Here is a trifecta of movie reviews today: a comedy, a drama, and something in between. You guess which one is which. 
 

Funny People

Only Judd Apatow's third film as director to date, Funny People seems to already signal the end of the director's trademark style in favor of a darker, more mature tone. That does not mean this film is void of any penis jokes or crude jokes about sex... (read more) Only Judd Apatow's third film as director to date, Funny People seems to already signal the end of the director's trademark style in favor of a darker, more mature tone. That does not mean this film is void of any penis jokes or crude jokes about sex but it shows that Apatow is ready to move beyond those typical conventions to get laughs, and emotions, from the heart.

Adam Sandler plays a very successful comedian named George Simmons, practically a duplicate of himself on screen. He is diagnosed with AML, a form of leukemia and the doctor says he may not live that much longer with his condition. George has been a dick to practically everyone he has encountered over the years and sees this as possibly an opportunity in which he can redeem himself. This revelation takes time however, and the film doesn't rush. In fact, this film is over 2 hours, approaching the two and half hour mark. Some have seen this as excessive and yes, it does drag but not to any point of boredom or extreme tediousness.

Ira Wright arrives next, played by none other than Seth Rogen. Ira is not a great stand-up comedian but George sees talent in him and asks him to be his assistant and joke-writer. As "assistant," Ira realizes that he is George's only friend, even when their feelings for each other usually can be described as anything from loathing to tolerant. George reveals his medical secret to Ira, believing him to be his only friend that he can entrust this to. Ira and roommates played by a fatter-then-ever Jonah Hill and a sly, seducing Jason Schwartzman are shocked by the news that George Simmons, their world's Adam Sandler, could pass away.

Meanwhile, George tries to make amends with his ex-girlfriend, the one that got away, played by the lovely, beautiful and always hilarious Leslie Mann. Due to George's stupidity and carelessness as a rising star, their relationship broke apart. George sees his horrible mistake years later but realizes it is too late as she already remarried to a pompous but charming Aussie, Clarke, played by Eric Bana. The "make-up" time they have results to total chaos, and is where the movie makes you laugh and worry simultaneously, concerned about what will come next.

Of course, the film gets dark and very emotional, but there is a lot of humor to be had here. There is a great amount of stand-up that occurs, and Ira steps up his game consistently to be a funny comedian and George delves darker as he progresses. Other guest acts make funny appearances as well. There are also great cameos throughout the film, such as a singing appearance by James Taylor and a party full of celebrities that provides for a hilarious scene between Eminem and Ray Romano.

In the end, Funny People is a first-rate comedy with its shortcomings but should be seen by anyone who wants to see Apatow gradually stepping up his game. Funny People has a lot of drama, ironically, and the comedy is there but is usually interspersed between thoughtful segments. There were times when it dragged but for the most part it felt alive and fresh. Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen give some of their finest performances to date here, and Apatow seems to be ready to retire the penis joke mechanic once and for all.

Revolutionary Road

Revolutionary Road is not an easy film to experience. It is practically all acting and emotion and little to no humor. However, for those who are prepared, it is also an excellent film.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are an estranged couple in ... (read more) Revolutionary Road is not an easy film to experience. It is practically all acting and emotion and little to no humor. However, for those who are prepared, it is also an excellent film.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are an estranged couple in 50's Suburbia, realizing that their lives are wasting away while they maintain a reluctant existent. To change things, they decide to move to Paris, the city they always dreamed about. Of course, the process of moving and employment always holds them up and their fate doesn't seem to point in their favor.

The acting in this film is phenomenal and every actor and actress showcases their talents. The leading duo is typically great but the real standout is Michael Shannon, a clinically insane neighbor and the son of the neighborhood real estate agent. The couple meets this man out of pity but they discover that he shares a similar point of view on the world as they do. They wonder if their minds are truly as warped as his is. A later encounter when they have a change of heart regarding their trip is the standout scene in the film: Shannon moves and talks almost in a Joker-fashion, with a piercing laugh and warped face that truly looks insane. He drives Leo to the point of extreme anger and reveals the couple's deepest and darkest secrets to each other, purely from his own mind. A man who has met the couple on only two separate occasions knows more about them than the two know themselves.

