Just got skate 2... better blog before I start it!
Prince of Persia was pretty fun... when I rarely did get stuck it was rightfully due to a tricky puzzle & not some broken, annoying rut in the gameplay. Interactive cinematic eye candy abound. Combat surmountable and pattern heavy. Epilogue didn't sound worth it at $10
I mentioned before how I didn't mind games being "easy," and I guess a lot of it has to do with getting old and wanting to ENJOY games and not suffer in torturous frustration limbo; though I am being a bit of a cheap, selfish bastard by mostly renting, but I'm of course currently trying to not further increase the piles of shiny, worthless plastic I already own. I just want to experience the here and the now. And travel light.
Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction was also quite fun, especially the rewarding weapon upgrade system. Contrary to one review I read, the R&C charm is still there, just with a slightly more dire & dramatic tone which worked in my opinion. I actually played the downloadable segue Quest for Booty before the main game, and it had some enjoyable new mechanics and settings, but was sorely lacking in the guns & ammo supply system, especially evident on higher difficulties. Ryan Scott notably said in a recent podcast that he felt Insomniac has perfected 3D third person movement controls, insisting that all developers should simply use their engine, and I almost agree (if you don't believe there's been improvement, try to go back to Ratchet 1).
I haven't played an Insomniac game that I didn't at least kind of like, spending many hours running through those colorful worlds as the lil purple dragon (with perhaps the exception of the annoying sidekicks in Spyro 3); spending time with the lombax, his robotic napsack, and oh so many creative killing apparati (though the economy in Ratchet 2 was kinda cruel if I remember right); or blasting scores of aliens in loud HD fashion (even if the story of Resistance 2 was epically disappointing to some people).
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
moviefilm - longest!
New name!
"netflix barrage" was already gettin old
+ I get my movies from many sources ^^
Long list this week... shouldn't put off blogging so long hehe
Hope I remembered them all... definitely not in the order of viewing...
At least it forces me to be brief, and I admire brevity in any kind of review.
Sex Drive (2008)
I had actually forgotten about seeing the trailers for this movie, but you may recall a smarmy, amish Seth Green and a giant, mexican donut wielding a pistol, this is that movie. A very enjoyable variation on the teen road movie - an updated, wackier Road Trip with a splashing of Girl Next Door elements? Features the best "girl who is just a friend" character since Euro Trip. Intriguing how the "friend who is a ladies man" character is melded with the (admittedly usually one note) "pudgy friend." Satisfying buildup, climax and resolution. Many laughs. I watched "unrated version" which actually added loads of extra comically gratuitous nudity - a new standard is set!
Step Brothers (2008)
Whenever a new Will Ferrell movie comes out, it always looks stupid and I always hear that its stupid and therefore don't go out of my way to see it, but somehow I always eventually seeing them and end up enjoying them very much (even Semi Pro). This is no different. The chemistry with John C Reilly is enthralling. The struggle to grow up is no stranger to any of us, especially in this day and age of chic nostalgia (largely enabled by the internets) allowing us to relive and bathe in those childhood memories with our new sea of e-friends. From the trailers I had thought that Ferrell and Reilly would actually be pretending to be 10 years old, but the script gracefully portrays two 40 year old man-children staying at home with the perfect balance of realism.
North By Northwest (1959)
My Hitchcock pilgrimage continues with this delightful tale of spies and evil dudes and a man who gets caught up in between! Cary Grant fills the role perfectly, and the film is great at making you feel ostracized and crazy and alone when his character does. Plenty of big, crazy, iconic, thrilling scenes. Not as deeply psychological as some of the later movies I've seen but more enjoyable IMHO.
The Science of Sleep (2006)
Michel Gondry has made some of the best music videos ever, but his films are hit or miss. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was of course excellent, but the script in Be Kind Rewind - while having some great moments - was definitely lacking. I'd say Science of Sleep errs more towards Eternal Sunshine, with the keystone relationship to focus on and the juicy, chaotic surrealism Gondry does so well, though never so crazy and surreal that I lost track of what was happening. Just do not watch when sleepy! Lots of subtitles (in parts) and overall sleepy tone (title, duh!). Most of the film is in English, though, and much is made of how English is kind of a common language today in the world, in this case amongst those mainly fluent in French and Spanish. I had heard some trash talked about this film, but I enjoyed it overall.
Watchmen (2009)
Controversy enwraps this huge, long awaited graphic novel adaptation's release, and for good reason. Many said it was unfilmable, and to some extent they were right. Many say it could only have been done justice with a TV miniseries, but then could it have gotten the budget it needed? Will the alleged extended cut destined for DVD/Bluray be enough? Perhaps it will have to do. Did the script wrongly stick too close to the novel's dialogue, many times ripping lines right out of speech bubbles? Yes, though sometimes it was tear swellingly awesome to hear, film and print have different standards of dialogue and storytelling. Was the gratuitous, overlong, possibly blasphemous sex scene completely ridiculous & unneccessary? Entirely, though it was straight out of the novel (though I don't remember reference to that terrible, inappropriate song). Can't say I minded the added violence though - kept up the pace, woke the audience up. Glad I didn't see any kids at my viewing like some said they did (this is not your ordinary summer superhero blockbuster!) - I did see at least one couple walk out during the infamous sex scene though.
I did try to read the novel before the film came out, but was held up by shipping delays and moving and many digital distractions, so I only got to about 2/3 of the way through. Supposedly the ending in the movie is actually better than the end of the novel, and from what I know I concur. Though the film was (some would say) bogged down by trying to develop too many characters in one sitting, at least the introductory montage was AMAZING, and I think we can all agree than Rorschach kicks some article-omitting, human bean-juice spilling ass.
Fistful of Dollars (1964)
The first of the Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns, this film is probably just one of several heralded classics that I tried to watch several decades too late. There is definitely something cool about a stonefaced dude just arriving in some dusty, sun-bleached town in a poncho to kick some wrongdoer ass on both sides of two warring factions with questionable motives (cash? simple valor?), but the lazy pace of direction (perhaps conveying the oppressive desert heat?) just bored me. The jovial coffin-maker was one of my favorite characters.
Maybe I'm spoiled by modern gems like 3:10 to Yuma, but I know even more modern offerings such as Tombstone and Deadwood bored me too, so maybe I'm just living in a post western age, a genre so caked in the sands of the desert of time that trying to scrub it off isn't worth the effort to me unless it has been radically reinvented. Interestingly, this is supposed to be an unofficial remake of some old Kurosawa film, another director I've been meaning to check out, but only when my threshhold for tinny sound, subtitles, and grainy, washed-out black and white is high enough.
The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)
Ah, the haunted house, a familiar genre that when suspensefully paced correctly can produce quite an entertaining Friday night. Besides some cheesy "OMG DID YOU SEE THAT" schoolgirl scares for the kids to have a good time, this "based on a true story" slowly reveals the secrets behind the shadows of the old house at a satisfying rate, and ends well enough (though the sadist in me would have not made the ending perhaps so happy). Some medical elements hit a little uncomfortably close to home, but thats just me.
Big Fish (2003)
Tim Burton turns down the creepy a little bit for this heart-warming celebration of tall tales and storytelling - enriching our reality while not necessarily living life in a completely imaginary turtle shell. After being told so many times to check this one out, and even ignoring it while roommates were watching it once in college, I ended up enjoying it a whole lot, though it takes til the end to completely figure out where everybody stands. Features some great appearances from Danny Devito, Steve Buscemi, real-life giant Matthew McGrory (who died only 2 years later at age 32), Deep Roy (the Oompa Loompas in 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and a tiny Miley Cyrus!
thatsallformethanks...
"netflix barrage" was already gettin old
+ I get my movies from many sources ^^
Long list this week... shouldn't put off blogging so long hehe
Hope I remembered them all... definitely not in the order of viewing...
At least it forces me to be brief, and I admire brevity in any kind of review.
