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E3 ‘06 NUFF SAID! DEAD OR ALIVE 4 GAMING WARS SCARY MOVIE 4 ICE AGE 2:
M O V I E S • M U S I C • G A M E S • A N I M E • C O M I C S • T E C H • R I D E S • FA S H I O N • & M O R E . . .
Plus: Summer Movie Blockbuster Checklist Marvel Comics Civil War and Spiderman 3 Toronto Fashion Week Photos
CONTENTS This
In ISSUE...
Publisher Arvell M.Jones
Associate Publishers Desmond C. Jones Paul Martin Darnell Sealie
After a two year wait Lara Croft is back in Legend just in time for E3 ‘06.
Editors Tiffany Welton Paul Martin
Copy Editor Kickin’-It with the cast of Scary Movie 4. This crazy dumb comedy flick is tons of fun. Microsoft vs Sony vs Nintendo! The next generation of wars has begun among the big 3 gaming companies.
DEPARTMENTS Editorial (E3 is back again!) .............................4 Movies (MI III, X3, Superman, Davinci Code) ..6 Whoop Ass (Chyna, Rodriguez, Brat, Bjork) ....7 Movie Reviews (The ATL, Ice Age 2 ) ............12 Fashion (Camila Mendes Model Interview)....14 Music (Milian, Les Nubians, Shakira) ............16 Rides (Performance World ‘06) .....................18 Tech Talk (DELL , Seagate, Netgear ) ...........19 Gaming (Dead or Alive 4, DragonQuest VIII) .24 Comics (Marvel Civil War/Comic Toys) ..........26 Television (Spike TV’s BLADE) ......................28 Anime (Final Fantasy VII) ..............................29 Photo Gallery (Toronto Fashion Week) ......... 31
Jim McFarlin
Website Editor Tiffany Welton
Writers Burton Carlson III Ken Cross James Fernandes DJ Big Kahuna Art Liebetuer Flash - Paul Martin Andre McGarrity Micheal Miner Greg Russel Darnell Sealiel Mani Syed Christopher Young
Photography Mani Syed
Marketing/Advertising Mike Sherrill Garrin Clark Garrett Clark www.decodemag.com
Decode © 2006. all rights reserved by Encode Media. P.O. Box 13158, Detroit, MI 48213, 313•875•4936. Decode is published 8 times a year. Editorial contributions can be submitted online or by mail with return postage. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of unsolicited art, photos, manuscripts, books, audio, or video cassettes, cd’s or dvd’s, Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission; request for permission must be made by mail in writing, must include a self-addressed stamped envelope and should be mailed to Encode Media at the address listed above. Decode is available free of charge at participating distributors. Subscriptions are available in the US and Canada for $16 for 8 issues. Printed in the USA by Mays Printing company. In Canada send enquiries to Box 271 Waterford Gate, Pickering, ON L1V-6N3, Canada 416•704•4776. Email editorial material to editor@decodemagazine.com. Sales and marketing email sales@decodemag.com. Website: www.decodemag.com
EDITORIAL BIG E3 QUESTIONS? E3 is back again! By Paul Martin & Ken Cross Welcome to one of our Gaming issues. Every year we hit E3 and we do a gaming issue to go along with the Big event. This year is no different. It's almost cliche to say that “This year is going to be the biggest/best E3 ever.” Yet this year really lives up to that storied cliche. Going into this year, the transition between currentgen and next-gen systems is in overdrive. Xbox 360 kicked things off last year, but all of the headlines still center on the current king Sony. When is Playstation 3 coming out? How much will it cost? Will the games REALLY look that good? Is Sony's online gaming going to be any good? If the talk isn't about Sony, then the rest of the headlines focus more on Nintendo's ultra-secret Revolution, with it's mind-blowing controller. So, you can understand why the statement “This'll be the biggest E3 blah blah blah, “ applies. So Make sure to check out our article in this issue on Platform Wars. Now let's give you a quick FAQ on this years E3, just in time for the big event. 1. When will the PS3 be out?! The question that makes GameStop's poor Sales Rep's ears bleed each time it's uttered. The big answer has come in many different forms (Spring 2006, Fall 2006, 2007) but the absolute answer won't be given until it's uttered by Sony themselves during their Annual E3 Press Conference. Sit tight just a little bit longer . . . the wait is almost over.
2. Sony's Online can't possibly compete with Microsoft's can it? Popular theory suggests that anything Sony comes up with, will pale in comparison to XBOX Live. Microsoft did an incredible job building an online community. I'll be the first to admit I scoffed at the idea of paying a company for their online service, but I understand now what we're paying for . . . an online experience free of cheaters. Sony would do well to take Microsoft's book and plagiarize it. Supposedly that's almost exactly what they are doing. More details will come out at the Press Conference. 3. What kind of games will Revolution have? Well, Revolution itself is such a closely guarded secret it makes speculating on what kind of games it'll have even harder. This question is easily answered like this: I Have No Frickin' Clue. 4. Where in the hell is Zelda? Good question. I've avoided buying a Gamecube all this time, but when I laid eyes on that game, I instantly resolved to buy a system just to play it! So Nintendo's constant push backs get more frustrating by the day. People want this game yesterday! Again . . . your guess is as good as mine. Expect your answer sometime around E3, possibly before the doors open for the event. There's loads more questions, but these are without doubt the most asked about. As soon as I know something, I'm going to give you my spin on what I'm hearin’. Until then get ready for the Biggest E3 yet!
GAMING ‘06’s MOST ANTICIPATED TITLES What’s in store for gammers! By Ken Cross Tomb Raider Legend Lady Lara Croft is back and she’s never looked better, breast reduction and all. No I mean it, she’s NEVER looked better! The character model for Ms. Croft looks sexier than ever now that she’s in the more capable hands of the designers at Crystal Dynamics (Legacy of Kain). One of the things they did was to make her more athletic, by redesigning her complete physique. To go with the new image is a new Tomb Raider Model Karima Adebibe. The early reviews on the new game have been glowing. This Tomb Raider game just might revitalize the series that’s been on it’s deathbed for past couple of years. Lara is set to vault right back to the top of the Videogame Vixen chart Final Fantasy XII FFXII is the most delayed title ever! For a game that was originally supposed to come out last year, Final Fantasy XII is still a hot title. Well, you could say that for just about any Final Fantasy game ever. This one takes you back to the world of Ivalice, that same world featured in Final Fantasy Tactics. Albeit at another time. This is the last FF game for the PS2, and it’s shaping up to be quite the game. The expected release date is now for the fall of this year.
