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WoW Moviewatch: The Second Cataclysm!
Work Warning: There's some mild cursing in here, but nothing terribly crazy. Nixxiom Machinima over on Youtube is known primarily for films that border on the absurdly bizarre -- they're weird as all get out, but they leave you laughing from the sheer weird flavor of it all. The Second Cataclysm is no exception to this, offering an odd little story of inexplicable ... well, you'll just have to watch it and see. An Azeroth-themed riff on an old Klay World cartoon titled Glass of Water, Second Cataclysm delivers all the absurdity of the original with Azeroth characters playing the parts. The soundtrack adds a nice touch, the film itself is well done, and the good-natured poking at Varian Wrynn, as well as an unexpected and brief Thrall cameo, were more than enough to keep me laughing. 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 to Win at Nostalgia
I have yet to see a machinima by Wowcrendor I didn't like. That said, How to Win at Nostalgia is pretty much a highlight reel of the best of Wowcrendor's videos all rolled up into one delightful package. While most of the material is re-used content, it's all the stuff I loved in one hysterical montage, and even included some things I'd forgotten about, like the heartwarming journey of Edward the Earth Root. It's four minutes of everything I love about Wowcrendor, which makes it feel a little like one of those best-of compilation album commercials, but it absolutely works here. I think the best part about the video isn't the material included -- which is stellar, mind you -- but the immediate realization that some of my personal favorites weren't included, which led to a prompt revisit to Wowcrendor's massive archive of machinima. Check out the video, and if you like what you've seen, it might be time to go-go-go back and take a look at Wowcrendor's entire scope of work to remind yourself how far he's come, and how funny he is. 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: Children of Stone
It's a special kind of "teaser trailer" that features original 3D graphics and clocks in at 5 minutes. That's more than a teaser; that's full blown movie in some corners of the machinima world. And while I'm eager to see the final video, I had plenty of fun with Xim Voodoo's Children of Stone trailer. Most of the characters look great, of course, though it can be a little disconcerting to see the rich, cluttered world of WoW turned into smooth 3D angles. Still, I think the story will be what really drives the final product, and we're eager to see 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: 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: Lowbies: The Great Boost
It's hard to believe that Slightly Impressive is already up to episode 5 of Lowbies. When the guild master gets distracted by pet battles, the group of Lowbies need to tackle the decision whether to boost themselves up to level 90. As you might expect from a comedy series, all does not go according to plan. I think it's interesting that Griffter uses this video as a way to highlight some unexpected drawbacks to boosting a character. Presented with dozens of new buttons and skills, an eternal lowbie might not even know what to do at max level! Also, training can be problematic. And fishing. Fishing is always a problem. 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: What Are NPCs Thinking 5
What Are NPCs Thinking 5 is the latest installment in the secret thoughts of Azeroth's most overlooked characters. Once again narrated by the incredible Wowcrendor, this series just keeps getting better. With sly references to other games and plenty of jokes, this video also introduces the newest superhero to WoW: Totem-Arm! He's got an arm that's also a totem that's also his arm! I think fanfic is probably right around the corner. If you want a few minutes of giggles and good spirits, make sure you hit up What Are NPCs Thinking 5. 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: Back to Outland
Did you like Back to Northrend? If so, then you can go back to Kakio with Back to Outland. It's essentially the same concept, but executed in Outland instead. Similar to what I said with Back to Northrend, this new video is really starting to show the growth of Kakio's skills. Still some trouble with voice acting, but you can really feel the improvement. Great job, and nice work! 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: Back to Northrend
Kakio's new movie attempts to fills us in to the recent events back in Northrend. What's going on in the icy north? According to Back to Northrend, it's mostly a bunch of mobs standing around telling bad jokes. Which, frankly, I'm totally okay with. This video is a little bit of a paradox. On one hand, I found myself enjoying the jokes, the timing, and even most of the narration. The animation was just fine, made up of in-game graphics. The challenge is the vocal recording. That Death Knight-like echo was pretty distracting, and took away from the overall enjoyment of the parody. Still, it's pretty good stuff, and a step in the right direction for Kakio. 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: Seven Devils
Seven Devils from Youtube user Time-Lost Productions tells a fairly simple tale -- a city is destroyed, and the lone survivor returns to survey the damage, complete with flashbacks to the city's destruction. While the in-game footage used in the films isn't the best from a graphics quality standpoint, the narrative of this particular music video is strong. And in a strange way, the rough graphics work for the video, going along with the gritty theme of the story itself. The soundtrack, a suitably haunting piece from Florence and the Machine, also ties into the darker narrative, and the overall effect is a suitably haunting, grim piece. I'm a fan of the plaguelands in general, so the spooky, haunting tone really worked for me. 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: Breath of Life
Breath of Life is a breath of fresh air. Nan the Mistweaver's new music video falls somewhere between an epic, narrative drama and sheer operatic amazingness. Her mastery of the animation itself is impressive, even if the special effects were a teensy bit heavy in places. The music selection was spot on. (Like you could go wrong with Florence and the Machines.) And to back all that up, Nan took the time to piece together a classic, WoW plot among multiple races, factions, and hearts. Breath of Life represents a rare kind of machinima we don't see very often these days, and I'm going to be a fan for a long, long time. Make sure to leave her a comment and let her know what you think. 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: Darkness Falls
