Are you hungry? then let's check out Diner Dash.

If you like to play casual PC games, then you might have come across this type of game before: these are the restaurant games where you're taking orders in an ever-hectic environment, trying to please as many customers as you can.

It's a very basic game where you have to keep an eye on cues if you want to progress. There's nothing too complex about this game: a child could play it. The complexity comes in getting the customers from the door to their seats, and out of the diner before they get frustrated.

It doesn't take long before you're sweating and panicking as the  line at the door gets longer and you have to move from point to point.

Diner Dash is a good time killer, and that also makes a good demo.

Next is Voodoo Dice

There's dice, and apparently they have been cursed by a magic- or voodoo, if you will.

I cannot be too hard on Voodoo Dice. it looks good, it has an interactive menu and level select, and the game is extremely easy to learn.

Ten minutes into it, though, and I'm a bit annoyed. I think that this game is more for people who love puzzle games above all other genres. The demo is tolerable, but I don't want to flip around a die until I solve a puzzle. Maybe if you catch me on another day, I'd call this a good demo. Whatever Voodoo Dice lacks for me, it makes it a bad demo.

Why am I so mean to Voodoo Dice? At the moment, I need something simple, yet addictive. It probably doesn't get any more addictive than Peggle. Peggle is GREAAAAAAAT!

What's so great about Peggle? Well, for one, it's super simple. All you have to do is shoot a ball in such a way that you hit as many pegs as possible. You have a certain number of chances to hit the orange pegs on each level.

Another thing I love about Peggle is its style. It's wacky, full of anthropomorphic animals, and all of the parts that make up Peggle- the sounds, the effects, the bonuses- come together in what I think is the most addictive puzzle game since Tetris. I need no prompting to dub this a good demo that will probably charm you into buying the full version. I believe it's that good.

The summer's not over, and the demos never are. More to come!

Leave it to the Belgians to create a movie with a random chain of events, ending with one hilarious conclusion. Such is the case of the 2009 animated film A Town Called Panic.

Based on the TV series of the same name the film follows the antics of Cowboy (a cowboy), Indian (an Indian) and Horse (what do you think he could be?) during a special day in their lives. It's Horse's birthday, and Cowboy & Indian decide to give their flatmate/father figure the gift of an outdoor barbecue. Unfortunately when a brick order goes haywire their house gets destroyed, resulting in a rather long series of moments that include sea creatures, travelling to the center of the earth, a giant robotic penguin whose only mission in life is to throw giant snowballs at woodland creatures and farm animals launching themselves into buildings. And that's only a fraction of what viewers are expected to see when watching A Town Called Panic!

Filmed using stop-motion animation -- with characters looking like something you'd by from a mom-and-pop model shop -- directors Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar (who both voiced some of the characters in the film) managed to create a film that looked like a couple of young school children set up a camera and went with their wildest imaginations; it's too late now, though, you can't go doing the same thing and expect to be called "original." The lovable trio travels through many settings ranging from music schools (where donkeys can play John Bonham-like drum solos) to the freezing Arctic filled with barracudas and loony pointy-headed sea monkeys. Yet it all seems to fit into place to create a wonderful movie that anyone can enjoy (permitting that you have kids who don't mind reading subtitles). The added character of Madame Longray (also a horse) as the music teacher brings together a quirky kind of romantic comedy to the show's trademark zany humor. (Seeing Horse and Madame Longray slow dance under a disco ball is a silly sight for viewers to behold.)

Perhaps the one complaint that I have with A Town Called Panic is that sometimes the humor is just too much. While the original episodes lasted around five minutes each the films 74-minute mark leaves no in-between space to catch up on your breathing. Believe me: you'll be laughing harder at this than at any of the recent Aardman movies. While the film is a must-see, I suggest pausing the movie halfway through to give yourselves about 10-15 minutes to let the oxygen back into your brain; you'll thank me later.

**** (out of five)

The anime world is finally showing its big guns this year, thanks in part to the new supernatural series Occult Academy. Somewhere in this country Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell are smiling...

The year is 1999, and the principal of Occult Academy has mysteriously died. Maya, the principal's daughter, arrives at the funeral, which for some reason is being held at the school. During the service a tape of the father's somewhat last will and testament is played, where he decides to recite a spell to bring forth a friendly ghost (whose name may or not be Casper). Unfortunately he reads the wrong spell, and the dead principal's corpse rises and wreaks havoc during the funeral. Maya, who shows her hatred towards all things supernatural, beats the crap out of her father's body (involving a nice decapitation) and things settle down at the school...until a strange naked guy falls from the sky in front of our protagonist's eyes.

Occult Academy is to horror the same way Evil Dead or Ghostbusters is, where the frights bring forth more laughs than screams. Adding an anti-occult person like Maya also has it pros, and it gives our protagonist that sort of Ash-like charm to what she does. She wants to destroy the school more than save it, and if the demons have their way her wish could easily be granted; but, alas, she can't help but try to be the hero and rescue the other students. The other students also try their hand at beating the demons, which -- in one scenario -- lead to one student beating the living shit out of his possessed friend. (Trust me: you'll laugh the hardest during this sequence.) The animation is fantastic, and the scenes involving the demons is stand-out, with the blood, slime and other goo pouring out with grotesque greatness.

The first episode is available to watch now on Crunchyroll, and for those that are a fan of Sam Raimi's older works I would highly recommend watching Occult Academy, like, now!

***** (out of five)

When a series features the biggest asshole of a Santa Claus in the first episode, viewers will know that they are in for a big treat. Such is the case of Hayate the Combat Butler, a real comedy pearl if there ever was one.

Based on the manga by Kenjiro Hata the series stars Hayate Ayasaki (Ryoko Shiraishi), a boy whose parents decided to borrow money from the yakuza, and leave the 157 million yen debt on Hayate. Panicking he runs away, and in the cold, snowy weather Hayate runs into a rich girl named Nagi Sanzen’in (Rie Kugimiya). After hearing from both sides of his conscience, Hayate decides to listen to his good side and kidnap the girl. (There’s no misprint there: the angel tells Hayate to do the evil deed while the demon tries to talk him out of it.) However when he tells the girl what he wants to do to her, Nagi mistakens his kidnapping ploy for a love confession. As Hayate is about to call Nagi’s parents, two men come around and abduct Nagi. Panicking Hayate borrows a passing girl’s bicycle and pedals to Nagi’s rescue. The passing girl is revealed to be Maria (Rie Tanaka), the Sanzen’in family maid.

After he saves her Nagi hires Hayate as her new butler, and the real adventures begin. Viewers are introduced to Tama (Jurota Kosugi), the white tiger that only talks to Hayate and has a license in real estate and building management (though he doesn’t really use these talents at all); Hinagiku (Shizuka Ito), the student council president who is a mean fighter but afraid of heights; Sakuya (Kana Ueda) the failed comedienne; and Isumi (Miyu Matsuki) the stubborn young girl who always loses her way, no matter how many times she’s been on the same path. There are also various other characters, as well, but no one shines as bright as the Narrator (sometimes referred to as “The Voice in the Heavens”), played by Norio Wakamoto. In Hayate he gets himself into various verbal fights with the on-screen characters, and mocks them heavily throughout the series. (It’s very similar to the narrator from the 1997 George of the Jungle movie; that is if anyone else remembers that film.) Throughout the show Hayate must battle with robots, strange creatures, schoolwork and friends who want to dress him in women’s clothing (don’t ask!); and at the same time make sure the house is tidy for Nagi to live and be happy in.

The humor in this show is perhaps some of the best-written work in anime history.  The one-liners and punchlines -- along with the physical humor -- will have audience members rolling on the floor laughing their heads off. It also takes the fourth wall and drops an atom bomb on top of it. (i.e.: In Episode 8, Hayate beats Maria in a game of pool, and now must do whatever he asks.  “Okay, I’ll ask for something on the borderline, considering the kids in the audience,” Hayate replies.) Hayate and the rest of the gang know they’re on a TV show, and that’s what makes the series fun. On top of that it has enough sweetness to leave viewers with a relaxed smile, instead of one that hurts from all the hilarity. Its non-sequitur style and off-the-wall zaniness puts it high above any other anime comedy of recent memory, and can easily sit beside some of the best British sitcoms of all-time. That’s right: Hayate the Combat Butler is Japan’s most successful attempt at making a British comedy.

Unfortunately Bandai Entertainment is not releasing it in the way a comedy like this deserves. Each one of the volumes only features seven episodes and both Japanese censored and uncensored tracks, all for the “low” price of $40 each. It’s a release like this that greatly dishonors a fantastic series such as Hayate the Combat Butler. (Granted, there is the argument that in Japan DVDs with only two episodes each cost a whopping $70, but even still this and that are both forms of highway robbery.) There isn’t even the Animax English dub included, and from press and reviews it is said to be very decent.

