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You should wait until holiday 2017 to buy Nintendo's new console — here's why

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After months of anticipation, amid the roiling waves of rumor after rumor, Nintendo finally revealed details about its new video game console on Thursday evening.

If you haven't already seen it, this is the Nintendo Switch:

Nintendo Switch

You may have already noticed that the console (above, on the right) looks like someone shoved a tablet into a plastic toaster. The "toaster" in this case is actually a dock — you dock the tablet and, voila, it's on your television.

What you see above is how the console looks when you're playing it on a television, but that's not the only way to use the Switch. The tablet can be lifted out of the dock and two controllers get attached. 

Like so:

Nintendo Switch

It's a home console; it's a portable console. It's both, actually!

On Thursday night, Nintendo announced the price and release date of the Switch: It's $299, and it arrives on March 3. On top of that, Nintendo announced that a brand new game in the "Legend of Zelda" series will launch with the system — it's called "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," and it looks fantastic.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

So! All of that said, if you're thinking about buying a brand new Switch console... maybe don't. Not yet, anyway. Hear me out!

When the Switch launches on March 3, it will have a single major game: "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild." And in fairness, it looks like an excellent game. But if you're one of the 13 million people who own a Wii U, you can play it there, too.

And if you're not one of those people, are you willing to spend $300 to play a single game? If you don't play the new "Zelda" game in March, it doesn't sour. It'll still be there if you decide to buy the system later, waiting for you. And there are tremendous benefits to waiting, like several other games coming out that look fantastic.

"What games?!" you ask. Well let me tell you!

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch)

This is "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe," and it arrives on April 28. It's a game that already came out on the Wii U (where it was simply called "Mario Kart 8"), but the version coming to the Nintendo Switch includes all the additional (paid) content that came out after the game launched, as well as a revamped Battle Mode.

To be clear, it looks excellent. When I played it briefly at a press event in New York City on January 13, it was a ton of fun. But if you played it already, it's not a brand-new game. 

That said, even if it thrills you, it's not there at launch — it arrives nearly two months later.

Splatoon 2

After that, in the summer, "Splatoon 2" arrives (seen above).

Like the first "Splatoon," it's a third-person shooter that's focused on competitive play over, say, a traditional single-player campaign. Simply put: You play "Splatoon 2" online against other people. 

Like "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe," "Splatoon 2" is a ton of fun to play — I also played it at the January 13 event in New York City. Also like "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe," "Splatoon 2" doesn't release with the console at launch on March 3. It doesn't even have a solid release date actually, just "summer 2017."

Bummer!

Super Mario Odyssey

Last up, "Super Mario Odyssey" is the gorgeous, sandbox-style 3D Mario game that fans have wanted for years. Just look at that grinning Mario above. His excitement is infectious!

While "Super Mario 3D World" on the Wii U was an incredible 3D Mario game, it failed to capture the same type of exploration and wonder that games like "Super Mario 64" and "Super Mario Galaxy" did. When Nintendo debuted "Super Mario Odyssey" at its Tokyo event, the reaction was near-universally positive.

Frankly speaking, it looks incredibly good. 

Super Mario Odyssey

And here's the rub (of course there's a rub): It launches in "holiday 2017." 

Are you starting to catch my drift? Let's say you wait until holiday 2017 to buy a Nintendo Switch instead of rushing out to buy one in March. You'll be buying a console that has several great-looking games instead of a console with one great-looking game, and it's entirely possible that you'll get to enjoy some of the benefits of waiting — like a potentially reduced price from the intro price of $299. 

By all means: Go out and buy one in March if you feel the need. You are, after all, the Koopa Troopa of your own future. But if you asked me — and, admittedly, you didn't, but you got this far! — I'd say wait until the holiday before snagging the Switch.

SEE ALSO: You can pre-order Nintendo's new Switch console right here, right now

DON'T MISS: The new 'Legend of Zelda' game will launch with the Nintendo Switch on March 3

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's the gorgeous trailer for 'Super Mario Odyssey' — the first Mario game for Nintendo Switch


Here's when your favorite TV shows are coming back this year

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the walking dead season 6 amc.JPG

Whether you prefer to watch TV live, on streaming services, or on your DVR, it's time to jump into the winter/spring TV season show returns and premieres.

