Blog Posts from "A Gamer Craves Not These Things" - Gameriot.com

Leaked 2nd Avatar trailer - This time with plot!

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:58:29 -0400

- so click here instead!"

As you can see above the second trailer from James Cameron's Avatar has leaked on to the web in oh-so-not-the-best quality. Fans of early leaks can't be picky however so there it is for your viewing pleasure. And here is a backup because Fox may come knocking eventually.

I used to write about more non-gaming stuff but I tend to just cram it in to the Epic Drop lately for a daily dose of content overload. Avatar is worth a post mainly because of its grand scale and the fact that it is one of the few marketed movies I am interested in the rest of the year.

You can argue that Cameron has never made a bad movie. My least favorite is probably Titanic (Wadsworth1's man-crush on Leo means I can never get in to it) though True Lies didn't really do much for me either. Terminator 1 and 2 bought the guy a ton of movie-cred so I will probably have my interest piqued in pretty much anything he does minus a franchise of donkey-show films.

Avatar however is of a whole new scope. He first wrote it way back in the mid-90's and was going to direct it right after Titanic. Things never seemed to pan out and it was pushed to the back burner on his directorial stove. The cost of the film alone in the early years just wouldn't have been worth it and the technology really wasn't there either.

Fast forward to current times where digital motion capture has advanced exponentially and Cameron can finally bring his CGI world, mixed with real people, to life in semi-economical and realistic way. Cameron notes "This film is a true hybrid — a full live-action shoot, with CG characters in CG and live environments”. The film will be shot fully in 3D and at 24 frames per second as well possibly providing an amazing IMAX 3D experience.

I am cautiously optimistic about Avatar. At this point I am leaning towards checking it out in IMAX mainly thanks to Cameron's past, it being sci-fi, this revolution of CG cinema and me being a big fan of Sam Worthington. Reviews could change this but for now it is on the "to see" list.

Now if only we can get Mandy Moore, Vinny Chase and Mr. Cameron together for Aquaman!

NFL Time! NFC North Preview for you Football Fans

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:30:33 -0400

It is time for more "

Obviously I disagree with this rankings, but he is a Packers fan and I pull for the Bears. I don't think the Packers have improved much and I think they will struggle to get out of third place. The Vikings and Packers should push each other around for 2nd and the Bears who gave away 1st in the last game of the season are improved on offense and will win the division.

Thanks to Remmiz for the assist. If anyone else wants to contribute conference previews let me know. Use this format/layout to make it easier. If you just want to contribute to the season or anything football related as well you can hit me up also.

Legendary Drop 6/25/09 - Taser Rape, Dogs On Michael Vick, and Economic Disaster.

no.spam@gameriot.com (Vir) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 14:49:52 -0400

UFC 100 Talk and Predictions: Lesnar F5's Mir?

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:09:05 -0400
UFC 100 is this Saturday and it is arguably the biggest/best card in UFC history. The fights may not deliver but on paper this is shaping up as one hell of a pay per view. This event stands out more than the giant phallic tattoo on Lesnar's chest.

The three headline fights could main event pretty much any UFC pay per view by themselves yet they will all be on the 100th card. I give the UFC a lot of flack at times for cards that make a Gibthestix blog seem entertaining. However this time around they have really delivered.

Besides for Fedor v. Barnett (August 1st, Affliction Trilogy) and a potential Fedor v. Lesnar (hopefully not for some time) this is my most anticipated heavyweight MMA fight in many years. Plus any chance to see GSP fight is a pleasure as the man is simply one of the best in the world all around. Give him a jar of Vaseline and he may be untouchable!

Here is the card:

Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher
Paulo Thiago vs. Jon Fitch
Michael Bisping vs. Dan Henderson
Thiago Alves vs. Georges St-Pierre (UFC Welterweight Champion)
Frank Mir (Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion) vs. Brock Lesnar (UFC Heavyweight Champion)

Winners in bold.

Akiyama vs. Belcher: Akiyama is making his UFC debut and fans should be in for a treat if you haven't seen this guy yet. I fully expect him to begin his path towards Anderson Silva and working his way up the UFC MW rankings with a win here. (submission 2nd rd)

Thiago vs. Fitch: If Thiago can drop Fitch like he did with clownshoes Koscheck I'd love to see it. Thiago may be 11-0 but he has only fought once in the UFC and I like the experience and hardened Jon Fitch here. (decision)

Henderson vs. Bisping: I believe this will be for the #1 contender spot to Anderson Silva's MW title. Henderson I believe, is one of the few guys that I feel can beat Silva even if it is only 2-3 times out of 10. Bisping has been on a tear since dropping down to MW but Dan is one of the best fighters I have ever seen at middle weight. I think he has something to prove and a rematch with Silva is the ultimate motivation. (decision)

GSP vs. Alves: George St. Pierre is just too much for Alves. His all around game is probably second to only Anderson Silva in the world. Alves is on a tear as of late but GSP, even without Vaseline, is the man to beat. I have a feeling that GSP will prefer the striking game here though he certainly isn't a slouch on the ground. I would love to see Jake Shields make a move to the UFC because there isn't a lot of fresh challenges for GSP at welterweight in the UFC. (TKO 3rd rd)

Lesnar vs. Mir: The big one. Lesnar will not get subbed, I am making that bold prediction right now. Call it absurd but after his first slip up in Lesnar/Mir 1 I don't see it happening again. I think Brock will look to keep this fight standing unless he has an easy mount opportunity after a knockdown. His brute force is a proven factor and I expect him to use that against Mir who has been dropped by strikes in all of his losses. He has rocked Herring and Couture with his Christmas-ham sized fists and I don't see Mir being the exception. (TKO 2nd rd)

I really hope this PPV delivers though I won't be paying for it unless you count Oberon on draft at Buffalo Wild Wings.

Wolverine Stupidity - Movie has multiple secret endings

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:44:41 -0400
I was going to save this for the Epic Drop but this is too good to not ramble about right now.

Must of us by now have heard about the X-Men Origins: Wolverine leak and that the whole movie is online for pretty much anyone to download right now. The film is incomplete with unfinished effects and Tom Rothman at Fox insisted a ton of footage was missing and that the run time was longer on the final cut.

