Director Jeppe Rønde and star Hannah Murray talk about “Bridgend” at Tribeca Film Festival

Jeppe Rønde’s harrowing new drama Bridgend made its debut during the Tribeca Film Festival this past week with both the director and star Hannah Murray (“Game of Thrones”) in attendance. Bridgend is based on the true story of a massive series of teen suicides that occurred in a small town in Wales. The suicides received media coverage at a point where seventy-nine young people had taken their lives between 2007 and 2012. In the film, teenager Sarah (Murray) moves to Brigend with her police officer father and quickly finds herself running with the pack of local teens who’ve recently lost some of their peers to suicide. They are a wild bunch who borderline worship the deceased and memorialize them in an anonymous online chat. All the while Sarah’s father, like the rest of the community, seeks to find what is causing this horrible phenomenon.

This mystery intrigued director Rønde who spent time in the actual community and eventually shot the film there on location. Rønde and Murray both spoke to me on the red carpet about how important it was to dramatize the town’s story in a respectful manner.

Lauren Damon: You spent time in the actual community of Bridgend, what was that like and did you go there with the goal of developing a film about it?
Jeppe Rønde: I went there with the–a goal is a strong word–but I went there to try and find out what is this about? And why is this tragedy happening? Which is of course may be a mystery, because it doesn’t make sense. Why do so many youngsters kill themselves? So I was trying to figure out how can this happen? And how can it keep on going?

LD: Was Hannah’s character influenced by a particular story that you found there?
JR: Not particular, but I wrote the whole script through all the characters that I met there. Many of them. And I mixed them into, you know, one character. So you couldn’t do like a one-to-one, ‘oh this is that character’, because I would never be able to do that. Because that would be morally incorrect. So I built it on the reality I met but also making it a fiction which was important to me. Because it cannot be too close to the real people living there…

LD: How did you find filming in the actual location?
JR: Actually to film on the location was very important to me. Because you feel the presence of what is there. The geography is specific. There’s a fog coming, you know every day it rains a lot. And it can feel depressing. And at the same time it is extremely beautiful. And it was easy for me to get the actors into this state of mind that I wanted them to be in.

LD: How much preparation went into your work with the DP to get this very ominous atmosphere?
JR: Of course we wanted to push forward a feeling of something that would be this collective subconsciousness. Something that’s within us that’s a darkness. So we wanted to put that also into the shot.

LD: What would you want audiences to take away from the ending of the film?
JR: I hope that they will take away from the ending that this is something that is beyond understanding of who we are as human beings. That there’s something in us that we don’t know what it is…that if we do look into it carefully, then we can maybe choose one or the other. Because it is an open ending.

LD: Is this still going on? All the suicide statistics associated with the town seem to come from 2007 and 2012.
JR: Because that’s the only figures that you can find officially. But unfortunately yes, it is still happening. From what I heard and no one really knows, but the media was shut down in 2010. So it’s difficult to say, but you would have to ask the authorities there.

 

Hannah Murray, who currently plays Gilly on “Game of Thrones” had a breakout role in the UK teen TV drama “Skins” but saw the role of Sarah as a wholly different teen.

LD: What was your initial reaction to the script?
Hannah Murray: I’d never done something that was based on you know, based loosely on true events. I felt a huge sense of responsibility and I didn’t really want to get involved unless I thought things were going to be done sensitivly and respectfully. And when I had been offered the part I had a meeting with Jeppe to ask him why he wanted to make this film because I was worried about someone, I don’t know, wanting to do it in a kind of half-hearted way or taking advantage. So when I understood how long he’d taken to research it and how dedicated he was to the subject matter, and how involved he’d become with the community, I thought ‘Oh, you’re going to do this right and you’re going to do this honestly and bravely and compassionately.’ So that made me decide that it was something that it was worth jumping into.

LD: How was it shooting in that location?
HM: I don’t think we could have made the movie anywhere else. When you go there, you feel something very unique about that place and it’s beautiful. It’s incredibly beautiful but in a very bleak way. And there’s something kind of almost mystical and strange about it. I loved being there but it was, yeah you do feel a sort of sense of darkness in the air. Maybe that was because of the story we were telling though, I’m sure.

LD: You have this background coming from “Skins” of acting in the midst of a bunch of wild teens, did you feel a little like you were tapping into that again?
HM: I mean I feel like they’re incredibly different projects in sort of every way. Skins shows a dark side of teenage life but it also shows an incredibly fun and comedic side of teenage life. And in this, I mean, one of my friends saw this movie and described it as a gangster movie. Which I think is a really really interesting way of looking at it. And I think there’s a kind of, there’s a level of tribalism in this world that is so much more severe than anything that related to my teen experience. Whereas “Skins” I could kind of go like ‘Oh yeah, it was fun, we went to parties.” It was very different.

