Tag Archives: 10/10

PC Game Review: Out of the Park Baseball 14

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Out of the Park Baseball 14

Out of the Park Baseball 14
System: PC (also on Mac/Linux)
Genre: Baseball Simulator
Publisher: Out of the Park Developments
Release Date: April 15, 2013

I have been an avid supporter of Out of the Park Baseball (OOTP) for years now, and it never ceases to amaze me how they come up with new ways to re-invigorate the game year after year. The latest, Out of the Park 14, is no exception.

For those unfamiliar with the series, OOTP is essentially a text-based baseball simulator. It is ridiculously deep with every kind of statistic imaginable. If you can think of it, you can do it in the game. Every season in baseball history can be played, complete with accurate rosters and player ratings, and fictional leagues are also available. You can act as owner, general manager and manager if you like, micro-managing even the slightest details. Different lineups and depth charts can be set for matchups against right-handed pitchers and lefties. Team finances can be controlled, including ticket prices. It’s mind-boggling exactly how many options are available.

This is a simulator with no end date — you can keep playing for hundreds of years, if you like. I have one saved game that I import to the newest version of OOTP year after year. I started it in 2010 and I am now in the year 2034, using one team and playing nearly every single game manually. At this point in my game, guys like Miguel Cabrera and Evan Longoria have been in the Hall of Fame for years. Now I find myself getting attached to fictional characters, especially players who I personally scouted and drafted. Even when they don’t pan out, I have a hard time parting with them. Maybe I’m getting too sentimental in my in-game old age.

Out of the Park Baseball 14

This year, I decided to start fresh with a new campaign to try out all of the game’s new bells and whistles. First, here’s a quick rundown of what happened in my simulated 2013 season:

  • The Tigers beat the Dodgers in seven games to win the World Series. The Tigers were down 3-1 but went on an impressive run once their offense started clicking, scoring a combined 32 runs in the last three games.
  • No World Series MVP was announced for some reason, but my guess is that it would have went to outfielder Andy Dirks, surprisingly enough. He hit .381 with 4 HR and 12 RBIs, including a monster 3-HR game. Miguel Cabrera (.367, 3 HR, 8 RBI) and Prince Fielder (.423, 2 HR, 10 RBI) would also be strong candidates.
  • Detroit manager Jim Leyland promptly retired after winning the World Series.
  • Other playoff teams: Tampa Bay, Boston, Toronto, Oakland, Atlanta, Washington, Cincinnati, San Francisco.
  • The AL East was the most competitive division. Every team finished with a winning record, and the gap between first-place Tampa Bay and last-place Baltimore was just six games.
  • Detroit and Atlanta tied for best record at 97-65.
  • The Houston Astros finished with the worst record at 58-104, with the Cubs (64-98) not far behind.
  • Nick Swisher suffered the most unfortunate injury, a fractured skull, and it caused him to hang up his cleats for good.
  • In an amusing tidbit, middle reliever Al Alburquerque, shortly after being traded from Detroit to Seattle in a package deal for closer Tom Wilhelmsen, strained his back in what he called a “wood-chopping” accident. It was later revealed that his injury happened during a weekend rendezvous with a 23-year-old massage therapist.
  • Reds prospect Billy Hamilton spent most of the season in the big leagues, but he struggled at the place, only hitting .226 (.281 OBP). He did swipe 83 bases, though.
  • Jurickson Profar (.260, 16 HR, 64 RBI) and Adam Eaton (.305, 7 HR, 52 RBI) won Rookie of the Year.
  • Justin Verlander (19-9, 3.32 ERA, 1.08 WHIP) and Jordan Zimmerman (18-9, 2.51 ERA, 1.03 WHIP) won Cy Young awards.
  • Prince Fielder (.333, 39 HR, 147 RBI) and Bryce Harper (.325, 33 HR, 107 RBI) won MVP awards. I imagine there was another hotly contested debate from sabermetricians, as Mike Trout put together another stellar season, leading all of baseball with 10.7 WAR.

Out of the Park Baseball 14

During my season, a few new additions really stood out to me. One was the Player Development Tracker. Twice during the season — once at the All-Star Break and once at the end — I received updates as to how my players’ attributes were changing. Some of my young guys were improving, and their star ratings went up a half point, while a couple underachievers had their overall ability lowered a bit. This was a much-welcomed feature since it provided me a better idea of when my prospects might be ready.

