Posts tagged review

AVENGERS [movie] Review

*SPOILER ALERT*

This should have come out on Saturday (when I saw it) but I just moved and don’t have internet at home :/
SO, after 5 years of hype…was it worth it?     YES!

Thank you Mr Whedon; thank you for appreciating the fact that regardless of how much Hollywood wants to make, WE the fanboys and geeks of the world have been waiting for this movie since we were children. 
If that didn’t make sense…the movie is good, great even. It’s far better than any of the Marvel movies leading up to it. Not that they were bad, but this is definitely the best portrayal of the characters themselves. For example; Thor felt a little too cheesy, and Hulk had just…so many problems. You can definitely tell that Whedon (a fan of comics and continuity) was able to force his hand on certain subjects pertaining to the geekiness of this flick. Overall the flow of the film was perfect, going from realization and introduction to formation and problem solving smoothly while keeping me entertained. 

DID YOU WATCH TIL THE END OF BOTH CREDITS???
Who was the purple guy smiling at at the end: His name is Thanos, and he’s the baddest of the bad in the Marvel universe. What does this mean for the Avenger movies…that they’re only going to get bigger, and possibly involve some crossovers!
Also the Shwarma scene at the very very end: perfect!

This movie had the right amount of humor, action, suspense, drama, and that awkward tension between main characters that only Whedon seems to be able to create. 

Do you need to see previous Marvel movies before this? Yes.

My favorite scene? The NY final battle! When I was a child I dreamed of what it would be like to see my favorite comic heroes in real life, and this delivered that beautifully. I was in awe when Cap started barking orders to Hawkeye and IronMan. My childhood was pleased. 

My thoughts on the villains? I hate Loki, he’s friggin annoying. But that’s perfect when dealing with a storyline like this, so it works. However I really hope they use the pure brutality of Thanos to deliver an enemy who can put up a fight in then next movie. 

My favorite hero? It ended up being Thor, and that surprised me! Iron Man was my favorite character in the solo movies, and Captain America was my favorite film out of the bunch, but Thor delivered a really strong character to the Avengers story. 2nd place goes to Black Widow…Scar Jo will always have a place in my heart ;) haha

I could go on and on, so leave your thoughts in comments/replies/messages so we can keep the conversation going! 

MARVEL vs CAPCOM 2 iOS [videogame] Review

I really want to like this game…Cable, Wolverine, Ryu, Venom…all wrapped up in a fighting-game on my iPad; that’s a recipe for nerdy happiness! But for some reason Capcom decided to really cheap out on this App. The graphics have more pixels than on the original versions, the control response lags, the buttons are FAR to small onscreen, and even something as simple as the Menu looks like a cheap floppy disk game.
Granted I am still playing this on an iPad1, but that shouldn’t make a huge difference. I downloaded Sonic4 at the same time…and that game holds up beautifully. In the end, it’s nice to pick the game up again. Fans of the series won’t be mortified, but I could see newcomers getting frustrated.

WoW:MoP [beta] The First 24hrs

Holy n00bfest! As you can clearly see people have already resorted to spamming certain area’s of Pandaria…ugh. That huge dogpile of bots is covering an object we have to interact with, and we all decided to lineup like we’re grocery shopping I guess…
I actually ended up switching realms after many frozen/crashed attempts. After asking around it seems the only way to solve this problem is to max out your graphic settings and relog, causing characters to take longer to load then objects, giving you only a few seconds to interact with the object…except for me…for me it just crashed (over and over and over). I suggest if you run into areas like this, just chill and go do other stuff for a day.
Other than that it’s been fantastic! Ilovethe Panda race, and being a Monk is pretty fun (though I haven’t gotten to the juicy stuff yet). But mostly I love the environment. Can’t WAIT to fly through at full-release!

Click on the cam-button to add a screenshot of your favorite part of the beta!

THE HUNGER GAMES [movie] Review

Guess what…SPOILER ALERT

First things first; it is NOT Twilight, and it’s not a kids movie. If you’re a fan of the books I think you’ll enjoy it…

Now, anyone that’s gone to the theater with me to see an epic movie knows how I am right now. After something like this I get calm, quiet, and need time to reflect on what I just watched. It’s not a movie, it’s a message. And for me tHG is a message of how blessed we are, right now, to live in a free world. Yes it has the typical love triangle that makes money, and yes it’s an action packed feast for the eyes. But all of that is overshadowed by the hauntingly real feeling that from start to finish you’re watching something that is wrong. Something that, if we allowed ourselves, could become real for us. It starts off quiet and depressing, and continues on with almost a hollow feeling to it, even at it’s happiest moments. 

