September 16- “Star Trek: 50 Artists. 50 Years”,  which made its debut at this year’s San Diego Comic Con opens up to New York fans today at the Paley Center for Media in midtown. The exhibition, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the original Star Trek television series, features fifty pieces from ten nations as well as tie-in fan screenings and whimsical photo ops sure to please the Trekkies of Manhattan. Noteworthy amongst the art on display is a piece of the famous Vulcan salute by none other than the late Leonard Nimoy himself.

To my eyes, Spock looks to be favored character by the show’s artists, including a digital illustration from Stanley Chow whom I spoke with at the exhibition preview:

Where are you from?
Stanley Chow: I’m from Manchester England.

What Inspired you to choose Spock?

SC: I think like when I was growing up in the 70s and 80s and then watching reruns of Star Trek, the first person I kind of looked up to was Spock. He seemed like the more intelligent one and slightly different. I guess with me it was–when I was growing up, I was the only Chinese boy in the village, you always kind of–I felt you needed someone different to look up to and aspire to, you know? And Spock was always the one, with his cool, calm, collected demeanor. And his pointy ears.

Do you have a favorite Spock moment?
SC: There’s not been a favorite moment, but I’ve always liked the kind of relationship he had with Uhura. You know? It was never kind of like a fully fledged relationship. It was always kind of like an underlying thing…Which was sort of my life with lots of girls when I was growing up.

Do you enjoy Zachary Quinto’s take on the character?
SC: Oh, I think he’s amazing! When he was picked, obviously he was off of “Heroes”…And then once he puts the ears on and he does his thing [in the] movies, he’s the only actor–it’s sounds kind of cliché to say he’s the only actor who could do Spock but he’s done it so well but that’s why it’s become a cliché isn’t it?

Head of CBS consumer products, Liz Kalodner was also on hand to celebrate the opening.

Do you have a Star Trek favorite character?
Liz Kalodner: Well Captain Kirk is the classic, c’mon! Although I have to say, Captain Janeway [From Star Trek: Voyager], also pretty good.

Do you enjoy the new film franchise?
LK: Oh, absolutely. i think JJ Abrams has done a wonderful job. It’s brought in a new, younger audience, and really has given the franchise great energy.
As you’re from consumer products, I noticed you’ve got a fictional cereal here in the exhibit, is that a favorite item?
LK: Yeah! So that’s by an artist named Juan Ortiz who loved Star Trek from when he was a kid and actually had that idea when he was a child. And he always wanted to do it. And I don’t know if you saw the back but there are cutouts, trading cards, because cereal boxes always had you know, the free in-pack or on-pack, so he created that.

Since Star Trek is coming back to TV are you getting ready with your department for that?
LK: We are getting ready! We’re working with showrunner but it’s all in the development stage. But it’s a wonderful time to be in the Star Trek business.

“Star Trek: 50 Artists. 50 Years'” brief stop in NYC concludes on September 25th. Details on the Paley Center’s screenings to coincide with the exhibit can be found here.

The Paley Center for Media is located at 25 West 52nd Street.

Gene Wilder, who went from comic actor to acclaimed writer/director, passed away on August 29th due to complications with Alzheimer’s Disease. His death was announced by his family. The star of such films as “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” “The Producers,” and “Young Frankenstein” was 83.

Born Jerome Silberman in June 1933 in Milwaukee, Wilder began having success on Broadway in the early 1960s. In 1963 he appeared opposite Anne Bancroft in the play “Mother Courage and Her Children.” Bancroft introduced Wilder to her boyfriend at the time, Mel Brooks, and the two began a long association.

After appearing in a small role in the film “Bonnie and Clyde,” Brooks cast Wilder as fussy accountant Leo Bloom in his Oscar-winning 1967 film “The Producers.” Holding his own against the great Zero Mostel, Wilder earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In 1971 he played the title character in the film he would most be associated with, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” Ironically, his co-star was Jack Albertson, who had won the Oscar Wilder had been nominated for.

In 1974, with 48 hours notice, Brooks asked Wilder to take over the role of the Waco Kid in the film “Blazing Saddles.” The actor originally cast, Oscar-winner Gig Young, had long battled with alcoholism and had arrived to the set in bad shape. While shooting the film, Wilder showed Brooks a script he had been writing titled “Young Frankenstein.” The two men collaborated on the script and Brooks agreed to direct it. Wilder had one condition – Brooks could not appear on-screen, as he felt that would ruin the illusion of the film. Brooks consented, though he does “appear” a few times as various sounds, including the cat that screams during the dart game. The film earned Wilder his second Oscar nomination, sharing it with Brooks for Best Screenplay Based on Another Medium.

In 1975, Wilder became a triple threat, writing, directing and starring in “The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother.” Surrounding himself with familiar faces like Madeline Kahn and Marty Feldman, the film began a successful string of films written and directed by Wilder, including “The World’s Greatest Lover,” “Haunted Honeymoon,” and “The Women in Red.”

