Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2242

TANGLED and FROZEN Face Off in a Heated Princess Rap Battle (NSFW)

Whitney Avalon jumps inside your head and pits all your favorite characters against each other with her Princess Rap Battle series. Instead of fighting and drawing blood, they score hits with verse. Previous installments have showcased bouts between characters like Daenerys vs. Maleficent and Katniss vs. Hermione. Avalon writes and produces each battle, and her sharp words are always on point. She nails it in the newest release, Rapunzel vs. Anna.

The princesses from Tangled and Frozen are teamed up with their beaus, Flynn Rider and Kristoff, and I just now realized we don’t know most of these characters’ last names. Weird. Thankfully, surnames aren’t required for rapping. Eliza Dushku stars as Rapunzel with fellow Buffy the Vampire Slayer vet Tom Lenk as Flynn; James Maslow plays Kristoff and Avalon is Anna. The characters, who by the way, have on point costumes, get in plenty of not-so-much-safe-for-work jabs about each other’s upbringing and families. I’ve always pictured Rapunzel rocking a little sass, but Anna’s so sweet and nice I find it hilarious to watch her slinging insults.

This is all about attacking with music, but what if Rapunzel and Anna went hand-to-hand? Rapunzel has a frying pan, and we’ve seen her use it. But Anna has spunk and strikes me as the resourceful type. Who do you think would triumph?

If you liked the battle, stay tuned to Avalon’s YouTube channel to go behind the scenes and to see a bonus song from Anna.

Which fictional female characters would you like to see duel in verse? Tell me in the comments.

Featured Image: Whitney Avalon

Remember the other live-action Frozen?

New GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Trailer Gives Baby Groot a Role That’s the Bomb

I guess it might be okay to admit now, but I was a little disappointed in that very first Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 trailer for not showing very much. After the Comic-Con reel, it seemed like a step back, albeit one that filled the important duty of reminding the public why we like this team in the first place.

But this? This trailer, just unveiled by James Gunn at Comic Con Experience 2016 in São Paulo, Brazil, is what I wanted. And I think you’ll find it’s what you wanted too. The giant tentacle monster you’ve seen in concept art is here, as is Baby Groot’s voice, so you can learn at last what a helium-filled Vin Diesel sounds like. It looks like regressing to childhood has made the talking tree a whole lot more mischievous, and potentially world destroying. You know, like all toddlers feel sometimes.

Drax, meanwhile, appears to be learning human slang, and possibly learning to be less literal, though he still has absolutely no filter between thought and mouth. Gamora doesn’t really talk, but she gives a look near the end that says it all. Meanwhile, Star Lord and Rocket appear not to have necessarily become better people after their last great adventure, but definitely better partners.

Are you ready to squee over all the Baby Groot footage? Will Gamora merchandise be easier to find this time? And what new retro-tunes will be the next wave of Marvel earworms? Share your galactic thoughts in comments below.

Image: Marvel Studios

We’re going to have to make another one of these…

MARVEL VS. CAPCOM: INFINITE Just Debuted an Epic Trailer

Chances are you’ve heard all of the Marvel vs. Capcom 4 rumors by now; well, it turns out they were true–sort of. The epic brawler is indeed getting another iteration in the form of Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. Feast your eyes on the clip above as Iron Man dukes it out against Capcom’s best in the trailer that was revealed at this year’s PlayStation Experience.

No gameplay as of yet, but several characters have already been confirmed: Ryu, Mega Man, Captain Marvel, and of course Iron Man–who looks a bit more like his movie counterpart. The game is set to launch in 2017, and will include a single player arcade mode, mission mode, training, and even a cinematic story mode. And there will of course be the usual online features.

That’s not all, however. If you just can’t wait to beat your friends with Iron Man, Sony also announced that Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 will be available to download exclusively on the PS4 today. In other words, it’s time to dust off those arcade sticks. No word yet on pricing. There will also be a gameplay reveal later today after the Capcom Cup, so keep it here for updates.

What did you think of that short but epic trailer? Which characters do you want to see make a triumphant return? Which new fighters do you want to be added to the roster? Are there any new features you’d like to be added to the series? Make sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Images: Capcom, Marvel

Will Tony Stark’s suit kill him before Ryu can?

THE LAST OF US PART II Is Revealed With Goosebumps-Inducing Trailer

We already knew that the powerhouse developing team team Naughty Dog was working on a The Last of Us sequel, but we didn’t know we’d get to see it this soon. Before this year’s PlayStation Experience conference came to an end, a trailer for The Last of Us Part II was dropped on us, and it was awesome. Don’t take it from me; take a gander at the clip above!

