Movies – Yell! Magazine Where Subcultures Collide™ Sat, 13 Nov 2021 01:27:20 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.8.2 Biggest Movies Releasing In Canada The Rest Of 2021 /2021/10/12/biggest-movies-releasing-in-canada-the-rest-of-2021/ /2021/10/12/biggest-movies-releasing-in-canada-the-rest-of-2021/#respond Wed, 13 Oct 2021 01:25:00 +0000 /?p=125244 It’s starting to feel and look like Fall in Canada. The leaves will be orange-y soon enough, temperatures are easing off, and sports like football are in full swing, with hockey to follow soon enough. 

Sure, the pandemic is still raging courtesy of the delta variant, but Canada isn’t in full lockdown. If you bet on Queen’s Plate horse racing, you saw fans back in the stands. And while borders are still air tight, there’s plenty to do inside the country — one of which includes catching a movie.  

The pandemic reshuffled the movie release calendar and now that attendance is allowed in more theaters, film studios have jam-packed the remainder of the year with hit attractions. Here’s which flicks you should circle on your calendar right now: 

James Bond: No Time To Die — October 8  

Perhaps no movie has been delayed more by the virus than No Time To Die, the last installment of James Bond featuring Daniel Craig as the title character. This one was supposed to be released in April 2020, right after this madness ensued. After four different delays, all signs point to it actually releasing in a few short weeks.  

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Eighteen months after its original release date, we’re still stoked to see Craig say farewell to the iconic character. His first foray into the franchise, Carino Royale, was an instant classic that brought back the series from the dead after the terrible Die Another Day edition.  

Unlike many movies in the pandemic era, No Time To Die will be exclusive to traditional theaters. Most provinces and cities in Canada have reopened indoor seating but check with your local cinema beforehand just to be sure Bond will be attendable.  

Halloween Kills — October 15  

At the start of the article, we touched on the Fall season. Of course, one of the hallmarks of the Fall is Halloween. Welp, no scary movie is more associated with the “holiday” than the aptly-named Halloween franchise. Yes, serial killer Michael Meyers is back and he’s once again trying to kill Lorie Strode — the same one from the first movie in 1978.  

If you’re not ready to head back to an indoor movie theater or just don’t want to pay for overpriced popcorn and soda — hey, we don’t blame you — you should know this movie will be available to stream the day of its release. Peacock will have it on October 15. 

One problem, Peacock is currently only available in the United States. Fear not, there are VPNs easily available online to flip your IP address from Canada to a US one. This could be an alternative route if you want to bring the frights home around Halloween time.  

Spider-Man: No Way Home — December 15 

Ah, yes, you knew a superhero flick was going to make this list, didn’t you? Marvel movies are one of the few remaining attractions at the box office and few IP’s compare to the “friendly neighborhood” Spider Man. 

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Rumors have swirled that this movie will feature the two actors that previously played the character — Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. No one knows whether leaked images of the two on-set, alongside current actor Tom Holland, are real or manufactured and we might not get an answer until December 15. How’s that for anticipation?    

The Matrix Resurrections — December 22 

A lot has changed since the first Matrix movie was released in 1999. The movie’s plot line of life being a simulation is actually entertained by smart folks like Elon Musk. CGI has certainly leaped forward and we’re excited to see how modern-day graphics bring the Matrix world to life even more in 2021.  

What hasn’t changed since 1999, though? Keanu Reeves! He’s barely aged and kicks as much ass today as he did then, especially in the John Wick franchise. While we’re quick to criticize Hollywood for revitalizing old IP for a quick cash grab, this sequel actually makes sense given all that’s transpired post-original Matrix.  

Plenty of other movies — Dune, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, West Side Story — just missed our cut. Between them all, you should at least find one movie to cozy up for and watch before 2021 closes out! 

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Liverpool – The perfect cinematic backdrop (Batman, Harry Potter & more) /2020/11/23/liverpool-the-perfect-cinematic-backdrop-batman-harry-potter-more/ /2020/11/23/liverpool-the-perfect-cinematic-backdrop-batman-harry-potter-more/#respond Mon, 23 Nov 2020 14:27:24 +0000 /?p=125163 Most recently forming a Gotham backdrop for the Matt Reeves Batman film starring Robert Pattinson, the world-renowned city of Liverpool offers more than just Liverpool football club and The Beatles.  

