HD Experience

Parents just got a nice, new, HDTV which should be up and ready for the final 2-hour episode of 24 on Monday night. Hooked it up to the Xbox 360 and it is flippin sweet! Sony sure makes a good TV. All that is needed is an HD Cable Box which will be picked up on Monday due to Cablevisions cooky weekend hours.

In other news, the third installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean series comes out on Friday (or as some people would like to correct me - 8pm on Thursday night) and it is called At World's End. Looking forward to it. This girl in my office is completely obsessed with Johnny Depp and doesn't let me forget with her chain e-mails.

Here's to a great weekend. Scott is down until Wednesday and we got a little baseball in down at the field. Played a hit derby where two water bottles played the 2nd baseman and shortstop while we took shots all around the field trying to score hits. Semi-subjective but fun none the less. Two close calls were rewarded with one hit and one out. The sad part is, I splintered the bat on a pitch inside and we had to use the little league aluminum for the remainder of the game. It works, but not too well on the outside pitch :)

Great Picture - Yankees and Rocky

Saw this picture on NoMaas.org which I thought was great because it combines two out of my three obsessions. The other, as you can tell from the previous post, is James Bond! Looks like Kei Igawa is starting to fit in... 6 innings and two runs against a powerful Indian lineup. Getting there.

Is Xbox 360 Elite worth it?

G4 talks about the 360 Elite; the new Xb0x with a 120gb hdd. In a nut shell, they say the hard drive size is good for video downloading but people who bought the 360 just for the games wouldn't be affected much. They also talk about the price, which they deem to be a little high based on a rumor that the PS3 is expected to drop its price $100. Consumers win.

FILM: Reign Over Me

Reign Over Me was a very heartfelt film. Adam Sandler plays the role of a man who lost everything that was close to him. He is depressed because everything around him reminds him of his loss and he longs for moments to escape remembering. Enter Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle -- Hotel Rwanda) who befriends Adam Sandler noting that they were once college roommates. Johnson is the one person that helps Sandler escape, forget his losses and live a semi-normal life of video games and music.

As my friend said, the movie started out a little slow. Nothing was really fast-paced about it. My other friend thought it was OK, but he is more of the blood and guts type of guy. After the film he said "Lets go see 300!"

I liked the film, thought it was well-made and put across a strong message. It had a little bit of comedy mixed in (how could you have Adam Sandler without comedy?) and a set of characters with a mixture of different personalities. And, as lives suddenly converged, things got interesting.

I recommend this film as the theater also seemed to enjoy it. They remained quiet throughout the film, wanting to hear every line out of every characters mouth.

Xbox 360 Elite

The new black Xbox appears all but confirmed. Engadget has some specs on the improved system which includes a larger hard drive, HDMI port, and new paint job. The black Xbox color will apparently be limited edition until the specs on the system replace the current premium system, in which the primary color will remain white.

Most importantly, there is speculation that the release date will be late April for a price of $479.99. Though a little hefty, the package is fairly decent and I will surely wait out for the projected cooler processor.

I just hope this isn't some kind of cruel April fools joke!

Geico Caveman's Crib

If you love that Geico Caveman then you are going to love this. Somebody created an interactive crib where you can walk around the Caveman's home. Once it loads up, click on the doorknob and it will let you in. Play around with his laptop, check out his HDTV, or watch him shower while singing to the Geico song. Everything is classic.

Be creative and curious, some functions aren't obvious. Below is the link, if it doesn't work the address is: http://www.cavemanscrib.com.



Click here to visit the Caveman's Crib

God of War 2

I bought God of War 2 today. After being told by GameStop that there was a 160 person waiting list, they conceded to have some leftover. I ended up buying my copy at Best Buy. From what I have played so far, the game is just as good, if not better than the last one. The gameplay is great and the controls are fairly easy to learn for a character with so many combos. The graphics are about the same as the last game, impressive for the PlayStation 2 title. One of the most enjoyable parts of the game is fighting characters 100 times the size of you, pressing random combos to perform leaping slashes that bring the huge beasts to their feet. After watching 300 tonight and coming home to the game, I am starting to see a connection.

Hopefully this game will last me a couple of weeks until I can truly make a decision on which next-generation system I will be buying. There is still no news from Microsoft about Xbox 360 version 2 but there are two dates I am waiting on. First, the PlayStation 3 is expected to be released in Europe within a few days. There is a chance Microsoft might say something there to kill Sony's hype. Next, the prominent rumor appears to be a May 1 release date. If that is the case and it is being released in the US on this date, I expect there to be some news of it come mid-April. If not, who knows what I will do. All I know is I am longing to play some MLB 2K7 and my friend Rob will be getting Xbox Live soon. Let the gaming begin already!

300

300 was great! My friend's was right, you cant always trust the reviews. Plus, my dad told me that first week sales for the film were outstanding.

