A while ago I posted a review of Dawn of War: Winter Assault; I still hold to the belief that particular game is packaged ass. I mean, it looks great, but eventually you realize the whole thing just stinks. Wow, I thought I'd make it longer without sinking to "potty humor," but whatever. The point of this whole rant is that I played Dawn of War's sequel series and its expansion and I was impressed.
Picture your garden variety real-time strategy game. Usually your camera hovers somewhere close to several hundred feet off the ground, leaving your units, all of whom are frail enough to detonate on touch. Some games will allow you to zoom in (Dawn of War being one of them), yet you rarely get a good view of your buildings and soldiers, and the battles end up looking miserable and impersonal. Dawn of War was the first big game I can think of with unit specific kill animations (not just death scenes) such as a soldier driving his chainsaw sword through another's chest. It was awesome! Couple that with detailed, animated structures and destructible landscapes, and a pretty epic space opera storyline and Dawn of War was an excellent R.T.S. Now fast-forward a few years and expansions and Relic, the company who made the first game releases a true sequel: Dawn of War II.
To put it bluntly, this is not a true R.T.S. game; certainly the controls are, as well as the general feel of the missions, but this game is more akin to playing Warcraft III with only the hero units. For one, your named characters are the only units (apart from their two-to-three grunt entourage that count as the character's squad) you can control. If they die, you can resuscitate them and they're back in the fray. As for buildings, you have a drop pod where the mission starts, and then there are relay points where you can reinforce the squads (revive those grunts in a character's unit). That's it. Your squads level up and you allocate skill points, and you get wargear that drops from enemies at random, and you have skills you can use on the fly, each of which is character specific. If anything, this game is a strategy-R.P.G.
Returning to the leveling up deal. Each character has three skill lines, and you get a few points with every level up. Each tree deals with a stat or two, such as health and health regeneration, melee damage and melee skill (hit percentage and crits), ranged damage and accuracy, and energy and energy regeneration. Scattered across those skill lines are abilities, both active and passive, that further specialize your squads. For instance, the main character is a blank slate for specialization, and you can play him almost however you want, whereas other characters are really geared for specific jobs. Sounds good, right?
Here's where one of my problems with the game comes in. You see, though they give you free reign with deciding the specs, the main guy really is meant for melee damage with some extra points to throw away wherever you want. This is made pretty plain by the fact that, with the exception of two characters, the rest of your team is ranged, and all but one of those gunners is incredibly frail. Blame gear drops and the main guy's abilities for this.
Gear is plentiful, but the best greens (second tier gear) and onward sort of direct your path through the game. I find it sad that the "most adaptable" character gets the slimmest variety in excellent gear. Look forward to wielding a beast of a two-handed hammer for the last few missions, meanwhile your stealthy character has the option of wicked shotguns and sniper rifles (and by the expansion a grenade launcher)! I'm being hard on the game, really, because the gear itself is excellent, even if your main guy ends up always using the same stuff. There are about 3 different models of gear for each soldier and scout, and then there's the overpowered but slow Terminator armor. And weapons...there are a plethora of choices, though most are taken away once the best stuff appears. Axes, chainswords, two-handed hammers, a shield and one-hander hammer, etc, and that's just the melee arsenal!
The last bit I have to cover -because I refuse to tell the story- is the multiplayer mode. This is where the game returns somewhat to R.T.S. format. In it you build units, even if they population count is small and unit cost high, and you wage larger-scale battles. In the pre-fight you choose which commander (such as the main guy's class from the story) you'll use and the match type. The only complaint I have with multiplayer mode is that there is no teamless mass destruction of your enemies feature; instead, the only free-for-all modes are ones where you capture structures and hold them, gathering points by doing so. Arguably the best part of multiplayer is being the last guys standing and why Relic left this out of the game baffles me. Nevertheless, I've spent hours, now, just on multiplayer, meanwhile my third playthrough in the story gathers dust. When you have three commander types per faction, each with their own customizable features and super moves that cost points gained by butchering enemy forces...well, even a good story doesn't satisfy that kind of itch. In summary, the multiplayer alone is worth the purchase.
I really like this game, and considering you can get it and its expansion for thirty dollars or, if you don't mind a slightly higher price, Steam has the entire Dawn of War-related game library, as well as a ton of others, for ninety-nine dollars. If you liked Warcraft III because of the hero units and don't mind losing the base-building and constant refreshing of unit upgrading per mission, buy this game!
Showing posts with label Good. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Good. Show all posts
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Bioshock 2
I'm a big fan of this game's predecessor, clocking in at least four play-throughs. Not a big number, nor impressive, but, considering I'm done with most games after one...anyway! The story isn't really new or special, yet it's an entertaining ride the whole way through, even when the twists and turns can be seen coming almost right at the beginning. I will try to refrain from spoilers, though I suppose that is not always possible.
You are Delta, the first successful Big Daddy in the Alpha series, and you have seemingly risen from the grave ten years after the downfall of Rapture. Guided by visions of your once-Little Sister, as well as a shady businessman named Sinclair, it's up to you to put things right. It's a one-versus-an-army sort of game, and you're always one step behind the villains. That is my only real gripe with this game. You see, how many more games can be made where a high-powered, intelligent hero can't get through a zone because an omnipotent villain has done something to hinder him or her with exactly what he or she doesn't have the means to handle yet, but can't surely find nearby? To be honest, the game only requires you to follow a glowing arrow and dispose of enemies and you will be done with the game in under eight hours. No thinking necessary! That being said, the entire package is gorgeous, well-designed, and most importantly: fun.
While I did say the story was cliche, it nonetheless grabs hold of you immediately and rarely lets go unless you decide to take a breather and explore the levels, which are all exquisite even in their desolate state. From ruined diners to a hidden undersea lab, complete with burst rivets slowly allowing the ocean to claim it. This is possible because 2K decided to break the game up into well-defined levels rather than an open-world. Sure, you can't backtrack, but that sort of encourages searching the zones to marvel at everything that they have crafted...which leads me to the next topic.
A big plus of this game is the detail they've put into the "fluff." Splicers (the enemies of the series and former wealthy entrepreneurs who have spliced their DNA in excess) argue, dance, and fight with one another when you are still undetected. Their design has been revamped, where what was once just ugly has been upped to hideous. The audio logs of the inhabitants of Rapture, usually un-Spliced, you find while exploring are considerably better this time around and manage to convey hurt, fear, joy, and so many other emotions; most are recorded and stashed by the principle characters you encounter with the time stamps ranging from before the New Year's War to just minutes before you find the audio log.
The biggest plus, in my opinion, is the upgraded Little Sister section. As a Big Daddy it's your job and driving purpose to protect them, so when you adopt the little girls they ride on your shoulder, talking to you and complimenting their beloved "father," while you and she search for ADAM-harvest-able corpses. Like in the first game, I felt the need to protect them, even when you're given the option to harvest the child itself for exponentially more ADAM than being good, but in Bioshock 2 they have more personality and seem so much more human; any thoughts of being cruel were wiped clean when you're greeted with a wide smile and a comment on her day.
