Leaving to France in 10 Hr. Waking up at 4am not the business.

Alright folks, I am leaving to France tomorrow morning in the sickeningly early morning of 6 am Pacific time. It's cool to be jealous, I know I am. Damn that future me, already kicking back in Paris. Hate his ass.
I hope to mix in their culture, dine the cuisine, and see what entertains them. I want to revel in Frence Cinema. Some of the most genius Animated movies are French films like The Triplets of Belleville. Great film for those who love animation. Yep, I am going to pursue French Entertainment all in two weeks and I hope to report back what I learn. So for now, Bon Voyage!

Image Courtesy of Travel Tourism

Copped myself a Sony HDR-XR160 camcorder for $549, is it worth it?

REVIEW

 I leave for France tomorrow and I thought how awesome would it be to make a vacation video in HD while there. My previous camcorder is a bulky Sony Digital camcorder. Bought in 2004, it did the job but now with High def TV's and the ability to upload HD clips on to site such as Youtube, it was time for a much needed upgrade.

I did a lot of research. A crap ton of research, mind you. It wasn't easy figuring out what features made a camera vastly superior to another. I knew what I wanted: HD recording in 1080i or 1080p with 60p, steady correction, recording in low light conditions, and realistic colors. What I found was the Sony HDR-XR160, a mid-level HD camcorder with all the bells and whistle, and then some. Click the jump to read more.

The collectors Edition of Catherine comes with many goodies

Those opting to purchase Atlus new game Catherine might actually want to hold out for the Collectors Edition instead which is called "Love is Over". This version comes with some snazzy items like an art book, soundtrack, and t-shirt. They even packaged Vincents signature underwear in here. The pillow case is a bit much for me though. I can't even imagine what my girlfriend would say if she saw this pillowcase in my little ole' room. Good luck explaining that to your girlfriends, mothers, or friends, guys. Kinda borderline creepy/nerdy but hey, it has Catherine sprawled all over it. Remember to wash it people.

This "Love is Over" edition will cost ya $80 and will be out July 26th for the PS3 and Xbox 360. I previewed the demo for Xbox 360 here. Here is a little trailer for Catherine below:

The Weird but Highly Engrossing game called Catherine

Atlus is known for making odd games that usually blends a mixture of genres. My last Atlus game was Persona 3 which fused RPG elements with a dating/life sim. Odd as it is, the game was incredible. After I sold my PS2, I had no way to replay Persona 3 and I was a bit devastated. I waited and hoped that Atlus would release a new game for the Xbox 360 as a nod to my PS2 nostalgia. And they finally have.B

Catherine is their new game and it's their most oddest title to date. Yeah it's weird as hell yet it has that Atlus style all over it. I heard about this game from various game site and made sure I kept it under my radar. Just recently a demo for Catherine was released in the Xbox marketplace and I snapped it up right away. The first thing I noticed about the game was that Art direction and anime cutscene were similar to Atlus past game. Story events play out in the cut scene and in the in-game sequences. During the start of the demo, we are treated to a cutscene depicting a newscast breaking a story about a number young males being found disfigured and dead. As we cut to main story, we play as the main protagonist named Vincent. He's just your ordinary 30 something year old guy who wants a no commitment relationship with his girlfriend, Katherine. When they meet, she hints about them getting married but Vincent is reluctant to. After a few cutscene having Vincent alone at a bar, he knocks out and we enter his dream world and this is where things gets crazy.

We see Vincent in nothing but his chonnies standing on blocks that stack up high. The atmosphere is dark and brooding and it appears he's in a nightmare. Suddenly you hear a screech and a menacing creature lurking at the bottom of the blocks quickly climbs upward attempting to kill Vincent. This is the games action sequences which plays as a puzzle game. Once we are granted control of Vincent, we are told to move Vincent up the blocks. He can pull blocks and push blocks to make paths to climb. He can also hang on to the blocks and move from each visible side. There is a lot of elements to the puzzle game but it seems very simple and from the few deaths I caused for Vincent so far, it can get challenging real fast.
After the first puzzle sequence, we find Vincent alone at the bar and thus we he meets a mysterious but tantalizing young women named Catherine (yeah thats Catherine with a C). She quickly introduces herself and find a seat near him. The next morning, Vincent wakes up to find that he and Catherine spent the night together at his house. I can imagine things will only get more interesting from here.