Interested to find out more about how the importance of this UK city, and why it’s used as a backdrop for so many of the biggest films and television shows out there? Take a look at this short guide to Liverpool, going over some of the films that have taken place in the city, why it makes such as good replacement for the likes of New York city and London, and why it’s an exciting place to live going forward in the months and years to come. 

Which films were filmed in the UK city of Liverpool? 

Here are just a few examples of popular films and television series that were partially filmed in Liverpool: 

  • The Batman – Again, the most recent blockbuster to grace the Merseyside waterfront, scenes for the Batman spanned Liverpool’s Anfield cemetery, right outside of St. George’s Hall in the city centre, and most notably even atop the iconic Liver building itself, for a shot that will no doubt look stunning when the final film releases. 
  • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Doubling as New York for many of the scenes in this Harry Potter universe spinoff, Liverpool’s St Georges Hall was again used for the film, as well as the Cunard Building for scenes with the characters in the city. Back in 2010, the film was also used for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, were the Queensway Tunnel was used for a broomstick chase sequence. I guess you could say that the city has something magic about it! 
  • Captain America: The First Avenger – Some Avengers have assembled over the years, with Chris Evans becoming Captain America himself at least in part on Liverpool’s docks, which again doubled for New York, and Brooklyn in particular. 

Why does Liverpool make the perfect replacement for New York? 

Forming a replacement New York in a bunch of films, from Jack Ryan to Florence Foster Jenkins, to the above-mentioned Fantastic Beasts, Liverpool’s historic architecture clearly draws many parallels with America’s ‘Big Apple’. One of the reasons for filming in the great city is that it is much easier to schedule around than the likes of London and New York itself, but it also shares a lot of architectural DNA and heritage. Birkenhead’s Wirral park in fact formed the inspiration for New York’s iconic Central park! 

Why is Liverpool one of the most exciting cities in the UK going forward? 

Not only is Liverpool one of the best cities in the country (and potentially worldwide) for shooting films and television shows, but looking forward to the future, it is also one of the most exciting investment prospects, and a fantastic place to live for young professionals looking to live and make their mark within an urban environment.  

Local property firm RWinvest report that the city is one of the best places to invest currently. With the student offerings it has in the form of its multiple prestigious universities, mixed with it’s incredible nightlife, it is sure to attract young people and tourists once things have gone back to normal following the current lockdown restrictions. 

Liverpool’s regeneration plans are enough to get anyone excited, with millions of pounds going into the waterfront developments at the moment, and the city continually expanding northwards with more residential and commercial areas to accommodate for a growing population. TotallyMoney in their buy to let yield map report that the city’s central L1 postcode has the highest rental yield percentage in the entire country, reaching upwards of 10%. 

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The Greatest Swedish Movies of All Time /2020/11/09/the-greatest-swedish-movies-of-all-time/ /2020/11/09/the-greatest-swedish-movies-of-all-time/#respond Mon, 09 Nov 2020 17:45:29 +0000 /?p=125152 More Swedish motion pictures have been extremely successful on the international stage than you may think. At the same time, other classic Swedish films have not yet gained a mainstream global audience. So, here is a look at the five greatest movies to have ever come out of Sweden. 

Kom till Casino 

Kom till Casino, which means “come to the casino” in English, is a classic Swedish film, which premiered at cinemas in 1975. It is a recording of the 1974 theater performance at the Intima Theater in Stockholm. The movie is set in a casino, but it is a far cry from Hollywood movies like Casino and Ocean’s Eleven. At the Swedish casino in Kom till Casino, guests gather to play the kinds of exciting games you can find at any brick-and-mortar casino or online casino live. However, the night takes an unexpected turn as the attendees begin to become victims of madness. 

