tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12556621763798709602024-03-04T23:44:26.236-08:00My 12 Cents: Kevin Reviews StuffHaakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-36007627882038846992013-08-29T08:14:00.000-07:002013-08-29T08:14:07.160-07:00Comics: I read XMen #4. It pissed me off. Here's why.<a href="http://marvel.com/comics/issue/46784/x-men_2013_4">So, Marvel Now, Xmen 4.</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgc7vk4JH83T0LIxoqNBbCmmele62Jt41akxjVsbAGM2S7QsA-oei4mFBX2kT5RU_2ZaFWBJqcfH6jyHZQ-SDrFrce5jq59lI2Gwou1UVIIhC-Zm8aLFahA0mEWl1KTz2544fCgoPwkk/s1600/Xmen4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgc7vk4JH83T0LIxoqNBbCmmele62Jt41akxjVsbAGM2S7QsA-oei4mFBX2kT5RU_2ZaFWBJqcfH6jyHZQ-SDrFrce5jq59lI2Gwou1UVIIhC-Zm8aLFahA0mEWl1KTz2544fCgoPwkk/s1600/Xmen4.jpg" /></a>Once again I find the worshipful reviews of the latest issue (#4) of the new X Men run laughable. *Spoilers Ahoy*<br /><br />Maybe I'm completely off base, but nothing was right about this book to me. Other than mostly good art (with the exception of some of the O faces, mostly made by Psylocke, more on that to come), there is really not much to redeem this book, and it's flaws far outweigh it's good points. For Example:<br /><br /><br /><br />Jubilee, who is a favorite of mine, fares better than most, and her mopey attitude could be chalked up to her trip down memory lane and her new responsibilities coming home to roost, but she still feels entirely too dour, only perking up and acting like herself on say two occasions. Her dialogue reads like the kind of thing that belongs in Narration Bubbles, but apparently those are taboo now. No marvel character can have a thought without voicing it, even if they aren't telepaths. Well, besides Deadpool and Hawkeye. Man, I wish I was reading Deadpool and Hawkeye instead...<br />
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Where was I? Ah yes.<br />
<br />Wolverine is presented as a doddering "Daddy Warbucks". There is not one panel in which he is not standing around in street clothes grinning like a dope, and if I need to tell you what's wrong with all of this, welcome to the Marvel Universe, because this is clearly the only thing you have read about it.<br /><br />
Rachel has a cliched and out of character "Who Died and Made you Leader" Squabble with Storm, clearly for the purposes of manufactured tension and willfully ignoring Storm's long history of leadership (she was leader of many Xmen teams, a queen, and a goddess for crying out loud). <br /><br />Speaking of which, Storm comes across as a gruff "My Way or the Highway" type, also completely out of character, and she spends entirely too much time (as in any time at all) discussing with Rachel whether they can make a good team, sounding less like a group of friends who are working together out of necessity, and more like a Warcraft Pick up group squabbling over loot. Not to mention how this conversation derails the concept of their book, a group that was thrown together by a crisis; they already sound like an old married couple, not even one issue later.<br /><br />Rouge and Kitty might be the only characters who are not completely out of character, but they are also the ones with the least to do beyond resolving the Airplane plot and being bitchy to Psylocke respectively.<br /><br />
And speaking of, Psylocke gets the worst of it. For starters, she is portrayed as a nymphomaniac, a title I would not have applied to her; she is one of the few female characters that writers allow to pursue her desires, so I guess that makes her a slut. She refers to a virtual character in a Danger Room sim as "Hot to Death" in the middle of a rescue operation, which prompts Kitty to imply that "The Only action she's getting is with Danger Room simulations, no wonder she's wound so tight". Oh, and she keeps making faces like Kitty is doing something freaky to her from behind. Maybe I was wrong about Kitty up there. But most ridiculous of all is the fact that she uses her powers to form a Purple Energy Crossbow with a grappling hook and rope to tether the Blackbird to a damaged airplane. Seriously, it took her years to develop the focus needed to form anything more complex than a knife, and that was just a katana, aka a bigger knife. Now, a few hours in the danger room and she's skanky Asian Green Lantern. While other reviews I read praised this as creative, it struck me as incredibly lazy and dismissive of the established character. <br /><br />Not to mention that the airplane plot is utterly cliche to begin with, the kind of thing 80s or 90s Xmen books would have resolved in 3 pages at best. The Jubilee plot makes a lot more sense, as she has a lot on her plate now, but other than some interesting reminders of her personal history with the Xmen, it is hamstrung by it's odd dialogue and 'Grampa Wolvie' angle. It's like the writer had this scene all written out with no particular characters in mind, then plugged in Jubilee, because she's a major focus of the book, and then plugged in Wolvie because all he really knew about her was "Used to Hang out with Wolverine a lot" (Google Search hard at work), then peppered in a few references to her first appearance (Which I'm sure required a detailed Google search once again) and presto, heartwarming scene! <br />
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I know this is a one-and-done Bottle-Issue, and it was likely rushed to make way for the upcoming War of the Atom event, but seriously, that's no excuse. People need to quit pretending this book is good, cause so far, it really isn't. <br />
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3 Psylocke/Rube Goldberg Contraptions out of 10.Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-12618275560404148402012-06-17T08:02:00.001-07:002012-06-17T08:02:32.731-07:00Adventures in Redboxing 3: The Redboxening!So I've been inspired to give this Review thing another go, and what better subject matter than three Red Box flicks selected by a well meaning comrade who is more concerned with release dates than content? <br />
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1: The Grey<br />
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The Grey is a film that I wanted to see in the theater, so I was pleasantly surprised to see it among the new release grab bag that my associate picked up. It tells the story of a group of oil drillers who's flight home to Anchorage Alaska crashes in the wilderness. A handful of survivors are soon set on by a pack of wolves, and they must continue their struggle to survive. But that's only the superficial veneer of the story, this film is really about nature and the frailty of human existence and facing the looming oblivion of the final end. One of the better films I've seen recently, highly recommended. 9/10<br />
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2: Chronicle<br />
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Next on the docket was Chronicle, and I have to admit, if I had been excited to see The Grey, I had the absolute opposite attitude towards this film when it came out. I wrote it off as a cliche'd found footage, teenage angst ridden, effects heavy snoozer, but I have to admit, I was almost completely wrong. With the exception of the plot saturated with teenage angst and a few painfully obvious effects shots, it's a solid take on the idea of power corrupting with a lot of heart and some genuinely entertaining comic relief. 7.5/10<br />
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3: The Devil Inside<br />
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As if to score a Hat-trick of "expectations vs. the actual film" responses, The Devil Within was next. And if The Grey was a film I was looking forward to that was better than I expected, and Chronicle was far better than I anticipated, then The Devil Within took my already abysmal expectations and limbo'd under them. This film is not really a film, it's a vague framework for a few sub-par shock scenes. It's shot in a documentary style that completely fails to be convincing, the acting is ridiculous, the characters are ludicrous, and the scares are laughable. It would be a more productive use of your time to smash your toes with a tack hammer than to watch this... whatever this is. 1/10 for being Not as Bad as The Room.<br />
<br />Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-66640259012097296452012-03-14T20:47:00.000-07:002012-03-14T20:47:27.950-07:00An Open Letter to Bioware: Mass Effect 3, it's Controversial Ending, and a polite suggestion on where to go from here.Warning, I intend to talk about about the ME3 in detail, Spoilers and all, so if you haven't finished it, go do that first. <br />
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First of all, I have to set the record straight on something. Some have heard/read my initial response to the closing scenes of Bioware's final installment of this epic space adventure and assumed that the game is in some way not worth bothering with. Nothing could be further from the truth. <br />
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Mass Effect 3 is an absolute Masterpiece, and a prime example of why the argument that "Games Cannot be Art" is nonsense. The characters are compelling, interesting, sympathetic and excellently fleshed out. The story is rich, humorous, entertaining, and often heartbreaking. As far as game play goes, combat is rock solid and fun as hell to play, especially with the streamlined powers, improved cover, and much appreciated selection of weapons with wildly varying properties (like a pistol that fires proxy mines and a shotgun that you can charge). I would recommend it to anyone who has a system that can play it, no joke. For 98 % of my playtime, I was utterly enthralled with the game, to the point that I was doing damn little else besides playing it.<br />
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But...<br />
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That 2 percent. The Ending. Say the last 3 scenes or so. That bit of story that wrapped up the universe at large almost killed my enthusiasm for the series altogether. A series that I've played religiously since the first installment and invested hundreds of hours in. It's that jarring. It's that... selfish, I guess is a word to describe it. Whoever came up with the ending decided that this was the end, and nothing else besides their narrative mattered. Which is fine, it's their story to end. But... It doesn't really end it in any meaningful way.<br />
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Allow me to elaborate. From frame one, the goal of Mass Effect 3 is very clearly Defined. Stop the Reapers. And as you progress through the game, your mission goes from insanely impossible to in the realm of possibility and finally a long shot that people are finally beginning to believe may pay off. You collect a crew (An anemic 7 to ME2's 12, and that's assuming you got the DLC) which includes most of your ME1 crew and enlist the help of your other past crew members in support roles. As the game progresses, it becomes more and more apparent that whatever happens, the solution to the Reaper invasion will cost a devastatingly huge number of lives and almost certainly be the end of Shepard. The lion's share of the game is spent helping key members of sympathetic races to stabilize their systems and thus gain their undivided support. The whole time, the goal is to bring every race into the fold and form the single most powerful force the galaxy has ever known. With careful diplomacy, even the wholly synthetic Geth, the reluctant villains of the first Mass Effect game can be brought into the war effort. The situation gets more and more desperate as the Illusive Man and Cerberus constantly antagonize Shepard and the galaxy at large, believing they can take control of the Reapers rather than destroy them. All the while, a super weapon of ancient design, the Crucible, remains the best hope the Alliance has to end the reaper threat. When it becomes clear that the Citadel is the Catalyst, the key to the Crucible, the Reapers move it to Earth at the center of Reaper controlled Space. When Shepard at last returns to Earth, along with his assembled fleet, and a space battle of unfathomable proportions takes place. It's a scene to rival any science fiction film to date. As the battle between the fleet and the reapers rages on, Shepard returns to the surface and meets up with Admiral Anderson, who has been fighting there since the invasion began, and takes time to have one last conversation with all of his crew as he tours the ranks of the worn down Alliance Military. <br />
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Then, in a final last ditch effort to open the Citadel and use the Crucible, Shepard and crew drive into the heart of the Ruin of London, fighting desperately through a no man's land that was once one of the great human cities, and at last come to the transport beam that can take them to the Citadel. Hundreds if not thousands of soldiers are cut down, as the Reaper Harbinger flays the blasted out wasteland just to give Shepard and his/her crew a chance to make it to the Citadel. Just as it begins to look like you might make it, Harbinger strikes your squad with a viscous blast. At first, it seems hope is lost, until a battered Shepard, armor ravaged and flesh in tatters, rises once more. Unable to determine if his squad, or indeed anyone from the assault, is alive, and barely able to lift his pistol, Shepard stumbles towards the beam, desperately shoots the last few husks and marauders between him and the beam, and collapses into it. It's an incredible sequence of events and emotionally draining. <br />
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Then... The end. The one that has a lot of fans up in arms. In an unusual area of the Citadel, littered with corpses, Shepard awakens and finds that he and Anderson are the only ones who made it to the beam. As they locate a control panel, the Illusive man thwarts them, using his reaper-tech derived ability to indoctrinate humans to control Anderson. The final confrontation with The Illusive Man ends up the only way it could, an argument about control that either ends with Shepard shooting him or The Illusive Man committing suicide if you convince him he was wrong about controlling the Reapers. The Alliance docks the Crucible at the Citadel and a lift takes Shepard to a massive area where a VI calling itself The Catalyst explains that the old solution, the Reapers purging the most advanced organic lifeforms in the galaxy, will no longer work, as the knowledge that will be passed on and the resistance of the current species is too great. It claims that the balance between Organic and Synthetic must be maintained, or the organics will destroy everything (How? Why? how do the Uber Powerful reapers not tip the balance? Never explained.) <br />
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The Catalyst offers Shepard a choice.<br />
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Unfortunately, no matter what choice you make, you will inevitably feel like it doesn't matter. The Galaxy is Fucked no matter what you do.<br />
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(Bear in Mind, these are the so-called "Best" endings possible. I'd hate to see the bad ones...) <br />
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Option One. Control. As it turns out, the Illusive Man was right that the Reapers could be "Controlled", but only Shepard could do it. If you select this option, Shepard takes Control of the Reapers and basically cancels their invasion with a wave of blue energy, sending them back into intergalactic space, at least for now. <br />
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Option Two. Destroy. The original plan, and the one Anderson suggested, Destroy the Reapers outright. However, it wont just kill the Reapers, but all synthetic life, including The Geth, EDI, and Shepard (who became part synthetic at some point? When Cerberus resurrected him? I guess I missed that.) If you choose this option, Shepard blasts conduits with his pistol and ends the reaper cycle forever with a wave of red energy.<br />
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Option Three. Synthesis. The Metaphysical Evangelion ending. Shepard can leap into the energy beam of the Crucible, and his combined Organic and Synthetic biology will overwrite the biology of every life form with a wave of green energy, organic and synthetic alike, making all life a hybrid of the two and thus eliminating the presumed need for balance. <br />
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And all three follow the same basic story from there. <br />
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The effort of performing any of the 3 tasks appears to be fatal to Shepard (More on that in a bit). The Blue/Red/Green energy beam required to reach all life in the galaxy overloads and destroys the Mass Relays. For some unknown reason (it's never stated where they are going or why), the Normandy is attempting to flee the beam, but is overtaken. After crashing on a primordial planet, Joker and two other crew members emerge from the Normandy, look around and smile (if you chose synthesis, it will be EDI and she will be huggin on Joker as they are both covered with circuits. Your love interest will always be there as well.) Then... Credits. After which you may, depending on your military strength or something, get a brief scene in the distant future of that same planet, where an old man (voiced by Buzz Aldrin!) tells his grandson legends of "The Shepard". Then a message appears that says that Shepard ended the reaper threat and became a Legend. Now make his legend greater by playing DLC when it comes out! (Shit you Not!)<br />
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Oooookay, where to start? Why does every possible outcome of even the best endings mean a depressingly shitty end to an epic series, a snub to a cast of sympathetic characters fans have a vested interest in, and a blanket party for one of the richest sci fi universes since Star Wars? I'm glad you asked.<br />
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<u><b>Control</b></u>. This option sucks. Just completely sucks. It's the trite and cliched do-gooder solution. Shepard sacrifices his life to send the reapers packing and solves nothing in the process. <br />
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Sure, the reaper threat has ended. For now. But for how long? Will the reapers remain controlled by a dead man for all eternity and never return? And if not, how long until they do? At best, another 50,000 years, the end of another Cycle. At worst, just as soon as they come to their senses and rebuild the Mass Relays. Who knows how long that is, building Mass Relays might be child's play to them.<br />
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And what about this "Balance" that suddenly became so fucking important in the last five minutes of a 100+ hour game series? Given that Shepard got rid of the reapers forever, wont that still mean that the balance will go bad and Organics will obliterate themselves (Again, fucking how?!)? <br />
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<u><b>Destroy:</b></u> This option would be the obvious choice, except for one bullshit provision. <br />
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All synthetics Die, including EDI (even though there is no indication that she died in the final scene) and the Geth, for no adequately explained reason. Why the hell would the Catalyst and the Citadel have any power over Synthetic lifeforms of this cycle? Did the Catalyst adapt it's program to included new synthetics in the event some guy blasted it's innards? And if so, why? If not to be a big Fuck You to the player. Personally, the last thing I did before the Invasion of Cerberus and Earth was broker Peace between the Quarians and the Geth, in the process helping the Geth become truly Sentient Beings and welcoming them into the galactic community of enlightened races, as well as the Allied Fleet that would help me take back earth and use the Crucible to deal with the Reapers. <br />
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So the inclusion of the "Kills the entire synthetic race you just liberated and convinced the rest of the galaxy to accept because the Catalyst said so" clause in the Destroy option takes the most sensible course of action and turns it into the biggest Dick Move in galactic history. You would be worse than the goddamn Slimy Salarians, fucking over the Krogan with the Genophage after you didn't want to deal with them any more. <br />
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<u><b>Synthesis:</b></u> This is the Option I actually took, but only because it seemed Less Dickish by a narrow margin and it's the "Hidden" one I did all that extra work collecting resources for. It's not worth it. I don't even have a particular gripe, other than it feels like the Tree Hugger option. Two constantly warring lifeforms become one new form of life, like, so deep man! Not to mention, been done, in a bunch of Anime Movies/series for a start (Eyes on Mars, Gall Force, Vandred, etc). Not to mention that the Crash scene is all about Joker and EDI and how they can bump uglies now because they are the same life form or something. The "EDI and Joker, sittin in a Tree" subplot was cute, but it's not what I want the last goddamn scene to focus on. Also, shouldn't she be dead since the Normandy got fucked up by the beam and crashed? Not to mention that the two lovebirds are making kissy faces at each other while your love interest (in my case Tali. Poor, sweet, awesome, brave, and kind Tali) is standing right there, most likely devastated by the fact that the love of her life is almost certainly dead.<br />
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Which brings me to another point. There is apparently some kind of dark magic that I wasn't aware of that you can perform to earl a 15 second bonus clip where what appears to be Shepard's body draws breath before the cut to the credits. I'm sure the developers thought this was a great way to placate the fans who were pissed off about Shepard dying, nobly or otherwise. "Look, he's alive! Stop writing us angry emails now please!" But in reality, it's just another poorly thought out Fuck You to the player. Let me explain.<br />
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Lets just assume that Shepard somehow managed to live through his ordeal. And lets assume that he gets medical attention and makes a full recovery. Or lets say, just for funsies that Miranda puts together another Lazarus team and resurrects him again. Great. You know he's alive! Guess who Doesn't? Tali and the rest of the folks who got stranded on fuck knows what planet in fuck knows what system, in fuck knows what sector for Fuck knows what reason. So consider this. With the Mass Relays destroyed, this tragic couple will never be in the same system again, let alone the same room. Assuming inter stellar communications aren't FUBAR'ed, the best they can hope for is to Holo Chat from light-years away. What would that do other than constantly remind them that they will never be able to embrace one another again? How long until one of them moves on or kills themselves in grief? <br />
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And that's another point, how fucked are all the aliens who bravely volunteered to help the Alliance repel the Reapers, not to mention mankind. We're talking probably hundreds of thousands of aliens trapped in the sol system with mankind. Will everyone go to Earth? If so, how will a planet that just got the ever loving shit kicked out of it support it's native population and accommodate a bunch of most likely pissed off aliens who will probably never see home again? How pissed are the Quarians trapped in the Sol system not weeks after they got their home planet back, for example? If you cured the Genophage, you will have a runaway Krogan Population before you know it, and that's to say nothing for the Krogans back on Tuchanka, a nuclear wasteland of a planet. The Turians have entirely different body chemistry, could they survive long term on Earth? The Asari are the only race among them that might accept their lot and become a part of Human society. The Batarians certainly wouldn't. Not to mention Aria's Mercs. How long until they become Space Pirates? And what becomes of all the devastated Council home worlds now that they are cut off from most of their colonies that supported them? Massive famines and civil wars, that's what. <br />
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In short, the ending is a fucking mess that feels like they threw it together at the last minute for some reason (The IGN leak, some have speculated). <br />
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You know what this ending feels like? Pointless and Tragic, in spite of the fact that the Reaper Cycle is broken, and that's a terrible way to end it. I don't mind a sad ending, but only when it makes sense. <br />
