Evan Goldberg
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The Interview: 2014's most infamous film isn't great, but it's important
Let's face it, The Interview would have had to be nothing short of a masterpiece to justify all of the drama around its release. Well, it's not -- but it's not a terrible movie either. The comedy about the assassination of Kim Jong-un prompted terrorist attack threats from hackers (and North Korea itself, according to the FBI), which led to a sudden cancellation by Sony Pictures and a response from President Obama. But in the end, it's just another slacker bro-fest entry from Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg (Rogen's writing and directing partner), and James Franco. You'll probably laugh a bit, as I did, if you're a fan of their schtick. But if you can't stand anything by these guys, this movie won't change your mind. At the same time, it's clear that the story around The Interview will continue to be one of the most fascinating media tales well into 2015.
Read up on how Sega tried to out-cool Nintendo in the '90s
While many of us could tell the story of Nintendo vs Sega to our grandchildren as though it were an actual battle, sometimes it's best to look at things through another's more impartial eyes. Thankfully, author Blake J. Harris has documented the fight between Sega and Nintendo in his book Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation, available starting today. There's plenty of insider information and interviews with high-level executives detailing Sega's uphill battle against its infamous rival, and Harris himself analyzes the situation as one similar to a children's tale. "A central thesis of the book is the story of the tortoise and the hare," Harris told the BBC. "Sega came on the scene and were very flashy - they certainly put an emphasis on style. Nintendo was more focused on gameplay, game development and less so on marketing." The book has already been greenlit for a film adaptation produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who give the book's foreword. Rogen and Goldberg most recently produced the film Neighbors, as well as last year's This Is The End. [Image: Sega]
Story of Nintendo vs. Sega coming to the movies
Hollywood is turning the bitter battle of bits between Nintendo and Sega into a feature film. Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation, an upcoming book by Blake J. Harris, attempts to outline the biggest video game rivalry of the '90s. Through backchannels and behind-the-scenes accounts, Harris' book chronicles Sega's rise from a stalled arcade company to direct competitor in a period when Nintendo dominated the industry. Sony acquired domain name rights in August, 2012. Oddly enough, Trident Media Group broke news on November 28, 2012 that Sony Pictures had acquired the rights to the book, and that prominent writing team Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (This is the End, Superbad) had already been attached to write and direct the film. That same day in November, both Rogen and Goldberg tweeted about their involvement, yet news outlets missed the scoop. (Turkey Day comas, most likely.) Scott Rudin, who helped produce Moneyball and The Social Network, has been signed on to produce Sony's adaptation of Console Wars, and author Blake J. Harris will serve as executive producer. Harris is also working on his own version of a film for Console Wars – a documentary. Console Wars will be released on paperback and eBooks on May 13, 2014 in the US, and in August in the UK. [Image: Blake J. Harris]
