wow-moviewatch
Latest
WoW Moviewatch: Max Payne Noir Undercity - Chapter 1.
Warning: Long movie is long!While I'm clearly a WoW junkie nowadays, I wasn't always that way. On the list of games which defined my life as a geek, the classic "Max Payne" was top among them. That detective-noir feel and epic "Bullet Time" just went a long, long way to blazing a permanent fondness across my skull. So, you might be able to imagine my excitement when Varath released Max Payne Noir Undercity - Chapter 1: The darkness inside.Varath has basically taken the premise and some sound from Max Payne 2, and laid it overtop World of Warcraft-style animations. This piece isn't based of in-game footage. Instead, since the middle of 2008, Varath has used custom editing and 3D models to completely reanimate the movie. The effects are astounding. The film style captures the gritty, noir feel of Max Payne, and his action is convincing and fun. Stylized freeze-frames and comic-book effects are clear homages to Varath's original material, but work well in the context of the brooding, ponderous script.Any review of Varath's story would simply be a review of Max Payne 2's story, which isn't something I'm trying to do here. While I'm not normally a huge fan of genre mashups, I look at Noir Undercity in context of WoW-Noir. In that light, it works. The imagery is strong and effective, even if the overall viewing time is longer than your average effort.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: I'm no good
I am, in general, a pretty big fan of Legs's body of work. This WoW music video take on Amy Winehouse's "You Know I'm No Good" is one of my favorites, even though it was first released a while back. The video is titled I'm no good, as it's very much a direct carry-over of Winehouse's song. As the video's story goes, it's about a couple who are having some "faithfulness" issues. The scenery and action does a good job of mirroring the song's lyrics. Legs's costume work is, of course, very strong. And while I've long admitted I'm a little burned out on the Blood Elf thing, the singing belf chosen by Legs is actually a pretty good fit for Winehouse's persona. I think this is some of the best "band" footage I've seen in videos. L70ETC lends itself to "Hard rock montage!" Legs, however, has managed to create a soulful and almost "fun" vista in which the boys can operate. I think some of that might be the music soundtrack, but I could almost expect to see these guys in my local coffeehouse. If you haven't seen this one before, here's hoping you enjoy it. If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com. Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: Downside Up by Lex
Lex only says about fifty times that his video, Downside Up, does not make sense. I have to disagree. Wookies on Endor? That doesn't make sense. This video makes sense. It's a music video, with various and meaningless scenes of an orc running. It's a showcase for music, with imagery meant to provide some kind of context to the sounds. It doesn't really have a story or a theme, but that doesn't mean it's sense-less. Lex created this entire piece within four hours, so it's a quick one-off. But there are still some things to say about it. Lex did a good job of choosing scenery for his orc to run through. I like quick vistas like this. It shows off some of the beautiful landscapes and images that are present in the game. It's kind of nice. Really, I can picture this video playing on a monitor above a club's dance floor. The action taking place in the video isn't the point, it's just setting up ambiance. I think Lex should explore this kind of thing, setting up a kind of YouTube play list of music videos. For all that he said "This makes no sense," I was able to appreciate the video as a showcase for the music.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: Guildy Conscience
The language in this video isn't entirely safe for work. They curse a bit.You probably remember last month when Nyhm teamed up with a trio of creative types as a final farewell to WoW videos. Their video, Pwnage Like Us, showcased three talents who I wouldn't exactly call new to the scene, but who are probably still relatively fresh to casual machinima viewers. Well, Gigi, Decision, Quixotica, and Abandonation are already back with a new music parody piece -- Guildy Conscience.This music video is a take-off from Eminem and Dr. Dre's "Guilty Conscience." I admit, I'm not incredibly familiar with the original song, and I prefer it that way. It lets me enjoy the work on its own, though I will say that vocal styles are definitely spawned from Eminem's distinctive sound. The song is a quick series of three parables about decisions everyone faces in World of Warcraft. Well, maybe not everyone, but they're common themes on Mr. Schramm's Guildwatch. First, an undead rogue encounters a gnome and has to decide whether to gank him. Second, a troll's got to resist the temptation to ninja gear from Malygos. And, lastly, a tauren wrestles with complexities of buying gold.It's meant as comedy, but I actually greatly enjoy their commentary about these ethical issues in WoW. That being said, I'm really wearing out on the "I'm a bad ass Belf!" gig, and hope that Abandonation and Gigi explore other personality facets. Quixotica's work on the video is remarkable, and I really do believe these three could create some astounding work in the coming months.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: Unbroken trailer