The Hunters 

The winner of two prestigious Guldbagge Awards, The Hunters is one of Sweden’s biggest box office smashes. The plot of the 1996 movie, which is called Jägarna in Swedish, follows a Stockholm police officer who returns to his small hometown. He starts working on a reindeer poaching case, and it is not long before he discovers his brother is involved. In fact, the protagonist soon finds that everyone, including the local police force, is against him, and things begin to escalate in a disturbing and thrilling fashion. A sequel, The Hunters 2, was released in 2011. 

Let the Right One In 

Remakes are seldom as good as the originals, but the 2010 American film Let Me In, based on the 2008 Swedish movie Let the Right One In is nearly as good as the original. However, the Swedish film is still the best. The romantic horror is based on the 2004 novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist. The author also wrote the screenplay. The story is about a bullied 12-year-old boy who befriends a vampire girl in Stockholm’s suburbs during the early 1980s. The movie was critically acclaimed upon its release, and it won several awards, including the Tribeca Film Festival’s Founders Award for the Best Narrative Feature and four Guldbagge Awards. 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 

Another well-known Swedish movie remade as a successful Hollywood film is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The 2009 Swedish thriller is based on the novel of the same title by Stieg Larsson. It is the first part of the Millennium series. The other two parts, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest, were also released in 2009. Both the original Swedish movie and the 2011 American remake were hugely successful, and both were nominated for and won numerous prestigious awards. 

The Seventh Seal 

If you do not know where the inspiration for Bill and Ted playing the Grim Reaper at games of their choice in Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey came from, you need to watch The Seventh Seal. But the classic movie is much more well known for other reasons than inspiring a scene from a juvenile comedy! Despite The Seventh Seal receiving a divided critical response when it premiered in 1957, it did not take long for the film to become known as one of the greatest movies ever made. Written and directed by Ingmar Bergman, the film is set during the Black Death. It tells the story of a medieval knight who plays a game of chess with a personification of Death, who has arrived to take the knight’s life. The title of the movie is a quote from the Book of Revelation in the Holy Bible. 

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Defining the Need of a Compelling Hero in a Sports Film /2020/08/27/defining-the-need-of-a-compelling-hero-in-a-sports-film/ /2020/08/27/defining-the-need-of-a-compelling-hero-in-a-sports-film/#respond Thu, 27 Aug 2020 14:59:55 +0000 /?p=125114 Tom Hardy is a lead actor who mentioned that the realism level was incredible during the filming of the fight scenes. He tore his right arm ligaments and broke his ribs. The realism executed during the making of sports films can be accomplished by engaging real-life stories. Thirty-one out of the fifty highly ranked movies is either based on real-life or biographical events on IMDb. It is easy to make an event appear real if it occurred. 

Sport is the center of any incredible sports film’s foundation, although there is more to it than that. There has to be an enthralling story and a hero who inspires conviction. Otherwise, sports films would adopt the nature of any highlights reel. Envision a Rocky version where his rough background or difficulties were withheld. It would make Rocky an unparalleled classic an uncommonly less watchable movie. If it is the sport aspect that appeals to you, it is the hero’s history in the film that keeps you captivated. 

At times, this hero can assume the form of a complete team, although it is more likely that they will be a single character in an exceptional sports movie. Twenty-seven of the best films in sports on IMDb concentrate on specific sports instead of those played by a team. It is relatively more comfortable to narrate your life history of a singular person instead of eleven. In the meantime, as a viewer, your concentration would be more rewarding if you developed one protagonist. It would better than investing in a whole team. 

Boxing remains the best sport with a suitable fit for the cinema industry. Unsurprisingly, boxing, the most preferred category of sports, was featured in the best fifty films and played by individuals. Nearly twenty percent of the IMDb top sport films list comprise of boxing movies. On the other hand, films concerning all combat sports such as karate, wrestling, and MMA constitute fourteen of the fifty. Out of the three films in the fifty highly rated IMDb films have scooped Best Picture in the Oscars. 

At the same time, two of these movies that is Million Dollar Baby and Rocky, were centered on boxing. In such movies, boxing is generally depicted as a metaphor. The sport represents the life of the lead character. The uncertainty and violence portrayed in boxing make this sport an ideal match for the silver screen. The fights feel dangerous and are dramatic, as well as enthralling to its audience. They act as a natural climax to the known trial and tribulation story. 

