I'll be posting my predictions nearer the big day (if it happens)!
Well here they are:
Performance by an actor in a leading role
George Clooney in "Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood"
Johnny Depp in "Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Tommy Lee Jones in "In the Valley of Elah"
Viggo Mortensen in "Eastern Promises"
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Casey Affleck in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men"
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Charlie Wilson's War"
Hal Holbrook in "Into the Wild"
Tom Wilkinson in "Michael Clayton"
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Cate Blanchett in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
Julie Christie in "Away from Her"
Marion Cotillard in "La Vie en Rose"
Laura Linney in "The Savages"
Ellen Page in "Juno"
Performance by an actress in a supporting roleCate Blanchett in "I'm Not There"
Ruby Dee in "American Gangster"
Saoirse Ronan in "Atonement"
Amy Ryan in "Gone Baby Gone"
Tilda Swinton in "Michael Clayton"
Best animated feature film of the year
"Persepolis"
"Ratatouille”
"Surf's Up"
Achievement in art direction
"American Gangster"
"Atonement"
"The Golden Compass"
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
"There Will Be Blood"
Achievement in cinematography
"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
"Atonement"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"
Achievement in costume design
"Across the Universe"
"Atonement"
"Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
"La Vie en Rose"
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Achievement in directing
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" Julian Schnabel
"Juno" Jason Reitman
"Michael Clayton" Tony Gilroy
"No Country for Old Men" Joel Coen and Ethan Coen"There Will Be Blood" Paul Thomas Anderson
Best documentary feature
"No End in Sight"
“Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience"
"Sicko"
"Taxi to the Dark Side"
"War/Dance"
Best documentary short subject
"Freeheld"
"La Corona (The Crown)"
"Salim Baba"
"Sari's Mother"
Achievement in film editing
"The Bourne Ultimatum"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
"Into the Wild"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"
Best foreign language film of the year
"Beaufort"
"The Counterfeiters"
"Katyn"
"Mongol"
"12"
Achievement in makeup
"La Vie en Rose"
"Norbit"
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)"Atonement"
"The Kite Runner"
"Michael Clayton"
"Ratatouille"
"3:10 to Yuma"
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
"Falling Slowly" from "Once"
"Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted"
"Raise It Up" from "August Rush"
"So Close" from "Enchanted"
"That's How You Know" from "Enchanted"
Best motion picture of the year"Atonement"
"Juno"
"Michael Clayton"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"
Best animated short film
"I Met the Walrus"
"Madame Tutli-Putli"
"My Love (Moya Lyubov)"
"Peter & the Wolf"
Best live action short film
"At Night"
“Il Supplente (The Substitute)"
"Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)"
"Tanghi Argentini"
"The Tonto Woman"
Achievement in sound editing
"The Bourne Ultimatum"
"No Country for Old Men"
"Ratatouille"
"There Will Be Blood"
"Transformers"
Achievement in sound mixing
"The Bourne Ultimatum"
"No Country for Old Men"
"Ratatouille"
"3:10 to Yuma"
"Transformers"
Achievement in visual effects
"The Golden Compass"
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"
"Transformers"
Adapted screenplay
"Atonement"
"Away from Her"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"
Original screenplay
"Juno"
"Lars and the Real Girl"
"Michael Clayton"
"Ratatouille"
"The Savages"
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Cultural film exchange part 2
Well, as expected, my friend was not so taken by INLAND EMPIRE…
He even went as far as writing his own 1 star review for Amazon. To counter it, I have also written my own Amazon review.
Both review are repeated below:
My friends review:
“As films go I like to be entertained!
I must admit I am not a David Lynch expert in that I have not seen any other of his films. So does this not entitle me to my opinion?
When people write reviews it is generally on their type of film (this was not mine) so some may say I should not write a review.
Well here goes:
The camera man was probably a drunk who was dragged off the street and given a camcorder. It was like watching a war documentary, where the camera is wobbling about, trying to keep up. Then the next thing, it is right in the actors face at a weird angle, thats when it stays in focus.
I know that some would say "This is art in a film making way..." but for me, the average film watcher it was unbearable.
I generally will stick it out with a film, believing it will get better.
Well I stuck it out for 1:45hrs and then just had to switch it off. My wife gave up way before that. The film actually lasts 3hrs so I have read, I do not know how anybody can endure this film for as long as that!”
My review:
“INLAND EMPIRE is not a conventional film. If you go into the film expecting this, then you will likely come out of the experience either bewildered or angered (or a combination of both).
Most films lead you by the hand as you watch them. Generally they will tell you something if going to happen, show something happening, then explain why this has happened. The sign of a truly great film, is one which makes you as the viewer do some of the work. INLAND EMPIRE takes this to the extreme. It is beyond a doubt one of the most challenging films out there (although Eraserhead probably beats it to the punch). While the first hour of the film is generally easy to follow, it is the final two hours which throw you into a bizarre of mixed plotlines and images.
It feels like David Lynch has poured out his creative soul into this film. The freedom of digital film has allowed him to stretch his canvas much wider than he has been able to do previously. While the plot of the film may forever remain a mystery and forever be open to interpretation, the themes are all too apparent, especially as the film nears the climax. It would seem that this, like Muholland Drive which proceeded it, is ultimately a commentary by David Lynch into the way that HOLLYWOOD (notice the matching capitals between HOLLYWOOD and INLAND EMPIRE) treats women. This is aided by a remarkable performance by Laura Dern, who has never been better.
