Reviews

Here is some stuff I've seen and played lately:

Wanted: This movie kicked ass. Sure it's cheesy, but for the first time since The Matrix, I feel like I saw some creativity in action sequences. Just don't expect the philosophical undertones to be as thought provoking or coherent.

Iron Man: There was a while there when superhero movies were getting shittier with every passing year, but I think that's changing. One of the greatest things about the character of Iron Man is that Tony Stark is just as interesting out of costume as in, and Robert Downey Jr. makes sure that's true in the movie as well. Highly recommended.

The Incredible Hulk: There was something just "off" about Ang Lee's Hulk. This one is a huge improvement. We finally get to see The Hulk being an asshole and smashing stuff, and that's what he's all about. Without giving too much away, another awesome thing about both Hulk and Iron Man is that they seem to be embracing the overall Marvel universe more than ever. You finally get a hint all these characters exist in the same world. Maybe the DC movies will follow suit.

The Dark Knight: I totally want to see this.

Zardoz: Ok this movie is old, but I put it on my Ziplist after Deadrobot said he thought I'd 'get' it. Well he was partly right. There are some good sci-fi ideas in there about the consequences of immortality for things like science, sex, reproduction, law enforcement, and happiness. However, they're wrapped up in a weird trippy package where you never really know what's going on until the characters decide to actually talk to each other instead of wandering around like they're in a daze or getting naked for no reason. I still don't know what the hell that crystal is. I'm glad I watched it, but I can't see many people enjoying it without the aid of drugs.

Alone in the Dark: I rented the Xbox 360 version of this because it takes its name from one of my favourite games of all time. The original Alone in the Dark scared the crap out of me when I was 12. Even though the graphics were chunky and the controls clunky, there was something about the fixed camera angles, the sounds, the music, etc., that gave the game a lonely, frightening atmosphere. It was like an interactive H. P. Lovecraft story. And when that goofy looking monster crashed through the window near the beginning, who didn't shit themselves?

This sequel/update improves on the graphics, but maintains the frustrating controls and ditches the atmosphere. It takes place in a New York that is being destroyed by some vague supernatural force, thus veering away from the small-scale haunted house feel that made the first one so scary. This is more like an action movie than a horror game. Actually, more like an action TV show - one of the cool things, that I hope future games copy, is that it's got DVD-like features. You can fast forward or rewind to any episode or scene in the game, and when you first start playing, you get a nice "previously, on Alone in the Dark" recap of the plot. This, along with some other neat innovations, makes the game worth playing, but don't expect it to live up to the first game in the series, or to be a great game overall.

My Life: It's been pretty good lately for the most part. Maybe I'll tell you about it sometime later.