Sex Drive (2008)
I had actually forgotten about seeing the trailers for this movie, but you may recall a smarmy, amish Seth Green and a giant, mexican donut wielding a pistol, this is that movie. A very enjoyable variation on the teen road movie - an updated, wackier Road Trip with a splashing of Girl Next Door elements? Features the best "girl who is just a friend" character since Euro Trip. Intriguing how the "friend who is a ladies man" character is melded with the (admittedly usually one note) "pudgy friend." Satisfying buildup, climax and resolution. Many laughs. I watched "unrated version" which actually added loads of extra comically gratuitous nudity - a new standard is set!
Step Brothers (2008)
Whenever a new Will Ferrell movie comes out, it always looks stupid and I always hear that its stupid and therefore don't go out of my way to see it, but somehow I always eventually seeing them and end up enjoying them very much (even Semi Pro). This is no different. The chemistry with John C Reilly is enthralling. The struggle to grow up is no stranger to any of us, especially in this day and age of chic nostalgia (largely enabled by the internets) allowing us to relive and bathe in those childhood memories with our new sea of e-friends. From the trailers I had thought that Ferrell and Reilly would actually be pretending to be 10 years old, but the script gracefully portrays two 40 year old man-children staying at home with the perfect balance of realism.
North By Northwest (1959)
My Hitchcock pilgrimage continues with this delightful tale of spies and evil dudes and a man who gets caught up in between! Cary Grant fills the role perfectly, and the film is great at making you feel ostracized and crazy and alone when his character does. Plenty of big, crazy, iconic, thrilling scenes. Not as deeply psychological as some of the later movies I've seen but more enjoyable IMHO.
The Science of Sleep (2006)
Michel Gondry has made some of the best music videos ever, but his films are hit or miss. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was of course excellent, but the script in Be Kind Rewind - while having some great moments - was definitely lacking. I'd say Science of Sleep errs more towards Eternal Sunshine, with the keystone relationship to focus on and the juicy, chaotic surrealism Gondry does so well, though never so crazy and surreal that I lost track of what was happening. Just do not watch when sleepy! Lots of subtitles (in parts) and overall sleepy tone (title, duh!). Most of the film is in English, though, and much is made of how English is kind of a common language today in the world, in this case amongst those mainly fluent in French and Spanish. I had heard some trash talked about this film, but I enjoyed it overall.
Watchmen (2009)
Controversy enwraps this huge, long awaited graphic novel adaptation's release, and for good reason. Many said it was unfilmable, and to some extent they were right. Many say it could only have been done justice with a TV miniseries, but then could it have gotten the budget it needed? Will the alleged extended cut destined for DVD/Bluray be enough? Perhaps it will have to do. Did the script wrongly stick too close to the novel's dialogue, many times ripping lines right out of speech bubbles? Yes, though sometimes it was tear swellingly awesome to hear, film and print have different standards of dialogue and storytelling. Was the gratuitous, overlong, possibly blasphemous sex scene completely ridiculous & unneccessary? Entirely, though it was straight out of the novel (though I don't remember reference to that terrible, inappropriate song). Can't say I minded the added violence though - kept up the pace, woke the audience up. Glad I didn't see any kids at my viewing like some said they did (this is not your ordinary summer superhero blockbuster!) - I did see at least one couple walk out during the infamous sex scene though.
I did try to read the novel before the film came out, but was held up by shipping delays and moving and many digital distractions, so I only got to about 2/3 of the way through. Supposedly the ending in the movie is actually better than the end of the novel, and from what I know I concur. Though the film was (some would say) bogged down by trying to develop too many characters in one sitting, at least the introductory montage was AMAZING, and I think we can all agree than Rorschach kicks some article-omitting, human bean-juice spilling ass.
Fistful of Dollars (1964)
The first of the Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns, this film is probably just one of several heralded classics that I tried to watch several decades too late. There is definitely something cool about a stonefaced dude just arriving in some dusty, sun-bleached town in a poncho to kick some wrongdoer ass on both sides of two warring factions with questionable motives (cash? simple valor?), but the lazy pace of direction (perhaps conveying the oppressive desert heat?) just bored me. The jovial coffin-maker was one of my favorite characters.
Maybe I'm spoiled by modern gems like 3:10 to Yuma, but I know even more modern offerings such as Tombstone and Deadwood bored me too, so maybe I'm just living in a post western age, a genre so caked in the sands of the desert of time that trying to scrub it off isn't worth the effort to me unless it has been radically reinvented. Interestingly, this is supposed to be an unofficial remake of some old Kurosawa film, another director I've been meaning to check out, but only when my threshhold for tinny sound, subtitles, and grainy, washed-out black and white is high enough.
The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)
Ah, the haunted house, a familiar genre that when suspensefully paced correctly can produce quite an entertaining Friday night. Besides some cheesy "OMG DID YOU SEE THAT" schoolgirl scares for the kids to have a good time, this "based on a true story" slowly reveals the secrets behind the shadows of the old house at a satisfying rate, and ends well enough (though the sadist in me would have not made the ending perhaps so happy). Some medical elements hit a little uncomfortably close to home, but thats just me.
Big Fish (2003)
Tim Burton turns down the creepy a little bit for this heart-warming celebration of tall tales and storytelling - enriching our reality while not necessarily living life in a completely imaginary turtle shell. After being told so many times to check this one out, and even ignoring it while roommates were watching it once in college, I ended up enjoying it a whole lot, though it takes til the end to completely figure out where everybody stands. Features some great appearances from Danny Devito, Steve Buscemi, real-life giant Matthew McGrory (who died only 2 years later at age 32), Deep Roy (the Oompa Loompas in 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and a tiny Miley Cyrus!
thatsallformethanks...
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
netflix barrage 006 - the catchup + podcast notes
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
My parents were strangely always more into Star Trek than I was. I think they watched The Next Generation pretty religiously, but it (& kinda science fiction in general? save some of the major awesome works out there) always bored me. Then I saw the original series on TV randomly a few times and wondered a bit how this ridiculous, hokey, sexist pulp turned into the relatively clean-scrubbed, cinematic, ridiculous, hokey pulp TNG seemed to be. The answer seems to be the original movie (a much better route than the proposed "phase II" series) - and is it also the origin of the iconic orchestral TNG theme music (far cry from that deliciously absurd theremin-esque warbling). This movie is also what made Star Trek a big deal (from what I can see in my comfy retrospective crows nest), since TOS had lackluster ratings and only ran for three seasons before cancellation.
It's definitely an enjoyable movie, with its share of awe-inspiration along with the comically absurd ("I must try to mind meld with it!"), and this along with the likes of Serenity and Alien are making me want to keep more of an open ear to the genre (though those terrible SciFi channel movies aren't helping any...). Shatner and Nimoy were truly gods of their era. My geek wings will be more fully earned once I witness the Wrath of Kahn.
The Departed (2006)
A star studded intriguing double-double-agent crime drama, complete with a quite salty tongued Mark Wahlberg and a healthy body count. Gotta love Scorcese's abrupt startling music cues, making me think the copy I originally watched was an early cut or something. Long and dark but never torturous like a lot of Marty's work - very watchable. Only intermittently paid attention on this second viewing however.
The Rock (1996)
This kind of wham-bang action romp deserves only the most unhealthy of popcorns and largest bucket of soda, pile on that butter and make it a Garagantuan! Sean Connery is surprisingly more youthful and energetic than he acted in 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (of course he had to play Harrison Ford's dad so I suppose that's understandable). Nick Cage manages to be unbelievably geeky yet not too annoying. Cars costing as much as small houses are obliterated, football games are nearly rudely interrupted, and the entire infiltration crew gets offed, leaving only the two leads, moments after said infiltration. Bruckheimer knew how to bring it then, though the Pirates and National Treasure sequels have me wondering nowadays. I did enjoy Michael Bay's Transformers very much, in case that was up in the air, and the sequel's Super Bowl trailer was impressive I thought.
======thejump======
There's a few new podcasts I've been trying to keep track of that I figure I should help spread the word on...
Adam Carolla has a new podcast thats been very very funny so far, with a new guest every weekday its seeming. He's being paid to do the show for a year to see where it goes after getting laid off from terrestrial radio last month, and so far he's setting new podcast download records all the time. Don't miss out!
