Yes - I am aware how old this is - but awwwwwwwwwwwww! This is how grateful children should always be - not I want this and this and this. If my kid (I don't have kids) grows up to be this grateful I think I'll have done well. Of course, unless he now starts making racist comments on Xbox-Live....
Robert Downey Jr. must be very busy these days - Sherlock Holmes, Iron Man...well actually those are the only two that spring to mind at the moment, but he's definitely having a good few years in the film industry. Following on from the success of the first Holmes film with Downey Jr. as the eccentric genius Sherlock and Jude Law as the reliable war veteran Dr. Watson, A Game of Shadows pitches Sherlock against his grand nemesis; Professor Moriarty - a meticulously evil man of equal wit as our Great Detective - played amiably by Jared Harris. More action, more plot-twists, more displays of cunning, more ridiculous feats and more excellent direction - A Game of Shadows doesn't disappoint.
The budget didn't seem low on the last Holmes film, but I would hazard a guess that it increased a fair amount in making this one. There are explosions a plenty, gunfights, and those cool 'Sherlock vision' fight scenes that show you the step-by-step process taken to defeat a foe. We're reacquainted with some old characters, and introduced to some new (anyone who is a fan of Stephen Fry will not be disappointed) but as you would expect it is Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law who capture our attention. Although there is still some of the friction to be expected between the characters, Watson is a lot less resilient to Holmes and we are reminded that he does care for him despite the mess Holmes manages to drag him and his new wife into. Sherlock is as spectacularly clever and resourceful as he was before, and yet not so much as to make things boring - you will still be surprised that they can get out of the situations they get into, and a lot of the time Sherlock doesn't seem as in control of the situation as he would want the audience to think. I for one like the direction that Guy Ritchie has taken our most beloved of British characters, and applaud the way he always seems to be able to create films that show their intelligence in the final moments as each strand of an intricate web are brought together to give you the satisfaction of 'a plan that comes together'.
Also, Noomi Rapace is in it, who was the star of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo...or at least...I thought she was - there seems to be another girl with a tattoo of a dragon and also Daniel Craig being advertised these days - very confusing.
Probably the best present we could ask for; Melanie Iglesias has given us another Flipbook!!! Check it out, subscribe, and follow her on twitter dudes!
Yeah. Seriously, if anyone wants to get me a Melanie Iglesias for Christmas....
Does anyone remember how good Shrek was? Dreamworks have given us some pretty good animated films, but the Shrek series didn't seem to know when to stop. Do you know how many people didn't realise that Shrek Forever After was actually the fourth film? The third film was so 'meh' that most of my friends, some of whom actually saw the film with me, forgot that it even existed. I too cannot remember what happened in that film, all I know is that Justin Timberlake was in it or something...and there was a wizard of some sort. Anyway. The original Shrek was good, Shrek 2 was still pretty strong, and part of the reason it was strong was because of the focus on support-characters and the introduction of some new faces, favourite among them being the charismatic and cuddly Puss in Boots, adequately voiced by the gem of an actor; Antonio Banderas (Desperado, The Mask of Zorro). To be honest, if there was going to be a spin-off film about any character other than Shrek, it would have to be Puss in Boots, and so there has. And it is again, meh.
It isn't a bad film - the story is fantastical, paying homage to children's tales as well as tongue-in-cheek references to some of the themes in Mexican films and Westerns, and the voice talent is pretty good with Salma Hayek and Zach Galifianakis joining Banderas' feline alter-ego, its just not as memorable as the original material. In Shrek, there were memorable lines and dialogue that you could quote to your friends or repeat obnoxiously when watching it on DVD, and in Shrek 2, Puss in Boots was introduced with the chuckle-some 'cute-cat' scene and a few one-liners, but this isn't really carried to what is essentially an origins story of Puss. There aren't any real gut-busting laugh-out-loud moments, but there are a few sequences that induce a snicker, and there are humorous action-sequences that do border on ridiculous, but that is of course the fun of animated films. It would be unfair to say the storyline was predictable as it sort of gets confusing now and then, but the major twists aren't going to shock you out of your seat.
Honestly, the film is just another average children's outing, but it's still enjoyable. I would doubt that there will be a Puss in Boots trilogy, and the film doesn't really match the iconic introduction of the ginger cat in Shrek 2, but you'll enjoy it for what it is; a fun, action packed adventure set in what must be the Mexican part of whatever fantasy world Shrek lives in, and a little peek into where our swashbuckling friend comes from before he adds to Shrek's agitation.
Well...that was surprising. Serving your country while being allowed to love the person that you love is somehow not as important as children reading the bible in school? Sorry everyone, school is for learning Math, English, Science, perhaps making friends, not so much a bible-session. That is what you have those big fancy churches for - I don't see anyone asking religious leaders to include multiplication tables in their Sunday school...
I don't know much about American politics these days, other than what ol' Philip DeFranco tells me on a weekly basis (not personally, I'm not that cool; I mean through his YouTube uploads) but this has got to be making Obama happy - he doesn't even need to run smear campaigns when these guys do it for him. Just in case you haven't already seen this, here is another video of Rick Perry showing what a fine candidate he is for the US Presidency.
Yes. Oops. Seriously though, this man wants to run a country. A very powerful country. If you think he's bad, try looking at some of the other presidential hopefuls - in particular Michele Bachmann.
I just had to say - why have last year's Premier League winners failed to get into the knock-out stages of the Champions League, and why could they not beat Crystal Palace who aren't even in the same bracket? Probably because our defensive forces have taken a battering and forced us to use players like this:
Don't know why you're running Jonny Evans - unless of course it's to make another awful tackle or because you realise you've lost your man again...
And also probably because we've lost this god of a football player;
This is an otherwise pointless post, but gosh-darnit it's depressing when your side loses easy games. On the other hand, fair play to Basel FC and Crystal Palace, showing that the underdogs can screw with anyone.
