By Chris E. Hayner on Sep 17, 2018 11:24 pm
Sure, you can watch Stranger Things at home. Chances are you've done that countless times and loved it. What if you could visit the Upside Down in real-life, though? Yes, an actual Upside Down--some kind of dark dimension filled with slime and dead trees and monsters--might not be your idea of a good vacation. But what if you could take a stroll through a replica that probably won't kill you? That's what Universal Studios has built with its Stranger Things attraction at Halloween Horror Nights in the Hollywood and Orlando parks. The haunted maze pulls visitors into the first season of the Netflix series, retracing the steps of Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) as she searches for her missing son. GameSpot was one of a few outlets to visit Universal Studios Hollywood for a tour of its Stranger Things maze while under construction. During the tour, Universal Studios Hollywood creative director John Murdy spilled many secrets about the new maze and how his team managed to translate a show as spooky and otherworldly as Stranger Things into a live experience. We were also able to snap some photos of the maze--and get our hands on some others for your viewing pleasure. Halloween Horror Nights opens at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Orlando on Friday, September 14 and runs through November 3. It runs on select nights through Halloween. Make sure to check out our coverage of the other TV and movie-based mazes the event is pulling off this year.
Why they needed a soundstage
Though mazes for the event are typically built in massive tents constructed around the park, Stranger Things required something more. When a soundstage on the lot became available, Murdy knew he had his solution. "Only about two months ago Family Feud was filmed in here," he said. "And now we're in." As for why this particular maze demanded a different type of space, there were a couple of reasons. First and foremost, lighting was a concern. "There's a lot of the Upside Down where you needed to have complete control, even though we build mazes in tents and everything," Murdy explained. "Having complete control of the lighting was really important." The other chief reason was a soundstage offers a much higher ceiling than the tents, which leads to some of the biggest sets ever seen in a Horror Nights maze--including a massive scene set in the Hawkins National Laboratory.
Working with the Duffer brothers on the maze
When it comes to creating a maze based on a known property, it always starts with a pitch to the creative teams behind the movie or show. Luckily for Murdy, Stranger Things co-creators the Duffer brothers are fans of Halloween Horror Nights. "I pitched it to Netflix initially," he said. "I didn't personally pitch it to Duffer brothers, [Netflix was] going to present it to them. And so I said, 'Well I'll send you my treatment.' And that's usually about a hundred pages. And they called me as soon as they had the meeting with the Duffer brothers and [were] like, 'You won't believe this, there's no notes.'" While Murdy and his team have been doing this long enough that it's not often that he would get a long list of notes back, "it's rare that you get none." "They agreed 100% with our approach," he said. "They couldn't have agreed more." That approach is to solely focus on Season 1 of the series, rather than a mix of both installments.
Integrating the kids without having them throughout the maze
While Horror Nights mazes are typically filled with actors in costume, Stranger Things presented an odd dilemma. "What to do with the kids was a big decision we had to make because obviously on the show they're all 12," Murdy explained. "We just quickly realized that's not going to work, we got to figure out how to deliver the kids in a different way." The answer was to use audio from the first season--the voices of the kids. "There's 5.1 surround sound system throughout this sequence and multi-channel audio everywhere," he said. "So all throughout the maze, you're hearing the kids on the walkie-talkies calling to each other looking for their friend who's missing." Keep your eyes open, though. You still might see a couple kids along the way.
Recreating the Byers home
When it came to the actual design of the maze, that's where the obsessive work of Murdy and his team began. They poured over the show countless times, studied photos, and tried to recreate everything as closely as possible to what was seen on the show. When it came to the Byers' home, that wasn't necessarily easy. "It's set in the 1980s but really for the Byers that means the '70s because they're not a wealthy family," Murdy admitted. "Most everything they have in this house came from the '70s." That meant sourcing out furniture, recreating wallpaper patterns, and looking for appropriate touches to fill the house with, including rotary phones that the Horror Nights team had to have altered by a special effects company, in order for them to react to what's happening within the maze.
Building Castle Byers--twice
It also meant things outside of the house needed to be built, like Castle Byers--Will's fort that he uses to escape from the real world. To make sure it was accurate to what fans remember, the maze-building team received on-set photography to use as a reference. Murdy said he pulled around 30,000 pictures from the show for reference. And when it comes to Castle Byers, that department has to do it all twice--once for our world and once for the Upside Down, which has its own fort.
How they created the Demogorgon suit
What's a Stranger Things maze without a Demogorgon scaring visitors? Or in the case of Horror Nights, several Demogorgons. If you're going to be stepping into the maze, don't freak out when the beast is suddenly standing in front of you. "This is a full-blown creature suit that our performers are going to be wearing," Murdy teased. How does one create a Demogorgon in real life, though? While originally Murdy planned to use the same molds the show did, there was a problem. "Quickly, you realize how much is CGI," he admitted. "So like when they did the Demogorgon on set, they had a guy in a creature costume but his head inside the head petals was all a big green hood. So all of the teeth and the mouth and the movement was CGI." Instead, the Universal team used an animated "hero" head--one used for certain shots in the series--and sculpted their own version of it for the costume. From the teeth to the head petals, the massive Demogorgon will be haunting the maze, thanks to the event's artists.
Bringing the Upside Down to life
Building the Upside Down created another challenge for the team, due to it being mostly CGI on the series. To recreate that, the Horror Nights team created a forest of trees that look rotten in a pitch-black room. From there, dozens of small fiber optic lights have been hung throughout the area, creating the creepy light orbs seen in the Upside Down. "And then we're projecting on top of all of it," Murdy said. The process of creating this particular piece of the maze took multiple layers and steps, but should ultimately be one of the most impressive pieces of the maze.
And that includes a very dead Barb
Yes, we have all come to terms with the fact that Barb is dead. Still, you wouldn't expect a Stranger Things Season 1 maze to not shout out the untimely death of Nancy's best friend, right? Murdy and his team simply couldn't help themselves when they created this particular dead body to help decorate the Upside Down. Happy trails, Barb.
