If you need someone or something moved quickly, Frank Martin is your man. This former Special Ops soldier has moved to France and now works as a freelance driver for big spending criminals. His illicit career survives by strict adherence to rules, but when he breaks two of the rules he finds himself the target of a human trafficking ring. The plot is simple, but this action film from Luc Besson and Louis Leterrier launched Jason Statham’s career as an American action star. Should you go along for the ride? Listen to find out!
It’s been 20 years since Roger Corman first made (but never released) the world’s first Fantastic Four film, and now we get our fourth. Gone is the humor of the Tim Story duology; instead, Chronicle director Josh Trank created a grim and gritty version of Marvel’s First Family, more based on the Ultimate Comics version than any other. But behind the scenes squabbles and internet gossip led to this movie’s record low audience and critic ratings. Can this film be, if not Fantastic, any good at all? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
In Tom Cruise’s fifth Mission: Impossible film he finally goes up against the original television series’ legendary foe — The Syndicate. This evil group of spies and assassins has infiltrated the globe and is prepared to start a revolution. With the IMF disbanded for dangerous and risky tactics, can Ethan Hunt and his team possibly uncover and stop this Rogue Nation? And even more risky, can the fifth installment of a series still retain a high level of quality? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
Tom Cruise’s MIF Agent Ethan Hunt is back with a mission to literally stop the end of the world. Disavowed by his agency, can Ethan stop a madman from launching a nuclear missile? And do newcomers Jeremy Renner and Simon Pegg mix up the Impossible formula? Join Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart to find out!
Marvel Legends’ Dr. Strange Book of Vishanti 5 figure set with 6-inch scaled figures of:
Dr. Strange (translucent blue astral projection version)
Brother Voodoo
Magik
Hela
Dormammu
Hasbro’s Ant-Man figure pack with 5 figures:
Giant-Man
Hank Pym in lab coat
Goliath
Micro size Scott Lang Ant-Man
Micro size Hank Pym Ant-Man
Hasbro’s mini Ant-Man figure in “Matchbox” packaging
At San Diego Comic-Con there were few exclusives as sought after as those at Hasbro’s Toy Shop. On preview night people were assaulted and robbed while trying to get the Star Wars First Order Stormtrooper or the Magic: The Gathering set.
But no matter if you were at the con in the midst of the fray, or safe at home watching from afar, this online sale is a chance for you to get some of the exclusive Hasbro toys without paying eBay scalper fees (or being punched in the face).
So hurry to HasbroToyShop.com and good luck in scoring the exclusives you want!
Includes Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes, Making-of Featurettes, Gag Reel and Audio Commentary
Marvel Studios reunites Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in the unprecedented movie event, Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. Iconic heroes are forced to reassemble and face their most intimidating enemy yet – ULTRON. Pushed to the brink of their physical and emotional limits, the team must recruit both new heroes and familiar allies to face an escalating danger that threatens the entire planet.
RELEASE DATES: September 8, 2015 for Digital 3D and Digital HD
October 2, 2015 for Digital SD, 3D Blu-ray Combo Pack (3D Blu-ray+Single Disc Blu-ray+Digital Copy), Blu-ray, DVD and On-Demand
BONUS:Digital HD*, Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA), 3D Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray
Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes
Making-of Featurettes
Gag Reel
Audio Commentary
*Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer
DVD:
Making-of Featurette
FEATURE RUN TIME: Approximately 141 min.
RATINGS: PG-13 in U.S.; PG in CE; G in CF
ASPECT RATIO: Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray & DVD = 1080p High Definition / 2.40:1
AUDIO: Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray 2D = English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, French-Canadian 5.1 Dolby Digital, Latin Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital
DVD = English/Latin Spanish/French Canadian 5.1 Dolby Digital, English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital
The second phase of Marvel Studios’ Cinematic Universe is going out small. Compared to their other Phase 2 films, the hero is smaller, the budget is smaller, the box office is smaller. But it’s a big moment as comics’ final founding Avenger arrives on the big screen. The film was fraught with production delays and creative changes, but can Marvel prove good things come with small packages? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
IMF agent Ethan Hunt has had enough combat. He wants to settle down, get married, and train new agents instead of going in the field himself. But when his star pupil is captured by a ruthless arms dealer Hunt gathers a new crew for another globetrotting mission. Should you choose to accept this third impossible mission? Join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie to find out!
It may have taken 13 years, but Arnold Schwarzenegger is back as the T-800 in his movie series that absolutely will not stop ever — The Terminator.
In the new movie Genisys Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) goes back in time to 1984 to save the life of Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke), but he fins 1984 very different than he expects.
Is Kyle’s trip back to the future one worth taking? Join Marjorie, Arnie, and Stuart to find out!
PLUS – listen to find out how you can win some Terminator collectibles! Contest ends July 15, 2015!
Tom Cruise’s character Agent Ethan Hunt has a new mission – stop a rogue IMF agent from releasing a deadly biological weapon — and protect the woman he loves. With John Woo in the director’s chair, this film is sure to have some slow motion action and doves flying, but should you choose this second impossible mission? Join Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart to find out!
After three failed attempts to open a dinosaur zoo, has Masrani Global Corp finally gotten it right? We find out in Jurassic World–the first new Jurassic Park film in over a decade! With Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt in the lead this film took a record-breaking bite out of the box office. How does it compare to the original trilogy? Donate to Now Playing to find out!
Star Wars Action News’ participation in Hasbro’s 2015 Fans’ Choice action figure poll nears completion!
As announced Monday, Hasbro has started a new poll where Star Wars fans and collectors pick which figure is made for the company’s new 6-inch Black Series line of Star Wars figures.
Star Wars Action News was invited to poll their fans on which characters they wanted. Round 1 was a completely open nomination form, and over 70 different figures were nominated. Of all the figures requested, the single figure with the most nominations was Ackmena, the singing cantina owner from the notorious Star Wars Holiday Special. In a close second place was Brea Tonnika — a background character in the cantina from first Star Wars film.
The top 30 nominees have been taken into Round 2 of voting! Here each Star Wars fan chooses the one figure they want most in 6-inch plastic form. This second round of voting ends Monday, June 29th, and then the five characters with the most votes will be submitted to Hasbro.
The first 20 characters were picked from the first round of nominations:
Ackmena
Brea Tonnika
Obi-Wan Kenobi (A New Hope)
Admiral Ackbar
ARC Trooper Commander Colt
Gamorrean Guard
Asajj Ventress (Dark Diciple)
Lumpy
Lando Calrissian (Jabba’s Skiff Guard)
Momaw Nadon
Grand Moff Tarkin (A New Hope)
Darth Maul (Robot Legs)
Han Solo (Bespin Outfit)
General Grievous (4-arms)
Ponda Baba
Mara Jade
Sabine
Ephant Mon
Republic Commando
Blue Snaggletooth
The other 51 characters nominated received only 1 vote each, so the Star Wars Action News team, including podcast hosts Arnie and Marjorie Carvalho, reporters Brock, Johnathan Brenner, Justin Kozisek and Steve “The Ginger Prince” Nixon, video editor Andrew Harrison, and photo editors Jay Fazio and Curtis Stevenson. From the 51 chosen characters the panel selected 10 figures:
Sideshow is the best there is at what they do…and what they do is make incredibly detailed quarter-scale statues!
The next offer from Sideshow is the Premium Format Wolverine! This statue goes back to the character’s first solo series — the Japan saga by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller, a longtime fan favorite story that defined the character for decades and even inspired the movie The Wolverine.
This Sideshow statue shows Logan atop a snow-capped bridge that is riddled by enemy arrow-fire. With the base this short X-Man stands 20-inches tall!
The statue also comes with swappable heads so you can display him masked or unmasked, both with fierce, feral expressions. And if you hurry to get Sideshow’s Exclusive Edition you can swap his right hand as well – show him with adamantium claws drawn or with the exclusive Muramasa Blade accessory!
You can check out detailed 360-degree photos, close-ups and more at Sideshow’s site, so go check it out! (And if your wallet has a mutant healing factor, place your order!)
Mission: Impossible was a smash hit TV series in the 1960s and 70s, and it even had a revival in the late 80s. But in the 90s, producer and star Tom Cruise tried to do the impossible: create a hit movie franchise based on an old TV show. Many shows have tried to become films, but few have succeeded. Yet with noted director Brian De Palma behind the camera, a bevy of stunt work, and Cruise on the poster, this film had a better chance than most. Should you choose to accept this first impossible mission? Join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to find out!
Once more, fans get to pick an upcoming character in the Star Wars line of figures.
Hasbro announced today that they are starting a new poll where Star Wars fans and collectors pick which figure is made. This time, however, the poll is not for the long-running 3.75-inch line of figures, but for Hasbro’s newer 6-inch Black Series figure line.
