Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2045

An Orchestra Played Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” and It Sounds Amazing

Daft Punk really leaned into the disco influences in their music on their most recent album, 2013’s Random Access Memories. Before that, though, they were more or less a French house duo, leaning heavily on the electronics for a sound that could hardly be considered organic or natural-sounding. They’ve always been compositionally sound, so it’s fun to think about what their earlier material might sound like if it was made with the same mindset the group seems to be in today, aka having a stronger reliance on real instruments.

The Rundfunk-Tanzorchester Ehrenfeld (which translates to “Radio Dance Orchestra of Ehrenfeld”) pretty much answered that question with a 15-piece orchestra cover of “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” from Daft Punk’s 2001 sophomore album Discovery (via Sploid).

Their rendition of the song sounds both spot-on in relation to the original and also like a fresh take on it, if that makes sense. The fun spirit of the original is there, but with the string and brass instruments in play, it sounds like a jazzed-up or disco-fied version of the song. If you thought the vocals were too processed and inorganic to be re-created live, that’s where you’re wrong, since all it really takes is a Rocktron Talk Box, which the vocalist here handles perfectly and with a ton of energy.

Check out the cover above, and let us know in the comments if there are any other amazing Daft Punk covers floating around out there that you think we ought to hear.

Featured image: NEO MAGAZIN ROYALE/YouTube

The Hidden Meaning Behind the New DUCKTALES Intro!

This summer, get ready for another duck blur in Duckburg! The classic Disney animated series, DuckTales, is getting rebooted in August, complete with a bigger part for Donald Duck, a surprisingly fit Mrs. Beakley, and one of our favorite Doctors—David Tennant—stepping into the role of Scrooge McDuck. This week, Disney XD released the new opening sequence for DuckTales, which had plenty of nods to the previous series. But if you’re familiar with Disney comics, then the opening has even deeper significance. Today’s Nerdist News is taking a deep dive into the Junior Woodchucks guidebook to explain what it means for the show!

Join host and Choboduck’s alter ego, Jessica Chobot, as she gets old school with Disney legend Carl Barks. Modern fans may not realize this, but Barks is one of the uncrowned kings of comics whose work defined the Disney Ducks for generations. He created Uncle Scrooge, Duckburg, and almost all of the supporting characters while throwing Donald and his three nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie into globetrotting adventures. Even George Lucas and Steven Spielberg cribbed from Barks’ work in the famous boulder sequence from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

The original DuckTales series was inspired by Barks’ work, but it made significant changes, including the introduction of Launchpad, Mrs. Beakley, and Webby. It also shuffled Donald off to the Navy rather than giving him a prominent place alongside his uncle and nephews. One of the most intriguing aspects of the new opening sequence is that it restores a lot of the aspects of Barks’ comics that were missing from the first show. That’s why Scrooge is wearing his red suit from the comics, and there are other nods to Barks’ work as well, including the ducks’ encounter with the Flying Dutchman.

This new series has apparently retained many of the elements of the first show, including Gizmoduck and other characters created for the series, while also taking its cues from the past. There’s a lot of untapped potential in the decades of stories that Barks left behind, and it appears that this show will take full advantage of that. If you love these characters, that’s something to be very excited about!

What do you think about the new DuckTales opening sequence? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!

Stephen King’s IT Statue Based on Tim Curry’s Pennywise

For over 30 years, Stephen King’s It has terrorized readers with its depiction of the title creature and its favorite incarnation: Pennywise the Clown. Bill Skarsgård is taking over the role of Pennywise later this year in a new theatrical adaptation of It, but for many fans, Tim Curry‘s Pennywise is still the definitive version of the character. And later this year, the classic Pennywise could be coming to your home.

Via Bloody Disgusting, Factory Entertainment has unveiled its Pennywise Premium Motion Statue, which stands 15″ tall and recreates Curry’s likeness from the 1990 Stephen King’s It TV miniseries. Pennywise’s pose is based upon the famous scene in which he appears on the side of the road and waves while holding a few floating balloons.

 

Now, if only there was a way to make this evil clown statue even creepier. Well, as a matter of fact, there is. According to Factory Entertainment, the statue will feature audio clips of Pennywise’s lines from the miniseries. The exact lines weren’t specified, but we’re hoping for our favorites: “kiss me, fat boy” and “we all float down here.”

The Pennywise Premium Motion Statue is currently expected to be released sometime this winter. The asking price is $125, so it may not be for everyone. But if you want to add this killer clown to your collection, you can place your preorder here.

What did you think about the new Pennywise statue? Would you trust this clown with the lights turned down? And what are your favorite Pennywise lines? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Factory Entertainment

The GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN Trailer is an Emotional Rollercoaster

The world of Winnie the Pooh is getting the live-action treatment soon, and no, I’m not talking about a Disney live-action adaptation of their animated classic The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (although, that is in the works actually).