I could go on, but I said enough. Good, good game. I liked it much more than the first despite a few flaws, and while I can't say "buy it," it's definitely a must-rent.
You are Delta, the first successful Big Daddy in the Alpha series, and you have seemingly risen from the grave ten years after the downfall of Rapture. Guided by visions of your once-Little Sister, as well as a shady businessman named Sinclair, it's up to you to put things right. It's a one-versus-an-army sort of game, and you're always one step behind the villains. That is my only real gripe with this game. You see, how many more games can be made where a high-powered, intelligent hero can't get through a zone because an omnipotent villain has done something to hinder him or her with exactly what he or she doesn't have the means to handle yet, but can't surely find nearby? To be honest, the game only requires you to follow a glowing arrow and dispose of enemies and you will be done with the game in under eight hours. No thinking necessary! That being said, the entire package is gorgeous, well-designed, and most importantly: fun.
While I did say the story was cliche, it nonetheless grabs hold of you immediately and rarely lets go unless you decide to take a breather and explore the levels, which are all exquisite even in their desolate state. From ruined diners to a hidden undersea lab, complete with burst rivets slowly allowing the ocean to claim it. This is possible because 2K decided to break the game up into well-defined levels rather than an open-world. Sure, you can't backtrack, but that sort of encourages searching the zones to marvel at everything that they have crafted...which leads me to the next topic.
A big plus of this game is the detail they've put into the "fluff." Splicers (the enemies of the series and former wealthy entrepreneurs who have spliced their DNA in excess) argue, dance, and fight with one another when you are still undetected. Their design has been revamped, where what was once just ugly has been upped to hideous. The audio logs of the inhabitants of Rapture, usually un-Spliced, you find while exploring are considerably better this time around and manage to convey hurt, fear, joy, and so many other emotions; most are recorded and stashed by the principle characters you encounter with the time stamps ranging from before the New Year's War to just minutes before you find the audio log.
The biggest plus, in my opinion, is the upgraded Little Sister section. As a Big Daddy it's your job and driving purpose to protect them, so when you adopt the little girls they ride on your shoulder, talking to you and complimenting their beloved "father," while you and she search for ADAM-harvest-able corpses. Like in the first game, I felt the need to protect them, even when you're given the option to harvest the child itself for exponentially more ADAM than being good, but in Bioshock 2 they have more personality and seem so much more human; any thoughts of being cruel were wiped clean when you're greeted with a wide smile and a comment on her day.
I could go on, but I said enough. Good, good game. I liked it much more than the first despite a few flaws, and while I can't say "buy it," it's definitely a must-rent.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
House of Bones
I suppose it's been long enough of a break. Once again, I am just writing this for myself these days, but whatever.
House of Bones, a SciFi Channel (I refuse to call it Syfy) original movie, was something of a surprise to me. First off, it's not original in any way; second, it was fantastic. From the opening credits you get a sense that it is not going to take itself overly serious, but not make a complete mockery of itself like films such as the Scary Movie franchise. Instead, the credits proficiently establish why the movie is taking place. Well, to be fair, the credits happen after a scene generally taboo in the horror movie industry: killing off a child.
So, the plot of the film is that a crew from a Ghost Hunters-like team go to a house with a terrifying past and a record of locals disappearing when they enter the home or get too close. When I said the movie makes fun of itself, it's in the way they portray the team. Ghost Hunters is, as I'm sure you've all seen in some manner, another SciFi show where two dudes and their buddies, all with technological know-how, go to "haunted" locations and prove or disprove paranormal activity. House of Bones portrays the fictional counterparts as cynics whose belief in ghosts is practically nonexistent. From their arrival to the house they sum up rooms, finding creepy filming spots to interview a psychic and apply fog machines. It's ribbing Ghost Hunters all the way up to when stuff actually starts happening; after that it's typical horror movie fare.
What sets this film apart from the majority of the SciFi movies is that the sum of all its parts is something altogether great. I can't think back to more than one scene where I was not wholeheartedly enjoying the movie. The acting and reactions are believable, keeping you engrossed in the story. Only the obnoxious kids in the beginning seemed like amateurs with zero experience and/or talent...well, except maybe the boy who gets offed. As a whole, I worried about each character's fate, groaned when scenes were playing out that signaled potential death, and sighed in relief when I was wrong.
Special effects, too, were above the norm for a cable television release. The reason why was awesome: it went old school in delivery. Computer generated ghosts were absent, instead replaced by quality techniques to induce tension, be it through creepy ambiance or claustrophobia. Also, the filmmakers used physical props and so on instead of relying on their tech staff to create the antagonist and victims. As a rule, if the object of terror actually can be seen by the cast, their reactions are better. Look at Jurassic Park!
Without a doubt, this is one of SciFi's shining successes. If you don't catch it on television soon after reading this, go out and find a copy. Buy it, rent it, watch it online if you can, but make sure you experience House of Bones.
House of Bones, a SciFi Channel (I refuse to call it Syfy) original movie, was something of a surprise to me. First off, it's not original in any way; second, it was fantastic. From the opening credits you get a sense that it is not going to take itself overly serious, but not make a complete mockery of itself like films such as the Scary Movie franchise. Instead, the credits proficiently establish why the movie is taking place. Well, to be fair, the credits happen after a scene generally taboo in the horror movie industry: killing off a child.
So, the plot of the film is that a crew from a Ghost Hunters-like team go to a house with a terrifying past and a record of locals disappearing when they enter the home or get too close. When I said the movie makes fun of itself, it's in the way they portray the team. Ghost Hunters is, as I'm sure you've all seen in some manner, another SciFi show where two dudes and their buddies, all with technological know-how, go to "haunted" locations and prove or disprove paranormal activity. House of Bones portrays the fictional counterparts as cynics whose belief in ghosts is practically nonexistent. From their arrival to the house they sum up rooms, finding creepy filming spots to interview a psychic and apply fog machines. It's ribbing Ghost Hunters all the way up to when stuff actually starts happening; after that it's typical horror movie fare.
What sets this film apart from the majority of the SciFi movies is that the sum of all its parts is something altogether great. I can't think back to more than one scene where I was not wholeheartedly enjoying the movie. The acting and reactions are believable, keeping you engrossed in the story. Only the obnoxious kids in the beginning seemed like amateurs with zero experience and/or talent...well, except maybe the boy who gets offed. As a whole, I worried about each character's fate, groaned when scenes were playing out that signaled potential death, and sighed in relief when I was wrong.
Special effects, too, were above the norm for a cable television release. The reason why was awesome: it went old school in delivery. Computer generated ghosts were absent, instead replaced by quality techniques to induce tension, be it through creepy ambiance or claustrophobia. Also, the filmmakers used physical props and so on instead of relying on their tech staff to create the antagonist and victims. As a rule, if the object of terror actually can be seen by the cast, their reactions are better. Look at Jurassic Park!