I have watched this film twice, and I’m certain that I will watch it many more times. Even then I doubt I’ll be able to unravel all of its mysteries. It is a challenging film yes, but also one of the most refreshing films I have seen in years. Definitely not for everyone, but there is really nothing quite like it!”
He even went as far as writing his own 1 star review for Amazon. To counter it, I have also written my own Amazon review.
Both review are repeated below:
My friends review:
“As films go I like to be entertained!
I must admit I am not a David Lynch expert in that I have not seen any other of his films. So does this not entitle me to my opinion?
When people write reviews it is generally on their type of film (this was not mine) so some may say I should not write a review.
Well here goes:
The camera man was probably a drunk who was dragged off the street and given a camcorder. It was like watching a war documentary, where the camera is wobbling about, trying to keep up. Then the next thing, it is right in the actors face at a weird angle, thats when it stays in focus.
I know that some would say "This is art in a film making way..." but for me, the average film watcher it was unbearable.
I generally will stick it out with a film, believing it will get better.
Well I stuck it out for 1:45hrs and then just had to switch it off. My wife gave up way before that. The film actually lasts 3hrs so I have read, I do not know how anybody can endure this film for as long as that!”
My review:
“INLAND EMPIRE is not a conventional film. If you go into the film expecting this, then you will likely come out of the experience either bewildered or angered (or a combination of both).
Most films lead you by the hand as you watch them. Generally they will tell you something if going to happen, show something happening, then explain why this has happened. The sign of a truly great film, is one which makes you as the viewer do some of the work. INLAND EMPIRE takes this to the extreme. It is beyond a doubt one of the most challenging films out there (although Eraserhead probably beats it to the punch). While the first hour of the film is generally easy to follow, it is the final two hours which throw you into a bizarre of mixed plotlines and images.
It feels like David Lynch has poured out his creative soul into this film. The freedom of digital film has allowed him to stretch his canvas much wider than he has been able to do previously. While the plot of the film may forever remain a mystery and forever be open to interpretation, the themes are all too apparent, especially as the film nears the climax. It would seem that this, like Muholland Drive which proceeded it, is ultimately a commentary by David Lynch into the way that HOLLYWOOD (notice the matching capitals between HOLLYWOOD and INLAND EMPIRE) treats women. This is aided by a remarkable performance by Laura Dern, who has never been better.
I have watched this film twice, and I’m certain that I will watch it many more times. Even then I doubt I’ll be able to unravel all of its mysteries. It is a challenging film yes, but also one of the most refreshing films I have seen in years. Definitely not for everyone, but there is really nothing quite like it!”
Monday, January 21, 2008
Still Alive?
Yep - more portal goodness!
GameSetWatch have compiled the top 12 covers of "Still Alive" thanks to the wonder that is Youtube...
Definately worth a watch...
You just have to love the girl in the pink dress (number 7)
Still Alive?
GameSetWatch have compiled the top 12 covers of "Still Alive" thanks to the wonder that is Youtube...
Definately worth a watch...
You just have to love the girl in the pink dress (number 7)
Still Alive?
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Marie, games complete & turret
Over the last few weeks I have managed to complete a total of 3 games – phew I know. Anyway, all of these games have been absolutely exceptional, 2 of them have been amongst the best games I have ever played.
Games completed:
Uncharted: Drakes Fortune
An absolute blast. A great mix of action and adventure that plays like a grand Indiana Jones adventure. My only criticism would be that it needed some decent puzzles. There were sections of the game which were intended as puzzles, but in actual fact all of the solutions were written down in Drake’s journal, and it was just a matter of interpreting these solutions (which was pretty damn easy). There is also some screen tearing in some sections of the game, which seems to be a problem for both the PS3 and 360 on some games
Apart from this, however, it is probably the best exclusive game so far on the PS3.
Portal
This just got better and better.
I love a game that challenges my mind a little and some of the puzzles did take a little time to get my head around. What I love about this game is that it seems such a long time that a first person game was something other than shooting the crap out of everything, this shows that you can do something a little different.
In addition the game was unique in it humour, which was absolutely fantastic, by the end of the game you just have to love that damn computer. Also the ending song was fantastic, and was an immediate download for me from itunes.
Overall an amazing and unique game – bravo Valve!
Super Mario Galaxy
This game had me grinning from start to finish.
What’s extra special about this game is that Elliot also adores it, I now try not to play it unless he is also around to watch and give advice. He is absolute obsessed with the game, and at present talks about little else. Even though I have completed it, he still hasn’t seen the end yet, as the prospect of it frightened him. Maybe in a little while he might want me to show him how it all ends.
Saying that, however, I still have a further 44 stars or so until I have fully completed the game, which I will endeavour to do, although some of those purple comets are unbelievably challenging!
Film watched:
Marie Antoinette
Too much opulence and cake and not enough revolution.
6/10
Talking of portal above, I came across this movie that someone created, using the portal turrets. It’s incredibly funny, but definitely NSFW.