Giant Bombcast is the creation of some ex-Gamespot guys - namely Jeff Gerstmann, Ryan Davis, & Brad Shoemaker. Always perferred Gamespot over IGN, maybe just because of that dark background? They bring the laughs and drink reviews along with the game chat.
A Life Well Wasted is 1up's Robert Ashley's new project, an insightful and artfully edited show about games that sounds like it should be on NPR or something. Great potential there!
Out of the Game is something I just
happened to catch on Twitter today - quite a gem of a first episode featuring:
Robert Ashley
N'Gai Croal
Shawn Elliott
Jeff Green
Luke Smith
(not typing all those Twitter links)
If you knew and loved the old 1up podcasts those names should excited you, especially notorious mayhemite Shawn Elliott.
My parents were strangely always more into Star Trek than I was. I think they watched The Next Generation pretty religiously, but it (& kinda science fiction in general? save some of the major awesome works out there) always bored me. Then I saw the original series on TV randomly a few times and wondered a bit how this ridiculous, hokey, sexist pulp turned into the relatively clean-scrubbed, cinematic, ridiculous, hokey pulp TNG seemed to be. The answer seems to be the original movie (a much better route than the proposed "phase II" series) - and is it also the origin of the iconic orchestral TNG theme music (far cry from that deliciously absurd theremin-esque warbling). This movie is also what made Star Trek a big deal (from what I can see in my comfy retrospective crows nest), since TOS had lackluster ratings and only ran for three seasons before cancellation.
It's definitely an enjoyable movie, with its share of awe-inspiration along with the comically absurd ("I must try to mind meld with it!"), and this along with the likes of Serenity and Alien are making me want to keep more of an open ear to the genre (though those terrible SciFi channel movies aren't helping any...). Shatner and Nimoy were truly gods of their era. My geek wings will be more fully earned once I witness the Wrath of Kahn.
The Departed (2006)
A star studded intriguing double-double-agent crime drama, complete with a quite salty tongued Mark Wahlberg and a healthy body count. Gotta love Scorcese's abrupt startling music cues, making me think the copy I originally watched was an early cut or something. Long and dark but never torturous like a lot of Marty's work - very watchable. Only intermittently paid attention on this second viewing however.
The Rock (1996)
This kind of wham-bang action romp deserves only the most unhealthy of popcorns and largest bucket of soda, pile on that butter and make it a Garagantuan! Sean Connery is surprisingly more youthful and energetic than he acted in 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (of course he had to play Harrison Ford's dad so I suppose that's understandable). Nick Cage manages to be unbelievably geeky yet not too annoying. Cars costing as much as small houses are obliterated, football games are nearly rudely interrupted, and the entire infiltration crew gets offed, leaving only the two leads, moments after said infiltration. Bruckheimer knew how to bring it then, though the Pirates and National Treasure sequels have me wondering nowadays. I did enjoy Michael Bay's Transformers very much, in case that was up in the air, and the sequel's Super Bowl trailer was impressive I thought.
======thejump======
There's a few new podcasts I've been trying to keep track of that I figure I should help spread the word on...
Adam Carolla has a new podcast thats been very very funny so far, with a new guest every weekday its seeming. He's being paid to do the show for a year to see where it goes after getting laid off from terrestrial radio last month, and so far he's setting new podcast download records all the time. Don't miss out!
Giant Bombcast is the creation of some ex-Gamespot guys - namely Jeff Gerstmann, Ryan Davis, & Brad Shoemaker. Always perferred Gamespot over IGN, maybe just because of that dark background? They bring the laughs and drink reviews along with the game chat.
A Life Well Wasted is 1up's Robert Ashley's new project, an insightful and artfully edited show about games that sounds like it should be on NPR or something. Great potential there!
Out of the Game is something I just
happened to catch on Twitter today - quite a gem of a first episode featuring:
Robert Ashley
N'Gai Croal
Shawn Elliott
Jeff Green
Luke Smith
(not typing all those Twitter links)
If you knew and loved the old 1up podcasts those names should excited you, especially notorious mayhemite Shawn Elliott.
gameage - KILLZONE2, PRINCE OF PERSIA
Whew haven't updated in a while since I just got done moving...
Slogged my way through Killzone 2 - definitely grew on me as time went on. The controls were a bit of a problem at first but eventually I had them tweaked to near-COD4 standards. Now a game with bad controls is that F.E.A.R. 2 demo *shudder*
Didn't get stuck too often (except that last room/sequence - what a beast!) & I was playing on normal. The checkpoints were more spread out than I was thinking they should have been at the time. But that reminded me how much of wussies games today are making us
How hardcore those NES kids must have been in the last 80s - I mean of course I played NES as a kid but by the time I like remember anything of my childhood its already 1990 or maaaybe some of 89? So the NES was already on the way out, + my Nickelodeon & MTV induced ADD made sure I rarely stuck with a game that frustrated me, though I remember fondly playing the early levels of many games over and over. I'd like to think I don't suck at games as much as I did before my parents got me my first fixes, but a quick login to any online game will quickly remind me the suckage is alive and well ^^
Speaking of games being easy nowadays, after sending back Killzone 2 I managed to get Prince of Persia! The environments are quite beautiful, though the strange stylization of the character models, while somewhat cool, sticks out as a bit of a sore thumb IMHO. The controls are smooth and flowing for the most part, and the combat while annoying at times is holding up so far once you figure out the situation and perhaps glance at the surprisingly deep combo list. More on that later.
Slogged my way through Killzone 2 - definitely grew on me as time went on. The controls were a bit of a problem at first but eventually I had them tweaked to near-COD4 standards. Now a game with bad controls is that F.E.A.R. 2 demo *shudder*
Didn't get stuck too often (except that last room/sequence - what a beast!) & I was playing on normal. The checkpoints were more spread out than I was thinking they should have been at the time. But that reminded me how much of wussies games today are making us
How hardcore those NES kids must have been in the last 80s - I mean of course I played NES as a kid but by the time I like remember anything of my childhood its already 1990 or maaaybe some of 89? So the NES was already on the way out, + my Nickelodeon & MTV induced ADD made sure I rarely stuck with a game that frustrated me, though I remember fondly playing the early levels of many games over and over. I'd like to think I don't suck at games as much as I did before my parents got me my first fixes, but a quick login to any online game will quickly remind me the suckage is alive and well ^^
Speaking of games being easy nowadays, after sending back Killzone 2 I managed to get Prince of Persia! The environments are quite beautiful, though the strange stylization of the character models, while somewhat cool, sticks out as a bit of a sore thumb IMHO. The controls are smooth and flowing for the most part, and the combat while annoying at times is holding up so far once you figure out the situation and perhaps glance at the surprisingly deep combo list. More on that later.
Monday, March 2, 2009
street fighter IV & online gaming in general
Anyone who has tried playing SFIV online is sure to know what I'm talking about here - it seems just about any random match you happen upon will be against a Ken or a Ryu or if they're feeling extra resourceful an Akuma. All the easiest to learn characters that everyone knows how to use. And I don't really dare msging people after a match & suggesting "try some other characters" lest I get a "WELL I BEATURASS DIDN'T I??? I JUST PICKED THE BEST ONE GOPLAYFLOWERFAGG" (though I'd be more worried of such intelligent banter on xbox live).
No accounting for skill or finesse or enjoyment, just pick the easiest characters & rack up that win count. Even in unranked matches (though I can more often beat a persistent Ryu-er with multiple fighters, they'll still eek out a win almost half the time through sheer Hadou-/Shoryu-ken willpower).
Of course, daring to venture into ranked territory will get you a bit more variety, but you can only play one match at a time, & you're 80% more certain to lose. So you're stuck at a dilemma if you ever want any effing battle points - be cheap like everybody else & possibly still lose because they only play those characters so they're better with them than you, or be the sore thumb pain in the rear paladin about things & stick in there for the art of gaming'g sake.
I suppose one other option would be for me to train diligently with a single character & count frames & enter tournaments & pwn every time but then I'd quickly acquire a repetitive strain injury unless I get a $$$ pro arcade joystick (& even then).