LD: How was it different on set with between the days you had you just acting with the pack of young actors versus the more intimate, intense scenes of just your character and her father?
HM: I mean that was one of the most amazing things about the project was all the different people I was working with were so different in terms of experience they’d had and the types of things they’d brought to these characters. So yeah, I remember every day we had the gang there it was just like this injection of energy and they were so exciting and would throw all these amazing lines that they’d improvised…And they would talk a thousand words a minute. And when I was working with Steve [Waddington] I felt like a child and when I was working with the kids I felt more like an adult because I felt sort of more responsible for them. And then I also had the love story with Josh O’Connor, which was a whole other element to play out…but I love everyone who worked on the film. It was such an amazing group of people.

LD: Finally, congratulations of continuing with Game of Thrones–especially this season’s opener being their highest rated–
HM: Oh was it?
LD: Apparently
HM: Oh that’s great!

LD: Why do you think the audience just keeps growing for it?
HM: I think it’s a REALLY good TV show. I think people put an incredible amount of hard work into it. The production values are really high and I just think David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss] and George [RR Martin] are geniuses. I just think they’re so smart…And George created this amazing world in the books and these incredible characters and then the way David and Dan have adapted it is beyond. I think they’re so so smart.

LD: And how many times a day does Kit Harrington have to hear he knows nothing?
HM: He gets told quite a few times. Not by our crew, but I’ve seen people come up to him in the street and that’s allllways the thing they want to say to him.

LD: How about you, do you get fan recognition out and about?
HM: Um, a bit. Less so than I think some of the others. I think because I’m–well, now I have red hair, but I’m normally blond in real life whereas I have dark hair in the show so I can kind of be a little bit more under the radar. But I still, I’m surprised how many people still spot me. I think because there are so many fans of the show.

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Enjoy the “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb Game”! Available now

To celebrate the release of “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb Game” next week, we wanted to share you with a fun digital game called “Knight Flight”. The object of the game is to help Larry collect as many artifacts as you can find while racing through the staircase maze.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings back to life your favorite museum heroes in NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB available on Blu-ray™ and DVD March 10. Families around the globe have come out to see the hysterical third and final installment in the franchise, which has grossed more than a billion dollars. Now, parents and kids can not only enjoy the best ‘Night’ ever, but also get their hands on a bonus Digital HD movie: their choice of either Night at the Museum or Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.

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Film Review “The Imitation Game”


Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley and Matthew Goode
Directed by: Morton Tyldum
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hr 54 mins
The Weinstein Company

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

1951. A note is passed to a man behind a desk. “Alan Turing has been robbed,” it reads. Moments later, a couple of London’s finest enter the premises to find Mr. Turing (Cumberbatch) cleaning up. He is very curt with them, assures them nothing has been stolen and asks them to leave. Curious, one of the detectives (Rory Kinnear) begins to investigate Turing. The secret he uncovers is nothing compared to the one Turing has kept for a decade!

The second of two World War II films to open today, “The Imitation Game” is one of those great thrillers where, even though you know the outcome, you’re still on the edge of your seat. A brilliant mathematician, Turing is recruited by England’s MI6 – in a funny exchange, it is pointed out that England only has FIVE levels of Military Intelligence. The reply – “Exactly.” He and a group of code breakers are charged with cracking the ENIGMA machine, the device with which the Nazis send out their orders. A series of letters that creates a code, with the meaning of those letters changing every day, the ENIGMA machine is the deadliest weapon the Nazis have. With a possibility of 159,000,000,000,000,000,000 (that’s 159 million-million-million) settings, the Allies have been working around the clock trying to solve the code. Unfortunately, once midnight comes, they have to start over. The machine has been re-set and the previous day’s work is now worthless. Turing begins to devise a machine that he feels will not only know each day’s setting but progress further. The first digital computer.

As Turing, Benedict Cumberbatch gives a performance sure to be remembered come Oscar nomination time. Cumberbatch manages to make the seemingly unlikable man endearing. If I were to make a modern day reference, I would compare him to Sheldon, the character Jim Parsons plays on “The Big Bang Theory.” Humor and sarcasm are often lost on him but, as the smartest guy in the room (and one who knows he is) it really doesn’t matter. Turing is also gay, a choice that could land you in prison in the 1940s. Smarmy and secretly gay does not make a fun guy to hang out with. Through flashbacks (and flash-forwards) we learn the life lessons that have made Turing the way he is. Cumberbatch is assisted by his supporting cast, most notably Knightley as a female code breaker, Goode and Alan Leach as members of Turing’s team, Charles Dance as the man in charge of Turing’s project and Mark Strong as the head of MI6.