The screenplay has bright moments like these but is under-par in the long run. There is a lot of leaning on convention here and some dialogue seems stale. No matter though, as the actors still transcend the source material and make it their own. Revolutionary Road is a haunting film that will not leave you with a positive outlook on life, but certainly a changed one.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

The Coen Brothers are a consistently reliable duo for making some of the finest movies out there, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? does not disappoint. Based loosely off Homer's The Odyssey, O Brother follows George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake... (read more) The Coen Brothers are a consistently reliable duo for making some of the finest movies out there, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? does not disappoint. Based loosely off Homer's The Odyssey, O Brother follows George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson as they escape jail looking for a hidden treasure. Of course, a million plot lines develop from this and the result is a jumbled, all-over-the-place string of events that won't stop a smile coming from your face even when you are not sure what is happening.

From a run-in with a dangerous Bible salesman (John Goodman) to an encounter with the KKK, the trio seems to be out of luck but always escape. The dimwitted trio even wonder how they are still alive after all these events. It certainly is amusing to watch.

Complementing the movie's excellent, 1930's Depression era cinematography is an eclectic soundtrack featuring both new and old hits from America's past. This soundtrack won a Grammy and deservedly so because it gives the movie its personality more than any actor or event does. Overall, O Brother is a fun movie that showcases the talents of everyone that is in it.

Hey, just want to update you all with what I am doing and why you won't see much of me for the next two weeks.

• I am going to Philmont, New Mexico for a hiking trip. It is going to be 14 days total. I am leaving tomorrow (the 18th) and I will be back on the 1st of August. I have done this trip before (in 2007) and it is great but, you know, camping and roughing it is quite a contrast to traversing California and playing games, my summer so far. I know I will have a good time but this will be the longest period time I am not on Giant Bomb, so try not to miss me too much ;)
• In other news, I have seen the new Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. You may have already seen my review and, as you can tell, I loved it. I thought it was the best movie yet and it was a very emotional, beautiful and funny installment. I can't wait for the last 2 films now.
• With games, the two games I have been sinking my teeth into have been Fallout 3 and Battlefield 1943. For Fallout 3, I am playing old DLC like Broken Steel and The Pitt, and I have been finishing old side quests I never did. The game really gets spectacular after you level up a lot (I am at lvl. 27 right now) and spend a lot of time with it (I have logged about 63 hours into my file). The fact that you have to spend that much time with it to get a lot of fun may be part of its problem, but Fallout 3 is still a damn fine game. I enjoyed it more than I did with Oblivion, at least.
  
• Like I said, I have also been playing Battlefield 1943 and I love, love, love that game. That seems to be the general consensus but, seriously, I am not the most multiplayer-centric guy so when I play a lot of one game that is only multiplayer, that is speaking something to its quality. For $15, I can't recommend a better downloadable shooter, period. 

There is always room for growth in a series that continues to flourish and mature after each outing. With Order of the Phoenix director David Yates at the helm and screenwriter Steve Kloves back after a short hiatus (he was the true source of the last film's weakness), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a fantastic film that is brimming with comedy, drama, love, and loss. As of this moment, I would count it as the best Harry Potter film yet, a quite significant word of praise considering how great each installment has been to this point.

Opening with a shot of Dumbledore and Harry surrounded by reporters during the aftermath of the previous movie's ending and with a high-pitch, barely audible scream of Bellatrix Lestrange, I couldn't have imagined a better way to start this film. It suggested a more confident, risky approach at film-making and it sets the movie off at a perfect tone. Yates and Kloves have hit a stride in their work and now are perfectly complementing each other.

One immediate, noticeable key to this film's success is its seamless transitions between the Muggle and Wizard world. A bright spot of my other favorite Potter film (Prisoner of Azkaban), the incorporation of the "other" world into their own makes the storytelling that much more believable, as well as display some truly spectacular special effects. A scene of the Death Eaters flying through various landmarks of London and causing havoc along the way is truly eye-opening. The cinematography remains extremely strong throughout and the general lack of much color and glamor suggests this newer, even more mature tone.