Then again, I'm sure I'm taking this all too seriously, but this attitude in fighters & also FPS savants who have memorized every pixel of every map & every frame of every animation so they can winWINWIN because they only play one game. Why is every online game dominated by people who seem to only own one game & play it constantly & are obviously unemployed (or barely employed) and leeching income from family who they are neglecting by playing games online all the time... it's enough to sour one on the whole online gaming phenomenon in general. Yahtzee famously dislikes all multiplayer(?) partially because of similar gripes & also possibly xenophobia. Back to the xenophobia...
So in conclusion I'm just a bitter f-tard writing the millionth blog on this topic because I can't seem to find nor have the motivation to find friends who play the games I play at the same skill level. If I was more into online multiplayer I suppose I would have gotten an Xbox 360 (or at least kept that one I owned for 24 hours lol).
In other gaming news, I'm definitely putting Burnout Paradise in more often thanks to the new ability to -wow!- restart a race! Haven't touched Little Big Planet or Bioshock in awhile... Still not sure if I'll ever get into the supposedly wondrous co-op of Resistance 2 or Left4Dead... Wondering if I should setup a Paypal donation link to afford a Rock Band 2 drum set since my RB1 one's snare stopped working... I almost enjoy SF2 HD Remix more than SF4... Flower was fleeting but great, maybe I'll play it again... aaaand I should be plunging into Killzone 2 shortly as soon as the Gamefly comes hopefully tomorrow!
No accounting for skill or finesse or enjoyment, just pick the easiest characters & rack up that win count. Even in unranked matches (though I can more often beat a persistent Ryu-er with multiple fighters, they'll still eek out a win almost half the time through sheer Hadou-/Shoryu-ken willpower).
Of course, daring to venture into ranked territory will get you a bit more variety, but you can only play one match at a time, & you're 80% more certain to lose. So you're stuck at a dilemma if you ever want any effing battle points - be cheap like everybody else & possibly still lose because they only play those characters so they're better with them than you, or be the sore thumb pain in the rear paladin about things & stick in there for the art of gaming'g sake.
I suppose one other option would be for me to train diligently with a single character & count frames & enter tournaments & pwn every time but then I'd quickly acquire a repetitive strain injury unless I get a $$$ pro arcade joystick (& even then).
Then again, I'm sure I'm taking this all too seriously, but this attitude in fighters & also FPS savants who have memorized every pixel of every map & every frame of every animation so they can winWINWIN because they only play one game. Why is every online game dominated by people who seem to only own one game & play it constantly & are obviously unemployed (or barely employed) and leeching income from family who they are neglecting by playing games online all the time... it's enough to sour one on the whole online gaming phenomenon in general. Yahtzee famously dislikes all multiplayer(?) partially because of similar gripes & also possibly xenophobia. Back to the xenophobia...
So in conclusion I'm just a bitter f-tard writing the millionth blog on this topic because I can't seem to find nor have the motivation to find friends who play the games I play at the same skill level. If I was more into online multiplayer I suppose I would have gotten an Xbox 360 (or at least kept that one I owned for 24 hours lol).
In other gaming news, I'm definitely putting Burnout Paradise in more often thanks to the new ability to -wow!- restart a race! Haven't touched Little Big Planet or Bioshock in awhile... Still not sure if I'll ever get into the supposedly wondrous co-op of Resistance 2 or Left4Dead... Wondering if I should setup a Paypal donation link to afford a Rock Band 2 drum set since my RB1 one's snare stopped working... I almost enjoy SF2 HD Remix more than SF4... Flower was fleeting but great, maybe I'll play it again... aaaand I should be plunging into Killzone 2 shortly as soon as the Gamefly comes hopefully tomorrow!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
netflix barrage 005 - the sleepy
I must have been extra tired this weekend, cuz I kept falling asleep & having to rewatch stuff!
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)
When I first saw a trailer for this movie, I groaned at what looked like another affable Michael Cera performance. Which is what this movie delivers, though I have usually enjoyed Cera's roles so I can't remember why this was a bad thing. I remember one review mentioning how the friends/bandmates were too stereotypical & annoying, but I thought they were good enough characters. Only letdown was the ending, but I guess it would have been not as good if it ended the way you expect it to. The cute indie soundtrack and the dazzling city lights at night will make you want to go for an uptown romp of your own.
P.S. I Love You (2007)
I always find it remarkable when one of these sappy sad kind of movies is written and directed by guys. At least it's based off of a novel by a woman. The concept is kind of interesting, if a good bit creepy and morbid, but at least we get to see lots of pretty wide shots of lush Irish countryside. Hilary Swank is a little hard to believe as the dense ditzy spoiled kind of girl, but I guess girls just wanna have fun in a role sometimes. At least the end brings some relief to the story, but much of the film dishes grief on the viewer that feels pointless and undeserved. At least this movie is fun to talk smack about the characters & imitate Irish brogues with your significant other.
Jackie Brown (1997)
I have always thought Pulp Fiction (and perhaps Tarantino in general?) was slightly overrated, if not great fun on repeated viewings to absorb some of the crazier dialogue. That plus the fact that I am unfamiliar with Pam Grier's glory days of blaxploitation, and the fact that Tarantino obviously is a huge fan of that, leaves this film somewhat underwhelming. Sam Jackson and DeNiro bring the laughs, and the WTF twists are some good fun, not to mention some interesting overlapping perspectives of a climactic later scene and a comically unsexy sex scene, and another good retro Tarantino soundtrack. Just the least fun subject matter in a Tarantino IMHO. Still looking forward to Inglorious Basterds, though I must see the original first.
Joe's Apartment (1996)
After much nudging by a friend, I finally checked this one out. Classic rude awakening of the out of towner arriving to the big city, eyes wide in anticipation, only to end up in one of the most roach infested buildings ever. But these roaches have celebrity voice actors (unfortunately pitched up beyond recognition) and they just want to help! You can tell its an MTV film (the first one ever, in 96?) since the ADD pacing never bores and keeps things moving. There are good laughs here, among the glamourously grungy depictions of city life and animated roaches.
-------------------------
So it looks like Slumdog Millionaire swept the Oscars this year, so I shall have to watch it, along with The Wrestler, Benjamin Button and maybe a few others. The Academy Award adorned DVDs should be coming out fairly soon now.
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)
When I first saw a trailer for this movie, I groaned at what looked like another affable Michael Cera performance. Which is what this movie delivers, though I have usually enjoyed Cera's roles so I can't remember why this was a bad thing. I remember one review mentioning how the friends/bandmates were too stereotypical & annoying, but I thought they were good enough characters. Only letdown was the ending, but I guess it would have been not as good if it ended the way you expect it to. The cute indie soundtrack and the dazzling city lights at night will make you want to go for an uptown romp of your own.
P.S. I Love You (2007)
I always find it remarkable when one of these sappy sad kind of movies is written and directed by guys. At least it's based off of a novel by a woman. The concept is kind of interesting, if a good bit creepy and morbid, but at least we get to see lots of pretty wide shots of lush Irish countryside. Hilary Swank is a little hard to believe as the dense ditzy spoiled kind of girl, but I guess girls just wanna have fun in a role sometimes. At least the end brings some relief to the story, but much of the film dishes grief on the viewer that feels pointless and undeserved. At least this movie is fun to talk smack about the characters & imitate Irish brogues with your significant other.
Jackie Brown (1997)
I have always thought Pulp Fiction (and perhaps Tarantino in general?) was slightly overrated, if not great fun on repeated viewings to absorb some of the crazier dialogue. That plus the fact that I am unfamiliar with Pam Grier's glory days of blaxploitation, and the fact that Tarantino obviously is a huge fan of that, leaves this film somewhat underwhelming. Sam Jackson and DeNiro bring the laughs, and the WTF twists are some good fun, not to mention some interesting overlapping perspectives of a climactic later scene and a comically unsexy sex scene, and another good retro Tarantino soundtrack. Just the least fun subject matter in a Tarantino IMHO. Still looking forward to Inglorious Basterds, though I must see the original first.