To make it even more exciting, all Star Wars characters are eligible (except those from the unreleased The Force Awakens movie). With that statement Hasbro has given fans perhaps their only chance to get a 6-inch action figure based on the Star Wars comics and novels that were removed from canon and put into the “Legends” category. Of course, all characters from the films, major or minor, would also be given consideration.
Hasbro has confirmed to Star Wars Action News any character is eligible, including the long-desired Tonnika Sisters from A New Hope, Vlix from the 80s Droids series, and even Lumpy and Ackmena (Bea Arthur) from The Star Wars Holiday Special!
Also of note: if the chosen character is from the Star Wars animated series Rebels or The Clone Wars the figure would be done in a realistic style consistent with the Black Series line’s look.
This year’s Fan’s Choice poll is being run by various Star Wars collecting sites, including Venganza Media’s own Star Wars Action News. Before June 30th each participating site will submit to Hasbro their Top 5 list, with the #1 character getting 6 points, the #2 character 5 points, #3 character 4 points, and so on.
From the compiled lists from all the sites the character with the highest number of points will be immortalized in plastic–and Hasbro will reveal which character was chosen during their San Diego Comic-Con panel on July 10th.
Star Wars Action News is handling this with two rounds of voting. First, they have opened a Figure Nomination thread in their forums. In that post fans can free-form enter any characters they want. That phase will be open until June 25th. Then on the 25th a second poll will be opened where each fan can vote on the one figure they want most. That poll will close on June 29th and the top five figures submitted to Hasbro on the 30th.
It’s like a riddle: When does Chapter 3 come before Chapter 1? When it’s an Insidious sequel! The new film may be titled Insidious: Chapter 3 but the film is actually a prequel to the original film. Were you interested how Tucker and Specs met Elise? Or what the Bride in Black did before harassing the Lambert family? It’s all in Chapter 3, with a background story of a new demon trying to kill a high school girl. Is this an essential chapter in the Insidious story? Join Marjorie, Stuart, and Arnie to find out!
Amazon has some amazing deals on the new Star Wars 6-Inch Black Series figures! Commander Cody, IG-88 and Boushh Leia in stock at Amazon — $16.09 each! Get them before they’re gone!
Firestarter: Rekindled has Malcolm McDowell and Dennis Hopper starring in a movie based on the works of Stephen King! If this movie came out in 1982 it may have had the star power, and budget, to be a true classic. But Rekindled didn’t come out when those actors’ star power was at its peak, it was made in 2002 as an original Sci-Fi Channel two part miniseries. Does this story of Charlie’s next battle against The Shop keep with King’s original vision? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
In 1984 Stephen King had been given the moniker “The King of Horror.” Movies on his books had more hits than misses, and his every novel was a bestseller, including the tale of a pyrokinetic girl hunted by government agents — Firestarter! The heat from that book drew star Drew Barrymore, fresh off her role in the highest-grossing film of all time, E.T., With these two names combined, did the movie spark? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
In 1982 Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg revealed the terror that lay inside a child’s closet with Poltergeist. That film has been minted a classic. Now, over thirty years later, Sam Raimi hopes to recreate that feeling with a remake of the horror classic. Can a modern version live up to the original in the eyes of longtime fans Marjorie, Stuart, and Arnie? Donate to Now Playing to find out!
In 1993 blockbuster director Steven Spielberg teamed with bestselling author Michael Crighton for Jurassic Park–the tale of genetically engineered dinosaurs run amok. The result was a crowd-pleasing success that resulted in a box office second only to E.T. for the director. As they prepare to continue the franchise anew with Jurassic World Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob dare to go into the park to review this series. Does the original film hold up over 20 years since its original release? Donate to Now Playing to find out!
Warning: This podcast deals with a movie that has no plot, hammy acting, and a hack script we wouldn’t want to wipe our asses with. It’s not even funny bad, it’s just a boring, miserable watching experience. We want no one to give this film a penny by paying for the rental. We appreciate you listeners enough to tell you this up front – you really don’t need to watch this film. And if you want to hear why – join Arnie, Stuart, and Marjorie for this podcast review.
It’s been 30 years since the last Mad Max film, but creator George Miller was compelled to go again into the post-apocalyptic Outback. The film suffered production troubles, extensive reshoots, and eventually had to film with a new star: Tomy Hardy as Max. But now the movie is on screens and bringing both praise and controversy. Did the series run out of gas without Mad Mel? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
One of the biggest highlights of the record-breaking Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron is the introduction of the new characters in the film! Originally planned to be the perfect “evolution” for Ultron, the Avengers was able to retrieve the android Vision and made him a valuable ally for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to stop Ultron from eradicating mankind!
Today, Hot Toys and Sideshow Collectibles have put up for pre-order the humanoid hero that many fans have been waiting for – the 1/6th scale Vision Collectible Figure!
The movie-accurate Vision Collectible Figure is specially crafted based on his image in Avengers: Age of Ultron. It features a newly developed head sculpt with detailed texture and Mind Stone, specially tailored costume and cape, Thor’s hammer Mjölnir, and a specially designed figure stand.
Your Avengers: Age of Ultron collection wouldn’t be complete without the addition of this powerful android!
Hot Toys – MMS296 – Avengers: Age of Ultron: 1/6th scale Vision Collectible Figure
~ Movie Masterpiece Series ~
The 1/6th scale Vision Collectible Figure specially features:
– Authentic and detailed likeness of Vision in Avengers: Age of Ultron
– Newly developed head sculpt with movie-accurate facial features, detailed skin texture, and the Mind Stone
– Specially applied metallic red-violet skin tone to reflect Vision’s distinctive appearance
– Approximately 31.5 cm tall
– Body with over 30 points of articulations
– Eight (8) pieces of interchangeable palms including:
– One (1) pair of fists
– One (1) pair of relaxed palms
– One (1) pair of open palms
– One (1) pair of palms for holding Mjölnir
– Each piece of head sculpt is specially hand-painted
Costume:
– One (1) teal colored full body suit with texture and red-violet colored highlights
– One (1) yellow colored cape with patterns and red-violet highlights
– One (1) pair of red-violet and gold colored gauntlets
– One (1) pair of red-violet and gold colored boots
Weapon:
– One (1) Mjölnir
Accessory:
– Specially-designed figure stand with Vision nameplate and the movie logo
Star Mel Gibson and director George Miller returned to the world of Mad Max one final time in 1985. With a budget larger than the previous two films combined, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome established its place in pop culture with both catch phrases and a catchy Tina Turner song. For nearly 30 years this was thought to be the closing chapter in the series, and is Gibson’s final time playing the titular character. How does this film hold up today? Listen to find out!
The 2015 summer movie season kicks off in a big way with the next Marvel Cinematic Universe film Avengers: Age of Ultron. Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye are back in front of the camera, all again under the direction of geek god Joss Whedon. But with three super-powered baddies and a new Vision for these heroes there is more Avengers to assemble than ever before. Now join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out how super these heroes were!
With the success of Mad Max director George Miller had his pick of films to direct, but he chose to return to the post-apocalyptic Australian outback for a second Mad Max film — The Road Warrior! The budget was bigger, and so were the explosions, but does that make this film better than the original? Listen to find out!
The much anticipated Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron will soon hit theaters worldwide, Hot Toys is excited to continue the waves of highly detailed and movie accurate collectible figures from this super blockbuster. In addition to the return of Earth’s mightiest heroes in the sequel, the titular villain Ultron has been a widely discussed character among fans!
The movie-accurate Collectible Figure is specially crafted based on the image of Ultron Mark I in Avengers: Age of Ultron. It features a newly developedasymmetrical body with complicated mechanical details and cable wires throughout different parts, LED light-up eyes, mouth, and chest reactor, a damaged Iron Legion as an accessory, and a specially designed figure stand! Expand your Avengers: Age of Ultron collection with this menacing villain!
The 1/6th scale Ultron Mark I Collectible Figure features:
– Authentic and detailed likeness of Ultron Mark I in Avengers: Age of Ultron
– Movie-accurate sculpture with complicated mechanical details and cable wires throughout body
– Newly developed asymmetrical body with over 24 points of articulations
– Approximately 32.5 cm tall
– Metallic red, white, blue, and dark grey colored painting on armor with distressed effects
– LED light-up eyes, mouth and chest reactor (white light, battery operated)
In 1979 a low budget film exploded from down under to become the most profitable film of all time–Mad Max! Shot for less than half a million Australian dollars the movie launched Mel Gibson to stardom and has been a midnight movie staple. What is it about this gritty exploitation film that garners it such acclaim? Hop in and join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie to find out!
For Iron Man 3 a number of collectibles were made showing Iron Man’s pal War Machine in his more metallic suit, but in editing only the Iron Patriot was shown. Even Hot Toys released that version of the War Machine armor.
