Friday, August 5, 2016

11 Film and TV Coffee Shops You Can Visit for Real [Infographic]

By: Haylee Fisher (@haylee_fisher)

Coffee seems to be the lifeblood that makes our world go ’round. And coffee shops offer a warm and inviting place to relax and open up to a friend, or, if you’re lucky, a date. In movies and TV, the coffee shop often serves as and integral and iconic place that drives the plot and moves the characters. Whether it’s fancy and French like Café des Deux Moulins as seen in Amelie, or the casual Twede’s Café from Twin Peaks, a lot of coffee shops jump off the screen and entice viewers to visit. Luckily, NeoMam Studios and Darwin Escapes have teamed up to create an infographic mapping out just where a few of these famous coffee shops reside.

What is your favorite pop culture coffee shop?

X-film-and-tv-coffee-shops-you-can-visit-for-real-DV3


admin
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.thenerdmachine.com/11-film-and-tv-coffee-shops-you-can-visit-for-real-infographic/


Entertainment Earth

Mr. Robot 2.4 Recap

By Carolyn Deas (@carolyndeas)

Is it just me, or are these episodes of Mr. Robot getting better and better? Other than a few questions I still have – like WHERE IS TYRELL WELLINGTON?? – the story is coming along nicely. I think this week saw the smallest amount of screen time for Mr. Robot, too.

Spoilers ahead!

Have you ever wanted to know what the steps are to the perfect hack? You’re in luck. Elliot laid them out for us this week. First, you have to identify the target and magnify their flaws. Then, you build the malware and prepare for the attack. Finally, you simply write the script and suddenly, you own every phone that belongs to the FBI.

This is what Elliot’s plan is. And it’s so convenient because they have taken over an entire floor in the E Corp building. Darlene knows who to ask for help, but Elliot is wary. Getting Angela involved is not what he wants. Unfortunately, Darlene (as usual) does her own thing and approaches Angela about what her part in this would be. Because she works for E Corp, she’s the perfect person to send in. All she would have to do is drop a device that Darlene will give her on the floor and walk away. Darlene approaches Elliot later and says she wants in. The device she’ll have will get rid of the evidence for the hack. Elliot admits that he didn’t want to talk to her again until Mr. Robot was gone. But that still hasn’t happened.

Dominique DiPierro, FBI agent, gets sent to China. They’re looking for more information on the hack and the backups to the E Corp servers are located there. She flat out asks their minister what he knows about the Dark Army and Sir Minister didn’t seem happy about it. Later, when she is at a gathering with their hosts and her partners, she is drawn into a room that is filled with clocks. The minister finds her and explains how the clocks remind him of mortality. Then I got confused because he took her into another room and showed her a closet of dresses that he said belong to his sister (but we know that he likes wearing them himself). He then explains that in an alternate reality, things are far different than they are right now and none of this terrible stuff has happened. It seems like he wants to be in a different reality.

Meanwhile, Elliot is pretending to work on Ray’s site move, but is in fact working on his own follow-up plot against E Corp with Darlene. He talks to Ray and says he needs access to a database and begrudgingly, Ray lets him meet with his old IT guy (you know, the one that got beat up pretty bad by Ray and his cronies). When Elliot finally gets to meet with this guy, he’s still pretty beat up. He seems shy and timid and just wants to get the job over with. Elliot pushes him (silently, of course, because they have someone watching them) and finally knows what Ray’s website is about. It’s an invite-only site where people post girls for sale, weapons, and offer to be hit men. Elliot (as he should) doesn’t feel good about this. He thinks about it in his room later and is actually abducted by Ray’s gang. His kidnapper warns him that Elliot was told not to look into the site so now Elliot is getting beat up pretty bad, too. I can’t imagine what they did to the other guy.

For those of you that are like me and want to know where Tyrell is, the only evidence we have of him even being around is the packages he’s sending to his wife and son. This week they got a rattle. They’ve also been receiving phone calls where no one talks when they answer, and Kareem, the guy that worked at the hotel and was keeping their secret, was killed because he was starting to flake out.

This still doesn’t tell me where he is.

5/5


admin
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.thenerdmachine.com/mr-robot-2-4-recap/


Entertainment Earth

This Just Happened: The Queen of Atlantis Has Had Enough!

SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t yet read AQUAMAN #4 and don’t want to know what happens, stop reading this post now (spoilers ahead!)