That includes addictive dramas like "The Walking Dead," "Empire," and "How to Get Away with Murder." Also, what about the return of comic-book series "The Flash" and "Arrow"?

And let's not forget this season's new offerings, such as HBO's "The Young Pope," Fox's "24: Legacy," and FX's "Feud: Bette and Joan." Plus there's Netflix's "A Series of Unfortunate Events" that just dropped on Friday.

Here are the upcoming return and premiere dates for all your favorite (and your soon-to-be favorite) shows: 

SEE ALSO: 8 TV shows you need to watch if you love 'The Walking Dead'

DON'T MISS: The 22 most exciting new shows of 2017 you have to see

Friday, January 13

3 a.m. "A Series of Unfortunate Events" series premiere (Netflix)
3 a.m. "Sneaky Pete" series premiere (Amazon)
8 p.m. "The Vampire Diaries" (CW)

 



Sunday, January 15
9 p.m. "Homeland" season-six premiere (Showtime)
9 p.m. "The Young Pope" series premiere (HBO)

Tuesday, January 17
10 p.m. "Teacher" season-two premiere (TV Land)
10:30 p.m. "Throwing Shade" series premiere (TV Land)



Wednesday, January 18
10 p.m. "Six" series premiere (History)

Thursday, January 19
8 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
9 p.m. "Scandal" season-six premiere (ABC)
10 p.m. "How to Get Away With Murder (ABC)
10 p.m. "Baskets" season-two premiere (FX)

Friday, January 20
3 a.m. "Frontier" series premiere (Netflix)
10 p.m. "Real Time With Bill Maher" season-15 premiere (HBO)

 



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The famously gruesome ending of 'Seven' almost didn't make it in the movie

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Seven New Line Cinema

The ending of David Fincher's 1995 classic psychological thriller "Seven" is one of the greats, with John Doe (Kevin Spacey) delivering the head of Detective Mills' (Brad Pitt) wife in a box.

But if everything had gone as planned, that ending would never have seen the light of day.

The screenwriter of "Seven," Andrew Kevin Walker, recently told the Hollywood Reporter that it was a mix-up in the draft Fincher got when being offered the movie that led to the movie being made with Walker's original ending.

Before Fincher, the script, which Walker wrote on spec while working at Tower Records in New York City in the early 1990s, was optioned by "Christmas Vacation" director Jeremiah Chechik. And Chechik wanted the ending changed.

Walker doesn't go into detail on what he changed the ending to, but there was definitely no head in a box.

Chechik moved on from the project and the script kicked around Hollywood until it got to Fincher, but it was the original version with the head-in-a-box ending that was given to him.

"[Fincher] expressed some interest, but in expressing his interest to them, had mentioned there was a head in the box," Walker told THR. "And they were like, 'Oh, no, no, no. We sent you the wrong draft.' And then they sent him the vastly rewritten, Jeremiah Chechik draft, which had a completely different ending and Fincher said, 'No, I wouldn't be interested in doing that.'"

But then Fincher got his way and the original conclusion came back. And the rest is history. 

"Seven," thanks to its insane ending, became a classic, and Walker had himself a career. Walker has since done uncredited work on Fincher-directed projects like "The Game" and "Fight Club," and most recently he wrote the screenplay for the animated movie "Nerdland."

But let's look back one more time at that great ending of "Seven."

 

 

SEE ALSO: The "Deadpool" writers reveal everything you want to know about the sequel

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Netflix climbs to an all-time high ahead of earnings (NFLX)

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Reed Hastings

Netflix closed at an all-time high of $133.70 on Friday, up 3.5% on the day.

The rise shows investor confidence is high heading into Netflix's quarterly earnings report on January 18.

Variety points out that some Wall Street analysts have issue optimistic forecasts, which could be boosting the stock. Deutsche Bank's Bryan Kraft upped Netflix from “Sell” to “Hold” in a note distributed on Thursday. Kraft thinks Netflix will present strong international growth results, adding 4.35 million international subs, to the company’s guidance of 3.35 million, buoyed by strength in Western Europe.

Kraft said the increased international demand was "catalyzed by original content (e.g. Luke Cage – Sept. 30 release, The Crown, Gilmore Girls, and Fuller House)."