If one were the wisest they should wait for a lower-priced DVD box set of the series, but if one can’t wait to own such a great anime then buying it won’t bring any sort of disappointment episode-wise. Still more should’ve been added to give Hayate the Combat Butler its proper dues.

***** (out of five) [actual series],  * ½ (out of five) [DVD extras]

It's been a long time since I watched an anime series that wasn't just good, but a thrill to watch. The vast amounts of moé-laden anime series has just about made me give up on the Japanese TV animation scene. Fortunately a light at the end of the tunnel has appeared, in the form of Durarara!!

Durarara!! follows the exploits of a number of people from the Ikebukuro section of Tokyo. We have Mikado Ryūgamine, a country boy who moves to Tokyo to go to high school with his best friend Masaomi Kida. On his first day he learns of the dos and don'ts of the Ikebukuro, but mostly is educated on who not to screw with. Around the town Mikado meets up with Masaomi's friends, including the Afro-Russian Simon Brezhnev; a man who can lift his own size with one arm. (He's a nice guy, but near the top of the "don't fuck with" list!) Mikado also learns of two things about the town. One is of the Dollars gang, a group of people that the town fears. The other is of the Headless Rider, who is a vigilante of sorts within the Ikebukuro area. These and other folks (including an ass-whooping waiter and the main antagonist Izaya) make up the series' main focal points.

The animation was done by Brain's Base, who was responsible for Baccano! and the second season of Spice & Wolf. The animators had a tough task, considering that Durarara!! is based on a light-novel series rather than a manga, but their staff managed to do an amazing job with capturing the sights and sounds of the Ikebukuro area. To top it off the character designs are alive and vibrant, and their personalities seem to jump off the screen. Of course, we can't forget to talk about the action sequences, which will leave viewers clamoring for more. The scenes involving the Headless Rider alone will make you want to sit down and marathon the series no problem. (It also helps that the voice acting is also well-done, especially from Mamoru Miyamo's Masaomi and Takaya Kuroda's Simon.)

Know this review is short, but trust me on this: Durarara!! is one fun anime to view. If you want further proof go to their Crunchyroll site and try to watch only one episode. You'll probably find yourself watching all the current episodes and enjoying every minute of them.

***** (out of five)

It's wet. Dark and wet. The kind of weather that penetrates. Makes your skin feel itchy and oily. Dirty kinda, but real, too. That's good. It's time for Cheers. Sam and Diane. Norm Peterson and the Coach. And then after he died, Woody. I don't have a TV now, but that's okay. The shows in my mind are almost always better.

These were the first words spoken by our hero in the MTV series The Maxx, based on the comic book by renowned artist Sam Kieth. After fifteen years MTV has yet to produce a show quite like it since, and stands the tests of time as one of the greatest animated series ever made. What made The Maxx so fascinating was that our hero was not some loser kid who gained superpowers, or an alien sent to save the universe. No, Maxx was but a homeless man with a lot of psychological issues out to rescue the world around him from being destroyed; a world created by a Miss Julie Winters.

The Maxx shifts between two worlds: the real world in a Brooklyn-like setting, and a prehistoric place called Pangaea. In Pangaea the world is run by the Leopard Queen, a woman who bears a striking resemblance to Julie. This is because Julie created Pangaea when she was a child, but gradually made it her escape after being raped and left for dead when a college student. Because of her dwelling in the Outback both the real and fantasy worlds slowly began to collide, creating an unstable balance. Why Maxx can shift between these worlds is slowly revealed by the villain of the story: Mr. Gone.

Mr. Gone will probably go down as one of the greatest villains (or semi-villains, depending on how far you've read into the original comics) to ever grace both a comic panel and a TV screen. While a self-proclaimed "student of the mystic arts" he is not a powerful villain, but rather a serial rapist and murderer with the ability to mindfuck the hell out of even the most philosophical being. Gone receives assistance from the Isz, a creature from the outback. In Pangaea the Isz are white and look kind of harmless, but in the real world the Isz are black with sharp teeth and a nasty attitude. The only people that can stop Gone are Maxx and Julie, with the latter even going as so far as to cutting his head off. Strangely Mr. Gone serves as the character that ties all the loose ends together, revealing all that was locked away within Julie's subconscious.

It's been a decade and-a-half since The Maxx graced MTV with his all-powerful presence, and to this very day the series still gives me the chills; sometimes it even leaves me awestruck. I was but a ten-year old when I was introduced to this series, but even back then I fully understood what was going on in the show. Gone represented the true evils in the world; the real world of murderers, rapists, thugs and drug dealers, and not the ones with evil superpowers and billions to spend. The characters of Maxx and Julie also represented the delusional mind-scape that our generation seems to have in regards to one's personal balance of reality and fantasy. We may want to roam the jungles of ancient times, but we have issue realizing that that's not gonna happen anytime soon.

Since The Maxx first aired there has yet to be another animated series anywhere (not even Japan, shockingly!) that has ever matched its visual style. Ranging from fluid animation to still paintings The Maxx was a show whose style left viewers with gaping jaws and wide eyes. Most importantly the storyline was original and astonishing, even if you needed to major in Psychology to understand the full aspect of the show. From spirit animals and Julie's friend Sarah to Julie saying farewell to Maxx (which has been the only time a cartoon has ever made me cry) the series did a standout job with revealing (almost) all the truths to these characters. It's but a shame that they didn't continue animated the series, as a few things were left out of the show. Viewers never got to see how Julie and Maxx first met, or Julie's friend Sarah's battle with the giant yellow banana slug Iago, or the story of Julie's son Mark. Oh well, that's what reading the comic's for.

Credit also must be given to the voice actors, as well. Michael Haley's portrayal of our title character was memorable in that he gave the big purple lug with claws for middle fingers a heart and soul unlike any other actor could. Julie's voice actress Glynnis Talken managed to add realism to this damaged woman's psyche, as well as bring forth a sort of women's empowerment over one girl's tragic events. Finally we have Mr. Gone, played by the late-great Barry Stigler (best known to Transformers fans as Scourge). Stigler not only captured the voice of Gone, but his personality and mindset, as well. Even to this day reading the original comics these characters' voices play vividly and strongly inside my head.

The Maxx is now available on DVD exclusively on Amazon, and it is worth every penny (especially to hear the audio commentary from the creators and the retrospect). However if you are still not convinced of how amazing this series is, you can watch the entire show here on its MTV page. And one more thing: as I write this I keep looking up to my Maxx action figure I bought fifteen years ago from a K.B. Toy Store. It's beaten, some of the paint is chipped away and the top and bottom of the figure is taped together after an unfortunate accident that left the purple superhero split in half. But it's still my most prized figure, and wouldn't part with it for anything; for it helps bring back some of my most favorite childhood memories, back in the days when MTV meant something to my generation.

***** (out of five)

“Epic” is not a word often used to describe TV-based books. However, in the case of The Mighty Book of Boosh, it’s the only word in the English dictionary to rightfully label it.

Written by The Mighty Boosh (Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding, Rich Fulcher, Dave Brown and Michael Fielding) and fellow British comedian Richard Ayoade The Mighty Book of Boosh is a smorgasbord of everything an admirer of this BBC comedy series can ever ask for. Along with behind-the-scenes photos and jargon from the troupe the Book of Boosh includes new and original stories not seen by human (or, in Bollo’s case, gorilla) eyes.

The Mighty Book of Boosh is filled with gems that will tickle one’s funny bone thousands of times over; from Bob Fossil’s A to Z of Animals (i.e.: Walrus is the “Goofy-tooth Slob,” Pandas are “The Black and White Chinese People That Eat Sticks”) to the art collection of Old Gregg, everyone’s favorite transsexual merman. Fans of the show will also recognize such stories as Bumbaklaat the Crocodile, and the strange ramblings of the awkward-talking Moon. And yes, all the Crimps are here for enthusiasts to memorize and impress their friends with.

This book is unique as it has the ability to capture the voices and personalities of each and every one of The Mighty Boosh’s varied characters. Howard Moon (Barratt) comes off as a man of intellect, with his writing style designed to look like a world history book one sees in a tenth grade social studies class. Vince Noir (N. Fielding) jumps off of his pages with vibrant psychedelic glam rock colors and glittery scribble that looks as if it was written on a Cambridge rock club’s toilet stall. Naboo (M. Fielding) comes off as stoned philosopher, and Bollo (Brown), speaking in third-person, seems worried about everything that’s just around the corner (“Bollo got a bad feeling about this,” he’ll quip). It’s kind of creepy, though, how Bob Fossil’s words tend to make it seem like he’s rubbing his nipples right next to you. Perhaps it’s a bit too much there, but that’s what makes The Mighty Boosh great: it can make you feel a bit uncomfortable at times, yet you’ll still be clamoring for more.

