Latest news with #Gonzo
Forbes
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Macross Zero' Blu-Ray Review: Absolutely Worth The Wait
Back when the Macross rights were mostly resolved, I was looking forward to all the classic Macross anime coming Westward. Well, here we are, and it feels great. While we already had the excellent Blu-ray release for Macross Plus a while back, that was already released in the West back in the 90s, so much so that Bryan Cranston voiced one of the main characters. However, there have been a slew of classic Macross anime that were previously landlocked to Japan until very recently, and Macross Zero is one of those series. Originally released in 2002, Macross Zero acts as a prequel to the events in the original Macross TV series. Dealing with the Unification Wars that had only ever been mentioned in passing, Macross Zero was meant to show how these wars were fought and, more importantly, what for. This is because when the Macross spaceship crash landed in the Pacific, it brought with it huge technological advances. How these advances were used and, crucially, who benefitted from them were, in part, the reason behind the Unification Wars. However, the Macross was by no means the only Protoculture relic left on Earth, and a mysterious Bird Human becomes the source of a new conflict at the end of the Unification Wars. Compared to previous modern Macross anime, such as Macross Plus, Macross Zero took a new approach to how it dealt with the mecha. While the characters were still drawn in 2D, the mecha were rendered as textured 3D models. At the time, Gonzo were the masters of this approach, and their Yukikaze anime, also released in 2002, had set an incredibly high benchmark for this 'hybrid' animation approach. So, when Macross Zero rocked up, it had its work cut out for it. Put simply, Macross Zero was and is a watershed moment in modern animation. It took the complicated transforming mecha of variable fighters and made them fit into a modern anime setting. 'Macross Zero' is now finally available on Blu-ray outside of Japan. I actually remember seeing the first episode of Macross Zero at a cinematic screening in Shibuya, Tokyo, literally just as the first episode's master had been finished. Shoji Kawamori ran up on stage, waving the master tape with a fair degree of jubilation. Like then, seeing Macross Zero again on Blu-ray is wondrous. The visual and audio quality is amazing, especially as Kuniaki Haishima's score was not typical for Macross at the time, and really stands out as a result. Seeing how the warring variable fighters square off against one another was and is amazing. The only minor quibble was that Macross Zero is meant as a prequel, and yet some of the variable fighters feel strangely overpowered, but I think the 'rule of cool' takes care of that one. As for this box set, there's not much on the disc, but that's made up for by a very thorough 128-page booklet containing all manner of interviews and background on the series. I honestly never thought we'd see Macross Zero ever get a proper Western release in my lifetime. After watching it that night in Shibuya, I knew that the then-current rights situation with Macross internationally was a mess. The fact that this box set even exists feels oddly fantastical, but it absolutely delivers on what I think is one of the finest entries in the Macross saga. Yes, Macross Plus has the bombastic plot and pacing, but Macross Zero had the nuanced spiritual take that underpinned almost every other entry of the Macross saga. In many ways, it ratified this cultural foundation. In short, Macross Zero holds up very well, and the fact it even exists officially outside of Japan is a cause for celebration. The Macross Zero Limited Edition Blu-ray box set is available from Crunchyroll's online store for $89.99. Disclosure: Crunchyroll sent me this Blu-ray set for the purposes of this review. Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.
BBC News
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
The 'underdog' nightclub that brought Ibiza to Norwich
A city centre building that housed an accountancy firm just a few years ago is now known as one of the best dance venues in team behind Gonzo's Two Room on London Road, Norwich call themselves "underdogs", lacking the big budgets of nightclubs in London and is the story of how it came to be shortlisted for the BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards prize for best venue in the UK and Europe. Owner Mike Baxter wanted to create somewhere people could go for a night out that was not too commercial. "We wanted to make it a very clear and separate identity to anything else you would find in Norwich. We wanted a nice place for our friends and a nice place for our community."We weren't ambitious people by any means but one day we had the opportunity to buy the building."Our dad had hundreds of thousands of records growing up and so did we, we had CDs, and that's pretty much what we spent our money on as kids. "We were able to lean in and create the two-room, which is basically not for profit, but for the love of music." Gonzo's booking manager Levi De Belgeonne said: "We're not Ibiza, we're not London, not Liverpool, Manchester - we haven't had the budgets of some of those huge clubs, so when we're trying to attract DJs to pay, we can't go toe to toe when it comes to the financials but we do have a lot of love."Norwich has always been known as a good city for local bands, for indie bands, big touring Baxter added: "We are an underdog story and I think artists love that... it's not just a faceless identity in a big city full of clubs and venues, it's a real part of the community." He explained how the history of dance music in the UK stemmed back to 90s rave culture. "Lots of that was the illegal raves out on farms, the parties in the fields... some of the acts we have now were the