Joe's Apartment (1996)
After much nudging by a friend, I finally checked this one out. Classic rude awakening of the out of towner arriving to the big city, eyes wide in anticipation, only to end up in one of the most roach infested buildings ever. But these roaches have celebrity voice actors (unfortunately pitched up beyond recognition) and they just want to help! You can tell its an MTV film (the first one ever, in 96?) since the ADD pacing never bores and keeps things moving. There are good laughs here, among the glamourously grungy depictions of city life and animated roaches.
-------------------------
So it looks like Slumdog Millionaire swept the Oscars this year, so I shall have to watch it, along with The Wrestler, Benjamin Button and maybe a few others. The Academy Award adorned DVDs should be coming out fairly soon now.
Friday, February 20, 2009
consessions stand 001 - only a snack + flower impressions
A case of PBR can remove pants and loosen lips as good as anything, but of course its also good for bringing together some pals for pyramid construction and a possibly recurring trip to the local evil BB itself.
An American Carol (2008)
Personally, I'm not a Michael Moore hater - I find his films interesting and point-proving to my admittedly malleable noggin, though I don't bother to double check his facts like those internet hawks out there. Some people, however, wanna crucify the lard for being such a hypocritical d-bag, and I can understand that stance. Featuring Kevin Farley (Chris's brother), Leslie Nielsen, and Kelsey Grammar, Michael "Malone" gets run through the old Scrooge wringer, with a series of spirits pointing out the mistakes in his logic & presenting revealing histories and potential futures. Some good points are made regarding college professors and the film puts the recently highly revered Jimmy Carter in a very interesting light. I try to have an open mind, and I don't think I know enough about anything to have a political opinion worth mentioning, but I don't think I would have even given this a second glance without my more comedy-appreciative friend's insistence.
The Karate Kid (1984)
The case of PBR was about pilfered by the end of the first film, and the company was getting slightly out of hand, but even though I hadn't seen this before I think I gathered the gist of it, plus of course I knew the premise going in. It's definitely a good clean fun PG 80s coming of age flick with a good spicing of action. In particular I enjoyed the very neat, clever transition from slave labor to combat training. Fun fact - Pat Morita was a comedian in San Francisco, complete with slightly effiminate very American accent, and was originally thought to be a strange choice for the role, but the character he came up with seemingly out of nowhere is definitely one of those memorable father figures you won't forget.
-------------------------
I did conceed and buy flower (PS3 via PSN) today, and it's definitely more longevitous and enjoyable than the studio's predecessor flow. I'm only halfway through and it's already taken a strangely dark turn, and I anxiously await the hinted at meeting of the dual contrasting settings. Best sixaxis controls yet, I think. Now if I can just overcome the urge to trade in Soul Calibur IV for Street Fighter IV...
An American Carol (2008)
Personally, I'm not a Michael Moore hater - I find his films interesting and point-proving to my admittedly malleable noggin, though I don't bother to double check his facts like those internet hawks out there. Some people, however, wanna crucify the lard for being such a hypocritical d-bag, and I can understand that stance. Featuring Kevin Farley (Chris's brother), Leslie Nielsen, and Kelsey Grammar, Michael "Malone" gets run through the old Scrooge wringer, with a series of spirits pointing out the mistakes in his logic & presenting revealing histories and potential futures. Some good points are made regarding college professors and the film puts the recently highly revered Jimmy Carter in a very interesting light. I try to have an open mind, and I don't think I know enough about anything to have a political opinion worth mentioning, but I don't think I would have even given this a second glance without my more comedy-appreciative friend's insistence.
The Karate Kid (1984)
The case of PBR was about pilfered by the end of the first film, and the company was getting slightly out of hand, but even though I hadn't seen this before I think I gathered the gist of it, plus of course I knew the premise going in. It's definitely a good clean fun PG 80s coming of age flick with a good spicing of action. In particular I enjoyed the very neat, clever transition from slave labor to combat training. Fun fact - Pat Morita was a comedian in San Francisco, complete with slightly effiminate very American accent, and was originally thought to be a strange choice for the role, but the character he came up with seemingly out of nowhere is definitely one of those memorable father figures you won't forget.
-------------------------
I did conceed and buy flower (PS3 via PSN) today, and it's definitely more longevitous and enjoyable than the studio's predecessor flow. I'm only halfway through and it's already taken a strangely dark turn, and I anxiously await the hinted at meeting of the dual contrasting settings. Best sixaxis controls yet, I think. Now if I can just overcome the urge to trade in Soul Calibur IV for Street Fighter IV...
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
netflix barrage 004 - the fun?
Who says my random little movie review blog has to be serious? Hpnotiq and a lil bottle of Jack Daniels accompany these viewings.
Say Anything... (1989)
John Cusack blunders & blubbers his way through this enjoyable 80s teen romcom. The representation of how a breakup affects a guy really ring accurate. The famous boombox-over-head scene , like many similarly famous scenes, is kind of stuck in there non-chalantly I think. Not to mention the song (In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel) he was playing has been burned out in my mind via work muzak. Also strange that the movie's title phrase is more often uttered by the girl to her father.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
Elrond aka Agent Smith aka Hugo Weaving in Drag. Wow, didn't expect that to be the first thing I saw in this movie (not sure what I Did have in mind though...). A definite interesting variation on the standard road movie. Unfortunately, I didn't see how this darkly comic (and just plain dark at times) romp through the Australian desert turned out, since I was very tired. All I can gather from wiki that I missed is some kooky plot twist. Cos I know pills are my favorite breakfast.
Mars Attacks! (1996)
Tim Burton masterfully crafts a cheesy, hilarious bloodthirsty alien apocalypse for our eyes, accompanied theramintastically for our ears by Danny Elfman. As if the quacky alien language wasn't funny enough, there's some great comic timing and suspense when the aliens tactfully pretend to be making contact peacefully, only to unleash all hell when least expected. Danny DeVito def doesn't deserve to be on the poster though - he has maybe 60 seconds of screen time?? President Jack Nicholson's death is downright iconic btw.
The Fugitive (1993)
Harrison Ford gets his serious face on for this roller coaster thriller. After laying down just a bit of exposition, the stuff hits the fan without warning, and the crazy stuff just keeps happening. US Marshall Tommy Lee Jones definitely earns his Academy Award for Supporting Actor with one of my favorite turns of his hard biting wit. The plot twists get a little out of hand towards the end but its a good solid action movie.
Next week!
Say Anything... (1989)
John Cusack blunders & blubbers his way through this enjoyable 80s teen romcom. The representation of how a breakup affects a guy really ring accurate. The famous boombox-over-head scene , like many similarly famous scenes, is kind of stuck in there non-chalantly I think. Not to mention the song (In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel) he was playing has been burned out in my mind via work muzak. Also strange that the movie's title phrase is more often uttered by the girl to her father.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
Elrond aka Agent Smith aka Hugo Weaving in Drag. Wow, didn't expect that to be the first thing I saw in this movie (not sure what I Did have in mind though...). A definite interesting variation on the standard road movie. Unfortunately, I didn't see how this darkly comic (and just plain dark at times) romp through the Australian desert turned out, since I was very tired. All I can gather from wiki that I missed is some kooky plot twist. Cos I know pills are my favorite breakfast.
Mars Attacks! (1996)
Tim Burton masterfully crafts a cheesy, hilarious bloodthirsty alien apocalypse for our eyes, accompanied theramintastically for our ears by Danny Elfman. As if the quacky alien language wasn't funny enough, there's some great comic timing and suspense when the aliens tactfully pretend to be making contact peacefully, only to unleash all hell when least expected. Danny DeVito def doesn't deserve to be on the poster though - he has maybe 60 seconds of screen time?? President Jack Nicholson's death is downright iconic btw.
The Fugitive (1993)
Harrison Ford gets his serious face on for this roller coaster thriller. After laying down just a bit of exposition, the stuff hits the fan without warning, and the crazy stuff just keeps happening. US Marshall Tommy Lee Jones definitely earns his Academy Award for Supporting Actor with one of my favorite turns of his hard biting wit. The plot twists get a little out of hand towards the end but its a good solid action movie.