MOVIES
WHOOP-ASS LIST CHICKS THAT KICK MAJOR ASS! Ass Kicking Time By Andre McGarrity
Last time we ran down the list of male celebrities that could really put a hurting on you. This time we give the lady ass-kickers the spotlight. However, now we're going from the most obvious to the least. “Chyna” Joanie Laurer Perhaps the most famous WWE female wrestler of the 90's, Chyna is impressive. At a chislled 5' 10' 165 lbs she held her own in the ring with men and women. Yeah, wrestling is “fake,” but the physical abuse they endure is no joke. She's been thrown through tables, taken chairs to the head and sent bodies flying out the ring for real. Add to that her, shall we say, unstable personality, an ass whoopin' is always a possibility for those who piss her off. Michelle Rodriguez One can't help but think that this go-to “tough chick” actress can really throw bows. She's just too convincing in movie and television roles. Ok, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino have made careers portraying tough guys on film when in real life they are pussycats, but there's something about Michelle Rodriguez that seems authentic. Aside from her take no $#!t attitude she trained five intense months in Brooklyn's Gleason's Gym for her break through role in Girl Fight, so she knows how to though a punch. Though we're pretty sure she knew how to throw a pretty good right before that. It's probably a good bet to assume that quite a few men have taken a right/left combo just to be close to the 5' 6" bombshell.
Shawntae “Da Brat” Harris Harris may only stand 5' 5", but she carries a big stick. Or knife, or gun or whatever she has concealed in those baggy jeans and throwback jersey. An authentic “hood rat” Da Brat has always been respected in the male dominated world of Hip-Hop, perhaps because she comes across as one of the boys (in da hood). Other than her pretty face, nothing about her is feminine; she is ready to pick up a broken bottle as a mic. Her appearance on VH1's Surreal Life proved that she is the real deal. When China Doll's ex-boyfriend (professional wrestler X-Pac) came to the surreal house to start static, Da Brat was the first one to grab the champagne bottle and tell him to get to steppin' or start eating glass. That's right, fellas she’s a cutter. Bjork We're not saying Bjork can really fight in any recognizable fighting style, but when provoked (or not really) the 5' 4” musician can get down and dirty with the best of them. If you want proof, ask the female reporter who got thrown around by her hair when she dared to say “Welcome to Bangkok” to Bjork when the eccentric singer/song writer was surrounded by paparazzi at an airport. It wasn't a particularly long or pretty fight, but the ferocity of it was impressive. She might not know how to fight, but she knows how to hurt you, and as freakishly artistic as she is, she'd be creative with it.
GAMING NINTENDO Revolution vs SONY PS3 vs Microsoft XBOX 360 By Micheal Miner The next generation of wars among the big three has begun. But are we being treated fairly with nothing short of spectacularly creative next generation games? Or have Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo sold their souls (if they have any) in exchange to create more technical pieces of metaphoric gold to bribe us of our hard earned money? It is much too early to make any solid predictions as to who will do what with the endless possibilities, but we can certainly discuss the future based on past experiences from the big three game makers. Microsoft recently announced their machine would be the most powerful
CALL OF DUTY 2 WW II is back! By Art Liebetuer & Darnell Sealie Publisher: Activision Developer: Infinity Ward Style: War Action Format: PC-ROM Call of Duty 2 is truly a classic! As we approach E3 we are doing an archival classic make-up on games that you have to have in your possession before the rush of the monster new releases at E3 2006. First off you‘ll notice that this game is still the same price as when it was released. Why? Because it is so good that it is in
next-generation system, but developers who have had the opportunity to work with both systems (PS3 & XBOX360) have concluded that the PS3 seems to be technically advanced, at least in terms of raw processing power. The XBOX 360 however, is still packed with mega-power and is probably the most flexible among the three consoles. The 360's ability to create an online community to which millions of gamers can challenge and compete with one another is the infancy of a new beginning with endless possibilities. The games
demand. This game is one to be reckoned with. If you are a World War II or action fan. Then this is the game for you. What separates this game from other World War II fighting games? First up the graphics are stellar. The guns, grenades and tanks are very authentic. Right down to the shaded rivets with scratches. The age of blocky BS backgrounds are gone. Hello to cinematic resolution game play! The cinematic
that are currently out for the platform are good performers, but none of them are great considering that most of them were rushed to meet the launch deadline and developers have not yet tapped into the full potential of the hardware. If, and I stress "if", the XBOX 360 can get enough exclusive titles, gain Japanese support, and integrate the online capabilities, Microsoft could very well win this next game war. The PS3 is unquestionably the most technically advanced of the three consoles, but will the human eye be able to detect any major significance in graphics compared to the XBOX 360? Some people argue Sony is placing too much emphasis on hardware, performance and compatibility with newer technology in which most people aren't familiar with as of yet. It all boils down to one thing, and one thing only, "GAMES". Of course Sony is no stranger to techno games. In fact, Sony has
dominated and held the majority of the mass m a r k e t because of t h e i r Japanese support, and the variety of great 3rd party games. Let's just hope Sony doesn't get too cocky and lose focus the way Nintendo did years ago and become the Mac of the 21st century. Nintendo became complacent and repetitive, reluctant to change what didn't need to be changed because at the time they had no need to (remember Apple), but the industry changed and Nintendo did not. Gamers were no
movie style of the game immerses you in the historic epic of World War II battles. Totally beautiful, if you can say that about demolished cities. The environments are awesome from the deserts of Africa to the great cities of war torn Russia. The graphics have so much depth that when you first enter the game your get lost in the beautiful scenery which is not a good thing to do because in doing so you get hit hard, looking around instead of fighting.
bombs is a rush!
On one of the missions you actually get a chance to bomb targets in a gunship. This is a World War II gaming dream. Dropping those
Second is the gameplay and the A.I., which are top notch. The A.I. really intensifies the battle and includes great battle chatter that actually relays important info during each of the missions. You have to listen close and work as a team with your squad. Also included are individual solider stories which offer a nice perspective. During gameplay you’ll find that there are some doors that you can't open unless you relay to your team your location to come and open it for you. You will fail missions if you don't learn to work with your squad.
