Now Playing Review - Funny People

As I walked out of the theater after seeing Funny People, I felt a little let down by this sloppy addition to Judd Apatow’s empire. Based on what my fellow audience members were mumbling, most of us seemed to agree. It was funny, but man was it way too long; both obviously and painfully so. It was as if after the production wrapped, the editor had a dilemma on their hands, and this is what I could discern from the movie. There are all these moments that should have been trimmed for time, but when the final edit came to be they couldn’t decide what should go, so they just stuck it all in. Because of this, it was almost like this whole film was a montage sequence, a collage of some of comedies finest moments.

But that didn’t cover it for me. Another description I could come up with was this: if one were to list the plot points of a movie, assign them to different parts of a Venn diagram, and then film that, this movie would be the result. In other words, I felt like I had watched two different movies, with few details that can be found in both. It starts out as this humorous buddy comedy between three roommates (Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman), with a parallel story moving along involving Adam Sandler’s character. These eventually cross paths, and does so cleanly when Rogan and Sandler become friends, more or less. That was not too hard to handle. However, an hour into the film they decide to introduce the girl that got away (Leslie Mann), moving the film to her house, and thus, moving it to what felt like a separate story. The roommates were lost, and going with them was a lot of my interest (especially because the standout performance of this movie goes to Jonah Hill).

In order to make this a better film it needs to be trimmed down and edited so that the story actually becomes the focal point, and not comedy itself. Unless that is the goal all along. If so, then scrap the story all together and just compile all the footage of these comedians doing what they do best. For starters the cameos in this film went far into the double digits (though can I ask what Eminem was doing in this? Not only was that weird on its own, but even his dialog was awkward, even if he did get a laugh for berating Ray Romano). Then there is a lot of Adam Sandler just being Adam Sandler with his strangely similar impressions of different (?) people and weird noises that seem to be found in every one of his films. To top it all off, there are stand up routines. Once all of this footage is combined, sell it as a comedy piece all on its own, put it on Comedy Central, or just pile it in the bonus features; just don’t try to make it into something its not.

Final Grade: C-

Now Playing Review - The Ugly Truth

The Ugly Truth is that the romantic comedy has hit a low point. Now I know that most films of this genre are not that original when you think about their basic structure, however, there are some that hide this fact a lot better than others. Or at least know how to keep the hopeless romantics, such as myself, unaware of this because we are too invested in and rooting for the characters to get their happy ending.

This is the first place that this movie went wrong. The characters felt underdeveloped. Take Abby (Katherine Heigl); though she holds a strong position at work, the character traits that apparently helped her get there are all considered her flaws, and when she isn’t using these to get her way she is being put in her place by her overbearing boss (but don’t even get me started on that guy). Then there is Mike (Gerard Butler), who fills the role of the misogynistic pig with a heart hidden deep within. Why exactly should we root for the guy who tries to change the woman into what every man wants (insert makeover montage) and falls for her while she is playing the part. This is where I am most confused. Sure he sees her “adorable” happy dance every other scene, and in the others he falls victim to her constant state of PMS, but are we really supposed to believe that he fell in love with her? I am still on a fence about that one…

Now I know I may be doing a lot of complaining about a movie I gave an average rating to. But that is because if you can get past this, there were times when the dialog was witty and the comedic situations actually hit the mark. Take the scenes involving the married news anchors (played by Cheryl Hines and John Michael Higgins). Their constant bickering followed by their path back to loving each other was entertaining to watch, and probably a highlight for me. And then there were other moments as well. I mean, everyone finds a woman hanging upside down in a tree with her underwear exposed funny, right? Even the vibrating panty scene, though nothing new, brought the laughs out of the audience.

Unfortunately, these moments were not enough to bring this film past mediocrity, and when I walked out of the theater I had this weird memory lapse where I felt almost as if I had not actually seen anything. My advice to you? If you do see this, make sure to follow it with a viewing of 500 Days of Summer because your faith in the romantic comedy will be restored.

Final Grade: C

Rental Review - Religulous

As soon as I finished this movie I got into a lightweight debate with my mom, and it went a little something like this:

Sister: So did you like the movie?

Mom: It was okay. I don’t really like him though. And I don’t think that it was appropriate to go around making fun of other peoples’ beliefs.

Me: Yeah, but that’s the point of comedy. In order to make people willing to talk about something that they will be uncomfortable talking about, make it comedic. And I actually agreed with a lot of what he was saying.

