Revival

Hey it's Blade or now self proclaimed owner of "TheBrickUpdate" as Stephan doesn't even try with this site anymore and thinks he will actually have someone buy a BLOGGER page I have decided to take over expect new staff new articles and a new blog all together.

-BladeDude12345
*UPDATE* The new blog will be called Bricksaroundthecorner.blogspot.com for now.
If interested in being part of staff email me at bladedude12345@yahoo.com

Please Help Protest!

Today, many websites across the internet are protesting the SOPA (The Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (The Protect IP Act). Flikr and several other websites have given you and oppurtunity to "darken" or otherwise "not allow viewing of" your media.
The passing of these Acts would not on;y cripple the online community, but would also eliminate the cast majority of User-created content on the internet. In other words, this means no more gameplay or product videos and websites (LEGO-based, ect.), and definitely a large decrease in the availabiliy to download free music or view music videos. As a result of these very likely, and very real repercussions, I encourage you to protest these Acts to your will, but remember that if these are passed, you'll lose entertainment, quality time, and perhaps even sharing your hobbies. Thank you everyone, Much apprecated!

Remember please, any that are interested in authorship, or have already contacted me expressing your interest It would be much appreciated if you contacted me again. Thank you and I hope to hear from you!

Film Feature: Lego MW3 - The Good, The Bad, and The Noob

This week's film feature is from none other than bionicle28! Just a few days ago he uploaded a brand new brickfilm based on what is most likely the best selling game of all time, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3! The video itself follows a typical free-for-all match in the game and as usual, there are good players, bad players, and complete n00bs! From the very beginning you will know exactly what you're watching, that is, if you have played the real game before. However, this is because it's not just a Lego gun fight. It actually incorporates several key aspects from MW3, such as kill streaks (predator drone), gamertags, respawning, and first person camera shots with a heads up display. Overall, this film can easily be compared with Keshen8's amazingly successful film, "Lego Black Ops", which was released last year. Both films are excellent Lego renditions of two different Call of Duty titles. However, bionicle28's video still manages to feature many things that stand out, such as the incredibly smooth animation. Well done bionicle28!



Animation: 10/10
Visual Effects: 10/10
Sound Effects: 10/10
Story: 10/10

Pros:                                                                        Cons:

- Incredibly Smooth Animation                              - None!
- Entertaining Plot
- Quality Set Design
- Added Creativity
- Clear Sound Effects
- Interesting Camera Angles
- Funny

Brickfilms to look out for in 2012!

The last time I wrote an article about what brickfilms to look out for over the summer, only 4 (well, 2 brickfilms and part of 2 series) of the 9 brickfilms I wrote about were released. I will come back to some of those that have not yet been released in this article, as well as talking about some others.

BenTheCreator's TARDIS

1) Doctor Who: New Beginnings Part 2 (BenTheCreator)

Part One of Ben’s Doctor Who Series was exceptional. Introducing a new Doctor, a new monster, and possibly Ben’s companion throughout the rest of the series, this action packed brickfilm is one of the best takes I have seen on Doctor Who in LEGO form. Having ended on the cliffhanger, I cannot wait to see how it is resolved!

Link to part I

Part of the Celestial Dominion!

2) Planetfall (pizzamovies)

If Brad's update videos have been anything to go by, PlanetFall is set to be a pretty epic production. It is the LEGO production I am most looking forward to! The effort Brad is putting into this is evident, as the sets look very ambitious. He must have spent a lot of money on all the tanks, and his recent video showing his alien army is very impressive! The storyline is based on a book, as he passionately explains in one of his videos. The footage that he has showed is is flawless and it looks like his best animation to date! PlanetFall concerns all the major Earth powers having to pull together during the Second World War in order to combat an invasion by the fearsome Celestial Dominion! It features the voice acting talents of Spugesdu, DarthMilo77, thefourmonkeys, and others! 20% of the editing and 50% of the building has been completed so far!