Other analysts are predicting results more in line with Netflix's guidance.

Netflix"We are estimating 1.46 million net new U.S. streaming subs and 3.75 million net new international streaming subs, roughly in line with guidance," RBC's Mark Mahaney wrote in a note distributed on Thursday.

Netflix was the darling of Wall Street in 2015, finishing as the best performer in the S&P, though it had a rockier 2016 after under-delivering, at times, on subscriber growth. Since its 2002 IPO however, Netflix's stock is way up, as is clear on the chart on the right.

The numbers to watch during Netflix's earnings are domestic and international subscribers, which have provoked wild swings of the stock after recent earnings reports.

SEE ALSO: Here are the Netflix and Amazon TV shows that have gotten the best buzz over the last few years

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Sony Entertainment's CEO is stepping down to go all in as Snap's chairman ahead of IPO

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michael lynton

Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton is stepping down from his position to focus on another role: Chairman of Snap Inc. 

Lynton has been a trusted adviser to Snap's Evan Spiegel and on the board of Snapchat's parent company since 2013. He's now been recognized officially as chairman of the board at Snap, according to The New York Times.

In a memo to staffers, published in the Hollywood Reporter, Lynton said he was leaving Sony to focus on his growing responsibilities as chairman of the company on the edge of an IPO

"As some of you are already aware, I have been involved with Snapchat since its early days. Given Snapchat’s growth – and my growing role and responsibilities in it – I recently determined that the time was right to make a change," Lynton said in his note to the company.

He'll remain with Sony for the next six months to oversee the transition. Snap declined to comment.

Lynton's close ties with Snapchat were infamously exposed following the Sony hack in December 2014. Lynton's leaked emails exposed the inner-workings of the secretive company, including the unannounced acquisition of Vergence Labs which became the basis of Snap's recently released Spectacles smart glasses.

SEE ALSO: Evan Spiegel is selling his vision to investors ahead of Snap's huge IPO

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NOW WATCH: The fabulous and charmed life of 26-year-old self-made billionaire, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel

Lucasfilm officially denies that a digital Carrie Fisher will be in the next 'Star Wars' movies (DIS)

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Princess Leia

Lucasfilm is officially shooting down rumors that they will use a digital body double of the late actress Carrie Fisher in future "Star Wars" movies, after her death at age 60 in December 2016.

"We want to assure our fans that Lucasfilm has no plans to digitally recreate Carrie Fisher’s performance as Princess or General Leia Organa," says an official blog post on StarWars.com.

Earlier, Lucasfilm had confirmed that Fisher had already finished shooting her scenes for 2017's "Episode VIII," the next film slated for release in the "Star Wars" saga.

But rumors about a digital version of Fisher in other yet-to-be-made Star Wars films were borne out of the most controversial part of 2016's "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," where a computer-animated body double of the late Peter Cushing was used so his character Grand Moff Tarkin could play a supporting role in the film. 

It should be noted that "Rogue One" also used a digital body double of a younger Carrie Fisher in the final shot of the film, as her character Princess Leia receives the plans for the sinister Death Star megaweapon.

Rogue One Tarkin final

"We're not planning on doing this digital re-creation extensively from now on," John Knoll, chief creative officer of ILM and visual effects supervisor on "Rogue One," told The New York Times. "It just made sense for this particular movie."

SEE ALSO: All of Carrie Fisher's scenes have already been filmed for 'Star Wars: Episode VIII'

Join the conversation about this story »

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MICHAEL MOORE: These are Obama's biggest failures and accomplishments


A visual history of Nintendo's video game consoles

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nintendo switch

Nintendo’s future is almost here. It’s called the Switch, and, true to its name, it blurs the line between home console and portable gaming machine.

We can’t say how good it'll be just yet, but on concept alone, it looks neat.

This is far from the first time we’ve said that about a Nintendo console. The Japanese giant has earned legendary status among gaming fans for making machines — and a whole lot of games — that aren’t quite like their peers.

Some of those have brought massive success; others have led to total failure. Wherever the Switch lands on that spectrum, it appears to continue the company’s penchant for doing its own thing.

To show what we mean, here’s a quick look back at the hardware Nintendo has released over the years.