The fight scenes were perfect, like nothing I have seen before. The fighters were real men, no Lord of the Ring Legolas'. So much blood was spewed my girlfriend spent half the movie with her eyes closed. The movie is called 300 because it is about a group of 300 Spartans who went up against the largest Army in the world, the Persians, led by Xerxes. King Leonidas is given the option to surrender to the Persians, or be destroyed. What a choice, right? Outnumbered greatly, the Spartans find strength in their abilities to fight and outsmart their challengers. By standing together as one giant shield (using the buddy system) they are able to slowly chop away at the enemy front lines. The cast isn't only limited to human warriors. There are all sorts of characters including immortals, giant fat beasts, and even a rhino.

I recommend this to all guys. My girlfriend kept screaming things like "Oh damn" and "Oh that's just wrong" and it made me a little uncomfortable. It's a guy thing.

In the Middle of the Night (The Rock)

Nothing like waking up in the middle of the night and finding yourself alone in your friends basement! Watched The Rock, which is a very good movie, but no matter what film you put on, when the ambient lights go out and the only light being emitted is from the television screen, you find yourself quickly becoming a victim of The Sandman. Don't remember exactly what time I passed out but it is pretty funny when you realize you aren't home.

Nicholas Cage and Sean Connery do an excellent job in this film. Connery plays a jailed escape artist who is called upon by the federal government to alleviate a hostage situation at Alcatraz, also known as The Rock. What makes Connery so suited to aide the federal government? He is the only person who has ever escaped Alcatraz alive. Cage plays a chemical weapons expert working for the FBI, in charge of using his expertise to find the best possible way to prevent a nerve gas attack on the San Francisco Bay area. Filled with plenty of creative action, drama, and comedy, it is easy to see how a large diversity of moviegoers would like this film. Two thumbs up; both my thumbs.

Yanks Losing Streak + 360

The Yankees have lost a bunch of games recently including one to the Red Sox on Monday and one to the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. Of all the losses, what came most importantly to the Yankees was a semi-strong/injury-free performance by Carl Pavano (known as "The Rajah of Rehab" to Peter Abrahams). The Yankees play the Twins tonight.

I am holding off on the 360 for now. I will most surely buy it eventually but I have been hearing rumors lately about a release of a Black Xbox 360 (codename: Zephyr) that includes 100GB more hard drive space, a cooler processor, an HDMI output, and a faster, quieter, DVD-ROM. With all those extras it is worth it to hold on my purchase at least until Microsoft disputes the rumors. I don't expect it to be more than a month and a half before we hear something because the two ideal times to come out with an updated system are when the PS3 launches in Europe (near the end of this month) and around the beginning of summer. Someone projected May 1 for the release but how the hell would they know. We'll wait and see.

A Few Things

- 24 is the greatest TV series ever. Ever. You can catch some past episodes on MySpace if you were to want to try and catch up to the present. I particularly liked the 5PM-6PM show last week.

- The Yankees lost today, 4-3 to the Indians. This is the second loss for the Yankees this Spring Training and both have come by the hands of the Indians. The Indians had the second highest run-producing offense last season behind the Yankees so it is understandable that they would put up some fight. Their bullpen held them back last season. The main reason for the Yankees' loss today was the unimpressive outing by youngster Phillip Hughes. He should be sent down to the minors any day now to get ready for AAA.

The Yankees play the Red Sox tomorrow (Monday) night at 7PM. The game will be held in the Red Sox's ball park and only a handful of regulars will take the trip including Robinson Cano and Hideki Matsui. Carl Pavano is slated to pitch. (game overview)

- I should be buying the Xbox 360 soon. I am sold on a few good games they have out including Gears of War, MLB 2k7, Burnout Revenge, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas. I went to my friends today and he had the 360 and the Wii along with a 42 inch plasma TV. Gears of War on a plasma screen is unlike anything I've seen before. The Wii was fun also even though the graphics didn't blow my skirt up. I particularly enjoyed swinging the bat via remote, in Wii Sports.

- I have decided to scrap the idea of getting a BB Gun. For now at least. Though small, the chances of missing the target and/or having bullets ricochet into the dog next door is enough to hold me back. Especially since that little guy is all over the place.

Goldeneye 007 Recreation

Here is a very funny, and creative, recreation of arguably Nintendo 64's greatest game (and one of my personal favorite movies), Goldeneye 007. The game set the standard for all first-person shooters thereafter and, even in today's high-tech gaming world, gamers still are sentimental about their beloved 64-bit Bond. Although I wish the whole video was in first person, just like the game, it did bring back some fond memories:

To further the sentimentality, here is the trailer for the film:

FILM: Thomas Crown Affair

Thomas Crown Affair, another film starring Pierce Brosnan, is much like The Matador and After the Sunset in a sense that Brosnan is sneaky, adventurous, and creative. Yes, it sounds like James Bond, back to his good old tricks, but he is no spy for a government agency. He is operating on his own, creating chaos for his own pleasure.