It is the sort of narrative incorporated into nearly every other boxing film. The basic storyline hardly strays far from this and involve the protagonist who is down on their luck. The protagonist is given a chance to fight in a championship. There is always a trainer who drives them to exceed their boundaries. The protagonist then has to overcome some difficulty or injury. With either a loss or win, the film comes to its end after the fight has happened. 

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Horror movies of the 2020 – What has been released and what’s next /2020/04/28/horror-movies-of-the-2020-what-has-been-released-and-whats-next/ /2020/04/28/horror-movies-of-the-2020-what-has-been-released-and-whats-next/#respond Tue, 28 Apr 2020 14:07:18 +0000 https://www.yellmagazine.com/?p=125030 The horror year 2019 is one of the weakest in the past decade. Therefore, fans of the genre look hopefully at what 2020 will bring. In addition to sequels and reboots, a few interesting new ideas have been announced. But some of them have already been released. What is already known and what is coming next can be found here.

January

The Grudge
The reboot of one of the best Asian horror franchises of the 2000s is based on the Japanese “Ju-On” series, which started in 2000 and received its first US remake in 2004. For the reboot, producer Sam Raimi engaged Andrea Riseborough and John Cho (“Star Trek”), among others. The trailer for the new edition looks good – and indicates connections to the three films that already exist.

Underwater
The crew of a deep-sea laboratory is surprised by an earthquake. And that not only left devastation on the ocean floor, but it also apparently helped a living being to get free, which was previously separate from humanity. So the survivors are not out of danger yet…

Countdown
A new app calculates the lifetime that is left for interested users. For some, the counter only shows a few days or hours – and they then die cruelly. When young Quinn (Elizabeth Lail, “You – You will love me” ) learns from the app that she has only days left, she begins to investigate the phenomenon.

February

The Lodge
The new girlfriend of a father of two has to stay alone in a snow-covered hut with the two children because of an emergency. Little by little it turns out that children and girlfriend don’t trust each other for different reasons. Is the young woman a killer? Or do the children have a deadly hobby? The film comes from the two Austrians Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, who already drew attention with “I see, I see”.

Fantasy Island
Not a year without Blumhouse horror! This also applies to 2020. Fantasy Island was once a mostly maudlin fantasy series in which guests on the island fulfilled wishes and thereby opened their eyes to certain aspects of their lives. The horror version by director Jeff Wadlow takes up the idea, but soon turns the guests’ wishes into nightmares from which they have to escape.

Brahms: The Boy 2
The Boy of 2016 received average reviews, but still made a profit at the box office on a small budget. And so the doll is sent back into the race for the favor of horror fans. A new family moves into the house where Brahms lives. And soon the family’s son finds the porcelain doll, starting a new chapter of horror.

April

New Mutants
The last X-Men film from Fox is now appearing for the third time in an annual preview, and it has been postponed so many times. The story: A group of young mutants is held in a high security facility and examined. But something bad tries to catch one of the group…

The Turning
A nanny does the job of looking after two children in an old country house somewhere in Maine. But the two children are not at all what the nanny would have expected. She soon finds out that the house and its residents have some dark secrets that could cost her their lives. The film is based on Henry James’ novella “The Turning of the Screw”, one of the most famous ghost stories of the late 19th century.

May

Antebellum
Neither the distributor nor the first teaser really provides information about what this film is all about. Antebellum could be about traveling in time or dimension. But also of something completely different, so far more than speculation is not possible. That is exactly what could make the film so appealing.

June

Candyman
Speaking of Jordan Peele! A black artist falls in love with the white daughter of a large landowner and is cruelly tortured to death by the man’s subordinates. Because this also has something to do with honey and bees, he goes down in history as a Candyman. A century later, a white student examines the urban legend of the Candyman – and comes much closer to the horror than he had expected. The remake of producer Jordan Peele brings a short story about the young Clive Barker from the “Books of Blood” back to the screen.

July

The Purge 5
It’s purge night again! This film, however, is supposed to come to an end with the saga of the one night in which all US citizens are allowed to commit crimes with impunity. At least in the cinema. Does the world need another Purge film?