Darkness Falls from ChadStein Productions is not your typical machinima video. Described as a "tribute to Mists of Pandaria," the machinima uses nearly every cinematic found in the expansion, both in-game and out, rather than the character manipulation we usually see. Set to a suitably epic soundtrack, the whole presentation really gives the viewer the sense of the story and themes behind Mists of Pandaria -- and it has been anything but light and fluffy. While it's not the usual in-game footage we're used to, the quick cuts and sweeping soundtrack of Darkness Falls do an excellent job of conveying that darker tone, all the while highlighting the amazing material that the cinematics team has put together over the course of the expansion. It might not be your usual machinima, but I really like it, not only as a fitting tribute to the cinematics of Mists of Pandaria, but to the darker side of what Pandaria had to offer. 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
What do you get when you mix World of Warcraft and Disney? Sheer madness, and the above video from SilverLetomi entitled Garrosh. Letomi is already well known for her singing, but here she manages to pull off something I never thought I'd hear and do a perfectly pleasing rendition of a goblin singing an ode of devotion to everyone's favorite Warchief. Well, the goblin's favorite Warchief. The Kor'kron's favorite Warchief? Look, someone had to have liked him at some point, right? Featuring a machinima created by Khayllys, Garrosh does a fine job pulling off a parody of one of my favorite Disney films with a Warcraft twist. The song and the Warchief fit together disturbingly well, which has me wondering what on earth took so long for someone to do it? Give it a watch, you won't be disappointed. And who knows, you might just have another dozen reasons to punch the Warchief in the face next reset. 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: Burning Crusade The Movie
Let me tell you about this guy named Jack. Jack makes some of the absolute best movie compilations of kill videos that I have ever seen, and probably ever will see. The pinnacle for me was always the movie shown above, simply titled Burning Crusade The Movie. It's not just about the stunning visuals, it's also about the clever use of in-game sound files from various NPCs in order to tell the tale. It's a long video, but it's well worth watching -- not only for the nostalgia factor, but because it has gotten me even more ridiculously excited to see Warlords of Draenor and a return to an Outland that isn't really Outland at all. Jack has done a crazy amount of WoW movies over the years. You can check out his Youtube channel for movies dating all the way back to the original vanilla 40-player version of Naxxramas. Sadly, we haven't seen any Mists-related content from Jack, and I don't know if we will at this point. But Burning Crusade The Movie remains one of my favorite kill-compilation videos to date, and it's always worth a re-watch.
WoW Moviewatch: The Raid Boss
Every wondered what's going through that raid boss's mind? I mean, here's a pack of Alliance or Horde heroes who comes storming into your bedroom, shouting and screaming and generally making a mess of things. It's no wonder the odd raid boss gets cranky about the whole thing. After all, what was Marrowgar doing that was so bad? He was standing there. Chilling. Well, Slightly Impressive is giving a voice to the unheard in The Raid Boss. As a bonus, it features the cutest raid boss to ever murglglglgle. Perhaps Garrosh will learn a little something. 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: This We Will Defend
This We Will Defend is a new guild video by the Tauren Marines, featuring their very own "Avengers Assemble!" moment. It reminds me a lot of the opening to Slashdance vs Ulduar, that isn't completely a fair comparison. This We Will Defend definitely has the right feel and you get the sense of these folks' incredible pride in their faction. Since the video was made from in-game footage, the rough spots in animation are easily forgiveable; this kind of excitement and joy in the game is the point of fan films. Great job, and go hoof some butt! 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: Death Knight Love Story
And now for something radically different and incredibly awesome. Created as a project of passion by Hugh Hancock - one of the pioneers of machinima -- using Avatar-style motion capture, featuring voice acting by Hollywood actors, Death Knight Love Story is probably one of the most epic fan films every conceived. The video runs about 20 minutes long, and it's the only first installment. The voice acting is superb, of course, but the imagination and story itself are both remarkable. Make sure you schedule some time to watch it; this is the machinima folks will be talking about for a while. 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: Grounded
Mooclucking put forth the effort to characterize the essential love changes to the game brings out in the playerbase. I know when I hear some troubling news, I immediately throw my computer down the mountainside. I then bury my game discs in a shallow grave, and carefully salt the earth around it so that nothing can grow. Or, maybe, I take some time to chill out and see what the game will actually be like. You know, one of those two things. That's because I keep my emotions Grounded in reality. 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: Mists of Pandaria in a Minute
Did you somehow manage to miss an expire expansion? If so, don't worry about it. Wowcrendor will get you caught up to speed with Mists of Pandaria in a Minute. It's a little like vicious satire of the game or a vicious satire of the players or maybe just a hilarious look at the last year of WoW. Frankly, you need to watch this video just for the sake of the Blingtron Rap. That's the moment we've all been waiting for. 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: Hello Heartache
Killer Cookie's back with a music video, filled with gorgeous animation, creative text artistry, and plenty of dancing elves. I'll admit that I wasn't familiar with the song, so I had no idea what I was getting into. At first, I was dreading another dancing elf video. Which, I suppose to be fair, Hello Heartache certainly is. But we don't see that kind of thing as often these days and Killer Cookie provided so much care, detail, and vision to the video that I don't mind. The only drawback to the video is that I think the story could have been telegraphed a little more clearly. The narrative is certainly there, but I still found myself wanting more. The video is so beautiful that I just wanted more. 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.
Death Knight love story casts actors Brian Blessed, Joanna Lumley and more
Okay, guys, look - I could talk about how Death Knight Love Story is a fan film, machinima made with some decidedly interesting talent behind the scenes. Created by Hugh Hancock of Strange Company, (who's been making machinima since 1997) who also created Machinima.com (a little website you may have heard of) it's an ambitious project using motion capture in addition to in-game assets, and it has voice acting from people you'll have heard of like Joanna Lumley of Absolutely Fabulous fame, Anna Chancellor (BAFTA award winner) and Jack Davenport (Commander Norrington in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies). But the real reason I just about leapt at the chance to post this is the picture above, because that's Brian Blessed playing Arthas. So yeah, I'm pretty much there for this. Check out Death Knight Love Story for yourself.