p-simondet

I'm reluctant to admit that I hardly enjoyed, or was entertained by, this grossly overly computerized revisit to Middle Earth. The magic of The LOTR trilogy was almost entirely absent, and while the trilogy was certainly imperfect, each film was outrageously entertaining, captivating, and accessible. The Hobbit as a film, unfortunately, is none of these things, and entirely feels like a rehash of the LOTR, as the majority of its dialogues, blocking, and occurrences are reminiscent (or shameless reproductions) of moments from the LOTR trilogy.

The book (a children's story) is a sweet yet solemn coming-of-maturity tale focused on self improvement, bravery/courage, and wisdom. An Unexpected Journey is focused on hectic warfaring, greed, belittling the small guy, and CGI vistas. The sense of purpose, faith, and fellowship from the LOTR trilogy are missing here, even though Jackson attempts to follow an elusive template set with those three films. I realize it is not an "epic" in the sense that Frodo's quest is, but when the only facet of characterization in the entire film is how deft its unexpected hero can be with a sword, I found little else to be interested or invested in.

Some shots are truly stunning, and a few exchanges of dialog were mildly amusing, but all of the extraneous characters and plot lines, the poorly edited and confusing battle sequences, excessive CGI, and characters designed for children in a film decidedly for adults (with weed and 'shroom jokes interspersed) detract from an otherwise winning story. Here's hoping the next one is a better story with an iota of characterization and competent editing!

5/10

Resistance 3 successfully combines the strengths of the first two installments to gratifying effect in this fresh yet familiar title. The game retains Resistance 2's big boss battles and diverse environments, as well as Fall of Man's lone and silent everyman as its protagonist. As the weapon wheel is also back, you pack a diverse arsenal through the vast majority of the campaign. With some new additions (including a few unexpected toys) at your disposal, every battlefield offers the chance to apply different tactics. Visuals: While the graphics are nothing to write home about, I will say that in terms of detail, the game is done competently. More importantly, however, the atmosphere, weather, and dynamic lighting are all incredible and make for an immersing visual feast. The art direction has grown up from the simple and charming Fall of Man, through Resistance 2's rich palette, to create some stunning locations. The retro vibes are more eminent here than the first two, to boot. Gameplay: The "levels" (it's more of a streamlined journey) are still linear in the traditional sense, but far more expansive and intricate than Fall of Man or Resistance 2. Furthermore, it's an incredibly diverse and well-paced game to play through. There is a lessened variety of enemies than featured in Resistance 2, but there is more gore to compensate for that. Unfortunately a few story and gameplay points will feel very familiar, re-purposed from the last two installments. More than once you'll feel as though you're back in Half-Life 2 though, once or twice a little Uncharted, and even some Killzone 2/3 vibes during other parts. Depending on whether your glass is half full or half empty, you'll enjoy these parts. Beta?: There are a couple of bugs, but nothing that intrudes on your gameplay or stops the game altogether. Being minor, I'm sure it's fixed, but I skipped the updates so I could get into the action. Music: Hardly any recognizable melodies are recycled in the score, but the background music is never melodramatic blockbuster-esque (like Modern Warfare or Halo), and definitely has character. Again, like the environments, the music is subtle and extremely atmospheric. Online: Unfortunately I'm not a multiplayer style of gamer, so I can't help you out there, though reviews generally describe it as being quite different, but fantastically done and maddeningly addictive. Overall, the campaign is certainly worth a couple of playthroughs. This isn't a difficult or ground-breaking game, but the smooth gameplay, diverse locations, ridiculous atmospheres and varied arsenal make it a refreshing and satisfactory game in a market saturated with soul-less, movie-esque FPS titles.

If you've played the first and loved it for its wonderful custom levels, this is certainly a must have. The options for creating your own levels/mini-games/games, and subsequently playing others explorations of the new mechanics, are simply fantastic and lots of fun. In terms of an online experience, LBP 2 is certainly peerless.

