Monthly Archives: January 2011

The King’s Speech [2010]

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The King's Speech [2010]

The King’s Speech [2010]
Directors: Tom Hooper
Genre: Drama/History
Language: English
Country: UK/Australia/USA

Going into The King’s Speech, I wasn’t particularly interested in seeing it. I figured it would be a good movie since it was backed by a largely positive critical response, but it just didn’t strike me as something I wanted to watch. I knew the general premise going in — King George VI has a speech impediment and struggles valiantly with this problem before finally delivering a successful speech — and it just felt that watching something where I already knew the outcome would be less than enthralling. Well, let’s just say that I am glad that I caved in and finally watched this damn movie. It was refreshing to watch something inspirational for a change — it seems my movie-watching habits as of late have tilted heavily toward the dark side.

The King’s Speech excels for two reasons: Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush. Firth’s performance as King George VI is nothing short of brilliant. Listening to him stammer with his words over and over again is heartbreaking, and it is hard not to empathize with his painful inner-anxiety. Geoffrey Rush’s role as Lionel Logue, the King’s Australian speech therapist, is what really pushes the movie into greatness, however. I was pleasantly surprised with Rush’s demeanor — Logue doesn’t take shit from anyone including the King, even going so far as to regularly call him “Bertie” rather than “Your Highness.” This is a man who plays by his own rules, and although the King’s extreme anger issues cause a number of problems between the two of them, it is clear that a deep mutual level of respect is present, no matter how difficult their relationship gets.

The King’s Speech is very much a two man show, and Firth and Rush both deserved their Oscar nominations. The supporting cast is good, led by Helena Bonham Carter as the King’s wife, and Guy Pearce as King Edward VIII (George’s brother), but they are ultimately unimportant in the grand scheme of things. This is very much an inspirational story — no unnecessary twists here — and you can’t help but feel satisfied with how things develop. I wouldn’t go so far as to say The King’s Speech is the best movie of 2010 as many are now doing (it is a little slow at times), but it is damn good and is certainly in the top 10.

8/10

Doritos Crash Course [Xbox 360, 2010]

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Doritos Crash Course [Xbox 360]

Doritos Crash Course
System: Xbox 360
Developer: Wanako Studios
Release Date: December 8, 2010

Doritos Crash Course is the second free XBLA game (the other being Harms Way) that was released last month as part of the Doritos “Unlock Xbox” challenge. The game plays out like the summertime game show Wipeout. You control your character (which is actually your Xbox Avatar) and play through a relatively short side-scrolling obstacle course, with the goal being to complete the stage as quick as possible. This is fairly easy to do at first, but some of the later levels can get rather tricky. Swinging hammers can knock you into the water, paintballs can slow your progress and push you off, and conveyor belts can send you moving the wrong way, just to name a few examples. There are a fair amount of levels to work through, and this experience is enhanced by playing with a friend. I ran through the game with a buddy online and we had a good time racing each other to the finish line. I did find it kind of funny that you are essentially racing a cardboard cutout of your friend instead of the actual avatar though.

In comparison to Harms Way, I have to give Crash Course the slight advantage since it appeals more to a wider audience. Who doesn’t like the idea of an easy to pick up and play type game where you are basically playing a wacky game show? As mentioned earlier, some of the later levels get frustrating but as long as you play with a friend it helps keep the game enjoyable. Crash Course ended up winning the Doritos challenge, and I believe the game’s immediate appeal is what pushed it to the winner’s circle. For a quick, fun party fix, Crash Course is a good option.

7/10
Doritos Crash Course screenshot

Video Game Review: Just Cause 2 [Xbox 360, 2010]

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Just Cause 2 [Xbox 360]

Just Cause 2
System: Xbox 360
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Avalanche Studios
Release Date: March 23, 2010

Just Cause 2′s appeal lies in one simple concept: blowing shit up. Given an entire massive island as your playground, the possibilities to wreak havoc are endless. Want to hijack that helicopter flying above you? Go ahead and use your grappling hook to attach yourself to it, then throw out the pilot and take control. Bored of flying that helicopter? Jump out of it and use your parachute to safely get back to ground level, then watch the copter explode upon impact. Want to see more stuff explode? Head to one of the hundreds of locations scattered throughout the island and start shooting everything in sight — fuel tanks warrant the biggest explosions. Seriously, this game is a pyromaniac’s wet dream.

