Author: Trafficblast

The Iron Mask Review

The Iron Mask is currently available to rent in the UK, and was first released in Russia and China in 2019. 

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Before the opening prologue of The Iron Mask begins, you have to sit through no less than nine company logos. Hailing from China, Russia, and beyond, this multitude of investors, studios, and other controlling parties is the first indication of how the movie plays out. This is a film that’s pulling in so many different directions, and attempting to fulfill the expectations of at least three different cultures, that the fact it is merely a disaster is quite a fortunate end result.

The Iron Mask – known as Viy 2: Journey to China in its home territories – is a Russian/Chinese collaboration, and the follow-up to Forbidden Empire. Its sequel nature has little impact on the plot, which deals with an 18th Century army of dark wizards who have forced a magical dragon into a deep slumber by refusing to cut its eyelashes. Those same eyelashes are also used to grow tea, the sales of which are funding said army of dark wizards. I’m sorry to say that yes, you did read all that right.

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Somehow linked to all this is a Russian conspiracy that has seen the true Tsar, Peter the First, locked up in the Tower of London, his face encased in the titular iron mask. His cellmate is Jackie Chan, the original master of the magical tea dragon, who now spends his days fighting thin air in sequences barely distinguishable from the Star Wars kid video meme from 2003. The Iron Mask’s tonal inconsistency means it’s never clear if Chan’s ‘skills’ are meant to be awe-inspiring or laughable, although the speed at which he’s pushed to the sidelines means this matters little. The Iron Mask’s best A-lister is merely an odd bit-part among an even stranger collage of mismatched ideas from Russian, British, and Chinese cultures.

Chan’s presence in the film seems purely to allow him to have a bust-up with The Iron Mask’s wildest casting choice: Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Tower of London’s chief jailor, complete with (sadly inauthentic) tricorn hat and naval uniform. Looking permanently bemused in every scene, Schwarzenegger finally gets to 1v1 Chan in the climax of the story’s first act, and the results are every bit as underwhelming as you’d expect from two men in their senior years, despite their action pedigree.

Dreadful fight choreography isn’t a given for every scene – segments set in China have a notably better approach to battle, although lack the energetic spark of great Eastern fantasy – but even when the plot calls on fun ideas they’re poorly executed. The film’s final showdown involves four characters played by the same actor, all dressed identically, and fighting with indistinguishable combat styles, which works as a concluding indication that this is a film uninterested in story and legibility. Instead, spectacle is what’s left to lead the way.

With Chan and Schwarzenegger brushed aside before the first hour is done, however, it’s left to the film’s core cast to carry that spectacle, which they stumble with at practically every turn. The previous film’s protagonist, Jason Flemyng’s British cartographer Jonathan Green, takes centre stage alongside Yao Xingtong’s mysterious Cheng Lan. They embark on a journey to China, in parallel with the masked Tsar, in order to save big old eyelashes from the grips of its dark masters.

Flemyng’s journey is as dull as you’d expect from a mapmaker trundling along the Silk Road. But the voyage of Peter the First over the oceans from England turns the whole thing into a Pirates of the Carribean rip-off, right down to the daughter-of-a-Lord character whose arc sees her dressing as a man in order to gain passage with the crew.

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The pirate adventures also bring into focus how many of The Iron Masks’ directional sensibilities are Western, which makes it feel far more pedestrian than its cultural parentage would suggest. That’s exacerbated by dollar-store costuming and cheap visual effects, which maintain the film’s downward spiral. As the nonsensical final act plays out, a spreadsheet’s worth of characters are introduced, all of whom feel as if they were added to the script with the use of a nail gun. Late game reversals of fate are so rushed that they feel like emergency retcons rather than twists, none of which are even explained away with the easy get-out card of magic.