A CGI shot from B&B

Link to an Update Video concerning Planetfall

3) Squad 42: Battle and Benefaction (Spugesdu)

I live in the hope that this film will eventually be  released... The CGI looks amazingly good, but whether or not we'll get to see it in context remains to be seen. However, I'm sure that when it comes out, it really will be well worth the wait. As well as the CGI, Gareth's animation looks more fluid and the lighting in some of the preview animation looks very impressive!

Link to a video Gareth's CGI, with shots from Battle and Benefaction

4) The Package III: Deadfire (Saninatorger

Yep. After the EPIC 35 MINUTE Package II, part III is on its way. Details are few and far between, but Saminatorger's next big project looks set to be another good 'un. We'll have to wait and see where this story will take us, but it can't possibly be better than part II, can it?! I have faith! Link to a teaser Trailer for Part III

The official advertisement for Deadfire!

5) Star Wars: Cloak of Darkness (remake223)

Still from the preview scene

I always look forward to remake223's work, and his latest film, "Hunted" was very good indeed. With a unique plot and some exceptional lighting, his next work has a lot to live up to. If the preview scene is anything to go by, it certainly looks intriguing. It goes back to the events after the Phantom Menace, with Qui Gon and Obi Wan going on a mission, while Jedi Master Sifodias goes to order the production of a Clone Army to combat the fall of the Republic he has foretold... Link to preview scene

6) Doctor Who Series (SupremeDalekDunn)

A cool Doctor Who background!

Chris (or Mr Dunne) has been working hard on his Doctor Who series since he announced it a few months ago. The 8 episode series looks like an interesting bunch! The episodes are called: Fossilisation, Stow Away, A Brave New World, World Gone Wrong, Man of Medicine, Wanted, Relative Dimensions and Revelations. SupremeDalekDunn has said there will be an overall arc to his series, just as there is in the BBC TV series! I am a huge fan of Doctor Who and Who brickfilms, so I can't wait for this series! A recent Doctor Who Video by SupremeDalekDunn

Brickfilm Review: 501st Legion Christmas Party

Two things are guaranteed when Pizzamovies posts a Star Wars video:

1. It's completely random
2. It's extremely funny!

This Christmas special is absolutely no exception. Plotwise, this video is crazy. It is an Inception-type dream within a dream setup. In the first installment, the commander goes crazy and kills everyone. It's all very gruesome, as the Commander pulls a turkey out of a Clone's stomach, before commenting that eating it whole was very unhealthy! Every moment in this story is hilarious. It's stuffed with blood and gore but it all works to great comic effect. As for the voices, they are varied and all very funny. My favourite would have to be the helium Clone, who gets chucked through a window... The last freeze frame is funny and epic at the same time!

It's certainly fair to say that Pizzamovies' animation technique has vastly improved since his original 501st Legion videos! In this video, the animation felt slightly more rushed than that in the preview footage from Planetfall (which looks epic - I really cannot wait!) and Grunts, but it still looked pretty good. There was no light flicker and minimal camera movement.

It is certain that Pizzamovies has not lost his comic flair (and probably never will, until he dies...maybe). However, his animation techniques have improved suitably such that any future Star Wars videos he produces will be better than ever before! Planetfall, which seems like a more serious piece in terms of tone, also looks set to be a brickfilming masterpiece!

OVERALL:

Plot: 8/10

Animation: 8/10

Comedy: 10/10

Voices: 10/10

Overall: 9/10 Great!

By DWSWTW52 (I'm back! After a long while...)

Film Feature: Lego Pizza Delivery 4

This week's Film Feature is the fourth installment in Michael Hickox's Lego Pizza Delivery series. As this is considered a sequel to the previous three films, it continues the story of a pizza delivery man who must fight against everyone in town just to make a single delivery! This time his boss offers to lend him the pizzeria's car in order to avoid more trouble, but apparently that just isn't enough. The police catch him speeding and pull him over, and when the officer sees him, he demands to have the pizza as evidence! Then the wild chase resumes once again as someone else quickly steals it away! In the end the winner is a shark because the pizza winds up landing in the water. In terms of quality, this film is excellent! It shares many of the same qualities as nearly all of Michael Hickox's films including a simple, yet clean set design, and amazing use of sound effects. Everything was great! So overall, this is certainly a film worth watching!