Nope, I’m talking about the upcoming biopic Goodbye Christopher Robin, which tells the true story of how English author A. A. Milne came up with the characters of Pooh Bear, Tigger, Piglet and the rest, and turned them into a massively successful series of children’s books. You can watch the first full trailer for the Fox Searchlight release down below.

The new film features Harry Potter and Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ star Domhnall Gleeson as author A.A. Milne, and Suicide Squad actress Margot Robbie as his wife, Daphne. The first trailer depicts how Milne used his son Christopher Robin’s stuffed animals to inspire him to write stories about the fictional 100 Acre Wood, and how his own son became a character in these stories, which became almost instantly famous around the world. It also shows that like a lot of beloved pop culture icons, Pooh Bear’s creation is rooted in tragedy — in this instance, the trenches of World War I.

While  it looks like the film begins in the horror that is the first World War, it appears like it will mostly focus on the happier times that came as a result of Milne creating the world of Pooh Bear and his friends. In other words, expect this offering to be somewhat less depressing than the story of Peter Pan creator J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland. 

Goodbye Christopher Robin is set to hit UK cinemas September 29, and in North American theaters on October 17, 2017.

Are you exited to learn the origins of everyone’s favorite honey loving bear? Be sure to let us know your thoughts down below in the comments.

Images: Fox Searchlight / The Walt Disney Company

Jaden Smith is a White-Clad BATMAN in His Latest Music Video

Jaden Smith has been a big Batman fan for a long time: He tweeted a childhood photo of himself in a Batman shirt after Adam West’s recent passing, and he even went to Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s wedding in a white Batman suit. It turns out that his nuptial costume was actually a peculiar bit of foreshadowing: Smith just released a music video for a song called “Batman,” and in the clip, he’s again donning an all-white Batsuit.

The song borrows from Drake and Future’s “Jumpman,” adopting a similar vocal delivery but replacing “Jumpman” with, yes, “Batman.” Elsewhere, the lyrics reference some actual Batman plot points, like the Joker’s origins of falling into a vat of chemicals: “Batman, Batman, Batman / Joker just put me on acid.” Meanwhile, the video shows Jaden roaming around Los Angeles in his white suit, until he finds himself at the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, squaring off against the original Batman (or at least one in a more traditional black costume), as well as Superman and Spider-Man.

Smith previously explained his affinity for superhero costumes, saying simply that he likes how it makes him feel: “I’m just expressing how I feel inside,” Smith told GQ in 2015. “Which is really no particular way because everyday it changes how I feel about the world and myself, but I like wearing super drapey things so I can feel as though I’m a superhero, but don’t have to necessarily wear superhero costumes everyday.”

Here’s a fun piece of trivia about this video, especially for Hannah Montana fans: It was directed by frequent Smith collaborator Moisés Arias, who most famously played Rico in Hannah Montana and one of the orphans in Nacho Libre. And if you’re wondering, fans have pointed out that in the comics, Batman has worn a white suit before, like while wearing the White Lantern Power Ring in the Blackest Night series. So, Smith is sort of keeping it canon.

Check out the video above, and let us know in the comments what your favorite Batman suit is.

Featured image: 490tx/YouTube

Watch Neill Blomkamp’s First Oats Studios Short Film, Starring Sigourney Weaver

Last month, director Neill Blomkamp dropped the first teaser for his new experimental short films under the Oats Studios banner. Today, Blomkamp released Rakka, the first short from Oats Studios Vol. 1, starring Sigourney Weaver and a few other familiar faces.

Rakka takes place in a world where humanity has been decimated by an alien invasion and treated as little more than vermin or breeding stock. Weaver portrays a resistance leader named Jasper, but there’s not much of a resistance left by the time this story begins. Even short-lived victories are met by brutal retaliation, and there isn’t much hope for humanity’s survival. But that’s not to say that all hope is gone.

Arrow fans may recognize Carly Pope as Sarah, a woman who bonds with Amir, as played by Eugene Khumbanyiwa from District 9. Amir is one of the rare survivors of the alien experiments, but it’s an open question of just how much humanity he still retains after his ordeal. The short film is ambiguous about Amir’s state of mind all the way through the end.

If you were hoping for closure from this short, there’s none to be had. Rakka feels like it is the first chapter of a longer story, and it’s not clear if Blomkamp will keep the narrative going if Oats Studios Vol. 2 goes forward. But as a standalone short, it’s an intriguing glimpse of what Blomkamp can do when freed from conventional film constraints.

What did you think about Rakka? Let us know in the comment section below!

Image: Oats Studios

Funko is Warping in a Cosplay-Ready RICK AND MORTY Portal Gun

Intergalactic terrorist and grandfather Rick Sanchez is a man of addictions: booze, catchphrases, wubba-lubba-dub-dubbing…but considering that we’re willing to pay almost $15,000 for some McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce, I think it’s also safe to say that we’re addicted to Rick and Morty. The mega(seed)-popular Adult Swim series has been diligently satiating that addiction through choice cinematic, vehicular, and plasticized integrations, but we could always use more. Now, Funko is giving us another swig: a cosplay-ready portal gun.

