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Are you ready for MORTAL KOMBAAAAT? We certainly hope so. And if not, you’d better prepare yourself because a brand new Mortal Kombat game, Mortal Kombat 1, is heading our way on September 19. Mortal Kombat 1 promises to create “a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and fatalities.” But as we look to the franchise’s future, it’s also a good time to relive the past. The latest trailer for Mortal Kombat 1 has a treat for old-school fans of the game. It homages a 1993 TV commercial, known as “Mortal Monday,” that was released to hype Mortal Kombat‘s original console outing. Let’s take a walk down Mortal Kombat memory lane below.

First up is the most recent Mortal Kombat 1 trailer. We must say, yelling/whispering Mortal Kombat over and over again is honestly a very effective mechanism to get you to remember the game is coming soon. Of course, this new version of the nostalgic “Mortal Monday” trailer also features Dave Bautista for some extra star power. Why not? Bautista says of participating in the trailer, “I vividly remember the original Mortal Monday commercial, especially the iconic scream… That’s what started my journey as a fan of Mortal Kombat, which continues to this day 30 years later. I’m very thrilled and honored to be a part of the game’s legacy.”

The Mortal Kombat 1‘s trailer description further offers, “It’s In Our Blood. Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe created by Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and Fatalities!”

Meanwhile, the original “Mortal Monday” ad really takes us back to the ’90s. They just don’t make campy commercials like they used to. Still, we applaud the Mortal Kombat 1 trailer for trying to recapture the nostalgic magic of this 1993 TV spot. We see at the end that the ad promises Mortal Kombat will release on Genesis, Super NES, Game Gear, and Game Boy. Those are some worthy consoles, for sure. And, of course, the “Mortal Monday” commercial offers the signature “Mortal Kombat” scream, which still gives long-time fans chills.

Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon notes more about this Mortal Kombat walk down memory lane. He notes, “The original Mortal Monday commercial earmarked the beginning of our journey into making games for home gaming system… It’s amazing to pay homage to such a memorable moment in Mortal Kombat history as we get ready to launch our newest game, Mortal Kombat 1.”

It’s 30 years later and we’re still screaming for Mortal Kombat. Mortal Kombat 1 will release on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch on September 19.

The post MORTAL KOMBAT 1 Trailer Homages Iconic 1993 TV Commerical appeared first on Nerdist.

“Korean Cinema’s Golden Decade: The 1960s” is coming to the Walter Reade Theater in New York City. From September 1 through 17, 24 films spanning the decade will be shown, some in 35mm format. The works range from classics such as Kim Ki-young’s “The Housemaid” (1960) to Lee Man-hee’s “A Day Off” (1968), which was censored and not released because of its taboo subject matter, instead placed in storage and all but forgotten for 37 years. It’s a unique opportunity to see some foundational Korean works on the big screen. Several other films which were once thought to be lost will also be screened. The film genres include drama, war, and horror. The series was organized by Young Jin Eric Choi, Goran Topalovic, and Tyler Wilson. 

The Nerd Element spoke with Goran Topalovic, a founding member of Subway Cinema, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and showing Asian cinema and preserving America’s Asian film heritage. He has over 20 years of experience programming and writing about East Asian cinema, and was also was one of the founders of the New York Asian Film Festival. Topalovic discussed with us how the series of 24 films was curated, his interest in East Asian films, and what makes the 1960s the “golden decade” of Korean Cinema.

To purchase tickets: https://www.filmlinc.org/series/korean-cinemas-golden-decade-the-1960s/

Learn more about Subway Cinema at: https://www.subwaycinema.com/

For more about Korean film history and preservation, please visit: https://eng.koreafilm.or.kr/main

The post Goran Topalovic Previews Korean Film Retrospective in NYC appeared first on The Nerd Element.

Star Wars marks years according to when the Rebels blew up the first Death Star. Anything that happened before is designates as BBY, Before the Battle of Yavin. ABY is anything after. But while we know the franchise’s latest installment, Ahsoka, takes place in roughly 10 ABY, galactic years are not the only way to keep track time in the galaxy far, far away. There are also distinct time periods. Now, with so many shows set during different ones, Star Wars has given us an updated account of all its eras, each with an official logo.

While this list will help every viewer know what stories define what eras, Knights of the Old Republic video game fans will have some questions… and probably some complaints.

Star Wars has provided a new classifications of nine distinct eras “defined along a mythological timeline giving context to its past, present, and future.” Most of these take place in a condensed century of events featuring the Skywalker family, but the list covers tens of thousands of years in total. The eras include:

• Dawn of the Jedi
• The Old Republic
• The High Republic
• Fall of the Jedi
• Reign of the Empire
• Age of Rebellion
• The New Republic
• Rise of the First Order
• New Jedi Order

If anyone was unsure where the Old Republic sits in history relative to the High Republic, this list clarifies that. The Old Republic is far, far back in the galaxy’s past. (Before the Outer Rims became a problem for everyone.) But that era’s official stories does not include the Knights of the Old Republic video games, even though other eras include some games set during their time periods. For example, Vader Immortal is officially part of the Reign of the Empire.

Does that mean Knights of the Old Republic games are not canon? Or simply that this list only covers what Lucasfilm deems the most important chapters in each era’s story? Anytime Star Wars provides answers we walk away with all new questions. And that’s true of any year in any time period.

The post Lucasfilm Shares New Official STAR WARS Eras List appeared first on Nerdist.

Over its three decades on television, The Simpsons has produced some very memorable memes. There’s probably a whole generation out there that primarily knows these characters only from memes, which is mildly mortifying. Yes kids, “Old Man Yells at Cloud” is from an actual episode of TV. But the most famous one of these has got to be the one of Homer Simpson backing up into a hedge. Well, now they are preserving that iconic moment…as tennis shoes. We’ve learned, via the folks at DesignTaxi, that Adidas has incorporated this moment into one of their Stan Smith sneakers. You can check out images of this new Homer-inspired footwear down below:

Click To View Gallery

While the entire style of this shoe keeps its classic barebones look, they animate the heel tab with embroidered artwork of the Simpson family’s perpetually befuddled patriarch retreating into a lush backdrop of green fleece. Although this moment usually signifies shame or embarrassment on social media, no one would feel shame wearing this amazing vegan leather shoe. The shoe’s tongue also features a reference to this Simpsons moment, with Homer’s face partially hidden underneath the laces. The sides now feature his name in place of the Stan Smith logo.

Along with some custom sock liners, these shoes arrive in a specially designed box memorializing the Homer meme. And that truly completes the package. Also, there are the iconic Adidas triple stripes envisioned as a part of the foliage that Homer retreats into. This Homer Simpson tennis shoe is actually the second Stan Smith shoe drawing inspiration from the legendary series. Homer’s wife Marge got her own special shoe last year. These specially designed The Simpsons Stan Smith shoes come at a price of $120.00, this amusing edition to the timeless footwear is now available for purchase via various Adidas retailers and online.

The post Classic Homer Simpson Meme Inspires New Adidas Sneakers appeared first on Nerdist.