No Country for Old Men review

Enough about video games. Let's talk about movies for a change. It's been a while.

I finally got a chance to catch No Country for Old Men, the most recently hyped "masterpiece" from the ever lovable Coen brothers. After a 45 minutes trek to the nearest movie theater, I'm still debating on if it was worth all the hype it has received.

Basically, the film is broken up into two parts. There is the first 4/5 of the film which features probably the absolute best and well paced build up I have ever seen in a film. That is no lie. The film moves at an absolute snails pace, which actually works in its favor allowing more character to develop and viewers to become involved with its hero. For a film that moves as slow as this, it still remains intense and bone chilling down to the core. The film features one of the most simplistic gun fights I have ever seen, and yet the skill and timing the Coen brothers put into it makes it appear to be much more epic that it actually is. The whole film is littered with scenes like this. In between all the slow gazings and landscape shots, the film has these quick bursts of absolute brilliant action.

The films three main characters also deliver some of the best characters in recent memory as well. Josh Brolin is the absolute man in this film. This seemingly simple Texas redneck just somehow always knows exactly what to do when escaping from the most hopeless of situations, and he is easily one of the best crowd rousing characters ever seen on the big screen. Javier Bardem is also set to become a huge breakout after this film as well. His tall stature, horrific face, and perfect voice make him one of the most unforgettable film villains of all time. Plus, his gun is damn awesome as well.

Tommy Lee Jones is the missing link here. His role is enjoyable and his ramblings about mostly nothing and his approaches to a crime scene are very reminiscent of Franid McDormand's character in Fargo. Each of these ramblings deal with the films idea that everything is changing from the way we slaughter cows to the way we deal drugs. His character seems almost in no way attached to the plot, always arriving late and never actually interacting with any of the other lead characters, save Brolin's wife. At the same time, it can be argued he is the main character of the film, and that everything revolves around him even if he's not there to witness it. His storyline has conflict, a climax, and a resolution, unlike the Brolin storyline which has no climax and no resolution. The film is misleading as Brolin's conflict is actually nothing more than a subplot to Tommy Lee Jones' ordeal. A certain unmissable transition in the film shows this.

Of course, this is the whole point of the film. Like with most directors similar to the Coens, it's not about watching incredible action and perfect direction, but to deliver a message. *yawn* Tommy Lee Jones is an old man, and the countries' problems simply has moved on a ahead of him. His morals don't match, he could have resolved the film, but he didn't want to because he felt outmatched and boom...there it is in a nutshell. Not exactly brain surgery.

Unfortunately, delivering this message is where the film falls flat on its face. About 4/5's of the way into the film, the most unexpected change in direction occurs, and the film just goes absolutely downhill. Tommy Lee Jones suddenly gets a lot more screen time, and rather than the satisfactory ending which could have made this film one of the greatest ever made, it becomes a rant fest of dialogs filled to the brim with "whoa is me" and "this country is too much for us." It's enough sugar text to make one puke. The thrill ride stops. Everything just comes to a complete pause while we listen to people whine and whine and whine until the film blacks out and everyone just says "awww Christ". The Coen brothers take the most perfectly crafted film and decide to get pretentious. They turn the film into every casual viewer's nightmare, every art house snob's wet dream, and leave all of us guys in the middle totally hanging without knowing our feelings.

The book probably had a similar ending, here's the rundown. No Country for Old Men is a classic story of a crowd pleasing good guy versus a ruthless bad guy who is evil down to his core. It's a very simple plot used countless times, and in each of those times we get a predictable ending in some way or another. But, despite it being predictable and cliche, it is the right ending because that is what people want to see in a film like this. This is an action film. One of the best and most original ever made. It's NOT an art house film. You can argue to the brim that it could be, but you are just wrong. There was nothing deep in this film until the script forces depth upon us way to late. I've seen many great films blow it all in the last few minutes because the directors try to do something different, but this one seriously takes the cake as the worst. The Coen brothers are famous for films with and open ending, and this film could have had one without a doubt. But the way it was handled...all the momentum, all the character, everything that made the film special just stops, and I can guarantee that there won't be an audience in America that will just groan when the credits roll.