An Easter egg hunt
What's a fun haunted maze without Easter eggs to search for? Like most of the brand-based mazes that came before it, Stranger Things is filled with fun nods to the rest of the franchise. The only one we could get Murdy to point out takes place in the classroom scene of the maze, which comes near the end. In it, there's a Rube Goldberg device believed to be built by the boys in Season 1. It's the sort of thing where you won't see it if you're not looking too carefully, but noticing it helps to make the experience all the more exciting.
By Chris E. Hayner on Sep 17, 2018 11:23 pm
The second episode of Mayans MC introduced even more mystery, violence, and unsettling scenes than the premiere offered. Likewise, it left us with a lot of questions. From the outset, FX's Sons of Anarchy sequel series has quickly thrust itself into the dark and disastrous world of outlaw motorcycle clubs--even more quickly than co-creator Kurt Sutter's original show did. At this rate, there's no telling who will be left alive at the end of Season 1, as every single character introduced is in some kind of massive danger--even the children that find themselves in the middle of this horrific world. Well, there's one person we're sure is safe thanks to the show's latest Sons of Anarchy cameo, which we'll discuss. Who can be trusted and who is going to become a true force to be reckoned with on this series? We took these questions to Mayans MC showrunner Elgin James and the cast of Mayans MC to get the answers because, quite frankly, we don't want to wait until the next episode to find out. After you take a look at what the cast had to say about the second episode, make sure you also read the inside story on the return of a beloved Sons of Anarchy character--as well as the story behind the return of a less beloved one. Also, don't miss our look back at the series premiere with insight from the cast and crew.
Can EZ trust Agent Jimenez?
EZ (JD Pardo) has gotten himself into a pretty terrible situation. He's working as an informant for the DEA, trying to bring down the Galindo cartel. However, thus far Agent Jimenez (Maurice Compte) doesn't seem all that trustworthy. As Compte told GameSpot, though, he might be EZ's only hope at a life free of crime. "If everyone wore a black hat, you'd be in a vacuum," he said. "You wouldn't have any way to measure any kind of light in there, you know what I mean? It doesn't matter what different degrees of darkness exist if there's no light to bounce that darkness off of." As he explained, his being there "takes away some of EZ's character's blackness, and brightens it up a little bit. So now he can carry that into the group, and now you start to see who is who, character-wise."
When is Emily finally going to snap?
With the kidnapping of her son and the lies from her husband, it's been a bad week for Emily (Sarah Bolger). However, she's managed to not lose her temper just yet. That will likely be changing. "She's allowed [decisions] to be made around her," the actress told us. "There will be a point, I do believe in her nature, where she has to be the one who makes decisions. She just has to be. For her own sanity, for who she is at her core, and maybe that will come to fruition." When that happens, we wouldn't be surprised if Emily became one of the scariest characters on Mayans MC. You don't come between a mother and her child (as Gemma taught us many times on Sons of Anarchy).
Will Chucky stick around?
The big surprise of the episode was seeing Michael Ornstein reprise his Sons of Anarchy role as Chucky. Thankfully, James said viewers should get used to him. "He does a lot on our show," the showrunner teased. "Chucky plays a role in the season and in the series." What more could Sons of Anarchy fans ask for?
How dangerous will Miguel become with his son still missing?
In the first episode of Mayans MC, audiences got an idea of how depraved Miguel (Danny Pino) could be over business when he cut the arms off someone who stole from him. In the second episode, he deep fried a father and child just to potentially get information about his missing son. Clearly, there is no line too far for the head of the cartel. Before, though, it was all about business. Now, once he finally tracks down those who took his child, all bets are off. "I think Miguel prides himself on his level of preparation, on his level of forethought and insight before making a decision, certainly business-wise," Pino said. "Where he could remove any emotions from business decisions, now it's all emotion and it clouds his judgment. He's more likely and more capable of using these massive weapons that he has, including the MC to make things right."
Does Nestor actually trust the club to help find Miguel's son?
This was the episode that showed off what Miguel's goons could do--particularly Nestor (Gino Vento). As the head of Galindo's security, he will play a major role in the search for his missing son. However, he has to work with the club to do it. What's interesting though is it doesn't seem like he actually trusts the club as an ally. As Vento claimed, though, his opinion is very rarely different from Miguel's. "I think he falls in line with Miguel's thinking," he explained. However, he doesn't view their relationship as one between a boss and an employee. "It really is like a brotherhood," he said. "Just like the club has their own brotherhood, this is the brotherhood of the Galindo's. So, if he tells him something, Nestor is a very loyal man so, in that sense, I wouldn't doubt, I would never doubt that." As for who in the club he's keeping an eye on most, Vento wants fans to keep an eye on his interactions with Bishop (Michael Irby). "You can kind of see it but, there's just like this almost unfinished business with those two guys," he said.
Does Angel regret bringing his brother into the club?
One important, though much less violent, story this season is the bond between the Reyes brothers. Angel (Clayton Cardenas) is responsible for bringing his brother into the club and, while it might have made sense at first, the entire situation has become incredibly complicated. Angel is working a scheme that could fracture the club, while EZ is an informant for the law. Still, the elder Reyes brother still thinks he made the right choice in bringing EZ into the fold. "[Angel] knows he's out of prison, he knows his brother doesn't have a lot of options," Cardenas explained. "Coming out of prison you don't have many options, he can't go back to his golden boy lifestyle." That much is true. While EZ was destined for collegiate greatness once upon a time, those days are behind him. As Cardenas puts it, at least now his character can keep an eye on his little brother. "I know I can protect him," the actor said.