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Now, How do you fix it? It's bafflingly simple, in my book.<br />
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First, forget everything after the Mass Relays are destroyed, and the Geth and EDI being lumped in with the reapers. The Normandy outrunning the beam, Shepard not dead, Joker and EDI sucking face, that stupid plasticine forest they seemed determined to include, Buzz Aldrin, everything... Well, Buzz is okay I guess. But Toss that shit, it fucks everything up. In it's place have a montage of scenes based on What resources you unlocked in the process of building your army. If you united the Geth and the Quarians, have a scene of Tali and the Geth working together on a plan to build new Mass Relays or ships that are capable of Mass Effect travel without the relays. Krogans setting up homes on Mars or Luna. Turians maintaining order against pissed off Batarians and Mercs, with Garrus and Zaeed in charge. Asari helping preserve human culture and rebuild infrastructure, coordinated by Liara, the Shadow Broker. Jack and her former students opening a school for Biotics. Miranda working on a second Lazarus Project to bring Shepard back again.<br />
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You know what that ending feels like? Hope. <br />
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And that's what we really needed to make Shepard's death to save existence worthwhile. Hope for the future of the universe we know and love, not the supposed future that will come about thousands of years from now on the planet where Buzz is. We don't even need an actual Payoff of those events for them to be more meaningful than what we got. Just the possibility that life in the Mass Effect universe might some day soon recover from the Reaper invasion is enough.<br />
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People have argued that expecting Bioware to change the ending is ludicrous because we would expect it for free. Not at all, I'd be willing to pay a few extra bucks to have this mess cleaned up as part of the next DLC. It can be done, it remains to be seen if it will be done. Will the creators accept that the ending could be improved by these types of changes? Or will they stick to their guns, ignore the, I'll say it, Anguish this cheap ending caused and claim artistic license as their reasoning? I don't know, but for now, I for one consider everything past the Relays blowing up Non Canon, and that allows me to love this game again. I just wish I didn't have to bullshit myself. <br />
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But who knows, if Bioware makes another Mass Effect game, maybe they will clear up some of the craziness in the process, fingers crossed!Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-4957585705982438422011-07-29T07:06:00.000-07:002011-07-29T07:12:35.902-07:00Horrible Bosses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Under 18's begone!<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/YpjupmLhzwc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
So a little while ago, the combination of constant heat advisories and crappy window air led me to take in a matinee of just about any movie, simply to escape the beastly weather. I didn't really care what movie it was, but there was one that had caught my eye based on it's cast alone. All I needed to know was that Jason Bateman of Arrested Development and Charlie Day of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia were two of the main characters to get my kiester in the seat. I figured between them and Kevin Spacey, Donald Sutherland, Colin Farrel, Jason Sudeikis, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Aniston, and even Steve Weibe of Fistful of Quarters fame, how could you go wrong?<br />
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You may have noticed that I rarely cover comedies on here. In fact, this might be the first straight comedy movie I've ever touched on. There are a couple of reasons, first being that I very rarely see comedies in the theater. I always end up inevitably let down by the theater experience when it comes to comedy, no matter how funny the movie is. I find myself wondering why a Will Farrel flick would need digital sound and a screen that huge as much as laughing at the jokes. The other reason I haven't talked about a comedy here is that, probably more than any other kind of movie, Comedy is highly subjective. What's Rolling-in-the-Aisle hilarious to some is eyerollingly lame to others. That said, Horrible Bosses is right up my Aisle.<br />
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The basic plot of the film involves three friends who are stuck in No-Win scenarios at their jobs. Nick (Bateman) is a dedicated wage slave who gets stiffed on a big promotion because his boss (Spacey) wants a bigger office. Kurt (Sudeikis) is the right hand man to the owner of a chemical company (Sutherland), until he dies of a sudden heart attack and his cokehead buffoon of a son (Farrel) takes over. Dale (Day) is a dental assistant and engaged to a beautiful woman, but he works for a sexually voracious dentist (Aniston) who is attempting to blackmail him into cheating with her. The three friends meet up at a bar after a particularly rough day, and in their drunken desperation, begin to concoct a scheme to eliminate the people ruining their lives. Permanently. After a chance meeting in a bar in the rough part of town, a former con named "Mother-Fucker" Jones (Foxx) opts out of taking care of their issue, but becomes their "Murder Consultant."<br />
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To say that the plot is dependant on the bosses being unbelievable charactures of what a bad boss might be is an understatement. However, it's easy to forgive the over the top nature of the targets in this film when the chemistry between the 3 leads gets going. Jason Bateman and Charlie Day play off each other excellently, and Jason Sudeikis rounds out the crew nicely, particularly when Dale complains about his bosses sexual advances and Kurt comments on how his problem dosen't sound nearly as bad as his or Nick's. And while the bosses are ridiculous, it bears mentioning that they play it so well that it works pretty hilariously well. Kevin Spacey plays the self centered jealous corporate fat cat to a T, Colin Farrel is a convincing drug addled comb-over sporting douche-bag, and perhaps most amazing of all, I actually thought Jennifer Aniston as a sexual deviant and manipulative man-eater was a highlight of the film. And that's saying something, since I normally don't think much of her one way or the other. Jamie Foxx split my sides every time he was on screen, like the days of In Living Color had come again.<br />
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As is to be expected in this kind of over the top comedy, the ending of the film is fairly ludicrous, but by the time you get to it, if you are like me, you will be laughing too hard to analyze it. In closing, if you want a good gut laugh and don't mind crude humor or language with a dark streak a mile wide definitely check out Horrible Bosses.<br />
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8 "Throw Momma From the Train" References out of 10<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0aRaYbJMX2jxTHDxHTtbwj-TCV56-z3gJDiOsIyT_Nw5qp59lXXQtOeitQuanfO3UI_o6tDTp0sPm3nb_d5Apws3Gz0y_v61iLaOHYPoo5SHErQ3-_BXM4a7GvX52L3Umhx_dfkPLJg/s1600/horrible-bosses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0aRaYbJMX2jxTHDxHTtbwj-TCV56-z3gJDiOsIyT_Nw5qp59lXXQtOeitQuanfO3UI_o6tDTp0sPm3nb_d5Apws3Gz0y_v61iLaOHYPoo5SHErQ3-_BXM4a7GvX52L3Umhx_dfkPLJg/s320/horrible-bosses.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-22375454998915309222011-07-25T10:37:00.000-07:002011-07-25T10:37:40.424-07:00Captain America: The First Avenger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZCTv6i3589A?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>So here we are, the series of Avengers Origin films is complete, and we have plenty of time to wait and contemplate the merits of them before the Avengers Film itself arrives next May. The Iron Man films are well documented successes, Thor surprised a lot of people and confirmed my belief that a well done film about the character would be packed with awesome, but how has Cap's film turned out? Did the future leader of (arguably) the Marvel Universes Premier Super Hero team have as strong a showing as his counterparts? For the most part, I have to say yes.<br />
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Set primarily in the early 1940's, Captain America is the story of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), a young man of diminutive stature who desperately wants to enlist in the US Army at the outset of World War II. Due to his size and history of illness, he is turned down several times, as he falsifies his identity to try over and over to be accepted. His determination to do his part attracts the attention of a Scientist (Stanley Tucci) who offers him a chance to join the army if he participates in testing his Super Soldier Serum. Rogers agrees and after being put through his paces by a highly doubtful Colonel (Tommy Lee Jones), he undergoes the Super Soldier procedure, which remakes him into a Super-Human, the height of human potential. Even as the procedure proves successful, a spy in the midst of the government officials gathered to witness it detonates a bomb, shoots the Scientist, and escapes with a vial of the Super Soldier Serum. However, Rogers chases the man on foot and apprehends him, in spite of the fact that he flees via a stolen taxi and a submarine. As the spy crunches his Cyanide Suicide tooth (Classic!), he taunts Rogers that two will rise to take his place, and says "Hail Hydra!" in his death throes. As the film progresses, Rogers becomes a house hold name selling war bonds as Captain America, and is ridiculed by front line troops when he is sent to Italy, but gains their respect when he single-handedly rescues an entire unit of captured soldiers, including his old friend Bucky. The film culminates in an epic showdown with the Hydra forces and a one on one fight with their leader, the Super Soldier prototype, Red Skull (Hugo Weaving).<br />
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Overall, I have to say that I was extremely impressed with the story, particularly how they incorporated Captain America's classic Golden Age origin into the film in the form of his USO stage show, to hilarious effect. Also of note, Red Skull is very well fleshed out (pun intended) and he makes a delightfully wicked foil to Cap's selfless heroism. I also really enjoyed the treatment of tertiary characters, Bucky and "Dum Dum" Doogan, for example. The inclusion of Howard Stark, Iron Man's grandfather, could have been a simple Cameo, but they made him a very important character, flying Cap in on his first combat mission and designing his suit and, perhaps most importantly, the iconic Vibranium Shield. Cap's relationship with Agent Peggy Carter, while obviously meant to be the romantic inspiration for Cap, as he is seen with her picture several times, is refreshingly conservative in a world of super heroes always getting the girl, and adds another layer to the character and the ending of the film. The only problem I had with the story was, ironically, with Cap himself. While they do a lot to show how he progresses from being unsure of his new abilities to kicking copious amounts of ass and leading an elite group of soldiers hand picked to fight Hydra, I couldn't shake the feeling that his leadership abilities that will make him the obvious choice to lead the Avengers one day were not very well demonstrated. Maybe that's just me though.<br />
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Another note, and one I pointed out to my cousin Daniel during the movie, was that they managed to make Captain America's universe less believable than Thor's. While it must be said that the inclusion of some Real-World future tech vehicles and weapons that the Germans were actually working on during WWII lent believability to the concept of Hydra being Hitler's "Deep Science" division, some of the other devices have to be described as Ultra Tech by 1940's standards. It lent a futuristic feel to some of the later combat scenes, which seems odd for a movie set in the past. And while energy weapons could be explained away by the fact that Red Skull was harnessing power from the same Cube we see in the Stinger at the end of Thor (Dun Dun Dun!), powered armor, Tanks the size of houses, and a massive Flying Wing took me out of the movie a bit.<br />
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That said, the visual effects were extremely impressive and well implemented. Of particular note was the effects used to make Cap look like a scrawny weakling before the Super Soldier Procedure. Costuming is excellent, from the period outfits, Cap's hilariously authentic comic book outfit, or his actual combat outfit, not to mention Red Skull and his varying and menacing outfits. Sound is well done, and the plethora of period accurate propaganda songs is delightful. As far as direction goes, Joe Johnston does a fine job of finding great framing for scenes. There are not really any of the "What the Hell is Happening, all I can see is Camera Shaking" fight scenes that drive me bonkers, and overall, the action is entertaining and never too over the top (For a Superhero that is). Oddly enough, one of the most effective scenes is actually the end credits, which is an animated montage of WWII Propaganda posters. And if anyone left the theater before the end of the credits, big mistake. Not only do we see a bit of Cap and Nick Fury, but also a teaser trailer for the Avengers film which was downright awesome. <br />
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All in all, I have to say that I really enjoyed Captain America, it was a perfect Penultimate Avengers movie. And while I have to admit that I enjoyed Thor a bit more personally, it really is an excellent film and worthy of the franchise. <br />
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9 Punched out Hitler's out of 10.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.altfg.com/Stars/photo-actors-c/captain-america-poster-chris-evans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.altfg.com/Stars/photo-actors-c/captain-america-poster-chris-evans.jpg" width="205" /></a></div>Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-19255438842067522472011-07-12T18:47:00.000-07:002011-07-12T18:54:17.239-07:00Green Lantern<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/oazFv302DIM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Okay, my procrastination is reaching critical mass here, I'm now writing a review for a film I saw weeks ago. So if I get some details muddled, forgive me.<br />
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Any Old How, Green Lantern. It's another in a long line of Summer Superhero movies, including notable releases this year such as Thor and X Men First Class. Green Lantern is a long on storied DC Comics series beloved by fans. And while several humans (and countless aliens) have donned the mantle of the titular character, Hal Jordan is probably the best known. I've never personally kept up on Green Lantern lore (I'm kindof a Marvel / Manga guy) and in all honesty, I had to look up the character on the interwebs to remind myself what his powers were when I heard a movie was in the works way back when. Still, the previews looked pretty solid and I'm a fan of Ryan Reynolds (He was the only good thing about the Wolverine movie, for example), so I determined to give it a shot, even after a few professional reviewers were less than kind to it.<br />
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The film features Hal Jordan, a Jet Fighter Test Pilot who encounters a crashed alien spaceship. The dying pilot of the alien craft bequeaths a Green Ring and Lantern to Hal, saying that he has been chosen as his replacement.When a confused Hal puts on the ring and touches it to the lantern, he is suddenly clothed in the Garb of the Green Lantern Corps, an interstellar police organization that has agents that wield the Green Power of Courage as a weapon, manifesting green matter in the form of whatever the Lantern can imagine.. Even as Hal is adjusting to his new outfit, he is brought back to planet Oa, the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps, where he begins training to be the Lantern assigned to Earth's galactic sector. Meanwhile, on Earth, the dead Lantern's body is being studied by a socially inept acquaintance of Hal's who becomes infected by the force that killed the alien, a super-being known as Parallax, which once devastated the galaxy at large by spreading the Yellow power of Fear.<br />
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Green Lantern is a Film that tries to get the Batman Begins mix. That is to say, it tries to please the hardcore fans, educate the novices, and set up a sequel that will move the series forward. Unfortunately, it fails to hit any of these points masterfully, and in fact fails to subtly hint at anything, sequels included.<br />
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If there is one way that the problems with the film could be fixed, I would say that it is Editing. Visually speaking, there is nothing wrong with the effects or casting, the acting is generally good, and the sound is well done. However, the pacing of the movie is badly in need to tweaking. The fact is that there are some scenes that hold the audiences hand too much, and there are others that force the audience to fill in imperceptible gaps.<br />
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For example, before any of what I spoke of in the plot synopsis up there occurs, we see Hal Jordan wake up late and ditch the lady in his bed, go to his nephew's birthday party, Pilot a Raptor Fighter in a dogfight with a computer controlled drone fighter, defeating the unbeatable drone fighter, freezing up when his risky maneuvers cause him to lose control of the fighter (an inexplicably long scene where he remembers his dad dying in an explosion after a failed test flight of his own), a lengthy debriefing with his superiors who berate him for his risky maneuvers and losing his jet in a test exercise, and finally a lengthy argument with the Love Interest character which establishes in great detail that they have known each other for years, had a rocky romantic past, and that her father designed the drone ship. As well as scenes of the Alien Lantern fighting and fleeing from Parallax and a few pointless scenes that incorporate the pointlessly un-funny comic relief character interspersed throughout. Most of these scenes needlessly hammer home points that were made either by the first line of several lines of dialogue or by simple inference. These scenes could have easily been tightened up in editing to improve the pacing and shorten the amount of time before Hal becomes a Lantern. <br />
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On the other hand, there was a scene during the birthday party that ends with Hal carelessly launching a Hot Wheels onto a loop track and off a ramp. It's literally a two second blip of film. No comment on how much he loved Hot Wheels when he was a kid or even an emotional response to seeing or launching the car. He simply presses the button and calmly leaves the shot. At the time, I thought "What was the point of that?" and promptly forgot it ever happened. It wasn't until I started contemplating this review that I realized that this momentary flash was meant to be the inspiration for one of the biggest action/special effects set pieces in the film, in which Hal creates a Life Size green Hot Rod and a track for it to run on out of Green energy. He created the first thing he could think of to avert disaster, but I could not for the life of me figure out why it was a car on a track. Couldn't they have included a momentary flash of the scene from earlier that inspired it to make sure the connection struck home? Like I said, Too Much or Too Little story telling, depending on the scene. Why do we spend so much time examining the Alien Corpse which stops mattering moments later, but never really get a solid explanation of what's happening to <a href="http://youtu.be/b-AhUP4NsxQ">Space Mumps</a> Bad Guy's mind?<br />
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Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of things done right in this film as well. Tension between Hal and Space Mumps is pretty well established, for example. Also, there is one great scene that really stands out as an example of comics movies not being limited by the rules of comics themselves. After a painfully unfunny scene with the so-called comic relief best friend character ends with the suggestion that Heroes "Get the Girl", Hal flies to the love interest's apartment and lands on her balcony in his Lantern suit, complete with "Identity Hiding" Eye Mask. It has oft been pointed out how ludicrous it is to assume a secret identity can be maintained with the application of a tiny mask that covers about 10% of the face. The more egregious example is the Clark Kent Glasses worn by Stupor Man, but I could write a whole paper on why Stupor Man sucks. When Love Interest (Seriously, does her name matter?) see's him, for a few long moments she looks at him as if she has no clue who this crazy person in a Green and Black body suit on her balcony is. I think I may have actually said "You have got to be Shitting me." for all the theater to hear when it looked as thought the old Eye Mask gambit had struck again. It would have been impossible to accept that she wouldn't recognize a childhood friend and love interest because he happened to be wearing a mask that Zorro would refuse to wear because it was too dainty. But as soon as I said it, her eyes flashed wide and she shouted "Hal?!" then proceeded to berate him for scaring her. Meanwhile, I proceeded to say "Oh thank god, she can't have been that stupid." It is really a great example, in my book, of what fans of comics and their related media are really looking for. Not the "It dosen't have to make sense, it's just a stupid comic" angle of Golden Age comics, or the "Gritty reality" of the Dark Age comics of the 90s, but the Silver Age feel. Believable People with Unbelievable powers in a believable modern world.<br />
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Overall, Green Lanterns faults are mostly on the technical side, some better direction and editing would have resolved most of the nagging issues, and a slightly better script would have fixed the rest. It's not perfect, but it far from terrible. It's one of the few movies I've seen in 3D that didn't make me want to take the glasses off 5 minutes in, and in the end it's a fun movie.<br />
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6 Obvious Future Badguys out of 10<br />
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Seriously, the stinger at the end of the film was pointless because A) Lantern Fans knew it was coming before the first teaser trailer was over and B) His Name/motivations/etc were a dead giveaway to everyone else.Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-6304209265613402772011-06-27T09:09:00.000-07:002011-06-28T13:35:21.915-07:00The Witcher 2Hey, I've not done a single Game Review. What's the deal? Here we go then, The Witcher 2. To be fair, I'm only 1/4 of the way through the story, but I'm mostly going to talk about the mechanics anyway.<br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/jk5r1mP6om8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>I'm clearly getting old. There was a time when an extensive inventory and crafting system was exhilarating. When managing what you can carry was a trifle or an added challenge. When a complex combat system mixing spells and swordplay offered interesting variety. These days, these things feel more like tedious busy work than intriguing game-play. And in the case of The Witcher 2, these aspects are all too prevalent. <br />
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To be fair, I've always been a little put off by limited space in inventory in games like this, going back to Diablo as one of the first games that really drove me nuts in this category. The difference being that in games like Diablo, if I was a Barbarian, I knew I could sell any magic wands or staves or cloaks I acquired when I returned to a shop. In the case of W2, most of what one loots is hunks of whatever it was looted from; hearts, eyes, teeth, etc. The problem being, that there is no clear way to tell what parts of what monsters one might need in the future to make potions or craft weapons or armor. Some are obvious; one will always need iron ore to make the next Steel Sword upgrade for example. But others are fairly vague. After working on a quest to kill a bunch of giant plant crab something or others called Endragoras or whatever, I had gathered my maximum amount of loot I could carry. After slowly trudging my way back to town (yes, it's one of those games) I sold off a ton of stuff I didn't think I'd need, including a handful of Plant Crab teeth which I hadn't found a use for yet. Then I stopped at the smithy later and found that the best Steel Sword required 15 of them to make for some reason. I couldn't buy them back so I had to go pointlessly murder the now much less common crab spiders for their teeth. <br />
