GeekSugar

Iron Man 2 Is Coming, Hopefully With Improvements

GeekSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:00:15 -0800

It was my favorite superhero movie of last year (it was so fun), and I'm anxiously awaiting its sequel to hit the big screen next year. Heck yeah I'm excited for Iron Man 2, but I'm not sure how I feel about another video game installment, given what happened last time. You know what I mean.

I can't think of a better way to continue the fun of a movie than in video game form, but there haven't been many to write home about, Iron Man included. But hopefully, the trusty hands of Sega can pull it off this time. Announced yesterday, Iron Man 2 is definitely hitting the shelves next year and will be available on your PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, Wii, and DS consoles. Did you play the first installment of the Iron Man franchise? Do you even care about a second?

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Daily Tech: New Nintendo DSi Won't be Making US Debut Til 2009

GeekSugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:00:42 -0700

Nintendo's new portable gaming console, the DSi, which comes with a built-in camera, won't be coming to the US until well into the 2009 calendar year since the current DS Lite is still selling like hot cakes. - Joystiq
Coldwell Banker has just launched a new website for potential home buyers that works for both the iPhone and iPod Touch, so that they can easily view property details, value, and location. - Unplggd
In just two days, the Blu-ray version of Iron Man has already sold out, making it the fastest selling Blu-ray DVD to this day! - Gizmodo
Apple's latest update to Apple TV not only fixes bugs and security issues, but it now offers a Genius playlist feature. To access, just hold down the play button while a song is playing! - CrunchGear
CBS has just launched a new HD streaming service called the Social Viewing Room where you can pick shows that are currently on and watch with your friends, etc. - TechCrunch

Behind the Scenes at ILM: The Making of Iron Man

GeekSugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 02:00:52 -0700

When I took my tour of ILM studios a few weeks back, I was lucky enough to get some behind-the-scenes info on the special effects and animation that went into making Iron Man; straight from the guys who worked on it. Unfortunately for me that only made it harder to wait until I could own my very own copy of the Summer blockbuster!

A small group of us got a special Q&A session with Ben Snow (VFX Supervisor), Hal Hickel (Animation Supervisor), and Aaron McBride (Art Director, who by the way is pretty much John Krasinski's twin, but with longer hair - this made it very hard to pay attention), and got some fun details on the Iron Man suit, the flying sequences, and how cool it was to work with director John Favreau. To check out some geeky-but-fun facts from the film, just read more.

Although a full, tactile Iron Man suit was made for reference, they used visual effects for almost all of the scenes with Robert Downey Jr. in the suit.
Iron Man was chock-full of visual effects! ILM produced about 400 of the 800 visual effects shots in the film.
A bunch of the shots had to be filmed twice, once with the real Iron Man suit, and once as CGI.
John Favreau wanted Iron Man to fly the opposite way that Superman does: "Superman takes off fast and lands slow, if you think about it. He takes off really fast and always comes down for those soft landings. Iron Man is the opposite. He takes off slow and lands fast," which makes total sense with the weight of his suit!
The "Suit-Up sequence" (where those big arms place all of Iron Man's plates on Tony Stark's body) was completely CGI! They digitally placed Robert Downey Jr.'s head in to that scene.
John Favreau is one cool dude. Not only does Buzz think he was the perfect man for the job, but he's easy to work with as well. All three guys said it was refreshing to have the director ask for input from the crew, since it made the project more fun for them, and more of a collaborative environment.

I think it's a safe bet that there's going to be a ton of extras on the DVD, including the ILM test shot of Iron Man - the first shot they ever produced for the film. Needless to say, I'm leaving work today on a mission - to get my own copy of the movie, STAT! I have lots more information to share with you from my day at ILM, so stay tuned for some insider info on the making of Indiana Jones: The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull!

Yay or Nay: Comics Turned Movies?

GeekSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:00:56 -0700

With the HUGE success of The Dark Knight last weekend (and I do mean huge), it seems that graphic novels and comics turned movies are bigger than ever. Buzz (and Brian) agree with my opinion that Iron Man was one of the best super-hero movies to hit the theaters ever, and the newly released trailer for the Watchmen has me all giddy in anticipation for March! Adding to the already expanding list of comic book movies in the pipeline including Conan the Barbarian, The Justice League, and G.I. Joe, which are all slated to be making their big screen debuts in 2009.

It's comic overload! Are you stoked that your favorite comic books are being made into feature films, or are you over the crossovers?

Iron Man Review: It's All About the Flying

GeekSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:00:01 -0700

I'll admit it, I have a geek crush on Iron Man. And, I adore his geeky-but-hot alter ego Tony Stark, who has a lab straight out of every geeks' daydreams with computers, gadgets, and hot cars (most likely equipped with some high-tech GPS) galore. Even the phone he carries is totally geek chic!

