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WoW Moviewatch: That's the World of Warcraft That You Play
In our revisiting of classic WoW machinima, we couldn't skip Ian Beckman's Weird Al parody, That's the World of Warcraft That You Play. Beckman's made two versions of this, and while the original (from the dark ages of 2006) holds a special place in the nostalgia center of our hearts, this updated version (from the less dark ages of 2013) includes commentary on all of the game's current classes. Despite their age, however, both videos are still surprisingly relevant to gamers today... but, hey, that's just the World of Warcraft that we all play. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Garrosh and the Chopper
Did anyone see the Matthew McConaughey Lincoln commercial and not think about Warlords of Draenor's crazy time travel plot? McConaughey's unfocused rambling could refer to a lot of things, but any sci-fi fan has to stop and wonder "Wait, are we talking about time travel? Is Matthew McConaughey a time-traveller now?" You know who else is a time traveller? Garrosh Hellscream. And when Ian Beckman combines McConaughey's (slightly altered) monologue with machinima, it works perfectly to tell the character's story. And maybe sell choppers. We're not really sure how that part works. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: How the Warlords Stole Christmas
If you're not already completely bah-humbuging the holiday season, you'll want to Warcraft-style machinima take on How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Ian Beckman. Writing rhymes that make sense can be a real challenge -- and having to match those rhymes to a well-known original must be even more difficult. But How the Warlords Stole Christmas pulls the feat off beautifully: Every hero on Azeroth liked the feast of Winter Veil a lot But the Warlords who lived through the portal on Draenor did not! The Warlords hated Winter Veil! The whole Winter Veil creation! So many heroes would get new gear from the expansion. It could be, perhaps, that their XP was too low It could be then that their talent specs blow But I think that the most likely reason of all May have been that their DPS was two sizes too small. For the rest, we recommend checking out the video itself. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: The Force Awakens
We've all seen the new Star Wars trailer and, with Blizzard's help, started wondering just what an Azerothian interpretation of the film might be like. However, Ian Beckman's taken the idea even further with a WoW machinima timed to the original trailer's sound and dialog. And the finished product manages to hold together the plot surprisingly well, from Gorehowl (with mini-Gorehowl crossguards) replacing the infamous lightsaber to Khadgar on a rocket replacing the Millennium Falcon. My only complaint: where are the gnomes and goblins?! This high-tech crossover universe was sadly lacking all of Azeroth's engineering talent... much like actual Warcraft trailers. Oh well. While we're still waiting for the goblins and gnomes to have their day, we can enjoy this machinima. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Five Nights at UBRS
I haven't personally played Five Nights at Freddy's -- partially due to time constraints, partially because I'm not the world's biggest fan of hunkering down in front of the computer for a pleasant evening of deliberately scaring the heck out of myself. But I've watched enough streams of people playing the game that Ian Beckman's latest machinima, Five Nights at UBRS, immediately had me laughing right off the bat. Sure, it was just a short clip, and in comparison to his other works the editing and video were pretty simplistic, but he nailed the parody, and that's really all that counts here. This also seems like it's going to be the first in a string of game parody videos, and Ian's taking suggestions for what people would like to see next. Personally, I think if he's going to shoot for the horror genre, I'd love to see what he could do with Silent Hill. But then I wouldn't mind seeing some non-horror games in the mix, either -- a parody of Animal Crossing featuring garrisons, anyone? What do you guys want to see? Be sure to visit Ian's Youtube channel and leave your suggestions. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Work, Work
Working for a living is rough, even if you're an orc. You've still got to deal with alarm clocks, public transportation, and dodging traffic to get to your office door, even if you happen to work for Blizzard Entertainment. The latest from Ian Beckman is a nice mix of machinima and live footage showing an orc facing all of the life challenges we unfortunate humans have to deal with (plus the trouble of finding an apartment with orc-sized doors). Though the video is short and to the point, the combination works beautifully and reminds me of the scene in Who Framed Roger Rabbit where Eddie wanders off-set at the studio to find cartoon characters bustling about to work done alongside their human co-workers. Now that I've seen this video, I'm convinced the actual Blizzard Entertainment offices are the same. You can't convince me they aren't! Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Warlords Anonymous
Warlords Anonymous is the latest from Ian Beckman. You may recognize other voices in the mix -- WoWCrendor is the voice of Durotan, for example. The models used in Warlords Anonymous really make it clear how immense the difference is between older and more recent character models. Gul'dan is a real eyesore compared to Durotan, Blackhand, and so on. Considering the machinima's subject matter, I'm not sure we could have possibly timed the discussion in today's Queue better. You tried, Durotan. You tried and that's what matters.