I got invited to test The Old Republic again this weekend, which successfully defeated my attempts on getting ahead of my coursework but hey; what can ya do? (rhetorical: do not suggest that I stop playing games and concentrate on my degree, I am well aware of my failings as a human being)
I had been hoping to continue my journey as a Smuggler from my last beta testing, but for some reason the server that my dashing hero was traversing the galaxy on was nowhere to be found, so I started anew with a Jedi Knight. There didn't seem to be a whole lot of difference between this weekend and last weekend, though the game didn't seem as laggy and the characters didn't take as long to load - which is neat, however in some cases certain NPC characters would lose their features and instead look as if they had been submerged in a black oil before walking outside, which looked cool in some respects but obviously wasn't meant to happen. Anyway, the reason I wanted to let you know I have been playing the beta again is because, I definitely didn't get as much satisfaction out of playing the Jedi Knight character as I had when I played as the Smuggler. I think it's just because to play a Jedi, you have to be a Jedi. It was great when I finally earned my lightsaber, and being able to use the force to convince characters to do your bidding is a neat addition to conversations, but I still knew that if I really wanted to be a Jedi Knight character, it just wouldn't feel right to not be the upstanding beacon of hope and honour that the universe needs in these dark times. Not like the Smuggler, who could give a rats ass about hope and honour, was just trying to make his way in the universe, but had a heart of gold deep down. It's the general reason why people prefer Han Solo over Luke Skywalker - Luke, and the Jedi Knight, are obviously heroes, so you expect them to do the right thing and be very noble about it. Han Solo and his Smuggler grouping, you don't really know what to expect from them, but you know that when it comes down to it they're the real heroes that burst in and save the day (see Han's rescue at the end of A New Hope). I like the idea of being a Smuggler who will help missions that aren't ethically dire (like saving a child from murderers) for a price, but still has a code of honour that he won't cross. But, the sacrifice is - no force, and no lightsabers.
So I guess the decision is, what would you rather have?
Jedi - lightsaber, force, inherently good (unless you want to be an evil Jedi) and so unfortunately rather unsatisfying dialogue
OR
Smuggler - guns, witty dialogue, free reign over choices, but a long distance fighter.
I'm from a distant planet...you probably haven't heard of it....
So - The Old Republic Beta testing weekend is almost over - for me anyway - and I thought I'd give some of my thoughts...
Graphics
You have no idea how frustrated I was yesterday - after all the downloading, all the waiting to get into a server, all the character creation, and I was rewarded with what must have been the laggiest game I have ever played. It was awful, I couldn't do anything which meant a lot of death and a lot of running into walls. So, like any real gamer, I rage-quit and went and had a shower to refrain me from destroying my laptop. I was this close to buying an Alienware and justifying such a purchase with 'well, I already pre-ordered the game, it would be a waste to not be able to play it, right?'.
But then I brought the graphics options waaaaayyy down in the game preferences, and everything ran fine. A lot less detailed and impressive, but at least I could actually play the game. So, to note, if you want to play the game at its best, you better have a damn good machine as my little XPS M1530 didn't stand a chance. The graphics are very noticeably worsened with lower settings, but if you have a machine with low capabilities, at least it will play and you will get enjoyment out of it. As for me, I might just wait for the magic-fairy-godmother to send me one-and-a-half grand so I can get some good kit, but for now I can play with lower specs.
Character Creation
There is a Sith species in the game...who are red
So, now that my graphical woes have been shared, I can let you know why the game, despite its merciless needs, is awesome. Mindful of time, I didn't spend too long on character creation, but I was impressed with the options available. Coming from Skyrim, there isn't a lot of customisation, but anyone who didn't feel the need to adjust the size and angle of their character's ears will be satisfied. You start by picking a faction - Republic or Imperial, which pre-empts one of the amazingly detailed cinematic cutscenes as an introduction to your faction's role in the game. Then, you pick your class; Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler or Trooper for the Republic, while the Imperial faction allows Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter and Imperial Operative. The specifications and attributes of each class are displayed at the top of the screen so that you can have a real informed decision about the character your making, and whether you feel it suits your play style. Then, you choose your species. Some species are class specific, for example the Cyborg species is restricted to Troopers and Smugglers in the Republic faction, while the Miraluka species is restricted to Jedi Knight and Consular. Each species has a 'social ability', for example; human species can 'rally' their allies, while cyborgs can 'scan targets'. It'll be interesting to see how this can effect both combat and dialogue - it would be cool for a cyborg to be able to tell if a character is lying by scanning them for stolen goods etc.
Then, class and species picked, you move on to the aesthetic customisation of your character. You have four main body types to choose from; small and slight, the 'average' setting, the body builder, and the big ol' tub of lard. That's right - fat Jedi are in The Old Republic to stay. To be fair, the muscular version looks just as ridiculous when in scenes next to 'normal' sized players. Then, you can change the hair (including an emo style! It's sad being a Sith), the eyes, the face shape, the beards, as well as the option to give your character a tattoo or a scar - one option looking like something akin to Frankenstein's monster, and another which might have been a tribute to Han Solo's (or Harrison Ford's) scar on his chin. All neat options, with alternative customisation available to the different species and classes (for example, a Twi'lek can chose the pattern on their lekku (brain-tail thingys)
And then that's it, you pick your name and hope that it's available, and then you're sent off to start your new life in The Old Republic. Before I was forced to lower the graphical capabilities, the detail on the character models did look great. A sort of cartoonish style, but not far from the styling of Dragon Age. The hair and scars look great, it's just a shame that if your system isn't up to scratch you won't be able to appreciate it all the time.
And we're off...
