Entertainment – Retrenders

STAR TREK – Phase II web series continues the original “five year mission”

January 21, 2014 by Johnny Moreno Leave a Comment

For those of us that don’t know, there are Star Trek fans of the original 1966 series that have chosen to boldly re-create and go where a fan must go in order to fulfill the five year mission that the original series never completed for the final frontier. The original series was cut short of two years and Star Trek fan, James Cawley, founder of Retro Film Studios, has produced episodes as if the show hadn’t been cancelled!

Star Trek Phase II (formerly known as Star Trek: New Voyages) Click here Star Trek New Voyages to go to the website

Filed Under: Art, Design, Entertainment, TV, Videos Tagged With: James Cawley, Phase II, Star Trek, Star Trek New Voyages, web series

Pixel Pancho: Murals of the Robot Future

January 20, 2014 by Johnny Moreno Leave a Comment

Art about robots is art about our future culture as artist, Pixel Pancho, conveys humanity emotionally interconnected and intermixed with androids and pop icons.

As with any art like the classics of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci to Mexican mural artists such as Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, we can see the glorification of humanity in all its elements of beauty, love, chaos, destruction and yes, even the propaganda – that art leaves you to think and feel your own thoughts of what is the meaning of this?

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Filed Under: Art, Culture, Design, Entertainment, Geeky, Videos Tagged With: murals, paintings, Pixel Pancho, Robot Art, sculpture

NECA Robocop ED-209

January 15, 2014 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

One cool action figure or robot I should say to get this year is the limited run Robocop ED-209 by NECA. This action figure is from the original Robocop 1987 film. We ’80s kids should remember this kick-ass flick.

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Filed Under: Collectibles, Movies, Toys Tagged With: action figure, ED-209, machine, NECA, Robocop, robot

Star Trek Select Captain Jean-Luc Picard

January 10, 2014 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

If you remember the long-running sci-fi TV show Star Trek: The Next Generation? Patrick Stewart was awesome as Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Star Trek Select kick-offs the New Year with this new 7″ action figure. The figure has some articulation for pose-ability and a detail dead Borg-base stand.

Behind the Scenes: Star Trek Into Darkness

January 10, 2014 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

What makes a movie or TV show great? Yes, the acting and cast are among the very important aspects, but like movie reviewer Grace Randolph says “World Building” is also a vital part. Here ILM takes us behind-the-scenes of how they built a “real” futuristic 2259 San Francisco for Star Trek Into Darkness.

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Filed Under: Art, Design, Entertainment, Movies, Tech Tagged With: animation, CGI, F(X), ILM, Into Darkness, San Francisco, sci-fi, SF, special effects, Star Trek

Viral Video Friday: Simpsons Anime Tribute

January 10, 2014 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

A Simpsons tribute to anime and all things Hayao Miyazaki.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Geeky, Otakudom, TV Tagged With: animation, anime, FOX, Hayao Miyazaki, Homer, Japan, Simpsons, Spirited Away

Welcome to Cobra Island! Cobra La La Laaaa!

January 9, 2014 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

Here’s a neat little fan film music video for G.I. Joe enemies Cobra. Artist Wordburglar raps all things Cobra with “Rap Viper (Welcome to Cobra Island)”. I liked the fact that Cobra Commander is the DJ mixmaster.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Movies, Music, Toys, Videos Tagged With: action figures, cartoon, cobra, Cobra Commander, G.I. Joe, hasbro, rap, Viper, Wordburglar

Leaked: LEGO The Simpsons House 71006

January 7, 2014 by Stephen Jang 1 Comment

Image via The Brothers Brick

Images have leaked online of LEGO’s upcoming The Simpsons line. The first images is the iconic Simpsons’ House numbered 71006. This set has 2,523 pieces of building fun and comes with 5 mini-figs: Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie and Ned Flanders. The set will probably retail around $250USD. The LEGO Simpsons House looks to ship out this February 2014.

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Filed Under: Collectibles, Toys, TV Tagged With: Bart, bricks, FOX, Homer, Lego, LEGO bricks, Lisa, Maggie, Marge, The Simpsons

Future Flicks: Cold Comes The Night

January 7, 2014 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

Director and co-writer Tze Chun does his own PR by drawing posters for his film Cold Comes The Night (Sony/Goldwyn). The film stars Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness), Logan Marshall-Green (Prometheus) and Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad). The film opens January 10, 2014 in theaters. Tze draws and paints 4 different posters that look really cool.

Mighty Morphin’ Madness – 98 DVDs!

January 3, 2014 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

Are you a Power Rangers fan? Check out this amazing Power Ranger DVD collection – 98 DVDs that contain 767 episodes – the Shout Factory! Power Rangers Legacy: The First 20 Seasons.