Worse than any of the film’s production or plotting woes, though, is its script and dialogue performances. The translation of the exposition-heavy and frequently blunt script into English is reminiscent of the poor localisation that Eastern video games suffered in the 1990s. Its most serious issue, though, is the fact that each of its multinational cast performs in their native language, with dubbing used to correct for the appropriate territory. Even those who speak English are over-dubbed for the English release, meaning talent like Rutger Hauer – in his rather unfortunate final role – speak out of sync with their voices. It makes for deeply irritating viewing.

 

Learn to Code With This 30-Day Free Trial

You probably know LinkedIn as a networking and job-searching site, but it also offers online courses to help you better yourself. It’s actually a pretty genius move on LinkedIn’s part, because you can take courses through LinkedIn Learning and then turn right around and post your new skill to LinkedIn. I believe in the corporate world they call that “synergy.”

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Even if you’re not on the search for a new career, LinkedIn Learning has a good selection of classes in a variety of subjects you’re actually interested in for making yourself more valuable, like HTML, Python, JavaScript, Swift or Excel. Wait, am I the only one who gets excited about Excel? Surely I can’t be alone in this.

Anyway, if your college canceled classes for the remainder of the year, which is extremely likely, or you just have more spare time than you’re used to and want to funnel it into something constructive, the free trial lasts 30 days and you can just blast through as many classes as you possibly can before it converts to a paid subscription.

The paid subscription, by the way, is $29.99 a month, unless you sign up and pay for a whole year in one fell swoop. The 12-month subscription works out to $19.99 a month if you pay for it all at once. Not a bad use of part of your stimulus check, if you ask me.

If you’d rather spend your free time a little less constructively, the ComiXology free 60-day trial offer is still live, so you can swing in the complete opposite direction.

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Seth Macy is IGN’s tech and commerce editor and just wants to be your friend. Find him on Twitter @sethmacy.

 

 

 

Preorders Are Live for the New iPhone SE

A new iPhone is coming out this week, and it’s available to preorder now. Despite the lack of a big promotional event to announce the 2020 iPhone SE, it’s an incredibly appealing new product from Apple. It looks like an iPhone 8, but it runs on the same ultra-powerful chip as the iPhone 11, Apple’s current flagship device. That means it’ll be super snappy and supported for years to come. But perhaps the biggest selling point for deal hunters is that it starts at $399, much cheaper than any other new iPhone on the market.

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The iPhone SE has a pixel-dense 4.7-inch Retina display and it runs on the incredibly capable A13 Bionic chip, the fastest chip in any smartphone on the market. It comes in three colors: black, white, and (Product)Red.

Why is it so much cheaper than the iPhone 11 (which starts at $699)? Mainly due to its slightly older tech in a few key places. For one thing, it re-uses the iPhone 8’s design, and Apple has been making that phone for a few years now. It also has a TouchID-enabled home button, which the latest iPhones do not. (They use FaceID, which presumably requires an expensive front-facing camera). And while the iPhone 11 has multiple rear-facing cameras, the new iPhone SE uses the same single camera from the iPhone XR.

iphone-se-gallery1If saving $300 is more important to you than having a phone equipped with the latest, expensive new tech, the iPhone SE is the obvious choice. And since it has the iPhone 11’s chip, it can still take gorgeous portrait mode pictures, which blurs the background to make your photos look more professional. You can even use a slider to choose how blurry you want the background.

Basically, this is the best deal on a new iPhone we’ve seen in maybe forever. And with Walmart’s discounts (which vary depending on carrier), you can save even more.

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Chris Reed is IGN’s shopping and commerce editor. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.

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Resident Evil Movie Stunt Actress Who Lost Her Arm In Filming Accident Wins Legal Case

A stunt actress for Resident Evil: The Final Chapter who suffered an on-set injury that left her in a coma for 17 days and resulted in an arm amputation has claimed a legal victory in her lawsuit against the movie’s producers.