So my first run through was with the Trooper class, and like with all classes you are first greeted with the traditional Star Wars scrolling yellow prologue which gives you a little bit of a back story into who your character is and where he/she comes from. This is a really nice touch and adds that level of personalisation that attaches you to your character. Then, in typical Star Wars fashion, the camera pans out to, in my case, the ship that my trooper was in on his way to whatever battle he was to be a part of. When I played through as a Sith Warrior, I was sent down to a completely different planet to meet with my overseer, while playing as a Smuggler I was sent to the same planet as the Trooper, just under different circumstances. So it would seem that you'll sometimes be paired with a similar class during the first few levels of play, so it might be a while before you meet with the other classes who are off doing their own thing on their planet. Once on the planet, you're immediately given a mission, and in the case of the Smuggler and the Trooper, that mission involves killing enemy troops and destroying enemy equipment. It's a nice idea, and having seen the opening moments from both camps, I think it does a good job of giving your character his/her own special reason for being on the planet and for doing whatever it is you chose to do.
So I didn't really get far enough to play any of the actual 'flashpoints' that are available, but I did take on a few quests on my own which was met with satisfying dialogue options with pretty good voice acting. But, then I figured out how to ask other players running around me to join my group, and after many rejected attempts, my Smuggler character finally was joined by a burly Trooper (Gnubb I think...) who was surprisingly more than happy to follow me on my quests, as I too was happy to follow him on his. This led up to one of the main selling points of The Old Republic - multiplayer missions, and more specifically, multiplayer dialogue. In some cases, I could take the role of a spectator in the integral story quests that the Gnubb had to fulfil - this meant that I was able to see the cutscenes that the Gnubb was taking part in, and follow how his own personal story is setting out. I loved this, as it meant that I could tell what sort of character this stranger was, and how he was choosing to play the game. While my Smuggler was on board with the whole 'anti-hero' vibe, Gnubb was a straigh-laced soldier who followed orders and strove to help the helpless. Then, in some of the side-missions, we were given the option to approach dialogue together - with both characters interacting at the same time. For those of you who don't already know this, both players will be given the opportunity to respond to the character that they are talking to as a group, and based on a rolled score, both will be given the chance to have their character respond to the quest-giver in the way that they have chosen. If you decide that you want to be a smart-ass to the NPC, then you chose that option, and if Gnubb wanted to be more forgiving, he would chose his option. Then the scores would be calculated, and the higher number would create the character response - sometimes with devastating effects. This is an interesting one, as it really allows each person to have their own say in the story, while still playing in a group - the action and events aren't dictated by one person, and it is entirely possible to change the way the mission plays out just by making a choice that differs from your fellow player, or players. It'll be particularly amusing when you are faced with having a character's life in your hands, and decide that actually - your Jedi Knight is toying with the darkside, and you have the character killed, while the Trooper that you've been playing with can only watch in horror.
And then...
...my game crashed - again probably because my little ol' laptop can't keep up. But I did actually have a lot of fun fulfilling quests and watching a story line develop. I've never played a MMORPG before, so I don't really know how well this holds up to competition, but coming from a background of RPG's that focus on storytelling, I really enjoyed being able to chose how to enjoy the game despite it being a multiplayer experience, and I look forward to the full release next month. I've had a taste of Smuggler, Trooper and Sith Warrior, and if possible I will try some of the other classes before the beta finishes, but at the same time, I don't want to ruin it. It's obviously possible to have multiple characters, but I'll want to focus on one character at first before I go back and develop another.
If anyone else tried the beta and is somehow by amazing coincidence on this blog, let me know how you found it. Also, if anyone want to give me money for that Alienware.....if only!
So, most people who pre-ordered The Old Republic way back when pre-orders were announced, which all true Star Wars and Bioware fans obviously have done, will have this week been rewarded for their loyalty and excitement with an invitation to Beta test the game. One of those people being me. So, my weekend is pretty much sorted and I can wholly guarantee that I won't be contributing to my degree for those two days. If possible, I will upload some thoughts and pictures/videos/whatever from my impressions of the game so far - so eyes peeled if you want any information on that.
That is, of course, unless my University accommodation's server allows such gaming...oh god I might cry...
Essentially, all my free time at the moment has been spent playing Skyrim, and I really don't feel like that time has been wasted. However, having waited eagerly for so long, I am in no rush to finish it (not that that would be an easy feat) so this isn't so much a review, but more a little description of just some of the things that I've liked so far about this game - things people may already know, but as I like to stay away from spoiler-news, a lot of this is new to me, and also, a lot of this may not be exciting at all to you.
Naming weapons
Not actually the blade I'm talking about...
So, I only just got a weapon that actually looks pretty darn badass and suits my playing style (sword and shield, never fails) and while I was mucking about trying to add some kickass enchantments to it (you can give your weapons and armour certain magical effects, such as fire damage or increasing the amount of health you have) I spied the option to 'Rename item'. What? I can rename my sword? It's a little perk, but every real fantasy lover knows that a sword just isn't a sword unless it has a name; see Aragorn's Anduril or Eddard Stark's Ice. So for people who really like to get into the whole role-playing aspect of these games, you'll appreciate the chance to ride off killing dragons with your mighty sword; Mr. Stabby! Or something else...
Bookcases
I also managed to purchase my first house in one of the towns of Skyrim, because I am an honoured guest or something. It wasn't much to begin with, but by investing some gold I was able to add some furnishings to make it seem more homely. Being a fan of the Sims franchise, I like the idea of being able to customise houses for your characters, so I set to work leaving things on tables and such, but then I saw that interacting with a bookcase allowed me to store the books that I had pilfered on my journey in a neat stack. I love that, and it actually made me more likely to pick up otherwise useless tomes to make my character seem like the well red sort. I don't even know if this was or was not an option in Oblivion, but it was a nice surprise for me.
