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THE WEEKEND REVIEW CORNER
Posted on : 5-13-11
Posted on : 5-6-11
With a slew of superhero films headed to the box office this season is seems that Thor is the film that
will set the bar for the rest of the summer. This film as the look and feel of big budget movie, and
director Kenneth Branaugh does an outstanding job here. Combining the best elements of the “Thor”
from Norse mythology, with obvious nods to the “Thor” that fans know from the comic books proved to
be a winning formula. Without giving much of the plot away Thor is cast out of Asgard for breaching a
pact with the Frost Giants and sent to earth to by Odin himself to teach him a lesson in humility before
he can go on to live his true purpose. For such a serious tone I was surprised by the numerous
comedic moments in the film. The lightheartedness was a factor that won me over instantly. On earth
Thor encounters a group of storm chasers (Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard, and “my celebrity
crush” Kat Dennings) that educate him on the ways of man; providing a nice break for the serious
events transpiring on Asgard. Putting concerned fans at ease, Chris Hemsworth gives a great
breakout performance as the thunder god. He simply owned the character. The entire cast appeared
to have chemistry with one another. Chris and Natalie were great together, the interactions between
“The Warriors Three” (especially Ray Stevenson’s Volstagg) where downright hilarious. Actor Tom
Hiddleston played Loki to the hilt, and Anthony Hopkins as Odin was a regal as ever. My only criticism
is that I felt the movie was a little short. I wanted to see more then the before I knew it movie was over.
I guess they didn’t want to overdo it which in hindsight may have been for the best.
will set the bar for the rest of the summer. This film as the look and feel of big budget movie, and
director Kenneth Branaugh does an outstanding job here. Combining the best elements of the “Thor”
from Norse mythology, with obvious nods to the “Thor” that fans know from the comic books proved to
be a winning formula. Without giving much of the plot away Thor is cast out of Asgard for breaching a
pact with the Frost Giants and sent to earth to by Odin himself to teach him a lesson in humility before
he can go on to live his true purpose. For such a serious tone I was surprised by the numerous
comedic moments in the film. The lightheartedness was a factor that won me over instantly. On earth
Thor encounters a group of storm chasers (Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard, and “my celebrity
crush” Kat Dennings) that educate him on the ways of man; providing a nice break for the serious
events transpiring on Asgard. Putting concerned fans at ease, Chris Hemsworth gives a great
breakout performance as the thunder god. He simply owned the character. The entire cast appeared
to have chemistry with one another. Chris and Natalie were great together, the interactions between
“The Warriors Three” (especially Ray Stevenson’s Volstagg) where downright hilarious. Actor Tom
Hiddleston played Loki to the hilt, and Anthony Hopkins as Odin was a regal as ever. My only criticism
is that I felt the movie was a little short. I wanted to see more then the before I knew it movie was over.
I guess they didn’t want to overdo it which in hindsight may have been for the best.
Film Review: THOR
Game Review: Mortal Kombat
Posted on : 4-27-11
If you thought the Mortal Kombat franchise had already died and gone to game heaven years ago
think again. Ed Boon and Warner Bros. Games have managed to breath new live into the popular
fighting series and consequently causing all the doubters (myself included) to fall in love all over
again. Fan favorites Lui Kang, Sub Zero, Raiden are back along with a slew of other characters
from Mortal Kombat games 1, 2 , and 3. Also return are all of the famous gruesome fatality wins,
and a shocking new eature "X-Ray" moves that takes bone breaking to a whole new level. This
game is fun, fun, fun! Mortal Kombat has actually succeeded in reinvented itself by going back to
the basics that made the game great the first time around. Packed with a Kombat story mode, a
Tag Team mode, online mode, and King of the Hill mode there is plenty of fun to be had here. In
an era of fighting 3 dimensional games, going back to "2D" was a bold risk, but a necessary one.
Mortal Kombat kick butt so many levels. Additonal DLC on the way gives you the option to add
even more characters, and outfits into the mix. Kombat definetly lives up to the hype. This is a
game should be in every gamer's library.
think again. Ed Boon and Warner Bros. Games have managed to breath new live into the popular
fighting series and consequently causing all the doubters (myself included) to fall in love all over
again. Fan favorites Lui Kang, Sub Zero, Raiden are back along with a slew of other characters
from Mortal Kombat games 1, 2 , and 3. Also return are all of the famous gruesome fatality wins,
and a shocking new eature "X-Ray" moves that takes bone breaking to a whole new level. This
game is fun, fun, fun! Mortal Kombat has actually succeeded in reinvented itself by going back to
the basics that made the game great the first time around. Packed with a Kombat story mode, a
Tag Team mode, online mode, and King of the Hill mode there is plenty of fun to be had here. In
an era of fighting 3 dimensional games, going back to "2D" was a bold risk, but a necessary one.