I also loved the new playoffs screen. It is much more detailed than ever before, and it shares extensive information (including player stats versus that team during the regular season) for each matchup.

Out of the Park Baseball 14

The new trade log feature is also slick and well-designed. Now it’s easier than ever to look up all trades made during the season, complete with the player stats up to that point.

One of the more puzzling additions that I’m not sure I’m sold on yet is the inclusion of performance-based achievements. These are modeled after the like-minded systems used by the Xbox 360 and PS3, but they feel out of place in a baseball simulator. I guess it’s cool to be able to see when my last walk-off win happened, but I wish more information was available as to how some of these achievements are even triggered. In my World Series-winning season, I didn’t even unlock a single gold achievement, which makes me curious as to what exactly it would take to do so. As far as I can tell, there isn’t a full list of available achievements in the game.

Other improvements include a better player origin system, more intelligent trade AI (including the option to block a player from being offered to you) and a recoded scouting feature. What’s amazing is that after playing every single game of a full 162+ game season, I’m still discovering little tweaks and new things to do.

Out of the Park Baseball 14

I did encounter one bug during my playing time that could have been disastrous. I won an achievement after finishing a game, and the popup would not go away, causing the program to lock up. Luckily, I was able to use the keyboard to close and save my season, but I was scared that I might have lost everything. On the plus side, this problem has since been patched, which shows the dedication that this close-knit group of developers has for their game.

Out of the Park Baseball 14 is another winner, full of extraordinary depth and infinite replay value. I know I will be playing this all the way through the regular season and likely through the winter as well. If you have any interest in the more analytical side of baseball (i.e. stats and micro-managing), this is the game you’re looking for.

10/10

 
(A copy of this game was provided for review.)

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Video Game Review: The Walking Dead [Xbox 360]

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The Walking Dead: The Game

The Walking Dead
System: Xbox 360 (also on PS3, PC, Mac OS X, iOS)
Genre: Point-and-click adventure
Publisher: Telltale Games
Developer: Telltale Games
Release Date: Throughout 2012

The last time I cried was at my father’s funeral five years ago.

There have been times since then where I would get choked up, particularly after some painstakingly depressing films (i.e. Grave of the Fireflies), but nothing has made the tears really start flowing. I don’t like crying, and I have a tendency to fight it even when it feels like a natural reaction. After completing The Walking Dead, once again I found myself holding back tears, albeit less successfully this time. No video game has ever come close to evoking this type of emotion in me.

It’s funny, I shouldn’t even like The Walking Dead. I tried watching the AMC TV show of the same name, and found it embarrassingly amateur. I gave up after the first season. I’m also burnt out on the whole “zombie” fad, as it reached the point of over-saturation long ago. Yet I found myself drawn to Telltale’s episodic video game series. It grabbed a hold of me and refused to let go.

The Walking Dead [Xbox 360]

My initial plan was to review each of The Walking Dead‘s five episodes individually — I wrote about numbers one and two last year — but it began to grow tedious. How could I possibly write about each episode without using spoilers? There are groundbreaking revelations within each episode, with characters coming and going at a breakneck pace.

At its core, however, two characters remain constant: Lee and Clementine.

Lee is the player-controlled protagonist who essentially “adopts” Clementine, the eight-year-old he finds alone in a treehouse during the first episode. With her parents missing, Lee becomes something of a father figure to the young girl (later episodes even give the option of introducing her as his daughter). The relationship between these two grows with every moment, and I found myself doing everything I could to protect her.

Every episode forces Lee to make crucial decisions, most of which offer two choices that essentially equate to “bad” and “worse.” After my playing sessions, I found myself questioning some of my choices. Should I have saved a different character’s life? Should I have really stolen food from that car? I tried to do everything in the interest of Clementine — in a world that has gone to hell, the only important thing was to help this little girl survive.

The Walking Dead [Xbox 360]

In reality, that’s what The Walking Dead is about: survival. It’s near impossible to trust anyone else because that is ultimately their goal as well. Everyone is looking out for their own interests, as well as their families. Relationships are often forged but remain shaky as tensions flare up.