Without a doubt, this is one of SciFi's shining successes. If you don't catch it on television soon after reading this, go out and find a copy. Buy it, rent it, watch it online if you can, but make sure you experience House of Bones.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Spider-man: Web of Shadows
What can I say? Spider-man is probably the best Marvel superhero...I mean, everyone knows about him, and practically everyone likes him! His powers are awesome, his villains interesting (mostly), and he's actually a fairly believable character...if you look past the whole superpowers part. The guy has real problems and moral dilemmas, as well as a general failure at social interaction. In other words, Spider-man is the everyday man's hero on a grand scale.
Getting to the review. Web of Shadows is a sandbox game, or an open world game, where you travel the city to stop crimes and see all the majesty of a scaled-down New York City in CG in complete freedom. In a sandbox game you are not limited to roped-off levels; instead, you're able to go from one side of the island to another and beat up people to your heart's content. There are story missions, which you activate by entering a glowing circle or talking to a hero/villain, but there are optional missions you can pick up and do in the meantime. Sure, you have to do missions in order, but there's so much you can do between them. What makes it better, you ask?
You are Spider-man. With web swinging, wall running, and massive agility you can basically zoom across New York and hand gangs, armored troops, and symbiotes their asses with effortless ease. Why? Because for all missions, optional and story, you gain experience points with which you can buy new additions to your moves. One might be an extra swing in your combo, the other might increase its damage.
What's better is that you have two forms: regular Spidey and Black Suit. The differences are mostly number of hits vs. physical damage to begin with, but after you supe up each suit, you'll find the Red Suit is a combo master with aerial proficiency, whereas the Black Suit utilizes symbiote tendrils and hits way harder.
The story's ok, so I won't go into it here; I'd rather you experience the story, but I will say there are multiple endings depending on if you make Red Suit (nice - hero) or Black Suit (aggressive - villainous) decisions. Ultimately only two decisions you make matter, but the game has subtle changes depending on what you do and which suit you really choose to play. Of course, you can switch between the two at any time with the press of a button (analog button), so don't worry about being limited to just one.
Overall, this game is actually really fun. It has its flaws, and if you're not a big fan of bright, colorful, nerdy series' you might want to stay away; however, if you want to play a nearly perfect sandbox game, put aside Grand Theft Auto IV and pick this up.
Getting to the review. Web of Shadows is a sandbox game, or an open world game, where you travel the city to stop crimes and see all the majesty of a scaled-down New York City in CG in complete freedom. In a sandbox game you are not limited to roped-off levels; instead, you're able to go from one side of the island to another and beat up people to your heart's content. There are story missions, which you activate by entering a glowing circle or talking to a hero/villain, but there are optional missions you can pick up and do in the meantime. Sure, you have to do missions in order, but there's so much you can do between them. What makes it better, you ask?
You are Spider-man. With web swinging, wall running, and massive agility you can basically zoom across New York and hand gangs, armored troops, and symbiotes their asses with effortless ease. Why? Because for all missions, optional and story, you gain experience points with which you can buy new additions to your moves. One might be an extra swing in your combo, the other might increase its damage.
What's better is that you have two forms: regular Spidey and Black Suit. The differences are mostly number of hits vs. physical damage to begin with, but after you supe up each suit, you'll find the Red Suit is a combo master with aerial proficiency, whereas the Black Suit utilizes symbiote tendrils and hits way harder.
The story's ok, so I won't go into it here; I'd rather you experience the story, but I will say there are multiple endings depending on if you make Red Suit (nice - hero) or Black Suit (aggressive - villainous) decisions. Ultimately only two decisions you make matter, but the game has subtle changes depending on what you do and which suit you really choose to play. Of course, you can switch between the two at any time with the press of a button (analog button), so don't worry about being limited to just one.
Overall, this game is actually really fun. It has its flaws, and if you're not a big fan of bright, colorful, nerdy series' you might want to stay away; however, if you want to play a nearly perfect sandbox game, put aside Grand Theft Auto IV and pick this up.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The Terminator
What can I really say that hasn't been said a thousand times before? The Terminator is one of the most iconic movies of the last few decades.
Obviously, you've got Arnold playing the villain, which he does well, but the real lead roles are Michael Biehn and whatever Sarah Connor's actress' name is; I think it's Linda Hamilton. She might as well just change her name, because that's who everyone thinks of when they see her face.
Anyway, the plot is about a post-apocalyptic world divided into two factions man and machine. Man made the machines, machines learned to think, and we got bombed into oblivion. After the collapse of all governments and societies, one dude by the name of John Connor rallied humanity to battle the machines and their brain-computer Skynet and took back the world. That happens after the movie. What we get is Skynet sending back one of its elite troops (a robot who appears human) to kill John's mother before she conceived him. John gets wind of this plot, somehow, and sends back one of his closest companions to protect Sarah.
I laugh at the fact that, had Skynet not sent back a Terminator, Kyle wouldn't have arrived and -SPOILERS (Ha! Like you haven't seen the movie) - gotten Sarah pregnant with John.
See, what follows is a lot of chase scenes, blood, killing, and techno-political discussion. It's fun, and despite the movie's cheesiness, it's still a fantastic film. I mean, it's not T2, which is by far better, and dare I say one of the greatest movies in American cinema? As you can see, this review's short...there's just not a lot I can criticize, and a lot to praise, so just go out and buy this movie. It's definitely worth purchasing.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Resident Evil: Outbreak
Sorry for the delay in posting. I'm way behind, but I've been really busy. And yeah, yeah, it's a Friday...
As I've written before, I love zombie stories, games, movies, and anything else that can be about the living dead. Resident Evil is wonderful, its sequels just as good, and so today I'm going to cover one of the debatably canon spin-offs: Outbreak.
This game is unique as far as Capcom's superpower series is concerned. While the setting is the same (Raccoon City), none of the characters are. Instead of getting a highly trained S.T.A.R.S member to play as, you have a large cast of regular Joes who have managed to avoid infection and are now working together to escape the city and all of its terrifying monstrosities. Also, instead of having one lump story, the game is divided into chapter-style levels.
What really makes this game so good in my opinion is how it's delivered. You have many characters to choose from, all of which share the story of the game, but each have different sidestories that change events and give you a different perspective of what's happening. Also, each have different stats, though that ultimately changes very little; flavor stuff mostly, yet some are really cool.
Everyone I've met has their favorite character (or two), and you are rewarded for sticking with them throughout the game. You see, because of the way the game is designed, chapters give you points for avoiding damage, how quickly you completed the level, items -key items, which I will cover shortly-, and how many of your team survived. THAT is another thing that is awesome about this game. You aren't forced to go it alone: you have two other characters to traverse the deadly locales. What's more is that the AI-controlled teammates don't feel like escort missions that litter other games; instead they play as slightly stupid, yet very helpful players. It's kind of like playing with somebody who's not quite used to the game, but knows the mechanics. What helps is there's a set of "talk" commands to relay distress or warnings, as well as an ad-lib button to hear some "conversations." Another apect of this will be covered later.