However, apart from that, every other facet of the game is grossly underwhelming. Which is odd, because in the first installment Media Molecule did an unprecedented and mind- boggling thing: made an engaging story mode that honestly inspired the gamer to build their own levels. It was a sincere, charming, and fun experience. This time around, the story mode is a far cry from the first game. That's not to say it's not a good experience, it really is, but it pales in comparison to LBP.

The levels have lost their je ne sais quoi; they aren't as fun or as challenging as the first game's story levels. They present nifty new mechanics, but they aren't implemented well enough to inspire you to use them for your own creations (which is the real game here, creating!). The graphics aren't really improved, but in a game like this I could care less. The characters you meet throughout the story are severely faulted people, which is a nice change, but alternatively they are also all stereotypes. No good. The story itself is awful, and unfortunately I think the team either pushed the envelope too much while attempting an epic scope, or was forced to do so. Sure,the story mode is peppered with some great pop culture references, but outside of gameplay it wasn't entertaining, involving, or interesting. Another standout from the first installment, the musical compilation, while retaining diversity, isn't as driving this time.

Sorry to rant, but don't let it discourage you! Far more time was put into the creation "half" of the game, and it is awesome. Pick it up, play through the story, if you lose interest, try to do better yourself! And in the meanwhile, play any of the scores of ingenious player made content, some of which is outstanding.

You like concise things? Oh, and you've at least heard of it so you understand the plot in its entirety? This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Bad: Cinematography is "shaky-zoomy," distracting and amateurish, making the whole film seem like it was made for television (which is almost a compliment these days). The original score could've been used for any old thriller, really, and was no indicator of the scene any arrangement accompanied. The direction was very simplistic and subsequently childish.

Characters were hollow and had very little screen time, showing almost zero emotion and having minimal interaction, in turn stirring no sympathy or support. God awful editing was nearly vomit-inducing, never mind the camera-work. Script/useless banter was typical and detracted from the film.

Good: Plot was wonderfully easy to follow and predictable, so it wasn't thrilling and I didn't have to worry about spilling my slushie even once. Used lots of similar shots and really slow movements, mostly the train, so I could be certain that this was a film about a train that seemed to be going fast. I hate it when I don't know if a train movie is about a train, so I'm glad it was on screen for 80% of the film. Seen from the same angles (but variable distance!) every shot. Really good consistency. FOX news was everywhere. Most reliable and nonpartisan news source, so that's a good point, and at one point their logo flashed and took up the entire screen. Scared me so good. I love it when things I love scare me.

Also, it was really grainy. And it had some explosions (previewed in the trailers!)!

Summary: Speed meets Die Hard, minus the original or captivating elements, any substance, thrills or action. Lots of "speeding train" shots which were obviously filmed a lot slower than they are portrayed to be. A great "long live conservative America!" propaganda piece which will perpetuate this age of mediocrity Hollywood is vomiting everywhere.

'Splice' is a shining example of mediocrity in modern cinema. Completely underwhelming, the film has no memorable moments and ultimately can't even justify itself. You want entertainment? Every plot twist and scary moment is predictable, and I hadn't seen a trailer. You want sci-fi? Nope. You want horror? Nein. You want romance? Neit. You want moral choices/complications/consequences? Nothing satisfying or fresh. You want engaging drama? No characters or tribulations or actions that aren't shallow. The film didn't know what it wanted to be, and failed to establish itself as any one thing. This isn't to say it was a successful genre bender because it's unique (it isn't), but rather to say 'Splice' is a hodgepodge of elements from multiple inspirations, none of which are done competently or completely. No single facet of the film is fully fleshed out, especially the characters, and especially "Dren." If you want a hollow and jaded experience, then boy is 'Splice' the film for you. Actually, that seems to be the flavor of the year, so good luck finding otherwise.

Happy viewing!