Followers
You will either love or hate Lydia...
Having an extra sword to follow you around and carry your heavy items isn't a new thing in Bethesda games - there were options for that in Oblivion and the Fallout games, but in Skyrim you can recruit a heck of a lot more. You can only really have one follow you around at one time, but, for example, I recently became head of a certain guild (not planning on ruining anything here, don't worry) and once in this position, I could walk into the headquarters and just pick one of the warriors to come with me at the drop of a hat. I'm not sure if there are any substantial differences between the vast amount of characters you can have accompany you, but generally you will have them be the first rushing into battle to save your skin. The only aggravating thing is when they bar your way, but this is easily remedied, as there is a new 'control' function where you can directly tell your follower to do interact with a certain part of the environment, which can come in handy when you are suspicious about walking into a dark room, but not suspicious enough to not send your hapless friend in there first.
Children
To be honest, it isn't a big deal when children aren't present in these sort of games, but I really noticed it in Oblivion as there was one side-mission where a woman, who didn't seem that elderly, sent me off to rescue her daughter, who turned out to be a fully grown woman. Children in Skyrim will come up to you, spout annoying crap now and then, but generally just add to the realism of the world, sometimes commenting about how they work with their mother, or admiring the fact that you walk around with such glorious armour. One little thing that I enjoyed partaking in was when a small boy invited me to play tag with him and his friends. Why the hell not? He chased and I chased and...wow...I'm sure you wouldn't get away with that in a modern day game...
Procrastinating
The animations when crafting items is another plus to Skyrim
As I said before, I am in no rush to finish this game, I intend to enjoy it to the fullest. In this sense, Skyrim has made every effort to allow you to completely ignore quests and still do something productive. There are skills that you can pursue, such as cooking, smithery, alchemy and so on, and you might be pleasantly surprised that you can actually see your character carrying out these tasks - it isn't a simple menu-based interaction like in Fallout 3 when you wanted to repair your weapon, this time you will actually see your character crouch down to sharpen his sword at a grindstone. You can scour the land for flowers and insects to use in Alchemy, a perk which levels like most other talents in the game, to create potions and poisons. I like the idea that you, at first, don't actually know what the ingredients you've collected will do, so in order to find out their effects you have to be your own guinea-pig and consume them. You can pick up a pickaxe and mine deposits for iron ore, which you can then smelt into ingots, which then in turn can be forged into weapons and armour. This is definitely something worth putting time and effort into, as the top of the perk-tree for the Blacksmith skill is being able to create dragon armour...duh! It just adds to the character you want to create - yes he is Dragonborn and sure he probably has some major role in turn of events, but what if he wasn't? I like the idea that my character could have been a blacksmith, a cook, an alchemist, a hunter, a farmer, whatever, before he was thrown into the world of dragons. I might be alone in this,but if you like roleplaying, being able to develop your character in any way is always exciting.
Beasts and baddies
Oh god oh god oh god
The fast-travel function is back in Skyrim, which is good when you don't have much time to spare, but if you do feel like taking in the scenery, walking across the land is always good fun. Good fun, and dangerous. The beasts and bandits are all over Skyrim, some that are more an annoyance than a real threat, and others that will have you sprinting for help. What is nice is that you don't find the same old enemies everywhere you travel; while walking across the grassy plains you'll see deer grazing, and foxes scampering around, before you're set upon by wolves. But, when you traverse to the icy realms you'll start to encounter what look like walruses, and ice trolls. You'll also be bumping into groups of bandits and rogue mages, except they don't always rush in to fight you. There have been many times where I have accidentally stumbled in on a couple of bandits who are simply sitting around eating, and although swords were immediately drawn, there was a moment of a stand-off. Instead of charging in, I was 'warned' to back away. It was only when I stubbornly strode forward towards them that they decided a fight was unavoidable and went for me; I could have easily turned and left them well alone. Again, a dimension of realism in the characters - bandits are bad sure enough, but maybe they aren't always in the mood to fight, and maybe there will be times when they'll try to avoid it because they really aren't in the mood.
The one slightly strange thing about the beasts and such, is that there are some beasts that you will dread to walk into as, early on at least, fighting one is a real hassle. Yet, when a dragon soars down, it isn't that hard in comparison. It might just be because dragons are huge targets that don't move so fast, but I would rather take on a dragon than a troll or a bear, because despite being half my size, with no wings, and no fire-breath, a bear can kill me quite easily. I suppose since the dragons are unscripted and can just fly in on you at whatever point, it wouldn't make sense to make them too hard as it would create way too many rage-quits, it's just an oddity is all.
I'm sure my comments on this game will develop over the next month or so, so this will most likely not be the only post about my epic journey across Skyrim.
It's here, or really, it's been here for about four days now seeing as Amazon didn't manage to get it to me until yesterday (though I can't complain, they got Skyrim to me a day early!) but the final Modern Warfare game has hit shelves for the whole of three seconds before somebody snatches them down to cradle them home to their PS3 or Xbox360. Now, I live in university accommodation at the moment so the server connecting to the immensely popular multiplayer has been blocked, which means I can't really sample the main appeal of this game. But, Call of Duty has by now means forgotten about the offline content for its games, and fans of the series will be yearning to find out where the campaign takes the story in order to end this heart-racing saga.
