Dark Maze sent me a copy of the DVD, which I just finished watching after beating Halo 3 and having nothing else to do. If I had to do it again, I would have watched the movie first. At several points the writing had me literally laughing out loud. I was a little unsure about it at the beginning, but when the main character had to push a bookcase in front of a switch to get the bathroom door to open, I was hooked.

The DVD includes two commentaries, the flash cartoon shorts that appeared on Newgrounds, and a making of commentary that looks like it had a much larger budget than the movie itself. They sell the DVD on the official website for only $12.99, which is a steal.

Littered with hilarious video game humor and references, it is a movie gamers everywhere should see at least once, hopefully with friends, helpfully drunk. You really need to check this movie out. A cult classic in the making.

Press Start Movie Website [Dark Maze Studios]

Over at Game Set Watch, we see news that NPR has decided to officially sanctioned the random mumblings of three gaming mouthbreathers into a cheap microphone and released via RSS and MP3. A podcast, in other words. At least you won't have to listen to Xeni Jardin's shrill, nightmarish wail, though:

Thought that the GameSetWatch readers might be interested that National Public Radio is getting behind gaming in a big way with a new podcast, Press Start. It's not the usual NPR style, rather three gamers (myself included) talking informally about gaming culture and issues for 15 minutes every other week. The first episode — about games as art — just launched yesterday.

I didn't bother listening, because as you can see, the first episode is about games as art. Yawn. Is anyone except execrable pseudointellectual wank mags like The Escapist not sick of that subject? Like pottery and excrement sculptures, games are certainly art. The more interesting subject is whether or not they are fine art, with far reaching and sophisticated emotional resonance. The answer to that question, right now, is 'no'.... although certain parts of games like Planescape: Torment have gotten pretty damn close. Florian Y DOES FLORAN EKHART H4TE GAMES Eckhardt

NPR Presses Start on Alt.Gaming Podcast