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Must See HDTV (October 14th - 20th)
Pacific Rim is finally coming home on Blu-ray and in 3D, complete with a special effects showcase ready to give your A/V system a proper workout. Directed by Guillermo del Toro it's visually one of the most impressive movies we've ever seen, and is accompanied this week by the release of Weird Science and Orson Welles' The Stranger. Otherwise, Netflix makes a dip into stand-up comedy with a new series and special from Russell Peters available for streaming, while the MLB playoffs rage on with the AL and NL championship series. Look after the break for our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and gaming.
Movie Gadget Friday: Weird Science
Ariel Waldman contributes Movie Gadget Friday, where she highlights the lovable and lame gadgets from the world of cinema. We last left off on the cyberpunk streets of LA in Strange Days. This week, in honor of the loss of the man behind so many 1980's icons, Movie Gadget Friday is paying homage to filmmaker John Hughes with a look into the 1985 cult-classic Weird Science. Tapping into the geek-fiction fantasies of most tinkering teenagers, real-life gadget specs are stretched to surreal capabilities to create the ultimate female bombshell. It's without surprise that the character's name, Lisa, was inspired by the Apple Lisa, Apple's first GUI computer.
Sega Genesis wireless controller hack brings back that lovin' feeling
Seeing games like Streets of Rage and Gunstar Heroes released on the Virtual Console has been a dream come true for Genesis enthusiasts, but there's something inauthentic about playing these titles with controllers forged by Sega's former adversary. It's like getting back together with an old lover, only to find that there's something missing.You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips.And there's no tenderness like before in your fingertips.You're trying hard not to show it. But baby, baby I know it...Daniel Hearn refused to let his relationship with the Mega Drive slip away, hacking an old three-button pad to work with the Nintendo Wii wirelessly. Using similar NES/SNES controller mods as inspiration, he pieced this together with PIC microcontrollers, an iPod mini replacement battery, and other electronic junk. The detailed guide and wiring instructions that Daniel posted are far beyond our limited abilites, but if you don't mind applying a bit of Weird Science to win your love back, this definitely looks worth trying!
