It's that glorious time of year again. My last time going through the rigors of college. While the semester may gain the majority of my already short attention span, this does not mean further neglect to those out there reading whatever I ramble. Classes, for the most part, are pretty heavy this round and ich muss mein Deutsch studieren, but there might just be time for Borderlands 2, Resident Evil Six, Dishonored, and especially Assassin's Creed III with Dredd hitting theatres in the mix of things.
For now, though, bare with the delayed posts, the assumed forgetfulness, and supposed disregard to my blogging duties. Upon successful completion of my BA, this blog will rocket higher than a V2.
As each game releases, I'll have my first thoughts posted, then an in-progress review, followed by a full-circle evaluation. Pictures of the collector's edition swag might find their way into the mix.
Random note: Pick up Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe and the new Gambit series. Also, Before the Watchmen recently included Rorschach to the issues. From my knowledge, he's up to just one as of now.
Jonesy signing off with a customary rule- #51: Cherish each semester that you don't face down thirty term papers. Enjoy those times.
30 August 2012
20 August 2012
The Unattended Blog
So........welcome back after these long nine days. Much has happened. Video games played. Books read. Comics bought. Movies........not viewed. Sure, The Expendables 2 overcame its clunky and boring predecessor, but it's still that action-packed juggernaut film every summer needs to close out the season. Stallone, I'm sorry, but Marvel's The Avengers still kicks your ass nine ways to Sunday. Take on the Hulk after he beat down Loki and then, yes, I'll give props. Or, something we'll never see, do a movie that doesn't involve A) explosions, B) guns, and C) extreme violence. Schwarzeneggar's done it (Jingle All The Way), Statham's done it (The Italian Job). Just a change of pace, man. I get it. You're John Rambo. He blows shit up. You're Rocky. He beats people up. Try to escape the type-cast, bro. Actors have done it before.
Moving on, then. PSN Plus owners were able to download Telltale's The Walking Dead adventure game for free this month as well as Outland (very interesting side-scroller) and Bloodrayne: Betrayal which has slightly complicated gameplay. As episodes one and two are the only ones out, your guess is good assuming those are the ones up for free. Please, for the good of humanity and yourself, download both. If you don't have PSN Plus, GET IT! If you do, good on you, mate. Have fun in the rightful adaptation of Robert Kirkman's brainchild.
For those who are learned with Kirkman's original story, Telltale takes players along a prequel story following a character by the name of Lee trying to survive the outbreak in Atlanta. Just like the graphic novels, the setting changes constantly and those familiar with the novels will recognize certain areas as well as characters from the books.
This series is incredible. From the cell-shaded graphics to the voice acting, I felt completely immersed in the story. As this game revolves around choices and morality, you'll feel compelled to revisit the game multiple times for different outcomes. My tally sits at two right now just to have two separate stories for my own intrigue.
Now, for those unaware, Terminal Reality is currently developing a video game adaptation of the AMC series using Daryl as the primary. Without much to go on, I can't say much about the idea, but information coming from Gamescom seems to paint the game in a decent frame, but with lingering doubts. This is a game coming from a show that took several liberties with the source material. As far as I'm concerned, I have my game and I'm staying there. I wanted a series that came straight from the novels and I'll be damned if that's not what Telltale delivered.
While I understand where AMC and Terminal Reality are going, providing fans of the TV series with a game, I'm sitting it out just as I am with the show. Perhaps later down the road I'll finally catch up with Season two, but for now, I'm content.
Short post for today, but stay tuned in the coming weeks for more bits on Borderlands 2, Dishonored, and Assassin's Creed III.
Until then, this is Jonesy signing off with my customary leave: #17- write a survival guide to the zombie apocalypse in whatever fashion. Get creative. Have fun.
Moving on, then. PSN Plus owners were able to download Telltale's The Walking Dead adventure game for free this month as well as Outland (very interesting side-scroller) and Bloodrayne: Betrayal which has slightly complicated gameplay. As episodes one and two are the only ones out, your guess is good assuming those are the ones up for free. Please, for the good of humanity and yourself, download both. If you don't have PSN Plus, GET IT! If you do, good on you, mate. Have fun in the rightful adaptation of Robert Kirkman's brainchild.