WoW Moviewatch: Like Father, Like Son
Like Father, Like Son is the latest revelation of wit from master machinimator, Ian Beckman. It's a lighthearted romp through the world of Azeroth with Garrosh and Daddy Hellscream. It looks like the two chaps finally get together. As you might expect, the reunited orcs spend quality time together by looting, pillaging, and beating up a certain green skinned nogoodnik. Ian really masters the tone of this video with his usual aplomb. I kept expecting a discrete punchline but in retrospect, it's the surreality of the two Hellscreams flouncing about that makes the video hilarious. Take the time to check the video out; it's work safe! Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Heroes of the Storm Developer Diary: Arthas
Creating a game presents no small task. Programming, design, dialogue, and game balance represent only small portions of the work. You also have to deal with licensing, actors, and egomaniacal undead rulers. That's probably why Ian Beckman released Heroes of the Storm Developer Diary: Arthas. With this video, we get an unedited look behind the curtain to see what it took to get Arthas into the arena. I think the revelation about his role in Frozen is the most important. After all, of all the WoW characters, I think Arthas could fit the Disney heroic arc the best. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Hearthstone: This Means War
That master of comedy, Ian Beckman, returns with a sarcastic take on everyone's favorite online card game. In Hearthstone: This Means War, we take a moment to contemplate exactly how fierce doing battle via collectible virtual cards really is. I mean, come on. It's just a card game, right? This is the kind of video Beckman excels at. A few moments of metaphorical introspective humor and then a quick jab to the gut of our collective zeitgeist. Also, funny voices. What's not to love? Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Flappy Mounts
While I'm not sure World of Warcraft really needs this kind of feature, but I guess Ian Beckman thinks so. After all, what would add to the addictive nature of Azeroth like Flappy Mounts? I think what's more impressive than just the idea is how well Beckman translated the game into this machinima. This is actually a fairly convincing version of Flappy Bird, and would probably be a lot more fun than the dozens of rip-offs in the app stores. I guess if I'm going to play something derivative of the original game, I'd want to play it in WoW. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: RoboGuard
The gnomes are on the edge of a technological solution, and PvP is worse than ever before. So when the NPCs receive an upgrade courtesy of Ian Beckman and Jesse Cox, we get the chance to enjoy RoboGuard. I'm pretty sure this version is just as valid as any other remake hitting the cinemas. My favorite parts are actually the scenes leading up to RoboGuard's big reveal. The final punchline is pretty good, but wouldn't have RoboGuard been that much more explosive is created by goblins instead? The world may never know. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Trailer for Burning Crusades 2
This might not be the expansion we deserve, but it's the expansion we need right now. Ian Beckman revisits the Outland with this shocking trailer for Burning Crusades 2. That first one was just a setback, we guess. I feel like I should make a preparedness joke here, but I think that's pretty well covered in the trailer. The return of Illidan and Kael'thas, as voiced by the incredible Ian Beckman, is probably the most exciting part of this trailer. Many of us fell in love with Beckman's comedic talents through these characters, and it's always nice to see them make a return to the screen. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: KMRLC Murloc Radio
Work Warning: There is cursing in this video. There's something innately hilarious about the idea of a Murloc talk radio host. Maybe it's just frustration at the level of discourse in modern media, but I found the fishy host to be incredibly believable. To wit: I could completely see this happening. This feels real, man. It also feels hilarious. Take a few seconds to watch KMRLC from Ian Beckman. You won't regret it. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Commercial Parody
The positive side of this video is that it's hilarious, a spot-on parody, pitch perfect for the characters, and another fine example of brilliant work by Ian Beckman. The down side is that I can say nearly nothing about the video (outside gushing praise) without giving away the whole thing. Short videos like these are great for comedic punchlines, since they don't waste time on filler. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: That's the World of Warcraft That You Play! v2
It's been a while since Ian Beckman's original That's the World of Warcraft That You Play! v2 was released into the wild. It swiftly became a fan favorite. But like I said: it's been a while. So Beckman returned to the song and gave it up an update to the game we play now. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Written By You!