The problem is the film was just to dawn awesome for its own good to deliver this message. The "sub plot" was just so thrilling, entertaining, and perfectly made that the message just doesn't seem to matter. The "main plot" is boring. Nobody wants to see a film about an old cop who is two steps behind the most intense action ever made. When Tommy Lee Jones takes over, you don't want the sub plot to end. I found myself hopelessly hoping that it would find its way back into the film, but it doesn't. When the sub plot ends, all we are left with just the thoughts of an old man questioning is role in the world and it's fatal to the film.

Coen brothers...I understand you had a point with this film, and I got it. It wasn't hard, so stop thinking you are a genius if you understood. But if you want to piss people off, do it on your own time. You wasted a hell of an opportunity with this one. You might appeal to the self appointed film-buffs with your horse crap, but there are countless ways you could have kept the spirit of the film alive, had the same events roll out, and STILL got what you had to say out there. You're not cool for breaking the plot pyramid. You're just mean. You took the asshole way out and made a film only the most conceited of us could possibly enjoy and created the most unsatisfactory ending in the history of film.

I say go see this film. Enjoy every second of the masterful direction and acting until "El Paso." Then expect to leave the theater pissed off.

Contra 4 review

Hot on the heels of Joey's review about how we judge games to quickly as we are to preoccupied with Game A to fully appreciate Game B, I'm going to enlighten you about Contra 4 a little bit, a game that defies these rules of modern gaming and will surely make you ponder "Wow, I guess they really do make them like that anymore." Joey is correct, no doubt. Sometimes we judge a game too quickly and without total completion. But with a game like Contra 4, it is an impossible task because chances are you won't be beating the game soon enough to get a timely review out. But the again...with a game like Contra 4...only the first level is required before you know how you will feel about it until the final boss.

Contra 4 is the kind of game that begs to be played again and again. Not simply because you can beat it in under an hour, but because there is no way you will be able to complete it in under an hour without at least 30 hours of flawless memorization, lightning reflexes, and a developed natural instinct to use not one but both of the DS's screens. In short, this game is not for pansies. It WILL kick your ass. It will curb stomp you. And yes...it will chew you and spit you in the gutter. It will even murder your dog, her puppies, and sell you into ancient Rome's slave trade. I'm out of nonsensical ways of describing how much this game will dominate you before you are able to make a dent in it.

What separates Contra 4 from any other current game on the market is that in order to be successful, you must actually be SKILLED at the game. Save for a few old school titles such as Virtua Fighter and Ninja Gaiden, most games nowadays just require your time to beat. I love Super Mario Galaxy to absolute death (yes, more than Contra 4), but lets face it...it doesn't exactly require that much effort. Even slightly more hardcore games such as Halo and Bioshock require only a modest amount of skill to allow you to become competitive.

What separates Contra 4 and the other aforementioned old school titles is that they require a certain perfection that video games simply don't require anymore. And naturally, the only way to achieve this perfection is not through leveling up, but through old fashioned hard work. I'm talking trial and error of the worst magnitude. Hitting the grindstone with two megaton hammers. After two days of owning the day, I am finally able to beat the first level without using a continue...barely, a HUGE accomplishment. The second level is an entirely different story at the moment...ugh...