Next week!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
netflix barrage 003 - the sickly
I think this is the order we saw them in...
All viewed under the influence of a killer head cold...
Rocky (1976)
Finally saw one of the all time great sports/human struggle movies. Grittier than expected, Philly must be a rough town. The early shot with the puppies in the pet store window could have been throw-away symapathy, but the script ties it in. Beginning and ending with the famous steps is a brilliant way to show progress in the training montage. Wonder how part 2 will be.
Raising Arizona (1987)
In this indeed worthy predecessor to the likes of The Big Lebowski, a brilliantly white trash Nicolas Cage narrates his escapades involving convenience stores, a purdy police-lady, and some more well off folk undeserving of their newborn quintuplets. Succulent comedy flows in the very blood of the script, even in the names! Hilarious, despite baby content. Coen-tastic, in a word. Miller's Crossing is next, I believe.
Persepolis (2007)
My second viewing, but her first. Great contrasts between national conflicts and an (extra?)ordinary girl just trying to grow up and how children interpret what they see on TV and hear from parents. Interesting details about how politics can affect people's everyday lives and how they cope. The monochromatic animation is quite dynamic, especially during surreal-er sequences and silhouetted depictions of war. Having only seen it in French with subtitles, I am interested to hear there is indeed an English dub (featuring Sean Penn & Iggy Pop??).
Groundhog Day (1993)
Been meaning to see this for a long time now. It's truly a unique kind of movie. The premise is a once in a lifetime. Bill Murray repeats that one day many more times than I had expected. Great script going through how he would gradually go from glee to remorse to self improvement & making the best of life. Some hint of an explanation why he was repeating the day would have left the film with a bit more closure at the end, though I read there was an explanation in one version of the script - his spiteful coworker casted a voodoo spell on him *facepalm* - so no explanation is better than that.
Where The Buffalo Roam (1980)
"Remember that line in the song Home on the Range? Gonzo's all about the search for the American Dream!" this film constantly badgers you, "Well here's another kooky twist!" . Neil Young's score is but one of many annoying parts of this shoddy Hunter S. Thompson... biopic? I'm happy to read that, as well as critics, Thompson himself hated the film and its "bad, dumb, low-level, low-rent script." Perhaps I should have been inebriated for this one, the producers apparently were. Bill Murray as this gun-toting, drug-experimenting maniac does have a few brief shining moments, but definitely shy towards the 1998 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. But once you do you can't go back to this.
The Machinist (2004)
An emaciated Non-F-Bomb-Dropping Christian Bale stars in this brooding thriller, one of those great ones that really turns everything on its ear in the final windup. The colors are (usually, unless the mood calls for otherwise) washed the heck out, loads of grit & grain all over the place, great style. Perhaps I should check out some of director Brad Anderson's other work?
Hmm... wonder what's next...
All viewed under the influence of a killer head cold...
Rocky (1976)
Finally saw one of the all time great sports/human struggle movies. Grittier than expected, Philly must be a rough town. The early shot with the puppies in the pet store window could have been throw-away symapathy, but the script ties it in. Beginning and ending with the famous steps is a brilliant way to show progress in the training montage. Wonder how part 2 will be.
Raising Arizona (1987)
In this indeed worthy predecessor to the likes of The Big Lebowski, a brilliantly white trash Nicolas Cage narrates his escapades involving convenience stores, a purdy police-lady, and some more well off folk undeserving of their newborn quintuplets. Succulent comedy flows in the very blood of the script, even in the names! Hilarious, despite baby content. Coen-tastic, in a word. Miller's Crossing is next, I believe.
Persepolis (2007)
My second viewing, but her first. Great contrasts between national conflicts and an (extra?)ordinary girl just trying to grow up and how children interpret what they see on TV and hear from parents. Interesting details about how politics can affect people's everyday lives and how they cope. The monochromatic animation is quite dynamic, especially during surreal-er sequences and silhouetted depictions of war. Having only seen it in French with subtitles, I am interested to hear there is indeed an English dub (featuring Sean Penn & Iggy Pop??).
Groundhog Day (1993)
Been meaning to see this for a long time now. It's truly a unique kind of movie. The premise is a once in a lifetime. Bill Murray repeats that one day many more times than I had expected. Great script going through how he would gradually go from glee to remorse to self improvement & making the best of life. Some hint of an explanation why he was repeating the day would have left the film with a bit more closure at the end, though I read there was an explanation in one version of the script - his spiteful coworker casted a voodoo spell on him *facepalm* - so no explanation is better than that.
Where The Buffalo Roam (1980)
"Remember that line in the song Home on the Range? Gonzo's all about the search for the American Dream!" this film constantly badgers you, "Well here's another kooky twist!" . Neil Young's score is but one of many annoying parts of this shoddy Hunter S. Thompson... biopic? I'm happy to read that, as well as critics, Thompson himself hated the film and its "bad, dumb, low-level, low-rent script." Perhaps I should have been inebriated for this one, the producers apparently were. Bill Murray as this gun-toting, drug-experimenting maniac does have a few brief shining moments, but definitely shy towards the 1998 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. But once you do you can't go back to this.
The Machinist (2004)
An emaciated Non-F-Bomb-Dropping Christian Bale stars in this brooding thriller, one of those great ones that really turns everything on its ear in the final windup. The colors are (usually, unless the mood calls for otherwise) washed the heck out, loads of grit & grain all over the place, great style. Perhaps I should check out some of director Brad Anderson's other work?
Hmm... wonder what's next...
Sunday, February 1, 2009
netflix barrage 002 - the über barrage
Quite a weekend, this one! I'm sure I'm cheapening each film by seeing so many in a row so I should probably stick with, say, 4 a weekend tops if I can stand to... Netflix you temptress...
Trainspotting (1996)
I feel like such a nub... though there'd actually be trains in this one... a heroine reference cheekily masked. Like Scarface, Goodfellas, & Requiem for a Dream before it, this is one of those movies I wouldn't want to sit through again. Brilliant, maybe, even fun at times, but the utter depravity thrust upon the viewer can be appalling. The sub current story of the young man trying to grow up (the rest of the way?) is not really fulfilling especially thanks to a last second twist, but I suppose this was meant to be lighter fare than, say, RFAD's extreme shocking end point. The sophomoric stoner fun goes out the window when it comes to syringes. Some neat characters with cool Scottish accents though.
The House Bunny (2008)
I didn't watch the house bunny...
<<... >>...
Helvetica (2007)
Surprisingly (or not?) very interesting. The ubiquitous font that you've seen everywhere your entire life (yet its not included with Windows) has quite a story. Especially interesting for anyone who's been to school for graphic design or anything related. Beautiful photography and excellent music throughout.
Stand By Me (1986)
Everything an R-rated 80s movie about 12 year olds set in the 50s can and should be. Rob Reiner, fat lard he may be today (& was then?), got some good emotion out of those kids, and I'm a sucker for a good 20th century period piece. Features a young Kiefer Sutherland, blond coif in tow.
Revolver (2005)
The one where Guy Ritchie jumped the shark. Also the one where Jason Statham has crazy long hair! Not exactly up to snuff with his previous gangster outings(Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels; Snatch), this one gets weird and introspective on us, examining the ego or... something. It has some great action-heist bits that definitely deserve credit – I definitely envy Ritchie's ability to think of that stuff. The pacing is very spotty, though, lingering in awkward places for minutes at a time, talking to itself and jitterily splicing in flashbacks that make the exposition feel hamfisted (“Remember that part 20 mins ago? Yah, we're back to that again”), probably trying to make some sense of the bizarre plot yet failing. Comically, a selection of quacks and head shrinks chime in with their two cents worth over the credits. I love trippy stuff (Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas anyone?) but this got into laughable & boring territory. I am interested to see how the supposedly disappointing RocknRolla turned out.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
I would never consider myself a fan of the western – I've attempted to watch Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo several times, rarely making it much past those fantastic sand animation opening titles. There's been some brilliant films in that setting recently though – 3:10 to Yuma, No Country for Old Men, and There Will Be Blood for example, and now this one. Casey Affleck is a sight to see as the 19th century equivalent of a modern day fanboy, placing his hero in a pedestal he'll surely stumble off of. Brad Pitt does the then-aging outlaw justice, balancing the softening family man with the psychotic criminal within. There are many other characters but they all have a place in the story and are not hard to tell apart. The kill or be killed mentality of that time definitely applies today, if of course in varied context. The film never really feels long in the tooth, even when the aftermath of the titular climax is longer than you expect, the excellent narration keeps it fascinating. Insert superlative here.