This is one of those rare occasions where I can compare it to the book which I read about a year ago. And readers will be happy to know they didn’t Hollywood-ize it by adding a bunch of garbage filler. Sadly though, some things were cut out to save time (it already runs at 2.5hrs). But they’re all realistic things; Peeta doesn’t receive a robotic leg post-game, Snow does’t drip blood from his lips, Katniss receives the pin from a shopkeeper instead of a friend, and other things like that…

I keep going back to how it felt, not how it looked. I didn’t notice until halfway through that there is virtually no soundtrack. Most of the time you’re left listening to complete silence, watching the dreadful scenes play out with nothing but characters expressions and actions to show you their inner dialogue. Again, if you’ve read the book you’re probably wondering how something that was heavy with inner-monologue from Katniss could be translated on screen. I thought they did a great job of portraying her thoughts through camera play, facial expressions, emotion played out through other things than just sound and words. 

My favorite part was the moment Katniss held up the salute to the districts and immediately they started rebelling against the Peacekeepers. I got a lil choked up…
What I didn’t like was the Mutts; the CG took away from the experience.

My final thought was that the whole thing felt like a 3hr trailer to setup the next two movies! Which isn’t a bad thing! Most people think this is just a teen romance with a brutal twist, it’s NOT! It’s a political activist movement circled around the story of a girl who lives in a brutal future and is forced to make unreal choices. 

A HEADS UP: There were a lot of kids at the theater, who I heard making scared remarks during some scenes…THIS IS A MOVIE ABOUT TEENS BEING FORCED TO BRUTALLY MURDER EACH OTHER…you probably should look into it before taking your children. (and to the rather large man who sat beside me, kept nudging me with his elbow, talked at crucial parts, and breathed like a vacuum cleaner…do humanity a favor and stop going to theaters). 

THE WALKING DEAD: SEASON 2 Finale [tv] Review

***SPOILER ALERT***

I’ve held off on posting anything about this seasons antics, mostly because I wasn’t able to watch any episodes the night of (always having to resort to sharing sites the next day). Then mid-season came a sudden wave of popularity, followed inevitably by n00bs posting spoilers all over their friggin Fbook feeds. 
I think the biggest disappointment for me this season wasn’t Dale’s death, but the mass amount of times I was asked the question “bro have you watched Season1 of WalkingDead on Netflix yet?”
Now, the happiest moment by far was Shane’s death, which is odd because in S1 he was one of my fav characters. It took a lot for me to finally turn and accept the fact that his survival instincts were over the line. 
In the end, after the much needed wave of zombies, I feel like stopping at the farm was a waste of time. They ended up right back at the freeway with LESS people in their party than before (not to mention several friends turning against each other in the process). And now, with Rick revealing his two major secrets, it looked like the group was ready to give up on him! I couldn’t believe what I was seeing…I will stand by this Ricktatorship. 
Not having read the books (but having heard a lot about a prison) I’m very excited to see how this changes the group, and what adventures Andrea will end up on with this hooded zombie slicer!

What are YOUR thoughts on tonight’s episode?

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Dragon Slayer

3 months and 140+hrs later, I finally conquered The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
That is to say, I finished the main story line (killed Aldiun) and the “main” sidequests involving the different factions/guilds.
I have to say, Bethesda, you dropped the ball on the ending here. With ES4:Oblivion the build up towards the final battle was epic! Here, once I learned a few magic shouts I was fighting the boss with a bunch of random NPC’s…and then *poof* he was dead. No party, or rolling credits, or any acknowledgment from characters in the game!!!
I saved the flippin world, and nothing in-game changed? Bogus!
However, I do like that I now feel like I’m really enjoying the experience. Without any must-do quests I’m free to fully experience the beautiful landscape and in-depth side-stories.
8 more achievements to unlock, 4 more cities to gain “Thrall” status in, and a few more skills to hit 100% on.

STAR WARS - EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE 3D [movie] Review

And the winner for longest title goes to…
So for those who haven’t seen SW, wait, if you haven’t seen these movies then what the frick are you doing following me (haha I jest). For real though, it’s nothing new it’s just 3D. But to be honest with you, it’s not really.
I kept switching between the glasses and not, and the foreground didn’t really change much. It seems that they just made the background of every scene 3D to give it the effect. And after all the hype, I was expecting a lot more.
Best use of 3D was Yoda’s ears, yup, they really stuck out from his head. And the Podrace’s were epic too.
See it for the nostalgia factor, if you’re a fan, if you’ve never seen these just watch at home.

INK MASTER [tv] Review

People have been asking for my opinion on this show since it was announced. Because anyone that has more than one tattoo is automatically a guru on the topic…
So this weekend I checked out a few episodes to get a good feel of how it goes down. My opinions are just that, mine, unlike SpikeTV that doesn’t mean you should take them as any sort of rule/guide for your life.

- I had a lot of respect for Oliver Peck before this.
- Why the frick is Dave Navarro an authority on this topic? Because he was in a rock band, or because he’s already been on a retarded reality-show?
- Telling a tattoo artist that they only have “5 minutes left” to finish a tattoo is now the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard on tv.
- Only 1 or 2 of the contestants seemed to care more about the tattoo than how much product was in their hair, or how sleeveless their shirt was.
- I would still be one of the living canvas’ if the tattoo was free hahahahaha

I mean, it’s a reality show, you can’t expect it to be anywhere near the word “quality”. And it’s on SpikeTV, where the word “good” isn’t even in their vocabulary. It’s a show meant to grab onto a fad, fill it with testosterone, and put some famous names in the commercials.
Is it entertaining; yes. Should it be used to help choose your next tattoo; get real.

