Short Film Army Of Two: “Close To Home” Shows Off Everything You Love About Army Of Two

In case you weren’t paying attention this week, Army of Two the Devil’s Cartel hit gaming stands on the 26th–and to celebrate, gaming channel Node took on the task of trying to fill out the game’s story by collaborating with EA to shoot a short film set in the Army of Two Universe. “Close To Home” features Pike and Bradley, two members of the corporation “T.W.O” prepping to join Alpha and Bravo in Mexico before getting ambushed in the United States.

The film’s got everything you expect out of the Army of Two franchise: masks, guns, and an overemphasis on the buddy system that fuels a variety of action-film worthy one liners, but there is really something awesome about seeing gaming-style language brought to life like this. If you’re a fan of the Army of Two games, you’ll definitely feel a resemblance to your time spent with Rios and Salem.

This isn’t the first time Army of Two has become a viral sensation on Youtube—the Devil’s Cartel was announced with a short collaboration with Freddie Wong, which chose to downplay the game’s explosive action in favor of a team-based plot that tapped into the co-operative experience of the game.

But what kind of work goes into bringing these film projects to life? I got to take a look when the production crew for Army of Two “Close To Home” invited me to the set for a first look into the short.

Shooting took place at Fantasy II Effects in Los Angeles California–the effects house normally specializes in creating special effects for films like Terminator 2 or Moonrise Kingdom, but today they were using the junkyard property to set up the shootout between the new characters. Chatting with members of the crew, it was clear that most of them were excited about the return of Army of Two, and the chance to bring the series’ cooperative gameplay to life.

Director Casey MacBeath summed up his excitement for the game while talking with him in between shots. “I think one of my favorite parts of the Army Of Two franchise is I know it as as social game. It’s not so much people are playing it by themselves, friends are playing together. They’re sitting down, they’re enjoying the story, enjoying the action, they’re yelling at each other, screaming, fist-bumping, that’s something happening in their own homes.”

The film, which got the blessing of EA leading up to production, is also part of an effort by Youtube Gaming channel “Node” to amp up their gaming-based content. The team produced the Skyrim short “Broken Shield,” and as producer Matty Kirsch explained to me, is working on multiple gaming-based projects like “Army of Two.”

“It’s interesting. We’re coming into a day and age where the IP holders were always ‘this is ours,’ now there’s this trust coming out because you have really good filmmakers making really good stuff, and they can elevate their IP into a different way.”

As to why filmmakers like MacBeath have been able to get these gaming-based films off the ground, Kirsch had this to offer: “10 years ago people weren’t as involved in video games. Now we don’t have to do that anymore because that overexplanation of who these characters are and why they count is gone, because people are already identifying with these characters.”

Looking ahead, it’s easy to see why games like Army of Two inspire these kind of films–since they’re already so filled with moments ripped from movies and television, it’s easy for MacBeath and his team to bring them to life. All they need is a few cameras, the right stunt guys, and someone making sure that they get the mask “just right” for the shoot.

Amateur Hacker Reprograms THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, Plays as Princess

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Hobbyist animator/blogger Kenna W. was so inspired by the dad who reprogrammed Donkey Kong for his daughter (so she could play as the Princess), she decided to do the same for the original 1985 Legend of Zelda game — so she could play as Zelda.

On her blog, Kenna Draws Stuff, Kenna relates the entire process of pursuing her goal — from inspiration all the way to conception. Part of what makes her story so cool is not only her determination to make the game Zelda-centric, but also show how easy it is to try doing the same. Continue reading “Amateur Hacker Reprograms THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, Plays as Princess” »

Epic Father Mods Donkey Kong To Allow Daughter To Play As Female Character [Video]

The Most Epic Father Ever Award goes to Mike Mikka.

Mike Mikka has hacked Donkey Kong to allow his young daughter to play as a female instead of Mario (Reddit via IGN). Mikka is a professional game developer who plays a lot of older games with his 3 year old daughter.

Mike’s daughter was used to playing as Peach in Super Mario Bros. 2 and, like any 3 year old, assumed she could do the same thing in Donkey Kong.

Continue reading “Epic Father Mods Donkey Kong To Allow Daughter To Play As Female Character [Video]” »

Not the Drugs You’re Looking For: Watch Darth Vader and Stormtroopers Raid a Smoke Shop

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If you thought U.S. prosecution of marijuana laws seemed borderline fascist, you probably haven’t been to the Ukraine, where the plant is strictly outlawed — and any attempt to grow, possess, or distribute it is meant with swift punishment.