I played the first Just Cause a couple years ago, and it was underwhelming. The original promised a gigantic island to run around in, and it delivered in that aspect, but everything else was just dull and the Xbox 360 version did little to differentiate itself from its Xbox/PS2 brethren. Just Cause 2 is one of those elusive sequels that truly improves upon its predecessor in every single way. The island is even bigger, the graphics are vastly improved, and the game is just more fun in general. It’s still not perfect, but it is more enjoyable.

The game has a story mode that is beyond cheesy, and apparently that’s what the developers were going for. You play as Rico Rodriguez, a field agent for “The Agency” who is sent to the war torn island of Panau to overthrow its newest dictator. In order to do so, Rico aids a number of criminal factions in the area and causes destruction to anything he can see. The story limps along via cut scenes that showcase some of the most over-the-top and downright terrible voice acting that I have ever heard in a video game. It’s obvious that the game doesn’t take itself seriously, for better or for worse.

While you have the ability to progress through the main story missions, the most fun is had just exploring the ridiculously large island and finding more stuff to explode. This is one of the biggest open world games ever made, and it is nearly impossible to run out of things to do. The replay value is extremely high since you are given the ability to try to 100% all 368 locations, max out your weapons, perform street races, and do a plethora of side missions.

There are a few problems that hamper the experience, however. I can’t help but feel the game could have been more polished overall. The gun targeting system is floaty and does not feel right at all. There are occasions when controlling Rico in general feels awkward, although that is a minor problem. Ammunition is scarce in the early portions of the game, and it’s not until you upgrade your weapons that the ammo does not become as much of an issue. Also, the game does get repetitive after a while. I love to blow shit up just as much as the next guy, but a little more variety would have been nice.

In short, Just Cause 2 is a big improvement over the original game, and it offers a hell of a lot of things to do. Although it has a handful of flaws that hold it back from greatness, JC2 is still a fun sandbox adventure game that is worth looking into. Just don’t expect a particularly deep experience.

7/10

Frozen [2010]

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Frozen [2010]

Frozen [2010]
Directors: Adam Green
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Language: English
Country: USA

After watching the excellent Buried recently, I was intrigued to check out more movies with similar concepts — namely being stuck in a very difficult situation. Frozen is a survival thriller along the same lines. Three friends (a couple and the “third wheel”) get trapped on a ski lift due to an employee’s negligence. This situation is made worse due to the fact that the ski resort will not reopen for another five days. Oh yeah, and the three of them left their cellphones in their vehicle. They are pretty much fucked.

Frozen has an interesting premise, and that is why I was drawn to the movie. I have only been snowboarding once in my life, and I did not like riding on the ski lift at all. Since I am not particularly fond of heights, getting stuck on a ski lift would be absolutely terrifying for me. In building a sense of fear and suspense, Frozen succeeds. There is definitely a lot of tension, and it frequently makes you ponder what you would do in that situation. The problem herein is that the characters who are trapped are TOTAL IDIOTS. They do some foolish things to try to get off of the lift, and they ignore some basic principles that would help fight off frostbite and other problems caused by the cold (i.e. failing to stay as covered as possible, refusing to huddle up together, etc). It just blows my mind that they did not think of this stuff, and there are some even more glaring issues that I will not discuss for sake of spoilers.

During the opening stages of the movie, Frozen also comes across as painstakingly amateur. The three main characters (played by Shawn Ashmore, Kevin Zegers and Emma Bell) struggle with basic acting, and the dialogue is laughably bad. It isn’t until they get stuck on the ski lift that the movie picks up steam.

Even though I had issues with the way the characters acted, and there were some notable problems with certain situations in the movie, I have to give credit to director Adam Green for maintaining a high level of suspense throughout. There are some pretty nerve-wracking moments, and the tension is always present. If they would have cleaned up the plot a little bit and added some creative (or even logical) thinking from the characters, Frozen would be much better. As it stands, it is watchable — you’re just going to have to suspend your disbelief a little bit.