I am definitely looking forward to this game when it releases for the PS3 and Xbox 360 on July 26.

Netflix Price Change!!

Netflix has just announced a change to their pricing structure. If you want to rent one dvd at a time unlimitedly per month, it will net you $7.99 and come sans streaming service. Another streaming-only service will also come at the same price. You can bundle unlimited dvd and streaming for $15.98 per month. Netflix's price change might be brought about by their expansion plans and pursuit to acquire new content which would demand much more money from Netflix.

So yes, this price change does suck. I'm more content with the streaming-only service because I find waiting for a dvd arrival to be a pain (even though netflix's dvd delivery system has made dvd renting much more convenient). Before, I would hang on to a dvd for the longest time before returning it. If I wanted to watch a new movie right away without waiting for the arrival of the next dvd in my queue, then I turn to Redbox. I actually dreamed of a streaming-only Netflix that offers more incredible content and new movies. Netflix better deliver after setting up this new pricing scheme.

In the end, this price change is likely to affect the more frequent dvd renting/streaming people and I'm afraid some might not stick around to see the price change take effect.

Old members will not be grandfathered into the new pricing plan. Instead, their new subscription rates won't take effect until September 1st. New members will be ushered into the new subscription models immediately.

Netflix Blog



Source: : Hacking Netflix

10-minute Gameplay for Bioshock Infinite

Here is an amazing gameplay trailer for Bioshock Infinite taken from E3 2011.



and a second brand new trailer showing 15 minutes of gameplay. This trailer shows the protagonist alongside the character Elizabeth who you are sworn to protect. It gives a glimpse into the aerial perspective and the rail mechanic. View it below



Judging from this trailer alone, I can already hear my wallet burning away what's left of my money. Damn it to those must buy video games.

J.K. Rowling's new Project: Pottermore

J.K. Rowling has a new project up her sleeve. Before news of this new project came around, I prayed and prayed that she had in the works a new novel based on the Potter World. Turns out it's not a new novel at all. Instead she shed some insight to her new project called Pottermore. Partnering with Sony, J.K. Rowling is developing a site dedicated for fans which is like a Authentic Harry Potter Encyclopedia with input from Rowling and from the fans of Harry Potter. It is intriguing of course to see what the site has to offer. Anyone starved for any written material from the author of Harry Potter will find Pottermore delightful. Currently the website only has a video of Mrs. Rowling talking a bit about Pottermore which I posted below and an email sign up. As more information turns up, I will make sure to keep you informed.



Sign up for Pottermore here

Anyone Down For a Harry Potter Movie Marathon IN theatre?

Yes you read right, all eight Harry Potter Movies playing back to back on the big silver screen, split over 2 days of course. Cinemark wanted to celebrate the last installment to the Harry Potter movie franchise by giving movie goers the ability to re-watch each movie back to back leading up til the Death Hallows part 2. Showings of the first four movies will begin on July 13th and the final four movies the following day, July 14th. Best part is that you pay just one set price. Not all theaters will be running this promotion so please check the Cinemark website here to see if your city is listed.

Dang two days to dress in kick-ass wizard attire, hell yes... nah, I'm just joshing all of ya'll about dressing up, or am I.

My friends living in Sacramento, here are the theaters that will be participating in the Harry Potter Movie Marathon:

Roseville - Century Roseville 14 & XD
Sacramento - Century 16 Greenback Lane & XD
Sacramento - Century Stadium 14

Make sure you buy you ticket soon Potter fans.

RedBox Movie of the Week: I Love You Phillip Morris

No Idea what movies to rent from Redbox? Well my 'RedBox Movie of the Week' can help.

Jim Carry in his most amusing role yet in this Drama/ Comedy. So if you don't mind Jim Carry playing a flamboyant man along side Ewan McGregor then this movie should be a great watch. Rotten Tomatoes gave it %71 rating.