September

Escape Room 2
Even if the nasty thriller could not meet all expectations, it was a highlight of 2019 especially in terms of set design. The survivors from part one should now be part of the second part of the story again, together with a few new victims. The end of the first film already offers a scenario…

Conjuring 3
Probably the most anticipated horror film of the year starts in September. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, the Warren couple, are once again on the hunt for evil. In any case, it should not become a haunted house film again. Regular director James Wan is not the one in charge this time due to schedule reasons. It is taken over by Michael Chaves, who could not really be convinced with “Llorona’s curse”.

Last Night in Soho
Actually, Edgar Wright is not necessarily a horror director, even though he often had it splattered properly in his Cornetto trilogy. After Baby Driver, this film is supposed to be a real, serious and mean psycho horror thriller.

October

Halloween Kills
The second part of the new trilogy was announced at lightning speed after the continuation of the original by John Carpenter. However, the film did not have anything new to give the myth.

Conclusion

Horror movies are a great alternative to spend a night out with your friends or on your own, they make you look at people differently. If you don’t like watching movies by yourself, you can opt for other horror-themed activities: reading a horror book, telling creepy stories with your friends or playing themed games in a UK casino. Regardless of what you’re choosing, make sure you check out the listed movies at some point after their release, who knows which one will become your new favourite.

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Tips for Winning on Mixed Martial Arts Betting /2020/04/16/tips-for-winning-on-mixed-martial-arts-betting/ /2020/04/16/tips-for-winning-on-mixed-martial-arts-betting/#respond Thu, 16 Apr 2020 13:00:00 +0000 /?p=125109 Mixed martial arts (MMA) has grown in popularity over the years. The sport has grown in demand resulting in both male and female categories. Betting in MMA is a cash mine to those interested in the game. Read below to learn fantastic tips you can use in MMA betting. 

Understand the Betting Odds In MMA 

When you want to place your bet in this sport, it’s vital to understand how the odds operate. In MMA, a minus sign before a number indicates the fighter as the one likely to win while a plus suggests the opponent is an underdog. 

When you place a bet on an underdog and end up winning, you will gain huge sums compared to placing a bet on the best artist who wins. In MMA, the bookmakers determine the better opponent using real data and statistics such as a fighter current form, strength, and trends. Hence it is essential to have this information at your fingertips when placing a bet.  

Understand the Different Ways of Betting 

Several ways of betting in MMA include the money line, under and over rounds, and the method of victory. The money line way of betting is where you place your wager on the overall outcome or winner of a fight. It is prevalent among MMA punters since it’s a simple method. 

The method of victory is a bit complex. It considers factors such as a referee stopping a fight because a player cannot defend themselves, a knockout that leads to a participant unconsciousness, or a match prolongs till the judges decide the result. 

Thus, when you use the method of victory as a way of betting, you place a wager basing your assumption on how the fight will end. The under or over rounds betting focuses on the number of rounds you think a fight will last. Hence you can decide to bet that a contest will last under two and a half rounds. 

Always Ensure to Line Shop 

Line shopping involves looking for the best betting odds available in the market. In mixed martial arts, different bookmakers will not offer the same odds. Hence to increase your chances of winning a bet, you need to use multiple betting sites. For instance, you can find some of the best odds on a website like joker123. Thus, you login joker123 and place your bet by using one of the ways of betting.  

Understanding the Fighting Styles 

In mixed martial arts, the styles and techniques a fighter uses are essential. Thus, when placing a wager, it’s best to not only consider a fighter form but also how they fight. Some participants use offensive techniques, while others are defensive. 

It will help you if you know the fighters matched up and how their styles differ or are similar. Also, you have to understand that the pairing of artists is based exclusively on their weight class. 

When considering a fighters’ technique, it is essential to find the organization that trains the artist.  There are successful organizations such as the Ultimate fighting championship whereby if a fighter trains with them, then they get more skills increasing their chances of winning

Mixed martial arts incorporate fighting styles such as kickboxing, judo, boxing, and karate. The sport has led to the emergence of great fighters, both males and females. Due to the fighting ability of such champions, the game has increased in popularity. To place your bet, you should use sites such as joker123. Login joker 123 and find the best odds and research all vital information to win. 