These guys and girls will protect you, heal you, gather ammo, etc. Their main function when I play is being a portable storage box. Since you're not Leon with a magical shrinking atache case, you can only hold four items, unless you play as Yoko (my favorite) with her bookbag. Your allies, too, have open spots that you can hand over story items and herbs, though you have to be careful, since they will use healing items and ammo...it's a risk you sometime have to take.
Back to the rewards system. There are key items and files scattered about levels that take up no space in your inventory, as well as character-specific key items that you can read while playing. Everyone has a different text when you read it as them, which is pretty cool and entertaining. There are also events you can witness if you hit a mark at a certain point, kill a super tough enemy before they're supposed to die (big mistake, usually), or have found a secret item. These events range from an extra cinematic for the items or speed run, to an entirely different and challenging new end-level boss, though sometimes they merely result in one of your teammates dying in an un-canon fashion...here's looking at you Yoko.
Now, these points add up as you complete levels and you have to be able to do something with them, right? Resident Evil 5 took a note from this system, in fact...there's a large shop in the menu screen. At the shop you can buy new costumes (everyone has at least one), high resolution portraits, cinematics, music, and new characters who are just re-skins who share a main character's story-- that being said, the characters do have different stats than their base's.
Stats are pretty simple, though there's no way outside of just messing around in levels to find them out...no listed place to see them in-game.
1) Health: How many hits your character can take
2) Strength: damage you do with melee weapons and how quickly, if at all, you can move items to barricade doors or brace a door from the bashing arms of zombies (yes, this was the first RE game where a door between you and zombies did not mean safety).
3) Accuracy: how much damage you do with firearms and, in Kevin's case, if you hold the ready position button for long enough to charge up and hit HARD.
4) Relationship: Some characters have conflicting personalities, so you have to earn trust and help them for them to reciprocate. I've actually had Kevin fall to his death because Mark refused to help me up a ledge. I didn't work at getting him to like me. Don't make the same mistake.
5) Resist: This is arguably the most important stat...it's how fast the T-Virus spreads throughout your system. This leads to...
You are infected, or perhaps your body is slowly losing its will to fight off the virus. If you open your inventory (which does NOT pause the game) you can see your heart rate (health) and a climbing percentage of infection. When that hits one hundred percent it's game over. Yoko, has miserable stats in every other field, but she has the absolute slowest rate of degeneration; Jim has the fastest...it's sad, but he kind of sucks at everything except being a whiny, yet amusing character. So, in essence, the levels are timed.
If you couldn't tell, I love this game despite its numerous small flaws which are associated with the good stuff I covered; however, none of the problems are game breaking. What you get is a classic-style Resident Evil game which focuses on the citizens rather than the heroes. It makes you re-examine those bullet fodder enemies from RE2 and 3...or, it did for me.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The Game Plan
Well this is an odd addition to my list of horror and sci-fi films, isn't it?
The Game Plan is fantastic for modern-Disney, I must say. While it doesn't break away from the twenty-first century conventions for "humorous" situations, it does a darn good job at making you look past them. See, Disney really seems to have given up on writing good, new-ish stories; instead, they pump out sequels to movies that by all rights needed none or throw a new coat of paint over a classic film, meanwhile systematically ruining it with cheap slapstick jokes. If you couldn't tell, I'd normally rather watch eye surgery footage of the operation needed after watching new-Disney than the garbage they're selling to the masses.
I've deviated from the topic a bit, so now I'll return to what's important: The Game Plan. This movie is wonderful and charming. Not a new story, but a charming one which had my eyes a little watery in the last quarter of the film.
The standby plots for most kids' movies is a short list. You can have a family trip, a new pet, a long lost relative, or a school year, all of which will be filled with zany hijinks and one-liners so devoid of "dirty language," well, that they're unbelievable. Not only that, but the situations are so often entirely implausible, and the parents are either massive control-freaks or so goofy and incompetent it's a miracle they achieved adulthood and a massive salary. Whether this is some subtle prod at society or if it's merely some idealized vision of how life should be in their eyes...actually, what's most likely is some squeaky-clean way to make millions off of suggestible children and their never at home parents. Again I've gone off on a rant of why networks marketing to kids are my least liked.
This movie is about a star football player bachelor finds out via shock value that he has a daughter from a failed marriage when said little girl shows up at his pad. Of course, they cast Mr. Football with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, which I really found myself enjoying. I was never a "wrestling" fan, but some of those actors went on to do bigger things. Why, the list is...short. Dwayne, however, surprised me with this (along with a few of his other roles) and I'm now a big fan of his. His character is self-obsessed and cocky, inept at handling a seven or eight-year old daughter, though he finds in himself a side he never expected. From throwing aside his belief that he can only be a football player, abandoning his protective bubble of cool guy by playing along and encouraging his daughter's whims. It's a cute movie, and one that I would not feel bad purchasing in the very near future.
Summary: great movie, good cast, rarity among Disney's most recent additions to their library. Watch this if you're in a sentimental mood-- you won't regret it.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The Matrix
As you can probably tell, I've changed the updates to once a week. Thursday seems better than Mondays due to the fact you all are fully into the work-week schedule and not recovering from an end of the weekend blowout.
Anyway, The Matrix. When this movie came out, it was revolutionary in a special effects sense and told a tale that many became infatuated with. The premise is cool, I won't lie...the world we know is nothing more than an illusion developed and pumped electronically directly into our minds by intelligent machines growing us in tubes as a source of energy. Wow. Impressive and ambitious definitely. Then we find out that we created the machines and, over time, drove them to the superiority mindset because of our conceited idea that we were better and that everything should obey our will. The robots rose up to defend, ended up enslaving. Of course, this is all backstory introduced through canon spin-offs, but still.
The story kicks off with a gravity-defying fight and chase, then we are introduced to the main character Neo, aka Thomas Anderson. Geeky hacker who is searching for the mysterious Morpheus, and in doing so finds just how messed up the world has become. See, it's not 1999...it's 2999 or so, and the "modern" world is a program. The robots aren't cruel to their crops; their first world was a Utopia, but our inherent desire for chaos caused human minds to reject the program and subsequently die. So the robots recreated 1999 and let us at it. Everything's mental in The Matrix, and outside it's steampunk future. But, as you all guessed, there are ways to plug back into the program via a backdoor, eliminating all of the laws of the program.
This movie was every computer geek's blissful dream; it made programing, hacking, and that whole deal cool. The main characters were all savvy with terminology and with information discs stored aboard their ships could practically instantaneously learn all forms of martial arts, vehicle operation, and languages. Mind over matter and the acceptance that what is around you is, in fact, an illusion could allow for huge jumps, wall-running, etc. I loved the movie, even without the hacker bias. It was cool and the cast was excellent, even Keanu.
Over all, it was fun, entertaining, and full of pseudo-Buddhist messages. Highly recommended; however, stay far away from its sequels. Where the first was good, they were bad. The story developed into a Messiah tale that became preachy and convoluted, but not in a good Lost sort of way.