A South African court has ruled that the stunt that Olivia Jackson performed during the accident was “negligently planned and executed” by the production company, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Additionally, the judge tossed out a claim against Jackson that said her motorcycle riding skills were at least partially to blame for the accident, according to the report. Further terms of the case were not disclosed.

Jackson suffered her horrific injuries when she was standing in for Resident Evil movie star Milla Jovovich for a 2015 shoot in Cape Town, South Africa. She was riding a motorcycle in the stunt gone wrong, crashing into a camera vehicle that was driving in the other direction. Jackson endured serious injuries that also included brain bleeding, brain swelling, and broken ribs, and was in a coma for 17 days before waking up to realize the extent of her life-changing injuries.

“I miss my old face. I miss my old body. I miss my old life. At least I now finally have a court judgment that proves this stunt was badly planned and that it was not my fault,” Jackson said about the ruling.

Her lawyers also released a statement on the judgement.

“Action movies that require people to carry out dangerous stunts should always be very carefully planned and performed. They should also be backed by insurance that can meet the very significant life-long losses that could be incurred by any member of the cast and crew who is seriously injured,” a partner at the law firm Stewarts said. “This judgment is an important recognition that stunt performers are not themselves inherently responsible, nor willing but disposable volunteers when something goes wrong. Like all workers they are owed a duty of care by those responsible for the safest possible performance of the stunt.”

In addition to Resident Evil, Jackson did stuntwork for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter was released in January 2017, and was the most successful movie in the series to date, making $312.2 million worldwide. In total the series, which kicked off in 2002, has made more than $1.2 billion worldwide.

Michael Jordan Documentary Last Dance Boosts ESPN Ratings

The documentary series Last Dance chronicles Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the late 90s, as they work to win their sixth NBA championship in eight years. The first two episodes of the ten-part series have attracted an average of 6.1 million viewers, according to Variety, making it ESPN’s most-viewed original content since 2004.

The ratings success will be welcome news for the Disney-owned sports network, with widespread cancellations of sporting events and leagues signalling a dearth of content for both ESPN and ESPN2.

Like other films and TV shows, the documentary’s release was pushed forward to adapt to the unprecedented circumstances, having been originally scheduled to air in June alongside the NBA finals.

Two versions of the documentary are being put to air–one leaving the participants’ profanities uncensored for ESPN, while a more family-friendly version airs on ESPN2.

The Last Dance episodes 3 and 4 will air back-to-back on Sunday April 26, starting at 9 PM ET. Outside of the US, The Last Dance is available on Netflix.

ESPN has adapted to the pandemic in other ways, such as their broadcast of the NBA2K Players Tournament, where NBA stars face off in the virtual version of their game. With most other sports cancelled, esports has now been pushed into the spotlight in a big way.

Now Playing: NBA 2K14 – Michael Jordan Uncensored Trailer

Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna Will Come To Blu-Ray In July

Originally planned for a limited theatrical release in March, Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna became a victim of the widespread coronavirus closures and cancellations. After leaving fans wondering how they would be able to experience Tai and friend’s supposed farewell from the series, publisher Shout Factory has announced the Blu-Ray and DVD release for later this year.

As picked up by Siliconera, Last Evolution will be released on Blu-Ray and DVD on July 7, 2020. Because of the cancelled cinema events, the English home release has been announced before the Japanese version. It’s unusual in the world of anime localization for the western home video release to be announced before Japan’s, though the Japanese theatrical debut was early enough to be unaffected by coronavirus. The US hard copy release will include both Japanese audio with English subtitles and the English dub.

The movie is set to be a tear-jerker for fans of the original show, showing what seems to be the last adventure of the original Digimon cast. With the crew now college-age, they discover that their bonds with their partner Digimon will fade as they grow older, finally disappearing when they reach adulthood. To top it off, a new threat has appeared–but engaging in combat with their Digimon seems to cause their bond to disappear even faster.