For those who are learned with Kirkman's original story, Telltale takes players along a prequel story following a character by the name of Lee trying to survive the outbreak in Atlanta. Just like the graphic novels, the setting changes constantly and those familiar with the novels will recognize certain areas as well as characters from the books.
This series is incredible. From the cell-shaded graphics to the voice acting, I felt completely immersed in the story. As this game revolves around choices and morality, you'll feel compelled to revisit the game multiple times for different outcomes. My tally sits at two right now just to have two separate stories for my own intrigue.
Now, for those unaware, Terminal Reality is currently developing a video game adaptation of the AMC series using Daryl as the primary. Without much to go on, I can't say much about the idea, but information coming from Gamescom seems to paint the game in a decent frame, but with lingering doubts. This is a game coming from a show that took several liberties with the source material. As far as I'm concerned, I have my game and I'm staying there. I wanted a series that came straight from the novels and I'll be damned if that's not what Telltale delivered.
While I understand where AMC and Terminal Reality are going, providing fans of the TV series with a game, I'm sitting it out just as I am with the show. Perhaps later down the road I'll finally catch up with Season two, but for now, I'm content.
Short post for today, but stay tuned in the coming weeks for more bits on Borderlands 2, Dishonored, and Assassin's Creed III.
Until then, this is Jonesy signing off with my customary leave: #17- write a survival guide to the zombie apocalypse in whatever fashion. Get creative. Have fun.
11 August 2012
The Beer's Prayer
Now, I love beer. I don't, however, love being abso-bloody-lutely drunk outside my blooming mind. Never as a kid did I believe myself to appreciate the time and effort brewing beer takes. Upon my first proper pint last year on my twenty-first, I discovered a new-found love and appreciation for this alcoholic beverage loved by many and frowned upon by several others who just don't drink enough to get over their problems.
As thanks for the memories, I propose a prayer to Beer be established:
The Prayer to Beer as found in Inebriation, Chapter Seven; Verse Four:
As thanks for the memories, I propose a prayer to Beer be established:
The Prayer to Beer as found in Inebriation, Chapter Seven; Verse Four:
Our Father who art inebriated
Sobered be thy name.
Thy pitcher full,
And pint glass filled,
In bars as it is at home.
Give us this night our daily shot,
And bless us our kegs,
As we bless those who tap amongst us.
And lead us not unto Keystone,
But deliver us to Shiner.
For the keg stand, dropshot, and beer pong are yours,
Now and forever.
Amen.
And I just wrote that. By me, for the masses to be recited at the beginning of each social event involving our precious......whatever type beer, porter, ale, stout to be enjoyed.
Enough to be said on my devotion to beer. Now, onward to relevant information!
Friday proved me wrong with yet another round of cinematic entertainment. Will Ferrell and Zac Galifianakis fight the good fight in The Candidate which, surprisingly, hit a Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones star as an interesting duo in Hope Springs also coming in on the Fresh rating. And, finally, Jeremy Renner picks up where Matt Damon left off in the ass-kicking department with The Bourne Legacy continuing a new trilogy where The Bourne Supremacy ended.
Firstly, no, I haven't seen any of the above mentioned films. I will as time permits. I have, however, seen the trailer for the Red Dawn remake starring Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth and Josh Peck as the Eckert brothers. If you hated the original, no offense, but f*ck you. Every teenager back in the Cold war era probably imagined sniping off some Russkies. How the hell should I know, right? I'm just a kid who was born right when the Soviet Union collapsed. Well, when you start imagining North Korea taking over Asia and Europe, then invading the U.S. and wiping out our entire infrastructure, you tend to start developing some common grounds with your Cold War counterparts.
