Lightning Returns had a lot (A LOT) going against it. The Nova Chrysalia series has not been warmly received, and it seemed that every time fans just wanted to wipe the slate clean, Square Enix would announce another sequel. While I don’t count myself among the pitchfork ready masses, I do admit to a great deal of disappointment at what Final Fantasy XIII ultimately was, and that was a game full of unrealized potential. Outside of a few bright spots the world seemed hollow, a shell of what it could've been. Final Fantasy XIII-2 sought to right some of the wrongs of its predecessor, and in many ways it succeeded. Towns were lively again, the leads were easy to get behind, and the time travel element allowed the player to bounce around to different worlds at will, much different than the extraordinarily long corridor that was XIII. While there were still some issues, it was a solid step forward for the franchise.

Which brings us to Lightning Returns, the third and final game in the series. While some may be celebrating that fact, I find myself a bit melancholy about the whole thing. Why, you ask? Well, after three games it's all finally come together, and it has me wishing this were just the first game in Lightning’s journey, and not the last.

Yeah, that last statement was probably a bit on the dramatic side. I think the cutscenes from Final Fantasy in general are starting to seep into my writing. When I give myself a papercut, I now make grunting noises and clench my fist, swearing that I’ll never feel the blow of a cut of paper AGAIN! Melodramatic dialogue abounds in this game, but that’s not necessarily a negative, as I tend to eat that stuff with a spoon. Chosen by God to be the savior, Lightning is responsible for saving as many souls as she can before the world ends 13 days from now. The reward for all her trouble is a chance to see Serah again, but Lumina would have you think differently, and she might be right. You'll encounter Lumina alot throughout your journey, and for a character who initially was drifting into annyoing stereotype territory, she surprised me quite a bit over time. Along for the ride as well is Hope, who takes on the role of Lightning's Otacon, or Oracle if you will, monitoring everything from his cool Ikea furnished Ark up in the sky, and giving her tips along the way. The cameos don’t stop there though, as you’ll meet up with pretty much everyone from XIII at some point or another, and I was pleasantly surprised at how well the cast was implemented into the story. Speaking of that, the story is actually easy to follow, unlike some past Final Fantasies. This should be commended, as some of my favorite FF's are near unexplainable to someone who's not familiar with them. It does contain some heavy religious overtones, but I don't shy away from that kind of thing, so I enjoyed the savior’s journey quite a bit.

At its heart Lightning Returns is an action rpg, one with a deep upgrade system that allows you to customize Lightning to your heart's content. The action revolves around schema, which are your customized outfits, weapons and shields, abilities, spells, etc, etc, put into one big set. Each garb contains unique abilities specific to that costume, so make sure to try them all out. You can have 3 schema active at any time, and its a pretty quick and painless process to customize them to your liking. Being able to personalize Lightning in this way really just enhanced my investment that much more, and having free reign over the button layout for my spells and attacks was much appreciated as well. The sheer number of schema options open to you help the combat stay fresh, which is important since there are way too many fetch quests in Nova Chrysalia. Turns out most people who live there are quite useless, and constantly need you to bring them their lost belongings, flowers, dogs, etc.

Normally that would be extremely grating, but because of the multiple classes and constant variables to combat, I ended up not minding so much. Combat is stellar, and the collectible rat in me (just call me Templeton) picks up everything I run across anyway, so it's all good. Combat is played out in real time, with each schema having its own ATB gauge. Depending on what you have equipped, the bars are longer, shorter, recharge quicker, start full, etc, so in battle you are constantly shifting between schema that suit your situation at the moment. Switch to vengeance to get your heavy fire spell, then switch to Huntress (yes, I renamed it, and before you ask, yes, I made her look like huntress, purple and all. Even found a mask. Truly proud of that.) to hit with blitz and deprotect, and finally switch to Quiet Rebellion to finish with a guard that can take the impact of the enemy. That is your typical battle, and there isn’t time to sit and think, only time to use your instincts and adapt to what’s in front of you. I truly enjoyed this system and hope to see it implemented in future games.

