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“Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision” Boxed Set Review

 

In the 56 years since it was built, New York’s Electric Lady Studios has hosted such iconic musicians as Led Zeppelin (who recorded parts of Houses Of The Holy there), David Bowie (Young Americans), Taylor Swift (the Taylor’s Version editions of Fearless, Folklore, and Red); Patti Smith (Horses), Stevie Wonder (Talking Book), Kiss (Destroyer and Asylum), Frank Ocean (Blond), Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga (Love For Sale), and on and on and on.

Even Prince, who had his own studio at the time, Paisley Park Studios, used it when recording his album Graffiti Bridge.

But now and forever it shall be known as the place that Jimi built.

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Movies PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Reviews Switch Video Games Xbox One Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

“The Princess Bride Pinball” for “Pinball FX” Review

 

There are a lot of things that don’t seem like they would work well, but end up defying expectations. Like Cate Blanchette playing a comic book villain in Thor Ragnarok. Or the rock band Phish getting their own ice cream flavor. Or a video game in which you’re a complete jerk…and a goat.

And now you can add to that inexplicable list The Princess Bride Pinball, the latest movie-inspired virtual pinball table for the video game Pinball FX (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, Switch, PC).

By paying homage to that classic fantasy comedy in a way that makes it feel like it’s as old as the movie itself, this video game pinball machine works so well that it ranks as one of the best movie-inspired tables for Zen Studio’s pinball system.

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PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Reviews Switch Video Games Xbox One Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

“Goat Simulator Pinball” for “Pinball FX” Review

 

There are video games that are weird, and there are video games that are weird.

And then there’s the video game Goat Simulator. Which is really, really weird.

Thankfully, it was also really fun. Well, assuming you like knocking into things and generally being a destructive jerk.

Well, now that weirdness is taking a different form courtesy of Goat Simulator Pinball table for Pinball FX (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, Switch, PC). Which — like the Pinball FX tables based on such video games as Doom, System Shock, and Borderlands — provide an entertaining mix of the titular game’s conceits and, well, pinball.

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PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Video Games Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

“Star Wars Outlaws” Review

Star Wars Outlaws

 

From the beginning, the Star Wars saga has had good guys and bad guys. But some of the more interesting characters — be it Han Solo, Lando Calrissian, or Anakin Skywalker when he was an impetuous young Jedi — are the ones who manage to be mostly good but also a little bad at the same time.

It’s to that list that we can now add Kay Vess, a low-level criminal who’s the main character in the new open world action game Star Wars Outlaws (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC).

And she’s an apt choice for this game, too, since Outlaws is also mostly good but a little bad as well, while also managing to be interesting.

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Movies PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Reviews Switch Video Games Xbox One Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre Pinball” for “Pinball M” Review

 

Though he’s best known for his quiet demeanor, meat carving skills, and appreciation for landscape architecture power tools, Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was also a big fan of pinball.

Okay, not really. Though had there been an old pinball machine in the corner of his house, especially in the first movie, no one would’ve batted an eyelash. It was the ’70s after all, and he’s clearly a hoarder.

Still, given how many of his fellow horror movie icons have gotten their own pinball tables (Freddy Kreuger, Chucky, Elvira), it’s fitting that Leatherface would now be similarly honored by the good people at Zen Studios, who’ve just released Texas Chainsaw Massacre Pinball for their virtual pinball platform Pinball M (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, Switch, PC).

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Music Reviews

Ivo Perelman, Matthew Shipp: “Magical Incantation” Review

 

You’ll have to forgive me, but free jazz adjacent sax master Ivo Perelman and his frequent partner in crime, pianist Matthew Shipp, have recorded so many albums together that I’ve lost track.

But while I may not know all their names, I can tell you that their newest collaboration, Magical Incantation (CD, digital) is impressive, even in their rather extensive collaborative career.

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PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Reviews Video Games Xbox One Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

“Universal Pinball: TV Classics Pack” for “Pinball FX” Review

 

In 2017, the good people at Zen Studios celebrated the launch of Pinball FX3 by teaming up with Universal Studios to release Universal Classics Pinball, which boasted virtual pinball tables inspired by the movies Jaws, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, and the Back To The Future films.

Now fans (and stockholders) of Universal have reason to celebrate again thanks to the Universal Pinball: TV Classics Pack for Pinball FX (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, Switch, PC), which includes virtual pinball tables based on the TV shows Xena: Warrior Princess, Knight Rider (the original), and Battlestar Galactica (the second one from the 2000s).

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Comics DVDs/Blu-rays Reviews TV

“The Falcon And The Winter Soldier: The Complete First Season” 4K, Blu-ray Review

 

While Captain America: Brave New World won’t be out until February 14th, 2025, Disney is probably hoping to stir some excitement for that movie by releasing what will eventually become regarded as its prequel TV series, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, on 4K and Blu-ray as the The Falcon And The Winter Soldier: The Complete First Season.

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DVDs/Blu-rays Reviews TV

“Star Wars: Andor: The Complete First Season” 4K, Blu-ray Review

 

Though it was released in 1977, the original Star Wars was somewhat different from other science fiction movies that came out in the ’70s. It wasn’t as slow paced, it wasn’t more intellectual than action-oriented, and it wasn’t set in a world that was clean to the point of feeling sterile.

Which is why it’s interesting that the Disney+ show Star Wars: Andor — the first season of which is now available on 4K and Blu-ray as Star Wars: Andor: The Complete First Season — would be the most ’70s-esque entry in the Star Wars canon, despite being made in the ’20s.

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