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This brings up another point, the dual sword system. Now, the idea of a monster hunter who carries two swords, a steel sword for slaying humans, and a silver sword for slaying monsters sounds pretty awesome at face value. And the hero, Geralt looks pretty cool with two swords slung over his back, no denying it, and as far as a Fantasy Novel character device goes, it is a pretty interesting one. The problem comes in when you implement it into the game. For a start, you will find yourself very frequently upgrading your steel sword in the first chapter and not fighting a lot of humans til the close of the chapter. Not to mention that there is only one Silver Sword upgrade in the first chapter, and it comes immediately before the end of said chapter, just in time for the afore-mentioned human bloodbath. So for the whole first chapter, you will mostly be using the basic silver sword and upgrading your steel sword for really no good reason. And it bears mentioning that if you use the wrong sword on a type of enemy, it will do almost no damage. This makes sense and would not be a problem if there weren't instances where human bandits and monsters will stop fighting one another in order to collectively kick your ass, so you have to choose a sword, weed out the appropriate enemies, then switch swords and kill the others. And again, this would not be that big of a problem if not for buggy and occasionally unresponsive controls.<br />
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The controls appear simple enough. Press 1 to draw/sheath your Steel Humanoid slaying Sword, press 2 to draw/sheath your Silver Monster chopper. Easy enough. The only problem is at times, if you get surprised by an enemy, and just hit the mouse button, Geralt will draw whatever sword he was last using. If it's the wrong one for the enemy, you will have a few moments when you will be vulnerable as you switch. And that's assuming Geralt responds at all. I've had plenty of times where I've found myself mashing the 2 button as a monster beats my face to a pulp and Geralt stands there getting pummeled with his Steel sword drawn. So then I would try to press 1 to put the steel sword away, and he still stands there like a bloody bump on a log. Another time, I was fighting a group of elves and as the last one died, I heard a distant scream like a large cat, announcing that some Nekkar's were on their way. They were far off yet, couldn't even see them, so I pressed 1 to Sheath my Steel sword. Nothing. Tried it again as I spotted a Nekkar off in the distance. Nothing. Okay, I'll push 2 to draw my Silver Sword. Nothing. Getting closer, could really use my silver sword sooner than later, pressing 2. Nothing. They are about to start punching the guts out of me, back to 1. NoF'ingThing. They've reached me, and are stomping my gizzards flat, pressing 1,1,1,1,2,2,2,2. Guess What, Nothing! So finally I start swinging with my Steel Sword and Rolling to dodge their assault. After I flail ineffectually against the nearest Nekkar and do almost no damage, I tried 2 one more time in a moment of grim jocularity. The white haired Git finally switched swords.<br />
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I heard the Nekkars coming from a country mile off, and was at half health before Geralt decided it was a good idea to draw the appropriate sword.<br />
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And that's to say nothing of the combat system itself. Don't even get me started on the incomprehensibly named spells. But the swordplay mechanics are either brilliantly complex or idiotically simple, and I honestly can't tell which. It doesn't help that W2 takes the tack that you must have just finished W1 on the hardest setting or you wouldn't be playing W2 (I never played 1 by the way), so it throws you into combat with almost no instruction and cheerfully watches you get mercilessly slaughtered several times by the first enemies you encounter. I had to go down to easy mode just to get through the damn intro.<br />
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Another niggling point that drives me batty are the quick time events. I'm already bored to death with the concept now that every action game since God of War has aped it, but it doesn't help that W2's variety is a tiny indicator in a strange, orangish sepia tone that almost always gets washed out by the backgrounds. For example, at one point I had to rescue some elf girls from a burning building before we were all consumed by the flames. I found the girls and one said "Release us" so I went over and clicked on her, then pissed away precious seconds before I realized that I was standing there not actually releasing her, because for some reason it was deemed necessary to attach a 'Click a whole bunch' Quick Time Event to this action. Needless to say we all burned, and I was forced to repeat the cut-scene (skipable, but still had to load) and a combat sequence before climbing the tower and trying again. All because I couldn't see the tiny little QTE bar.<br />
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Now don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good reasons to play W2, or I would have quit a long time before the end of the intro. The visuals are downright gorgeous, and the voice acting is pretty good, with Geralt's occasional Batman voice and the repetition of lines from townsfolk being the only real issues. The world is very deep and the story impressive. Again, I feel I must warn any others who skipped W1, prepare to be confused, and it may not be a bad idea to find a plot summary on line to get up to speed, because again, the game assumes you are an old hand and will know exactly who's who and what's happening. But, the story that unfolds is very interesting so far and worth the effort of bashing your head through some of this games failings. <br />
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And really that's the only problem. At times, Witcher 2 feels very much like a game that does not want to be played. As though it is actively trying to twart your attempts to advance by bugging out at all the wrong times, sending Geralt careening across the room to strike the one enemy standing 10 feet away and ignoring the other seven standing right next to him trying to spill his innards. All in all, it's worth the annoyances.<br />
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Just remember to breath and count to 10.Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-72748608787298241222011-06-27T06:50:00.000-07:002011-06-27T06:50:48.270-07:00Xmen: First Class<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/UrbHykKUfTM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Well, at this point, I am a couple movies and one major event behind in this here blog, and let's not even discuss what happened to that story I was working on. But, I'm back in the saddle, and I have some things to talk about. So let's go with X Men: First Class for a Kickoff.<br />
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I should probably start out by saying that I have long been a complete fanboy spas for the X Men in all it's incarnations. Whether it be reading and re-reading my brother's X Men comics when I was a kid, the incalculable amount of money I spent on the X Men Arcade game in the 90's, devotion to the animated series bordering on unhealthy (and I liked Jubilee, so shut up!), or my shameless fan-boy squeeing when the original film was released, I've Always been an avid fan of the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. However, in recent years, I've grown more guarded when it comes to X Men in popular media, as the quality of the films has, to my mind, decreased with each new release. While it was awesome to see Nightcrawler kick butt in X2, Last Stand is a film I can honestly say I've only seen once. It failed to capture what I loved about the concept in my mind and took a Pirates 3 style dive unceremoniously into the "One Sequel too many" files. So when I heard that a new X Men film was in the works, I scarcely took notice, not ready to be disappointed again. As the release date inched closer and trailers and story details began to surface, my interest was piqued. Focusing on Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr? The Hellfire Club? Set during the Cuban Missile Crisis? Quietly, a tiny fan-boy in the back of my mind was bouncing on the balls of his feet at the possibilities.<br />
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So I saw it. And I have to say, it was more than a mere return to form, it is reinventing the wheel in a big way.<br />
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First Class tells quite possibly the most important story in the X Men Mythos, the origin of Extraordinarily powerful telepath Professor X and The Master of Magnetism, Magneto's Friendship and subsequent Animosity. It also focuses a great deal on the shape-shifter Mystique, from when she was a young girl and how she came to be one of Magneto's most trusted allies. <br />
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The film opens with a dramatic demonstration of how different the two friend's childhoods were. Young Erik is seen manifesting his powers of magnetism in an attempt to keep his family together in a Nazi Concentration Camp, only to be taken away by a man named Sebastian Shaw and tormented into developing his powers further. Charles Xavier, on the other hand was raised in the lap of luxury, demonstrated by the fact that he lives in a mansion and recognizes Mystique aping his mother's appearance not only by reading her mind, but because he has never seen his mother anywhere near the kitchen. After Mystique reveals her true form, blue skinned, golden eyed, and red haired, and says her name is Raven, Charles offers to let her stay with him, so she will never have to steal again. From then on, Raven is raised as Charles' Sister. <br />
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Fast Forward to 1962, and we find Charles publishing a thesis on Mutation and using his powers to seduce women and Erik hellbent on finding Shaw, the man that tortured him and killed his family. After CIA agent Moira MacTaggart reveals the existence of The Hellfire Club, a collective of Mutants, led by Shaw, with dubious goals, Charles is brought in as an expert on Mutation. While in pursuit of Shaw's Submarine, Erik nearly drowns attempting to prevent his escape with his powers, but he is rescued by Charles, who was in pursuit of the Hellfire Club with MacTaggart. From there, Shaw's true goal is revealed and Charles and Erik work together to recruit other mutants to combat the Hellfire Club and bring Shaw to Justice. <br />
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I really have to praise the writing in this film. Never too corny, but never taking itself too seriously either, and with fantastic pacing, it tells the story of the first major conflict involving mutant combatants against a perfectly appropriate backdrop. I've heard some point out that the film feels more like "The Magneto Story" than X Men, and I can't really argue, but really, is there a more important character in X Men lore than their primary antagonist, with the exception of Xavier himself? While some of the mutants, like Riptide, Havok, Banshee, and Azazel (to some extent) are a bit one dimensional, they all get a chance to show off their impressive powers. One character I really enjoyed was the reboot of Angel from an aristocratic prettyboy with eagle wings to a young girl with dragonfly wings and the ability to spit explosive projectiles working as a stripper. <br />
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As far as visuals go, all of the characters and their powers are well designed and convincingly real looking. Sets are, for the most part, period accurate and costuming is well done. Visual effects never really overwhelm the scene and are usually subtle for most of the mutant's powers, with Havok and Riptide as fairly obvious exceptions. The only real complaint I have from a visual standpoint is Hank McCoy's Beast form. It just looks... off for some reason.<br />
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Sound is excellently done in this film as well, with plenty of well crafted sound effects and suitably epic or subdued music to fit the scene. There are also some popular period songs that add to the 60's feel of the film. <br />
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Overall, I'd have to say that First Class soundly eclipses the original X Men Trilogy. It's bigger, and yet more personal, and it has a lot of heart, and a lot more to say than just "Mutant Powers are Cool!" Plus, Logan in the Single greatest Cameo ever, besides maybe Stan Lee's in Thor.<br />
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9 Nazi Coins out of 10<br />
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PS: Is it wrong of me to wish Jubilee would make more of an appearance in a future X Men Sequel? I always liked her.Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-19931324561988591102011-05-23T07:25:00.000-07:002011-05-23T07:25:46.346-07:00Adventures in Redboxing ; The Mechanic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/CMklQNn0OH0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Here we are again my friends, delving the depths of questionable movie rentals. The same person who rented the last batch of "New Releases" I spoke of chose this film as well. His habit of choosing movies based solely on how new they are and apparently little else led him to The Mechanic. This is the same strategy that once led him to rent Demons and Angels, which we didn't watch after I helpfully pointed out that it was a sequel to The DaVinci Code, which none of us in attendance had seen, so there you have it. But on to this particular yearly Jason Statham vehicle.<br />
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If there is one thing I can say about The Mechanic, it's that it certainly tries very hard to get people to like it. Like that kid in junior high that would sit at your lunch table and desperately try to shoehorn his/her way into your circle of friends, The Mechanic apes other assassin movies so hard that it could almost be considered a parody. Lots of explosions (Bourne), dudes getting shot (No Country For Old Men), and pointless sex scenes with female Non Entities (The American, if the love interest was a blow up doll). But I'm getting ahead of myself. <br />
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The Mechanic stars Jason Statham as Arthur, a killer for hire you can tell is an assassin just by looking at him. Which seems counterproductive in that line of work, but whatever. After he murders a man in his indoor pool in Columbia (hilariously swimming his corpse to the edge of the pool so he can escape, which has to be seen),his inner monologue lets us know that the best way to assassinate someone is to make it look like an accident and leave no trace of your presence. How original and never seen in a film before (Sarcasm). Arthur is requested to take out the man who trained him (Donald Sutherland), who is like a father to him and the film makes sure we know he dosen't deserve it by making him old and putting him in a wheelchair, You know, besides the whole "Assassin Trainer" thing, which is a job I'm pretty sure you can only train people for if you have done it yourself. So after a painful escape scene of Donald Sutherland in a wheel chair (Shit you not) Murderer Jason listens to Murderer Donald point out that the man in charge who put the hit on him will eventually kill Arthur as well when he is no longer useful. Cause why wouldn't a man who organizes a ring of professional killers let them have a kooshy retirement after they are done killing people on his orders? Arthur listens, and seems conflicted, then promptly shoots him in the chest anyway. But hey, he's still a friend, so Arthur, the guy who Shot him, shows at Murderer Donald's funeral. It's then that Arthur meets Murderer Donald's Son and for some reason decides to train this shiftless loser who never got along with his father to be a Hitman too, because getting his kid into the same business that got him killed is obviously the best way to honor his memory. The remainder of the movie is a series of increasingly idiotic set piece assassinations that Arthur tests Murderer Donald's son with, and which he seems to willfully screw up, even before (Spoiler alert!) he figures out Arthur killed his pops. It closes when the son decides to avenge his father for some reason, and promptly gets blown up when he takes Arthur's classic car for a joy ride, cause Arthur Totally put a bomb in it. And the record player blows up his house for some reason too.<br />
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So yeah, the plot is stupid. I really can't sugar coat that, it just isn't good, completely unoriginal, uninspired, and nonsensical. But, it's an action movie staring Jason Statham, so I'll cut it some slack, and in it's defense, some of the action set pieces are pretty cool, like a car flying into the front of a bus. But overall, stringing together about 5 good action beats with pointless sex scenes, over the top "Check out how cool this character is" montages of Arthur and Murderer Donald's Son 'training' or walking around, and a succession of absurdly obvious assassination targets doesn't add up to a good movie.<br />
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Which brings me to a final point. The writer did everything he could to make us like Arthur in spite of the fact that he literally kills every other important character in the movie for questionable reasons, to the point that he is knocking off a parade of action movie cliches. The first guy he kills is a Colombian Drug Kingpin, cause Drugs are Bad, mmkay? Then he kills his mentor, but that was just his job. Then he has the son kill another assassin who just happens to like pretty boys, so he's another hired killer, but also gay, so he's got to go. Then my personal favorite, the religious television personality who just happens to be a sex fiend and drug addict, Gasp! Then Arthur bumps into another assassin (it happens a lot I guess) and kills him for being alive when he was supposed to have died due to Donald, which is why Arthur had to kill him in the first place. Then he kills his nefarious boss to get even for him killing Donald. Then the son figures out Arthur killed his dad and tries to kill him back (and screws it up once again). Then he blows up the son... cause he's a Screwup? I guess? Whatever.<br />
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SO yeah, not unwatchable, but corny and pretty boring to boot.<br />
3 'Swimming' Dead Guys out of 10Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-8654475923205764512011-05-08T15:02:00.000-07:002011-05-08T15:02:10.345-07:00Thor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/uHBnrJowBZE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>It's been just over a day and a half since I saw Thor on opening night, and it is a testament to how dog tired I've been the last few days and honestly a bit of a miracle that I haven't done a write up on it before now. But now, powered by a Red Eye Coffee from Java Joes, a Monster Rehab, and the first decent night's sleep I've had in a few days, I'm finally awake enough. <br />
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*May I humbly Suggest you play this song while you read this?*<br />
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As the day comic nerds and action junkies the world over are salivating (or dreading in some cases) approaches, Thor is the penultimate origin film leading up to the long awaited Avengers crossover film, with only Captain America yet to be released. Of all the members of the Avengers, few are more worrisome when it comes to a live action adaptation than the Norse God of Thunder himself, Thor Odinson. In all honesty, I've always loved the character, both in mythology and comics, but when news that the Avengers movies were in the works began to surface around the internet after the success of Iron Man, I was skeptical. With an Idea as fantastic as Thor himself coming to Earth, it's hard to imagine how a convincing film adaptation could be accomplished. In fact, I wasn't convinced that the film wasn't a doomed enterprise until I saw the trailers. The images were so compelling, and the actor so believably Aesir like, that I went straight from guarded optimism to fanboy obsession before the first trailer ended. So now that I've seen it, was my initial skepticism confirmed, or did it deliver the satisfying film version of a classic Marvel Hero the Trailers seemed to promise?<br />
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The answer is it didn't meet my expectations, it completely eclipsed them.<br />
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I normally talk a bit about the story, but honestly, I just can't. I really don't want to ruin any aspect of the story, but trust me when I say, It is utterly top notch and tells the story of Thor's descent to the Earth Realm in a compelling and at times, suitably humorous, fashion. That being said, I'll skip ahead.<br />
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There are two primary pitfalls that could have easily sunk this movie. Modernization and Cheese, for lack of a better term. I could easily have seen a version of this movie where the story revolved around a normal man acquiring Thor's actual powers or Thor-like powers in a way that didn't directly involve the Aesir Gods, and such a film would have brought my blood to a boil. And while some will argue that such a story is technically canonical (See <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderstrike_%28Eric_Masterson%29">Thunderstrike</a>), it would be a pale shadow of the tale told in the actual film. On the other hand, the film could have easily overdone it when it comes to sticking to the comic version, or half-assed the visuals, or most disturbing of all, miscast Thor himself so badly that he never becomes believable as the mortal incarnation of a Norse Warrior God. Thankfully, this was not the case.<br />
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One of the great strengths of Thor is it's casting. Chris Hemsworth, a largely unknown actor, is a truly brilliant choice. For a start, he looks the part. Tall, Blonde, Ripped, and from what I overheard from the ladies sitting near me in the theater and on the internets, none too hard on the eyes. But a pretty face and abs you could grate cheese on do not a convincing Thor make. Luckily, Hemsworth's acting chops are impressive, conveying the emotional state of his character perfectly. From the arrogant pride of a massively powerful Aesir Prince, to the unease of a God made Mortal, to the the devastation of losing his birthright, to the Heroic resolve to save the day at any cost, his performance drives the movie. That is not to say that the rest of the cast isn't similarly impressive. For a start, Anthony Hopkins as Odin is an absolutely inspired choice, as he brings dignity and subtle power to the role. Natalie Portman as 'love-interest' Jane, the scientist who is the first to 'encounter' Thor when he arrives on earth is a great reversal of the Hollywood trend of Gorgeous but Vapid girls pursuing a Nerdy Male lead. She is Gorgeous, make no mistake, but she is the brains of the film for sure, and her relationship with Thor feels very genuine. Jane's intern, Darcy, played by Kat Dennings (another gorgeous young woman, for the record) commonly fills the role of comedy relief, but comes across more as a quirky person dealing with an unexplainable situation, rather than the cartoony variety of 'funny character' who may as well just grab the camera and demand the audience laugh. (see Jar Jar Binks). Thor's brother, Loki, is played by Tom Hiddleston, another actor I didn't know much about going into this movie, but his performance is nuanced and he plays the Trickster God not as the Smirking, Mustache twirling Snidely Whiplash type, but a cold and calculating manipulator, comparable to Ozymandias in Watchmen. However, there are a couple of casting choices that may have some scratching their heads. In fact, there was a small stink over the casting of Idris Elba, an acclaimed African actor from England as Heimdall, and the incomparable Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano, best known for Ichi the Killer and Last Life in the Universe, as Hogun. However, once you see Elba in the film, it quickly becomes clear that he is an excellent choice and Asano's only real issue is that his accent is occasionally distracting, but he plays the role admirably.<br />