Games completed:
Uncharted: Drakes Fortune
An absolute blast. A great mix of action and adventure that plays like a grand Indiana Jones adventure. My only criticism would be that it needed some decent puzzles. There were sections of the game which were intended as puzzles, but in actual fact all of the solutions were written down in Drake’s journal, and it was just a matter of interpreting these solutions (which was pretty damn easy). There is also some screen tearing in some sections of the game, which seems to be a problem for both the PS3 and 360 on some games
Apart from this, however, it is probably the best exclusive game so far on the PS3.
Portal
This just got better and better.
I love a game that challenges my mind a little and some of the puzzles did take a little time to get my head around. What I love about this game is that it seems such a long time that a first person game was something other than shooting the crap out of everything, this shows that you can do something a little different.
In addition the game was unique in it humour, which was absolutely fantastic, by the end of the game you just have to love that damn computer. Also the ending song was fantastic, and was an immediate download for me from itunes.
Overall an amazing and unique game – bravo Valve!
Super Mario Galaxy
This game had me grinning from start to finish.
What’s extra special about this game is that Elliot also adores it, I now try not to play it unless he is also around to watch and give advice. He is absolute obsessed with the game, and at present talks about little else. Even though I have completed it, he still hasn’t seen the end yet, as the prospect of it frightened him. Maybe in a little while he might want me to show him how it all ends.
Saying that, however, I still have a further 44 stars or so until I have fully completed the game, which I will endeavour to do, although some of those purple comets are unbelievably challenging!
Film watched:
Marie Antoinette
Too much opulence and cake and not enough revolution.
6/10
Talking of portal above, I came across this movie that someone created, using the portal turrets. It’s incredibly funny, but definitely NSFW.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Cultural film exchange
A friend of mine has been trying to get me to watch the film A Knights Tale for some time and each time I have refused. The reasons for this being that I remember the trailer for this made the film look awful (it looked like the mindless popcorn films that I really despise) and in addition to this, my friend has been known to have terrible taste in films (he really likes The Mummy Returns).
Eventually we have reached an agreement – If I watch A Knights Tale he had to watch a film of my choosing. As such I lent him INLAND EMPIRE (the capital letters really are very important). The reason for this is that it is the absolute polar opposite of a mindless popcorn picture, it is by far one of the most challenging films to watch that I have ever seen and I say that in a good way.
Before lending INLAND EMPIRE to my friend, I decided to watch it again. On my second viewing I was able to piece together some of the elements which were lost on my first viewing, also the themes of the film seemed to come to the surface a lot clearer this time. However, it has to be said, that this is a film which I believe is impossible to fully decipher (unless of course you are David Lynch). Above all else, it is a film which needs to be experienced and appreciated, but not fully understood. I am still of the opinion that it is one of the most remarkable films in recent memory and is also a perfect example of how the medium of film can be used in a very, very different way.
Anyway, as it turns out I actually rather enjoyed A Knights Tale, mainly thanks to the strong supporting characters – most prominently Paul Bettany who was superb as Chaucer. As such, I’m feeling a little guilty lending my friend INLAND EMPIRE, as I’d be very surprised if he actually enjoys it, and standing at just over 3 hours long it really is a lot to take in!
Film watched:
A Knights Tale
Eventually we have reached an agreement – If I watch A Knights Tale he had to watch a film of my choosing. As such I lent him INLAND EMPIRE (the capital letters really are very important). The reason for this is that it is the absolute polar opposite of a mindless popcorn picture, it is by far one of the most challenging films to watch that I have ever seen and I say that in a good way.
Before lending INLAND EMPIRE to my friend, I decided to watch it again. On my second viewing I was able to piece together some of the elements which were lost on my first viewing, also the themes of the film seemed to come to the surface a lot clearer this time. However, it has to be said, that this is a film which I believe is impossible to fully decipher (unless of course you are David Lynch). Above all else, it is a film which needs to be experienced and appreciated, but not fully understood. I am still of the opinion that it is one of the most remarkable films in recent memory and is also a perfect example of how the medium of film can be used in a very, very different way.
Anyway, as it turns out I actually rather enjoyed A Knights Tale, mainly thanks to the strong supporting characters – most prominently Paul Bettany who was superb as Chaucer. As such, I’m feeling a little guilty lending my friend INLAND EMPIRE, as I’d be very surprised if he actually enjoys it, and standing at just over 3 hours long it really is a lot to take in!
Film watched:
A Knights Tale
Extremely predictable, but strangely endearing medieval romp.
7/10
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Order and pain
Film watched:
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The worst book, becomes the best film so far.
8/10
Since the beginning of the year I have been suffering from general pain and discomfort from my neck - the fact that it has been noticed that I now also have high blood pressure also didn't help matters. Anyway, yesterday whilst walking in our local park I slipped on some wet stone steps and fell, falling on my sind and hurting my hips and arm. Now the good side to this story is that that the pain in my neck is now not so bad - probably because all the paid has instead been transferred to my hips!
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
HD War over?
Is the HD format war finally coming to an end? The news seems to be pointing in that direction.
The first signs were when Warner Bros decided to cease supporting both HD DVD and Blu-ray and instead support Blu-ray exclusively. The reasons given for this were the fact that their titles were selling proportionately more on Blu-ray than HD DVD. This means that Blu-ray now has 70% of the Hollywood studio’s in their pocket
This alone was a good indication that the balance of power was swaying towards the Blu camp, but of the last couple of days, further news stories have surface, which add weight to this.