GAMING (Continued from page 9)
longer interested in playing old school Mario, Zelda, Metroid, etc. Eventually those very same gamers grew up and they demanded more from the machines. Thus the rising interest of games like Halo and Grand Theft Auto became a reflection of a transitional phase which began a new standard for advancement in graphics and gamer challenges. The industry is evolving, reaching to a higher plateau as a rapidly growing number of people are becoming more accustomed to playing games online. Sony has yet to show any major concerns or interest in placing a great deal of emphasis on establishing an online community, their apathy, or arrogance like Steve Jobs twenty years ago, is showing. If Sony wants to stay in the game they must overcome this adolescent phase and reclaim the throne. Nintendo is probably the most original and unique among all three consoles. However the Nintendo
Revolution will be inferior to the XBOX360 and PS3 in terms of hardware power. It seems that Nintendo is more focused on creating high-quality games and also changing the way we play games. Nintendo has a profound identity with legendary video game characters like Mario and Zelda that define the heart of Nintendo. Do not underestimate Nintendo's potential. Commend them for their willingness not to compromise who they are as a company. Nintendo has always been responsible for being the first to produce revolutionary ideas in gaming. They were the first to produce a true 3d game (Mario 64). Companies like Sega, Sony, and Microsoft are still capitalizing off Nintendo's revolutionary ideas including the analog
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The only thing that could be better about this game is giving it the ability to roam away from the mission. The landscape is developed so well that it makes you want to go and check it out, but you are confined to the mission at hand. Next, the enemy replicator could be better as a number of enemies look the same at times. In the gunship mission it is great to drop the bombs and destroy targets but we'd like to actually fly the gunship. On the graphics side of things they got great cinematic gameplay, however the debris is limited we'd love to see a lot more debris and have it be more detailed in the next version! Image courtesy of Activision.
REVIEW REVIEW (Continued from page 10)
VIRTUA FIGHTER 5 Greatest fighting game ever! By Ken Cross Publisher: Sega Developer: Sega Style: Fighting Format: Arcade & PS3 Folks, I have an obsession. It's called Virtua Fighter (VF). I wasn't always afflicted with Virtua-itis, it was something that was thrust upon me after delving into SEGA's classic VF4 (and subsequently VF 4: Evolution) a few years back. My addiction has caused me to get immense joy out of continually playing a game that has since been devalued at retail shops to $5-10. What fuels this addiction is perhaps Virtua Fighter's main staple, and that’s a seemingly endless abyss of strategic depth. I can safely say that there’s no game ANYWHERE that uses only a 3-button configuration. It completely outclasses all others like Soul Calibur, Tekken and DOA where 4 button configurations are the norm. In every iteration of the series Sega manages to reinvent the game, whether it be graphically or by gameplay. Most reviewers in the industry have said that VF4 was possibly the best fighting game ever created. So how do you top that? Sega answers with Virtua Fighter 5 and boy is it ever good! Every character from VF4 is returning, including a sexy redesign for Vale Tudo fighter Vanessa. The characters have visibly aged and this is most apparent from looking at the hi-res shots of Shun Di and Lau Chan. Introduced into the mix this time are two interesting combatants, El Blaze
controller designed when the Nintendo 64 went into production. Nintendo may not win the market share in the current battle of tech, but they can and will forever take pride in being the groundbreakers to a new market, paving the way for Sony and Microsoft to gain a foothold in Nintendo territory. Sony and Microsoft have capitalized and dramatically improved on an idea created by "The One", Nintendo.
Image courtesy of Sega.
and Eileen. El Blaze is a Mexican Luchador style wrestler. He was created to give players a speedier alternative to the slow moving Wolf. El Blaze displays flashier moves like the Hurracarana and Sunset Flips taken from Rey Mysterio in the WWE. Eileen is a young girl who practices Monkey Style Kung-Fu. Much like Lion, who practices the Preying Mantis style Kung Fu, Eileen isn't going to overpower you in a match. Her edge comes from having an array of unorthodox strikes that confuse opponents. Early footage of Eileen showcases a lot of her unpredictable moves and clever throw animations. During one such sequence Eileen climbs on top of an opponents head, bashes down 3 or 4 times, then flips off, throwing the opponent to the ground in the process!
THE ATL. A generic teen love story! By Christopher Young
Part ‘Roll Bounce’ mixed in with a little bit of ‘The Wood’ comes ATL. ATL is a generic teen love story / comedy / drama saved by genuine charming performances and some very good humor. Southern hip-hop star Tip ‘T.I.’ Harris plays Rashad, an earnest, hard working high school senior trying
ICE AGE 2 More of the same! By Burton Carlson III
Images courtesy of 20th Century Fox.
Ice Age 2 continues the story of Manny the Mammoth (Ray Romano), Diego the sabertooth tiger (Dennis Leary) and Sid the Sloth (John Leguizamo). As the ice age is coming to an end the ensuing flood is threatening to kill everyone and everything in the valley. The gang has to make it to this mysterious boat at the end of the valley
desperately to keep his precocious little brother on a straight path, and maintain the household after their parents untimely death a few years back (as opposed to a ‘timely’ death). He is ‘assisted’ in this task by his lazy uncle George (Mykelti Williamson) who is also the boys’ legal guardian. Rashad also has three best friends, the upwardly mobile, Ivy league bound Esquire Jackie Brooklyn (Albert Daniels) and the ghetto fabulous, gold teeth sporting Teddy (Jason Weaver). Together they hang out at the diner, holler at the honeys, and practice their skating routines at the roller rink. When Rashad meets the super cute but super ghettofied New New, his life is starting to finally look up. But alas New New has a big secret. Add to that his brother Ant (Evan Ross Naess) is now starting to do some work for a local dope dealer Marcus (Big Boi from the super group Image courtesy of Warner Brothers.