Mortal Kombat kick butt so many levels. Additonal DLC on the way gives you the option to add
even more characters, and outfits into the mix. Kombat definetly lives up to the hype. This is a
game should be in every gamer's library.
Film Review: Priest
I must disclose that I’ve had a crush on Maggie Q, ever since Live Free or Die Hard so it was a no
brainer that I going to see this film. To be fair I’ve also been a fan of Paul Bettany since his role as in
“A Knight’s Tale” and although most movie watchers would not think of him as an action hero type, I
suspect he may be trying to convince us otherwise. Paul reteams with director Scott Charles Stewart
where they previous worked together on the film Legion. In a long line of often “cliqued” vampire
films Priest actually covers new ground in its style and presentation. The “priests”, a warrior sect that
have been fighting vampires for centuries finally caught the upper hand and brought about a swift
end to a long war. With vampires no longer seen as a threat to mankind the priests are disbanded
and filtered back into normal society. Thankfully the peace never lasts, as unsettling events occurring
in the outlands cause our “Priest” Paul Bettany to shake off retirement and become involved for
personal reasons. Being a fan of the genre I’m always interested to see how vampires are portrayed
from film to film. Bram Stoker, and Twilight it anit. These vampires are very feral creatures and there
is nothing romantic or likeable about them. A small town sheriff, played by actor Cam Gigandet who
portrayed the vampire “James” in the film Twilight, who ironically here plays a human that teams up
with the priest in hope of reuniting with a lost loved one, seemingly taken by the creatures. All in all
Priest is a good movie with a few good plot twists. By the end the only thing felt slightly robbed by
was seeing it in 3D, which did not add anything special to the viewing experience in the least. Go
see Priest, but skip the 3D.
brainer that I going to see this film. To be fair I’ve also been a fan of Paul Bettany since his role as in
“A Knight’s Tale” and although most movie watchers would not think of him as an action hero type, I
suspect he may be trying to convince us otherwise. Paul reteams with director Scott Charles Stewart
where they previous worked together on the film Legion. In a long line of often “cliqued” vampire
films Priest actually covers new ground in its style and presentation. The “priests”, a warrior sect that
have been fighting vampires for centuries finally caught the upper hand and brought about a swift
end to a long war. With vampires no longer seen as a threat to mankind the priests are disbanded
and filtered back into normal society. Thankfully the peace never lasts, as unsettling events occurring
in the outlands cause our “Priest” Paul Bettany to shake off retirement and become involved for
personal reasons. Being a fan of the genre I’m always interested to see how vampires are portrayed
from film to film. Bram Stoker, and Twilight it anit. These vampires are very feral creatures and there
is nothing romantic or likeable about them. A small town sheriff, played by actor Cam Gigandet who
portrayed the vampire “James” in the film Twilight, who ironically here plays a human that teams up
with the priest in hope of reuniting with a lost loved one, seemingly taken by the creatures. All in all
Priest is a good movie with a few good plot twists. By the end the only thing felt slightly robbed by
was seeing it in 3D, which did not add anything special to the viewing experience in the least. Go
see Priest, but skip the 3D.
Posted on : 5-20-11
Posted on : 5-15-11
DVD Review: Thor: Tales of Asgard
Game Review: L.A. Noire
L.A. Noire is more a than just a Grand Theft Auto game set in the 1940's and although L.A. Noire
has maintains many of G.T.A.'s familiar influences that we have come to know and love, much of the
game’s play and progression focuses on crime solving and intuition rather than shooting down the
bad guys. The crime solving portions function much like the old point and click adventures that were
popular in the 80's and 90's. You play as detective Cole Phelps (voiced by Aaron Stanton of AMC's
"Mad Men") a by the book officer who embarks on a search for the truth in city where everyone has
something to hide. The look, sound and feel of the game transports you back in time. Being a
resident of "modern day" Los Angeles I found it particularly interesting to see many of the landmarks
and streets that I pass everyday. It is obvious that the developers spent a lot of time researching to
get the precise historical feel and the facial technique used to animate the characters is absolutely
breathtaking. Eyes, mouth, and facial expressions on the characters move just like an actual
person’s would and it is amazing to watch. This is truly revolutionary step in the history of games.