Do you think Don Cheadle looked at the gray War Machine armor made for Iron Man 3 and said, “Next time, baby!”? Well, that time is now!
Now, for Avengers: Age of Ultron the War Machine is back and he’s in his classic colors! But…there are some subtle differences between the suit designed for Iron Man 3 and the one shown on screen in Age of Ultron. So while you may have a Hot Toys figure really close to this one–unless you pre-order this new figure from Hot Toys you don’t have the Age of Ultron armor!
And to add to the mix, this figure is only being offered through a partnership between Hot Toys and Sideshow Collectibles as a Sideshow exclusive figure! (It’s about time we got one stateside after having to hunt for so many overseas variants). If it’s anything like the last exclusive armored Avenger offered by Sideshow, the Stealth Armor Iron Man, it is bound to sell out fast too!
Plus this is part of Hot Toys’ MMS Diecast Series which the collectible figures are made of diecast material, and realistically designed to look even more like the armor as it appears in the film. You heard our glowing review of Iron Patriot on Marvelicious Toys, now it’s time for War Machine to get that same love.
The movie-accurate War Machine Mark II Collectible Figure is crafted with great details and based on the image of Don Cheadle as James Rhodes/War Machine Mark II in Avengers: Age of Ultron. It features a highly detailed head sculpt, metallic black and dark silver colored armor with decals, LED light-up functions, rotatable machine gun, and a specially designed Avengers: Age of Ultron figure stand.
Hot Toys – MMS290D10 – Avengers: Age of Ultron 1/6th scale War Machine Mark II Collectible Figure Features:
– Body with Die Cast metal parts
– Authentic and detailed likeness as War Machine Mark II in Avengers: Age of Ultron
– Helmeted head sculpt with authentic likeness of Don Cheadle as James Rhodes
– Interchangeable helmeted head with LED light-up function (white light, battery operated)
– Metallic black and dark silver colored armor with white decals
– Approximately 31 cm tall
– Over 30 points of articulations
– Contains diecast material
– LED-lighted eyes and Arc Reactor on chest (white light, battery operated)
– Seven (7) pieces of interchangeable palms including:
– One (1) pair of palms with movable fingers and light-up repulsors (white light, battery operated)
– One (1) pair of fists
– One (1) pair of repulsor palms
– One (1) saluting right palm
– Each piece of head sculpt is specially hand-painted
Weapon:
– One (1) rotatable machine gun at the back
Accessory:
– Specially-designed figure stand with War Machine nameplate and the movie logo
Before making it big with Jaws Steven Spielberg was honing his directing skills on television. Spielberg’s first feature-length film was, in fact, Duel a made-for-television ABC Movie of the Week. With little money and even less time the director created a suspense film that broke out of the small screen and was released theatrically in Europe and Australia But how does Spielberg’s first film hold up against his later works? Join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie to find out!
Universal thought the Fast and Furious franchise was unstoppable. With each new sequel grossing more than the previous instalment, they fast tracked Furious 7, even if it meant losing long time series director Justin Lin and new star The Rock. But when Paul Walker died before the movie was complete the cast and the creatives making the film had to rework the script to be a fitting goodbye. Can Insidious director James Wan make this film still be fast and furious while paying the fitting respects to a passed co-star? Join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie to find out!
After many years of creating the best 1/6th scale, 12-inch, figures based on Marvel Movies, now Hot Toys delivers their first figure in a larger 1/4 scale–Iron Man Mk XLIII. Standing 20-inches tall, this figure has over 40 points of articulation, interchangeable heads with LED light-up function, LEG-lit eyes, chest, and back, plus LED shine-through on the sides of his chest, forearms, and the backs of his legs.
It also has removable armor pieces, interchangeable forearm rocket armor, and 3 pairs of changeable hands.
With Fast Five director Justin Lin opened the car racing franchise up to a wider audience. With in his final film in the series, Fast & Furious 6, Lin tried to continue that trend, setting Vin Diesel’s group of likeable outlaws against a European terrorist. The action set pieces were bigger, as was the box office, but can this film rev higher than the last installment? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out–and then come back next Tuesday as we conclude the serious with a review of Furious 7!
Years ago at San Diego Comic-Con Hot Toys showed the Iron Man — Stealth Armor. Years passed with no word on if this armor was continued or cancelled. Hot Toys delved into their House Party Protocol of armors but still no word on the more comic-based blue and black Stealth armor. Until now. Now it’s a MOVIE PROMO EDITION collectible figure, only be available exclusively in selected markets during upcoming promotion events period in different countries… but you can order it now at Sideshow Collectibles!
The Mark VII (Stealth Mode Version) Collectible Figure is highly detailed featuring multiple layers and various shades of metallic and matte black color with digital camouflage design, translucent black chest armor and articulated flaps on back of legs, Stark Industries decals at various parts of the armor, LED light-up functions, interchangeable armor parts, and a specially designed dynamic figure stand.
This stylish stealth mode version Mark VII collectible figure will be a great addition to your Iron Man collection!
The 1/6th scale Mark VII (Stealth Mode Version) Collectible Figure features:
– Authentic and detailed likeness of Mark VII in stealth mode
– Specially applied multiple layers and shades of metallic and matte black-colored painting with digital camouflage design on armor
– Translucent black removable chest armor and articulated flaps on back of legs
– Approximately 30 cm tall
– Over 30 points of articulations
– LED-lighted eyes and circle-shaped Arc Reactor on chest (white light, battery operated)
– Stark Industries decals on various parts of the armor
– One (1) pair of interchangeable forearm rockets
– One (1) pair of interchangeable wrist guards for posing with repulsor firing palms
– Three (3) pairs of interchangeable palms including:
– One (1) pair with movable fingers and light-up repulsors (white light, battery operated)
– One (1) pair of fists
– One (1) pair of repulsor firing palms with light-up function (white light, battery operated)
– Two (2) sets of interchangeable shoulder armors (normal & missile styles)
– Articulations on waist armor which allow flexible movement
– Fully deployable air flaps on the back of the armor
Accessory:
– Specially designed dynamic figure stand with Mark VII nameplate and movie logo
The release of Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron is coming closer and closer! Fans are all pumped to see the Earth’s mightiest heroes assembling again to save the world from the menacing artificial intelligence Ultron! Following last week’s pre-order of Black Widow, Hot Toys is thrilled to present the widely-anticipated 1/6th scale Hawkeye Collectible Figure!
The only previous Hawkeye Hot Toys figure was made for the original Avengers film, and while it took a while to sell out that figure now sells for over $400 on eBay! This is a chance for fans of the Hawk to finally get this Jeremy Renner likeness at a reasonable price!
The movie-accurate Hawkeye Collectible Figure is specially crafted based on the image of Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye in Avengers: Age of Ultron, featuring a newly developed head sculpt, new outfit, improved articulations for action poses, freshly designed bow and arrows, and a specially designed figure stand.
Director Justin Lin had one thought going into his third Fast and Furious movie–what if they didn’t make it a Fast and Furious film. Rather than focusing on fast cars and racing, Fast Five becomes an action film involving drug dealers and spectacular chases. Culling a cadre of characters from the first four films, and adding The Rock as a new nemesis for Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto, Fast Five set a new course for the franchise. How does this film rank for action? Listen and find out!
Pre-orders are up now for the next Hot Toys 1/6 Scale Avenger figure from Age of Ultron — Black Widow
The movie-accurate collectible is specially crafted based on the image of Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in the film featuring a newly painted head sculpt with short curly brownish-red real fabric hair, newly tailored costume with leather-like trims and blue highlights, detailed new weapons and accessories.
The 1/6th scale Black Widow Collectible Figure features:
– Authentic and detailed likeness of Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in Avengers: Age of Ultron
– Newly painted head sculpt with movie-accurate facial expression and make-up
– Short curly brownish-red real fabric hair implantation
– Body with over 28 points of articulations
– Approximately 28 cm tall
– Eight (8) pieces of interchangeable gloved palms including:
– One (1) pair of fists
– One (1) pair of relaxed palms
– One (1) pair of palms for holding pistols
– One (1) pair of fists for holding batons
– Each piece of head sculpt is specially hand-painted
Costume :
– One-piece black colored jumpsuit with leather-like trims and blue highlights
– One (1) pair of red-colored wrist guards with Widow’s Bite bracelets
– One (1) black belt with Black Widow’s emblem
– One (1) gun holster on thigh
– One (1) pair of black colored platform boots with buckles
Weapons:
– Two (2) blasters
– Two (2) batons with real-like electric effect
– One (1) pistol
– One (1) dagger
Accessories:
– One (1) pair of real-like electric shock effect accessories
– One (1) pair of baton handles
– Specially-designed figure stand with Black Widow nameplate and the movie logo
After the third Fast and Furious movie crashed at the box office the series could have run out of gas for good–until original stars Vin Diesel and Paul Walker returned to give it a jump start! With the two headliners returning, as well as supporting cast Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster, plus Justin Lin back behind the camera, audiences hit the NOS to get to theaters! Will this film live up to the hype? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
The third Fast and Furious film took a sharp turn, leaving the series’ previous actors in the dust to tell a new story about a rebellious teen racing on the streets of Tokyo. The series has a new star, a new style of racing, and a new director in Justin Lin–who would return for three more Fast and Furious installments. Does the third movie in this series have the Now Playing hosts turning Japanese? Listen now to find out!