Animation: 9.5/10
Visual Effects: 10/10
Sound Effects: 10/10
Story: 10/10

Pros:                                                                       Cons:

- Smooth Animation                                                - None!
- Interesting Story
- Outstanding Sound Effects
- Clean Set Design
- Funny
- Creative and Original
- Good Voice Acting

Merry Christmas From TheBrickUpdate!

Merry Christmas from everyone on the TBU staff! Have a happy and safe holiday!

LEGO Lord Of the Rings

With Lord of the Rings [LOTR] having been a mainstay in the science fiction and fantasy kingdoms of the past decade or so, and a obsession with some MOC buiders its only obvious that LEGO need release its own official product line for the quite successful series. And here we are.

Earlier today, Warner Bros™ and LEGO agreed to the licensing the series of The Lord Of the Rings to the toy giant and includes the permission to use a vast array of characters and various scenes from the series. Building Sets based on the first three films will be available as of June 2012 in numerous local retailers in the United States. An expected follow-up wave will consist of buiding sets based of the events described in "The Hobbit" which will be available late 2012.

These products will certianly provide a much needed change of scenery in the LEGO Communities of Flikr and Youtube and will also blossom into many unimaginably ingenuitive creations. Stay tuned for Pre-release photos, concept reviews, and updates on the upcoming MARVEL™ SuperHeroes Sets and more!

Film Feature: Lego Star Wars - Holiday Spirit

Hey guys, it's Wednesday and that means it's time for the weekly Film Feature! Yesterday thefourmonkeys released a brand new Christmas themed Star Wars brickfilm just in time for the holidays, Lego Star Wars - Holiday Spirit. In this film, Darth Vader assumes the role of a typical Scrooge. He watches various people enjoying the holidays from a far and is clearly upset by it. In the end however, the people around him eventually invite him to join in the fun. Unfortunately a man's Christmas tree was wrecked in the process! In terms of quality, this film is nothing short of amazing. The quality is just what you would expect from thefourmonkeys. Outstanding animation, lighting, set design, voice acting and story to name a few of the things that make the video fantastic! Overall I enjoyed it very much and I can't wait to see what other holiday films are released this year!



Animation: 10/10
Visual Effects: 10/10
Sound Effects: 10/10
Story: 10/10

Pros:                                                                     Cons:

- Outstanding Animation                                     - None!
- Excellent Lighting
- Great Voice Acting
- Creative and Original
- Funny
- Good Story

Film Feature: Shoot- Lego

It's that time of the week again and I'm here with the latest edition of the film feature section! This week YouTube user, TheAustinman101, has uploaded a relatively short, yet comical video entitled, "Shoot- Lego". In this film, a Republic clone commander plans to test a trooper on his marksmanship skills but runs into a slight problem. He instructs the trooper to fire his weapon only when he gives the command, "Shoot!". However, he misplaces the targets he had previously set up and ends up getting shot by his fellow soldier simply because he uttered the word "shoot" in frustration! As always, Austin demonstrates his mastery of the art of stop motion. He uses a very high frame rate which creates some very smooth animation. The lighting is also very consistent and the picture quality is excellent! Overall, despite that fact that this film is easily considered a short, it is extremely well made and quite funny as well! I can't wait to see more from this highly talented animator!



Animation: 10/10
Visual Effects: 10/10
Sound Effects: 10/10
Story: 10/10

Pros:                                                     Cons:

- Superb Animation                             - Simple Set Design
- Good Effects                                     - Short
- Great Story
- Consistent Lighting
- Creative
- Funny

Happy Thanksgiving!