The more I play L.A. Noire the more I love this game. I suspect many GTA fans and even some Red
Dead fans may find the pacing of L.A. Noire a lot slower than the run and gun style of play they are
used to. Some have grumbled their disappointment about L.A. Noire not having a online multiplayer
feature, but the more I play the more I agree with the developer's decision not to include it because it
doesn't fit for this type of game. Kudos to Rockstar for making an original experience rather creating
a clone of their other popular titles.
has maintains many of G.T.A.'s familiar influences that we have come to know and love, much of the
game’s play and progression focuses on crime solving and intuition rather than shooting down the
bad guys. The crime solving portions function much like the old point and click adventures that were
popular in the 80's and 90's. You play as detective Cole Phelps (voiced by Aaron Stanton of AMC's
"Mad Men") a by the book officer who embarks on a search for the truth in city where everyone has
something to hide. The look, sound and feel of the game transports you back in time. Being a
resident of "modern day" Los Angeles I found it particularly interesting to see many of the landmarks
and streets that I pass everyday. It is obvious that the developers spent a lot of time researching to
get the precise historical feel and the facial technique used to animate the characters is absolutely
breathtaking. Eyes, mouth, and facial expressions on the characters move just like an actual
person’s would and it is amazing to watch. This is truly revolutionary step in the history of games.
The more I play L.A. Noire the more I love this game. I suspect many GTA fans and even some Red
Dead fans may find the pacing of L.A. Noire a lot slower than the run and gun style of play they are
used to. Some have grumbled their disappointment about L.A. Noire not having a online multiplayer
feature, but the more I play the more I agree with the developer's decision not to include it because it
doesn't fit for this type of game. Kudos to Rockstar for making an original experience rather creating
a clone of their other popular titles.
By - Mo Brown
By - Fan Boy Moscowitz
Rating:
This latest release from Marvel Animated Features (I guess) serves as a prequel to the major
motion picture Thor. The story centers upon Thor and Loki as teenagers and gives insight to their
early childhood lives. Thor and Loki are shown to have quite an affectionate relationship. Here Thor
is seen as the brash and reckless one while Loki is grounded and studious which is an interesting
variation from much of what we've already seen in comic books and in Norse mythology. As the
brothers go off to prove themselves as warriors they get into more trouble than they bargained for.
The Sword of Sutur, Frost Giants, Valkyries, lots of swordplay, and a love interest are woven into the
story. Running at 77 minutes in length the film offers a nice dash of fantasy escapism. My big gripe
about this film is that Thor never carried a sword. (WTF! See Box cover art.) I know. I know. I get that
this story was a "pre-hammer" Thor story, but come on Marvel producers. As the story moved along I
kept waiting and waiting for the moment when Thor would his hammer....any hammer. Even a ball
pin hammer would have made me happy, but alas that never happened. Thor without a hammer is
like telling the devil to lose the pitchfork and giving him a giant spoon to wave around. Anyone out
there that calls themselves a "true" Thor fan will surely feel my pain. Although a solid effort this film
comes up a little short after having seen the big theatrical release.
motion picture Thor. The story centers upon Thor and Loki as teenagers and gives insight to their
early childhood lives. Thor and Loki are shown to have quite an affectionate relationship. Here Thor
is seen as the brash and reckless one while Loki is grounded and studious which is an interesting
variation from much of what we've already seen in comic books and in Norse mythology. As the
brothers go off to prove themselves as warriors they get into more trouble than they bargained for.
The Sword of Sutur, Frost Giants, Valkyries, lots of swordplay, and a love interest are woven into the
story. Running at 77 minutes in length the film offers a nice dash of fantasy escapism. My big gripe
about this film is that Thor never carried a sword. (WTF! See Box cover art.) I know. I know. I get that
this story was a "pre-hammer" Thor story, but come on Marvel producers. As the story moved along I
kept waiting and waiting for the moment when Thor would his hammer....any hammer. Even a ball
pin hammer would have made me happy, but alas that never happened. Thor without a hammer is
like telling the devil to lose the pitchfork and giving him a giant spoon to wave around. Anyone out
there that calls themselves a "true" Thor fan will surely feel my pain. Although a solid effort this film
comes up a little short after having seen the big theatrical release.