Nvidia GeForce Now Adds Assassin’s Creed And Far Cry Games, Removes Others

Despite the shaky reception game streaming service GeForce Now has received since its launch on February 4, Nvidia is doubling down on efforts to improve its library before the full launch in June. In a new post, Nvidia has confirmed support from Ubisoft, Epic, Bungie, and Bandai Namco, while warning that some games will be removed before the commercial launch.

From the start GeForce Now has had issues with a number of publishers. Activision removed all its games from the service just one week after launch, and Bethesda removed “most” of its games shortly after. 2K also removed its games, while The Long Dark was removed after being added without the developer’s permission.

“As we approach a paid service, some publishers may choose to remove games before the trial period ends,” Nvidia’s general manager Phil Eisler explained after 2K requested to remove their games from the server. “Ultimately, they maintain control over their content and decide whether the game you purchase includes streaming on GeForce Now. Meanwhile, others will bring games back as they continue to realize GeForce Now’s value.”

As the June commercial release draws closer, it seems Nvidia is anticipating more games leaving the service, but it’s also looking to add more titles before this date. All the Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry games are now available on GeForce Now, joining other Ubisoft titles like Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, For Honor, and Watch Dogs. Ubisoft has previously confirmed its support for the service.

New games will be added in in batches through the end of May, with Nvidia saying these will be larger as they near the commercial release date in June. You can check for updates on the GeForce forums as games are added. Yet as new games are added, others will be removed before GeForce Now is launched as a paid service.

On April 24, GeForce Now will be removing all games from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Xbox Game Studios, Codemasters, and Klei Entertainment. These include the Batman Arkham series, all the Lego games, the F1 racing series, and Don’t Starve, among others. “We hope they’ll return in the future,” the Nvidia blog post adds.

GeForce Now is one of a number of game streaming services springing up, including Microsoft’s Project xCloud and Google Stadia.

Now Playing: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Video Review

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Bob Odenkirk Reflects On Creating One Of SNL’s Best Characters, Matt Foley

Before he took a dramatic turn with his performance as the dodgy lawyer Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Bob Odenkirk was perhaps better known for his influence in the world of comedy. He performed with the improv group Second City in Chicago alongside other performers who would go on to big things, including Chris Farley. Odenkirk created Farley’s most memorable character, the motivational speaker Matt Foley, and now Odenkirk has reflected on his time with Farley and the origins of the character.

Speaking to Conan O’Brien, Odenkirk said he came up with the idea for Farley’s motivational speaker during a rehearsal with Farley at Second City. Odenkirk and Farley were goofing around and improvising scenes when Farley whipped up what would become Matt Foley.

At this earliest stage of the skit, Farley didn’t wear a suit or glasses, but the core of the joke was there: that he was ripping into young adults for doing drugs.

Odenkirk recalled Farley performing the “voice of a coach who really doesn’t know what he’s saying but trying to put a lot of emphasis in it.”

With this idea in mind, Odenkirk went home and plotted out the formal idea for the sketch that would go on to become one of Saturday Night Live’s best-known sketches.

“I went home with that voice in my head–it was very funny–and I sat down with a legal pad and wrote up that sketch exactly the way it’s done,” he said.

The sketch debuted at Second City before Farley and Odenkirk went to SNL, bringing it with them with one significant change. SNL actor and writer Robert Smigel added the bit where Foley smashes through the living room table. In the Second City version, Foley marches out the door and the kids bolted for the exit, Odenkirk said.

Reflecting on the Foley sketch at Second City, Odenkirk said, “It was just amazing how it came to life and filled that theatre every night. I’ve never seen anything hit so hard every time. Chris wouldn’t leave the stage until he made all the performers laugh. He was driven to make you laugh when he did the sketch every single night.”

Odenkirk said working with Farley at Second City, doing eight shows a week, is his fondest memory across everything that he’s ever done in his career.

The Matt Foley character went on to appear in multiple SNL sketches, but his “Van Down By The River” sketch is the most memorable one. Christina Applegate, David Spade, Phil Hartman, and Julia Sweeney star in the sketch as well.

