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WoW Moviewatch: How 2 BE Raps
All things must pass -- good things, bad things. There was a time in machinima when you couldn't swing a murloc without hitting a blood elf rapper. Oh, sure, not all WoW parody raps used blood elves, but it sure felt that way. So we called it belf rap. It's a thing. While plenty of folks loathed belf rap, that time has mostly come to an end. We don't see much belf rap nowadays. In case you're not sure what it took to put together a good belf rap, let me remind you of Yumfries's classic deconstructionist piece on the genre: How 2 BE Raps. Gigi hasn't been around much, but she was definitely a defining part of the genre. We don't hear from Yumfries much nowadays, either, which is about as big a tragedy as I can imagine. So this one's for my friend Yumfries and all those belf rappers still who've come before. Hope everyone's doing well. 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: WoW Night
WoW Night is a much older movie from Yumfries, featuring additional vocals from Sharm and Wick, not to mention an appearance from the ineffable Panser. Really, WoW Night is an anthemic salute to every player who looks forward to logging in and killing some internet dragons. This video first hit the tubes back in 2009. Nearly three years later, it's still awesome. Sure, the underlying tunes were crafted by a famous pop band, but the off-the-cuff chanting and parody singing also stand the test of time. It's a fun song, and it really puts me in the mood to log in and kill some stuff. 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: Summon U a Drank
I don't know what made me think of Yumfries's masterful Summon U a Drank, but it somehow got stuck in my head overnight. I may have made a joke to my beloved wife that I wanted to summon her a drank or something, I don't know. It doesn't matter. What does matter is that this music by Yumfries is still hilarious. If you find yourself thinking, "I don't like it," remember that it's a parody. He poking fun at T-Pain and the infinite Auto-Tune, even while having a little fun with his fellow WoW players. I think the mix of machinima and live action really lends something to this effort, underscoring the surrealism and absurdity of the whole production. Just kick back and let the smooth tunes of the mage's Auto-Tune wash over you. If you get thirsty, just summon uself a drank. 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: Lich King Does Orphan Week
We've actually featured this video before now, but since we're in the middle of Children's Week, it seems like a good time for a rerun. In Lich King Does Orphan Week, Arthas picks up one of the most adorable orphans in the game. Yumfries really nailed this video. This video is surprisingly touching, despite its totally comedic nature. Something about the way Arthas takes it in the teeth to give his orphan a better life gets me right in the heart. I can't help but hope all the PCs taking their foster kids through the battlegrounds do nearly as good a job as the Lich King. 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: Nub Tunes ep1: Summon U a Drank
It took me a few tries to get the title of this video correct. Summon U a Drank is the first episode of the new Yumfries series called Nub Tunes. Well, I don't know if it's going to be an ongoing series -- but that's how it's labeled, and I'm a huge Yumfries fan boy. I'm hoping if I say it's the first in a series, he'll be overwhelmed by my personality and do further songs. Make sure to watch the video all the way through. If your experience is like mine, you'll be completely in love by the time you hit the guitar solo around the 2:40 mark. According to the credits, the video production was performed by Yumfries, while the audio product was executed by Wick. I don't know what mad inspiration struck these gentleman, but I'm loving 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 machinima@wow.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Nub Tales ep.6.4: Jimmy and Joe (Best Frends)
Haven't we all had that one special BFF with whom we play the game? And haven't we all had our hearts ripped out of our chests by that special BFF, in one way or another? Seems like Yumfries shares that experience. In Nub Tales ep.6.4: Jimmy and Joe (Best Frends), Yumfries explores that special dynamic between two friends who play WoW together -- especially when one of the friends is very annoying. The Nub Tales series continues to be a lot of fun, and I'm impressed by how quickly Yumfries manages to pull these together. Each new episode is a treat and a nice way to speed up the day. Thanks, Yumfries! 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 machinima@wow.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Nub Tales ep. 6.2: How 2 BE Raps
Nub Tales ep. 6.2: How 2 BE Raps is going to be a favorite of mine for a long, long time. Not only does it have the same kind of tongue-in-cheek humor to which we are accustomed, but it also features Yumfries' own skill with mixing and making music. And just to make this even more epic, it features Gigi. No, really, Gigi did a guest spot in a parody of belf rap. I continue to love Yumfries and his work with Nub Tales. The series is focused on both the game of WoW and the community that surrounds it. This combination makes the series a little more interesting than if it were just slamming Blizzard all that time; you get a good sense of involvement and interaction. Gigi often gets a bad rap (get it?), so I think it's a huge gesture of class that she appeared in this video. Hopefully it might a few critics of her work a little less vitriolic to see that she's willing to laugh at herself. 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 machinima@wow.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Nub Tales ep 6.1: Real ID
Yumfries was nearly finished this episode of Nub Tales when Blizzard recanted its decision to use real names on the forums. Nonetheless, with Nub Tales ep 6.1: REAL ID so close to completion, there was no turning back. The episode had to be completed. In REAL ID, we finally discover the true identity of the mysterious sparkle pony. There's a couple things about this little shout out that I particularly enjoyed (besides the obvious). There are two different shout outs to previous episodes. The first bit of continuity is the sparkle pony, of course, but the second is the return of the GM character. This techniques help solidify the world of Nub Tales, and really establishes the series as more than just a series of one-off jokes. Nub Tales is great stuff, and I always look forward to each week's new release. 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 e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
WoW Moviewatch: Nub Tales ep. 5: Thunderstorm!