Last month, I finally got around to playing Homefront, that poorly developed game by Kaos Studios. In a future where the communist North Koreans become the premier superpower in the entire f*cking world, the U.S. falls under the might of the wimpy offspring of an already satirized Kim Jong-Il (Kim Jong-Un for those not following). What I'm wondering is how the f*ck can a government not fall over laughing over the fact that a five foot Korean kid managed to overthrow multiple governments. An assassin can easily step on the Short Round wannabe and bingo. Crisis averted. We're saved thanks to my size fourteen combat boot.
Overall, Thanksgiving just got better. WOLVERINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and guess what everybody?! BORDERLANDS 2 IS ALMOST HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!! OOOOOOOMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!
.......sorry about that. But I will have the big, bad-ass Ultimate Loot Chest edition that I posted a while back. We'll crack that sucker open when 18 September rolls around.
I'm tired right now, so keep eyes and ears open for the latest news circling the interwebs. Check out Bethesda's Dishonored hitting shelves 8 October. I will have that as well as Assassin's Creed III (collector's, of course) on 30 October followed by Resident Evil Six on 6 November. Gear up for one of the greatest f*cking gaming seasons ever.
Until then, remember rule #67- Always bring a book with you to work even if you don't think you'll have time to read.
Jonesy signing off.
Friday proved me wrong with yet another round of cinematic entertainment. Will Ferrell and Zac Galifianakis fight the good fight in The Candidate which, surprisingly, hit a Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones star as an interesting duo in Hope Springs also coming in on the Fresh rating. And, finally, Jeremy Renner picks up where Matt Damon left off in the ass-kicking department with The Bourne Legacy continuing a new trilogy where The Bourne Supremacy ended.
Firstly, no, I haven't seen any of the above mentioned films. I will as time permits. I have, however, seen the trailer for the Red Dawn remake starring Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth and Josh Peck as the Eckert brothers. If you hated the original, no offense, but f*ck you. Every teenager back in the Cold war era probably imagined sniping off some Russkies. How the hell should I know, right? I'm just a kid who was born right when the Soviet Union collapsed. Well, when you start imagining North Korea taking over Asia and Europe, then invading the U.S. and wiping out our entire infrastructure, you tend to start developing some common grounds with your Cold War counterparts.
Last month, I finally got around to playing Homefront, that poorly developed game by Kaos Studios. In a future where the communist North Koreans become the premier superpower in the entire f*cking world, the U.S. falls under the might of the wimpy offspring of an already satirized Kim Jong-Il (Kim Jong-Un for those not following). What I'm wondering is how the f*ck can a government not fall over laughing over the fact that a five foot Korean kid managed to overthrow multiple governments. An assassin can easily step on the Short Round wannabe and bingo. Crisis averted. We're saved thanks to my size fourteen combat boot.
Overall, Thanksgiving just got better. WOLVERINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and guess what everybody?! BORDERLANDS 2 IS ALMOST HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!! OOOOOOOMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!
.......sorry about that. But I will have the big, bad-ass Ultimate Loot Chest edition that I posted a while back. We'll crack that sucker open when 18 September rolls around.
I'm tired right now, so keep eyes and ears open for the latest news circling the interwebs. Check out Bethesda's Dishonored hitting shelves 8 October. I will have that as well as Assassin's Creed III (collector's, of course) on 30 October followed by Resident Evil Six on 6 November. Gear up for one of the greatest f*cking gaming seasons ever.
Until then, remember rule #67- Always bring a book with you to work even if you don't think you'll have time to read.
Jonesy signing off.
05 August 2012
It's A Post
You know you're the late duck when recalling certain events from only a week ago becomes a virtual impossibility. Luckily, this only happens in a casual, laid-back environment and not in a work/school situation. On the more professional note, I do believe a late review is due.
In wake of the final new summer release, I flocked to the midnight show of Len Wiseman's remake or, as I viewed it, re-imagination of Paul Verhoeven's 1990 Total Recall.
Without revealing a majority of the plot for those unaware of the original source material, the story follows Doug Quaid- an Average Joe of sorts with troubling dreams and issues recalling certain memories. Colin Farrell's casting as the lead character was interesting. He brought a serious tone that Arnold Schwarzeneggar did not possess in the original. Here's a man without any idea of who he is and hearing others call him by another name tied to the resistance movement fighting against the tyrannical Chancellor Cohaagen played by a rather surprising Bryan Cranston who we'll get to in a moment.
Now, when the original came out twenty-two years ago, I had only been around four months. I didn't see the film until around age twelve and, of course, couldn't make a damn bit of sense other than the fact Arnold's one-liners were cult classics. Youtube some of his greatest hits and stroll down nostalgia lane while you're there.
The 1990 version was relatively unrealistic for obvious reasons. Cinematography's evolved over the past two decades. This goes to say the opposite for the 2012 remake as the presentation is absolutely phenomenal. Set in 2084, this world actually looks like one we could be heading towards. Magnetic streets with vehicles using reverse polarity to levitate. Synthetic police forces/militaries. Enhanced biometrics. Subterranean, transglobal travel (traveling through the earth from one continent to another at high speeds allowing mass transit in minutes). The next eighty-four years could find us in this world minus downsides of a third world war rendering environments uninhabitable. As amazing as the surroundings are, this really is the film's saving grace: presentation.
Acting from Farrell, Beckinsale, Biel, and Cranston was great, but I couldn't help but feel the writers could have done more with the source material to move it above the original. You'll see throwbacks to the campy, corny, comical source material and a few "blink-or-you'll-miss-it" bits that give a chuckle. Other than paying homage to Verhoeven, the overall tone was the typical seriousness of low-class rebelling against tyrannical high-class. Of the four, Kate Beckinsale's portrayal of Lori Quaid was worthy of a show-stealer. This woman can do anything. From a WWII-era nurse to werewolf hunter, she has what it takes to be versatile with roles. Hell, her American accent versus her native British literally created two separate characters all because of her voice. In one unnamed scene, she goes from concerned wife to hardcore, bad-ass assassin without missing a beat (no, this wasn't the beginning).
Cranston shined as Cohaagen and definitely used some of his acting from Breaking Bad to fashion a cold, ruthless, does-whatever-it-takes-to-get-done attitude. I'm surprised at his transformation from overly sensitive push-over (Malcolm in the Middle) to this well-established method acting.
I honestly don't feel like spoiling the movie or the desire to see it, so I'll leave you with these closing remarks. I still love the original and would watch it any day. However, this doesn't go to say I wouldn't be up for a second viewing perhaps when it launches in three months on Blu Ray (funny how home media releases have been shortened by almost six months). Of the two, I'd much rather lean toward the realistic future presented in Wiseman's version. For a good laugh and flashback to innocent times, I'll always have Verhoeven's.
Len Wiseman's Total Recall earns a spot in the second quarter, "Think about it for a bit, then stay on the couch and find something else on" unless you're in for a good summer action movie. If that's the case, enjoy.
In other recent news, the Wachowski brothers are at it again! Yes, a spectacular presentation on the silver screen is upon us. Instead of continuing on an already dead series, the brothers team up to deliver Cloud Atlas, the film adaptation of David Mitchell's 2004 novel of the same name. Mitchell's narrative follows six individual stories occurring over the course of 1850 to a dystopian future. I picked up a copy, just started it, and will post updates as this noble endeavor progresses. As for the film, they're shooting for a brilliant all-star cast including Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Jim Sturgess, Ben Whishaw (appearing as Q in November's James Bond sequel, Skyfall), Susan Sarandon, Keith David, Hugo Weaving, and Hugh Grant. Cloud Atlas is scheduled to release 22 October 2012.
That's all for tonight, but before I go, allow for my customary good-bye to sink in. #312- Read Cloud Atlas before 22 October because it's fun to compare original material versus its adapted version.
Jonesy signing off for the first time in a while.
In wake of the final new summer release, I flocked to the midnight show of Len Wiseman's remake or, as I viewed it, re-imagination of Paul Verhoeven's 1990 Total Recall.
