• 6Sep 11

  FanExpo 2011, did someone say cosplay? :)

  Another FanExpo has come and gone, and oh the sights there were to see. I attended the Q&A panel with the cast of Reviews on the Run, and even had a chance t0o play Halo Anniversary multiplayer, to witness first hand the gorgeous recreation of one of the original Halo maps (and damn I wish I could remember the name of it).
  
  But I know you don't really care about any of that, you want to see the COSPLAYERS And they were p-lentiful this year too. But to start with, I met the ohhhhh so ravishing Lexa Doig, who starred in Andromeda, joined the cast of Stargate SG-1 for it's last couple of seasons, and last seen on the short lived reimagining of V.
  
  
  
  And this bombshell was actually there to work, Marie Claude (Claude being her middle name, I can't remember her last name) a model/actress promoting the web series she stars in, heroesofthenorth.com, appearing as her alter ego, Hornet. But guess what? She does do cosplay also on her own free time. I saw this picture of her as a really HOT (ironically speaking) female version of Sub Zero.
  
  
  
  As you can see, she's very approachable...
  
  
  
  Until you ask for her number
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  THIS is the reason, the Avengers assemble
  
  
  
  
  
  This is based on Supergirl from the rebooted DC Universe, taking effect this month.
  
  
  
  Say what you will about black leather, I still like the Jim Balent design of Catwoman
  
  
  
  
  
  She can suckerpunch me any time
  
  
  
  
  
  Soviet Superman, gotta love it.
  
  
  
  
  
  I've always seen dudes dress up as Commander Shepard, how awesome to finally see a real live FemShep, and based on the new official one no less
  
  
  
  There's always gotta be Lara Crofts at these things 8)
  
  
  
  
  
  I wish she was around to accept the trophy for the last Lady of Gaming I did in 2007, when Tifa won it
  
  
  
  And even more Bioware goodness to follow
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Best. Costume. EVER
  
  
  

  • Posted Sep 6, 2011 6:35 pm GMT
  • Category: Fashion
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• 4Jul 11

  Summer Glau the next Lara Croft? She SHOULD be!

  At E3 we saw the rebirth of Tomb Raider in its radical new reboot. And as I'm sure many have heard on the grapevine, this reboot is happening on two fronts, both for the game series and movie series after Warner Bros. acquired the IP from Paramount a while back.
  
  And like the upcoming game, the movie is supposedly also reaching back in time to the pivotal moment in Lara's life, before she was a world renowned explorer & archaeologist, to witness the gruelling trials that transformed the inexperienced young girl into the bold adventurer we know her to be.
  
  Which then lead to one crucial question; which actress will portray this new younger vision of Lara Croft? One of the most controversial rumours to circulate the net less than 2 years ago, was that Megan Fox would assume the mantle from Angelina Jolie. As someone who's also been active on the Eidos forums for just under 3 years, I can tell you nothing sparked a crap storm quite like this. Most users there were in absolute outrage and were practically burning the rising starlet in effigy.
  
  Now if I was apprehensive about that news, the next rumour turned my blood to ice. The very prospect of my favourite video game heroin being massacred by the atrocious performance of Kim Kardashian made me want to plunge a rusty spoon into my eyes. Thankfully both rumours were immediately debunked by press releases from both actresses.... whew
  
  So who then should don the pony tail? From a considerable list of potentials out there, including Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway, Gemma Arterton, and Olivia Wilde to name a few prospects touted by various media sites, where still nothing is official or confirmed, there's one in particular I believe is just ideally suited for the role.
  
  And that's SUMMER GLAU! Best known for Firefly and Terminator: SCC, she meets much of the prerequisites the part calls for:
  
  As far as looks and the hotness factor goes, Summer's already got that locked down. No problems here She's already got extensive training in marksmanship and sword play that might come in handy for Lara. And Summer is more than looks and physical ability, she's got solid acting talent. Some of what she displays in Serenity demonstrates that she can deliver a performance with the emotional resonance this particular part will demand. Namely in the earlier scenes when Lara is first awakened to her new reality, cut off from her support and left to fend for herself, to experience the terror of uncertainty. In the beginning Lara should start out weak and vulnerable, but over the course of the journey, see her develop and grow in strength and purpose. Basically I see Summer as an actress capable giving the contrasting performance of the before and after Lara.
  
