Author: Jason Zingale

Now that we know how to play the drums (“Donkey Konga”), dance like a pro (“Dance Dance Revolution”), and sing like a diva (“Karaoke Revolution Party”), it’s finally time to master the art of playing the guitar. And let’s face it, who hasn’t dreamt of being a rock star at some point in their lives? Whether it was playing the air guitar or strumming away on your janitorial utensil of choice, Radiohead had it right when they said “Anyone Can Play Guitar.” Well, sort of. Guitar in hand and tongue flailing, rhythm game developer Red Octane has answered the call…

Nothing says “it’s over” quite like Brett Ratner’s “X-Men: The Last Stand,” a film so comfortable with being the (supposed) final installment of the comic franchise that major characters are disposed of with the snap of a finger, sometimes even offscreen. This still doesn’t completely rule out the possibility of a sequel (20th Century Fox never turns down the chance to make a quick buck), but if this really is the last X-Men film, then the series has been put to rest in style. Ratner’s take on the Marvel supergroup may differ slightly from Bryan Singer’s vision, but the film…

Rockstar has never been one to turn down the chance at shocking the world. Over the last five years alone, the indie developers have pushed the boundaries of sex and violence in video games further than anyone could have possibly imagined. Their incredibly successful “Grand Theft Auto” franchise can surely attest to that (especially after last year’s Hot Coffee scandal), but the only thing surprising about their latest title, “Table Tennis,” is that they developed it. There are no guns, drugs, or strippers in this game, and you won’t be given the chance to bludgeon your opponent with your paddle.…

When news broke that Dan Brown’s highly controversial best-selling novel, “The Da Vinci Code,” would be adapted for the big screen, the Christian community was sent into an uproar. The integrity of the church was to be contested yet again, and by the same “lies” that caused a tidal wave of worldwide protests the first time. It’s a good thing that Jack Bauer didn’t get involved (producer Brian Grazer originally presented the idea as a possible plot line for “24”), because though the film didn’t receive nearly as much backlash as was expected, several protests still transpired. Fortunately for Sony…

As a rule of thumb when judging games based on movie licenses, it’s generally a good idea to expect disappointment. Nine out of ten times you’ll be right, and when you do come across that rare exception, it’ll only make for a more enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, “X-Men: The Official Game” – Activision’s latest soiree with the Marvel supergroup – doesn’t fall into that category. The action/adventure title, which is being released 10 days before the theatrical premiere of the franchise’s third – and possibly last – installment, is modeled much in the same way as 2003’s “Enter the Matrix.” It’s…

The last time filmmakers planned out an entire trilogy before even beginning work on the first film, they had an incredibly talented director, some pretty impressive source material and a 50-year-old cult following that refused to simply watch from the sidelines. Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy was truly revolutionary to the world of cinema, and its instant success has led to other studios greenlighting film franchises before a single scene has even been shot. The most recent example of this is in the FIFA-funded soccer (or futbol, for everybody else in the world) trilogy, “Goal!,” a sport that…

Fans of Lindsay Lohan’s 2003 Disney hit, “Freaky Friday,” will undoubtedly enjoy her latest – and reportedly last – fluff film, “Just My Luck,” because, well, they’re pretty much the same movie. Trade out wannabe hipster Jamie Lee Curtis for young up-and-comer Chris Pine, tweak the story to include an exchange of luck instead of bodies, and presto-chango, you have a seemingly brand new story in which the redheaded protagonist still learns an important life lesson at the end of the film. Of course, it’s not that simple, but eager teenage girls will hardly connect the dots when comparing the…

The annual E3 conference is the biggest video game convention in the world, and for three days each year, big-time video game companies and game developers show off the best of what’s to come. Unfortunately, a majority of the hype is concentrated on the new hardware set for release later in the year, and not the software that will debut beside it. What these companies seem to forget, however, is that the software is the key to success, and by creating a core group of popular titles — as Nintendo has done over the course of the past two decades…

As the third installment in the big screen adaptation of the classic TV series, “Mission: Impossible 3” had plenty of room to fail. And if the expected pressure to be bigger and better than its predecessors wasn’t enough, production on the film also ran into plenty of problems along the way, including numerous directors leaving the project (both David Fincher and Joe Carnahan were previously attached) and several actors (like Carrie-Anne Moss, Scarlett Johansson and Ricky Gervais) either being recast or having their roles cut from the script. The movie was delayed an entire year while star/producer Tom Cruise filmed…

Abstract filmmakers like Terry Gilliam and Jean-Pierre Jeunet (“Amelie”) don’t leave much to the imagination, a bizarre strategy considering they must rely on their audience to keep an open mind about such madcap ideas as a Jabberwocky and a City of Lost Children. And yet despite the sheer eccentricity of either man’s resume, there couldn’t be two directors more alike. Perhaps that’s why Gilliam (who had just completed his masterpiece, “Brazil,” only a few years prior) helped to endorse Jeunet’s “Delicatessen” when it was originally released in 1991. In fact, the two films are so similar in both their unique…