Having worked with Richard Pryor on “Blazing Saddles” (Pryor co-wrote the script), Wilder was happy to appear with him on screen. The two co-starred in “Silver Streak” in 1976 and “Stir Crazy” in 1980, the latter film being directed by Sidney Poitier. Poitier also cast Wilder in his next film, “Hanky Panky.” It was on the set of this film that Wilder first met Gilda Radner. The two became quick friends and eventually married in September 1984. They remained together until her death on May 20, 1989. Following her death he co-founded Gilda’s Club, an organization that works to fight ovarian cancer. Each year the families on the block I live in hold a “Marathon” run, selling t-shirts to raise money, which is donated to Gilda’s Club.

Following Radner’s death Wilder began to curtail his work load, making only two feature films and starring in a short-lived television series called “Something Wilder.” He appeared in three made-for-television films in 1999 and a couple episodes of “Will and Grace.” His last acting credit was a voice-over last year in the animated series “Yo Gabba!”

Wilder turned his attention to writing in the late 1990s, beginning with a book highlighting his experiences dealing with ovarian cancer entitled “Gilda’s Disease: Sharing Personal Experiences and a Medical Perspective on Ovarian Cancer,” which he co wrote with M. Steven Piver. In 2006 he released his autobiography, “Kiss Me Like a Stranger: My Search for Love and Art.” He also wrote four novels: “My French Whores,” “The Woman Who Wouldn’t,” “What is This Thing Called Love?,” and “Something to Remember You.”

Mr. Wilder is survived by his fourth wife, Karen.

Here are my top 10 Gene Wilder performances:

1. Dr. Victor Frankenstein in “Young Frankenstein.” Whether he’s angrily denying his family heritage or fighting for his life while playing charades, this is a performance that deserved an Oscar nomination.

2. Leo Bloom in “The Producers.” From his first appearance, where he tells Zero Mostel, “I’m sorry I caught you with the old lady” to the final scene in prison, his blue blanket clutching accountant is one of the most brilliant characters in film history.

3. The Waco Kid in “Blazing Saddles.” “Little bastard shot me in the ass!”

4. Willy Wonka in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” 45 years later children still love him.

5. George Caldwell in “Silver Streak.” Just an every-man who must rise to the occasion to save the woman he loves. He and Richard Pryor together are comedy gold.

6. Rudy Valentine in “The World’s Greatest Lover.” Though the film is primarily a comedy, there are some tender scenes with Wilder revealing how much he loves his wife.

7. Skip Donahue in “Stir Crazy.” Once again, he and Pryor form one of the greatest comedy teams ever assembled on film.

8. Sigerson Holmes in “The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother.” As the younger brother who refuses to accept his sibling is a great detective (he calls him “Shear-Luck”), Wilder pulls off the triple threat of writer/director/star with ease. In honor of this film, when I finish writing I’m going to do the Kangaroo Hop!

9. Teddy Pierce in “The Woman in Red.” As a man facing middle-age, Wilder never seems to be able to catch a break.

10. Avram in “The Frisco Kid.” As the rabbi from Poland who is heading to San Francisco, Wilder and Harrison Ford have a fun time in the Wild West.

Movies theme online casino games continue to be some of the most popular of all of the online casino games, even when compared with all of the online casino games and not just the fun mobile games. People love the games that give them a certain degree of familiarity, which is certainly the case with movies theme online casino games. People like to be able to revisit the movie scenarios and images that helped to make them happy at different points, and movies theme online casino games can do the trick in a way that simply watching the movies again never will.

When people go the casinopokiesonline.com.au, they are going to find so many online casino slot games that it is going to be difficult for them to keep track. The Australian public seems to have a special affinity for online pokies in particular. Around eighty percent of Australians today play some sort of online casino games, and the online casino slot games are usually at the top of the list for them. While many of the movies featured in the movie themed online casino slot games are specifically American films, Hollywood movies have managed to achieve a level of international recognition that people all around the world are still going to be able to identify with them. The people who go to the casinopokiesonline.com.au website from Australia are going to love the Terminator games as much as the majority of Americans who play this famous online casino slot game series.

The Dark Knight series is one of the most popular of the movies theme online casino games. The Dark Knight series was and still is one of the most popular film series ever released, and it makes perfect sense that a gaming series based on this film series would be just as popular. Naturally, this is also a recent movie series from the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, which makes it that much more understandable that people today are still huge fans of it. The Terminator series has a great deal of enduring popularity, even though it has been some time since a film in that series has been released and people seem to have changed some of their opinions on some of the lead actors since this time period.