I've been looking forward to this one for quite some time. Firebolt Productions has released the promotional trailer for their upcoming film, Unbroken. It is a movie about a group of Draenei refugees hiding from the barbarous Orc invaders. While I know the Orcs were the original inhabitants of Draenor, I can't wait to see how the rich tapestry of lore is going to play out in the movie.It's nothing short of legendary to see the cast of folks involved in "Unbroken." Selserene, the Hackleman brothers, and Matt Greenberg, just to name a few. With this kind of talent all operating under one roof, I have to expect greatness from the movie. The preview trailer is gorgeous. The opening lines in the voiceover promise a heartrending story. The animation is just beautiful. The landscapes of Outland reveal an alien but thriving world. The brief character shots and profiles all look like Firebolt spent an immense effort to choose the best models possible for their actors.It's a trailer, so it's hard to say how compelling the final dialogue will be. But everything about this trailer tells me Unbroken is going to be awesome.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: Forrest GumpDK
I didn't originally think I'd feature Forrest GumpDK. Mojorising created the video to help celebrate the four year anniversary of his guild, The Enigma Order. While I like seeing these videos, it's usually not the kind of thing that appeals to an audience-at-large. After watching it through, however, the warm-hearted nostalgia grew on me. I actually found "Forrest GumpDK" to not only be a "happy anniversary!" card, but also a fond retrospective of raiding since Vanilla WoW.The video is based off a certain Robert Zemeckis film from the mid-90s. At the end of GumpDK, the main actor is credited as "Tom Tanks." Hey, it's the little jokes that make things work. Basically, the movie starts off following a feather as it drifts down to a tuxedo-wearing Death Knight, sitting on a bench in Stormwind. The DK then begins telling the tale (in subtitles) of how The Enigma Order has been raiding over the past years.While Forrest GumpDK is talking about his Guild, I think we all remember the days of fighting that big guy who's made of fire, then a dragon, then another dragon. And then, shooting off into "space!" That sense of wonder might have worn thin for some of us veterans, but Mojorising's Forrest gave me a gentle, rosy-glass view of the old times. For that, I thank Forrest GumpDK for a job well done.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: R.A.M - Episode 1
M??xans! presented R.A.M - Episode 1 over on Machinima.com. He listed it as a comedy, but I'm forced to wonder if it wouldn't be better as "Surrealist" or something. The movie is shot in most black and white, but at the end, it spontaneously bursts into color. The plot seems simple. A gnome is out adventuring in Tanaris, when a undead rogue decides to grief him. (I know, the possibility of such an event is inconceivable to most of us.) After a bit of trial and tribulation, the gnome swaps out for his draenei. The draenei kills the rogue, and proceeds to camp his corpse.The whole video is very odd. The pacing is slow, and most of its framing shots are reminsicent of old, silent movies. For example, there are several face-frames given to the gnome while the rogue is creeping up. These imply the gnome is unaware of his pending disaster, and paying the creeping Undead no attention. This kind of technique was key to silent films, to help portray a better understanding of the events to its audience. I felt the technique was valuable to "R.A.M," but still felt slow and clunky over the duration of a long movie.I can't say whether I liked or disliked "R.A.M." It mostly confused me, and I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. If it's Episode 1, however, I look forward to Episode 2. Sometimes, these things make more sense as they play out.Click here to see it yourself!If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: Britney Spears - Piece of Me
If you'd told me two days ago that I'd be featuring a WoW music video based on a Britney Spears song, I'd have called you a bloody liar. But. Well. Here I am, featuring a WoW music video based on a Britney Spears song. Real life is stranger than fiction, I guess. Check out Britney Spears - Piece of Me.This video was posted anonymously on Machinima.com. I didn't really expect a lot from the video. First, it was anonymous. Usually, that means the author is expecting to get flamed and burned for their efforts, and don't want to associate his or her identity with the piece. Second, the anonymous author also said it's a first-time-out piece, and that he or she is learning the ropes. Lastly, it's a Britney Spears song. I mean, c'mon.I was pleasantly surprised. No, shocked! While I can't say that I loved the song and that it's going to change the world, the quality of the video absolutely astounded me. The Blood Elf singer is an obvious choice to represent Spears, but the screen glows, white-outs, and effects are perfectly suited to the persona. The graphics and settings are well chosen and cleverly pieced together, exactly as I'd expect a Spears video to go.So, while this might not be your schtick, exactly, you've got to applaud the incredible first effort from this Anonymous author. Well done, and here's hoping for more. My only real note to the author is that you should go ahead and reveal your identity with this -- you've got some growing skills, and should be proud of what you've done.Click here to see it yourself!If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..EDIT: As commenter Stalwart has pointed out, this is a video first created by Demachic, and reviewed by Moo Money. Still, the video's worth another watch.
