tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81799893179999785772024-03-13T08:39:07.450-07:00Games, Gadgets & GeekeryDonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-60098339272112951432014-10-27T18:05:00.000-07:002014-10-27T19:46:52.545-07:00Rad Racer: Forza Horizon 2Forza Horizon 2 has managed to do something I never thought was possible – it got me to actually play – AND ENJOY (natch) – a racing game. Its fun, accessible progression and open-world gameplay mixed with a nice selection of cars ensures a copious amount of fun for everyone – not just gearheads.
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I should preface review by noting that I don’t play a lot of racing games. I’m not much of a twitch-gamer in general. My reflexes could best be described as ‘sloth-like’ on a good day. It’s why I never managed to finish Ninja Gaiden on the NES, why I don’t play online shooters and why I’m not particularly good at racing games. I’m also not much of a car guy. I don’t know gear differential from a hole in the head. That said, Horizons is wonderfully accessible to people of *all* skill levels and/or automobile affinity (Automobile Affinity is my Cars tribute band). There are a large number of various ‘racing assists’ (things such as traction control, ABS and even a driving line that goes so far as to show you when you should brake and when you need to accelerate) that help even the field a little bit to make even the worst racer at least passable. Then, as you get better, you can remove these assists one by one, and gradually reap more rewards (the game pays out bonus credits in-game if you have certain assists turned off). It helped me gradually improve to a point where I’m almost competent – much like training wheels on a bicycle.
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If you’ve seen the screenshots, you probably already know this, but this game is absolutely *gorgeous*. Rendered in 1080P with vibrant colours and full day/night and weather effects (well, *rain*, at least – you won’t see much snow in the middle of summer in the Mediterranean, which is what the game is modelled after), you’ll sometimes find yourself shocked by how detailed everything looks. At one point, I was driving along the coast, into the sunset and the sun glinted off my windscreen and, I have to say, it was positively breathtaking. This is clearly a game that could not have been made on the Xbox 360 – in many ways, it feels like one of the first ‘Next-Gen’ games on the XBone.
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The main crux of the gameplay involves cruising around the French/Italian countryside while you race in various championships, which, in a nice change, tend to be based on various body-types (for instance, hatchbacks, ‘classic roadsters’, etc.) rather than being strictly class-based. There’s a good selection of different championship types, encompassing the more than 200 cars in the game’s roster meaning there’s something for everyone. As someone who struggles with the rather intimidating speed of the super-cars, I did just fine for myself sticking to slower championships starring hatchbacks, off-road trucks, etc. The best part was that the game never makes you feel guilty – the in-game avatar who acts as the de facto ‘leader’ of the Horizon racing festival (voiced by and using a digitized avatar of Sean Maguire – Robin Hood himself, from ABC’s ‘Once Upon A Time’) will congratulate you on every accomplishment, no matter if it’s a hatchback-hop across the countryside or a circuit race with S-class super-cars. While the game may have been holding my hand a little bit, I never felt bad about it.
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While the racing is tight, responsive (even if the off-road sections stretch the boundaries of truth just a little bit – something tells me a McLaren P1 wouldn’t handle quite as well bombing through apple orchards as this game would have us believe) and rewarding, the open-world nature of the game sometimes provide the most fun you’ll have in Horizon. There are various collectables and ‘speed traps’ (which are exactly what you’d think – try and hit the radar gun going as fast as humanly possible, and then compare your speed score vs your friends) which can keep you busy for hours without even pulling up to the starting line. Another nice selling point is the ‘drivatar’ concept – which was introduced in the XBone launch game, Forza 5, but realized more fully in this game. Basically, if your friends have the game, it will note your racing tendencies (are you a wrecker, do you tend to pass in corners or on straights, etc.) and then basically upload a ‘ghost’ version of your racer into the Cloud , which will then show up in other people’s games – AND ACTUALLY EARN YOU MONEY BASED ON ITS PERFORMANCE. That’s right – your ghosted ‘drivatar’ can earn you in-game credits when you’re not even playing. How cool is that?
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Online play is also a real selling point – you’re never more than a few button presses away from joining an online session and, if you’re not a fan of racing with randos, setting up a private session with your friends is a breeze. For the most part, lag is almost non-existent and the racing is fast and fun – and your racer’s progression is not tiered to multi or single player, meaning you can still gain levels even if you’re just mucking around with your friends, seeing who can fly down the freeway in the shortest amount of time.
Basically, this game plays like I hoped the ill-fated experiment, Motor City Online, was going to be like back in the early-00s. Anyone remember that game? Online MMO with an ‘open world’ where you could cruise around, showing off your car, do pick-up races… except none of it worked like it was supposed to. God, what a trainwreck that was. Anyway, I’m digressing way too much here. Back on point.
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The soundtrack is uniformly outstanding – everything from modern rock, to alternative, to the standard euro-dance to a station that plays classical music (complete with a DJ who speaks entirely in Italian). In a nice touch, the game’s DJs will invariably make note of different in-game happenings to help create the illusion of a cohesive world. This is obviously standard stuff in most open-world action games, to be sure, but it’s nice to see this level of polish here, as well.
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Now for the frustrating bits – there’s not much point to ‘levelling’ beyond showing how long you’ve been playing the game. Since every level requires exactly 20,000 experience points, once you’ve unlocked all of the in-game ‘perks’, your racer’s level just becomes a simple number that makes you look intimidating in online sessions.<br>
The game also has a few bugs – times won’t post or update properly, speed traps won’t properly pop when you drive through, etc. Niggling things to be sure, but you really have to wonder how these seemingly tiny issues weren’t ironed out prior to shipping?<br>
The collision detection can also be inconsistent– sometimes if you’re drifting around a corner and you give a little love tap to the wall, it’s counted as a ‘drift tap’ – which actually earns you experience – but sometimes hitting the wall with the exact same amount of force is enough to kill your scoring streak.
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In truth, these are tiny issues on what is otherwise a very clean, polished and incredibly enjoyable racing game.
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Forza Horizon 2 is the first game I’ve played on my XBone that has really made me stop and say, “If this is what this generation of games can do, we're living in the future now.” Other games had one or two aspects (the instant-connectivity, the graphical fidelity, the Cloud support, etc.) but there hadn’t been a game that brought them all together in such a complete package, until now.
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<b>Geek Score</b>: 9 out of 10 Bacon Strips
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<b>What I’m Playing</b>: Forza Horizon 2 – XBone, Infamous: Second Son – PS4, Wasteland 2 – PC
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<b>What I’m Reading</b>: Fables by Bill Willingham
DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-45063249186957588532014-07-11T13:59:00.000-07:002014-07-11T14:00:53.264-07:00DonRocko vs. DepressionWarning: Serious post is serious. Again. I apologize.
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Some people call it a struggle, but I’ve always likened my battle with depression to a prize fight with an infinite number of rounds.<br>
Some rounds I am able to stick, move and jab – landing just enough to keep me ahead on the scorecard.<br>
Some rounds it goes the other way.<br>
These past couple of rounds, though, have been real bad – Depression landed some heavy, heavy body blows, leaving me winded and bruised. Times like this I just have to focus on staying on my feet, avoiding the knockout and hoping that once the bell rings, I’ve got good cut-men/women in my corner to help stem the bleeding.<br>
It’s a pretty good analogy, I think.
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Not that there are a lot of ‘good’ things about depression, but one thing I hate the most is the way it can make others around me feel. My wife sees me crying, asks “What’s wrong?” and I honestly don’t know how to respond.<br>
That segues nicely into another gripe I have – the way your brain revolts and decides to take everything out of context. Honestly - how do you explain that you’re crying about your cat who died 10 years ago because your brain just decided that’s how it was going to torture you at this given moment? Or how a wonderful song about walking in the Australian wilderness, carrying lanterns to light your way becomes less literal and more metaphorical – and how, no matter how hard you try, you are just unable to see any light at the moment. You'll even catch yourself briefly and you *know* it's illogical, but it doesn't matter. It's frustrating, so you start hating how you feel - which, in turn, makes you more depressed. Spirals, man. They're the worst kind of pasta.<br>
I realize that writing this down won’t do much. It’s cathartic, certainly. And it represents a little growth on my part – feeling confident enough that I can share this, knowing that I’m opening myself up to (perceived) ridicule. I also know that this is the sort of thing I’ll *never* post on Facebook. I worry too much about my mom to have her worrying about me, if that makes sense.<br>
So I’m sorry for not writing any film-reviews lately (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is *incredible*, FYI). At the moment, I’m just going to keep going out there every round and do my best to keep punching.
DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-85943477038583390272014-01-28T09:34:00.000-08:002014-01-28T09:34:17.269-08:00We Interrupt Your Regularly-Scheduled ProgrammingWhat originally started out as a few tweets in support of Bell ‘Let’s Talk’ day inadvertently expanded into a full-blown blog post. So I beg your pardon for a moment to get serious on you all before returning you to your regularly-scheduled movie reviews and pop culture references.
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I’ll be honest with you – I’ve started and then stopped writing this post a few times. I debated whether I should write it at all. I wanted to get the words right, but natural, inner snark that tends to pour through when I’m writing keeps trying to come out. But it’s hard to be snarky. It’s a difficult subject. I hope I’ve done my best here. I’m not writing as a cry for help. I’m not writing as a plea for attention. I’m simply writing with the hope that my personal experiences can encourage others to seek help, even if they’re not sure if they need it. I think the phrase, “Let’s Talk” is quite apropos when dealing with mental illness.
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My grandfather was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 32. It had a ripple effect on my entire family for as long as I can remember. He dealt with it the best he could – BC Mental Health saw him regularly and my mother was as supportive as she could be. I had read something somewhere that said that schizophrenia tended to skip a generation - and when you’re a hypochondriac like me and any headache is a potential brain tumour, this sort of information digs deep into your psyche. But, 34 years on, it would appear that I’ve been spared that disorder. That’s not why I’m writing this post, though.
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I think most of my friends would describe me as a happy (maybe), friendly (hopefully) sort. As a result, it would likely surprise them to hear that I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression since high school.
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Now the anxiety bit isn’t news, exactly – I’ve talked openly about it in the past. It’s mainly a social anxiety – I shut down when I confront new people. It tends to manifest as a crippling shyness. I can’t hold a conversation with someone I’ve known for more than a month. Which can make it difficult to make new friends – but as a result, the friends I do keep in my (relatively) closed circle are the best of the best. They had the patience to hang around, in some cases, or poke and prod until I have no excuse but to start talking, in others. There is no hyperbole when I say my friends are all wonderful people and I love each and every one of them.
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The depression, however, is… trickier. It’s insidious. It’ll dig in and I won’t quite be sure where it’s coming from, yet it never fully goes away either. It’ll come in waves – some days I’m perfectly fine. Some days, it’s only present in terms of small, nagging, self-doubt – like needles poking my cerebral cortex. Some days it manifests in full-on, blind rage at nothing in particular – like my mind is staging some act of revolt (these days are the ones that scare me the most, if I’m being perfectly honest). Other days, it’s just hard to get out of bed in the morning (and not in an ‘I only got 4 hours of sleep’ sort of way, either). One thing I can always count on, though – once I start feeling bad, it can quickly snowball. You see, I have a decent life – I have a loving family, great friends, a decent job – so my brain essentially starts thinking, “What is this bullshit? You have no right to be depressed. Get off your ass and go, damnit! Think of the poor people who are unemployed, or who just lost their loved ones… THOSE are the people who have a right to be sad. Not you.” Which, of course, is illogical. I *know* it’s illogical. Sometimes we can’t help the way we feel any more than we can control the weather. But the point is, my brain doesn’t care – it lays this big guilt-trip on me, which then feeds into a healthy dose of self-loathing, which makes me even more anxious, which makes me more depressed, which…
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You see what I mean? Insidious.
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The façade I put on – and sometimes it really *is* a façade, despite the fact that spending time with my friends is something I love doing – probably does a great job of convincing my friends that everything is fine, when it’s often not.
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The low point for me was a few years ago. 2011, to be precise. I was experiencing some *severe* anxiety that year. It was manifesting in all sorts of nasty physical symptoms. I became convinced I was dying. It affected my work, my family life... Anyway, I was in my car driving along 49th Avenue on my way to work. A big dump truck was coming the opposite direction and I found myself thinking… if I just let the car edge into the oncoming lane, that’d be it. It’d be over. Simple. It was the most selfish, terrifying thought I’ve ever had. Of course, nothing came of it – the dump truck passed and I drove on, yet I found myself locked on that idea. Every car that came in the opposite direction became another opportunity to right this perceived wrong. Eventually, I pulled over, started hyperventilating, then broke down and wept for about 10 minutes. Then I looked at myself in the mirror, steeled my reserve and continued on my way to work. The strangest thing about that whole incident was the fact that what stuck with me more was the guilt about being five minutes late for work (No, I didn’t get in trouble). I think prior to this post going live, I’ve told maybe three people that story.
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The moral of this story is that it’s never easy to tell if people are struggling. Sometimes they’ll do anything in their power to make it look like everything’s all right. In short, I could be the poster-boy for Bell’s whole campaign (if I was better-looking and more charismatic, at least).
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Despite everything, I continued to compartmentalize and kept everything in until last year. It was at PAX, of all places, where I attended a panel by the <a href=" http://www.takethis.org">Take This project (http://www.takethis.org)</a>. I’ll tell you - it takes a lot of bravery to sit in front of a room full of 500 people and basically bare your soul (remember – this is at a video game conference, so while the panelists are talking about the lowest points in their lives, people are playing Halo next door) but that’s what these individuals all did. It may seem clichéd to say, but it changed my life. My wife and I returned to the hotel after that panel and I broke down – I talked for almost two hours (again, this is during the middle of PAX, mind you, which is usually my happiest weekend of the year). She listened, held me, supported me. And afterwards… I felt a little better. It wasn’t magic. I wasn’t instantly ‘fixed’. I still have good days and bad days. But my point is this - you don’t *need* to suffer alone. Every little bit helps. Find a good friend who you trust – they’ll listen. They may not be able to *do* anything other than saying, “Jeez, that sucks, dude…” - but that’s often not the point. It’s the listening that matters.
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I’m not a Bell customer. I’m not a stockholder in their company. I have no vested interest in them at all, but I respect the idea behind ‘Bell Let’s Talk Day’. Because we should be able to talk about this. There has long been an unfair, negative stigma toward mental illness.
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Smash the stigma. Let’s start talking.
DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-44541288251215421982014-01-03T15:36:00.000-08:002014-08-12T20:38:42.268-07:005 Favourite Films of 2013 (With Special Bonus Content!)2013 was just flat-out a great year for movies. From the triumphant returns of two of our favourite Avengers (In <i>Iron Man 3</i> and <i>Thor: The Dark World</i>) to Star Trek bringing arguably its most-famed villain out of mothballs – and having Sherlock himself play him – there was a lot to be excited about. <p>
There are occasions when I have a hard time coming up with 5 films for my year-end list (I think of 2005 in particular when it was <i>Serenity, Batman Begins</i> and.. well..). This year it was hard coming up with 5 films, as well, but for a different reason altogether – there were a tonne of legitimately ‘great’ films this year. One has worked its way into my Top-10 of all-time, another was a more-than-worthy sequel to another one of my All-Time-Top-10 and the other three are incredible films in their own right that should all garner significant awards attention.<p>
In honour of that, I’m going to do something I’ve never done before – I’m starting off with an ‘honourable mention’ section in order to ensure that some of the films that I’d otherwise have to leave off get their due (especially since I was so damned lax with my movie reviews this past year – suffice it to say, they all deserved their fair share of bacon).<p>
<b>Honourable Mentions</b><p>
<b>Frozen</b> - This Disneyfied take on the Hans Christien Andersen classic, ‘The Snow Queen’ was disarming in all the right ways - Charming performances, a wonderful soundtrack and a powerful, uplifting message. Plus it managed to sneak an <i>Arrested Development</i> reference in there for those who were keen enough to spot it. What’s not to love?