Finally finished BULLETSTORM [videogame] Review

Yeah yeah old game, I know, it’s been sitting in my pile for a while now and I never got around to checking it out.
If you haven’t played it; it’s a highly amped up FPS version of Gears of War (from the same studio “Epic Games”). Bigger explosions, fouler language, gorier deaths, slower-motion, and tons battles where half the time I didn’t know what I was shooting at!
I feel like they wanted this to be their next big thing after GoW, but it ended up being the slapstick that got smeared between #’s 2+3. They even used the same voice actors, character design, and sound effects.
Bulletstorm is for FPS’s what Dodge is to trucks; big, loud, and douchey. That being said, the ending of the game sets it up for a sequel SO if they play their cards right I think they could tie this nicely into the universe of the COG’s and Lambent.
Rent this; you can easily beat it in a day.

UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING [movie] Review

The 4th instalment in the vampire vs werewolf series adds a new twist; humans. 
If you were a fan of the 1st, enjoyed the 2nd, and tolerated the 3rd, you’ll find this one to be a breath of fresh air. It feels more organic to see humans battling against monsters (but don’t worry, the Lycans find a way to be real jerks). And *SPOILER ALERT* the switching of Michael for his dish-daughter with Celine as the role of “sidekick” is so needed. I don’t know about you guys but the whole ‘I love Michael and will fight everyone’ gag was getting old. HOWEVER, that being said, the ending of the movie totally sets it up for another family-filled sequel ;)

This is definitely one of my favorite vampire series. Mostly for the vamp/lycan war storyline. And…possibly…because Kate Beckinsale is a total babe. And while I do think this new film was a step in the right direction, I feel like their going the way of so many action flicks: gimmicky special effects *cough*3D*cough* + forgettable characters + filler storyline that always leaves it open for a sequel. As long as they keep adding the epic plot twists that Underworld is known for, I’ll keep seeing them (and so should you) 

TIN TIN [movie] Review

For those of you who do not know who TinTin is OR have not delved into the legendary books/cartoon by Herge…do NOT see this movie!!!

It is extremely fast paced, starts off very slow, immediately becomes action packed, and explains nothing. For those that find themselves saying “it was nothing like the book” I doubt you’ll find yourself saying that with this movie.
Keep in mind, this is based off of  “The Secret of the Unicorn”, not the first book in the series, so keep your eyes open for many tips of the hat to previous adventures. I can see why they would want to start with this one; it introduces Captain Haddock and sets itself up for the next book “Red Rackham’s Treasure”.

The antics are over the top, unbelievable, and spectacular to watch. The characters are lovably played by some amazing actors, who thankfully bring them to life in a way that made me feel like a kid again. And the plot, while thin for a mature viewer, is beautifully brought to life by the awesome team-up of Spielberg and Jackson.

This is a movie for the fans, so if you were, then go see it :)

Minecraft on the iPad

Minecon 2011 is in full effect (I just read someone proposed at the event) and Mojang released a handheld version! It’s what you’d expect from a dumbed down version of such a massive game…
- there’s no actual mining or crafting
- you start off with all the supplies you’ll need/get
- i quickly found the edge of the world, which is an invisible wall that drops off into nothing
- there’s no day/night, enemies, or health/food bars
With all that taken away there are some definite positives to make up for it…
- to create a world with your friends you just need to be on the same network
- the controls are simple and practical
- it’s one of the best ways to kill time on an iOS device

Works for iPhone + iPad
$6.99 in App Store
if we’re friends IRL you should get it and help me create awesome stuff IRL! 
 

I finally beat RedDead Redemption/Undead Nightmare

*spoiler alerts*

The only reason I initially picked up this game was because of the chance to be a cowboy fighting zombies…but…a friend insisted I play Redemption first. Two weeks later and it’s an incredibly fun game!
If you haven’t played it, think Grand Theft Horses with a more wide-open map, easier quests, and with zombies.
The original game (Redemption) is pretty straight forward; you’re a cowboy trying to get home. But what keeps you going is that you start in the middle of the story, you have no real back story, and you’re never really filled in on why you’re doing the missions that you’re given. It’s mysterious and fun, and leaves for a wicked twist at the end! The downer for me was at the end, when your character (John Marston) dies, and you take over as his son. Once you’ve avenged your fathers death, the game literally goes on forever…with nothing to do…as his son…yawn.
Undead Nightmare however takes place sometime after the main storyline in Redemption, but before you become the son. Think of it as a sidequest that involves zombies. However this time when you die, you learn that Marston rose from the grave, and spends the rest of his undead life avenging himself. It’d be SWEET if Jack (the son) and undead Marston met up…oh well.

If you’re a fan of zombie games definitely pick up Undead Nightmare, however, the story will only make sense if you play through Redemption first.

Oh! And if someone has a copy of Red Dead Revolver for the original Xbox I would love to borrow it sometime!