In the beginning of the Boosh’s hit series the announcer exclaims, “Come with us now on a journey through time and space.” When one reads The Mighty Book of Boosh they, too, will be transferred into the world where a tit-headed tentacle man named Tony Harrison and a green-skinned donut-eyed Hitcher is the norm. Readers will laugh till they cry, and will literally have to force themselves to close the book shut when bedtime comes waltzing in. In short: The Mighty Book of Boosh is an experience of epic proportions.  I’m Old Gregg!

***** (out of five)

In 1994 Hiroaki Samura introduced the world to Mugen no Jūnin, better known in America as Blade of the Immortal. It would receive critical acclaim and multiple awards, including the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award in 2000 for Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material. Fourteen years after its debut Bee Train and Production I.G. adapted it into an anime, coming to our shores via Media Blasters.

The story follows Manji, a samurai who cannot die thanks in part to a curse. Manji’s past is filled with blood and criminal acts, and has led to the death of 100 people (one of which was his brother-in-law). Until he can murder 1000 evil men, Manji will be kept alive with the help of sacred bloodworms that run through his body; healing every type of wound he can take. During his travels he meets Rin, the daughter of a dojo master who was murdered by master swordsmen, led by Anotsu Kagehisa. She asks Manji to be her bodyguard, and for him to help in fighting for vengeance. Manji agrees, but warns Rin that she must abandon everything she is in order to seek revenge.

It is hard to say whether or not this is a slow-paced or fast-paced show.  At times there are scenes that move quickly, such as the fight sequences; but there are also scenarios filled with calmness and serenity. This could be looked at as the balance of the world of Blade of the Immortal, and it helps to make this anime look stunning. The sword fights are like that of Blind Swordsman and Samurai X, and the dialogue is told quite poetically. The violence in this show is very graphic, however, and it may be too much for some. Elements of rape and abuse are also hinted at, and could bother viewers that are sensitive to those sorts of matter. Nevertheless, this show cannot be recommended enough. It does the original manga justice, even if it runs just thirteen episodes.

Blade of the Immortal is one series where you won’t want to blink during this series. You might miss something beautiful or poignant if you do.

**** ½

Blade of the Immortal is available in America through Media Blasters.

The easiest and most absolutely basic way to label a sequel or movie series is the straight numeral system, which is simple enough in the case of Iron Man and...

Scream
Scream 2
Scream 3

... but if you're trying to have a conversation about that one trap in that particular Saw movie, it gets a little harder to differentiate.

Saw I
Saw II
Saw III
Saw IV
Saw V
Saw VI
Saw VII (Saw 3D)

Do YOU remember which is which? I certainly don't.

The best way to differentiate movies and give them separate identities within the series is to add the colon and subtitle that gives a little description of what the movie was about.

The Crow
The Crow: City of Angels
The Crow: Salvation
The Crow: Wicked Prayer

Now, this series works well without numbers, because there is no need to watch them in order. Each movie is self contained and the only carryover is the mythology. I LOVE this series. I have the dvds, soundtracks and movie posters for all 4 movies, a patch on my messenger bag, avidly watched the tragically under appreciated TV series (The Crow: Stairway to Heaven) and love watching Iron Chef: America with my mom because the host is the guy who played Eric Draven in the TV show. I also highly recommend the original graphic novel by James O'Barr. It's gritty and dark and just about perfect.

Unfortunately, it gets difficult to tell the chronological watching order for a series when you don't have any numbers.

My favorite 90s, and I call it that loosely since it started in the 80s and the most recent ones came out in 2005, horror franchise was Hellraiser, of course I had to resort to writing numbers on my DVDs in Sharpie because I couldn't for the life of me remember what order they were supposed to be in. Sadly, Hellraiser is one of the least popular horror franchises out there and only 4 of the movies even made it to theatres.

Hellraiser
Hellbound: Hellraiser II
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth
Hellraiser: Bloodline
Hellraiser: Inferno
Hellraiser: Hellseeker
Hellraiser: Deader
Hellraiser: Hellworld

Another way is to have titles that all maintain some thread of commonality, making them easy to identify, even though the titles are slightly different.

I Know What You Did Last Summer
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer

I feel that although this naming scheme is more attractive than a numbering or subtitle system it has it's own restrictions.  At some point it should be realized that 'last summer' has actually become several summers ago, but 'I'll Probably Always Remember What You Did That One Time A Few Years Ago' just doesn't have that catchy horror movie ring. If they keep making more of them, they'll probably get there eventually though.

Die Hard
Die Hard 2: Die Harder
Die Hard with a Vengeance
Live Free or Die Hard (Die Hard 4.0)

In this case, it was a nice try to differentiate, but I know that they're still similar enough to confuse the hell out of me. With this series I've given up and I just call them all 'Live Free or Die Harder With a Vengeance' and then add on an explanation such as 'The one with Allan Rickman' or 'The one with the dump trucks'. This usually clears up any confusion except for the time I accidentally tried to describe the movie I was referring to as 'The Christmas one' I just got an irritated look because both Die Hard and Die Harder are set near X-mas.

Analyze This
Analyze That

... and what exactly would you call the third movie in that series?

Meet the Parents
Meet the Fockers
Little Fockers

Some series thinly tie into themselves and leave you to guess if they're related. Occasionally they don't even hint at a relation and you just have to be paying really close attention or you might miss a sequel totally.

Manhunt
The Silence of the Lambs
Hannibal
Red Dragon
Hannibal Rising

My personal peeve is when they give movies that are totally unrelated a spot in the line-up and bury deserving sequels, leaving good movies to languish with uninspired titles and fans that don't make it through the crappy in-between movies and miss out on the true sequel.

The Fast and the Furious
2 Fast 2 Furious
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Fast & Furious

Personally, I refuse to acknowledge Tokyo and 2 Fast as anything but crappy car movies they tagged onto an awesome series to try and soak up some of the greatness. It failed.

It's quite common to see series give up on numbers halfway through, since it just seems to scream "We were bored and uninspired, so we made another one!"

Jaws
Jaws 2
Jaws 3-D
Jaws: The Revenge

Child's Play
Child's Play 2
Child's Play 3
Bride of Chucky
Seed of Chucky

Sometimes they screw with you and the number has nothing to do with the order, or the numbers are out of order...

History of the World Part 1

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear
Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult

The Lion King
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
The Lion King 1 1/2

Sometimes the movies themselves were made out of order, which makes it really damn frustrating to refer to the 'first three' and have to explain that you mean chronologically in Earth time not in Lucas time.

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episoce VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

When you get into non-English films, there's the to-translate or not to-translate the 'title in a foreign language problem', which usually ends up with your choice of translated, half translated or original language titles.

District B-13/ District 13/ Banlieue 13/ B-13/ D-13

and it's sequel

District 13: Ultimatum/ Banlieue 13 Ultimatum/ Banlieue 14/ District Thirteen 2/ District B13: Ultimatum/ B13-u

I have yet to see the sequel, but B-13 is an awesome French movie that I highly recommend everyone watch. It has incredible parkour scenes and one of the main characters Leito is played by David Belle who is largely credited as the founder of parkour. You can also see him in a brief scene in Transporter 2. Check him out before you watch Prince of Persia this summer, because he's the genius coordinator behind all those pretty stunts.

For those not in the know, parkour is pretty much the most amazing thing a person can do with their body. Also called free running and PK it involves using your surroundings and an urban setting to efficiently and elegantly overcome obstacles. A basic free running move would be to run full speed at a wall, jumping as high as you could, pushing off with one foot, grabbing the top of the wall and flipping yourself over it. When done right it looks like a superhuman move right out of a comic book. If you Youtube B-13, David Belle or Parkour you can see some amazing videos. I'm watching a few even as I write this.

Then there's the Evil Dead series, which started in English and didn't need translating but still can't even decide on a single title for each movie.

The Evil Dead/ Evil Dead: The Book of the Dead/ Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead/ The Evil Dead, the Ultimate Experience in Grueling Horror

Evil Dead II/ Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn

Army of Darkness/ Evil Dead III/ Evil Dead III: Army of Darkness/ Bruce Campbell vs. Army of Darkness/ The Medieval Dead

The most obnoxious trend lately is the remake or restart of a series, where they throw out everything, screw with canon and then make the same damn movie over again with better effects and name it the SAME GODDAMN THING!