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When it comes to the visuals, it bears mentioning that it is no small task to present a believable film version of Asgard, home of the Aesir gods, or the Frost Giant lands of Jotunheim, not to mention Bifrost the Rainbow Bridge, but the environments feel simultaneously stupendously alien and completely believable as the Realms of the Gods. That said, a desert in New Mexico may seem a boring setting to switch to, but a one horse town and sprawling S.H.I.E.L.D investigation site make for interesting Earth backdrops. The visual effects overall are very well done, with only the occasional instance of action that is hard to follow to mention as a negative, and a lot of well executed set pieces as a posative. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destroyer_%28Thor%29">The Destroyer</a> (which I have always wanted to see in a film) is a great example. It also bears mentioning that the costuming completely embraces the style of the comics without becoming too cheesy as a result. Colors are subdued and metalic, rather than spandex, but still incorporate the recognizable traits of the costumes so that the main Asgardian characters are instantly recognizable. The only gripe I had was that Thor only dons his trademark winged helm in one scene early in the film, but at least Loki wears his curled horn helm for most of the second half of the film. The fight scenes are well constructed and appropriate to the scene, from Thor easily overpowering Frost Giants in all his Aesir glory to the frantic, knock-down-drag-out fistfights of mortal Thor. <br />
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Sound wise, the music is suitably epic, with only two licensed songs, both in the credits if I remember correctly. The score is memorable and adds volumes to the emotional feel of the moment it accompanies. Sound effects are very well done, very convincing. <br />
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It may surprise some to hear that <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000110/">Kenneth Branagh</a>, famed as an actor in his own right and known for his film adaptations of Shakespear, was the films director. To me, it seems somewhat fitting that he would helm this film, as it could be safely described as part epic adventure and part comedy, in the Shakespearian sense of the word. Overall, there was really only one scene (the very first to be honest) where a choice of camera movement took me out of the movie to any degree. <br />
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Overall, Thor proves that, with the proper treatment and devotion to the source material, even a comic about the God of Thunder kicking butt in the human realm can be made believable, compelling, and incredibly entertaining. The honest truth is that this film may be the best comic book adaptation I've ever seen, and may have surpassed The Dark Knight as my favorite Super Hero movie. It's that Good. Cap has his work cut out for him!<br />
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10 Pulverized Frost Giants out of 10. Go see it, at once!Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-11789928297620848402011-03-27T18:05:00.000-07:002011-03-27T18:05:04.187-07:00Sucker Punch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/KrIiYSdEe4E?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>A while back, I ended a post with this same trailer and gushed about the potential of this motion picture. Well, I saw it on Friday night, and I have to say, it did not disappoint.<br />
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The story of Sucker Punch is either terribly complicated or deceptively simple, and I have yet to decide which. Set in the 1950's, it opens with an incredible sequence that is void of dialog and driven by compelling visuals and a great song, but expertly introduces us to our protagonist "Babydoll" (Emily Browning) and her tragic back-story. She is betrayed and wrongly committed to an insane asylum. Shortly after arriving, she slips into a delusional state. Whether it's due to improper medication/treatment or simply a defense mechanism of her mind is not made clear, but she imagines the asylum as a cabaret show in a brothel. Her fellow inmates are dancers as well, and she perceives therapy sessions as practicing her dancing. However, the first time she dances, the truly amazing part of the movie begins. Her delusional state deepens, and she finds her conscious self in the courtyard of a snowy Japanese castle. She enters and finds a mysterious sage (Scott Glenn) who grants her two weapons, an elegant Katana and an engraved Colt 1911 pistol. He tells Babydoll that she will need five items for escape to be possible. A Map, A Fire, A Knife, A Key and a mysterious Fifth Item. Almost immediately she is attacked by three Giant Samurai Golems, and the real fun begins. As the film progresses, Babydoll recruits other girls to help carry out her plan to escape.<br />
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The fight scenes in this movie are simply jaw-dropping, to the point I just sat agape every time Babydoll started dancing and a new action sequence began. While some will no doubt be annoyed by anachronistic issues, such as modern assault rifles being used by the girls, these scenes all take place in a delusional state, and Babydoll would no doubt imagine futuristic weapons for her friends. While some key fights are won by Babydoll and her Katana, the majority of the action is gun-play and vehicle combat. The varied action sequences include Steam Punk WWI Trench Warfare, a Fantasy Castle under siege by Orc Like beasts.and the always classic bomb on a runaway train full of robots. They have to be seen to be believed. <br />
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And while the story is interesting, the action and visuals incredible, mention must be made of the soundtrack. Any fan of song covers, like Brian Ibbot for example, will doubtless be impressed by the array of songs in this film. As a rule, the movie is light on dialog, and many of the scenes are completely driven by the songs and the action. <br />
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Overall, the film is well acted for the most part. I was especially fond of Rocket, played by Jena Malone, who also played Gretchen in Donnie Darko (Applause!). Emily Browning as Babydoll is very impressive, and it is always a great treat to see Scott Glenn. I only really had a few things that bothered me, the ending for example and some slightly contradictory scenes. I almost guarantee that director Zack Snyder will produce a Director's Cut of this film when it is released on Blu Ray, and hopefully that will clear up some of the things that I felt didn't make sense. When it comes right down to it tho, I have to say that I thuroughly enjoyed this film, and will probably go see it again in the theater, for the action and ambiance if nothing else.<br />
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8 Bunny Faced Mechs out of 10 <br />
Yes, there is a Bunny Faced Mech in this film. <br />
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</div>Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-85436643721910804112011-03-26T18:04:00.000-07:002011-03-26T18:04:28.195-07:00Saturday Anime: GXP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/s0bQy1CCYvc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0043988OY&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>In recent weeks, my latent obsession with all things Tenchi Muyo has re-emerged as a passion of mine. I've been re-watching the OVA, reading up on the continuation of the different continuities that American fans have never seen, and most recently watching GXP. This show is set in the original Tenchi OVA continuity, and while it features characters from the OVA from time to time, it is it's own story. The show bears clear resemblances to other Series in the Tenchi Franchise, most notably the "Harem" aspect of the relationships between the show's main characters, but the fact that this series was directed by Watanabe Shinichi (Nabeshin of Excel Saga fame, who also appears in this show in the form of a lecherous wise cracking automaton named NB) makes this show uniquely zany. <br />
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The protagonist of the series is Yamada Seina, an acquaintance of Masaki Tenchi who lives in the same town. Seina is largely unremarkable, except for one distinguishing feature, his remarkably bad luck. The first few episodes mostly cover examples of Seina's terrible luck causing problems for him and everyone around him, including his friend Kai and his older sister Kiriko, who looks out for Seina as if he were her own brother. One day he decides to take a shortcut through the woods on his bike, and it isn't long before his trademark bad luck lands him with a flat tire. As he looks for water to repair the tire (is that how bike tires work?) he finds himself at the lake just outside the Masaki House, where Tenchi and the girls all live. Suddenly he is overcome by an incredible noise like nothing he has ever heard, but it is all to familiar to fans of Tenchi Muyo. It's the sound of someone crashing a Galaxy Police Patrol ship into the lake (and it isn't Mihoshi for once). Seina is knocked into the lake and passes out. He awakens with his head in the lap of one Amane Kaunaq, a blonde GXP officer. She asks if he is okay, and when he responds that he is, she explains how she came to be there at a tempo that would make Excel Excel proud. Thinking that Seina is a pupil of Tenchi or his grandfather Katsuhito based on the bruises and scars caused by his bad luck, Amane gives him a recruitment form for the GXP. When he arrives home, his family physically force him to sign the document, thinking it is for a raffle or lottery. <br />
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That night, Seina awakens on board a spaceship. It is a Galaxy Police ship, and they will be transporting Seina to the GXP academy to begin his training. However, it quickly becomes clear that Seina's bad luck is still in full effect even in space, as the ship is attacked by a number of space pirates. Among them is raven-haired space pirate idol Ryoko Balta, who was named after Hakibi Ryoko, Masaki Tenchi's Space Pirate Squeeze. After receiving aid from the Royal Family of Jurai itself, the most powerful government in the universe, Seina enrolls in the G P Academy. When he arrives, he finds that Kiriko is already a member of the Galaxy Police, and she begs him to return home for his own safety, worried that his bad luck will doom him in space. Unable to resist the possibilities that joining an inter-stellar police force brings, he joins the Academy. Only to become a captain shortly there after to work as a decoy for space pirates, making use of his unique ability to attract trouble. Along the way he meets a young (looking, think Washu) priestess named Neju, and along with Amane, Kiriko, and Ryoko they make a remarkable discovery towards the end of the series.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiw20LSCgCgpgzSSmNSDz1WYMAVNbTvpgq5rWg0w3LDSmKCdJuwnbRT_ahGV74WIXeQHgWnqbNrtSsBB-yoVJ76PT63rq2E1YeupDSfZAHsK6P9OraaB0re5K3PUbs7Ij3Hw5RmoidPxw/s1600/GXP_TVTropes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiw20LSCgCgpgzSSmNSDz1WYMAVNbTvpgq5rWg0w3LDSmKCdJuwnbRT_ahGV74WIXeQHgWnqbNrtSsBB-yoVJ76PT63rq2E1YeupDSfZAHsK6P9OraaB0re5K3PUbs7Ij3Hw5RmoidPxw/s400/GXP_TVTropes.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yamada Seina, yet another intergalactic lucky bastard.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
As I said, GXP deftly melds two very distinct styles. The "Fan Service" heavy and sexually frustrated/indecisive protagonist Harem aspects of Tenchi Muyo and the fast paced wackiness of Excel Saga. And while Seina is not nearly the playboy Tenchi is, he ends up with an impressive group of girls at his side. The comedy is very well done, with Nabeshin's flare for the ludicrous well represented. <br />
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Now, it has come to my attention that there is something of a debate amongst Tenchi Fans regarding this show. Apparently many consider it the black sheep of the series, some going so far as to refuse to consider it canonical. There seem to be two primary reasons for this. One, it is Too crazy for some, with Nabeshin (both the character and the director) taking the art and comedy styles in directions that some fans didn't approve of. The other is the fact that the name of the show is Tenchi Muyo: GXP, but the primary protagonists of the Tenchi Universe are not the main characters, appearing in only a couple episodes and only speaking in one of them. Let me go on record as a huge fan of this series and address these two issues. GXP is gut bustlingly hilarious a lot of the time, but it is also appropriately serious and often touching when the story calls for it. And this show isn't about Tenchi and the Girls, but it populates the universe they inhabit more completely and adds depth and scope to the canon they are part of. <br />
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All in all, I think that GXP is a show that fans should enjoy, and complete newcomers to the Tenchi Franchise could get into without seeing the other shows, particularly if you enjoy Nabeshin's other work. I recommend it highly and get a big kick out of it whenever I watch it.<br />
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And now, your moment of AMV Zen<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/fBiGlaKSKR8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-70459233862282726462011-03-25T08:48:00.000-07:002011-03-25T08:48:17.391-07:00Paul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/hljxH-QJq1g?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>One thing I've always loved in cinema is the skillful parody. Masters like Mel Brooks and the Python's have always split my sides with their precise dissection of genre norms, whether they wield subtle or sledge-hammer wit. These days, the emerging "New Guard" in the field of parody films is headed up by the team of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Their first film, Shaun of the Dead, brilliantly lampooned the oft over the top Zombie Movie genre. They teamed up again for Hot Fuzz, a film that skillfully skewered Buddy Cop action films. Now with their third major collaboration, Paul, they tackle Alien Encounter science fiction films like ET and (big surprise) Close Encounters of the Third Kind. And while the parody aspect of their first two films was obviously born of a desire to announce their devotion to the given genre, warts and all, Paul succeeds in remaining a dutifully devoted parody of the source material while still telling a compellingly original story. And while I have to say that I find SotD and HF with their plethora of in jokes to be more thoroughly hilarious in general, I appreciate Paul as a more complete film.<br />
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The film opens with two Science Fiction fans from the UK (played by Pegg and Frost) attending the San Diego Comic-Con, a well known mecca for Nerds all over the world. After the conference, they rent an RV and set out on a tour of purported Alien encounter hot-spots. As they travel, they witness a car crash in the desert. Stopping to help, they meet Paul, a smart mouthed Extra terrestrial who quickly befriends the two. He lets them know that he is attempting to meet up with a ship that will take him off world. As they travel, they encounter government agents attempting to reacquire Paul for nefarious reasons. <br />
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From a technical standpoint, Paul demonstrates some impressive special effects and sound. The character Paul, voice hilariously by Seth Rogan, is completely computer generated and almost always believable. The sound design and score are excellent, including a number of recognizable queues. Overall, effects rarely distract from the story, which is always important in this kind of film. <br />
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Overall, Paul does a great job of telling a humorous and heartwarming story within the guidelines of it's genre while managing to feel completely original and complimentary of it's inspiration at the same time. While I can't say that it is a better film than Pegg and Frost's previous work, it certainly deserves to be mentioned among them. <br />
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8 Small Cowboy's out of 10.Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-47737381195967280232011-03-19T22:51:00.000-07:002011-03-20T19:55:15.494-07:00Saturday Anime: Iria - Zeiram the Animation.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jx00D8dFj0k?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000NNUWYI&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>This series is one of the shows that most deserves to be mentioned in an edition of Saturday Anime (which I am going to try to do more consistently, I swear). One of the first 'True' anime that I saw, the first DVD I bought, and still one of my favorite shows All Around. Dan and I watched this again last night, so with my latest of many viewings fresh in my mind, I thought I would talk a bit about it.<br />
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The titular protagonist of the series is Iria, a hunter from the planet Myce in a distant galaxy. As the show opens, she is apprenticed to her brother, Gren and his partner Bob. She is strong willed and tough as nails, a true heroine, not the Kung Fu mistress or Dragon lady stereotypes. She fights with an impressive arsenal of Guns, explosives, and a segmented Katana, similar to the sword used by Ivy of Soul Calibur fame. And while she is easily the toughest person (note the word Person) in the show, when she isn't busy kicking ass and taking names, she can still be endearingly feminine. For example, at one point in the show after fighting tooth and nail for the better part of 15 minutes, the first thing she thinks of is that she could use a shower.<br />
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Early in the first episode, Iria, Gren, and Bob take on a hush-hush mission to rescue the occupants of a high-jacked ship known as the Karma. Expecting space pirates, industrial espionage, or a mercenary force, they instead find that the majority of the crew has been slaughtered by a single assailant. <br />
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It is Zeiram, a bloodthirsty unstoppable killing machine of unknown origins.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27lC-rLYLpENnzWNp6WdbJeY6O2q2gK6O3ye4927lCn6IlOSd8gFuEDiGubBXFwtP7Uu3wxvvMhybHSp5iLX59i9fAcTYMxIN3WFslbsURSBvydr9nxOmlTKmCQqM6oI1NfaAk0bBCmc/s1600/Zeiram.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27lC-rLYLpENnzWNp6WdbJeY6O2q2gK6O3ye4927lCn6IlOSd8gFuEDiGubBXFwtP7Uu3wxvvMhybHSp5iLX59i9fAcTYMxIN3WFslbsURSBvydr9nxOmlTKmCQqM6oI1NfaAk0bBCmc/s320/Zeiram.gif" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Zeiram. Holy Schnikies!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>There is something so cool about this antagonist. He has no ambitions. No Agenda. No personal beef with anyone in particular. No tragic past. No tortured psychotic personality. No reason to kill.<br />
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But that doesn't stop him. The best way to describe Zeiram is as a Force of Nature. He is pure Malice, unfocused hatred incarnate, unfettered instinct in an indestructible body. He kills everything in his path, not for kicks or honor or really for any reason, simply because it's what he does. And he is damn good at it. Zeiram is an extremely intimidating figure, huge in stature, accompanied by an eerie chant and a hissing laugh that freezes the blood of his victims. And there is only one person who has ever taken him on, one on one, and lived. Iria.<br />
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The show has a very unique visual style that blends traditional eastern art and architecture with otherworldly technology, and character design is excellent, particularly Iria and Zeiram. Audio is excellent, with a number of memorable pieces of background music and an insanely catchy opening theme song that, to this day, I can't get enough of.<br />
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It bears mentioning that this series was one of the shows that made me the Anime Fan I am today. I saw it first on the Sci Fi channel during the Saturday Anime days. It is amongst the original handful of series that hooked me on the medium, including the likes of Tenchi Muyo, Dominion Tank Police, Gunsmith Cats, Ghost in the Shell and Neon Genesis Evangelion; placing it in some fine company. And I remember it fondly as one of the first shows that featured a powerful and well developed female in the lead role of an animated series at a time when animated women were sidekicks at best and damsels in distress at worst. I recommend it to anyone who can get a hold of it and who wants a taste of Great old school anime and a Badass Female Hero.<br />
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And now, your moment of AMV zen.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/5qQlAzz5918?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-5147387475348480732011-03-16T12:24:00.000-07:002011-03-16T12:24:18.716-07:00Top Ten: Quotable MoviesStarted this a long time ago, finally finishing it.<br />
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Thanks to Jeff for the suggestion on this top ten list.<br />
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So anyone who knows me personally will tell you that I quote movies like I'm getting paid for it. For as far back as I can remember (and even further if you ask my Uncle Ken and other family members about "Drivin in my Caawr!") I was always trying to get laughs out of people by imitating Weird Al songs and reciting entire Bill Cosby routines. As I got older and saw more and more movies and comedians, I continued to latch on to choice lines and reference them in conversation, but there were some films that I saw so many times and enjoyed so much that I knew the pacing of every line and the inflection of every delivery. This is a list of 10 such films (Or series of films as the case may be). Warning, Almost none of these will be kid friendly, so get out of here kids! Also, SPOILERS! Let's dive right in with:<br />
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Very close Runner Up) Slap Shot<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmzZR8_6xr8">The Hansons</a> are a big reason this is on the list, but there are a lot of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_w4MV_LwMw">great</a> lines from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWM-fNJ1dO8">everyone</a> else <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zM6Na3cZz8">in the</a> film as well.<br />
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And another, since this topic was impossible to narrow it down) Clerks<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yweACYEyhKg">Jay and Silent Bob</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDAWmEdubkM">Dante</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4Et5S_alCE">Randal</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl7XGHXQnrs">Berzerker</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6lzEhoXads">Star Wars Political Discussions</a>, what <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePCK54pkJ1I">more</a> could you ask for?<br />
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With Musical Guest) Sweeney <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whhAMSSexQ8">Todd</a>: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pcWJEJ1mcU">The</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjCUJh9iULk">Demon</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsQRZ4TsljI">Barber</a> Of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjJKCZJ8qRw">Fleet Street</a>.<br />
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Yeah, Singing along counts.<br />
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Oh, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wQXSd1Jbqc">The Joker</a> in the The Dark Knight.<br />
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10) Lucky # Slevin<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001DJ7PUU&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>This is a personal favorite that I don't think a lot of people saw. It's hardly chock full of one liners, but the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9n82VW_7u4">strength</a> of this film is conversations and characters. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd2YlPPlqJg">The Boss</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXMspYSgxTs">The Rabbi</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlc9pPeS2Q0">Goodkat</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRTvqEWFaZM">Lindsey, Brickowski,</a> and Slevin talks back to all of them.<br />