Most of us Contra fans knew the hype surrounding the game. It's not secret that Contra hasn't exactly been popular since the Sega Genesis, so Konami did the smart thing. Instead of developing the game themselves, they left it in the hands of fans...fans who know how to program...fans who know how to program who have been playing Contra for 20 years (yes, 20 year anniversary this year. It says so on the box) In the meant time, WayForward Technologies, the game's developers, have just become by new found heroes. Konami left the rejuvenation of one of their old key franchises in the hands of the correct people for sure. Not only did WayForward create the ultimate Contra game, but they completely disregarded the voice of the casual fanbase who wouldn't be able to handle the intensity of this game. Instead, they basically made the game on the demands of the fans rather than the money. If only his game were a hit with everyone though, it would be a dream come true. Along with the game, they have also delivered the joy of horror stories and whiny babies on forums who wish for "save files" and "unlimited continues". Wusses! It's simple and doesn't fall into any RPG element or "2D in a 3D world" cliches. No disrespect to Contra Hardcorps and Contra: Shattered Soldier, both of which are fantastic action games, but this game really is the first true Contra experience since Contra 3: The Alien War.

And why not? We're talking all the manly, shirtless dudes with massive guns, a thirst for alien blood, and a desire to cause everything to explode all on one cartridge. Even the art style is reminiscent of "war in a cartridge" Contra 3. The action is as responsive as it it should be, although the DS' crummy D-pad leaves a bit to be desired. Plenty of new music, as well as remixed version of your old favorites, are here. The games artwork and incredibly awesome box art even scream 1980's action in your face. All the classic Contra traditions are packed in including a waterfall level, a tower boss as the end of the first level, red shirted scrubbs, and of course Contra's two defining trump cards, the Konami code and the spread gun. It's all here, and just waiting for you to dig in.

So with all that said, I simply can't find any flaw in this video game. It has delivered on all counts and everything it promised to be, a very rare thing nowadays. This is true Contra and a flawless run and gun. Anything less than perfect would not be a rating of the game, but a rating of the run and gun genre itself. Not since Contra 3 have we seen a game pull off this long since dead genre so perfectly. True, it doesn't exactly evolve the series in any way and might seem more like a throwback to the old days rather than a new experience, but experiments and new ideas have only ever hindered Contra and its evolution as proven by mistakes such as The Contra Adventure, Contra: Legacy of War, and Neo Contra. Pure unadulterated Contra is the only way Contra should ever be played, and that's exactly what this is. And I just love that box art and would KILL to get a copy of the Nintendo Power poster that came out a few months ago.

The game comes bundled with a fair amount of unlockable content as well, and its enough to make anyone suffer through the grinding process of Contra perfection. After beating the game, you get a challenge mode. However, after beating these challenges, the game unlocks emulated versions of the original (and my personal favorite) Contra and its more-intense-yet-less-satisfying little brother Super C. The European release of the original Contra, Probotector, can be unlocked for those who wish to play as robots, and the only Contra female character, Sheena Etrazi from Contra Hardcorp, is playable as well, although she doesn't differ at all from the others.

If I were to complain about ANYTHING, it would be the discomfort of the DS and how it isn't exactly built for the type of precision this game requires. And I blame the damn Virtual Console for the lack of Contra 3 as an unlockable game.

This is not only the best DS game this year, but I am forced to believe that this game is it. This game is my favorite game on the DS. For what the Castlevania games destroy Contra 4 in with regards to depth and variety, Contra 4 easily beats those two games when it comes to replay value and even fun. I have not touched either of the Castlevania games since I beat them. Contra 4 is a game I will fondly remember until the the day I die. It's that good.

Super Mario Galaxy - A Review

When Nintendo seriously dedicates itself to producing and developing a title, one can expect some fantastic results. Super Mario Galaxy is no different.

Making good use of the Nintento Wii's input devices, players are tasked with, once again, saving the princess from Bowser. These games have never been all about their plotlines, so it seems a bit forgivable for the Mario franchise to return to their money making machine. After all, what makes sense about an Italian plumber in a land of mushrooms that don't get you high? Nothing.

Others have compared the greatness of this installment to its Ancestor, Super Mario Bros. 3... and I am not here to disagree. Coming into the game with nothing more than a few gameplay clips has served me quite well as seeing each and every ability Mario gains for the first time is nothing short of fantastic. It's like being 6 or 7 all over again and finally getting the Racoon Suit for the first time. A childlike rush only Mario could provide.