I was emotionally drained by the end of the game. This series really puts you through the ringer, never letting up at all. It’s fantastic storytelling, and it’s unlike any other found in a video game so far. The writing is excellent, the voice acting top notch, and the characters unforgettable.

I had never felt the way I did upon completing The Walking Dead. I wasn’t sure that video games as a medium could evoke that type of reaction out of me — hell, very few movies have, and I have seen a lot of ‘em. For this alone, The Walking Dead is one of the most important games to come out in 2012, and I have absolutely no reservations about calling this the Game of the Year.

10/10

Movie Project #48: Lawrence of Arabia [1962]

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Due to the surprising success of my initial Movies Project, I decided to do a part two for 2012. This time around I put a greater emphasis on directors I am not familiar with, but I also tried to compile a mix of different genres and eras. This will be an ongoing project with the finish date being sometime this year.

Lawrence of Arabia [1962]

Lawrence of Arabia [1962]
Director: David Lean
Writers: T.E. Lawrence (writings), Robert Bolt, Michael Wilson
Genre: Adventure/Biography/Drama
Starring: Peter O’Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn and Omar Sharif
Running Time: 216 minutes

The word “epic” is thrown around a lot these days, especially when it comes to film. Just this year alone, Cloud Atlas, The Hobbit and The Dark Knight Rises were recipients of this buzz word. But if there were one film to truly deserve the “epic” moniker, it would be Lawrence of Arabia.

Arguably the most intimidating entry in my project — largely due to its nearly four hour running time — I waited until just the right time to finally see the film. Thanks to this year being the 50th anniversary of its release, a fully restored version has been making its way around select theaters nationwide. As such, I spent my Christmas evening at my favorite cinema, the Music Box Theatre, taking in Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen as it was meant to be seen.

Lawrence of Arabia [1962]

The film tells the story of T.E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole), a man who I knew little about beforehand. Set during World War I, we follow along as Lawrence rises from being an eccentric British Army lieutenant to an improbable leader of the Arab revolt against the Turks. The journey there is anything but conventional.

Lawrence befriends a number of desert leaders along the way, including Sherif Ali (Omar Sharif) and Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness). He earns their trust and respect thanks to his noble actions. In one pivotal moment, the Arab group notices a man has fallen off his horse quite a ways back. While the general consensus is that it is too risky to go back for him, Lawrence takes matters into his own hands and rides back alone. He emerges, a small blip in the seering desert horizon, no longer alone, but with the man clinging to his back. This response cements Lawrence’s status as a leader, and soon the Arabs become even more accepting of him.

Lawrence of Arabia [1962]

The fact that Lawrence is able to emerge as a crucial figure in the Arab revolt is nothing short of fascinating. He is anything but a traditional military hero, and it’s easy to see why director David Lean wanted to film his story. Peter O’Toole, in his first leading role, delivers an unprecedented performance as Lawrence, bringing about an unusual form of charisma. He is enigmatic, a rebellious figure who is also a bit effeminate. He’s a man of action, and some of his behavior near the end of the revolt is startling.

The supporting cast is phenomenal as well. Omar Sharif plays a key role as Lawrence’s main compatriot in the desert, with Alec Guinness and Anthony Quinn also performing admirably as important Arab leaders. On the British side of the spectrum, Donald Wolfit and the always reliable Claude Rains play military and political leaders, respectively. Arthur Kennedy makes an appearance as an American war correspondent, looking to make Lawrence out to be a hero. Special mention should be made of José Ferrer, who is only in the film for five minutes but is a driving force in one of the most memorable scenes.

Lawrence of Arabia [1962]

Perhaps the most important figure in Lawrence of Arabia is the desert itself. The cinematography by F.A. Young is simply amazing, and the landscape is used to maximum efficiency. Several scenes show the sun beaming down on those below, with long, sweeping shots that show just how minuscule humans are in the grand scheme of things. An especially memorable moment happens when Sherif Ali is introduced. At first, we see a tiny dot in the distance. In the hazy heat, it’s difficult to tell if there is actually something there or if it is an illusion. Slowly but surely, the small dot grows bigger, and it isn’t too long before Ali enters the scene. What happens next is unexpected, but this moment perfectly encapsulates just how daunting these massive deserts truly are. I can’t recall another film that so effectively uses Earth’s own natural beauty.