Vertigo (1958)
How could Jimmy Stewart manage to be so unlikeable and annoying? He's the quintessential American lad! Yet so obsessive and creepy. All in beautiful scenic San Francisco! I realize its supposed to be a Hitchcock thriller, and I'm perhaps supposed to be made uneasy by this, but the conclusion reached by the end feels incomplete and not justified. The famous kooky effects that got named after this movie are sparse of course to maintain their weight & effectiveness, but did they have to be that sparse? Upon a check of the wiki, I do find this was a departure for Hitchcock, and did get very mixed responses at the time of release, yet is a favorite of some? Something about Kim Novak's ghostly light blond bun must just freak me out...
Whats with these hair related notes popping up? Suppose I am due for a trim...
Unrelated notes...
After owning the game twice over the course of at least 2 or 3 years total & playing off & on, I finally beat my favorite Final Fantasy, number IX, this morning. Perfect music, perfect characters, perfect skill system, never too hardcore or intensive or obtuse, great scripted battle sequences to get a character you haven't seen in awhile back up to speed, sprawling fantasy world, etc. I guess some people prefer the “realism” of VII and VIII but this, FFVI and Chrono Trigger will probably always be my favorite RPGs.
Weak Oscar season this year, plus a lame looking Super Bowl, but oh well at least we have MASSIVE archives of readily available stuff we couldn't possibly have experienced all of when it first came around ^^
Trainspotting (1996)
I feel like such a nub... though there'd actually be trains in this one... a heroine reference cheekily masked. Like Scarface, Goodfellas, & Requiem for a Dream before it, this is one of those movies I wouldn't want to sit through again. Brilliant, maybe, even fun at times, but the utter depravity thrust upon the viewer can be appalling. The sub current story of the young man trying to grow up (the rest of the way?) is not really fulfilling especially thanks to a last second twist, but I suppose this was meant to be lighter fare than, say, RFAD's extreme shocking end point. The sophomoric stoner fun goes out the window when it comes to syringes. Some neat characters with cool Scottish accents though.
The House Bunny (2008)
I didn't watch the house bunny...
<<... >>...
Helvetica (2007)
Surprisingly (or not?) very interesting. The ubiquitous font that you've seen everywhere your entire life (yet its not included with Windows) has quite a story. Especially interesting for anyone who's been to school for graphic design or anything related. Beautiful photography and excellent music throughout.
Stand By Me (1986)
Everything an R-rated 80s movie about 12 year olds set in the 50s can and should be. Rob Reiner, fat lard he may be today (& was then?), got some good emotion out of those kids, and I'm a sucker for a good 20th century period piece. Features a young Kiefer Sutherland, blond coif in tow.
Revolver (2005)
The one where Guy Ritchie jumped the shark. Also the one where Jason Statham has crazy long hair! Not exactly up to snuff with his previous gangster outings(Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels; Snatch), this one gets weird and introspective on us, examining the ego or... something. It has some great action-heist bits that definitely deserve credit – I definitely envy Ritchie's ability to think of that stuff. The pacing is very spotty, though, lingering in awkward places for minutes at a time, talking to itself and jitterily splicing in flashbacks that make the exposition feel hamfisted (“Remember that part 20 mins ago? Yah, we're back to that again”), probably trying to make some sense of the bizarre plot yet failing. Comically, a selection of quacks and head shrinks chime in with their two cents worth over the credits. I love trippy stuff (Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas anyone?) but this got into laughable & boring territory. I am interested to see how the supposedly disappointing RocknRolla turned out.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
I would never consider myself a fan of the western – I've attempted to watch Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo several times, rarely making it much past those fantastic sand animation opening titles. There's been some brilliant films in that setting recently though – 3:10 to Yuma, No Country for Old Men, and There Will Be Blood for example, and now this one. Casey Affleck is a sight to see as the 19th century equivalent of a modern day fanboy, placing his hero in a pedestal he'll surely stumble off of. Brad Pitt does the then-aging outlaw justice, balancing the softening family man with the psychotic criminal within. There are many other characters but they all have a place in the story and are not hard to tell apart. The kill or be killed mentality of that time definitely applies today, if of course in varied context. The film never really feels long in the tooth, even when the aftermath of the titular climax is longer than you expect, the excellent narration keeps it fascinating. Insert superlative here.
Vertigo (1958)
How could Jimmy Stewart manage to be so unlikeable and annoying? He's the quintessential American lad! Yet so obsessive and creepy. All in beautiful scenic San Francisco! I realize its supposed to be a Hitchcock thriller, and I'm perhaps supposed to be made uneasy by this, but the conclusion reached by the end feels incomplete and not justified. The famous kooky effects that got named after this movie are sparse of course to maintain their weight & effectiveness, but did they have to be that sparse? Upon a check of the wiki, I do find this was a departure for Hitchcock, and did get very mixed responses at the time of release, yet is a favorite of some? Something about Kim Novak's ghostly light blond bun must just freak me out...
Whats with these hair related notes popping up? Suppose I am due for a trim...
Unrelated notes...
After owning the game twice over the course of at least 2 or 3 years total & playing off & on, I finally beat my favorite Final Fantasy, number IX, this morning. Perfect music, perfect characters, perfect skill system, never too hardcore or intensive or obtuse, great scripted battle sequences to get a character you haven't seen in awhile back up to speed, sprawling fantasy world, etc. I guess some people prefer the “realism” of VII and VIII but this, FFVI and Chrono Trigger will probably always be my favorite RPGs.
Weak Oscar season this year, plus a lame looking Super Bowl, but oh well at least we have MASSIVE archives of readily available stuff we couldn't possibly have experienced all of when it first came around ^^
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
podcasts + top gear
Namedrop ho!
TWiT since like episode 4,
Diggnation back when it was new,
Geekdrome back then,
TRS since... fairly early on,
1UP's plethora not nearly long enough,
Indiefeed indie pop off & on,
Just Good Music a rare treat,
Hospital quite the interesting venture,
Scene Unseen for a long while,
Filmspotting for not nearly long enough,
NPR when I have time left over,
etc.
Gotta love those free little snippets of people's lives, common interests spiced with exotic adventures, conversations captured in capsules fired across the tubes to your iTunes, or music you wouldn't have gone & listened to any other way. A endless flow of suggestion and opinion and discovery. Makes me want to pitch in to the fray *sigh* if only I had a magazine, website, or extended cable tv network to get a loyal fan base with beforehand... Wonder what this lil blog can accomplish with my insistent prodding...
===intermission===
Now call me a bloody anglophile *brushing salt & vinegar potato crisp crumbs off of shirt*, but i'm a bit of a Top Gear addict right now ^^. If anyone has yet to experience the current iteration of the UK auto themed variety/chat/? show, I implore you check it the heck out. Car porn for teh masses. The hosts (who I think are just lucky bastard journalists, not necessarily grease covered engineers?), who are full of snarky british laughs & bubbling chemistry, get to review all the latest supercars, along with the more ordinary and sometimes weird. They also adventure the globe competing in challenges put forth by the truly sadistic unseen "producers." A celebrity (many of whom us yanks won't recognize, though they had mark wahlberg that one time!) is then put behind the wheel of a "reasonably priced car" (my car - the Cheverolet Lacetti aka Suzuki Reno/Forenza aka many other things) to see how they fare on a racetrack. The slick production values of the car reviews which kick off each episode dance across my big, flash monitor & roar through my new Logitech Z4 2.1 speakers. As if I needed another reason to envy those with BBC America in their homes...