Straying away from the plot and the childhood reminiscence, I'd like to consider the gameplay mechanics and how they work on the Wii. Well, the Wii is Nintendo's console and as Super Mario Galaxy is one of their only true, legitimate offspring for the system, one would hope that the game would feel truly designed with the Wii in mind. It does. The Wii-mote never seems forced on the user. There are no gimmicky motions that players have to evoke, and never will you find yourself yelling at the TV while your cursor flies off in a random direction. The game was built for the Wii, and you can tell.

And for anyone that has even seen one small portion of a gameplay clip, you already know about the ridiculous perspective the game takes. Mario traverses over planets both big and small, but because of the perspective the camera takes, Mario can be running upside down or sideways. Each planet has its own center of gravity while Mario can jump or be launched between them. Check the clip for a better idea (forgive the aspect ratio).

To me, this experience of not really knowing which end is up is fantastic. It almost harkens back to the greatness that was and is my favorite level in all of video game history. The Milkman level in Psychonauts. Check the vid to see it for yourself.

With wonderful gameplay dynamics and a fantastic use of the Wii-mote, you owe Super Mario Galaxy a place on your shelf. The game will certainly never tire and neither will you. Pick this one up, you'll love it.

Assassin's Creed - Review?

While most gaming sites have spent some time meticulously pouring over game elements in order to come up with some ridiculous quantitative value to represent the fun they had (or didn't), I propose something a little different. Sure, while some of us here at the Blurbs take the time to consider every element of a film and then give it a score somewhere between a 1 and 10, we have not done so with any games. That's not to say that the heads of the Blurbs have dictated that there shall not be quantitative gaming reviews; in fact, we haven't even mentioned how to review anything. I think that the conversation of how to correctly and quantitatively review a video game would be absolutely ridiculous. I do recognize the simplicity of a 5-star review system, even a simple 1-10. But when reviewers (whomever could I be talking about) give 5 separate 1-10 scores and come up with some ludicrous mid-range real number (e.g. 6.8) and claim that this real number is "Not an Average," a little part of me wants do explode through the internet wires and uppercut them to the moon. If you are going to score a game in 5 different areas with 5 different scores and then give an overall score, how can that overall score not be an average? Get what I'm saying? It's like you are grading the game on 5 areas that don't matter. Then you're ignoring your scores and rating the game somewhere on the Fun-O-Meter... Super Mario Bros. gets a 9.875 on the Fun-O-Meter (not an average).

How the %#*@ do you get a 9.875 from anything other than an average!?!?

I digress. Basically, although it may seem like it, that little rant is not necessarily meant to be directed simply at reviewers. I'd also like it to stand as a point, reviewers are simply human. They play a game and then they give it a score. I'm sure someone somewhere told them that it needed to be an asinine real number in order to be a good review. "Real numbers make you look like a computer. Don't you want to look like a computer?" But can they really do anything beyond guess? No. They think about the game and then throw a number at it. It is not a science.

Therefore, I propose here at the Blurbs that we simply do not give quantitative reviews to a video game. Films are one thing, 2 hours and you're done. You can sum up the quality of a film with simple numbers. Is it perfect? No. Does it serve as a fantastic benchmark for the better understanding a film? No. But critics and viewers don't invest the same amount of time and fundage in a film as they do in a video game. It is my opinion that video games should be simply given either a recommendation or a desperate plea to move on.

"You absolutely must try this game" is a lot more direct than a "7.9." So good, it could have been an 8.0.

So what the hell does this have to do with Assassin's Creed? It serves as a reaction to the overabundance of reviews and comments that have been swelling up all across the net. While it may seem a bit defensive (it is), that is not it's purpose. I merely wanted to point out that there is a reason why I won't be giving Assassin's Creed a numerical value... because that's complete bullshit.