By Mat Elfring on Sep 17, 2018 10:00 pm
One of the selling points of the WWE 2K games is the gigantic roster of playable rosters, and WWE 2K19 will not be scaling things back. 2K has shared a huge portion of the game's lineup of wrestlers, and 2K19 offers a sizable plethora of superstars to choose from when the game releases on October 9, 2018. Last year's WWE 2K18 ended up with over 180 wrestlers--the largest in the history of the series to that point--and 2K19 has already topped that. Here's a detailed look at every member of the 2K19 roster. During the most recent weekly roster reveal from 2K, Rusev and Lana revealed the latest WWE 2K19 playable superstars with Cesaro and Sheamus, also known as The Bar. The focus for this batch was legendary WWE wrestlers. The large reveal had a few new additions to the game, including Ted DiBiase, who has been only a manager in previous games. Additionally, fan favorites like Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Booker T will be included in the new game. Fans of both Daniel Bryan are going to be very happy as 2K is bringing back Showcase Mode for WWE 2K19, which follows the career of the superstar. From his first match as Bryan Danielson to his feuds with The Miz, it will be covered in the upcoming game. Among the new features are the Million Dollar Challenge, which takes place within the new Challenge Mode. Cover star AJ Styles headlines the roster, while those who pre-order will get bonus characters Ronda Rousey and Rey Mysterio. Additionally, the $130 Wooooo! Edition of the game has been announced which comes with a bunch of exclusives including a season pass, exclusive roster additions, a piece of Ric Flair's robe, early access to play, and more. This year's edition will be skipping Nintendo Switch, after last year's port featured a bevy of problems from frame rate issues to resolution dropping down to 540p, even in docked mode. However, the game will still be released in early October for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. If you're interested in pre-ordering WWE 2K19, check out our pre-order guide, with all the info about what each edition contains, where to buy it, and pricing. As release approaches, we'll keep you updated with all the newly confirmed superstars in the game, as well as a breakdown of which shows these wrestlers are from and how many new additions will be playable. You can find links to the latest updates below as well. Above, you can find every playable character we know about so far. Confirmed playable characters breakdown (so far): - Total wrestlers: 189
- New to the series: 29
- Raw superstars: 51
- Smackdown superstars: 48
- Legends: 54
- NXT superstars: 21
- 205 Live: superstars: 11
- Men's division: 152
- Women's division: 37
Jump ahead to the latest updates:
AJ Styles (Smackdown)
Cover star.
Ronda Rousey (Raw)
New to the series. Pre-order bonus character.
Rey Mysterio (Legend)
New to the series. Pre-order bonus character.
Ric Flair (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains exclusive Wrestlemania 24 attire.
Charlotte (Smackdown)
Deluxe edition contains exclusive Wrestlemania 32 attire.
Dusty Rhodes (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains '80s-inspired character.
"Macho Man" Randy Savage (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains '80s-inspired character in his Wrestlemania VIII attire.
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains '80s-inspired character.
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains '80s-inspired character.
2002 Undertaker (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains the character in his 2002 Bikertaker outfit.
Daniel Bryan (Smackdown)
2K announced that the Daniel Bryan's career will be the subject of WWE 2K19's Showcase Mode. There will be 11 different models of Bryan, each with its own unique moveset and look. Additionally, GameSpot talked to Bryan about his longtime feud with WWE superstar The Miz.
Randy Orton (Smackdown)
John Cena
Kane (Smackdown)
Kofi Kingston (Smackdown)
Tyler Bate (NXT UK)
Pete Dunne (NXT UK)
Angelo Dawkins (NXT)
Braun Strowman (Raw)
Finn Balor (Raw)
Kairi Sane (NXT)
Liv Morgan (Raw)
Montez Ford (NXT)
Sarah Logan (Raw)
Ruby Riott (Raw)
The Velveteen Dream (NXT)
Adam Cole (NXT)
Akam (Raw)
Aleister Black (NXT)
Alexa Bliss (Raw)
Alicia Fox (Raw)
Apollo Crews (Raw)
Baron Corbin (Raw)
Bayley (Raw)
Bianca Belair (NXT)
Big Show (Raw)
Bo Dallas (Raw)
Bobby Fish (NXT)
Bobby Roode (Raw)
Bray Wyatt (Raw)
Brock Lesnar (raw)
Chad Gable (Raw)
Curt Hawkins (Raw)
Curtis Axel (Raw)
Dana Brooke (Raw)
Dash Wilder (Raw)
Dean Ambrose (Raw)
Dolph Ziggler (Raw)
Drew McIntyre (Raw)
Elias (Raw)
Sasha Banks (Raw)
Ember Moon (Raw)
Fandango (Raw)
Goldust (Raw)
Heath Slater (Raw)
Jason Jordan (Raw)
Jinder Mahal (Raw)
Johnny Gargano (NXT)
Kassius Ohno (NXT)
Kevin Owens (Raw)
Konnor (Raw)
Lana (Smackdown)
Lars Sullivan (NXT)
Matt Hardy (Raw)
Mickie James (Raw)
Mojo Rawley (Raw)
Natalya (Raw)
Nia Jax (Raw)
Nick Miller (NXT)
No Way Jose (Raw)
Oney Lorcan (NXT)
Otis Dozovic (NXT)
Rezar (Raw)
Titus O'Neil (Raw)
Rhyno (Raw)
Roderick Strong (NXT)
Roman Reigns (Raw)
Rusev (Smackdown)
Sami Zayn (Raw)
Scott Dawson (Raw)
Seth Rollins (Raw)
Shane Thorne (NXT)
Shayna Baszler (NXT)
Triple H
Tucker Knight (NXT)
Tyler Breeze (Raw)
Viktor (Raw)
Zack Ryder (Raw)
Kyle O'Reilly (NXT)
Aiden English (Smackdown)
Akira Tozawa (205 Live)
Alexander Wolfe (Smackdown)
Andrade Cien Almas (Smackdown)
Ariya Daivari (205 Live)
Asuka (Smackdown)
Becky Lynch (Smackdown)
Big E (Smackdown)
Billie Kay (Smackdown)
Brie Bella (Smackdown)
Carmella (Smackdown)
Cedric Alexander (205 Live)
Cesaro (Smackdown)
Chris Jericho (Legend)
Drew Gulak (205 Live)
Epico Colon (Smackdown)
Eric Young (Smackdown)
Gran Metalik (205 Live)
Harper (Smackdown)
Hideo Itami (205 Live)
Jack Gallagher (205 Live)
Jeff Hardy (Smackdown)
Jey Uso (Smackdown)
Jimmy Uso (Smackdown)
Kalisto (205 Live)
Karl Anderson (Smackdown)
Killian Dane (Smackdown)
Lince Dorado (205 Live)
Luke Gallows (Smackdown)
Mandy Rose (Smackdown)
Maryse (Smackdown)
The Miz (Smackdown)
Mustafa Ali (205 Live)
Naomi (Smackdown)
Nikki Bella (Smackdown)
Noam Dar (205 Live)
Paige (Smackdown)
Peyton Royce (Smackdown)
Primo Colon (Smackdown)
Rowan (Smackdown)
R-Truth (Smackdown)
Samoa Joe (Smackdown)
Sheamus (Smackdown)
Shelton Benjamin (Smackdown)
Shinsuke Nakamura (Smackdown)
Sin Cara (Smackdown)
Sonya Deville (Smackdown)