We live in a world where collusion among the rich destroy the middle class and keep the poor as working cattle. Everyone knows that. But in They Live it’s revealed that the elite are actually working with aliens and using the media to hypnotize us and keep us subservient. Can a construction worker named Nada, played by WWF’s Rowdy Roddy Piper, save the world? Listen now to find out in our review of John Carpenter’s 1988 cult classic.
Sideshow Collectibles has put up for pre-order their latest 1/4 scale Premium Format Figure in the Star Wars line — Darth Vader.
Inspired by one of the most climactic duels in cinematic history, Darth Vader descends the steps of a Death Star themed base. With his light-up crimson lightsaber at the ready, the commanding villain is prepared to engage in mortal combat and claim victory for the Galactic Empire. Every detail of the Sith Lords costume, from his iconic helmet to his sweeping black cape, have been faithfully recreated as seen on screen in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
The figure stands 26.5-inches high with the giant base, and is the first time in nearly 10 years that Sideshow has offered the most iconic of all Star Wars characters. So place your order now at Sideshow Collectibles!
This is the Iron Man armor you have been waiting for! Ever since the first official appearance of the massive anti-Hulk Iron Man suit, Hulkbuster, in Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer, fans worldwide have been filled with excitement! Its fight against Hulk is an unforgettable moment from the clip and pushes the popularity of the huge machine to a new level even before the movie launch!
The movie-accurate collectible figure is specially crafted based on the image of Hulkbuster in Avengers: Age of Ultron. This colossal figure stands approximately 55 cm (21 inches) tall, featuring a Mark XLIII bust inside the Hulkbuster with LED light-up eyes and arc reactor on chest. The metallic red, gold and silver armor with weathering effect, and over 16 LED light-up areas located in the eyes, chest, repulsor palms, back, and legs.
When The Fast and The Furious raced up the box office Universal Pictures thought they had a franchise on their hands and hit the NOS for a sequel–with or without Vin Diesel. So for 2 Fast 2 Furious Paul Walker returns as Brian O’Connor, once again going undercover to bring down a criminal mastermind. This time, though, Brian’s trash-talking bald-headed partner isn’t Dominic Turetto, but Roman Pierce played by R&B singer Tyrese Gibson. Helmed by Oscar nominated director John Singleton, is this sequel Carz in the Hood, or did this cash-grab get the Shaft? Race to NowPlayingPodcast.com to hear this review and find out!
Pixar films including Toy Story, Monsters Inc., and Finding Nemo, had been smash hits. But could this success that worked on toys, fish, bugs, and beasts, work for a movie starring a roster of human characters? That was the risk they took with The Incredibles — Pixar’s first superhero film. The gamble worked and Pixar had another hit, but how does this film hold up more than 10 years later? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
In the upcoming eagerly-awaited Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, the Earth is in danger again as the evil artificial intelligence Ultron is set on wiping out all life on the planet, and it is up to the Earth’s mightiest heroes to stop the terrible fate from happening.
Now Hot Toys has announced the new Avengers: Age of Ultron 1/6th scale Hulk Collectible Figure! The movie-accurate collectible figure is specially crafted based on the image of Hulk in Avengers: Age of Ultron featuring a newly developed screaming head sculpt with rolling eyeballs, and a specially painted muscular body.
– Authentic and detailed likeness of Hulk in Avengers: Age of Ultron with separate rolling eyeballs. This head shows his screaming look with detailed wrinkles and skin texture
– Approximately 42 cm tall
– Giant green-skinned muscular body featuring detailed skin texture and tendons, with over 20 points of articulations, built-in joints in neck and arms which allow flexible movement
– Two (2) pairs of interchangeable palms including:
– One (1) pair of relaxed palms with movable fingers
– One (1) pair of forceful fists
– Each piece of head sculpt is specially hand-painted
An undercover police officer infiltrates a group of thieves, but can he resist the lure of the subculture and do his duty? No, we’re not talking the Keanu Reeves/Patrick Swayze film Point Break–we’re reviewing the 2001 car racing film The Fast and The Furious. Starring Vin Diesel, fresh off the success of Pitch Black, the film raced to box office success and launched a billion-dollar franchise. But is there more to this film than fast cars and attractive women? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
From the director of X-Men: First Class and Kick-Ass comes Kingsman: The Secret Service. Like Kick-Ass, this film is also based on an original comic by Mark Millar, but now the pair are focusing on a young man trying to join an independent group of spies who pose as tailors. With a combination of new faces and established actors like Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson, does this new movie also kick ass? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
Since the first official release of Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer, the film’s titular villain Ultron’s menacing appearance and memorable speech has grabbed many fans’ attention and left wondering how the Earth’s mightiest heroes can stand up against this highly dangerous robot and its large army.
With the epic blockbuster just few short months away from hitting theatres worldwide, Hot Toys is very excited to “show you something beautiful” today, the 1/6th scale Ultron Prime Collectible Figure, that many fans and collectors have eagerly awaited to see!
The movie-accurate Collectible Figure is specially crafted based on the image of Ultron Prime in Avengers: Age of Ultron. It stands approximately 41 cm tall, featuring a newly developed head sculpt and body with mechanical details, LED light-up head and upper body, and a specially designed Avengers: Age of Ultron logo figure base with LED light-up function! This threatening villain will have great presence in your Avengers: Age of Ultron collection!
The 1/6th scale Ultron Prime Collectible Figure specially features:
– Authentic and detailed likeness of Ultron Prime in Avengers: Age of Ultron
– Movie-accurate sculpture with mechanical details
– Silver colored painting on armor
– LED light-up head sculpt and upper body (red light, battery operated)
– Approximately 41 cm tall
– Newly developed body with over 30 points of articulations
– One (1) pair of palms with movable fingers
Accessory:
– Specially-designed Avengers: Age of Ultron figure stand with LED light-up function (red light, battery operated)
The making of this film is unlike any other: director Richard Linklater and his stars convened annually over the span of twelve years to make a movie about a boy growing into a man. The sheer scope and complexity of the project is enormous, but it was completed when Boyhood hit theaters in 2014. But with all the behind-the-scenes complexity, was the final film worth it? Join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie in this review to find out!
The making of this film is unlike any other: director Richard Linklater and his stars convened annually over the span of twelve years to make a movie about a boy growing into a man. The sheer scope and complexity of the project is enormous, but it was completed when Boyhood hit theaters in 2014. But with all the behind-the-scenes complexity, was the final film worth it? Join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie in this review to find out!
As the name suggests, Hot Toys will collaborate with different artists and designers from various spectrums to re-imagine movie characters in a special art form with unique style.
To kick-off the Artist Mix Collection, Hot Toys is joining hands with famous Japanese toy artist Touma and introducing a number of Artist Mix Figures based on one of the biggest movies of 2015 – Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron!
Each Artist Mix Figure has a bobble-head and stands approximately 14cm, or 5.5 inches, tall (Hulkbuster stands approximately 20cm, or 11.8 inches, tall) and perfectly combines the movie characters’ designs with Touma’s distinctive art style!
Touma is a Japanese toys character designer. He started his career at a video game company 10 years ago. In 2001, he established his own workshop and started to become a figurine artist. He had his solo exhibitions and autograph sessions not only in Japan, but also in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and America. He collaborated with many major brands such as MONSTER HUNTER, STAR WARS, TRANSFORMERS, AVP, GODZILLA, POWER RANGERS, and more.
Recently, Touma and his 3D animation partner Shiroma collaborated with Hot Toys for the first time to ignite the Artist Mix Collection series to further expand the diversity of mini figures collection. The series is based on the 2015 Marvel Studios blockbuster, Avengers: Age of Ultron, which perfectly blends the iconic characters with Touma’s unique design style.
These Artist Mix Figures will look great on your shelves or desk, so don’t miss the chance to expand your Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron collection!
**Prototype shown, final product may be slightly different
**Product details could be subjected to change without further notice
April is WTD Certified For WHAT THE DUCK?! Variant Covers!
Howard the Duck Waddles Into Your Favorite Marvel Comics for Special April Variants!