Onto the matter at hand. Like so many others I finally got a chance to sit down and spend some serious time with Assassin's Creed yesterday, and before I say anything else I want you all to know that the game is an undeniable good time.

It's not without its hangups, but the overall experience is very rewarding. Being able to scale any building and stand atop it as you plan your next move is simply exhilarating. The key word there is 'plan.' In order to get the most out of Assassin's Creed you simply cannot rush through it. Spend some time in the kingdom and explore. Pick fights for no damn reason at all. Punch the crap out of some crazies (no, the guards won't stop you until you draw a weapon). Do these things, and you'll have an amazing time.

That's really where the game fails (if you can call it a failure). AC relies on its players to become completely immersed in the game world. (Semi-Spoiler Begins)The side-plot offers up some fantastic metaphorical likeness to the world of the protagonist and our own. Without ruining anything for those who haven't spent any time with the title, Ubisoft wanted players to be immersed in the game so completely that they forced the hero's immersion onto them as well. You have to stay in sync with the game in order to fully enjoy it. (Ends) And while this may seem like quite a task, Ubisoft(in my opinion) has done everything they can to keep that level of immersion at it's highest. Including the option to change the camera angle in a dialog whenever you see a glitch, which I think is a huge leap forward. While it may expose the game's engine weaknesses, it allows players an opportunity to move on and stay within the bounds of the game world.

As for the minor hangups...

The combat system has its head scratching moments. You'll wonder why you don't use a counter against everyone.

The horse physics are great, but you don't get your own horse for keepsies. No Epona to love and cherish this time around. Take anyone's horse, they don't even care.

The loading screens make you listen to the same damned tips over and over.

Finally, the smarts of the AI isn't quite at the level of perfection Ubisoft had indicated. It seems a huge task to get AI perfect, and while AC does well most of the time, the game will make you laugh out loud over some bonehead guards.

Almost everywhere else, the game truly does everything right. The game is not tedious unless you make it so. Sure, you could only do one type of intel work over and over in order to open up the opportunity to get your kill, but why would you spend 60 bucks on a game just to blaze through it? I implore other assassins out there to actually collect every bit of intel they can on a target before swooping in for the kill. I'm sure you'll find the final blow much more rewarding after you here all about the SOB's wicked ways.


After an unnecessarily long rant and a simply short review, I leave you with a recommendation. You should really give Assassin's Creed a try. If you've just purchased Super Mario Galaxy, or plan to devote yourself to Mass Effect save Assassin's Creed for when you are finished. As my roommate pointed out, AC doesn't seem like a game you can put on the shelf for a while and come back to later. Give it the full attention it deserves.

Ecto-1 Reporting for duty...

Source: Game Informer

Erik here with fantastic news concerning games. Game Informer has posted the cover to their December issue and inside readers can find a exclusive scoop on THE NEW GHOSTBUSTERS GAME!!!!!

Thats right, a Ghostbusters game is in development and it is the sequel to Ghostbusters 1 and 2. Now you might be nervous if the game developers can bottle the charm of the movies and translate it to video game form, right? Well put those worries aside as Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd will be penning the game script and joining Bill Murray to lend their voices for their respective characters from the films.

This short news scoop on Game Informer's webpage doesn't reveal much more than the information I just presented, so I will have to wait till the magazine drops to read the full article. I don't even know the developers behind the project but I can say this Ghostbusters game has nothing to do with the Zootfly Ghostbusters prototype that hit the internet to much buzz earlier in the year.

With this announcement blowing up the interwebs, I am sure there were a lot of nerdgasms from kids like this....


.......But then again, they do have something worth celebrating.

Zune updates..owners cheer, I cry for just a second

Today the new Microsoft Zune unit (80 gig) released to the public along with the new Zune software and firmware 2.2. Don't let the article title scare you, or lead you to believe I hate it, it really rocks. Thats right Zune owners, if you supported the unit since its inception then you can also snag the new interface and software that comes with the newest 80 gig unit. Microsoft is not pushing aside its valued supporters for new customers, but instead giving all old customers everything new ones got. Its a really fantastic move, considering a month or two ago, Apple kicked its initial iPhone buyers to the street, then proceeded to curb stomp them.

