Immanuel Kant, random advice + good times

Yes!
I am someone who enjoys drinking. Perhaps to excess, but I enjoy it nonetheless. There will be no judgments. And it is no secret I enjoy a playthrough of a video game from time to time. They pass the hours quite nicely. Now, I would be lying if I said that I've never combined the two. Seems natural right? I remember one particular (and painful) session of the shit-tastic Too Human that turned into an inadvertent drinking game. I promised myself I would go to bed at the end of one of its (seemingly interminable) levels but found myself slogging and slogging away with no end in sight -- while also drinking. And drinking. Things ended badly for me, more or less, but the level never did. But hey, that's basically the same experience anyone who played that game had -- and at least I was drunk. Well, finally someone has set down some rules (which, clearly, I didn't follow) on how to drink and play video games. And I thank you, good sir.

Cool!
These pics of actors in plain clothes (sort of) recreating famous roles are really, really neat. No, seriously, you find a better adjective.

Iron Man/War Machine
It's a new poster for Iron Man 2. It's got Iron Man and it's got War Machine. Together. Pow. Good times.

Mass Effect 2
With the awesome Dragon Age: Origins out there in the world, getting bought, getting played, getting taken out to dinner, whispered to sweetly and loved tenderly by the fire, BioWare can now concentrate full time on Mass Effect 2, as well as the added side effect of making me jizz in my pants every five seconds. To whit: here is another character reveal for the game, out January 26, also known as the beginning of my vacation.

Kant + Comics = Awesome, understandable
Hey, who doesn't enjoy the philosophical stylings of German philosopher Immanuel Kant? But dayum is his writing foul. One possible work-around? Explain his wrtitings using comic books.

Are you kidding me?
Here's an article from Slate. The premise: DVD box sets of TV shows are a terrible gift. Why, you no doubt are wondering? Apparently you're forcing the recipient to slog through a whole bunch of television.Yep. The article says: "Boxed sets have transformed television from light entertainment into homework." No, really, that's what it says. Uh, what? Oh, did my gift of something I consider so culturally and (more important) personally essential that I wanted to share it with you force you to sit and do nothing but enjoy art/entertainment and possibly be emotionally engaged in something other than your Facebook page? Did it? Wow. I'm really, REALLY sorry for that. Ugh. Fuck you, Slate. Enjoy manufacturing cultural criticism no one asked for and living up your own ass. I guess I can go and give the box set of season two of Supernatural I got you to someone who will actually appreciate it. (Yes, I mean my mom.)

Assassin’s Creed II DLC
If you felt that there wasn't enough assassinating people in Renaissance Italy using various methods (and, really, how could there be?) in Assassin's Creed II, you're in luck. Our friends at Ubisoft are releasing not one but two content packs early in the New Year. As they say in Italy: Dolce! (They don't say that...)

Red Dead Redemption
I must admit, this game held no interest for me until this trailer. How cool does this thing look, though?

And finally…
This video has a number of things that shouldn't be put together (like, ever) but always seem to be for whatever reason. Japan. Robots. Dancing. J-Pop. Scary robot faces.

Same meh, different pile

Conan
Did you know they're making a new Conan movie? Yep. They are. Want some details? You're welcome.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is a dumb game. But Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is also a dumb game that is awesome. Sort of. Read my review.

True Grit
The Coen brothers are re-doing True Grit -- you know, the western that John Wayne won an Oscar for? In the role of Rooster Cogburn, they're thinking Jeff Bridges, Nice, right? Now word is they're adding Matt Damon and Josh Brolin to the mix, too.

Avatar… stolen?
There are murmurings going around that the idea/story for James Cameron's upcoming 3D orgy Avatar may have been "borrowed" from a late 1950s science fiction short story by Poul Anderson. Based on that painting for the story, I'm thinking it's no coincidence -- but that's just me.

BioShock 2
In many ways 2007's BioShock changed the face of gaming. Ideas about the way games are played, designed, conceived and written -- on top of art directed -- were pushed to the limits. So it's kinda strange to look at this trailer for the sequel. Sure, it's amazing looking and awesome but it looks sort of like gaming has changed the face of BioShock, doesn't it? Instead of atmosphere and fear, you're getting a high octane first-person shooter feel. Is that BioShock? When you factor in that the game is going to push a multiplayer component and that original writer Susan O'Connor isn't onboard, I have some reservations.