WoW Moviewatch: The Achiever - The Duelist
We saw Origano's first machinima offering back in February, when he debuted with The Achiever - Rapid Defense. The video was interesting, but plagued with some soundtrack issues. However, it looks like he took that criticism to heart and is now back with the second installment, The Achiever - The Duelist.The premise is the same. The main character (self-titled as Origano) is competing in a gameshow called the Achiever. This time, however, the Tauren protagonist has to win a duel. He starts out demanding equal opponents, and proceeds to have trouble with the arrangement. I don't want to give the story away, but it's a pretty nice progression of events. I think Origano is really showing promise with his story arrangements, though it could probably move at a little faster pace.Origano's got some really good gags in here. The whole turtle lineup is pretty funny, and I love the shout out to those annoying toy trains. I think Origano's really starting to get his legs under him, and we should watch him closely to see how he grows as an artist.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: Northrend Newsflash
Northrend Newsflash, by Ninth Batter, is a really great idea. It's a video in the style of old American propaganda videos, but told from the perspective of the Scourge. The Lich King wants you!I liked the shifting camera perspectives, since that really mimics the WWII style the author was aiming for. The voiceover's accent was close enough to get the job done. I appreciate that he wasn't quite as tinny or nasally as most of those old commenters tended to be, since that also tends to drive me up the wall. The only segments during which the video lost me a bit were the interviews. They felt slow to me, and dragged down the pace of the rest of the video. While I understand what he was getting at, I could have skipped them in favor of a little faster tempo. This kind of video relies on the stylization in short bursts, and the longer interviews interrupt the flow of that, in my opinion. I'm not saying the interviews were bad, just that they seemed off-pace to me.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..At any rate, it's great work, and I'm hopeful to see more from Ninth Batter.
WoW Moviewatch: Crestfallen III
Machinima based on PvP can be tricky. It's very easy to fall into the trap of just stringing together huge crit numbers, ultimate pwnage, and a Linkin Park soundtrack. So, when I first read the summary text for Gazzamah's Crestfallen III trailer, I wasn't expecting much. It's a teaser for an upcoming PvP video. "What's this going to be?" I thought. "Only one or two big crit numbers?" And it's a trailer, after all. Too often, trailers promise a beautiful movie that will ultimately never get made.When I watched the trailer, however, I was pleasantly proven wrong. It's very short, so don't go looking for Shakespearean epic here. The trailer opens with shots of Northrend, with ponderous, thoughtful music haunting in the background. An orc climbs an ice slope, looking over the scenery. A voiceover regrets sins made in the past, and then closes with hope that this new place could be different from what's come before.This is going to be a PvP video? Okay, I'm sold -- I can't wait to see it. If this trailer is indicative of what the full video will be like, I think Gazzamah could really do something special in terms of that limited genre. Actual story in my PvP? I'm all for it!If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..Edit: The voice-over is Niko Bellic from Grand Theft Auto. I still love it in this context, but yeah -- I missed that.
