Deep Silver and Lionsgate have apparently inked a deal that will get Dead Island on the big screen soon. The franchise will also branch out to graphic novels and books.

Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group President Joe Drake was apparently a big fan of the trailer introducing the game (as most of us were).

“Like the hundreds of journalists and millions of fans who were so passionate and vocal about the Dead Island trailer, we too were awestruck,” Drake said. “This is exactly the type of property we’re looking to adapt at Lionsgate – it’s sophisticated, edgy, and a true elevation of a genre that we know and love.  It also has built in brand recognition around the world, and franchise potential.”

The film will be produced by Sean Daniel (through his company, conveniently named the Sean Daniel Company) and Stefan Sonnenfeld. The executive producers are Jason Brown and Missy Papageorge. They’re trying to get directors, it looks like — J.J. Abrams, Michael Bay, or Gore Verbinski, specifically. That’s a pretty high-profile list.

So they’ve basically already got this thing pretty staffed. We’ll have to see what this movie shapes up to be…

they have signed on Ridley Scott to direct

“This is arguably the greatest science fiction movie ever made and we’re not remaking it,” he said. “It’s a prequel or a sequel.”

I would agree that that movie doesn’t need to be remade, but I would think the fact that their licensing agreement specifically excludes remaking the original story has something to do with that decision as well.

Scott is also revisiting the Alien universe with the upcoming Prometheus, due out next June. I have mixed feelings about all this. Is he revisiting his most popular movie universes because he has something left unsaid there, or because he is out of ideas, or just for nostalgia’s sake? I have seen this sort of thing go both ways, so I am cautiously optimistic. What do you think?

You can also grab the movies from Warner Brothers, Mortal Kombat: http://bit.ly/MK1VCugc and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation: http://bit.ly/VSugcMK2.

To get you in the mood, check out these videos:

Mortal Kombat:

Mortal Kombat Annihilation:

GamingAngels: How did you feel when you were first approached by Ubisoft to compose for Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands?

Penka Kouneva: When I found out that Ubisoft had approved me to work alongside Steve Jablonsky I was ecstatic and remember jumping to the ceiling with joy. I was being given the one “lucky break” and had to step up to the occasion. Right away I immersed myself in Middle-Eastern and Persian music. I tend to think up ideas, sketch and revise motifs, and let them gestate. I began listening to Persian singers, Armenian duduk players and (on YouTube) to tons of instrumental soloists playing santour (Persian dulcimer), ney, tambour (violin), oud, etc. My sketches sat in the notebook for a few months until I started composing in earnest. By that time, I had distilled the best ideas from the sketch book and used them for the actual game music.

What inspired you most when composing for this game?

PK: Two things: I was given an opportunity to combine my life-long passion for non-Western music and instruments, and the fact that composing this score was going to be very challenging technically, and that I was going to learn tons about adaptive scoring for games. I also knew that my agent Cheryl Tiano had to fight for me and convince Ubisoft to give me a chance because “Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands” was, technically, my first game score (on “Transformers 2009” game I wrote only about 15 minutes of in-game score. On “Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands” my assignment was to compose 2 hours of game music.)

Starting piano lessons at age 6, when did you first feel music was your passion?

At the age of 12, I had an opportunity to compose incidental music for children’s theater. The producer was my mother’s friend. With 2 buddies, a flutist and percussionist, we, bookish 7^th-graders, played Saturday matinees of the show for a year. I had such great times, earned $15 per show, and began identifying myself as a “composer.” I was a quiet, shy girl and becoming a “composer” was one of the coolest experiences in my adolescence. Of course, it was not easy: some people thought it was cute, others thought it was weird, but I just kept doing it. I continued composing for theater, small ensembles and pop songs all throughout my high school and college years.

Does your personal taste in music vary or are you particular about the genre?

Like most composers I have very broad interests: classical (early music, chant, Baroque, 18-20^th centuries, postmodernism), film and game music (I listen to new scores daily), rock, 90’s electronica, jazz, roots music, The Lomax Collection, tons of authentic world music starting with a deep knowledge of Bulgarian and Middle-Eastern folklore, and on and on. However, when I am working on a project, I do very deep “research” of its vernacular. So for the duration of the project, my passion is in that genre of music.

Do you, yourself enjoy playing games?  If so, what is your favorite?

These days I play on “easy” and call myself a casual gamer. I, however, watch tons of games that my husband plays and truly enjoy them. My favorite games are Halo, BioShock, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, the Prince of Persia games, Medal of Honor, C&C4, Assassin’s Creed 2. My favorite game scores are: Steve Jablonsky’s Gears of War 2, Halo 3, Outcast and the music for all Blizzards’ games, especially World of Warcraft and StarCraft II.