Lawrence of Arabia was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning seven of them (including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography). It’s one of the most widely recognized films of all time, with unanimous praise from most. The accolades are more than deserved, as this is a near flawless work of art. As of this writing, the film is still being shown in a handful of theaters. If it’s playing anywhere near you, this is a cinematic viewing experience you must not miss.

10/10

Video Game Review: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim [Xbox 360]

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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim [Xbox 360]

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
System: Xbox 360 (also on PS3 and PC)
Genre: Role-Playing
Publisher: Bethesda Game Studios
Developer: Bethesda Softworks
Release Date: November 11, 2011

For the last few weeks, Skyrim has been owning my soul. Other video games have taken a backseat to the massive, incomparable world of Bethesda Softworks’ latest RPG. Despite warnings from others, I didn’t expect this to happen. Sure, I had played and enjoyed Oblivion, but I was able to expand my playing time with that one by spreading it out over months. With Skyrim, I was hooked, line and sinker.

I have put about 30 hours into Skyrim so far, and I still feel like I have barely scratched its surface. Better yet, I am still *eager* to play more. This is a rarity with me, especially when it comes to single player games. Usually I will tear through the main campaign or quest line, work on some random side quests here and there, and then move on to something else. I have a habit of trying to maximize my time by playing as many new games as possible. With Skyrim, that all went out the window.

Much of that credit goes to the impressive in-game world that allows for a seemingly infinite amount of possibilities. After starting the game and going through its mandatory opening sequence (in a nutshell, you are about to be beheaded before a dragon appears and wipes out the town), you are then dropped into this world alone with the freedom to do whatever you like. There is a quest to start, sure, but you can just skip this entirely if you wish. I felt obligated to check out the nearby town, as recommended, but after that I just said “screw it” and started wandering around on my own.

One of my favorite aspects of Skyrim, and possibly the biggest curse to some, is that it is so easy to get sidetracked. I tend to start up a quest and head out in that direction, only to find a new enticing path or cave or dungeon or whathaveyou, which I promptly decide is of greater importance to explore. The ability to just get lost in the game world and explore whatever looks appealing is simply amazing. See that mountain in the distance? Go ahead and climb it. Wait, is that a sunken ship in that lake over there? Shit, I need to check that out. Oh wait, there’s a bandit lair on that ridge. I bet they have some good loot.

Skyrim’s countless questlines (divided into main, side and miscellaneous) provide all sorts of opportunities to explore new locations as well. The quests offer a wide variety of stories to go with them, offering you the opportunity to join more “evil” factions if you desire. Two mainstays from Oblivion make welcome reappearances: the Dark Brotherhood (where you act as a hitman/assassin for hire) and the Thieves Guild (where you use stealth capabilities while stealing from others). Throw in all sorts of oddball errands and requests, including many of which that are just bizarre and/or hilarious, and you have all the makings for a game that never gets old.

Perhaps best of all is that your character is entirely customizable, meaning you can play the way that *you* want to regardless of your selected race. Be a warrior, a mage, a necromancer, a thief, a marksman. Whatever you like. There are dozens of perks available to help level up your character in your envisioned mold. You can even find areas scattered around the various in-game towns to create your own potions, weapons and equipment. Hell, if you feel like doing menial labor jobs, there are options to do that as well.

All of this is presented in a beautiful, snowy Nordic environment. No matter where you turn, you are bound to find some sort of eye candy, whether it be breathtaking waterfalls, lakes covered in ice, or blizzardous mountains. Skyrim’s visuals are a huge improvement over Oblivion — just wait until you happen across a late-night aurora borealis. I don’t know if there is a better game that captures the cold, wintry feel present in Skyrim.

If it isn’t clear by now, I love this game. Skyrim holds its own against the last two Fallout games, both of which are personal favorites of mine, and its fantasy setting lends itself to all sorts of possibilities. There are some bugs to be found, such as characters/enemies getting stuck on walls and/or disappearing, as well as issues with graphical draw-ins, but these are to be expected with an in-game world this vast. These problems are incredibly minute in scope, and do not hinder the overall gameplay experience in any way.