Mom: You did?

Me: Well, yeah. If you think about it most of what is in the different religions is really ridiculous. And that’s all he was trying to point out. He wasn’t trying to say that believing in something is stupid, but you just need to be aware of what it is you are believing in.

Yada yada yada… I don’t think my mom and I are going to be agreeing on this topic. But this movie did exactly what it should do. Okay, so Bill Maher’s goal was to make people doubt. And though I don’t necessarily believe this should be his goal, I do think that it is important to cause people to question what they believe, especially considering more often than not it wasn’t a choice they made. People should understand what it is that they believe, and choose to do so.

Final Grade: B

Rental Review - Push

I will admit that after my first viewing I was slightly confused by the story of Push because it was a little hard to follow for me. However, after rewatching it once more (okay, twice if you count once with the commentary track), I can finally say that I think I get it.

Push creates an interesting world involving people with powers, including a telekinetic “mover,” Nick (Chris Evans), and girl who can see the future, or a “watcher,” named Cassie (Dakota Fanning) as they search for Kira (Camilla Belle), a girl who is able to bend people to her will by giving them false memories. However, they are not the only ones searching for her. Division, a government based organization, is also looking for Kira because she is the first person with abilities to survive a unspecified drug injection, as well as break out of the facility with a syringe full of it.

Though I was originally drawn to this film because of the X-Men like powers numerous people in this world have, as well as the visual effects this promised, the story was strong enough to keep this film from becoming just another movie about the gifted fighting against the government for their right to exist in the world as more than just lab rats. Furthermore, it is full of little details, making the film as strong as it is. Though having characters lives cross in numerous ways is nothing new thanks to Crash and the craze it created, it is done in this film in such a way that it doesn’t seem forced, nor does the film rely to heavily on these moments. Instead, they just add to the main story arc. One key example of this revolves around a marble in the opening scene of the movie. Though I won’t give away the specifics so the moment isn’t spoiled, what at first seems like a ridiculously lucky moment actually takes on a fuller meaning when it is mentioned again later. On a different note, another detail that I really appreciated in this film involves Cassie. What I really liked was that in order to show others what she sees in her visions she draws in a pad of paper she carries; however, she isn’t really skilled as an artist, and it is often used as a comic release. This may seem stupid to a lot of people, but I cannot tell you how obnoxious it is when this ability seems to go hand in hand with foretelling the future in other films or shows, as well as being able to draw out their visions perfectly in only a couple of minutes.

Another thing that I really like in this film is the cinematography, which creates a really great visual look. However, sometimes their use of the color palette is a little too much, and often washes over the actors. More than once I was taken out of the film because the actors looked a little too green, and awkwardly so.

Though there are a few questions I wish had been answered by the film before its open ending, Push is highly entertaining and I would strongly recommend it, especially to those who like this genre of film but missed it when it was in theaters.

Final Grade: B

PS – as I just mentioned, there are a few questions I have about this film that I wish had been answered, but I am going to place a big SPOILER ALERT ON THEM, SO DON”T READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE FILM YET. Okay, here’s question 1: does anyone know what the “sniffer” (played by Ming-Na) was asked to do in the card Nick gives her? Because I don’t think it was ever shown. Or maybe I just missed it because there was so much stuff going on at this point. And secondly, what are they going to do with the syringe? Are they going to try to use it to take down Division? Or get Cassie’s mother back from them? Goodness I need a sequel…

Now Playing Review - (500) Days of Summer

In the beginning of (500) Days of Summer the narrator lets the audience in on a little secret by telling us not to get our hopes up with his “this is not a love story” jab to the heart. Not wanting to believe the worse, my internal monologue told me to ignore his bout of pessimism. But color me a hopeless romantic. As the days continue and the relationship unravels I realized that maybe he was on to something, but I still feel that when all is said and done his words were only partially true. I would argue that this is a love story, just not the one I was hoping for (which is not to mean that I left disappointed). Instead this was filled with the ups and downs of the cute but slipping romance of the characters, Summer Finn and Tom Hansen, played by Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt respectively.