It turns that the run time is exactly the same thing, 107 minutes, though there supposedly are a couple additions and subtractions scene wise in the movie.

The really absurd news came out yesterday via FirstShowing.net who talked to director Gavin Hood. He talked up the film and the usual Marvel easter eggs (like Stan "The Man" Lee showing up quite often) and dropped this little tidbit:

Yes you have read that right, it is an exact quote. No information was given as to how many different endings there are or how long they are though Dark Horizons theorizes they may be just a minute or so but seemingly have no basis for why they think that.

I dealt with the stupidity that Fox threw at us with X3. In fact, I just got the Blu-ray trilogy set as getting 1&2 that way was cheaper even though I could do without X3. But now we have Fox gimmicking Wolverine? Lets take a look at complaints just from the early footage shown so far, and no, I have NOT watched the workprint.

1. WTF are half the X-men in this for? Cyclops? Emma Frost? - stupid
2. Deadpool trying his best to be a shark with lasers on his head -appalling
3. Deadpool looking like a reject from ancient tattoo loving empire and no costume -screw off
4. Gambit being a part of Weapon-X takes seriously liberties with his origin
5. Professor X having anything to do with this movie - um no
6. MULTIPLE SECRET ENDINGS! - wtfux I will not pay to see them all

None of these are "movie killers" and it possible some may make the movie better. But for a fan of the comic, movies, cartoon, these points are a bit disheartening.

I haven't decided if I am going to see this in the theater yet. As much as I love the cigar-smoking, adamantium-laced canuck I hate when stories are unnecessarily tinkered with and commercialized.

Spare the spoilers if you have seen the bootleg please. You guys seeing this in the theater or waiting for DVD?

Air Jordan heading to the Hall of Fame - Reminiscing Time

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:19:16 -0400
Add another notch in the legacy that is Michael Jordan. Today the NBA unveiled the 2009 class of inductees to the hall of fame including such class acts as David Robinson and John Stockton. The highlight of course is the induction of the greatest ever, Michael Jordan.

It has been obvious for years that this day would come and while I didn't expect another Jordan comeback I have to say this is slightly bitter sweet. The realization that this officially the end of an era and the book is pretty much fully closed is a bit saddening.

If you don't want to read continued reminiscing on the man, the myth, the legend, feel free to head on out. This is all Jordan from here on out.

I can remember the first Bulls game I ever watched back in '88 against the Cavs. Not the famous "shot" game but a solid Jordan effort regardless. I was at my grandparents house, only 9 at the time and lacking much NBA exposure. I sat watching Jordan's silky smooth jumper and his attacks on the lane like he owned it and I was an nstant a fan. That day was probably the key moment that led to basketball becoming my favorite sport to play and me playing in high school and beyond. I may have never met the guy in person, only seen him play in person once, but I still feel this odd fan connection as were it not for him I may have never found an interest in basketball.

During the Bulls championship years I never missed a playoff game, not a single one. I can remember watching the "a spectacular move" called by Marv Albert live, alone in the house when the family was out for dinner and being in complete awe of that layup vs. the Lakers.

His first retirement was crushing. While it may not have moved me to tears I had a profound reaction to something that really had no direct connection to my life. The SI cover at right summed it up perfectly, "Why?". I was pretty bummed out for a few weeks and some of my friends found it within themselves to actually give me **** about it; damn Pistons fans.

I will never forget "the shot" and that moment will forever be etched in my head. The Jazz game in 1998, game six. You just had that feeling that maybe it was the end at that point. The story book return, the re-three-peat and the game winner. While he did make a return via the Wizards, that was still a pretty amazing shot to wrap up his career in the red and black.

Say what you want but the league has not been the same since he left the Bulls and certainly not since he returned from the Wizards. The "Air apparent" has been called out many times, from Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway, Vince Carter, Kobe, Lebron, but no one has come close. Even with years of Kobe and Lebron to come ratings are still down, the league's image has changed for the worse and much of that magic from the Jordan/Bird/Magic era has dissipated.

I have the Ultimate Jordan dvd collection and it is a must own for any fan of his airness. I like to pop it in from time to time to reminisce, admire and just be in awe of his level of play and dedication. Few players have had the competitive edge and drive that he did to always be the best.

I just wanted to share some Jordan memories and thoughts and if anyone wants to contribute, fans or not, feel free. There have only been a few athletes ever at this level, Ali, Pele, Gretzky, Tiger, but Jordan will always be number one in this guy's book.

Thanks for all the memories MJ, it was an amazing run.

Slap's Take: Watchmen, a Review and Thoughts

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 04:50:58 -0400
Surprisingly I owe my love for Watchmen to a girl. She will remain nameless but I should thank her nonetheless. It is rare that someone "out geeks" me but she has her moments. I had heard of it previous to her mentioning as it is almost a prerequisite of anyone with a solid interest in comics. It was her rabid interest, someone who wasn't really big in to comics that sold me. I picked it up the trade paperback and have been raving over Alan Moore's work ever since.

Obviously I had a great interest in seeing the movie. I have written about it constantly here at GR. I have seen the worst the comic-to-movie world has to offer so there was no way I was going to miss out Snyder's adaption of the Watchmen; piss poor or Oscar contender. Thankfully it leans much further towards the later though it does have its flaws.

Almost every negative review I have seen compares the movie to the source material as if it someone was supposed to surpass it and because it didn't it is a failure. If anyone can recommend me movies that were better than their source material I am all ears. We all know this rarely happens. You have to judge the movie on its own as a film. Obviously we are going to compare the two as it is human nature but to dismiss a quality film just because it doesn't live up to the standard set by one of Time's All-Time 100 novels is absurd. .

What holds this back from being nearly perfect? There are just a few things to be honest. First off the ending does bother me slightly. I know this has been discussed to death in the media but hear me out. The point of novel's climax was to showcase something alien that would unite the world. Instead of grief over New York we now have attacks across the globe "caused by Manhattan". But the line "God exists and he is American" still has me feeling the attack isn't enough to bring the world together and not have the Russians suspecting us of being involved. Would it be beyond the USA to attack ourselves to help defer blame as to spare us from WWIII? With the movie you have to assume it is. The alien/squid is a much more unifying device in my opinion.

