Five Nights at Freddy's : The Movie

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Five Night’s at Freddy’s has taken the world by storm causing terrified gamers and viewers to create theories, fanart, fanfiction,and many other forms of appreciation and adoration for the franchise.  With Five Night’s at Freddy’s 4 just released and a Five Night’s at Freddy’s movie on the way, we’re treated to some tasty bits of information.

For starters, the FNAF movie will be directed by Gil Kenan who doesn't plan on using CGI for the iconic animatronics. Instead, he's taken up residence at Henson Creature Shop and plans to craft the characters there. Kenan will be using practical effects for this film to replicate the emotion we all had when we played the FNAF games: pure and utter terror.

Secondly, Kenan claims that this film will take place in multiple locations (possible starting from FNAF 4 (the pre-prequel) and working up to FNAF 3) and will focus on the lore of the franchise. He will be working alongside Scott Cawthon, the creator of FNAF, to ensure an accurate story that also runs its own path.

Thirdly, Kenan is a gigantic fan of the games. Therefore, he knows what he’ll be working with and what he’s getting into. He’s probably going to put every beat of his heart and every fragment of his soul into this production to make sure it won’t turn into another Super Mario Bros. failure flick. He wants to strike fear into our souls and make us jump just as the games have done many times before.

Personally, I hope this film includes the identity of Purple Guy, PhoneGuy, and the child from FNAF 4.  In the very least, I’d love to see an explanation for Purple Guy and maybe then we would finally get the answers we’ve been wanting for so long. Even the child from FNAF 4 and Phone Guy are interesting characters with thousands of theories regarding their identities. While we haven’t obtained much information on any of these characters and can only theorize, some clarity would be excellent; especially for Purple Guy.

Thank you for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to comment, critique, subscribe, and share.

So tell me, what would you like to see in the Five Nights at Freddy’s movie?

The 90s: A Nostalgic Roadtrip

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Most of you, like me, are 90s babies; babies that were born between 1990 and 1999 and distinctly remember everything about the era. We were the children of the dial up age who played Pokemon religiously while chewing Bubbalicious and establishing the iconic grunge look of the time. Apparently, the 90s aren’t over; with every passing month it seems that something from the 90s is either resurfacing out of love or being rebooted.

Here’s why it feels like the 90s:

9. Crystal Pepsi

Crystal Pepsi wasn’t that popular of a drink back then, but it is something everyone remembers.  Its distinct taste and translucent appearance was different from the regular Pepsi that we guzzled. Regardless, it was a drink of the 90s that people sampled and can easily recall.

8. Limited Too is Coming Back

Limited Too was the shop for all the popular kids and now it’s making a comeback. It closed back in 2008 and converted to the store, Justice, another tween shop. But now with the 90s returning, why not bring back a nostalgic store too?  Speaking of Limited Too….

7.  Fashion Repeats Itself

Chokers, the grunge look, jelly sandals, Doc Martens, biker jackets. You remember these fashion statements from the 90s and now they’re returning and looking better than ever.  I don’t know about you, fellow readers, but I’m going to grab myself a choker and a biker jacket.

6.  FF7 is Being Remade

The one wish of Final Fantasy fans everywhere is being granted in the future. As announced at this year’s E3, Final Fantasy 7 will be remade. When it will be released no one is certain, but it will be remade for the PS4 and promise everything the original game offered, including a crossdressing Cloud.

5. “Jurassic Park” is in Theaters

Well, more specifically “Jurassic World”, but it is a part of the famous franchise. Remember as a kid you were terrified and amazed by the life like dinosaurs invading your screen? You can now experience the wonder again in “Jurassic World” as velociraptors and t-rexes dominate the screen in all their fanged, roaring glory.

4. ”Digimon” is Making a Comeback

As mentioned in one of my older posts, this is the 15^th anniversary of “Digimon”.  To celebrate this commemorative occasion, we will be receiving “Digimon Tri” a continuation of the original “Digimon” series with the main cast as adults. It’ll be a six part theatrical release as opposed to a televised program, but it’s enough to get fans everywhere excited to see the original digi-destined.