Nicole Valdez
via DC Comics

http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2016/08/05/this-just-happened-the-queen-of-atlantis-has-had-enough


Entertainment Earth

Suicide Squad is Now in Theaters

The wait is finally over! Suicide Squad is now in theaters, so crank up some of your favorite classic rock and go get yourself a ticket.


DCE Editorial
via DC Comics

http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2016/08/05/suicide-squad-is-now-in-theaters


Entertainment Earth

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Logitech G633 Artemis Spectrum Headphones Review

By: Thomas Riccardi

One of the most important parts about any gaming experience is the ability to experience sound. Sounds are the cues that make you to an emotional wreck when a main character dies or makes you scream when a monster jumps out at you. But the sound you get from your games is only as good as the speakers or headphones that you have. The folks over at Logitech share this philosophy as they have made their newest headphones: the G633 Artemis Spectrum. But are these headphones worth the price or should you just stick with the ones you have now?

The most important quality of any headphones is the sound and that is where the Artemis Spectrum delivers. These headphones not only put out Dolby 7.1 surround sound, but DTS X Headset sound as well. The quality of the audio is absolutely amazing as you can experience everything from movies and music to your favorite games with these. Additionally, what sets apart these wired headphones from the G933 wireless is the ability to connect to many devices. The Artemis Spectrum has a detachable cord (which is great because my previous headphones didn’t have this feature and they both met an untimely end). You are given a choice between a 3.5mm jack and USB and with these two connections, you can literally hook these up to any device. From your PC to your mobile device and right into your home theater, these headphones can adapt and change to your personal needs without having to buy multiple headphones for each device. Also, these are noise-cancelling headphones, which offers the ability to drown out some of the background noise and gives you the full immersive experience in whatever you are doing.

This headset also comes with a noise-cancelling mic that folds into the headset for easy storage. When it is folded down, the mic is automatically active so you don’t have to look for a button to turn it on or off. Likewise, when it is folded back into place, it is automatically muted so as not to clutter up voice chat with an open mic. This allows you to focus on the task at hand and not to be distracted by what might be going on in the background.

One of the main factors – for me at least – with headphones has to be comfort. I was cursed with big ears and the ability to find over-the-ear headphones that fit and are comfortable to wear has been an uphill battle. When I got these headphones, I thought it was going to be the same struggle, but I was completely amazed on how comfortable they are to wear. This is great for gamers who love to broadcast on Twitch as they will be able to game for hours on end and not feel the need to take off these headphones.

You will also be able to control the headset with the Logitech Gaming Software that allows you to customize it to your liking. From being able to control the lighting to adding macro keys to make it easier to communicate with your team, this headset can do it all. It also allows you to program keys to send ASCII art in voice chat. Another great feature is that if you wanted to 3D print side panels for your Artemis Spectrum, you can do that too. Make some panels with your clan logo and watch as your headphones become as unique as you.

And what is best about these headphones is that they are affordable and deliver some of the best sound on the market. They retail for around $149.99, but I have found them cheaper through some online markets such as Newegg, which is selling them for $99.00. While this may sound a bit steep for just a pair of headphones, once you experience the quality of the sound and the ability to perform complex commands on the fly, you will wonder what you did without these.

With superior sound quality, deep customization options, and the ability to connect to multiple devices, it is plain to see that the G633 Artemis Spectrum are the headphones to get. They are perfect for everything from gaming to watching movies. For more information about this and other great products from Logitech, head over to gaming.logitech.com/ and get ready to experience some of the best sound of your life.


admin
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.thenerdmachine.com/logitech-g633-artemis-spectrum-headphones-review/


Entertainment Earth

Cosplay at 2016 SDCC and Nerd HQ

by Jaime Whittaker (@JaimeW912)

Welcome back to post con life, nerds! In this edition I’m sharing with you some of the fabulous SDCC & Nerd HQ Cosplay that I saw. BONUS: Stick around and you’ll get to see a cosplay photo shoot that I am featured in, captured by the talented Chris Cruz!

SDCC Cosplay

 

 

Check out this adorable Negan. Isn't his scowl just precious?

Check out this adorable Negan. Isn’t his scowl just precious?
Elder Luke looks rather smashing

Elder Luke looks rather smashing
Thor-Ronald McDonald (yes that's Mjorlnir made out of Chicken McNugget boxes...)