WoW Moviewatch: Boombox
Okay, I admit it. I missed an obvious part of the punchline here until I did my due diligence research after the fact. When I first loaded up Atraira's music video for Boombox, I didn't get it right away. I dug the music, thought the message was great ("Music can bring the world together!"), and then was rightly confused at the end. I did notice that the singers were obsessed with "boiled goose," so I did a bit of Google-fu. Then I got it. The song itself is actually written and performed by The Lonely Island. You probably remember them as the chaps who sang a song about their parts in a box or a good "Lazy Sunday." Suddenly, the song became that much funnier, since I understood it was satire comedy.At any rate, the video itself is actually pretty good. I enjoy the two male Draenei as singers, and thought their costuming was well chosen and quite inspired. The milieus of old stuffy men spontaneously dancing worked very well against the lyrics.And if you're like me, you can probably still enjoy the message of "Music will bring the world together!" I refuse to let go of that.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: How To Paladin XXXI
This has been a rather newsworthy week. We've had Nyhm's final goodbye and the release of No Point: Stretching Time. Now, we see the return of a man Baron Soosdon calls "THE DIVINE ONE." Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you How To Paladin XXXI.Like Moo Money said many moons ago, it's hard to categorize Shepiwot's work. It's pretty firmly in the "WTF" category, and I think it's probably best if we just leave it there. You're probably going to find the How To Paladin series funny, entertaining, or just plain annoying. Maybe all three. I'm in the "it's entertaining" camp, and I can live with that.This edition has everything you might expect from Shepiwot journeying to Northrend. Dancing, dancing, and more dancing. Some fighting. Tanks! Explosions! Over all, it's a crazy, whacky ride. It felt to me like it moved faster than previous editions, which is probably a good thing."How to Paladin" might not be your cup of tea. But, for the fast pace of the film, it won't take you long to drink it.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: No Point: Stretching Time
As a note, if you're having trouble viewing this video through the stream, there are many more viewing options at the good Baron's blog. I highly recommend downloading the HD options for best experience.I first got word a few days ago. A small wisp of warning, a whisper that today's big news was coming. Time passes, days go by. Then, yesterday, a heads up sent by Selserene (whom I thank vastly for the message). Then, a promotional message on the front of one of my favorite sites, Myndflame. And, finally, a link! Confirmation! It was true my friends -- the good Baron Soosdon has released his 30 minute masterpiece, No Point: Stretching Time.Now, I feel that me reviewing Baron Soosdon is a little like a college newspaper fantasy columnist trying to review Peter Jackson, but I'll share my thoughts on his new movie.
WoW Moviewatch: Pwnage Like Us
Nyhm says to call it an encore. One last card up his sleeve as his way of saying "Goodbye" to the fans of his videos and World of Warcraft. A final masterpiece bearing his name, as he shuffles off this Azerothian coil and goes on to other pastures. Pwnage Like Us is not only Nyhm's final appearance in WoW machinima, but also a strong sendup for a trio of three friends to whom Nyhm would like us to pay attention.The video itself is a great farewell piece. It's an ensemble, and definitely feels like an homage to the work Nyhm's done over the years. I certainly feel like it's among the best featuring Nyhm -- it's got good lyrics, a solid beat, and the vocal performance is among the best. The animation is awesome, and I like the "book" transitions. I definitely love seeing the addition of a Tauren performing. It might just me, but I've worn thin on the Blood Elf as Star thing. I know they're probably the "hottest" models in game, but it's just kind of fatigued in my mind. Nyhm will obviously be missed. I'll be watching for more from Gigi, Demineonz, Abandonation, and Quixotica in the future, as I really did love this video.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: Riot by Sylverbkwolf