A must own for any fan of the movie or comics in general.
A ton of content has to be skimmed over and cut out. Even a run time of 163 minutes, which flew by, it still feels crammed. I imagine the rumored 210 minute Blu-ray still will have to miss a few beats here or there from comic. Many key moments like the death of Hollis Mason, the news paper stand, activity out on Veidt's island would have further fleshed out the story but for the sake of film had to be cut. I have always claimed this would have made a fantastic HBO miniseries but we take what we can get.

Quite a few people have complained about Malin Ackerman as Laurie but I felt Veidt was surely miscast. While Goode did great bringing the character to life he just didn't come close to looking like Veidt in the comic. Ozymandius is supposed to be an Adonis, a physical specimen of perfectness. Goode did not have the height of the build to fit the role and the character wasn't nearly as imposing as he should have been.

Other than these few gripes I have little to complain about. Rorschach was nearly perfect. Jackie Earle Haley did an incredible job of bringing the character to life both in and out of costume. The "you are locked in here with me" line was epic and one of my favorite moments in the film. These "big fans" were next to me in the IMAX and some lady got up to pee just as the lunchroom scene came on and I couldn't believe someone having some bad timing.

I think Snyder did a fantastic job of filling in so much back story considering the time constraints. The credit montage, which you can view here till it is pulled offline, was a fantastic way to catch people up on what was going on though I don't know that many people who hadn't read the graphic novel knew exactly what that was all about. And Dylan over the top of them was a perfect choice. The flashbacks were well done and timed nearly perfectly in step with the comic.

The effects were stunning and not just "there is a blue dong on the screen" stunning. Manhattan looks incredible. The shots of Mars were breathtaking yet simplistic at the same time. The CGI work on Manhattan and his transformation, his powers and the splitting of his body were pretty much flawless. Crudup who was fantastic in Almost Famous now has a new role that I will always remember him for.

The music was great. The soundtrack choices made for really grand moments within the film. I did feel a couple of songs were a bit out of place; that while they still would have fit in the movie lessened a few moments that I felt were more serious in the comic.

I am so glad they kept the New Frontiersmen ending in the movie. While they hardly showed the the paper throughout the film the ending was an absolute necessity to the whole "what if".

Overall I have to say that Snyder did much more than I expected from the early going. If you have seen the scripts and revisions and choices of actors over the years that have been attached to the film you would be horrified. Arnie as Dr. Manhattan? "GET TO DA CHOPPA TO GO to MARS". Snyder came closer than anything in the past and I feel an honest love for the source material really helped his cause. This wasn't Alan Moore's Watchmen on the big screen but it was Zack Snyder's Watchmen and that is an impressive feat in its own right. He was able to make his movie, the way he wanted it, with minimal interference and we should thank Warner Brothers for that as well. When this was first green lit ages ago I was prepared for some Uwe Boll'esque trash and instead I am ready to go see it again and can't wait to add it to my Blu-ray archive.

Watchmen is a movie you should not miss out on. Compare the two mediums if you must but judge the movie's quality on its own right.

My man Uwe Boll wins a Lifetime Achievement Award

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:23:02 -0500
You can't keep a good director down.Â If any man deserves a lifetime achievement award when it comes to movies it is the genius German movie director Mr. Uwe Boll.Â Just look at this list of game-to-movie translations that Uwe (pronounced OOV-UH for those that don't know) has given us to enjoy:Â .Â

That is a gamers dream right?Â Well unfortunately they all pretty much suck.Â I give House of the Dead a pass because it is so bad that I recommend it as a much watch.Â Postal really isn't as terrible as the others actually having some solid satire worth watching.Â Other than that The View is probably more watchable.Â

Considering his massive video game based body of work, let alone his other movies, how could he not win a lifetime achievement award?Â

There is a catch.Â The wasn't the Oscars, the S.A.G. awards; hell not even the MTV Movie Awards.Â This was the Razzie awards.Â According to Eurogamer this is was the first time since 1987 that the "Worst Career Achievement" award was handed out and the previous winner was the rubber shark from Jaws 1-4.Â Pretty elite company there Uwe, well done.Â

The good news he isn't finished yet.Â He has sequels in the works for more of his movies and he is going to keep following the industry trend of crappy movies as he bests it one step at a time.Â Congratulations!

NFL Playoffs: Wildcard Weekend, Predictions and Discussion

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:53:44 -0500
I won't lie.Â I was pretty much ditching my NFL weekly blog as my fantasy teams were doing ****ty and my Bears were average at best.Â After going 6-6 I wasn't too thrilled with their odds of making the playoffs.Â So what happens?Â The bastards win their next three including an amazing OT thriller and give me hope once again only to collapse week 17.Â Son of a *****.Â

So this week I am going to step back from the Bears, my lack of fantasy performance and give some Wild Card weekend predictions even though this postseason really doesn't interest me.Â There really aren't any compelling stories are there?Â The best stuff is happening with the teams who didn't make it.Â

On with the predictions and point differential:

Sure this should have my Bears right here avenging their last lost to Minn.Â The good news is that the Vikings are the worst team in the playoffs and I don't doubt that one bit.Â Philly's D has been staunch all year and unlike the Vikings they actually "know" playoff football.Â Sorry Emily, but your Vikings are headed home.

Well it isn't all bad writing NFL stuff again.Â Maybe this will motivate me to pick up my Madden Franchise after all of this season's disappointments.Â

I still can't believe the Broncos fired Shanahan and it may be even more stupid aiming for Bob Stoops.Â

The Lions will probably draft Matt Stafford, but the smart pick is Smith out of Alabama.Â Land him and make a move to get Derek Anderson or Matt Cassel (after my Bears get their choice of the two).Â

After last years New England drama and Super Bowl upset I think we are a bit spoiled.Â Nothing is even close to that compelling this year.Â A Giants repeat?Â *Yawn*Â Whining rookies out in Tennessee that don't awards?Â Peyton vs. Eli?Â Ya, pretty boring.Â

I like the Steelers and Panthers in the Superbowl.Â Just saying it now...

UFC 92 Results and Shockers!