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<b>Star Trek Into Darkness</b> - This film’s deceptive ad campaign managed to keep me in the dark who Benedict Cumberbatch’s character was – right up until they started talking about the Eugenics Wars (KHAAAAAAAAAAN!). At that point, I grinned like an idiot, sat back and thoroughly enjoyed this well-paced, action-oriented sequel. The Trek ‘reboot’ was one of my favourites of 2009, so I’m especially pleased that this film turned out as well as it did. … Plus, did I mention Benedict Cumberbatch. … CUMBERBATCH!
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<b>Catching Fire</b> - The second novel in the <i>Hunger Games</i> trilogy was my favourite of the three books, so I was eagerly looking forward to the film adaptation – specifically, the portrayal of two of my favourite characters in Johanna and Finnick. I’m pleased to say that the casting in both instances was spot-on. The action-sequences were tight and the new director did away with that damned, handheld, shaky-cam. In short, it was everything I hoped it would be. Now, the real trick will be seeing if they can take the very real issues that exist with <i>Mockingjay</i>, the third novel in the trilogy, and seeing if they can iron them out for the theatrical release. We shall see.
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Now, without further adieu - <p>
<b><u>Top-5 Films of 2013</u></b><br>
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<b>5. Captain Phillips - </b>For my money, one of the toughest genres to do right is the ‘based on real events’ thriller. Because the event already happened in real life, anyone with real-world knowledge of the situation can have a tough time buying in (for instance, if we know the character survives their ordeal, do we care when someone pulls a gun on them?). The great films in the genre manage to succeed in spite of this with memorable performances by the leads and creating spectacular set-pieces that manage to stay grounded and within the boundaries set up by the true-to-life situation. <i>Captain Phillips</i> succeeds on both of those fronts. Tom Hanks’ titular character is a model everyman (a bit of a hard-ass to his employees, but only because he takes his job seriously) thrown into an impossible situation when Somali pirates take over his Maersk freighter. Director Paul Greengrass is wise to humanize the pirates (giving them ample screen time, back stories, etc.) , as well, so the film doesn’t just play out as simply a ‘good vs evil’ morality play - which serves to make the climactic confrontation that much more tense. In all, it’s a solid thriller with a harrowing climax and my fifth favourite film of the year.
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<b>4. The World’s End - </b>Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s conclusion to their so-called ‘Cornetto’ trilogy (so named because a character in the film eats a different-flavoured Cornetto ice cream cone in each film – they otherwise literally have nothing in common, short of all being awesome) is quite possibly the greatest high school reunion / pub crawl / alien invasion movie of all-time. Pegg stars as Gary King, the former King (hurr hurr) of his high school, who has fallen on tougher times. In a bid to try and regain some semblance of his former glory, he meets up with his old chums so they might conquer the elusive ‘Golden Mile’ (12 pubs, 12 pints, 1 glorious night!). Of course, as you'd expect, his hometown has been taken over by alien-robot invaders, which serves to complicate matters somewhat. What makes the film so great is that – like its Cornetto sibling, Shaun of the Dead – it recognizes the trappings of the film (in this case, alien invasion sci-fi) and plays with it in a manner that’s at once deconstructing, yet reverential. It never parodies the genre, though the film is unquestionably one of the funniest of the year on its own merits. My second-favourite of the Cornetto trilogy (behind the aforementioned brilliance that is <i>Shaun..</i>) and my fourth-favourite movie of the calendar year.
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<b>3. The Wolf of Wall Street - </b> Speaking of funny films, <i>The Wolf of Wall Street</i> is definitely hilarious in its own, depraved way. Think about that for a second – a Martin Scorcese film starring Leonardo DiCaprio was one of the funniest movies of the year. It’s been said that a great character performance can make a good film great (Nicholson in <i>One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest</i>) and a great film incredible (Ledger in <i>The Dark Knight</i>). DiCaprio’s performance as the titular Wolf (chaotic-neutral stockbroker Jordan Belfort) is one such performance. He’s utterly mesmerizing. Unhinged, unscrupulous and unapologetically debauched, he’ll go down as one of the great anti-heroes of modern cinema. A lot of people have drawn comparisons to Pacino’s Scarface, but the truth of the matter is that Al was chewing scenery for a lot of that film. Leo’s performance is more nuanced. You see glimpses there, behind his rich, entitled veneer, that hint of a man who worked hard for what he has – and is now fighting furiously to hold onto it. It’s an incredible performance that elevates this very good film to something great – and my third-favourite film of 2013.
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<b>2. Before Midnight - </b> You may be aware that the Richard Linklater-directed <i>Before Sunrise</i> is one of my ten-favourite films of all-time. That film was released in 1995. 9 years after that, we got the sequel, <i>Before Sunset</i> (one of my favourites of 2004, just behind <i>Spider-Man 2</i>). Now, 9 years after that, we are gifted the third film in this unlikely franchise. I use the term ‘gifted’ purposefully. The movies never make much money. Indeed, they barely qualify as wide releases. Yet here we are, nine years after the second and a shocking 18 years after the first movie (my God, if that doesn’t make you feel old, nothing will) getting to revisit these two characters that we’ve come to know and love. It’s like stopping by to catch up with good friends. 18 years after their first chance meeting on a train in Vienna, Ethan Hawke’s Jesse and Julie Delpy’s Celine are now entering middle-age. We learn they never got married, but they live together with twin girls of their own. We get to meet Jesse’s son from his previous marriage (the one that was ostensibly dissolved following the couple’s second meeting in Paris during the events of <i>Before Sunset</i>). We discover that Jesse moved to France to be with Celine, but he’s quickly becoming homesick. Just snippets, but they paint a picture of a relationship 18 years in the making. If the first film was about the joys of young love and the second film was about second chances, this film is about relationships – and both the good things and bad that come with them. Honest, thoughtful and sweet, it was my second-favourite film of 2013.
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<b>1. Gravity - </b> ‘Revolutionary’ is a film term that gets thrown around like confetti sometimes, but there are the rare cases when such hyperbole is actually warranted. <i>Gravity</i> will change the way you view FX-driven films. It’s tense, taut, thrilling filmmaking with the most immersive use of 3D in the history of cinema. You feel like you’re out there, floating in space. It’s an incredible, technical marvel that’s made human by tremendous performances by the two leads (Sandra Bullock and George Clooney). I’m sure you’re all sick of hearing me rave about it after my previous review, but to put it simply - a triumph and the best film of 2013.
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What I’m Playing: Dead Rising 3 on X-Box One
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What I’m Reading: Fables (Vertigo), Walking Dead vol. 19 (Image)
DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-70685538698904855002013-10-23T20:48:00.000-07:002013-10-23T21:11:33.781-07:00Gravity Will Turn Your Opinion of 3D Films Upside Down‘Game-changer’ is a phrase I’ve never been a huge fan of. It feels contrived and forced at the best of times – and the fact that it’s been used to describe everything from video games to toilet paper lessens its effect somewhat. (Honestly, does new, super-absorbent Charmin really constitute a ‘game-changing’ revolution?) With that being said, however, if there was ever a movie that probably deserved such a title, it would be <i>Gravity</i>. The film will shift your perceptions of what FX-driven, 3D-cinema can do. Its tight, concise narrative drives the action forward relentlessly in one of the most intense movie-going experiences you’ll see this year – if not of all-time.
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The minimalist story involves astronauts (George Clooney as the mission captain, Matt Kowalski and Sandra Bullock as specialist Ryan Stone) installing a new camera on the Hubble space telescope. After 5 minutes of breathtaking FX shots (Clooney’s Kowalski, remarking on his last spacewalk before retirement, intones, “You can’t beat the view.”) disaster strikes and the remaining 90 minutes are spent gripping your armrests and holding your breath.
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I’m not a fan of 3D. I think it’s a gimmicky cash-grab that studios tack on in post when they want to artificially inflate a film’s box office by charging higher ticket prices.
That being said, this film is the best argument anyone could ever make for the medium. You can’t help but feel like it must have felt back in the '70s when they saw Kubrick’s ‘2001’ for the first time. Or better still - when they saw Georges Melies’ ‘A Trip to the Moon’ way back in 1902. It feels downright revolutionary.
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Never before has 3D been used so effectively to draw you into a film and help immerse you in the experience. <i>Avatar</i> *looked* cool, but it didn’t manage anything close to this. Using various POV and FX-shots, Alfonso Cuaron succeeds in making the audience part of the film – you’ll feel like you’re out there floating yourself. The dull, muted sound effects (because space) serve to add to the experience. There are times when the only sound you hear is breathing and the rapid thump-thump-thump of the character’s heart. Soon you’ll realize it’s not just their heart that’s pounding, either. It’s an incredible experience and it simply would not have been possible without the use of 3D.
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Of course, for all the technical brilliance demonstrated, the movie would fall flat were it not for the rock-solid performances of the two leads. Though very little exposition is provided, they manage to craft characters we care for – and when you think that basically the entire movie is just the two of them in front of a green screen, that’s an incredible feat. Though Bullock’s Ryan Stone is unquestionably the star of the film, I found George Clooney’s performance managed to eclipse it as his all-American space hero, Captain Stanley Kowalski, could’ve easily fallen into simple caricature (like my esteemed friend noted, a live-action Buzz Lightyear), however he manages to keep him grounded, relatable and likable.
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Director Alfonso Cuaron (who has previously filmed the incredible 2006 dystopian sci-fi gem, <i>Children of Men</i>, as well as the best Harry Potter movie, <i>The Prisoner of Azkaban</i>, among others) keeps the pace up and barely gives his viewers a chance to catch their breath. It’s a dizzying film, but given its subject matter, the breakneck pace suits it perfectly. It clocks in at just over an hour and a half and by the time it’s through you’ll need to take a moment to decompress before leaving the theater. The aforementioned CG-aided cinematography simply needs to be seen to be believed and he utilizes POV shots in an absorbing, engrossing manner.
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<i>Gravity</i> is nothing short of a filmmaking triumph. It’s a mesmerizing spectacle. An utter joy to watch that serves as a master-class in pacing and shows that great science-fiction doesn’t have to take place in a galaxy far, far away. Its use of 3D will serve as the new standard-bearer for the industry and is one of the only movies I will ever recommend that you *must* see in that specific format. Better still, see it in IMAX. See it in 3D. Just see it. Space is a vacuum and this film will take your breath away.
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<b>Geek Score:</b> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCbci1PG9JY_YT844sQqbHue8AsOaJoWIDymNLaGDKWn_SAHdkN2p1dc0UCDkNZIqMpsljfgLhcht6P-CaAfc096LkDgKNIFyijnOvIsNtK72WU8jhN-iS8Tx3XBOhIPXug8VNkCqx3vH/s1600/10+baconstrips+gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCbci1PG9JY_YT844sQqbHue8AsOaJoWIDymNLaGDKWn_SAHdkN2p1dc0UCDkNZIqMpsljfgLhcht6P-CaAfc096LkDgKNIFyijnOvIsNtK72WU8jhN-iS8Tx3XBOhIPXug8VNkCqx3vH/s320/10+baconstrips+gold.jpg" /></a> 10 out of 10 Bacon Strips (Golden Bacon Award)
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<b>What I’m Playing:</b> GTA V for X-Box 360
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<b>What I’m Reading:</b> X-Files season 10 (IDW), Batman Zero Year (Scott Snyder)
DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-13335529327151712492013-06-26T20:54:00.000-07:002013-06-26T20:55:57.345-07:00Hands Off My Franchise!<i>Or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love Pop Culture</i>
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I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but I'm something of a zombie afficionado. I've seen most of the great zombie films - and quite a few of the not-so-great ones, as well. I have a bookshelf that has two full shelves of zombie literature. Without a doubt, the crown jewel - the piece de resistance, if you will - would have to be Max Brooks' sprawling epic, <i>World War Z: The Oral History of the Zombie War</i>. It's fantastic. More than a simple zombie book, it takes a global scope and really shines a light on the human condition - how do we react during periods of unrest? The conceit is that the novel doesn't really have a main character - the narrator (Brooks himself, ostensibly) travels the globe, interviewing various people and recording their memories of the great zombie war, some ten years after humanity had 'won'. The result is a series of vignettes that piece together a sprawling epic that is, at times chilling, believable (especially by genre standards) and utterly human. The book is as much about humanity as it is about zombies and it's written with incredibly-intelligent prose. <p>
I've read it cover-to-cover five times and every time I read it, I love it all the more. Forget zombie novels, it's my favourite novel, period. I'm something of a Patient Zero in that I have lent my copy out to five different people now and each person who has read it has been similarly amazed (two even bought their own copies).
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So, suffice it to say, I'm a bit of a zealot.<p>
When word first came out in 2009 that Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio's production companies were engaged in a bidding war over the rights to Brooks' novel I was both excited and terrified. I was excited because the idea of a big-budget, globe-trotting zombie epic would be the be-all, end-all, 'I can die a happy man' sort of once-in-a-lifetime (or so I thought at the time) deal. Simultaneously, I was terrified, because there was the very real potential of Hollywood fucking up this perfect, beautiful little thing that I loved so dearly.
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<i>Keep in mind, this was somewhat ahead of the curve in terms of zombies in mainstream culture. <i>The Walking Dead</i> wouldn't premiere on AMC until the following August (at which point the genre officially exploded - now we have zombies on TV, zombies in music, zombies that fall in love, etc.).</i>
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Eventually, Brad Pitt won the bidding war and early reviews of the first-draft of the script (as written by J. Michael Straczynski) were unanimously positive.<p>
I was excited.<p>
Then, word came out that they brought in another writer to change the script in a bid to make it more 'filmable' (which, in my opinion, was bad news because the book as it was essentially was 'unfilmable' (at least not in one movie), so this had to mean they were "Hollywooding" it up a bit).
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I was terrified.<p>
Then, MORE re-writes - this time, from Drew Goddard and Damon Lindelof (whom I loved from LOST and the <i>Star Trek</i> reboot - and at this point I hadn't yet experienced the disappointment that is <i>Prometheus</i>.)<p>
I was excited.<p>
Then came words of endless re-shoots, release delays and, finally, a trailer that showed ... *gasp* ... FAST zombies. ... Who are JUMPING. ... And creating a literal MOUNTAIN of writhing, CGI flesh that was trying to climb over the (extremely mild spoiler here) Israel defense perimeter. In short, the trailer made it appear that the film was everything that I feared it would become. A dumbed-down, over-simplified, Hollywood version of my favourite novel of all-time.<p>
I was inconsolable. I ranted on Twitter. I cursed Brad Pitt's name. <strike>I even spat on my DVD copy of <i>The Curious Life of Benjamin Button</i>.</strike> (I don't actually own that movie)
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Early reviews started sneaking out and they were, surprisingly, quite positive. I'm not going to say I was emboldened, but I began to take notice again. The reviews were quick to warn you that the connection to the source material was scant, at best, but the film was an enjoyable zombie epic. Given that I had decided to shut up and give Max Brooks my money (through residuals, anyway) the moment the movie deal was signed, my mind was set. I was *going* to see this movie.