to escape the flood. Manny, pretty much convinced he’s the last wooly mammoth in existence, can’t believe his good luck when on their journey he meets a female wooly named Ellie (Queen Latifah) who, unfortunately, was raised by possums and thus believes she is one too. It’s a perilous journey replete with adventures, pitfalls, and bad creatures along the way. The HUGE problem with ‘Meltdown’ is that it’s loaded with jokes that just aren’t funny. It could be that the jokes are poor, or maybe it’s the timing and delivery, but I think the main problem is that voice acting is flat and uninspired. Ray Romano’s signature deadpan delivery adds lifelessness to an already dull situation and Dennis Leary delivers his lines as if he’d much rather be somewhere else. Leguizamo is as lively as ever, but alas he’s getting very little support. Toss in a pair extreme sporting possums that provide more
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Outkast). Then things start to fall apart around Rashad. The ATL (that’s short for Atlanta for those who aren’t as Crunk as myself) doesn’t have an original plot line in it's ninety minute body. Written by Antwone Fisher who wrote, well… ‘Antwone Fisher’, and directed by newcomer Chris Robinson, the ATL is riddled with cliché’s, stereotypes and tired threads that have been done a thousand times before and done a whole lot better. What the ATL lacks in originality it more than makes up for in reality. The ATL’s dynamic lies in the easy charm of its star, Tip Harris, and the relationships of those around him. There is a natural flow and genuine warmth in the way the characters relate to one another. When the four friends take playful jabs at each other while at the local snack shack and by the public pool, you never get the feeling that any of their actions are (Continued from page 12)
distractions than comedy and you have Ice Age 2 in a nutshell. All is not lost though as the production values for this one are sky high, easily outdistancing the original in its graphic presentation. Great looking creatures, beautiful terrains, excellent lighting effects make this possibly the best looking 3D movie to date. The Squirrelly, ferret acorn hording thingy is consistently funny and probably should have a movie all to itself. The screener I attended also had a theater full of children who seemed to enjoy it
forced or contrived. You can tell that these conversations and situations have happened before, Probably involving these same young men as they pull it off effortlessly. Even Big Boi, who is given woefully little screen time, handles the character of Marcus with the ease and mischievousness of a corner numbers runner. Where else but the dirty south can a drug dealer brutalize someone for stealing his money then warn them in next breath not to tell his moma. Similar to Memphis in ‘Hustle and Flow’, Atlanta becomes a character in the film, so hot and sticky you practically need a fan to watch. Not a great movie by any stretch in terms of the plot and structure, but given life from it’s characters and the actors performances. The ATL gets a shaky recommendation from this reviewer, who’s hoping to see these great characters wind up somewhere else in a much better film. quite a bit. They didn’t necessarily laugh when they were supposed to, but laugh they did. And despite some inappropriate adult humor, this is largely a kid’s film, right? It’s for the kids right? He or she is going to pester you ‘till you take him to see it anyway and with no fewer than 15 or more 3D movies coming down the pipeline this year, it looks like it may a long 12 months ahead for you parents. I’ll take 3D kids movies that don’t suck for 800 Alex.
Trying to make it big! By Mani Syed Not your typical girl next door Camila Mendes is a beautiful aspiring model, and there are many out there. Just do a search on Google and you will find a good number of web sites with lots of models to look at. Well being a photographer I have the pleasure of shooting these lovely ladies as well as sitting down and actually talking to them. Decode: Camilla, how did you first get started? I won a beauty pageant when I was 8 years old, and the prize was a free portfolio. When I came to Canada, I'm originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil, I was approached by a scout while I was waiting at a bus stop. I didn't speak much English, and I was too short for runway work, and he suggested that I try another agency. I got a job as a scout with an agency until I realized that I really enjoyed posing for the pictures. D: Aside from winning that first beauty pageant, what are some of your highlights, and most memorable moments of being a model? While working at the agency, I met the coordinator of Dark Knights National, who asked me to be a spokes-model for his car team and the show. I did several shoots with them, as well as some promo work, It was really nice. D:Where do you get your modeling inspiration? I love Brazilian models; Brazil's very famous for fashion and modeling now I think they're very beautiful. I also love looking at pictures of Giselle Bunchden, and Caterina Lima. D: Where do you hope modeling will take you? Well, my true passion is photography. This is something I do as a pastime while I study photography. I enjoy modeling, and enjoy the pay. It helps pay for university and allows me to help my family. I look forward to finishing Next ďƒŚ
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school and having a profession. I have no misconceptions about being a model for the rest of my life. D: You are very beautiful, have you ever though of trying out for any Pageants? I have not. The only opportunities that have presented themselves here have been Bikini Contests and I'm not really interested in that.
own [that] I made myself at. http://camilamendes.cjb.net/ Do you have any hobbies aside from Photography and what things do you like? I like to write poetry and essays and I like Web design, and [lastly] Chocolate, I love chocolate.
D: What do you think about the show America's Next top model? To tell you the truth, I don't watch them. Actually I don't watch much television. What kind of Modeling do you like to do? Eg: Lifestyle, Art, Fashion, Swimsuit, Lingerie I like creative fashion, that's my favorite. I love that. D: What are your next steps? Well, I'm going to school for photography, but I also like web design. So I'm not really sure‌maybe I will combine the two. In the interim, I want to improve my English and then getting certified to teach English, assist other Brazilians arriving in Canada improve their English. Perhaps even take a year off to travel and the world and teach. D: What is your general opinion of the model web sites out there‌are they useful tools for models? I'm on a couple currently. I think they're useful tools for models. I had given up on modeling after working for a couple of agencies and not being treating very well. Another photographer had seen some of my photography work and self portraits, and suggested I try OneModelPlace. I posted a portfolio and have been busy ever since; every weekend I have two or three shoots now. D: Do you have a favorite website? I like ModelMayhem because it has more of a community feel. Outside of modeling sites, my favorite site is my Photos By Mani Syed.
Hip-Hop, R&B, Soul, Dance, Metal and everything in-between
CHRISTINA MILIAN So Amazin’ - By: Flash This Cuban-American was born in New Jersey but raised in Maryland. She made her acting debut at a very young age. She’s played a role in a children's musical, worked as junior journalist for Walt Disney, and has made a number of guest appearances on shows like Sister Sister, Clueless, and Charmed to name a few.