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 03:15:59 -0500
There are spoilers ahead for tonight's UFC PPV so if you haven't watched it yet you have been warned!Â It was one hell of a show with a few surprise ending that I never saw coming.Â

Results posted after synopsis.Â

The card came close to living up to the billing though I would have preferred the Silva fight to go a bit longer than one round.Â The title fights only going 2 and 3 rounds was a bit of a bummer but at least it was fast paced action and some TKO finishes instead of the 5 round "lay on each other fests" that often happen in the heavyweight division.

Not sure where Wanderlei Silva goes after this.Â 6 losses in his last 11 fights, seems like he no longer has the chin to last via the striking game he loves so much.Â He is fun to watch but I wonder if it may be time to call it a career.Â

Rampage seems on his way back to the title hunt.Â I say let him fight Lyoto Machida (assuming he wins his next fight) and the winner gets a title shot.Â Glad to see him overcome the issues that have been plaguing him of late and get things back on track.

Griffin getting beat doesn't surprise me and was the only main event match I got right.Â Evans has some incredible power (ask Liddell) and Forrest felt it tonight.Â

And Nog and Mir, holy hell I did not expect that.Â Not even the great Fedor was able to finish Nogueira on two occasions.Â What the hell happened here?Â Mir has never been known for his standup, Nog is known for his, it was like they switched roles tonight.Â Nog looked like he wasn't even ready for the fight.Â

I guess that leaves us with Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir II for the belt unification.Â Brock is a much better fighter than he was the first go'round and Mir, as of tonight, looked a hell of a lot better than he had in his last couple of fights as well.Â I say Brock should try to stand with him and just use that underwhelming power and size which has knocked down everyone he has fought.

Prelim Fights:

Evanson over Barry via TKO
Blackburn over Chonan via unanimous decision
Hamill over Andy via KO
Hardon over Wessel via KO
Okami over Lister via unanimous decision

Main Card:

Kongo over Al Turk via TKO
Jackson over SilvaÂ via KO
Dollway over Massenzio via TKO
Mir over Nogueira via TKO
Evans over Griffin via TKO

RIAA's new tactic: Cut off your Internet via your ISP, gives up mass lawsuits

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:34:10 -0500
Big news out of the Wall Street Journal today that includes the RIAA abandoning new music lawsuits and instead focusing on getting your internet cut off at the ISP level.Â And having your internet cut off if you are "accused" of pirating music is certainly going to affect your gaming.

Considering on last read I heard they had a success rate of like 60% on their lawsuits considering those that were thrown out for lack of evidence, wrong users, or just plain denied; I'd say this is a pretty risky endeavor and one that isn't likely going to get very far.Â

They are going to continue their current lawsuits that are already in process but from here on out plan on working with ISPs to shut you down if you are suspected of being a pirate.Â This new tactic according to the Wall Street Journal will help stem the tide of excessive music downloading and surely the RIAA hopes it will boost the fledgling music sales industry which has seen massive drops since 2000.

The problem with all this?Â I don't see why the ISPs would want to cooperate.Â It seems like this would leave them open to all sorts of lawsuits under the DMCAs safe harbor statutes which protect them from the content they allow access to.Â Plus as long as the ISPs retain what they currently have as "common carrier status", there is nothing the RIAA can do to the ISP lawsuit wise because of the safe harbor clause.Â Basically as long as the ISP keeps sending you letters at the RIAAs request, that is all they legally have to do and no one gets in trouble, not you or the ISP.

On top of that, what ever happened to actually being guilty of something before being punished?Â If these cases the RIAA has brought forth only have a 60% success rate does that mean 40% of people who are warned by their ISPs have legitimately done nothing wrong?Â Â Is that a can of worms the ISPs want to open?Â What happens when they are brought to court over assumptions of guilt?Â What happens with the unsecured wireless internet cases that have been tossed where other users have downloaded music on someone else's ISP account?Â

Are the ISPs really going to cut off a revenue service, even if it isn't the majority of users, just to appease the RIAA which they are under no obligation to do?Â

What a mess, I can't wait to see how this new "tactic" pans out.

Dark Knight screening and chat with director Nolan

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 01:42:59 -0500

I was able to get in on this awesome feature tonight so I figured I would give you guys the chance to live vicariously through my experience.Â

Warner Brothers and Christopher Nolan, director of The Dark Knight had a awesome little feature running tonight via BD Live, the latest and greatest in Blu-Ray features.Â On tap for the evening was a live chat and screening via the TDK Blu-Ray disc.

If you aren't familiar with BD Live I will give a quick synopsis.Â Basically with a internet connected Blu-Ray player or PS3 you can access online content via a Warner Brothers special site.Â You can record your own commentaries and upload them, watch web comics that fill in missing time between the movies, all sorts of cool crap.Â I watched a partial commentary last week done by David Goyer (writer) via BD Live.Â

I took some half-assed notes as I was watching of the text chat, questions and answers.Â You could ask questions via your computer and the Warner's site and then Nolan would answer them live while the movie was playing back.Â Unfortunately none of my questions were answered (at max 100,000k people were invited to this) as I am sure there were just too many to choose from.

I figure some fans of the film may be interested in reading some of these:

-Â Nolan admits that the movie Heat was a big inspiration for the opening of TDK and the movie in general

-Â IMAX cameras are too loud and cumbersome to use for the whole movie, especially in areas where they dont use prerecorded audio as the camera would interfere (you know only 5 of these cameras exist?)

-Â The opening courtroom scene where Dent is prosecuting is a homage to his comics origin with the whole acid, etc. and how he became Two-Face

-Â Nolan never planned to have the Joker be like Jack Nicholson, wanted Heath to be his own joker, as different as possible from the previous one but authentic to the comics

-Â Michael Caine was quite shocked when first seeing video of the Joker in action, having not met Heath yet on the set.

-Â Heath's very last scene was shot in front of the pile of money burning

-Â Two-face was never featured in IMAX scenes because of the complex digital process of showing his face and making it look proper at the high resolutions of IMAX

-Â Johnny Rotten, Sid Vicious and Alex from Clockwork Orange were all key influences into the Joker persona, they wanted to blend that all with "anarchy"

-Â Batman Year 1 and Long Halloween are two of his favorite Batman stories

-Â Someone asks for more details on the "5 dead, 2 of them cops" line.Â He says he will answer this some day but not today.Â (RE: We know the cop Wuertz was shot in the bar, and Maroni's driver and Maroni may have died in the crash, but who are the others?)