Now, I hate spoiling the plot of games and films because everything is always so much better when it surprises you, but it will surprise no fans of the series that you'll be seeing the hard duo Soap and Captain Price jetting across the world in their mission to kick the dastardly Makarov's arse. But, from teaser trailers and press releases, you'll already know that not all the action is following Soap and Price, but also covers the breakout of 'World War 3' across America and Europe. As is popular in games and films these days, prepare to see mass destruction of famous landmarks and buildings crashing down around you between intense gunfire and explosions. The campaign isn't particularly long, but it is exciting throughout with the intense battles and use of the extremely effective armoury at your disposal. The action sequences sometimes border silly (in fact, this happens a lot) but they keep you feeling like the most bad-ass soldier to grace this virtual world, be it by breaching a room full of enemy soldiers and taking them each out single handedly, or sliding at break-neck speed down the side of a collapsing building with only seconds to steer your fall out of deaths way. The controls easy to use and you'll be taking out the opposition with ease after the first few minutes of play. The enemy AI good, sometimes you'll be scoffing at how easily they managed to shoot you from across the battlefield, but then you'll peg three soldiers in quick succession and remember that the game has to keep up with what is effectively a super-soldier. The graphics seem great on the PS3, nothing ground breaking and it is hard to really appreciate it when you're chasing an objective, but you'll easily find yourself immersed in play. Some of the upgrades to the weapons that you use are the very definition of 'cool' - being able to switch between a long range and short range scope with a simple flick of the hand is pure genius, and everything from the look of the gun to the view down the sights reminds you of the sheer power of these tools to cause mayhem.
My only despair with the campaign mode is that it didn't seem very long, but in earnest it was cursed with the 'just one more level' effect, so its lack of longevity is partially my fault. The thing is, Modern Warfare 3 keeps you excited all the way through, because the likelihood is you'll never experience such action in real life. So it is only natural that you finish wanting more, and then, of course, you are left with what will most likely be a highly addictive and competitive online multiplayer, and the return of Spec-Ops to test your skills with friends in well thought out challenge modes.
So what will happen with Call of Duty next? Is this really the end of Modern Warfare? Can they even surpass the excitement of this game, or will they wait until the arrival of the next generation of consoles to bring a new frenzy of bullets and fire? Only time will tell.
Just two days until Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 hits the shelves and this pretty cool live-action ad gets us pumped. Starring a pretty slim looking Jonah Hill (Superbad, Get Him to the Greek) and buff as always Sam Worthington (Terminator:Salvation, Avatar). Looking forward to it!
Just a quick update video from Bioware showing how the Imperial Agent class would play out in their ambitious MMORPG out late this year - I hear that both this and the Smuggler class have been the least likely to be played as in testing so far...it sure would be cool to act as a sniper, albeit infuriating for opposition players, but I still think the Bounty Hunter is going to be more tempting in the long run.
I've been pretty lazy when it's come to The Help; I saw the book on shelves, my mother bought the book, I said I would read it but I never got round to it. Then I heard that there was a film adaptation, so I decided I could ingest it that way instead. I don't know if I'll ever get round to reading the book, especially now, because the film did a damn fine job and I don't see what else I'd need to get from the story. That being said, if you have read the book, see the film, because even without any real knowledge about the story I was gripped.
The Help follows an aspiring author Eugenia 'Skeeter' Phelan (Emma Stone) in the early 1960's who returns home to Jackson after four years of university. She is welcomed back by the typical 'stepford wives' of the town, but in her pursuit to become a fully fledged journalist she opts to come to know the African American maids who work in each and every white household, cooking the food, cleaning the floors and most importantly, raising the kids. The two main protagonists are Aibileen (Viola Davis) and Minny (Octavia Spencer), maids who take the risk of anonymously telling their stories of life as a maid to Skeeter, putting their lives on the line to give a perspective that nobody has heard, and nobody wants known. Cue emotional tales, revulsion at the behaviour of the heads of the houses, and tear-jerking moments of either sadness or pride in the underdog making a stand. There are a few comedic moments that will have you chuckling, but it's a nice and heartfelt piece with stellar acting despite a lack of big names attached to the bill.
It's the type of film that can sadden you when you think of how life used to be in these parts of the world, but it is a heart-warming film that throws up the themes of bravery and courage in standing up to what society deems to be normal, and although there aren't really any 'jump out of your chair and cheer' moments, you will be glad to have seen it.
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
I never really was a fan of Tintin - I don't know if it was just because it was before my time, if I didn't like the artwork, didn't like gingers (joking, joking) or just wasn't really introduced to it, but I wasn't too excited about this film. Leaving the cinema, I'm still not particularly a fan of Tintin, but I definitely enjoyed the work that was put into a superbly directed and exquisitely animated film following the young investigative reporter Tintin on his adventures with his loyal pup Snowy. Although I am sure that fans of the comics will get much more out of the film than I will, I doubt anyone will see the film and feel that their time has been wasted.
The most striking thing about this adaptation is the CGI, and again how far it has come in the past decade. Yes, the film maintains a certain cartoonish quality with its characters, but the environments and character motions are exemplary. I saw it in 2D but I think this is probably the only film that I felt I should have paid the extra few quid to see in three-dimensions with the graphics as good as they are, but with Spielberg and Peter Jackson behind it you should expect no less.
The characters are fun, if not somewhat annoying if you are a stranger to the material, but in any case keep the story flowing at an amusing pace. The action is the highlight however, with any restraints that may occur with live-action films being tossed out the window to allow one particularly exciting car-chase through a populated town and a ridiculous aeroplane journey across a desert. It ends with the possibility for a sequel, and if the technical prowess of the film is anything to go by; this can only be a good thing.
Now, what kind of Browncoat would I be if I didn't have the Firefly box set on Blu-Ray? A ruttin' bad one. However, I have put off watching the series for a month or so now, simply because it depresses me, especially during the last couple of episodes. The knowledge that this great show, a haven for sci-fi geeks and people looking for something edgy and different, was coming to an end is one of the most heart wrenching feelings in the world. The thought of how much potential this show had, the stories it could have told and the places it could have taken us to leaves such a sense of longing that it's unbearable. People may not understand that, it's just a show after all.
But it wasn't just a show - it was an amazingly good show. There weren't dramatic twists every episode, nor were there the tense action that one might find in 24 or something of that ilk. Instead, it was character driven, and with a main cast of nine, there was something for everyone.