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Prepare Yourself for Jackass 4: Looking Forward to a History of Tomfoolery /2020/01/20/prepare-yourself-for-jackass-4-looking-forward-to-a-history-of-tomfoolery/ /2020/01/20/prepare-yourself-for-jackass-4-looking-forward-to-a-history-of-tomfoolery/#respond Mon, 20 Jan 2020 16:29:06 +0000 https://www.yellmagazine.com/?p=124969 With news that Jackass is returning to our movie screens in 2021, the world is preparing for another 90 minutes or so of cringeworthy action. Of course, with the cast well into their 40s, the antics may not be as insane as the infamous fishhook through the cheek stunt. However, knowing Johnny Knoxville and his slightly unhinged band of brothers, the latest movie in the Jackass franchise will be anything but tame.  

To look ahead in life, we often have to look to the past. Knowing what we know about Jackass, we can try to predict some of the pranks, japes and downright ludicrous behaviour we can expect to see in 2021. Naturally, for diehard fans of the franchise, a Jackass movie wouldn’t be the same without at least some bodily fluids. As vomit-inducing as it may be, something involving faeces, human or otherwise, is likely to be on the agenda.  

Expect More Bodily Fluids and Old Dogs with New Tricks 

In Jackass 3, we saw the inventive but disgusting Poocano. In Jackass 3D, Steve-O was thrown through the air in a portable toilet filled with excrement. As expected, he emerged from the wreckage looking more than a little worse for wear. Will we see more of the same in the new Jackass movie? Well, if you’re a betting fan, we’d say it was worth putting a few quid on the fact we’ll see at least one cast member left in a mess.  

Something else we might see is the return of Bad Grandpa. In 2013, Knoxville gave the outrageous OAP a stage of his own. Grossing $151 million, Bad Grandpa was a hit with viewers of all ages. One of the most memorable scenes from the movie involved a bingo hall and a guide on how not to play. Today, most bingo players do their thing online. Thanks to online bingo platforms like for example Booty Bingo that offer everything from welcome bonuses, mobile software and slots such as Starburst et al, the game’s popularity has grown in recent years. We’re not sure how they would be able to take advantage of this trend in the new film, but we wouldn’t put it past them. 

Jackass Boys to Take One for the Team 

Although the current level of interest in online bingo might not prompt Bad Grandpa to ruin another live game, the sketchy senior will almost certainly be back. Will he crash the party somewhere else or will he get into a fistfight with a pensioner? We don’t know but we look forward to seeing what capers he gets up to. Finally, what would a Jackass movie be without a crotch shot? Whether it’s intentional or an angry reaction, the boys will almost certainly be taking aim at each other’s private parts.

For the men in the audience, that means more than a few winces of empathetic pain. For everyone else, it will be another reason to laugh at some of the funniest, most ridiculous daredevils to ever grace our screens. While the nuances of Jackass 4 are, as yet, unknown, we can look forward to another visual treat. With some younger cast members drafted in to handle the more physical stunts and a history of outlandish behaviour to draw inspiration from, it looks as though 2021 will be a good year for fans of the freaky.

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Blurring the Edges of Games and Movies /2019/11/13/blurring-the-edges-of-games-and-movies/ /2019/11/13/blurring-the-edges-of-games-and-movies/#respond Thu, 14 Nov 2019 03:08:01 +0000 https://www.yellmagazine.com/?p=124950 With Hideo Kojima’s baffling new Death Stranding now making waves, the gaming world again braces itself for a conversation on the state of gaming storytelling. Is there any sort of definite line that can be drawn between too much and too little story? When does a game fail to become a game, and what does the growing emphasis some studios have on stories mean for gaming as a whole? 

Nothing in a Vacuum 

The drift of other disciplines and interests into gaming is hardly a new phenomenon, rather it marks a natural development of any form of entertainment.  

Sports, for example, have long extended far beyond its roots and into the world of gaming and gambling. Today, websites like ComeOn Sportsbook effectively fuse both of these old and new arms. By offering the likes of sports and eSports betting, these services build on our fascination with the original games. Together with another level of engagement, these greater combinations can make the end product more than the sum of its parts. 