3. Almost Every 90s Show is Coming Back

“Bill Nye the Science Guy”,” The Magic School Bus”, “Saved by the Bell”, and “Dawson’s Creek” are on Netflix.  Even “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is on ABC Family, providing us with enough action to dropkick a “Dragonball Z” episode.  In the future we’ll be receiving an updated television show of “The Powerpuff Girls” and a sequel series to the show “Full House” called “Fuller House”. We’re even getting a new “Muppets” show that will premiere on ABC this fall.

2. Backstreet Boys & Nysnc vs Zombies

Yes, this is an actual movie that is being made. Yes, Backstreet Boys and Nsync will be teaming up and fighting zombies in a futuristic western zombie apocalypse. It will be produced by Syfy and I swear as Arceus is my witness, I am not making this up.

1.  ”Space Jam 2” MIGHT be happening

“Space Jam”, the ultimate movie that embraced everything the 90s had to offer is getting a sequel starring Lebron James and the famous Looney Toons gang. While “Space Jam” was a great movie from my past, I can only hope that the sequel will have the same iconic theme song as the original movie. This only proves that if you really want to slam, you have to come to the jam. 

 Thanks for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to comment, share, subscribe, and critique.

So tell me, are you embracing the return of the 90s?

Shanghai Disneyland: Spring 2016

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

What’s a summer without a little magic? Each season seems to possess its own strange form of magic from the warm summer air to the wonder that bursts in our eyes when snow falls during winter. However, there’s one place in the world that oozes magic 365 days per year. That place is Walt Disney World, the home of dreams, hopes, and the endless possibilities where anything can happen. Florida is home to Walt Disney World while Disneylands reside in Japan, France, Hong Kong, California, and soon, Shanghai, China.

Just announced, Shanghai will have its own Disneyland theme park that will open in Spring 2016.

So what can we expect from Shanghai Disneyland? Well, it’ll have the main central hub that most Disneylands have where the castle resides in the middle and each branch leads to another section of the theme park. Adventure Isle, Tomorrowland, the Gardens of Imagination, Mickey Avenue, Fantasyland, and Treasure Cove have been unveiled.

Adventure Isle appears to be a mix of Animal Kingdom and Adventure Land. Based on the concept art it embraces waterfalls, volcanoes, and geysers, keeping true to the thrilling spirit of nature and adventure. Near the large waterfall appears to be stick like structures which remind me of the aesthetic for the Indiana Jones roller coaster in Disneyland Paris; perhaps this will appear in Shanghai’s Disneyland as well? The entrance to this land seems like a foreign, tribal village similar to the nature of Animal Kingdom’s layout. This village seems to stretch throughout the park and end next to the waterfall.  There will be bridges throughout this area as well as a “Tarzan” musical performance. With so much water in the area, there’s bound to be a river rapids ride.

 Tomorrowland sports a sleek, new look as opposed to the other Disneylands and will host a Tron light cycle ride similar to Coney Island’s Steeplechase. Judging on the concept art, there will also be a performance/dance area near the attraction and different levels to walk on. There will also be a ride with the Dumbo structure, but the car is floorless offering an adrenaline rush for riders.  The characters from “Big Hero 6” will also be roaming about the park and a Buzz Lightyear ride will also be on the premises.

Treasure Cove is a “Pirates of the Caribbean” section themed to fit the most notorious of pirates like Captain Jack Sparrow and Barbossa.  From what I can discern from the concept art it will have an overall pirate theme. There’s an island that appears to be shipwrecks of boats, which could serve as a playground. The two large buildings on the opposite sides of the area will probably serve as rides judging by their sizes. The middle area hidden behind the ship will most likely be a little shopping district with meet and greets by Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew. Here will be the prize of the Shanghai Disney design team, a “Pirates of the Caribbean” ride complete with the latest state of the art technology.

The Gardens of Imagination appear to be based off of “Mulan” which works well because China is known for having beautiful gardens and botany.  The carousel will also reside here and it appears to be based off of the iconic merry go round from “Mary Poppins” and have its own uniquely designed horses.  The Dumbo ride will also be in this location of the park as well as the Wandering Moon Teahouse.

Mickey Avenue will act as the park’s Main Street USA, complete with shops and other novelties. However, it appears that it will be a different design from the other Main Streets; shifting from Walt’s design and venturing into dome buildings with balconies. There will also be Tsum Tsum merchandise sold and characters dressed in formal Shanghai attire throughout this section.