You had Mal Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), the captain of the Firefly class ship Serenity. A charismatic, cunning, but damaged man from a war he was on the losing side of (though not convincingly the wrong side), Mal takes the opportunity for freedom in the universe by captaining a ship made for smugglers. Taking both legal and illegal work (mostly illegal), Mal seldom breaks his own moral code, and nothing is more important to him than the welfare of his crew - something that comes as a surprise to those who don't know him. A great lead for a show, not always chirpy and honest - a regular Han Solo of sorts.
Zoe and Wash, played by Gina Torres and Alan Tudyk respectively. Zoe, the battle-hardened first-mate of Serenity, dutifully following her battle comrade Mal Reynolds wherever his misfortune takes them. Stern, determined and strong, Zoe is a woman you don't want to cross. If it wasn't for the airtight relationship and respect between her and Mal, you'd think she'd aptly be able to captain the ship herself, and possibly do a more efficient job of it. Joss Whedon is known for creating strong female characters, and this is one you'd definitely want on your side. And in the case of ace-pilot Wash, you'd want her by your side through sickness and in health. The pairing of the ice-cold Zoe and the jolly joking Wash is an interesting one, and they work as one of the more realistic and admirable on-screen couples of television. Wash provides comic relief in any situation, but we can also see that he has his own fire in his belly when things get heated, even when confronting his amazon goddess of a wife. Following their relationship past the series would have been interesting, knowing Whedon's style of mixing up relationships in his shows.
Inara Serra (Morena Baccarin) brought an element of elegance to the dusty, gritty world of Serenity in a most unusual fashion. As a Companion - something akin to a geisha - Inara maintained an air of grace in an otherwise rude and uncompromising world. She was an insightful and beautiful character, and one not easy to figure out - she had her own secrets and was very good at, nay, trained in ways to keep them. But that isn't the main reason we love her; she was the unobtainable prize that our Mal Reynolds secretly sought, and we were all wishing and waiting that they would put aside their petty squabbles and sing out their feelings to the vacuum of space. They bickered and challenged each other, both quite obviously afraid and uncertain of the feelings between them, and by the final episodes anyone who wasn't screaming at the screen for them to get together can only be described as heartless. Also, she's hot.
If Inara Serra had secrets to keep, you can bet they weren't as much interest to fans as the dark and mysterious past of Shepherd Derrial Book (Ron Glass). A evangelist of sorts, Book joined the ship as a sort of pilgrimage, and since boarding took the role of reminding the crew (much to the chagrin of the ship's captain) of the morality of their actions. That isn't to say he was a buzzkill, he just tried to keep people on the straight and narrow, though in many instances this proved impossible. But, behind this good-willed nature, was a mystery that befuddled both fans and shipmates - for a Shepherd, Book was remarkably well versed in the goings on of the type of crime that Mal and his crew found themselves in, and showed proficiency in both armed and unarmed self defence. The mystery of Book was unravelled in one of the recently released comics that tie up some of the loose ends created by the shows sudden demise, which if you are a fan of the series and haven't read, it's definitely worth forking out for.
The hero of Canton is the man they call Jayne Cobb (Adam Baldwin) and for fans of the show, Jayne was a different type of hero. Crass, sometimes disgusting, not plagued with an abundance of schooling; Jayne was the oaf that you just had to love. His loyalty was bought rather than earned, and it was no secret to anyone on the crew that he if the reward was big enough he'd likely turn on them in an instant. Why did they tolerate him? Because he was the muscle, and a damn useful piece of muscle to have in the various sticky situations they were often found in. With the strength of three men and an unhealthy obsession with firearms, Jayne is the character most people would want by their side in a fight, as long as they could keep a steady income. He may have rubbed others in the crew the wrong way, but he had his own moments of heroism that showed that there was at least some conscience buried beneath that thick skull.
Kaylee Frye(Jewel Staite) is the adorable mechanic that is too cute to function. I'm not really sure what that means, but I'll explain why I love her. Kaylee seems to represent innocence in the 'verse, and plays a part on the ship that not only keeps in running in a mechanical sense, but in a communal sense as well. You can imagine that it must get awful lonely drifting through space, but with Kaylee around you wouldn't feel unappreciated in any way. She had time for everyone and always thought the best of people, even knuckleheads like Jayne. For this reason, it seemed as if the crew used her as an outlet for their caring nature, forming familial bonds as protective brothers or doting mothers. I think in most social groups there's that one person that you look out for more than others, and Kaylee is that person on Serenity.
In some ways the focus of the series, Simon (Sean Maher) and River Tam (Summer Glau) are the out of place wanderers far, far away from home. River, a mysterious young girl who is wanted desperately by her past captors, the Alliance, was freed by the sole efforts of her older brother Simon, a gifted surgeon from one of the richer planets in the universe, damning the both of them to live as fugitives. Where their lives would have ended up if they hadn't boarded Serenity? Who knows, but thank goodness they did. Simon never thought he'd be out in the ass-end of the galaxy scrounging for scraps, but here he is as a thoroughly overqualified ship's medic. As a result, it takes him a while to shed his formerly pampered roots and adjust to life on a ship of thieves, and in watching him grow more and more accustomed to this new life he has been forced to lead is a great piece of narrative. Despite empathising with his situation, at first you too will at points find him annoying and wish for him to loosen up, and though he never really loses his manners or general demeanour, throughout the course of the series he becomes more and more willing to take on a rougher version of himself. And, his courage and determination to protect his sister is always admirable; a true hero in that sense. River is even more out of place than her brother, not just on the ship, but with people in general. We don't know what the Alliance did to her or why they did it, but what they created was a young girl who spouts nonsense one minute and delivers chilling insight the next. She has a much more established role in the film that eventually followed the series, where a lot of the questions that we had about her were answered, and we saw more of what she was capable of. Had the show not ended and the film not occurred, you can bet that the development of River's adventures would have gotten more and more complex and thrilling as time on the ship passed by.