Ellie does not look happy. She looks to be much older now, probably in her late teens. In the clip she’s playing a song on the guitar, her hands look all beat up, she’s got tattoos, there’s blood all over her face, and she’s talking about killing them all. Yeah, I’d say she’s almost lost it. It’s not looking good for whoever “them” actually is. But hey, at least we know that Ellie learned to play the guitar, so there’s that. We didn’t get a good look at Joel, but we can assume he’s probably pretty old at this point. We wouldn’t be surprised if he takes a backseat in the sequel.

Sony did warn that this was super-early footage of the game, but there’s hope it could be coming out within the next couple of years, especially if the team does use the same assets and engine used to make The Last of Us Remastered. We’ll keep you updated if more information is revealed.

Did the trailer give you chills? Were you a fan of the first game? Where do you want the story to go? Is it even possible for Naughty Dog to outdo the classic that is the original game? Let us know in the comments section below!

Images: Naughty Dog, PlayStation

Chloe Finally Returns in Standalone UNCHARTED: THE LOST LEGACY

Now that’s how you start a press conference! When we piled into the Anaheim Convention Center for the 2016 PlayStation Experience press conference, we weren’t expecting a brand new game from Naughty Dog–but that’s exactly what we got. No, it’s not The Last of Us 2 (that was announced at the end of the conference, and Nerdist will have more on that later today), but a standalone Uncharted game featuring Chloe Frazier! Check out the trailer at the top of the page as well as Naughty Dog’s official announcement tweet below.

We have a new #Uncharted game! Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is a new standalone story chapter. Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross are back! #PSX16 pic.twitter.com/womI6no3sj

— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) December 3, 2016

In the trailer at the top of the page, we see a mysterious woman garbed in a hijab walking the streets. We quickly learn that she is meeting somebody at a rendezvous point on a rooftop somewhere. After finally making her way there, it was revealed that the person she was meeting was none other than Nadine Ross (who was introduced in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End)! We don’t know too much about the title, aside from the fact that Chloe will be joined by Nadine in the adventure, but it will be interesting to see where they place this in the Uncharted franchise timeline.

After Chloe’s own debut in Uncharted 2 fans have been waiting for her return, and were especially disappointed when she didn’t show up in Uncharted 4 along with Nathan Drake, Elena, and Sully. It’s certainly nice to see she’s getting her own standalone title as opposed to story DLC.

What did you think of the trailer? Did you think it was another title? Let us know in the title below, join the conversation on Facebook, or start one with me on Twitter: @Samantha_Sofka.

Image: Sony

These D20 Holiday Lights Will Give You +10 Holiday Cheer

So it’s finally time to decorate your home for the holidays, but as you look around at the decorations, something is missing, isn’t it? Sure, you’ve got a tree, you’ve got twinkle lights, you’ve got nutcrackers, gingerbread houses, and maybe even some Rogue One snowflakes. While those are all great, there hasn’t been much in the way of Dungeons & Dragons-themed holiday decor.

ThinkGeek has decided to remedy that with these fantastic D20 string lights. While they could technically could be used all year as a very obvious bit of decor for your next D&D session or to simply light up your bedroom, it’s a no-brainer for the D&D gamers decorating their homes for the holidays. These lights are exclusively sold at ThinkGeek, and they work inside or outside.

ThinkGeek also promises they work in the underdark but not in areas of magical darkness. However, this claim has yet to be verified by experts in underdark or magical darkness holiday decor so, you know, take that into account as you decorate.

The nine-foot string can either shine consistently, or you can pop in the provided flashing bulb to make the whole strand blink. You know,  if you’re feeling that holiday light rave vibe. Each bulb is replaceable, so you don’t have to ditch the string if one goes out, and each strand has 10 red D20 lights. While you shouldn’t plug more than three strands together for safety reasons, these lights will adapt perfectly from holiday lights to just general game night decorations. And who doesn’t love lights that you can display all year round without any judgment, right?

What do you think of the lights? Will you be getting some for yourself or friends this holiday season? What other geeky holiday decor do you have in your home? Tell us in the comments!

Image Credits: ThinkGeek

A Feather Star Fish Reminds Us of the Beauty and Wonder of Our Oceans

There are times when the ocean can seem like the most terrifying place on the planet. Its strange monsters and hidden dangers make it feel like the setting of a science-fiction horror movie. But sometimes we are reminded that our seas are really the closest thing we have to our own beautiful and distant alien planet, a place where wondrous and fascinating creatures of magnificent and fascinating design roam, assuring us of the beauty and amazing power of life right here at home. That’s precisely how you feel when you watch a fish that looks like its made up entirely of feathers traversing the waters with the elegance of a ballet dancer.