Visually, this is one of the most refined and mature titles I've ever seen. The art direction, the environments, are just magnificent. Great voice acting and a mildly amusing script also helped. The game has almost no load screens, and in an open world game, it sure is nice. The gameplay mechanics work really fluidly, so getting the Prince around is a breeze. That all being said, this is a very poor installment in the PoP series, for the gameplay is ridiculously redundant, and its puzzle solving elements could be completed by a nine year old. Not that I have anything against nine year olds, it's just that when a game's combat is a rarity I would expect something else to redeem it. Unfortunately, it is not the case here. The platforming is enjoyable for the first few hours, but it gets real old real fast. Also notable, you can figure exactly what will happen the entire length of the game within the first hour of starting it. So, what does PoP offer us ultimately? A beautiful world to explore, compelling banter between the two protagonists, and a very fluid platforming element. On the other hand, the story is laid out in the first 20 minutes, the combat (which is enjoyable) is scarce, and every other facet is so easy I can't fathom how they were targeting anyone over the age of 12 to enjoy this in its entirety. So basically, it fails on PoP's three historical strengths. Play the demo, and leave it at that.

If you've seen the trailer, and are a cinema-goer who enjoys thrillers or mysteries, you already know the plot of the first half of the film. Thus, I won't chronicle the movie's events, as that will neither persuade you to, or dissuade you from, seeing this film. Obviously, the following will be subjective. It is a review, after all.

First of all, I highly respect Scorsese as a film maker and an artist. His characters, infamous for their actions and humanity, have always been directed with a rare finesse. He picks stories with grit and emotion and is a master at such. Of late, however, he has seemingly acknowledged he can't outdo his acclaimed character masterpieces (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas) and has turned to genre pieces. I had high expectations going into this one, despite it being a February release (confounding). I was hoping, if not for a return to form for Scorsese, at least for something as entertaining as Departed, or as gorgeous and deliberate as the Aviator, or as vindictive as Gangs of New York. It had these qualities, but their respective stage time was uneven, intermittent at best. Onto the film …

The atmosphere isn't gripping, but it is done in a lovely fashion. The story isn't captivating, but it is intriguing. The score isn't a subtle undercurrent, but it sure gets loud. The CGI is distracting, and I felt that many shots were uninspired and completely reliant on the location. But, as expected, the acting is commendable. Some of the cinematography is very nice. Also notable are Teddy's backstories, which were well implemented and interesting. Moving on, my gripes.

Critics are saying that the big twist (and it's a biggen) is either completely shocking, or completely nonsensical. In reality, its both. It's both because it comes out of almost thin air, and just makes you feel stupid. Don't be alarmed after the dust settles, though, because I doubt that 10% of the audience will have a notion of what ultimately happens. The ending isn't decisive, and I don't mind ambiguous endings, but this was just silly. There are discrepancies that may make you want to pull your hair out. Without saying much else, as so I don't ruin anything, this was ultimately disappointing. The first half was superb, but the first climactic point is actually a poor plot device in disguise, whereafter the story takes a hard dive into mediocrity. While this film is certainly above average, it's entertainment value is greatly diminished by its latter components. It saddens me that a living master is contributing to inanity in contemporary film-making.

Also, by the time the credits roll, you should have realized you've seen this film a few times before. I will not list any of them here, though, as they would ruin the fun of discovery! Enjoy, and happy viewing.

When the sum of a film's entertaining parts fit into its widely distributed trailer, you know something is wrong. The humor it devised itself is absurdly sophomoric, and while that can put a smirk on your face as you reminisce on your college binge-drinking years, it just doesn't justify an entire film. The rest of the humor, which is presented awfully, just isn't original. The cast is simply bad. Racial stereotypes are always a winner in movies, and this one just proves it. Why are we so keen to praise such a film? We'll only get more crap like this if we incessantly tell Hollywood it has us rolling on the floor. A good concept does not necessarily a good film make, which is damn unfortunate.

This game is an absolute must for any self-proclaimed "gamer," and in my humble opinion is a true gamer's game. Though the game doesn't look too sharp, the sub-par graphics are more than redeemed through incredible art direction (via creative director Joe Madureira), solid and diverse gameplay, and an above-average gameplay time. The character design especially is awe inspiring.