Tamina (Smackdown)
TJP (Smackdown)
Tony Nese (205 Live)
Tye Dillinger (Smackdown)
Xavier Woods (Smackdown)
Alundra Blayze (Legend)
Andre The Giant (Legend)
Bam Bam Bigelow (Legend)
Batista (Legend)
Beth Phoenix (Legend)
Big Boss Man (Legend)
Booker T (Legend)
Bret "Hit Man" Hart (Legend)
British Bulldog (Legend)
Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake (Legend)
Christian (Legend)
Diamond Dallas Page (Legend)
Diesel (Legend)
Eddie Guerrero (Legend)
Edge (Legend)
Goldberg (Legend)
Greg "The Hammer" Valentine (Legend)
Ivory (Legend)
Jacqueline (Legend)
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart (Legend)
Kevin Nash (Legend)
Kurt Angle (Legend)
Lex Luger (Legend)
Lita (Legend)
Mr. McMahon (Legend)
Mr. Perfect (Legend)
Papa Shango (Legend)
"Ravishing" Rick Rude (Legend)
Razor Ramon (Legend)
Sycho Sid (Legend)
Rick "The Model" Martel (Legend)
Ricky Morton (Legend)
Rikishi (Legend)
Robert Gibson (Legend)
Tatanka (Legend)
Ted DiBiase (Legend)
Scott Hall (Legend)
Shawn Michaels (Legend)
Stephanie McMahon (Legend)
Sting (Legend)
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin (Legend)
The Godfather (Legend)
The Rock (Legend)
Trish Stratus (Legend)
Ultimate Warrior (Legend)
The Undertaker (Legend)
Vader (Legend)
By Array on Sep 17, 2018 09:37 pm
Last week saw the release of the third new DLC expansion for Destiny 2, Forsaken. It's much larger than the last two, being positioned as the equivalent of the previous entry's game-changing Taken King expansion. Whether it'll add the long-term legs players crave remains to be see, but early signs are encouraging. In the meantime, there is a lot of new stuff to take in--including Exotics (both weapons and armor) for Hunters, Warlocks, and Titans to get their hands on. Be sure to check out our Forsaken review-in-progress for thoughts on what we've played so far. Following the recent changes made as part of the 2.0 update, among the many additions and changes in Forsaken and the 2.0.0.1 update are a new Power level cap, Strikes, story missions, areas to explore, a Raid (now live), Gambit mode, Crucible maps, and much more. But players take part in many of these activities with one goal: to secure new gear, and specifically Exotic weapons and armor. You can always buy some old ones from Xur, but it's the new stuff that's most exciting. No doubt there are many hidden Exotics to uncover, some of which may not be available right away. But already we've either gotten our hands on or been able to preview a ton of the Exotic weapons and armor included, and you can see them above, including one of the new weapon type, bows. We'll continue to expand this as we come across more. One thing to bear in mind is that there are a select number of items that you'll only find on PS4. As with previous Destiny content releases, Sony has a timed exclusivity arrangement that sees certain things released first on PS4. With Forsaken, that includes a Strike called Broodhold, an Exotic weapon called Wavesplitter (pictured above), an Exotic ship (Great Beyond), and an armor set for each class: Thorium Holt (Warlock), Red Moon Phantom (Hunter), and Mimetic Savior (Titan). All of this will eventually release on Xbox One and PC, but not until at least Fall 2019. Forsaken is now live on all platforms. We've got some early impressions, a guide to activating a new Heroic Public Event, and we'll have a Gambit guide soon on how to compete effectively in the new PvE/PvP hybrid mode. Look for much more in the coming days.
Warlock
Warlock
Warlock
Warlock
Titan
Titan
Titan
Titan
Hunter
Hunter
Hunter
Hunter
By Dan Auty on Sep 17, 2018 09:01 pm
While many hit movies spawn sequels in Hollywood, few have had as strange a journey as the Predator movies. The first film might have introduced one of modern cinema's most iconic monsters, but back in 1987 it was promoted as an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, and there is no doubt that Arnold's huge popularity during the '80s helped it become a box office hit. Yet neither Schwarzenegger nor director John McTiernan returned for the sequel, which changed the cast, tone, and setting, and was not nearly as financially successful. More than a decade later, the Predator finally returned to screens, but he had to share screen time with another of cinema's great creatures--the Xenomorph. Unfortunately, the two Alien vs. Predator movies failed to satisfy fans of either franchise, and once more, a third movie fail to happen. By the time we reached the current decade, The Predator was back to headlining his movie solo, with 2010's Predators and this year's The Predator both trying to recapture what made the first movie so popular. Even the most dedicated fan of the franchise would admit that the films haven't always lived up to their potential. And yet, it's not hard to see why the Predator has inspired so many movies, comic books, novels, and video games over the decades. From his technology and honour code to the ruthless pursuit of his prey, it's a testament to the enduring popularity of the creature that has kept the fans coming back for more. So with The Predator now in theaters, here's our ranking of every movie in the Predator series to date...
6. Alien vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
One complaint that fans had about the first Alien vs. Predator was the PG-13 rating, which somewhat curtailed the expected levels of violence. The sequel, Alien vs. Predator: Requiem, certainly delivered on that front. There's chestbursters, bellybursters, impalements, exploding heads, and punctured faces, plus a willingness to kill small children and pregnant women with as much as glee as any other character. Unfortunately, that's all it has going for it. Requiem is by some distance the worst movie from either franchise- a stupid, poorly-acted, awful-looking failure that starts dumb and gets worse from there. It picks up immediately after the end of the first AvP, and results in a small town being besieged by Xenomorphs. While the iconic Aliens look awesome stalking their victims around a spaceship, the sight of a Xenomorph chasing some witless teenagers around a high school is simply laughable. The Predator known as Wolf's mission to wipe out the Alien infestation might have been exciting if we were able see anything, but the unbelievably murky cinematography renders much of the movie incomprehensibly dark. A real Predaturkey.