What advice would you give someone with aspirations to compose cinematic music?

One should continually develop their sense for musical drama and understanding characters, situations, story arc. One should study a vast number of styles, historical periods and musical genres. But the most important thing for a composer is to have a very personal, distinctive musical style. Naturally young composers imitate older composers, but soon comes a point where one must find who they are, and cultivate a unique voice and “style.” Another truth about our profession is that it takes years to master the craft. All composers I know work very hard on their craft for decades, learning and growing continually. On another hand, each composer forges their own individual career path. I encourage all my young composer friends to read many interviews with composers to gain insight. (I myself do it daily.) For those who aspire to write music for film or games, I would say being also a supreme collaborator and a decent, inspiring human is essential. One must continually cultivate their ability to work together and understand other people’s creative thinking – not easy at all.

Could you give us some insight on what we can expect from you in the near future?  Any projects you’re able to tell us about?

I remain loyal to Steve Jablonsky who keeps me busy with additional composing on a few of his upcoming games. I will also have premieres of 2 indie features, “Rough Hustle” and “Rejouer” and will begin another indie feature, “El Nacional.” Much of my time is also spent looking for composing work and cultivating new relationships.

—

Penka was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria; started piano lessons at 6 and wrote incidental music for children’s theater shows at 12. In 1990, she ventured out of post-communist Bulgaria and came to the US to make a life for herself as a composer. She had $130 in her pocket and a Duke University composition fellowship. In 1997, she made history at Duke by receiving the first-ever Doctorate in Composition from this distinguished institution. At Duke, she studied with Stephen Jaffe, Scott Lindroth and with the Dutch postmodern minimalist Louis Andriessen. Penka also enjoyed a successful career as a concert composer. Soon after Penka arrived in Los Angeles in 1999, she began her career as an orchestrator for Emmy-winning composer Patrick Williams. Later that year, Cliff Eidelman gave Kouneva her first scoring break, the Holocaust drama “SHADOWS.” In addition to Steve Jablonsky, other composers who played a major part in Kouneva’s career would be Bruce Fowler and Lee Holdridge. Penka Kouneva has since been honored with WorldFest’s Platinum Remi for Best Score, the Aaron Copland Award, the Sundance Institute Composer Lab Fellowship and Meet the Composer Award.

Some of her other works include the horror feature MIDNIGHT MOVIE, the crime drama THE THIRD NAIL, the Sci-Fi Channel thriller ICE SPIDERS and TV music for FORENSIC FILES on CourtTV, DOG FIGHTS and MODERN MARVELS.  In addition to scoring, Penka is an orchestrator on film soundtracks, including TRANSFORMERS 1, 2, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 3, ANGELS AND DEMONS, 9, HOSTEL I and II, MATRIX 2, 3, SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS and videogames such as WORLD OF WARCRAFT, SIMS 3, TRANSFORMERS 1, 2, STARCRAFT 2, and GEARS of WAR 2.

Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands is available for digital download HERE

Star Wars is finally going to be released on Blu-Ray. The date is set for September 2011 and fans are now able to pre-order the Star Wars: The Complete Saga starting now.

“With all six episodes available for the first time in one collection, this is a great way for families and home audiences to experience the complete Saga from start to finish,” said Doug Yates, Vice President of Marketing, Online, Distribution, Lucasfilm Ltd. “And with the quality of high-definition, Blu-ray provides the most immersive home experience possible.”

The Complete Saga includes all six films, there is also a Prequel Blu-Ray Trilogy which contains episodes I-III and the Original Blu-Ray Trilogy which contains episodes IV-VI.

There are more than 30 hours of special features which include never before seen deleted and altered scenes.

“The Star Wars franchise has been one of the most anticipated Blu-ray releases by Amazon’s customers,” said Bill Carr, Vice President of Music and Video at Amazon. “We think that Star Wars will be incredibly popular with our customers, and we expect pre-orders to be very strong.”

The Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-Ray will be $139.99 US/$179.99 CAN. The Star Wars: Trilogy sets will be $69.99US/89.99 CAN.

Contest Rules:

• To enter, post a comment on this entry telling us why you love these Holiday Classics!
• For extra chances to win, RT this on Twitter: Enter me @GamingAngels to Win Some Holiday Cheer! http://t.co/DbKzd6X #GamingAngels
• SORRY, THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED!

Good Luck and Happy Holidays from the GamingAngels Staff!