SEE ALSO: A brief history of Apple killing standards you loved — and others you didn't

Before there was the NES, there was the Color TV-Game. Nintendo first dipped its toes into console gaming by launching five of these rectangles between 1977 and 1980, all in its native Japan.

There were no cartridges or discs here, so you could only play whatever was loaded onto the system by default. The first of the bunch was built in partnership with Mitsubishi, and included a simple game called "Light Tennis," which you might know as "Pong."



And before there was the Game Boy, there was the Game & Watch.

Again, this was a series of handhelds, with each one capable of playing one simplified game on a tiny LCD display. Sixty different models were made in total, and Nintendo sold roughly 43 million units between 1980 and 1991.



Now we get to the familiar stuff. Nintendo built on the success of its various arcade tiles with the 1983 launch of the Family Computer (or Famicom) in Japan. Two years later, it released an American version, known as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

After a massive, years-long recession, it's hard to understate just significant the NES was for the gaming industry. It standardized business models, gave home to several iconic hits, and made Nintendo a titan in its field.



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The 22 most exciting new shows of 2017 you have to see

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the young pope hbo

As the movie business continues to favor blockbusters and established film franchises, talented people are running to television. For the most part, viewers are reaping the benefits.

An FX study estimates that the amount of original scripted shows will reach 500 in 2017 – up from 455 in 2016. It's really becoming impossible for any person to keep up with all the most exciting shows coming down the pike.

But don't worry, here's a list of the shows we believe deserve your attention. It's nearly three dozen of the most exciting series slated to premiere in 2017. We're not saying these will be the most critically acclaimed shows of the year, we're just pointing out the ones that will get people talking.

From Starz's "American Gods" to NBC's "Midnight, Texas," and HBO's "Young Pope," here are the 22 upcoming new shows we're most excited about in 2017:

SEE ALSO: 12 TV shows you're not watching that you need to see

DON'T MISS: 20 TV shows you're watching that are probably going to be canceled

"The New Celebrity Apprentice" (NBC), Currently airing

There are two major reasons to tune in to NBC's new iteration of "Celebrity Apprentice." Is Arnold Schwarzenegger as entertaining as Donald Trump? And then there's the action star and former California governor's version of "You're fired."



"Emerald City" (NBC), Currently airing

For today's viewers, NBC's remake of the classic "Wizard of Oz" story is decidedly more edgy and sexier than the original. The basic tenets of the story are all there, but it has a diverse cast, a much more epic scope, and takes place in a violent period for the magical land. Director Tarsem Singh Dhandwar ("Mirror Mirror," "The Cell") serves as an executive producer and directs the series.



"Taboo" (FX), Currently airing

Oscar nominee Tom Hardy, who was in "The Revenant" and "Mad Max: Fury Road" last year, rides the line between London gentleman and savage as James on the FX event series, "Taboo." It's 1814, and he's returning to London after 10 years in Africa. Believed dead by those who knew him, James returns to protect his father's legacy against his enemies, and finds himself in a face-off against the most powerful trading firm of the time, the East India Company.

"Blade Runner" director Ridley Scott serves as an executive producer.



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Forget about that 'Super Mario' game on your iPhone — this is the new Mario game you're looking for

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Nintendo this week unveiled a brand-new Mario game on a brand-new game console: It's called "Super Mario Odyssey," and it's a brand new, 3D Mario game coming to the Nintendo Switch.

Super Mario Odyssey

Nintendo debuted "Super Mario Odyssey" in a flashy new trailer on Thursday night, and we've got a breakdown of what to expect from the game below:

SEE ALSO: Here's everything we just learned about Nintendo's new $300 console, the Switch

DON'T MISS: Here are all the games that will launch on the new Nintendo Switch console

First things first: This is definitely a 3D Super Mario game, in the lineage of "Super Mario 64" and "Super Mario Galaxy." That means it's a "sandbox-style" game. The world is segmented into levels, but the levels are massive and open-ended.



"Super Mario 64" was both the first 3D Mario game and the first Mario game where levels were open-ended. No flagpole, no definitive beginning and end. Instead, you collected stars in any order you wished.