The Matt Foley character has been referenced in pop culture over and over again throughout the years. It was even featured as a secret easter egg in The Division.

Farley died in 1997 from a drug overdose. At the time of his death, Farley had recorded the majority of the voice lines for the title role in the animated movie Shrek. Mike Myers took over after Farley’s passing.

Deals: 10% Off Apple AirPods Pro, Celeste for Switch is $4.99

The AirPods Pro (Apple’s only truly wireless earphones with active noise cancellation) is discounted by 10% off, but it’s going to expire very soon. Dell is also offering 10% off every Alienware gaming PC and it stacks with instant discounts. Finally, grab Celeste, my favorite game for the Nintendo Switch, for only $4.99 at the eShop. All that and more below.

10% Off Apple AirPods Pro, Now $224.99

Add to cart to see this price

This is the lowest price ever, even lower than on Black Friday, and it ends very soon. These are truly wireless AirPods with built-in active noise cancellation and despite that that they actually have longer play time on a single charge than the vanilla AirPods. Other features include three sets of silicone tips for customized fit, a sweat and water resistant outer shell, and a wireless charging case that can provide an additional 24 hours of battery life.

Celeste for Nintendo Switch for $4.99

This game normally sells for $19.99. I thought I was getting a great deal at $9.99, but technically this deal is even 50% cheaper than that. I’m generally not a very big platformer fan and yet I loved this game enough to die 6,899 times in order to get all the strawberries in the game (I’m not a very skilled gamer). In fact I’ve racked more hours on this game than any other Switch indie game in my library. Get it now before the price goes back up.

New Alienware Aurora R9 AMD Ryzen 7 3700X AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT Gaming Desktop PC for $1044

Use code “LCS10OFF”

For those of you who haven’t been keeping up with the Intel vs AMD CPU war, AMD has been giving Intel a run for its money with its flagship processors. The new AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-core processor is comparable to the Intel Core i7-9700, both in terms of gaming and workstation performance. It’s paired with an RX 5700 XT video card, which is on par with the RTX 2070. If you want to upgrade the RAM or hard drive, I’d suggest doing it on your own. You’ll save money, and the Aurora R9 allows for toolless access without voiding your warranty.

Alienware Aurora R8 Intel Core i7-9700 RTX 2080 SUPER Gaming PC for $1359

Use code “LCS10OFF”

Use code “LCS10OFF”

This gaming PC boasts a 9th gen Intel Core i7 processor and the newest RTX 2080 SUPER video card. It’s about 10% more powerful than the non-SUPER model and considerably more powerful than the GTX 1080 Ti. If you want to upgrade the RAM and hard drive, I’d suggest doing it on your own to save money. Like the new R9 chassis, the R8 features easy toolless entry. Swapping components doesn’t void the warranty.

Alienware Aurora R8 Intel Core i7-9700 RTX 2080 SUPER Gaming PC with 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, and 2TB HDD for $1503

Use code “LCS10OFF”

For those of you who would rather have a PC preinstalled with all the RAM and storage you’ll ever need, this model has 16GB RAM and dual drive storage for only $144 more.

Alienware m15 R2 15″ 1080p Intel Core i7-9750H RTX 2060 Gaming Laptop for $1349.99

Use code “LCS10OFF”

The “R2” is the latest redesign of the very well rated m15 laptop. It still weighs under 5 pounds (4.8lbs) and is a vast improvement over the older bulkier Alienware laptops of the past. The RTX 2060 is slightly faster than the previous GTX 1070 video card. This laptop is outfitted with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD. I’d also recommend upgrading the monitor to a 144Hz 9ms capable panel if you plan to play FPS games.