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9) Fight Club<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001992NUQ&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>From Edward Norton's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYDLv8rK4z8">deadpan</a> narration to Brad Pitt's off kilter <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJdfWdIBfE8">philosophical</a> musings, to the bizarre moments of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3USjxZtI0A">synergy</a> between <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuiKJ0rRTAo">the two</a>, Fight Club is one of those movies that I can't help but quote from time to time. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNS0tqRSGRA">**Spoilers on this one**</a><br />
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8) Boondock Saints<br />
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This film is about <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0cCk5MeuF4">80% memorable one liners</a>. The rest is crazy action. The Brothers, Rocco, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DE2ggufnMw">Papa Joe</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV8pSpPfywM">Agent</a> Smecker, the Boston cops, so many great lines from all of them.<br />
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7) O Brother, Where Art Thou<br />
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</div><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00003CXRM&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Talk about a movie that is almost <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZt8oOm8qwg">completely</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dR45pdEqW4">quotable</a>. From "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePIeKClCQ4Y">Any you boys Smithies</a>?" to "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OouuZzqaQbU">Finding one little ring in the middle all that water is one hell of a heroic task!</a>" to the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12cbF8FXadQ">songs</a> you <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sWzA24lqHI">can't help</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcZfyNtzm2A">but</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWUu7sUyMPE">hum</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTIrHBzTyks">or</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIKz1phnuCc">sing along</a>, this 1930s retelling of the Odyssey has <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw_YryVgLOg">plenty</a> of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thh3zzmMsiw">lines</a> I just love.<br />
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6) Airplane!<br />
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Do I really have to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ykr5kbj1WiQ">explain</a>? This <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEywGpIt0vw">ridiculous</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v46plhmxXU4">send-up</a> of 70's disaster movies is completely <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzqdDoe8FoM">irreverent</a> and even more <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo7qoonzTCE">hilarious</a>.<br />
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5) Space Balls<br />
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Any of a number of Mel Brooks' films could have ended up on this list, but Spaceballs was always my favorite. This <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8auGAJrnpY4">brilliant</a> lampooning of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcY090XV284">Star Wars, Star Trek,</a> and Sci Fi in general is brimming with hilarious lines.<br />
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4) Pulp Fiction<br />
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If there is one thing we all know about Quentin Tarantino, it's that he loves copious amounts of dialog in his films. From <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6TjN5cmEaA">Jules</a> and Vincent's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS_ROi0iiZw">smalltalk</a> and philosophical musings, Vincent keeping his <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8X2SM0ioJ4">boss's wife</a> company, Butch the slightly <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3MlQeV3mQo">unstable</a> boxer, and an unforgettable cameo by<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kngBtoylIVM"> Christopher Walken</a>.<br />
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3) The Princess Bride<br />
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A fantasy story full of memorable <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v39qfgJQOYw">characters</a> and even more memorable<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP5-qJSzDUg"> lines</a>, The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sbqv3MwwVd8">Princess<b> </b>Bride</a> will always be one of those movies I can't help but <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yokQ0_8__ts">quote</a> as I watch it, I <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XegOczOvfXY">love it</a> so <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoSHmVkjmuA">much</a>.<br />
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Bonus: I got an A in speech class in high school for reciting <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6wqKb8EUxI">this scene</a>.<br />
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2) Monty Python Movies<br />
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Enough Said.<br />
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1) The Big Lebowski<br />
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What can I say about the Big Lebowski? It is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf7frtuyF14">crude</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofTAGN_9ZLw">lewd</a>, and the home of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnLweMNQoiE">the Dude</a>. It's also entirely <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iApz08Bh53w">hilarious</a> and the Cohen Brothers best film in my opinion.Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-76640561709703432022011-02-12T21:53:00.000-08:002011-02-12T21:53:08.799-08:00Saturday Anime: Top Ten Male CharactersSo I've been slacking off a bit, and another top ten list I've been working on has proved more... Daunting than I had first hoped. So what do I do? I do Another top ten list, of course!<br />
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In keeping with my Saturday Anime Idea and my predilection for Top Ten Lists, this is a list of my 10 favorite Male characters in Anime (I've Seen). I'm starting with guys cause I am one (last I checked) and I'll be limiting myself to adults and one character per universe. Let's do this crazy thing!<br />
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10) Starscream: Transformers<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/q-SwXhAof6s?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>While the character has undergone a lot of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6nt1JUuOOo">changes over the years</a>, Starscream has always been one of my favorite Transformer. While some will say that the original character was a toadie and a coward, I beg to differ. If Starscream understood one thing, it was tactics. He does and says what he must to placate Megatron, who is pretty obviously a power-mad psychotic who earned his position by being the most powerful and dangerous Decepticon. "Starscream is a coward!" the nay sayers ballyhoo, and to that I say that Starscream retreats whenever he knows there is nothing to be gained by fighting. He often seems to commit to a particular attack just long enough to placate the lunatic he works for. If anything, he is the Sun Tzu of the Transformers universe.<br />
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9) Kusanagi Mamoru: Blue Seed<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/A6zFKxfwcxY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>When he first arrives on the scene announcing that he must kill her, it is the first sign that Momiji's life is about to change. However, when he stops <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamata_no_Orochi">Yamata no Orochi</a> from sacrificing her, he decides to continue to protect her. It quickly becomes clear that he is a valuable ally, and his habit of arriving just when Momiji needs him most, a cocky demeanor, and the power bestowed upon him by the seven Demon Souls Orochi planted make him a lot of fun.<br />
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8) Ikari Gendo: Neon Genesis Evangelion<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/-RsepQh342g?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>This one may be a head scratcher to some. But if there is one thing I love, it's characters that are justifiably smug and enigmatic. Though his appearances in the series are limited compared to other main characters, every second he is on screen is packed with meaning. Gendo runs Nerv to his own ends to pull strings attached to the most diabolical puppets, and only Fuyutsuki, Ritsuko, and Gendo himself seem to know what his endgame truly is. Quiet and reserved as he plans the course of his machinations, and subtly triumphant when their intended results come to pass.<br />
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7) Vegeta: Dragon Ball Z<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/17GaviYfPuo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>The last prince of the Saiyan homeworld, Vegeta was proud to the point of arrogance. When he first appears in DBZ, he is a sarcastic battle hardened soldier, stronger than most, but still subservient to his master Freeza. He relishes reminding others that he is their better in battle. After he is defeated on Earth, he eventually comes to call it his home and his more noble traits become more pronounced. He is still a smugly proud man, but he also does whatever it takes to protect the people he cares about.<br />
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6) Batou: Ghost in the Shell series.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/uP11OzTo590?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Batou is a tank. He is a tough as nails, no nonsense, shoot-now-ask-later tank. And yet, he is also the guy that takes special care of the Tachikomas and has large, obvious soft spot for one Major Kusanagi Motoko. He is one of those brilliant characters that is equally believable as a sensitive softy and a guy who wouldn't hesitate to head-but a terminator. I don't know how much of his body has been cyberized, but I am pretty sure his Heart is real.<br />
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5) Masaki Tenchi: Tenchi Muyo<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://0.gvt0.com/vi/G5sO_ts5KtQ/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/G5sO_ts5KtQ&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/G5sO_ts5KtQ&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>There is a part of me (and most Tenchi Fans I could name) that hate's Tenchi. He is the luckiest SOB in the history of fiction. Surrounded by alien girls that are all crushing on him in a major way, he maintains his neutrality, treating them all as equal adopted members of his family without diminishing their interest in him. But when it comes down to it, there is a line in that video that says it all. When Kagato mocks him for trying to defend the girls when he could have saved his own life by not getting involved, Tenchi's response epitomizes why he is such a likable character. Bonus: I recently read that according to the original creator of the series, as far as the OAV continuity is concerned, Tenchi ends up married to...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_ranHqFmM-2sXXtXgU1TuijTsDtF43wVViWVZTFvzOFTML7Utku03xKk1GngCvCQscFJxg1ae6OIpWsXzclQgEFzOvysbHIw_IIziWyprjoxiyhKWYujLJ7FDegZw7oTxvntSXs5V7U/s1600/finalfamily2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_ranHqFmM-2sXXtXgU1TuijTsDtF43wVViWVZTFvzOFTML7Utku03xKk1GngCvCQscFJxg1ae6OIpWsXzclQgEFzOvysbHIw_IIziWyprjoxiyhKWYujLJ7FDegZw7oTxvntSXs5V7U/s320/finalfamily2.jpg" width="216" /></a></div> All of them! ...Asshole!<br />
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4) Alucard: Hellsing<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/_nz_QRkwyQ0/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_nz_QRkwyQ0&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_nz_QRkwyQ0&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>Come on, you had to know this was coming. Alucard is the definition of what an "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antediluvians_%28World_of_Darkness%29">Antediluvian</a>" level Vampire should be, and why Twilight will forever suck. His power is vast and his appetite for battle insatiable. It should be noted that Hellsing has a system of control magic cast over Alucard that limits the amount of his true power he can wield, and in the video there, he's only released a small fraction of it. The prospect of a true challenge makes him giddy, and his disdain for weakling vampires that fail to live up to his expectations is deliciously violent. In all honesty, I almost had to give this spot to Alexander Anderson, the priest, as he has always been an intriguingly perfect foil to Alucard. All their fights are ludicrously awesome.<br />
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3) Zechs Merquise/Milliardo Peacecraft: Gundam Wing<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/gIa7bQfxiMQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Couldn't find a very good vid that was just about Zechs, but that promo is awesome. The prince of a pacifist nation, Milliardo Peacecraft was forced to face the grim realities of war after it killed his father and destroyed his country. Donning the mask of the Lightning Baron and taking the name Zechs Merquise, the last prince of the Sanc Kingdom became the most talented mobile suit pilot in the world. Piloting a technologically inferior suit, the Tallgeese, Zechs routinely bested the Gundam Pilots through experience and sheer talent. When he broke ties with Treize Kushrinada and attempted to foster peace between earth and the space colonies, he eventually came to the grim realization that the only way to prevent future wars was to provoke a conflict so dire that mankind would shudder at the idea of war. With his new Gundam Epyon, he leads the White Fang resistance, rallies the colonies, and wages his endgame war. <br />
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2) Spike Spiegel: Cowboy Bebop<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/C7v7TTa5gc0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Spike is an interesting dichotomy. For most of Cowboy Bebop's run, he is a bounty hunter with enough skill in weapons and martial arts to allow him to light-heartedly mosey from one bounty to the next without distress. However, if he encounters a truly dangerous enemy (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJEJjxuGe9g">Peirrot Le Fou</a> for example) or when his past revisits him, he becomes a single-minded force of nature, incapable of allowing himself not to oppose the threat. He states that he feels as though his life as a bounty hunter is nothing but a dream, which may explain why he doesn't seem to be taking it seriously. <br />
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1) Onizuka Eikichi: Shonan Junai Gumi and GTO<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/UK_e-3lGvPs/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UK_e-3lGvPs&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UK_e-3lGvPs&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/auRmEQ1c_ro/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/auRmEQ1c_ro&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/auRmEQ1c_ro&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>Ah, Onizuka. The Devil of Shonan Beach, One half of the OniBaku Duo, one of the most respected and feared <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosozoku">Bosozoku</a> leaders in Japan... Becomes a Teacher!?<br />
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And his first class is famous for destroying the morale of their homeroom teachers. But with his laid back personality, goofy sense of humor, optimistic attitude that sees the value in every one of his students, and un-killable body (trust me, it comes in handy) Onizuka begins to win them over. As the hard line students continue to attempt to oust him, he continues to win more support, including their secret weapon Kanzaki Urumi . And while he is undoubtedly a bit of a slob, perv, and brute, he is the most genuine and honest teacher his students have ever had, and they are actually excited to come to school. Onizuka will do anything for his students, whether it's steal thousands of dollars worth of sushi or getting shot multiple times.<br />
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And now, your moment of AMV Zen... From GTO even!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/lcaXK4lLFug?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Ah, one more, just cuz!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/2-gf5ukC0Ec?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-48952003105372194402011-02-03T08:35:00.000-08:002011-02-03T08:35:01.208-08:00Demo: Bulletstorm.If you didn't know, I've been looking forward to this game since it was featured at E3.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/4HfCqw_8iKo/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4HfCqw_8iKo&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4HfCqw_8iKo&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>It looked great from day one. Like a B-Movie inspired shooter where simply shooting people doesn't cut it. By using combinations of moves, weapons, and environmental hazards, the player is encouraged to "Kill with Skill." Add to that the fact that the voice actor for the main character is the same guy who played Onizuka in the English Dub of GTO, and the fact that the dialogue sounds like it was written by Troy Duffy of Boondock Saints fame (Notable Example: "You Scared the Dick off Me!"). The game just looked too good to be true, and I worried it would not end up as good as it looked in the E3 demo.<br />
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I played the public Demo the day after it was released, and I can happily report that my fears were unfounded. Bulletstorm is a thoroughly enjoyable experience, even for the 6 minute stretch the demo gives you to play. I played through it repeatedly, and found a new way to bust up the baddies every time. It's insanely satisfying when you pull off a kill so complicated and devastating that even your character sounds impressed, or just laughs out loud at the ridiculousness of it. Long story short, play the demo, and if you are like me, you will be picking up Bullet Storm ASAP after it's February 22 release.<br />
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Here's some highlights from the demo.<br />
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And some hilarious commercials poking fun at other games in the genre.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/-i3C23rRmqM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/c4plmomISK8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-78290802428225927362011-01-30T13:42:00.000-08:002011-01-30T13:42:08.587-08:00Adventures in Red Boxing 1So, I've been watching movies someone else rented from Redbox the last couple days. The renter in question has been renting them based on how new of a release they are. Cause Van Helsing would have been so much better the day after it came out on DVD, right? Wrong, it sucks any time. So far, they have been hit and miss. But here's a little capsule review of some of the stuff I've been sitting through. <br />
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1) Language of the Enemy<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q3uirybiijI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>This was an interesting film that had a lot of good content, but tried to be too many things at once. Romi, A Jewish man from Boston travels to Israel for the funeral of his father, killed by a suicide bomber on a bus. While there, he is talked into gathering information on the Palestinians who organized the bombing by his cousin, as he knows Arabic (hence the name of the film). At the same time, Joleh, a Palestinian woman working as a doctor in a refugee camp treats a young boy with a cut on his head. Shortly thereafter, the boy is killed in a skirmish between Palestinian militants. Romi takes over a bakery his father secretly owned in a Palestinian city. Joleh comes into the shop late, asking for donations for the boy's family. Romi gives generously, and the two strike up a relationship. After Romi is shot during the dead boy's procession, he ends up at Joleh's hospital where they strike up a friendship, and after a time fall in love, despite being sworn enemies. <br />
The strength of this film is in the interactions between the two sides of the conflict, learning each others wisdom and eventually mutual respect, at least between two families. It's weakness is in some of the romantic sequences and any time it's trying to be funny. All in all a decent movie with some themes that far outperform the movie itself. 5/10<br />
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2) The American<br />
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George Clooney stars as a deep cover black ops agent working for an undefined agency. The film opens in a cabin in rural Sweeden, with Clooney in bed with a woman. The two of them go for a walk and get ambushed by a sniper. Clooney quickly dispatches him, then tells the woman to run back to the house. As she flees, he shoots her as well. His cover blown, he travels to Italy under orders from his superior to lie low until his next assignment. In the meantime he is assigned the task to aqcuire and customize a weapon for another agent. In his ample free time, he sees a local prostitute. <br />
With The American, it pays to check your "James Bond" expectations at the door. Clooney plays a professional killer with years of experience hiding in plain sight. His Poker Face is unshakable. The pacing is deliberately slow and reflects what real spy work would probably be like. 7/10<br />
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3) Buried<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/j1Yyhxq56Xg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Ryan Reynolds (always a good sign) plays a truck driver working as a civilian contractor in Iraq, Paul Conroy. As the film opens, Paul wakes to realize he has been buried alive. Using his Zippo lighter, Paul finds a cell phone in the coffin with him, and begins to call anyone he can in an attempt to secure his rescue. <br />
It has to be said that, as I have clautrophobia, this was a really unsettling film for me, as the Entire picture takes place inside the coffin. Every shot is Ryan Reynolds holding a zippo or the cell phone and calling anyone who might be able to help him, and while there are a few Heavy Handed political messages (seeing as how he's in Iraq), it is overall a very interesting film. 7/10. <br />
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4) Case 39<br />
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A stupid-natural thriller starring Renee Zelwegger. She's a case worker for Child Services who takes in a child who's parents tried to bake her in an oven. But it quickly becomes apparent that she is the problem. Spoilers! She's some kind of stupid Demon yada yada yada, Rene burns down her house and drives into a river to get rid of her, the end. 1/10 Just Awful. <br />
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Anyway, I'm sure this wont be the last time I'm forced to watch Redbox movies against my will, so I'll let you know that I see next time.<br />
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And Just because I can, 'Sucker Punch"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/KrIiYSdEe4E?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-1086863894857690912011-01-29T21:03:00.000-08:002011-01-29T21:03:05.571-08:00Saturday Anime: A Quick word about a Weird Show.So it's my weekend to work, and that means not much time for writing. But, I did watch some Anime today, so here we go!<br />