The Jurassic Park series of online slot games is also one of the most famous of the online movie themed slot games that people will find today. One of the advantages of this series is the simple fact that Jurassic Park is still an ongoing series as opposed to an old one. However, older series are getting resurrected all the time, so it is possible that this is going to happen again with some other movie series in order to create new online casino slot games. This is the era of cinematic television, and people are now playing slot games based on television series like Game of Thrones. Movies theme online casino games and similar games will only get more popular.

If you are playing casino games online, I am sure everyone wonders “What are the chances of me actually winning?” There are a few factors that you should look into when trying to figure out what your chances are in winning while online gambling:

One factor is random number generator, or RNG, which is a program that produces random numbers and is the process of how odds, cards or slots are pulled from. If you are wondering how you can confirm if the game is rigged or not, there are plenty of people out there who rest for randomness and payout percentages.

Everyone loves free perks right? When you are playing online casinos, you want to look for one that gives a good signup bonus. You should keep a look out for a online casino game with a solid cashback program as well. If you loose a bunch of money, the blow will definitely be softened by receiving a nice bonus or cashback. Am I wrong?

Lastly, the most important process is just to be educated you want to find a community where you can here you can chat with other players and discussing experiences and more importantly big wins and pay outs. Just be smart and play smart and you will have a better chance of winning!

Bingo has seen quite the resurgence in recent times with the more traditional version of the game reappearing in land-based venues as well as in various online environments at sites like www.bingosites.uk.

Not only that but it has even begun to sneak further into the public psyche due to it featuring in some of the world most popular TV shows and even into a few films.

Take a look at some of the pastime most memorable appearances below.

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM

Larry David stars in this truly cringeworthy series where the former ‘Seinfeld’ co-creator plays a semi-fictional version of himself and ends up in the middle of some of the most socially awkward scenarios imaginable. In the season 5 episode ‘Kamikaze Bingo’ Larry once more manages to upset and offend those around him whilst taking part in a friendly bingo game at his father’s retirement home in this hilarious scene.

BAD GRANDPA

‘Jackass’ star Johnny Knoxville plasters on the make-up and takes his Bad Grandpa character out on the road for his very own feature length adventure. Knoxville stars as Irving Zisman in this stunt-based semi-scripted hidden camera comedy. There are plenty of memorable scenes including one in a bingo hall where the always inappropriate Zisman does his best to flirt with the other players whilst drinking down the bingo marker fluid to everyone’s amazement.

BETTER CALL SAUL

It’s a shame that most TV and movie scenes that relate to bingo do seem to revolve around the older generation and retirement homes, however that’s once more the setting for this excellent sequence from ‘Breaking Bad’ spin-off ‘Better Call Saul’. During a partial melt down lawyer Jimmy, played by Bob Odenkirk, gets monumentally anecdotal and opinionated during his stint as bingo caller to the residents at the local retirement home, much to their bemusement.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA

The only animated scene on our list comes courtesy of family comedy ‘Hotel Transylvania’. It may be brief but is still a humorous bingo-related scene whereby the traditional game takes on a rather disturbing twist. The classic balls being spun in this macabre version of the games are replaced with miniature skulls which even manage to voice their numbers by themselves. One lucky player manages to call bingo only to have her winning card gobbled up by the heartless creature she’s unfortunate enough to sit next to.

Will Sterrett, president and CEO of Rockcastle Media Group, has announced the first radio stations that will carry RMG’s first syndicated project, a daily, two-minute trivia feature titled, “Think Fast!”

“Think Fast!,” which Sterrett will also host, will feature wide-ranging trivia from history, sports, entertainment, news, and more.

The following stations have acquired the show, with more on the horizon:

KWIX-AM – Moberly, MO
KWIX-FM – Moberly, MO
KOZX-FM – Cabool, MO
KOKO-AM – Warrensburg, MO
KLOE-AM – Goodland, KS
KRDQ-FM – Colby, KS

“The launch of Rockcastle Media Group and ‘Think Fast!’ is the fulfillment of a dream more than a decade in the making,” said Sterrett, whose career highlights include CNN Radio Network, WLW/Cincinnati, KTRH/Houston, KRLD/Dallas, and KMBZ/Kansas City. “We’re grateful to the stations who have already made ‘Think Fast!’ part of their daily schedules, and look forward to welcoming more affiliates into the Rockcastle Media Group family through top-notch short-form and long-form programming and exemplary service for our affiliates and advertising partners.”

For more information on “Think Fast!” or if you’d like to suggest this program to your local radio station, visit www.RockcastleMedia.com

Written by Mike Smith
Photos by Dan Lybarger

Once again, Kansas City’s Planet Comicon has come to a close. And once again, over 70,000 people took part in celebrating all things fantastic.

The weekend kicked off Friday night with a performance of “An Evening With Kevin Smith.” Flight delays threatened to keep Smith away but he actually ensured his attendance by jumping on a Southwest Airline flight, the same airline that had deemed him “to fat to fly” in 2010. Smith had avoided the airline since but broke down to ensure his fans would not be disappointed.