And that is that, my love for a show that should have seen more of the world than it was allowed. If you haven't been blessed with this knowledge, then find the series, watch the film and read the comics - it will raise the bar for all film you ingest from then on.
Take my love, take my land Take me where I cannot stand I don't care, I'm still free You can't take the sky from me Take me out to the black Tell them I ain't coming back Burn the land and boil the sea You can't take the sky from me There's no place I can be Since I found Serenity But you can't take the sky from me...
Firefly Theme Song Written By Joss Whedon and Performed By Sonny Rhodes
Melanie Iglesias Flip Book: Part 3 - Halloween Edition!
The good news; we have another stunning and heart-attack inducing flip book from the beautiful Melanie Iglesias showing off her steaming body and picturesque visage. The bad news; it's the finale! Hope to whatever power in the 'verse that we see more and more of this girl, and follow her on twitter(click the link below the picture from her twitter account) for first grabs at updates - or to just kid yourself that she's talking to you and you alone (that's what I always do!)
Love it. If you haven't seen the other two (what have you been doing with your life?) then either search through the backlogs of this blog or do the hard work yourself and find it on YouTube.
Note - this has been the only thing to pull me away from playing Batman: Arkham City
This is both the game that the world needs, as well as the game that the world wants - I tried to think how I would word that Dark Knight reference; it didn't really pan out all that well. Anyway; one day after release I got my hands on Batman: Arkham City for the Playstation 3 and I have wasted a whole day playing it. Well, not wasted; just spent a whole day on a highly addictive game. And oh, is it addictive.
So anybody who played the Arkham Asylum game a couple of years back will know why everyone was waiting with baited breath for the release of this sequel. Asylum did for Batman games what Christoper Nolan has done for Batman films. We relished at the combos, counter-attacks, gadgets and pummelling familiar villains, and Arkham City delivers more of the same, with a whole lot more pumped in. I have only progressed so far into the game, and I can tell that I've only brushed the top of the sidequests and challenges available, and immediately I'm kicking ass and taking names. I've seen Two-Face, Catwoman, The Penguin, The Joker, Bane and heard rumours of many more lesser known Batman baddies to come. The combat mechanics are just as gratifyingly awesome as before, with more satisfying counter-attacks added to Bruce Wayne's arsenal; a particular highlight has to be being able to counter-attack three goons at once, and whenever Batman uses his environment as a tool to smash a thug's face into. And although the moves are simple to execute with one button for attack and one button to counter, the game doesn't seem too easy; early on there are different types of enemies to face that require different tactics, and if you aren't paying attention they'll get the better of you. My only problem with the combat system is you barely notice that your health is almost depleted - you'll be merrily fighting, and then one lame kick to the knees will have 'killed' you, and you'll realise that you've taken a few too many hits in your attempts to finish of each thug in a spectacular fashion.
Arkham City is also a bigger playground to play in, and being able to grapple and glide your way across the city in style reminds me of the successful Spiderman 2, except darker and more gritty. You'll often be distracted from the main goal by Riddler's Trophies, or a citizen in distress, or just a bunch of goons minding their own evil business. Then, you'll likely enter one of the many buildings to continue the main story line, and at some point you'll have to utilise the gadgets at Batman's disposal to navigate your way through, as well as think of ways to defeat a room of guards with guns. Here, so far, I haven't been blown away. In Asylum, the parts where you stealthily took out thugs one by one was particularly satisfying because of the options you had available. The options are still here in Arkham City, but you'll probably find yourself falling back on familiar techniques to get the job done. That being said, the AI has improved considerably and you will have to try and be more original as the game progresses; now your enemies will blow away the handy vantage points you use to swing from, just because they know it will make your job that little bit harder. And, once you've used one trick (say, breaking a fire extinguisher to catch their attention), you'll be hard pressed to convince them to fall for it again (one thug actually shouted out into the darkness "you think I'm that stupid to fall for that twice?"). I'm just hoping that there will be more opportunities to feel like a real Batman predator in the later parts of the game.
I don't want to spoil any of the plot points or anything like that, but the story is gripping and has a sense of urgency, although you won't feel too bad if you divert off the path now and then to grab a few items. It's hard not to squeal in nerdy excitement when some of the characters that you love or love to hate appear, (as you may have noticed I have not commented on the playable Catwoman section - my internet is down as I am in university dorms so I can't download it to my Playstation!) and when you have a spare moment it's worth looking through the database of characters that are mentioned. You'll be surprised when you spend a good five hours playing, and upon reloading your game you find you've only managed around 7% completion, which can only be an encouraging sign. If you like Batman, you'll like this.
This may be old news to some of you, but in Japan they had the original treasure-hunter badass Harrison Ford playing through some of the upcoming Uncharted 3 Playstation 3 exclusive game. The Uncharted games are known for their cinematic action sequences that allow the player to perform amazing feats; in this clip it looks like a fight on board a aeroplane. What's particularly cool about this video is how excited the normally grumpy Harrison gets over playing through the game; close to how I imagine most adults who have decided videogames are for children only would react if they were allowed to quickly sneak into their youngster's room and boot up the PS3 for a glimpse at what all the fuss is about. Games have come such a long way, the industry is as big if not bigger than Hollywood, and the possibilities just keep on growing with the great minds behind the development companies. I wonder what where the world of gaming will end up by the time I have kids, and whether or not I will have laid down my controller long enough to be surprised like Ford here.
So, in a few words; Real Steel is a pretty good film that is a few screws loose from being a great film. See, I said 'few screws' - it's a pun right? Ha ha ha.