The direction is tight, keeping the story moving smoothly while constantly building on the suspense. Will Turing’s machine work? And if so, when? Half the fun in waiting is spending time with this incredible film. Sometimes the best things are worth waiting for.

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Nintendo 3DS Video Game Review “Big Hero 6: Battle in the Bay”

Release Date: October 23, 2014
E10+ for Everyone 10 and older: Cartoon Violence
Genre: Platformer
Publisher: Game Mill Entertainment
Developer: 1st Playable Productions

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

Right from the start, “Big Hero 6: Battle in the Bay” was off to a bad start. I thought there was something wrong with my 3DS and it turned out the game isn’t presented with 3D effects. I mean come on, there are indie games that are coming out in 3D and a big game like “Big Hero 6” is not. Very disappointing. The game difficulty is extremely easy. The bad guys are no challenge at all, in fact I beat the first boss while checking my email on my phone. You play as each of the five main characters mixed up throughout the game’s 20 levels, which will take the average gamer about an hour or two to beat. The other main issue is that Baymax, who is the best character in the movie is merely background noise. Big miss here for sure.

Official Premise: Following on the heels of their super hero debut, the Big Hero 6 team has targeted a dangerous gangster named Yama and his legion of out of control fighting robots! Take control of the stars of the film in this action packed combat platformer! Send robot’s flying across the screen as Hiro with his electro-mag gauntlets! Zoom through levels at top speed as Go ! Slice and dice as Wasabi with his plasma blades! Smash and burn as Fred in his Kaiju monster super suit!

“Big Hero 6: Battle in the Bay” features no spoken dialogue or cut scenes at all along with bland and repetitive sound design. One thing this game does have though to add slightly more game play instead of jump flying through each level is that there is some in-game collectibles. You can collect various hidden items in each level including a cat, a plus symbol consisting of five cubes and the word HERO spelled out. Finding these items will provide health upgrades as well as trophies, art work and more. Unless you are completely obsessed with “Big Hero 6” and need to have everything from the movie, this is a definite pass.

 

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XBOX 360 Video Game Review “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved”

Platform: XBOX 360
Developer: Harmonix
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
Rating: E+10
Release date: October 21, 2014

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

It has been a few years since I have played games like “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero”, but when those games were big, I used to be mega huge into those games. We had a band and competed online. It was a blast. Those games seemed to have tapered off in the last few years…until now (sort of). “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved” is the latest game from Harmonix, the team behind games like “Rock Band”. This game is an XBOX One and XBOX 360 exclusive game. The game is totally hands free and uses the KINECT in order to control. The game itself is quite unique. Your hands are the instruments. I think that is pretty rad, this game would have a perfect score except the choice of the songs are a disappointment since they filled with trendy hits and no classics. Still a fun time and a great pleaser during parties.

Official Premise: Players enter the magical realm of Fantasia selected by the legendary sorcerer Yen Sid to hone their musical and magical prowess as his new apprentice. Perform to hit songs by using natural gesture-based motion gameplay. Tracks from Bruno Mars Queen Fun. Kimbra and AVICII and other top artists. Transform and remix music via magical manipulators in real-time like never before. Explore breathtaking environments with a motion controlled “muse”. Discover worlds filled with hidden musical interactions designed to engage players and encourage creativity.

While you are playing a song, you have two basic ways of interacting either swiping and punching. You are scored in points based on the accuracy of your movement. While playing you collect magical energy, which is used to unlock items to use throughout the game. I was certain quite exhausted after a few go-rounds at this game but it is quite fun. If you are used to the the regular rhythm-action games, this is a whole new experience. The music is blended well with the animation.

Here is the full tracklist included at launch for “Fantasia: Music Evolved”: Dvořák – “Symphony No. 9 from the New World”; Vivaldi – “The Four Seasons: Winter, 1st Movement”; Avicii– “Levels”; J.S. Bach – “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor”; Bruno Mars – “Locked Out of Heaven”; Cee Lo Green – “Forget You”; David Bowie – “Ziggy Stardust”; Depeche Mode – “Enjoy the Silence”; Drake – “Take Care” (ft. Rihanna); Elton John – “Rocket Man”; The Flaming Lips “Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Pt. 1”; Fun. – “Some Nights”; Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”; Imagine Dragons “Radioactive”; Inon Zur – “Scout’s Theme” (ft. Lindsey Stirling);
Jimi Hendrix “Fire”; Kimbra – “Settle Down”…

…whew! [deep breath] Lady Gaga “Applause”; Liszt “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2”; Lorde – “Royals”; M.I.A. – “Galang”; Missy Elliot “Get Ur Freak On”; Mussorgsky – “Night on Bald Mountain”; New Order – “Blue Monday”; Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass”; Peter Gabriel – “In Your Eyes”; Police – “Message in a Bottle”; Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”; Tchaikovsky – “The Nutcracker Medley”; The Who – “The Real Me”; The White Stripes – “Seven Nation Army” and Mozart – “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”

If this game is anything like “Rock Band”, Harmonix is going to expanding upon these track list probably weekly most likely. I hope that they steer away from the trendy pop hits and get some real good songs in the mix. I can easily see myself revisiting this day often. It is a fun way to just let loose and just a really cool idea to be able to control the music with your hands. You always looks at a conductor in a band and think “Wow, he is running the show here”. Well with “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved”, you are the conductor.