In "Super Mario Odyssey," Mario explores a variety of real-world locations. He's got a flying ship for getting from place to place:



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9 artists who reportedly turned down performing at Trump's inauguration

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elton john donald trump

The US presidential inauguration has been a major stage for popular music acts. Performers for recent Republican and Democratic presidential inaugural events have included Barbra Streisand, Ricky Martin, Beyoncé, and Kelly Clarkson.

Donald Trump's inaugural committee, however, has reportedly faced some difficulties booking A-list musicians for the president-elect's big day.

Elton John, Kiss, and Garth Brooks are among those who have refused offers to play the inauguration, according to various sources.

Currently, 3 Doors Down and Toby Keith are set to headline the pre-inauguration concert for Trump at the Lincoln Memorial on January 19.

Here are the artists who have reportedly turned down performing at the Trump inauguration:

SEE ALSO: THE A-LIST: The 20 most powerful stars in Hollywood right now

Elton John

A member of Trump's transition team said Elton John, who's said to be a favorite of Trump's, was set to perform at the inauguration, but John's own team made clear he will have nothing to do with the big day.

(Source)



Céline Dion

TheWrap reported that Las Vegas hotelier Steve Wynn had tried to deliver the Canadian superstar singer for the inauguration, but she refused.

A spokesperson for Wynn said, however, that he was "not asked to book specific performers for the inauguration, nor did he ever a make a commitment to find specific performers."



Garth Brooks

As with Dion, a source told TheWrap that Wynn tried to wrangle Brooks for the inauguration, but the country star declined.



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Everyone thinks 'Coda' is Led Zeppelin's worst album — but it's really surprisingly great

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Led Zeppelin Coda

The 1980s are not generally regarded as a great time for the band that was at that point formerly known as Led Zeppelin.

In truth, they weren't a band during the Reagan era — they were the three surviving members of a band, following the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980 and the group's decision to call it quits.

The conventional story of what happened to Zep at this juncture goes like this. The band was already slipping into irrelevance, as its signature brand of heavy, heavy, heavy blues rock and Celtic folk thunder had been displaced by punk, with its raw energy and distinct lack of respect for its elders.

The rebooting effort of "In Through the Out Door" in 1978 divided the group, with singer Robert Plant and bassist/keyboard player John Paul Jones pushing toward a different sound — less hard, less "animal" as Plant once put it.

Guitarist and producer Jimmy Page and the ill-fated Bonham, their struggles with the rock-n-roll lifestyle not withstanding, were reportedly considering a return to form with Zep's next record, although Page was in my view wrestling with his own devotion to the blues while not ignoring the punk onslaught. 

Bonham's passing ended what was in retrospect an overblown civil war in the band: Page dropped out of sight for a year, Jones continued on working with a variety of different musicians, and Plant launched a reluctant but wildly successful solo career (as a teenager in the early 1980s, Led Zeppelin often seemed like a distant legend from the pre-MTV era, while Plant was a lively if confusing presence in the video age).

led zeppelin 02Page would resurface and collaborate with Plant and Page's old Yardbirds mate, Jeff Beck, forming the Honeydrippers; later, Page would team up with Paul Rodgers and create the Firm, and also undertake what critics have generally regarded as a meandering post-Zep existence, but what in retrospect now looks like an individualistic an actually creatively worthwhile episode of mourning for the end of Led Zeppelin, Bonham's death, and in a sense the demise of the Very Big Rock Sound of the 1970s, which Page was instrumental in developing.

The 1980s low point for Zep was the 1985 Live Aid concert, a ragged and largely unrehearsed reunion that wasn't corrected until 2007, when the band reunited in London and turned in an astonishing performance that for Zep fans has the power of a religious event.

In the midst of all this messiness in the 1980s, the band's most unloved album appeared, "Coda," a collection of unreleased studio material. 

For a teen of the 1980s who had experienced the British invasion and Zep's subsequent 1970s dominance secondhand, "Coda" presented the opportunity to actually buy a new Led Zeppelin record in 1982, rather than slap a copy of "Led Zeppelin IV" from 1971 on the turntable to spin it backwards and see if there were any secret demonic messages on "Stairway to Heaven."

Led Zeppelin Coda

I don't remember liking the record all that much, but that was due to both its shambolic absence of cohesiveness — and my own haphazard exposure to the Zep timeline.