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Filed Under: Entertainment, Otakudom, Videos Tagged With: DVD, Japan, Legacy Collection, live action, Power Rangers, Shout Factory

Viral Video Friday: Animated Fun

January 3, 2014 by Stephen Jang 1 Comment

What if Star Wars had a 80’s-style cartoon feel? Well, this is it by Nacho Punch – the Star Wars: The Lost 1980’s Anime:

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Filed Under: Geeky, Otakudom, Videos Tagged With: 1980s, animation, anime, cartoon, Pokemon, Power Rangers, Star Wars

Freestyle Breaking Session with Project Prepix Asia

January 2, 2014 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

Like Jackie Chan’s “Drunken Master” flicks, this international break crew Project Prepix Asia gets their drink on and shows-off some hip-breaking moves:

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Filed Under: Music, PopAsia Tagged With: Asia, B-boy, break dancing, breakin', crew, Dance, Korea, Mike Song, Project Prepix Asia

EDM Festival Tomorrowland Graphic Novel

December 30, 2013 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

One of the great yearly weekend music festivals these past few years takes place in Belgium – the EDM (Electronic Dance Music) Festival known as Tomorrowland. Now dance fans and comic book aficionados come together in this genre mixing story Tomorrowland from writer Paul Jenkins (Wolverine: Orgin). Originally printed as a 4-issue mini-series this past summer 2013 by Titan Comics, now we get the whole saga in one volume in this hardbound trade – Tomorrowland. It’s like Glastonbury getting its own graphic novel! Tomorrowland follows DJs Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike on their DJ gigs as they battle evil from other dimensions on this cosmic/portal opening/spiritual/metaphysical journey to save Earth! It’s kind of like the anime The Super Dimension Fortress Macross and Macross Frontier (or Macross Plus, or just whatever Macross incarnation/reboot you prefer) as the heroine uses her singing prowess to stop war and save the universe.

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Tracklist 1 – Epic Stadium-Masher: 1. Armin van Buuren feat. Trevor Guthrie – This Is What If Feels Like [Audien Remix], 2. Zedd feat. Hayley Williams – Stay The Night [Extended Mix], 3. Adventure Club – Do I See Color [Dubstep Mix], 4. NERVO – You’re Gonna Love Again [Extended Version], 5. Coldplay – Every Tear Drop Is A Waterfall [Swedish House Mafia Remix], 6. Calvin Harris feat. Florence Welch – Sweet Nothing [Extended Mix], 7. ATB feat. Ramona Nerra – Never Give Up [Club Mix], 8. Filo & Peri feat. Eric Lumiere – The Anthem [John O’Callaghan Remix, 9. David Guetta feat. Usher – Without You, 10. Armin van Buuren & DJ Shah feat. Chris Jones – Going Wrong, 11. Alice Deejay – The Lonely One [Hit Radio Mix], 12. Ian Van Dahl – Will I [UK Radio Edit], 13. Benny Benassi feat. Kelis, apl.de.ap & Jean-Baptiste – Spaceship, 14. Kaskade feat. Rebecca & Fiona – Turn It Down, 15. Avicii – Levels [Extended Version] and 16. Swedish House Mafia feat. John Martin – Don’t You Worry Child [Extended Version].

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Filed Under: Books, Comics, Music, Reviews Tagged With: Dance, Dimitri Vegas, DJ, EDM, electronica, Like Mike, Paul Jenkins, Stellar Labs, Steve Aoki, Titan Comics

Cosplay model YAYA HAN at NYCC

December 24, 2013 by Johnny Moreno 1 Comment

Ramen and a Half’s Jonelle Marie interviews pioneering cosplayer model – Yaya Han, at New York Comic-Con.

Cosplay Model – Yaya Han

Back then when the term “Cosplay” was unheard of – Yaya Han and very few alike, simply loved the art of creating costumes of super heroes, villains, and not to mention fantasy and science fiction characters in between. The art of what became Cosplay for them was simply how convincing, how imaginative, and how ornately detailed their costume design can be from make-up to inseam.

Yaya Han : www.yayahan.com facebook/yayahan yayahan.bigcartel

Filed Under: Art, Comics, Culture, Design, Entertainment, Fashion, Geeky, Interviews, Ramen and a Half, Series, Shows, Videos Tagged With: Cosplay, New York Comic Con, NYCC, Power Girl, Yaya Han

Viral Video Friday: 850 Meters Animation

December 13, 2013 by Stephen Jang 3 Comments

If you have some spare in your cubicle today, check out this animated short film about a wacky knight trying to save a princess, but the jokes on him in the end.

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Filed Under: Videos Tagged With: 850 Meters, animation, short film

The James Bond Omnibus Vol. 005

December 11, 2013 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

Many of you are too young to remember James Bond in daily black and white comic-strips in newspapers back in the day. Titan Books’ James Bond Omnibus Vol. 005 collects 9 full stories: Till Death Do Us Part, The Torch-Time Affair, Hot-Shot, Nightbird, Ape of Diamonds, When The Wizard Awakes, Sea Dragon, Death Wing and The Xandadu Connection from the original daily comic strips re-sized and reprinted for the first time.