The pilot of a US version (starring Adam Carolla and almost Alex Albrecht!) & was funded by NBC, but has since been canned & is now seeking cable distribution I think. It seems an Australian version has just begun so I may check that one out. Recommended for anyone who likes visceral experience, technical impressario, and Monty Python? Great common audience! Great shipping rates on Amazon UK too!
TWiT since like episode 4,
Diggnation back when it was new,
Geekdrome back then,
TRS since... fairly early on,
1UP's plethora not nearly long enough,
Indiefeed indie pop off & on,
Just Good Music a rare treat,
Hospital quite the interesting venture,
Scene Unseen for a long while,
Filmspotting for not nearly long enough,
NPR when I have time left over,
etc.
Gotta love those free little snippets of people's lives, common interests spiced with exotic adventures, conversations captured in capsules fired across the tubes to your iTunes, or music you wouldn't have gone & listened to any other way. A endless flow of suggestion and opinion and discovery. Makes me want to pitch in to the fray *sigh* if only I had a magazine, website, or extended cable tv network to get a loyal fan base with beforehand... Wonder what this lil blog can accomplish with my insistent prodding...
===intermission===
Now call me a bloody anglophile *brushing salt & vinegar potato crisp crumbs off of shirt*, but i'm a bit of a Top Gear addict right now ^^. If anyone has yet to experience the current iteration of the UK auto themed variety/chat/? show, I implore you check it the heck out. Car porn for teh masses. The hosts (who I think are just lucky bastard journalists, not necessarily grease covered engineers?), who are full of snarky british laughs & bubbling chemistry, get to review all the latest supercars, along with the more ordinary and sometimes weird. They also adventure the globe competing in challenges put forth by the truly sadistic unseen "producers." A celebrity (many of whom us yanks won't recognize, though they had mark wahlberg that one time!) is then put behind the wheel of a "reasonably priced car" (my car - the Cheverolet Lacetti aka Suzuki Reno/Forenza aka many other things) to see how they fare on a racetrack. The slick production values of the car reviews which kick off each episode dance across my big, flash monitor & roar through my new Logitech Z4 2.1 speakers. As if I needed another reason to envy those with BBC America in their homes...
The pilot of a US version (starring Adam Carolla and almost Alex Albrecht!) & was funded by NBC, but has since been canned & is now seeking cable distribution I think. It seems an Australian version has just begun so I may check that one out. Recommended for anyone who likes visceral experience, technical impressario, and Monty Python? Great common audience! Great shipping rates on Amazon UK too!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
netflix barrage 001 - a series
I was going to post this on my old Myspace blog, but I figured this would be a good chance to start something new. Hopefully my scribin chops will improve w/ practice? Here's to rum and good times...
Laura (my <333) got a 3-at-a-time netflix account! So that means I'll be watchin 3 long awaited classics every week (& prlly more often before long ^^) & this seemed like a good excuse to bust out the blog.
Sixteen Candles (1984)
Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, and an unrecognizably young & dorky John Cusack round out the cast of this John Hughes high school fable. Amazing that we watched this one first, totally randomly, since its the first of his many movies in this vein. It is definitely composed of corny moment after corny moment, set to the perfect cliche song for each situation. It succedes in capturing the surreality of high school, and pushes it over the top. Ringwald's character in particular is slightly unlikable: I mean everyone forgot her sweet sixteen, but all she does is pout & whine & survive til the next day where she gets everything she wanted? Of course I can much more relate to AMH's geek, who's awkwardness & desperation is turned up to 11, but he still manages to earn some sympathy w/ some honest dialogues. He gets what he wants too (in a way?) but instead through persistence, fearlessness, and ofcourseluck. Long Duk Dong is a bit of a sore thumb - more offensive even than Breakfast at Tiffany's Mr. Yunioshi - he just talks mildly funnily to the awkward strains of koto, & the shot lingers for a moment or cuts to the family mouths agape as if you're laughing wildly - bleah. I look forward to more developed outings such as Pretty in Pink & Say Anything for my future 80s education, already having seen Breakfast Club.
Taxi Driver (1976)
A young De Niro and Scorcese must have shocked audiences in the 70s with this gritty portrayal of pre-Giuliani NYC - scum and violence are one with the neon-lit shiny streets, observed with disdain in the taxi driver's rear view mirror. Its an impressive tale of descent, though Travis Bickle's pretty lowly from the outset. Not everything works out, but not everything goes crazy south either, maintaining a realistic balance, but the outcomes to some scenes I think would've been more impactful if the consequences had been more dire - say, if the movie ended immediately after the climactic shootout. The way the camera slowly examined & left the scene & craned out over the street I thought the movie Was over. I wonder if it would've been too risky to not tie up all the loose ends like the closing scenes try to do. Also what if he had followed through at that campaign rally? Flinching up & running away was not how I expected that to turn out. The film features very interesting apperances by Peter Boyle, Harvey Keitel, a spritely Jodie Foster, and the director.
Psycho (1960) SPOILER WARNING
In this film adventure I'm also getting my Hitchcock education, having... never... seen... any of his stuff... shame on me!
This film had a lot to live up to, and save a slow going opening (it is 50 years old), I'd say it succeedes. Janet Leigh's facial expression alone at times was a visual feast, if her motives were somewhat questionable. Photography must have been intimately planned down to every detail, & the pacing keeps your interest. The psychological implications saved for the end are simply fascinating, great payoff. Truly the "master of suspense." North by Northwest, Vertigo, Rear Window, and more coming soon!
Laura (my <333) got a 3-at-a-time netflix account! So that means I'll be watchin 3 long awaited classics every week (& prlly more often before long ^^) & this seemed like a good excuse to bust out the blog.
Sixteen Candles (1984)
Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, and an unrecognizably young & dorky John Cusack round out the cast of this John Hughes high school fable. Amazing that we watched this one first, totally randomly, since its the first of his many movies in this vein. It is definitely composed of corny moment after corny moment, set to the perfect cliche song for each situation. It succedes in capturing the surreality of high school, and pushes it over the top. Ringwald's character in particular is slightly unlikable: I mean everyone forgot her sweet sixteen, but all she does is pout & whine & survive til the next day where she gets everything she wanted? Of course I can much more relate to AMH's geek, who's awkwardness & desperation is turned up to 11, but he still manages to earn some sympathy w/ some honest dialogues. He gets what he wants too (in a way?) but instead through persistence, fearlessness, and ofcourseluck. Long Duk Dong is a bit of a sore thumb - more offensive even than Breakfast at Tiffany's Mr. Yunioshi - he just talks mildly funnily to the awkward strains of koto, & the shot lingers for a moment or cuts to the family mouths agape as if you're laughing wildly - bleah. I look forward to more developed outings such as Pretty in Pink & Say Anything for my future 80s education, already having seen Breakfast Club.
Taxi Driver (1976)
A young De Niro and Scorcese must have shocked audiences in the 70s with this gritty portrayal of pre-Giuliani NYC - scum and violence are one with the neon-lit shiny streets, observed with disdain in the taxi driver's rear view mirror. Its an impressive tale of descent, though Travis Bickle's pretty lowly from the outset. Not everything works out, but not everything goes crazy south either, maintaining a realistic balance, but the outcomes to some scenes I think would've been more impactful if the consequences had been more dire - say, if the movie ended immediately after the climactic shootout. The way the camera slowly examined & left the scene & craned out over the street I thought the movie Was over. I wonder if it would've been too risky to not tie up all the loose ends like the closing scenes try to do. Also what if he had followed through at that campaign rally? Flinching up & running away was not how I expected that to turn out. The film features very interesting apperances by Peter Boyle, Harvey Keitel, a spritely Jodie Foster, and the director.
Psycho (1960) SPOILER WARNING
In this film adventure I'm also getting my Hitchcock education, having... never... seen... any of his stuff... shame on me!
This film had a lot to live up to, and save a slow going opening (it is 50 years old), I'd say it succeedes. Janet Leigh's facial expression alone at times was a visual feast, if her motives were somewhat questionable. Photography must have been intimately planned down to every detail, & the pacing keeps your interest. The psychological implications saved for the end are simply fascinating, great payoff. Truly the "master of suspense." North by Northwest, Vertigo, Rear Window, and more coming soon!
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