New York, NY — February 4th, 2015 — Sure, the highly anticipated HOWARD THE DUCK #1 from Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones hits comic shops in March, but Marvel is keeping the celebration going all the way into April! Today, Marvel is proud to unveil WHAT THE DUCK?! Month – a series of 20 special variant covers for April featuring that fabulous fowl, Howard The Duck! Now is your chance to see some of the most popular artists in the industry provide their own spin on that magnificent mallard!
“Response to the announcement of the new Howard the Duck series has been staggering,” says Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing David Gabriel. “There were so many talented artists eager to take a quack at drawing a Howard cover we couldn’t resist building an entire variant month around him. This April is going to be WTD certified!”
Today, Marvel is excited to reveal the following WTD Variants by some of Marvel’s greatest cover artists:
·All-New Hawkeye #2 – WTD Variant Cover by Francesco Francavilla
·Amazing Spider-Man #17 – WTD Variant Cover by W. Scott Forbes
·Rocket Raccoon #10 – WTD Variant Cover by Rob Guillory
·Uncanny Inhumans #0 – WTD Variant Cover by Christian Ward
Look for these additional WTD Variants to grace the covers of these exciting Marvel comics throughout the month of April:
·All-New Captain America #6
·All-New X-Men #41
·Ant-Man #4
·Daredevil #15
·Deadpool #45 (a.k.a. Deadpool #250)
·Guardians of the Galaxy #26
·Hulk #14
·Inhuman #14
·Legendary Star-Lord #11
·Ms. Marvel #14
·S.H.I.E.L.D. #5
·Silk #3
·Spider-Gwen #3
·Superior Iron Man #7
·Thor #7
·Uncanny Avengers #4
No fan can afford to miss out on these exciting variant covers featuring the one and only web-footed wonder! Run, don’t walk to your comic shops this April to get your hands on these can’t miss WHAT THE DUCK?! Variant Covers!
It’s been 18 years since Céline and Jesse met on that Vienna-bound train, both in real life and for the two fictional characters played by Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. But where has time taken these two characters? The Before… films are Richard Linklater’s precursor to boyhood, returning with the same characters and actors in 1995, 2004, and again most recently in 2013, but has the series grown better with age? Join Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart as they review the final film in this series to find out!
Thanos is one of the most infamous Marvel villains in comic book history. His first appearance in The Avengers has already got fans widely discussing the Mad Titan’s role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and in Guardians of the Galaxy; audiences are finally able to meet him fully when he gives his threatening speech to Ronan the Accuser.
Now Hot Toys presents the eagerly-anticipated 1/6th scale Thanos Collectible Figure from Guardians of the Galaxy!
The movie-accurate Thanos collectible figure is specially crafted based on the appearance of Thanos in the movie, featuring a newly developed helmeted head sculpt, meticulously sculpted armored body, and Thanos’ throne with LED light-up function.
Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron will begin hitting the theaters worldwide in just a few months! Fans are already pumped for this epic sequel and eager to see the Earth’s mightiest heroes come together again to defend the world from the menacing Ultron! Now Hot Toys continues the Avengers: Age of Ultron series and reveal the new 1/6th scale Captain America Collectible Figure!
The movie-accurate Captain America Collectible Figure is specially crafted based on the image of Chris Evans as Captain America/Steve Rogers in Avengers: Age of Ultron, featuring a newly painted helmeted head sculpt, a newly painted Steve Rogers head sculpt, finely tailored Captain America suit, magnetic metal Captain America shield with retractable handles, and a specially designed figure stand.
The 1/6th scale Captain America Collectible Figure specially features:
–Authentic and detailed likeness of Chris Evans as Captain America in Avengers: Age of Ultron
–Newly painted helmeted head sculpt
–Newly painted unhelmeted head sculpt
–Movie-accurate facial expression with detailed wrinkles and skin texture
–Body with over 30 points of articulations
–Approximately 31 cm tall
–Magnets embedded in figure’s forearms and back for holding shield
–Eight (8) pieces of interchangeable gloved palms including:
–One (1) pair of relaxed palms
–One (1) pair of fists
–One (1) pair of shield holding palms with magnets
–One (1) shield throwing right palm
–One (1) shield catching left palm
–Each piece of head sculpt is specially hand-painted
Costume:
–One (1) blue embossed patterned uniform with star emblem and red and white patterns
–One (1) pair of blue embossed patterned pants with pouches, knee pads, and red trims
–One (1) brown leather-like back shield holder and body strap
–One (1) brown leather-like belt with pouches
–One (1) pair of black and brown boots
Weapon:
–One (1) magnetic metal circular red and blue Captain America shield with retractable handles
Accessories:
–One (1) 1/6th scale Captain America helmet
–Specially-designed figure stand with Captain America nameplate and the movie logo
Artists:
–Head Sculpted by Yulli & Yong Kyum, Kim
–Head Painted by JC. Hong
–Head Art Directed by JC. Hong
Release date: Q2 – Q3, 2015
The likeness on this figure is incredible! Check out the pictures below, then go place your pre-order!
It was unexpected that Before Sunrise, the 1995 indie romance film, would get a sequel. Long discussed by stars and director alike, the thought of Céline and Jesse reuniting on screen seemed impossible. Yet in in 2004, nine years after the original’s release, audiences were able to reconnect with these two characters. Did the two reunite in Vienna on that train platform, and what are these two like now that they’re older? Can they recapture the magic their relationship once held, and can Linklater recapture audience affection for these two lovers? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron will begin hitting the theaters worldwide in just a few months! Fans are already pumped for this epic sequel and eager to see the Earth’s mightiest heroes come together again to defend the world from the menacing Ultron! Now Hot Toys continues the Avengers: Age of Ultron series and reveal the new 1/6th scale Captain America Collectible Figure!
The movie-accurate Captain America Collectible Figure is specially crafted based on the image of Chris Evans as Captain America/Steve Rogers in Avengers: Age of Ultron, featuring a newly painted helmeted head sculpt, a newly painted Steve Rogers head sculpt, finely tailored Captain America suit, magnetic metal Captain America shield with retractable handles, and a specially designed figure stand.
The 1/6th scale Captain America Collectible Figure specially features:
–Authentic and detailed likeness of Chris Evans as Captain America in Avengers: Age of Ultron
–Newly painted helmeted head sculpt
–Newly painted unhelmeted head sculpt
–Movie-accurate facial expression with detailed wrinkles and skin texture
–Body with over 30 points of articulations
–Approximately 31 cm tall
–Magnets embedded in figure’s forearms and back for holding shield
–Eight (8) pieces of interchangeable gloved palms including:
–One (1) pair of relaxed palms
–One (1) pair of fists
–One (1) pair of shield holding palms with magnets
–One (1) shield throwing right palm
–One (1) shield catching left palm
–Each piece of head sculpt is specially hand-painted
Costume:
–One (1) blue embossed patterned uniform with star emblem and red and white patterns
–One (1) pair of blue embossed patterned pants with pouches, knee pads, and red trims
–One (1) brown leather-like back shield holder and body strap
–One (1) brown leather-like belt with pouches
–One (1) pair of black and brown boots
Weapon:
–One (1) magnetic metal circular red and blue Captain America shield with retractable handles
Accessories:
–One (1) 1/6th scale Captain America helmet
–Specially-designed figure stand with Captain America nameplate and the movie logo
It is rare for a romance film to get a sequel, but Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise actually got two! Released in 1995, the movie tells of two strangers, Jesse and Céline, and their one night together in Vienna. But nine years later the couple returned in Before Sunset, and then in 2013 their story continued in Before Midnight. What is it about this saga that keeps the actors, director, and audiences coming back for more? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
Sideshow Collectibles’ newest Premium Art Print is now up for order: Skaar – Son of Hulk.
This print shows Skaar in the same pose as Sideshow’s sold-out Premium Format Figure, with a blade in each hand ready for battle.
The print measures 18×24 inches and is hand-numbered.
Sideshow’s Premium Art prints are a new line from Sideshow Collectibles. With an extremely low edition size (Skaar is limited to 300 prints) these have been selling out very quickly.
I received my first Premium Art Print from Sideshow last week (Psylocke) and the printing is very high quality. The Epson inks used give the piece an airbrushed feel. It is on very thick, textured paper, and the white boarder makes matting the print unnecessary.
A full review of the Psylocke print will be on an upcoming episode of the Marvelicious Toys podcast.
After the box office success of Carrie and The Shining move movies based on Stephen King’s writings were a guarantee. And following in the footsteps of Brian DePalma and Stanley Kubrick came other stylistic directors, including John Carpenter, Rob Reiner, and David Cronenberg–director of The Dead Zone. Starring Christopher Walken as a psychic trying to stop nuclear war, the film continued King’s success in theaters. Does the film hold up over thirty years later? You don’t have to see the future to know–just listen to this episode of Now Playing to find out!