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I saw the film today and it was a perfectly serviceable - indeed, even enjoyable - zombie film. If it had been called 'Brad Pitt in "Global Zompocalypse"', I might have really loved it. But, alas, it was called <i>World War Z</i>, and I'm stuck here, two hours after the film, ranting on the internet about 'what might have been'.
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But the purpose of this post isn't to post a ranty review on the <strike>many</strike> things they did wrong, or the <strike>numerous</strike> things they could have done differently to make the film more closely resemble the source material. What I'm trying to say here, in my own, convoluted way, is that geeks, as a general rule, are passionate people. We unabashedly *love* certain things - love talking about them, love sharing them with our friends, love debating-minutiae-until-we're-blue-in-the-face about them. <p>
But we're also fiercely protective of these things we've come to love. I've long argued that the Hipster is an offshoot off the genus, 'Geekus Sapien'. Think about it - they love music and hideous clothes almost as much as we love zombies and sci-fi. They'll debate the merits of their favourite band with anyone who'll listen, ad nauseam. But what really connects us here is the need to brag about how long we've been 'into' things. Seriously, I know a few people who've actually said, "You think the TV show is good? I read Game of Thrones when I was in tenth grade!" <p>
As for me? "I liked zombies before they were a thing. Now everybody's all about them. I bet they've never even read Wellington's <i>Monster</i> trilogy. Pfft."<p>
Here's the thing, though - we're going to have to get used to this. Hollywood is going to stripmine our beloved franchises and turn them into bastardized, Hollywood versions of themselves as 'geek' is now bigger than ever. As ironic (see? hipster) as it sounds, all of a sudden we're cool. We run shit. We're a target market. The biggest show on TV is a drama about the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. A-list stars are actually asking for roles in a new <i>Star Wars</i> film. Joss Whedon is the most sought-after director in Hollywood. Tyrion Lannister won an Emmy, for pete's sake (well deserved, too, I might add).<p>
It's a brave new world, but we're going to have to get used to giving up control of these things that we hold so dear. It's scary, I know. I have a couple of friends who have the same sort of trepidation towards the new <i>Ender's Game</i> movie, starring Harrison Ford, that I had regarding <i>World War Z</i>. To them, I can only say, I feel your pain.<p>
But the bottom line is this - even if Hollywood cocks it up, in no way should it change the way you felt in the first place. That comic book, series of novels, etc. is still just as incredible as it was the first time you read/watched/played it. Dig it out, devour it, savour it again, pass it off to a friend.<p>
And then hit the internet and debate the hell out of how much better the book was than the movie.<p>
<b>What I'm Playing:</b>The Last of Us on PS3
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<b>What I'm Reading:</b>100 Bullets - vol. 13 (Azzarrello / Rizzo) (The end of a truly epic series. I can't wait)DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-85149333864549069532013-06-19T15:21:00.003-07:002013-06-19T15:49:02.171-07:00X-Box 180<i>Title shamelessly stolen from every clever Kotaku commenter</i>
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So I was all set to review Before Midnight before finding out that Microsoft has flip-flopped on their decision to enforce DRM and allow used games on the XBone. As I mentioned in my previous post, I was one of the few *proponents* of the system in its (now-outdated) iteration, so I’m a little disappointed here.
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In short, rather than the brave new digital realm – complete with sharing games with friends all over the world (which was the best part of the ‘old model’ of the X-Bone that Microsoft just could never manage to properly explain to the public at large – a case of their marketing machine failing them) we see a victory of the ‘old guard’ of video games. Digital downloads cannot be ‘shared’. The idea of a game library that travels where you do requires a really large suitcase instead of a simple internet connection. Discs will be required to be in the system tray in order to play. In essence, it’ll be ‘business as usual’.
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While I suppose it’s admirable that Microsoft listened to their customers (who almost universally lambasted the old model – justifiably or not), ultimately I liken this to the old explorers who were told if they sailed too far, they’d fall off the edge of the Earth … only unlike those explorers, Microsoft actually listened, turned around and sailed back to port.
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Sure, nobody died of scurvy, but we didn’t find a Northwest Passage, either, right?
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<b>What I’m Reading:</b> Batman & Robin (Peter Tomasi), Green Lantern (Geoff Johns)
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<b>What I’m Playing:</b> The Last of Us on PS3 (It is seriously *amazing*. Believe the hype.)
DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-17218665393361594652013-06-11T12:52:00.000-07:002013-06-11T13:10:47.672-07:00Four Reasons Everyone Hates the X-Box One (And Why They're Bullshit)<i>I feel I should preface this by stating, unequivocally, I am *not* a Microsoft ‘fanboy’. I own both PS3 *and* X-Box 360, and have done so since 2006. I play them both about equally. I find the PS3’s exclusives are superior to the X-Box, but multiplatform games I tend to play on the X-Box because Live is a much better experience than PSN – and I just like the feel of the controller better.</i>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_QDnT46qL7Jeu_6pE6yzrvHo0Qjw0G5QszO562nOE2KP55TdOMhOxQknJhEeIR286FF1hT5wfs6qMBjYRuGGFHye9yAyIi4MOgYwIxNhOqirR3dSyhrdjd_42DFeXh87hvECT3_2nUQo/s1600/XBOX1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_QDnT46qL7Jeu_6pE6yzrvHo0Qjw0G5QszO562nOE2KP55TdOMhOxQknJhEeIR286FF1hT5wfs6qMBjYRuGGFHye9yAyIi4MOgYwIxNhOqirR3dSyhrdjd_42DFeXh87hvECT3_2nUQo/s320/XBOX1.jpg" /></a></center><p>
I pre-ordered an X-Box One yesterday. The prevailing sentiment surrounding this revelation seems to be a concern that I’m suffering from some sort of head injury. Indeed, if you’d listen to the Internet right now, there’s no real point in Microsoft even going ahead with the console’s release in November. Sony’s already won. Their E3 conference was nothing more than a pointed assault on the X-Box One itself. Indeed, it was less what the PS4 can do than making fun of the so-called weak points of the X-Box One. It was the definition of negative campaigning – and it worked wonders. Nearly 84% of a recent IGN poll have stated that Sony ‘won’ E3. So, it’s over. RIP, X-Box One. It’s been fun. We’ll always have May 21, right?
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But not so fast – the way I see it, there are four main points that most people finger as the biggest failings of the X-Bone (I like that. I think I’ll use it). To be honest, I think this is simply a case of the Internet overreacting (What? That NEVER happens!!!) and, actually, some of these points are more of a strength than a weakness.
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<b>4. The X-Box One Kinect Camera is spying on me!</b> I suppose it’s only logical in a post-PRISM world that there’s a certain degree of paranoia regarding the all-seeing eye of Sauron that sits above your TV. Yes, it’s true that the Kinect has a microphone and a camera and that its default setting is to listen even in an idle state (ostensibly so you can turn on your system by voice command), but lest you be too concerned about someone sitting back at Microsoft HQ with a bag of popcorn watching you as you go about your daily life (think Carrie in the first season of Homeland) just remember that the machine’s Kinect settings are ENTIRELY ADJUSTABLE. If the idea of saying, “X-Box main screen turn on! We get signal!” doesn’t particularly interest you (and let’s be honest – the novelty will probably wear off pretty quickly), just go into your settings and either lower the sensitivity or (as I will do), turn it off altogether.
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<b>3. The X-Box One’s proprietary DRM doesn’t allow you to play used games</b>. There is no denying this point. Because of the console’s inherent DRM technology, you don’t own a ‘game’ as much as a license to PLAY said game. To many, this seems to be a targeted attack at the used game industry (which – make no mistake – is huge right now. Even big boxes like Best Buy and Wal-Mart are getting into it) because you can’t just walk into your local GameStop and – for the low, low price of $5 off the MSRP - pick up a pre-owned copy of the latest hot title. You know what I have to say to that? Good. The used game industry is *hurting* video games as a whole. The gaming industry is a massive, billion dollar business that’s as big as it’s ever been. Why, then, are we constantly reading about huge layoffs and studios being shuttered? The reason – at least partially – is used games. When you buy a used game off the shelf, not a single penny of that goes to the developers who poured their heart and soul into the very game you’re hoping to enjoy for the next 15 to 20 hours of your life. While it’s not quite tantamount to piracy, it has essentially the same net result on the developer’s bottom line. What’s more – if there were no case for companies to worry about used game sales eating into their profit margin, the overall price for a new game could feasibly come down.
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<b>2. I can’t lend my X-Box One games to my friend</b>. Sony’s marketing team had a brilliant little 20 second ad that they showed during their E3 panel that poked fun at the (admittedly convoluted) manner that you can go about lending a copy of your game to a friend on the X-Box. Basically, it involves sending a code to someone on your friend list which then temporarily (for a pre-determined period of time) transfers your license to your friend so they can play the game in your stead. This idea of a ‘digital license transfer’ isn’t exactly new – Ebook readers have been doing it for a couple of years now. But what everybody is so quick to gloss over is that you don’t actually have to lend your friend the *disc* itself. Because you’re just transferring a license, your friend can download a copy of the game onto their own machine and play. Now the idea of lending wonderful, downloadable Arcade games such as Braid or Mark of the Ninja becomes possible. What’s more – suddenly my friend in Winnipeg can ‘borrow’ my copy of Alan Wake, despite living literally halfway across the country. I think that’s pretty cool.
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<b>1. The X-Box One needs to be connected to the Internet to work</b>. Let’s ignore for a second the fact that this statement is technically incorrect – it *does* need to connect to Microsoft’s servers once a day in order to authenticate or else the games won’t work, but a constant connection is not required. However, it’s true – an Internet connection is required in order to play your games. And this is a big deal because … why, exactly? Let’s be serious for a second – we’re living in The Future ™ here, people. We live in a connected world where everything from coffee shops to your local fast-food restaurant now boasts free WiFi. Whole cities are turning into giant hot-spots. In addition, a recent Reuters report stated that 53% of all people over the age of 18 own smart phones. Think about that for a moment. More than half of adults currently own a handheld device that fits in their pocket AND IS CONSTANTLY CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET. If a ‘net connection is really that hard to come by, just start up a hot spot using your iPhone and authenticate your games that way. PC gamers using Valve’s Steam system have been dealing with this ‘hardship’ for years – yet most still consider Steam to be the PC’s pre-eminent gaming platform. What’s more – the constant internet connection could actually end up being a boon for the X-Box One down the road. Thanks to cloud computing, over the course of the system’s lifespan, as MS’ cloud servers take more of the load off of your local box, developers will be able to actually stretch the bounds of what the system is capable of. Yes – your system may essentially become MORE POWERFUL over the course of its lifespan, simply by virtue of being connected to the ‘net. … But that’s terrible. Who’d want that?
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In closing, Microsoft has never been afraid to drive the bus forward with regards to technological innovation. You may recall in 2002 there was a huge kerfuffle when it was announced that the nascent X-Box Live service was going to be *gasp* … broadband only! Now, 11 years on, can you even imagine anyone gaming over dial-up? The Future ™ is here, but – for the time being, at least – Sony’s new system is only promising more of the same. So that’s why I’m choosing the X-Bone – warts and all – as my preferred launch system.
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<b>What I’m Reading:</b> 100 Bullets vol. 12 (Azzarrello / Rizzo)
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<b>What I’m Playing:</b> – State of Decay on Xbox, (in three days) Last of Us on PS3.
DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-48791987871932178492013-01-01T15:46:00.000-08:002013-01-01T15:47:38.285-08:00My Five Favourite Films (2012 Apocalyptic Edition)It's been a few years since I've done this (apathy and post-holiday food comas prevented me from doing it last year - my first on Blogger), but in what (used) to be an (semi) annual tradition, I would list my five favourite films from the past year. Note: This doesn't mean these aren't the five *best* films I saw in theaters over the year (That is to say they may not be the Battleship Potemkin), but these are the five films that - for whatever reason - engaged me the most over the past calendar year.
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So, with that needless disclaimer out of the way, here we go:
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<b>5. <i>Wreck-It Ralph</i></b> - From the moment I spied the first trailers for this Pixar-esque outing from Disney animation about an '80s video game villain (voiced by the indomitable John C. Reilly) who grows tired of being the bad guy, I had a feeling that it was predestined that I would love this film. From the barrage of video game references (though even if you've never picked up a controller in your life, you'll still be able to enjoy it) to the heartfelt and honest script and add in some of the best voicework of recent memory (In particular, I'd like to praise dear, departed Wash himself - Alan Tudyk, as King Candy, the autocratic ruler of the Super Mario Kart-clone, Sugar Rush and Sarah Silverman as Vannelope Von Schweetz, the 'glitch' in the same game) and you've got a modern animated classic that reveres video games without mocking them - a rare feat for the increasingly-cynical Hollywood machine. <br><b>Geek Score: 9 out of 10 Bacon Strips</b>
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<b>4. <i>The Dark Knight Rises</i></b> - Probably my most-anticipated film coming in to 2012 (indeed, one of my most-anticipated films, period, since I saw its predecessor eight times in theatres) thankfully did not disappoint. In Christopher Nolan we trust. I was never worried for a second. Tom Hardy's Bane is a suitably imposing villain for Chistian Bale's Batman and - weird pacing issues aside - the Nolan Bat-trilogy comes to a close in spectacular fashion. I've said it before and I'll say it again - the Chris Nolan Batman trilogy ranks as one of the greatest movie trilogies of all-time. Now please, Warner Brothers, no matter how much he may try to convince you, Brett Ratner must *not* direct the next Batman movie. I beg you, for the sake of my sanity. <br>
<b>Geek Score: 9 out of 10 Bacon Strips</b>
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<b>3. <i>Skyfall</i></b> - I wasn't sure what to think heading in to Skyfall. On the one hand, <i>Casino Royale</i> was awesome and Daniel Craig was unquestionably fit to wear 007's fine, tailored suits. But on the other hand, <i>Quantum of Solace</i> was a muddied snoozefest and Sam Mendes was not exactly well-known for directing action movies. As it turns out, my trepidations were completely unnecessary as Mendes provided us with one of the (if not *THE*) best Bond films in the half-century history of the franchise - a ballsy, gritty take that paints Bond as raw - indeed, as human - as he's ever been before. The action sequences are top-notch and Javier Bardem's Silver will go down in the pantheon as one of the best Bond-villains of all-time. Menacing, yet sympathetic, he's truly an electric character and a joy to watch.<br>
<b>Geek Score: 9 out of 10 Bacon Strips</b>
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<b>2. <i>The Avengers</i></b> - You're likely not surprised to see this film on my list, especially given the amount of ink I've given it throughout the year (you may recall in my post where I talked about <i>The Avengers</i> box-office prospects, I extrapolated data that led me to believe the film would end up with $626 million. ... I missed it by 2.5 million. #humblebrag). Marvel's dedication to building a persistent world with their varying franchises was well-served and the film was, truly, everything my inner comic book nerd hoped it would be. It's not dark and twisty like Nolan's Bat-franchise, but it's loud, bombastic, and simply fun to watch. Joss Whedon did a remarkable job and I can't wait for the next one.<br>
<b>Geek Score: 10 out of 10 Bacon Strips (Golden Bacon Award!)</b>
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<b>1. <i>Looper</i></b> - Surprised? To be honest, I am a little bit, too - as I was compiling this list in my head over the past few days, I just assumed that <i>The Avengers</i> would be number 1. <i>Looper</i> would be *on* the list, certainly, but to supplant Whedon's superhero juggernaut? It almost didn't make sense to me. Until, suddenly, it did. Much like this film itself - it's accessible, but at the same time, challenging. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that no other film this past year had me talking about it more - my friends and I debated it ad nauseum. "What did (spoiler) mean?" "Does the ending work for you?" "What manner of time-travel theory does the film most likely ascribe to?" That is the sign of a truly engaging - and deeply-entertaining - film. It's one of the most daring, inventive Sci-Fi films to come out in years and it challenges you to repeated viewings - almost daring you to try and pick it apart.