This potential acts as a fundamental cornerstone of what makes movies and games such a great fit. A movie alone can draw you in, but with gaming we do get to play a part in a world. A game without a story can be fun all the same, but it can fail to help us form a deep bond with a world. Only together can these two elements create an experience that exceeds the base potential of either. 

Rolling the Dice 

Having the potential and reaching the potential are, of course, very different things. While movies are now a well-established medium, video games are still in their relative infancy. This infancy, combined with the ever-evolving hardware which continues to move the boundaries of what is possible, means that it’s difficult for gaming to find the right balance.  

In other words, the potential for storytelling and gameplay in video games changes so often and so rapidly, that it has been difficult to yet establish a basis.  

The original Metal Gear Solid, launched in September of 1998, was once credited as being as much movie as a game. Its focus on dynamic cutscenes, high-quality voice acting, and an engaging story made it a step above almost all of the contemporary competition.

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Over time, the influence of Metal Gear Solid and other story-heavy games would only grow. When Metal Gear Solid 4 came around, the reliance on cutscenes had grown so heavily that many believed the game suffered for it. One scene, in particular, ran for 27 minutes straight, and even the most diehard fans found this could be difficult to stomach. 

Pushing this envelope further are games which the internet has termed ‘walking simulators’ such as Gone Home. As much akin to visual novels or short stories than traditional video games, these suffer similar complaints from those after more action-centric experiences. 

Room Enough 

Whatever your opinion on the increasing emphasis that major titles have had on story elements, we can at least be content that traditional gamers aren’t left behind.  

Smaller developers in the indie and crowdfunding spheres have been making great strides on this front. Games like Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and Ion Fury have shown that, even on a smaller budget, newer games can attain the level of classic quality and action seen in the days of old. 

That said, there can be no denying the blurring of the edges of movies and games has caused a few to flounder. Let’s just hope the future is more God of War than Metroid: Other M.

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Asian Martial Arts – Their Popularity Explained and Continued /2019/10/28/asian-martial-arts-their-popularity-explained-and-continued/ /2019/10/28/asian-martial-arts-their-popularity-explained-and-continued/#respond Mon, 28 Oct 2019 17:23:14 +0000 https://www.yellmagazine.com/?p=124946 When it comes to action movies, what kind of combat is most satisfying? Flying bullets and random explosions or the slick sequences of martial arts? Action-filled entertainment has always existed and continues to find an eager audience, but the main quality of the best productions is that they don’t just excite. They put every ounce of effort and resource into creating experiences that grab you by the throat. The result is making their audience tense, flinch and sigh with the characters, even curious about joining that kickboxing class down the road. But even martial arts movies have their differences, with Kung Fu and its likes developing a global fan base from the dawn of Asian cinema. Here are some popular reasons why. 

Combat Types 

The latest martial arts movie to get audiences’ attention is Fighting with My Family (2019), the biography of Paige, a WWE fighter who, in 2014, found stardom at the age 21 as the youngest wrestler to win the Divas Championship. Find out more on https://www.wwe.com/superstars/paige. The movie has drama, laughter and a good many extreme punches, throws and manoeuvres. Warrior (2011), a better-known MMA-themed movie starring Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, features its two actors pounding it out in true blood, sweat and award-winning fashion. But then you have a production like Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016) that introduces the controlled benefits of Karate within MMA. 

In fact, across the entertainment industry, Asian martial arts themes are a major attraction. Ninja costumes and Kung Fu Panda merchandise, from smartphone cases to travel mugs, still sell well. Among 800+ slots offered by online providers reviewed on https://www.bestcanadacasino.ca/Ninja Ways improves normal 6-reel action with Asian music, background and animation alongside Naruto-style characters, weapons and sound effects. Shiny Entertainment even gifted us with Enter the Matrix (2003), a video game running parallel to Matrix Reloaded and without leaving out the breath-taking martial arts the franchise is famous for. These and many more popular titles bring audiences closer to the tranquil yet precise and lethal power of such specialized combat forms. 