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If there is one thing I really love, it's Weird Anime. The odder the plot, characters, jokes, etc; the more fun I tend to have with it. One such show that is just overflowing with insanity is Excel Saga. I'll likely tackle this series in more detail another time, but suffice it to say, it's completely irreverent and crap-house crazy, and I laugh my ass off every time I see it. The director of Excel Saga Watanabe Shinichi (Nabeshin for short and Giggles) had a running inside joke going with fans of his in Japan about the most ludicrous character ever to appear in a "Magical Girl" show, and after a few years, he decided the perfect punchline for such a joke was to actually produce a show based on her. Like Excel, Nabeshin appears in the show as a key character, and also like Excel, it's hilariously insane.<br />
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It's Puni Puni Poemy.<br />
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Now, when Nick put me onto Excel way back in the day, it was a hard sell at first. He explained some of the plot (mostly how the Great Will of the Microcosm keeps having to resurrect Excel because she repeatedly gets herself killed in the first episode, and the show would not exist without her) and I checked out a few of the early episodes. After a second watch or so, I was hooked on the insane pacing and wacky sense of humor. So when Nick told me about a spin off of Excel that was even crazier than the original, I was all in.<br />
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And crazier, it was! The very first thing we see is Poemy, a pink haired magical girl spaz, fighting off a team of other magical girls that look a lot like Sailor Scouts to me, culminating with Poemy putting the last of them into a technically perfect Sharpshooter that Bret "Hitman" Hart would be proud of and Breaking Her Back. That was all I needed to see to realize I was going to love this show. And it just gets better (read: Crazier) from there. From the pants-less alien with a spiked ball hanging from a string where his genitals should be who speaks in jibberish, to Poemy stabbing herself in the legs with pens in an attempt to stay awake, to the character who is a professional Dominatrix punishing her sisters for making her angry. This show is just Bat-Shit insane, and I love every moment. One of the best scenes comes when the Sisters discuss whether Poemy can live with them, and they talk so fast it is impossible to follow, and after they discuss existential philosophy for about 3 seconds, the house explodes. Just insane.<br />
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Anyway, here's some sample pics, just to demonstrate how all-over-the-place this thing is.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTC4GB_xKnf2pVGCmppY9hS33Snn6FgGmNU3zATmwbdvjpjWovVUrqyp1GiFnMO78zyghGtg1KehWKRAtBBrumcHrScL4YiOvASDt7FThpDZG3n0hQ1cbJq27vqglcGq22vkQ63AhJxF0/s1600/ppp8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTC4GB_xKnf2pVGCmppY9hS33Snn6FgGmNU3zATmwbdvjpjWovVUrqyp1GiFnMO78zyghGtg1KehWKRAtBBrumcHrScL4YiOvASDt7FThpDZG3n0hQ1cbJq27vqglcGq22vkQ63AhJxF0/s320/ppp8.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5xkP0s4IZhYtRLY57KmOFJyIuMDqmqtPC17Un6xSAhPSVoTRFSWIlWi3nLlXDtUm8vpycEhaoubf57CLMweeJYOPI76l8awBI37cNdaxJ76KpERnKAnpuy1L82XLjqc0ZB9Mhoas0wk/s1600/ppp1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5xkP0s4IZhYtRLY57KmOFJyIuMDqmqtPC17Un6xSAhPSVoTRFSWIlWi3nLlXDtUm8vpycEhaoubf57CLMweeJYOPI76l8awBI37cNdaxJ76KpERnKAnpuy1L82XLjqc0ZB9Mhoas0wk/s320/ppp1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3F1G5YunYMAbJqaeV0AdPlN9UV4tE9Y8e6YEXOnlRAsy0Y2m2BldNAxrLl9A62l4SHquymnQcqaOSvgl9QVQZdUbR86tC1Cczn5p_IMNbUtX0JgvaMXP0tW14FYZSsOPV0Q2l-EFN64/s1600/ppp3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3F1G5YunYMAbJqaeV0AdPlN9UV4tE9Y8e6YEXOnlRAsy0Y2m2BldNAxrLl9A62l4SHquymnQcqaOSvgl9QVQZdUbR86tC1Cczn5p_IMNbUtX0JgvaMXP0tW14FYZSsOPV0Q2l-EFN64/s320/ppp3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioznexDMFv-gKcb0tFjgCAF1iSTy_t2orgGPEi0Q8q_QCr8RNvcto6tvy8ErUpwGWySb6jDjsDIma6yHxmmga5Cf0Z0GNm2HzxvIb_LH348jRpT4R4uagNmQvDXNAZnrHM3oAHQe-x1TQ/s1600/ppp4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioznexDMFv-gKcb0tFjgCAF1iSTy_t2orgGPEi0Q8q_QCr8RNvcto6tvy8ErUpwGWySb6jDjsDIma6yHxmmga5Cf0Z0GNm2HzxvIb_LH348jRpT4R4uagNmQvDXNAZnrHM3oAHQe-x1TQ/s320/ppp4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqD0asWN89mN6vbxutJkmdmnFleaHw8xYAKd8qP-lgW8lat7TrNgw4WpifuQg9P_MWGam6a5hJDyt5SqxONmRJbDr_R_LHtUFug_Jup_KiVLingqK2Yt2c3AA44Ca0FnBlPxFMd0fCJw/s1600/ppp6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqD0asWN89mN6vbxutJkmdmnFleaHw8xYAKd8qP-lgW8lat7TrNgw4WpifuQg9P_MWGam6a5hJDyt5SqxONmRJbDr_R_LHtUFug_Jup_KiVLingqK2Yt2c3AA44Ca0FnBlPxFMd0fCJw/s320/ppp6.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-nf0ODEv9yH5WmPAc9qZOx6Z1ge55YcSpiscczMq6jL-bbdVItGcLQclJa5uiJ0C_ewcMI5XSFKjNNNCb30wybTRH6BfStcOdsjvHNr74wVsIYGtpXcCZDmfIU6TcT-2hf1Muy0XdjM/s1600/ppp7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-nf0ODEv9yH5WmPAc9qZOx6Z1ge55YcSpiscczMq6jL-bbdVItGcLQclJa5uiJ0C_ewcMI5XSFKjNNNCb30wybTRH6BfStcOdsjvHNr74wVsIYGtpXcCZDmfIU6TcT-2hf1Muy0XdjM/s320/ppp7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>See?<br />
Anyway, I think I'll post some Poemy AMV's this time, enjoy!<br />
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I wanted to hate this because of the song, but it was actually pretty funny.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/w7PLNYzf7s0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
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This one is Poemy and Excel, but it's too good to pass up!<br />
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This one includes FLCL (The ONLY show I can think of that's crazier than PPP) as well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/4O7hoxRWwwg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
One more Excel. It's my blog, I do what I want!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/7o5_-6VG2Ds/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7o5_-6VG2Ds?f=videos&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7o5_-6VG2Ds?f=videos&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-55709569681063627492011-01-22T23:35:00.000-08:002011-01-22T23:35:45.305-08:00Saturday Anime: Tenchi MuyoI've decided to ditch the History thing in favor of just talking about some of the series I would have mentioned in them anyway individually. Let's start with the first series I actually owned all of the episodes of, Tenchi Muyo OVA.<br />
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After I moved on to Hollywood Video in my hometown for rentals, I started perusing their Anime section and discovered a few really good shows and movies, but none more so than Tenchi. My first taste of the series had been in the form of Tenchi Muyo In Love, the first Tenchi film, which was played on Sci Fi channel during their Saturday Anime block (which is where I stole the name Saturday Anime from). I remember being utterly confused, effectively being dumped into the middle of a universe I couldn't possibly understand completely, almost like watching Return of the Jedi without seeing A New Hope and Empire. I admired the art, liked the characters even though I knew nothing about them beyond what the film tells you, and found the action and romantic undertones of the story compelling. As I attempted to understand the series better, I found a copy of the Mihoshi special at Hollywood and rented it. However this didn't help much, as it's a completely independent special that has nothing to do with the main story. So even though I was largely in the dark about most of the story, I sought out more episodes because what I had seen was so much fun, even if I was lost most of the time. <br />
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Since this was long before the days of Youtube and wikipedia to fill in the gaps, I started to look for VHS copies of the OVA, as I had determined that it was the first series released. I finally found a collection of all the episodes on VHS on eBay, and created an account just to buy them. I sent the money order, waited a bit, and picked up my first UPS package, then dove into the true beginning of the story. I would later find out that I was hardly the only one confused about the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenchi_Muyo!#Tenchi_Muyo.21_OVA_series.2C_Kajishima_canon">canon</a> of the series, but I'm sticking to the OVA here because it is still my favorite.<br />
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Masaki Tenchi is a fairly normal teenager, working at his grandfather's Shinto Shrine in the mountains. One day, he attempts to sneak into his Grandfather's office to steal a key. There is a cave near the shrine with a locked gate that his Grandfather has warned him to stay away from for years because a Demon was buried there 700 years ago, but his curiosity has gotten the better of him at last. After lifting the key, Tenchi investigates the cave and finds that his Grandfather's story was not all bluster. He finds a Sword Hilt and what appears to be an ancient corpse, but when the corpse comes to life and attempts to embrace him, he flees in fear, resealing the cave and swearing never to return. Later he falls asleep on the roof of his school and is woken by a youthful Blue Haired girl. She chuckles and says "Ryoko..." When Tenchi looks perplexed, she continues, "That's my name, Ryoko." She opens her eyes, and they are glowing an eerie gold, the same as the Demon in the cave. Ryoko laments how horrible her 700 year imprisonment and informs Tenchi that she will have to work out some tension on him right away. She then summons a light blade from thin air and attacks Tenchi, flying, teleporting, laughing giddly and tossing energy bolts in his direction. As the one sided fight continues, Tenchi's entire school is destroyed by a gas line explosion. Ryoko finally corners Tenchi and attacks him again, but the Sword Hilt which he hid in his book bag generates an energy field that deflects the blow. Incredulous, Ryoko attacks again and the hilt generates a light blade of it's own. The two fight, with Tenchi unable to control the sword as it moves on it's own, then lops off Ryoko's hand. She laments that she lost another battle, regrows her hand, and sinks away into the ground. As Tenchi returns home, glad to be done with the whole affair, but wondering what happened to the girl, he doesen't have to wonder long. He finds Ryoko sleeping in his bed, and she warmly welcomes him home when he wakes her. <br />
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It isn't long after this before Tenchi and Ryoko's fight attracts the attention of Aeka, a princess from the planet Jurai who has been searching the galaxy for her missing half brother Yosho in her massive space-tree/Ship Ryu-oh. Aeka considers Ryoko her sworn enemy, as during her days as a Space Pirate, she caused great damage to the Jurai empire and homeworld. After capturing them, in spite of the fact that the statuate of limitations on Ryoko's crimes just ran out the day they arrived at Earth, Aeka tortures the Space Pirate in hopes of extracting information about Yosho's whereabouts. Meanwhile, Sasami, another of Jurai's princesses releases Tenchi and press-gangs him into playing a trick on her older sister. It isn't long before Ryoko's ship, Ryo-Oh-Ki attacks Ryu-Oh and the two ships crash near the Masaki Shrine. With no way off the relatively primitive planet Earth, Ryoko, Aeka, and Sasami are all forced to stay with Tenchi and his Father. It isn't long before another fight between Ryoko and Aeka causes another ship to crash, stranding the bumbling Galaxy Police officer Mihoshi on Earth as well, followed shortly by a childish looking super-scientist named Washu, who also claims to be Ryoko's "Mother". <br />
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While it isn't immediately obvious at first for most of the female characters, besides Ryoko's playful flirting towards the end of the first episode, it soon becomes clear that they all have at least some romantic interest in Tenchi. However, it is Ryoko, the Brash, Fun Loving, Sake drinking former space pirate and Aeka, the prim, proper, princess; who become the most interesting rivals from the first moment Aeka learns Ryoko is on Earth. They have a history and don't much like one another, but their mutual interest in Tenchi forces them to tolerate one another's presence. At one point, the two of them make a pact to work together in order to get the other girls out of the picture, then read romantic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manga">Manga</a> for pointer on how to woo Tenchi, with hilariously disastrous results. <br />
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However, throughout all the bickering between the girls over Tenchi's affections, he never seems to become more attached to any one of the girls, treating all of them as if they were members of his own family and doing everything he can for any one of them. This, even more than his powers and lightblade, make Tenchi a truly admirable character. And while his seeming ignorance of the girls feelings for him, Ryoko's in particular, can be frustrating for the viewer, it is his devotion to all of them equally that sets Tenchi Muyo apart from most <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harem_anime">Harem anime</a> that would follow. Where most series in the genre ultimately end with the protagonist choosing one of those competing for their affections (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Hina">Love Hina</a> for example and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruits_Basket">Fruits Basket</a> as a notable exception), Tenchi Muyo always leaves the answer to the burning question "Who's Tenchi going to end up with?" vague. The closest they ever came is the ending to Tenchi Muyo in Love 2, which is ambiguous at best, and that isn't even the same continuity. It's more confusing the the Trek reboot. Although I haven't seen the end of the 3rd OVA, so I may be wrong.<br />
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Still, when it comes down to it, there are four key elements that really make Tenchi fun to watch. Interesting Characters, Excellent animation, oft gut busting Comedy, and unrequited love.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00000IBWR&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001R0AYHG&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000OZ2CUW&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0043988OY&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000OZ2CU2&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000OZ2CVQ&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
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And Now, your Moment of AMV Zen...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Raiz5MAb98Q?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-64984468243990139462011-01-20T15:27:00.000-08:002011-01-20T15:27:55.462-08:00Top Ten: RPG'sThanks to my home skillet Nick for suggesting this topic when I was stumped.<br />
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RPG's have been a passion of mine pretty much since I was old enough to hold a controller. The idea of filling the roll of a character thrust into extraordinary circumstances in a fantastic setting was always so appealing. From old-school Silent Protagonist games to the Choose your Destiny choice driven games of today, anything that has the words Level Up and X Exp Gained has my interest. While my interest in new J-Rpgs has been waning of late, I still love to replay the classics from time to time, and modern RPGs still bear hug me into submission. I'll rank them by quality of system, story, sound, time played, times beaten, etc. So, here is a list of my faves, and in the interest of avoiding filling half the list with one series (Cough Final Fantasy Cough), I'm going to limit myself to one game per series.<br />
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And No, there will be no Super Mario RPG on this List. <br />
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10) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlVSJ0AvZe0">The</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBHL_-biMrQ">World</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95vcgv-pK_4">of</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq4Y7ztznKc">Warcraft</a><br />
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This pick was actually a tough one to make my mind up about. It has to be said that WoW might hold the "Most hours Played" title for me, since I've been playing all but a few months since it's debut in late 04. And while the game is neck deep in lore, the massively multi-player aspect always takes me out of the story. That said, there are few games that give you more options for character customization. From basic appearance andtitles to varied classes and talent trees, not to mention the joys of being a Hunter and naming a menagerie of pets (Like my bear, FurryTractor, for example) and boatloads of gear and mounts to acquire , the options are huge. And while it was a little boring soloing in the past, the leveling process revamp that came with Cataclysm has provided a single player experience on par with rpg's that are exclusively single player. Combine that with the fun of teaming up with 4 friends to take on a dungeon or24 to raid the most challenging depths the world has to offer, as well as professions and playing the server wide auction house, and there is plenty of fun to be had.<br />
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9) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HArA9-UCY0">Neverwinter</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PZwfMRM_2k">Nights</a><br />
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Based on the d20 system rules of Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 and set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, Neverwinter Nights was a 3D culmination of a lot of Nerd fantasies. For the first time, a fully realized, fully 3D D and D game was available. While the main stories of Neverwinter 1 and 2 are good in their own right, the real value to be had here was in customizing the game itself. From the deep character customization included right out of the box to the plethora of downloadable mods that added additional options, to modules that added all new player generated stories and the official expansions that added more depth to the core experience, the re-playability of this game was off the charts. Add to this the ability to play multiplayer cooperative games and this game became a regular installment at LAN parties. Good times had by all as we leveled our characters, killed monsters, and laughed when one of us got killed by a trap.<br />
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8) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbAVB0INpzc"> </a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4439q8mwqwc">Breath of Fire II</a><br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000035Y6U&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> Now we're kickin' it Old School. Throughout the 8 and 16 bit eras, I was a JRPG fanatic, and I still have a soft spot for Sprite Based Role Playing. Breath of Fire II is a standout in a period when there were a lot of excellent games in the genre. Centered on the life of Ryu, a young orphan who is the last of the ancient Dragon Clan, BoFII starts out simply enough. After a brief scene in which we see a glimpse of Ryu's childhood which culminates in an encounter with the Nightmarish creature Barubary who makes his family vanish and the rest of the village forget who he is, an older Ryu and his fried Bow set off to find a Pet Pig for a Princess. It isn't long after this quest that a much larger plot unfolds and Ryu and crew face off with a number of various threats, from Demonic possession, to a corrupt Religion, to a final confrontation with Barubary and his Master. The cast of characters is varied and interesting, and only gets deeper when you learn how to fuse their souls with elemental shaman to grant them new forms and powers. The town building element, by which the player builds a town up from a single shack to a thriving community full of useful vendors and craftsmen, was revolutionary at the time. The story is rich, very character driven and full of emotional moments.<br />
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7) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYZpR51XgW0">Fallout 3</a><br />
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Fallout 3 is a great example of how the genre is evolving to be more action oriented, but still maintain the aspects that make RPG's so much fun. Set in an alternate America who's culture stagnated in the 50s, and was subsequently destroyed in a nuclear war, F3 depicts a very grim reality of how the Atomic Age could have ended. Starting from you birth within a community sized bomb shelter known as a Vault, the life of your character is completely controllable. And while the illusion slips from time to time and you realize how much the story is "On Rails" as they say, it is largely an open-ended adventure that encourages the player to interact with the world around them any way they choose. Add an ingenious and endlessly entertain system of incorporating slow motion dramatic action scenes into the heat of combat so players can savor just how much they can mess a guy up with a combat shotgun or any of a number other weapons, and the addictive nature of this game should come as no surprise.<br />
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6) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2O-0-fQOOs">Mass Effect 2</a><br />
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The current King of the "Modern RPG" hill, Mass Effect 2 is a truly epic space adventure. The title character, Shepard, is whatever you make of him/her, from baby hugging goody-two-shoes to baby punting heartless bastard. As you begin this sequel, you can import data from your Mass Effect 1 save to deepen the immersion and see the results of you actions from the first game on the second. And while there is a definite feeling of being 'on rails' on your journey, the good news is that it's a great ride. The story starts with Shepard being brought back from the dead after the Normandy was destroyed by a Cerberus, an enigmatic pro human organization who's leader, the equally enigmatic Illusive Man see's Shepard as the only hope for humanity. The cast of characters is impressive and varied, with fan favorites rounding out a group of interesting newcomers. One may argue that this game only barely qualifies as an RPG, and as far as the combat and Item system goes, I have to agree. In those areas, it could easily be described as RPG Lite. But the story is where it's at: Full of intrigue, deception, action, romance, mirth, despair, hope, and determination.<br />
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5) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EyW-IBlVFE">Illusion</a> of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFcXA9IrIcE">Gaia</a><br />
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Another Snes title, Illusion of Gaia is another game that isn't quite the textbook definition of an RPG, but has more than enough soul and character development to earn it this spot on the list. Set in a world with many familiar landmarks like the Pyramids, Machu Pichu, and the Great Wall of China in unfamiliar places, Illusion of Gaia has a lot going on under the surface of a game that plays a lot like Zelda. Will is a young man who was the only person to return from his Father's expedition to the Tower of Babel, though he has no memory of how. He leads a normal life in the care of his Grandparents until one day he is summoned to the palace by the King of his land. The King has requested that he bring the Crystal Ring Will got from his father, but throws him in prison when he arrives. After escaping with the help of the Earth Spirit, Gaia, who transforms young will into the powerful dark knight Freedan, Will and his friends embark on a journey to visit sacred ruins all over the world and learn the secrets of the Spirit Statues and what became of Will's Father on his expedition. The ending is a real tearjerker and I've played through this game many times just to experience the story again.<br />
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4) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOsvsyIElRI">Disgaea</a><br />
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Oh, Disgaea. How to describe this game? Well, it is hilariously aware of what it is, an insanely deep Tactical RPG with an insane number of possible characters and side-splitting tongue-in-cheek story. Early on, we learn that our hero, Prince Laharl, is the next in line to inherit the throne of Overlord of the Netherworld, after his father died when he choked on a Black Pretzel. Unfortunately, Laharl has been taking a nap for the last two years and missed it. In the meantime, other demons have started to lay claim to the title of Overlord for themselves. The first of these demons that Laharl dispatches is Vyers, the self styled Dark Adonis. The prince dismisses him as a trivial stepping-stone on the path to domination and to drive home the point, he officially changes his name to Mid Boss. This self referential joke is an example of what makes this game as hilarious as it is additively challenging. <br />