So, we’ve already covered hobbies and gadgets, as well as Japanese culture, casual games and MMOs. But there’s a great big world out there that is a little harder to categorize – pop culture. And while I just said it’s harder to categorize this stuff, I’ve gone ahead and done it anyway. Ha.
And so, it’s time to say hello to what I’m calling the three Ms of pop culture – Movies, Makeup, and Memorabilia.

Movies

There are so many fun movies out there that it’s hard to pick just a few to display here, I’ll be honest. But I hope I’ve picked a mix of recent films and classics that almost anyone with a bit of a geeky side can get behind.

Inception (Blu-ray/DVD combo pack) – $24.99 at Amazon
This summer’s mind-blowing blockbuster is finally coming home next month, giving you the chance to review its every moment from the comfort of your couch. This examination of dreams and memories, meshed with the craziest heist you’ll ever see, warrants repeat viewings. I recommend once a week.

Back to the Future trilogy (Blu-ray box set) – $47.99 at Amazon
If you don’t know BttF, you were probably born very recently. These movies made time travel cool, and definitely gave me a little bit of a crush on Michael J. Fox (they also gave me my name for my “just woke up” hairdo – the Doc Brown). This new box set features all three films, upscaled for high-definition screens, as well as hours of bonus features.

Toy Story trilogy (Blu-ray box set) – $64.99 at Amazon
This suggestion is great for kids (especially “big kids”) or the whole family. The three movies, starting with Pixar’s first feature-length computer-animated film, have their share of teary-eyed moments as well as a sense of humor and humanity that other film companies try, unsuccessfully, to mimic. This set includes the movies on Blu-ray and DVD as well as digital copies for each so you can watch on the road.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy) – $24.99 at Amazon
Imagine being Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) and learning that to be with the girl of your dreams, you’d have to defeat her seven evil exes in battle. Yeah, you wouldn’t be too happy about that, would you? This highly-stylized film, full of hilarity and video game references at every turn, is sure to please any geek on your gift list.

Makeup

Yeah, I’m a gamer,  but I like being pretty, too. I’m a makeup geek! It happens. When I’m not worrying about which games I’m going to buy, I’m counting down the days until MAC collections release or making a quick stop by Sephora (you go in there for one thing, but walk out with five – it never fails). Luckily, makeup manufacturers put together some pretty nice gift sets for the holidays.

Smashbox Eye Wish Palette – $45 at Sephora
This little guy contains everything you need to perfect several eye looks, including liner and primer. There’s really something in there for everyone, from the smoky eye aficionado to someone who likes to add a splash of color to a look (and really, who doesn’t do that from time to time?). The only drawback to this box, in my opinion, is that there’s nothing that really pops (like a bright blue), but that does make sure that it’s a “safe” gift for most makeup lovers.

Urban Decay Beauty in a Box – $52 at Sephora
If someone you know has always wanted to give one brand a try, this might be the perfect way to ease them into it. The “Beauty in a Box” kit comes with step-by-step instructions to create a look that is beautiful on pretty much anyone. Not to mention that it comes with everything you need – aside from foundation.

Sephora Fragrance Samplers

Deluxe women’s sampler – $50 at Sephora
Collector’s Edition women’s sampler – $75 at Sephora
Deluxe men’s sampler – $50 at Sephora
Collector’s Edition men’s sampler – $75 at Sephora
Sephora has, for the past couple of years, had one of the best holiday gifts around, in my opinion. Their fragrance samplers offer something for almost every sense of smell in two varieties, with the Collector’s Edition containing some pricier parfum, in larger volumes (about .2 oz per sample in the CE compared to the deluxe’s .05 oz). You just try them all out, decide which you like best, and redeem the coupon that comes in the box for a full-size version of your favorite. And then you still get to keep the rest of the samplers – those take forever to use up, anyway! It’s a gift that lasts, and the giftee ultimately gets to pick out his or her own present. It’s kind of a win-win (unless they assume that you think they stink – might want to add a disclaimer in the card).

The 4 Elements of the Perfect Shave – $100 at Sephora
Men who shave know the value of a good one. The oil, balm and cream in this kit – which are infused with essential oils to provide a baby-smooth face afterward – soothe the face and help prevent ingrown hairs and other facial irritations.

Memorabilia

If it was a movie, TV show or video game, chances are there’s something out there for its fans. Action figures, lunchboxes, T-shirts and even clothing replicas are out there on the Internet. Luckily Entertainment Earth does a pretty good job keeping track of almost everything geeky in the world (and they’ve got a pre-Black Friday sale going on now that slashes some prices up to 75% – the items for that are changing pretty often). Here’s what I found to make a variety of people happy. A lot of their stuff sells out fast, so if you see it – get it.