-Â The destruction of the bat symbol was something they insisted on doing early on, he feels it came off very powerful and was important for the direction in which things were heading

-Â The final monologue (Comish. Gordon's), which someone praised, was conceived very early on but he didn't write it until late in preproduction.

-Â Goyer and Nolan are deciding now if they have a 3rd story that they are really excited to tell, that seems to be the key point on where they go from here.

He prefers crunchy over smooth peanut butter!

Some guy, loser, even proposed to his girlfriend over the Blu-Ray live chat.Â

I really wish he would consider the fan favorite "The Dark Knight Returns" for adoption and cover the amazing return after 10 years away of Wayne being Batman and the epic Batman vs. Superman beat down.Â One can only dream I guess...

Overall this was a pretty cool experience.Â I may never meet Nolan in person but it was interesting watching him answer live questions and control my PS3 Blu-Ray player during the screening.Â Very sweet way to interact with fans of the movie.Â Now if they could somehow find the way and bandwidth to allow him to do an audio chat over a feature like that I would really be impressed.

Blu-Ray, it isn't your fathers DVD.Â

Bush's legacy, hope for wannabe shoe throwing Iraqis

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:53:22 -0500
A couple of nights of ago on the Epic Drop I wasn't too thrilled about our outgoing president, Mr. Bush, giving us a big F.U. on his way out of office.Â Ironically some justice has been thanks in part to the shoe throwing Iraqi reporter.Â Sure it may have been more funny if he actually landed a shot only to be tossed in Guantanamo or something but now we have fantastic mini games like Sock and Awe!

http://play.sockandawe.com/

For the record my high score is 15 (SS on right for haters).Â With like one or two misses.Â Sometimes it just pisses me off when he hides out too long wasting precious seconds.Â Apparently this site has generated so many hits in the past few days that they are already peddling the domain on Ebay for a quick profit.Â The big currently sits at Â£3,433.00 so if you have some cash laying around you can help the cause and be a proponent of small business! Â Â

There is also this mini game which isn't nearly as fun, check it out.

Bush should hope people remember this for some time to come, anything that helps eleviate his sandpaper-like legacy is a plus.Â Hopefully he does some good things down the road much like President Carter and Nixon to fix his image.Â I don't think he is a "bad person" per se and I do agree with things like going in to Afghanistan and Iraq, I just feel there were a lot of missteps in presidency when it came to execution.Â

NFL Week 9 - Recap, Wk10 predictions, Fantasy Randomness, QB craziness!

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:23:17 -0500
I am starting off this week with

NFL Week 8 - Recap, WK9 Predictions,

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:54:15 -0400
Welcome back for another week of NFL talk, predictions and rantings.Â A day or so later than usual but alive and kicking regardless.

I won in all three of my fantasy leagues last week, 7, 3, and 4 are my ranks.Â While I am in 7th in my league, I am still only 1 game out of 4th (playoffs take top 4).Â As average as I have played I am still very much alive.

Drew Brees is on a bye this week, and I have Kyle Orton vs. Lions as my 2nd option.Â Orton blew the Lions up last game, I would be happy with half of that production.

Roy Williams this week vs Denver or Eddie Royal vs Miami.Â Who should I start?

Back next week!

NFL Week 7 - Recap, WK8 Predictions, Dallas, Favre, Winslow & more

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:47:37 -0400
More NFL talk coming your way tonight.Â Stop on in and discuss all things related to the NFL, your teams, fantasy, etc.Â Topics today include the Favre/Lions nonsense, Winslow and the staph infection and the failure of Dallas.

is going to hurt my main league/team.Â I do have Steve Slaton to back him up as well as McGahee, so I should be able to ride out the 3-4 week storm (one being a bye).Â But I did have 2 of the top 4 RBs with Bush and Marion Barber.

That is a wrap on this week's NFL talk.Â Type out some predictions and see who comes out ahead this week.Â If someone has the time we should see who has the best record since I have been doing predictions, for those that have posted each week.Â I would be curious to know the figures.

Opions, thoughts or commentary?Â

NFL Week 6 - Recap, WK7 Predictions, Lions move Willams, Orton is legit, Pacman still dumb.

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:38:00 -0400
Another week of NFL action and another week of news and chatter for us to get to get to.Â Mike Brown and Lovie Smith get my ******* of the week award, more on that later.

Prediction wise I was an utter failure last week.Â The Bears failed vs. the Falcons.Â The Seahawks barely ran the the ball with Hasselbeck out and lost to the Pack.Â Tampa crushed Carolina thanks to three INTs from Jake and zero running game.Â And Phillip Rivers and the Bolts crushed the Patroits.Â Yup, 0-4 last week.Â Good thing none of you are betting according to my picks.Â

This week we are gonna turn things around.Â Here are week 7's games and predictions:

I had a great week fantasy wise and my moves may be starting to pay off.Â I went 3-0, winning in all of my leagues.Â I am now ranked 7 in my main league and 3 and 6 in the other two.Â In the 2nd league I am 3-3 and the leading scorer so that is a plus.Â

The main league I am 110pts off of the leader who has a sizable lead right now.Â He has Rivers, Portis and TN Def.Â I have Brees, Barber and Bush, plus Philly's D.Â I still feel strongly that top to bottom I have the best team at this point and I should stay very competitive.Â

Chad Johnson has been dropped in the two leagues I had him.Â I can't wait around for him to perform, injury or not, so I sent him packing.Â

I am going to try to land Roy Williams in my main league, though with a waiver rank at 6 of 10 I probably won't get him.

I really want another quality WR and I would be completely happy. I do have the #2 in Fitzgerald and I have Coles, but I wouldn't mind packaging Coles and some RB depth to upgrade at WR.Â I think I'll make some offers after I post this.

The number one play of the week was so badass...

That wraps up my thoughts for this week.Â As usual write down your picks and try to beat me (ha, like that is hard after last week), and give me any fantasy or NFL chatter that may be on your mind.