Anyway, The Matrix. When this movie came out, it was revolutionary in a special effects sense and told a tale that many became infatuated with. The premise is cool, I won't lie...the world we know is nothing more than an illusion developed and pumped electronically directly into our minds by intelligent machines growing us in tubes as a source of energy. Wow. Impressive and ambitious definitely. Then we find out that we created the machines and, over time, drove them to the superiority mindset because of our conceited idea that we were better and that everything should obey our will. The robots rose up to defend, ended up enslaving. Of course, this is all backstory introduced through canon spin-offs, but still.
The story kicks off with a gravity-defying fight and chase, then we are introduced to the main character Neo, aka Thomas Anderson. Geeky hacker who is searching for the mysterious Morpheus, and in doing so finds just how messed up the world has become. See, it's not 1999...it's 2999 or so, and the "modern" world is a program. The robots aren't cruel to their crops; their first world was a Utopia, but our inherent desire for chaos caused human minds to reject the program and subsequently die. So the robots recreated 1999 and let us at it. Everything's mental in The Matrix, and outside it's steampunk future. But, as you all guessed, there are ways to plug back into the program via a backdoor, eliminating all of the laws of the program.
This movie was every computer geek's blissful dream; it made programing, hacking, and that whole deal cool. The main characters were all savvy with terminology and with information discs stored aboard their ships could practically instantaneously learn all forms of martial arts, vehicle operation, and languages. Mind over matter and the acceptance that what is around you is, in fact, an illusion could allow for huge jumps, wall-running, etc. I loved the movie, even without the hacker bias. It was cool and the cast was excellent, even Keanu.
Over all, it was fun, entertaining, and full of pseudo-Buddhist messages. Highly recommended; however, stay far away from its sequels. Where the first was good, they were bad. The story developed into a Messiah tale that became preachy and convoluted, but not in a good Lost sort of way.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Bloodsuckers
What's with my fixation on reviewing horror movies, right? I like 'em, so bear with me.
Bloodsuckers is a weird movie. I mean, it's not a Wes Anderson weird, nor is it like Pink Floyd's The Wall, it's just weird. The premise is that humanity has been expanding its control into the vast reaches of space and, in doing so, have encountered lifeforms that can only be described as "vampires." I laughed when I saw the description on TV, but moments after I flipped to it mostly out of lack of anything else being on, I honestly starting liking the film.
It's one of the myriad of SciFi channel movies, but this one took its humble and, let's be honest, taboo backer-channel start and rolled with it. There's nothing that really makes it stand out in the movie world, yet it's got a charming quality that inspired me to give it some props here.
The setup is that with all of the vampires (and there are many different kinds) finding ways to attack and feed on the human colonists, the government has formed a branch of the military whose sole purpose is to fight back. We're not talking about full-force, guns blazing, large scale battles (though there was apparently a Vampire War preceding the events of the movie...) but small crews of soldiers the military would probably have kicked out otherwise. Basically this branch is comprised of zealous militia who take pleasure in wiping out vampires...the main characters being the prime examples.
*You've got the captain: stoic and an all-around good veteran who leads his crew like a dysfunctional family.
*There's the redneck guy whose family was butchered by vampires.
*An Asian lady who's reminiscent (note: blatant rip-off) of Pvt. Vasquez from Aliens- she and redneck are super loyal to the captain.
*A vampire who joined with humans to help them out. She's played by the same actress who portrayed Rayne in the second movie in that miserable series, giving her another chance to wear borderline bondage gear and pretend to drink blood.
*New guy. He's got a history with the military, and the only place that would take him in is this division...guess what: he's the main character.
*Villain vampire. Michael Ironside...enough said.
What makes this movie so entertaining is the fact that, while the actual story is drab and over-played, the entire package comes together to make an honestly enjoyable experience. You've got this amalgamation of Firefly (gold!), Nosferatu, and practically any conspiracy and betrayal movie, and where it should ultimately fall flat on its face, Bloodsuckers had me chuckling at some of the worse lines and worrying for the fate of characters when things began to look bad. I have to suggest this film to you all, I really do, because it was a lot of fun.
Bloodsuckers is a weird movie. I mean, it's not a Wes Anderson weird, nor is it like Pink Floyd's The Wall, it's just weird. The premise is that humanity has been expanding its control into the vast reaches of space and, in doing so, have encountered lifeforms that can only be described as "vampires." I laughed when I saw the description on TV, but moments after I flipped to it mostly out of lack of anything else being on, I honestly starting liking the film.
It's one of the myriad of SciFi channel movies, but this one took its humble and, let's be honest, taboo backer-channel start and rolled with it. There's nothing that really makes it stand out in the movie world, yet it's got a charming quality that inspired me to give it some props here.
The setup is that with all of the vampires (and there are many different kinds) finding ways to attack and feed on the human colonists, the government has formed a branch of the military whose sole purpose is to fight back. We're not talking about full-force, guns blazing, large scale battles (though there was apparently a Vampire War preceding the events of the movie...) but small crews of soldiers the military would probably have kicked out otherwise. Basically this branch is comprised of zealous militia who take pleasure in wiping out vampires...the main characters being the prime examples.
*You've got the captain: stoic and an all-around good veteran who leads his crew like a dysfunctional family.
*There's the redneck guy whose family was butchered by vampires.
*An Asian lady who's reminiscent (note: blatant rip-off) of Pvt. Vasquez from Aliens- she and redneck are super loyal to the captain.
*A vampire who joined with humans to help them out. She's played by the same actress who portrayed Rayne in the second movie in that miserable series, giving her another chance to wear borderline bondage gear and pretend to drink blood.
*New guy. He's got a history with the military, and the only place that would take him in is this division...guess what: he's the main character.
*Villain vampire. Michael Ironside...enough said.
What makes this movie so entertaining is the fact that, while the actual story is drab and over-played, the entire package comes together to make an honestly enjoyable experience. You've got this amalgamation of Firefly (gold!), Nosferatu, and practically any conspiracy and betrayal movie, and where it should ultimately fall flat on its face, Bloodsuckers had me chuckling at some of the worse lines and worrying for the fate of characters when things began to look bad. I have to suggest this film to you all, I really do, because it was a lot of fun.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Riding the Bullet
Another Stephen King story, but this time I'll go with a movie.
While this film is based off of relatively decent short story, it's considerably better in its movie format. Shocking, I know. I'm one of the elitest jerks who rarely gives such an adaptation a chance, lumping them in with the made-for-television SciFi Channel programs before ever giving them a chance. Sometimes this saves me from immense pain, other times I've found I miss out on some true gold quality stuff. Luckily I have friends to convince me to check things out.
Riding the Bullet, the movie, is about Alan Parker, a college student in 1969, who has to hitchhike back to his hometown to see his mother who had a stroke, hospitalizing her. Along the way he's picked up by a ghost whose job is to carry souls to wherever, and that night he's been sent to make Alan choose whether he or his mother is going to die. It's a simple story and what they added to drama it up to movie standards honestly works. I won't say it's a really deep plot, but the concept is excellent.