* The HD DVD consortium cancelled their press conference at CES 2008, the biggest consumer electronics show of the year:
* It is rumoured that apple are looking to include Blu-ray drives in future products – likely to launch as from February this year, and considering the influence of Apple, this is not to be sniffed at.
* Finally, and most prominently, it would seem that when Paramount entered into an exclusive agreement with the HD DVD consortium, they had a get out clause stating that if Warners ever decided to go solely Blu-ray (which they now have), they would then be able to cease the agreement. If they did this, it would be the final blow to HD DVD which would truly finish them off.
I feel I must state that I am not anti-HD DVD. Indeed as a format it has many pluses over Blu-ray. What I am against, is a useless format war that confuses consumers – which is what we currently have. The only reason that I have been on the side of Blu-ray and have been purchasing Blu-ray disks, is because I own a PS3 (which incidentally, is still considered by most to be the best Blu-ray player out there).
Considering the boom of HD televisions, I still believe that a HD disk format is needed. People talk about a future where downloadable content, including movies, will take over, but I do not think that this will happen quickly, if at all. I for one, prefer to own an actual product (yes even CD’s) and I’m positive that I am not alone.
As a knock on, this will likely mean that PS3’s will likely start to pick up in sales, although on a worldwide basis they are already outselling the Xbox 360 on a weekly basis (although those Americans still seem to worship their Microsoft overlords). This is a good thing, as 2008 looks like a promising year for the PS3:
The first signs were when Warner Bros decided to cease supporting both HD DVD and Blu-ray and instead support Blu-ray exclusively. The reasons given for this were the fact that their titles were selling proportionately more on Blu-ray than HD DVD. This means that Blu-ray now has 70% of the Hollywood studio’s in their pocket
This alone was a good indication that the balance of power was swaying towards the Blu camp, but of the last couple of days, further news stories have surface, which add weight to this.
* The HD DVD consortium cancelled their press conference at CES 2008, the biggest consumer electronics show of the year:
* It is rumoured that apple are looking to include Blu-ray drives in future products – likely to launch as from February this year, and considering the influence of Apple, this is not to be sniffed at.
* Finally, and most prominently, it would seem that when Paramount entered into an exclusive agreement with the HD DVD consortium, they had a get out clause stating that if Warners ever decided to go solely Blu-ray (which they now have), they would then be able to cease the agreement. If they did this, it would be the final blow to HD DVD which would truly finish them off.
I feel I must state that I am not anti-HD DVD. Indeed as a format it has many pluses over Blu-ray. What I am against, is a useless format war that confuses consumers – which is what we currently have. The only reason that I have been on the side of Blu-ray and have been purchasing Blu-ray disks, is because I own a PS3 (which incidentally, is still considered by most to be the best Blu-ray player out there).
Considering the boom of HD televisions, I still believe that a HD disk format is needed. People talk about a future where downloadable content, including movies, will take over, but I do not think that this will happen quickly, if at all. I for one, prefer to own an actual product (yes even CD’s) and I’m positive that I am not alone.
As a knock on, this will likely mean that PS3’s will likely start to pick up in sales, although on a worldwide basis they are already outselling the Xbox 360 on a weekly basis (although those Americans still seem to worship their Microsoft overlords). This is a good thing, as 2008 looks like a promising year for the PS3:
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Hard day and Help
Since I can probably be classed now as a bit of a Beatlholic, I thought it about time that I watched some of the films that they made. Yes, they made films as well.
Although not as highly regarded as their music output, they are still very much part of the Beatles culture. Of course I’ve seen Yellow Submarine before many years ago as a kid (as I’m sure many people of my age have), but I have never seen any of their other films. Unfortunately, Yellow Submarine, Let it Be and Magical Mystery Tour are currently readily unavailable on DVD (unless you want to pay over the head for inferior copies), so as such, I asked for A Hard Days Night and Help for Christmas.
On watching both movies, it is immediately apparent that it is both Ringo and Lennon who are most comfortable in front of the camera, Mccartney seems a little underused (although I love the adventures of miniature Paul in Help) and Harrison confirms his role as the “quiet Beatle”. A Hard Days Night is considered to be the best Beatles movie, but this could be because it was released at the very height of Beatlemania. Personally I much preferred Help, which at least attempted to add a storyline into the mix, even if this story is rather carefree and whimsical.
Anyway, onto the mini reviews:
Films watched:
A Hard Days Night
Whimsical amusing Bond spoof with a great soundtrack.
7.5/10
Although not as highly regarded as their music output, they are still very much part of the Beatles culture. Of course I’ve seen Yellow Submarine before many years ago as a kid (as I’m sure many people of my age have), but I have never seen any of their other films. Unfortunately, Yellow Submarine, Let it Be and Magical Mystery Tour are currently readily unavailable on DVD (unless you want to pay over the head for inferior copies), so as such, I asked for A Hard Days Night and Help for Christmas.
On watching both movies, it is immediately apparent that it is both Ringo and Lennon who are most comfortable in front of the camera, Mccartney seems a little underused (although I love the adventures of miniature Paul in Help) and Harrison confirms his role as the “quiet Beatle”. A Hard Days Night is considered to be the best Beatles movie, but this could be because it was released at the very height of Beatlemania. Personally I much preferred Help, which at least attempted to add a storyline into the mix, even if this story is rather carefree and whimsical.