From all of us here at TheBrickUpdate we wish you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Film Feature: Lego Black Ops Zombies

Hey guys, its LSWStoriesAnimations here again with this week's Film Feature! Today I will be reviewing Lego Black Ops Zombies by YouTube user supercoolclark. The plot follows a typical game of Call of Duty Black Ops zombies. It features two players, one of which is constantly trash talking and using unnecessary violence to kill zombies. Supercoolclark does a fantastic job with all of his Lego Call of Duty films and this is no exception.  As always, weapons are the primary focus. The players are seen using guns ranging from the M14 to the much sought after ray gun. All of the effects are seemingly flawless as well! That includes both sounds and visuals. Overall the film had a true Call of Duty zombies feel to it. Everything that could have been incorporated was there including the perk and pack-a-punch machines. In my opinion, supercoolclark is an very talented and creative animator, and is definitely worth subscribing to.



Animation: 9/10
Visual Effects: 10/10
Sound Effects: 10/10
Story: 10/10

Pros:                                                        Cons:

- Great Story                                            - Simple set design
- Outstanding Effects
- Smooth Animation
- Good Lighting
- Creative

Im Back! Anybody Remember Me?

Hello Everybody!

Long time no x-ray vision my fellow brickers!

Now you may be asking, 'DMotion I thought you quit LEGO? You said you gave up!' Now to be completely honest with you, I really thought I had given up on LEGO..I felt I was growing out of it....And now, just about to turn fourteen, I realised how much I miss it. A few weeks ago I was packing away my LEGO's, ready to put them in my garage. But as I picked them up......well I started to build. I had forgotten how much fun they were, and how they made me feel.

And now here I am, signing up for my former blog.

Thank you guys, thank you so much.

- DMotion

I've Joined The Brick Update

Hey! Its NeptuneStudios here. I just wanted to write to tell you guys that I have now joined the staff of The Brick Update. I am happy to be here to bring you all the great news that LEGO has to offer along with others things. I would like to thank the founder who made TBU and the authors for their work to make TBU the best it can be and for allowing me to do what I love best. Like we say it here at TBU " Giving you every Bit of Brick".

Film Feature: Battle of The Brick, Built for Combat

Hey guys, it's LSWStoriesAnimations here with this week's article for our Film Feature section! (From now on I will be tasked with writing the articles for this news segment.) Yesterday, Kooberz (Alex Kobbs) released his film, Battle of The Brick, Built for Combat! Alex has been working on this epic Lego Halo film for six long years and now it is finally here! The film takes place on Zanzibar, one of the most popular multiplayer maps from Halo 2, and I must say, Alex has done a fantastic job at replicating it! The look and feel of his amazing creation definitely brings back memories. The story revolves around a classic battle between the red team and the blue team, with the reds trying to capture the blue flag. Both sides use a wide range of Halo weapons and vehicles. Watching them fight left me awestruck! Another thing to point out is Alex's unconventional use of non-computer generated special effects. For the most part, I'd rather see computer generated muzzle flashes, explosions, etc. but something about the way he animated this film makes them fit almost perfectly! In addition to visuals, this film also shows off Alex's mastery of sound effects. Each weapon sounded exactly like it does in the real game and the choice of music went along nicely as the tone of the story changed. Overall this film was very well made and a ton of fun to watch! I can't wait to see more from Kooberz Studios!





Animation: 10/10
Visual Effects: 9/10
Sound Effects: 10/10
Story: 10/10

Pros:                                                                Cons:

- Great set design (Very Accurate!)                - Unconventional visual effects
- Smooth Animation
- Interesting Plot
- Good special effects
- Consistent Lighting
- Good attention to detail

Happy Halloween!

From all the Staff here at TBU, I'd like to wish all of you an awesome Halloween! Its been a long year for us here, but hopefully I'll be able to say better next year! Happy Halloween!

Film Feature

Its my pleasure to present a new weekly segment, The Film Feature! Each week, a designated staff member will be scouring the community looking for an impressive or promising brickfilm. Just a start, this is the first step back to success.
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This week's feature is that of the spectacular piece of work being Bricks Of War by director Kooberz which is simply awe-inspiring.
The animation itself is simply amazing in what has to be a high and hard to achieve frame-rate with the movement of each and every element being very smooth and expertly done. In addition, what was done with the paper effects was very nice though I personally am not a fan of such an addition. Instead of that turning away viewers as myself, it actually added a very interested dynamic that when combined with other effects like that of the "blood splatter" created a realistic, mood-creating scene. Not to mention the incredible Hammer of Dawn sequence seen as well as the "smoke" after an explosion which left me with my jaw on the floor.
In preparation for this film, the trouble Alex [Kooberz Studios] went through to remake intricate details on both the Sets and the individual characters seen is very admirable. When an effort like that is presented regularly, you can obviously see the amount of care that goes into each and every production. But enough with talk... I now leave you with: Bricks of War.