Out this November, Funko’s replica of Rick’s portal gun “is primarily used for travel, but don’t be afraid to use it offensively or defensively to avoid your enemies,” according to press release and show canon. But it’s not simply a gun-shaped Funko Pop!, or gunko, if you will. When you pull the trigger to warp back to C137, the gun emits “a variety of lights and noises”.  Ooh-la la.

While many properties quickly overstay their welcomes when it comes to products and tie-ins, it seems like we truly cannot kick Rick and Morty merch. After you grab this portal gun in November, how about we start a campaign for an official flask? Or a Roy RPG? Or business cards that can track and project your current GPS location like Krombopulos Michael’s? We’ll take it all.

What do you think of Funko’s portal gun? Does it complete your costume, or will your cosplay never truly be complete unless you finally posses the hardest working liver in the galaxy? Let us know in the comments below.

Images: Funko

The Science of Rick and Morty

Puck Soup #55: NHL vs. NBA Playoffs

Greg and Dave put a bow around the Stanley Cup Final, debate the merits of Sidney Crosby as MVP, offer their top 10 favorite things from the 2017 playoffs, dive deep into the NBA vs. the NHL and super teams, reveal a secret about DIE HARD, re-rank that stupid French Fry ranking, create a Sir-Mix-A-Lot tribute to catfish, discuss Dan Girardi’s buyout, preview the Golden Knight’s expansion draft and read your listener mail from waffle sex to NHL coaches as Uber drivers. Sponsored by Seat Geek.

Follow @wyshynski, @davelozo and @PuckSoupPodcast on Twitter!

Your First Look at Marvel’s Badass CAPTAIN PHASMA Comic is Here

Can you imagine being in Captain Phasma‘s shiny metal boots when she has to explain what happened on Starkiller Base? You couldn’t pay me enough credits to take the kind of punishment the First Order would dole out for more or less being responsible for the destruction of a key outpost. We might get an idea of how Star Wars‘ shiniest soldier does or doesn’t bounce back in Marvel‘s four-part Captain Phasma mini-series, and we have a first look at some interiors.

We knew Gwendoline Christie was set to reprise the role in The Last Jedi, so obviously Phasma survived the implosion of Starkiller Base. But how did she get out of the garbage compactor and out of harm’s way? Those are some of the questions the comic from writer Kelly Thompson and artist Marco Checchetto will address.

This page shows her emerging from the presumably smelly encounter with her head held high:

Note the tentacle-looking object. Is it a vine? A leftover from an exotic meal? Or is it a dianoga? They like to hang out near garbage. See if you can pick out any more details in other panels from the comic (keep reading to see them)!

Set between the events of The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, the Journey to The Last Jedi title has room to explore. Writer Thompson said it was exciting to get a chance to delve into that space in the timeline: “We were given the awesome responsibility of bridging a gap between Force Awakens and Last Jedi – of answering the question of what happened to Phasma after she went into that trash chute.”

Like many people, I was taken with Phasma’s chrome armor and intimidating appearance. I was disappointed in her for punking out when Finn pushed her around a little. I hope the comic shows her trying to bounce back from that decision and devoting herself further to the First Order.

What are your hopes for this Phasma story coming in September? Share your theories in the comments.

Images: Marvel Comics

Is ANTHEM the MASS EFFECT Sequel We Deserve?

One of the big surprises of this year’s E3 was Anthem, the newest title from Bioware. It’s an open world game that blends together elements of Iron Man, Destiny, and Attack on Titan into one stunning world that simply takes our breath away. More importantly, it pushes the boundaries of sci-fi action RPGs even further than before, and it may have everything we never knew we wanted from a Mass Effect sequel.

Within the world of Anthem, players will get the chance to become Freelancers, the armor wearing humans who serve as the protectors of a walled-off city. And much like Attack on Titan, there are quite a few threats beyond the wall that are waiting to murder the city’s inhabitants. We’re talking monsters of all shapes and sizes, as well as more traditional villains.

However, it’s the customizable Javelin exosuit armor that really has us intrigued. We’ve already seen footage of the Javelins soaring through the skies of this world and even venturing deep beneath the waves. The early look at the combat system also looks amazing, and it’s incredibly satisfying to see the game’s weapons and armor in action. This title really does feel like a spiritual successor to the Mass Effect franchise, even if it is a standalone property. But is it enough to unseat Mass Effect in our hearts?

Honestly, we didn’t feel that Mass Effect: Andromeda lived up to its potential. It just didn’t have the sense of discovery or the compelling drama that made the earlier installments so memorable. It’s far too soon to say if Anthem can fill that void and give us the next great gaming experience. But there’s so much potential here that it’s impossible not to be excited about the possibilities. We can’t wait to get our hands on this game for an extended period of time.

How do you feel about the first look at Anthem? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: EA/Bioware