I did have some grievances with the game, for instance, no one ever tells you how to actually make money. I found that out a bit later into my run, and it would’ve helped me afford some better gear and made some battles a bit easier in the beginning. Also, while I’m not typically an opponent of random battles, they are a bit egregious here. You will never have a shortage of stuff to fight, but when trying to save your potions and get to a boss fight, it’s a real pain to have to run away from countless enemies when you're just about there, especially when in narrow and small hallways, which in some cases is just about impossible. Enemies are easier to avoid when you're on a chocobo, but that isn’t always available. Also, those damn cats! Inside thing, but you’ll see.

Alright, enough about mechanics, is the game worth buying? The answer is yes. For the first time, Lightning is the star she was supposed to be in the first place. You knew you wanted to like her, but you couldn’t quite put your finger on why you didn’t. Now you empathize with her. You always knew why she did what she did, but you didn’t necessarily care. She wants to see Serah again, and you want her to as well. Her constant back and forth with Hope is mostly about the task at hand, but for a world that is about to die, there is much more levity than I expected, and that’s a good thing. Sure, the game takes itself extremely seriously, but it's not afraid to poke fun at itself either. Lightning, slick look and huge sword in hand, having to say meow meow choco chow to get some fireworks evokes a nice laugh, and it's not the only time things get a bit jovial. She’s sarcastic, dry, occasionally funny, and gets to business when called upon. She’s more than a look now, she’s a person, and all it took was the world ending to get there. If this is Lightning's final bow, then I say the return was worth it.

A month ago we learned that Donal Logue was offered the role of Detective Harvey Bullock in the Batman prequel series Gotham. Today we've learned that he has accepted the offer, and the casting is official. 

The character is described as a "rough-around-the-edges partner of the future Commissioner Gordon," who will be played by Ben McKenzie. He will also act as Gordon's mentor. 

Logue recently worked on the series Sons of Anarchy, and I'm really happy to see that he is going to take on this role. He's going to be awesome as this character.

The other actors cast in the series so far include:

Robin Lord Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot a.k.a. the Penguin. The guy looks creepy as hell. "With the brains of a chess grandmaster and the morals of a jackal, Cobblepot is a low-level psychopath for gangster Fish Mooney, and hides his sadistic lust for power behind an exquisitely polite demeanor."

Sean Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth. Described a "tough-as-nails ex-marine from East London, Pennyworth has loyally served the Wayne family. Now, in the wake of their tragic deaths, he’s fiercely protective of the young Bruce Wayne — the boy who will eventually become Batman."

Zabryna Guevara as Captain Essen, who is Detective Gordon’s boss at the Gotham City Police Department Homicide Squad. "Essen balances the two worlds of police and politics with a Machiavellian skill that’s as much corporate litigator as cop."

Erin Richards as Barbara Kean, "the fiance of Detective Gordon (McKenzie). A sophisticated emergency doctor, Kean stands by her husband amid the corrupt world of Gotham."

The series explores the origin stories of Commissioner James Gordon and the villains that infested Gotham. The series will also feature young Bruce Wayne, who is yet to be cast. Stay tuned for more details on what is sure to be an amazing series! 

Via: Variety

Star Wars is about to get a major overhaul by Lucasfilm, Disney, and J.J. Abrams. I have no doubt that it's going to be everything that fans are going to want to see. While we wait, let's take a little trip back to the mid '90s, right before the Special Edition versions of the original Star Wars movies were released. George Lucas sits down with Leonard Maltin for a lengthy interview in which they talk about the three films’ VHS releases. He also talks about writing the prequel films, shares some interesting information on the relationship between Ewoks and Wookiees in Return of the Jedi, and discusses a lot more that any fan is sure to find interesting. 

In Part 1, Lucas talks about the evolution of the Star Wars script, the casting process, and the challenges of making this ground-breaking movie.

In Part 2, Lucas talks about the genesis of the story for the Empire Strikes Back, the creation of Yoda, and his collaboration with composer John Williams.

In Part 3, Lucas discusses Return of the Jedi and the creation of the Ewoks and Jabba the Hutt. He also talks about the back story for the original trilogy becoming the basis of the prequel trilogy.

Thanks to The Playlist for the heads up.

Summit Entertainment has hired RED director Robert Schwentke to helm their Divergent sequel Insurgent. Divergent doesn't even come out until March 21st, but I guess the studio is already committed to making a trilogy without knowing how well the first movie will do. They must really think the movies will do well. I personally think the first movie looks like it's going to suck. But, all the Twilight movies sucked and they did well at the box office, so maybe there's a decent sized fan base for the book series that the films will be based on.