6/10

Black Swan [2010]

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Black Swan [2010]

Black Swan [2010]
Directors: Darren Aronofsky
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Language: English
Country: USA

Man, does Darren Aronofsky ever disappoint? Black Swan, his latest film, is among his best work. The movie is about ballet — rather, the dark side of ballet. Natalie Portman stars as Nina Sayers, a ballerina working for a prestigious New York ballet company. She has been performing for years but has yet to obtain her big breakthrough. This finally happens when there is an opening for the lead role in the big Swan Lake play. However, her director (Vincent Cassel) believes she is a strong fit for the innocent “White Swan” but not the evil “Black Swan” — the problem being that she is required to play both. The pressure to succeed at both roles becomes harder and harder, and it begins to take a toll on Nina. Her ridiculous amount of stress is not aided by her overbearing mother (Barbara Hershey), and Nina is also feeling intimidated by a newcomer (Mila Kunis) who she believes is out to steal her job.

As with any Aronofsky film, Black Swan follows the self-destruction of the lead character. Nina Sayers feels as if she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. There is sexual tension caused by her director, jealousy caused by the newcomer, and an unbelievable amount of pressure from her mother who is living vicariously through her daughter. All of this causes Nina to slowly begin to spiral out of control, and yeah, some fucked up shit happens.

Much has been said of Portman’s performance, and the overwhelming praise is well-deserved. She is simply phenomenal in this movie, and if she doesn’t win an Oscar for this it will be a damn shame. The amount of work she put into learning the ballet is unreal. The rest of the cast is just amazing as well, everyone from the sleazy Cassel to the gorgeous Kunis (who continues to improve with every role). I would be remiss not to mention the exceptional work done by Clint Mansell with the soundtrack — the classical music choices have been twisted to give this movie a very, very dark feel.

If I were to have one complaint, it would be the shaky camerawork that is prevalent during the first part of the movie. More of a minor inconvenience than anything, but still noteworthy.

Truth be told, Black Swan is just an all-around brilliant movie. I had no idea the world of ballet could be so disturbing. Hell, I could care less about ballet in general, so it says a lot that I was hooked through this movie all the way through. Black Swan is one of the best movies from 2010, and it is one that will surely leave a lasting impression on you as well. I cannot recommend this enough.

9/10

Harms Way [Xbox 360, 2010]

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Harms Way [Xbox 360, 2010]

Harms Way
System: Xbox 360
Developer: Bongfish
Release Date: December 8, 2010

Harms Way is a free Xbox Live Arcade game that was released last month as part of the Doritos “Unlock Xbox” challenge. As one of the two finalists of this contest (the other being Crash Course), Harms Way tackles the genre of action racing. The core racing is basically a budget version of Motorstorm, but there is also the added dynamic of being able to control a turret, and that sets it apart from similar titles.

Basically, you have the option to either drive or shoot. If you elect to drive, you choose one of four off-road vehicles and participate in a simple race with the options to obtain basic power-ups (nitro boosts, shields, etc). If you decide to shoot, you control the handful of turrets scattered around the course, and your job is to blow up the racers. Both concepts are simple enough, and it’s an easy pick-up-and-play type game. Single player mode gets old quick, but thankfully there is the ability to play with others (both splitscreen and online). The online community is pretty dead, so it is best to go to the local multiplayer route.

In a bit of a pleasant surprise, Harms Way is a good-looking game. The graphics could easily pass for a PS2/Xbox title, which is more than what can be said about other like-minded XBLA titles. Developer Bongfish really put a lot of effort into making this look better than it really should.

As a free game, Harms Way is more than adequate. Although light on content, its multiplayer options provide enough depth to bring gamers back for the casual game now and then. That’s all you can really ask for out of a free game. Hopefully Bongfish continues to create new games; it would be nice to see them develop a more fleshed-out title in the future.