Upcoming Movies 

Ip Man 4: The Finale is scheduled for release on December 20, 2019. According to https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2076298/, the fourth instalment of the franchise illustrating the evolution of Wing Chun will have the eponymous Kung Fu master, played by Donnie Yen, visit his student, Bruce Lee, who is opening a Wing Chun school in the US and causing a bit of a stir. It sounds like we can expect an epic battle between western and eastern martial arts. 

After the tragic events of Endgame, a Black Widow movie is officially happening. Apart from biotechnologically enhanced physical and cognitive abilities, the beloved Marvel superhero is trained in several martial arts, including but not limited to Judo, Aikido, Jiu Jitsu and Karate. We’re eager to get to know her origin and training story on May 1, 2020, if everything reported on https://www.marvel.com/movies/black-widow goes according to plan. 

And as a special treat for 2021, Mortal Kombat is getting a reboot directed by Simon McQuoid and produced by James Wan. Exact details in terms of plot or lead characters have not been revealed, but Josh Lawson and Jessica McNamee will be joining the growing cast as Kano and Sonya Blade, while its developers focus on delivering the most satisfying experience imaginable for loyal fans. 

Asian martial arts have a particular entertainment value because of their discipline, agility and grace, very different to the raw rage you’ll typically find in a boxing or MMA ring. That’s why viewers, gamers and fighters alike tend to pay attention.

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Top 3 Most Unconventional Horror Villains /2019/10/23/top-3-most-unconventional-horror-villains/ /2019/10/23/top-3-most-unconventional-horror-villains/#respond Wed, 23 Oct 2019 14:34:03 +0000 https://www.yellmagazine.com/?p=124935 Horror cinema has been around for over 100 years. In that time we’ve had classics from George A Romero, Guillermo Del Toro, Wes Craven, and John Carpenter who have redefined what horror films mean to us. But, in the long history of fright, we’ve also had some head-scratchers. 

While there’s something deliciously evil about a neighbourhood serial killer, a family of cannibals, or vampires and werewolves, there have been other features of films that haven’t quite brought the scares as expected. Here are three we enjoyed – but maybe not for the right reasons. 

Troll 2 (1990) 

Troll 2 is a classic, and most people will recognize the film. Not for the plot or the troll-like creatures that feature as the villains of the film – but for the inclusion of one scene in almost every single list of the worst scenes in film history. 

Trolls themselves don’t lend themselves well to being fear-inducing specimens. In fact, it could be argued exactly what the creatures in the film were actually supposed to be. They could be goblins, or they could be some other woodland dweller. Woodlands creatures offer themselves to mystery, which could explain their inclusion in the film. Indeed, if you play Pixies of the Forest at Lucky Pants Bingo you can see how the mystery and illusion of woodland dwellers are incorporated into the slot gameplay (we wish we could say the same for Troll 2). 

Rubber (2010) 

Rubber claims that it is a satirical horror film directed by French director Quentin Dupieux, but there are some aspects of the film that indicate that it took itself a lot more seriously. The film focuses on a psychic tire that goes around traumatizing the standard group of horror film cannon fodder. While the film didn’t necessarily join Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, or Freddy Krueger in the horror hall of fame, it found itself a cult following of those who attempt to analyze the actual meaning behind the film. 

Surely it couldn’t be as simple as a psychic anthropomorphic tire hellbent on revenge? Or maybe it could.   

Reeker (2005) 

If a tire and a troll asked you to suspend belief, Reeker presents its villain in the form of a bad smell. And just like a bad smell, the film is difficult to shake even nearly 15 years since its release. 

The protagonists are actually being stalked by a decaying creature, and the film is a lot cleverer than it sounds. The premise is clever, but the film can’t be taken seriously with its connotations to the bad smell. Not least because viewers are unable to smell it and would instead replace it with smells that they associate as negative. The film is worth watching until the end to see how it all turns out. 

Sometimes horror needs to be shaken to check that it’s awake, and unconventional horror film subjects do just that. While Troll 2, Reeker, and Rubber might not make the Oscars list or be locked in the vault of the top films made, they do provide interesting talking points in the rich history of horror cinema.

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