This video, uploaded to YouTube by the channel Atlantis Bell, showcases a dive in the crystal clear waters of Bali, during which you can see a feather star (starting at around the 1:30 mark) in all its stunning grace. It looks like a cache of delicate bird feathers have been attached to a motor and sent off to decorate the ocean the way you might adorn your own living room with a tasteful and exotic plant.

In reality, this feather star is a type of marine invertebrate known as a crinoid, of which there are 550 types. You can see a couple of other types in these videos.

Seriously, the ocean is so much more amazing than it is scary, and is a great reminder that sometimes our own imaginations aren’t nearly as creative and wonder as what life and evolution has come up with.

How would you describe one of these fish? What other denizens of the seas do you find as beautiful? Swim into our comments section and let us know.

Images: Atlantis Bell/YouTube

Why Iceman is a fireball waiting to happen

Cosplay Friday #191 – Winter Soldier, Gambit, and More by Remy Domino Cosplay

Living in the world of cosplay takes blood, sweat, and tears, and since Remy Domino makes all her costumes completely by hand, she understands the sacrifices. She’s been making and building in the cosplay world for ten years, and she really infuses her own style into her projects. Remy’s dressed as several comic book characters, and she’s added different touches that are all her own. For example, with this bold and cool Wonder Woman costume, she paired the armor with heels (you can see a head-to-toe picture of the costume in the gallery).

Wonder Woman | Photo by Josh Stringer Photography

Her take on Gambit might be my favorite of her costumes:

Gambit | Photo by Josh Stringer Photography

You’ll find more of Remy’s work in the gallery below, including more Wonder Woman, Loki, and the Winter Soldier. Once you’ve flipped through the images, you can follow Remy at Facebook to keep up with all her new work. She has quite an extensive costume portfolio.

Do you cosplay or take photographs of cosplayers? Then I want to see your work so we can talk about highlighting what you do in a future Cosplay Friday gallery. If you’re interested, please go ahead and email me at alratcliffe@yahoo.com with hi-res photos you’d like me to feature. Be sure to provide credits for the cosplayers or photographers for each image because giving credit is good manners–bonus points if you include links to relevant Facebook pages or websites. Though I wish I knew all the geek franchises, I don’t, so please let me know who or what is being cosplayed–I can usually figure it out, but I’ll take all the help I can get.

Featured Image: Courtesy of Remy Domino, photo by Josh Stringer Photography

Thermoforming Is How Most of Your Stuff Is Made, and It Looks Awesome

There’s a decent chance that you’ve held something today that exists thanks to thermoforming… even if you don’t know what thermoforming is. The video above gives a brief rundown of the process (“A plastic sheet is heated and formed to a specific shape in a mold.”), and a good look at its pleasing aesthetics. But for a better nuts-and-bolts examination of thermoforming, let us turn to Adam Savage in a video he put out a few months ago for Tested. He calls the process “vacuum forming” (and his set-up might not be as clean-looking or smooth as the one in the above video), but it’s the same thing, and in fact, knowing both names provides more insight into how the process works.

According to Savage, it involves “taking a sheet of plastic, […] putting it in a frame, lifting that frame up to a heating element, […] heating it up until the plastic gets droopy, and then pulling it down over a form,” then creating a tight seal—and thus a detailed, true-to-form result—between the plastic and the form with a vacuum.

It’s a process that’s as intricate as it is fun to watch, so take a look at thermoforming in a more industrial setting above, or watch Savage create part of a NASA spacesuit in more of a hobbyist environment below.

Note: The top clip also claims that the most widely used implementation of thermoforming is for food packaging, but the video also shows that the process is used to create everything from signs to art to Darth Vader masks to model cars. What would you like to see created via thermoforming?

Featured image: INSIDER/YouTube

Why Star Trek‘s transporters are sci-fi’s most incredible technology

Comic Book Club: Trooth Syrum

Comedy podcast Trooth Syrum (Corey Easley and Ryan Bobila) joins the show to talk about getting drunk, telling the truth — and comics, of course.

 

Check out the website at comicbookclublive.com to find out how to watch the show live! And follow the show on Twitter: @comicbooklive, @azalben, @jtsizzle, and @realpetelepage