Thor-Ronald McDonald (yes that’s Mjorlnir made out of Chicken McNugget boxes…)
I'm honestly not sure what she is supposed to be but I loved her cosplay!

I’m honestly not sure what she is supposed to be but I loved her cosplay!
Indiana Jones & Willie Scott by Mad Lovers Cosplay

Indiana Jones & Willie Scott by Mad Lovers Cosplay
Cap and Taun taun

Cap and Taun taun
Ursula

Ursula
Queen Mira

Queen Mira
The Chef from The Little Mermaid

The Chef from The Little Mermaid
Ghostbusters and a litte StayPuft Marshmallow cutie!

Ghostbusters and a litte StayPuft Marshmallow cutie!
Astrid from How to Train your Dragon

Astrid from How to Train your Dragon
Jedi T-Rex (Photo by Jenine Lee caught while she was in line)

Jedi T-Rex (Photo by Jenine Lee caught while she was in line)
I can't get over this amazing Labyrinth Group! (Photo taken by Jenine Lee)

I can’t get over this amazing Labyrinth Group! (Photo taken by Jenine Lee)
I always look forward to seeing the puppets Jamie Bressler makes every year! Check out her website here. (Photo by Rachel Cheng)

I always look forward to seeing the puppets Jamie Bressler makes every year! Check out her website here. (Photo by Rachel Cheng)

And I just had to take a video of this cosplay in action:

Nerd HQ Cosplay

 

Jade from Mortal Kombat

Jade from Mortal Kombat
Sailor Saturn

Sailor Saturn

Our Cosplay Photo Shoot

Okay, you’ve been patient. Our nerd family group began planning our cosplay for 2016 before the 2015 con had even ended! We decided we all wanted to dress up as characters from Once Upon a Time. After planning and crafting all year, our group looked amazing! (Be on the look out next week for my recap on Conversations for a Cause with Jennifer Morrison from Nerd HQ!).

We were lucky enough to have our very own photo session with Nerdy Cruz. As always, he did an amazing job. Check out the photos below!

(All photos you see below were taken by Chris Cruz)

Rachel as Tinkerbell

Rachel as Tinkerbell
Michelle as Ariel

Michelle as Ariel
Jenine as Red Riding Hood

Jenine as Red Riding Hood
Laura as Snow White

Laura as Snow White
Roni as The Evil Queen

Roni as The Evil Queen
Rich as Captain Hook

Rich as Captain Hook
Myself as Emma Swan

Myself as Emma Swan
Our obligatory "gross couple" photo

Our obligatory “gross couple” photo
Group shot

Group shot

It was so much fun dressing up and our costumes were a really big hit! Let’s just say we had our pictures taken a lot that day. I can’t wait to see what next year’s group cosplay will bring…

Stay Nerdy, my friends!

~Jaime


admin
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.thenerdmachine.com/cosplay-at-2016-sdcc-and-nerd-hq/


Entertainment Earth

Wonder Woman Director Reviews Suicide Squad

Ever since the embargo dropped for Suicide Squad on Tuesday, the film has been getting ripped to shreds by professional critics. Currently sitting at 29% on Rotten Tomatoes, Suicide Squad is certainly not the film to reignite the DC Extended Universe. However, Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins disagreed with the negative press surrounding the film, calling it “awesome” and “great” in a series of tweets.

 
Suicide Squad seems to be creating the same critic/fan divide that Batman v Superman amassed back in March. Critics absolutely tore up that film, which ended up with a weak 27% on Rotten Tomatoes, but general audiences (including myself) took more of a liking to it. The film opened with $181m domestically, garnering nearly $900m worldwide, while Suicide Squad is on track for a $133m opening weekend, and with no big competition for the rest of the summer, it will have strong legs.

 

Regardless of whether it is good or not, Suicide Squad is the definition of an event film, and audiences will hopefully reserve their judgements until after they have seen it. I’m seeing it at 7:30 tonight, and I couldn’t be more excited. I’ll be sharing more of my thoughts throughout the next few weeks about the impact of the film and what it means for the future of the DCEU. Here are Patty’s thoughts, as well as other reactions.

Even the director of Marvel’s Doctor Strange defended the film against poor reviews:

 

 

Suicide Squad will be released tomorrow, August 5th. 

Wonder Woman will be released next June.


Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.thenerdmachine.com/wonder-woman-director-reviews-suicide-squad/


Entertainment Earth