The first thing you'll notice about Darksiders is that its mechanics are extremely derivative. At its core, it is Zelda, Devil May Cry, and God of War woven into a post-apocalyptic setting. The story/plot has its ups and downs, and you make no choices as to how it progresses, but it has some impressive highlights and the ending alone is worth the playthrough. There is much to explore and much to be found, all of which makes for an easier time in combat, but is not necessary. The combat itself is rather simple, and can be repetitive, but isn't necessarily button mashing, though it could be if you wanted it to. Multiple weapons with like sequences make fighting hordes of minions from heaven and hell alike relatively simple, with some tactics involved.

The platforming and puzzle segments can be quite difficult, and some even require a little creativity, which makes them oddly rewarding. Some of the puzzles are immense and require strategy, while others are simple or are merely carnage fests. The "finishing blows" utilized in combat, against weakened enemies, can be dazzling, and few get old. As I stated earlier, the mechanics are quite diverse by the game's end, and you'll find the mechanics used for puzzle solving and platforming sequences can be employed in combat, some to great effect. This can be frustrating, as you gain abilities playing through and simply cannot access everything from the beginning of the game. Regardless, the developers applied every mechanic at multiple junctures in the gameplay (some applications are ingenious), overall making for varied and challenging gameplay.

Yes, this game steals most of its ideas from Zelda, Devil May Cry, God of War, Tomb Raider, Portal, Panzer Dragoon, Prince of Persia, or Shadow of the Colossus, but its done incredibly well. The gameplay, coupled with art direction and a relatively well-done story, justify this game by leaps and bounds. I highly recommend it, especially considering its initial playthrough can consume upwards of 25 hours, and that is mostly unheard of in next-gen gaming.

'Avatar' is simply astounding. The unfathomable volume of detail work that went into the creation and realization of Pandora and its beautiful inhabitants will blow your mind in almost every scene. Pandora's biology and interconnectivity instantly make it one of cinema's premier believable universes by Jake's first excursion. I saw the film twice in IMAX 3d and once without the 3d effects. While the normal version is just as pretty, the 3d version (without being gimmicky) is certainly worth the price of admission. Its gorgeous aesthetics aside, the technical innovations utilized to make this film happen are just as fascinating, and deserve consideration.

That being said, 'Avatar' is also the most elaborately gilded film I've ever seen. I rate it at an 6.5 merely for the superb inventiveness, beauty, and physics of its visuals. Aside from that, nearly every other aspect is ludicrously underwhelming.

While the thespians give solid and plausible performances, both its antagonist and politics are paper-thin, making for a very hollow experience. The story at 'Avatar's' core was long ago flogged to death by Hollywood, and the script is barely passable when considered by its parts. A multitude of hackneyed lines had me squirming in my seat too often for comfort. Its score, while mildly effective, is unoriginal.

Regardless, the visuals, especially the enchanting Na'vi, make this a "must-see" film. However, due to a few questionable facets, some of which were noted above, don't expect much stimulation outside of the visual, art direction or sound effect departments.

*Warning, there be spoilers here* On a completely subjective level, however blatant I consider it to be, this film is very racist. As a matter of fact, it is emphatically racist, and even uses the term "race" in lieu of the more appropriate "species" at least twice in the film. Its derivative "white male invades indigenous faction, bests them at all of their own livelihood, achieves hegemony" formula is repulsive in retrospect, and brings to mind films such as 'Dances with Wolves,' 'Fern Gully,' Disney's 'Pocahontas,' 'Dune,' 'Last Samurai,' et al. Perhaps this was intended by Cameron to stir controversy by making an absurdly high investment in something so laden with white guilt. Then again, he simultaneously takes stabs at industrialized white nations, with lines such as "we will fight terror with terror," a main character with the surname "Sully", or central plot points consisting of unjustified mining prospects. These all highlight problems America herself has incurred, such as the Middle Eastern conflicts, the impossible endeavor of "going green," or the inherent greed of capitalism (respectively).

Ultimately, this visually peerless film, featuring a cliché-riddled script and familiar story, is far more than meets the eye. See it yourself and make these considerations, or don't. These are just the opinions of a single lover of cinema.