Among the celebrity guests in attendance: “I Dream of Jeannie” star Barbara Eden, Draco Malfoy himself, Tom Felton, “American Horror Story” star Denis O’Hare and Edward James Olmos from “Battlestar Galactica.” But the most love was reserved for famed comic book creator Stan Lee, who always seemed to have no less then 200 people lined up at any one time to meet him.

MediaMikes would be remiss if we didn’t think Planet Comicon creator Chris Jackson and his amazing staff for not only their hard work but for the opportunity for some of our winners to win 3-day passes to the event. Can’t wait to do it again next year.

If you listen to the tech experts, then we’re in the middle of a blockchain revolution. The technology behind the often misunderstood currency, Bitcoin, blockchain is currently being adopted by a variety of industries.

Without delving too deep into its specifics, blockchain is basically a way of validating transactions without the need for human authorisation. Each time a Bitcoin payment is sent a specific address, it needs to be verified by a network of computers. Once the payment is verified, its details are stored in a block of valid transactions and this block is then uploaded to the network of the computer holding the blockchain.

Breaking Down the Blockchain

Essentially, a blockchain is a record of every Bitcoin transaction, in much the same way a bank uses a ledger to track payments across accounts. However, because this system is updated every 10 minutes and stored on network of computers, it means that each transaction is highly secure.

Although somewhat complex for the general public to really appreciate, the tech experts in the banking world, healthcare profession and security industry are all starting to use this technology to enhance their services. Indeed, according to a recent report by the Financial Times, blockchain looks set to “disrupt” the way the fund industry currently operates.

With blockchain gaining in popularity, many experts, including the Digital Current Group’s Barry Silbert, have suggested that this revolution could help to make Bitcoin a mainstream product. Back when the cryptocurrency first went live in 2009, many insiders believed it would become the currency of choice for the masses within a few years.

Unfortunately, those predictions were a tad optimistic as Bitcoin is still seen as an “alternative” option rather than “the” option for those spending money online. However, that’s not to say you can’t do some “mainstream” things with Bitcoin. Indeed, when you consider that British Airways, a company that made $1.2 billion (£850 million) in profit in 2015, now accepts Bitcoin payments, it’s clear the currency is gaining credibility.

Bitcoin Already Has Base Online

In fact, it’s not only the aviation industry that’s starting to realise the value of Bitcoin payments. iGaming, otherwise known as online gambling, is a $41 billion (£28 billion) industry that’s starting to see more Bitcoin-based sites spring up. VegasCasino, a Vegas Royal S.A., platform now offers an array of Bitcoin only betting options.

Inside the VegasCasino sportsbook, customers can place bets from as little as 0.10 mBTC on everything from football and Euro 2016, to the NBA playoffs and the Olympics. Similarly, the site also offers slots, table games and ever virtual lotteries; all of which are powered by Bitcoin alone.

Beyond the iGaming industry, Dell, the computer manufacturer, brokered a deal with Bitcoin walled Coinbase in 2015 which allowed cryptocurrency customers to get a discount on Alienware PCs. Similarly, Overstock.com began offering discounted prices on everything from watches to bed linen after it started accepting Bitcoin payments in 2014.

Are We on the Cusp of Technological Shift?

In a nutshell, what we’re currently seeing is a shift in the way transactions of all shapes and sizes are processed online. As we can see, Bitcoin is already thriving in a variety of industries and it’s this popularity that has helped blockchain technology move into the mainstream.

Whether or not this will in turn bring people’s attention back around to Bitcoin remains to be seen, but what is clear is that people are willing to accept new forms of technology and that should mean we’ll be seeing a myriad of innovations in the coming months and years.

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Who says ads that you read on Facebook aren’t effective?! I came across the company MONQ from one of those very ads. What is MONQ? Well it is an aromatherapy inhaler…right away you are thinking…an e-cigarette? No, it’s not! It has 0 tobacco, 0 nicotine and 0 additives. So simply it is just a personal portable devices that is used to enhance your mood with blended and heated aromatherapy. 100% Organic and Natural.

How does this differ from your typical topical oils or household diffusers is that MONQ directly inserts aromatherapy into your olfactory system. So there is no only no harm to your body say instead of vaping or smoking but this product actually helps you find purity, sharpness, and coherence through their mentally relaxing blends which are made from raw plants that have been used throughout throughout history for meditative practices.

The first blend that I was given to try is “Zen MONQ” is said to actually lowers stress levels! Now who doesn’t need a little of that?! Well let me tell you it does actually do what it says it does. I was very impressed with this product. The MONQ Therapeutic Air device are single use and approximately 150 breaths with most lasting between 1-2 weeks. There is no buttons. No charging. No stress. Just breathe in and relax!