Taken from the movie site at Phllip Morris Movie, here goes the sypnosis:
"I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS is the improbable but true story of a spectacularly charismatic conman’s journey from small-town businessman to flamboyant white-collar criminal, who repeatedly finds himself in trouble with the law and on the lam, brilliantly escaping from the Texas prison system on four separate occasions – all in the name of love."

Find it on Redbox here. The ratings shown on RedBox is from viewers not realizing that Jim Carry plays a gay guy in this movie. That shouldn't have any effect on the movie in my opinion. It is Rated R.

Image Source: Courtesy of movie I Love You Phillip Morris

Dont Be Afraid of the Dark: Guillermo Del Toro's next horror project

Guillermo Del Toro is a visual genius and an amazing storyteller. Each of his movies that he directed or produced, he leaves his signature mark through character design or story, and it shows. Pan's Labyrinth, I feel, embodies all aspect of Guillermo. It is a work of art and it is distinctively his own. If you compare the monsters from this movie to another film of his, Hell Boy, you can see the designs of the creatures sharing stark similarities.
Guillermo has been readying his new US horror movie, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. From production pictures that I have seen so far, it follows in the same footstep as Pan's Labyrinth. Katie Holmes is casted as the girlfriend of Alex (played by Guy Pearce). Bailee Madison plays as Sally, Alex's young daughter, who arrives in Rhode Island to live with her father and his girlfriend in his 19th century Mansion that he is restoring. As she explores the mansion, she comes across a hidden basement that hasn't been opened for nearly a century. Opening the basement, Sally unleashes evil creatures that dwelled inside. Now it is up to Sally to try to convince her dad that their house now is host to these dark creatures.
I'm a huge fan of Haunted House horror movies and this movie seems to be that. After seeing the trailer for this movie, I instantly thought Pan's Labyrinth and I can't be more excited. For starters, we follow the story of a young girl and then the creatures resembles Guilermo's past creature design. It's a dark fantasy mixed with horror and mystery.
I believe that horror movies shouldn't just be cheap scares, but it should be able to leave a long lasting feeling of being afraid. There should be horror movies that are considered art house films (like A Tale of Two Sisters) or even be critically acclaimed. Although this movie won't be either, it should still fill the empty void of fantasy horror.

Here's a trailer of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark:


And new Images from the Movie:

Anime Expo 2011

Although I'm not that big into Japanese Animation like I was many years ago, I always wanted to attend an Anime Expo Convention. Its geeky and nerdy, but it looks pretty damn fun. Anime Expo is being hosted from July 1-4 at the L.A. Convention Center. The big draw is that everyone gets to Cosplay which is dressing up like a character from a series or video game. Let you inner fandom free here. Theres game, shows, panels, and merchandise. If you do go, make sure you bring a wad of cash. Well maybe next year I'll get a chance to go.



You can check out Anime Expo 2011 here

I'd love to see some cosplay so if you have any Anime Expo 2011 cosplay picture, you can send them to my email here or send a link on a comment and I'll post the best ones.


Image Source: LA Weekly at  link

Transformers 3: The Dark of The Moon

Explosions. Destruction. Adrenaline.
Another Michael Bay movie is out and it's the third sequel to the Transformers series, The Dark of the Moon. I just came back from this super action packed movie and I must say it is LONG. There is no shortage of action scenes in this two hour and fifty minute movie. Those expecting Megan Fox to sex up the screens will be sad to see her missing in this movie. Instead Victoria Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is the new love interest of Shia Labeouf's character. Michael Bay made sure to show that his latest transformer had every bit of fan service in it compared to his previous movies, starting with a scene showing a close up of Rosie's amazing booty as she makes her way up the stairs, all in the first 20 minutes. So yeah, Michael pretty much has 'everything' in this movie: Explosions, Robots, cheesy humor, and a super hottie.
I opted for the digital showing instead of the 3-D digital version. Personally, I'm not a big fan of 3-D movies in theaters. Most movies are converted from standard version to 3-D and the transition actually ruins the movie. 3D also takes away the realism of the movie, making the CGI look horrible. So I rather not pay that extra 3 dollars for something that isn't necessary for the enjoyment of a movie.
The CGI in this movie is incredible and the Autobots and Deceptacon look realistic. Michael Bay really stepped up in improving the technology in the movie. It looks great. The most epic scene in the movie is *spoiler, but not really since this scene is shown in trailers* when the snake-like Deceptacon wrapped itself around this tall skyscraper building and tore it down. Explosions are  more intense. Buildings, Cars, and city are all destroyed beautifully.
The story, a slight step down from the first movie, is a continuing saga, picking up from where the last Transformers: The Rise of the Fallen has left off. Optimus Prime and the Autobot crew are now working for the CIA helping fix the turmoil of man. With the Autobots busy, the Deceptacon are busy planning something huge. And huge it is. There is some small plot lines that really don't work but none of that actually affects the overall story.
Summer Action flicks can't get any bigger than this. Although the movie is long, it is pretty enjoyable and does out-do the Rise of the Fallen (but not the first Transformers).
*Side note: My girlfriend pointed it out and I think it's pretty funny. Near the end of the movie, pay attention to Rosie's shoe. Yeah, she made it through all that with those on.*