Alienware m17 R1 17″ 1080p Intel Core i7-9750H RTX 2060 Gaming Laptop for $1349.99

Use code “LCS10OFF”

The m17 was the first Alienware 17″ laptop to weigh in at under 6 pounds (it’s about 5.8lbs). It’s already fully equipped out of the box with a 9th gen Intel Core i7 6-core processor, RTX 2060 graphics, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD.

Alienware m17 R1 17″ 1080p Intel Core i7-9750H RTX 2070 Gaming Laptop for $1619.99

Use code “LCS10OFF”

The model has been upgraded with dual 512GB of SSD storage (1TB total) and a more powerful RTX 2070 Max-Q video card. The RTX 2070 is almost as powerful as last year’s GTX 1080 (the previous mobile GPU champ) and will crush any game at 1080p. This is a good laptop to get if you plan on using it for VR or gaming on a higher res external monitor.

Out August 1: Preorder the New LEGO Super Mario Starter Kit Bundle with Bonus Super Mushroom Expansion Set for $59.99

Use code “FSMARIO” to get Free Shipping

This is the only way to preorder this super popular LEGO Mario kit since it’s sold out at the LEGO Shop. This isn’t just any ordinary LEGO set. Mario has color sensors, plus LCD screens in his eyes, mouth and belly to display over 100 different instant reactions to movement. Also included is a speaker that plays iconic sounds and music from the video game. Set up different courses and have Mario run through the track to collect virtual coins.

Out April 23: 54% Off Your XCOM: Chimera Squad Expansion Pre-Purchase, Now $9.20

This XCOM 2 expansion normally sells for $19.99 but you can save 54% off by pre-purchasing it through Green Man Gaming. It installs from the Steam client. XCOM Chimera Squad is a big DLC with a new storyline that takes place years after the end of the year. You also get new races with unique abilities at your disposal and new gameplay mechanics like interleaved turns, revamped tactical combat system, coordinated breach mode, and more.

Oculus Rift VR Headset (Factory Refurb) at the Oculus Store for $299 (Compatible with Half-Life: Alyx)

Includes 6 Month Oculus Warranty

The Oculus Store has refurbished Oculus Rift VR headsets and they are clearing them out at a great price, $100 less than the Oculus Quest and Rift S. This is the only way to get an Oculus Rift with warranty. I bought my Oculus Rift headset over 3 years ago and still use it to this day. I’ve never had the urge to upgrade to the newer VR headsets, especially at their ridiculous price points. The original Oculus Rift controller is, in my opinion, still the best controller for Beat Saber because it is the lightest and least bulky compared to the rest (even the Rift S controller). It also has exceptional tracking, even with only two sensors. Also, the higher resolution on the newer VR headsets requires an even more demanding computer. My GTX 1070 equipped PC can run the Rift perfectly well, but may not suffice for a VR headset with nearly double the pixel count. Half-Life: Alyx is also compatible with the Oculus Rift.

The First IPS Monitor With 1ms and 240Hz and G-SYNC: Alienware AW2521HF 25″ 1080p Gaming Monitor for $384.99

This is a new monitor from Dell. The major upgrade for this one compared to last year’s model is the switch over from a TN panel to an IPS panel. In fact, this is the only IPS monitor that Dell makes that has 1ms response time and 240Hz refresh rate, specs that are normally reserved for TN panels. An IPS monitor is superior because it has wider viewing angles and better color.

This AMD FreeSync monitor is also certified NVIDIA “G-Sync Compatible”. That basically means people with GeForce cards can take advantage of the built-in adaptive sync capabilities of the monitor without paying an arm and a leg for a G-Sync monitor. it also futureproofs you, in case you want to swap over to an AMD video card.

$100 Off Rosetta Stone Lifetime Subscription

Take advantage of your free time at home and learn another language! Save 33% off lifetime access to all of Rosetta Stone’s language learning courses. Unlike Babbel, the other big language learning course, Rosetta Stone includes Asian languages like Chinese Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. There’s also a 30-day money back guarantee so you can test the waters before you decide to commit.