The most recent crackdown on these Russian dispensaries was led by none other than the Sith Lord himself, complete with stormtroopers and gas bombs. The end result is pretty entertaining, if only because these stormtroopers come across as even bigger assholes than the ones in the movies. Continue reading “Not the Drugs You’re Looking For: Watch Darth Vader and Stormtroopers Raid a Smoke Shop” »

Inspiring Video: Disabled High School Basketball Player Gets Shot At Glory..Is Carried Off of Court

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In one of those inspirational videos that comes along rarely, here’s a heartwarming story of two basketball teams that mended rivalries, come together for a mentally challenged teammate, and help him get a literal shot at glory.

During the season, Coach Peter Morales of the Coronado High School Thunderbirds in El Paso looks to 18-year-old Mitchell Marcus to be the team manager –  a job which entails duties like taking care of the equipment and uniforms, and helping motivate the players. Marcus rarely, if ever, actually played. Continue reading “Inspiring Video: Disabled High School Basketball Player Gets Shot At Glory..Is Carried Off of Court” »

‘The Stunt People’ Give Us a (First Person) Shot of Star Wars Glory

To any anxious Star Wars fans eagerly anticipating (dreading?) J.J. Abrams’ new take on the franchise, this video from The Stunt People may just sate your appetite for a short while. Or a long while, short though it may be. It’s that good.

Yesterday we posted an epic Star Wars/Schoolhouse Rock mash-up (which, yes, is actually a thing) and today it’s this video from the Stunt People.

Continue reading “‘The Stunt People’ Give Us a (First Person) Shot of Star Wars Glory” »

Conan Reviews Tomb Raider In The Latest Clueless Gamer

Conan is back at it again with another episode of his Clueless Gamer segment, where he reviews games in a way only he could. Today Conan and his “web guy” Aaron took on Lara’s newest adventure and canonically speaking, her first.

We previously reported on the Clueless Gamer segment when Conan reviewed Hitman: Absolution. He has also done hilarious reviews of Minecraft, Skyrim and Resident Evil 6 among others.

Continue reading “Conan Reviews Tomb Raider In The Latest Clueless Gamer” »

Schoolhouse Rock + Star Wars = Greatest Reason Internet Was Created

Why didn’t anyone think of this before?

The original Star Wars films have been mashed up with schoolhouse rock’s “Interjections” — a perfect blend of 70′s cinematic and musical styles, to produce “STAR WARS ROCK – interjections.”

All of your favorite Star Wars exclamations are turned into interjections, including:

Brother sister kissing, It’s a trap, and Luke Skywalker’s defiant realization.

The most surprising thing about the video is that four users had the balls to dislike it, and that it has taken over 40 years for Schoolhouse Rock and Star Wars to come to something of a marriage.

The video was uploaded by the user OneMinuteGalactica, who has several other Star Wars film on the docket, namely videos involving flatulents.

The Only Harlem Shake Video We Will Ever Post (Lego middle earth edition)

It’s been yay three weeks since the Harlem Shake phenomenon struck the internet — and like Ostriches with our heads in the sand, we’ve done our best to stay away from it.

Today, we have encountered the one video that we can not tear our eyes away from, The Harlem Shake inspired “Lego Middle Earth Edition” music video, complete with Gandolph, Boromir, Frodo and what looks to be Indiana Jones and the Abominable Snowman. Continue reading “The Only Harlem Shake Video We Will Ever Post (Lego middle earth edition)” »

Ivy League Professor Strips, Uses 9/11 and Bin Laden Clips To ‘Explain’ Physics

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Apparently standing in front of a blackboard and drawing out complex equations wasn’t enough for this physics professor — good for the rest of us, because we got a nifty video out of it.

Using a perfect storm of Lil’ Wayne’s “Drop it Like It’s Hot,” footage of 9/11, and the iconic insignia for the iconic punk band Misfits, Columbia prof Emlyn Hughes has constructed the most elaborate quantum physics lecture we’ve seen in quite a while. Continue reading “Ivy League Professor Strips, Uses 9/11 and Bin Laden Clips To ‘Explain’ Physics” »

Have Fun Then: Girl Swims With Huge Great White Shark (VIDEO)

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A lady friend of mine ‘swam’ with a shark one time, but by ‘swam’ she meant ‘was locked in a cage,’ and by ‘shark’ she meant whale shark, perhaps the sissiest shark in all of sharkdom. Not quite the same.