Image Courtesy: Courtesy of Michael Bay and Transformers: The Dark of the Moon

WoW Starter Edition is now Free to Play until reaching level 20

Blizzard has finally done it, they made World of Warcraft free to play, well sort of. The first 20 levels are free to play. You can still continue playing the game after reaching level 20 but you will not be able to level up. So basically, it is a great way for newbies to get suckered in. I use to play WoW but I quit after playing for about a year (only totaling 3 months of game time). It was enjoyable when I started out but I started to get bored thereafter. Nothing against this game but mmorpg (massive multiplayer online role playing game) aren't really my thing. 

Although millions of people are still subscribed to World of Warcraft, Blizzard most likely felt threatened by new MMO's out like Rift. Then there's the upcoming MMO like Star Wars The Old Republic Online and Guild Wars 2, a non-subscription MMO. 

So for all those who haven't tasted WoW or never played an MMORPG, you can check out the link here:

Play WoW Free

I am sure there are people craving for something to play during the summer.

And here is a trailer for Guild Wars 2, just becaue I feel like sharing it.

Image Source: Courtesy of Blizzard

Teaser Trailer for Pixar's next masterpiece: Brave.

Pixar Animation is a rare studio in that a majority of their movies receive high acclaim. Their movies are very original and caters to people of all ages. Their latest movies continue the trend with Toy Story 3 and Cars 2. Although Toys 3 was phenomenal and Cars 2 is entertaining, I am sure some people are left wondering when Pixar will release a new Original movie. As much as I want to see a sequel to The Incredibles or Monster Inc., I'm really looking forward to Pixar's next great offering that isn't a sequel. Now here it is, Pixar teases us with a teaser trailer for their new movie Brave:



At first look, the movie seems to be drawing a more mature feel to it while still keeping that fairy tale feel. I can't say much until I see the official trailer. I want to know what your reactions are to this teaser so please leave a comment below about what you think.

Brave is expected to release next summer on June 22, 2012.

I will definitely try to keep you updated on this movie once I get more information.

Got My Harry Potter: Deathly Hallow Part II midnight showing ticket. Yeah

Living Social, you are a money saver. They recently had a deal where you can purchase 2 tickets for 9 bucks through Fandango. Harry Potter was on the top of my "Must Watch List" for this summer so I had to buy tickets for the midnight showing. Compared to the Half Blood Prince, Deathly Hallows Part 2 was really exceptional. The movie adaptation followed the first half of the 7th Harry Potter novel quite closely. Since I am a sucker for great movie adaptations, I knew that the next Harry Potter movie is a must see.

As for what Living Social is, it is similar to Groupon, where you purchase items at a fraction of the original cost. They have a lot of Restaurant deals based on the city you live in. Generally these deals go by fast and is in limited quantities. One fine print is that you must use the purchased deal all in one visit and no refund will be given.

I'll make sure to post up amazing deals if I find any.

City Dwellers having trouble with parking? Try iOS App: Park Place

I visited San Francisco in California just recently and I have to say, it is not the city I would want to live in. Why you ask. Traffic is a bitch but parking is even more of a pain in ass. Cramped streets littered with cars, and limited parking spaces. It is a huge city but parking and driving around looking for parking is very time consuming and not great on gas. Then when you park in an unfamiliar street, you run the risk of "losing" your car. I told my friends that I just recently downloaded an app that might help with all that. Of course, the reaction I got was: "Jesus, you're such dork" and "of course you would have an app". I rarely ever get praises for being so tech savvy especially when it comes to my apple products.