The band was in it origins an aggressive proponent of the blues — specifically, the Chicago blues or city blues, distinct from the un-electrified country blues. You needed to have started with Led Zeppelin I, released in 1969, and not had your ears saturated with a million spins of "Stairway" on the radio in the '70s to understand that.

Luckily, as a part of a massive remastering and re-issuing of the entire Zep catalog, Page has added some context and credibility to "Coda," integrating it with the larger musical Zeppelin narrative that's been his life's work for the past ten years (Page just turned 73).

There are really three Led Zeppelins: the live band, the studio ensemble, and the entity that appears on the albums. Of these, the studio ensemble is arguably the most interesting. Live, the band was ferocious early on, but over time it morphed into a huge and dramatic arena group that sacrificed a vibe that made it perhaps the finest blues-rock garage band every assembled. 

The album Zep embodies Page's many ideas about recording and production and is accordingly an artificial construct, by design — a musical vehicle for listening to entire vinyl records, both sides, on good stereos. In fact, the first four Zep albums are a long suite of music, the expression of a synthesis of major strands in Western music, from blues to folks to classical. They can stand up to the the most important Beatles records and are challenged only by the 1968-1973 run of the Rolling Stones, starting with "Beggars Banquet" and ending with "Goats Head Soup."

The studio ensemble was the foursome that worked all of this out. By remastering the Zep catalog and including a huge amount of the studio material, Page has illuminated this aspect of the band's existence and certainly redeemed even "Coda, which now serves a useful purpose and gracefully presages the magnificent final remastered release, the Deluxe Edition of the "Complete BBC Sessions," perhaps my personal favorite Zep album.

There's a looseness to the Deluxe Edition "Coda" that's more obvious than in the 1982 release. Yes, there some real gems, such as the Page and Plant collaborations with the Bombay Orchestra. But the recordings also convey the disciplined joy that the group explored in the studio.

Led Zeppelin Deluxe Edition Coda

The delicious groove that Bonham and Jones set up, punctuated with Bonzo's explosive fills, establishes an hypnotic, surging background for the interplay between Plant and Page. And the remastered "Coda" is crammed with cool guitars sounds and textures.

As a player, Page has been captured by his mid-1970s image: the dragon-suited rock god swaggering in front tens of thousands of fans, wielding his Les Paul or his Gibson doubleneck, giving birth to everybody from Eddie Van Halen to Slash. But the man was really a thoroughgoing studio geek whose adventurousness as a producer is, to my mind, ultimately more significant than his skills with the six-strings. As Zepland asks itself year after year, "Where's Jimmy?" in response to his infrequent appearances and lack of any new music, it might be worth thinking of his master vision as a producer and composer, rather than as a guitarist.

So we get, for example, the funky growl of "St. Tristan's Sword," an instrumental mix that shows just how delightfully locked in Page and Jones could be. Led Zeppelin had an embarrassment of musicianship in the group, and with cuts like this, it's vividly on display.

A rough mix of "Bring It On Home" has a feral, sweaty vitality that showcases Zep's filthy, post-Stones sex appeal and reminds us of just how indebted Jack White is to the more lo-fi aspects of Zep's sound. The spacey, elegiac "Everybody Makes It Through (In The Light)" rough mix is one of the few examples in popular music of what a hard blues synth New Wave band would sound like as it was working out the details (the tune appears on 1975's epic "Physical Graffiti" double-album). 

led zeppelin

All this extra stuff provides a freshness to the re-released original tracks on "Coda," especially the blistering bluesers, such as "I Can't Quit You Baby," the Willie Dixon standard from Led Zeppelin's debut album and on "Coda" taken from a live recording when the band was just tearing it up (for the record, Dixon and Zep tangled over copyright issues before his death as a result of Zep's liberal borrowings from the blues legacy).

And the group's eulogy for Bonham, the drum solo "Bonzo's Montreux," now sounds properly like a true coda for the force of nature behind the skins. "Baby Come On Home" is a luscious soul number that suggests an alternate-universe version of soundtrack from "The Big Chill" and reminds us of Page and Jones' chameleon talents as onetime session guys. "Sugar Mama," another old blue tune, is just a flat-out hoot.