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Playstation 4 Video Game Review “Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes – 2.0 Edition”

Platform: Playstation 4
Developer: Avalanche Software
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
Release date: September 23, 2014
Rating: Everyone 10+

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Disney Infinity” is back and better for its second edition called “Marvel Super Heroes”. Superheroes have never been bigger and this latest 2.0 edition features 16 Marvel figurines and 40 power discs (82 in total to be released in future wave), so there’s no shortage of options at all. After playing the original “Disney Infinity”, I found myself picking it apart quite a bit. This game really improves on the first games issues and delivers a mush more fun and content filled game. It is still not perfect but it is a blast to play and I have a feeling I will be playing this for many months to come.

“Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes” is split up into different two game modes much like the original. There is the Playset mode and Toybox mode. In the playset mode, you can transport into the world of one of the hit franchises from the game and generally run anywhere between 6–10 hours in length, so they are no incredible long but do back some great content. The Toybox mode still allows players to create their own games and worlds, using items unlocked in Playset mode.

When it comes to figures, we get the following three franchises covered to start including “The Avengers”, “Spider-Man” and “Guardians of the Galaxy”. In the Starter Pack, we get Iron Man, Black Widow and Thor. Captain America, Hawkeye and Hulk are available in single character packs and complete the roster for “The Avengers”. I cannot wait for Wave 2 to come for this franchise since Loki and Falcon have been confirmed!

Next up is “Spider-Man”, only with the web slinger himself, we also have Nova, who is included in the play set. Venom, Iron Fist and Nick Fury are available as single character packs. I am a bit taken back that Nick Fury is seated with Spider-Man. I am sure some young kids aren’t going to make the connection just yet since he is primarily seen with “The Avengers” in the film and TV series.

Lastly and easily my favorite film of the year, we have Guardians of the Galaxy. Included in the playset is Star-Lord and Gamora, while Drax, Groot and Rocket Raccoon are available in single character packs. Future wave 2 release for this series include Ronan and Yondu, so there is plenty of growth and expansion available here as well.

Unlike the first game, you are only able to play specific characters in specific playsets. This new edition allows you to collected “Cross Over Tokens” scattered throughout levels in order to bring character like Nova, Iron Man, Rocket Raccoon and Hulk into more than one playset. This gives the game and entirely new dynamic and I really enjoyed it.

These new figures are really a big improvement over the first game. I really enjoyed the “Guardians of the Galaxy” characters. The abilities were great and really run to play with. My real surprise honestly has to be Nova from “Spider-Man” play set. I really enjoyed him as well. With “The Avengers” each of them are equally amazing. Hulk has a great special move. Iron Man can sort of glide. Captain America has his shield to through around. There are 16 characters and I spent a lot of time just fighting with myself to figure out who I should try first.

Since there are 40 power discs in wave one, I will highly a few of my favorite. S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier Strike is a great ability. Infinity Gauntlet is a rare and very powerful disc. If you are an “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” fan, getting to ride in Lola is a blast. There is also Ability discs that allow Team Up with characters like YOndu, Winter Soldier and Ant-Man. In the toy box, the customization for “Guardians of the Galaxy” is pretty cool with Groot’s View and Groot’s Roots.

Also a very cool expansion feature is that you are able to take all of your original Disney Infinity figures and power discs and they can still be used in the Disney Infinity (2.0 Edition) toy box. You cannot use original play sets though with the 2.0 gam though. This adds a lot more ability to play with this new game and to have original Disney Infinity characters meeting 2.0 edition characters.

The control are a bit tighter in this new edition. I felt that the driving in the first game was absolutely horridenous and this time around it is much smoother. The violence is not too bad but I am honestly not a fan of the ability to turn on civilians in the game. You are able to drive down the street and literally plow down people. I am sorry but this isn’t “Grand Theft Auto”. There isn’t any blood or anything, so it doesn’t seem that bad but still could have been tamed a bit and feels very unnecessary.