Judging by this video, great white sharks are easily hypnotized by shapely blonde girls, and we should all be given one to take with us when we hit the water.  Continue reading “Have Fun Then: Girl Swims With Huge Great White Shark (VIDEO)” »

Stan Lee Decides to End the Movie Classics His Own Way

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If you’ve never heard of How it Should Have Ended, a group of animators that have provided alternate endings for pretty much every movie to come out — The Dark Knight Rises and the Game of Thrones finale among them — you’re missing something. The animation looks like basic flash-type stuff but it’s also impeccably rendered and just looks fun.

Now it looks like Stan Lee has decided to get together with HISHE and provide endings for a lot of legendary films, some more ‘legendary’ than others, in something called Stan’s Rants, all part of his World of Heroes channel. Continue reading “Stan Lee Decides to End the Movie Classics His Own Way” »

Watch the Russian Meteor Explode In the Sky

SIM CITY Gets Frank Miller-Inspired Crossover in “A Game to Kill For”

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Maybe it was only a matter of time before someone thought, ‘Hey, Sin City, that sorta sounds like SIM City  – I wonder what it’d be like if I mixed the two together?” Most of us would have attributed the idea to whatever illicit substance we were on at the time, dismissed it as some harebrained scheme, then likely forgotten about it.

Not so for UGO, an online filmmaking group that openly takes suggestions for trailers via their Facebook and Twitter pages, and in the case of “A Game to Kill For,” makes them work. Continue reading “SIM CITY Gets Frank Miller-Inspired Crossover in “A Game to Kill For”” »

Guest Of The Jace Hall Show, Epic Singer, Tay Zonday, Covers Skyrim Theme Song

He’s back…(this time not getting his butt kicked).

First it was Chocolate Rain, then it was a slew of Justin Bieber knock-offs, and it all culminated in the proverbial Christmas song.

But now, after the game has been out for over a year, (time we can only assume was spent by Zonday on dialect lessons) Tay performs The Skyrim Dragonborn theme song in all of its glory. Continue reading “Guest Of The Jace Hall Show, Epic Singer, Tay Zonday, Covers Skyrim Theme Song” »

Man Takes Off, Flies and Lands Plane Using Only Flight Simulator Game Experience

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In the video below, a man takes off and lands in a Cessna 172, sans any actual plane-flying experience, and with his only training having taken place on desktop flight simulator programs.

Not recommended for the inexperienced : As the dialogue denotes, there’s still major differences between the two… Continue reading “Man Takes Off, Flies and Lands Plane Using Only Flight Simulator Game Experience” »

There is a Thirteenth Cylon…and It Works at Little Caesars

I suppose it was only a matter of time before the big wigs up at Little Caesars Corporate Office realized there is a wage cheaper than minimum — none.

Thus the creation of the Little Caesars sign twirling robot, formerly held by “that guy wearing headphones” and the “other dude who seemingly can’t stop hitting himself in the face with his own sign.”

The video was uploaded by LiveLurked, and barely two days later has already been seen by millions. Continue reading “There is a Thirteenth Cylon…and It Works at Little Caesars” »

Lesson Learned: Why You Don’t Troll a Troll [Video]

“Sometimes, you just have to be the bigger man and walk away. Not today, though.”

YouTube personality BrentalFloss is best known for pumping out video game themed songs with catchy lyrics, but his latest video goes back to the basics.

You don’t troll a troll, and here’s why. Continue reading “Lesson Learned: Why You Don’t Troll a Troll [Video]” »

Watch Corridor Digital’s Unofficial Sequel to the Zombie Survival Game “DayZ”

After DayZ, the latest from the minds behind Dubstep Guns and EA’s Battlefield 3 commercial , seems like no exception: it’s an awesomely-shot continuation of the hit zombie game, with the color red almost as important as the main characters. From the blood on the snow, to the flare lit by a soldier, to the gasoline can, it’s also amazing to look at. Continue reading “Watch Corridor Digital’s Unofficial Sequel to the Zombie Survival Game “DayZ”” »

Ex Power-Ranger Sets World Record for Karate Chopping Blocks of Wood…While Skydiving

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Ex-Power Rangers. Some of them end up leading pretty interesting lives after they take off those visored, spandex suits. That may mean going on to low budget, straight to DVD movies; it may mean being convicted of some brutal murders.

In the case of Jason David Frank, it may actually mean becoming the closest actual thing to a Power Ranger that there is, and karate chopping through pinewood while skydiving. Continue reading “Ex Power-Ranger Sets World Record for Karate Chopping Blocks of Wood…While Skydiving” »