As for the cast, the mother is familiar but I can't place her in anything I've seen recently...Alan is played by Jonathan Jackson, best known for his soap opera stuff and Tuck Everlasting, and he is fantastic in the film. The real star of the movie is the ghost, played by none other than David Arquette. He's serious, creepy, and goofy all at once, and by the end you really can't be sure he was actually a bad guy. His and Jonathan's performances were great, the dialog above average, and the cinematoghraphy was much better than I expected. It surprised me that this was in theaters, as I might have actually given it a shot had I seen it on the local dive's marquee.
All in all, it's worth watching, maybe even worth buying if it's your cup of tea. Check it out.
While this film is based off of relatively decent short story, it's considerably better in its movie format. Shocking, I know. I'm one of the elitest jerks who rarely gives such an adaptation a chance, lumping them in with the made-for-television SciFi Channel programs before ever giving them a chance. Sometimes this saves me from immense pain, other times I've found I miss out on some true gold quality stuff. Luckily I have friends to convince me to check things out.
Riding the Bullet, the movie, is about Alan Parker, a college student in 1969, who has to hitchhike back to his hometown to see his mother who had a stroke, hospitalizing her. Along the way he's picked up by a ghost whose job is to carry souls to wherever, and that night he's been sent to make Alan choose whether he or his mother is going to die. It's a simple story and what they added to drama it up to movie standards honestly works. I won't say it's a really deep plot, but the concept is excellent.
As for the cast, the mother is familiar but I can't place her in anything I've seen recently...Alan is played by Jonathan Jackson, best known for his soap opera stuff and Tuck Everlasting, and he is fantastic in the film. The real star of the movie is the ghost, played by none other than David Arquette. He's serious, creepy, and goofy all at once, and by the end you really can't be sure he was actually a bad guy. His and Jonathan's performances were great, the dialog above average, and the cinematoghraphy was much better than I expected. It surprised me that this was in theaters, as I might have actually given it a shot had I seen it on the local dive's marquee.
All in all, it's worth watching, maybe even worth buying if it's your cup of tea. Check it out.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Spaced
Simon Pegg is awesome. Enough said.
Spaced is a television series that aired over in the wonderful nation of England. It's about two people who have recently been dumped or done the deed, and are out of a place to live. After a chance meeting in a coffee shop the two find an advertisement in a newspaper for an apartment. The catch: it's for professional couples only. So, with some clever doctoring of photos and a shoddy story, they get the apartment. What follows is shenanigans of epic (well, not epic) proportions.
The characters in Spaced are great and, since it's a small cast, we get to see a lot of who they are. You get your easy laughs at some of the situations, but you also see a level of depth in their decisions that are nearly unseen in shows today. Apart from the depth and all that, the situations themselves are quite funny and odd, and Simon Pegg typically puts a satirical spin on it. He rarely outright makes fun of them; instead, he honors them by showing that you can laugh at the ridiculousness of things and love them all the more for it.
I feel bad making this entry so short, but with it being a television show I would have to explain entire seasons. Rather than that, I suggest renting or buying this show; recently they've released it in a box set at a modest price.
Spaced is a television series that aired over in the wonderful nation of England. It's about two people who have recently been dumped or done the deed, and are out of a place to live. After a chance meeting in a coffee shop the two find an advertisement in a newspaper for an apartment. The catch: it's for professional couples only. So, with some clever doctoring of photos and a shoddy story, they get the apartment. What follows is shenanigans of epic (well, not epic) proportions.
The characters in Spaced are great and, since it's a small cast, we get to see a lot of who they are. You get your easy laughs at some of the situations, but you also see a level of depth in their decisions that are nearly unseen in shows today. Apart from the depth and all that, the situations themselves are quite funny and odd, and Simon Pegg typically puts a satirical spin on it. He rarely outright makes fun of them; instead, he honors them by showing that you can laugh at the ridiculousness of things and love them all the more for it.
I feel bad making this entry so short, but with it being a television show I would have to explain entire seasons. Rather than that, I suggest renting or buying this show; recently they've released it in a box set at a modest price.
Monday, April 13, 2009
The Mad
It's rare to find a semi-indie dark comedy featuring a big(-ish) name star...and zombies! The Mad is a fun flick about a dysfunctional family taking a little road trip and encountering more excitement than a good deal on gas prices.
From the start you're thrown into a new-age eighties synth-rock montage of cows grazing and looking ominous. Creepy farmer dude grinds up some beef and delivers a shipment of it to a Podunk diner and we've pretty much got the location for our movie. The family arrives and we see that Billy Zane (yes, The Phantom!), his girlfriend, and his daughter, as well as her kiss-ass boyfriend, are trying miserably to get along and failing. What better a way to relax from hours of driving than to stop at a small town during a festival. Woo-wee, kissin' booths and shootin' ranges gone done made this town a hoot. Anyway, they go into the diner, bicker, and then the fun starts.
The zombies in this movie are actually victims of a mutated Mad Cow Disease that ran rampant through creepy farmer's livestock, brought to its zenith by an unsanctioned chemical/medicine. What makes it better is that they're not mindless in the whole ravenous flesh-craving sense; instead they're just stupid to the inability to process higher thought. So far it really just sounds like a horror movie from my description, and a bad one at that...but it's not. The dialog, as well as the level of acting (some good, some laughably bad), makes this movie gold. In the middle of situations that, in serious horror movies, most would merely disolve into panic accompanied by a caucophony of dissonant music (or hard rock), The Mad features often-amusing conversations about whether or not the mob outside should really be called "zombies."
Billy Zane gives a stellar performance as the doctor dad. Don't get me wrong-- it would never be good enough to get any kind of award, but he plays the part excellently. From the generation-behind vacant stares he gives when others use modern lingo to the sometimes overprotective father reactions to his daughter and her boyfriend...I mean, he's awesome.
The gore's not too bad, but the language is. It's not a movie for the kids, but let's face it: no horror movie is truly intended for children. If you want to have a laugh while watching zombies swarm over hapless victims, and your copy of Shaun of the Dead is out on loan, check out The Mad.
From the start you're thrown into a new-age eighties synth-rock montage of cows grazing and looking ominous. Creepy farmer dude grinds up some beef and delivers a shipment of it to a Podunk diner and we've pretty much got the location for our movie. The family arrives and we see that Billy Zane (yes, The Phantom!), his girlfriend, and his daughter, as well as her kiss-ass boyfriend, are trying miserably to get along and failing. What better a way to relax from hours of driving than to stop at a small town during a festival. Woo-wee, kissin' booths and shootin' ranges gone done made this town a hoot. Anyway, they go into the diner, bicker, and then the fun starts.
The zombies in this movie are actually victims of a mutated Mad Cow Disease that ran rampant through creepy farmer's livestock, brought to its zenith by an unsanctioned chemical/medicine. What makes it better is that they're not mindless in the whole ravenous flesh-craving sense; instead they're just stupid to the inability to process higher thought. So far it really just sounds like a horror movie from my description, and a bad one at that...but it's not. The dialog, as well as the level of acting (some good, some laughably bad), makes this movie gold. In the middle of situations that, in serious horror movies, most would merely disolve into panic accompanied by a caucophony of dissonant music (or hard rock), The Mad features often-amusing conversations about whether or not the mob outside should really be called "zombies."