Christina has provided voice over work for the film A Bug’s Life and appeared in Be Cool (2005, with John Travolta & Uma Thurman), Man of the House (2005, with Tommy Lee Jones), Torque (2004, with Ice Cube and Dane Cook), Love Don’t Cost a Thing (2003, with Nick Cannon), and Durango Kids (1999, with Larry Drake).Milian is also set to appear in another movie this year, Pulse (2006) a horror mystery thriller directed by Jim Sonzero (War of the Angels), and based on Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Japanese film Kairo. The film is scheduled for a July release. Hey are we were talking about an actor here? Milian became seriously involved in music after singing on Ja Rule's "Between Me and You". Is Christina just another Disney Diva trying to do the
LES NUBIANS
Embrasse Moi! - By: DJ Kahuna
Their sound is one of soul, passion, magical embracing, and love. This love is undefined to the mind, body and soul. Let me take you on a adventure I know that the older sexy NEO-SOUL heads understand were this sound is going. But for you young dogs come and get an experience. What is the sound you ask? It is the sound of these two French Canadian/ Quebecois beautiful lovely and sexy ladies. What they are telling you to do is to take in the love and embrace it. Many of us in the musical world equate love with music. The beat and rhythm of the music is the passion and blood that drives us. The LES NUBIANS are just that love and intimacy a person looks for when they want to make dinner and lay next the
their love one in a make shift picnic in the front room, complete with candles and pillows. The LES NUBIANS single "EmbrasseMoi", gets a full 5.0 out of 5.0 because it is going to cut the ears on humans like a dog whistle to a pit bull. The Neo-Soul community will have no choice but to take notice of this.
Photo courtesy of lesnubians.com.
MUSIC singing and acting thing. This has been the formula of late. Let's see we’ve had Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Hillary Duff, Lindsay Lohan and Raven Simone. Christina is no newcomer to this game as her newest album “SO AMAZIN’” is the follow-up to “It’s About Time” (2004), Christina is a talented songwriter as well having put pen to pad on more than half the songs cowritten by her. Christina previously also co-wrote Jennifer Lopez' "Play" and PYT's "Same Ol Same Ol" Her first release off the new album “Say I” is a real club banger. Other tracks on the album that I rather enjoyed were “Twisted”, “Who’s Gonna Ride”, “So Amazin’” and “Just A Little Bit”. This new album shows a more mature seasoned Christina. Collaberations with Dre, Three Six Mafia and Young
Jeezy gives the album some flavour. The album was to be released April 28th but has been pushed back to May 16th to firm up tracks; late again, like her first album, but worth the wait this time. Singing and acting are passions that go hand in hand for Milian.
SHAKIRA Her Hips Truly Don’t Lie - By: Flash
Shakira's latest Album "ORAL FIXATION 2" has found it's way back up the charts once again after releasing the new single "Hips Don't Lie featuring Wyclef Jean". A very appropriate title for this sultry sexy Latin singer as her hips truly "Don't
Cover art courtesy of Sony BMG Music.
Lie" and they move like no man's business. If you have never seen Shakira you need to get out from under the rock you have been living under and peep the new video. Shakira has a universal appeal so there is something for everyone. Pick up this CD or download some tracks. Tracks I liked included "Hips Don't Lie" as this was one of the faster tracks on this album, also "Don't Bother", "Your Embrace", "La Tortura" and "Hey You". This album is the English Counterpart to the Spanish Hit Fijacion Oral 1 (2005). Shakira has set a new record being the first artist to debut two albums in the top 5 of the Billboard Charts in English and Spanish in the same year. Recently Shakira, came away with 5 awards from the '06 Billboard Latin Music Awards. Oral Fixation II gets 4 out of 5.
RIDEZ Over 600 top show cars & trucks! By Mani Syed Hot on the heels of the Canadian International Auto Show, a showcase primarily for Automotive Industry manufacturers, a massive three building, multihall exhibit, designed for industry to show-off what can be purchased and owned, the Performance World show allows enthusiasts to catch a glimpse of their peers' imagination, passion, and labours of love. In other words, this is the show to be at if you're a car, truck, or bike nut! The three day show really has something for everyone, and it's hard to miss the enthusiasm, passion, and pride that goes into each and every one of the 600+ top showcars and trucks displayed at the show. While each exhibitor secretly hopes to win some or all of the $50,000 in cash and awards, each is happy to have other like minded individuals from near and far, gawk and gaze at the results of their hard work.
fabrication of the body alone involved more than 4,000 hours of work!! And no, that doesn't include paint nor the interior and assembly. What's the coolest feature of this hot car? Well you could say it's the totally revised and fully machined Hilborn fuelinjected system that now puts out just under 700 horsepower, but for simpler people like me, it'd have to be the full colour camera discreetly mounted on the chassis which displays, on a DVD screen in the interior of the car, the view behind you. No more rearview mirrors!! And to round it all off, what car show would be complete without the beautiful ladies? The organizers of Performance World are keenly in tune with your needs, guys. You can check out our online gallery for pictures from the model search competition and the Lingerie show.
Let's take, for example, one of the big buzz exhibits at this year's show, Richard and Paige Udell's Instigator. On display for all three days, The Instigator has been a 25 year journey to get from concept to the final "polished and sophisticated" product that drew a lot of media attention; the Photos By Mani Syed.
TECH TALK...
BARRACUDA 7200 NETGEAR SPH101 750 GB Seagate hard drive By FlashI
WIFI Memory By Flash
Seagate Technology is pushing the capacity of its hard disk drives to the max. They introduced a new HUGE 750 GB hard drive. This new drive offers consumers of digital media more storage for their computers than ever before. The drive Seagate introduced, the Barracuda 7200.10, is the first computer desktop disk drive to hit the 750-gigabyte mark and represents a 50% increase from the previous industry maximum of 500 GB. For the hard drive industry, the capacity milestone pegs the biggest, fastest jump in its 50-year history.
Netgear's SPH101 Skype WiFi Phone uses computer-to-computer voice calls using Skype's free Voice over Internet Protocol called (VoIP) The phone can make Skype calls wherever you can find a WiFi connection, and no PC is required. Just roam around your hood and find all the suckers who haven’t secured their WIFI. The phone can manage your contact list, and forward calls to your mobile, landline, or other Skype accounts. Certified by Skype. the phone is priced at $249.99 US.