The film, which debuted in 1999, comes inbetween famous Bond films Tomorrow Never Dies and The World is Not Enough so it only makes sense that Brosnan maintains his cool attitude in the Thomas Crown. This is what made Brosnan famous after all. Thomas Crown, along with The Matador and After the Sunset are no masterpieces. This is not an insult, they are just more playful than the Bond films. They were not created to win Grammy's or envoke sequel after sequel, they were created for pure one-time enjoyment and Brosnan fills the roles of both sides very well.

Bond plays a rich man who owns a museum in Manhattan. Suddenly, a very expensive work of art is stolen from the museum, which brings law enforcement into the picture. Enter Catherine Banning (Rene Russo) who sells insurance and happens to know a lot about detective work. It seems like every Brosnan film has a Bond girl. This is his girl.

I find it funny that the scene of the crime, and main location of the film, is a museum. A landscape for an artist. Its twists and turns are not necessarily designed to make you think, rather they are designed to let you sit back and watch things unfold. Though you might have some guesses for the ending (there are subtle clues throughout the film) it is not designed to keep you at the edge of your seat, pointing out every little detail. It is designed to keep you back in your seat, enjoying the masterpiece that he is creating, much like an art connoisseur admiring Van Gogh's Starry Night.

Sit back and enjoy the art. I sure did.

FILM: Gridiron Gang

Another great inspirational football story based on a true story, just like Invincible, except this story features a group of young delinquents in a juvenile detention center who learn to live and love each other through the game of football. The Mustangs (the teams name) join a high school football league and find themselves facing all obstacles on and off the field. Everything overcome on the field is a win also off the field.

The film did a great job getting its audience emotionally involved in the characters. I won't lie, my eyes watered a few times. The Rock shows true compassion for a group of kids that grew up in the wrong neighborhoods, misguided by gang violence and abusive families. Xzibit (see: Pimp My Ride) is also in the film and plays a support role for the Rock and for the kids.

The movie is a stand up and cheer film. You want the kids to become better and get a sense that even the most dirtiest of criminals could have had a less violent life if only they had been surrounded by more supportive individuals who genuinely cared about them. Of course, not all violence can be avoided. There are people out there who you can not help, and the film addresses this point.

I recommend this movie to everyone, except those who are "too cool" for inspirational movies. You know who I'm talking about; the kids who make fart noises when an emotional song comes on or laughs at someones on-screen misfortunes. Get with the program.

The Rock makes as good an actor as he did a WWF Wrestler, and that is impressive. I haven't seen a movie starring Rock that I haven't enjoyed yet, including Walking Tall, The Rundown, and The Scorpion King. For a complete list of The Rock's films, CLICK HERE!

FILM: Invincible

Don't you just love an underdog story? I do, as you can probably tell from the quote on the header of this blog. OK, the movie wasn't Rocky caliber but could anything ever stand toe to toe with the Italian Stallion? I think not.

The movie was very good though. I first saw Invincible in Blockbuster a few weeks ago but decided to wait a little because my interest in football wasn't very high. But now, the SuperBowl is in 2 days (a little less) and I figured that there is no better time. Plus, my interest level went up after the Colts beat out the New England Patriots two weeks ago. That was probably the most fun I've had watching a football game in my life (I root against New England because I associate them with the Red Sox).

The movie, starring very talented Mark Wahlberg (Vince Papale), takes place in Philadelphia (another underdog story from Philly! I was waiting for him to run up the Rocky steps). Papale works at a local bar and as a part-time teacher for a high school. For fun, he plays tackle football in a nearby park with a bunch of his buddies. All of a sudden things go south and Papale is strapped for cash. Lucky for him (well, not totally), the team he loves (the Philadelphia Eagles) are holding open tryouts to the public because they are in desperate need of some help.

I won't tell you the rest. The movie was well made and follows a few things that made Rocky such a success: poor neighborhood, local kid with a 1/1,000,000 shot, rough times, etc. If you aren't even remotely a football fan, I could understand you not being very interested. For example, I'm not a basketball fan so all inspirational basketball underdog movies are a joke to me (Coach Carter).

I will say this though: after watching the film, I threw on my sweatpants and went for a jog. I love underdog films... they pump me up!

FILM: Epic Movie

Saw Epic Movie tonight and though it gave me a few laughs (loved the inspirational Rocky theme song), the majority of it was fluff. Superman gets shot in the eye, Paris Hilton gets crushed by a woman who fell out of a plane, and the "hairy beaver" gets kicked around a few times. Those were some funny parts that kept me laughing for a few seconds. Then the laughter stopped as Captain Swallow (no I did not spell that wrong) and his boat crew broke out into a pointless, lengthy rap on his immobile boat. The jokes were kiddy humor that never quite hit their mark. A few were dragged out, such as dumb blond Lucy who repeated everything Susan said. The addition of hot, barely dressed women in every other scene was clear desperation to keep everyone focused.