Of course, not everything in Hogwarts is dark and tragic; JK Rowling knows when to have fun. Romance is a new aspect of the teen's lives that is a huge focus for many scenes. Ron is feeling growing feelings for the always faithful Hermione, feelings that are tantamount or even more so. However, the horny, obsessive Lavender Brown gets in the way and steals Ron from his true partner, causing a feud between the two. Meanwhile, Harry starts to feel love for another person that should be deemed taboo to him, Ron's sister, Ginny. What follows is a typical teen love story that is made the more interesting by the actors' talents and the best part is that this is just one aspect of the film, not its leading cynosure.

Well, I haven't properly blogged in awhile, but I am here to talk about sound quality in games, movies, music, and, subsequently, my birthday present:  a Bose Cinemate sound system.

The forums are already clogged as it is with these, so I will just post this to my profile. Give it a gander if you oh-so please. It is going to be in my high school newspaper.



Based on the infamous graphic novel by Alan Moore and directed by Zack Snyder, the director of "300," Watchmen definitely has some hype surrounding it.  Pleasing loyal fans as well as appealing to newcomers is a must, considering the film’s massive $120 million budget and the possibility of tainting one of the most revolutionary literary pieces of the 20th century. The end-result is a movie that should please both groups, and it is an excellent film overall.


To start, Watchmen opens with two excellent scenes of their respective type. The movie begins with The Comedian's murder (played with humor and menace by Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and it is one of the most impressive action scenes in recent memory. The room the action is filmed in is dark but remarkably well lite at the same time, balancing the night setting and the comic book feel perfectly.  Each punch and crack is given another dimension due to the remarkable sound design and seeing this movie with proper surround sound is a must. The scene (and whole movie for that matter) follows closely to the comic but has its own flare that makes it familiar, though fresh and original at the same time. Subsequently, the title credits come up, and it is, at least on my humble opinion, the best opening titles I have ever seen. A montage of past Watchmen lore using slow motion techniques and recreations of past historic events (notably one with JFK) blew me away. It is a remarkable beginning to a remarkable film.


Okay, there is more to this movie than just the introduction. In fact, this movie is quite lengthy, clocking in at about 2 hours and 43 minutes. The story still abides closely to the novel and could have used editing here and there, but, for the most part, it flows and moves in a way that does not seem unnecessary or overbearing. The great sound and visual techniques employed in the beginning carry on, and the result is one of the most technically impressive films in years, catching the 300 vibe while not overdoing it to the point of nauseum. Clearly, a lot of time, work and money went into this one.


The performances, with few exceptions, are top-notch. The aforementioned Jeff Dean Morgan does a great job with his brutal, joking character. Malin Akerman is also very good at her role, Silk Spectre II, and she is the lone hot chick in the superhero crew (with a brief exception). Patrick Wilson is fine in his role of Nite Owl, even if his physical build is much more picture friendly than the somewhat portly version of the character from the novel.  His post-superhero life is shadowed in early retirement, and he joins in on the action again quickly. He eventually falls for Silk Spectre II, and then, hijinks ensue. Billy Crudup also executes his role as Dr. Manhattan rather well, even if it is a boring character in nature. Still, he performs the emotions (or lack thereof) perfectly and is a real contrast to the rest of the dynamic crew. His origins story is also a highlight in the film, giving the static character some much needed humanity. However, the real standout here is Jackie Earle Haley, the man who plays Rorschach. His role is the standout performance of a film already bursting with talent. He completely becomes Rorschach, mask on or off. He adopts a late Eastwood-type growl and has great body language to go with his dynamic character. He is menacing yet lovable, and he becomes the character you root for until the very end. The only exception to the excellent cast is Matthew Goode, the man who played Ozymandias. The script somewhat skewed the original approach the novel took on him and his character is a bit annoying as a result, as his motives aren’t fully clear. Also, I was honestly annoyed by that haircut of his throughout the film, even if that may be an artistic choice and nothing else.