November 4th brings us a new wave of Disney Original figures for use in the Toy Box. Included characters in the first batch are Donald Duck, Aladdin, Jasmine, Tinker Bell, Stitch, Hiro Hamada & Baymax from Big Hero 6, Merida and Maleficent. I can’t wait to check these characters out. Hopefully in the the next edition of “Disney Infinity” isn’t to far, far away 😉 Fingers crossed Disney! Cross over to the Dark Side!

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Playstation 4 Game Review “Alien: Isolation – Nostromo Edition”

Publisher: SEGA
Developer: The Creative Assembly
Rated: Mature
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Platform: PlayStation 4

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

I am always a sucker for anything spawning out of the “Alien” franchise. “Alien: Isolation” promised to be the best of the recent attempts at a good game in the series. The game puts you in the in control of Amanda Ripley, the daughter of Ellen Ripley, as she searched for her mother. The story takes place 15 years after the events of the first movie and another 42 before she is found in the sequel. What I liked about this game the most is that there is only one Xenomorph that hunts you down. Now even though it is just one doesn’t mean that she is not still one tough bitch. I think literally, I died about 25 times in the first 5 minutes of playing this game. This is it horror fans, if you are looking for a great “Alien” video game adaption, look no further.

Official Premise: “Alien: Isolation” is a first-person survival horror game which captures the fear and tension evoked by Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic film. Players find themselves in an atmosphere of constant dread and mortal danger as an unpredictable, ruthless Xenomorph is stalking and killing deep in the shadows. Underpowered and underprepared, you must scavenge resources, improvise solutions and use your wits, not just to succeed in your mission, but to simply stay alive.

The game play itself is quite impressive. The campaign itself runs a very solid 15 hours, so there is plenty of content included in the primary compaign. There are at least five to seven additional missions planned to be released from now till 2015. So even if you beat the game already, there will be some great new content available to fans. If you are a horror fan, then most importantly, you will be happy that this game definitely scared the shit out of me. There is some great sound design in this game and it really created some great tension when playing, which lead to a few solid jumps as well throughout. The design of the game just looks stunning on the PlayStation 4.

I know there are tons of scary games out there like “F.E.A.R”, “Dead Space” and “Resident Evil” but this game definitely had you pausing and running for a quick change of underwear. What I loved about the Xenomorph is that it is very effective based on your moves and your actions, it responds to you and you need to be able to act very very fast or get ready to start the mission over.  Sega really did a great job here. There are a few small issues like the story is a little light and some of the missions get a bit repetitive but it gets quickly overlooked in my eyes when you find yourself hiding in a locker waiting for the Xenomorph to pass you and hopefully not find you. You better cut your nails before you play because this is a real nail-bitter.

Now if you are excited to get to play a Ripley’s daughter, you are going to love the two bonus missions that were included with pre-ordering the game. In this “Nostromo Edition” of the game it contains the“Crew Expendable” expansion pack, which features the voices and likenesses of movie’s stars like Sigourney Weaver and Tom Skerritt. It allows you to play as either Dallas, Parker or Ellen Ripley from the original film as they try and get rid of the Alien. There is also a second expansion called “Last Survivor”, which was included in “The Ripley Edition” of the game, which again allows you to take control of Ellen Ripley, as she is the last person alive on the Nostromo. There are still a bunch more expansions planned for this game, so stay tuned because the fun (if you call getting the shit scared out of you fun) to be had.

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Board Game Review “Monopoly: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Edition”

I have been playing Monopoly as long as I can remember but I guess I can say that I have never actually played Monopoly till I played “Monopoly: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Edition”. Even though this is not the 80’s cartoon that I grew up with, I still love it and if you are a fan of the current Nickelodeon cartoon you are going to love it also. If you are a hardcore fan of the 80’s cartoon and not a huge fan of the new series, don’t worry because there is a Monopoly edition coming out in November for that as well.

In this edition you have the ability to take over New York City and take off featured 22 locations found in current TV series like Donnie’s Workshop & Lab (Replacing Boardwalk and Park Place), Rock Bottom Boxing Club, Antonio’s Pizza-Rama, Kraang’s Lair, Shredder’s Hideout and Splinter’s Dojo. Instead of only traveling by trains in the original game, here you can travel in high tech turtle mobiles like the Patrol Buggy, Foot Clan Bike, Stealth Cycle, and ShellRaiser from the series.

There are six new collectible tokens included. Of course, you get the choice to either play for the side of good or the side of evil (or even Pizza). The tokens included are Kraang, Spike, Throwing Star, Mutagen, Shredder’s Mask, and of course PIZZA. The classic Chance and Community Chest cards are translated into Allies and Enemies cards.  This edition features  not money but Turtles cash featuring your favorite characters: $1.00 Shredder, $5.00 Raph, $10.00 Leo, $20.00 Mikey, $50.00 Donnie, $100.00 April, and $500.00 Splinter.