The Zen MONQ is made up of the following scents Frankincense / Orange and Ylang-ylang. It smells fantastic and gives off a really nice vapor quantity as well when exhaled. So I like to call this the even healthier way to “smoke”, especially if you are trying to break that habit or fill the need to do so. I found myself very relaxed when testing this product and I am very excited to be trying the other blends as well, so stay tuned to find out more!

Just a closing note, just so that there is no confusion you do not need to be a smoker/ex-smoker or anything to enjoy this product at all. If anyone is looking to inspire some peace and calm feelings and looking for natural clarity that I highly recommend checking out this product ASAP! Go to https://monq.com/ and tell them Media Mikes sent you!

Released in 2014, The Gambler is a contemporary remake released forty years after the original movie of the same name. While it has received no little praise for telling a difficult story with care and compassion, the critical consensus is that it doesn’t quite stand up to the original in terms of sheer tension. Ultimately and despite high expectations – it was even intended to be in with a shot of making an Academy Award nomination – The Gambler didn’t stand up to audience sensibilities, but should still be worth a watch for anyone interested in themes of high stakes betting.

Games & Gambling Themes Featured
The Gambler is all about the world of illegal and unlicensed back-room betting, featuring a string of unsavory characters such as loan sharks and straight down the line gangsters. There’s no room for nice and sanitary games here, indeed the very last thing on the lead protagonist’s mind (Mark Wahlberg) is trying to find a nice little Spielautomaten online casino bonus. For him, gambling is literally an all or nothing endeavor without any room for cashing in and checking out. While poker and blackjack make occasional appearances, roulette is at the center of the movie’s gambling scenes – especially the live or die spins towards the end.

The Plot
Wahlberg plays a Jim Bennett – a professor of literature at a local university – who by night leads a very different life as a high stakes amateur gambler. It becomes apparent from very early on that Bennett doesn’t gamble for pleasure, or seemingly even to win – he gambles simply out of sheer compulsion, even when he ends up needing to pawn family heirlooms to bankroll his next bets.

Much of the movie has this as a central theme, with Bennett struggling to find funds to continue gambling so he can eventually pay off the hundreds of thousands he owes to various loan sharks – one of which Frank (played superbly by John Goodman) is a long term cohort who continues to lend Bennett money despite his better judgement.

As the movie continues Bennett faces the moral conundrum of whether to exploit his relationships with one of his students by coercing them into fixing a basketball game, and here the story takes a course of redemption and ‘last chance saloon’ as he ends up facing the final spin of the wheel.

The Cast
As mentioned John Goodman performs very well in support of Wahlberg, who turns in a strong performance of a man running out of options and without much of a clue how to extract himself from the mess he’s found himself in. Brie Larsen also makes a typically confident performance in support as a student struggling to understand her confused feelings of pity for Bennett, while also remarking at how composed he often seems to be as he follows the course of self destruction.

Conclusion
The Gambler is unlikely the be kind of movie that many people are going to feel especially inclined to watch more than once, but for what it is it presents an awkward and remarkable story well without ever quite managing to reach the heights that may have been expected, especially considering the quality of the lead roles.

4/20/2016 The cast and creators of “Turn” at the New York Historical Society

Haven’t you heard? American history is so hot right now, you guys. Between Hamilton dominating Broadway and our electoral cycle being, for better or worse, completely unprecedented, now’s as good a time as any to look back to where it all began. “Turn: Washington’s Spies” returns Mondays on AMC for its third season so you may do exactly that. “Turn,” based on a book by Alexander Rose, follows the Culper Ring, an unlikely batch of spies from Long Island who helped George Washington turn the tide of the American Revolution. After two strong seasons—which, for you binge-watchers out there, are both currently streaming on Netflix!—the third looks to be the most exciting yet. There will be the addition of their own Hamilton and more importantly, the infamous defection of Benedict Arnold.

Originally an American war hero for his decisive actions at the Battle of Saratoga, an injured Arnold was passed over for promotions he believed were his due and eventually his bitterness swayed him into the service of the British. On the show, Arnold is played with humanity by Welsh actor Owain Yeoman as part of a love triangle that involves romantic rival, and British spymaster, John Andre (JJ Feild) and beautiful loyalist Peggy Shippen (Ksenia Solo). Yeoman was part of a premiere screening panel last week at the New York Historical Society where I talked to him about today’s politics and the exciting times to come for his role on the show.

Lauren Damon: When you’re working on a show like this and at the same time watching this year’s election, does it have a greater impact on you?