Veronica Roth wrote the trilogy of sci-fi novels, and Akiva Goldsman is currently writing the script for the second movie, which is being fast-tracked into production. Divergent director Neil Burger couldn’t direct the second movie because the post-production on the first movie would overlap with pre-production for the sequel.

The story takes place in a "future world where people are divided into distinct factions based on their personalities, Tris Prior is warned she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy to destroy all Divergents, she must find out what makes being Divergent so dangerous before it’s too late."

Insurgent already has a released date of March 20th, 2015, and the third film, Allegiant, will be released on March 18th, 2016. The films will star Shailene Woodley, Theo James, and Kate Winslet. 

Here's the story description for the sequel if you want to know what happens in a sequel to a movie that you haven't even seen yet.

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

Via: Deadline

"The New Founding Fathers of America invite you to celebrate the annual Purge."

Universal Pictures has released the first teaser trailer for The Purge: Anarchy. I still haven't seen the first movie, but it looks like the sequel takes the carnage out of the house and into the streets where murder and death will ensue. 

The murder thriller was written and directed by James DeMonaco and stars Frank Grillo, Michael K. Williams, and Zach Gilford. It will be released on June 20th, 2014.

Did you like the first movie, and is it worth my time to watch? 

Rocket Raccoon from Guardians of the Galaxy goes ballistic on an army of Space Invaders, blowing them out of the sky in this awesome piece of art. It was created by artist Marco D’Alfonso for the Comic Book Video Game Mash-Ups art series for CBR.

TV Guide is breaking the news today that John Wesley Shipp, who was the original Flash in the 1990s television series, will be joining Greg Berlanti's Flash reboot. Shipp is set to play a recurring character if the series lasts past its first season, which the original Flash series was unsuccessful in doing. I watched an episode of the original Flash and hope this series will be a lot better than that. Who do you think Shipp will play in the series?

Here's a cool short done by POYKPAC Comedy in which the characters speak in nothing but movie titles. While I really like the concept of the short, I got really depressed as it went on because the plot got sad. 

This is the trailer for Brick Mansions, one of the final films that stars the late Paul Walker. It's a remake of the awesome film District 13, and it looks like this version will be just as entertaining. There's a lot of cool stunt work that went into making the action thriller. The movie was directed by Camille Delamarre and written by Luc Besson and Bibi Naceri. 

The story follows "an undercover detective (Walker) chasing a weapon of mass destruction that was stolen by a drug dealer in the ghetto known as Brick Mansions. But in order to track him down, the detective must seek the help of Lino (David Belle) an incredibly agile man who knows Brick Mansions better than anyone and is the only person not cowering in fear of the resident drug dealers."

RZA plays the villain in the film, and I have to say that he is seriously one of the worst actors ever. The movie is set to be released on April 25th.  

I'm so glad Geek Twins made this infographic. I still find myself correcting readers in the comments about which studio has control over their favorite Marvel character. If you've got friends or family who are still befuddled about what a "Marvel" movie is, this infographic should help. (Thanks: GaS)

Via: CBM

Thanks to Total Film we have a few more photos to check out from Bryan Singer's X-Men: Days of the Future Past. They feature some more images of Wolverine, Mystique, Xavier, and Magneto. The badass looking movie is set to be released on May 22nd. I hope that we get a new trailer soon. I'm really excited about this movie, and I want to see some more footage!

Thanks to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and actor Chris Evans we have some more details on Joss Whedon's Avengers: Age of Ultron. During an interview with Total Film, they talk about Black Widow and how the sequel will explore the backstory of the character, and reveal that there has been some movement on a solo movie.

From what we've seen of Captain America: The Winter Solider so far, it looked a little like maybe we would get some more information on the past of Scarlett Johansson's Russian spy, Natasha Romanoff, but it looks like it will be explored in more depth in Age of Ultron.

"Black Widow's whole arc [in The Winter Soldier] is coming to terms with her history - that she's been a spy, and spies aren't necessarily trustworthy."