Simply put, Skyrim is fantastic. Just be warned: this may consume your life.

10/10

Quick Thoughts on… Mass Effect 2

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Mass Effect 2

This post contains spoilers.

After a month of devout playing, I finally finished Mass Effect 2. One word sums up my thoughts: WOW.

Seriously, this has undoubtedly become one of my favorite games from this generation. Mass Effect 2 builds upon and improves its predecessor in every way imaginable.

Gone are the tedious Mako driving sessions, weird graphical glitches and framerate issues. The occasionally shaky combat has been drastically improved, with a better covering system and more intelligent squad AI. The inventory system has also been revamped, and there are far less items to have to worry about (a good thing).

The game’s structure is tried-and-true, but it works oh so well. The game plays out in simple fashion: Shephard is brought back to life and sent on a “suicide mission” to defeat the evil Collectors who are hellbent on destroying humanity. In order to increase the chances of surviving this epic mission, Shephard is given the task of recruiting several team members and later gaining their loyalty. It’s a long process, but it always feels like you’re working toward something BIG. I felt like I needed to do absolutely everything I could in the game to secure my chances of defeating the Collectors.

It paid off.

With a full and loyal crew, I successfully destroyed the Collector base and made it with the entire squad in tact. It was an intense mission and one hell of a way to close the game.

Mass Effect 2

I made a few changes to my Shephard character this time around. I tweaked his appearance, changed his class (from soldier to vanguard) and swapped romantic partners. My love interest from ME1, Liara, was not willing or able to join the Normandy again (at least it appeared that way), so I went after the wild biotic convict Jack. I have already heard spoilers about her character arc, unfortunately, but it will be interesting to see how that develops in the third game.

Now I am at a crossroads. Do I start up Mass Effect 3 immediately or do I look into picking up ME2′s DLC? Or maybe I’ll take a break from Mass Effect entirely, at least for a little while. I made the mistake of buying ME2 used, so I would have to cough up the $15 for the Cerberus Pass. Is it worth it? Are there any pieces of DLC that I absolutely have to play?

Either way, I am pretty excited to play the conclusion. I just don’t want to get burnt out on Mass Effect at the same time.

My rating for Mass Effect 2: 10/10, easily.

PC Game Review: Out of the Park Baseball 13 [2012]

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Out of the Park Baseball 13 [2012]

Out of the Park Baseball 13
System: PC (also on Mac/Linux)
Genre: Baseball Simulator
Publisher: Out of the Park Developments
Release Date: April 9, 2012

All hardcore baseball fans, no matter who they root for, have one thing in common: they believe they could run a professional team, sometimes even better than the actual general manager does. Of course, some are more vocal about their beliefs than others, but diehard fans especially love to nitpick every move their favorite team makes. I am guilty of this myself, so I turn to baseball simulators to prove that I can successfully manage a professional team. While there are a few options available, there is one franchise that is a clear cut above the rest, and it is one that I keep coming back to every year: Out of the Park Baseball.

This year’s version, lucky #13, has the same in-depth simulation offerings but is also packed full of upgrades. Immediately, the most noticeable difference is the brand new interface. The traditional menu system and its core buttons have all been switched around, with a shiny new right-side toolbar providing easy access to the most important screens. If you’re familiar at all with previous versions of the game, this graphical overhaul definitely takes some time getting used to. I did enjoy its changes in the long run, however, and I like this particular direction the series is taking.

Out of the Park Baseball 13 [2012]

The biggest, perhaps most impressive, addition to the game is the real-time simulation mode. Basically this means that you can follow each game pitch-by-pitch, adjusting the speeds as necessary, and even jumping in to play the game if you want to. It’s pretty cool to keep an eye on several games at once, especially when you happen to stumble upon a rarity such as a no-hitter in progress. This is especially convenient for those running leagues as the commissioner.

Quite a bit of attention has been given to the core engine as well. Trades are noticeably tougher — a good thing — and teams can be labeled in three stages: Win Now!, Neutral, and Rebuild. This makes it slightly easier to find a trade partner, although it is still difficult to pry away their talent without giving up some big-time players or prospects of your own.