Speaking of the actors, for the most part I would consider these roles perfectly cast and acted, however, Gordon-Levitt is slightly stronger, pulling the sympathy to his side. One such scene that displays his talent involves his character’s breakdown in the meeting at work. He enters, fully depressed following his breakup with Deschanel, and eventually comes to the conclusion that every person in the room is a horrible human being, selling lies to the masses through the cards they create. In defense of Deschanel, she played Levitt’s love interest really well, but a friend made the point afterwards that she seems to play the doe eyed love interest in all the movies she does. But maybe this is just because her performance in Gigantic is still fresh in our minds (Don’t even get me started on that movie)…

But back to the film. There is far more to this film than just the performances pulling it ahead of the pack of generic romantic comedies. Take the editing and stylistic choices made. Some really interesting moments could be brought out in this film by having it stray from going chronologically. This really helped to bring the ups and downs of the relationship to a forefront, one example being Levitt’s character giddily smiling as he entered the elevator, only to exit with a look of total misery across his face, clearly produced from a later part of the relationship. Another great choice to show Tom’s mind at work was toward the end when there was a split screen showing what the character wishes were happening as he goes to Summer’s party vs. what is actually happening. Total brilliance.

Though this “love story” can seem depressing considering the path it takes, the movie is still filled with so many memorable and comedic moments to make the relationship more than worth the 500 days it took. There is a game of house during a trip to IKEA, words of wisdom from Tom’s sister, his favorite spot, his remodeling of the blackboard wall in his room, etc. And above all I am glad that when all is said and done, it ended on a hopeful note.

Final Grade: A

Rental Review - 12 Rounds

If you are looking for an action packed movie then look no further. If however, you like a little substance with your explosions, you should probably try elsewhere. Sure the plot is entertaining, but that is about all this movie has.

From a writing, or rather, dialog, stand point this movie failed horribly. In fact, in a lot of instances it was so poor that the actors could not even bring themselves to say the lines believably. The helicopter scene is a great example of this. Even though the chopper is threatening to fall from the sky as a battle ensues inside between Danny (John Cena) and Miles Jackson (Aidan Gillen), I could not help but laugh at Molly’s (Ashley Scott’s) shouts from the pilot’s seat. Hardly the reaction they were going for.

Another problem was that the characters are not well rounded. Just take a look at Special Agent Aiken (Steve Harris). He doesn’t care about anything other than catching the bad guy, and is willing to overlook collateral damage in the process, until out of nowhere he has a ridiculously uncharacteristic change of heart. No one that hard melts that quickly.

And one more dig at the actors: You know how the movie is going to end because John Cena doesn’t seem to have the acting chops to have a full blown meltdown if things don’t end how his character wants them to. He can clench his jaw, keep his face as unchanging as possible, and scream like nobody’s business, but mourn? Let’s not test that…

Final Grade: C-

Gaming Review - Prototype

(Originally written June 14, 2009)

In Prototype, Manhattan’s fate looks pretty grim. There has been an outbreak of some sort, and it is continuing to spread at an alarming rate, basically changing the population into zombies. You take the role of Alex Mercer, a man who avoids becoming one of the mindless masses, but is still affected in an unexplainable and monumental way by this same virus.

Though this set up is a solid foundation for many games and films that have come before, it still holds up throughout the game, remaining both intriguing and unpredictable for the most part. Still, I think the main reason for the stories success is not the actual plot behind it, but the way it is presented to the player. In the beginning, Mercer finds himself not knowing anything about himself and what has happened, and throughout the game it is up to the player to fill in the blanks by consuming people in the world. Though it is not necessary to complete all consume events, it is highly recommended in order to fully understand and immerse oneself in the journey of the protagonist.

While uncovering more and more about the situation Mercer finds himself in, he also starts evolving, becoming stronger, faster, and capable of doing a wide variety of moves and attacks. However, he is not the only thing changing. The open world is constantly being filled in with more side missions that allow ample opportunity to gain more experience, or just take a break from the main storyline. Also, main plot points becoming more and more challenging, and the only complaint is that there seems to be a constant seesaw in the difficulty level of the boss battles. The most obvious example of this is in the last two battles. It took me forever to beat Elizabeth Greene, however, the final battle on the carrier seemed overly simplistic. Then again, I think the actual problem might not be in the difficulty level of the bosses themselves, but in the way I went about trying to defeat them. For one thing, I was never sure which power of Mercer’s to use because at this point in the game there was such a wide variety to choose from, so more often than not I used the ones I had come to rely on and not the ones that probably would have been most affective.