Feige went on to discuss Age of Ultron and the possibility of a solo movie saying,

"We start filming the next Avengers film at the end of March. [Black] Widow's part in that is very big. We learn more about her past and learn more about where she came from and how she became in that film. The notion of exploring that even further in her own film would be great, and we have some development work with that." 

I would love to see a standalone Black Widow movie happen. She's a great, kickass character who I think could hold her own. As far as what else they are doing with Age of Ultron, Feige continued, 

"We wanted to change the dynamic of the cinematic universe with this film. We wanted Cap and really the entire cinematic universe to be very different at the end of Winter Solider than it is at the beginning. Therefore when we meet the Avengers at the top of Age of Ultron, it's a very different landscape than we left them at the end of the film. Partially that's because we love the rhythm that the comic books have developed - each of the characters appear in their runs, occasionally they get together for a big event or crossover series, they part again, and then they come back together again." 

I just love what Marvel has done so far with these characters, and it has been fun watching them expand on them. We can only hope they keep delivering better and better movies. 

Via: CBM

Sideshow has released images and a video previewing their Wonder Woman premium format figure. (Hat tip: XombieDirge) This take on Wonder Woman seems to have a bit of Cobie Smulders mixed in. You can pre-order her tomorrow here.

Let's hope Gal Gadot future Wonder Woman costume looks just as good (and maybe a bit more practical).

Relatively Media has announced that they will be developing a a biopic based on American business magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller. They've hired Lasse Hallstrom (My Life as a Dog, Cider House Rules) to direct the movie, and Dallas Buyers Club screenwriter Craig Borten to write the script.

The film will be an adaptation of Ron Chernow’s 1998 book Titan: The Life Of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. In case you're not up to speed on your American history, Rockefeller co-founded Standard Oil Co. in 1870 and revolutionized the oil industry. It made him the world’s first billionaire. He also ended up giving away most of his fortune.

I strongly suggest you watch the History Channel event series The Men Who Built America if you want a solid and entertaining rundown of Rockefeller and several other men that took America to the next level of greatness in terms of business and industry. 

Here's a detailed description of the book from which the movie will be based off of:

John D. Rockefeller, Sr.--history's first billionaire and the patriarch of America's most famous dynasty--is an icon whose true nature has eluded three generations of historians. Now Ron Chernow, the National Book Award-winning biographer of the Morgan and Warburg banking families, gives us a history of the mogul "etched with uncommon objectivity and literary grace . . . as detailed, balanced, and psychologically insightful a portrait of the tycoon as we may ever have" (Kirkus Reviews). Titan is the first full-length biography based on unrestricted access to Rockefeller's exceptionally rich trove of papers. A landmark publication full of startling revelations, the book will indelibly alter our image of this most enigmatic capitalist.

Born the son of a flamboyant, bigamous snake-oil salesman and a pious, straitlaced mother, Rockefeller rose from rustic origins to become the world's richest man by creating America's most powerful and feared monopoly, Standard Oil. Branded "the Octopus" by legions of muckrakers, the trust refined and marketed nearly 90 percent of the oil produced in America.

Rockefeller was likely the most controversial businessman in our nation's history. Critics charged that his empire was built on unscrupulous tactics: grand-scale collusion with the railroads, predatory pricing, industrial espionage, and wholesale bribery of political officials. The titan spent more than thirty years dodging investigations until Teddy Roosevelt and his trustbusters embarked on a marathon crusade to bring Standard Oil to bay.

While providing abundant new evidence of Rockefeller's misdeeds, Chernow discards the stereotype of the cold-blooded monster to sketch an unforgettably human portrait of a quirky, eccentric original. A devout Baptist and temperance advocate, Rockefeller gave money more generously--his chosen philanthropies included the Rockefeller Foundation, the University of Chicago, and what is today Rockefeller University--than anyone before him. Titan presents a finely nuanced portrait of a fascinating, complex man, synthesizing his public and private lives and disclosing numerous family scandals, tragedies, and misfortunes that have never before come to light.

John D. Rockefeller's story captures a pivotal moment in American history, documenting the dramatic post-Civil War shift from small business to the rise of giant corporations that irrevocably transformed the nation. With cameos by Joseph Pulitzer, William Randolph Hearst, Jay Gould, William Vanderbilt, Ida Tarbell, Andrew Carnegie, Carl Jung, J. Pierpont Morgan, William James, Henry Clay Frick, Mark Twain, and Will Rogers, Titan turns Rockefeller's life into a vivid tapestry of American society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is Ron Chernow's signal triumph that he narrates this monumental saga with all the sweep, drama, and insight that this giant subject deserves.