Director Rian Johnson's previous work includes the criminally-underrated <i>Brick</i> (Also recommended - seek it out if you haven't seen it), which takes a Dashiell Hammett murder-mystery and sets it in a modern, 21st-Century high school, so this was something of a departure for him. The bottom line, though is that he spun a masterful story with an intelligent script, highlighted by great acting by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis. This was my favourite film of 2012.<p>
<b>Geek Score: 10 out of 10 Bacon Strips (Golden Bacon Award!)</b>
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- EPDonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-11992318927527982172012-11-23T22:15:00.001-08:002012-11-23T22:27:55.472-08:00In Which I Heap Untold Praise on The Walking Dead: The GameTelltale Games has done something truly remarkable with <i>The Walking Dead: The Game</i>. They took a choose-your-own adventure in a recognizable, post-apocalyptic society - an ingenious enough idea on its own - yet managed to turn it into something more. It furthers the idea of games as a storytelling medium and over the course of all five chapters of season 1 they manage to redefine the very genre of adventure gaming.
<p>I've held off reviewing each individual episode as they came out because I felt the game was better-served to be judged on the whole rather than as the sum of its varying parts. This is something I stand by as the game has high points (episodes 2 and 5 are brilliant) and parts where the story bogs down a little bit (parts of episodes 3 and 4), but taken a single, overarching story you can really appreciate it that much more.<p>
Episode 1 starts out simply enough - as Lee Everett, you find yourself in the back of a cop car, headed towards prison just outside of Atlanta as the world is very slowly going to Hell in a handbasket. For the first time in Walking Dead canon, this shows what the apocalypse was like in the early days (as previous instances had Rick waking up from his coma several weeks after the fall of society) so it's interesting to see things from a slightly different perspective this time around. Inevitably, of course, the car hits a walker, crashes and Lee escapes - thus starting his journey.
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I'm not going to touch on any plot points because this is really something you should experience for yourself, but, as you would expect in a zombie game, you meet people who will form the basis of a survival group. You'll get along with some, you'll want to kill some, some you'll just wish would get eaten alive so you won't have to listen to them anymore (*cough* Ben *cough*). Episode 1 has a couple of cameos from existing <i>Walking Dead</i> characters (Hershel of 'Hershel's Farm' fame and everyone's favourite college-educated pizza-delivery guy, Glenn) but thankfully they are off-screen quick enough that they don't act as a distraction. I liken it to the developers saying, "Hey, look - our story is taking place in the same universe!" but they smartly allow it to become Lee's story. And that's important because, as Lee, you will mould the way your group of survivors react. Will they be forthright and honest? Will you backstab them? When the going gets tough, will you run or will you refuse to leave anyone behind? All of these choices - some of which appear to be rather inconsequential at the time you make them - serve to round out your playthrough. Couple this with several quick-time events that can dramatically change how scenes play out and the time-limit you're given to choose your dialoague options (gone are the days where you can just mindlessly ask every single question that comes up on your dialogue wheel until you find out what you need to know - The Walking Dead demands you pay stay on your toes and you can only say one thing. And the character you're speaking to *will remember*. So think long and hard before you call Lily a bitch.) and it's not surprising to find that this is a game that encourages multiple playthroughs. How many other adventure games can say that, right?<p>
A game that's as heavily character driven as this one needs good voice acting to really enhance the story that the writers are trying to tell and thankfully <i>The Walking Dead</i> has some of the best voice acting I've heard in a while. Featuring several of the company's stable of voice actors (If you've played <i>Back To The Future</i> or <i>Sam & Max</i> chances are you'll recognize some of the voices), the work is uniformly excellent. What might be most shocking is 8-year old Clementine - a character who you will quickly learn serves as the emotional heart of the story - who is actually played by a 40-year old woman. <p>
If a game can be judged on artistic merit by its ability to illicit emotional responses, the finale of <i>The Walking Dead</i> may well be Telltale's Mona Lisa. The finale is frantic yet emotional and heartfelt and as beautiful as something knee-deep in zombie gore could possibly be. The fact that it can manage to be that satisfying, however, is only because the previous acts grew and developed characters and a story that we were interested and invested in. It is truly a case where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. <p>
<b>Geek Score: 10 out of 10 bacon strips</b> (Golden Bacon award!)<p>
<b>What I'm Playing:</b> The Old Republic (free to play!) on PC, Dishonored on XBox 360<p>
<b>What I'm Reading:</b> Sweet Tooth vol. 5 by Jeff Lemire (only one more trade after this one. *sniff*)
DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-54028407844212242702012-11-02T23:06:00.002-07:002012-11-02T23:20:50.111-07:00Denzel Helps Flight Navigate Turbulent AirFlight soars in its opening act, levels off and then loses altitude in its final third. In spite of this, it's still a great film, owing mainly to a fantastic, tour-de-force performance by Denzel Washington.
<p>
In the opening sequence we meet Captain 'Whip' Whitaker (Denzel Washington), a fellow whom we quickly discover is not your atypical film hero. We open to find Whip in a hotel room with a nude woman and several half-empty liquor bottles strewn about. His phone rings, he answers, has a relatively uncomfortable conversation with his ex-wife and then, bleary-eyed and half-drunk, proceeds to the airport where the movie really takes off (both literally *and* figuratively).
<p>
Part of what makes Whitaker such a compelling character is the fact that, at times, he is downright despicable. He's impossible to root for, yet Denzel plays him with enough longing and depth that you can't help but feel for him on some level. Part of you hates him, but you can't look away. And while the opening sequence demonstrates that even though he's a damaged human being, he is an *incredible* pilot. He's simultaneously a hero and a cad. Throughout the film, a classic rock soundtrack (featuring several Rolling Stones songs) harkens back to the 60s and 70s - a time when pilots were rock stars. This is fitting with the way that Whitaker sees himself. He's brash and egotistical (he'll tell anyone who listens, "No one but me could have landed that plane!") and downright abrasive - a true anti-hero.
<p>
In addition to Denzel, director Robert Zemeckis has assembled a great cast featuring Don Cheadle (as Whitaker's lawyer) and John Goodman (who is continuing his recent renaissance as a supporting role-player, following his brilliant turn in <i>Argo</i> - as Whitaker's coke dealer). Though much will be made of the fact that Zemeckis hasn't dealt with 'live' actors in over a decade, he still gets quite a bit out of his cast - dramatic when they need to be, wrenching when they can be and even darkly comedic when the opportunities arise.
<p>
And speaking of Zemeckis, his first live action film since <i>Cast Away</i> suffers from some mild pacing issues (the middle third of the film runs on a little too long - yes, we get it. Whitaker is a drunk.) but the high points definitely outweigh the lows. Specifically, the scene featuring the crash is quite simply the most terrifying on-screen representation of a plane crashing that I've ever seen. Forget about the pilot of <i>Lost</i> - this will make you never want to board a 747 again. Throughout the film, the use of classic rock (specifically the Rolling Stones) harkens back to the 70s - an era when
<p>
A review of this film would be incomplete if it didn't touch on the somewhat-hamfisted (in my opinion, anyway) denouement. I'll remain as spoiler-free as I can, but let's just say that the end of the film doesn't quite fit with how I perceived Whitaker's character. I understand *why* it ended the way it did, I totally get the motivation, I just don't know if I 'felt' it. It just struck me as rather abrupt, mainly - the entire film had been running one way and then they make a sharp turn. It felt like the ending was forced.
<p>
Despite the turbulence in its final act, <i>Flight</i> is a daring, dramatic character-study that still manages to soar at times, and will likely earn Denzel Washington another Best Actor nomination.
<p>
<b>Geek Score:</b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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7 out of 10 Bacon Strips
<p><br><br>
<b>What I'm Playing:</b> Borderlands 2 for PC, Dishonored for XBox
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<b>What I'm Reading:</b> Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-27068017984757883112012-08-22T19:10:00.001-07:002012-08-22T19:12:20.010-07:00Rising Action: The Dark Knight's Superb Denouement<i>The Dark Knight Rises</i> concludes one of the greatest film trilogies of all-time in superb fashion. While there are some minor pacing issues and logical leaps, Christopher Nolan brings his Batman series to an artistically-logical conclusion on his own, spectacular terms.<p>
The inevitable comparisons between <i>Rises</i> and <i>The Dark Knight</i> are sure to make the rounds, but in truth, that’s not a fair argument to make. <i>The Dark Knight</i> is the Mona Lisa. Everything from the direction to the pacing to the acting itself combined in a once-in-a-lifetime, perfect storm of cinematic awesomeness. You likely won’t be surprised to hear that TDK is one of my favourite movies of all-time. And even though Da Vinci did some incredible things, none of them were ever quite as great as the Mona Lisa. The same could be said here – Nolan’s crafted a subtly-brilliant, timely, intelligent action film with a good story and great acting … but it still disappoints when you compare it to the unabashed brilliance of the second film. Judged on its own merits, however, the light can shine much more brightly.<p>
The film opens with a breathtaking piece involving two airplanes and succeeds in introducing us to the film’s central villain, Bane (who is played by an Englishman, even though he should be from the Caribbean and has this weird metal mask that should be a Lucha-libre style mask… /pushes up glasses – but I digress). The scene itself is awe-inspiring in its own right, but when you take into consideration the fact that Nolan and his team were shooting *in the air* - not in front of a green screen – it really is enough to make your jaw drop. This opening sequence succeeds in establishing Bane as a suitable villain – and as the film goes on, Nolan continues to work to convince you that he’s more than a match for the Batman. In many ways, Bane comes across less a villain than someone who legitimately believes he’s doing bad things for all the right reasons – you half expect the film’s subtitle to be ‘Occupy Gotham’. If there’s another #occupy protest later this year, expect many protestors to be wearing Bane masks.<p>
The film calls numerous Batman storylines / graphic novels – including (but not limited to), <i>Knightfall</i> and <i>The Dark Knight Returns</i> – and brings them together into one three-hour oeuvre that at once manages to feel final, yet immensely satisfying all the same. It succeeds where many 3rd-films in trilogies (*cough cough* Godfather 3 *cough cough*) fail in that it can stand well enough on its own, but it still manages to bring the over-arching story into a full, cohesive plot. In other words, it’s not the 5th season of <i>Lost</i> where they just decided to go back in time for some reason (and I *loved* <i>Lost</i> – so this isn’t something I say lightly).<p>
The performances across the board border on spectacular. Christian Bale, as always, provides the most humanized Batman – even frailer now, as a Batman whose body has broken down owing to the years of physical abuse. Michael Caine is outstanding in pretty much every film he’s in and his presence is always felt in any scene he appears in. Tom Hardy’s Bane is suitably menacing – a hulking physical specimen that you honestly believe could do serious damage to the Batman – but his accent seems a little out-of-place at times - never quite to the point of distraction, however. The real revelation might just be Anne Hathaway’s Catwom.. err ‘Selina Kyle’. I had wondered how she would fit in to Nolan’s Bat-trilogy, as she always struck me as too ‘comic-book’ (from the hundreds of cats in her loft, to the constant feline puns). To Hathaway’s credit, though, she sculpts a sultry foil to Bale’s Bat that manages to stay grounded, yet sympathetic. She really holds her own here against some real heavyweights and I wouldn’t be shocked to hear her name announced as a Best Supporting Actress contender later in the year.
As for the direction – well, it’s a Christopher Nolan film, so you know it’s bound to be superb (seriously – has the guy made a single bad movie? I challenge you to name one. Anyone!) and this film certainly doesn’t disappoint. Indeed, it’s a film that rewards repeat viewings. Personally, there were several things I picked up the second time that I either completely missed or was completely oblivious to the first time around. Nolan takes the theme of ‘rising’ from the ashes to heart – his shots are always framed so that things seem to move upwards from the bottom of the screen. It’s subtle nuances like this that serve to ‘raise’ (see what I did there?) this film above a simple action-heavy, popcorn-flick. The film moves along briskly, despite its 2:45 run-time (though one point prior to the climax, you’ll find yourself wishing for a little more exposition as there’s a serious logical leap for your mind to hurdle) and it never feels overlong in spite of its epic scope.<p>
Now don’t get me wrong – this film is not perfect. There is that odd pacing hiccup to get over and both JGL’s Officer Blake and Morgan Freeman’s Lucius Fox seem somewhat under-utilized (a golden rule I use to grade most films – more JGL & Morgan Freeman = good. Less = bad). In addition, Batman’s new toy, ‘The Bat’ (“Yes, Mr. Wayne, it *does* come in black…” – awesome. See? More Morgan Freeman = good) doesn’t quite have that same ‘wow’ factor that you got the first time the new Batmobile or the Bat-cycle were deployed. These are minor quibbles, though, in what is otherwise a superb effort.<p>
With <i>The Dark Knight Rises</i>, Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy comes full circle. He constantly reminds us about the series’ beginnings, while at the same time staking out a daring, dark – by far the darkest of the three films - vision for the World’s Greatest Detective. It all comes together in a positively thrilling climax and immensely satisfying conclusion. Taken as a snapshot, The Dark Knight Rises is a great film – but viewed with a wider-angle lens, the trilogy together represents nothing short of a modern cinematic achievement. Comic book films will never be seen the same way again.<br><br>
<b>Geek Score:</b> <br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>9 out of 10 Bacon Strips</b><br><br><br><br>
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What I'm Reading:</b> <i>Night of the Living Trekkies</i> by Kevin David Anderson
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<b>What I'm Playing:</b> <i>Bioshock 2, Diablo III</i>
DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-46931586923826698312012-05-31T21:17:00.000-07:002012-05-31T21:17:42.232-07:00Rocko's (Mini) Review Roundup<b>Dark Shadows</b><p>
<i>Dark Shadows</i> is a film that doesn't quite seem to know what it wants to be. At times an absurdist, fish-out-of-water comedy and at times straight-up gothic horror, the film's reluctance to go all-in on either side of the ledger ultimately leads to disappointment.<p>
Johnny Depp stars as Barnabas Collins, a man who was turned to a vampire by a witch (played by former Bond-girl Eva Green) and imprisoned for more than a century only to be awakened in the '70s (cue several sight-gags as Barnabas encounters the '70s for the first time - automobiles, hippies and shag carpeting)... and that's about as in-depth as we can get here as the Tim Burton-directed film is actually remarkably shallow.
<p>
That being said, though, the film actually made me laugh out loud on a few occasions (one scene involving supernatural intercourse had me howling, as did Barnabas' encounter with the aforementioned hippies) but these moments are often undercut by needless cruelty (either by the witch or by Barnabas himself) as the film tries too hard to straddle the line. Since the film is based on a (delightfully cheesy) '70s soap opera, I feel the film would've been better served playing to the inherent humour (Depp, for his part, seems to revel in the lighter moments by playing Barnabas straight as a board, despite how ridiculous the film may be).<p>
The ending of the film is something I have a real problem with - it's either simply a twist for the sake of a twist, or it's something that screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith (of <i>Pride And Prejudice And Zombies</i> fame) was trying to allude to throughout the film (arguments could be made for both cases) yet failed to do so in a convincing fashion. Unfortunately, this is just another example of the film sitting firmly on the fence when it should really choose one side or the other. In my opinion, it seemed like a cheap cop-out that was, as it were, the 'final nail in the coffin'. This will ultimately go down as one of the biggest disappointments of the Depp/Burton collaborations.