With a game like this spanning the area of an entire island, the design work does not live up to its full potential. The buildings, though fun to climb and jump off of, are nothing spectacular, and are not distinct enough in their appearance (though I do really like Times Square). On a similar note, it does seem that the designers did put a lot of time in creating the characters filling the game. Though I will never understand Mercer’s choice of clothing, it sure looks good blowing in the wind as he glides from building to building. And last but not least, the animation of the cutscenes are done really well.

Though upon first glance prototype may appear to be just another open world game built around the downfall of Manhattan, it is far too fun to pass up.

Final Grade: 8.5

Gaming Review - inFAMOUS

(Originally written June 1, 2009)

Talk about an ending... With a lot of games today the gameplay is all that seems to matter, with a story often tacked on without being smoothed out. These stories don’t necessarily take away from the gameplay, but when all is said and done it’s forgettable. But not with Infamous. Let’s just say that as the main story line ended my jaw was no longer attached to my face, but instead resting on the floor below. Now I am sure there are some of you out there who had an inkling as to how it was all going to go down, but color me shocked.

Let’s rewind to the beginning of the game. I would say that this had one of the best beginnings to a game that I have seen in a while. Normally after pressing new game, start, or whatever the case may be, a cut scene ensues to introduce the player to the world they are about to enter. And in a sense Infamous did that as well, but I feel like it moved past this in a way. When I pressed start the ground shook as an explosion rocked the world, and that one button press put the blame for what results in my hands, and thus, I felt like I was put into the mind of the protagonist, Cole. This feeling was also supported as I maneuvered out of ground zero, learning basic controls as I went. Long story short, this game was book ended very nicely.

Now let’s move from point A to point B. Throughout the entire game, the gameplay is very solid. The controls are simple enough, but ever evolving, with new powers and enemies that become increasingly difficult as it progresses so that it never seemed boring, redundant or too easy/difficult. And if we have learned anything from this generation of gaming, it is that scaling buildings, running around on rooftops, and then jumping from them is a crowd pleaser, especially if we get to take out bad guys in the process.

But what would this be without the design work to liven up the world? Though I was slightly disappointed with the animation in the cut scenes, Cole’s character design was effectively created and detailed, and fun to watch as he reacted to the world around him while moving through it. But my favorite part is the comic book style animation used to depict some of the plot points in the game. It fit perfectly with this genre of game, especially since the protagonist is a superpowered being.

My only fret is that I wish the difference between the Heroic story and the Infamous story was greater. Sure he appears different, but the same can be said about any other game when these choices are made. However, after playing through all the good/evil side missions, Cole did seem like he had moved far enough towards whichever side of the spectrum you choose to not dwell on this little qualm. And I guess at the end of the day if it was made more extreme the basic story might have been lost.

Final Grade: 9.0

Gaming Review - Tomb Raider: Underworld

(Originally written Jan. 31, 2009)

I will start by saying that I do appreciate being able to choose just how much skin I can see on my heroine, however, when this is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of positives, it’s a given that this game came up lacking. Yes, the levels were designed well (and beautifully), I had major fun anytime I was driving around on the motorcycle (though I will admit to overdoing it with my e-brake and road kill moments), and the puzzles were never impossible to solve, but I was still hoping for more.

The thing that I found most frustrating was how Lara would react to her environment. Sure, the first time she climbed a stone path on a cliff I thought it was pretty amazing, but by about the 10^th time of jumping to my death I was starting to scream at the screen, telling Lara that not only was she a disappointment to me and all of the numerous 6 year olds scaling the trees in their yard, but an embarrassment to the Prince of Persia as well. Then again, Nathan Drake is a far better comparison. After all, the Prince had Elika to pull him out of his more pathetic moments. He never had to unleash Lara’s scream in terror as she tumbled to her death like a rag doll.

But unfortunately for Lara this is not where the comparisons to Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune end. Not only are Lara’s controls in Tomb Raider far weaker, but also there are major issues with camera angles, the story is far weaker, and the gunplay is pretty bad. Because of the lack of a cover system, my attack strategy involved running head first at people hoping that I could knock them from their feet with my flying kicks before my health status moved past the point of no return. Eventually Lara does retrieve Thor’s Hammer, making battle satisfactory for once, and instead of riddling bodies with a barrage of bullets, it was finally time to unleash your best “swing away” moment, maniacally laughing as the baddies go flying through the air.