The app in question is the Park Place app for iOS on IPhone. People living or even visiting large cities will find this app somewhat useful. The app isn't a necessity but it will make searching for parking a tad more convenient. So far the supported cities include: Balimore, Boston, Philidelphia, San Francsico, Seattle, and Washington D.C., with more coming in the future. The app has a feature that allows you to search for parking facilities and compare rates. Once you find a few, the app will list the facilities as open or closed parking. I didn't use this feature yet but I was able to mark my location.

On the bottom of the screen, there is an icon called "Parked At". I thought this one was incredibly useful. Since I couldn't find any close street parking, I ended parking about 2 miles from my destination. I clicked on the "tap to add location" and it pinpointed my location. Then I clicked on "tap to add photo" to add a picture of the area where my car was parked (my picture wasn't helpful since the only thing seen is my friends mooning me). Then If I wanted to, I could set a countdown timer in case I was pressed on time. After 9 hours later, we happily stumbled back to my car worry free. I hate San Francisco less now.

1 More Show I must Add to my watch list: The Big C

Showtime just keeps pumping out AAA dramas like Dexter, Californication, and Nurse Jackie to name a few. Their new show The Big C is turning out to be another contender for a great Drama. The series follows a suburban mom who is diagnosed with cancer who, instead of giving up on life, tries to make the very best of her illness and finding seeing the bright side of it all. The story sounds kinda meh right, but seriously, I heard this show is pretty legit. She uses humor to cope with cancer and she is funny as hell. How awesome is that? The pilot drew in astounding numbers for a Showtime Original series. That is saying a lot, mind you. Season 2 premiers June 27th so watch season 1 first ya'll.

Here is a trailer for season 1 lucky folks:


You can buy season 1 here:
















Image Source: Image Courtesy of Showtime and The Big C

TEAM Fortress 2 is now Free to Play!

Well Valve has finally given people who missed out on their Orange Box exclusive game: Team Fortress 2 an opportunity to jump in. Team Fortress 2 is now free to play (f2p) on steam. This is still the same first person team based game and no features were dropped to make the game f2p. Valve does offer Micro transaction on in-game items used to customize your characters but no purchase is necessary since most items can be obtained during gameplay. Check it out if you haven't already.

Available for Mac or PC. Get it here: Team Fortress 2 Download

Image Source: Courtesy of Valve and Team Fortress 2
Link Source: http://www.teamfortress.com/freetoplay/

X-men: First Class gives me hope for the X-men saga.

I love comic book adaptations as much as the next guy but I haven't been too thrilled with the few movies that have been released thus far. Strictly my opinion, the X-Men trilogy and the Wolverine Origin movie have fell way below my expectation. I was upset to see the live action X-Men movie come out this way. I mean the movies were decent but not incredible.

Almost 2 years after Wolverine Origins, they finally done it: First Class was exceptional. The movie begins with the young Erik and Xavier realizing that they are special and not the only one who carries these special gifts. Erik has the ability to levitate and distort metal objects with his mind but does so with the help of his inner rage. Charles Xavier is pursuing his Ph.D in the field of gene mutation. He is gifted with the ability to enter a person's mind and read, speak, or even erase their memories. He happens upon a chance encounter with Erik after saving his life and immediately there is a strong connection between them.

The movie focuses on the chemistry between Erik and Charles and reveals why they have such a strong bond and conflicting differences. I thought this was what made the movie so great. It is the characters and the emotions they exert. A movie of this magnitude doesn't need special effects or crazy explosions to be great, just raw powerful performances. I can honestly say that I am really hoping that there is a X-men: Second Class or X-Men: Magneto Origin stemming from this movie. Cheers if you will be seeing this movie in the near future.

