, then not only are you officially cool, but you will also love this film about a 35-year old man who lives with his best friend - a stuffed teddy-bear. 

So what makes Ted so great? McFarlane is known for having a creative mind capable of making real characters out of animals and objects that wouldn't normally have the ability to speak - Brian Griffin, Tim the Bear and Klaus the goldfish are all fan favourites. In Ted, the ridiculous character is a teddy bear who starts off cute and, as he gets older, becomes rude and hilarious. But this isn't an animated film, Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis have starring roles, so the real magic is how they are able to get the audience believing that this stuffed toy is actually a character in his own right that can physically interact with the human cast in a very convincing way. The real humour comes from the idea that this cute little bear isn't a cast member from a early-morning children show, but a real adult in a teddy body, with real the real adult views towards the world, drugs, and people around them. This allows some great banter between Ted (McFarlane) and Wahlberg with some classic lines and plenty of dark humour. The plot isn't particularly ground-breaking - you can figure where the film is heading from the start, but there aren't any breaks in humour - it definitely is a laugh a minute, so you will be entertained throughout. Mark Wahlberg proves again that he has a place in comedy films even though his expression always seems slightly concerned with everything around him, Mila Kunis is typically cute and funny, and there a number of well placed cameos to add to the experience. I don't want to ruin anything for you, so I will indicate some of my favourite parts in single word form: hotel, ming, hide-and-seek (shhhh), and weed. And with that selection of random words, you know you're in for a good ride. Or something REALLY disturbing, which I guess also works.

Ten things we all do when watching the Olympics

1. Have a sudden interest in a sport you haven't followed since the last Olympics

"Ohhh wow, fencing is on! I love fencing - it's like the three musketeers!" No it isn't. There's no blood, they wear protection, and rather than drawn out swash-buckling action the aim is to be quick and precise. That being said, the sports that you neglected for four years do actually end up being pretty exciting once you sit down and get into it, it's just a shame that once the athletic track events roll around you've already forgotten that practically blind archer who you babbled to your friends about for a solid fifteen minutes.

2. Get behind athletes who you don't know anything about but happen to be representing your country

There are the big names that you've seen in the countless articles and advertisements in the lead up to the games, but you have to be really dedicated to know every member of your country's team. Maybe some people are, maybe they aren't, but it doesn't stop the small rush of excitement when you realise that yes, someone from your country is actually in this event. You may not have known we even had any good swimmers, or that the volleyball captain came from the town you passed through that one time way back when, but by god you'll be shouting what you think their name is when the pistol fires. Of course, if you are lucky enough to remember their name long enough after the event to appear knowledgeable to the next person you see, that's an added bonus.

3. Complain that a sport doesn't deserve to be in the Olympics

"Pshhh, synchronised swimming? Diving? Oh, come on, no way is shooting a sport!" Actually, you're wrong. Whether or not you give credence to a particular event doesn't make it any less impressive that the athletes taking part are the cream of the crop; the best in the world. Just because you managed to do a sweet somersault off your friend's diving board last summer does not mean that you can equate it to the level of diving at the Olympic games. The real reason you're upset? Because Ultimate Frisbee isn't an Olympic sport. You were SO good at that in college! What about beer pong?!

4. Get really confused by the rules and scoring systems

Gymnastics, archery, diving, handball, equestrian events - the minute you actually get your head around how the sport works or how it's scored, the events are over and whatshisname has won the gold even though you were pretty sure whoshisface did better. The terminology used in some of the events is ridiculous, especially as you could describe what that gymnast did as a super-duper-flip and feel much more confident that your colleagues would know what you were talking about.


5. Find gymnastics really awkward to watch

For all the female gymnasts who are in their young teens, you are amazed at their talent. For all the female gymnasts who are over eighteen, you are amazed at their talent but also quite happy that they're prancing around in make-up and leotards. It doesn't take away from the fact that they're awesome athletes; I'm sure they'd like to be known as attractive as well as Olympians. But good lord, you have to wait for the commentator to let you know how old that girl doing the splits is before you can decide which group they fall under.


6. Oppose an athlete for no real reason other than country or looks

"What's this? Germany in the final? Urgh, as long as we beat them and that really scary looking Serbian we're fine" Just because the Olympics is one of the best examples of what great things can come from the unification of cultures, doesn't mean we just give up our prejudices. Forget how hard that athlete must have worked to even qualify for this event - my country has a history with their country and that dictates how I react to their success. France may have some talented swimmers getting gold medals, but we still remember that they have a funny accent. Hmph.


7. Create memes based on Olympic events

Saw an athlete make a funny face or witnessed an unexpected win or loss? Better make sure a meme is made about it.

8. Get into heated arguments about the opening ceremony

"I don't get it? Oh please, why is THAT artist performing? Christ, how many countries are there? Can't they just do the USA and Great Britain first and put everyone else under Europe and rest of world?"

9. For some reason give a crap about an athlete's background

Somehow, knowing that the gymnast has an estranged relationship with her father, the archer originally wanted to be a geologist, or the wrestler went to the same boarding school as the British Prime Minister is suddenly key information and something to be brought up at the dinner table whenever someone notes how impressed they were with said sportsman.


10. Become increasingly depressed about not taking P.E. more seriously

We all know it's true, we could have been at that Olympics, and you know we would have been making shout-outs to all our homies when the camera pans around to us. Maybe it isn't too late - you were pretty fast when you had to catch that train the other day. Oh, and your grandma always says how strong you are lifting those boxes - I bet you could lift 145kg no sweat. How hard can water-polo be really? That's it, I'm training for Rio 2016 - I'm sure I can fit a training regimen around work, a social-life and playing through Diablo III and....what? I need to cut out carbs? Well...maybe I'll just force my future children to live out my newly discovered dreams for me.

In other news...

Olympics 2012

The London 2012 Olympic ceremony has begun and what a ceremony it has been. Gotta say, I was impressed and I tip my hat off to Danny Boyle for making a ceremony that reaches out to the British public as much as it excites any foreign viewers who likely missed a lot of the nods and in-jokes that were embedded. Highlights for me were the appearances of Kenneth Branagh and Rowan Atkinson, the skit involving James Bond and the Queen (like, the actual Queen), and the extravagant dances illustrating British literature and music. Londoners in particular might have grumbled and moaned about the many failings leading up to the Games and the prospect of heavy crowding and congestion, but in the end we were all really looking forward to the Olympics arriving here and you can bet that we'll be glued to our televisions to see a moment of national history - the Olympics might come to Britain again during the lives of our younger children, but for many of us this is a once in a lifetime event and one that'll hopefully be positively etched in our memories for decades. So, be ready to shout out your support for your favourite athletes in your favourite events this summer, I know I'll be looking out for Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah, Mark Cavendish and a score of other British athletes hoping to make their country and hometown proud. Some sports might be seen as less impressive than the big track and field events, but you have to remember that in order to get to this point these athletes literally have to become the best of the best, the best in their country, in order to have the opportunity to try and become the best in the world for at least one moment in history. Pretty big achievement for all involved.