NFL Week 5 - Recap, Wk6 Predictions, and damn the Lions Suck

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:16:14 -0400
Another week is in the books of this year's NFL season.Â I meant to get this up yesterday but I was a little busy writing some other goodies.Â

I am going to start this week out with the best clip of last weekend.Â Thank you Sage Rosenfells for one of those "oh snap!" moments.Â

That first hit shown was a classic.Â Sage going on to fumble shortly after and toss a pick as well led to the collapse of the week thanks to the Texans allowing the Colts to come back.

Last week I went 1 for 4 in an utter failure with only my Bears getting a win.Â The other 3 games I picked wrong were only decided by 11 total points, and that is about the only saving grace I have there.Â Here are next weeks predictions, briyan'ized for more competitive games:

Ranked 8, 5 and 9 in my leagues so far.Â

My own personal main league, I am running at 8th being 1-4.Â Fricking terrible!Â You wouldn't know it from my roster either.Â I have the #3 QB (Brees), 3 WRs in the top 18, included #2 (Fitzgerald), 2 of the top 6 RBs (Barber & Bush) and a top 8 TE.Â I picked the top scoring kicker last week, Prater from Denver, and I traded for Philly's D this week (#5 overall).Â

I really should have no excuse with that kind of talent.Â Sure some weeks I have sat a few of the wrong guys, Bush's break out week a few weeks ago he was on the bench, same with Brees early on.Â Hopefully something turns around before I am eliminated.Â I also pulled off a trade for McGahee in hopes of his returned health.

With 9 games to go, and the leader at 4-1, I can't afford many more losses.Â

Who had the better catch last week?Â Booker or Wayne?Â I gotta go Booker:

Is American Football superior to Soccer?

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:53:52 -0400
Yes, yes it is.Â I don't get why other countries get so fascinated with comparing the two.Â We Americans generally don't.Â It almost seems soccer fans take more offense to the whole "American football vs. football" debate than we do here.Â Generally we don't give a crap.Â

Here are the points I don't want to hear as they make no sense:

for various teams.Â Soccer fans, while they may their hooligans, are pretty impressive.Â I do like that so many team's fans can travel so easily in Europe and support their teams.Â

I could probably go on for a bit longer but I think I have made my point.Â To be honest, I probably like soccer more than I lead on this.Â I watch it now and then, quite a bit during the Olympics, or the World Cup etc.Â The national, world wide stuff.Â To further my point, which I didn't feel I needed earlier, I have actually played soccer competitively.Â I played 3 years of IM soccer and flag football in college so I feel I have some basis of comparison other than just watching it.

I just get sick of everyone "bashing" American football, which I see a lot of around here (dub you motivated this, among others, ).Â Yet few Americans seem to bash on soccer all that much.Â We really don't compare the two, so why do you guys?

Basically I am "taking a piss" (I think I used that saying right) in this blog, though I do feel this is an accurate representation of how I feel.

Feel free to offer up some counter points.Â

NFL Week 4: Recap, WK5 Predictions, Coach Carousel, Who is number #1?

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:06:14 -0400
Welcome back for another week of NFL talk from yours truly the Slapnuts.

I went 3 for 4 in my picks from last week and should have gone with my heart and picked my Bears who pulled off a solid upset over the Philadelphia Eagles.Â That would have had me a 4 for 4.Â

"If Denver doesn't beat Kansas City this week something is seriously wrong"Â -Â Good thing I didn't pick that game eh?Â Thanks for finally showing up Johnson.

After a 3 for 4 week it is time to be perfect.Â This week I am going to pull it off.

Deuce McAllister is on his way back to New Orleans this week.Â If you are in need of a running back be sure to pick him up.Â

I went 0-3 this week, and am ranked 7, 8 and 8 in 10 man leagues.Â This is probably one of my worst overall starts in some time.Â I have been working the waiver wire like a madman though and hopefully will be turning things around.Â Drew Brees has been a solid Tom Brady replacement so I don't have much excuse in that department.Â

I think in a week or so it is time to start unloading my backlog of productive running backs (I always hoard these) and make some moves to upgrade my wide receivers.Â I still hate you Ocho Cinco.

How are you guy's fantasy teams looking so far?Â What are your best pickups of the year surprise wise?

NFL Week 3 - Week 4 Predictions, talk and chatter, Surprises and disappointments

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:16:00 -0400
Welcome back for another week of NFL talk from yours truly the Slapnuts.Â

I went 2-2 in my predictions from last week.Â I should have been 3-1 but the Bear's Charles Tillman is a douchebag, picked up a 3rd and long 15 yard personal foul allowing Tampa to continue their game tying drive.Â My sleeper in Green Bay didn't come through either.Â

This week I shooting for over .500.Â I try to stay away from the total gimmes.Â If Denver doesn't beat Kansas City this week something is seriously wrong.Â So here are my four picks for week 4.

(Changing your last name does not mean you can take the year off)

Other than that I am happy with most of my squads.Â These guys above need to pick up the pace or face the waiver wire.Â I am very happy with both Jay Cutler and Phillip Rivers.Â Both are doing better than I expected and putting up solid numbers.

This week was opposite of the past two weeks.Â I lost in my 2-0 league and won in my 0-2 leagues.Â So I am now 1-2 in my league hoping for a solid rebound.Â How did your teams do this week?Â

NFL Week 2 - Predictions, Fantasy happenings, Da Bears, and more

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:22:35 -0400
has their weekly power rankings up, hopefully that is every Tuesday and if so I will feature it for you guys.Â The feature the Cowboys at the top and the Rams at the bottom.Â Click over for everything in between.