Anyway, onto the mini reviews:
Films watched:
A Hard Days Night
Captures the spirit of Beatlemania well. Amusing in places.
7/10
Help
7/10
Help
Whimsical amusing Bond spoof with a great soundtrack.7.5/10
Friday, December 28, 2007
2007 review
Generally, each year, I tend to try to figure out my 3 favourite films and 3 favourite games of the year and highlight these.
So here goes. Starting with…
Films
Not a very good year film while in my opinion. I can honestly say that I have not seen many outstanding films at the cinema this year. Most of the films mentioned below are actually films which were released in earlier years that I have only just caught up on DVD. Anyway, here are my 3 favourite films of the year, followed by a list of notable films (both good and very bad).
Films of the year:
Pan’s Labyrinth
An incredible film, both beautiful and moving. What is especially special about this film is that come the ending, it can be interpreted in 2 very different ways. I will not spoil it for those who have not seen it, but I will say that it can be interpreted either optimistically or pessimistically. I unfortunately, saw the ending scene in a pessimistic light – which makes the ending absolutely soul destroying. I cannot recommend it enough. It also occurs to me that for last 3 years, my favourite films for each year have been foreign language films… What does that tell you about the state of Hollywood?
Inland Empire
Not a film for everyone’s tastes.
This just shows that Lynch is still a great creative force. This is not a film that is meant to be fully understood (but I will give someone a medal if they can explain it to me), instead this is a film that needs to be experienced. It is shocking, disturbing funny and most of all, utterly bizarre.
Ratatouille
Why oh why can a film about a Rat bring a lump to my throat, when near the end of the film, the main character (Remy) cooks an exceptionally fine meal for a food critic? It’s because it’s a Pixar film. Quite frankly there is no studio, or director in Hollywood today that can match them for storytelling and also consistency. Roll on WALL-E next year (which I think looks incredible btw).
Notable mentions:
Children of Men
Very almost made it into my top 3. What is slightly annoying, is that I had a fantastic idea for a potential novel – called Children of Lazarus (honest) which was incredibly similar to the plot of Children of Men. Unfortunately I never got around to writing it, so Children of Men beat me to the punch. I don’t mind though, as it is an excellent film.
Irreversible
A French film which uses a very similar plot mechanic as Memento (namely the film is told backwards in segments). This film is notable this year, however, because it is by far the most depressing film I have ever seen.
Certainly not a film to watch unless you want to feel utterly depressed for the remainder of the day!
Baise-Moi
Another French film. I will not waste my breath too long on this, other to say that this is simply a pile of steaming excrement. I honestly could not conceive of a worse film. All I will say is that do not watch this film ever, not even out of curiosity (as I did), it really is bad beyond words.
Beowulf 3D
Showed me that a full feature length film can work admirably in 3D. Whilst at times the affect can be used as a gimmick, it can also add to the experience no end. The initial attack by Grendal to the strobeing ghostly flickering light of the drinking hall, really was simply awe inspiring.
Little Miss Sunshine
It should have won Best Picture over the Departed… There I’ve said it.
Games
Overall it’s been a great year for the average gamer. There seems to have been truly great games released on all formats (although obviously I have not been able to play the 360 titles – damn you Bioshock for not going multiplatform). The PS2 continued to have great titles in its twilight years, the PS3 has had less titles, but a few gems. The Wii game front was a little barren earlier on in the year, but the latter half of the year brought some great titles – from Nintendo of course.
Games of the Year:
Final Fantasy XII
I love Final Fantasy games, but even I must admit that there was need for change. Final Fantasy X, whilst good, was not as VII to IX and I never go to play Final Fantasy XI – being online only. Final Fantasy XII reinvented the Final Fantasy system in such a fantastic way, simplifying many things, but at the same time adding a level of planning and complexity. It also featured many memorable, likeable characters (Balthier in particular, who I hated at first, but absolutely loved by the end of the game).
Roll on Final Fantasy XIII (soon – pretty please)
Phoenix Wright 3: Trials and Tribulations
The first 2 games were great (although 1 was better than 2), but this final chapter is just perfect.
It takes all the loose threads from the first 2 games and knits them together into 5 fantastic cases which tie everything up perfectly. Although getting to the end of these cases was no easy feat – there were so many twists and turns in the story. There is really nothing to beat the feeling you get, however, when you know that a case is finally turning in your favour
Super Mario Galaxy
Okay – so I’ve only had it for a few days and I’m only around 14 stars in, but all the same… :)
No other game has put a smile on my face to such a degree as Super Mario Galaxy – it’s pure gaming nirvana, nothing more, nothing less.
Now I am amongst the few who really enjoyed Super Mario Sunshine, but even I can admit that it wasn’t nearly as good as the classic Mario 64. It has been said before, but I can say that I agree entirely that Super Mario Galaxy really is a true sequel to Mario 64.
An absolute highlight to the gaming year.
Notable mentions:
Resistance: Fall of Man
The game I played on the PS3 and also my first real experience of online gaming (I had only dabbled a little before). The single player game was okay – but not spectacular, but it was the multiplayer where the fun was. To this date, no other PS3 games has run as flawlessly and has had as many community and online options as Resistance (even the online only Warhawk), and that’s saying something for a launch game.