5. Alien vs. Predator (2004)
Fourteen years passed following Predator 2 before the Predator returned to screens. But while there was little happening on-screen, the series had become a highly successful comic line, which took the franchise in some interesting new directions. One of the most popular books was Alien vs. Predators, which saw the Predator take on another iconic movie creature--the Xenomorph. Expectations were understandably high for the movie version, which finally emerged in 2004 from Resident Evil director Paul WS Anderson. Sadly, few of these expectations were met by the actual film. The big problem with AvP is not the Alien or the Predators--it's the humans. The story involves a group of scientists who are assembled by Lance Henriksen's Charles Wayland to travel to the Arctic and investigate a strange template that has been discovered beneath the ice, which turns out to be a Predator hunting ground for captured Xenomorphs. But a combination of bad writing and some very variable acting means that the 35-minutes it takes to actually gets to the action are a real slog. Anderson is clearly trying to replicate that unbearably tense build-up that Aliens did so well, but he is no James Cameron, and the results are plodding and tiresome. The movie does pick up once the fighting starts. There are some cool confrontations between the two alien races, as each uses its own unique abilities and fighting skills to deliver some enjoyably crunching action. But the movie grinds to a halt whenever we cut back to the idiotic humans, and the PG-13 rating means that there is little of the bloody action that fans of the franchises were used to. The movie does deserve credit for the progressive casting of the movie's star Sanaa Lathan--still one of the only times an African American actress has been given the lead role in a big budget Hollywood action movie. But for the most part, Alien vs. Predator was a massively wasted opportunity.
4. The Predator (2018)
It took the return of Ridley Scott to rescue the Alien series, and similarly, the Predator movies sat dormant for nearly a decade until another A-list director--Shane Black--took charge. Black actually appeared in the original movie as Hawkins, the first of the Predator's victims. Since then, he has become known as both a writer and director his witty, clever action/comedy movies, such as Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout, and The Nice Guys, as well as Marvel's Iron Man 3. The Predator is absolutely what viewers should expect from Shane Black movie. It's not a film that takes itself particularly seriously, and fans expecting a more serious Predator film will be disappointed. Black is far more interested in the wise-cracking banter between his squad of damaged former soldiers than he is about scaring the audience, and while there's plenty of action and gore, the suspense that the first movie generated so well is long gone. For the most part it's still pretty enjoyable. Black might focus more on the jokes than the scares, but it's frequently damn funny, and it has a great cast that includes Boyd Holbrook, Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Munn, Trevante Rhodes, and Sterling K. Brown. There are also plenty of callbacks to the earlier movies, and the action is well handled, with the biggest Predator yet, a 10-foot hybrid creature. Unfortunately, the movie also feels messy at times, with the widely-reported reshoots contributing to a climax that is rushed and confusing. Nevertheless, the end of the movie attempts sets up a sequel, so this might be far from the last we see of the Predator.
3. Predator 2 (1990)
While the general rule of Hollywood sequels seems to be if it ain't broke, don't fix it, Predator 2 deserves credit for trying to do something different. It would've been easy to send another elite squad back into the jungle for more of the same, but the 1990 sequel changes the environment entirely, and instead sends a Predator to the city. It's Los Angeles in 1997, which has become a crime-ridden urban nightmare where drug gangs fight it out on the streets. Schwarzenegger did not return, so instead we have Lethal Weapon's Danny Glover as veteran rule-breaking cop Harrigan. Predator 2 is nothing if not ambitious. There's voodoo-practising Jamaican gangsters at war with a Mexican drug cartel, tough cops, shady Government agents, and the Predator picking all of these rival factions off one-by-one. The cast is veritable who's-who of '80s character actors, including Glover, Bill Paxton, Gary Busey, and MarÃa Conchita Alonso. The movie's biggest problem is the wildly varying tone, and director Stephen Hopkins can never quite decide if he's making a tough urban sci-fi thriller or a cartoonish, over-the-top action movie. The performances are all very broad and exaggerated, but given the talent of his cast, this was presumably a deliberate choice. Nevertheless, for the most part, it's fast moving and highly entertaining. The action is exciting and bloody, and the it's very cool to see the Predator given a much bigger pool of victims to choose from.
2. Predators (2010)
After the small-town idiocy of Alien vs. Predator: Requiem, the filmmakers wisely returned to the jungle for 2010's Predators. This movie was actually based on an early script that Sin City director Robert Rodriguez had written but had been considered too expensive to make. Many years later, it was revived at Fox, with Rodriguez also producing and Nimród Antal directing. The jungle in question is actually on an alien world, where the Predators drop dangerous humans to act as their prey. The group that the movie focuses on is made up of assorted soldiers, assassins, gangsters, and serial killers, which provides an interesting contrast to the loyal soldiers and cops from the first two movies. Despite basically hating each other, they have to team up to survive. Predators comes as close as any other movie in the series to capturing what made the original so good. The mix of tension, thrills, and action is well handled by Antal, and there's plenty of over-the-top gore. The cast is good too--while star Adrien Brody doesn't really convince as a gruff, ruthless mercenary, the likes of Walton Goggins, Alice Braga, Laurence Fishburne, and Danny Trejo all deliver entertaining performances as these gun-toting bad-asses. And while a bit more humor might have worked, Antal and Rodriguez understand that to make the Predators scary, they have to feel like a serious threat once more. These Predators are bigger, stronger, and nastier than any before, and truly worthy of their name.