As I mentioned before I am in three fantasy leagues right now.Â I run two of three and it just so happens those are my "better" teams on paper.Â Ironically I am 0-2 in those two leagues as well.Â So much for 17 years of experience doing this eh?Â The other league which I thought was in deep trouble in, I am 2-0, and have Brandon Marshall and Steve Smith, who both dealt with suspensions.Â

My main league (which I will focus on regularly), with me and my best friends, I am 0-2.Â I lost my #1 pick, Tom Brady, and it is going to hurt.Â Thankfully I am a shrewd drafter and I only pick one TE, K, and DEF.Â This leaves me room to stock up on RB and WR and have trade bait.Â I was able to swing a deal for Drew Brees and I have Cassel as a back up.Â I also have a request to trade Eddie Royal for Brett Favre, but I dont know that I want to go that route.Â

My current team looks like the following:Â

QB Drew Brees
WR Marvin Harrison
WR Larry Fitzgerald
WR Eddit Royal
RB Marion Barber
RB Reggie Bush
TE Heath Miller
K Josh Brown
DEF Dallas

RB Felix Jones
RB Edgerrin James
RB Darren Sproles
WR Laveranues Coles
WR Bobby Engram (may be on the way out, sick of waiting for his health)
QB Matt Cassel

As you can see I have made some big moves since pre-week 1, I am not afraid to wheel and deal as generally I do quite well on this front.Â Steve Smith is coming back next week and I look for him to have a big game versus Minnesota.Â

As far as the NFL Week 3 I will give you 4 picks, with one being a sleeper.

Chicago over Tampa
Green Bay over Dallas (sleeper)
Philly over Pittsburgh
San Diego over New York Jets

EliteXC: Primetime - Kimbo is a Bum, EliteXC disapoints, and WTF is that Ear

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:21:43 -0400
Ugh... what a horrible way to kick off MMA in prime time here in the USA.

Gary Shaw of EXC, and the New Jersey athletic commission should be ashamed of themselves. EliteXC had a chance to knock this out of the park in front of millions of viewers, and the show ends with THREE bad fight stoppages.

Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young:
Great fight all the way through... till the end. Carano, regardless of her time at American Gladiators is damn impressive. But not making weight is total bull****, and most fighters would get crucified for such a thing. EliteXC makes up a weight class for her, and she still can't make it. She can brawl, that is for damn sure. Too bad the stoppage was early, as Young was just bruised up pretty bad, but she certainly could have gone on.

Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith
Another fantastic fight full of great exchanges. These guys went to war. They made a note that this could be the Griffin v Bonnar fight of EXC, and it very well could have been had they not stopped it over a stupid EYE POKE! Fighters get 5 minutes to recover from a jab like that, of course if you ask the guy just after it happens if he can see, he is going to say no. How about you ask him after his 5 minutes are up and see if he can go on. Stupid doctor, stupid call. Both guys were pissed, we better see rematch of this in the near future.

And the main event

Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson
Just like I thought, Kimbo is nothing more than brawler, and is no where near a decent MMA fighter yet. Yes he can hit like hell, and has some nasty power, but that is it. He has 0 fricking ground game, he has minimal defense on the ground, he can't kick, uses his knees, etc. Plus his cardio is trash. He could barely last half way through the 2nd. If they were going to call that fight a few punches early, they certainly should have called it when Thompson pounded Kimbo's ass for 2 minutes, nearly unprotected and the end of the 2nd. Even the ref was behind Kimbo trying to get him up, and standing them up earlier in the fight when Thompson had side control. So they call the fight again, early, before Thompson is really hurt, the blows in the 2nd round had him wobbled more than the shots to the ear. That ear is messed up by the way, no excuse for them not draining that before the fight.

In summary, Kimbo is not ready for a good MMA heavyweight any time soon, EliteXC has a hard on for Kimbo, and put on a terrible event that spoiled the performances of their fighters, and the New Jersey Athletic commission is garbage.

Dana White of the UFC has to be grinning ear to ear right now, EXC has a long ways to go before they are any competition.

*update*

Seems Jim Rome feels much like I did. CBS and EXC really dropped the ball. Check out the clip:

Uwe Boll Interview: Maybe He Isn't All That Bad?

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:27:39 -0400
Found this clip earlier today from the often hated Uwe Boll. I have discussed Uwe and his bad movies before, and his recent verbal barbs towards Michael Bay so I won't deny I find him a interesting topic. Hell, they even get kicked out of Starbucks in this interview.

He has grown on me since his interviews with Gametrailers, and this latest interview is no exception. Don't get me wrong, I may have more respect for the guy, but that doesn't mean I am enamored with his movies by any means. This interview is a bit long but it is very interesting.

I do find it interesting that he basically admits to trolling the media to help boost his films exposure. Not having a ton of financial backing, or major studio support, he admits it is almost a must.

Say what you want about his flicks but his is an intelligent guy. He knows the industry, and his is living the dream. How can you knock someone with a passion for movies getting a chance to make their own? And now with his early critical failures he is basically pigeon holed into "bad movies", even though his flicks are definitely improving.

Anyhow, hopefully you enjoy the interview and get to know more about the man, the myth, and the legend, Uwe Boll.

US Proposes to other Countries a 'Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement' aka Pirate Bay Killer

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:56:44 -0400
I may love my country, but I certainly don't always love my government. A government for the people has progressively turned towards for the business.

Word about this potential agreement the US has been working on with other countries leaked out today thanks to Wikileaks. Our government is working on a multi-national act to support IP rights, and prevent piracy and counterfeiting. Other countries that are in on the deal are the EU, Japan, and Switzerland with half a dozen others invited.

You can check out the whole PDF that leaked out here.

The "Pirate Bay killer" section is meant "to criminalize the non-profit facilitation of unauthorized information exchange on the internet", basically in laymen terms they want to criminalize even casual piracy.

It continues, "a treaty of this form would impose a strong, top-down enforcement regime, with new cooperation requirements upon internet service providers, including perfunctionary disclosure of customer information. The proposal also bans "anti-circumvention" measures which may affect online anonymity systems and would likely outlaw multi-region CD/DVD players."

They want to force ISPs to assist them, and offer them safe harbor of sorts noted later in the PDF for helping to remove any infringing content.

It is interesting to note that three of the Representatives pushing this through are from California, and all are apparently in the pocket of big media. For instance:

Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA)

Top four campaign contributions for 2006:

Time Warner $21,000
News Corp $15,000
Sony Corp of America $14,000
Walt Disney Co $13,550

Top two Industries:
TV/Movies/Music $181,050
Lawyers/Law Firms $114,200

By the business, for the business...

They also want the right to pursue pirates and counterfeiters without the request or desire of the content creators. Basically, if you Justin Timberlake lovers out there copy or download his "SexyBack", the government wants to be able to bring criminal charges against you without the request of his label Sony BMG.

Is this what our country needs to be worrying about right now? We are losing lives in Irag, have men stationed all over the world where they don't need to be, a crumbling economy, high gas prices, yet this is even under consideration for a focal point?