<p>
<b>Geek Score: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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5 out of 10 bacon strips</b>
<p><br><br>
<b>Cabin in the Woods</b><p>
From the disappointing to the outstanding, <i>Cabin in the Woods</i> is a Joss Whedon-penned horror film that defies conventional genre-wisdom and gleefully circumvents and deconstructs trope after trope as it builds towards an incredible twist-ending. It's the best new horror film in years.<p>
Starring Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth, and four other generic, disposable 20-somethings who make their way to the titular cabin for a spring break weekend (gee, where have we heard this before?) only to find that everything is not quite as it seems.<p>
To even talk about the plot is to give too much away, honestly, as there is so much here that's fresh and new that you're better-served to experience it for yourself. Suffice it to say that if you have seen the commercials and think the ad teams have already given it all away, I'll simply say that you'll be pleasantly surprised.<p>
Director Drew Goddard (<i>Cloverfield</i>) gets competent performances from his cast while keeping the action moving quickly when it calls for it, but he's not afraid to slow things down a bit (as can be often necessary in horror films). The real star of the film, though, is the Whedon-penned screenplay. Fresh, intelligent, scary and funny, it's a truly top-shelf genre picture.<p>
<b>Geek Score:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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9 out of 10 bacon strips</b>
<p><br><br>
<b>The Dictator</b>
<p>
No one can ever accuse Sacha Baron Cohen of going for easy laughs. With <i>The Dictator</i>, he takes his certain brand of shock comedy farther than it's been before and while it may not always work, it hits more than it misses and is a huge step-up from his last film, <i>Bruno</i>.<p>
The plot, such as it is, involves Cohen playing the titular character, Admiral-General Aladeen, ruler of the small Middle Eastern nation of Wadiya. He comes to the United States to meet with the United Nations, is subsequently replaced by his body-double and finds himself stranded in the east village of New York where he promptly (and inevitably) falls in love with a short-haired feminist (played with good spirit by Anna Faris). Let`s be honest, though - with Cohen, the plot is just a loose string designed to move us from one gag to another, and the gags mostly hit the mark. In fact, I found myself laughing at a few things that I never thought I would (one scene involving a helicopter tour over Manhattan, in particular, had me literally crying and another bright spot was a faux-documentary on Wadiya talking about how the word Àladeen`is used as an adjective).
<p>
Really it would seem that with Cohen, you either `get` him, or you don`t. I get him, so I enjoyed the film. It`s not perfect - the middle act drags a bit, for instance - but as far as R-rated comedies go, you could certainly do much worse.<p>
<b>Geek Score: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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7 out of 10 bacon strips</b>
<p><br><br>
<b>Men In Black 3</b>
<p>
I was somewhat surprised when I heard this was Will Smith's first role in over three years. Whether you like him or hate him, he is a definitive 'movie star' - he's got enough cachet to drive a film like <i>The Pursuit of Happyness</i> (sic) to $150 million, so reuniting him with arguably his most well-known franchise would seem like a no-brainer, until you remember just how bad <i>Men In Black 2</i> was. It was a film that I managed to put out of my head almost the minute after leaving the studio, but the closer we got to the release of this film, the more I remembered just how poorly that film was made. As such, it shouldn't be a surprise that we waited a decade before seeing the third film in the series. <p>
Regardless of whether people asked for it or not, though, here we are - and while this third film may not be particularly necessary in the grand scheme of things, it's an enjoyable sci-fi comedy that - at the very least - helps wash away some of the sour taste that may be left over from the second one.<p>
Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are both back, 'defending the Earth from the scum of the universe', but this time they've worked time-travelling into the mix as well as Agent J has to go back in time to save Agent K - and, of course, stop an evil alien who wants to destroy the Earth. In a brilliant piece of stunt-casting, Josh Brolin plays a pitch-perfect 30-year old Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K in 1969. Also new to the cast this time is Emma Thompson as Agent O, who replaces the erstwhile Agent Z (Rip Torn, who apparently had no interest in returning for this one).<p>
The special effects, as has always been the case with this franchise, are relatively top-shelf as the alien creatures look suitably menacing and/or weird.<p>
On the whole, I didn't mind the film, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was watching something totally unnecessary. The film doesn't particularly add anything to the series and Will Smith himself seemed rather dated (He actually used 'shiznit' on multiple occasions), much like a byproduct from another era. In addition, the 3D (of *course* it was in 3D) seemed tacked-on and failed to add anything to the film. If you have the chance to see it in 2D, I'd say go for that. Still, as throwaway, summer popcorn fun, you could do a lot worse than spending 90 minutes with the Men in Black. Just don't expect anything ... *puts on sunglasses* Earth-shattering. (YEAAAAAAAAAH!)
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<b>Geek Score: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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6 out of 10 bacon strips</b><p><br><br>
<b>What I'm Playing:</b> <i>Diablo 3, Max Payne 3, Walking Dead: The Game</i><p>
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<b>What I'm Reading:</b> <i>Preacher vol. 6, Saga</i>DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-7855711062262389562012-05-18T00:30:00.001-07:002012-05-18T00:32:56.364-07:00Tony Stark Is A Very Rich ManI went to see the new Johnny Depp / Tim Burton collaboration, Dark Shadows, last weekend - so here I was all ready to review that (which would break my string of consecutive 'Golden Bacon' awards at two) until I saw the box office numbers come out.
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Allow me to out myself here - in addition to being a bit of a movie geek, I'm also a box office numbers nerd. I track how much films make. I like to estimate opening weekend takes. I take some delight when great, little-known films do well and get positively giddy when paint-by-numbers, big-budget crap takes a financial bath. Now I'm sure you've all heard by now about <i>The Avengers</i> big opening weekend. $207 million. Absolutely astounding, if you stop to think about it. But frankly what I found even more incredible than the opening weekend take was the fact that the *second* weekend take was $103.1 million. Allow me to explain to you (if you at all care) why that is so insane - with movies that open so huge, they inevitably have huge fanboy-rush fervor, leading to everybody who *needs* to see it doing so on their opening weekend. As such, the week-to-week percentage drop (or the reverse, as box office nerds call it, the 'hold') is positively massive. Think of it this way - the more people who see a film in its opening weekend, the fewer people who feel the need to see it in the second (and third, fourth, etc) weekends.
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To help illusrate what I'm talking about, let's use the film that <i>Avengers</i> <s>bitch-slapped</s> dethroned as the opening weekend champ - <i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt. 2</i>. That film opened to $169.2 million. Its second weekend, however, was $47.4 million. That, my friends, represents a massive 72% drop from week-to-week (though you should really take 'midnight showings' out of the equation, but that's getting too technical for now - don't get me started). Let's not forget that Potter was a legitimately *good* film. Another point of reference are the fangirl-friendly <i>Twilight</i> sequels. <i>New Moon</i> opened to $143 million ... and slid off a cliff to $42.8 million in its second weekend. <i>Breaking Dawn</i> was almost identical - $139 opening, $42 second weekend. In general terms, the bigger the opening, the harder the fall. Films simply cannot maintain that sort of fan interest week-to-week anymore. We are a society that demands instant gratification before moving on to the next shiny.
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So, that being said, <i>The Avengers'</i> second weekend becomes even more remarkable. Obviously, it was the highest opener of all-time, so even if it duplicated Potter's 72% drop, we'd be looking at around $60 million (or just below <i>Thor</i>'s opening weekend). I didn't expect that to happen (for various reasons, including but not limited to - rapturous critical praise and an equally-positive fan reaction, the difference in numbers between the two film's midnight sneak numbers and more), but I was still thinking about a 60-65% drop was in the cards. A hold of 35% to 40% of the audience would put them in striking distance of another record (for those who care, <i>Avatar</i> held the record for the biggest second weekend at $75 million) and in good shape to cross half-a-billion by the time it was all said and done. A few people (including the brilliant folks at <a href="http://www.boxofficeprophets.com">Box-Office Prophets</a>) predicted it would top 90-million, but I didn't see it. So when the numbers came in on Sunday morning that they were estimating it over $100 for the weekend, I was positively floored. To think that a film could open that big and then hold almost 50% of its audience week-to-week is positively mind-boggling to me. Right now, <i>Avengers</i> has summarily chewed-up and spit-out almost every box-office record known to man.
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So where does the film go from here? Well, here's where it gets fun (and also where I start using arithmetic and extrapolation, so feel free to hit 'snooze' if you need to). For the moment, let's take <i>Avengers</i> first seven days completely out of the equation and pretend, instead, that we are looking at this shiny new film that opened to (a still *very* impressive) $103.1 million. So, as of now, there are 21 films that have crossed the $100 million plateau in their opening weekends since Spider-Man did it a decade ago. Of those 21, their overall box-office range from $234 million (the positively dreadful <i>X-Men: The Last Stand</i> - screw you, Brett Ratner! etc.) to $533 million (the positively superlative <i>The Dark Knight</i>) with the average being $356 million. Now let's take say, for argument's sake, that <i>Avengers</i> makes that average amount from its second weekend on (which, frankly, seems like a sure thing, given the film's critical reception and rapturous word-of-mouth). Now we take the $270 million (!!!) the film made in its opening week and tack that on and we get ... ta-da! $626 million. A number within spitting distance of <i>Titanic</i> for second-place all-time (and would have been *ahead* of said film were it not for the 3D re-release earlier this year).
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This gets me to the crux of my argument here - <i>Avengers</i> has an even-money-or-better chance to topple <i>Titanic</i> to become the second highest-grossing film of all-time and an outside shot of taking down the big dog, <i>Avatar</i> (as an aside - how absolutely ludicrous is it that James Cameron has the top *two* highest-grossing films of all-time? You may not like the guy, but his directing style clearly appeals to a number of people). Frankly, I'd love to see that happen. As you read, I positively loved the film and am eagerly promoting it to anyone who'll listen. Plus, for the longest time, pre-<i>Titanic</i>, nerds held the box office crown (a little ditty called <i>Star Wars</i> - perhaps you may have heard of it?) and gorramnit, it's time we took it back. So if you haven't seen it yet - what the hell are you waiting for? And if you *have* seen it and find yourself with 2.5 hours to kill - honestly, with May sweeps over now, there's not a lot of TV on, right? - why not go see it again?
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This weekend will be fun. As I mentioned way back at the beginning of this tale (If there's anyone still reading by this point, anyway), the bigger the opening, the harder the drop - but after that big drop, things tend to level out substantially, so the film's multiplier (opening weekend divided by total gross ... /nerd) stretches its legs a bit. Basically, if <i>Avengers</i> can hold 60% or more of its audience in week 3, it'll have a real shot at the record. If it drops to 'only' 50-million (I can't see it dropping lower than that), then it'll probably have to set course for the iceberg and aim for number two all-time.
<p>Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; Or close the wall up with our English dead.
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<b>What I'm Playing:</b> - Diablo III, Mass Effect 3, Max Payne 3 (I'm sensing a theme here...)
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<b>What I'm Reading:</b> - Green Lantern (new 52).DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-73414502291886074192012-05-12T11:56:00.002-07:002012-05-12T12:49:43.582-07:00"You can be damned sure we'll Avenge it."From the opening credits to the (immensely satisfying) finale, <i>The Avengers</i> is the most fun I've had in a movie theatre in a long time. It combines memorable characters, a funny script and some of the coolest action sequences ever put to film. It is, quite simply, a triumph - and it's more than worthy of my (sort of) prestigious Golden Bacon Award.
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Few films have been as ambitious or intriguing as the concept for <i>The Avengers</i>. The idea for the film was kicked around Hollywood for years, but it wasn't until Marvel Studios started taking control of their own brand and characters that it seemed legitimately possible to pull off. The seeds were planted in the post-credits scene of 'Iron Man', where Tony Stark meets Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury. Then over the course of four more films (<i>Incredible Hulk</i>, <i>Iron Man 2</i>, <i>Thor</i> and <i>Captain America</i>), water, sun and a little fertilizer was added. Basically, Marvel Studios has created this one, unified world and managed to populate it with all of these characters. The fact that these individuals keep appearing in each other's films keeps awareness high and ties it all together extremely well. And now, the payoff - when we finally get to see all of these characters together in the same film, at the same time, is immensely satisfying. Plus, the fact that Joss Whedon wrote and directed it doesn't hurt either.
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In all, <i>Avengers</i> is one of the most satisfying movie experiences I've ever had the pleasure of attending. It positively glows in just about every aspect. The dialogue is smart when it has to be, cornball when it calls for it, and there're more than a few positively brilliant one-liners (usually - but not entirely - from the mouth of Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark). Even speaking as someone who's not particularly fond of 3D, I didn't find it to be forced or distracting. There were no blatant 'money shots' - if you could ever accuse the 3D gimmick of being 'understated', this film would be the one to do it. It's there, and you notice it, but it's not distracting. It does what it's supposed to - it adds to the film without making a 2D version of the film unwatchable (which, when you're kicking in an extra three bucks for the 'option' of seeing a film in 3D, is really all you can ask for).
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The plot involves Loki (Thor's half-brother/nemesis, introduced in Thor's movie just last year - which is great because there's no need to spend half an hour setting up the villain) trying to steal the Tesseract - a cube of extraterrestrial origin that was introduced (you guessed it) in Captain America's film. For what it's worth, the film is full of little things like this that do a great job of creating a sense of unity between these disparate characters. Anyway, Loki steals the Tesseract from SHIELD and Nick Fury calls on the Avengers (Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Bruce Banner/Hulk) to save the day. I won't delve much further into the plot because I don't want to spoil anything, but let it be said that while the plot moves forward in a relatively linear fashion, it doesn't always do what you expect it will. Joss Whedon does a great job of handling all of these characters and keeping the action moving forward, but the direction never feels muddied or bogged down. He's essentially got six lead characters, but the pacing is so even that you never really feel like one's getting shafted at the expense of the others. He keeps the film moving quickly and efficiently.
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As something of a comic book nerd in addition to film geek, there were at least three occasions where I geeked out so hard that I almost left my seat and shot into orbit. Joss, being something of a comic book geek himself - he's done several turns as lead writer in Marvel books in the past - clearly knows and has a certain amount of affection for these characters and the world they inhabit. Again, I won't go into detail because I want everyone to experience these moments for the first time, but I will say that I had a big, dumb, goofy grin on my face the entire time.
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For me (and most others, I would imagine), the gold standard when it comes to comic book films is <i>The Dark Knight</i>. That being said, however, I find <i>The Dark Knight</i> to be simply a great 'film' - that just happens to be based on a comic book. <i>Avengers</i> is now, unquestionably the best *comic book* film I've seen. Does that make sense? It revels in its source material and, above all, is simply a joy to watch. I could sit here and heap more superlatives upon it, but really, it's 2.5 hours of glowing nerdgasm in 3D (or not) and I am absolutely going to see it again.