Save 73% Off 1-Year IPVanish VPN Plan

IPVanish is offering  73% off its 1 year VPN plan, dropping the price to $39. That’s only $3.25 a month for a service that provides some great benefits. VPN is the first and easiest step to making your internet activity a bit more anonymous. VPN is also a great way to “trick” a host site into thinking you’re in another part of the world. That’s great for watching region-locked content from streaming services like Netflix. IPVanish boasts a very user-friendly interface, doesn’t hog resources, and has a zero-log policy. We also gave it a great review.

Online Learning Course Bundles from Stack Social

Want to be more productive at home? Stack Social has plenty of practical courses that can kick start your career. For under $40 per bundle you get dozens of hours of online instruction in programming, game creation, video production, ethical hacking, and more… all from the safety of your home.

1 Month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $1 (Includes Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass)

May work for both NEW and EXPIRED accounts

This price is reserved for new and expired accounts. Game Pass Ultimate is basically Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass combined into one membership. You even get access to Game Pass for PC. Normally you’d be paying $14.99 for one month, but Amazon is offering an additional month for free. Game Pass gives you access to tons of high profile games like Kingdom Hearts 3, NBA 2K20, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Gears 5, Forza Horizon 3, The Outer Worlds, Grand Theft Auto 5, State of Decay, and more.

ComiXology Free Trial Extended to 60 Days

This sponsored deal is brought to you by ComiXology

The ComiXology trial period is normally 30 days.  ComiXology is Amazon’s digital comic platform and is the largest digital retailer of American comics. The site hosts 20,000 digital comics, graphic novels, and manga from DC, Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, and more. Here’s your chance to access all of it, totally free, for 30 60 days. If you’re an avid comic reader, you might want to consider continuing on afterwards, since it’s only $5.99/month. You can even sign in with your Amazon account.

3 Months of Amazon Music Unlimited for Free

This deal only works for new Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers, but you don’t have to be a Prime member. Normally you’d be paying $9.99/month for this service (or $7.99/mo for Prime members). Amazon Music Unlimited works alot like the paid ad-free versions of Spotify or Pandora. Get access to millions of songs and playlists that you can stream anywhere.

New Licensed Castlevania Apparel at the IGN Store

Do you enjoy Netflix’s original Castlevania animated series? If so, the IGN Store has added a host of officially licensed Castlevania apparel. Sign up for our newsletter and get a 20% off coupon code. Alternatively, save 10% off using coupon code “igndeals10“.

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Eric Song is IGN’s deal curator and spends 25% of his pay on stuff he posts.

HBO Is Developing A Series About Wrestling With Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

A new HBO show currently titled Tre Cnt (from Tre Count, though it could easily be misread) is in the works, with Dwayne Johnson on board to executive produce, along with Issa Rae and Danny Garcia.

As reported by Variety, the show is written by Mohamad El Masri, who has previously written for HBO’s Here and Now and Netflix production October Faction. Tre Cnt follows Cassius Jones, a struggling pro-wrestler and dock worker in Houston’s Third Ward (The Tre). With a life-insurance payout and the help of friends and neighbors, he looks to start a hip-hop centered backyard wrestling empire.

This isn’t Johnson’s first partnership with HBO; he and Garcia executive produced the HBO series Ballers under their Seven Bucks Productions banner, while Johnson also starred in the show. Ballers ran for five seasons on HBO before concluding last year.

While no news about casting has been announced, it’s likely Johnson will appear as an actor as well, as he does in many of the films and shows produced by Seven Bucks–such as Fast and the Furious spin-off Hobbs and Shaw. With his own background in the pro-wrestling world, Johnson will have a lot to bring to the show in terms of authenticity. Johnson is currently producing another wrestling-related show: Young Rock, a comedic series about his own life, which will follow his childhood and early wrestling career.

Now Playing: The Rock – WWE 13 Trailer