Will Marvel’s Star Wars #1 end up as a free giveaway at comic stores and cons across the country?
Marvel does their incentive covers, such as “For every 150 copies of the base cover you order, you can also order 1 of this variant cover.” THIS is why Marvel’s Star Wars #1 has sold more than one million copies.
Understand, saying one million copies are sold does not mean one million fans bought it. It means stores, often small-business local comic shops, bought one million copies…and given that so much of it was for the over 100 variant and incentive covers that means stores are ordering boxes full of comics they may never sell.
I have no doubt the first Star Wars comic from Marvel in 30 years will sell very well. It will have a huge sell-through…but one million copies seems unrealistic in today’s comic book market. Star Wars author and comic historian John Jackson Miller reported at his site Comichron the last comic to have over a million copies ordered was likely Batman #500. For perspective, that was in 1993 just before the comic market collapsed.
I really suspect that retailers are going to end up sitting on thrones of unopened boxes of Star Wars #1. At cons, free comic day, and more, I think Star Wars fans will see these comics sitting out.
I’m not worried about local comic shops losing their shirts on this deal. The reason incentive and variant covers carry such a high price tag is because the stores factor in the cost of ordering so many extra comics that may never sell. From increased interest in the title at all, the headlines (such as this one) promoting its release, and the obscene number of variant covers, Star Wars #1 will sell well. This is great news for ailing local comic stores.
Yet I still envision the lost ark from Raiders surrounded by crates and crates of unsold copies of Marvel’s new Star Wars #1.
So if you really aren’t in a hurry and don’t care what cover you get of Marvel’s Star Wars #1…I’d suggest keep your wallets in your pocket and just wait. Deep discount at a MINIMUM; boxes of them for pennies on the cover price dollar. Maybe even stacks of freebees.
“You think we need one more? You think we need one more. All right, we’ll get one more.” That quote, from 2001’s Ocean’s Eleven, seems like it could be the attitude going into Steven Soderberg’s star studded third and final installment in the Ocean’s series. The gang has now teamed up with former enemy Terry Benedict to rob a different Vegas casino. As an attempt to end the series on a high note, did this film hit the jackpot? Listen to find out!
Hot Toys’ newest 1/6 scale Star Wars figure is up for pre-order now: Darth Vader.
Darth Vader is one of the most iconic characters in the Star Wars saga and has frequently been regarded as one of the greatest villains in cinema history. Following the release of “The Circle is Now Complete’ teaser earlier last month, Star Wars fans have already been eagerly waiting for the official reveal of the Sith Lord!
And now Hot Toys is welcoming fans to the dark side and officially introduce the highly-detailed and amazingly-crafted Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope: 1/6th scale Darth Vader Collectible Figure complete with the Sith Lord’s iconic breathing sound effects and LED lighted functions!
The movie-accurate collectible figure is specially crafted based on the image of Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope! It features a sophisticatedly-crafted Darth Vader armor and helmet, specially tailored suit, built-in sound effect function with Darth Vader’s breathing sound, LED-lighted lightsaber and belt, a finely-made Interrogator Droid, and a specially designed figure stand.
Embrace the dark side and add the infamous Dark Lord of the Sith to your Star Wars collection!
The figure comes with 9 interchangeable hands, a LED lit lightsaber, a special figure stand, and an Interrogator droid!
Director Steven Soderbergh won big with his Vegas film Ocean’s 11. So three years later he decided to double down, getting back the whole cast from the first film, including Clooney, Pitt, Damon, and Cheadle, and adding to it Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bruce Willis, and several more for a sequel Ocean’s 12. No longer based in Vegas, the crew globe-hops in an attempt to steal a Fabergé egg. Did Soderbergh’s bet pay off the second time around, or did he push his luck too far? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
The Battle of the Five Armies may only have been about 50 pages in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit but it is the focus of Peter Jackson’s third and final Hobbit film. It’s elves and humans versus dwarves and orcs, with a few special surprises thrown in! How does the Battle of Five Armies compare to the Battle for Middle Earth in Return of the King, and were three films warranted to tell the story from one novel? DONATE TO SUPPORT NOW PLAYING and you can listen and find out as Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie complete their Lord of the Rings Bonus Retrospective Series!
In 2001 it’s doubtful anyone was begging for a remake of the 60’s Rat Pack film Ocean’s 11. It was the cast that grabbed moviegoers’ attention, filled with leading men George Clooney, Matt Damon, and Brad Pitt, plus a strong supporting cast and Julia Roberts as the female lead. But such star-studded films can often be debacles where the fun is had on the set, but not translated on the screen. Can director Steven Soderbergh pull off this intricate heist? Join Now Playing’s Three — Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob — to find out!
A young farmer must learn magic and join with a rouge warrior to travel to far away lands and save the world. No, this isn’t a review of Star Wars, but Willow–the 1988 action-fantasy film based on a story by George Lucas. Though this film closely follows the Star Wars formula can it recreate that saga’s excitement? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out in their review of this tale of Leprechaun meets Lord of the Rings!
In the film Iron Man 2, Tony Stark was slowly being poisoned by the palladium arc reactor in his body. With the help of the information left behind by Howard Stark, Tony was able to create a new element to use for a new Arc Reactor. This scene greatly displayed Tony Stark’s immense intelligence when he re-discovered and created a new element by using a particle accelerator.
Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys are delighted to introduce the new sixth scale Tony Stark with Arc Reactor Creation Accessories Collectible Set. This collectible set includes a specially crafted collectible figure based on the image of Robert Downey Jr. as the genius billionaire Tony Stark in Iron Man 2, and features a newly developed head sculpt, an advanced body with light-up chest light, detailed outfit, and the Captain America shield prototype which he has used to level the particle accelerator and workshop accessories.
Iron Man fans, don’t miss out on this collectible set! Expand your Iron Man series collection! Order it now from Sideshow!
In 2012 Hot Toys announced they held the license for Quarter Scale Marvel Figures. The company is widely known for their detailed (and expensive) Marvel sixth scale figures, including over 20 versions of Iron Man, and many collectors wondered what the cost of such items would be. Yet since the announcement Hot Toys has limited their 1/4 Scale releases to Iron Man busts. Now Hot Toys releases their first full figure in Quarter Scale, but it’s not Iron Man, nor any other humanoid creature–it’s Little Groot, as seen at the end of this year’s top-grossing film Guardians of the Galaxy.
In 1/4 scale, this potted Groot stands about 5.5-inches tall. Yet the figure is fully bendable allowing for a variety of poses. With three separate head sculpts you can have serious Groot, dancing Groot, or super-happy Groot!
The collector in me is worried about long-term wear on the figure from too much bending, but the Groot fan in me finds this too cute to prevent me from buying it!
At under $45 I think this figure would be Hot Toys’ top-selling figure of all time, except the market is flooded with baby Groot figures. Funko has their POP Vinyl version released; a low-cost animatronic dancing Baby Groot has surfaced at Wal Mart stores in the USA, KIDdesigns has a dancing Baby Groot shipping this Spring, Dragon has a full-scale Baby Groot Maquette, and Hot Toys themselves have already put up for pre-order two different Baby Groot figures in the 1/6 scale line–accessories with the Rocket and (full size, adult) Groot 2-figure set.
Before there was Clooney, Pitt, and Damon there was Sinatra, Martin, and Davis starring in Ocean’s 11. This 1960 crime caper was the first film to feature The Rat Pack, with Ol’ Blue Eyes himself playing Danny Ocean. In this original vision Ocean was a former World War II commander once again gathering his troops for one final mission–to rob five Vegas casinos in one night. The film has an impressive cast, but does it hold up over fifty years later? Go all in with Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to find out!
He is fire…he is death…he is Smaug, the titular dragon in Peter Jackson’s second Hobbit film. How can a halfling and some dwarfs battle such a mighty beast? How much of the movie passes before they get there? And how many characters from the original Lord of the Rings trilogy will appear along the way? If you make a Silver or Platinum donation to Now Playing you can hear Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart discuss all this and more in this review of The Desolation of Smaug as they prepare for next week’s new release — Battle of the Five Armies!
Just a few days ago Sideshow Collectibles put up for pre-order the exclusive Hot Toys Iron Man Hot Rod Armor – Mark XXII. That piece has sold out in just a couple days (though Sideshow is taking Wait List reservations, so if you might want that figure join the list now!)
As seen in Iron Man 3, Tony Stark has built the Striker (Mark XXV), also known as the Heavy Construction Suit. This suit is designed for assisting in heavy construction with its distinctive Pneumatic Hammers. Although the hammers are not designed for combat, they still proved to be lethal when Striker assisted in eradicating the two Extremis soldiers attacking James Rhodes.