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Yeah, it used to have a space)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
Freddy vs. Jason
A Nightmare on Elm Street

Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th Part 2
Friday the 13th Part III
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
Friday the 13th: A New Beginning
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday
Jason X
Freddy vs. Jason
Friday the 13th

Halloween
Halloween II
Halloween III: Season of the Witch
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
Halloween: Resurrection
Halloween
Halloween II

There is so much screwed up with the continuum of these series, I don't even know where to start. They add numbers, change to roman numerals, drop the numbering, pick it up again later, make up numbers, number incorrectly, claim to be the last of the series, start up again, add subtitles, drop subtitles, drop the title in favor of using the main character's name, crossover, make the director part of the title, mess with the punctuation and have repeating titles.

There, I hope I've cleared up the sequel naming confusion for you. In conclusion, Hollywood is run by idiots and -shudders- mass media sales people, who have absolutely no idea what they're doing or what we want to see. I say we revolt, I'll bring my Sharpie, you bring some post it notes and a label maker. We couldn't possibly make a worse mess.

The game starts out with you creating a fighter to do the fighting for you.  Instead of adjusting sliders and picking from presets though, you are tasked with taking pictures to do your creation.  It has you take a series of 12 photos in a bunch of different fighting poses to prepare your fighter.  After your pictures have been taken you get the opportunity to record sound effects as well to even further customize the character.  Even my girlfriend got in on the action and had a great time customizing her own fighter.  To be fair, the pictures are decently hard to take in the right poses and don’t always look fantastic, but the charm in having the pictures not being perfect harkens back to Gameboy Camera and the immense amount of fun I had with that.

Something else I discovered is that the pictures you take don’t necessarily have to be a person.  The limit is your imagination for what kind of characters you can make.  I used my bath towel to make a character, slightly shifting around the creases from picture to picture, and the end result was fantastic.  You even get the opportunity to create the battlegrounds for your battles by taking a picture and having it loop on itself, which works surprisingly well.

In terms of the gameplay, it is extremely simple, but still fun enough to get you through it.  There are 2 modes to play through, both versus and single player.  In the versus mode, you can have a person grabbing either side of the DSi and controlling the character on your corresponding side.  From there, you just battle it out until someone wins.  In the single player mode, you are tasked with taking out 100 opponents.  This seems fairly easy, but you have to be paying a good amount of attention to make it through the whole course.

This is the kind of thing that could really help the DSi.  While a lot of it is simple and rough-looking it is still lots of fun because of its charm.  I would definitely recommend to anyone that this is worth the download.  Not just because it’s free, but because you’ll have a lot of fun with your time playing it.  Download it now if you have a DSi, there is no reason not to!

I grow weary of anime companies adapting H-games. It seems like every year some egghead in some anime production studio will take a "popular" porn game and somehow make a 12-13 episode series out of it. Some do it right, and others do it so wrong that it bears to never mention them again. Tayutama: Kiss on My Deity, however, seems to fall in-between these two categories.

Tayutama follows Yuuri, a high schooler with a high knowledge in both Shinto practices and auto mechanics. One day, a tree carrying evil spirits is about to be knocked down, and so Yuuri goes off and tries to keep this act from happening. Unfortunately he does more damage than good, and causes all the little cute-looking demons to pop out of the tree. After they escape the tree spirit brings about an unnamed fox girl, who pulls out her magical mallet and starts beating the crap out of the little demons. After this the fox girl starts living with Yuuri, who has dubbed her Mashiro. Overnight Mashiro becomes a fox woman, and begins to act like Yuuri’s wife; much to the dismay of Yuuri’s friend Ameri. Together the strange couple faces off against demons and other sorts of problems, including those in the romance category.

Here's my problem with this and every other anime based on eroge video games: they follow the exact same formula! It's always one guy, a bunch of girls, and one of them is either a magical girl or a half-girl/half-animal sort of thing. They fight over for the affection of the boy, and it results in a mixture of humor and over-dramatic sadness. While Tayutama follows that method to a key, it’s surprisingly not half-bad.  A lot of the gag humor (including one involving two phoenix spirits) will get a chuckle from most people, and the surprise appearance from everyone’s favorite anime director Nabeshin will have viewers roaring with laughing. But it’s when the show gets serious that Tayutama starts feeling clichéd; and the classically tiresome “I love him more than you” procedure appears to ruin what could’ve been a good show.

Granted, the last one-guy-meets-multiple-girls anime that was really good was Nagasarete Ariantou, and the last masterpiece would either have to be Tenchi Muyo! or Love Hina. Tayutama has its moments, but it won’t have the staying power of the classics. Though it is watchable without feeling like time is being wasted, Tayutama could have been better.

** ½ (out of five)

Tayutama: Kiss on My Deity is available in stores now through Sentai Filmworks.

It takes a lot of hard work to make an English dub that's as good as the original source, and it's even more difficult to make one that surpasses the Japanese version. The English dub writers of Sgt. Frog, however, managed to make it look easy as pie.

The series doesn't have that much of a concrete plotline, but it goes as followed: Sergeant Keroro and his Advance Recon Mission Preparatory Invasion Terror Platoon (A.R.M.P.I.T.) are sent down to Earth (or Pekopon, as the amphibious aliens like to call it) in order to destroy it. Unfortunately Sergeant Keroro would rather spend his time making Gundam models, watching TV and eating cookies under the Hinata family's house. His comrades Tamama (the cute schizophrenic), Giroro (the trigger-happy mean mofo), Kululu (the mad genius who takes pleasure in causing Keroro pain) and Dororo (the master of speed, stealth and flowers) all continue to follow his orders, despite Keroro being a total dumbass.

Sgt. Frog is currently one of Japan's most popular series, but it took it awhile to finally come to the States due to licensing issues. (ADV Films originally had the rights, but lost them to FUNimation after they had expired.) Near the end of 2008 FUNimation had put up a test dub for fans to review. (Most was positive, but some criticized the Americanized name changes.) After a couple cast changes and deciding to change the names back to the Japanese version Sgt. Frog was finally released in America. We were not prepared for the brilliance that was about to unfold.

Taking the Shin-chan route the writers rewrote some of the pop culture references for more Americans to understand; on top of that they managed to do that without taking away any of the context from the original source. (Yes, that is human character Fuyuki making a Charles Manson reference in Episode 2, a hilarious one, in fact.) We also get another fourth-wall-breaking Narrator (played by R. Bruce Elliot) who commentates rather than help tell the story. Not to mention the rest of the English dub cast bring out stellar performances that would make the casts of The Simpsons and Family Guy jealous (especially from Brina Palencia, whose portrayal of Tamama is nothing short of fantastic).

When it comes to the actual episode plot-lines Sgt. Frog can be hit-or-miss (mostly hit, though). When the show tries its best to have a serious moment (like in Episode 5 where Keroro finds out the toy shop owner has to shut down his store due to poor business) it sometimes doesn't work well. Fortunately serious moments don't usually happen, and when it gets funny -- believe me -- it gets funny. Storylines involving swim racing, Giroro losing his beloved belt, Tamama taking over the Platoon and dubbing himself Comrade Führer and Keroro's failed attempt at doing a radio show are truly memorable, but there isn't a single episode where you won't find yourself laughing hysterically. (In fact you'll find yourself wondering why this isn't airing on Fox or Comedy Central with their top-notched animated series.)

Currently the first 39 episodes of Sgt. Frog are available to view on the FUNimation video site, and the first two seasons (split into four DVD 2-packs) are in stores now. No word yet on if FUNimation will be releases future seasons, but judging by the quality of their work it'd be a crime if they didn't.

**** ½ (out of five)

Before I start this review with this disclosure: I love Incase products. The "easy out" for me would be to blame my affliction on the time I spent working at Apple Retail, but I'm not an easy kind of gal so the simple fact is I dig Incases's style. I have owned several of their slider cases for iPhone and have two of their bags designed for laptop computers. When I can come up with an excuse to get one of their new messenger bags I will probably buy one much to the chagrin of my husband. I wanted to get all that nice stuff out of the way, because I'm about to slam the he'll out of their newly released notebook style case for the iPad.

I had been researching iPad cases shortly after the device was announced. I knew I was going to take this thing everywhere with me and that protecting my iPad from the ills of the world from it's delivery date was a high priority for me. I knew I did not want just any old rubberized pice of crap on my baby. What ever I purchased had to protect the back from scratches, the front needed it's glass shielded and it would have to offer some kind of kickstand option. The bonus would be to get all these features in one option that looked like something and not like ass. This is when I cam across the Incase Convertible Book Case for iPad.

First, the attraction

The case is made out of leather and is styled after a Moleskine notebook so it does not look or feel cheap. It's stitching is strong and barely noticeable most of the time and unlike the "notebook" case that Apple themselves created and sells, this case has four total viewable angles to offer its owner. The notebook lid has an area with three depressions in it that allow you to alter your current viewing angle quickly and when reversing the lid you gain the lowest degree angle for typing comfort (which I use to do most of my lengthy typing adventures on the iPad.)