Zep was a great big gigantic band, an impression that anyone could form based on the group's records. But the remasterings and Deluxe Editions showcase a group that was even bigger than we previously thought. I realize that statement comes off like the raving of a fan, but the sheer scale of Zep's musical contribution is the revelation of the sequence of re-releases. They were accused of being dinosaurs when "Coda" came out. They were dinosaurs. 

But don't forget: the dinosaurs were big.

And as "Coda" proves, big dinosaurs who could have a lot of fun.

SEE ALSO: 'Stairway to Heaven' is an epic Led Zeppelin song — but here are 3 that outdo it

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'Hidden Figures' wins a dismal MLK weekend at the box office

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Hidden Figures 20th Century Fox

Oscar contender "Hidden Figures" won the weekend box office for a second straight week taking in an estimated $20.45 million ($25.3 million by Monday), according to boxofficepro.com, but the real story over this Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend is how poorly the new releases did. And we mean historically awful.

MLK weekend has never been a big one for the movie business but this year is filled with bombs. Paramount's kids action movie "Monster Trucks," Ben Affleck's "Live By Night," Mark Wahlberg's look back on the Boston Marathon bombing "Patriots Day," Martin Scorsese's "Silence," and the Jamie Foxx action movie "Sleepless" did not impress anyone as all five titles underperformed big time.

Some of these titles were doomed from the start. "Monster Trucks" has been on the shelf for over a year and the studio was already preparing for over a $100 million loss on the movie late last year. The movie took in $10.5 million this weekend ($13 million by Monday). While "Sleepless" has more of the feel of a straight-to-video title. And it performed like one, only taking in around $10 million by the end of MLK weekend.

"Patriots Day" was one title box office analysts thought could win this holiday weekend and get into the $20 million range, but it had a weak showing, only taking in $12 million ($14.3 million by Monday).

ben affleck live by nightBecause Scorsese's latest is unlike his f-bomb-charged gangster movies of the past, Paramount knew it was in for a hard opening weekend. Especially given that the movie didn't receive the Oscar attention the studio hoped for. So the $2.5 million for "Silence" over MLK holiday weekend isn't a huge shocker.

But "Live By Night" is the biggest dud of the weekend, well, because it's a Ben Affleck project. The A-lister has the power to fuel the box office for his directing/starring movies, and "Live By Night" was supposed to be like "Argo" and "The Town" before it. However, the movie was ignored during award season and slaughtered by critics (it has a 32% on Rotten Tomatoes), leading to its paltry $5.42 million weekend (it's budgeted at $65 million).

Well, here's hoping next weekend is better for Hollywood.

SEE ALSO: The "Deadpool" writers reveal everything you want to know about the sequel

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I played Nintendo's new game console, the Switch — this is what it's like

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For the first time since the Wii U launched — and subsequently fizzled — in 2012, Nintendo is making a new video game console. It's called the Nintendo Switch, and it's a $300 home console/portable console hybrid.

You can play it at home, you can play it on-the-go. You can do both!

Nintendo Switch

The console is the tablet. You slide it into a dock, and it's a home console. You slide on the two "Joy-Con" controllers, and it's a portable console. Simple!

The Switch is nearly here — it's scheduled to launch on March 3, which you may notice is pretty soon. As such, Nintendo offered us a chance to try the system at a January 13 press event in New York City. I was there! Here are some thoughts on that experience.

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DON'T MISS: Here's everything we just learned about Nintendo's new $300 console, the Switch

The first way I played the Switch was as a handheld console. Like so:



Here's a clearer view of what Switch looks like in that mode. It's a 6.2-inch tablet with controllers ("Joy-Con") attached on each flank.



Before I say anything about the console, I can say with confidence that "Splatoon 2" was a delight to play.



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Mark Hamill is reading Trump’s tweets in his iconic Joker voice — and it’s hilarious

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President-elect Donald Trump has been tweeting up a storm ever since Election Day, and not everyone is a fan of what he has to say. After reading Trump's New Year's message, writer Matt Oswalt noticed that he sounded a lot like the Joker. Mark Hamill — who has been voicing the Joker since 1992 — agreed, and now he's started reading Trump's tweets in the voice of the popular comic book villain.  

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China just opened a massive floating walkway that’s 2X longer than Manhattan

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On New Year's Day, China opened up its 31-mile-long floating walkway, located in Luodian County of southwest China's Guizhou Province. The walkway is twice as long as the city of Manhattan and has already received tens of thousands of tourists.