Fantasyland will feature the Seven Dwarves Mine Train and a ride called Voyage to the Crystal Grotto which will run beneath the castle based off the one from “Snow White”.  However, from what I can discern from the video, it appears that there will also be an attraction based on Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland”. Judging by the colorful concept art and outfit (:39), it appears that there will be something based on either “Tangled” or “Hunchback of Notre Dame”; the outfit could be something inspired by “Lilo and Stitch”. The spinning thing also shown at :39 appears to be a honey pot, which could mean a possible “Winnie the Pooh” ride. There’s also a quick glimpse of a pirate ship (:45) similar to the famous “Peter Pan” ride in the other parks, which means that attraction could definitely be appearing at this Disneyland as well.

Other rumors pertaining to this new Disneyland involve guests being able to meet the characters of “Star Wars” and observe some of the film’s iconic props, meeting all of the princesses, engaging in a cinematic Luke Skywalker experience, interacting with a Marvel based attraction where customers can attend a mission briefing and meet Iron Man, Spider Man, and possibly other superheroes. Lodgings will include a hotel entirely devoted to  ”Toy Story” and a Shanghai Disneyland themed hotel.  

What’s interesting about this particular Disneyland is that it replicates Hong Kong Disneyland in the sense in which it stays to the land’s cultural roots.  For example, Shanghai Disneyland will feature a Mandarin version of “The Lion King” show in Disneytown, a shopping district adjacent to the theme park styled in Shanghai’s traditional Shikumen architecture. This architectural design could appear in other parts of the park, such as Mickey Avenue. Another example of keeping true to the culture is that there will be a section called the Garden of Twelve Friends, where the twelve Chinese zodiac symbols will be re-imagined as twelve Disney and Pixar characters.

Thanks for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to share, comment, critique, and subscribe.

So tell me, what are you excited to see in Shanghai Disneyland?

Game Over: Satoru Iwata

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

What does it mean to lose an iconic piece of your childhood? Someone who crafted so amazingly crafted games that brought everyone together. Games like Pokemon Stadium, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, Super Mario Bros, Super Smash Brothers Melee, Earthbound, and so many others. How can you say goodbye to the very man who wove your childhood together with these classic games and transformed you into the person you are today?

Well, it’s not easy, but most goodbyes never are. On July 11, 2015 Satoru Iwata, the president of Nintendo, passed away due to a bile duct growth. The bile duct has affected Iwata before, causing him to miss conventions like E3 2014, and to endure surgery to remove a tumor in his bile duct. However, it wasn’t enough; the bile duct growth grew immensely within the year and ultimately took his life at the young age of fifty five. No symptoms were detected prior to the notice of the growth when his doctors examined it only months ago.

Iwata was known for his work with electronic gaming devices from Nintendo and even as far back as his childhood. Born on December 6^th, 1959 in Sapporo, Japan, Iwata took an immediate liking to video games. He liked them so much so that he produced electronic games during his high school years.  These games were nothing more than simple number games on a calculator, but they were enough to entertain his classmates. Knowing what it took to make others smile by means of electronic gaming, Iwata pursued a computer science major at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. During his time at college, Iwata freelanced for HAL Laboratory, a game production company that collaborated with Nintendo, and was an unpaid intern at Commodore Japan working with various software and technical development.

Once Iwata graduated from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, he proceeded to join HAL Laboratory as the company coordinator of software production in 1983. Some projects he worked on were Balloon Fight, a few Kirby games, and Earthbound. Iwata was promoted to president of the company ten years later when HAL Laboratory declared bankruptcy.  In this position, Iwata helped the company get back on its feet and stabilized its finances. From there on, he assisted in developing Pokemon Gold and Silver, Pokemon Stadium, and even helped found Creatures, Inc.

In 2000, Iwata received Hiroshi Yamauchi’s blessing to take over Nintendo as president and Iwata immediately took the position while acting as a counselor at HAL Laboratory. Yamauchi was the president of Nintendo and retiring when he gave Iwata the offer. Nintendo wasn’t doing so well during this period, even with the release of the Gamecube. Iwata sought out to fix this by making games and game consoles that would appeal to everyone. Iwata had taken the Gameboy and transformed it into the DS and even pushed for the development of the Wii; both consoles proved highly successful for the company.  Iwata even helped Nintendo to increase its public relations with fans everywhere by branching out into social media and creating Nintendo Direct and Iwata Asks. These two Internet series allowed fans to understand what was happening with the company, game releases, and different promotions.  He also worked on different Mario series, Legend of Zelda games, and the Animal Crossing franchise.