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3) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDMWp1oLoA0">Final Fantasy VI</a><br />
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Picking one Final Fantasy game as the best is a hard enough task in and of itself, let alone deciding where it belongs amongst it's peers. While FF Tactics is an absolute classic in my book, and VII changed RPGs and their Fanbase forever, I still have to say that FF VI is the high water mark of an excellent series. An Industrial Era world where Magic scarcely exists and is spoken of as a myth of ancient times is a compelling setting for a FF game, which up to this point, had only featured worlds steeped in sorcery. There are only two known magic users in the world when the game starts, and one of them is Terra. Press-ganged into military service with a mind control device by the nefarious empire, Terra is sent to acquire a recently unearthed frozen Esper, a Magical creature of mysterious origin. When Terra encounters the Esper, a sequence of events is set into motion that will see the world torn apart. The graphics and sound were jaw dropping when it was released, and the epic story stands the test of time and multiple playthroughs. <br />
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2) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddYM95VC3ok">Secret</a> of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3P5bca1T-M">Mana</a><br />
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There's really only one word I should have to say to explain why this game was such a big deal when it came out in '94. Multiplayer. At the time, RPG's and even Action games like Zelda never even attempted Multiplayer modes. In Secret of Mana, it's one of the best reasons to play. Three people could huddle around their Super NES and play through an extended quest of epic proportions. Hours of gametime with friends, slashing, casting, and laughing when people got turned into Moogles. It is almost a forerunner of MMORPGS, like a first baby step in that direction. And while the action is largely similar to action games like IofG or Zelda, there is definitely strategy and timing involved, and the story is epic and worthy of the genre. <br />
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1) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqTZfknDVes">Chrono</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOmgIZZuI68">Trigger</a><br />
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Seriously, who's surprised? Anyone who has asked me to recommend a game since 95, including my niece, knows this might be my favorite game Period, not just in the RPG genre. Crono, the hero of our story and all round nice guy/silent protagonist type bumps into a beautiful girl named Marle at the Kingdom of Guardia's Millennial Fair. After showing her the sights, they go to see a demonstration of a Crono's friend Luca's new invention, a Teleporter. Marle excitedly volunteers to try out the device, but when Luca starts it, the teleporter reacts with the pendant Marle is wearing and she is transported into a mysterious Gate, leaving the Pendant behind. Luca examines it and realizes it is a royal artifact that belongs to the Princess of Guardia. Without hesitation, Crono takes the pendant and steps onto the teleporter, intending to rescue her. He arrives in Guardia, but it quickly becomes clear that he has traveled hundreds of years back in time. As the story progresses, Crono and crew ally with a loyal Robot from the far future, a gallant knight that was transformed into a frog, and a tough as nails prehistoric woman. As they attempt to return to their own time, they learn of a plot by a master of the dark arts, Magus, to summon Lavos, an inter-planetary Parasite that will destroy the world. They decide that cannot simply return to their time and live out their lives burdened with this knowledge, and set out on a quest to destroy Lavos before the Cataclysm can occur. One of the great things that made this game so replayable was the New Game + feature that allowed the player to start a new game with the endgame character data. To add to this mode there were several varied endings to the game, both good and bad, based on what point in the replay you defeat Lavos. The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg513kMhnNs">soundtrack</a> is one of the most memorable of the 16 Bit Era. It's a game that has been copied, remade in part by fans, and had a fanmade sequel in the works before Square "cease and desist"ed them. It's a game that spans the entire history of human existence, from it's primal beginnings to it's eventual destruction and decline, and offers the chance to change history. It's a game full of interesting characters, monsters, and fantastic locales. <br />
It's a classic.<br />
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Bonus, Nifty<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrE9tyP6WXc"> Japanese Commercial.</a><br />
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Honorable Mention: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Im6eT9dQB8">Final</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbm2aOS2Vec">Fantasy</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Final-Fantasy-Tactics-Lions-Sony-PSP/dp/B000SSPH3E?ie=UTF8&tag=my12kevi-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Tactics</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=my12kevi-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000SSPH3E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Final-Fantasy-IV-Nintendo-DS/dp/B00184219U?ie=UTF8&tag=my12kevi-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">FFIV</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=my12kevi-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00184219U" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JujtlsiqZ-E">FFVII</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Final-Fantasy-X-Playstation-2/dp/B00005TNI6?ie=UTF8&tag=my12kevi-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">FFX</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=my12kevi-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005TNI6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (in that order), <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbAVB0INpzc">Knights of the Old Republic, </a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1VBRe3XTYk">Dragon Age Origins</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1wN74DayWQ">Destiny of an Emperor</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0f1k1pC-mE">Secret of Evermore</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Konami-Classics-1-Xbox-360/dp/B002W5GI8Y?ie=UTF8&tag=my12kevi-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Castlevania: Symphony of the Night</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=my12kevi-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002W5GI8Y" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, .The Lufia SeriesHaakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-28118084934815319352011-01-16T18:53:00.000-08:002011-01-16T18:53:01.554-08:00Ip Man<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='640' height='385' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/1AJxXQ7xojE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
As a fan of Martial Arts Films in general and Donnie Yen's brand of frenetic action scenes in particular, it wasn't hard to convince me to give this film a look. I've stated in the past that any film with Donnie Yen in it has my attention, regardless of how potentially awful other aspects of the movie may be. Honestly, I would have been happy with 90 minutes of Donnie punching people for no discernible reason. <br />
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But with Ip Man, I was treated to so much more.<br />
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The film opens in the mid 1930's in Foshan, the hometown of Chinese Folk Hero Wong Fei-Hung, and a well known center of Southern Chinese martial arts schools. We are introduced to the unassuming, independently wealthy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_Chun">Wing Chun</a> practitioner Ip Man. He is a humble man who has mastered his fighting style, but has not opened a school because he is uneasy with the idea of having students answer to him. His privileged life is spent discussing martial arts with his friends, the occasional friendly duel with locals or masters from other provinces seeking to make a name for themselves, and family time. As humble and selfless as he is, his martial prowess is unequaled in all of Foshan. <br />
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The idyllic first act comes to disheartening close, as in 1937, the Second Sino-Japanese War breaks out, and Foshan falls in Japan's invasion. Ip Man, now destitute as his home and possessions were confiscated by the occupying Japanese forces, is forced to work sifting coal to feed his wife and child. One day, a Japanese Colonel comes to the coal mine and announces that General Miura is staging martial arts competitions between his soldiers and local Chinese citizens, and with a bag of rice promised to any man who wins, several men accept the invitation. When one of Ip Man's old friends from before the War never returns from one of these tournaments, he volunteers himself in order to learn what may have happened to him. Once there, he witnesses another Master and friend fight and defeat a Japanese soldier. They toss him his bag of rice, but he boasts that he wants to fight three more men. The General is pleased to acquiesce to this request, and three more fighters take on Master Liu. It becomes clear that Liu is over-matched and he yields. When he picks up the rice he won for his first fight, Sato, the Colonel, shoots him dead on the spot. All Ip Man can do is scream at the interpreter "Why!? Why did they Shoot him?" General Miura twists Sato's arm to point the gun at his own face and demands an explanation. Sato explains that he shot Liu for taking the rice even though he lost the match. The general forbids him to use deadly force again, but the cold blooded murder goes largely unpunished. <br />
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At this point, Ip Man forces himself to the front of the crowd and volunteers to be the next to fight. When he comes to the center of the ring, he coldly demands Ten Opponents. The general is intrigued by Ip Man's gall to challenge so many men at once, and obliges. <br />
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Ip Man calmly brutalizes all ten opponents into submission, shock due to broken bones, or unconsciousness due to broken skulls. From there, his legend only grows and the film culminates with an honor duel of epic proportions.<br />
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The plot is epically good, telling several touching stories against the backdrop of one of the most turbulent periods in Chinese history. Westerners were seemingly blissfully ignorant of the attrocities being commited in China at the time, and seeing what the twisted bastardization of the Japanese Warrior Code of Bushido let bubble to the surface in Japan's society prior to the end of World War II is a sad reminder of the grim realities of the first half of the Twentieth Century. When you really look at the sequence of events leading up to the Cultural Revolution, the rise of communism in China begins to feel less like a sinister reversal for a free and happy culture, and more like a tragic inevitability. <br />
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That said, this film is pro China and celebrates the culture that existed before the march of time and endless war swept it away forever. Donnie Yen's character demonstrates the best virtues of old Chinese Culture perfectly. He is level headed, selfless, forthright, humble, and strong willed. This film is also loaded with a lot of very talented actors and impressive martial artists.<br />
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Sound is handled extremely well, with no trace of cheesy Foley sound effects and an excellent score. <br />
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If there is one term I would choose to describe every fight in the film, it is "One-Sided". Whether it's Ip Man effortlessly defeating Master Liu before the war, or Jin pounding a reputation out of several Foshan Martial Arts instructors, it is always fairly evident which man is the superior fighter early on. This actually adds a sense of realism to this film based on the real Ip Man's life. There are no feeling out processes, no shifting advantages, no second winds, no come from behind victories. <br />
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Overall, this film is absolutely solid. I honestly have nothing bad to say about it. It more than deserves to be mentioned in the company of such genre classics as Hero, Huo Yuanjia, House of Flying Daggers, Drunken Master, and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and should be on anyones watch list, even if you don't enjoy martial arts movies. And Donnie Yen continues to build his legacy as a Film Legend.<br />
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10 Karate Guys broken in Half out of 10. Seriously, instant classic.Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-35973036868855349712011-01-15T20:13:00.000-08:002011-01-15T20:13:37.405-08:00Top Ten: Martial Arts Fight Scenes-FYI, I was sick as a Dog most of the week, so I am taking a pass on Saturday Anime this week, cause it's 7pm on Sat and I haven't even started it yet. Good news tho, I am thinking of starting work on a serialized science-fiction/fantasy story, so stay tuned. I got a Top Ten done, tho, so enjoy!-<br />
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One thing I love is Martial Arts flicks. It is a genre where I can easily forgive film trespasses that would doom other movies in a heartbeat. The most insanely improbable street gangs look commonplace in a Tony Jaa movie, as long as he jumps off walls and beats seven shades of whupass out of them, the flimsiest plot to motivate Donnie Yen to suplex someone is perfectly acceptable, the most unfathomable racist and over the top dubbing goes unnoticed if Jackie Chan is jumping through playground equipment at the time, and no amount of crappy filmmaking in general can prevent me from enjoying Jet Li doing anything. For my top ten this week, I decided to compile a quick list of the 10 best fights that come to mind when I think of the genre, whether they be classic duels or a case of the odds stacked against a Wushu master. You may notice a distinct lack of Bruce Lee fights, and that's because I've honestly not seen his stuff enough to judge it. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x26XtSHZmwM">Enter The Dragon </a>is the only movie of his I've really seen, so Bruce fans, I apologize in advance for my ignorance of his work. I'm going to link vids because I know nothing about HTML and Something I did messed up embeding them so they come out as tiny little squares. Whatevs, here we go!<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALk7qG3VqjQ">10) Jet Li Vs. Chen Zhi Hui - Huo Yuanjia AKA Fearless</a><br />
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This scene is the moment when Jet Li's character more or less ruins his life, and it comes out in his mannerisms in the fight. What starts out as a relatively honorable duel quickly degrades to a brutal fistfight with little finesse and a lot of emotion. As Huo Yuanjia and Master Chin fight, Chin with a weighted sword, Huo is clearly overpowered and outmatched, only turning the tide when he disarms his opponent. The fight culminates in an act of brutality against a defenseless man that changes Huo's fate and the fate of China in the process.<br />
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Fun Fact: Fans of Dynasty Warriors, if you had to guess which character Chen Zhi Hui played in a movie based on the Three Kingdoms, who would you guess? If you said Zhang Fei, You win, Grats!<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OxQ-2gR1DU">9) Zhang Ziyi Vs. Michele Yeoh - Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon</a><br />
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Zhang Ziyi and Michelle Yeoh epically tangled in this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuxia">wuxia</a> classic. When Jen (Zhang Ziyi), the headstrong daughter of an aristocrat steals <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wudangquan">wudangquan</a> master Li Mu Bai's (Chow Yun-fat) famed sword Green Destiny, she is intercepted by Li Mu Bai's friend Yu Shu Lien (Michele Yeoh) who was entrusted with the weapon. Shu Lien attempts to subdue Jen, but the might of Green Destiny overwhelms her and breaks weapon after weapon. Broadswords, Hookswords, a heavy Brass rod, all are shattered by the legendary sword. Jen taunts Shu Lien, saying she cannot overcome her no matter what weapon she chooses. Shu Lien selects a heavy steel sword. As the fight continues, Green Destiny once again breaks Shu Lien's Weapon, but the broken blade comes to rest against Jen's throat in what could have been a killing stroke. <br />
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8) Donnie Yen Vs. Jet Li - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRsifLFqdyk">Once Upon a Time in China 2</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTsKEgUJyUQ">Hero</a><br />
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Donnie Yen and Jet Li only had a short fight in OUATIC2, and it only hinted at the epic confrontation these two masters would one day have in Hero. As the Nameless Warrior (Jet Li) retells his tale of slaying the three most dangerous assassins in the kingdom, he describes his encounter with Long Sky (Donnie Yen). Confronting the Assassin at a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weiqi">weiqi</a> parlor, Nameless and Long Sky spend a long moment envisioning their fight, before they attack one another. While this fight is heavy on Wire Fu, it still displays a great deal of martial talent and lightning fast attacks, coming to an amazing finish.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUVBJkxAAa0">7) Jackie Chan Vs. Benny the Jet - Dragons Forever.</a><br />
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This one is a rare gem. Benny "The Jet" Urquidez is one of the original mixed martial arts legends. His fast, brutal offense and unorthodox style made him an unpredictable competitor in Karate and Kickboxing from 1974 to 1993 with an official record of 63 Wins, 0 Losses, and 57 Knockouts (he claims an unofficial record of 200-0). The Jet is a real life Martial Arts Legend. He appeared in two films opposite Jackie Chan, and put him over both times. "Put Over" is a wrestling term, meaning to lose to someone in order to make the victor look better. And Benny Urquidez did this spectacularly well for Jackie Chan Twice! This fight is fast and technical, and even includes the classic "Guy gets knocked through a wall of boxes full of smaller boxes" trope. <br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0pUOnpqerI">6) Tony Jaa Vs. Lateef Crowder, John Foo, AND Nathan Jones!</a> - The Protector (Tom Yum Goong)<br />
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When Tony Jaa's character arrives to find the Temple he had been hiding out in is under attack, he is confronted by a man with Dreadlocks and the word Pray carved into his chest. The mystery man (Crowder) knocks Tony around a while with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira">capoeira</a>, until Tony picks up on the weaknesses of the style and exploits them. Before he can catch his breath, he dodges a flying <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dao_%28sword%29">Dao</a> and is forced to defend himself against it's wielder unarmed. One Indiana Jones reference later, Tony arms himself with the hammers used to sound the gong and dispatches the assailant. Then an arm the size of a Great Dane grabs Tony through a door, and Nathan Jones comes through with it. Tony collects himself, but now he is fighting a man nearly 3 times his size (Tony weighs in at around 130 pounds and Nathan tips the scales at 350). Jones tosses him around easily, bouncing him off a pillar, rugby tackling him, and kicking him into a bookshelf, destroying it, before the arrival of the police forces him to retreat.<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24n8478-Cvg">Jaa Vs. Jones II</a> is also awesome and deserves to be combined into this pick. Even with the help of three other Human Elephants and a whip swinging Lady-Man, Tony still busts Nathan up in their rematch.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtkhf-5PXKM">5) Jackie Chan Vs Jet Li - Forbidden Kingdom</a><br />
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What can I really say about this one? Do I even Have to explain? This is a dream match that fans of the genre really never believed would happen, especially after Jet Li stated that Huo Yuanjia would be his final Martial Arts film a few years before this film came out. So to see two of my favorite film martial artists actually face off was surreal and thrilling. Say what you want about this film, the fact that Jet and Jackie are both in it makes it absolutely worth it. <br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys8FALHopuk">4) Jackie Chan Vs Ken Lo and Ho-Sung Pak - Drunken Master II</a><br />
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In the final confrontation of this wuxia classic, Wong Fei-Hong confronts the leaders of the gang that was smuggling Chinese artifacts and selling them to foreigners in the steel foundry they had taken over as a front for their operation. Fei-Hong takes care of the lower ranks easily, but the lightning fast <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tae_Kwon_Do">Tae Kwon Do</a> master (Ken Lo) and his brutal thug (Ho-Sung Pak) prove a much greater challenge. Earlier in the film, he had shown that the right amount of alcohol augmented his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zui_Quan">Drunken Fist</a> fighting style, but he had also made a drunken fool of himself by consuming too much. In desperation to even the odds against his two opponents, Fei-Hong grabs a container of industrial firestarter. Whether it was grain alcohol or pure Gasoline, consuming just the right amount of the volatile liquid does the trick, and Fei-Hong proceeds to dispatch his foes in spectacular fashion. <br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpgZ-3KQSRc">3) Tony Jaa: The Pretzel Factory - The Protector (Tom Yum Goong)</a><br />
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While some may argue that most of what goes on in this scene may not strictly qualify as martial arts, it is nonetheless impressive at the very least. The sheer number of ways Tony and the fight coordinators came up with to bust these schmucks up is just mind boggling. And the lesson to be learned is Don't mess with Tony's Elephants.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2Wrxc2iQfI">2) Jackie Chan Vs. Benny The Jett - Wheels on Meals</a><br />
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Remember how I said that Benny The Jet faced off with Jackie Chan Twice? Are you really surprised to see the other fight on this list? This is a very well paced fight, if you can call "almost too fast to follow" a pace. Jackie bodily dragging Benny off the steps to clear an escape route for Sammo Hung? Good Stuff. Benny taking a stiff punch in the face and licking his lips in response? Wow. Benny back kicking Jackie AND taking his coat off at the same time, then snapping his oh so snappy suspenders? Classic. The "feeling out" process mid fight? Benny attacking a shelled up Jackie and pushing a banquet table around the room in the process, the roundhouse kicking the Flames off Several candles, no special effects required? Holy Crap! And that's just the first Minute and a half of this Five and a half minute brawl. A true Classic, and a Must see fight. <br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l5SR0C1150">1) Jet Li Vs An Entire Karate School - Fist of Legend</a><br />
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It's Jet Li. Versus an entire Karate School. Jet never even breaks a sweat. <br />
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Need I say More?<br />
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Bonus: Watch for the move I affectionately call the "Crotch Toss".<br />