Anyway, so Real Steel is a film about robots fighting robots, which is pretty much a tried and tested form of entertainment for most children when you think about it; Transformers, Gundam, Power Rangers, you get the idea. Throw in some state of the art motion capture technology and some blockbusting actors and you're set, right? Well, yeah, actually; the film does what it sets out to do, and that must surely be to entertain. There's nothing overly complicated or original, you have the father-son bonding, a underdog fighting his way to the top, realising your true potential, yada yada, but somehow the film seems fresh aid ropes you in to rooting for the little guy, or in this case, the little robot; Atom. The special effects are amazing, and although this is rarely a real selling point for a good movie, it allows the fight scenes to seem more realistic, which is hard to say for a show that is essentially two action figures going at it. Hugh Jackman is his regular buff self, the kid (Dakota Goyo) isn't annoying, and the support cast are pretty neat too. (Pretty neat? I don't know, it's been a long day) You will find that familiar tingle in your spine from Rocky and most other well-done fighting films at the climactic showdown at the end, and the general storyline is satisfying without straying into corny. There are just a few things that I had issue with.
Firstly, the robot that is, I guess, the main robot character (Atom) isn't really developed too much. In this film, the robots are essentially just clever machines that are still controlled by a human, but quite early on in the film (so this isn't really a spoiler) it seems that Atom has some sort of understanding of himself, conceptualised by a moment where it looks into a mirror to see the metallic form of its...face I guess? Because of this, I was expecting some sort of revelation where this robot proves that he is actually an intelligent piece of equipment, rather than just a drone following orders, but it never came. So it just feels as if maybe they missed some parts out. There will be one moment where you'll be wishing for the Atom to take a mind of its own and save the day, but it doesn't come, leaving me to wonder why they added this bit of personification in in the first place.
The other point that I feel was missing was that there wasn't really a bad guy in the film - so while you'll definitely be rooting for Atom in the climax, they could have intensified this by, I don't know, having the opposing robot break Hugh Jackman's arm or sleep with his girlfriend. Yes? Maybe not. Finally, in this world where there are these state of the art robots fighting battles against each other, you can't help but think that there should be some pretty hefty technological developments everywhere else - but you don't see much of that. Are fighting robots the only robots that exist?
But, all in all, worth a view, even if only once. Oh, and also...
Gotta love it! I cannot express how pumped up I am for this game, and although the cinematic trailers that we've seen already are amazing, it's nice to see something that focuses a little more on what gameplay might actually look like. Yet still, the greatest worry I have is deciding what character class to take on! For those of you who don't know, I will briefly outline the classes available to you in this new MMORPG coming from Bioware; the minds behind Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Knights of the Old Republic.
Trooper - Probably going to be the choice for people who want to play as the tank in The Old Republic; Troopers have heavy armour and pack a heavy punch. While the Jedi are all calm and righteous, it'd be nice to play as a gruff soldier who is fighting for honour and all that jazz.
Smuggler - For those that can't get enough of those Han Solo and Malcolm Reynolds characters, if you prefer flashy moves and sarcasm, the Smuggler is probably the way to go. Light armour, light weaponry, but more than a few tricks up their sleeves, that's to be certain, and I'm fairly sure your main companion will be a Wookie...what more could you ask for?
Jedi Knight - Duh, it's a Jedi Knight - why wouldn't you want to be a Jedi? Lightsabers, force pushing and pulling all over the place - the Jedi Knight will probably be a basic character for everyone; a class that can run into the midst of battle and expect to come out the other side unscathed. The specialisation that leads to being able to wield two lightsabers at once is sure to be popular
Jedi Consular - Probably for the more tactical players, the Consular is sure to boast status boosting skills for their party, and detrimental area of effect attacks for any enemies that cross your path. Mastery of the Force will surely come in handy when being faced down by an army of Sith, and you can bet that whoever you play with will be happy for some powerful healing and power-boosting 'magic' when things get heated.
Bounty Hunter - Where's the fun in being good all the time? Kicking ass isn't nearly as fun unless it's coupled with not taking orders from anybody. The Bounty Hunter may work for the dark side for a price, but you can bet that they'll have their own rules. Not to mention they'll be armed to the teeth with flamethrowers, poison darts, the works.
Sith Warrior - You don't know the power of the dark side. The Jedi may be cool and calm, but when you see the hulking mass of a Sith Warrior bearing down on you, you'll know which side you'd prefer to be on. Kitted out with heavy armours and the like, the Sith Warrior is likely to be the tank for the Dark Side, and a tank that nobody will want to get too close to.
Imperial Agent - I don't quite know what to make of this character class; I figure people are more likely to choose one of the Sith or Bounty Hunter types instead. But it looks like the Agent will have something a bit more subtle than the jetpack wearing Bounty Hunter or lightsaber wielding Sith Warrior. I'm thinking sniper rifles, stealth, and a whole load of other tactics that will have the player chuckling with glee, and the opponent crushing his keyboard in frustration.
Sith Inquisitor - If you prefer the whole 'I'm going to kill you with lightning' thing that the Sith have going on, then the Inquisitor is the way to go. It looks like you get some hulk of a beast to help you out from the beginning, so while you're torturing hapless Republic Troopers you can be confident that they won't get too close to you if your companion has anything to say about it.
The best part is, you don't have to pay attention to any of what I just said. The game is going to fit around how you want your character to act. Who says your Jedi has to stick to the rules all the time? Maybe your Sith Warrior doesn't feel like killing that third person today? Bounty Hunters have time for love too, right? Knowing this is going to make the decision even harder for you, and I haven't even detailed the ships, the specialisations, the companions, and so on that differ for each character class. Ever wish that games were back in simpler times where you had to be one type of character and that was it? No? Me neither.
Check out the official site for all the details right here