1. Predator (1987)
Arnold Schwarzenegger was already a huge star when he took on the role of Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer in Predator, but its success helped cement his position as one of Hollywood's most popular stars. The movie began life as a script titled Hunter by brothers Jim and John Thomas, but with super-producer Joel Silver on-board, it became a big budget sci-fi action vehicle for Schwarzenegger. 31 years later, it is rightly considered one of the best action movies of the decade. While Schwarzenegger is unquestionably the movie's hero, unlike many of his '80s movies, he is part of a memorable ensemble. From shady CIA operative Dillon (Carl Weathers) and the intense Mac (Bill Duke) to enigmatic Billy Sole (Sonny Landham) and trigger-happy Cooper (Jesse Ventura), these characters might be stock action movie types, but they all play a vital part in the movie's plot and there is a great chemistry between them. The movie is packed with great action scenes, but it's easy to forget just how suspenseful John McTiernan's direction is. Much of the movie consists of the team being stalked through the jungle by the Predator, with his cloaking device ensuring that we never know when he will next strike. As for the creature itself, the movie delivers one of the most iconic movie monsters of all time. This nearly wasn't case; shooting began with a very different Predator (and Jean-Claude van Damme in the suit). But technical problems led to a decision to shut production down for several months while special effects visionary Stan Winston worked on a new design. What he came up with was a brilliantly iconic look--both the suit and the creature itself--that remains largely the same three decades later. While some of the subsequent movies have been very entertaining, none have got close to Predator's perfect combination of action, sci-fi, and horror. A true classic.
By GameSpot Staff on Sep 17, 2018 07:24 pm
Less is more, and WWE's PPV Hell in a Cell is proof of that. Instead of over-bloating the card with a ton of matches, WWE cut back the card to eight and gave each match more breathing room. On average, all the matches on the main card last close to 20 minutes. There were no squash matches, and nothing felt rushed. WWE's most recent PPV, Hell in a Cell, has come to a close. The yearly event placed a few WWE superstars inside the titular cell, which was red this year for the first time. The show took place at the AT&T Center in Dallas, Texas, and there were a few shocking moments during the evening, including a couple of surprise wins, which you can learn about from our live coverage results. We saw the Smackdown Women's Championship change hands while Ronda Rousey retained her championship in a hard-fought battle against Alexa Bliss. Compared to past events, like Summerslam, this was a smaller show, with only eight matches taking place on the card, one of which was on the Kickoff Show. However, when it comes to the PPV itself, how did each match stack up? Did these bouts live up to their hype after weeks of building up the storylines, or did it fall flat? The GameSpot staff has a few thoughts of their own, move forward to check them out. The card--as it appeared on the show--is listed below. Match card: - The New Day (c) vs. Rusev & Aiden English (Smackdown Tag Team Championship) [KICKOFF SHOW]
- Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton (Hell in a Cell match)
- Charlotte (c) vs. Becky Lynch (Smackdown Women's Championship)
- Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntrye (c) vs. Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose (Raw Tag Team Championship)
- AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe (WWE Championship)
- Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse
- Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Alexa Bliss (Raw Women's Championship)
- Roman Reigns (c) vs. Braun Strowman (Hell in a Call match for the Universal Championship with Mick Foley as guest referee)
The New Day (c) vs. Rusev & Aiden English (Smackdown Tag Team Championship) [KICKOFF SHOW]
This match made Rusev and English look good. It had a tremendously slow start, but Rusev really got things moving a few minutes in. Both English and Rusev had some really fantastic spots, and it's really the first time we've gotten to see English shine in the ring in quite a while. Also, the finish was a bit of a swerve, as it really seemed like Rusev Day would have taken the match. I didn't have exceptionally high hopes for this match--even though I love both teams--but this match was solid for the Kickoff. 7/10 - Mat Elfring Had this match been on the main card of the pay per view, it would have been a disappointment. As Mat pointed out, it started very slow, which made it difficult to get invested early on. But when it kicked into gear, it delivered. Rusev and English came off looking strong, and WWE avoided having them win the titles in some sort of flukey way that would have been detrimental to the championships. The Smackdown tag titles, unlike Raw's, actually mean something. Having a change just for the novelty of it would have been bad news. That said, with some more building, Rusev Day could become worthy contenders eventually. Or we could just put the focus back on The Bar for a bit. 6/10 - Chris E. Hayner
Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton (Hell in a Cell match)
Undeniably, this was immensely better than I thought it would be, considering how much I personally don't like the superstars involved or the storyline building to this match. Quick note: I hate Orton messing with Hardy's ear. It's super-gross. This was an extremely brutal match with a very fitting finish, as Jeff Hardy is known for going too far, and here, he fell from the top of the cage, putting himself through a table like a madman. Awesome heel move on Orton's part where he demanded to get the pin on a very hurt Hardy before the EMTs got to ringside. Annoyance with the color of the cell aside, the action inside the ring was pretty phenomenal. 8.5/10 - Mat Elfring Yes, this was good. Yes, it was memorable. It was the kind of car crash you'd expect from Jeff Hardy's first-ever Hell in a Cell match. The end result was a fantastic open to the show and the first piece of this rivalry I've even remotely cared about. The entire Hardy/Orton storyline has felt nonsensical from the start, but it's hard to look at the work these two put in inside and outside of the ring to make their Hell in a Cell match stand out. 8/10 - Chris E. Hayner
Charlotte (c) vs. Becky Lynch (Smackdown Women's Championship)
There were some less-than-stellar moments early on, including a few sloppy spots. While the outcome was exactly what I was hoping for--as I've been incorrectly predicting Lynch to win a PPV match for the past year or so--the match itself was a mixed bag. The final minutes were exciting and memorable, with Lynch pulling some great heel moves, but the build up to it wasn't very memorable. 5.5/10 - Mat Elfring Listen, it wasn't a technical marathon or anywhere near perfectly executed. The end result is what matters to me with this one, though. Becky Lynch's heel turn has been one of the most exciting things about Smackdown Live in a very long time, and I'm glad WWE followed through in delivering on how dangerous she could be as a villain--and kept her that way, by walking out on Charlotte after winning the title. I expect the rematch between the two will be much better, and Becky had better win that one too. 6/10 - Chris E. Hayner
Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntrye (c) vs. Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose (Raw Tag Team Championship)