Owain Yeoman: It’s very interesting I think, the parallels between—and I think it’s something that the show is consciously trying to market this year, is the, you know the parallels between the Red states and the Blue states and how things, depressingly, probably haven’t changed for a few hundred years. You know, we’ve still got the same old gripes and the same old battles. I think it’s very smart of AMC also to kind of market a you know, “WWGWD?”—What Would George Washington Do?—type campaign… And it’s true, he’s the father of our nation, of this nation, not necessarily my nation! [laughs] But you know the nation that I’ve come to call home. And I think it’s incredible how the show really does speak to the current political climate. And we couldn’t be more in the sort of fervor of it all with [the New York primary vote] going on here last night. So I think that’s our hope, that people really see that though hundreds of years have gone by, the themes and relationships and political climate is definitely still the same.

LD: This season is really your season, getting into Benedict’s treachery, is that exciting for you?

OY: Very exciting! Yeah, I mean like I’m finally becoming the traitor I always hoped I’d be! [laughs] It’s kind of a dubious prospect. He’s one of the those characters who when you tell people who you’re playing, they’re like ‘Oh you’re playing That Guy, I’m sorry’ but it’s a great challenge. I love discovering a more human side to him because I think you know he’s known very one-sidedly as America’s biggest traitor and there’s so much more to him. He was a great hero, the hero of Saratoga, and he was a real person. And I think if you approach something in that black and white area and don’t have the gray area that is real life, it doesn’t do someone justice. So that’s what we’re concerned about, showing the journey that gets him to be that guy.

LD: Yes in grade school history he was definitely The Bad Guy.

OY: Yeah, it’s like ‘Ooooh it’s Benedict Arnold!’ Yeah and I think you know that it’s important to understand that he was one of America’s greatest generals before he became the famous traitor. And I think you only get a sense of the drama and the tragedy of that turn if you establish him as the general that he was before that fall. So you know hopefully people can get invested in that, and people can be you know, sort of see a different side to the character than maybe grade school taught us about, you know?

LD: As on the show, is there on-set any rivalry between you and JJ Feild?

OY: Oh always! [laughs] Yeah, I mean we’ve got a fierce love triangle that really comes to a head—no pun intended you know ’cause someone loses theirs at some point [laughs], history’s the ultimate spoiler for this show so I don’t feel bad about saying that. But yeah, it’s one of those things where you know, the stakes are high. In love, in the political climate, international climate. And this show—this season is the season [creator Craig Silverstein] said he always wanted to make. So all the big stuff’s happening this year, it is the Don’t-Miss Season.

This Don’t-miss season of Turn: Washington’s Spies starts Monday April 25th at 10pm on AMC.

Comic books are becoming more and more popular nowadays. Several decades ago, a comic book was treated like meaningless trash whereas it contained pictures and short portions of text about superheroes, ghosts, common people, etc. The majority of comics were produced for children. Apparently, the choice of comic books is enormous. One can find books about scouts, animals, Vikings, schoolchildren, supernatural creatures and others. Without doubt, the most famous and successful comics are about superheroes and their adventures. Modern comic books are no longer treated carelessly. They belong to the specific combination of art and literature. They possess a specific name – graphic novels. The most prominent producers of graphic novels employ the best artists and scriptwriters who make their comics captive, absorbing, curious and uncommon. Every comic book contains its offbeat plot and characters. Most often, graphic novels are periodical. There are specific main characters who experience various adventures in every new edition. As might be expected, young people are interested in comic books and they make them a part of their life.

Whenever you want to review a graphic novel for high school, college or blog, you should get to know how to do it beneficially. Firstly, you should prepare for this process practically. Read several different comic books in order to catch their structure, motives, plot, strong and weak sides. You should understand the nature of a graphic novel. Secondly, you should read your specific comic book planned for analysis. It is important to read other editions of this chosen series of graphic novels in order to learn about its characters, the core motives, ideas and peculiarities. Needless to say but many situations and motives repeat in every edition. It is vital to notice them and mention them in your comic book review. In brief, you ought to study the entire world of DC comics if you review a specific graphic novel about Batman, Superman or Flash. It is impossible to grab the main idea of these books if you do not know about the foundational connections between its characters.

You cannot prepare a worthy and imposing graphic novel review if you do not write about the author and illustrator of the specific comic book. If you review a comic book about Iron Man, Spider-Man or the X-Men, you will definitely need to mention Stan Lee, the creator of the majority of Marvel Comics superheroes. Say a few words about his achievements, career and impact on the development of the specific series of graphic novels. Illustrators are extremely important for this industry. No one will buy a comic book if there are no fascinating, magnificent and authentic images in it. Very often, people purchase these books in order to possess it like an album. They treat it as a form of art. Thus, you cannot omit an illustrator in your review. He makes the indigenous ‘appearance’ of a comic book. Above all things, you should mention the title of the chosen edition, its date of publication, format and ISBN number. This basic information will help one find the required edition in the Internet or library.

Now you ought to analyze the plot of the selected graphic novel. It is smart to divide the plot into two levels. The first level denotes the main characters and events of the story. Of course, you must not reveal the most newsworthy details and the ending of the story. The second level refers to the problems and major ideas hidden in the comic book. For instance, when you write about Superman, you can write how he protects the world and how he would influence our life if he lived in the real world.

The quality of writing and artwork are two paramount elements of your review. You should analyze the conflict of the specific novel and evaluate its resolution. You should say whether the author has managed to make a gripping and affecting plot or not. Is the plot unpredictable? What can you say about its crucial moments? Then, you need to pay attention to the illustrations that can be found in the comic book. Say about the artistic style. Illustrators apply cartoon-like, manga and realistic styles. They definitely influence the general perception of a book. What are the dominant colors of your particular graphic novel? Do you like it?

Bear in mind that your review is subjective. You cannot impose your point of view on other readers and fans whereas they like these comic books regardless of how you criticize them. Therefore, prepare to receive negative feedback and comments of your readers if you place your graphic novel review on your blog.

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Game developers look in all the unexpected places for inspiration when seeking the next idea for a slot machine. When it comes to slots based on movies, though, things get a bit complicated – they need to sign licensing agreements with the owners of their rights to be able to even touch the subject. And such license agreements are not as unusual as you might expect. The last few years has seen more movies adapted into video slot machines, especially ones you can play online, than all the previous ones combined, both classics and modern day blockbusters. Great slots of which you can get more here at Grizzly.

Microgaming signs with HBO, Studiocanal and Universal

Isle of Man based developer Microgaming has signed quite a few licensing deals in 2014, gaining the right to release three most successful slot machines. Two of them were for blockbusters from the 1990s – Universal’s insanely successful Jurassic Park, and Studiocanal’s equally resounding Terminator II Judgement Day. Both of them were released in the same year, to incredible success – no doubt, due to the players’ fond memories of the movies. (And both of them released not long before a new movie in the franchise has been announced).

But the developer has signed a surprising deal with HBO Global Licensing as well, to turn its hit TV series A Game of Thrones into a slot machine. The game was released, and was a disappointment for many – most likely thanks to the high expectations of the players. But still it’s one of the most atmospheric slots ever released by Microgaming.

NetEnt and its ongoing deal with Universal

Swedish developer NetEnt is famous for its feature- and detail-rich slot machines. It is sometimes called the “Apple of online gaming” thanks to its incredible attention to detail. And it has an ongoing deal with Universal, which allows it to release some of the best slots based on classic horror movies.

Let’s take a look at NetEnt’s Universal Monsters series: Dracula (a bit like the guy from Dracula Untold, but in a Victorian setting), Frankenstein (the Boris Karloff one), The Invisible Man (the classic one, of course), Creature from the Black Lagoon, to mention just a few.

The developer has a history of releasing highly successful movie and TV based slots – including two games with a South Park theme, one featuring Aliens, or classic mobster movies like Scarface.

Playtech’s Marvel deal

Israeli gambling solutions provider Playtech has announced its comprehensive deal with Marvel back in 2009. Since then it has released a cornucopia of video slot machines (and a handful of internet scratch cards) based on the most popular characters from the Marvel universe – the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers (all of them together, and most of them separately) and so on. These have been among the most popular slots offered by the company ever since, especially with the continuous excitement about the upcoming superhero movies.

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The intersection between movie motifs and the supernatural is one that audiences are often invited to travel across by script writers and directors.

From straight-up thrillers involving antisocial beings from the beyond to heart-warming tales of those on earth finding comfort in those from the spirit world, the use of spirits and all things ethereal has proved hugely popular with movie makers over the years.

Naturally, as we slip further into 2016, that trend doesn’t appear to be slowing down thanks to the pending release of Fallen. Not to be confused with the 1998 movie of the same name featuring Denzel Washington as homicide detective John Hobbes, the 2016 version of Fallen is a British, Australian and American hybrid production based on Lauren Kate’s Fallen novels.

The Guidance of Angels

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Known for her young adult novels, Kate’s Fallen was originally published in 2009 and focuses on the love story between accused murder Lucinda Price and her school mate, Daniel, who it transpires is an angel. Wanting to enliven this idea with some sights and sounds, Nichole Millard turned the story into a screenplay and Scott Hicks (famous for the movie Shine) took charge of the directorial side of things.

Despite being slated for release in 2015, the movie has had its setbacks, but Kate herself has stated that it will hit movie theatres in September 2016. At its core, the movie focuses on the relationship between Price and Daniel who has “loved her for a thousand years”. However, beyond the budding love between the two characters, the movie is also an exploration of how a belief in something beyond the physical world can help change someone’s life.

Among faith healers and psychics, the role of angels in our life is well known. According to popular wisdom, angels are constantly watching over us and if we’re able to channel their power we can fix certain issues in our life. To that end, many people now use angle therapy as a way to communicate with guardian angels such as Archangel Chamuel (peaceful relationships), Archangel Michael (the truth teller) and Archangel Gabriel (overseer of the creative).

A Supernatural Love Triangle

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This appears to be the concept Kate, and latterly Hicks, has taken to a new level in Fallen. Instead of sitting down and tapping into the spirit world with the help of a therapist, Price has a direct line to her guardian angel. However, as with all tales of love and reform, the path to salvation is never easy and, despite a chance encounter with Daniel, Price also falls for another schoolmate in the form of Cam (also an angel).

This love triangle then becomes a battle between heaven and hell with Price stuck in the middle of two supernatural beings who have loved her for centuries. The overall premise of Fallen is far from unique, but if the production is slick and the acting is on point then it should do well. Indeed, the spirit world motif is one that often does well with audiences when it’s combined with a love story.

Will be a blockbuster? Probably not, but if the spirits are watching over the movie then it should do well enough to satisfy the production company and Fallen’s original author, Lauren Kate.

Described by its writer/director, Richard Linklater, as a “spiritual sequel” to his popular 1970’s set film Dazed and Confused, Everybody Wants Some!! follows the fun times being had by a small college baseball team in 1980. To promote the film, co-stars J. Quinton Johnson, Glen Powell and Wyatt Russell sat down with me at the Alamo Drafthouse Theatre in Kansas City. Johnson enters the room in full voice, performing a song he literally just wrote. Powell, the most outgoing of the group, sits between the other two, eager to chat. Russell, a former hockey player and the son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn (he has his dad’s eyes) busies himself with his phone. And so we begin:

Mike Smith: What was it like going back in time to 1980?

Glen Powell: It was a transitional time and everything. Clothing. Presidents. Everything was kind of shifting and changing. Our relationship with the world was changing and I think this movies about guys who were shifting from either college to the real world or high school to college. And that shift not only in their world but in the world at large is what the film is about.

Wyatt Russell: So it’s AWESOME! [everyone laughs]. I mean we talked about the clothes and the hair and the music. I think everything was much sexier then I just love that era.

GP: Nowadays we have social media…smart phones… so when you go to parties today everyone has their phone out to show how good time they’re having. But in that era it’s like having a good time with these people right here.

WR: I’m at the Bieber concert!

J. QUINTON JOHNSON: I’M AT THE BIEBER CONCERT!!!

[Note: Justin Bieber was in Kansas City the same week as the guys]

GP: And when we’re having a good time, we’re also athletes on the dance floor. Rick [director Richard Linklater] told us that back then athletes were peacockers, in every sense of the word. When I was an athlete, we were almost wallflowers. You go to practice and then you go home and do your thing. I mean these guys are drinking beer. Today it’s much more competitive.

JQJ: You’re not going to be out at the club.

WR: I played hockey. When I played in Europe it wasn’t a problem going out for a few drinks. But when I played in the states it was pretty rigid. Back then it wasn’t for a career you were going to make a lot of money and become a brand and sell a lot of clothes.

GP: Rick also talked about the body type of an athlete back then. Today everyone takes supplements…they’re all almost like Adonis, they’re all shredded. Back then Rick said we would’ve been in what you would call pretty good shape. I mean you are athletes but you just don’t look like one. It’s a different body type now.

MS: Was it easy to film the baseball scenes? I mean you all had participated in athletics before, right? Wyatt, you played hockey…

JQJ: I played basketball.

GP: I played football. On the set we would have baseball practice every morning. We had a couple guys who had played professional ball. One had played for the A’s, and a couple of played in college. So those guys helped out the guys who might not have had that much baseball experience. We also had to do a skills video as part of our audition. I think Quinton had the most entertaining non-baseball video.

JQJ: I mean I was an athlete. I could catch a ball. I could throw a ball. But I wasn’t a baseball player and Rick knew that instantly. So what I did is I added more flair as an artist. Again I played basketball so I threw a dunk in there. And I kept trying to throw in more as a person. I was juggling. I had a shot of a dog running through the park, set to the tune of Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys are Back in Town.”

GP: I was filming Ride Along 2 so I went to a batting cage and filmed mine. And then I just laid a bunch of 80s music on top of it. Mine wasn’t nearly as fun as yours.

WR: I had like five minutes to do mine because I had a go somewhere. The casting director called me on Friday and said you have to have it in… By 5 o’clock… On Friday. It was a big festival going on and all my friends were out of town. I didn’t even have a baseball glove. So I ended up going to my brother’s house and had him film me using my seven-year-old nephew’s glove.

MS: The film is full of great 80’s music. Did you listen to any particular songs to get into the feel of the era?

GP: Yes. Rick gave each of us and iPod nano with 100 songs from 1979 and 1980 on it. And so were ever we went… whatever we did… we listened to the music. And if we are in his game room playing ping-pong we listened to the music. It was a big part of getting us in tune with the times.

Everybody Wants Some!! is now playing in select cities. For tickets, visit everybodywantssomemovie.com