Billy Zane gives a stellar performance as the doctor dad. Don't get me wrong-- it would never be good enough to get any kind of award, but he plays the part excellently. From the generation-behind vacant stares he gives when others use modern lingo to the sometimes overprotective father reactions to his daughter and her boyfriend...I mean, he's awesome.
The gore's not too bad, but the language is. It's not a movie for the kids, but let's face it: no horror movie is truly intended for children. If you want to have a laugh while watching zombies swarm over hapless victims, and your copy of Shaun of the Dead is out on loan, check out The Mad.
Monday, April 6, 2009
The Shining
If I had to pick one horror novel to take with me to...let's go with a creepy old house...it would have to be Stephen King's The Shining.
A lot of people get snooty when it comes to horror-fiction. Maybe it's the crudeness of some of the characters' lines, the typical gore-factor, and jump out at you cheap scares that Hollywood has shoved down our throats for quite some time. See, a scary book is generally the opposite of its big screen counterpart. When you can't watch the scene unfold with eerie music wearing thin your already frayed nerves, well, you have to manipulate your audience through literary means into a state of edginess without losing the quality of the writing. The Shining does this perfectly!
While I'm a sucker for a scary anything, I'm more critical of my favorite genre than the others-- books most of all. If I can't enjoy reading their tale, I won't get to the creepy. If for some unknown reason I trudge onward just out of morbid curiosity, I usually feel disappointed when something happens. I really have to connect with the main character(/s) in order to envelop myself in the novel...even if they're flawed.
Stephen King shines with a small cast- it's a fact I could debate for who knows how long. In The Shining he has three and a half characters to develop and that's it. Some would think this is boring and won't lead to grizzly deaths or whatever, but you're wrong: all three of the Torrances are expertly crafted. Each of the parents (Jack -the main character- and Wendy) is not perfect, but that's what makes them honestly feel real! Their son Danny is gifted with a form of second sight, a staple King plot device, though he's not a brilliant adult-in-a-kid's-body sort of deal. When sections focus on his perspective, well, he has trouble connecting certain things and finds himself struggling to find a word, and you're along for the frustration/confusion ride with him...Enjoy it, because King was never able to create another believable child character. Lastly is an important character who doesn't get much page-time, and I'll leave it up to anyone who hasn't seen/read The Shining to find out on your own (ha!).
Anyway, you've all probably seen the movie, so I won't waste time on the plot; however, the Kubrick version deviates so far from the actual story that I can't watch it. The miniseries from '97, I believe, starring Stephen Weber was an accurate adaptation, and rather good sans the actor playing Danny. But I digress. In a nutshell: Jack takes a job as a caretaker for a massive hotel in the Rockies (The Overlook) and brings his family. Turns out it's haunted and the spirits want to add the Torrances to their roster. Especially Danny.
This is by FAR my favorite Stephen King novel, and I've read most of his work. I cannot recommend this book enough. The character development is superb, the setting claustrophobic, and has some genuinely creepy moments where my breathing became so shallow I was nearly, well, not. Read. This. Book. Now I'm going to down some medicine for my inexplicable headache and relax...Be back Thursday, folks.
A lot of people get snooty when it comes to horror-fiction. Maybe it's the crudeness of some of the characters' lines, the typical gore-factor, and jump out at you cheap scares that Hollywood has shoved down our throats for quite some time. See, a scary book is generally the opposite of its big screen counterpart. When you can't watch the scene unfold with eerie music wearing thin your already frayed nerves, well, you have to manipulate your audience through literary means into a state of edginess without losing the quality of the writing. The Shining does this perfectly!
While I'm a sucker for a scary anything, I'm more critical of my favorite genre than the others-- books most of all. If I can't enjoy reading their tale, I won't get to the creepy. If for some unknown reason I trudge onward just out of morbid curiosity, I usually feel disappointed when something happens. I really have to connect with the main character(/s) in order to envelop myself in the novel...even if they're flawed.
Stephen King shines with a small cast- it's a fact I could debate for who knows how long. In The Shining he has three and a half characters to develop and that's it. Some would think this is boring and won't lead to grizzly deaths or whatever, but you're wrong: all three of the Torrances are expertly crafted. Each of the parents (Jack -the main character- and Wendy) is not perfect, but that's what makes them honestly feel real! Their son Danny is gifted with a form of second sight, a staple King plot device, though he's not a brilliant adult-in-a-kid's-body sort of deal. When sections focus on his perspective, well, he has trouble connecting certain things and finds himself struggling to find a word, and you're along for the frustration/confusion ride with him...Enjoy it, because King was never able to create another believable child character. Lastly is an important character who doesn't get much page-time, and I'll leave it up to anyone who hasn't seen/read The Shining to find out on your own (ha!).
Anyway, you've all probably seen the movie, so I won't waste time on the plot; however, the Kubrick version deviates so far from the actual story that I can't watch it. The miniseries from '97, I believe, starring Stephen Weber was an accurate adaptation, and rather good sans the actor playing Danny. But I digress. In a nutshell: Jack takes a job as a caretaker for a massive hotel in the Rockies (The Overlook) and brings his family. Turns out it's haunted and the spirits want to add the Torrances to their roster. Especially Danny.
This is by FAR my favorite Stephen King novel, and I've read most of his work. I cannot recommend this book enough. The character development is superb, the setting claustrophobic, and has some genuinely creepy moments where my breathing became so shallow I was nearly, well, not. Read. This. Book. Now I'm going to down some medicine for my inexplicable headache and relax...Be back Thursday, folks.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Odd Thomas
I'm looking for suggestions on reviews, but until then I suppose I'll continue from my personal library.
Odd Thomas, by Dean Koontz, is phenomenal. One can dispute the seeing dead people concept's originality, yet Mr. Koontz finds a way to make it his own. The book follows a 20-year old man whose name is used -shockingly- for the title, and his life lives up to his name: Odd. I went in to the story skeptical as can be since my past foray into Koontz's work left me bitter and biased against anything he wrote...Odd Thomas changed my mind.
The characters are rich, though not numerous, and incredibly well-developed. From Little Ozzie to Rosalia Sanchez, you get an interesting and eclectic crew that really should not work, yet the small world that is Pico Mundo somehow makes sense and feels real. Then you factor in the ghosts, yet even they are so intricately crafted that they too feel real. Odd sees the dead, as well as having a few other slightly related gifts; however, he doesn't seek attention, nor is he particularly interested in being rich. All Odd truly wants is to live in relative peace with his soul mate Bronwyn "Stormy" Llewelynn, and maybe a change of jobs from a fry cook to something in the tire business.
The lingering dead complicate his life, but they also enrich it-- Elvis is often found loitering nearby when Odd has time to kill. Elvis, by the way, is given plenty of coverage and, even if you don't like his music, Koontz's version of his silent spectre is lovable for his support and general goofyness. I won't go into the plot very deeply, since it's terrific, but it's a race against time and exhaustion for Odd in an attempt to stop/minimize an event of intense violence. Of course, he's the only one who can for two reasons. 1)He's the protagonist; 2)his gifts give him the foresight and means to stop it.