  As an added bonus Summer also has a background in dancing and gymnastics. While that may seem irrelevant I can see how that will translate into Lara's acrobatic skills, so that's another aspect to the physicality of Lara Croft. While it may not figure prominently in this chapter (still being young and before she could formerly train to have such skills), but looking long term across multiple movies, will be a valuable asset.
  
  So from looks, to acting talent, to physical skill, Summer Glau is the all in one package to pull of the best Lara seen on screen. And of course a blog like this is incomplete without pics 8)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  • Posted Jul 4, 2011 4:57 pm GMT
  • Category: Movies
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• 14Jun 11

  The Enduring Appeal of Lara Croft

  In a recent thread in System Wars, where the community was sharing its desktop wallpapers, as expected I had a few designs based on Lara Croft. It's no mystery to anybody who's been on the forums for at least a year that I'm one of the biggest fans of the character and her series, Tomb Raider. Though I gotta also give credit to Lto_thag and AAllxxjjnn on that front as well.
  
  So from this wallpaper sharing, some small discussion about Lara came about, and I was asked (not for the first time either) why I am so enamoured with Lara? What is so special about her? And don't get me wrong either. I still have my appreciation for several other female gaming characters, such as Samus, Kasumi, Joanna Dark, Jill Valentine, and Rayne, just to name a few. So what is it about Lara that keeps me coming back to her?
  
  Oh I know what you're all probably thinking already, "it's the boobs and skimpy outfits, isn't it Adobe?". PLEASE! Give me a little credit here There's more cleavage and skin to be had with the DOA cast, and I have yet to adorn a sig featuring any of those characters. Not that I ever complain about cleavage (hey, I AM a guy, lol), but even so I certainly do have more discerning tastes Is it how she personifies strength and courage in female protagonists? Again, such traits are found in most female leads, such as Samus and Joanna, also very awesome characters in my book.
  
  But where looks, intelligence, and strength are found in numerous female gaming characters, there is still one additional layer to Lara's personality, and that is culture and sophistication. While her image as a rugged explorer is commonly known, there is so much more. The Angelina Jolie movies got some aspects right, but they were focused on only 1, and kinda presented the character as a tomboy. But as anybody who's been playing the games for years will tell you, she is anything but. It should not be forgotten that Lara comes from an aristocratic background which is as much a part of her life as her exploration quests.
  
  So not only does she possess qualities of athletic hotness and strength, but also styIe and sophistication. While most people see just the outdoors explorer, Lara still embraces her aristocratic heritage, and can really carry herself with poise and styIe. Just see the video below. But even while she dresses herself in elegance and luxury, she's never a snob either. In fact another part of her charm is her down to earth and quite cheeky attitude. Lara's very British wit is a delight to see
  
  Best. Entrance. Ever.
  
  I guess what truly sets Lara apart from any other gaming heroin, is diversity. You take Samus for example, she's always in her combat gear. Same with Joanna Dark. Not that there's anything wrong with that mind you, they do look amazing in their outfits and can kick ass with styIe of their own. But with Lara, you can have an action hero, sultry vixen, and ravishing aristocrat, all at the same time. She's an expression of beauty, culture, wit, power, courage, and sophistication, all in one very alluring package. Granted it might not be a fair comparison, given the context and setting of Samus' world doesn't afford her variety in how she presents herself, but there you have it.
  
  Of course everything I deliberated on is based on the old TR games. This upcoming game is based entirely on the pivotal moment of her life that transformed her into what we know her to be today. It remains to be seen how many of those qualities will still be written into the new Lara's characterization. I do absolutely love the more realistic and natural human look to Lara in this re visioning of her character. It's to be expected that the continuity is a fresh start, and while I can accept that the bikinis won't make a return, I really do hope they keep the extravagant evening gowns, not only because she looked beautiful in that way, but again how it represented her cIassy and styIish side to her persona. For any reboot to be successful, a sense of familiarity must accompany the freshness that fans will still be able to identify Lara as Lara.
  
  So to wrap this up, a look at the many faces of Lara Croft
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  • Posted Jun 14, 2011 5:19 pm GMT
  • Category: Games
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