In the end this is a satisfactory game, but unfortunately it will be overshadowed by the other games of its genre.

Final Grade: 7.0

Gaming Review - Heavenly Sword

(Originally written Jan. 25, 2009)

Finally, a game that I don’t have to feel unskilled at when I resort to smashing buttons. This I will say was the original draw to the game and I did not expect much more from it, however, this allowed it to far surpass my expectations.

Though the story is far from original at its basic level, it supports the gameplay really well and becomes far more colorful with the ridiculous, and hilarious, characters filling it out. But back to the gameplay; after the initial fun of the button mashing thins out other elements quickly take its place. One of the best things about this game that adds more variety to the experience is any time the player controls Kai, the crossbow toting adopted sister of Nariko. For me, there was just something more satisfying in controlling the path of an arrow flying through the air until it finally reaches its target, as compared to the closer kills with the waves of enemies. With that said, the only part that may overshadow Kai’s moments of glory is the final battle itself. It was the first time that I felt as powerful as I should with the Heavenly Sword. For one thing, the power is now radiating from her body, causing people to go careening off into the sky! It was a spectacular thing to see. Plus, this was not a battle about just cutting someone down, but using the sword in many different ways, combining all the elements of the game that have been used up to this point.

As a final note, because of the genuine fun these mentioned moments offer, the brief parts of the game that are more difficult and may take numerous attempts to beat never became overwhelming.

Final Grade: 8.0

Gaming Review - Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

(Originally written Jan. 21, 2009)

After playing a game like Metal Gear Solid 4 I was ready for some simple fun, and Ratchet and Clank was the perfect game to turn to.

The most notable thing about it is the range of colors painted across each environment, keeping each planet just as visually stunning as the last, while setting them apart at the same time. And though this is one of the best things about the game, another thing that I am glad to see has stuck with this series over time is the humorous dialog found in the cutscenes.

However, this is not to say that this game is without flaws. Though the dialog does a lot to divert attention, a major problem is that the story is severely underdeveloped. One example is that though I understand the overriding story pushing the action along, looking back I can’t say with 100% certainty what the intentions of the little aliens were, making the cliffhanger ending all the more ridiculous and unexpected. Furthermore, most of the time I was also unsure of the reasons behind why I was bouncing around planet after planet fighting off hoards of enemies. To make matters worse, the checkpoint system was rather frustrating. Numerous times I found myself berating my TV after being bumped back to the beginning of the level due to a stupid mistake like falling off a cliff, a cliff that was about 10 minutes into the level no less. And finally, the difficulty of the enemies seemed very uneven. One major example of this is that after repeatedly being killed by the dematerializing creatures leading up to the final boss battle, the actual battle itself was a piece of cake in comparison.

Though I may have a few things to complain about, when all is said and done most of what I found frustrating while playing can be forgiven because of how fun the game is, even with all its flaws.

Final Grade: 7.5

Gaming Review - Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

(Originally written Jan. 19, 2009)

Though this, um… piece of entertainment has a lot to offer epic story wise, it falls short by making the player sit and watch everything happen, keeping them from helping the story evolve by becoming a part of the game themselves. Which is why in the end I have major trouble categorizing it as a game at all.

Because of the lack of actual playtime, towards the beginning of the game I seriously thought about giving up. After all, there’s about 80% cut scenes here, if they can still be called that when they form the majority, and if I wanted to watch a movie I would have chosen to do so. Luckily a lot of work was put into the animation and dialog to draw in the viewer, saving the game for me in the end. Through the moments of pure boredom, to the moments I was screaming at the screen because of how ridiculous little things seemed to me, I slowly became attached to the characters. Not in the same way as other games where I live in the moments with them because what I do spells out life and death, but still strong none-the-less. Plus there were some pretty epic moments that I am glad I didn’t miss, such as the boat scene where the guns malfunction to pretty much anything involving Raiden. Not only that, but I really loved how a couple of times they threw a bone to the player and actually split the screen so that there were moments of gameplay going hand in hand with the movie.

In the end, or after the numerous ends of Lord of the Rings proportions, my mind had changed drastically about Metal Gear Solid; however, I was still slightly disappointed because I didn’t feel like I had contributed anything to what had come to pass in Snake’s journey.

Final Grade: 7.0

Gaming Review - Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

(Originally written Jan. 12, 2009)

Though this is not far removed from other “cover, shoot, repeat” games with your random vehicle chases and wall climbing, it is definitely the most fun I have had doing exactly that in a long time.

