There isn’t much to say about this movie except it is worth seeing one time. The home video look of it really makes it difficult to watch, but it displays an excellent concept. Everything the audience knows about what’s going on comes from the footage presented on-screen, and despite some obvious conceits, it was pulled off rather well. The problem is it isn’t a movie that warrants a second viewing (except perhaps to catch a glimpse of the origin of the monster—it is in there, but you have to look carefully). Not an Academy Award-winning film by any means, but more meat than one usually can find in 80 minutes.
Super Mario Galaxy Impressions
I received a copy of Super Mario Galaxy for Christmas and have been playing it during the break between college semesters instead of worrying about studying or completing assignments (why does school have to begin again so soon?). Galaxy is the first 3D Mario game I have played since Super Mario 64, if we qualify that a bit by excluding Super Mario Sunshine, which I only played for about a half hour, and New Super Mario Bros., which is essentially 2D. Technicalities aside, the game feels like a solid successor to Mario 64, with the typical star collecting business and multiple ways to approach each level.
Duke Nukem Forever Lives!
I never would have guessed this day would come, when we would finally see new footage of Duke Nukem Forever, under development for over 10 years. However, it has arrived and Shacknews has the scoop. I’m kind of on the fence about it, since it is highly unlikely that after all these years the game will actually be as good as everyone thought it would be back in 2001 when we got the last glimpse of the game before the long, six-year media blackout. But, I hope to be surprised.
Phoenix Wright: Justice For All
I got this game months ago for Nintendo DS, since I enjoyed the first game so much. Phoenix Wright: Justice For All is the second game in the Ace Attorney series and delivers an experience that comes very close to matching that of the first game, but ultimately falls short of accomplishing it.
The game is harder than the first, if only for the fact that the cases are lots more convoluted and “turnabout”-ish than ever before. Still, the character development is as strong as ever and Case 4, the final case in the game, is just about the finest case in the entire series to this point. Unfortunately between work, school, and other stuff it took me almost the entire year to complete the game, so it was a little difficult to keep up with the story. Nonetheless, it was awesome.
From what I have heard, Trials and Tribulations, the next game in the series, is awesome, so I am looking forward to getting started on that one sometime this holiday season.
TSO: Most Impressive
I had the opportunity to attend a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert last night, the first time for me. From the energy of the crowd, it seemed most of those in attendance had been before. What I expected was a few Christmas songs in the mixed heavy metal style they are known so well for and a neat light show. What we got was a ton of music, not exclusive to only Christmas, and the fanciest light show I think I have ever seen (and I say this after purchasing the Pulse DVD by Pink Floyd). In every sense of the word apart from literally, they blew the doors off the venue. Fireworks, ten foot-tall jets of orange and green flame, and crazy awesome lasers were all prominently featured in full glory.
Also impressive is how personable they are. One of the founding members of the group, whose name escapes me at this moment, actually said it was their greatest selling concert of the tour so far, and that everyone was invited to the after party to hang out (which, with a near sold-out audience, is not an insignificant number of people). Someone was also a guest on the local radio station to donate an $8000+ keyboard and tour jacket to a local charity project the station is putting on, and they presented a check for over twelve thousand dollars to the food bank just before the show started. As if that wasn’t enough, a dollar from every ticket sold went to another local charity. That was really quite something.
At any rate, it was fantastic—hands-down one of the finest concerts I have ever seen.