teenagers themselves in the fields."For years after the rave scene, everything was locked up in the city. You would go to Ibiza for dance music, you would go to a super club. "For us to have found a way to bring that to Norfolk and make it so that people can celebrate that and see that in a small venue, I think has been really special." Social media and word of mouth is how Gonzo's has created a customer and fanbase. The nightclub has been shortlisted alongside 10 clubs in London, Manchester and Ibiza for the BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards prize for best venue in the UK and Europe. "I think the joke we've been making is we've heard of every one of those clubs except for us!," Mr Baxter said. Gonzo's is known as a place to finish off a night out and it seems to draw people back time and Savory, 21, said although it might not be able to match clubs in Ibiza, it had a "great atmosphere". He said: "I really do like it in there. It does get chaotic in there but I've only been there a few times. It is a good atmosphere if you like to have a dance and like your music." The venue is also memorable for 34-year-old Rachel Martin, who said: "It was our first baby-free night out and my husband and I had a few drinks... it was awesome."We didn't get home until 06:00 the next morning, so great times. "I haven't been to Ibiza but anywhere that gets us to stay out until 6am in Norwich should probably get some sort of award." The winner of the BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards prize for best venue in the UK and Europe will be announced live on Radio 1 Dance from 18:00 GMT on 21 February. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Express Tribune
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
10 Best Super Bowl 2025 Commercials: Bad Bunny, Aubrey Plaza & Matthew McConaughey in must-see Ads
Super Bowl 2025 has come and gone, and while the Philadelphia Eagles claimed victory over the Kansas City Chiefs with a 40-22 win at the Caesars Superdome, millions of viewers were equally captivated by the night's commercials. With each 30-second ad slot costing around $8 million, brands pulled out all the stops, enlisting A-list celebrities, nostalgic pop culture references, and major comedy icons to make their mark during the Fox broadcast. This year's lineup featured everything from Ben Affleck's DunKings sequel to Seal singing about Mountain Dew Baja Blast, proving that the Super Bowl's ads continue to be just as entertaining as the game itself. Here's a breakdown of the 10 best Super Bowl LIX commercials that kept audiences talking. 10. Pringles Mustaches took center stage as Nick Offerman, Clippers' James Harden, and Chiefs coach Andy Reid appeared in Pringles' quirky ad. Their facial hair flew across the screen in a comical potato chip-themed 'recon mission' set to a playful twist on the Adam West Batman theme. 9. Little Caesars The night featured both flying mustaches and flying eyebrows, with Eugene Levy's expressive brows stealing the show in Little Caesars' spot. The ad delivered a hilarious moment with animated caterpillars bowing down to Levy's airborne eyebrows, prompting the brand's official X account to joke, 'What a hair-raising coincidence.' what a hair-raising coincidence… should we make it official? 👀 — Little Caesars Pizza (@littlecaesars) 8. Hellman's The mayonnaise brand went full rom-com nostalgia by reuniting Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan at Katz's Deli to recreate the famous scene from When Harry Met Sally . Ryan once again faked an orgasm in the middle of the restaurant, and Sydney Sweeney delivered the iconic punchline: 'I'll have what she's having.' 7. The Muppets made a much-welcomed return in ad, featuring Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and Statler & Waldorf on a chaotic vacation adventure. Kermit strummed his banjo, Gonzo took off in a rocket pack, and the grumpy old men stayed true to form, declaring 'we hate everything.' 6. Novartis In a refreshing shift, Novartis used its Super Bowl platform for breast cancer awareness. Hailee Steinfeld set the tone with the message, 'Let's give breasts the attention they deserve most,' leading viewers to a dedicated website for screening information. Wanda Sykes, a breast cancer survivor, also made an appearance in the impactful ad. 5. Häagen-Dazs The Fast & Furious crew slowed things down for Häagen-Dazs, with Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez enjoying an ice cream bar while cruising along a scenic highway. Meanwhile, Ludacris hilariously called them out from a Jeep: 'Hey, what happened to fast life? Are y'all kidding me?' 4. Mountain Dew Baja Blast In a bizarre yet unforgettable moment, Seal transformed his 1995 hit Kiss From a Rose into 'Kiss From a Lime' in a surreal ad where his face was superimposed onto a CGI seal. Becky G summed it up best, calling it 'the weirdest thing I've ever seen.' 3. UberEats Matthew McConaughey played a conspiracy theorist unraveling football's origins in UberEats' entertaining ad, which featured guest cameos from Greta Gerwig, Martha Stewart, Charli XCX, and Kevin Bacon. The combination of historical theories and food cravings made for a unique and clever commercial. 2. Ritz Aubrey Plaza and Michael Shannon embraced their inner cynics in Ritz's 'Salty Club' ad, where Bad Bunny stood out as the only smiling person in a lodge full of grumpy people. The reggaeton star even pulled off a few magic tricks, adding a touch of playful mischief to the spot. 1. Dunkin' The DunKings returned for a sequel, and this time, Ben Affleck led 'JavaJam: Battle of the Coffee Brand Bands.' The ad was packed with cameos from Casey Affleck, Bill Belichick, Druski, Donnie Wahlberg, and Jeremy Strong, as well as a surprise Jay and Silent Bob reunion. With Affleck's thick Boston accent in full force, Dunkin' once again delivered a Super Bowl ad classic.