I was a little taken back that you couldn’t necessarily play with a token as each of your favorite turtles but I commend the brave choice to shake things up and be a little brave. If you are a turtle fan, you will no question find this game especially fun and creative. I look forward to sharing this game with my daughter as she grows up. She is two years old and already a huge fan of TMNT, so this will be popular game for sure in our house (or at least until the 80’s cartoon version comes out).

 

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Product Review “Disney Pop-Up Magic Frozen Game”

Since “Frozen” was released last November in theaters, it has flown out of the theaters and take over ever market in the world. “Disney Pop-Up Magic Frozen Game” is the latest game featuring the hit film from Hasbro Gaming. There is nothing special about the game but it is quite fun. It is also very easy for young kids. I have a two year old daughter and she is easily about to play. You have a got a spinner, you move spaces on a board and there is a side game of memory as a bonus. The game board is very “pretty” (in the words of my daughter) with with a pop-up ice palace right in the center.

You can play as Anna, Elsa or Olaf. The little pieces are cute as well. They are fairly detailed and I have a feeling might end up being played it outside of the game as well. Plus with this game you can expand the fun! You can connect the game board to other Pop-Up Magic games (sold separately) to create a longer path to follow. It is actually really cool because you can merge your favorite character with your other favorite Disney characters to create some exciting adventures. So this is a really great feature for a game that is already very reasonable priced. This is a going to be a weekly must play for our family!

 

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Enter to Win a Blu-ray for “Heavenly Sword”, based on Playstation video game series [ENDED]

To celebrate the release of the movie “Heavenly Sword”, based on the Playstation video game series, Media Mikes is excited to giveaway one (1) copy of the film on Blu-ray to our readers. If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of this prize, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite character from the series. This giveaway will remain open until September 26th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to all of our Media Mikes readers worldwide. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

Nariko’s clan has long protected the “Heavenly Sword,” a god’s blade of immense power that drains its wielder of their life force. A power-hungry ruler known as the evil King Bohan seeks to obtain the sword to gain its devastating power. As the impending apocalypse nears, it remains to be seen how long Nariko can resist the sword’s deadly curse.

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Playstation 4 Video Game Review “Destiny”

Format: Playstation 4
Developer: Bungie
Publisher: Activision
Rated: Teen
Release Date: September 9, 2014

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Let me start by pointing out that I am casual gamer. If you are looking for a super in depth review for hardcore gamers, I would suggest heading over to IGN or sites like that. I have been tracking “Destiny” since it was announced and I participated in both the games Alpha and Beta stages over the last few months. This is in no way a complete review, I would consider it a first impression. Since I have played the game in both Alpha and Beta, I already had a decent knowledge of the game by the time it was finally released. Since the final game was released, I have probably put in about 5-7 hours into this. I would like to go over some the games key features along with my reactions and observations so far. Let’s start with the fact that if you love Bungie’s past games like “Halo”, I feel pretty confident saying that you will love this.

The real bulk of “Destiny”, like the “Halo” games, definitely is going to come from the multiplayer game play. If you are into multiplayer games, then this game is pretty awesome for you. I enjoyed what I played so far in the solo campaign, but I just wasn’t really blown away. The story is mediocre and didn’t really pull me in. The visuals are decent but again nothing outstanding. Honestly, I know the game costed $500 million to make and I just expected more of a “wow factor” from that price. To me it looks like a high-def version of any one of the “Halo” games. Like I said though, I still enjoyed it and I am sure that I am going to get a lot of play in the multiplayer setting. A note that you should know that this game does require a crap load of hard drive space in order to play as well as either a premium XBOX Live Gold or in my case PSN membership.

Some times the load screens are pretty brutal but to their credit, they are some really big locations. But that is actually easily fixed (or maybe fixed already by the time I am writing this) with a patch. That is one thing that is good about this game is that the fans are definitely going to be very vocal and Bungie will be listening as well and fixing what they can pretty quick I am sure. This is their baby and they will be nurturing for quite a while. I read that Bungie has big plans for “Destiny” like plans for a new game every other year with an expansion in-between.  Also a new trend is video games is including big names celebs. Kevin Spacey did it with “Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare”. This game has Bill Nighy and Peter Dinklage, so that is definitely a notch on the win side for me!

Here is the basic jist of the game “In Destiny you are a Guardian of the last city on Earth, able to wield incredible power. Explore the ancient ruins of our solar system, from the red dunes of Mars to the lush jungles of Venus. Defeat Earth’s enemies. Reclaim all that we have lost. Become legend.” You have to create your character, which is quite fun then kick some ass and along the way power-up with unique and customizable weapons, gear, and vehicles. There are tons of personalization to be had here. You can then also take your character throughout every mode in the game campaign, multiplayer etc.