6.5/10

- It should be noted that this game offers a ridiculously easy 200 gamerscore if you’re into that sort of thing.
Harms Way [Xbox 360, 2010]

Buried [2010]

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Buried [2010]

Buried [2010]
Directors: Rodrigo Cortés
Genre: Drama/Mystery/Thriller
Language: English
Country: Spain/USA/France

Ryan Reynolds. Buried Alive. In A Box. For 90 Minutes.

In a nutshell, that is Buried. Quite a concept, eh? In the wrong hands, this could be an absolute disaster. I mean, how can you make a 90-minute movie about someone in a box without it becoming trite and boring? Thankfully, director Rodrigo Cortés was more than up to the task for this challenge. Buried is easily one of the most suspenseful movies I have seen in quite some time, and it never has a dull moment.

Ryan Reynolds stars as Paul Conroy, an American truck driver in Iraq who was ambushed by insurgents while working. He blacked out during the attack and woke up buried alive. We don’t see any of the attack in the movie — this starts with Conroy in the box, desperately trying to find a way out. He is buried with a Zippo lighter and a cellphone, and he frantically uses the latter to call anyone and everyone who might help out (often with less than desirable results). We hear the conversations with everyone he talks to — 911, the Pentagon, his employer, etc. — but we never see things from their end. All we see is Conroy and the flickers of light from his Zippo, or the illuminated screen of the cellphone.

This is very much a one man show, and Reynolds does an admirable job keeping viewers entertained despite the lack of options on screen. His portrayal of Conroy is what I imagine most people would act like — he reacts in ways that I would likely do as well, alternating between rational thinking to just generally freaking the fuck out. Combine his performance with Cortes’s claustrophobic camerawork and you have one hell of a stressful movie.

Buried could have easily been a trainwreck of epic proportions, but it exceeded any and all expectations I had going into it. This is a non-stop thriller from beginning to end, and there were a lot of moments where I had no idea what was going to happen. As a vehicle for suspense, this is very impressive. Quite frankly, Buried is one of the best movies to come out in 2010. Highly recommended, unless you have severe claustrophobia.

9/10

Call of Duty: Black Ops [Xbox 360, 2010]

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Call of Duty: Black Ops [Xbox 360, 2010]

Call of Duty: Black Ops
System: Xbox 360
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Treyarch
Release Date: November 19, 2010

Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in.

Another year, another Call of Duty. The latest edition is from Treyarch, who also made Call of Duty: World at War and COD 3. Black Ops is their first foray into “modern” warfare, although it takes place during the 60′s and addresses both the Vietnam War and the Cold War. I must say that I am quite happy Treyarch didn’t go back to “ol’ reliable” because the last thing we need is another World War II first person shooter. Although the modern warfare FPS genre is beginning to get a little saturated as well, Black Ops keeps it fresh by going into the 60′s.

The single player campaigns are beginning to become almost an afterthought in the Call of Duty series, but they are still typically a lot of fun to play through. Black Ops is no exception, and it follows the story of a soldier who is being interrogated about information that he cannot remember. You play through various events in his life, picking up on bits and pieces of memories as you go along. There is a big plot twist at the end, but anyone who has seen a select movie or two will know exactly where the story is going. The individual levels are solid and some are particularly memorable — I loved riding in on a boat and blasting everything on screen while “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones played. I was a little annoyed that picking up guns and ammunition is basically worthless since you are given new weapons for every level, but that is a minor inconvenience. The campaign isn’t as good as the two Modern Warfare titles, but it’s still worthy of at least one play through.

The reason the majority of gamers play COD games is for the multiplayer. The same basic online play is still here, but there are some notable differences. For one, this time around you have to purchase upgrades for your weapons rather than unlock them via leveling up. The money required to do so is earned by performing well during game sessions and by gaining XP. One cool new “wager” mode provides the ability to gamble these COD points in an attempt to get even more. Most of the old favorite game modes are still here, such as Deathmatch, Headquarters and Domination, just to name a few, and most of the perks/weapons are back as well. There are also some welcome new additions that are unlocked over time. What I like most about Black Ops’ multiplayer is that you can pretty much mold your character into what you want it to be right from the beginning. It may take some time to unlock your favorite weapon, but you can gain access to all of the available perks very quickly.