The great thing about Uncharted is that no aspect of the game was sacrificed for the benefit of something else. The story worked great for a game of this genre, and it is well supported in every aspect. I never felt irritated when I was taken out of the control position and replaced with cut scenes because they were beautifully animated. Plus they were hilarious without being cheesy, making it impossible not to love the characters. But the animation of these scenes was not the only place where the art of the game could shine; every environment and character rendering were perfectly created.

Though this game leaves little to complain about when everything is said and done, something that did get a little obnoxious was the number of enemies. Half of the time I felt like I was watching the wildebeest in The Lion King flooding down the walls of my surroundings to keep me from advancing to the next area of the level for just a while longer. And then, as the game advanced they became harder and harder to pick off. I know if I had seven bullets in me I wouldn’t be running around, throwing grenades like a cheerleader throwing t-shirts out at a baseball game. Then again, I would be down for the count after one. But I’m only human…

Which brings me to one last thing. Now I will precede this by saying that horror games and I do not mix, so after shooting down men for 6 or 7 hours I was nowhere near the right mindset for a creature feature. So when those cave dwellers come out of nowhere towards the end I was in shock and ready to hug my shotgun and call it a day. But after I hunkered down and got through it, I was all the more satisfied with the experience, though still slightly frazzled.

With the great gameplay and replayability this game has to offer, Uncharted is one of the best games I have played in a long time. In other words, if there is any game that will make me question my loyalty to my 360, this is the one, and I cannot wait for the sequels to follow.

Final: 9.5

Gaming Review - Prince of Persia

Unfortunately after June I haven't had the time to knock out any video games this summer, but if you are looking for a game to kill some time, here are some ideas, starting with Prince of Persia (originally written Dec. 28, 2008):

This game is a beauty. Though I can say that I was one of those people who was slightly aggravated by the necessity to find a certain number of light seeds before moving on to a new area, it is worth the time in the end because it gives the player the time to appreciate the world that these characters are tying to save. Though the design is the best part by far, the game is further filled out by the characters, banter, and story line.

While moving around the world, one of the best things is how the game incorporates the feeling that these two characters really need each other to get around, such as when the prince carries her on his back through the vine covered areas, or in the jumps that span a distance too large for just one man. But the idea of having two people taking up space was even put in to the smaller details, which I really appreciated, like when they need to change places on a wall or beam.

But that is not to say that this is a game without flaws. For starters, the combat was not all that great. It took me forever to figure out ways to actually get a sword hit in without automatically going into a "deflect moment," which half of the time ended with the prince holding his side, cursing my inability to press buttons at the right time. But these moments weren't even the worst button pressing moments. Though I enjoyed the cinematic elements of the fights, most of the time if I didn't press the button needed within half a second I ended up sprawled on the floor, praying that the villain wouldn't get half of his life back. Another thing that did not get its moment in the spotlight when it came to combat was the prince's gauntlet, I learned pretty early on that the gauntlet had too big of a risk factor, so instead I busied myself just trying to hit someone with my sword. And finally, I don't know if it was just me or what, but the main villain fights were a lot easier than the randomly placed battles throughout the level. Whenever I saw the column of black corruption reaching towards the sky, I used all my might to will my character faster and faster so that I could just knock out the guy with one swoop of my sword and just forgo the battle all together.

But enough about the combat, another iffy aspect were the plates. Whenever I saw a red or blue plate coming up I was relieved that I didn't have to try "flying" around with yellow or crawling with the green. The flying was just irritating, and half of the time character control wasn't even necessary because there was nothing to dodge. Now flip that comment and apply it to the green plates. I will admit i was excited at first when I got to climb around on the walls, however, when I got to one of the towers that had a string of 10 plates or so, I wanted to shoot someone. Not only was it ridiculous that if you messed up at any point in this train of chaos you were shot back to the beginning, but when it happens about 15 times in a row, its downright uncalled for.

And finally, my last complaint was that at times my characters had minds of their own. I would swear that I was aiming to jump in one direction, but it turns out that I was nowhere near my target and ended up flying off into the abyss. Though I was relieved that Elika was there to help, I wish that I hadn't needed her as much as I did. I decided incredibly early on that there was no way that I would get the achievement for needed her help under 100 times throughout the entire game.