Via: Variety

Here's a funny short video that YouTuber Natholdetpaatv2 put together featuring a group of AT-ATs invading the winter Olympics and blasting the living hell out of the downhill mogul skiers. Poor bastards didn't have a chance. 

Pinewood is a legendary production studio based in London with an impressive roster of movies that have been filmed there. Most notable productions include all the Harry Potter films, Hunger Games films, Bond films, Star Wars films, and a few Marvel movies. With Marvel releasing movies twice a year and the Star Wars franchise doing the same after 2015, Industrial Light & Magic wants to move effects production closer to Pinewood studios and is opening a London effects facility. With the increasing complexity and volume of effects work required for these large budget films, this seems like it was inevitable.

For the full details on the fiscal and logistical reasons behind ILM's opening in London (things like UK tax credits), check out THR.

Last year, we posted the first in Nick Scurfield’s Star Wars-themed “Destiny” art series. The ongoing series depicts young versions of key characters from the Star Wars universe in acts that foreshadow their (say it with me) DESTINY! We now have 4 more fantastic pieces from the series, featuring “youngling” versions of Chewbacca, Han Solo, Anakin Skywalker, and Princess Leia.

This art series, with its very sentimental and cinematic feel, conjures up images of Steven Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun. If any of these characters have to be revisited in their youth on the big-screen (fingers crossed that they don’t), I wouldn’t mind someone like Spielberg directing the young actors. The same goes for J.J. Abrams, who did a wonderful job getting performances out of his young cast in Super 8.

To see more of Scurfield’s work, visit his site here. (Via: XombieDirge)

I'm surprised that a found footage horror movie shot exclusively on smartphones didn't happen before Hooked Up. The worst contrivances found footage movies have to justify is why a camera is present and shooting. Having characters shooting video using iPhones they happen to keep on them anyway solves some of that problem.

The image quality of the iPhone is generations beyond the pioneering The Blair Witch Project. Based on the trailer, Hooked Up succeeds as a horror movie filled with blood, jump scares, hot girls, dumb guys, and dirty dark hallways. (Thanks: Twitch Film)

Snyopsis: The story follows two young Americans who go on a sex-fueled trip to Barcelona but things take an unexpected turn when one of the 'hot' girls they pick up turns out to be incarnate of evil.  

Total Film cover from SHH Forums via ComingSoon

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is drawing closer to its April 4th (USA) release date, and now it has landed a cover of the UK based Total Film magazine.

It's hard to fully express how much I love the new Captain America suit. While the red-white-blue version is a classic, it's just not as clean or sleek as the silver and navy design.

With zombie outbreaks and zombie apocalypses having been heavily tread and retread on the big and small screens, it seems there’s now a scramble to tell stories in a post-zombie world. ComingSoon has debuted a poster and clip for the Manuel Carballo-directed thriller The Returned. Akin to the BBC series In The Flesh, The Returned takes place in a world where the infected can be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.

Here are more details on the story from ComingSoon:

The Returned is set in a post-zombie world where a treatment called the "Return Protein" can stop the spread of the virus if injected quickly after infection, but cannot cure it. With daily injections, the "Returned" are able to live relatively normal lives, but with brutal attacks at the hands of Anti-Return groups and rumors that protein stock is running low, the world is again on the brink of chaos. In the midst of this turmoil are Alex (Kris Holden-Reid) and Kate (Emily Hampshire), a young, successful and enviable couple that are hiding a long held secret – Alex is Returned. Suspicious that a government order for all the Returned to report to a secure medical facility ‘for their own safety’, the couple flees, taking with them all the doses of "Return Protein" they have. Now in a race against the clock and few places to turn, they must face their worst fears and come to grips with the reality that if they are neither human nor zombies, who exactly are the Returned?

The film will begin a limited release on Valentine’s Day. I can’t think of a better way to set the mood for a romantic evening than a film about being secretly infected with an incurable disease that you're running out of medication for... that totally won't hit home for one in five people.