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Your move, Dark Knight.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCbci1PG9JY_YT844sQqbHue8AsOaJoWIDymNLaGDKWn_SAHdkN2p1dc0UCDkNZIqMpsljfgLhcht6P-CaAfc096LkDgKNIFyijnOvIsNtK72WU8jhN-iS8Tx3XBOhIPXug8VNkCqx3vH/s1600/10+baconstrips+gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="33" width="83" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCbci1PG9JY_YT844sQqbHue8AsOaJoWIDymNLaGDKWn_SAHdkN2p1dc0UCDkNZIqMpsljfgLhcht6P-CaAfc096LkDgKNIFyijnOvIsNtK72WU8jhN-iS8Tx3XBOhIPXug8VNkCqx3vH/s320/10+baconstrips+gold.jpg" /></a></div>
Geek Score: 10 Bacon Strips out of 10 - Golden Bacon Award
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<b>What I'm Playing</b>: NHL 12 (playing as the goalie is hard), Mass Effect 3 for XBox 360
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<b>What I'm Reading</b>: Preacher, vol. 6
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- EPDonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-79585894336397981642011-12-28T17:33:00.000-08:002011-12-28T17:33:06.376-08:00Uncharted 3: Drake's DeceptionI’m not typically one for hyperbole – so recognizing that, realize that when I say Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is the greatest game yet released on the PS3 platform, you may take me at my word. It redefines what an action-adventure game can be, it raises the bar of current-gen graphical detail and it features a Hollywood-quality script and story with believable characters that you end up missing by the time your gaming experience is finished. It is a truly unforgettable experience and well-deserving of my first ‘Golden Bacon’ award.<br />
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Full disclosure here – prior to Uncharted 3, my favourite PS3 game was Uncharted 2, so I may be a bit biased from the outset, but that being said, everything that I loved about the second game gets ratcheted up just that much more in the third one. Knowing this, if you have played the first two, you pretty much know what to expect in this one. The story starts out with Drake and Sully in a seedy bar in downtown London and then proceeds to span the globe. You’ll get to see the origin of Drake and Sully’s relationship as well as running in to familiar characters like Chloe and Elena. Naughty Dog really seems to revel in the world they’ve built and by populating it with memorable characters, you can’t help but get caught up in the story – so when something bad happens to a character, you find yourself drawn in just that much more. The story is top-shelf, but far too often a decent script can be undercut by poor voice-acting (seriously, some of the voice-acting in Deus Ex: Human Revolution was laughable). Thankfully, that’s not the case here, as the returning cast lends weight and emotion to the more difficult moments, as well as a breeziness and brevity when things are more light-hearted. By keeping the same stable of actors, Naughty Dog has managed to not only keep a sense of continuity, but by this point in the series, all of the actors understand their characters inherently – which enables them to add just that much more depth to their performances.<br />
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The gameplay will be instantly familiar to fans of the series. New to the dance this time around is an all-new brawling mechanic (which is cleverly put to the test in the very first sequence) which seems to take a page out of Rocksteady’s Arkham Asylum/City playbook (replete with counter-attacks and environment-based finishers). The best moments in the game come in the form of scripted events that Naughty Dog has to be almost famous for by this point. There are more in this game than in the first two combined, but it always feels fluid and never tacky – it really adds to the whole action-film aesthetic that the game is trying to convey. A few of these sequences simply need to be seen to be believed. About 1/3 in to the game, there’s a scene that takes place in a burning French chateau. As well, there’s a scene that takes place in a capsizing ocean liner (like remake of The Poseidon Adventure except.. well.. it doesn’t suck) and near the end of the game there’s a sequence involving an airplane that is positively jaw-dropping. As you’re playing, you know they’re scripted, but it doesn’t affect the sense of awe because you still have control of Drake, so you still feel like you're driving the action.<br />
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The level of graphical detail in this game is otherworldly. From the crisp textures and gorgeously-modeled (and colourful!) environments to the fluid motion-capture, Naughty Dog really put the PS3 through its paces and in the process, set a new high-watermark for current-gen graphical clarity. The animation, in particular, deserves an extra mention here as it’s not as jaw-droppingly awe-inspiring as the panoramas and vistas you fight your way through, but just as important in a much more subtle way. Little things such as Drake throwing his arms up to brace himself as he rounds a corner too fast, or how he will run his hand along the wall of a darkened corridor, or how he stumbles in the desert – subtle, to be sure, but again they add to the polish of the overall package and really helps you suspend disbelief.<br />
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Now, in spite of my incessant raving to this point, know that this game is not perfect. As I mentioned previously, the gun-combat mechanic still faces the same issues it has from the start of the series (floaty controls, at-times inaccurate damage modelling) and I experienced a few glitches during my playtime that were as ridiculous as they were frustrating (somehow Drake teleported through the parapet of a castle and plummeted to his doom in a grey void at one point – and in another, he fell through a piano while aboard the ocean liner, into the sea, where he ended up drowning). These are not deal-breakers by any stretch of the imagination, rather they just slightly tarnish the sheen of an otherwise impeccably-polished masterpiece. Think of these issues as the bird shit that you have to wipe off your brand new Porsche.<br />
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I haven’t even touched on the multiplayer – which boasts full co-op missions designed to flesh out the story as well as the team-based and free-for-all modes that were featured when they first added multiplayer to Uncharted 2. Truth be told, I’ve barely touched them because I’ve been too busy powering through the single-player campaign. But even their mere presence just goes to show that Naughty Dog is providing full value to the consumer here.<br />
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Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is more than a video game. The level-design is top-notch, the graphics are phenomenal, the voice acting is superlative and the gameplay is tried-and-true. It is a gaming experience like no other and is a game that demands to be played if you own a PS3. Naughty Dog hit this one out of the park and I sincerely cannot wait for their next at-bat.<br />
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Geek Score: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTjduh0-VSbZaAUDfE0vs6mc51jeeU6ys_SREbSPddNpOpoUqnPZ9Ys_S2a50m4QkvpVWpl7N51l-rMlIPc4ReEq32cXL3OnmV7uiP_XBHzGjJSWW9XqrKcMDjGDBZb3QEg1RgNpYnHcP/s1600/10+baconstrips+gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="33" width="83" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTjduh0-VSbZaAUDfE0vs6mc51jeeU6ys_SREbSPddNpOpoUqnPZ9Ys_S2a50m4QkvpVWpl7N51l-rMlIPc4ReEq32cXL3OnmV7uiP_XBHzGjJSWW9XqrKcMDjGDBZb3QEg1RgNpYnHcP/s320/10+baconstrips+gold.jpg" /></a></div><br />
10 out of 10 bacon strips (Golden Bacon Award)<br />
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What I’m Reading: Unwritten: Volume 3 by Mike Carey & Peter Gross<br />
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What I’m Playing: Elder Scrolls vol. 5: Skyrim for 360DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-52024514548304730702011-11-04T15:41:00.000-07:002011-11-04T15:41:44.699-07:00Deus Ex: Human RevolutionDeus Ex: Human Revolution had a lot to live up to. As a prequel to one of the most lauded PC games of all-time, it had try to maintain the open-world aspects of the original while simultaneously eliminating the perceived ‘dumbing down’ that the sequel (Invisible War) suffered from. It managed to succeed on both counts. Human Revolution is a great game and more than worthy of its place in Deus Ex canon.<br />
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The game starts out with a prologue featuring the protagonist, Adam Jensen, head of security at Sarif Industries (which, like many other things in the game is a name you may recognize if you were a fan of the original). You are introduced to the basic gameplay (moving, shooting, sneaking) and a few of the key characters. And then the story really starts to take off. In the year 2027, human augmentation (something which is commonplace in the original and its sequel) is still in the experimental stage. Doctors and biotechnology firms (like Sarif Industries itself) routinely come under fire for a perceived recklessness and dismissal of the human condition. Do we have the power to play God? Is it simply part of human nature to strive to better ourselves through technology? These are the sorts of questions that Human Revolution asks. This isn’t Gears of War with simplistic, macho one-liners and copious grunting. Like other games in the series, as the story moves forward, conspiracies and double-crosses become commonplace, but it never seems to stray too far (perhaps helped by the fact that the game is a prequel to an established storyline, thereby forcibly reigning itself in). Like most great Sci-Fi Noir (a la Blade Runner), it’s a story that has depth on the surface, but the more you put into it (by reading personal logs or various newspaper articles to flesh out the world) , the more you are rewarded. <br />
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As far as the gameplay goes, it’s sufficiently open-ended. Like many modern-day ‘sandbox’-style games, you find yourself with a ‘hub’ city which connects several missions throughout each city. No mission shoehorns you into completing it a certain way (though some offer bonuses for doing so – for instance, if you can sneak through an enemy gang hideout without being seen, you’ll be paid more). If you want to roll hard with heavy weapons and concussion grenades, go ahead. If you want to slyly eke your way past the guards, pausing every once in a while to knock a few guys unconscious and hide the bodies in lockers (Solid Snake style!), you can feel free to do that as well. If you want to eschew both ‘action-oriented’ manners and try and find a way to use tech savvy (by hacking turrets and turning them on your opponents, for instance) you are free to do that as well. The success you have in your chosen manner of dealing with these missions will depend on how you spend your experience points. As you level up, you acquire ‘praxis points’, which enable you to purchase augmentation enhancements which do different things such as enable you to run silently, take more damage, see through walls, etc. By the end of the game your character will be sufficiently powered to take any path you choose, but in the game’s gestation period you really have to cater your selections to the type of character you are interested in playing. <br />
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One of the biggest strengths is the way the game makes you feel invested in the world - as if your actions have real consequences. How quickly (or slowly, as the case may be) you complete certain objectives actually has a bearing on how the game plays out. I found this out the hard way as I purposely delayed starting an early mission so that I could wander around Sarif's offices, turning over every desk and looking for goodies - standard RPG fodder - and then I arrived to find the mission objectives had changed considerably owing to my delay. Things like this really serve to bring you into the story.<br />
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It's not all wine and roses, however, as Deus Ex has a few issues that are worth mentioning. At times it seems like the game steers you towards a certain gameplay path and for a game that prides itself so heavily on the freedom of choice, it can come across feeling a little constrictive. In addition, there are four separate boss fights which can be *extremely* frustrating for certain character builds. A better option would've been to eschew the boss fights altogether, or at least make them workable - a game like Fallout has shown that you can have a great RPG without making boss-fights a necessity.<br />
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I’ve always held that the real mark of a good single-player game is whether I find myself with any inkling to play through again after completing the main story. With Deus Ex, I finished it four times (so as to complete the four separate – and quite disparate – endings). It’s a marked improvement on the somewhat-flawed sequel, Invisible War, but still falls just short of the incredible heights of the original Deus Ex. Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a worthwhile addition to Deus Ex canon and well worth the price of admission for fans of the series or sci-fi fans in general.<br />
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Geek Score: 8 out of 10 bacon strips<br />
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What I’m Reading: Green Lantern (The New 52) – Geoff Johns<br />
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What I’m Playing: Batman: Arkham City for 360DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-58964211275646721052011-08-01T11:29:00.000-07:002011-08-01T21:43:11.828-07:00On The Occasion of the Anniversary of my 32nd Year32 years ago today, I was born in Vancouver General Hospital, after what I've been told was a long and painful labour. I was in no hurry, apparently. It's good to see some things haven't changed.<br />
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Birthdays are funny things. <br />
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They're so arbitrary, for one. If you think about it, we're 'always' aging. It's not as if all of a sudden on this one magical day your body gets 365 days' worth of wrinkles or loses 365 days' worth of hair (Curse you, Male Pattern Baldness!). <br />
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I think the main purpose of a birthday (aside from presents and cake, obviously) is personal reflection. When we're younger we tend to look ahead (ie. "Only five more years until I can legally drink!", "Only two more years until college!" etc.) but as we grow older the parabola warps and all of a sudden we find ourselves looking back more ("Man, I totally would've hit that if I were ten years younger" or "I once drank 18 beers in one night - if I tried that now, I'd literally die."). By the time you reach the end of the line, almost the entire process is spent looking back - I can't imagine one's 90th birthday is spent looking ahead to the 91st.<br />
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I tend to get maudlin as my birthday approaches. I don't handle growing older with particular aplomb, I'll admit that. I've been making jokes as of late regarding how I'm 'so old' and can 'feel the darkness approaching'. Some of that is just bullshit, certainly, but a lot of it was rooted in the very real fear that I'm now firmly entrenched in the middle third of my lifespan. Any illusions I had that I was still a 'young adult' have been thrown right out the window. I have a wife now. Bills, car insurance, I'm saving to buy a condo for cripe's sake. I can't just torch off half my paycheque at the arcade (though sometimes I'd love to). My life is changing ... and I don't handle change particularly well.<br />
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What seems like years ago now, I was stuck in a rut the size of the Marianas Trench. I was happy, I guess, but I didn't have much purpose. I was delivering pizzas for a living. Honest work, sure, but I'm pretty sure there's a picture of the Pizza Hut guy on Wikipedia on the page for 'Dead End Jobs'. I needed a jolt from a friend of mine, who told me to leave my McJob, get off my ass and come work with him. I did and because I was fortunate enough to have dominoes fall the right way, I've now got a good job that pays reasonably well, with people I like. Never underestimate the potential value of job satisfaction. <br />
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A few weeks ago, I needed another kick in the pants - but the aforementioned friend has now moved halfway across the country (*sob*), so I had to do it myself (Don't ask *how* I managed to kick myself in the ass - I'm fairly certain I pulled something and I don't want to talk about it). I had ballooned a bit and weighed more than I had ever weighed before, I loped around the apartment like a three-toed sloth, I was grumpy and almost completely inactive. The closest I came to exercise was picking my SixAxis controller off the entertainment center. I wasn't happy. So I decided to make a change. I promptly (and without warning - so much so that I shocked my wife when I announced it) cut out soda and fast food and started playing basketball again. My thought process was thus: My main issue with 'exercise' was that it too often felt like work. Why would I want to do that on my time off? But if you're playing a sport (like basketball, say, or tennis), you're getting exercise, it's fun, plus you can bet on all sorts of different things (Everything Is More Fun When You Gamble). So far the results have been both obvious (I'm a little slimmer and have more energy) and *not* so obvious (I have more money in my pocket - seriously, who knew I was spending so much on Coca-Cola?). Originally, I thought it might mark the onset of an early-midlife crisis, this weird obsession to pick up a basketball again. In truth, however, my birthday was used as a rallying point. I wanted to do some maintenance before the calendar rolled over. Like a New Year's Resolution, but hopefully not with the same outcome (abandoned by February - or in my case, September).<br />
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I think it's safe to say that my life at 32 isn't what I envisioned it to be when I was twenty or even twenty-five. That's not to say that's a bad thing. I have a decent job, a wife, a novel on-the-go, two cats and a savings account (with money in it and everything!). <br />
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32 is a tough number to get a handle on. It's divisible by four, which is notoriously bad luck in Chinese culture, but it's also divisible by eight, which is tremendously *good* luck in that same culture. It's an even number, but since it doesn't have a '0' on the end, it somehow feels less milestone-y (is that a word? Well it is now.). <br />
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They say you're only as old as you feel. Well, today I feel 32. And I guess I'm all right with that.<br />
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What I'm Reading: Batman - Hush<br />
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What I'm Playing: Infamous 2 for PS3DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-10454861065907484112011-07-26T10:42:00.000-07:002011-07-27T18:13:32.286-07:00Crazy, Stupid, LoveCrazy, Stupid, Love is unique in the realm of romantic comedies in that it doesn’t open with a meet-cute, or ‘wacky hijinks’ – it opens, in fact, with a break-up, as 44-year old Cal (Steve Carell) splits with his wife of 27 years (Julianne Moore). There’s a particularly funny and heart-wrenching scene where she admits that she cheated on him and he – unable to stomach the idea – essentially dives out of a moving car just so he doesn’t have to listen to her anymore. It’s difficult and painful, yet also funny – a lot like life. And the entire film plays out along much the same lines. It’s a very honest, sweet, at-times sexy and thoroughly mature romantic comedy. It’s also one of the best films of the summer so far.<br />