The Iron Man Mark XXV – Striker Sixth Scale Figure features:
Authentic and detailed likeness of Striker (Mark XXV), the Heavy Construction Suit, in Iron Man 3
Over 30 points of articulation
Approximately 34 cm tall
LED light-up eyes and rectangular-shaped RT on chest (white light, battery operated)
Silver, gray, and yellow painting on armor with specially applied distressed effects
Special features of armor:
– A pair of distinctive Pneumatic Hammers with LED light up function (white light, battery operated)
– Articulated air flaps
– Articulations on waist armor allowing flexible movement
Accessory:
One (1) circular figure stage with flexible pillar
Horror film remakes have been non-stop for a decade. Of course the big films were redone, including Halloween, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. Yet even smaller horror films, such as Black Christmas, I Spit on Your Grave, and Willard have seen updates for the 21st century. In 2012 another cult splatter film was added to that roster–Maniac. Closely based on the 1980 original, but with some daring style choices, this new Maniac did not find wide release but is slowly growing its own cult following. Can Hobbit Elijah Wood compete with Joe Spinell’s personification of serial killer Frank? Listen to find out!
Sideshow has just put up for pre-order Hot Toys’ newest exclusive die cast Iron Man 3 suit of armor — the Hot Rod Mark XXII.
Tony Stark designed the Mark XXII armor as a War Machine 2.0 Prototype Suit in Iron Man 3. This lightly-armed suit is built with versatility in mind being able to dodge obstacles and move around mid-air more swiftly. Tony Stark was just about to jump into the suit in the movie before it got attack by an Extremis soldier. It earns the name of “Hot Rod” as its arms and legs’ design resembles the classic American hot rod with flames.
Now, with this pre-order, Hot Toys is expanding the “House Party Protocol” with the 1/6th scale Hot Rod (Mark XXII) Collectible Figure as a Hot Toys Exclusive item. It is the latest addition to their MMS Diecast Series which the collectible figures are made of diecast material, and realistically designed to look more like Hot Rod as it appears in the movie.
The movie-accurate Hot Rod (Mark XXII) Collectible Figure contains diecast material and is crafted with fine details featuring metallic dark gray, silver and red armor with distinctive flame patterns on legs and LED light-up functions.
If you are an Iron Man fans, don’t miss the chance to add this special armor to your House Party Protocol!
The 1/6th scale Hot Rod (Mark XXII) Collectible Figure’s special features:
–Authentic likeness of Hot Rod (Mark XXII), the War Machine 2.0 Prototype Suit, in Iron Man 3
–Approximately 30 cm tall
–Over 36 points of articulations
–Contains diecast material
–LED-lighted eyes and rectangular-shaped arc reactor on chest (white light, battery operated)
–Metallic dark gray, silver and red armor with distinctive flame patterns on legs
–Interchangeable forearm rocket-launching armor
–Seven (7) pieces of interchangeable palms including:
–One (1) pair of palms with movable fingers and light-up repulsors
(white light, battery operated)
–One (1) pair of fists
–One (1) pair of repulsor palms
–One (1) saluting right palm
–Articulations on waist armor which allow flexible movement
Accessory:
–One (1) LED light-up figure stand with movie logo (white light, battery operated)
This figure is expected to ship in January. The other Hot Toys Toy Soul 2014 exclusive, the Shadow Stormtrooper, sold out in a few hours, so don’t make that mistake and miss out on this rare chance to add the Hot Rod armor to your collection! Pre-order now at Sideshow Collectibles site!
Hot Toys collectors, fans of 12-Inch Star Wars figures, and troop builders, you can stop reading right now and just hurry to Sideshow Collectibles’ site to put in your order now for Hot Toys Exclusive 1/6th scale Shadow Trooper Figure!
If you’re still reading, I see you need some convincing.
The Hot Toys figures have started to take the Star Wars collecting community by storm(trooper) but here is their first exclusive release in the Star Wars Movie Masterpiece Series of figures. Hot Toys exclusives are notoriously hard to get. Distributors like Sideshow get a small number, if they get any at all! The prices on the secondary market have climbed over $1,000 for some of the Avengers exclusive figures, and I expect the Star Wars figures to have even higher demand.
This is the Shadow Trooper (also known as the Black Hole Stormtrooper for old-school Star Wars comics fans). It was first to be available at “Toy Soul 2014” in Hong Kong, but has been released already for pre-order by Sideshow. It is expected to ship in January.
The 1/6th scale Shadow Trooper Collectible Figure specially features:
– Authentic and detailed likeness of Shadow Trooper in Star Wars
– Body with over 30 points of articulations
– Specially applied gloss black painted armor with weathered effect
– Approximately 30 cm tall
– Seven (7) pieces of interchangeable gloved palms including:
– One (1) pair of fists
– One (1) pair of relaxed palms
– One (1) pair of palms for holding weapons
– One (1) gesturing left palm
Costume:
– One (1) Shadow Trooper armor
– One (1) black under-suit
– One (1) Shadow Trooper belt with leather holster
– One (1) pair of black boots
Weapon:
– One (1) blaster rifle
Accessories:
– One (1) black pauldron
– Two (2) black belt pouches
– Specially designed figure stand with Shadow Trooper nameplate and Star Wars logo
1980 saw the release of several memorable slasher films, including Friday the 13th, Silent Scream, New Year’s Evil, and Prom Night. Yet of all the 1980s slashers none may be more controversial than Maniac–a low budget splatter film with its unrated violence and Tom Savini’s gore effects. The film has grown a cult following through home video but maniacal murderer Frank still lacks the name recognition of a Jason or a Michael Myers–yet it did warrant a 2012 remake starring Elijah Wood. Does Joe Spinell’s psycho killer deserve a place in the pantheon of horror icons? Listen to find out!
Peter Jackson’s adaptation of Lord of the Rings runs over 9 hours, or 12 hours for the extended cuts. By contrast, in 1978 Ralph Bakshi’s animated adaptation claimed to tell the saga in just over two hours. In truth, this theatrical cartoon adapts half of J.R.R. Tolkien’s bestselling saga, and left audiences anticipating a conclusion that would never come. Can almost two novels be told in two hours? If you make a Platinum donation to Now Playing Podcast you can listen and find out!
It’s considered by many to be Stephen King’s best novel of all time — The Stand. King’s fourth novel told of a superflu that wipes out humanity and sets the stage for an epic battle of good versus evil. In 1994 ABC aired a mammoth, four night mini-series that took the top three spots in the Nielsen ratings. Now it’s time for Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to take their Stand and review this miniseries. Can the book’s epic quality be captured on a TV budget? Listen and find out!
It took forty years for J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth saga to reach screens. Despite the mass popularity of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings books, only a short feature had been realized. Finally, in 1977, the animation studio Rankin/Bass brought the story of Bilbo Baggins to TV audiences everywhere with their animated adaptation of The Hobbit. Now Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob watch and review this NBC prime-time special as the first volume in a trilogy of animated Middle Earth films. Make a Platinum level donation to Now Playing and you can hear it now!
Ever since Disney purchased Marvel Comics a family-friendly superhero cartoon was all but guaranteed. But it’s not the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, or the X-Men who star in Disney’s first Marvel animated feature, it’s the little-known Asian team Big Hero 6. Many changes have happened adapting the team from the page to the screen, but is the result super? Join the Podcast Hero 3 of Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
George Lucas’ 1977 space fantasy Star Wars changed the way American audiences consumed films. More, though, it also changed the landscape for movie merchandising, with more money being made on toys, games, and collectibles than on the movies themselves. Now the documentary Plastic Galaxy looks back at the first generation of Star Wars toys, released between 1977 and 1985 from Kenner. Does this film capture the childhood magic of Star Wars figures, and can the documentary appeal to anyone not already obsessed with little plastic Stormtroopers? Find out in this special Now Playing/Star Wars Action News crossover podcast hosted by Marjorie, Arnie, and Jerry!
Christopher Nolan’s film Interstellar tells of an Earth that is dying; those who don’t starve to death will suffocate in an atmosphere turning toxic. Our only hope comes in the form of Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a farmer who crashes NASA’s secret base thanks to mysterious messages from beyond. It’s an ambitious film filled with hard science and lots of discussions of love. Is it a film that has found its place in the stars, or that has crashed to its place in the dirt? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
This statue is replicated in 1/4 scale, standing 26-inches tall and weighing 15 pounds! The clean, silver suit is crafted from polystone and finished with a high gloss metallic paint and light-up features in the eyes, chest, and hands.