Since this is a Treyarch game, it should also be noted that the Zombies mode is still available, if you’re into that sort of thing. The Spec Ops mode introduced in Modern Warfare 2 is nowhere to be found.

Overall, I cannot deny that Black Ops is an incredibly well made game, and it is easily the best COD game that Treyarch has released yet. I still prefer the previous two Modern Warfare games, but this one is right up there with them. Although the single player campaign is the usual six hours in length, the multiplayer provides countless hours of gameplay, and the new COD points system adds a whole new dynamic. I know I am going to spend a lot of time with this one…

8.5/10

Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout [Great Divide]

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Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout

Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company (Denver, Colorado)
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 9.5%

Oh man, do I love oak aged beers! I don’t know if I am just now noticing them or if they have exploded in popularity lately, but I seem to have been finding more oak aged brews than ever before. Great Divide’s Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout is the “sophisticated sibling” to the brewery’s regular Yeti Imperial Stout. I haven’t tried the regular stout so I won’t be able to compare between the two, but judging by the quality of this beer I am sure it’s great.

This oak aged stout pours very dark, almost completely black but with a mocha-colored head. Upon tasting, many different flavors come through. I noticed hints of chocolate and dark coffee, as well as a subtle vanilla touch that is caused by the oak aging. The tastes of roasted malts and hops are also prominent. The lingering aftertaste is strong and a little bitter, but I love it. This is a very easy Russian Imperial Stout to drink.

Compared to other similar stouts, Yeti is reasonably priced for a 22oz bottle. At 9.5% ABV, you definitely get your money’s worth as well. This is one of the better stouts I have had lately, and if you have any interest in oak-aged beers you really should give this a try.

8.5/10

Apparently there are also espresso oak aged and chocolate oak aged versions of this stout. Looks like I am going to have to take another trip to the beer depot!

Heat [1995]

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Heat [1995]

Heat [1995]
Directors: Michael Mann
Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller
Language: English
Country: USA

Heat is an epic crime film in every sense of the word. Michael Mann really went all out with this blockbuster, cashing in on his $60 million budget and getting the most out of the nearly three hour runtime. This Los Angeles-set movie is mainly focused on two men: Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino), a veteran LAPD homicide detective, and Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro), a lifelong criminal and expert robber. Both men live for one thing — the rush they get from their jobs — and their personal lives suffer from it. Once Hanna gets wind of McCauley’s criminal escapades throughout the city, he becomes fascinated by him and tracks him on his way to his biggest heist yet. The character development for these two characters is outstanding, and it is easy to become attached to both, even though one is clearly “good” and the other is “bad.”

The movie is aided by an unbelievably strong and star-studded cast. Seriously, this is a who’s-who of popular actors from the 90′s (although not restricted to that decade, obviously). De Niro frequently shares screen time with his group of thieves, which includes Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Danny Trejo and Kevin Gage. There are also small, but important, roles from Jon Voight, William Fichtner and Dennis Haysbert. Even a very young Natalie Portman is in this movie. Each of these characters has a fleshed-out storyline to make the viewer care about them, and that is impressive even with the movie’s extended running time.

And yeah, about that length. It took me a while to get around to this movie due to its prolonged running time. This is a long crime saga, and you have to be prepared to sit down for the full three hours to get through it. Is it worth watching all the way through? Yes, absolutely! While there are a number of subplots weaving in and out of the main storyline (some that probably could have been omitted), this is still very much an exceptional film due to excellent acting, a strong script and some downright badass scenes.

There are two scenes in particular that everyone talks about whenever Heat is brought up. One is the bank heist/shootout, an elongated gun battle that is quite possibly one of the best firefights ever recorded in film. The other is a sit-down scene where Pacino and De Niro have a cup of coffee, the very first time the actors have appeared together on screen. Much was made of this encounter when the movie came out, and it is still interesting to see it today. Both scenes are phenomenal, albeit in very different ways.

Some will cry that Mann went overboard with this movie, trying to cram too many stories into one film. I agree that a little probably could have been trimmed off the top, but I still very much enjoyed Heat. This is one of the best crime sagas that I have seen, and its frequent praise is well-deserved.

8.5/10