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The idea of ‘growing up’ is a central theme in the film, so it makes sense that Steve Carell (who has played an over-grown man-child before in The 40-Year Old Virgin, and an emotionally-crippled, middle-aged man in Dan in Real Life) is the lead in what may be his most mature role to date. Thanks to the superb ensemble cast, though, he’s not asked to ‘drive’ the film so much as to simply steer it. His character may be the emotional heart of the story, but in many ways, Ryan Gosling’s womanizing cad, Jacob, may be the hero. Bottom line, this kid can act. He’s been nominated for the quirky, indie dramas Half-Nelson and Lars and the Real Girl, and probably should have been for the steamy Blue Valentine, but this film stretches him a little bit. He’s allowed to relax a bit, have some fun, and even crack a smile. Who knew that his comedic timing was so strong? His character, Jacob, takes Cal under his wing when he sees Cal struggling with his divorce in the bar while trolling for women. The resulting montage as Jacob attempts to remake Cal in his image is both hilarious and thoughtful and a real jumping off point for the story as a whole. Other strong notches in the cast include the always-dependable Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, who is quickly becoming one of my favourite young actresses (and not just because her flaming red hair makes her smoking hot), and former Academy Award winner, Marisa Tomei (who’s made something of a comeback of late as a second-banana in these films – it seems Hollywood is realizing she works best in small doses).<br />
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Also ‘growing up’ is the screenwriter himself, Dan Fogelman, whose best-known works to this point were animated features (including the original Cars, Bolt and last year’s Tangled). The writing is consistently strong throughout and the exchanges that the characters share are believable and funny without making you roll your eyes. There’s a scene halfway through the film where Cal stands outside, despondent, in a downpour and mutters half-heartedly, “Hmmph. Such a cliché.” Indeed, the Romantic Comedy has been around for a long time and its conventions are seemingly written in stone, yet this film manages to wisely tiptoe around them. The few instances where the film does give in, the characters themselves will take notice reminding us all with a nudge and a wink. The humour is smart and engaging without being crass (there’s one joke regarding teenage masturbation, but it’s handled in a cute and delicate manner) which makes it seem almost like a throwback in this, the age of the ‘gross-out’ comedy (that Carell himself helped start with The 40-Year Old Virgin some six years ago).<br />
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At its heart, the film is a simple, multi-generational love story, but unlike other films of its ilk (Playing By Heart, for instance, or even Love Actually – though the latter is still a very decent film), it doesn’t seem to suffer from having too many characters. The story weaves them in and out constantly and we never forget about anyone. Just when it seems like we’ve been spending too much time with Cal, we’ll cut to the sweet subplot with his smart-but-not-quite-too-smart-to-be-believable 13-year old son. Directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (whose previous directing experience was the uneven 2009 Jim Carrey / Ewan McGregor vehicle, I Love You Phillip Morris) do a great job of deftly switching between the leads and keeping the story moving.<br />
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The end of the film isn’t perfect. Everything doesn’t magically return to its original state. This isn’t the Brady Bunch. These characters grow and change before our eyes, and as they grow up, they discover that love – like life – is awkward and messy and even painful at times, but it also can be beautiful. The same can be said of the film itself. Crazy, Stupid, Love is a romantic comedy for grown-ups. More than that, it’s a great film and one of the best films of the year so far.<br />
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Geek Score: 9 out of 10 bacon strips<br />
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What I’m Reading: Autumn: The City by David Moody<br />
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What I’m Playing: Infamous 2 for PS3DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-90498846338310559042011-07-21T22:39:00.000-07:002011-07-21T23:16:29.593-07:00Captain America: The First AvengerPrior to attending the special advance pre-screening (through Scene! It pays to be a member! (tm)) there was a real fear on my part that I would have to dismiss Captain America as American chest-thumping, jingoistic treacle - thankfully, some smart screenwriting decisions and strong performances from the leads makes it one of the better films of the summer and one of the best comic book adaptations of recent memory.<br />
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The story revolves around Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), an undersized, underweight asthmatic who wants, more than anything, to join the US Army and help out during World War 2. Of course, he flunks his physical. So he lies on his questionnaire and tries again. And again. And again. Finally, at his fifth such attempt, a scientist sees something in Steve that leads him to believe he'd be a perfect fit for his new super-soldier experiment. Of course, Steve accepts, the experiment is a success and he becomes Captain America - super soldier extraordinaire. They touch briefly on the character's comic origin (Captain America as a character was essentially created as pseudo-propaganda during war-time) by having him perform at USO troupes and functions across the states selling war-bonds. But while the character's name itself is 'Captain America', the screenwriters wisely fleshed out his platoon by featuring, in no particular order, a Canadian sharpshooter, two Frenchmen, an attractive, female British agent (guess what happens there?) and a gruff, surly, southern Colonel (played with delicious, scenery-chewing camp by Tommy Lee Jones). The main villain in the film is Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), a Nazi version of the super-soldier phenomenon that is bent on world domination (standard comic-book villain stuff - not necessarily befitting the 14th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All-Time according to IGN, but it's a minor gripe really)<br />
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If you have any knowledge of comic books, you probably know who Captain America is. He's probably Marvel's top draw that *hadn't* been made into a feature film to this point and he's front and center in a number of major events such as <i>Civil War, Secret Invasion <i>and</i> Marvel Zombies</i>. That said, the movie version strays a bit from canon (seems like every time I review a comic book movie lately I have to say that) but not in any way that will lead the nerds to raise their pitchforks and burn Hollywood to the ground. The changes they make are more for narrative purposes and the sake of continuity in the franchise as well as creating a sense of community among the Marvel universe, so in some ways it actually works out for the best (I know, I know, blasphemy, etc. - I'll turn in my Geek badge and credentials). <br />
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One thing that Marvel Studios seems to understand that DC's fledgling film studio has yet to truly grok is how to humanize their characters. Sure, they're superheroes, but they have heart and real motivations driving them. For instance, nobody outside of comic book fandom really knew or cared about Iron Man prior to the 2008 feature film, but Tony Stark had a soul and the audience really rooted for the character and a connection was formed. $300 million later a studio was funded and a franchise model was born. <i>Thor</i>'s coffee scene is one such example - a scene that could have easily ended up on the cutting room floor, but because it didn't, it helped to try and 'humanize' a character who by his very nature is completely inhuman. Likewise, <i>Captain America</i> features a couple of scenes that another director might have thrown away, but Joe Johnston (who also directed the underrated <i>Hidalgo</i> with Viggo Mortensen - check it out) found a way to fit in and the film is better for it. Johnston has a certain amount of fun with the source material, but still manages to take it seriously.<br />
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Somewhere along the line, Marvel Studios decided to hire people who can *act* - a novel concept in comic-book action films. Chris Evans was the best part of two very bad comic book films in Fox's disastrous Fantastic Four series as the Human Torch, but he really gets a chance to shine here with the film on his (extremely broad) shoulders. He's a likable lead that audiences can root for. The aforementioned Tommy Lee Jones looks like he's having the most fun he's had since <i>Men in Black II</i> came out almost a decade ago. Finally, Hugo Weaving's Red Skull is suitably menacing (his German accent is harsh and abrupt - almost like he copied his speech mannerisms from watching Hitler's speeches) providing a worthwhile foil for the heroes.<br />
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The special effects suffer at times from issues with overt CGI and the post-production 3D is <strike>a blatant cashgrab</strike> completely unnecessary but nothing is so jarring as to prevent your suspension of disbelief. The film's pacing moves along well and the two-hour runtime feels brisk (unlike <i>Green Lantern</i>'s 1 hr 45 minutes that feels almost twice that) and when it's all over you'll be left wanting to see more. And thankfully, the wait won't be too long - next up on the docket for Marvel is the ambitious <i>Avengers</i> (featuring Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, et al.) next year. While they don't quite have a Pixar-esque winning streak just yet, they're punching above their weight, so I'm definitely looking forward to that one. Along with <i>The Dark Knight Rises</i> (have you seen the teaser? OMGasm), 2012 could be a great year for comic book movies.<br />
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Captain America combines an above-average script with great lead performances and sprinkles in good directing with brisk pacing. It's a film that pays homage to the source material, yet isn't afraid to write its own chapter in canon. It's a very worthwhile summer action film and one of the better comic book movies released of late.<br />
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Geek Score: 8 out of 10 bacon strips<br />
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What I'm Reading: Sweet Tooth vol. 3<br />
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What I'm Playing: Infamous 2 on PS3DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-10412582632255154682011-07-05T14:57:00.000-07:002011-07-21T23:09:56.787-07:00Green LanternLet me get this out of the way right now – Green Lantern is not a bad film. In fact, I actually enjoyed it a little bit. Technically-speaking, however, it’s not really a *good* film, either – there are issues with the pacing and plotting and those creepy coloured-lenses that Ryan Reynolds wears when he’s getting his Green on are truly disturbing. But as a comic book origin story, it succeeds, at least partly, thanks to its lead actor and some dazzling special effects.<br />
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In Green Lantern, Ryan Reynolds plays Hal Jordan, the ‘first’ human Green Lantern (There’s since been three more, but that may be too much nerd for you to handle right now, so I won’t go into it), test pilot, daredevil and all-around cocky sonuvabitch who is gifted a power ring that enables him to join an interstellar police force known as the Green Lanterns. If this sounds slightly convoluted, that’s because it is – but in all seriousness, the film stays remarkably true to the comic, at least in terms of the origin story. Reynolds plays Jordan with just the right amount of smarm and cocksure bombast mixed with just a tinge of regret, enabling everyone who was terrified he might be ill-suited for the role, or overplay it to the point of caricature to breathe just a bit easier. <br />
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The power ring that he wears enables him to do literally ‘anything’ he can think up (which has always been a point of contention among comic literati – it smacks of deus ex machina, honestly, but we’re not here to critique the comic, we’re critiquing the film, so I digress..) which ensures a few money special FX shots. One shot wherein he throws a tanker truck at a foe and then creates an antiaircraft gun out of energy and blasts said tanker truck – turning it, essentially, into a very large grenade – stands out as my favourite, but there are several worth noting. At least you can see where they spent the reported $200 million.<br />
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The plot, such as it is, is more than a little meandering – you start with Hal showing off during a flight exercise, then insert the requisite fight with the potential significant other (Blake Lively, in a role she will likely do her best to downplay if she ever gets to accept alifetime achievement award), then Hal finds the ring and things pick up a little bit. Once he becomes a full-fledged Green Lantern (complete with ‘hilarious’ training montage!) the story focuses a little bit but it seems unsure as to what to do with the secondary characters. Familiar (to fans of the comic, at any rate) faces like Kilowog and Sinestro are given cameo roles at best. Especially disappointing is how they fail to really recognize the Hal Jordan / Sinestro dynamic (one of the best in the books). What should be a dynamic and somewhat ... er.. ‘complicated’ relationship is boiled down to about three minutes of on-screen interaction. Part of this is done for the sake of pacing, I’m sure (as it is, the film clocks in at only two hours, yet seems rather plodding but when your main villain is as nondescript and relatively blasé as Parallax, there’s only so much you can do), but a little background information on the other Lanterns would've helped flesh things out immensely.<br />
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Still, as an origin story (and let’s be honest here – that’s what this film is, the first in what WB is hoping against hope to become another sturdy franchise) it defines the character and provides enough ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ to make it a passable use of 2 hours. The issues that the film does have are not irreparable, which gives me hope if the sequel is greenlit. There's a lot more to this character than they show in this film and I'd like to see them get the chance to show it. <br />
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If you’re a fan of the comics, you will see more than enough nods and winks (stay past the first part of the credits, specifically) to keep you on your toes and you will likely leave (relatively) satisfied. If you haven’t read a Green Lantern comic, though, buyer beware.<br />
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Geek Score: 6 out of 10 Bacon Strips<br />
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What I'm Playing: Infamous for PS3<br />
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What I'm Reading: Batman: Arkham CityDonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-24912448109426681512011-06-21T11:42:00.000-07:002011-06-21T13:54:10.115-07:00Remembering The Vancouver CanucksI remember the Vancouver Canucks.<br />
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I remember 8 o’clock bedtimes that were artificially extended because Mom would let me listen to the radio as I go to sleep. The radio was always tuned in to CKNW980. Other children had lullabyes – I was sung to sleep by Jim Robson. <br />
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I remember Petri Skriko and Tony Tanti scoring gorgeous goals and giving up just as many going back the other way because of an infuriating refusal to backcheck.<br />
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I remember Stan Smyl steaming down the off wing.<br />
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I remember Pavel Bure, flying as only he could – when he stepped on the gas he was unlike any player the Canucks ever had (or likely ever will). <br />
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I remember Trevor Linden. Of course I remember Trev. - the native Albertan who adopted this city as his own. The stoic leader, the classy gentleman, the man who would give his all playing with two broken legs and a broken arm if he had to.<br />
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I remember Kirk McLean and The Save vs. Robert Reichel in ’94. I remember him single-handedly stealing game 1 against the Rangers. <br />
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I remember Nathan Lafayette. I’ll remember that ‘ping’, as clear and audible today as when it happened. I’ll remember that sound for the rest of my life.<br />
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I remember the ‘94 team coming home to an heroes’ welcome, even though they lost - as it should be.<br />
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I remember Mark Messier and the hope that his signing signalled along with the ruin that followed shortly thereafter.<br />
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I remember Mike Keenan trading Trevor Linden and Kirk McLean and feeling like I had been punched in the stomach.<br />
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I remember a flashy young Swede named Markus Naslund finally getting the chance to shine.<br />
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I remember Todd Bertuzzi – the good and the bad. The beast of a man who could hold off defenders with one hand while weaving magic with the other and the villain who momentarily lost his mind and broke a man’s neck because a game had gotten out of hand. <br />
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I remember Dan Cloutier. … But I try my best to forget him.<br />
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I remember Roberto Luongo taking the entire team on his broad shoulders and lifting the club to the most improbable division title in team history in his first year here. I remember the unrealistic expectations that that initial success placed on him to the point where he is now routinely criticized – fairly or unfairly – if he can’t singlehandedly win a game any longer.<br />
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I remember the Sedins’ coming out party after the lockout, as they finally got the chance to display their deft passes and otherworldly playmaking ability without someone hooking them to the ice.<br />
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I remember Anson Carter’s 36 goals. Chances are he still does, too.<br />
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I remember the Blackhawks. I really, really hate the Blackhawks.<br />
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I remember the greatest regular season this team has ever had.<br />
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I remember every one of Ryan Kesler’s 41 goals as ‘stone hands’ became one of the most unlikely 40-goal men in history through tireless hard work and dedication.<br />
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I remember a glorious stretch before Christmas and stretching into the new year where the team Just. Couldn’t. Lose. I remember 17 straight games without a regulation loss.<br />
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I remember the most goals for and fewest goals allowed – both firsts for the team.<br />