Another aspect of Watchmen worth noting is its content itself. For starters, there is a lot of violence and it I was shocked to see children under 5 years old walk into the theater. I am sure the high school crowd can handle it, but your little brothers and sisters won’t gain much out of this. Zack Snyder seems to love amputations of every sort. Another thing Snyder loves is sex. The pervert clogged 300 up with liberal amounts of unnecessary intercourse and, unfortunately, he does it again. Though not as much or as blatant as the aforementioned film, Watchmen still sacrifices plot development for some useless sex scenes that do not progress the film in anyway. However, as I said before, the high school crowd won’t mind one bit.


However, those are the only cons I can bring up about this film. In the end, Watchmen is a tight, well-executed movie that should please both newcomers and veterans of Alan Moore’s masterpiece. Technically, this film is near perfect with its visual and audio design, and the acting is sublime. The story does not deviate far from the source material (a smart choice), and, for the most part, the plot progression flows well, even when the runtime approaches 3 hours. Overall, with films like The Dark Knight and Iron Man filling theaters and pleasing critics, Watchmen continues this newly found tradition: the rebirth of the comic-book movie.





Hopefully you enjoyed this review and there were no problems with formatting, hehe.

Hello all. I want to get into this whole blogging thing, so I am going to start simple: the typical, what I have been doing post. So, what have I been doing? Well,

• Saw Metallica. I actually saw them a week ago today, but have finally gotten around to talking about it. It was amazing, and this was the first show I have seen from them. They played all their hits, with a heavy dosing of Death Magnetic, which was fine actually because it blended rather seamlessly with the rest of their catalog. They also performed "Breadfan" which I hear they don't do too often, so that was special. I downloaded their concert for free because they give you a token for that in the vault on their website. Pretty sweet. Oh, and James Hetfield seems like a pretty nice guy, as he greeted all of the "Metallica virgins" with open arms and made the whole presentation very organized. I was pleased with it.  Have you seen Metallica before and what have you thought of it?
• In addition, I just saw The Wrestler last night and it was incredible. Mickey Rourke has truly risen from the dead because this performance is what acting is. He lived his story, yes, but added his own talent to make it appealing to watch, if painful at the same time. There is a brutal fighting scene involving thumb tacks, barbed wire and a staple gun that literally made me dizzy after watching it. But I still couldn't look away. It was just so compelling. After seeing all of the Academy nominees besides the Reader, I hope he gets this award. Well either him or Sean Penn. There are just so many great performances this year, but Rourke not only is catipulted because he is a comeback story, but also because he is a great actor. That's it. It is nice to see that talent sometimes wins in this world. Here is an example.
• Also saw The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor on Blu-Ray. Meh. It was ok...I guess. Nothing special.
• Oh, yes this is a game website. Might as well talk about some good 'ol videogames.  I have been slowly playing Fallout 3, which is definitely a great game, though I have been playing it in a way that is most likely not the ideal way to do so. I have been doing too many side missions on my opinion, and not enough story, and all of a sudden the other day doing the "Those!" mission, I just snapped when realizing what I have been doing for all of this time. I was also freaked out by the fire ants who shot flames at me from over 20 feet away. Maybe that has something to do with it. Nonetheless, I am going to just focus on the regular missions now and play it like Jeff, who said that was the best way to play it as well. Still an amazing game, though :)
• Also, I have been achievement whoring Fable II. With Knothole Island, I have 840 right now and expect to reach at least 1000 sometime soon. There are a few I won't be able to get (playing through it again for the different ending, dolls, keys, gargoyles), but there are a bunch of ones I know I can easily "achieve". Fable II is a fine game, by the way.
• Last but not least, I have visited GTA IV again. It was my GOTY of last year, and it still is fun to just screw around with with cheats and all. I already felt the impact of the story so now I can go around on rampages and spawn Anhilators out of thin air. I think the game strikes a good balance between the two.

As of right now, Fable 2 and Far Cry 2 are my top priorities, and I have almost finished the latter and I am pretty far into Fable 2.  

The new DS as everyone else has said looks awesome and I plan on buying it when it comes out and keeping my DS Lite.  I have had every iteration of the DS so far, so I might as well keep the one with the GBA slot.