Author: Jason Zingale

A cloud of unanimous apprehension hung in the air during the opening minutes of writer/director Kevin Smith’s latest View Askew comedy, “Clerks II,” partly because longtime Smith fans were afraid the film would suck, but mostly because the legacy of the original film held a much bigger stake in its success. It didn’t take long, however, to win over the audience’s affection, and it took even less time to realize that, while the sequel to the 1994 critical darling shares many of the same comedic nuances, it’s a completely different monster. The new flick, while still embracing its share of…

Break out your team colors and practice up on your favorite fight song, because the latest installment of “NCAA Football” has arrived early this year, and just in time to get you pumped up for the new season. Featuring an extensive gamut of playable teams, updated playbooks, new on-the-field features and an additional game mode, “NCAA 07” is just what sports fans have been waiting for. Of course, while we love that EA goes all out for its college franchises, we’re far more excited to see what the upcoming “Madden” has to offer, because when it comes to picking just…

Carlos Alazraqui is one of the hardest working voice actors in Hollywood, bringing to life such notable characters as the Taco Bell Chihuahua, Mr. Weed from “Family Guy,” Rocko from “Rocko’s Modern Life,” Mr. Crocker on Nickelodeon’s “Fairly Odd Parents” and many, many more, including the voice of Mike Wazowski for all of Disney’s promotional material. Along with several new animated projects in the works, Carlos can currently be seen in the fourth season of “Reno 911!” on Comedy Central and the new movie, “Reno 911: Miami,” in theaters this winter. The comedian took the time to speak with Bullz-Eye…

During the summer months, the gaming industry practically becomes a ghost town for new titles. Presumably, this is because everyone is outside having fun, and so when a decent game slips through the cracks, it quickly becomes an instant hit. It’s an even rarer occasion, however, when a great game like “Prey” is introduced into the fold, and though most of us should probably be outside enjoying some much-needed fresh air, this is one summer title worthy of maintaining your pasty-white complexion. Featuring an epic story to go along with its solid gameplay, “Prey” delivers all of the usual tricks…

For a majority of the moviegoing public, Robert Altman is one of those directors you either love or hate, depending, of course, on whether or not you can sit back and listen to a bunch of actors talk (a lot) for two hours without falling asleep. Curiously, my opinion of the 81-year-old director differs greatly from the collective, and while I generally tend to enjoy his films at the beginning, they almost always let me down in the end. His latest feature, “A Praire Home Companion,” follows a similar path, and despite strong performances by screen veterans like Meryl Streep,…

Violence. It’s been the subject of much controversy in the gaming industry ever since Rockstar first released “Grand Theft Auto III” for the PlayStation 2. It’s not at all surprising, then, to find the New York-based game developers at the forefront of another media blitz with the follow-up to their ultra-violent psychological horror title “Manhunt.” After the sequel was slapped with the dreaded AO-rating only months before its release, major retail chains like Wal-Mart and GameStop refused to sell the game, ultimately resulting in Rockstar’s decision to edit its content in order to score the retail-friendly M-rating. Unfortunately, what many…

Bioware has formed quite the reputation in gaming circles with blockbuster favorites like “Baldur’s Gate,” “Neverwinter Nights” and the almighty “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic,” but they never created an original property in a world of their own until “Jade Empire.” An action RPG in the same vein as “KOTOR,” “Jade Empire” boasts a fulfilling story surrounding ancient Asian mythologies and an expansive combat system that, for the first time, allows the player to completely control the action. You play as the promising student of an infamous martial arts master who reveals the secret history behind your uncanny…

The boys over at Capcom must have watched “Starship Troopers” several times during the making of their latest Xbox 360 exclusive, because without the cheesy alien bug flick, “Lost Planet” probably would have never happened. Sure, the game plays like the usual Japanese fare (especially that part about the main character investigating some evil company that just so happens to be entangled in a web of mystery), but it’s a great title nonetheless, thanks in most part to its old-school level builds and killer boss fights. Plus, who hasn’t had the urge to just let loose and shred an army…

Anyone who’s ever played “Marvel: Ultimate Alliance” knows that it’s possible to make a good video game based on pre-existing comic book characters, but the fact that two different companies have failed so miserably with digitizing the world’s greatest superhero family is beyond upsetting. Activision’s loose adaptation of the first “Fantastic Four” film was a button-mashing mess, and while the second installment (this time developed by 2K Games) isn’t nearly as bad, it’s entirely to blame for not remedying any of the glaring issues prevalent in the first game. Clunky graphics and annoying glitches are the least of your worries,…

It has truly been a summer of disappointment. Films like “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “The Break-Up,” “Cars,” “Nacho Libre,” and even “Superman Returns” have all come up short of their expectations, and with the middle of summer rapidly approaching, the future doesn’t look promising. Perhaps this works in favor of Gore Verbinski’s new “Pirates” film, “Dead Man’s Chest,” which will undoubtedly rake in big bucks when it opens in theaters. Why, you ask? Well, because it sets out to do one thing: entertain. And entertain it does, quite well, actually, when it’s not bogged down by an over-complex story with…