Call of Duty 4
Very almost made it into my top 3. The single player game is like the best adrenalin filled action film that you have ever seen mixed with an absurd level of atmosphere and graphical sheen. Then in addition to that, there is the multiplayer, which bring RPG like levelling up into the world of FPS. It slower and more realistic approach also makes it a very different game than the likes of Resistance.
Best game so far for the PS3 (and it’s a multiplatform title)
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Takes the classic Zelda formula and wraps it perfectly around the unique capabilities of control scheme of the DS.
The fact that it is a Zelda game immediately endears it to me, however, this is Zelda reinvented for the portable casual gaming world and it works beautifully. There are a few niggles – namely I hate having to redo the damn Phantom temple time and time again under a time limit, but there are also some extremely good points – the omission of fairies in bottles, which has made previous Zelda games too easy.
Overall an excellent game.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Although I have enjoyed the first two Metroid Prime games and was looking forward to the next instalment, Metroid Prime 3 has always been about the control scheme. A couple of games have tried using the Wiimote for a FPS game in the past and failed, to the baton was then passed onto Retro to perfect he technique and they did just that. It also helps that the game is fantastic fun and not as stupidly difficult as the first 2 games. Plus it’s art design is fantastic and looks great compared to other HD games even in standard definition.
So here goes. Starting with…
Films
Not a very good year film while in my opinion. I can honestly say that I have not seen many outstanding films at the cinema this year. Most of the films mentioned below are actually films which were released in earlier years that I have only just caught up on DVD. Anyway, here are my 3 favourite films of the year, followed by a list of notable films (both good and very bad).
Films of the year:
Pan’s Labyrinth
An incredible film, both beautiful and moving. What is especially special about this film is that come the ending, it can be interpreted in 2 very different ways. I will not spoil it for those who have not seen it, but I will say that it can be interpreted either optimistically or pessimistically. I unfortunately, saw the ending scene in a pessimistic light – which makes the ending absolutely soul destroying. I cannot recommend it enough. It also occurs to me that for last 3 years, my favourite films for each year have been foreign language films… What does that tell you about the state of Hollywood?Inland Empire
Not a film for everyone’s tastes.This just shows that Lynch is still a great creative force. This is not a film that is meant to be fully understood (but I will give someone a medal if they can explain it to me), instead this is a film that needs to be experienced. It is shocking, disturbing funny and most of all, utterly bizarre.
Ratatouille
Why oh why can a film about a Rat bring a lump to my throat, when near the end of the film, the main character (Remy) cooks an exceptionally fine meal for a food critic? It’s because it’s a Pixar film. Quite frankly there is no studio, or director in Hollywood today that can match them for storytelling and also consistency. Roll on WALL-E next year (which I think looks incredible btw).Notable mentions:
Children of Men
Very almost made it into my top 3. What is slightly annoying, is that I had a fantastic idea for a potential novel – called Children of Lazarus (honest) which was incredibly similar to the plot of Children of Men. Unfortunately I never got around to writing it, so Children of Men beat me to the punch. I don’t mind though, as it is an excellent film.
Irreversible
A French film which uses a very similar plot mechanic as Memento (namely the film is told backwards in segments). This film is notable this year, however, because it is by far the most depressing film I have ever seen.
Certainly not a film to watch unless you want to feel utterly depressed for the remainder of the day!
Baise-Moi
Another French film. I will not waste my breath too long on this, other to say that this is simply a pile of steaming excrement. I honestly could not conceive of a worse film. All I will say is that do not watch this film ever, not even out of curiosity (as I did), it really is bad beyond words.
Beowulf 3D
Showed me that a full feature length film can work admirably in 3D. Whilst at times the affect can be used as a gimmick, it can also add to the experience no end. The initial attack by Grendal to the strobeing ghostly flickering light of the drinking hall, really was simply awe inspiring.
Little Miss Sunshine
It should have won Best Picture over the Departed… There I’ve said it.
Games
Overall it’s been a great year for the average gamer. There seems to have been truly great games released on all formats (although obviously I have not been able to play the 360 titles – damn you Bioshock for not going multiplatform). The PS2 continued to have great titles in its twilight years, the PS3 has had less titles, but a few gems. The Wii game front was a little barren earlier on in the year, but the latter half of the year brought some great titles – from Nintendo of course.
Games of the Year:
Final Fantasy XII
I love Final Fantasy games, but even I must admit that there was need for change. Final Fantasy X, whilst good, was not as VII to IX and I never go to play Final Fantasy XI – being online only. Final Fantasy XII reinvented the Final Fantasy system in such a fantastic way, simplifying many things, but at the same time adding a level of planning and complexity. It also featured many memorable, likeable characters (Balthier in particular, who I hated at first, but absolutely loved by the end of the game).Roll on Final Fantasy XIII (soon – pretty please)
Phoenix Wright 3: Trials and Tribulations
The first 2 games were great (although 1 was better than 2), but this final chapter is just perfect.It takes all the loose threads from the first 2 games and knits them together into 5 fantastic cases which tie everything up perfectly. Although getting to the end of these cases was no easy feat – there were so many twists and turns in the story. There is really nothing to beat the feeling you get, however, when you know that a case is finally turning in your favour
Super Mario Galaxy
Okay – so I’ve only had it for a few days and I’m only around 14 stars in, but all the same… :)No other game has put a smile on my face to such a degree as Super Mario Galaxy – it’s pure gaming nirvana, nothing more, nothing less.