Customized bobblehead figurine – $99, requires 8 weeks of lead time
Before, someone had to really dig you to make a bobblehead of you. Or even an action figure. This simplifies the process, allowing you to pick a body (even including two that are, inexplicably, on the toilet), add in eye, hair and skin colors, and let someone else do the sculpting. It’s not cheap, sure, but you’ll have the coolest desk trinket in the office.

If you’re buying for someone who loves comics
Companies make cool, comic-related items all the time. You can practically drape your entire house in them, if you check out this Marvel Comics mural (perhaps perfect for a “man cave” or an office). Yeah, it’s $249.99, but really – who needs wallpaper? Maybe you’re giving to someone who prefers the DC side – that’s fine. This poker set combines the ladies of the DC universe with a fun game, packaged in a slick carrying case and including custom chips ($169.99, currently available for pre-order, delivering in December). If your giftee is willing to wait a few months for the final result, this statuette of Wonder Woman from issue 600 ($104.99) is likely to become more of a collector’s item, thanks to the new uniform. If your budget is on the small side, you can try out a Justice League lunchbox ($8.99), or even use it instead of wrapping paper for a super-usable gift container.

Dude, where’s my TARDIS?
If your recipient is into the Who, EE offers up a ton of goodies related to the Doctor, especially his time-traveling vehicle. In fact, you can almost have a TARDIS party – with mugs ($18.99), cookie jars ($26.99) and ice buckets ($21.99) available. Most of these (well, except the mug) make fun noises, too. You can have a spinning TARDIS on your desk ($35.99), a flight-controlled model based on the latest Doctor Who season’s TARDIS ($35.99) and even a tiny, useful TARDIS keychain ($10.99) that hides some coins for you. If you want something even more useful, the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver even exists in new life – with Philips and flathead tips included ($30.99).

Movie madness
Companies love making movie replicas and other movie-related items. To go along with my movie recommendations, try checking out a replica of Marty’s multicolor hat ($21.39) to make it look like you just came Back to the Future. Shiny!
I love that characters from Toy Story are all toys – it makes them a lot more likely to actually create versions of the characters from the movies, and here are only a couple of them. First off, Barbie and Ken come in a set (of course), outfitted in their 80s gear, shiny Spandex and all ($33.79). (Speaking of Barbie, her computer engineer version is coming soon for $12.99 – inspire a young girl to enter a tech career!) An actual version of Buzz Lightyear doesn’t just “fall with style” – he flies for real and you control him by remote ($35.99).
This Ghostbusters tee puts you in the proper gear without the weight. Or the difficulties of putting on an entire suit. Or dealing with slime. Nice. ($23.99)

Hopefully this gets you ideas for almost anyone on your gift list!

Thanks to Warner Bros., everyone can prepare for HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS – PART 1 with the first five films now on iTunes or WB On Demand, Amazon Video On Demand, XBOX , PlayStation and other online digital retailers!  Get started by Winning the first movie and a Harry Potter T-Shirt right here at Gaming Angels.

So here’s how our contest is going to work:

• To enter, post a comment on this entry telling us what you love most about Harry Potter and the Wizarding World.
• For extra chances to win, RT this on Twitter: Enter me @GamingAngels to Win the  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows-Part 1 Giveaway! http://ht.ly/3aHnd #GamingAngels
• SORRY, THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED.

Due to restrictions, contest is available to US residents only.

“Imagine you threw yourself from here, all right? Your, your wife leaves you, your stocks bottom out, Beatles break up… So, imagine you take it upon yourself to jump…

On the way down, which way would you rather be facing? No, but really, I mean, would you rather be looking back up at the sky, no idea when the end is gonna hit? Or would you rather go face-first, aware of the moment when everything cuts to black, knowing that this second is your last?”

Every once in a while, a movie comes along that changes you by not changing anything at all. You are staring at your reflection in a mirror. You have your every feature memorized; every expression is familiar and comfortable. It’s the same face you have seen every morning except you don’t recognize yourself. You realize that this has been you the entire time.

I threw on this movie because Netflix told me I would like it. “Goofy superhero movies,” seemed like a good enough genre to trust and I chose the movie after the description hook, lined, and sunk me.