Without revealing a majority of the plot for those unaware of the original source material, the story follows Doug Quaid- an Average Joe of sorts with troubling dreams and issues recalling certain memories. Colin Farrell's casting as the lead character was interesting. He brought a serious tone that Arnold Schwarzeneggar did not possess in the original. Here's a man without any idea of who he is and hearing others call him by another name tied to the resistance movement fighting against the tyrannical Chancellor Cohaagen played by a rather surprising Bryan Cranston who we'll get to in a moment.
Now, when the original came out twenty-two years ago, I had only been around four months. I didn't see the film until around age twelve and, of course, couldn't make a damn bit of sense other than the fact Arnold's one-liners were cult classics. Youtube some of his greatest hits and stroll down nostalgia lane while you're there.
The 1990 version was relatively unrealistic for obvious reasons. Cinematography's evolved over the past two decades. This goes to say the opposite for the 2012 remake as the presentation is absolutely phenomenal. Set in 2084, this world actually looks like one we could be heading towards. Magnetic streets with vehicles using reverse polarity to levitate. Synthetic police forces/militaries. Enhanced biometrics. Subterranean, transglobal travel (traveling through the earth from one continent to another at high speeds allowing mass transit in minutes). The next eighty-four years could find us in this world minus downsides of a third world war rendering environments uninhabitable. As amazing as the surroundings are, this really is the film's saving grace: presentation.
Acting from Farrell, Beckinsale, Biel, and Cranston was great, but I couldn't help but feel the writers could have done more with the source material to move it above the original. You'll see throwbacks to the campy, corny, comical source material and a few "blink-or-you'll-miss-it" bits that give a chuckle. Other than paying homage to Verhoeven, the overall tone was the typical seriousness of low-class rebelling against tyrannical high-class. Of the four, Kate Beckinsale's portrayal of Lori Quaid was worthy of a show-stealer. This woman can do anything. From a WWII-era nurse to werewolf hunter, she has what it takes to be versatile with roles. Hell, her American accent versus her native British literally created two separate characters all because of her voice. In one unnamed scene, she goes from concerned wife to hardcore, bad-ass assassin without missing a beat (no, this wasn't the beginning).
Cranston shined as Cohaagen and definitely used some of his acting from Breaking Bad to fashion a cold, ruthless, does-whatever-it-takes-to-get-done attitude. I'm surprised at his transformation from overly sensitive push-over (Malcolm in the Middle) to this well-established method acting.
I honestly don't feel like spoiling the movie or the desire to see it, so I'll leave you with these closing remarks. I still love the original and would watch it any day. However, this doesn't go to say I wouldn't be up for a second viewing perhaps when it launches in three months on Blu Ray (funny how home media releases have been shortened by almost six months). Of the two, I'd much rather lean toward the realistic future presented in Wiseman's version. For a good laugh and flashback to innocent times, I'll always have Verhoeven's.
Len Wiseman's Total Recall earns a spot in the second quarter, "Think about it for a bit, then stay on the couch and find something else on" unless you're in for a good summer action movie. If that's the case, enjoy.
In other recent news, the Wachowski brothers are at it again! Yes, a spectacular presentation on the silver screen is upon us. Instead of continuing on an already dead series, the brothers team up to deliver Cloud Atlas, the film adaptation of David Mitchell's 2004 novel of the same name. Mitchell's narrative follows six individual stories occurring over the course of 1850 to a dystopian future. I picked up a copy, just started it, and will post updates as this noble endeavor progresses. As for the film, they're shooting for a brilliant all-star cast including Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Jim Sturgess, Ben Whishaw (appearing as Q in November's James Bond sequel, Skyfall), Susan Sarandon, Keith David, Hugo Weaving, and Hugh Grant. Cloud Atlas is scheduled to release 22 October 2012.
That's all for tonight, but before I go, allow for my customary good-bye to sink in. #312- Read Cloud Atlas before 22 October because it's fun to compare original material versus its adapted version.
Jonesy signing off for the first time in a while.
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