Godfather Video Game Trailer
Check out the
Godfather video game trailer and a
BS-infused diary from a "suit" at EA.
The game ain't finished, but Mafia looked better. It looks like they've ripped off quite a bit from it.
The one addition I do like is that the world will change according to how you play the game. If you're super violent and kill everything in sight, the world will be more violent to you. If you play it safe, you will have less trouble.
We'll see how well it works. Release date is still tba.
Batman Begins Review
The movie kicks ass.
I'm very happy to say that I was almost completely wrong in my skepticism regarding the casting and direction of the franchise.
Gotham never looked better. It surpassed my imagination. It seemed real, not like Tim Burton's obvious set pieces. Part New York, part "Dark Knight Gotham", part Tokyo, part ...Couresant?
Christian Bale perfectly melded a thirst for vengeance with the underlying white flame of decency. He acts rather than broods, and projects an infectious rage that swells in the heart of this movie.
The storyline is adult, for the most part. The first half of the movie is a human drama about the journey of one lost man and one lost city. The story of Gotham parallels the story of young Bruce Wayne. The latter parts of the movie toggle effectively between horror and action.
My quibbles?
Well, they obviously tried to copy Spiderman with the love interest storyline, especially the end scene. But they also tried to copy some of the emotional attachment that the people of New York have for Spidey. It didn't work so well.
Also, I know it's soooo tempting to use the Batmobile, but the Batmobile chase scene was unnecessary and unbelievable. It's a bit disappointing because the rest of the movie was very believable for a super hero story. I'm still not sure how you lose the GPD helicopter by driving off the freeway, down a country road and through a waterfall, ...unless the GPD have the same intelligence as the cops in Grand Theft Auto III.
I also didn't like the much maligned fight scenes, which seem to have been shot at a distance of 4 inches. I know it's supposed to make everything look frenzied and cool, but we can't see anything so the closeups actually drain the power from the fight. It should be tense and exciting, but how tense and excited can we get over something we cannot see? It's a mistake I hope they correct next time.
Also, because the first half of the movie takes place pre-Batman, the real kiss kiss, bang bang parts seem rushed. But, with this particular origin, that's what it takes. I'd have preferred something closer to the original sepia toned Year One stories, ...but it's hard to complain too loudly. What they did here worked big time.
But some of the criticism I've read of this movie seemed off the mark.
For one thing, I wasn't bothered by all the talk of "fear" in this movie. After all, the storyline is based on a villain poisoning Gotham with a hallucinogenic drug that induces fear. What are they supposed to do, not talk about it?
Also, I don't think that Katie "Brainwashed? Kill the girl, kill the girl" Holmes was that bad. It's not like she serves no purpose in the movie. She grounds Bruce Wayne, and serves as a moral ideal for him to aspire to.
All in all, I was surprised how much I liked the movie.
And I'm totally geeked for the sequel which will pit Batman versus the Joker. They've already taken a page from the Dark Knight in implying that Batman (in a sense) creates the Joker (oh man, remember the scene in Arkham Asylum when the Joker overhears that Batman has returned to Gotham and the nearly comatose Joker comes back to life?). I hope they continue in that direction.
Just please please please please DON'T kill the Joker in the next movie. The world of Batman doesn't make sense without him.
Bad News on the Star Wars TV Show
Ain't it cool news has some
dirt on the new Star Wars TV show.
Looks like it will be a typical, ponderous, Lucas cavity probe that takes place between episodes 3 and 4. The purpose of the show seems to be explaining how all the characters meet each other.
You can already see all the cute little encounters he will dream up.
I would have preferred they do this show Star Trek style.
Star Wars has a huge universe and an expansive, intriguing history. You can take stories from any other era and go off in totally different directions. New characters, new struggles, new planets and cultures, ...man, that would be awesome.
It would be like a non-shitty Star Trek. Instead of UN-like, PC nonsense, ...you get excitement. Drama, war, ...real conflict.
There is some good news, ... Lucas will start this show after finishing the next Indiana Jones. Woo Hoo!
Trading Cards
Spivey to the Nats, Ohka to the Brewers, ...
Weeks to
The Show.
Wish they could have gotten more for Spivey.
The ESPN story makes it seem like Ohka is a head case, but Melvin isn't the kind of guy to snap up turds like Dean Taylor was.
If Ohka contributes and doesn't cause problems, it's a GREAT move.
I Agree
I agree 100% with
this article/manifesto.
It makes me pessimistic about the near-future of gaming.
More Raves for Batman Begins
AICN posts a well-thought out, smart, lengthy and somewhat spoiler-happy
review of Batman Begins.
NOW I'm starting to get excited about it.