The love

This case has style. With its looks, the Incase Convertible Book Case aesthetically pleases both the business professional and the hipster alike. It is well padded as well so those who travel with their iPads will feel at ease chucking it (with love) in their backpacks, messenger bags and the like knowing their beloved net-buddy is comfortable and the Incase logo on the "binding" of the book is a nice touch.

The inevitable divorce

After the lust and love are gone, if there is no substance love is lost and this is where I am now. This case would be a slam-dunk for mobile iPad users if it actually worked. The slots cut out of the leather case that are meant to expose the dock connector slot, your volume and screen rotation buttons as well as the microphone and headphone jack simply do not line up properly with the device... no matter which orientation that you use it with. I find myself shoving the little corner flap back so I can get my headphones plugged in properly and worrying about the stress the case puts on the jack while it's the hole and the same can be said for the dock connector slot.

The multiple viewing angles this case offered was the main reason I purchased it over Apple's case, and those don't work properly either. The high angle works just fine as does the angle you get when you flip the lid over, but the other two angles fail miserably. Either the wells are not deep enough, the lip of the case that is supposed to catch in it is too short to stick, or the iPad is just to heavy but the damned thing just won't stay up when I try to use those wells. It just slips to the table like I fall on the couch after a long day at work. On the odd days where I can get the case to catch in the middle well, the iPad itself starts slipping out of the case itself as the edge with the lip that is to catch in the well is also the open edge that you slip your iPad into the case to begin with.

If this case had been $30 I may not be so upset but the Convertible Book Case will set you back $59.95 plus shipping, and with a price tag like that, and new notebook and even book style cases for the iPad hitting store shelves more and more today, Incase should really address these issues in this case before they get left behind. I wish I could recommend this case. I want to be able to recommend this case, but I really can't.

Beauty without function is just a waste, and buying this case at this time would be a waste of $60. Save your cash, and buy Alan Wake next week.

You can peep some pictures of the case in action here

Strays is a gorgeous full color webcomic updated every Friday by Samantha Whitten and Stacey Pefferkor.

Meela is a young clueless Lupian (wolf person) who is totally incapable of taking care of herself in the wild, so she glomms onto someone and makes them do it for her. Unfortunately for Feral, a mute mercinary, he's the one she decides is her ideal momma duck. Cue them roaming off into the wide-wide world and immediately getting into trouble.

I found Strays soon after it started a few years ago. This is a perfect webcomic to pick up because there are only 130 pages to read so far, and you don't have to slog through a decade of slowly improving art and story to catch up. Right from the first update Strays was beautiful, with full color pages, detailed backgrounds and engaging characters. The story is continuous rather than episodic, meaning rather than a joke-a-day format with a punchline it has a defined story line. This leads to the occasional boring update as a transitional page is posted, but overall I find myself more interested in reading it than other more humerous comics.

The characters are fun. Meela is the typical hopeless, hapless maiden with the twist that she's at least part wild animal. Of course, that makes it all the more pathetic that she can't hunt, build her own shelter and freaks out when Feral casually hands her a dead bunny to eat. Feral is by far my favorite so far. Even though he's mute he utilizes the 'pictorial thought bubble aside' type of communication often seen in the background of manga scenes and has very elaborate body and facial expressions that leave absolutely no doubt about his thoughts.

Feral is the typical bad-ass with a heart of gold and can't seem to avoid falling for Meela's puppy-eyes. At the same time, he never goes easy on her either, even going so far as to use her as a bludgeoning weapon in a fight at one point. His exasperation is constantly endearing and I just love his long suffering "Why Me?" expressions. He seems to be constantly sighing, rolling his eyes and glaring at the oblivious Meela in utter futility.

There hasn't been much background exposition on either character, but they both seem to have come through some mysterious and traumatic experiences. I'm expecting them to come across their personal 'Voldemorts' soon, since the story hasn't been given a main villain yet. I'm fairly sure that Meela's parents were murdered in front of her and I'm going to bet that her missing older brother turns up as a villain sooner or later.

Feral's a little harder to predict, since he doesn't talk and we don't have the advantage of seeing his dreams as often as with Meela. The sadist in me hopes that the mysterious bloodcovered figure in Meela's dreams is Feral, and he's the one who killed her family, but on the other hand the fluffy sappy part of my personality... is rooting for the same thing so that their inevitable love can overcome the hardships of their past. -Violin music swells and rose petals float around the room-

Fortunately, I think Meela's a bit too young for the inevitably falling in love cliche and I hope they can just be friends. After all, someone's already mistaken them for father and daughter, and Feral ditched Meela in a bar to go chase some tail (literally) so I'm praying that romance is not in the air. We'll just have to wait and see as the story develops. I for one can't wait and have already grabbed one of the wallpapers in the gallery for my computer.

Strays can be found at: StraysOnline.com

I have been on a search for a great Bluetooth headset to use with my mobile device for some time. I've used sets from companies like Sony, Plantronics and Jabra and for the longest time the only company to make a truly comfortable headset for prolonged use for me was Jabra. For a couple of years the Jabra X10 was my road dog. The device was lightweight so I could wear it for hours (I even fell asleep with it in my ear once while taking a train to New York City) and it had decent battery life. The killer for me about the X10 though was the fit in my ear. I have wicked tiny ear canals and the bane of my existence has been finding in-ear peripherals that not only fit, but are also comfortable. While the X10 was comfortable, the over-ear hook to hold it in place was flimsy at best and after the third set of replacement loops I knew it was time to look into a new headset.

I once again found myself traveling back and forth between Best Buy and the Apple Store comparing the Bluetooth headsets of both stores trying to settle on a winner. It was my accidental eavesdropping on another shopper's conversation with a salesperson that the Aliph Jawbone even hit my radar. After hearing the customer tell the salesperson they were specifically looking for the Jawbone headset –- making it clear that no other substitute would do –- my interest was piqued. As the store was out of stock of the Jawbone and in the interest of saving the sale, the salesperson did their best to convince the customer that the store had headsets just as good as the Jawbone in stock, but he wasn't buying. The customer then went into a story explaining how great the quality of his previous Jawbone was, even while driving on the highway with the top down, and that no other headset that he had ever known even came close to offering that kind of performance. The salesperson sheepishly asked the customer what happened to that previous headset. The customer looked over with a grin and said, "wife got a hold of it." Within an hour after hearing this conversation, I had tracked down and purchased a Jawbone of my own.

I loved my OG Jawbone. The headset offered the most clear reception and broadcast quality that I had experienced using a Bluetooth device, it got great battery life and was worth the money if you talked and traveled a lot. I used that sucker when I went to the mall, went walking, played video games (you always pick up the phone when ESHmom calls, folks, no matter what) but found the headset a bit heavy for prolonged use -- damn my tiny ear canals. So within a few months my Jawbone was relegated to event coverage trips only. It drove me nuts, because I really loved using the damned thing, but after 30 minutes in my ear it was killing me. I'm a talker, so most of my calls are just getting fun at the 30-minute mark -- and using the speaker phone option just doesn't cut it when using a mobile phone.

Enter the Jawbone Icon.

I was able to get my hands on a review unit of the Jawbone Icon Bluetooth headset from Aliph and I have to say every major thing that irked me about my Jawbone OG seemed to be addressed in this unit. Its physical size has been drastically reduced, making the overall device much lighter in weight. The volume in-ear has been boosted a great deal, making the headset usable while out in overcrowded or fairly loud areas. I only wish I had been able to test the sucker at a concert to see just how improved the volume boost was compared to previous devices. The Jawbone comes packaged with a cache of perfect fit in-ear and over-ear pieces to make sure that you can seat the device in your ear and forget it. I used this thing on the bus, I used it on the subway (where cell signal was available), I used it in the mall and just about every place I went for 3 weeks and as I started packing the unit up to return it to Aliph I heard myself trying to argue for buying one.

The MyTalk portal, a webspace where you can update the device's firmware, customize the sounds and voices you hear when powering up/down the device or use your cell phone's voice dialing option, is a nice touch, but I don't feel it is an overriding reason to snag one of these devices. The fact that this device has the best quality sound in a Bluetooth headset with the simplest control set under $100 is the reason to buy it. The Icon sports a simple "on/off" slider control on the underside of the device, the "answer/hang-up" button on the back of the device and single LED indicator ring letting you know when its on, needs charging or is pairing make this a headset of simple complexity.