First let me rewind and tell you why I almost cried after updating. It seems that I forgot to click one button and the new Zune software, acting like its a completely fresh install, screwed up all my meticulously categorized music, all 16 gigs, by throwing tracks, albums, and bands into different folders, if you can guess it, it went wrong. As I watched this happen, not being able to do anything to stop it, I gently wept for my soul like the single tear Indian. However, it was a easy fix that only required me to click and drop my music folder in my Zune program over again, followed by a few album art updates. I bring this up as it was a horrible start to the new software making a good first impression on me. Of course I thought everything would be downhill from there but lucky for me, and everyone else, I was wrong.

After the initial problem was fixed and all my music was ready to roll, I got to toying around with the new interface on the actual Zune software, familiarizing myself with the new layouts. The first thing you notice is the slick new layout of the media player. No longer does the Zune software look like a Windows Media Player knockoff, its design is much sleeker, with some nice flowing menus and animations. The Zune is also now able to wireless share to anyone in the country, not just someone in your proximity. By connecting your Zune to a wireless network near you, the possibilities of grabbing music from friends all over the country become endless, leading me to my next point of awesomeness for the Zune. You can finally, with the 2.2 firmware, transfer songs from your Zune to your host PC. Before you could only sync songs from your PC to the Zune, but not the other way around. Now you can quickly swap music, videos, and pictures between your PC and Zune. Thus, a friend can send you a new track he has discovered from across the country to your Zune through the wireless connectivity and you can now take that track from your Zune and apply it to your collection on your host PC to listen to whenever you are lounging at home. Its a really fantastic idea and implemented well.

Finally, being brought to my attention by a friend who missed this feature from his previous mp3 player, the shuffle feature on the Zune has been upgraded to allow listeners to find artist and then search their Zune for other songs by that same musician with a click of a button. With the previous Zune firmware, discovering an artist and wanting to listen to move of their tracks was an impossibility. You would have to travel back to the main menu and then cycle through your collection to find the albums of said artist. Now you get to a track you like and want to listen to more by that artist, you just click the middle Zune button on your player and select "more by this artist". Easy as pie.

All these perks come with some consequences however. Firstly, the album editing sucks....big time. You use to be able to edit entire albums with basically one click. Highlighting everything and checking the properties and making sure they all line up under the right titles. Now you can really only change the album title and artist and each track has to be updated individually which is a real bummer and time waster. The other complaint comes from the now useless "search bubble". This "bubble" was basically a quick step to search for a certain song or artist. You basically started typing and on the fly the Zune software would cut out all the tracks and artists that didn't match those keywords. However, the search feature is now a one way ticket to the marketplace where they want you to buy stuff. Though you do get a list of tracks that match that search in your actual collection, it takes a lot more clicking around to finally arrive at your intended destination.

In conclusion, with only two major complaints about the new software, and plenty of things to rave about, I would say the new Zune update is a success. I am very thankful Microsoft decided to not step on the little guys and instead gave everyone the new updates. It makes me feel like I just bought a Zune today which is a great feeling, even though I wasn't losing any interest in the device in the first place. Joey and myself both own these guys, along with a bunch of my friends, and if you haven't joined the social yet, now is a great time to do so.

Xbox Live rewards gamers for its 5 year bash

Source: ign.com

From an article on ign.com, it seems Microsoft has big plans for its 5 year birthday of Xbox Live. Come December 5th, Xbox Live subscribers can boot up their 360 for an auto update which give gamers access to full games on the Xbox Live Marketplace. A move that is surely copying the success of Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console, Microsoft is giving gamers the option to download Halo, Psychonauts, Crimson Skies: Road to Revenge, Fables, and a few unannounced games at this time for a mere 1200 Microsoft points, roughly $15.

But that isn't all folks, on November 15th, the actual 5 year anniversary of Live, Microsoft is giving every gamer on Live a free Xbox Arcade download. Korean gamers will receive Hexic 2, while everyone else in the world gets Carcossonne. And finally, every Live subscriber that has been around since 2002 will get 500 free Microsoft points.

All around this is great news. A virtual console, much like Wii's, is the logical next step for the Xbox Marketplace, and its great to see them finally getting around to it. The selection of initial games is also fantastic merely because Psychonauts is among the games to choose from. The game is so rare to actually find in stores, and is such a fantastic game that everyone should try it out, it surely comes highly recommended from myself. And while I can't speak for either of the arcade games being given away, I will gladly take anything with the label "free" on it, and give it a shot. Though I never want to try pronouncing the title of the game North Americans will have access too. I am also happy about the free 500 points because I think I apply for that deal. I remember buying Xbox Live when Unreal Championship first came out, making my ownership of Live roughly 5 years. So....yay for me.

But really this is about every gamer with an Xbox and Live benefiting from the anniversary and its great to see Microsoft taking the time to give something back to the fans that support them.


I leave you with the fine trailer for Psychonauts....GET THIS GAME!

Erik's Flick Picks - Week 6

Here we are with yet another installment of "Flick Picks" so lets get right to it.

Erik's DVD Pick:
My film selection is a pretty easy one this week, with Joey guessing dead on, Ocean's 13. I personally loved the third installment after the abysmal second film. All the charm and flare of the original resurfaced to give the audience members, willing to risk another Ocean's 12, a fun film that had laughs at every turn. You can take a trip to the past and read my review of Ocean's 13 here, or stop wasting time and take a trip to rent or purchase the film.

Look for Ocean's 40 down the pipe...



Erik's Game Pick:
This selection is a bit tougher as we see the release of Assassin's Creed and Super Mario Galaxy. I don't own a Nintendo Wii, but my roommate does, meaning Mario is an option. Truthfully, if I had a ton of money I would hold off on another week full of hookers and booze to purchase both games and not move from my television. Both Assassin's Creed and Mario Galaxy look simply amazing. Gameplay wise, Assassin's Creed brings the jumping game play I have come to love from Prince of Persia to the next generation, and Ron's early impressions of Mario from a few days ago, still have my mouth watering...I mean come on....comparing it to Super Mario 3?!?!

However, I live a life of penny pinching, where a pizza is a budget breaker. Keeping that in mind, I have chosen Super Mario Galaxy as my weekly game pick. The game looks fun, and its Mario, there isn't more I could ask for. Reviews have been pouring in over the last week and everyone is raving about the game. On the flip side, Assassin's Creed's reviews have been mixed, making it hard to justify a $60 purchase for something that won't give me 100% entertainment in a time when the gaming market is hit with product for the holidays.

So grab your plumber, overhauls, and thick Italian moustache...here we gooooooo!




Also, if you feel your intellectually superior to those that watch movies and play games all day, why not settle up with a nice book by the fireplace. Here is a recommendation:



The original 1908 edition sports the greatest title taken out of context ever. Go pick up your copy today and you will be picking little boys off the streets faster than you can say, "hey kid, I got some candy in my van here".

Joey's Flick Picks: Week 6

Damnit! Have someone take away your internet and see how it feels. It's like a gigantic, never-ending titty-twister of darkness and despair. Fire and brimstone rained down upon my apartment for those awful days. And when the fine gentleman came to fix it, yes we restarted the router and yes we were sure it worked, he proceeded to give me the what's for about making sure your router is configured correctly... Little did he know, I brought in a cable signal tester from work and I knew exactly what the problem was.

Regardless, 10 dollar discount later, here I am finally coming out of the abyss to start this whole writing nonsense up again. And why not open up with this week's DVD and Video Game Pickins'?