By far, I believe Iwata’s greatest feat would have to be him cutting his salary in half just to keep Nintendo afloat in the world against competitors like Sony and Microsoft. Nintendo’s finances had terribly dropped in 2009, but with this man’s sliced salary, it was able to rise and take the world by storm once more. For a man to do such a wondrous action takes initiative, devotion, loyalty, and strength.  It’s not a common situation when a man lays his own hard earned money on the line just to see his company succeed. In a way, it’s like a parent raising their child by selflessly sacrificing luxuries and paychecks just to see them grow in life.

Satoru Iwata will be a man missed not only by gamers and Nintendo, but by other gaming companies like Sega. Some game companies refused to post anything on their social media in respect to Iwata’s sudden death. To even add to the man’s tragic farewell, a rainbow appeared over the Nintendo Headquarters with many saying that it was Iwata riding the Rainbow Road to Heaven.

As a gamer and admirer of Iwata’s works and noble feats, I will terribly miss the man who crafted my childhood of spending hours in front of the television and Gameboy, training my Pokemon to take on the Elite Four, battling my friends in Super Smash Bros Melee, and having possibly, the best time of my life. Farewell Satoru Iwata, you will be sorely missed by many and eternally remembered as the man who did so much and understood what it meant to be a gamer. Thank you for understanding and not only creating some of the best memories from my childhood, but a part of who I am.

Thank you for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to share, comment, subscribe, and critique.

So tell me, what’s your favorite Nintendo game?

SDCC 2015: Dawn of the First Day

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Today is the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year. No, no, not Christmas, not Halloween, not even Thanksgiving. Instead, it’s the San Diego Comic Con held in southern California. The San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) is the mecca of all things geeky, nerdy, and pop culture. It’s a melting pot, culminating with many fandoms, cosplays, and enough merchandise to make Santa cringe.

Here’s why everyone wants to be at this sacramental event of all things geeky.

1.The Celebrities

Benedict Cumberbatch, Elijah Wood, Markiplier, Bill Murray, and so many other wonderful performers will be at this year’s SDCC. They will be there for panels, Q&A sessions, autograph and photograph opportunities, and to promote future, wondrous content.

2.The Sneak Peeks

Speaking of which, we have received a new “Doctor Who” trailer in which the Doctor rocks out on a fender guitar, Missy and Clara return, there are new locations underwater and in some strange world, the Zygrons and Daleks are back, and there’s a young woman who asks the Doctor (or ‘old man’ as she calls him) what took him so long; could this possibly be the Doctor’s daughter? She looks much different, but she does have the time lord gene. Regardless, this only just a snippet of what SDCC will show us.

So far we’ve only seen a picture of the upcoming “Sherlock” special, but there will be panels regarding other shows such as “Supergirl”, ”Orphan Black”, “Ash vs Evil Dead”, and so many others.   

3. The Vendors

The Oatmeal, Karen Hallion, recognize these names? These are some iconic Internet artists who have spoken the truth to us through fanart and original work. They will be at SDCC in their respective booths alongside Thinkgeek, Cyanide & Happiness, and other wonderful exhibitors. The only downside to this is making sure you don’t drain your bank account and your wallet.


4. The Cosplays

Cosplaying is an art form that anyone can participate in. There have been tons of outfits that have inspired fans, motivated people to enter the world of cosplay, and artistic versions of beloved characters. In the past, we have seen beautiful almost immaculate cosplays. Here’s hoping we see many more for this year’s SDCC.



5. Exclusive Merchandise

Every year, SDCC unleashes unique merchandise that can only be found at the con or online at a higher price (depending where you go).  So far there’s the limited edition Snoopy flying ace figure, World of Warcraft plushies and figures, Saturday Night Live’s Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as action figures, and much more.

Thanks for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to share, comment, critique, and subscribe.

So tell me, what would you do at San Diego Comic Con?

Goosebumps: The Movie

Good evening  everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

I apologize for the rather late entry, something unexpected arose yesterday and by the time I was finished with it, it was too late and I didn't write anything for the blog. Anyway, without further ado, here is the belated entry.

Remember how Hollywood is remaking all of your favorite childhood classics or turning things you loved so dearly into movies? “Ghostbusters”, ”Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”, and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” are just to name a few, but now we can add “Goosebumps” to the list.

“Goosebumps” was a seemingly endless book series written by R.L.Stine. Having read “Goosebumps” from time to time, the book was written in the horror genre to promote fears of the unusual and otherworldly type. My favorite books of the series in particular were ‘Choose Your Death’ stories where you followed a main plot that offered you different options. For example, the book I read sent the reader into the Medieval Era and every so often a page would instruct you to turn to various pages to receive different outcomes. I think I wore those books out because you would never obtain the same outcome.

Eventually the book series turned into a television series. It was a pretty decent series, but it didn’t last for long and afterward, only popped up in October on select stations. We now have a movie debuting this October that seems to go off on its own, avoiding the eerie mood that the books had initially sparked.

From what we can tell about this new “Goosebumps” trailer, a new boy moves into town and him and his friend help their neighbor who is in trouble. When they go to help her, they discover that someone has a raging obsession for “Goosebumps” because there’s a ton of manuscripts in the basement pertaining to iconic monsters from the book series. One of the kids accidentally opens a manuscript and a monster pops out. Many more creatures emerge from the manuscripts once they are opened and soon, the entire town is surrounded by these nefarious beings. The characters set out to capture the monsters and return them to their manuscripts.

To be frank, this isn’t the “Goosebumps” I grew up with and rather, it appears to be more of a comedy/supernatural movie as opposed to the horror based genre it was initially set in. Yes, it did have its supernatural themes at times, but it was more so a collection of horror stories intended to instill some fear into its readers.  The idea of monsters emerging from a book is something bizarre and magical, but despite using all of the “Goosebumps” creatures, it really doesn’t feel or look like a “Goosebumps” movie to me.

It honestly makes me wonder why exactly Hollywood is remaking our childhood past times and why they aren’t doing the best that they can with them. It’s Hollywood, it’s cranked out incredible movies such as “Gone With the Wind”, “The Blues Brothers”, and so many others. Why is it when it comes to things we mostly love and adore, Hollywood just seems to be treating them terribly?

Thanks for reading tonight’s entry. If you liked it, feel free to share, comment, critique, and subscribe.

So tell me, what do you think of the “Goosebumps” trailer?

A Glimpse Into a Dawn of Justice

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Superheroes are quickly dominating the cinema and who are we to complain as long as the story is amazing, the characters are true to themselves, and the effects are incredible. So far we’ve had the Avengers and the “Guardians of the Galaxy”, but come 2016 a certain dark knight will do battle with the man of steel.

On March 25, 2016, we are getting “Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice” in theaters everywhere. The story will be that Batman feels threatened by Superman’s power and status and pays him a visit. While the two proceed to fight, something sinister and dark arises from the depths.  As this new evil emerges and the heroes battle, the world begins to wonder what type of hero it needs. Does it need the vigilante, mysterious Batman or does it need the friendly, heroic Superman?

Now some people are already giving this movie some flak for the fact that they cast Ben Affleck as Batman and recast Henry Cavill as Superman. But in spite of these two actors, we have Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Aquaman (Arthur Curry), Lois Lane (Amy Adams),The Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) joining the movie. While these sound like great parts, will these professionals be able to perform them well? Furthermore, with all these heroes in one movie, will the film culminate into an all out brawl? The idea seems awesome and maybe it’ll change the fans’ minds of the casting choices.

Speaking of the cast, some of photos of the film’s production were released today. There’s even a picture of Diane Prince (Wonder Woman) interacting with Bruce Wayne (Batman) at some sort of high class, formal event. This signifies that at some point they will cross each other’s paths as civilians. We also have a glimpse of Lex Luthor with a full head of hair despite prior photos showcasing him with no hair. This means at some point throughout the movie he will lose his hair.

Given what the photographs reveal, I may see this movie because as much as I like Marvel, I also like Batman, Cyborg, and Wonder Woman. I’m not too fond of Ben Affleck playing Batman because I just don’t see him filling the role and taking on that hilarious, but strange deep voice that Christian Bale portrayed. But I could be completely mistaken and Affleck could persuade me otherwise. I’m also not a big fan of Superman, but I am curious to see what this film offers.

Thank you for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to subscribe, share, comment, and critique.

So tell me, are you hyped for “Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice” and why?