With all that said, in the end this is still a really great game. I just hope that the combat is fixed before the next game, which I am assuming/hoping will be in the works some day soon.

Final Grade: 8.0

Book Review - From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

For those who love the Sookie Stackhouse series, From Dead to Worse is a solid addition to the franchise. Unfortunately, it is also one of the more forgettable installments, failing to move past both what has come to be expected of the series and failing to reach the excitement of the other novels. Yes, the story is fun, but it does not really go anywhere, lacking both real moments of tension and a climactic high point. Instead, most of the action that does take place seems to just sit there, not really full of threat, though it should be. And last but not least, the story is surprisingly PG, and I need my smoochies…

Final Grade: B-

Rental Review - High School Musical 3: Senior Year

For everyone who swooned over the last 2 films, this addition to the High School Musical franchise will satisfy the craving for more. But for the rest of the world, this is simply mediocre.

Overall there is everything to be expected: singing, dance numbers, teenage drama and love. And though there is nothing wrong with this formula, the problem is that the characters appear to have nothing new to sing about in their last year of high school. The basketball team is still singing to the beat of the ball as they hope to win the championship game, Sharpay and Ryan are singing about their plans to rule the school and/or world from their perch in the upper level of the cafeteria, Gabriella and Troy are engulfed in their ballads of love for one another, and Troy still feels the need to express his issues in an “I am man hear me roar” solo.

As uninspired as the music and plot is, the larger production value did make this film more exciting visually in comparison to the previous two. Especially when considering the larger production numbers as the characters prepare for the end of the year school play. Though it is a great editing choice to place many numbers sporadically throughout the film, this causes the final production to be very anticlimactic. Not only is there not enough of it, but in my opinion, the handling of it backstage was completely unrealistic. Lets just say that if a production actually went down the way this one does, I have trouble believing that the head of the theater department and other members of the cast would be this nonchalant about numerous lead actors not showing up, the understudies making a mockery of their parts, actors leaving during the last scene, etc.

Though the demographic Disney is trying to reach with this film will be more than pleased with the film, it would be nice to see the makers try harder to become something more than just another Disney Channel movie.

Final Grade: C

PS – I know that this will not matter to most, but during the film the piano playing girl whistles in the theatre, and that is a big no-no in concern to superstitions and luck. But maybe that is why everything went wrong, causing the production to suck.

Rental Review - Hancock

If Hancock had a brother, he would be Clark Kent. Okay, different dads or something, but still, there are too many similarities not to draw the comparisons. They could compete in challenges of strength, flight, etc., make up stories about where they really came from, reminisce about their memories of breaking needles in hospitals, Clark could pick Hancock up from the bar when he is too drunk to fly home… You get the gist.

As easy as it is to compare Hancock to any other superhero story, it does explore some areas that others have not, at least not as closely. This film is about John Hancock (Will Smith), a drunk superpowered being who does things for the good of humanity because he can, but he doesn’t really believe in the whole “with great power comes great responsibility” mantra with the fervor that Spider-man does. However, when he meets Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), he agrees to do what he must to clean up his image, and eventually steps into the role people hoped he would fill in society.

Though this may not seem like anything too original, usually it is the villains that want the heroes to pay for their actions, not the common people. And Hancock has done a lot in his reckless attempts to do better, whether it is tossing a whale back into the ocean, or destroying buildings, street signs, cop cars, etc., that he must pay for. However, it is actually Bateman’s performance as Hancock’s cheering section that should win the viewer over. It is the comedic treatment of his unwavering faith in Hancock that becomes a foil in his aloof attitude, which could have become too irritating without Bateman’s performance to play off of.

On the whole Hancock is a fun film if not taken too seriously, however, the story should have been worked over at least once more. There were a lot of plot points that seemed a little too convenient, even with the “it’s a movie” excuse. Furthermore, a lot of the story points are not fully explained, creating a lot of gaps that the viewer must fill in, even if there is still a lot of room for questioning. One key example of this is Hancock’s origin story, but unfortunately that can’t be explored here without ruining a major twist in the story.

Hancock explores the world of a reluctant hero, but unfortunately for the viewer there are just as many gaps in the story lines as there are in Hancock’s memory, especially considering how much time he must spend drunk. However, for all it is lacking, it is still an entertaining film with a great cast, comedic dialogue and actions, and visual effects.

Final Grade: B-