Rating:
Rating:
By - Mo Brown
Posted on : 6-3-11
Film Review: X-Men: First Class
By - Mo Brown
Rating:
X-Men: First Class serves up the best elements of Watchmen and James Bond while maintaining
its own identity. A great story with a great cast and I especially liked what McAvoy and Bacon brought
to this movie. “First Class” provides the origin story of two men whose friendship is undone by their
vast ideological differences. On one end of the spectrum we have telepath Charles Xavier, a
mutant seeking a peaceful coexistence with non-mutants, and at the other end, Erik Lensherr,
(A.K.A. Magento) a fellow mutant seeking dominance over humankind. The film which is set around
the real life events of the Cuban Missile crisis provides an interesting backdrop to an already
interesting story. As a faction of mutants known as the Hellfire Club prepare their plans of global
dominance, Professor Xavier and Erik scramble to assemble their own team of young outcasts to
counter this impending threat. The film provides some funny, suspenseful, and even a few tender
moments. Shape shifter, Raven Darkholm (A.K.A. Mystique) portrayed by actress Jennifer
Lawrence brings a lot of gravity to the story as a character longing for love and acceptance. As a
bonus, this film hands down has one of the best uses of a “surprise cameo” in recent memory. As
much as I tempted to reveal it here, it is with the restraint of Professor X that I withhold that bit of
information. In a word the film is Superb. “First Class” is a great retelling of the "X-Men chronicles"
that wipes the slate clean from the previous entries.
its own identity. A great story with a great cast and I especially liked what McAvoy and Bacon brought
to this movie. “First Class” provides the origin story of two men whose friendship is undone by their
vast ideological differences. On one end of the spectrum we have telepath Charles Xavier, a
mutant seeking a peaceful coexistence with non-mutants, and at the other end, Erik Lensherr,
(A.K.A. Magento) a fellow mutant seeking dominance over humankind. The film which is set around
the real life events of the Cuban Missile crisis provides an interesting backdrop to an already
interesting story. As a faction of mutants known as the Hellfire Club prepare their plans of global
dominance, Professor Xavier and Erik scramble to assemble their own team of young outcasts to
counter this impending threat. The film provides some funny, suspenseful, and even a few tender
moments. Shape shifter, Raven Darkholm (A.K.A. Mystique) portrayed by actress Jennifer
Lawrence brings a lot of gravity to the story as a character longing for love and acceptance. As a
bonus, this film hands down has one of the best uses of a “surprise cameo” in recent memory. As
much as I tempted to reveal it here, it is with the restraint of Professor X that I withhold that bit of
information. In a word the film is Superb. “First Class” is a great retelling of the "X-Men chronicles"
that wipes the slate clean from the previous entries.
Comic Book Review: Venom
By - Mo Brown
Rating:
Posted on : 4-19-11
By - Mo Brown
It’s quite common for a comic book title to re-launch or rework itself after a major story arc. We saw
this at the conclusion of “Darkness Night” and most recently with the Fantastic Four. The case of
Venom the series too has also under gone a major transformation. Gone are the “monstrous” Eddie
Brock and the “ravenous” Mac Gargan incarnations of the character and enter Flash Thompson.
Yes, that Flash Thompson. The same Flash Thompson that used to bully Peter Parker in high
school. Thankfully those days are a thing of the past and Flash has gone on to become a decorated
war-hero and friends with Peter. Having lost his legs in combat he now possesses super human
abilities while serving as host to the alien symbiote. The Venom series in the “Flash Thompson era”
reads more like a superspy thriller, than title operating in the Spiderman universe. It is a bold
departure, but I like it. Venom writer Rick Remender has done a great job right out of the gate to
establish this familiar character as something original. Having clashed so far with Jack o’ Lantern,
and Raven the Hunter things don’t seem to be slowing down one bit. Artist Tony Moore and colorist
John Rauch provide great images to bring the book alive as every turn of the page brings delight.
I’m curious to see how this ”new Venom” develops as the months go on. As of now sign me up.
this at the conclusion of “Darkness Night” and most recently with the Fantastic Four. The case of
Venom the series too has also under gone a major transformation. Gone are the “monstrous” Eddie
Brock and the “ravenous” Mac Gargan incarnations of the character and enter Flash Thompson.
Yes, that Flash Thompson. The same Flash Thompson that used to bully Peter Parker in high
school. Thankfully those days are a thing of the past and Flash has gone on to become a decorated
war-hero and friends with Peter. Having lost his legs in combat he now possesses super human
abilities while serving as host to the alien symbiote. The Venom series in the “Flash Thompson era”
reads more like a superspy thriller, than title operating in the Spiderman universe. It is a bold
departure, but I like it. Venom writer Rick Remender has done a great job right out of the gate to
establish this familiar character as something original. Having clashed so far with Jack o’ Lantern,
and Raven the Hunter things don’t seem to be slowing down one bit. Artist Tony Moore and colorist
John Rauch provide great images to bring the book alive as every turn of the page brings delight.
I’m curious to see how this ”new Venom” develops as the months go on. As of now sign me up.
By - Fan Boy Moscowitz
Rating:
1/2
Rating: