I’m proud to announce the launch of a gaming/entertainment blog run by two of my clanmates – Dweezle and bs angel. Dweezle and I have been working hard over the last few weeks getting everything set up and in place. He’s made most of the general design decisions, and I’ve done most of the heavy code-jockeying. The site has a good start with some legacy entries imported in from their original location and looks to be an interesting source for gaming and movie reviews and the promise of an excellent podcast. The site is called Difference in Opinion. Go check it out, and leave some comments for them while you’re there.
Tags: bs angel, difference in opinion, dweezle, Entertainment, gaming, movies, tied-the-leader
Her: “Wow, that’s Angelina Jolie? That’s nothing like the way she looks in Grave Robber!”
Me: ”...you mean Tomb Raider.”
Her: “Um, yeah.”
Me: * laughter *
Her: “Well, there’s dead people – and robbing…!”
Tags: angelina-jolie, Humor, movies, tomb-raider
Apparently, George Lucas thinks that The Empire Strikes Back was the worst of all the Star Wars movies. Ironic, then, that it is the one most commonly held up and revered by die-hard fans as being the best of all time. (And, according to SF Signal, it’s also the one written by a sci-fi author and not directed by Lucas.) It really, really makes me question Lucas’ judgment on quality, now.
(And for the record, I actually thought Jedi was pretty good, it being among my personal favorites.)
Update: Mm, my bad. Looks like Lucas was joking.
Tags: empire-strikes-back, george-lucas, movies, return-of-the-jedi, science-fiction, Speculative Fiction, star-wars
13 Nov 06 Cars
Pixar does it again. Cars is another outrageously funny animated film from the successful film studio, the first produced by Pixar since becoming a part of the Walt Disney franchise. Featuring an all-star cast of voice actors, including several noted race car drivers and commentators, Cars races to the top of the list of funny, family-friendly films that all will enjoy. Like most of Pixar’s movies, adults will probably appreciate the humor best, but children will also be delighted by characters like Lightning McQueen, (Tow) Mater, and Sally. Stick around through the movie credits for additional fun snippets.
A big part of the humor for me revolved around the redneck character Mater. His over-the-top antics reminded me all too well of the hillbilly community in which I grew up. The tractor tipping scene left me laughing so hard that tears were streaming down my face.
I admit to being somewhat apprehensive when I first saw previews for this film. It appeared that this film might be less interesting and humorous than most of Pixar’s prior works, but I was delighted to be proven wrong on this count. Cars makes a wonderful addition to their collection of animated films as well as a great addition to our personal movie library.
The DVD also contains two short films. Mater and the Ghostlight is hilariously funny and will leave you in stitches, and One Man Band follows in the footsteps of Pixar’s delightful film shorts.
I’m looking forward to seeing Ratatouille, the next of Pixar’s upcoming animated films.
Rating: 5/5
Tags: cars, movies, pixar, Reviews
My wife and I finally got to watch the third chapter in the X-men movie trilogy a couple of weeks ago, and I have to say that I found it to be a very satisfying ending for a successful comic-film run. Now, mind you, I’ve never read any of the comic books – never had the interest or the money. And I’ve heard a number of X-men comic book loyalists loudly complaining about what the film writers did to the X-men storyline in the third installment. As someone whose sole exposure to the X-men franchise has been through the movies, however, I really enjoyed the way they tied everything up (and left just enough loose ends to tease the audience with the potential for a fourth film).
In “The Last Stand” we finally get to the see the epic battle between mutants and humans and between mutants and mutants. Magneto finally puts together his Brotherhood to face-off with the X-men. Epic though it may have been, however, it was still less dramatic than one might have expected, considering the power of the mutants involved. But there are limitations to what can be done on the silver screen, both in the visual range and in the time allotted. Ultimately, the final product was more than acceptable, though the Phoenix’s ending was perhaps slightly cheesier and more simplistic than believability might allow.
The storyline for the third film was a logical progression of the first two and was, in my opinion, stronger than the second chapter. Put together, the three films make a highly entertaining and enjoyable series to add to the collections of comic book lovers and speculative fiction enthusiasts everywhere.
Rating: 4/5
Tags: comics, movie-reviews, movies, Reviews, science-fiction, Speculative Fiction, xmen
The art of storytelling is as important to the story as are the actual details of the story itself. Perhaps that is why I loved Advent Rising (which I finally finished over the weekend, I might add) and The Village so much. The story, in both cases, might not have been as complex or as detailed as some of the best-loved classics, but the way in which the story was told, the artistry and skill with which the particular details were revealed, certainly places both stories in a place of great prominence for me. Sure, The Village seemed a lot less mysterious and creepy once the particulars were made known, and Advent Rising raised many more questions than it answered, but the mysteries were laid out one at a time and with careful precision, forcing you, the viewer, to sit on the edge of your seat and wonder just what the heck was going on.
I think people tend to overlook the artistry of storytelling. Part of why I think so many people disliked The Village was because it was finally revealed that the monsters in the woods were not real after all. In a world where gore and murder are so popular, where horror receives such interest and acclaim, where people like to be titillated, complex and interesting plots are often rejected because people don’t always like to have to work by thinking through a story in order to understand it. They don’t like having the story laid out for them only a bit at a time.
It’s interesting to me to note the disappointment and the criticism when a mysterious story promises a hugely climactic ending that resolves without the splash of blood they were hoping for. All that tension builds up in anticipation of that momentous peak, and then the great mystery proves to be less mystery and more mundane. This is not unique to just stories like The Village, either. Many stories I’ve read or seen in a movie are wrapped in great mystery, and then, when the mystery is solved, you look back at the story in hindsight and wonder why you ever got so wound up about it. Anticlimactic. Sometimes. That is the very thing that I think causes people to criticize so harshly stories like The Village where the resolution is closer to ordinary than anyone expected (or even than anyone might have liked). Yet, when you look at the skills used to tell the story and the way in which it was told, it is possible to appreciate the story in a different light and proclaim it good – and maybe even excellent.
Tags: advent-rising, m.-night-shyamalan, movies, orson-scott-card, storytelling, the-village, video-games
Yes, I realize I’m a bit slow on the uptake. Blame it on extenuating circumstances. Blame it on global warming. Blame on the teddy bears’ picnic, but please don’t hold it against me. I finally got to watch M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village last night. And let me just say that I am fast becoming a fan of the man’s work.
I was first introduced to Shyamalan thought The Sixth Sense, a psychological thriller that shocked me with its startling ending twist. Then, I was disappointed with Signs, an abysmal alien invasion movie that smacked of V but without any of the interest or action that made the TV series so good. And finally, I discovered Unbreakable, an dark film about real-life comic book heroes.
Brief Spoilage: Consider Yourself Warned
The Village was brilliantly written. I was a bit wary of it for quite a while, having heard and read a number of reviews for the film that thrashed it soundly – poor plot, poor story, horrible development, bad lighting, too scary, etc. The premise of the story is a village that is nearly crippled by its fear of a group of mysterious creatures who live in the forest that surrounds the village. The people and the creatures abide by a tenuous truce – the people do not cross the borders into the forest, and the creatures do not cross into the village.
Shyamalan skillfully sets the stage to reveal a secret that has been kept for decades by the elders of the village, a secret that must now be passed on to the next generation if the village is to survive. Each piece of the puzzle is revealed with agonizing torpescence. From the significance of the color red to the punishment of the Quiet Room to the skinning of livestock, the portrait is painted of a village hobbled by fear. Visual clues dot the landscape of the village – utility poles with power transformers that line the perimeter of the village and porcupine quills on the backs of the creatures hint at the deceptions that have been effected to protect the village from the outside world. It is only in the final few minutes of the film, when the elders’ secrets are removed from black boxes and when the ranger casually reveals his secret that the totality of the plot is brought to light.
Shyamalan once agains writes a captivating story of fear and suspense that leaves his audience breathless as the mysteries of The Village are exposed. The artistry and beauty of the writing make The Village a thoroughly enjoyable experience, one that I highly recommend for anyone who thrills to psychological thrillers.
Tags: m.-night-shyamalan, movie-reviews, movies, Reviews, the-village
Two new movies hitting theatres soon—Wolf Creek and Hostel—contain graphic displays of violence, torture, serial murder, and dismemberment. Hostel touts the factoid that paramedics were required at the preview due to the extreme reactions of some of those in attendance.
I find that I must shake my head in dismay and disbelief. What exactly is the appeal of these sorts of flicks? Why do hordes of people surge to the theatres to watch gratuitous displays of blood, guts, and other disgusting acts of violence? The best answer I have ever been able to come up with is that it is something like a roller coaster—it gives a thrill of fear and excitement that gets the blood pumping, adrenaline rushing, leaving you with a headrush and a high that feels good, makes you feel alive. These movies act on natural fears, and we are morbidly fascinated with horror.
It titilates the evil side of humanity, appeals to that innate darkness. We are repelled and sickened, while at the same time we find it somehow appealing. Hence, the flocking to the box office and the sky-high sales of such movies.
I can’t stand watching those kinds of movies. They touch darker parts of my mind that I would just as soon keep tucked safely away. I hate the way watching those kind of movies disrupts my psyche and my sleep for several nights afterward. I wish to avoid becoming desensitized to that sort of violence. I simply see no reason to subject myself to something that, so far as I can tell, has no benefits whatsoever. It fails to qualify even as mere entertainment.
I have never understood why anyone would want to watch blood, guts, and gore fly around the screen. If there are any good reasons why anyone, let alone Christians, should watch these kinds of films, I fail to see them.
Tags: christianity, culture, Entertainment, hostel, movies, society, wolf-creek
I finally got to watch this movie tonight. I was expecting a cheesy ‘B’ movie and was, instead, pleasantly surprised to find myself laughing with a well-done action/comedy/romance. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie team up in this film to play assassins working for competing companies who discover each other’s secret. The ensuing action is fast-paced without being overdone and without destroying any semblance of plot. The dialogue is witty and hilarious, the scripting well-written, and the soundtrack outstanding. Acting is as much body language as delivering lines, and Pitt and Jolie are masters of their craft. Much of the communication between the two heroes was done through subtle facial expressions that left me either writhing with laughter or empathizing at their emotional plight, as they struggled to discover each other, even as they struggled for their lives.
Of course, with any shootout it is always amusing to note how little injury the heroes sustain. Hundreds of bullets fly through the air and nary a one inflicts any significant wound, either speeding past and around the heroes or impacting ‘harmlessly’ on their body armor. Pitt’s friend Eddie was also somewhat less than believable as a fellow assassin, providing only minimal comedy relief with his inane babbling about armchair psychology.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith was a wholly enjoyable film, one that I watched twice and laughed out loud in all the same places both times. Despite the irony of trained assassins working to save their marriage, the message of commitment in the face of adversity was strong and heart-warming. Now, if only Pitt and Jolie can make it work in real life…
Tags: Entertainment, movie-reviews, movies, Reviews
Now is the time that we must choose between what is right, and what is easy.
~Albus Dumbledore
This quote from the movie Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a variation on a quote from the book itself, and it carries a valuable lesson that can be applied to the Christian walk (though that was almost certainly not Rowling’s intent). This statement by the Headmaster of Hogwarts begs the question, Why is ‘right’ so hard and evil so easy? And the answer, at least from a Christian perspective is simple—because evil appeals to our fallen and sinful nature. It has always been, and always will be, easier to go with the flow than against it. And when the flow goes the way of doing what is wrong, most of us are content to simply drift along with a lackadaisical disinterest.
Fortunately, God grants more grace through the person of His Son and the working of His Spirit. He gives light where there is none and opens the eyes of those who would believe. As such His children are then able to be light to a dark world on His behalf, standing against the tide, sometimes at great cost, to do what is right and just and holy in the eyes of a powerful, loving, and righteous God. It’s not always easy to do what is right, particularly when the allure of what is easy is oh-so-tempting. Yet, the most satisfying times are when the surge races past and we find that we are standing fast on the Rock, safe and sound when all others have given in to their own sinful whims. We’re not perfect, of course, but it is most rewarding when we find we have stood the test and faced the trials and come out the other side victorious.
Tags: albus-dumbledore, books, christianity, god, harry-potter, harry-potter-and-the-goblet-of-fire, hogwarts, j.k.-rowling, movies