"It's only 99 bucks," I heard myself mumble in a voice loud enough that my husband could hear it and offer a valid rebuttal. After all, my Jawbone OG still worked perfectly fine and there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. I really don't need a Bluetooth unit in my ear all day long. I'm just not that popular. I only need a good headset with great audio quality for when I know I'm going to be on the line for a while and have other things I need to attend to at the same time. As hard as I tried, I just couldn't come up with a good enough excuse to purchase one, but as soon as my Jawbone OG dies, you better believe I'll be picking up one of these guys.

Peep the photo gallery here.

I think this is the first time that Sam and Max have made it to the PlayStation, unless I'm mistaken.

Sam and Max are the oddest crime-fighting duo since, I don't know, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold.

Sam and Max are a rabbit and a dog, respectively. There used to be (briefly)  a Sam and Max cartoon on Saturday mornings which sort of captured the spirit of these two.I think this will be a bit more "mature" than the cartoon was.

Sam and Max is an adventure game, but since its aim is ridiculousness and comedy, you need to expect the things you're able to do in this game to deviate from the norm.

Max, for example, has gained psychic abilities. Instead of having just plain old Force/Jean Grey powers, he accesses his powers the only way a homicidal bunny would. His teleport ability, for example, works like a phone. He can also turn into objects by copying them with silly putty.

Yep, odd.

For you kids out there, this game looks "ugly" The graphics feel like they are from nearly 2 decades ago, but please do not hold that against this game. I have see a lot of Sam and Max, but this demo is my first hands-on with it.

It has been a PC game for ages now, and I am not much of a PC gamer. Well, this is a win for the PC shunners, because now it's available on the PlayStation Store! I might buy it. It's like $20 or something.

Coach Frank is hateable

It's been a long, long, long, long time since I've played a skating game. Back when I played a skate game, Tony Hawk was the only game in town. Now Tony Hawk games are considered a horrible mistake that should be banished to a bargain bin. Then there's Skate.

As you can see, we are up to the second sequel for Skate, meaning that I've ignored this series for years now.

Skate is the go-to now for skating enthusiasts who game.  Just as Gran Turismo grew to be the "real racing simulator" Skate feels like it properly simulates what it is to ride a board.

You get quite a lot of demo here. If you want to learn basically every move there is to know in skateboarding, the demo has you covered.

Jason Lee is in this as Coach Frank. Yeah, it feels kinda random, even if Jason Lee has a background in skateboarding.

If you download this demo, I would like you to count how many times you hear Coach Frank go "Jeh jeh jeh cheah!" before you press the mute button.

BTW, Coach Frank doesn't seem to know the difference between male and female. Someone should have fixed that. I know there's only one female character here, but it's 2010. We can set up the dialog to correspond properly.

Skate 3 is not only lots of fun, but it is also challenging. Pulling off some of the harder moves is akin to playing some of the charge move characters in Street Fighter IV, if anyone can relate to that experience.

I'm really trying to hate these games, to find a bad demo, but these were really good! See you next time!

At this past year's Academy Awards, the nominations for Best Animated Feature were of well-known features...except for one. This year's mystery nomination belonged to Tomm Moore's directorial debut The Secret of Kells, which may or may not have been the reason why Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo was snubbed. In any case this Irish-French-Belgian cartoon is a big reason why a keen eye should be kept on Mr. Moore in the not-so-distant future.

The Secret of Kells follows the story of young Brenden (Evan McGuire), a boy who is in line to be the next Abbot of the town of Kells. The current Abbot, Cellach (Brendan Gleeson), is more concerned with building a wall around the town to keep the Vikings from entering and killing the townspeople. One day an illuminator known as Brother Aidan (Mick Lally) comes to the town of Kells with his cat Pangur Bán. His island home of Iona was destroyed by the vikings, but managed to escape with his current work-in-progress: a book that will bring light to even the darkest of depths. To complete the book Brother Aidan enlists Brenden to find more gall nuts to create the ink needed to finish writing the book. On his journey into the unknown forest Brenden comes across a forest fairy named Aisling (Christen Mooney), who decides to help the confused lad with his task. However in-between these trips Abbot Cellach has become more concerned with building the wall than to let Brother Aidan finish the book, and as the Vikings draw closer to the town all hope rests on Brenden's attempt to help Aidan complete the Book of Kells.

What makes this film standout is its animation style. In some moments it looked as if it was stained-glass windows of a church coming to life, and in other times it was a simple as the mindset of a young child. On top of that the film shines with Celtic imagery, from the cover of the sacred book to the knot-shaped snowflakes falling onto the town of Kells. Moore knew going into this that he had to set out and make an animated representation of Celtic honor and pride, and he did just that with The Secret of Kells. Even the characters are drawn in such fine, renaissance-like detail. I was taken aback most by the wolves in forest, who seemed to have jumped out of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (perhaps Moore has a good case on his hands to make a Zelda movie).

(Click here to watch a clip)

When it comes to the actual story it has its ups and downs. It is a bit slow-paced, but thankfully its short length (clocking in at 70 minutes) is good enough to keep even the youngest child watching this entertained. When it gets to the action scenes (especially those involving the Vikings and Brenden obtaining the Eye of Crom) one shouldn't blink to miss even a split second of the animated beauty, and even when there is a calm moment what you will witness will simply take your breath away. Plus the voice cast is stellar, and McGuire's take on Brenden is a reason to watch out (or listen) for this unknown voice actor.

The Secret of Kells is currently in theaters, with a possible DVD release sometime in the summer. However I would highly recommend checking to see if it's playing nearest you, for a lot of the things you'll see in this film are just too good to miss on the big screen. Yes, movie tickets are expensive these days, but The Secret of Kells is worth every penny.

**** ½ (out of five)

OK, so it's been nearly a month since a PS3 demo has been released on the PlayStation Store. Unfortunately for me, there is only one demo to play this week, and it's a sports game. Since I don't follow sports, will this be a good demo for me? Let's find out:

First thing I noticed is that EA saw it fit to show you how many teams will be in the final product- or maybe just tease you with all those choices in the menu.

All the scenery looks great, and the character models are, em, pretty alright.

Here's the entirety of what I know about soccer at this point: Kick a ball through the other team's net.

This may be great for soccer fans to check out, but it's all lost on me.

Well, maybe not all. I whipped Italy, one goal to nada. Just because I'm not into sports doesn't mean I'll lay down and take it while Utaly tramples all over me. No sir!

So, eh, I guess this is a good demo! Maybe people who have put years into playing Fifa will hate this, but I don't know whether this gameplay is good or lacking.  It doesn't utilize any fancy analog stick moves, so it reminds me of times past when I actually did play sports games and all the moves were simple button presses.

One of the main highlights at this year's Anime Boston came in the form of the Boston-based Video Game Orchestra. Led by conductor Yohei Sato and founder/guitarist Shota Nakama the 100-piece orchestra (with accompanying guitarists, a drummer, a percussionist and an occasional 40-person chorus) led both video game fans and otaku into an amazing journey through every era of video game soundtracks. Keith Lockhart: meet your competition!

Opening the show was a finely-tuned and quite magical interpretation of the Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack. If one were to lose themselves in the music they could swear they were flying high in Galaxy's Comet Observatory. On hand next were selections from the classic Sega game Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which not only did a fine job with keeping with the game's spirit, but managed to bring forth a wondrous arrangement of a score that, in the days of the 16-bit StH2, could not have been dreamed up at the time. "Theme of Laura" from Silent Hill 2 came next, and while one of the guitarists seemed to have missed a cue the VGO managed to cover up the mistake with a Pink Floyd-like essence with a dab of Mono for good measure.

A triple-threat selection from three Mario games (Super Mario Bros., Yoshi's Island and Super Mario World) came next, which blends of New Orleans-like big band and swing arrangements in World & Bros. and a great upbeat tempo for Yoshi's Island (which also included a nice drum solo thrown in for good measure.) "Waterside," the main theme to Blue Dragon, came in nice and calmly, with a beautiful piano solo and fine orchestration from the string section. A smaller ensemble was only needed for the fast paced selections from Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross (including a quintet version of "Radical Dreamers"), which showcased how much power these few musicians had.

After intermission came a small metal segment featuring Castlevania: Vampire Killer and "Eternity" from Blue Dragon, and while it would've been nice to have heard the rest of the orchestra back the "metal" section the small band of drummer & guitarists showed that they could possibly make a nice post-rock group on the side if they wanted to. With the rest of the players returning the VGO went into music from the classic Myst game. With a large chorus backing them the piece showcased the foreboding and adventurous tone of the classic game. Selections from God of War helped find the perfect sync with the orchestra, choir and metal band. The female vocals in "Snake Eater" from Metal Gear Solid 3 gave the orchestra its big Bond moment, and exhibited the range of styles that the VGO is capable of.