Every class feels like they're underpowered. What is it that rock says? "Nerf paper, scissors are fine." That being said, HybridPanda seems to have especially strong feelings about shaman, and he puts those feelings on display in the newest installment of Yumfries's master series. Nub Tales ep. 5: Thunderstorm! is all about how shaman feel like they need a little help. I especially loved the little Mr. Blizzard bit. The singer was awesome and clearly skilled. And frankly, can't we all agree the draenei are the most suitable eye candy in the game? Male and female. There's no competition. I was thrilled to get to see the draenei cover the Chordettes. All in all, I still love Nub Tales. Yumfries is doing some great work with this stuff. 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 e-mail at gray AT wow DOT com.
WoW Moviewatch: Nub Tales Episode 4: Rockhorn (The Resto Shammy)
As the story goes, Yumfries was cruising Warsong Gulch one day. After a particularly rough match, he noticed that he'd been roughing up one particular restoration shaman over and over. He'd put well over 300k damage into the shaman. Moved by the plight of this shaman, Yumfries created Nub Tales: ep. 4: Rockhorn (The Resto Shammy). Episode 4 felt a little more disjointed than the other installments of Nub Tales. Still, I especially enjoyed Yumfries's brief parody of PvP videos. (Although, he missed an opportunity by not using Animal I Have Become.) Rockhorn's heartfelt monologue and Seleserene's portrayal of the earnest spirit healer were both spot-on and hilarious. And for all that Rockhorn (The Resto Shammy) is complete and total parody, I can almost see it as a rallying cry for the plight of the resto shammy in PvP. In the end, I'm forced to agree with Rockhorn on one thing. If you're going to PvP, wear your PvP trinket. 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 machinima@wow.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Nub Tales ep. 3: Cataclysm Alpha Police
NSFW Warning: If a bit of cursing is bad in your office, you should check this video out at home. Yumfries must be having a lot of fun with his Nub Tales series, because they keep coming out in fairly quick succession. That's all right by me, because I have a lot of fun with the videos. Some folks have mentioned that the videos just sound like a machinima version of trade chat. That's kind of the point; this is satire. It seems clear to me that Yumfries is making fun of that behavior, not taking it in earnest. Check out Nub Tales ep. 3: Cataclysm Alpha Police. The basic premise of this video relates to all that Cataclysm alpha news we've been hearing lately. A small group of Alliance is hanging out in Goldshire chatting up about Things That Should Not Be Discussed. And since they're talking about those things, the authorities have no choice but to show up and stop that nonsense. These authorities use a dashing gnome with amazingly good looks to be the pistol toting instrument of their law. 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 e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
WoW Moviewatch: Nub Tales ep. 2: Shadowmourne
Yumfries examined the legend of the Celestial Steed back in the first episode of Nub Tales. Now, he's taking on a whole new matter by looking at the epic weapon known as Shadowmourne. As bonus, Selserene guest stars as a female player in this movie, Nub Tales ep. 2: Shadowmourne. I'm really loving this series by Yumfries. While I acknowledge the high art of story-based machinima, I have to admit that my usual favorite is comedy and parody. I like the spotlight that comedy shines on the WoW community, highlighting and criticizing some of our most absurd quirks. Yumfries is doing a great job of exactly that, so I'm going to be excited about every episode we get. 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 e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
WoW Moviewatch: Nub Tales ep. 1: Celestial Steed (the tears of noobs)
Work warning: there is some mild cursing in this video. We all suspected that the star pony might have ulterior motives. Yumfries has blown the lid off the conspiracy with Nub Tales ep. 1: Celestial Steed (the tears of noobs). In a moment of brilliant revelation, we learn that the star pony is not made up of simply stars, but also filled with the tears of noobs. The video then goes on to reveal a dastardly plan as clever as any I have ever heard. I think this is a fun video from Yumfries, but also fills an important community role. This is a player responding to something that's happened in the game, but also the community follow-up after that action. It's also poking fun at the vast overreaction among the WoW community about a horse. Of course, that whole thing just seemed like a snowball to me, rolling down a mountain. It started off as a blip and turned into this gigantic controversy that we've all since forgotten about. 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 e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
WoW Moviewatch: I Play as a Chick
Work Warning: This video has WoW models in their underwear, and sexually suggestive themes. I Play as a Chick is one of those videos that come with amazing coordination and collaboration between artists. Yumfries, Sharm, Wick, and Tradechat got together to create this epic piece of work, and the final product is absolutely amazing. While I can't say I'm at home in the rap genre, even I could easily acknowledge the great work these folks have produced. The video is awesome. It's been a while since the production values of a music video were so astoundingly high that I felt someone had raised the bar, but Yumfries has definitely accomplished that with I Play as a Chick. The graphics never got boring or stale, and they seemed to constantly be creating new scenery. Even if some of the video was a bit racier than some viewers would prefer, the artistry that went into it is clear. The song itself was equally good, with creative lyrics and an overall playful tone. The "narrative" of the song has a playful ending, with a certain tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement of the subject matter's ridiculousness. 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 e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