Joey's DVD Pick:
I'm a massive Close Encounters fan. With that said, I'm going to have to agree with Ron here and tell you to get the updated Special Edition. Somewhere within that all-to-familiar five note medley, I'm convinced, lies some sort of brainwashing subliminal messaging telling me that Close Encounters is the best thing since sliced bread.

But if you're like me and you already have CE on DVD and don't feel like shelling out the dough for an update, you are SOL. This week's selection looks incredibly grim. You'll either be fawning over another season's worth of The Gilmore Girls or reducing yourself to the consumer-whores' Shrek the Third. And before you jump all over my face about Ocean's Thirteen, realize that I'm not even considering this hip flick as I am more than certain that Erik is jonesing to write a bit about it.

So, those of you that are SOL, pick up something that came out a few weeks back. Meet the Robinsons happens to be one of the most pleasantly surprising films I have seen in quite some time. It has that undeniable Disney charm rolled up with something that feels like the humor of Arrested Development. Do yourself a favor, check it out.

Joey's Video Game Pick:
If you frequent this site, then you should already know exactly what I'm picking for this week's Video Game Pick.

Assassin's Creed.

Somewhere between all the Developer's Diaries and sweet trailers, you've got to be asking yourself 'is this game really all it makes itself out to be?' While I have yet to be lucky enough to take a test drive, reviews are already flooding the interwebbing that surrounds us, binds us and penetrates us (haha, yea); all of which have been raving. Averaging a current score of 9.5 (according to Gamestats.com), Assassin's Creed is proving to be nothing short of a wonderful experience.

For those of you that don't know what this one's about, here goes: you play as an assassin during the crusades, beaten down to nearly nothing at the game's onset. You must earn back your right to be a part of the group of Assassins again by finishing off the lives of 9 men that did, in fact, die in the exact year this game takes place. AC offers up 3 massive and historically accurate cities all joined by one sprawling kingdom for you to explore on horseback.

Enjoy a trailer and, after that, go score a copy. Although the GameStop by me claims to have copies in tomorrow and not today... those jerks.

Ron's Flick Picks - Week 6

The largest week of the year for video games has finally arrived! 59 games spanning all the major consoles are set to be released! I'm gonna get this out of the way now since I will be busy playing video games basically all day tomorrow.

Ron's DVD Pick
Who the hell has money for a DVD this week? Here...Close Encounters of the Third Kind gets an ultra mega update this week...buy it!



Ron's Video Game Pick
So here we are! The second week of November has finally arrived, and that only means it's the week I am broke. Every year is the exact same thing! This damn week, and this year is certainly no exception. I will be purchasing not one, but four games tomorrow. One will be my last week's pick, Call of Duty 4, while the other three are straight from the publishers. Now...the question is which one will I write about? If Joey has his internet fixed, it's a sure fire deal he's got Assassin's Creed, so I'm not going to bother with that one. And while I have been stoked for Contra 4 since its conception, I'm going to have to pass it for the plumber on this one.

While I ranted and raved like a five year old with no writing skills about my sublime 45 minute date with this game at Gamestop, I still can't be psyched enough. I played it again today while my friend was reserving Rock Band and it was just as fun I am proud to say. So, it officially has something no other Wii game has given me yet...the urge to play it a second time..and delivering also!

This game is the full package. It has it all! Everything you've wanted from a Mario game for ten years is on this DVD. You owe it to yourself to play it...if you're a Mario fan that is. If you've been a lifelong Nintendo fan who has severe doubts in the Wii (like myself), this game certainly won't change your mind about the system as a whole, but it is the game that will show you Nintendo still cares about you.



Mario's here and he's going to dominate the industry...for a whole week! Guess what I'm writing about next week...!

Timmy rocks into Rock Band

Source: ign.com


Perhaps the best bonus song of all time has found its way onto EA's upcoming Rock Band. If you thought Trogdor was an excellent addition to Guitar Hero 2, then you will becoming absolutely stoked to hear what Harmonix has in store for you this time.