Selections from Kingdom Hearts came next, and included a fine interpretation of Hikaru Utada's "Passion" thrown into the mix. The big ending to the concert could not have been better. Not only did they perform pieces from the fan-favorite Final Fantasy VII, but as soon as "One-Winged Angel" was cued Nobuo Uematsu appeared to a roaring applause. He looked and sounded natural behind the keyboard with the rest of the Video Game Orchestra, and gave the concert the finish it rightfully earned.

After seeing the Video Game Orchestra's performance for the third time (the first being at Anime Boston 2009 and the second at this year's PAX East) it's a wonder how under-appreciated they still are outside of the video gaming and anime community. Sure it might help others to know the material that they are playing from, but this Boston-based orchestra performs in such a way that video game knowledge isn't necessary to enjoy them. Hopefully soon VGO will be playing in more traditional music halls and in front of a more diverse audience. Is Carnegie Hall on the horizon? Hopefully, yes.

In the 1990s MTV had two well-known things: music videos and kick-ass cartoons. (Okay, three if you count when The Real World was actually good!) In 1994 Music Television hit its animated peak with MTV's Oddities, which showcased two incredibly original series: The Head and The Maxx. Thanks to Amazon's DVD-On Demand service both shows are now available in their entirety exclusively via their website. This week we will focus on the first Oddities cartoon The Head.

Created by Eric Fogel (who would later go on to mold the classic Celebrity Deathmatch) The Head followed the story of Jim, a man with a massive cranium. After a bad visit with head specialist Dr. Axel he runs into a group of vagrants who threaten his life. When all looks doubtful Jim's head opens up to reveal a short, purple alien to save the day. The purple alien reveals his name as Ecapsretuo MorfmI, but tells Jim to call him Roy. After another alien named Gork arrives and takes Jim's girlfriend Madelyn hostage Roy tells Jim that an evil alien race of parasites is setting their sites on Earth, and that the two of them must find five pieces of the Anti-Invasion Machine that smashed to pieces on its way towards the planet. With the help of other human anomalies (i.e.: Ray, the man with a lawnmower blade in his skull; Ivan, who has a mouth on his stomach) Jim & Roy set out to save the world from total annihilation.

When I was a kid I used to wake up at six in the morning to catch this cartoon (along with Danny Antonucci's pre-Ed, Edd n Eddy series The Brothers Grunt), and watching it now brings back a lot of memories. However what I didn't catch back then was how intentionally bad some of the voice-acting was (especially with Dr. Axel), which served as an homage to some of Ed Wood's bad sci-fi B-movies. On top of that the animation wasn't always that great, and it does tend to show its age compared to some of the more recent [adult swim] cartoons. However its humor and writing still is some of the best in American cartoon history, from rival Dr. Lucas Elliot and his closeted fed duo constantly trying to get in Jim & Roy's way (especially Dr. Elliot's child-like temper) to the headhunter segment (which still gets a loud chuckle out of me).

The DVD set contains all 20 episodes of the show (thirteen 11-minute episodes that follow one big storyline and seven 20-minute stand-alone episodes). The first season made viewers tune in each week so they wouldn't feel lost watching the show, whereas the second season gave more leniency to those who lost out in the previous week's episode. Sadly I felt that's what killed the series in the end: without the continuing storyline there was less of a commitment from the viewers to keep on tuning in. And although the second season wasn't as strong as the first one, it still had a lot of great moments. Ones involving Jim accidentally selling his soul for fame and Roy's twin brother Mark visiting Earth shine bright out of the second season, but for the most part it was still an original, entertaining few episodes.

It's a shame there aren't any extras on these discs; even the "Making-Of" episode from the second season was omitted for some odd reason (possibly time constraints). Nevertheless those yearning for the good old days when MTV was all about creative television and not spoiled kids from Jersey will really want to look into The Head. It's originality and strange style still has yet to be matched by even the top animation writers and artists.

**** ½

I am playing baseball. Again. You know what, though? I don't hate it! In fact, I think this is better than the other baseball demo I played last week.

The gameplay is basically the same as MLB 2k10, but The Show is- showier.

As the camera sweeps over the stadium, you can take in the great detail put into recreating the real locations. Then, when you get to look at the turf and the players, you get to see that the terrain looks spectacular and the uniforms move like real cloth.

It doesn't blow me away, but I think that if you like baseball and you appreciate a game that is pleasing to your eyes, I would suggest that you ditch MLB 2k10 and play MLB 2010 The Show instead. It'd a good demo, and probably a good game as well.

In the world of Feeding Frenzy, it's eat or be eaten. Is this a kid's game?

OK, so there's nothing M-rated going on here, not even t-rated; but how horrible is it to be devoured by a big fish? There aren't many games-  besides ones in the zombie survival horror genre- where you can be dined on.

If you've been hunting for a kid-friendly title (and your kids don't mind being eaten) then this is a nice downloadable solution for you.

There are many modes to play( including multiplayer) so there is replay value galore. Feeding Frenzy 2 is simple but challenging and fun. Not really something I wuld buy, but it is a good demo.

Megaman 10 also has a demo out.

I quite liked this game. I didn't mind it at all. However, the game looks just like any other Mega Man, so i'm not going to show any screens beyond the background from the crossmedia bar:

Alright, alright, here's the start screen:

The plot is about Rush coming home with a robot STD. Megaman is pissed, so he goes on a bloody rampage to kill everyone involved. You know, something like that. Maybe it also had something to do with shooting at lots of  robots.

I wonder how much of an audience is looking for this throwback style game, but for the series to turn its back on the state-of-the-art and 3D rendered  world, Capcom must have seen worth in going back to basics.

Even though I want my games to be 3d, I didn't find fault with Megaman 10.  I have some history with the series, and I am an "old man" so if you're in your teens, I don't know if you would want to play a side-scroller.

This game also has leaderboards and other online components you would expect from most games today, so the game isn't totally stuck in the 80's.

So all the games win this week. I have been defeated yet again! Come back later for some more demos. I hope that my time and hard drive space is not wasted on sucky demos.

If hang around on Facebook for long enough, you've probably gotten caught up in playing one of those in-browser games like Mafia Wars, Farmville, or all that other stuff. For me, playing Facebook games isn't exactly the most interesting way I want to spend my time.

I had the opportunity to play Platinum Life, a Facebook game where you become either a DJ, a rapper or singer- male or female.

Your character is your "paper doll" and you start off as an unsigned artist. You eventually becoming signed, then play through to achieve higher and higher record sales until you go gold, then platinum,

The game is basically you rolling the die every time you click "play." Depending on how your stats are, you'll either get positive or negative responses on your performance.

The higher your stats are, and the better your gear is, the better your chances are of scoring in each challenge.

If you have never played an RPG or MMORPG, then welcome to the grind! It's going to take a lot of work to make it up the success ladder.

For me, I may never get back into the grind. I'm not one of the many Facebook users who felt the pressure to play games like Farmville or Mafia Wars, and Platinum Life will not woo me. I think it has mostly to do with how much I actually use Facebook. Platinum Life is for people who spend a grand amount of time in front of a computer screen and have few other options  for entertainment.

When playing an in-browser game, I prefer a basic- yet addictive- flash game over anything too involved. Platinum Life isn't difficult, but it has the potential to become tedious.

So, here is my first good demo, the aforementioned Just Cause 2

"Alright, we get it. Let's move on with the demo!"

He can call upon weapons or vehicles at any time through the black market feature and hijack any vehicle that comes his way. What sets Just Cause apart from Mercenaries and any other similar games is that Rico Rodriguez has a grappling hook and a parachute, which leads to some very interesting gameplay.

With the grappling hook and parachute combo, you can basically make your way up any building or elevated object, jump off, deploy your parachute and get the drop on your foes.

Just Cause 2 is a great, fun, blow-stuff-up game. With all the things you are allowed to do, your experience will be totally different each time you play it. Don't expect a deep and involving story here, but who needs that all the time?

Next up is my bad demo, Major League Baseball 2K10.

Never mind that I don't watch or participate in any sports whatsoever (not even pro wrestling). Even if I knew the starting lineup of the NY Yankees by heart, I still don't think that I would enjoy MLB 2K10.

I didn't think that the game looks that good overall, the crowd noise didn't take that long to bother me, and I think there could have been a better control scheme for pitching; batting is just fine.

Major League Baseball is not exclusive to one company, so I think there might be a superior product out there. For me, this MLB game is not that product.

Don't leave yet, sports fans! Here is another good demo, Moto GP 09/10.

Again, I don't know a damn thing about sports, but I do enjoy racing games from time to time.

I played the Gran Turismo 5 demo, and it feels like more of the same in a prettier package. I still have GT4 sitting unfinished as well.