Image source: Courtesy of X-Men: First Class Movie

Taingerine's TOP 10 show to catch up during the summer

Now that summer has decided to wake me up for another hot and sweaty day, I am left trying to figure out how I will spend my day indoor hiding from the blistering sun. Television is my answer. This past season of new dramas, comedies, and reality shows were...actually good, like really good. I didn't have a chance to see most of the new shows or catch up with my favorite series due to college robbing me of all my precious TV viewing time. Now I have all the time in the world thanks to school being out. To help myself and whomever else dealing with the same issue, I figured I might as well compile a list of the top 10 shows that are a must-see from previous season. I am convinced that I have impeccable taste in shows so don't hate if you disagree.

So in no particular order, I present to you: TAINGERINES'S AWESOME TOP 10 MUST SEE SHOWS to CATCH UP TO DURING THE SUMMER FOR THOSE LIKE ME WHO WILL HAVE NO LIFE FOR THE UPCOMING COUPLE OF MONTHS.
Click on 'Read More' to See My TOP 10.

A Old West Tale: True Grit

I saw the movie True Grit when it first played in theater and I completely forgot about the movie until I saw that it is now on DVD and Blue-ray. If you are expecting a wild west movie that has a tall story behind it, this movie is not it. The movie instead follows the pursuit of a criminal by a vengeful young women whose father lay victim by the assailant. It is not huge on story but instead you see the most true to life cowboys of that time period. The reason I even thought I should write about this movie is because of how much of a charmer this movie is. True Grit has incredibly smart dialogue and the characters are memorable especially that of Hailee Steinfield who played Mattie Ross, the young women protagonist. The remarks and comment coming out of her mouth shows how mature her character is despite her age. I love listening to her talk even though I had some trouble comprehending western tounge. To help track down her killer, she seeks out the help from the toughest, gritiest U.S. Marshall to step foot in the west. Played by Jeff Bridges, Reuben J. Cogburn is one badass S.O.B and he takes down foes with no remorse. Then you have The Texas ranger who is also after the criminal pursued by Maddie. The ranger, played by Matt damon, is a support character and he is has less in common with the U.S. Marshall in their approach to capturing criminals. Matt Damon's character is more of a straight edge when compared to Mr. Cogburn's character. I truely love western movies, and I haven't seen a western movie that just exemplifies the western life as much as this movie does. It is a remake of a classic but it does the orginal justice by keeping true to form. Definetly a movie to watch out for.
You can check this movie out on Amazon right below this link:

True Grit

[Image above from True Grit]

Happy Freaking Star Wars Day Everyone.

It is May 4th and you all know what that means. No not pre-Cinco de mayo. Its Happy Star Wars Anniversary Day. Yes there is a holiday for Star Wars. If you are a true fan, don that storm trooper costume or a chewie suit. Start that Star War movie marathon. Go out and buy all sorts of star war collectibles. Have a kickass lightsaber duel. Buy a Jar Jar Binks pinata and then beat the crap out of it with a lightsaber (all in good fun that is). May the fourth be with all of you.

[Image courtesy of www.Alltop.com]

IPHONE APP Instagram: best app EVA!

I am sure that most of you readers out there that are familiar with the web know what Facebook and twitter is. Not even sure why I event stated that given that Facebook has become a world wide phenomenon. I have a Facebook of course but I only ever use it on my Iphone. While facebook is all fine and dandy to keep up with friends, I've recently discovered something 100% more awesome than facebook and it is called Instagram. This app offers you the ability to turn any crappy picture you take into "art". Yes, even a self portrait of yourself on the john will look amazing thanks to instagrams handful of picture filters. You can either choose to snap a photo of whatever or upload one from your photo library, then select a filter that gives it that hipster vibe and voila, instant classic. I know I sound sarcastic but I actually do use this app a lot. Other IG (short for instagram, duh) users can follow you or you can follow them. There are really amazing photos that you can view when you tap on "popular". I don't really care about getting a lot of followers, but....you all should definitely check out my profile; username is "thasunny" please follow and comment and leave nice messages please, please. So you don't have to take my word on this being the best app out there, cause it has like 5 super star rating. So go out there and download the app Instagram if you haven't already and start following your awesomeness.

P.S. here is a link for all you lucky folks who haven't already downloaded Instagram for the Iphone. 

Instagram