The New TBU

First off, I'd like to thank all the staff and audience here at TheBrickUpdate for a very interesting year seeing as it is the one year anniversary of this LEGO News Blog. We've had our ups and downs here, but it has been both a learning and fun experience. Recently though, things have gotten tenuous and stressful as the site's staff and reliability has decayed. In turn, changes need to be made around here, to bring this site back up to its former height of reliability, good reputation, and audience.
The changes to come will include various upgrades, expansions and new features all of which will be decided upon with the help of our viewers, you.

New Site Host
One of the aspects that the viewers will take part in, a new site host will be chosen through a survey/ vote. Several TBU variations will be built in accordance with one another with full features, ect. Each will then be left viewable for 1 week with a survey vote posted in the sidebar of the default TBU. After viewing and participating on each separate webpage, our audience is urged to vote so that we will then be able to decide whether to continue here on BlogSpot, or to transfer this site to a new supporter. Once a definite site location has been established, the new domain url will be purchased.

Authors and Staff
The major drop-off in this site's views came with lackluster articles and little news being published. As a response, a staff of 20-30 reliable authors will be hired who will write numerous articles and will continue to bring every bit of the brick to you.

Organization
A major flaw in every project or business, and TBU being one of them, is organization. to try to prevent a future breakdown of hierarchy and order, a weekly Skype conference will be held to handle any inquiries issues, and plans for further development. It will be greatly stressed that all authors, moderators, or any other staff be present each week. If you cannot make it regularly, or you can not possess a Skype account due to other reasons, a different form of communication between you and the administration will be established.

New Segments-Expansions

With a new site, comes new places to go and things to see. After the renovation of TBU, you can expect a brand spanking new forum, an upgraded chat, a more in-depth weekly MocSpotlight, Interviews, BrickFilm Reviews, and much more. As to expansions, plans for a possible LEGO News E-magazine are in place along with a possible resale store for small retail model kit builders. In addition, the possibility of an Ad Carousel is also a probability for the future of TBU.

With more improvements to come, I just can't wait for TheBrickUpdate to get back on its feet and to start putting out reliable, regular LEGO news.

Clone Army Customs Review

A few days ago the CloneArmyCustoms order I placed back in May finally got here! Below is my review of Tyler's figures.

What I got in this order was exactly what I wanted. I bought Tyler's Clone Wars Commander Gree. Plus, because of the long wait he appears to have sent me a bonus, which happened to be the Clone Wars Green Leader/41st Elite trooper, in addition to several weapons. The customs themselves look great. Tyler did a great job as always, not missing a single detail. I'm also pleased to see that the torsos and legs were printed instead of decaled. I personally prefer this over decals. However, there is a noticeable difference between the color of the helmet and torso. Some of the printing is also a bit fuzzy in various places. Another thing that I have to point out is the ridiculous amount of time it took for the order to get here. I ended up waiting 6 months! The moral of that story though, is to place your order in advance. Overall, these customs are still very well made and I think they are going to look great in my new film! 

Here are the figures I got in my order. As you can see, there is a slight color difference between the decaled helmet and printed torso. Nevertheless, they are still very nice.

Once Again, Little Immature Idiots...

Guys, it is my unfortunate displeasure to notify you that once again an immature community member has created more fraudulant information in trying to ruin another's building career. So now, it is my time to apologize to both David persoanlly, as well as the rest of the community for both my jumping to conclusions and posting untrue news. As an edit to my prior post and to my chat reference post, I formally apologize and also promise that an instance like this will not occur again.

On a better note, keep tuned for more information on the reconstruction and recreation effort here on TBU. Thank you for your time, and hopefulyl this resolves any issues.