There are three different classes of Guardians to choose from. First is Hunter, which is Master of the Frontier. They are known for being quick with a gun and deadly with a blade, as well as cunning and ruthless. Next is Titan, known as Armored Engine of War. They have lightning-charged fists, while their armor and shields make them nearly invincible. Last is Warlock aka Wielder of Arcane Power, who know how to weaponize their curiosity and harness the Traveler’s light in patterns never before imagined and since are capable of incredible acts of devastation. I am sure they will have more classes in future updates.

There are five different game modes to enjoy throughout the game. The first is Crucible mode, which is a very competitive multiplayer, where you can earn you rewards and bragging rights. Explore mode is an on-demand adventure, where you can revisit the worlds to seek out valuable resources in order to upgrade your weapons and gear. Of course there is the Story mode, which is the basic campaign that follows the cinematic story. Strike mode is a cooperative multiplayer, where you can form a Fireteam and kick some ass. Lastly, Tower mode, is a third person social space where you can regroup, rearm, and form new alliances. These modes are explored on four locations including Earth, Mars, Moon and Venus.

Lastly, if you are smart enough to get this game on Playstation 4, you are in luck since we can exclusive content only for PlayStation 4 owners called the Ultimate Destiny Experience. This included the following: Exodus Blue Competitive Multiplayer Map, Dust Palace Strike. There are two new weapons included: Monte Carlo and Hawkmoon. There are three super cool new ships including the Aurora Wake, Outrageous Fortune and Crypt Hammer. Lastly there are three gear sets including Maniford, Argus and Vanir. This is “exclusive” supposedly till Fall 2015 but still a year before anyone else. If you are playing this game too let me know what you think and definitely shoot me your tags, so we can join up in game as well for a multiplayer jam session.

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Nintendo 3DS Video Game Review “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”

Publisher: Activision
Developer: Magic Pockets
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Rated: Everyone 10+
Release Date: August 5th, 2014

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I have been a Turtle fan for 30 years now. I have grow up with them and now my daughter is growing up with them. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is third Activision game for the franchise and is a tie-in based around the new 2014 reboot, which is dominating theaters. The first game was based on the new Nick 2012 cartoon, it was not terrible but not amazing either. The second was called “Out of the Shadows”, which is a little better but this is easily the best of the bunch. Understand that it is still a movie tie-in game on a handheld device, but it is still fun to play and has good reply value.

Official Premise: They were born in shadow. They live in shadow. And they fight in shadow. New York City’s crime rates are still on the rise and the city’s civilians are trembling in fear! Baxter is formulating an evil plan and this time he has both mutants and robots at his disposal. Join the local brethren of vigilantes who need to rally together to put a stop to this evil once and for all! It’s team TMNT, Splinter and April O’Neil in the fight against the worst evil to face the beloved NYC in this adrenaline-pumping story!

Before we get into the game, let’s get this out of the way that these turtles DO NOT JUMP! This is a quite a bummer, especially if you grew up like myself playing the arcade game. The game still had a lot going for it though don’t worry. You are able to play as all four turtles, switching as you please throughout each level. Each character has their own special abilities and contribution to the gameplay. For example, Donatello has a longer reach for wide attacks and Michelangelo is very fast.

A reason why I really enjoyed did was that doesn’t the character’s abilities you are also able to earn XP and level up each of your characters skills, weapons etc. The 3D on the game is actually a must as well. I played without it, I honestly didn’t enough it as much. If you are looking for more after this, don’t worry Turtle fans because Nickelodeon is hooking us with “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger of the OOZE” coming right around the corner on Nov 11, 2014. So more is just around the corner.

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Playstation 4 Video Game Review “Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition”

Platform: Playstation 4
Edition: Standard
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Rated: Mature
Release Date: January 28, 2014

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Going back to a few years ago, I saw that another “Tomb Raider” was coming out and I definitely rolled my eyes a little. This series was definitely lost its appeal for me and probably many others as well. Well then this amazing new cinematic reboot adventure was released and Lara Croft’s status of queen of video games was rightfully restored. I mean this game was such an improvement over the last in the series and just blew me away. So I thought to myself when I saw about the “Definitive Edition” being released, if it was really going to be worth the upgrade from PS3 to PS4…well, holy cow it feels and looks like a whole new game!

Official Premise: The cinematic action-adventure that forced Lara Croft to grow from an inexperienced young woman into a hardened survivor has been re-built, featuring an obsessively detailed Lara and a stunningly lifelike world. To survive her first adventure and uncover the island’s deadly secret, Lara must endure high-octane combat, customize her weapons and gear, and overcome grueling environments.

