Author: Heath Andrews

Cheating in competitive events is nothing new. The New England Patriots were accused of deflating footballs, Lance Armstrong admitted to doping his way to victory in the Tour de France. Even video game speedrunning has seen rampant cheating. Why then should the world of chess be immune to such chicanery and deception? Turns out, it’s not immune, and good golly are people allegedly going to great lengths to find ways to success. By “great lengths,” we mean using vibrating anal beads to signal which move to make. Hans Niemann is a 19 year old chess player who has very quickly…

There are a lot of upcoming films and television projects that we’ve kept our eyes on lately, all being adaptations of video games. Sony has been throwing everything they have at this kind of multi-media expansion with “The Last of Us,” “Twisted Metal,” and “Days Gone” all set to be either series or films. Also among these is “Gran Turismo,” Sony’s premiere driving simulation game, with “District 9” director Neill Blomkamp behind the wheel. While the film’s lead may seem like a bit of an odd casting choice, one could say that uh, “Stranger Things” have happened! “Hellboy” star David…

When the subject of modern horror classics gets brought up, one of the most frequently mentioned titles is “The Strangers.” The slasher elements and the story of a home invasion don’t make the movie as cerebral as something like “Midsommar” or “The VVitch,” but it doesn’t have to be. The fairly basic premise and atmosphere was enough to make it not only a surprise box-office success in 2008, but also a cult classic in the years since. While it did get a sequel 10-years later, it wasn’t nearly as well received, which seemed to put the property down for the…

When future generations look back on what we’ve done, they will no doubt see “Frasier” as the pinnacle of our accomplishments. Sure we did great things like invent Pilot G-2 pens, computers, the airplane, and Rice Krispies Treats- but none of them can really compare to the misadventures of Frasier Crane. You scoff at what I just wrote, but, it was the first sitcom to win five consecutive Emmy awards for Outstanding Comedy, and that feat has only been tied, never bested. Thanks to the wonders of technological advancement, you can finally see “Frasier” the way it was meant to…

If we have learned anything from the streaming wars, it’s that nothing is safe or sacred when it comes to networks and programs. 2022 has been a lot- mass cancellations at The CW, Warner Bros. Discovery trashing big things “for tax write-offs,” and the ups and downs for Netflix this year. In short, network and cable are wounded and/or dying depending on the particular network. Even with all of that having happened, sometimes we still get caught off guard. Such is the case with the latest news cabler SHOWTIME may be shutting down its streaming service, shifting its original content…

The “Halo” franchise has been what Microsoft built the Xbox brand upon. When games are called a “system seller,” there is no more definitive example of that than 2001’s, “Halo: Combat Evolved.” When original developer, Bungie, moved on from the franchise after Halo: Reach, 343 Industries was created to continue making games in the series, starting with Halo 4. Company founder Bonnie Ross is stepping down from her position as the head of the developer. The announcement of Ross’s departure came from her Twitter. Citing a family medical issue, she expressed her gratitude for being able to be a part…

It was thirteen years ago when television history was made. For it was on that night actor Brian Baumgartner, in his “The Office” character of Kevin Malone, would enter Dunder Mufflin with a giant pot of chili. Things did not go as planned. The moment the pot spilled over and Kevin desperately tried to salvage the resulting mess, the world change forever. It may well be the biggest thing Kevin is remembered for. This is something the aforementioned Brian Baumgartner is fully aware of it. That’s why he has a chili cookbook coming out! The upcoming cookbook contains 177 different…

If there is one constant in the world, its change. Everything changes, and the harder you fight against that, the more difficult life becomes. For long-running television programs, this change often comes in the form of cast members coming and going. No show has been more exposed to this than “Saturday Night Life,” due in no small part to it lasting nearly five-decades. Heading into its 48th premiere in less than a month, this is going to be a big season for the show, with some of the biggest changes in a long time. The upcoming season of “Saturday Night…

They’re still number one in the hood, G. Aqua Teen Hunger Force is back! Well, they pretty much already were back, but now they’re officially back with a new movie! The team of Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad have not been forgotten by their Cartoon Network/Adult Swim fans. Their fanbase is still strong even now, seven years after the series ended. ATHF was a staple in the network’s early years of the adult oriented programming block, enough so to warrant it getting an official film in 2007. Fifteen years later, it’s getting a new film to be released digitally and…

Of the many Pixar films to have achieved critical and commercial acclaim, few of them sit higher than 2008’s “Wall-E.” The idea of a largely silent film about the ruining of Earth and humanity with heavy themes of environmentalism and anti-corporatism isn’t exactly something that sounds like a commercial box office success. There is no denying the power of cute robots though, and “Wall-E” managed to become one of those rare movies that dared to be different, and succeeded. Criterion has taken notice of that and is giving the film the full Criterion Collection treatment. For those who don’t know,…