Movies and Games
No cable. No satellite dish.
No problem.
With the Christmas season and cheap prices on eBay and here in North Bay, and some rentals, movies and games were quite plentiful around here. So, here's my reviews. And as always, I'm not a real film or video game critic, so no calling me Ebert or something.
The Cave ****
- one of those films you'd normally pass by at Blockbuster when you're searching for an a-list film. Nobody really famous in it, but the cinematography (considering 90% of the film in underwater AND in a cave) is incredible and the acting is really well done. Good story for a PG13 horror film. They even went so far as to avoid the Hollywood boy-gets-girl ending and set themselves up for a sequel in the process.
Appleseed ****
- I love anime. Really love anime. So, I picked this one up at Blockbuster to check it out. Very cool animation, with a decent story and an okay soundtrack. Not quite Akira or Ghost in the Shell, but very cool. Imagine life in the future world of The Terminator, and you'll get the idea. I highly recommend that anyone watching does so with the Japanese language track turned on with English subtitles. Makes the film that much better.
Angel, Season 5 ****
- I have to admit, I never really got into this series when it was on. I did watch every episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer when we got them on DVD, so I gave this one a shot. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Considering the only episode I had watched previously was the final one (which, I must say, really disappointed me), the show worked for me. The puppet episode was one of the best of the group. James Marsters is probably the only reason I agreed to watch the show anyway. Damn, he's funny. Worth picking up if you're into this sort of thing.
Catnapped ***
- children's animated film. It's cute, but not exactly what I was hoping for. Still, it was good enough that I kept watching.
The Brothers Grimm ***
- yay...a film with Matt Damon and Heath Ledger. Not as bad as one would think. It's your average con-artist turned ghostbuster story.
Last Exile *****
- Did I say I love anime? There is no way I can give Last Exile less than five stars, and I would give it more. It definitely rates up there with movies like Akira and Macross Plus. The story of Claus and Lavie, two Vanship pilots, and their adventures is one of the best looking combinations of hand drawn and computer animation I've ever seen. Through the twenty-six episodes, the story unfolds and pulls the viewer right into the television. This is what animation is all about. Not some garbage like we're used to getting over here, but a vibrant story being told with incredible animation. Worth every penny if you can find it.
Games
Timesplitters 2 (GameCube) ****
- a very cool game, even though it's a bit dated. The animation could have been a bit better (giant hands, anyone?), but the game holds its own. Weapons in the game are decent, ranging from basic pistols to flamethrowers and laser pistols. Hey, you can even arm yourself with a fire extinguisher. A great game if you're looking for a first person shooter with a difference. The mapmaker is an added bonus, allowing you to create a capture the bag style game.
Fire Emblem (GameCube) *****
- a nice break from the regular role playing game. In this game, you control an army who has to complete missions. One of your jobs is to guarantee that your main character, Ike, never dies. Should he die, your mission is a failure and you have to start all over again. From the same team that created the Paper Mario series of games, it's guaranteed to be a decent game.
Second Sight (XBox) ****
- from the Timesplitters team comes Second Sight, a very different first/third person shooter. In this game, you play as John Vattic, a man who wakes up strapped to a hospital bed with facial wounds and bandages covering him. Instead of simply using guns in this game, you get to use a group of psychic powers. Very cool idea. The story is decent, but the game is hindered by the horrible camera movement. It's a problem a lot of games have, and I hope companies can fix this for future releases.
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (XBox) *****
- remember the camera comment? This is a game that knows how to use the camera, and just about everything else. Our man Sam has a job to do and he's not afraid to do it. Like its predecessors, Pandora Tomorrow has an excellent storyline, great music, and some of the best looking scenery you'll see in a game. The cutscenes add to the story and the feel of the game.
There were more movies and games, but I haven't gotten into them all. More reviews later.
Sleep now.
No problem.
With the Christmas season and cheap prices on eBay and here in North Bay, and some rentals, movies and games were quite plentiful around here. So, here's my reviews. And as always, I'm not a real film or video game critic, so no calling me Ebert or something.
The Cave ****
- one of those films you'd normally pass by at Blockbuster when you're searching for an a-list film. Nobody really famous in it, but the cinematography (considering 90% of the film in underwater AND in a cave) is incredible and the acting is really well done. Good story for a PG13 horror film. They even went so far as to avoid the Hollywood boy-gets-girl ending and set themselves up for a sequel in the process.
Appleseed ****
- I love anime. Really love anime. So, I picked this one up at Blockbuster to check it out. Very cool animation, with a decent story and an okay soundtrack. Not quite Akira or Ghost in the Shell, but very cool. Imagine life in the future world of The Terminator, and you'll get the idea. I highly recommend that anyone watching does so with the Japanese language track turned on with English subtitles. Makes the film that much better.
Angel, Season 5 ****
- I have to admit, I never really got into this series when it was on. I did watch every episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer when we got them on DVD, so I gave this one a shot. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Considering the only episode I had watched previously was the final one (which, I must say, really disappointed me), the show worked for me. The puppet episode was one of the best of the group. James Marsters is probably the only reason I agreed to watch the show anyway. Damn, he's funny. Worth picking up if you're into this sort of thing.
Catnapped ***
- children's animated film. It's cute, but not exactly what I was hoping for. Still, it was good enough that I kept watching.
The Brothers Grimm ***
- yay...a film with Matt Damon and Heath Ledger. Not as bad as one would think. It's your average con-artist turned ghostbuster story.
Last Exile *****
- Did I say I love anime? There is no way I can give Last Exile less than five stars, and I would give it more. It definitely rates up there with movies like Akira and Macross Plus. The story of Claus and Lavie, two Vanship pilots, and their adventures is one of the best looking combinations of hand drawn and computer animation I've ever seen. Through the twenty-six episodes, the story unfolds and pulls the viewer right into the television. This is what animation is all about. Not some garbage like we're used to getting over here, but a vibrant story being told with incredible animation. Worth every penny if you can find it.
Games
Timesplitters 2 (GameCube) ****
- a very cool game, even though it's a bit dated. The animation could have been a bit better (giant hands, anyone?), but the game holds its own. Weapons in the game are decent, ranging from basic pistols to flamethrowers and laser pistols. Hey, you can even arm yourself with a fire extinguisher. A great game if you're looking for a first person shooter with a difference. The mapmaker is an added bonus, allowing you to create a capture the bag style game.
Fire Emblem (GameCube) *****
- a nice break from the regular role playing game. In this game, you control an army who has to complete missions. One of your jobs is to guarantee that your main character, Ike, never dies. Should he die, your mission is a failure and you have to start all over again. From the same team that created the Paper Mario series of games, it's guaranteed to be a decent game.
Second Sight (XBox) ****
- from the Timesplitters team comes Second Sight, a very different first/third person shooter. In this game, you play as John Vattic, a man who wakes up strapped to a hospital bed with facial wounds and bandages covering him. Instead of simply using guns in this game, you get to use a group of psychic powers. Very cool idea. The story is decent, but the game is hindered by the horrible camera movement. It's a problem a lot of games have, and I hope companies can fix this for future releases.
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (XBox) *****
- remember the camera comment? This is a game that knows how to use the camera, and just about everything else. Our man Sam has a job to do and he's not afraid to do it. Like its predecessors, Pandora Tomorrow has an excellent storyline, great music, and some of the best looking scenery you'll see in a game. The cutscenes add to the story and the feel of the game.
There were more movies and games, but I haven't gotten into them all. More reviews later.
Sleep now.
Comments
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