I'm not even sure what to make of this video. Apparently, Mr. Beckman took a strong of comments wherein the audience wrote a story for them... and pieced it together into a machinima. Frankly, he did an astounding job. I'm not sure whether to consider the tale of MrDevilPants (as Written By You!) a neo-tragedy, or perhaps a classical comedic arc. MrDevilPants represents more than just the hollowed, ennui-filled player seeking out his place in Azeroth. MrDevilPants is an everyman, a stand-in for the individual trapped in the modern world. Also, keep an eye out for the cameo. It goes quick but it's worth it. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Guards 3
Work Warning: Lots of cursing and vaguely adult themes. A touch on the adult side. Ian Beckman is a man who delivers. Whether it's a surprising range of comedic voice acting or solid graphics that deliver the funny, his machinima always serves up more than a few laughs. Guards 3 continues to lampoon COPS in this wild World of Warcraft. I like how the small vignette turns into a larger story, and I'll admit the final bit was my favorite. Whether that's because I harbor my own angst about the king, or just because it was the most straightforward joke, the utter defeat of the villain serves as warning to anyone who gets a name wrong. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Transmog Shop (NSFW)
Warning: This video is Not Safe For Work. There's some occasional cursing and Princess Theradas flaunting her Willendorfer assets for several seconds. I'm always excited to see new work from renowned machinima artist Ian Beckman. Mind you, I'm a bit biased since the two of us are acquainted (we briefly attended the same university -- he made me choke on my drink once while doing his Azerothian Super Villains Akama voice). Today's video is a parody of the song Thrift Shop by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, featuring Wanz. The parody tells the story of a goblin on his quest to look awesome using vanilla tier gear and transmogrification. As a machinima parody the piece certainly does its job in recreating the original song and music video, but it's definitely not Beckman's best parody. The lyrics don't really capture the original, lacking both the fun humor of Macklemore's rap lyrics, and the energy and clarity of Wanz's chorus. In regards to the latter point, I think this is part to Beckman doing his best to imitate Wanz's deep vocals but not quite being suited for it. Pulling in another singer to do the part probably would have made it better. I'm probably being a bit unfair in my critique though, simply because I'm so familiar with Beckman's work. If this was produced by some no name machinima artist I'd probably be perfectly happy with it. You also have to consider what an incredibly difficult song Thrift Shop is to parody, with its many layers of instruments and vocals. Beckman certainly nails the distinct sound of the original and that's no small feat. I really do love the concept of this parody, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that Beckman might keep working on it to fine tune some of the shortcomings. As an afterthought, I have to say I enjoy how this video clip fits in with the rest of Beckman's work. He's been playing since vanilla and it's always interesting to see how that inspires his present day work, like That's the World of Warcraft That I Used To Play. Transmog Shop gives off a similar vibe to Beckman's Gotye parody, using a new WoW feature to harken back to the old. It offers a nice contrast to other popular machinima and parody artists whose works tend to only reflect the current expansion. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Warcraft Babies Ep 3
Work Warning: Adult themes, language, and such. Ian Beckman released the third episode of Warcraft Babies. If you liked the previous installments, you'll like this one. The machinima is another episode of parody-filled jokes, situation comedy, and more than a little off-color humor. Your mileage will vary according to your tolerance for that kind of thing. I'm continually impressed by the quality of these videos. With some astounding voice acting, solid scripting, and pretty good graphics, Warcraft Babies remains a flagship machinima series. That's expected from Beckman, who is one of the legendary names in our near-decade of WoW fan film history, but Warcraft Babies is a good northern star to set your ship by. Whether or not it's your kind of humor, this is the kind of quality I wish we saw more often. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