Action figures
I've never been huge into the action figure thing, Star Wars or otherwise. Although, I have an original C3P0 hanging out on my bookcase right at this very moment. Still, I enjoy a good list and if it happens to be about Star Wars action figures and some of the most embarassingly collectible examples, then so be it!

Evil
Another good list. This one documents some truly evil entities in science fiction. Although, Galactus? Isn't that like calling a shark or lion evil? Doesn't he serve some kind of culling purpose or is he just into destroying things? I thought he needs to eat planets to survive? If that's wrong then I don't want to be right.

The Who: Rock Band
On top of all the other Beatles-related awesomeness Beatles: Rock Band has unleashed on the world, it's success is just going to open the floodgates on other, similar projects for bands that approach the Fab Four's stature. There have been murmurs from Pink Floyd and U2 on the subject but it looks like the first follow-up may be from The Who. And to this I say: FUCK YA!

Assassin’s Creed
Ubisoft is pretty damned serious about Assassin's Creed 2. How serious? So serious, they bought Hybride Technologies, the digital post-production studio behind 300 and Sin City and got them to make a bunch of background shizz for the game. Shizz like this short film called Lineage. On top of that, Ubi is dropping more hints of what they're thinking for Assassin's Creed 3. If you remember, a couple of weeks ago they mentioned a World War II-plagued Europe as a possible setting, with a female assassin as the protagonist. This week, it's either Medieval Europe or feudal Japan. No word on if they're still considering the lady assassin. I like the feudal Japan idea. That means ninjas and, knowing Ubi, it'll mean meticulously researched and realistic ninjas -- which could be really, really cool. I guess all the brainstorming is sort of showing how limitless the franchise could be.

And finally…
I linked to this before on the old blog, but it popped up again today and I just had to go there again. Cracks my shit up every time.

"Bring it, 'Happy Feet!'"

The Expendables
On paper, this whacky Sly Stallone vehicle sounded pretty amazing. Sly, Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Eric Roberts and a bunch of other awesome dudes star in a Dirty Dozen-style action tale of mercs and mayhem. Like I said, on paper it sounded amazing -- but I never imagined it would work. How could I? Then they released this as the first official pic and I was like, "Hello, what do we have here?" That's Eric Roberts, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and an explosion. Yes! Also of note: Roberts plays a dude who's named "Monroe" -- also: Yes! Well, as of today, I'm officially onboard The Expendables. I'm shotgunning a six-pack, getting a lap dance from a Hungarian stripper with a c-section scar and lining up on opening night for this -- and it's all thanks to this trailer.

LOL!
I'm assuming you're already familiar with dontevenreply.com. If not, the basic premise is a guy responds to various classified ads in a jackassderdly manner and hilarity ensues. And it really, really does.

BSG
Just in case you (or your shame boner) forgot how easy on the eyes Tricia Helfer and Grace Park of Battlestar Galactica were, Maxim has decided to remind you with a new cover, video and, uh, spread.

January…again
Also, just in case you were wondering what that full January Jones/GQ photoshoot looked like, here 'tis.

Assassin’s Creed
Montreal developers Ubisoft still haven't released Assassin's Creed II yet -- that's in November -- and they're already talking about Assassin's Creed III. I guess it's more like they're throwing around ideas for it, some of them being: possibly setting the game in World War II and making the title's protagonist a lady. That's cool. Although, I was hoping they might do some other stuff set before then first, you know? Like, the first was in the Middle East during The Crusades, the second is slated for Italy during the Renaissance, why not hit Britain during the Elizabethan era or even the Victorian age? Even the American or French revolutions might be an interesting place for assassins to turn up. We'll get to you soon enough, WWII.

Brutal Legend
The reviews are starting to come in an it looks like Tim Schaffer's Heavy Metal epic staring Jack Black is as awesome as promised. Although, I gotta say I didn't see the real-time strategy game component coming. Must buy now!

And finally…
This bit on various Netflix cues of the stars is pretty funny. Okay, not LOL! funny but definitely amused exhale/snort funny.