Superpowers rarely come without a price, and for 17-year-old Dakota Skye (Eileen Boylan), the price is cynicism that stems from spotting the truth in every lie. Disengaged, she watches life go by from the sidelines … until she meets the unfailingly honest Jonah (Ian Nelson). Problem is, Jonah is her beau’s best friend — which leaves Dakota navigating the treacherous waters between friendship and romance in this well-crafted indie drama. (Netflix)

“Dakota Skye” opens with Dakota and Jonah lying serenely in a park at night. Jonah is on his back watching the stars while Dakota is on her side with one leg slung across Jonah’s waist. The scene looks so natural I have to remind myself I’m watching a film. Jonah lights a cigarette. The silence between the two is sweet. They are so very comfortable in their own skin. I am immediately engaged. This coupling doesn’t seem forced, doesn’t seem like they’re holding each other only because the script tells them too. And all of this is taken in within the first thirty seconds of the movie.

The chemistry between these two is only one of the reasons this movie works so well. Their budding yet forbidden romance is handled tenderly. A simple introduction evolves easily into dangerous flirting and then yet again into tangible tension. The build towards their eventual congregation is so fluid that the anticipation for it nearly boiled under my skin.

Every time they touch, my heart skips a beat. Every time their eyes lock, my breath catches in my chest. I care for these characters. I care for them because they’re real. There are no Mary-Sue’s and no one touches God-Mode. They’re moderately attractive and they have flaws and they’re in love. They’re human.

This familiar and almost innocent relationship mirrors what a real relationship feels like. Frames go by where there is no dialogue heard; only music played in the background, silhouetting these two between shots of them laughing and playing and singing. My heart recognizes these scenes.

What separates “Dakota Skye” from the average sappy Indie flick is the interweaving of her superpower. Yes, I said superpower. Dakota has the uncanny ability to know the truth in every lie. She explains that it works like subtitles – one person says one thing and she reads the translation. The film does just that and writes out the truth whenever someone lies. Dakota has never had to struggle with trust issues, a fact she brings up when she reveals she slept with her sophomore boyfriend even though she knew he didn’t love her.

Every superhero has a nemesis. Someone that negates her powers and brings her down amongst the mortals. Someone that makes her no more than human. Sometimes I think I made him up. Like I reached out through the ether, through the haze, and tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Hey, please, come wake me up.” Every super hero has a nemesis. Mine is a cute stoner boy named Jonah.

Enter Jonah, a man that doesn’t lie within the first 48 hours the two meet. Dakota is confused and wary. Are her powers fading? Or is Jonah truly as noble as he appears? The story follows Dakota’s bumpy road to the realization that her ability isn’t full-proof and in a world of uncertainty, there are no truths or lies, no right or wrong.

The movie is the perfect combination of romantic comedy-drama laced with nerdiness. In order to find answers for her own life, Dakota buries herself in comic books, relating her role to those already written in brightly colored panels. The parallels drawn between the world of the nerd and the world of a normal teenager only justifies the reasoning that nerd-culture is becoming more mainstream.

As the credits rolled by, I was left only with the question, “Which way would you be facing?” If I was facing upwards, the blue sky would enfold before me, swallowing my gaze. I could enjoy the ride and never know when the end was coming. If I fell facing down, I would be facing the end right on, and I would know the exact moment I hit the ground.

As of this moment, I don’t have an answer. I’m still finding out. I invite you all to watch the movie and ponder the question for yourself.

With a screenplay by Andrew Kreisberg of Warehouse 13, Fringe, Vampire Diaries and Boston Legal fame (one of these things is not like the other…) based on a story from Paul DeMeo (The Rocketeer, Flash, Viper, The Sentinel), Syfy seems confident that the movie will extend the world of Red Faction satisfactorily for fans.

This is all part of THQ’s initiative to introduce the Red Faction franchise to new audiences and increase public awareness of Red Faction Armageddon. (So, basically, they probably weren’t satisfied with sales of Red Faction: Guerilla. But you didn’t hear that from me.)

Here’s a quick summary of the movie:

Twenty-five years have passed since Alec Mason led the Martian Colonies to freedom…and ten years since vengeful enemies killed his wife, kidnapped his daughter Lyra, and left a broken hero in their wake.

Jake Mason, Alec’s last surviving son and a ranger in the Red Faction Militia, had never abandoned hope that somewhere in the raw outlands of Mars, his sister was still alive. Now, just as a powerful new enemy swarms across the planet, he’s found her, only to learn that his long lost sister is one of them…a cold-blooded soldier sworn to destroy the Red Faction and conquer the planet in the name of a madman.

Jake must now battle the relentless regime and somehow reunite a family torn apart by war.