If you were a fan of the newspaper/mail system in previous editions, you will love the improvements in OOTP 13. Several unique storylines have been added, offering a much-welcomed freshness to the articles. One of my personal favorites so far was a story about a veteran on a struggling team taking it upon himself to hold his teammates accountable for their actions. A couple weeks later I was sent an article about this leader holding a kangaroo court about some minor action (I believe a teammate stepped on the team logo) and charging him a $100 fine. Brilliant. Little things like that give OOTP a touch of personality that just cannot be topped. I love this stuff, and would be very pleased if more of it seeped into future updates/versions.

Out of the Park Baseball 13 [2012]

Of course, Out of the Park also comes pre-equipped with all of the latest MLB rosters, and new seasons are built with the recent rule changes in mind (i.e. more wild card teams, and Houston’s move to the AL West in 2013). Player photos are missing initially, but there are countless mods available to fully customize the game any way you see fit. Seriously, if there is any one thing you don’t like about the game’s setup, you can change it. The official forums are a great source of information for the game, with all sorts of awesome expansions and goodies available. The creators of OOTP are also very active in the community and regularly provide patches to fix many of the bugs that users come across. Rest assured, if there is a significant glitch discovered (unlikely), Markus and the guys will be on it ASAP.

There are so many ways to dig into OOTP that everyone will play it differently. I chose to import my association from last year’s game and immediately continued playing as if nothing had changed. It was terrific — my settings were transferred over, and I played through the rest of my season while also getting to enjoy the new features of the game. Of course, if you don’t have an association to import, you can create a new league (real or fictional) starting at any year you desire. You can play the games individually or sim them in bunches — it’s up to you. You can even join an online league with other GMs, which is an absolute blast with a good group of guys.

Out of the Park Baseball 13 [2012]

I have been speaking nothing but praise for the game so far, but there are a couple of minor flaws I feel I should mention. For one, the in-game text is a little difficult to read. I have a 19-inch monitor and occasionally have to squint to accurately read the team lineups and current statistics. While the in-game interface can be switched around, there is no way to increase text size. I have gotten used to it, but it would still be nice to adjust as needed. Also, while the trade engine is certainly improved, I was able to manipulate the system in one area. I noticed that it was a little too easy to sign a free agent to a minor league contract halfway through the season and then flip him to another team for a superior option. It was strange to me that I was able to do this. After all, if a team had any interest in the player I signed, why didn’t they just sign him on their own? Not a huge deal, but it is tempting to take advantage of this.

Again, those are two unbelievably minor flaws in the grand scheme of things, and they do not lower my rating at all. Folks, this is a 10/10 if I have ever seen one. Easily the best baseball simulator I have ever played, and it is one with infinite replay value. For only $40, you will get your money’s worth and then some. If you are into baseball statistics or are a diehard fan of the sport, do yourself a favor and give it a shot.

I will leave you with this warning, however: this gets addictive, FAST.

10/10

Beer Review: King Henry [Goose Island Beer Company]

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King Henry [Goose Island Beer Company]

King Henry
Brewery: Goose Island Beer Company (Chicago, Illinois)
Style: English Barleywine
ABV: 13.4%

I had a pretty good Christmas last year, especially when it came to beer. I received a four-pack of one of my all-time favorite beers, Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout, as a gift (review to come later), as well as Goose Island’s new and exclusive King Henry. The latter was a very limited release, with its bottles selling out quickly all over the city. Goose Island has a knack for delivering unbelievably delicious bourbon-aged beers, and everyone wanted to get a taste of their latest.

The 2011 release of King Henry utilized barrels that were formerly used for Bourbon County Rare, and its final ABV clocks in at an impressive 13.4%. This barleywine is not for the faint of heart.

When poured into a glass, King Henry has a dark brown (nearly black) appearance. Its aroma brings notes of vanilla with a major bourbon kick. The bourbon is the first thing that is noticed upon tasting, and then hints of vanilla and caramel start pushing through. Ultimately, this culminates in a sweet aftertaste not unlike brown sugar.

King Henry is a remarkably smooth barleywine that any beer aficionado will love. It is a doozy, but it easily ranks as one of Goose Island’s best. King Henry will surely be hard to find in the very near future, so if you are in the Chicagoland area you should really make it a point to seek it out. This is one of the best beers I have had in a while.