I could write pages on why this book(as well as its sequels) are superb, but I won't; instead I beseech you to go buy them. They're worth every penny.
Odd Thomas, by Dean Koontz, is phenomenal. One can dispute the seeing dead people concept's originality, yet Mr. Koontz finds a way to make it his own. The book follows a 20-year old man whose name is used -shockingly- for the title, and his life lives up to his name: Odd. I went in to the story skeptical as can be since my past foray into Koontz's work left me bitter and biased against anything he wrote...Odd Thomas changed my mind.
The characters are rich, though not numerous, and incredibly well-developed. From Little Ozzie to Rosalia Sanchez, you get an interesting and eclectic crew that really should not work, yet the small world that is Pico Mundo somehow makes sense and feels real. Then you factor in the ghosts, yet even they are so intricately crafted that they too feel real. Odd sees the dead, as well as having a few other slightly related gifts; however, he doesn't seek attention, nor is he particularly interested in being rich. All Odd truly wants is to live in relative peace with his soul mate Bronwyn "Stormy" Llewelynn, and maybe a change of jobs from a fry cook to something in the tire business.
The lingering dead complicate his life, but they also enrich it-- Elvis is often found loitering nearby when Odd has time to kill. Elvis, by the way, is given plenty of coverage and, even if you don't like his music, Koontz's version of his silent spectre is lovable for his support and general goofyness. I won't go into the plot very deeply, since it's terrific, but it's a race against time and exhaustion for Odd in an attempt to stop/minimize an event of intense violence. Of course, he's the only one who can for two reasons. 1)He's the protagonist; 2)his gifts give him the foresight and means to stop it.
I could write pages on why this book(as well as its sequels) are superb, but I won't; instead I beseech you to go buy them. They're worth every penny.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Redwall
Welcome, everyone, to my humble review blog. It's my goal to read, watch, and play an assortment of media and let you know if it's worth investing your time and hard earned cash to get. Now let's kick things off.
I'll say this: it's hard to find something worthy of a first entry. After a few hours I settled on a classic children's series which I was engrossed with for years. Redwall. It's a long series, most of the stories are fluff and unnecessarily written, but those came with the later years. Redwall the novel, though, is a glorious tale of perseverance, self-sacrifice, and sticking to one's beliefs when everything appears to be crashing down.
Matthias, the hero, is an ambitious youth stuck in an abbey of woodland creatures whose only goals are to make sure the harvest is abundant, and to promote peace and neutrality to all neighboring nations. The abbot is kind and fair, the people slow to anger and patient as rocks. Matthias on the other hand is energetic, worshiping the founder of Redwall (the abbey's official name), a mouse by the name of Martin. Martin is renowned for his skill in battle as well as a prodigious tactical mind in all aspects of life; a great mouse whose feats are still praised and respected by all creatures throughout this land. Matthias dreams of living up to and surpassing Martin...obviously he'll get his chance.
While Matthias is busy doing chores and daydreaming, a menace is headed his way. One that will threaten the very way of life that the citizens of Redwall worship: Cluney the Scourge. He's a rat feared "worldwide." Soon enough he and his horde of cutthroat and treacherous rats, ferrets, and weasels begin their siege and ruination of the abbey.
Redwall was unique when I became a fan; it was -and is- still quite an amazing novel. You have these furry little beasts teaching morals and values worth spreading during times of crises. Throughout Cluney's war, Matthias strives to find the fabled blade of Martin, hidden deep within the abbey, and with it he finds friendship in unlikely people. From the violent, nigh-barbaric sparrows to the jovial elite warriors of the hares, Matthias learns that being a hero is not only in fighting and winning despite insurmountable odds, but also in using your head and following your heart and trusting those around you. A hero, we learn, does not seek danger, but defends the things we love, be it ideals or people. Matthias grows, and with him I did, too.
Brian Jacques, the author of this fantastic book, created a tale I still treasure. The characters were given a level of depth seemingly unseen in its genre, so much so that with every loss of a likable mouse or mole, you feel it almost as strongly as the characters' peers. The plot is typical: boy rises to the occasion to save the day, yet it really feels different. It's like watching your favorite mystery/thriller film and getting caught up all over again-- You've seen it, you know how it will end, yet it's delivered so masterfully that you find yourself thinking it will be different. Most of all, this book is easy for anyone above the age of 9 to pick up and become a part of.
I can't guarantee that everything I review will find their way to my good list, but I'll give any suggestions a try. Let's see what you throw my way...just leave a comment with your choice!
I'll say this: it's hard to find something worthy of a first entry. After a few hours I settled on a classic children's series which I was engrossed with for years. Redwall. It's a long series, most of the stories are fluff and unnecessarily written, but those came with the later years. Redwall the novel, though, is a glorious tale of perseverance, self-sacrifice, and sticking to one's beliefs when everything appears to be crashing down.
Matthias, the hero, is an ambitious youth stuck in an abbey of woodland creatures whose only goals are to make sure the harvest is abundant, and to promote peace and neutrality to all neighboring nations. The abbot is kind and fair, the people slow to anger and patient as rocks. Matthias on the other hand is energetic, worshiping the founder of Redwall (the abbey's official name), a mouse by the name of Martin. Martin is renowned for his skill in battle as well as a prodigious tactical mind in all aspects of life; a great mouse whose feats are still praised and respected by all creatures throughout this land. Matthias dreams of living up to and surpassing Martin...obviously he'll get his chance.
While Matthias is busy doing chores and daydreaming, a menace is headed his way. One that will threaten the very way of life that the citizens of Redwall worship: Cluney the Scourge. He's a rat feared "worldwide." Soon enough he and his horde of cutthroat and treacherous rats, ferrets, and weasels begin their siege and ruination of the abbey.
Redwall was unique when I became a fan; it was -and is- still quite an amazing novel. You have these furry little beasts teaching morals and values worth spreading during times of crises. Throughout Cluney's war, Matthias strives to find the fabled blade of Martin, hidden deep within the abbey, and with it he finds friendship in unlikely people. From the violent, nigh-barbaric sparrows to the jovial elite warriors of the hares, Matthias learns that being a hero is not only in fighting and winning despite insurmountable odds, but also in using your head and following your heart and trusting those around you. A hero, we learn, does not seek danger, but defends the things we love, be it ideals or people. Matthias grows, and with him I did, too.
Brian Jacques, the author of this fantastic book, created a tale I still treasure. The characters were given a level of depth seemingly unseen in its genre, so much so that with every loss of a likable mouse or mole, you feel it almost as strongly as the characters' peers. The plot is typical: boy rises to the occasion to save the day, yet it really feels different. It's like watching your favorite mystery/thriller film and getting caught up all over again-- You've seen it, you know how it will end, yet it's delivered so masterfully that you find yourself thinking it will be different. Most of all, this book is easy for anyone above the age of 9 to pick up and become a part of.
I can't guarantee that everything I review will find their way to my good list, but I'll give any suggestions a try. Let's see what you throw my way...just leave a comment with your choice!
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