Some might enjoy this movie but since a large portion of it was making fun of the Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter I guess I was left out of the loop, not having seen either of them. I still probably wouldn't have found the jokes funny. I sort of knew what I was getting into when the 7:30 showing emptied out and the age range was 13-15.

One thing my friend Rob mentioned as we came out of the theater that I agreed with: there weren't enough characters. If you go to the Epic Movie Website, all characters on the intro page are pretty much the entire cast.

Overall, they could have been a little more imaginative with the jokes. It just wasn't funny to watch a champagne bottle get thrown at P-Diddy's head. Also, they could have done a little more with Borat instead of just sticking him in there in the end. Alas, there were the girls in bikini's in the next frame to keep us from nodding off!

How do I rate this film? A random reviewer wrote that it was better than Date Movie but worse than Scary Movie. Sounds about right.

Connery and Everyone Else

I have recently heard arguments that the new James Bond (Daniel Craig) is just as good, maybe even better than the original Bond (Sean Connery). I say, it is a bit presumptuous to make such a statement after only one performance. The performance was good nevertheless, Casino Royale was fantastic.

I went a little old school tonight, watching From Russia With Love starring Sean Connery. The tricks in the older bond films may be less dramatic and daring but they still have a similar effect. In a way, they are just as entertaining. What is exceptional about the Connery series is the superb story line (the original Bond films were based on Ian Flemming's novels. The newer films, notably Pierce Brosnan and after, were all new scripts) and an increased concentration on the characters.

Connery is fun to watch. He comes across as suave, something his predecessor had a hard time imitating (Peter Sellers played James Bond in the 1967 Casino Royale). Even a few of his successors did not quite get it right. His relaxed demeanor is something I admire, always staying cool under pressure. There is no over-dramatic acting, every action seems to hold the same expression. Whether he is having a conversation with a beautiful woman, a fellow agent, or a murderer, he remains cool under pressure and is able to think constructively, uninhibited by fear, anger, or other emotions.

This is who James Bond is. If Daniel Craig can continue this trend then I do say he will be remembered.

FILM: The Illusionist

2nd time watching. First in theaters, second in my living room. Enjoyed it thoroughly both times. The Illusionist is an all-around nice film. Starring Edward Norton (one of my favorite), the beautiful Jessica Biel, and Paul Giamatti, it is a story of the art of illusion that requires your fullest attention. Try not to watch it with outspoken person(s) because you will not fully enjoy its manipulation. I, myself, try not to watch such movies with my dad while my mom is in the room because the dogs follow and she has to go through her routine of saying rediculous things aloud such as "I don't understand why the dogs are drueling all over the couch and my leg while I am sitting here eating ice cream," or something like that. Same routine every night.

Anyway, here is a shot from the film. I know you will enjoy this one, unless you are one of the outspoken =P

GAME: God of War (PS2)

Every Christmas since I was a little boy I had gotten at least 1 video game. This goes all the way back to the NES days. I'm sure many of you can empathize with the joy of receiving that perfect game.

Well I am older now and this Christmas I contemplated leaving the gaming behind. A trip to Best Buy changed my mind as I decided to pick up God of War for the PS2. I heard all the positive reviews and the game had been out long enough to put itself on the PS2 Greatest Hits list, warranting a reduced $20 price tag.

I have been playing it for a few days now and I highly recommend it. The graphics are impeccable (often I feel as if I'm playing one of the first lines of Xbox 360 games), the soundtrack is encouraging, and the game play is smooth as a hot knife through butter. Maybe I haven't looked hard enough but I haven't found a single glitch in the graphics.

I can't speak enough of the transition video clips through the length of the game. The scenes are visually appealing, high octane, and somewhat sophisticated. It is not a simple story line and you can tell that the game's writers went above and beyond with the script. And even though the transition scenes are visually appealing, you still do not get the feel that you are playing another game when you get back to the gameplay.

The weapons are slightly limited but the combinations that you can perform with the weapons are vast. Don't even both trying to memorize all the combinations because after a while of slashing you will start to develop them on your own. The button configuration is simple. There are even combinations that the game requires you to do at the instant to destroy a mutant completely.

As for the length of the game, I have been playing sporadically but I have gotten far enough to say that the game is lengthy. There are puzzles that you have to solve, hidden items that you have to uncover, and enough bad guys to put blisters on your thumb. I have been playing normal difficulty and it has been fairly tough but there is a harder difficulty level which I'm sure will keep you frustrated :)

Overall, every aspect of the game is impressive. It's worth your $20.

God of War 2 is set to release this February!