First of all, with PS4 you are talking about the game displaying in 1080p Blu ray quality. The game itself isn’t just much crisper looking, the entire game was basically re-engineered with more powerful physics and lighting engines. The visual detail is actually mind-blowing. When I was playing this game on PS3, I thought it looked fantastic. But now going back to PS3, it notice so many difference that I am just more and more impressive with the next-gen version. This game is just beautiful and have never looked better…even on PC.

One of the aspects that really blew me away was the fact that the head and face of Lara Croft were completely rebuilt. It looks like two different people now. The skin is so much more realistic and vibrant. Even to the point that when it gets hot in the environment, Lara sweats. I mean that is just outstanding to me. There is just this overall important in the richness of the colors. I did not think at all that this game could improve as much as a it did. Plus the Definitive Edition allows voice and gesture control (if you have the camera add-on). You can ask for map or name a weapon to equip.

The Definitive Edition also includes all the released DLC for this game like the Tomb of the Lost Adventurer, six outfits for Lara, a digital mini art book, and the digital comic “The Beginning, weapon attachments, multiplayer maps etc. The multiplayer still isn’t super impressive but either way I am more concerned about the single player mode for this game. If you have never played this game, where have you been? I highly recommend this game since it is just such an improvement on PS4 and honestly one of the main reasons, I even purchased the system to be honest.

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Nintendo 3DS Video Game Review “How to Train Your Dragon 2: The Video Game”

Format: Nintendo 3DS
Developed by Torus Games
Published by Little Orbit
Rated: E
Release Date: June 10, 2014

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

How you think of the successful film and TV series “How to Train Your Dragon”, you can’t really go wrong. The first film is amazing, the second is even better and the TV series is a great companion.  Unlike all those, “How to Train Your Dragon 2: The Video Game” on Nintendo 3DS is quite underwhelming. In the game you basically choose a dragon and it’s rider from the series, then you fly around Berk racing other dragons, exploring for coins and playing mini-games. After the first hour, it gets quite repetitive. I would recommend sticking to the films and TV series and skip this game.

Official Premise: Take to the skies and return to the epic Viking Isle of Berk Five years later Dragon Racing has become the hot new sport for the Vikings. Hiccup Astrid Snoutlout Tuffnut & Ruffnut and their dragons are competing in fierce flying tournaments to determine the ultimate Dragon Rider. Soar through clouds and discover unmapped territories. Discover a secret ice cavern that is home a mysterious Dragon Rider and find yourself in an epic battle to protect their peaceful homeland.

I know I really should be shocked about this game, since usually all video game adaption of films never pan out. This was made on a tight budget and probably was just an updated version of the last “How to Train Your Dragon” handheld console game. The control are very weak when it comes to flying, which takes forever to figure out and master, but by the time that happens, I was just left wanting to turn this game off and play anything else. If you are a die-hard fan of this series, you could give the WiiU or XBOX 360 version a try…just don’t expect nothing spectacular their either.

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Little Orbit’s “How to Train Your Dragon 2” Video Game Soars Into Stores Today

Dragon Riders Take Flight on the Xbox 360®, Nintendo Wii™, Wii U™, 3DS™ and PlayStation® 3

SANTA ANA, Calif., June 10, 2014 — Little Orbit, a worldwide video game publisher, unveils the   ultimate dragon racing experience with the release of How to Train Your Dragon 2 video games based on Friday’s highly anticipated 3-D animated film from DreamWorks Animation.   Developed by Torus Games, the game is now available on the Xbox 360®, Nintendo Wii™, Wii U™ and PlayStation® 3.

Dragon trainers will put their skills to the test in this high-flying adventure featuring Hiccup and Toothless and other fan favorite dragon and rider teams, high-energy tournaments and all the fire-breathing fun as they explore the dynamic Island of Berk.  Along the way, players will face multiple challenges in this heroic quest as they play their way through an epic world of Dragons and Vikings.

“The How to Train Your Dragon 2  video game is one of the biggest and most exciting launches Little Orbit has ever had, and we are so excited for fans of this beloved franchise to take flight and experience the game,” said Matt Scott, President of Little Orbit.

Eager fans should keep their eye out for Dragon-wrapped Redbox kiosk as How to Train Your Dragon 2 video games “take over” Redbox locations across the country beginning this week!  Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Wii U and PlayStation 3 rentals will be available throughout the summer at most Redbox locations.

DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon 2 is in theaters nationwide in just a few short days on June 13, 2014!

To get the latest news on the How To Train Your Dragon 2 video games and more, follow Little Orbit on Twitter (@littleorbit) or visit the official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LittleOrbitGames

The game is rated E-10 for Everyone 10+ by the ESRB.

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