This agreement is supposed to be finalized at the July G-8 meeting... enjoy!

What are your First Video Game Memories?

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:24:08 -0400
I was scrolling through some random news today and some intricate pattern of thought (or maybe I just have too much gaming on the mind), led to think about the first time I could remember playing video games. I have to admit, it is somewhat hazy. But doing the math, and tying it in with a few things, I can approximate it to around 1984-1985.

The gaming joy of my life at the time? This bad boy on the right. The Atari 2600. It wasn't my system, I was only 5 or 6 at the time, so it wasn't like I could afford it. I can remember visiting my grandparents and hanging out in my uncles room and seeing those sweet ass paddle controllers. Later on that day I had my first experience in the joys Pong.

Let me tell you one thing, Pong is not a game that has aged all that well. For it's time it was a classic. If you look back to even later 2600 releases, they were much more advanced graphically and gameplay wise. The other game I got to play that day was a perfect example. I sit back and think it is easily my favorite game from the 2600 era. Pitfall!

Just look at that color palette vs the black and white of Pong. There are like 8 or 9 different colors there! Pretty amazing I know. Pitfall was quite enjoyable. You could run around from screen to screen, jump on the swinging vine ( I was atrocious at this aspect, try teaching a 5 year about timing), leap over scorpions, climb ladders, jump barrels. Not even Half Life had this kind of diversity (no, not and old wooden ship, variance in gameplay).

I just figured I would share these old school memories with you guys. While the 2600 wasn't my system, it was eventually passed down to me being the "oldest cousin" in the family. We still have it packed away with a dozen or so games. Ah... the good ole days.

And if you want to question Pitfall's greatness, check it out in action:

PC Gaming Is Drowning. Too Late to Keep It Afloat?

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:43:45 -0400

PC gaming is in serious need of "MEDIC!"
I don't want you to think I am one of those bleeding heart PC journalists or analysts who are going around carrying life sized banners noting the death of PC gaming. PC gaming isn't dead yet, and won't be any time soon. But it is struggling to stay afloat. Over the past 10 years (

Cubs Sweep the Major League Leading Diamondbacks!

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:33:30 -0400

I was bored after the Cubs game, so I figured I would post this. The Diamondbacks were in 1st place, until the Cubs broke out the brooms. 100 years is long enough, this is the Cubs year!

The Soundtrack is the Worst part of Grand Theft Auto IV

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:53:51 -0400

Yes I said it. I am very disappointed with the soundtrack in GTA IV.

San Andreas and Vice City had two of the best soundtracks in gaming history. Part of it is the era's they dipped in to, and the nostalgic feeling they induced with many of us. The 80's was full of great music, and Vice City grasped the best of it and put it in game for us. The early 90's and the music featured in San Andreas was of full of modern day classics.

But GTA IV disappoints in this regard.. I understand what Rockstar is trying to do, don't get me wrong. Take a bunch of lesser known artists and promote them via their game. Songs they may like at R*, feel are under appreciated, whatever the case may be, I understand.

However the problem is I think they went a bit too obscure for this release. When Amazon.com, the second largest digital distributor of music, didn't even have 40% of your requested soundtrack when they first went in to this digital deal with Rockstar. That is reaching for content.

So we have the probable fastest selling title of all time, probably even the most copies ever when all is said and done, featuring tons of obscure music no one knows about.

I readily admit I don't have the most broad range of music. I maybe listen to 5 stations of the 18 in the game, and one of those is talk radio. So while much of this music may appeal to various subsections of music fans I don't see it having a huge mainstream pull.

Even the few stations I do listen to aren't all that amazing in my opinion. I maybe recognize half the songs on these channels, but there are some new songs that are appealing.

My main reason for lambasting the soundtrack is the lack of familiar music. I don't listen to the radio a whole lot right now, so I am not only seeking "Clear Channel fed music". But would a Top 40 station hurt? Some more modern rock that dominates the airwaves around the US? The hip hop stations are pretty good, one of my few gripes. I wanted to be able to hum along and know many of the songs in game, so when they come on the radio I could groove away. I didn't expect the music of GTA IV to surpass VC or SA, but I did expect more than we were given.

Complaints aside I see a lot of potential for Rockstar and this Amazon deal. Imagine the possibilities in GTA V. While I am not sure about the steaming capabilities and the bandwidth requirements, but it would be pretty sweet to have music streamed as you chose it in game. That is probably a bit too much to ask. However maybe Rockstar could work out a deal with Amazon allowing you to build and stream your own custom soundtrack, or radio station in game. That could be feasible. User customization is where it is at.

With all this being said, I still love the game. But I am hoping the next ittineration of GTA features a more recognizable soundtrack, and keys on the potential with Amazon.com and really gives us some serious soundtrack options.

Iron Man Sequel a go! Thor, Captain America, Avengers, all Confirmed! Which Actors?

no.spam@gameriot.com (Slapnuts) — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:56:21 -0400
So this week's huge Iron Man opening was a great success for Marvel. Being their first independently produced property done in house in their own Marvel Studios.

Grossing over $100 million this past weekend assured us that we will see a Iron Man sequel in 2010 during the month of May again. I assume Favreau will be back to direct the sequel as this was a passion of his.

Personally I hope the go the route of Ultron as a villain, though he would more likely in a Avengers movie.

Speaking of Avengers. After Iron Man's release in May of 2010, June we will see a Thor movie. Then come 2011 (I know, we are way ahead of ourselves here), May will bring us Marvel's Captain America movie, and then the mighty Avengers headlining that July's movie bonanza. By that time Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and Capt. will all have had their own Marvel Studios movies and will probably be featured in the Avengers.

Let the casting speculation beging. Thor? Well, not to show my wrestling bias, but I'll be damned if Triple H doesn't have the perfect look and build for Thor. Can he act? Well he does it every week, but I have no clue if he can act in movies.

Captain America is a tough one. Some of the speculation on IMDB hopes for Matthew Fox or Matthew Mcconaughey. Either could work, but I don't know a must have for Cap yet.

The Avengers are set to role. Hopefully they get people as passionate as Downey Jr. and Favreau to work and act in these projects.