DECODING ...... DECODING The cast of Scary Movie 4 By Greg Russell Scary movie makes it's moniker by blatantly pointing out how obviously worthy the original source material is of being mocked. With lots of gross humor and dumb physical comedy, this is the story of Cindy Campbell (Anna Faris) who is trying to get over the loss of her husband George by taking a new job as a live-in caretaker. She soon learns that the house she's staying at is haunted by a vengeful ghost. never mind the fact that all of humanity is about to get wiped out by aliens. What's a girl to do? Mayhem and tom foolery ensue! If you laugh at the dumb and liked any other of the three "Scary Movies" then you're bound to find Scary Movie 4 even better. With some of the crud Hollywood puts out these days director David Zucker has plenty of material to choose from ensuring that the dumb comedy legacy of Scary Movie will never end. Let's see what Dave and the cast have to say about it shall we ? Decode: Anna you are back again as Cindy. She's just this great character now. And you look at her and first of all you know she's going to get hit in some way, shape, or form. Anna Faris: Yep, well, she deserves it sometimes. I mean she's a little bit‌ she's so sweet and naive and everything that's sometimes you just want to go poke. But, you know once again the fate of the world has been
placed in her hands and she has to save it, and it's a sad state of affairs I think when the world is trusting on Cindy Campbell to save it so. D: Like you said you've got everything in this movie. You got aliens ready to start another War of the Worlds. AF: I know. I'm still not quiet sure how it all fits together in the end and I was in the movie, but it has somehow combined The Village, Saw, War of the Worlds, uh Brokeback Mountain, current politics, um what else, little bit of Hustle and Flow. We like to have a dash every now and then of something. Yeah, and I think it's definitely a challenge for the writers to combine all these movies into one and have it make a tiny bit of sense.
The hottest Interviews with the stars. (Continued from page 20)
D: Actually, you're movie made more sense than some of the ones you were spoofing. AF: Well thank you for saying so. D: It's easier to follow along with. You can say, oh that's what they meant to do in the original Regina Hall: It is fun. We have so much fun going too. We have so much making the movie. It's always fun going back and working with Anna and working with the writers. You know it's a blessing. It's really… It kind of stands on its own, it's really specific so… Brenda's so specific so it's nice to be able to revisit her. Cause you don't get to play somebody's who's that “off” very often. (Laughs) D: Everybody is a little teetering on you know…. RH: Yeah, there just not. No ones quite right D: Right. Absolutely, and the king of it all is Leslie Nielson. RH: Who is so wrong! You know what I mean. He's so great and courageous, you know what I mean. Just in that…long days and Leslie's been working a long time and so committed, as you saw. You got to love it. Carmen Electra: I think Leslie would be considered the sex symbol of the movie, because he's the one that has the nude scene, which was good for me cause I didn't have to do it. D: I got to tell you though. The next time if there's a vote Carmen you get ours' for the nude scene! David Zucker: Leslie Nielson is always great and this time of course he's back with us as the president. There's something about Leslie because we put him in a dignified role makes it funnier. Yeah speaking in front of the UN and telling tasteless jokes. It went
off. He's about the only actor who could've pulled that off. To be that clueless to not know what's going on at that moment. D: Airplane, was the first time he ever did a movie like this and you're the guy who's credited with getting him in on this kind of career DZ: Yes, and interestingly enough it was a battle to get the studio to cast him and particularly our casting director said, “Leslie Nielson. No this is going to ruin his reputation. Don't you want to get Bill Murray or Chevy Chase?” But we said no, Leslie Nielson's going to be funny and luckily enough, he was. D: Yup. Like you said enough, he's been doing it for the past 26 years. DZ: And he found a new career. Partly because he's not only a good actor he's a smart actor. He gets the joke. D: The one to discuss is Anthony Anderson in the Brokeback Mountain DZ: Its' been part of our stock company. You know Anthony and Kevin they just work so well together. And then originally that was not in the movie, in the beginning but Brokeback Mountain came up really while we were shooting and so we did it on the fly. We had them do it [and] It's one of the funniest scenes in the movie.
DECODING ...... DECODING (Continued from page 21)
D: Now in Scary Movie 3 Brenda dies. RH: Well yeah. D: Yeah, we think. You never know. RH: Never know. She died in [Scary Movie] 2. No she died in [Scary Movie] 1. Yeah, she was stabbed to death! In a setting much like this one. I'm actually not comfortable right now [laughing]. AF: And originally in this movie, although it got cut, she was supposed to die again. D: Oh jeez! Again? AF: Yes, because they thought that's what you do with Brenda is you kill her and then bring her back. Um, but I think this time she gets to live and I think it's good. We do reference it when we first encounter each other in this movie I say, “Brenda I though you were dead. And she says something like I thought you were too.” D: Yep, that covered it. That took care of the whole thing. You didn't have to go into any in depth about what happened! AF: Yes D: Were you all at the screening last night? RH: Yeah I was, were you? D: Yes and I have to say the funniest thing was, out of all the things spoofed, when they came up with the one part about Detroit. RH: (laughing) Yeah? D: I swear there was like this onesecond pause and I felt all my friends turn around and look at me like is that okay, cause I am from Detroit. Yeah, it's a joke. Don't worry about it. RH: (Laughing) this is Detroit before the attack.
The only difference was the actual tripod, it's terrible I know. AF: Yes, sorry about that D: Oh that's okay! AF: But you have very good sense of humor we heard in Detroit and that's why we chose you. DZ: If I knew anybody from Detroit they would hate me. D: No. I do have to say that was the funniest part last night. DZ: Wasn't it funny? The audience laughed didn't they? They loved it. D: Honest to God, I'm looking around and as soon as that line came on they all just kind of went (making shocked a face). DZ: You know it's a tradition with us and Detroit since Kentucky Fried Movie. And ever since then it's like take them to Detroit. No! Anything but that! Whenever we need to do a joke on a city it's always Detroit [and] I have never been there. D: You've never been there? DZ: I don't think so D: You've got to come to Detroit! DZ: Yeah I should come to Detroit and give a speech D: Its funny seeing all the different movies spoofed through out the whole thing. But like you said everything is spoofed in this movie. RH: Everything is spoofed right, you don't take it personal. AF: Well you know I have to give you a little bit of history on that joke. Originally that joke was Brenda says “Oh I've been in Aruba for the last week,” and I say “Oh my gosh what happened, is there a white girl missing?” and she says “No there's an Ebola outbreak,” and I say “Oh thank god!” And that was the joke was
The hottest Interviews with the stars. (Continued from page 22)
that Cindy's priorities are askew. But our teenage audience, our test audience didn't understand Ebola. D: Oh, really? AF: Yes, so we had to change the whole thing and then, anyway so… D: [They were probably thinking] Ebola, he's on Atlantic Records isn't he? AF: Yes, exactly. And now poor Detroit gets a little beating. D: That's right anytime. You just laugh all the way through the movie. And you with all your physical comedy! AF: Oh, thank you. It's a challenge and I think that the great thing about these movies is that there's no pretension, we don't pretend to be anything but what we are and I think you just sort of go to the movies, you have a good 90 minutes of laughter and then you go home and you don't really have to think to much about it. D: Is there a movie that's old, new, or whatever that you would like to spoof? Anything ever come to mind where you're like, I'd like to do something funny on that one too? RH: Well, that's a good question. You know I never look at movies and think about spoofing them until I read the script from Scary Movie and I'm like, “Oh no! Oh no, they didn't do it again.” But there are a couple that I think about. I'm not going to name them just in case I do. D: Uh huh. So that will be the next movie, Regina's scary movie plots, or spoofed movies RH: I don't know. I've got to think on it. You have something there. You could have unleashed an idea. DZ: I'd probably Midway.
D: Oh really (laughing)! DZ: (laughing) Cause I've seen it many, many times and I'm always thinking of jokes. Mainly because I like it so I'm always trying to figure out which carriers attack which, you know. It's too complicated to figure out so I always though that was funny. D: There you go. That's great. On that note, Anna it's always a pleasure. AF: Thank you so much, maybe I'll see you for Super Ex-Girlfriend, which is coming out this summer. D: David a pleasure seeing you. And thank you very much! You need to come To Detroit. DZ: Okay, I will.
GAMING
Kick Ass Fighting! Hot Babes!
DEAD OR ALIVE 4 Next-gen fighting! By James Fernandes Publisher: Tecmo Developer: Team Ninja Style: Fighting Format: Xbox 360 Dead or Alive 4 arrives on the Xbox 360 with high-definition visuals, new characters and environments, and enhanced online play. DOA4 takes full advantage of the 360 utilizing its power for lush backgrounds, fluid character animations, and online play adds improved mechanics for an enjoyable experience for fighting fans to compete around the world! DOA4 is a solid fighter in which it is more of a bridge between technical fighters like Virtua Fighter and casual fighters such as Tekken. DOA4 relies more on counter-attacking and parrying in a system that is easy to pick up and play while offering a learning curve for advanced techniques. The controls are tight and game play moves very smooth. Environments play a key role adding more depth and strategy to fights. The graphics are gorgeous and the animation is seamless. DOA4 has the typical offerings in game modes including story, time attack, survival, and the mandatory sparring mode, as well as online play. There are plenty of unlockables as well to keep you playing, many of which are only
available through online play. DOA is like a sushi bar with roller skating girls serving musabi on the sushi It'll entertain you from sun up to sun DOWN!� With that said, DOA places more focus on entertaining game play more suited to a broad audience rather than to a niche crowd. Everyone, either casual or hardcore, will find a level of enjoyment with DOA4 giving an opportunity for anyone to pick it up and play. This is what makes it fun. 360 launch titles are sparse right now but make sure to include DOA4 in your library. Whether your playing online or just with your friends DOA4 will offer plenty of enjoyment for this new generation of gaming. Dead or Alive 4 is by far the best installment in the franchise and may likely be one of the best fighters to date. If you haven't strengthened your archive for Xbox 360 yet, you won't be disappointed in this classic !
Images courtesy of Tecmo LTD.
Get your gam on!
REVIEWS surviving hero.
In pursuit of the
Dhoulmagus, you will gather DRAGON QUEST VIII wicked your party whom also seek
Journey of the cursed king! By James Fernandes Publisher: Square Enix Developer: Level 5 Style: RPG Format: Playstation 2
This is what an RPG was and is supposed to be! Forget about flashy summon spells, wacky combat systems, and Hollywood cinema cut scenes. DQ8 brings the genre back to its roots and fundamentals. Character customization and exploration take emphasis here. Though you have set characters, you receive skill points which you can allocate to specific attributes and develop your party's strength to your own preference. This puts YOU in charge.. The landscape is vast and offers you the opportunity to go down the “path� or to explore your environment in which you may discover hidden enemies and valuable treasure. The visuals are impressive for the PS2 and the cell-shaded graphics resemble an anime as the character designs are those of Akira Toriyama (of Dragon Ball fame). The music is enchanting and captures the epic feel of the quest as composed by Koichi Sugiyama. The story involves a cursed kingdom whom the King and his daughter are grotesquely transformed, and a lone
vengeance. As you progress to track Dhoulmagus, an evil jester whose insanity is at the level of nefarious villains like Kefka and Sephiroth, you will visit many villages and kingdoms, and interact with numerous folks spread throughout the world. Game play will likely surpass 80 hours. Dragon Quest , unfortunately, has not been as successful here in the US as the Final Fantasy franchise. Dragon Quest leans more on the fundamentals of traditional game play and exploration and with that will demand more time. Battle time and backtracking are commonplace here and are likely only to hold the interest of hardcore RPG gamers. The story is strong and the voice acting is great albeit the silent hero concept. The story moves you into progression as you'll surely wish to catch Dhoulmagus and plot twists and story hooks will keep you in line to proceed through the tale. The classic mechanics of Dragon Quest VIII are just in time as RPG's have more or less gone away from the fundamentals. Other big name RPG franchises have moved more toward epic storylines and blockbuster cinematics while Dragon Quest brings us back to game play and exploration. After all, we ARE playing a game rather than watching a movie.
COMICS
Marvel, DC, Image, Indie’s and More...
