Author: Trafficblast

War Machine to The War Raiders to The Viking Experience to The Viking Raiders

Once upon a time in Ring of Honor, Rowe and Hanson were two promising, burly performers, and they formed a kickass tag team called War Machine. These guys were more warrior-esque than robotic. After signing with NXT, they began calling themselves the War Raiders. That seemed to suit everyone just fine, and they even got a chant going. “WAR! WAR! WAR!”

But then, WWE bumped Rowe and Hanson up to the main roster. And the next time we saw them–on the April 15 episode of Raw–Rowe and Hanson were Erik and Ivar, and the War Raiders were The Viking Experience.

They used to be big, scary guys who channeled a viking warrior vibe. Now, they were literal vikings outside of time. Their new tag team name was reminiscent of when you go to the zoo, and you pay extra to feed or pet the animals, like the Sea Lion Encounter.

Thanks to nearly universal backlash on social media, the tag team name is now in its fourth iteration: The Viking Raiders. It’s not as good as the War Raiders, truth be told. But we’ll take it. It’s better than the alternative.

The Tolkien Estate, which manages the Lord of the Rings author’s works, has come out with a statement that seeks to distance itself from Fox’s new movie starring Nicholas Hoult. The estate released a statement this week where it said it does not “endorse it or its content in any way,” according to The Guardian.

The estate further noted that it “wish[es] to make clear that they did not approve of, authorise, or participate in the making of this film,” adding that “they do not endorse it or its content in any way.”

A representative for the estate told The Guardian that issuing this statement is not the first step in pursuing legal action, but instead to let viewers know what the estate’s position is.

The new movie, which is called Tolkien, tells the story of the author’s upbringing, including his time at school, his bond with Edith Bratt, and his time serving in World War I as a backdrop to how these experiences shaped his acclaimed fantasy novels.

Here is the full statement, as obtained by io9.

“The family of JRR Tolkien and the Tolkien Estate are aware of the Fox Searchlight motion picture entitled Tolkien that is due for release in May 2019. The family and the Estate wish to make clear that they did not approve of, authorise, or participate in the making of this film. They do not endorse it or its content in any way.”

Tolkien’s son, Christopher Tolkien, told French newspaper Le Monde in 2012 that “the commercialisation [of Tolkien’s work] has reduced the aesthetic and philosophical impact of the creation to nothing.”

The estate has been involved in various lawsuits over the years related to Lord of the Rings properties, leading some to believe no more officially endorsed films or shows based on Tolkien or his creations would happen. But in 2018, Amazon and the Tolkien estate announced an agreement to make a Lord of the Rings TV show. Amazon reportedly paid $250 million for the rights alone to do so.

Tolkien hits theatres on May 10. It’s directed by Dome Karukoski (Heart of Finland), based on script from David Gleeson and Stephen Beresford.

Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road, X-Men series) plays the adult Tolkien, while Lily Collins (To The Bone, Stuck In Love) plays Tolkien’s wife, Edith Bratt.

Middle-earth Enterprises, which is the rights-owner of Tolkien’s work, continues to reach new deals. Just this year, it was announced that Daedalic Entertainment is making a Lord of the Rings game about Gollum. Additionally, Electronic Arts remains a Lord of the Rings licensee, as does WB Games and Lord of the Rings Online developer Standing Stone Games.

Marvel’s hugely anticipated superhero film Avengers: Endgame is finally in theaters (at least in some parts of the world), and as such, reviews have started to show up online.

You can see a rundown of Avengers: Endgame review excerpts below, while more information on the film’s critical reception can be found on GameSpot sister site Metacritic. In addition to GameSpot, the excerpts include those from our sister sites CNET and ComicBook.

Endgame is a direct sequel to last year’s Infinity War, which ended in dramatic fashion with the evil Thanos wiping out half of the galaxy’s population with the snap of his fingers. Among the dead are a number of Avengers, so fans have been eagerly waiting to see what happens next.

The movie is expected to make a lot of money during its opening weekend. In fact, some projections are saying the film will enjoy the best start in the history of cinema.

Avengers: Endgame

• Directed By: Joe and Anthony Russo
• Written By: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
• Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Brie Larson, Scarlett Johansson, Karen Gillan, Tessa Thompson, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Josh Brolin, Tom Holland, Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Olsen,, Dave Bautista, Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Chadwick Boseman, Michael Douglas, Don Cheadle.
• Runtime: 181 minutes
• Release Date: April 26 (United States)

GameSpot

“Holy hell is it an emotional, fulfilling ride. I have no doubt we’re going to spend the coming weeks picking and pulling it apart until we’ve over-analyzed every single aspect imaginable. But right now, in the aftermath, Avengers Endgame feels like a win. — Michael Rougeau [Full review]

CNET

“Every single action sequence here deserves to be seen on the largest screen possible. In Infinity War, the Russos demonstrated their ability to take action from Earth to space and back, and each of Endgame’s locations provides plenty of epic clashes and gorgeous vistas to relish. Even the more basic settings, like the Avengers’ headquarters somewhere in upstate New York, get made over into expansive settings.” — Mike Sorrentino [Full review]

ComicBook

“The final movie in Marvel’s Infinity Saga is a masterpiece. It’s an absolute spectacle which needs to be watched on the biggest screen possible. It’s a love letter to fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In fact, I’d argue that Avengers: Endgame is the film event of our lifetime and lives up to every bit of global hype it has garnered. It is setting a new standard and raising the bar for event films and likely will not be matched in this generation of filmmaking.” — Brandon Davis [Full review]

Slant Magazine

“Every serious narrative beat is ultimately undercut by pro-forma storytelling (the emotional beats never linger, as the characters are always race-race-racing to the next big plot point), or by faux-improvised humor, with ringmaster Tony ‘Iron Man’ Stark (Robert Downey Jr., so clearly ready to be done with this universe) leading the sardonic-tongued charge.” — Keith Uhlich [Full review]

The Globe And Mail

“Even if I could muster the strength to defy studio marching orders on plot details, there is no point. There is little in Endgame that is worth spoiling, given how its core is spoiled rotten to begin with.” — Barry Hertz [Full review]

Empire

“A victory lap that moonwalks through the best part of the MCU back catalogue and emphasises emotion as much as action, this is an intensely satisfying piece of blockbuster filmmaking.” — Helen O’Hara [Full review]

The Associated Press

“Generous in humor, spirit, and sentimentality, Anthony and Joe Russo’s Endgame is a surprisingly full feast of blockbuster-making that, through some time-traveling magic, looks back nostalgically at Marvel’s decade of world domination. This is the Marvel machine working at high gear, in full control of its myth-making powers and uncovering more emotion in its fictional cosmos than ever before.” — Jake Coyle [Full review]

The Wrap

“Yes, there are some moments when the lengthy running time makes itself known, and yes, this is a corporate product even more so than most of the stand-alone MCU movies. But if you like what that product is about, the laughs and tears here feel genuine. The Marvel movies are by no means over, but Avengers: Endgame does offer rare moments of catharsis in an ongoing serialized saga.” — Alonso Duralde [Full review]

Avengers: Endgame brings together story threads that have been building and developing over the last 21 Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. That’s a whole lot of stuff for the movie to wrap up–some 11 years’ worth–and it’s going to take a while (you can read our spoiler-free review to get a sense of the movie’s success). Endgame clocks in at three hours long, and while it’s a pretty brisk movie in terms of pacing, plenty of us will still need a bathroom break in the middle.

The trouble is finding the right time to abscond to the restroom. A lot happens in Endgame, with a great deal of setup taking place as the remaining Avengers prepare for a rematch with Thanos. Luckily, we’ve seen the movie and have identified a few moments where you’ll suffer the least story damage if you have to get up.

Now, be warned: We don’t actually recommend you head to the bathroom if you can avoid it. Endgame is super dense and there’s a lot of important stuff all over the place, and you’re going to miss some of it. But if you have to make a sacrifice, these are the times to do it. No spoilers!

Pee Break No. 1

Your first potential wee comes during about act 2, after the team returns to the Avengers compound. Again, we’re trying to stay as vague as possible here, but when you hear the phrase “Test no. 1” with the characters preparing to do a bunch of science stuff, you’re pretty safe. You’ll miss a couple of fun jokes, but nothing in this moment is essential to what happens afterward.

Pee Break No. 2

Sometime later in the second act, you’ll get another shot if you act quickly. This one comes when the Avengers start leaving for their “missions” that have been teased in the trailers. Watch for Nebula and co. reaching their destination in space; you’ll be able to slip away during some jokey discussions that don’t advance the plot beyond what you already know is happening. The same is true of Thor’s arrival at his destination in the same stretch.

Pee Break No. 3

If you’re really desperate, you can run for the bathroom during the final act, but this is when all the big action is starting to really pop off, as one might expect. Amidst the superhero antics, you’ll get a chance when things calm down for a moment. When you see a portal open followed by a…let’s say recognizable line from Captain America, you’ll be able to slip away during the ensuing action scene–but only if you really, really have to go. It’s a desperate time for a desperate measure.

The new video game World War Z is inspired in part by the 2013 Brad Pitt movie of the same name. Despite the film being about six years ago, the new game is selling very well. Developer Saber Interactive and publisher Focus Home Interactive announced today that the co-op shooter has reached more than 1 million copies sold in its first week since launching on April 16 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Saber CEO Matthew Karch said the studio is “humbled and thrilled” by the game’s “immense success.” He specifically called out the PC edition as doing especially well. Released as an Epic Store exclusive, the game sold 250,000 copies on PC alone and that success was due in part to the “tremendous support” Epic gave Saber, Karch said.

“Moving forward, we’ll continue to expand the game and its community with new improvements, stability updates, and bonus gameplay content, beginning very soon with a special new mission for the Tokyo episode,” Karch said.

World War Z runs on Saber’s own “Swarm Engine,” which is capable of rendering “hundreds” of zombies on screen at once. In the game you play as one of six difference classes in four-player co-op missions set in places like New York, Jerusalem, Moscow, and Tokyo. In addition to fighting against zombies, World War Z features multiplayer support for team-based PvP.

World War Z is a budget-priced game, coming in at $40 USD on PS4 and Xbox One, and $35 USD on PC. It’s only available digitally.

You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos.

Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.

This video has an invalid file format.

Sorry, but you can’t access this content!

Mortal Kombat 11 released today for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, and while standard editions for a big title like this usually sit at $60 for weeks before dropping, the PS4 version of NetherRealm’s new fighting game is already discounted at Amazon (even Anthem lasted five days before dropping in price).

Amazon’s algorithm works in mysterious ways, and it’s possible the site is price-matching a random deal somewhere else on the internet, but regardless of the reason, you might as well save yourself $5 if you were planning to pick up Mortal Kombat 11 for PS4 today. If you’re a Prime member, you’ll get free two-day shipping on this title as usual.

BUY MORTAL KOMBAT 11 FOR PS4 — $55 »

If you want to buy the game for Xbox One or Switch, an alternative deal may be of interest to you. Over at Target, you’ll get a free $10 gift card if you buy the standard or premium edition of Mortal Kombat 11 for Xbox One, Switch, or PS4. Whether you pick up the game in-store or have it shipped to you, the gift card will ship separately. So while you can’t use the gift card on this order, you’ll save $10 on another purchase at Target–and the site regularly has deals on games, consoles, and accessories that are worth checking out. Plus, you’ll also get free two-day shipping on orders over $35.

BUY MORTAL KOMBAT 11 AT TARGET AND GET A $10 GIFT CARD »

The game received an 8/10 in GameSpot’s Mortal Kombat 11 review. “MK11 isn’t just a sequel for series fans and Netherrealm devotees, it’s a gateway into the realm of fighting games for anyone who has a passing interest in watching ruthless warriors beat each other silly,” wrote Edmond Tran. “Streamlined mechanics keep the act of fighting furiously exciting no matter what your skill level, and comprehensive tutorials encourage you to dig into the nitty-gritty. There’s a diverse roster of interesting characters and playstyles, and the story mode is an entertaining romp.”