So after loving the movie enough to make plans to see it a second time with some pals – and shell out another $25 bucks including popcorn – I was pretty excited to see what they had done with the game. Although it's no secret that I'm not the biggest fan of movie tie-ins since video games based on movies are usually complete crap, there are some silver linings to this title, but not many. The movie absolutely crushed the competition and pulled in another $50 million at the box office this past weekend, but unfortunately I doubt the game will be received as well as the film. To see what I mean, read more.

As you may be able to tell from the title of this post, it really is all about the flying. When Tony takes to the skies, it's one of the most exciting parts of the film, and is probably the best feature about this game. I could fly all day! But you gotta come down to earth eventually, and when you do, it gets a bit disappointing. The graphics are cool, but movements are clunky, and the foes are kinda useless.

These days, games are intelligent and the enemy has some sort of evasion tactics where it becomes challenging and hard to shoot at them. Take Uncharted: Drakes Fortune for example. Those bad guys are a tough bunch, making it hard to beat, yet, it's totally satisfying. Iron Man's enemies however, must be blinded by the shiny suit, cause they don't put up much of a fight. . . Which is a good thing if you want to blast through the game (but you may get bored).

And although the likeness of Tony and Yen-Sin are pretty spot on even when up close (and RDJ's voice acting really does lend a great touch), the rest of the outside world seems to be missing something. Unlike Mass Effect, where you thought the landscapes could stretch on forever, the distant views in Iron Man are not as impressive. Plus, when you go from superintuitive controls while flying and attacking enemies in the air, to awkward and clunky controls on the ground, it gets a little frustrating.

All in all, Iron Man is good for a rental experience, but I doubt that you will keep it for long. Unless you just can't get enough of the flying that is, which is totally understandable! Iron Man is out now - pick it up online.

Even Iron Man's Vista Lets Him Down

GeekSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 04:30:09 -0700

Tony Stark may be a smart man, but why oh why would he build a computer with Windows Vista? I guess the superhero-Iron Man combo doesn't guarantee a foolproof computer! Here's a clip from the movie we just couldn't help but "re-create." Enjoy!

Picture Perfect Tech: Cell Phones in Iron Man

GeekSugar — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:30:05 -0700

This past weekend I finally checked out the big tech-filled blockbuster of the year - Iron Man! Robert Downey Jr. does a fantastic job playing super-brilliant inventor Tony Stark, who builds a high-tech suit of armor that can do just about anything and everything. Downey's friend and personal assistant Pepper Potts is played by the beautiful Gwyneth Paltrow, who also adorns some high-tech treats throughout the film. Being the geek that I am, I couldn't help but notice the cell phones that Downey and Paltrow used during this action-packed flick.

Pepper Potts was spotted with a LG-KS20, a thin sleek phone which boasts a 2.8-inch touchscreen, while Stark used the media friendly Verizon LG VX9400 to place a video call. Yes, lots of lovely product placement for LG, nonetheless, two chic looking phones.

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Iron Maiden Gwyneth and The Future of Fashion!

GeekSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 06:30:14 -0700

What if Tony Stark had been Antonia Stark and Gwyneth Paltrow was the one suiting up in Iron Man, out today? The film would probably look like Vogue's spread with cover girl Gwyneth Paltrow - real props from Marvel complement couture gowns and elaborate wiring that's as much her power as it is her accessory. Check out the slideshow for the whole Gwyneth shoot!

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More Iron Manliness!

GeekSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:00:34 -0700

I can't get enough of Iron Man previews - this older one was awesome, and so is this one below. Maybe it's the smoldering Robert Downey Jr. or the high-tech action sequences? Or maybe I'm projecting my excitement for the video game - but whatever, I know I'm seeing this on opening night (May 2^nd!). The best, geekiest line from these trailers so far? "I don't want to see this on your MySpace page!"

More Robert Downey Jr. Goodness in the Iron Man Game

GeekSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 07:00:17 -0700

I'm super stoked for this year's blockbuster, Iron Man to hit the big screen, not only 'cause Robert Downey Jr. is one of mine and Pop's fave leading men, but because the tech and gadget cameos are sure to put me in geek overload! If you haven't seen the preview, it's packed pretty tight with geeky goodness that I'm sure you'll enjoy, plus some pretty rockin' tunes that I wish they'd offer up on Rock Band!

Thankfully, the video game will be hitting the shelves on the same day as the movie release – May 2 – so you can go from theater straight to your home console without missing a beat. But the good news is Robert Downey Jr, Terrence Howard (Lt. Rhodes) and Shaun Taub (Yin-Sin) will be lending their voice talents to the game as well. Which consoles are getting in on the action? Find out when you read more

Everyone's invited to this party! Not only is the game coming to the big hitting PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, but newbies like Wii and PSP owners can play as well. Oh, and you DS lovers? No worries, you'll get the title too!

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