WoW Moviewatch: WoW Night featuring Wick & Sharm
WoW Night featuring WIck and Sharm is a new music video from Yumfries. (Whenever I see that name, I always think "Yummm, fries!" I'm not sure if that's the point of the name, though, so I always feel guilty for it.) This isn't really my kind of music, so I feel unable to adequately review that aspect. I will point out that Sharm (also known as TaintedLore) has always been fantastic in previous performances, so I have to assume the music crew knew what they were doing. This is, of course, another team-up featuring Wick, whom I feel we're starting to get to know as a performer. The video itself, however, is absolutely astounding. It has a lot of the same composite layering of images and action that we've seen before from Yumfries, but I continue to be fascinated by how the machinimist's skills have grown. Even if the music weren't entertaining, I could be satisfied to turn the audio off and simply watch the complex action happen. The amount of work and inspiration Yumfries puts into these videos really make them works of art, and I always look forward to each new piece. 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 e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
WoW Moviewatch: Forever a Nub
I'm always pleased to see something new from Yumfries, as we've had the good fortune to see his skills develop as he works more and more with WoW machinima. His newest release is Forever a Nub, featuring Wick and PoshJark.When I listened to the first 15 seconds or so of this song, I found myself thinking "this is the Attack of the AutoTuner!" But quickly thereafter, more complex and deeply intertwined lyrics take the song to another level. It's a shame AutoTune is overused in so much music, because I ultimately felt that Forever a Nub used the technique to great effect. It really put a layer of difference between the performers, and the effect worked very well in my opinion.The machinima is definitely more ambitious than Yumfries' previous offerings. There's a lot going on in the video, so it's worth an extra watch to catch everything. I especially like the visual transitions from "nub" to "elite," and the various ways Yumfries showed that growth.Forever a Nub left me with an epic feeling, and I think Yumfries has done an outstanding job growing his productions. I look forward to what's next for the machinimator. 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 e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
WoW Moviewatch: Innkeeper
Innkeeper by Yumfries definitely wins the "made me laugh" award. It's an absolutely fantastic parody music video, based on the rap by PoshJark. The narrative of PoshJark's rap works very well. I found there to be something ironic about using the solemn male Draenei as a stand-in for the narrator, and Yumfries should be commended for a great choice.Innkeeper really shows off some of Yumfries' skills. Some of the shots are clean and simple, while others make strong use of shadows to highlight all three dimensions. Yumfries has included a wide variety of styles in this video, and I think it makes the story a great deal more complex than it would have been with a more straightforward video concept. There's definitely a lot of growth here, and it truly makes me eager to see Yumfries' next pieces. I continue to enjoy his sense of humor, also, since Innkeeper tells a sort of everyman tale for many of us. 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 e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
WoW Moviewatch: World of Warcraaack
Those of us around in the EverQuest days will recognize the "crack"ification of a game's name that can be addicting beyond a healthy level. Not to imply that any amount of crack is healthy. Remember, Turpster says "Don't do drugs!"But Warcraft? That's healthy. I mean, I still shower every day. And unlike the Orc protagonist in today's video I don't go down and get a big gulp, so I'm better than him.The video is short and to the point, and Yumfries does a good job animating the characters throughout. The audio cuts are a little rough at points, but that can be overlooked rather easily.Worth a chuckle in my book.
WoW Moviewatch: Sisqo + WoW = The Gnome song
And now, for something completely different, check out Yumfries's Sisqo + WoW = The Gnome song. I was tipped off to this video by Selserene, and I'm really quite glad for it. This video is a lot of fun, and it has more than a few "laugh out loud" moments.The lyrics to the song are hilarious. I think the poetry touches an inner gnome in all of us. Who hasn't watched a Shetland Rogue get their groove on, and thought, "I like it when the gnomes go boing boing boing"? Yumfries was clearly aiming at comedy with his parody, and he did so in a light-hearted, harm-free way. I prefer parody that isn't mocking or belittling, and Yumfries isn't out to make fun of anyone in particular. He's just poking fun at the whole too-seriousness in all of us.The video itself is pretty funny, too. Behold the glorious battle between Gnome and Draenei. I have it on good authority from D.E.H.T.A. that no actual stags were hurt in the filming of this video. Like the lyrics, I'm pretty sure Yumfries was just out to have a good time with his animation. It held my attention and made me giggle. The movie has a couple cut scenes with additional jokes and skits, so it's got a little something extra for those of us with short attention spans.My hat's off to you, Yumfries. You have joined the Gnome Hall of Fame for a great parody video. I have to admit, when I saw this video for the first time, all I could think was "Brilliant!"