10/10

Movie Project #35 and #36: Grave of the Fireflies [1988] and Crash [2004]

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The 50 Movies Project is a personal “marathon” of mine. In June, I compiled a list of 50 movies that I felt I needed to see by the end of the year. Old, new, foreign, English — it doesn’t matter. These are all movies that I have heard a lot about and have been wanting to see for some time. This project gives me a way to stay focused on the goal.

Grave of the Fireflies [1988]
Grave of the Fireflies [1988, Isao Takahata]
Starring Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, Akemi Yamaguchi.
Grave of the Fireflies is unlike any other animated film I have ever seen. It is simultaneously beautiful and devastating as it shows life in Japan near the end of World War II. The movie follows two orphaned children, 14-year-old Seita and his 4-year-old sister Setsuko, as they struggle to get by in their war torn village. They find temporary solace in the home of a distant aunt, but she makes it clear that they are a burden on her and her family, and they are hardly welcomed in the household. Later, the children attempt to live on their own, but it is obvious that Seita is not in a position to take care of a young child. It’s heartbreaking to watch the two children fend for themselves as they struggle to acquire even basic nourishments.

This is an incredibly sad and tragic film, one that is made even more powerful because it is based on a true story. Grave of the Fireflies is an emotional experience, to say the least, and it may very well be one of the best anti-war films ever made. An absolute must-see. 10/10

Crash [2004, Paul Haggis]
Crash [2004, Paul Haggis]
Starring Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Thandie Newton.
Out of all the movies in my project, the inclusion of Crash is what garnered the biggest reaction. The initial response from commenters was mostly negative, but then it started to get some vocal support as well. It’s clear that this is a polarizing film, and that’s why I wanted to see it. As the credits began to roll, I had just one question: How the hell did this movie win Best Picture???

There really wasn’t much I liked about Crash at all. The film tries so hard to tackle the touchy subject of racism, even going so far as to incorporate at least a half dozen different races, all of whom make derogatory comments to each other. There are no likable characters, and they all act irrationally. The whole movie felt artificial and forced to me, as characters found ways to incorporate racist remarks into *EVERY* single dialogue exchange. Look, I know there are a lot of racist fucks out there, but I still have a hard time believing people speak this way all the time. Some of the character behavior was simply ridiculous, too, such as that of Terrence Howard’s character, who exploded into a fit of rage that was completely out of character considering his past actions. The entire film had an air of pretentiousness to it, right down to the pompous soundtrack that tried to make everything more dramatic than it really was. With hackneyed writing and dozens of pathetic stereotypes, Crash is an embarrassment that should not have even been nominated for Best Picture. 4/10

Movie Project #29 and #30: Sunset Boulevard [1950] and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington [1939]

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The 50 Movies Project is a personal “marathon” of mine. In June, I compiled a list of 50 movies that I felt I needed to see by the end of the year. Old, new, foreign, English — it doesn’t matter. These are all movies that I have heard a lot about and have been wanting to see for some time. This project gives me a way to stay focused on the goal.

Sunset Boulevard [1950]
Sunset Boulevard [1950, Billy Wilder]
Starring William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim.
Holy hell, what a film! The fact that such a biting satire about the film industry was made in 1950 blows my mind. The movie opens up mysteriously with a dead man floating in the pool. This man, Joe Gillis (played by the brilliant Holden), proceeds to narrate the film from beyond the grave, and the movie follows the events that led up to his demise. While on the run from repo men, Gillis pulls into the garage of what he thinks is an abandoned Hollywood mansion. Well, it turns out that the long-retired silent film star Norma Desmond (the scary-good Swanson, a former silent film star herself) is living there, and she sparks up an interest in the failing writer of Gillis. What transpires is truly bizarre, as Gillis becomes involved in a love triangle with Desmond and a young writer (Nancy Olson).

The world that Norma Desmond lives in is beyond fascinating, as she has clearly lost her mind and is stuck living in the past. She believes she will make a great comeback someday, and her reassuring butler (von Stroheim) refuses to tell her otherwise, fearing she will commit suicide. Her descent into madness culminates with one of the most memorable closing lines ever uttered on film: “There’s nothing else. Just us, and the cameras, and those wonderful people out there in the dark. All right, Mr. De Mille, I’m ready for my closeup.”