Warning: There's a tiny bit of cussing in this music video, listen with care.Zeb, otherwise known as Sylverbkwolf, created this music video because he was feeling a little bored of the game itself. It's his first video longer than 20 seconds or so, representing his first attempt at editing, framing, and other similar concepts. It took him about a week or two to finish it, and thus was born Sylverbkwolf's WoW music video for Three Days Grace - Riot.In terms of music videos, it didn't reach out and grab me. That being said, considering it's Zeb's first time out, he did a good job of creating smooth animation and a logical follow-through in the video. It made sense, and nothing really struck me as being out of place. The scenes, the requisite use of musical models, and the "story" worked together just fine for a rock and roll video.What I did particularly like, however, is the use of Wintergrasp footage. I've not seen a lot of videos -- music videos or story films -- using this new gameplay feature, and I thought it was keen Zeb included it. I think all the siege engines, in particular, fit a good metal music theme, so it was a good call to include it.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: Keep Browsing 2
Warning: The language in this movie is not safe for work.Today on Moviewatch, we take a look at the second piece from MozQ -- his first, Keep Browsing, was a fun little pastiche of geeky clips and fast cuts, and this one is more of the same. The animation has improved a little bit (the effects in the first few scenes with the gnome are done pretty well), but the humor stays about the same, so if you enjoyed the first one, you'll like this one, too.Between then and now, he's joined up with a group called Silverlined Productions, so we'll expect to see more from MozQ and his compatriots. Their blog says they've hooked up with a music director to make music for them, so keep your ears open for some original music in future productions.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: Cloud 9 by Zimtower
Tipster Dread Raven dropped us a note about Zimtower's music video Cloud 9. The tip labled the video as amazing. I admit, I was nervous about that word at first. The last time I got a tip labled that way was for BLIND, and that can be a hard one to measure up to. Also, just as importantly, we did a gnome-based video yesterday, and sometimes our readers have a low gnome-to-nongnome tolerance.But when I fired up the video and started watching, I was enthralled. Zimtower's work to animate the singer was astounding. Face and body movements are well-tuned and expressive. You can see her eyes behind her gnomish goggles. The soft glow of scenery and motion-capture are all beautifully done, giving the video an overall ephemeral quality.The song itself fits perfectly. While it's not my genre of music by preference, the strong bond between visual and audio has cemented "Cloud 9" as something to live in my iPod. Zimtower said the video was about joy. I was skeptical, but the sense of serenity and peace during the movie really did bring that across. I admit, I thought the music video was, in fact, amazing.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: Demachic: Lonely Valentine
Demachic posted Demachic: Lonely Valentine on Warcraftmovies.com yesterday. I would have loved to see it during the Love is in the Air in-game event, but hey -- I'll take what I can get. It is a short, dialogue-less story about a gnome seeking true love, and the artillery she builds to obtain that love.I have to admit that I actually thought to myself, in actual words, "Oh my god, so cute!" This video really is cute. It captures all the bittersweet and totally-saccharin flavors of Valentine's Day. It's got a little hopefulness, a little despair to counter, and a whole lot of wistful, wishful romance. And, it's got a totally adorable gnome to drive home the cute-puppy-love angle.The movie is created without any spoken or subtitled words. I actually really like that, since it encourages the audience to create and interpret their own story for on-screen events. It works great, and the musical selection matches the overall mood of the video. Great job, Demachic!If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: Leeroy 4 - The Wailing Caverns
Some movies are created using machinima -- finely honed in-game graphics, tuned to tell the author's story with sizzling detail. Others are creating using more traditional media, like hand-drawn art. And some, like Leeroy 4 - The Wailing Caverns, are created in Live Action, using nothing more than a pure sense of fun and obvious love of the game. It's the creation of Herculean Productions, and I've rarely had so much fun with a fan film.The acting is over-the-top, scene chewing goodness. I like to think that even William Shatner would be proud of these boys. The story is simple enough to support this kind of shenanigan performance. In a quick summary, Leeroy is putting together a group to go to the Wailing Caverns. This is the LFG phase of that endeavour.The costumes hit the right tone, in my opinion. If the clothes had been much fancier, then they'd be calling into the question the genre of the piece. This isn't meant to be high, Shakespearean art. It's supposed to be funny and tongue-in-cheek. You're not supposed to be gauging things like production values; you're supposed to be having the same kind of fun the actors are having.My hat's off to Leeroy. This was great. Click here to go check it out yourself.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