Lines are drawn, it’s on! By Ken Cross The Day of M has utterly shattered the balance of the Marvel Universe. In the massive wake of what transpired after that fateful day, the fictional U.S. Government is drawing up a bill that will require any spandex-clad adventurer to register their real name with them, thereby letting the government off the hook for paying for the damages caused in those gigantic battles. The SuperHero Registration Act is simple, Sign up or be branded an outlaw. Imagine what would happen to Peter Parker if he had to reveal his identity to the government? It would turn his life upside down and that's just what Mark Millar has in mind. As mastermind behind this entire plot, Millar is weaving a story that threatens to divide the SuperHero AND SuperVillian Status Quo, and the New Avengers trio of SpiderMan, Captain America and Iron Man are right at the heart of the matter. Spidey's greatest fear could be realized. He would be helpless to prevent harm from coming to Mary Jane and Aunt May. J. Jonah Jameson would put his life through the wringer and every villian he's ever beaten would know exactly where to hurt him most.
Amazing Spider-Man #530 sees Tony Stark and Peter head to Capitol Hill to attend a hearing on the proposed SuperHero Act. The politicians they face seem more than determined to push this bill through regardless of the protestations offered by the two heroes in disguise. The ramifications from this bill will be felt in every corner of the planet and could split teams apart. Heroes and Villains could suddenly find themselves fighting on the same side. Marvel is continuing to up the ante in the ongoing creative war with DC and all of us as fans are the ultimate winners here. These stories are getting better and better. Images courtesy of Marvel Comics.
Marvel, DC, Image, Indie’s and More...
COMICS
Spiderman gets a new suit! By Flash Hey check it, Spidey’s got a new suit! No this is not the same as the last issue. What up? Last time we brought you Iron Spiderman. Peter’s NEW suit for the COMIC BOOKS. This time we bring you the new look of Spidey for the FILM. For the comic lovers you’ll remember Spiderman’s black suit courtesy the alien lifeform, which went on to become Venom. Is this saying anything for the villain line-up of the movie? It’s reported t h a t Ve n o m , S a n d m a n a n d Hobgoblin will star as the villains. Like the comics we’ll have to wait and see how long this change lasts before Peter dons the original red and blue costume again. I say by Spiderman 4. Nuff Said! Any bet takers?
Image courtesy of Sony Pictures.
TOYS - COMICS 17” GHOST RIDER This toy is based on designs from the upcoming movie. The Maquette is approximately 1:5 scale and stands roughly 17 inches tall. Each piece is hand cast and hand painted to exacting standards.Real metal details and chain have been utilized to complete the piece, and the flames are cast in a translucent material. Sideshow Collectibles has priced this at $199.99 US. The Rider will ship in the fourth quarter.
12” WOLVERINE Medicom Toy is set to release their new 12" Wolverine figure from X-Men: The Last Stand movie. This toy is from their Real Action Hero series, and is set to retail at about $169.99 US. You can expect this in stores in September 2006. Too bad it’s not in time for the movie launch
Image courtesy of Sideshow Collectibles
Image courtesy of Medicom Toy
TELEVISION BLADE TV
The vampire hunt continues! By Flash
BLADE is back but it returns without Wesley snipes, the actor that personified the BLADE character. Spike TV has backed a two-hour original drama, which marks the network's first foray into scripted entertainment. The show is scheduled to air in June. The Marvel comic book turned feature film trilogy, is now going to be turned into a two-hour TV movie that will most likely serve as a pilot for an ongoing series. David Goyer, who wrote the screenplays for the Blade trilogy as well as Batman Begins, serves as executive producer and also co-wrote the script with Geoff Johns. Peter O'Fallon serves as director. The show will largely take place after the time period of the Wesley Snipes movies. Apparently the films will not be a prerequisite for following the TV movie and the series. Here's how Spike TV describes it: "Blade focuses on Marvel's eponymous immortal warrior of the same name fighting a shadowy underworld of vampires who want to destroy the human race. The title character is a halfman, half-vampire who uses his incredible powers and skills to
fearlessly battle the demonic creatures of the night in a blooddrenched crusade to prevent the ascendance of vampires over mankind." The cast includes Kirk "Sticky" Jones as Blade, Jill Wagner as Krista, Neil Jackson, Nelson Lee and Jessica Gower. If the show does well in the ratings Spike is set to order up a full series run of 13 episodes. So ya’ll better help BLADE make the grade.
Images courtesy of Spike TV.
ANIME Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children By Kenan Cross A f t e r 4 LOOOONG years of waiting; the world will finally bear witness to the follow-up, of perhaps the greatest RPG, maybe the greatest story ever told in video game form. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children needs little introduction, having initially splashed on the screen last year in Japan. We're in America so this is more about the American rendition of what is clearly a masterpiece from the standpoint of video game art. Does it measure up against some of the other completely CG feature films? Well . . . . No, and it's not because it's not well done. If there's one thing you can never accuse SquareEnix of is sub-par CGI. Quite the contrary, the CG is some of the best ever. Yet having a beautiful looking film isn't going to cut the mustard here, in fact Square has been down this road before with the disastrous release of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Advent Children doesn't really shine in the plot department, and that is a direct result of following up a game that an entire generation has missed out on. Final Fantasy VII the game came out 10 years ago, and knowing the plot points of that game is essential to follow what's going on. Simply knowing some of the more well known characters in the video game history won't help you at all!
For the Otaku
Nearly two years have passed since the fateful battle between Cloud Strife and Sephiroth. We find Cloud running a delivery service along with Tifa Lockhart (nearly every FF fans object of affection). Ghosts from time passed creep up on them when the Geostigma infection breaks out, mucking up the lifestream. Three grey-haired punks are the cause of it all; using it in their quest to uncover the location of their "Mother" which we find is Jenova, the godlike being at the center of the FFVII game. Shinra comes calling on Cloud to deal with this new threat. Along the journey, old friends that viewers may or may not remember will appear to lend a hand, but the Spectre of Sephiroth follows Cloud like a shadow. Sadly, Advent Children only serves to prove that a Final Fantasy movie will never work as a stand-alone! As a series of movies however, it would probably flourish. The story would be positively mundane without the popular characters pushing it along. The music of Nobuo Uematsu is still second to none, but no amount of features, stunning animation, or great music could save this from being a bad movie. I'd recommend only those who've played Final Fantasy VII buy this film.
PHOTO GALLERY TORONTO FASHION WEEK
Photos By Mani Syed.
Decode recently dropped in on Toronto Fashion week and took a whole lot of pictures. For complete photo galleries check it out online.