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Honorable Mentions: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3aFv8IQb4s">The Bride Vs. Gogo Yubari and the Crazy 88s</a>, Tony Jaa Vs <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y2AmUmWOh0">everyone</a> in the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STB4BzMFDz0">Ong</a> Bak <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X6eKWzotDI">movies</a> and the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79ditPebZ8g">stairwell longcut</a> in The Protector, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HbZMluZbzg">Tak Sakaguchi Vs. Everything that Moves in Death Trance</a>, Nathan Jones in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxHx01oXqeg">Som Tam</a>, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKya2Jd2RqU">Any fight involving Donnie Yen</a>, particularly <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN1MuxCjq6A">Donnie and Rong-Guang Yu Vs Yen Shi-Kwan</a> in Iron Monkey. Mifune Toshiro in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYbi7gKKvOo">Sanjuro</a> or any of a number of other <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhbCEi_Aac4">samurai</a> movies. And there is something Hilariously Awesome about the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMj-TwzjW2o">Conveyor Belt Fight</a> in The Myth, starring Jackie Chan. Oh, and I have to mention The Hammer scene from Old Boy, but I'm not posting a Vid, so you have to see the movie. Go do it now. Seriously, stop reading this and watch Old Boy. I'll wait.Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-44706483207749551702011-01-09T19:22:00.000-08:002011-01-09T19:22:53.109-08:00Saturday Anime: History Lesson Part 2Here we are again with another addition of Saturday Anime. You know, last week I had such a good time reminiscing about anime from my childhood, I thought it would be interesting to continue along to the next stage of my fandom and talk about my early Teen years and a little place called Freedom.<br />
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Warning, this is where it may get a little blue, no Kids!<br />
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So as I continued to grow up and watched a lot of cartoons along the way, I saw a lot of American animation that impressed me. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ren-Stimpy-Complete-Second-Seasons/dp/B0002NY8XA?ie=UTF8&tag=my12kevi-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Ren and Stimpy</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=my12kevi-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002NY8XA" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beavis-Butt-head-Mike-Judge-Collection/dp/B000B5XOWU?ie=UTF8&tag=my12kevi-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Beavis and Butthead</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=my12kevi-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000B5XOWU" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Rockos-Modern-Life/dp/B001EHDSRU?ie=UTF8&tag=my12kevi-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rocko's Modern Life</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=my12kevi-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001EHDSRU" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />... They were all good shows, but they focused more on often crude humor and the quality of the animation varied greatly. But one show stood out from the pack. A show that was well animated, expertly acted, and didn't patronize it's young viewers with it's complex stories. That show was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Animated-Vol-Kevin-Conroy/dp/B00023E894?ie=UTF8&tag=my12kevi-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Batman</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=my12kevi-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00023E894" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />. I would rush home every day to watch the Dark Knight get after the bad guys, and loved the cinematic action and film noir style. And while it was not the only Action show for kids (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gargoyles-Complete-Season-Special-Anniversary/dp/B0002W4SY0?ie=UTF8&tag=my12kevi-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Gargoyles</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=my12kevi-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002W4SY0" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> comes to mind), it was the best, in my opinion. My love of Batman also affected my tastes moving forward. I now craved higher quality animation and stories, and I was often disappointed with American shows in that regard. It was around this time that I started to wish I could find something different to watch, and I got my wish in the form of another video rental store.<br />
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Freedom Video was a fairly standard video store of the time. It was housed in what was once a Gas Station in front of the local Mall in Marshalltown. They offered the standard fare; hundreds of movies, an impressive selection of video games, and one section that would become very important to me.<br />
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I vividly remember the sign above this section, reading "Japanimation - Animation not intended for Children", and was emblazoned with pictures of characters from Battle Arena Toshinden and other shows. I've long since come to dislike the term Japanimation, for I think obvious reasons. As a teenager, I made two conclusions about this sign. 1, I was not a child, so no trouble there. And 2, whoever owned the place must have loved the stuff, since they had put a lot more work into that sign than they did any of the others in the shop. I remember worrying that someone would ask me to leave or shoo me away from this "Adult" section, but I perused the available videos anyway. It took me a while just to gather the stones to add an anime tape to the pile of movies my grandfather and I were renting (I know, I know). But after that first tape, I never looked back.<br />
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Ghost in the Shell was the first movie I rented. And looking back, it was a pretty steep movie to start out on.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/V1P2J7fXWkg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=6304493681&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>See what I mean? And that's just the first few minutes. I mentioned this in my list of the greatest Animated films, but it bears repeating. This movie changed everything. It instantly became the yardstick by which I measured any other action or sci-fi movie I saw. It was this film that inspired my interest in Philosophy and cemented my fate as an Anime Fan. The first time i watched it, I remember sneaking downstairs after everyone else was asleep to do so, for fear that if anyone else saw it, I would be forbidden to watch it. Whenever I watched it after that, I still waited till after everyone went to bed because I knew I would be. (As a point of reference, I was once forbidden to watch Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers because there was one episode that included a group of Soda-addicted mice called the Cola Cult. Just sayin.) This was my rebellion. <br />
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On the surface, Ghost in the Shell is an action thriller with some excellent animation and a beautiful protagonist. But the real story is the human condition itself. The nature of what we are, and what defines human existence. The nagging doubts that annoy a normal person eventually nearly paralyze the almost fully artificial Kusanagi Motoko. The entire third act of the film is about Kusanagi's desperate need to discover the truth about her very nature.<br />
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Also, I feel I must mention, without Ghost in the Shell, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Matrix-10th-Anniversary-Blu-ray/dp/B001NXBRJG?ie=UTF8&tag=my12kevi-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Matrix</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=my12kevi-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001NXBRJG" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> could not have happened. <br />
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From there, I rented several other titles from Freedom Video's Anime department, and continued to be blown away by what I found.<br />
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Blue Seed was my first taste of purely Japanese episodic anime, and did it ever stick with me.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">At first, I only had the first two episodes available to me, so I wondered where the series went from there for years. Based around a mass reappearance of ancient mythical beings known as the Aragami in modern Japan. The protagonists work for the TAC, a government agency specializing in countering the threat. Fujimiya Momiji was a fairly normal teenager living in Izumo. One day, when walking home from the Shinto Shrine where her grandmother was training her to be a priestess, Momiji is accosted by a mysterious young man named Kusanagi who informs her that she has to die. It becomes clear that he is no mere mortal when he is thwarted by TAC members Kunikida Daitetsu and Takeuchi Ryoko, and escapes by leaping from tree to tree. The TAC members fill Momiji in on here origin and the fact that she is the descendant of the Princess Kushinada from the ancient fable of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susanoo">Susano O</a> slaying the Eight Headed Dragon <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamata_no_Orochi">Yamata no Orochi</a>. Even as Momiji reads the legend in the Library at her school, Orochi himself attacks. It seems that if Momiji is killed in a ritualistic manner within a ceramic field, the Aragami will roam the earth forever. Even as Orochi is about to accomplish his goal, Kusanagi returns and rescues Momiji. He reveals that he wants to kill the Aragami, but he also becomes attached to Momiji during the ordeal, and decides to protect her from them. <br />
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Another film I saw at this time that even I had to admit I wasn't ready for was Ninja Scroll. The title alone prompted me to rent this film, and My expectations for anything involving Ninjas were obviously a little out of whack, having grown up a huge TMNT fan. I am pretty sure there were no severed limbs, split skulls, or graphic portrayals of sex involved with any ninja show I had seen. Ninja Scroll changed all that.<br />
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Warning, no kids, don't get me in trouble with your family here!<br />
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I continued to partake of other films from Freedom Video and Hollywood Video as well. It wasn't long after this that I went from casual observer to collector. Starting with VHS copies of some of my all time favorites, and DVD's of new favorites when they became more available. Next time, I'll talk about some of my favorite series from that time period.<br />
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And now, your Moment of AMV Zen...<br />
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</div>Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255662176379870960.post-44580673794144127902011-01-06T11:32:00.000-08:002011-01-06T18:14:16.487-08:00Thursday Top Ten: Animated FilmsSo just for giggles, I signed up for Amazon Associates, a program where by I can post Items from Amazon here on my blog, which sounds pretty cool to me. So by way of testing out how it works and also as an excuse to introduce a new idea I've been thinking about, it's time time for the Thursday Top Ten. I'm going to pick the subject matter for now, but if anyone has Ideas for future installments, I'm open to suggestions!<br />
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For this inaugural TT10, I'm going with my Top Ten Animated Feature Films. When I say animated, I am Not talking computer generated, actual animation here. This is a list of My personal favorites. We can argue about the particular merits of other works, but this list is just stuff I love personally. <br />
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<b>10) Jin Roh</b><br />
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Jin Roh is the story set in an alternate modern day Japan. It is a world in which Germany won World War II and Japan is now a totalitarian state. As dissatisfaction with the government grows, riots break out and citizens clash with the local police and armed forces alike. One young girl is carrying packages for a resistance group when she is confronted by one of the heavily armed, armored, and red eyed shock troops sent in to break up the crowds with deadly force. This trooper, Fuse, confronts the girl, attempting to take her in peacefully. However she pulls a string within the package she carries and the explosives inside detonate. Fuse's Armor saves his life, but he is haunted by the answer the girl gave when he asked her "Why?" She gave none. After a time, Fuse goes to the girls grave to pay his respects and try to make sense of the event. Here he meets the girl's sister, and the movie from there deals with the complex relationship the two develop. Loaded with intense action sequences and even more intense emotional scenes, Jin Roh is a heartbreaking movie.<br />
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<b>9) The Place Promised in our Early Days</b><br />
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Another film set in an alternate modern day Japan, in which the Islands of Japan have been occupied in a similar manner as Germany was after WWII, with the US controlling Honshu and Kyushu, and "The Union" controlling Hokkaido. Three school friends in Aomori spend their last year of Junior High marveling at the Hokkaido Tower, a seemingly impossible spire that rises straight up past the clouds on the other side of the Tsugaru Straight in Union territory. The two boys, Takuya and Hiroki, and their female friend Sayuri find a crashed drone plane and rebuild it together with help from their boss at a local manufacturing facility. The three friends make a pact to one day fly over to Hokkaido Tower and see how high it really goes and what is at the top. However, Sayuri goes missing the entire summer. For the next three years, she suffers a severe condition similar to narcolepsy and sleeps almost constantly. In the intervening years, the brilliant Takuya has become a physicist and studies the Hokkaido Tower. One of Takuya's coworkers believes Sayuri's condition is linked to the tower. Hiroki has moved to Tokyo and suffers depression as a result of grief related to Sayuri's condition. After receiving a letter Sayuri wrote shortly before she fell ill, Hiroki becomes convinced that the only way to get her back is to fly her over the Tower, the place the three of them promised to visit together. The movie from there deals with Hiroki and Takuya working to fulfill their promise to Sayuri. This is a Tear-jerker of a movie with a side of Sci Fi. <br />
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<b>8) The Sword in the Stone</b><br />
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</div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/eb6seu90dX8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=my12kevi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0015XWU9U&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Yup, there is a Disney Movie on this list, but it may not be the one most people expect. While The Lion King, Aladdin, Jungle Book and a few others are all great films and runners up for this list, The Sword in the Stone was always my favorite of Disney's animated films. The classic tale of young Arthur and how he met his most trusted advisor, the Wizard Merlin. Through a series of Magical Lessons, Merlin teaches the young downtrodden boy the wonder's of the world around him and the life lessons that would define him as a legendary King. The film closes with the Iconic scene of Arthur pulling the Sword from the stone and being crowned king. Chock full of Magic, Music, Mirth, and of course the Mad Madam Mim, This Disney Classic never fails to entertain.<br />
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<b>7) Spirited Away</b><br />
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When young Chihiro's family moves to a new town, she worries about having to make new friends in a strange place. But after a Magical gateway in an abandoned amusement park transports them to a land of wandering spirits, Chihiro quickly attempts to escape with her parents. Unfortunately, they have been turned into pigs as punishment for stealing the food of the spirits. Chihiro believes all is lost, but help comes in the form of Haku, a young man who sneaks Chihiro into the Bathhouse of the Spirits and tells her she must get a Job from Yubaba, the witch that rules over the land. Along the way, Chihiro befriends many of the occupants of the bathhouse and an outcast known as No-Face. The magical atmosphere and moving story make for an enchanting film experience from the master of the artform, Miyazaki Hayao. <br />
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<b>6) Tenchi Muyo in Love</b><br />
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The first film in the Tenchi Muyo trilogy, this film is part heart-wrenching love story and part action packed sci fi epic. When a galactic menace and blood enemy of the Jurai Royal family, Kain, escapes from the void he was imprisoned in long ago, his first goal is revenge. He seeks out Jurian descendants and zeroes in on one who's powers have not manifested themselves. Back on Earth, Tenchi and the Girls are watching his father's old home movies, including one featuring Tenchi's Late mother Achika when she was in High School. When Achika suddenly disappears from the film itself, Tenchi is wracked with pain, then thrown bodily against an energy net. Washu appears, and explains that some event in the past has removed Achika from the timeline, and would have done the same to Tenchi as well if not for the energy net holding him there. In order to determine what the event was, and how it can be prevented, Washu sends Tenchi, Ryoko, Aeka, Sasami, Mihoshi, and Kiyone back to 1970 to infiltrate Achika's school and monitor her. Tenchi is thrilled at the opportunity to see his mother again, as she died when he was very young, but Washu warns that such a thing could cause a paradox. As Aeka and Ryoko join Achika's class and work to become friends with her and Tenchi's Father Nobiyuki, Bubble-headed Mihoshi and her long-suffering partner Kiyone become teachers, and Sasami helps Tenchi keep an eye on Achika from a distance. The film culminates with an epic battle against Kain at Tokyo Tower. <br />
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<b>5) Akira</b><br />
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Akira is a tale of two friends torn apart by a secret government program. Kaneda and Tetsuo are members of the Capsules Biker gang in the alternate future city of Neo Tokyo. During a brutal turf war with a rival gang known as the Clowns, Tetsuo nearly runs over a child with an elderly face before his bike mysteriously explodes. Tetsuo and the child are captured by military personnel and Kaneda is taken in for questioning along with the rest of the Capsules. Kaneda meets a young girl named Kei who is in an anti-government resistance group and after their release, they determine to rescue Tetsuo. However, it is revealed that Tetsuo is an Esper and has mental capabilities similar to those of the titular Akira, a small boy who's power destroyed Tokyo some years ago. When three other espers attempt to kill Tetsuo before his power can be unlocked, they only succeed in awakening his true potential. From there, Tetsuo becomes unfathomably powerful and mad with rage, and Kaneda's rescue mission becomes a desperate attempt to stop his friend from causing destruction on a massive scale. When it was released, Akira was shockingly violent and outstandingly well animated. It stands the test of time and is just as compelling now as it ever was.<br />
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<b>4) Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door</b><br />
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It's Cowboy Bebop. The Movie. If that isn't enough to get you interested, then you really need to check out the original show. Basically the Bounty Hunting Quartet of Spike, Jet, Faye, and Ed do what they do best. The Action, The Music, the Plot. It's all undeniably cool.<br />
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<b>3) Grave of the Fireflies</b><br />
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Another studio Ghibli animated masterpiece, this film is very different from most of the others on this list. Set in the waning days of WWII against the backdrop of the Kobe Firebombings, Grave of the Fireflies tells a gut-wrenchingly sad story of war, poverty, and desperation. Seita, a teenage boy, and his young sister Setsuko are left orphaned after their mother is burned to death in a firebombing run by American Forces. They are taken in by a distant relative for a time, but as supplies grow scarcer as the bombings continue, the relative slowly comes to resent them. The two are eventually forced to leave and set up a makeshift home in an abandoned bomb shelter. At first they enjoy living on their own and light the rooms with Fireflies. Setsuko is heartbroken the next morning when the fireflies have all died, and digs a grave for them, asking Seita why they died so quickly. From there the two continue to struggle to survive. Roger Ebert has stated that this is the greatest anti-war film. <br />
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<b>2) Princess Mononoke</b><br />
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An epic fantasy tale of courage, betrayal, and redemption jam packed with gorgeous visuals, moving music, and compelling characters, Princess Mononoke is Truly Miyazaki Hayao's masterwork. Ashitaka, a young warrior prince living in a small remote village challenges an attacking monster to protect his sister and the rest of the citizens. The Demon is a huge mass of black tendrils rampaging across the countryside, leaving a trail of decay wherever it goes. Ashitaka realizes it is a tormented Forest Spirit that once guarded the forest, and attempts to reason with it, begging the tortured beast to spare the village. The spirit attacks Ashitaka, wounding his hand in the process. Unable to dissuade him, Ashitaka is forced to kill the Demon and begs it's forgiveness. The beast Scoffs, and tells Ashitaka he is doomed to suffer the same fate he has. When it is determined that the demonic wound on his arm cannot be healed, the village is forced to banish Ashitaka. He sets out to find the cause of the Demon's corruption and meets a shifty Monk named Jigo who Directs him to Iron Town, where Lady Eboshi's people are engaged in increased industry and the spirits of the surrounding forests are growing restless. On the journey there, Ashitaka finds two dying men who were working as guards for one of Eboshi's caravans when they were attacked by three Wolf Spirits. As he works to help the men, he encounters the wolves and is surprised to see a human girl with them, cleaning the wounds of one of the Wolves. He addresses the spirits respectfully, but the girl tells Ashitaka to leave the forest and rides away on one of the wolves. Later the girl, San, attacks Iron Town in an attempt to kill Lady Eboshi to protect the forest, only to be thwarted by Ashitaka, who's Demonic Wound has granted him exceptional physical strength. Ashitaka and San leave Iron Town and meet with Okkoto, the leader of the Boars. From there a complex story unfolds as the humans of Iron Town clash with the Boar Spirits of the Forest and an enigmatic creature known as the Great Forest Spirit becomes the focus of the conflict. This film is a morality play in which there is no truly good and no truly evil character.<br />
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<b>1) Ghost in the Shell</b><br />
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If there is any movie on this list that I can honestly say changed my life, it is Ghost in the Shell. When I saw it in 1996, I had never seen anything remotely like it. This Near Future cyberpunk thriller is loaded with haunting scenes, intense action, and philosophical musings on the nature of being human. When a notorious Ghost Hacker known as the Puppet Master comes to the attention of Major Kusanagi Motoko, a secret police officer in New Port City Japan who is almost entirely cybernetic, the trail he leaves leads to an obsessive need to understand who he is. I will talk more about this film in upcoming posts, no doubt.<br />
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So there it is, feel free to tell me how wrong I am, but that's my take on it. Let me know if you have any ideas for future Top Ten's, I'll consider just about any topic.Haakon Wahlstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15008734854628676586noreply@blogger.com2