Sunset Boulevard also has some terrific moments of dark humor, and I particularly loved the brief cameos from silent film stars such as Buster Keaton and H.B. Warner. This was the first time I had heard Keaton speak! There really is a lot to love about this movie, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. 10/10

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington [1939]
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington [1939, Frank Capra]
Starring James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains.
It says something about a movie’s power when a statement made 70+ years ago still holds relevance today. The always awesome James Stewart stars as Jefferson Smith, a naive Boy Scout leader who is oddly selected to take over as a US Senator after an incumbent passes away. When he gets there, he is enamored with the sights and sounds of Washington D.C., even getting himself lost in the process. He quickly finds out that he doesn’t belong there, as he has no interest in the political bullshit that goes on every day. Still, he perserveres, especially after he finds out about a scandal that would build a dam over his proposed Boy Scout campsite.

As a story of one man fighting for what’s right, it’s hard not to admire the movie. Smith, aided by his chief of staff Clarissa Saunders (Arthur), is a likable guy, and his big moment — a very, very long fillibuster — is quite brilliant. Superbly acted with a great screenplay to boot, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington still holds up today. 9/10

Movie Project #14: L.A. Confidential [1997]

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The 50 Movies Project is a personal “marathon” of mine. In June, I compiled a list of 50 movies that I felt I needed to see by the end of the year. Old, new, foreign, English — it doesn’t matter. These are all movies that I have heard a lot about and have been wanting to see for some time. This project gives me a way to stay focused on the goal.

L.A. Confidential [1997]

L.A. Confidential [1997]
Directors: Curtis Hanson
Genre: Crime/Drama/Mystery
Language: English
Country: USA

When I played through the fantastic LA Noire video game this summer, I could not help but get swept into the dark and seedy world of 1940′s Los Angeles. Many, many articles and reviews on the game mentioned its influences: old school Film Noir, Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett novels, and perhaps the biggest, L.A. Confidential. I was ecstatic to finally see this 1997 modern noir title.

Set in 1950s Los Angeles, L.A. Confidential revolves around three officers in the LAPD. There’s Bud White (Russell Crowe), a quick-tempered cop who does anything to punish woman-beaters. There’s Ed Exley (Guy Pearce), a rookie officer who wants to do everything by the book and refuses to break the law to provide justice. Naturally, this makes him an outcast in the department. There’s Sgt. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), a narcotics detective who is in cahoots with Hush-Hush tabloid magazine editor Sid Hudgeons (Danny DeVito). His side “job” is arresting celebrities and letting Sid take photos of them caught in the act.

L.A. Confidential [1997]

These three men become intertwined in a web of corruption, deceit and lies within the police department, all of which happens after a coffee shop massacre leaves six people dead, including a crooked police officer. So many subplots, characters and areas are brought up throughout the film’s 138 minute runtime, but this is expertly manipulated by director Curtis Hanson in a way that brings everything together. It really is fascinating how the movie brings in so many different details, yet is able to have everything make sense in the end.

There are two other major players in the movie who must be mentioned. Dudley Smith (the always excellent James Cromwell) is the leader of the police department. He has a tendency to call his men “good lads” and encourages them to twist the law in order to deliver justice. Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger) is the female of choice, a Veronica Lake look-alike hooker who is dragged into the mess due to the coffee shop death of a fellow Hollywood starlet-imposter prostitute.

L.A. Confidential [1997]

There is so much to like about L.A. Confidential. The acting is phenomenal, with what is truly an amazing cast. So many big names, all of whom are deserving of their recognition from this film. Guy Pearce in particular stood out to me, as he effortlessly succeeds in playing a sniveling little snitch who crawls under your skin. Yet by the end of the movie, his performance led me to gain a new-found respect for his character. Maybe there is some merit in playing by the rules?

Not once did L.A. Confidential feel tedious. The movie runs at a brisk pace with a lot of thrilling moments. The dialogue is sharp, the story elegant, and the characters are terrific. This is everything I could have hoped for in a modern noir, and as it stands right now, this is my favorite movie I have seen so far in this project. Simply amazing.

10/10