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I remember a power play that when it was working was absolutely sublime – gorgeous passes and lightning-quick puck movement that made the Canucks seem more like the Harlem Globetrotters.<br />
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I remember nearly fainting when I found out that the Canucks drew the Blackhawks in the first round.<br />
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I remember The Save version 2.0 when Luongo stuffed Patrick Sharp in overtime of game 7.<br />
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I remember Alex Burrows’ half-clapper, top-cheddar.<br />
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I remember we played the Predators in the second round, but absolutely nothing else about that series. Carrie Underwood’s husband plays for them, right?<br />
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I remember Ryan Kesler scoring on one leg and willing the West-clinching game into overtime.<br />
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I remember Juice and The Stanchion and the ugliest series-winning goal you will ever see.<br />
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I remember going up 2-0 in the Finals and thinking, “My God, they might actually win.”<br />
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I remember Aaron Rome’s hit on Nathan Horton.<br />
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I remember the Bruins dictating the play for 4 of the next 5 games and watching in disbelief as they skated off with the Cup in our own building.<br />
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I remember being bitter for a while and then looking at the injured list and realizing it was a miracle they even got that far. They nearly had to dress Nolan Baumgartner in game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. That’s roughly the equivalent of having your arm blown off by a mortar and sticking a Band-Aid on the stump.<br />
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I remember Danny and Hank’s season-ending interviews as the cadre of reporters gave them every, single chance to blame something – injuries, poor officiating, Luongo’s goaltending, ANYTHING – for the loss (because you know the Canucks are a bunch of whiners who do nothing but complain – the media says so, therefore it must be true) and Danny and Hank steadfastly refused to take the bait. “We lost this series because we didn’t score. It’s on us.” And I remember at that time thinking that we are so lucky to have these two on our team. They have more strength of character and moral fiber in their pinky fingers than Dan Tencer (Inside Sports Radio) or Mike Milbury (worst general manager in league history, HNIC/NHL on NBC talking-head) have in their entire bodies. <br />
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Sure, it didn’t have the ending we wanted, but I know one thing – years from now, after the disbelief and bitterness has faded into the background, I’ll look back on this season and smile. I’ll remember that this season was the most fun I’ve ever had watching hockey.<br />
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I’ll remember the 2010-2011 Vancouver Canucks with pride. <br />
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Go Canucks Go.DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-71715145435042290772011-06-18T15:36:00.000-07:002011-06-18T18:00:25.951-07:00Super 8<span style="font-style:italic;">Super 8</span>'s marketing campaign is purposefully vague. The ads showed various things flying through the air, cars missing engines, dogs disappearing and one of the craziest train wrecks ever filmed, but they never give an actual 'hint' as to what the story may be about. Whether this ends up hurting or harming one of the best films of the year in the long term remains to be seen, but this film deserves to be viewed by as many people as possible. It's a throwback adventure film in the vein of '80s stalwarts such as <span style="font-style:italic;">Goonies</span> or <span style="font-style:italic;">ET</span> that manages to tap nostalgia, yet still keeping itself very grounded - essentially, it's a Spielberg film that isn't directed by Spielberg (though he did produce it).<br />
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Set in the '80s (imagine that) in small-town USA, the film focuses on a group of friends who are trying to shoot a low-budget zombie movie on cheap, super-8 film-stock (hence the title). While on-location for a scene, they witness a spectacular accident when a military train derails. Soon after, it becomes apparent that 'something' was on that train and it has since escaped. Things (and people) start disappearing. Weird electrical brown-outs start occurring. And, of course, the sour-faced military roll into town and start pushing the locals around (including the irrepressible Kyle Chandler as the widower-father of the main character - and a deputy for the town's police force). <br />
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The young group of friends who serve as the main characters of the film (despite the fact that Kyle Chandler gets top billing in the credits) have a real camaraderie that shines through and helps us root for them. They bicker and banter, they swear at each other and they really do a great job of creating a solid, emotional connection with the audience. Watching them sit around a booth in a local diner talking about their plans for their movie, you really get the sense that you 'know' these characters. This shouldn't be a surprise, since director JJ Abrams is a well-known proponent of strong character development. In particular, young Joel Courtney, who plays Joe Lamb (the de-facto 'hero' of the film) immediately invites immediate comparison to a wide-eyed Henry Thomas (as Elliott from <span style="font-style:italic;">ET</span>).<br />
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The story has just enough twists and turns to prevent it from being completely predictable, but given that it's an adventure film at its heart - not the mystery film that the ad campaign would have you believe - the film can be forgiven for taking you by the hand a little bit. Ultimately, while it may seem strange to call a monster movie a 'character-driven' film, <span style="font-style:italic;">Super 8</span> succeeds largely because of its characters, rather than in spite of them. Sure, the special effects are pretty and there are some nice explosions (I watched it in an UltraAVX theatre and was blown away - literally - by some scenes) but by investing in these characters, you appreciate them more and it makes the (slightly-saccharine, admittedly) ending that much more palatable.<br />
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<span style="font-style:italic;">Super 8</span> is mint and reminds us why we love summer movies. It's a fun adventure film with heart to spare, a solid stable of characters and some great special effects that belie its relatively small budget. It also may be the best film you see this summer. I recommend it wholeheartedly and without prejudice.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMq21LOxdetLy677773sdrpsP7i6vJkCu_uIgvEV13QnwpmvxhTDnUTfKzItRm5M2foOwOIub0kjJEJ6iiZDo9dEhm4VkGVdno3u9MXtrvw_7lVxXI-NMr1cArOPuym_R9FtUMK36qvHQ1/s1600/09+baconstrips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="33" width="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMq21LOxdetLy677773sdrpsP7i6vJkCu_uIgvEV13QnwpmvxhTDnUTfKzItRm5M2foOwOIub0kjJEJ6iiZDo9dEhm4VkGVdno3u9MXtrvw_7lVxXI-NMr1cArOPuym_R9FtUMK36qvHQ1/s320/09+baconstrips.jpg" /></a></div>Geek Score: 9 out of 10 bacon strips.<br />
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PS: Don't leave as soon as the credits start rolling. Have a little patience. You won't be disappointed.<br />
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What I'm Playing: <span style="font-style:italic;">Infamous</span> for PS3<br />
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What I'm Reading: Marvel Zombies vol. 2DonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-27620655344755921632011-06-11T14:39:00.000-07:002011-06-11T14:45:20.121-07:00LA NoireLA Noire has a lot going for it - A well-written, twisting, film-noir story, tremendous voice acting, revolutionary motion capture and outstanding developer-pedigree, to list a few - but a few minor hiccups and details prevent this very good game from being truly great.<br />
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LA Noire tells the story of Cole Phelps, war hero and ex-marine who rises through the ranks of the LAPD in post-war (1947) Los Angeles. As expected in a film noir, Phelps is... not exactly a perfect hero. His story is told through a combination of in-engine cinematics and 'flashback' sequences which retell his history during the war. Phelps is played (and I use that term literally - the game's motion capture and digitization are truly revolutionary, so the character in-game is an almost eerie likeness of the actor himself) by Aaron Staton, best known as Ken Cosgrove on AMC's sublime period drama, <i>Mad Men.</i><br />
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As Phelps, the player works his way through the LAPD (cutting his teeth on the Traffic desk first, before moving up to higher-profile desks such as Homicide or Vice) by solving a series of cases. Game play, such as it is, involves mostly moving from one location to another, gathering 'evidence', and questioning suspects (or 'Persons of Interest', in cop-parlance), with just a bit of driving and shooting thrown in for variety (it IS a Rockstar game, after all). The evidence-gathering can be a bit tedious - it plays out like a modern-day adventure game 'pixel-hunt' where you walk around a crime scene, and pick up various and sundry items, turn them over in Cole's hands and wait for him to either notice something important or mention that it's not relevant to the case. Sometimes this can be relatively intuitive (noticing the shoe-size of a given suspect can help you eliminate them from questioning if the size doesn't match bootprints at the murder scene, for instance) and sometimes they can seem illogical and completely unhelpful (you would think that finding a can of flammable gas at an arson suspect's home would be useful, but apparently not).<br />
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The real meat of the game (and, indeed, the part that's gotten the game the most press prior to release), is the 'interview' process as you talk to witnesses and suspects and try and discern whether they're telling you the truth or not. By watching the (again, outstanding) motion capture of the character's faces, you can see various facial tics, swallows or blinks which - like poker tells - tend to belie what the individual is telling you. You may then either accept what they're telling you as the truth, 'doubt' it, or outright accuse them of lying (the latter response requires you to have acquired a piece of evidence to prove them as a liar, or else the POI will clam up and be completely unhelpful for the remainder of the interview). Responding correctly will open up new avenues as the character reveals different leads or clues that you would otherwise miss out on if you answer poorly. This is harder than it looks as some characters (a seedy land developer played by <i>Fringe</i>'s own Walter Bishop, John Noble, comes immediately to mind) are downright tough to read, with the only hitch to give anything away being the slight flutter of the carotid artery to indicate a slightly-elevated heart rate (yes, the motion capture is THAT good). This is great stuff, in theory, but the main problem here is that there's no punishment for being absolutely horrid at interviewing - seriously, you can blow every question and then the game will create some deus ex machina (either Phelp's partner making a comment, an especially-helpful phone call or even stumbling across the suspect completely by accident) that will fill you in on just where you need to go next. Sure, it keeps the plot moving forward, but it comes across as hollow. The only real impetus for you to try to answer all the questions correctly is the end-of-case 'score' that the game gives you based on your performance (and the achievement points that come with them). <br />
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Essentially, most cases boil down like this - proceed to location A, find all the clues, talk to all the people, then proceed to location B, repeat, head to location C, find suspect, chase suspect (because they ALWAYS run - either in a vehicle or on-foot), arrest suspect, then try to get a confession in the interview room. If you fail to get a confession, though, don't worry, because something else will inevitably come up which will ensure that the 'guilty' party either ends up on a slab or in the hoosegow. I personally found this frustrating because it makes what they advertise as a truly open-world detective game feel almost oppressively linear. You can't arrest or shoot the wrong suspect because the story won't let you. I'm all for narrative continuity, but a little leeway would have been nice, is all I'm saying.<br />
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Thankfully, for a game that banks so heavily on its story, at least it's a good one. At the risk of spoiling anything, I'll just say that LA Noire takes a page out of classic noir films (you can even choose to play the game in black-and-white - a real nice touch, imho) complete with femme fatales, crooked cops and plot twists galore. Even as the gameplay gets monotonous (and it *can* get monotonous, believe me - by the time you've driven to your thirtieth dilapidated hotel and dug around in a suspect's trash looking for a gum-wrapper with an address written on it, your mind may start to wander) the story will keep you interested in pressing through to the next case.<br />
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Now this is not meant to sound negative - sure, the gameplay can seem a bit blase at times, but when the game's mechanics work in the manner the developers intended, it's a truly unique and exciting gaming experience. There's one case on the homicide desk where you have two legitimate suspects - you have evidence which points to both of them and you honestly cannot tell which one did the deed. So you haul them both into the station and then go back and forth between the interview rooms essentially playing them off each other. If you play your cards right, you get one to implicate the other and voila, you have your perp dead to rights. Unfortunately for Rockstar, there just isn't enough of these moments.<br />
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Still, taken as representative of where the adventure game genre (because it IS, at its heart, an adventure game, even though it's got driving and shooting - don't let anyone tell you otherwise) is headed, it has me genuinely excited for the future. LA Noire's tremendous story and revolutionary digital 'actors' makes it a very worthwhile play-through and I'm hopeful that Team Bondi gets the chance to make a proper sequel (maybe a little less linear, with a little more rope to hang yourself with) which could be absolutely gangbusters. Pardon the pun.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVKQ5M096RGG2eR1GmnP7AZ0AwFRIHcrD_tZDBfVS_H52-COgTyT6ubpstih4T4Il5UfZonOnUalDGkMXFp96gzTnmBVnoAYDradh9ah1I3MaKgR0KdGnNlzg0kGJwoO8oeq2rq23s1IY/s1600/08+baconstrips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVKQ5M096RGG2eR1GmnP7AZ0AwFRIHcrD_tZDBfVS_H52-COgTyT6ubpstih4T4Il5UfZonOnUalDGkMXFp96gzTnmBVnoAYDradh9ah1I3MaKgR0KdGnNlzg0kGJwoO8oeq2rq23s1IY/s1600/08+baconstrips.jpg" /></a>Geek Score: 8 out of 10 bacon strips<br />
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What I'm Playing: Infamous for PS3 (Have to finish it before I dive into the sequel)<br />
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What I'm Reading: Batman & SonDonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179989317999978577.post-13996845408934011062011-06-03T11:35:00.000-07:002011-06-03T20:32:00.968-07:00Batman: Arkham AsylumBatman: Arkham Asylum is the best superhero game you will ever play. Granted, the paean of superhero games is not exactly long and illustrious (Who can forget the ‘classic’, Superman 64 – where you took the Man of Steel on a harrowing journey flying through giant rings in the sky for no reason whatsoever), but that doesn’t stop people from saying ‘Catcher in the Rye’ is JD Salinger’s best novel, does it?<br />
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From the very opening scene when Batman catches the Joker and accompanies him to the titular hospital for the criminally insane, you realize just how intense and immersive this game is. The video game cold open has been around since Half-Life way back in 1998, but that doesn’t make it any less impactful if it’s done well. The story involves Joker hatching a plot to take over Arkham with Batman trapped inside and, as the caped crusader himself, you must subdue his henchmen, do battle with a hodgepodge of recognizable bat-villains (in boss battles of varying degrees of difficulty and cleverness) and prevent the Joker from taking over the city.<br />
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There’s a level of polish present in this game that just doesn’t exist much - even in your triple-A titles - nowadays. Everything is slick and sleek, from the incredible voice-acting (Mark Hamill voicing the Joker is a particular delight – listening to him over the intercom berating his henchmen as you pick them off one by one is hilarious and really immerses you in the setting), to the razor-sharp controls (you’re Batman, so you should be able to beat 6 low-level thugs up at the same time without breaking a sweat, and thanks to the way the game handles, you can do just that) and the sheer volume of easter eggs - Bat-fans will find tonnes of hidden goodies here covering the character’s entire comic run, from the obvious (Penguin’s umbrella) to the more obscure (Calendar Man’s cell) to the downright creepy (Croc’s lair).<br />
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Part of what makes the game so great is how it lets you really feel like you are Batman. As mentioned, you can brawl with the best of them, but the game incorporates nearly every aspect of the Batman mythos – the gadgets, the Batmobile, even the Bat-Boat makes an appearance. As fans of The Bat know, his strength lies in the fear he instills in ne’er do-wells, and the game handles this with aplomb. Say you find your way into a room with six henchmen wielding AK-47’s – using stealth (and the Bat-hook attached to some conveniently-placed gargoyles which blend in nicely to Arkham’s draconian décor) you manage to pick them off one by one. As each henchman falls by your hands, the remainder grow increasingly agitated until the last one left is a babbling mess. When you finally put him out of his misery, you almost feel sorry for the poor schlub – but it definitely doesn’t make it any less cool.<br />
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With its tight controls, sufficiently-creepy soundtrack and the uncanny manner the game allows you to ‘become’ Batman himself, Arkham Asylum is an achievement in superhero game design – and it makes the upcoming Arkham City one of the top titles to look forward to in the latter-half of this year. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOjvT0EZ_9C6ezr23FBl-4kuSjkbbVj0r9Mt_Q7HV16ErFpint05pMhlATr5vKT-g3cGqDJ8fhL157bt1Qf5JyxafQ-Tly9DMQdm-W_OojD9_cua_bHCikMvi9z7DZVtk00A2u1Rehlss/s1600/09+baconstrips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOjvT0EZ_9C6ezr23FBl-4kuSjkbbVj0r9Mt_Q7HV16ErFpint05pMhlATr5vKT-g3cGqDJ8fhL157bt1Qf5JyxafQ-Tly9DMQdm-W_OojD9_cua_bHCikMvi9z7DZVtk00A2u1Rehlss/s1600/09+baconstrips.jpg" /></a>Geek Score: 9 out of 10 Bacon Strips. <br />
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What I’m Playing: LA Noire for PS3<br />
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What I’m Reading: Batman: The Long Hallowe’enDonRockohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00523413259848337004noreply@blogger.com0