This was an incredible match. It wasn't on the same level as Orton and Hardy, for me, but it was pretty darn close. Raw's tag team division has been in a weird place, with mediocre matches and champions who never really got to shine as competitors. Ziggler & McIntyre vs. Rollins and Ambrose's match gave me faith in the division again. The latter half of the bout was non-stop action and full of false finishes. I found myself thinking it was over three or four times. All of these superstars should be extremely proud of this match, as it is exactly what tag team wrestling should be. 8/10 - Mat Elfring I actually thought this was better than the opening Hell in a Cell match and am hard-pressed to think of something else on the card that will beat it. These two teams have incredible chemistry, and I think it's important that it was Rollins and Ambrose in there, rather than ⅔ of The Shield. These four men hit hard, the near falls were very believable, and the exchanges between Rollins and Ziggler specifically were so much fun to watch. These men should all be in the Universal Championship picture, but I'll live with them being the saving grace of Raw's tag team division. 9/10 - Chris E. Hayner
AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe (WWE Championship)
This started off as a fine match, and it turned into one with some great technical wrestling. There was a great spot of Joe transitioning between submissions: a powerbomb into boston crab into an STF. Everything had great momentum, and we were getting a really solid Joe/Styles match. However, the ending spot was bizarre and made this match feel like nothing more than a stepping stone for a rematch at a bigger PPV in the future. It's even a bit more disappointing when you think about how great the buildup to this match was. Samoa Joe's storybook is one of the most interesting and entertaining segments of the year, regardless of what someone else :ahem: thinks. 6/10 - Mat Elfring While I'm enjoying the AJ/Joe feud, for the most part, the matches are leaving so much to be desired. These two can tear the house down. Those who watch TNA know that, those who saw them wrestle on the indies know that. Unfortunately, this feud is so bogged down in a personal storyline that it's impacting the matches. Truth be told, this didn't need to be made into a personal issue. This entire feud should be the hero vs. the killer. AJ Styles attempting to defy all odds and hold onto his belt when the Samoan submission machine comes to rip him apart. Instead, we get Samoa Joe reading storybooks to AJ's wife and kids and matches that have flukey endings, so they can stretch it out another month. 4/10 - Chris E. Hayner
Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse
This match shouldn't have happened. The Daniel Bryan and Miz feud is one of the best in recent years, and this match felt more like a sideshow filled with signature spots. Brie and Maryse only battled each other, as the legal tag partner, one time. Most of the match consisted of people tagging each other to show they were the superior strategist. A bland match is one thing, but when it's one coming out of a great rivalry, it's heartbreaking. 3/10 - Mat Elfring Is it really one of the best feuds in recent years, though? When Bryan was cleared to wrestle, this was the match everyone wanted. The promos from Miz have been great, Bryan's have lacked some of the spark. The storytelling, though, has been great. However, the matches are a different story. Their Summerslam singles match was a disappointment that left a lot to be desired. This match was not great. It was entertaining, but didn't deliver on what fans want--Miz and Bryan going at it. Having Maryse get the pin over Brie is an interesting choice, especially with an all-women's pay per view coming. But that pin was their only meaningful role in the match. They spent most of the time running around. I want this feud to be great but this far, it's all sizzle and no steak. And steak is delicious. 3/10 - Chris E. Hayner
Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Alexa Bliss (Raw Women's Championship)
My expectations for this match were as low as they could possibly be, especially after the squash match between the two at Summerslam. Alexa was not done any justice at that PPV, even though she's been a fantastic and tough champion. Ronda just came in and mopped the floor with her. This time around, Bliss actually got some offense in, and in fact, she looked pretty dominant. Of course, there was no way she was going win the match, but she went out on a high note. More importantly, Rousey looked a whole lot better than last month. She had a bigger move arsenal than last time around, and she sold her ribs like a champ. This was the Ronda Rousey I had fun watching at this year's Wrestlemania. I want more of this. Also, Alicia Fox's outfit was the best. It wasn't part of the actual match, but it needs to be mentioned. She's the captain now. 7/10 - Mat Elfring Let me talk to you all for a moment about a truth. The only truth, if we're being honest. Alexa Bliss is the best heel WWE has seen in years--and this goes for men and women. While people love to talk about how central Charlotte, Bayley, Sasha, Becky, and Ronda are to the women's evolution, I'd say Alexa is the true cornerstone. She's been the best heel on both Raw and Smackdown and is the perfect pesky heel foil for Rousey. WWE nearly killed her character--and Raw's women's division--at Summerslam by giving Ronda an insanely one-sided match where she quickly just destroyed Alexa. This match was different. Bliss embraced her evil side and it was on full display--and she got in plenty of offense. There was no way Alexa was going to win this match but just the sheer amount of offense she got in went a long way in erasing the injustice that was Summerslam. Plus, Ronda has majorly improved over the past month. She sold her injured ribs well throughout the match and added a new move to her arsenal--the gutwrench powerbomb. Hopefully, we get to see these two tangle again. 7.5/10 - Chris E. Hayner
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Braun Strowman (Hell in a Call match for the Universal Championship with Mick Foley as guest refere
What a rollercoaster ride! Sadly, it was a rollercoaster ride that ended up with the theme park falling into a sinkhole and all of us floating in an eternal abyss. Too much? The actual Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns match, before it transformed into something else, like Optimus Prime transforming into a plate of rotten oysters, wasn't bad. It was watchable and gaining momentum. Then, Rollins, Ambrose, McIntyre, and Ziggler all came to the ring, and things got a tad more fun, even though it was an utter distraction from the actual sanctioned match. I was having a good time. Then, Brock Lesnar showed up (looking in pretty good shape) and beat up Strowman and Reigns and left. Then, a new ref came to the ring and called it a no contest. End of PPV. What? It's been a long, dark road with Brock Lesnar as champ, and the vast majority of WWE fans are happy he's gone. It finally gave Raw some time to grow and breathe… for like a month. This is a setback. It was the worst case scenario finish, and it is a step backwards. It is a terrible endcap to a otherwise great PPV. 2/10 -- Mat Elfring This was terrible. Full stop. Braun and Roman were on their way to a pretty fun Hell in a Cell match, regardless of winner, when the nonsense began. They weren't there yet, but it was starting to happen. Then Rollins, Ambrose, Ziggler, and McIntyre got involved for the "on top of the cage" stuff because we do not need Braun up there. It was fine, but too much chaos. Rollins and Ziggler took the traditional off the side of the cell bump through the table and we though maybe--MAYBE--this is when Roman and Braun would finish their match. Then Brock happened. Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman returned, Brock kicked in the cell door and beat both men with a broken table, F5ed them both, and walked out. End of show. This is the worst possible outcome. We finally got rid of the pox of Brock Lesnar and things were better without him. Now he's back, will be in the title picture again, and all of this not only rendered the main event pointless, but giving Braun the Money in the Bank briefcase pointless. Consider me wildly uninterested in what happens next. 0/10 - Chris E. Hayner