Now I am amongst the few who really enjoyed Super Mario Sunshine, but even I can admit that it wasn’t nearly as good as the classic Mario 64. It has been said before, but I can say that I agree entirely that Super Mario Galaxy really is a true sequel to Mario 64.
An absolute highlight to the gaming year.
Notable mentions:
Resistance: Fall of Man
The game I played on the PS3 and also my first real experience of online gaming (I had only dabbled a little before). The single player game was okay – but not spectacular, but it was the multiplayer where the fun was. To this date, no other PS3 games has run as flawlessly and has had as many community and online options as Resistance (even the online only Warhawk), and that’s saying something for a launch game.
Call of Duty 4
Very almost made it into my top 3. The single player game is like the best adrenalin filled action film that you have ever seen mixed with an absurd level of atmosphere and graphical sheen. Then in addition to that, there is the multiplayer, which bring RPG like levelling up into the world of FPS. It slower and more realistic approach also makes it a very different game than the likes of Resistance.
Best game so far for the PS3 (and it’s a multiplatform title)
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Takes the classic Zelda formula and wraps it perfectly around the unique capabilities of control scheme of the DS.
The fact that it is a Zelda game immediately endears it to me, however, this is Zelda reinvented for the portable casual gaming world and it works beautifully. There are a few niggles – namely I hate having to redo the damn Phantom temple time and time again under a time limit, but there are also some extremely good points – the omission of fairies in bottles, which has made previous Zelda games too easy.
Overall an excellent game.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Although I have enjoyed the first two Metroid Prime games and was looking forward to the next instalment, Metroid Prime 3 has always been about the control scheme. A couple of games have tried using the Wiimote for a FPS game in the past and failed, to the baton was then passed onto Retro to perfect he technique and they did just that. It also helps that the game is fantastic fun and not as stupidly difficult as the first 2 games. Plus it’s art design is fantastic and looks great compared to other HD games even in standard definition.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
No Fairytale for you!
Seriously... What is wrong with the world.
I have just read that BBC Radio 1, in their infinate wisdom, have decided to ban certain words fromthe classic Christmas song "Fairytime in New York" by the Pogues.
Read here
And it has taken them how long to read this decision? Only 20 Damn years!
For Christ sake (pun intended) this is one of the rare few Christmas songs that I actually like. How dumb can you get... The damn faggots!
I have just read that BBC Radio 1, in their infinate wisdom, have decided to ban certain words fromthe classic Christmas song "Fairytime in New York" by the Pogues.
Read here
And it has taken them how long to read this decision? Only 20 Damn years!
For Christ sake (pun intended) this is one of the rare few Christmas songs that I actually like. How dumb can you get... The damn faggots!
Monday, December 17, 2007
TDK
It's here....
The Dark Knight Trailer...
Why so serious?
;)
In other new - completed Metroid Prime 3 over the weekend - one hell of a good game!
The Dark Knight Trailer...
Why so serious?
;)
In other new - completed Metroid Prime 3 over the weekend - one hell of a good game!
Thursday, December 06, 2007
London, films, Bay and SF4
Well, our trip to London didn’t go quite as smoothly as we’d hoped. Well to be quite frank, it seemed to be one problem after another.
The whole reason for the trip was so that Roz could go and watch Mika live in concert (I must stress again, that I was not going to see this – I was just accompanying her to the venue). So the biggest disappointment of the trip was when we arrived at the venue, only to find out that it had been cancelled due to illness (Mika that is). However, that was not the only hitch or quirk during the trip… These are the others that spring to mind:
- Elliot got another case of tonsillitis just prior or our trip and whilst we were away he managed to be sick in Roz’s parents bed.
- Guernsey Customs getting anal with us about the style of clear plastic bag in which we had stored out liquid medication. Apparently it has to be resealable… naturally ours was, but it didn’t match their exact specifications.
- I messed up the cinema times and as such, missed Beowulf at the IMAX (got to see it at the Vue instead).
- There were numerous delays and cancellations on the Tube, at one point making a 20 minute trip take 2-3 times longer.
- A passenger with us on the Tube decided to have a hissy fit after hearing an announcement, and whilst swearing profusely, he decided it would be fun to take his aggravation out by kicking the side of the tube train several times.
- Just prior to entering the departure lounge at Gatwick, the airport was evacuated due to a fire alarm, thus making the queues to re-enter departures frankly ridiculous.
Anyway… onto the films.
Films watched:
Beowulf
The whole reason for the trip was so that Roz could go and watch Mika live in concert (I must stress again, that I was not going to see this – I was just accompanying her to the venue). So the biggest disappointment of the trip was when we arrived at the venue, only to find out that it had been cancelled due to illness (Mika that is). However, that was not the only hitch or quirk during the trip… These are the others that spring to mind:
- Elliot got another case of tonsillitis just prior or our trip and whilst we were away he managed to be sick in Roz’s parents bed.
- Guernsey Customs getting anal with us about the style of clear plastic bag in which we had stored out liquid medication. Apparently it has to be resealable… naturally ours was, but it didn’t match their exact specifications.
- I messed up the cinema times and as such, missed Beowulf at the IMAX (got to see it at the Vue instead).
- There were numerous delays and cancellations on the Tube, at one point making a 20 minute trip take 2-3 times longer.