I might, then, take a chance on motorcycle racing. It's time for a change of pace! Racing in a car is enough of a challenge, but bike racing is even more of a hassle because you have to keep your bike steady and level, and pray that you don't wipe out.

This is not a Burnout style game where your bike will blow up, nor is it a crazy chase game like the Need for Speed series.  It's a simulator, so the focus is heavy on tweaking and customization, from what your bike looks like to what your rider wears.

If I played the full game, one thing I would hope for is that the voice of the disembodied guy (is he a trainer or something?) to be shut off. If you play the demo, you will either laugh or be irritated at this guy who sounds like a cousin of Mario and Luigi. Just a note: I don't need to have the choices of rider and mode to be announced to me.

So that's what's on the PlayStation Network for this week. I have no idea what's up next week, but it better be good!

When Pandalicious, Nenya and I went and saw Amanda Palmer perform with the Boston Pops this past New Year's Eve, we headed on over to the bar for some drinks. To our surprise we discovered an up-and-coming ragtime band by the name of April Smith and the Great Picture Show performing in-between Symphony Hall's two bars. After I downed an Appletini I went and pre-ordered their upcoming album Songs For A Sinking Ship, which arrived at my doorstep this past week.

Opening with the cheerful "Movie Loves a Screen," Ms. Smith makes the listeners clap their hands and sway their hips to a happy beat with a ukulele and trumpet backing her soulful voice. "Terrible Things" creeps in and grooves like a band of dancing skeletons and the spirit of a New Orleans funeral (and I mean that in the most positive way possible), with Smith saying that "she can't help" doing these things that seem to bring pain to others and joy to herself. "Drop Dead Gorgeous" comes off sounding like a vengeful Motown tune that could've fit perfectly with the Little Shop of Horrors musical (perhaps a duet between Audrey & Audrey II).

"Can't Say No" shows off Ms. Smith's vulnerability, and whether that'll help or hurt her chances to finding the right man (or woman, if she swings that way) is yet to be seen; but even when she coos like a dove you can tell that she's ready to pounce like a cheetah. "What'll I Do," I'm sure, will one day be played during wedding receptions, as it is perfect for slow couples dancing. "Colors" brings listeners back to the days of vaudeville and swing, and even sounds like a happy sea shanty waiting to happen. On top of that it's got one a great chorus that you will not be able to get out of your head for days.

Starting off like a James Bond theme song, "Dixie Boy" has April Smith shows off her claws and tears into any woman who even looks at her man in any way. She sings "when it comes to my boy, I will fight like a man" as if her enemy is in sight, and proclaims that she "can be a bitch when it comes" to her stuff like it's nobody's business. (Ladies beware: keep your damn hands off her man, or she'll bite your head off!) "The One That Got Away" has Ms. Smith seemingly not care about the man in her life leave her, as it will be more of a mistake on his part than her's. The electric guitar solo plays like an alley cat sauntering on a broken fence, knowing that it's in danger of falling but not caring in the least bit. It's sly and cool, even at its most defenseless moment.

"Beloved" is Sinking Ship's most ravishing track, with Smith's powerful voice backed with a lovely string section. You can just feel her heart break as she says she'll "gladly settle for your ghost," and whether or not this is a metaphor for an unrequited love or if April lost someone near and dear to her has yet to be determined. Still it's April Smith at her strongest point. She goes 180 with her emotions with "Wow and Flutter," which brings the listeners back to her jaunty self. She sings she'll "have her cake and eat it too," which perfectly fits the motive of Songs For A Sinking Ship. April Smith will dabble with many melodies and different emotional points, and will still manage to make them her own with ease. "Stop Wondering" closes the album, bringing -- or waltzing -- the sinking ship back to safe harbor after its wondrous journey, with a crescendo of carousel-like music and Smith proclaiming that she's "got better things to do." With that final comment Ms. Smith and company leaves the listeners craving for more.

Clocking in at just 34 minutes April Smith and the Great Picture Show's debut manages to already be one of 2010's best albums. Its playful tones mixed with a bit of heartbreak here and there help breathe new life into the realm of pop folk. Now I don't expect them to sell out arenas or stadiums, nor do I think she'll become an overnight sensation. However Ms. Smith and the gang will have no problem whatsoever finding an audience for their music, and Songs For A Sinking Ship is a fantastic album to get her and the rest of the band on the right track to the fame and notoriety they rightfully deserve. A perfect opening chapter for the Great Picture Show? Bitch, please! But it's pretty damn close.

**** ½ (out of five)

I grew up loving audio. My uncle was a DJ and had the most amazing vinyl collection I had ever seen in my life. My dad was a huge tech fan, especially when it came to speakers so monkeying around with turntables, speakers and microphones was second nature to me by the time I was 12. When I stop to think about it, the fact that I have ended up in working in the IT industry and host an internet audio show should come as no surprise to anyone including myself. But back to the topic at hand, the Yeti.

Blue Microphones [founded in 1995] has been focused on studio recording since Apple dropped the first version of their GarageBand application, and over the years they have created a strong lineup of microphones spanning the spectrum from enthusiast to professional audio producer. Before my trip to CES I was only partially familiar with their brand having taught podcasting while I worked for Apple Inc Retail, I often recommended the Blue Microphone SnowBall mic as a great sounding, highly portable and affordable interview or starter microphone to many a customer. I would often demo some of the other microphones in store against the SnowBall and internal microphone options and more times than not a customer left with a SnowBall. I even purchased a SnowBall for myself last year which I fell in love with and used regularly to record the ESH podcast before giving it to Pandalicious. You might ask why I would give up a mic that I obviously liked and was happy with, but the title pretty much gives it away: I have replaced my SnowBall with a Yeti and I'm damned happy with the results.

Before my visit with Blue Microphones at CES 2010 I had not really investigated their lineup of microphones which is surprisingly deep. Blue has microphones for mobile recording on the go (the Mikey for iPhone users and the SnowFlake for laptops), products aimed at the prosumer market (which includes the SnowBall and the Yeti) and a drool-worthy lineup of professional grade microphones that look great but also contain internal hardware designed to be perfect for very specific types of recording. I plan to do a write up of some of their more pro level mics down the road but I want to get back to the Yeti.

Overall, I have been very happy with the audio quality that my SnowBall gave me over the last year, but I typically record my audio for the ESH podcast in a guest bedroom that I have been slowly turning into a nerdcave. While my nerdcave is definitely coming along (I need to nerd out the walls a bit because they are quite drab so hit me up if you have any suggestions for wall coverings) it creates a heck of a echo for me when I record, egg-crating the room though I'd like to is neither finically feasible nor allowed by my apartment complex so I really needed an alternative to help with the sound issue.

They Yeti is one of the most diverse USB microphones I've ever used. Under the hood, the Yeti has 3 condenser capsules and sports four polar patterns for recording: Cardioid, Bidirectional, Omnidirectional and Stereo. The microphone also has a separate gain control on the back, mute button, and stereo mini-jack out for monitoring purposes. What grabbed my attention immediately when looking at this mic were the polar patterns as the hardware "dampening" or "sweeting" my audio recordings was exactly what I was hoping to find in a new microphone and the Yeti was much easier on my wallet than then Shure microphone I was researching at the time. Not to mention it is THX certified and very sleek looking. Sexy.

I wish I could say I completely tested the Yeti before writing this review. The fact of the matter is that I personally have little use for the stereo or omnidirectional pattern recording modes. I'm not going to be making or recording any ensemble or concerts/live band performances anytime too soon, but I did spend a bunch of time testing the cardioid and bidirectional modes which are great for podcast and interview type sessions respectively and the audio quality was much improved over my past recordings of these types which include our shows like our E3 episode. The Yeti is sensitive to sound coming at it, but not aggressively. During a recording session you won't find a need to be "on top of the mic" or play with its position in order to get the sound levels you'd like, but the built in monitor out will be a huge help in checking levels before you hit that record button should that sweet spot elude you.

Really, the only downside I could come up with with this mic is its weight: this is not a mic to throw in your backpack for the day. While the stand and mic come in at a total weight of 3.4 pounds it is a solid 3.4 pounds. If you are rolling with a laptop, power cables and this sucker you will be getting one hell of a cardiovascular workout. Honestly, that kind of use is not really what the Yeti is designed for so I can't really knock it for that. you can unmount the microphone from the base and screw it into a stand (similar to the SnowBall's tripod stand if you have ever seen or used it) and it does fold into itself to help it conserve space on your desk and that should really be enough.

Sleek design, USB 1.1 with Mac and PC compatibility, a plethora of specialized supported recording modes with insane affordability ($149.99 USD) and the Yeti is hard to pass up if you are interested in getting into podcasting or starting a band in your garage or basement.