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Filed Under: Books, Comics, Entertainment, Movies, Reviews Tagged With: 007, Cold War, comic strips, Ian Fleming, KGB, MI6, spies, Titan Books, USSR

DVD release of “I RIDE”- A biker documentary by Daron Ker

December 10, 2013 by Johnny Moreno Leave a Comment

I RIDE has just been released on amazon.com and you can find it at your local participating WalMart, but what I’d like to tell you here is my personal take behind the making of the film.

Documentary filmmaking can be tough, unpredictable at times, and you have to capture it as best as possible every step of the way.

I’ve had the opportunity to take part in the making of Daron Ker’s “I Ride” and I would like to tell you my experience from the past to the present. There were moments that I had to endure and moments that I enjoyed behind the making of the film, because the physical path, the communications involved and the decisions made during filmmaking is what ends up shaping the story.
Initially I was introduced to Daron Ker and Marcus Bruno through Stephen Jang. We all had nine to five jobs and Daron was the only one at the time with funds to begin making a film about a biker band that played to America’s motorcycle culture movement. The inception to make I RIDE began by meeting the Fryed Brothers Band back in 2005.

Live-Action Kiki’s Delivery Service!

December 10, 2013 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

We get a first look of the live-action film Kiki’s Delivery Service in this mini-teaser trailer.

Five Knives with “The Future”

December 6, 2013 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

Here is the Five Knives music video – “The Future.”

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Filed Under: Music Tagged With: clone, Doomsday Entertainment, fighting, Five Knives, Japan, kids, LA, Lance Drake, Los Angeles, teacher

Gentle Giant Ewok attack Scout Trooper Statue

December 4, 2013 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

This a limited edition Entertainment Earth exclusive molded by Gentle Giant featuring a bunch of cute Ewoks attacking a Scout Trooper.

Viral Video Friday: Oru Burus

November 29, 2013 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

This cool animation turns out to be a graduation project by Anton Brand, Guillaume Klein, Charlotte Quillet and Raphaël Théolade. It’s about a king who loses control of the sun and smashes a train into his eyeballs.

Funko’s Pop Vinyl: The Goonies

November 21, 2013 by Stephen Jang Leave a Comment

If you remember growing up the 80’s, a certain Richard Donner film has a special place in every kid’s heart – The Goonies! A group of nerdy kids on the hunt for long lost pirate treasures to save their neighborhood and I remember jamming to Cyndi Lauper’s “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough” whenever it was on the radio. Now Funko’s popular Pop! Movie series features The Goonies.

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Filed Under: Geeky, Movies, Toys Tagged With: 1980s, Chunk, Data, Funko, kids, Mikey, Mouth, Pop, Sloth, The Goonies, vinyl

Welcome to NINJA NEW YORK

November 17, 2013 by Johnny Moreno Leave a Comment

While we enjoyed NYCC by day we ended up dining at NINJA NEW YORK by night.

Our host of Ramen’s other Half, Jonelle Marie, shares her first impression of fine dining in Tribeca’s one-of-a-kind Ninja New York Restaurant!
While there, we were looking for that secret door – you know, the one you would open and discover the artistry of Ninja acrobatic sword fighting and trickery like a James Bond flick, but it was impossible. The place was a maze and when we asked to take us to your leader, they sent us numerous of Ninja PR henchmen to divert us from straight answers about what laid behind the echoing walls of their zigzagging cave-like paths that only Batman would appreciate. Though mystified by their stories, we had one of the most entertaining dining night outs I’ve had in a long time.

I would have to say Ninja New York is one of the most entertaining and delightful places to dine if you’re looking for fun and hearty authentic Japanese cuisine food. And you’re almost guaranteed not to have a dull moment from your first step in and out of this place!

Filed Under: Culture, Entertainment, Featured, Food, Ramen and a Half, Reviews, Series, Shows, Videos Tagged With: Eddie Ballar, Johnny Moreno, Jonelle Marie, Stephen Jang

NYCC: Look at who’s behind Doctor Who!

November 10, 2013 by Johnny Moreno Leave a Comment

Ramen and a Half interviews Andrew Sumner to find out what Titan Entertainment Group is all about at New York Comic Con. First and foremost our team at Retrenders reviews many of Titan Books and we’ve grown to love what they do, because we simply love the content they publish and re-publish. Titan Entertainment is known to reinvent and revive content that had once had their moment in time from cult classics novels, comics, and they publish niche content about historical arts, artists, musicians, early filmmakers and much more. It’s as if Titan reflects on fascinating content and say – “This is entertaining – let’s revive it!”

Titan Entertainment Group is also an official licensee of Doctor Who products and works with popular media entertainment and culture. You can find out about their latest releases and featured products at Titan Merchandise.