By Mat Elfring on Sep 17, 2018 02:51 am
It's almost time for WWE's PPV Hell in a Cell--and you can check out our live coverage here. This year's event is taking place at the AT&T Center in Dallas, Texas, and the card is stacked with multiple title defenses for the eight matches currently booked. One of said matches will take place on the Kickoff Show, an hour prior to the main card. It should be a pretty exciting evening with multiple Hell in a Cell matches, one of which has Mick Foley as special guest referee. On the Raw side of things, the Shield will have their hands full in two matches, one for the Tag Team Championships and one for the Universal Championship. Additionally, Alexa Bliss gets her rematch with Ronda Rousey. On Smackdown, Becky Lynch gets her shot at the Women's Championship against Charlotte, and Jeff Hardy will face Randy Orton in a Hell in a Cell match. Obviously, we have a few opinions on what we think is going to happen during the evening as well. Check out all of our predictions for Hell in a Cell, which we will continue to update should new matches or new stipulations get added to the card. Hell in a Cell match card: - The New Day (c) vs. Rusev & Aiden English (Smackdown Tag Team Championship) [KICKOFF SHOW]
- Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton (Hell in a Cell match)
- Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntrye (c) vs. Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose (Raw Tag Team Championships)
- Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse
- Charlotte (c) vs. Becky Lynch (Smackdown Women's Championship)
- Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Alexa Bliss (Raw Women's Championship)
- AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe (WWE Championship)
- Roman Reigns (c) vs. Braun Strowman (Hell in a Call match for the Universal Championship with Mick Foley as guest referee)
Make sure to come back to GameSpot for live coverage of the event.
The New Day (c) vs. Rusev & Aiden English (Smackdown Tag Team Championship)
[KICKOFF SHOW] The New Day just recently won the tag titles from the Bludgeon Brothers at Summerslam. However, they'll have to face Aiden English and Rusev, who have been extremely over during the past six months, at Hell in a Cell. This could go either way, as the New Day continues to be the tent-pole of Smackdown's tag division. However, it's time Rusev Day got a title, as the crowd still loves them--although some people could make the point his time has come and gone. Regardless, I'm giving the win to Rusev Day, in hopes that English will sing a fine song of victory. Our prediction: Rusev Day wins
Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton (Hell in a Cell Match)
Why is this a Hell in a Cell match? This is a bit of a head-scratcher. I guess it's so we can see Jeff Hardy jump off of things and attempt fate yet another time. There should be a lot of big spots in this match but neither of these men winning really does anything. Because Hardy lost the U.S. title and couldn't reclaim it, I'm giving him the win here. Our prediction: Hardy wins
Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse
The Bryan/Miz saga continues, but this time, it's a family affair. Both of the men's wives will be joining the fight in this mixed tag match. After their incredibly entertaining match at this year's Summerslam, it'll be interesting to see how this plays out now that Brie and Maryse are part of the match. In order to keep this rivalry going, which is needs to, Bryan and Brie need the win here. Our prediction: Team Bryan wins
Charlotte (c) vs. Becky Lynch (Smackdown Women's Championship)
I don't think it's any secret that I'm a big fan of Becky Lynch, as well as this storyline with Charlotte. Lynch, as a heel, needs a little bit of work but there is a lot of potential for her character to grow. She and Charlotte are going to put on an amazing match, and there is no question there, but it may be a time for a title change. In typical fashion, I'm giving the win to Becky Lynch, in hopes she can finally have a victory at a PPV. I couldn't tell you the last time she had a singles match win at a major WWE event. Make sure to check out our video prediction as well. Our prediction: Lynch wins
Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Alexa Bliss (Raw Women's Championship)
Bliss and Rousey's match at Summerslam was incredibly disappointing, as it was nothing more than a squash match. Rousey winning the title wasn't the problem, but Bliss getting not an ounce of offense in was. It made her look weak and Rousey overpowered. While I'm thinking Rousey will get the win here again, I'm truly hoping this will be an actual match and not just two minutes of Bliss getting beaten down. However, new rumors surfacing are leading us to believe that Nikki Bella is going to interfere in this match, giving Alexa Bliss the win. However, it will be by way of DQ, so Rousey will keep the belt. Our prediction: Bliss wins by DQ, Rousey retains title
Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntrye (c) vs. Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose (Raw Tag Team Championship)
I'm not a big fan with the Shield reunion, but I'm also not a fan of Braun Strowman turning heel. However, putting the Shield up against Strowman, McIntyre, and Ziggler in two separate title matches is a pretty solid move for the PPV. By the end of the day, one of these two teams is going to walk out with both the Raw Tag Championship and the Universal Champion, and I'd personally like to see Ziggler and McIntyre have a longer run, so they're getting the win. Our prediction: Ziggler & McIntyre win
AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe (WWE Championship)
The battle rages on between AJ Styles and Samoa Joe. Their Summerslam match obviously wasn't going to be where it all ended, so the two will fight once again at Hell in a Cell. Strangely enough, as of this writing, this is still a normal match, as the last one ended with a DQ. Because of Joe's taunting and messing with Styles' homelife, he's going to break during this match, and Joe will get the win. Our prediction: Joe wins by way of DQ
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Braun Strowman (Hell in a Cell Match for the Universal Championship)
Hey, Roman Reigns is main eventing another PPV, but at least this time, he has a championship. As I stated earlier, either the Shield or Strowman's group will walk away from Hell in a Cell with both championships. I don't think Mick Foley as the guest referee changes anything about how the match will play out, but I do see Strowman dominating Reigns one more time. Our prediction: Strowman wins
Recent Articles:
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment