Amazon Gold Box: The Ultimate Matrix Collection

Source: High-Def Disc News

Now I am of the opinion that The Matrix was mind blowingly awesome and the sequels just couldn't live up to the first. But for ridiculously low price of $49.99 for all three Matrix films plus The Animatrix on Blu-ray I would not think twice about picking it up.

This Amazon Gold Box deal only lasts through today, so if you want to just pay 50 bucks for something that retails at $125 now is your chance.

Extras Include:

• Written introduction by the Wachowski Bros
• Various commentaries including Philosophers Dr. Cornel West and Ken Wilbur; Critics Todd McCarthy, John Powers and David Thompson plus cast and crew
• Feature length documentary: The Matrix Revisited
• Music Videos plus an isolated music track of nearly 3 hours of music
• Various featurettes on the making of The Matrix video game
• The Roots of The Matrix: Various documentaries delving into the historical, philosophical and technological aspects of The Matrix series
• Theatrical trailers, plus much more!

Sorry about the late notice, but you should still have time to pull this off. And if you don't, no big deal. Everybody misses the first jump. Everybody.

Hair High

Source: Plymptoons.com

Bill Plympton's 2004 animated flick Hair High, the world's first "rom-zom-prom-com", that played around the world at various film festivals is now available on DVD via his site Plymptoons.com.

For those of you who haven't heard of Mr. Plympton and his work he has illustrated for The New York Times, Vogue and Vanity Fair and you may have seen his cartoon work in threads such as Rolling Stone, Penthouse and National Lampoon. The dude has even been nominated for an Oscar for his animated short Your Face way back in '88.

His latest animated feature, Hair High, follows the story of two 1950's high school kids that are murdered on their prom night and come back the following year zombified and looking for vengeance ... and their crowns.

This ‘toon employs the voice talents of Sarah Silverman, the late great David Carradine, Michael Showalter and Justin Long among others.

Extras Include:

• Director's Commentary with Bill Plympton
• Scene Breakdown and Voice-over Sessions
• Anicam
• Cockstume
• Film Premiere Interviews
• Trailers

I recommend supporting some independent animation and checking Hair High out!

E3: Microsoft's Monday

Source: Engadget

Today Microsoft has owned the E3 Expo. Here are the Monday highlights from the Microsoft E3 camp:

• Microsoft Kinect: (Pictured above left) Hey potential Project Natal users there are some solid facts in now for you to salivate over. First off it has a price tag now, looks like it will put you back $149 but there are some bundlle deals already popping up at retailers like Gamestop that will pair the Kinect with an Xbox Elite for $399. Microsoft Kinect will officially launch November 4th, along with a first wave of games that will utilize the motion tracking technology. The last Kinect related news for today involves video chatting. Yes. You will be able video chat while watching movies together for starters. Nifty feature that will be both Xbox Live and Windows Live Messenger compatible.
• New Xbox 360: (Pictured center) Yup, that is apparently what it is called "The New Xbox 360" no clever name yet, but man it looks pretty slick and it starts shipping out today! Major changes from the existing Xbox 360 models, besides actually looking cool, is that it has one internal fan. This is supposed to reduce the noise considerably which is one less distraction. The power source is internal, which means no more unsightly brick attached to your power cord. And it has integrated WiFi, so you essentially it takes some of the former Xbox accessories and just compiles them into one sexy package.
• ESPN3: No it isn't ESPN8 "The Ocho" but it is coming to an Xbox near you! Microsoft now has an exclusive deal with ESPN3 that will be available for no extra charge if you have an Xbox Live Gold Account and have a TV/Internet provider that will participate. You will be able to watch replays, highlights, participate in polls and will of course have Kinect capabilities.
• Xbox Netflix: The Xbox version of Netflix is finally getting an essential upgrade in November. You will now be able to search the entire Netflix Instant Watch and add videos to your instant queue, all directly from your console. Xbox is the first console to have this unrestricted Netflix access with out actually needing a computer. I would expect the other major consoles to follow suit eventually as well.

That about sums up Xbox news for the first day of E3; be sure to keep checking in for more updates from the E3 gaming front all week!

New PS3 to be Unveiled at E3?

Source: Engadget

Don't worry, that isn't it. That was actually one of the original PS3 designs a few years back, how about that controller? I apologize for the scare.

With the week long E3 Expo starting next Monday developers and companies will surely have announcements and surprises in store.

For the past several years E3 has been the place to announce the launches of new gaming systems and this year may not be different.

Some rumors are floating around that we might be seeing some new or updated version of the PS3. This speculation is backed up with an FCC report that confirms that they were testing some type of PS3 system with a new debugging unit.

What does this mean?

Well, you would generally need a new debugging unit only if you are using new hardware. If the new PS3 has significant hardware differences than the current model who knows what we will see? My guess is something involving 3D.

All this speculation on the new PS3 and more should be revealed next week during the E3 Expo; be sure to check back in then for updates!

Picnic at Hanging Rock in July

Source: Blu-ray.com

Summer and picnics, those are two things that should always go together. Picnics are almost always categorized under good times, depending on the ant factor. Well on July 26 get ready for a whole different type of picnic as an acclaimed Australian film, Picnic at Hanging Rock, gets a Blu-ray release.

The 1975 classic Picnic at Hanging Rock is the story, some claim to be true, of the disappearance of a small group of schoolgirls and their teacher while on an outing into the Australian bush under bizarre and mysterious circumstances in 1900. But the real story is primarily about those that are left behind and their confusion and outrage that such a disappearance could not be solved. It drives certain characters to extremes.

This Blu-ray release will be the 107 minute director's cut of Peter Weir, which is actually shorter than the original theatrical release version.

This release's basket is loaded with special features for you to gorge on as well.

Extras Include:

• A Dream within a Dream, a feature length documentary
• A Recollection: Hanging Rock 1900, an interview with author Joan Lindsey
• Hanging Rock and Martindale Hall: Then and Now
• A short film; The Day of St Valentine, that was the first adaption of Joan Lindsey's novel that would later be adapted into Picnic at Hanging Rock
• Audio Interviews
• Gallery
• Scenes that were removed for the director's cut

Can any of you name other director's cuts that are actually shorter than the theatrical? I can only think of one of the top of my head, Alien, but it is only a minute shorter and Ridley Scott has even said that he still prefers the theatrical version.

New Mortal Kombat Game

Source: Kotaku

With all of the recent news and rumors surrounding the amazing short film that came out a couple of days ago Mortal Kombat fans are in a frenzy.

If you were among them prepare to go insane.

A new Mortal Kombat is in the works. And it is going to be brutal. Mortal Kombat creator has this to say about the next edition to the battle royale franchise:

"This game really is a response to what players have been demanding; mature presentation, reinvented 2D fighting mechanic and the best, most gruesome fatalities ever."

Aside from the classic 1v1 grudge match against your friend the new Mortal Kombat will have extensive online play, tag-team option that will allow up to four players and what promises to be "the deepest story mode of any fighting game".

Between the short film and the announcement of this game I would say Mortal Kombat is coming back with a vengeance.