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A Bruce Springsteen cover band quits Trump inauguration because of Springsteen

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b street band

Yet another performer has quit the upcoming Donald Trump inauguration festivities.

The B Street Band, a well-known Bruce Springsteen cover band, has dropped out of a planned performance at the Garden State Inaugural Gala, and has made it clear they've done so because of Springsteen's political opinions.

Previously, the Broadway singer Jennifer Holliday dropped out of a Trump inauguration performance and apologized to fans for agreeing to it in the first place after widespread pushback.

The B Street Band released a statement saying it was quitting the gig out of respect for the Boss and his band:

"With deepest apologies to our fans and the New Jersey Inaugural Ball committee, the B Street Band is withdrawing from performing at this year’s inauguration Gala.

"Our decision is based SOLELY on the respect and gratitude we have for Bruce and the E Street Band.

"Bruce’s music has been the foundation of our livelihood. The B Street Band would not exist without the talents of Bruce and our E Street brothers.

"We are most grateful to these rock legends and look forward to many more years of emulating and performing the Forever Music, of Bruce Springsteen."

Springsteen has made his dislike of Trump clear, openly wondering if the president-elect is competent enough to fulfill the basic duties of the job.

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NOW WATCH: Mark Hamill is reading Trump’s tweets in his iconic Joker voice — and it’s hilarious

Here's everything we know about the Super Bowl ads so far

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super bowl

Super Bowl 51 is set to air on Fox on February 5 and, as usual, the big game's broadcast will be stuffed to the brim with big-money ads, reportedly costing $5 million for a 30-second slot.

Unlike last year, as Marketing Land pointed out, many brands are keeping unusually quiet so far about their Super Bowl activity. But expect to see more teasers as the Super Bowl draws closer.

We'll be keeping you up to date with all the latest commercials, teasers, and other Super Bowl ads news.

Scroll down to see what we know so far about the Super Bowl ads (we've organized all the news in alphabetical order, by brand.)

84 Lumber

Construction-supply company 84 Lumber has splashed out an estimated $15 million on a 90-second ad — its debut Super Bowl spot, AdAge reported

It will air in the second quarter, before half-time and aims to recruit new employees. Ad agency Brunner created the ad.

Here's a recent 84 Lumber ad, celebrating its 60th year:

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/S9PhSJ2wp-c
Width: 560px
Height: 315px


Audi

The automaker is returning to the Super Bowl for the ninth time, with an ad created by agency Venables Bell & Partners, according to Adweek.

Last year's spot featured David Bowie's "Starman":

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/yB8tgVqmKzw
Width: 560px
Height: 315px


Avocados from Mexico

Avocados from Mexico told Business Insider in December it was coming back to the Super Bowl in 2017. It's the third year in a row the brand has advertised in the big game.

This year's ad will be focused on promoting the fact that avocados are healthy, something the company was not explicitly permitted to do so in the past due to old FDA rules.

Here's last year's spot:

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/1ndPEQCoSzk
Width: 560px
Height: 315px


See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Tom Hardy hints that he might be in the running to be the next James Bond

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tom hardy

It's time for the first who-could-be-the-new-James-Bond story of 2017. 

Tom Hardy was asked about his interest in the 007 role by The Daily Beast while doing press for his new TV show "Taboo" and he got very cryptic with his answer.

"You know, there’s a saying amongst us in the fraternity of acting, and in the fellowship of my peer group, that if you talk about it you’re automatically out of the race," Hardy said. "So I can’t possibly comment on that one! If I mention it, it’s gone."

Now this could be a major hint that Hardy is gunning for the role, or he could just be having fun with a reporter. But what will happen now is Hardy will jump Tom Hiddleston and Idris Elba (both have said they are not going after the Bond role) as the most recognized name to flirt with the Bond rumors.

However, this is still only playful fun as MGM/Sony have neither confirmed nor denied that the current Bond, Daniel Craig, will return for another movie. Though, one of the film's producers has said he's their "first choice" for the role. 

The 25th James Bond movie is currently in preproduction.

SEE ALSO: The best and worst superhero movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ranked according to critics

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