After bringing respectability back to the Dark Knight with the 2005 film Batman Begins Nolan reteamed with two of that film’s leading actors, Christian Bale and Michael Caine, for The Prestige–an 1899 period piece about two competing illusionists. Does Nolan’s non-chronological storytelling and slight of hand produce a prestigious film? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
The Leprechaun is back and he wants his gold, but he’s no longer a rhyming fool but instead a vicious, feral creature in WWE’s reboot and reimagining of the Leprechaun franchise. Can a Lep be truly frightening, or was it just scary that they tried? If you Trick or Treat Now Playing with a pledge then you can listen and find out!
After directing the indie hit Memento director Christopher Nolan was chosen by producer Steven Soderbergh to direct Insomnia–a crime thriller based on the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name. The result was Nolan’s first mainstream studio film starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams. Does a film about a man who can’t sleep live up to a film about a man with no memory? Don’t lose any sleep thinking about it, just join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
The Leprechaun struck gold when he went to the Hood, but will he find the same returns going Back 2 tha Hood? Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob find out in this week’s gold Donation Series podcast as they watch and review Warwick Davis’ final performance as the greedy green guy. Will their ratings match the color of the Lep’s outfit? If you make a pledge and support Now Playing you can listen and find out!
In 2001 Christopher Nolan broke into mainstream filmmaking with Memento–a noir murder mystery about a man who had no short-term memory trying to find his wife’s killer. With a quirky concept and an editing style specifically used to play with the audience’s own memories the result was an indie hit that launched the director into the public eye. Is this Tarantino-styled film remembered fondly by Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart? Do they remember it at all? Listen to find out!
In 2001 Christopher Nolan broke into mainstream filmmaking with Memento–a noir murder mystery about a man who had no short-term memory trying to find his wife’s killer. With a quirky concept and an editing style specifically used to play with the audience’s own memories the result was an indie hit that launched the director into the public eye. Is this Tarantino-styled film remembered fondly by Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart? Do they remember it at all? Listen to find out!
In 2001 Christopher Nolan broke into mainstream filmmaking with Memento–a noir murder mystery about a man who had no short-term memory trying to find his wife’s killer. With a quirky concept and an editing style specifically used to play with the audience’s own memories the result was an indie hit that launched the director into the public eye. Is this Tarantino-styled film remembered fondly by Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart? Do they remember it at all? Listen to find out!
In 2001 Christopher Nolan broke into mainstream filmmaking with Memento–a noir murder mystery about a man who had no short-term memory trying to find his wife’s killer. With a quirky concept and an editing style specifically used to play with the audience’s own memories the result was an indie hit that launched the director into the public eye. Is this Tarantino-styled film remembered fondly by Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart? Do they remember it at all? Listen to find out!
Fans of movies based on Marvel Comics characters have several pre-orders hitting today!
First, from the film X-Men: Days of Future PastHot Toys and Sideshow Collectibles bring Wolverine! This figure has over 30 points of articulation, 3 pairs of swappable hands (with and without claws!), and an outfit representing Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in the dystopian future shown at the film’s opening. It stands just under 12-inches tall, and comes with a specialized Wolverine display base.
Now, it’s no secret that licensees have issues making toys and collectibles based on 20th Century Fox’s X-Men and Fantastic Four films. The last X-Men film to receive a big marketing push was X-Men Origins: Wolverine back in 2009. In 2011, covering New York Toy Fair for Marvelicious Toys, I interviewed one of the Marvel reps at Hasbro’s presentation. I was shocked at a lack of toys for that summer’s X-Men: First Class and I asked about that. I was told that Marvel would be marketing theirX-Men: First Class comic books, not the movies. Indeed, in the past five years it has been hard to find any toys or statues based on the X-Men movies; only the comics. Only Diamond Select, with their Minimates lines, has covered all the Marvel movies regardless of studio.
In 2012 Hot Toys announced a licensing agreement for figures based on X-Men: First Class and Magneto and Charles Xavier figures were shown at various Hot Toys exhibits, but they never were released. It is more than likely pressure from Marvel has caused those figures to be indefinitely delayed, if not altogether cancelled.
Yet Hot Toys has persevered in releasing X-Men movie toys…if only Wolverine figures. Their first was from X-Men Origins: Wolverine released in 2009. That figure shot up in value and even had some high-quality bootlegs sold on eBay. As such, in 2012 Hot Toys made another Wolverine figure from X-Men III: The Last Stand. Then last year Hot Toys made another version of this character, showing his appearance in The Wolverine (still available to order, at a deep discount, from Sideshow Collectibles). This Days of Future Past Wolverine is the 4th version of this character.
Despite how much I really want Hot Toys to finally release the other X-Men figures (specifically the yellow-and-blue clad X-Men from First Class) Wolverine is the most popular X-Man. Each version of this figure has been distinct, and showing a likeness of Hugh Jackman appropriate to that film. This is an older Jackman likeness, and the future outfit is far different from any we’ve gotten before.
At $250 the figure is a bit more expensive than I’d like–with no large diorama pieces, excessive accessories, or swappable heads I’d prefer to see this around $200 like The Wolverine version, but it’s still a great version of the character.
I have it ordered already, both for the figure it is, plus I’m hoping that by “voting with my dollars” Hot Toys and Marvel realize high-end figures based on the X-Men films are profitable enough to continue beyond Wolverine.
While that’s a lot of adjectives, Funko’s Hikari Premium Sofubi Vinyl Figures are 11-inch soft vinyl figures. This one is limited to 5,000 pieces and only available from Entertainment Earth.
Funko is known for having several variants for each of their Sofubi figures, from color changes to translucent glittery versions. Several variants of the Groot Hikari Vinyl Figure were displayed at New York Comic-Con, but this Entertainment Earth version seems to be the most movie-accurate. You can order it now at EE.
The Leprechaun has always had one foot in horror, the other in comedy. With his fifth film, Leprechaun: In the Hood the series focuses far more on the comedic side as the green meanie smokes weed, raps, and becomes south central’s foremost pimp–all while trying to reclaim his magic flute. If it sounds outrageous, that’s because it is. But does this inner-city scene suit the rhyming rascal? A friend with weed is a friend indeed, but a friend who donated Gold is the best I’m told! So make a Platinum or Gold donation to Now Playing, then you can listen to find out!
This statue stands over a foot-and-a-half tall, showing the wall crawler doing just that, ready to shoot his webs at an unknown enemy.
This statue is based on the same art and sculpt of their previous J. Scott Campbell Spider-Man statue, but features the web-head in his black-and-red coloring from the McFarlane era. More, the base is re-decorated showing a broken off, classic Spider-Man logo, resembling a comic book cover in three dimensions far more than the previous red and blue statue.
Sideshow Collectibles has been finding ways to reuse their sculpts for some time now. While this isn’t entirely new, they did a Gray Hulk and Negative Zone Spider-Man Premium Format Figures, it seems more prevalent now than before. In the past year they released the Storm Premium Format in white, the Gladiator Hulk redone as King Hulk, they used a new Hulk body to release three different Hulk statues, and then repainted their Deadpool Premium Format Gray.
On Marvelicious Toys I’ve usually railed against high-end repaints–it’s fine for a $12 or $20 figure, but seems excessive for a $300-$400 statue. In this case, however, it feels less like a cash-grab and more artistic. The exclusive version of the Campbell Spider-Man Maqeutte sold out, and this paint app has a totally different feel than the original. The different bases help differentiate the statue and make it feel like a nice option, or a chance for those who missed out on the original to get this new version of Spider-Man.
Christopher Nolan is one of the most acclaimed directors currently working in American cinema. His films bend the mind and break the box office–his Batman film The Dark Knight is the fourth highest grossing film in the US. Now Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart flash back to the director’s first film–the micro-budgeted Following. With almost no money did Nolan’s talent shine through, or is this a glorified home movie? Join us to find out! Playing during their Fall, 2014 donation drive you can join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob and find out!
No woman on Earth would want to marry the Leprechaun, so our Irish imp has gone to space to find his bride! Can Warwick Davis’ Leprechaun bring the fun frights in this Aliens spoof? If you make a pledge and support Now Playing during their Fall, 2014 donation drive you can join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob and find out!
Last summer’s supernatural horror film The Conjuring scared up big profits for Warner Bros. Pictures. While ghostly Bathsheba terrorized the house, it was possessed doll Annabelle that stole the show. Now the porcelain poltergeist is back in her own spin-off film! The film scored much green in its opening weekend, but will it get green arrows from the Now Playing hosts? Listen to find out!
When Tim and Allie’s car breaks down on the desert streets of California the only help they can find is from nearby farmer Preacher and his Ukrainian wife Oksana. But one night in that house may lead to Tim and Allie’s doom as strange occurrences terrorize the young couple. What is going on, and how in the world is this a Children of the Corn film? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob’s review of Children of the Corn: Genesis for their the final film in this series (for now), and reflect on all the movies adapted from Stephen King’s Night Shift stories.