- A passenger with us on the Tube decided to have a hissy fit after hearing an announcement, and whilst swearing profusely, he decided it would be fun to take his aggravation out by kicking the side of the tube train several times.
- Just prior to entering the departure lounge at Gatwick, the airport was evacuated due to a fire alarm, thus making the queues to re-enter departures frankly ridiculous.
Anyway… onto the films.
Films watched:
Beowulf
CGI nearly nakedness in action fantasy 3D fun fest.
7.5/10
Ratatouille
Pixar can do no wrong. Charming, fantastic, engaging and moving.
9/10
Watching Beowulf was my first experience of watching a full feature length film completely in 3D. I have in the past seen the likes of Terminator 3D and Bugs Life 3D in Universal Studio’s and Disney. I have to say that at first, I found watching the film a little off putting and almost wished I could watch it normally, but after the first 15 minutes I got used to it. I think it clicked with me when Grendel first attacks, which looked simply brilliant and damn frightening in 3D.
The film does suffer a lot from shots that have been purposefully framed for 3D (namely someone pointing their spear at the screen etc) and to be honest, the 3D effect tended to look best when it was used subtlety, or alternatively during action scenes. The finale, with the dragon was also nothing short of spectacular in 3D.
I do not like Michael Bay, I do not like Michael Bay’s films (with the exception of The Rock). However, I must admit that Michael Bay has for the first time (to my knowledge) spoken some sense in public about the HD format war. Something which I also have suspected for some time…
Microsoft conspiracy ahoy!
9/10
Watching Beowulf was my first experience of watching a full feature length film completely in 3D. I have in the past seen the likes of Terminator 3D and Bugs Life 3D in Universal Studio’s and Disney. I have to say that at first, I found watching the film a little off putting and almost wished I could watch it normally, but after the first 15 minutes I got used to it. I think it clicked with me when Grendel first attacks, which looked simply brilliant and damn frightening in 3D.
The film does suffer a lot from shots that have been purposefully framed for 3D (namely someone pointing their spear at the screen etc) and to be honest, the 3D effect tended to look best when it was used subtlety, or alternatively during action scenes. The finale, with the dragon was also nothing short of spectacular in 3D.
I do not like Michael Bay, I do not like Michael Bay’s films (with the exception of The Rock). However, I must admit that Michael Bay has for the first time (to my knowledge) spoken some sense in public about the HD format war. Something which I also have suspected for some time…
Microsoft conspiracy ahoy!
Finally, the first screenshot of Street Fighter 4 ha popped online… It looks pretty damn sweet!
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Xbox live vs PSN – round 2
Remember my previous Xbox live vs PSN post…
Well just to add fuel to the fire, it would seem that Microsoft is doing it’s very best to get rid of the freeloaders who are just on an Xbox live silver membership.
Now normally on the silver member hip you are not permitted to play online (that’ll cost you), but previously you could access the same demo’s and other content available on the marketplace. Now however, silver members will have to wait a week longer than gold members to access the same free services:
Read here:
Now, this seems to me that Microsoft are treating those people who currently use Xbox live for free (but without online play) like second class citizens. In reality, they are just trying to get silver members to sign up to a gold account, therefore increasing their revenues by a further £39.99 per year from these users. After all, how dare they have access to these services for free!
By my reckoning, PSN access is still a great bargain!
Also, I forgot to add last time – that with Microsoft, if you want to connect wirelessly to your internet – it will cost you a further £59.99, for the wireless bridge! Now last time I checked, you buy stand wireless PC cards for less than £15.00. That’s a bit of a difference…
BTW I’m back from London – will likely blog about my London experiences in the next few days.
Well just to add fuel to the fire, it would seem that Microsoft is doing it’s very best to get rid of the freeloaders who are just on an Xbox live silver membership.
Now normally on the silver member hip you are not permitted to play online (that’ll cost you), but previously you could access the same demo’s and other content available on the marketplace. Now however, silver members will have to wait a week longer than gold members to access the same free services:
Read here:
Now, this seems to me that Microsoft are treating those people who currently use Xbox live for free (but without online play) like second class citizens. In reality, they are just trying to get silver members to sign up to a gold account, therefore increasing their revenues by a further £39.99 per year from these users. After all, how dare they have access to these services for free!
By my reckoning, PSN access is still a great bargain!
Also, I forgot to add last time – that with Microsoft, if you want to connect wirelessly to your internet – it will cost you a further £59.99, for the wireless bridge! Now last time I checked, you buy stand wireless PC cards for less than £15.00. That’s a bit of a difference…
BTW I’m back from London – will likely blog about my London experiences in the next few days.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Clockwork Orange
I’ve just watched my recently purchased copy of A Clockwork Orange on Blu-ray and… Oh my does it look sweet in HD.
What amuses me is that the first time that I watched A Clockwork Orange, in the days when it was still banned in the UK, it was a less than official copy of somewhat terrible quality. So much so that you could only just see the film through high level of static. All the same, it quickly became one of my favourite films. It’s comparing my initial viewing, to now seeing the film in HD that strikes a cord with me.
What amuses me is that the first time that I watched A Clockwork Orange, in the days when it was still banned in the UK, it was a less than official copy of somewhat terrible quality. So much so that you could only just see the film through high level of static. All the same, it quickly became one of my favourite films. It’s comparing my initial viewing, to now seeing the film in HD that strikes a cord with me.
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