I’ll T.C. the Review

Borderlands

If there’s one thing that keeps people coming back to games, it’s loot. We’ve know that since Diablo, and we see it every day as people grind away in World of Warcraft or Monster Hunter. But that kind of RPG gameplay has never really successfully been melded with FPS action, since percentages and skill trees tend to ruin the fun of shooting dudes. Borderlands tries to fill that niche, and generally succeeds.

You play as one of four mercenaries on the planet Pandora searching for The Vault, which holds infinite riches aliens left behind… Or something. Most of the game’s story is told in text on quest screens and it’s very skipable. I got the gist of what was going on, but there were definitely some plot holes I could have filled in if I read more. The game is very much like an MMO in that aspect, you’re free to go wherever you want and take quests from a number of NPCs who want you to kill things or gather stuff. While maybe not the most engaging, it definitely works and is fun.

The game touts it “bazillions of guns,” which is somewhat misleading. The guns are procedurally generated, so there technically are a vast number of possible weapons, but most of them aren’t worth more than vendoring. That said, there definitely are more desirable guns in the game than you could ever handle, and knowing you could find your new main weapon at any moment is really addictive. There are also shields, class and grenade mods that you can find, although the good ones are much rarer with those. It’s a shame there isn’t armor to be collected, but the guns are enough to instill a strong case of loot lust.

Most importantly, the game plays well. The shooting feels right, unlike a game like Fallout 3, where the dice rolls made your accuracy feel meaningless. Borderlands works as an FPS. You aim at a dude, you’ll probably hit him. The guns feel pretty good too, and you’ll definitely be drawn to certain types and really get a kick out of them. For me it was assault rifles, because I could boost the damage of those will skills as the soldier class. That’s another thing, the skill trees really work well in that they increase your enjoyment of the game without making you feel really weak without them.

It’s kind of odd that this is only a four player game. After all, it has most of the trappings of the modern MMO, save for much endgame content. What it really lacks is a better looting system. You have to pick up ammo and money, which doesn’t make sense. What’s the advantage of not picking up money or ammo? Just do it for me. This is made worse by the troublesome loot windows, which often appear partly offscreen. Also, there’s no shared looting system, first person to grab something gets it. To trade it, you have to drop it on the ground. So make sure you play with people you trust.

Ultimately Borderlands delivers an addictive experience that we haven’t really seen before. Yes, it has flaws. But that’s what patches are for. In the mean time, you’ll definitely get more than your money’s worth from this gem.

Set Phrazes to Stun

Julian Casablancas – Phrazes for the Young

How long must we wait for a new Strokes album? One was supposedly in the works earlier this year when all of a sudden things came to a halt. One rumor was that it was because Albert Hammond Jr. went to rehab but that was never clearly verified. Hopefully it’ll be out sometime next year which is already sounding awesome with new albums from; Vampire Weekend, Radiohead, MGMT, Spoon to name a few. 2009 appears to be slowing down but at least I have this synth excursion to muse on for a little bit

Yes it’s Julian Casablanca’s debut solo album, which makes him the second member to release a solo album after Albert Hammond Jr. (I guess he just gets all the attention these days). As Julian is the primary songwriter of the gang, I can only assume that these are tracks that he believed didn’t quite fully represent the New York quartet’s garage rock chic sound.

So he throws in a whole caboodle of synths and beat machines here and there but with that same ol’ crooner voice and robotic arrangements, this sounds more like a a collection of Strokes b-sides than anything else. There’s definitely some standout tracks such as the leadoff single “11th Dimension” with it’s infectious keyboard riff but there’s a handful of tracks that just fall flat. Jules’ melodies just don’t seem to go anywhere, so many of them have the most predictable chord progressions, like he’s just making it up as he goes along.

But I don’t want to sell this album short. Sure I have my problems with but it’s got it’s moments. The production by Jason Ladder with some help from Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes is just excellent. The sounds produced on this album are a real blast to the past. Guitars that sound like A Flock of Seagulls mixed with punchy 80s beats and synths that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Megaman game. It’s a real trip to try and pick out every single instrument and it’s complexity makes it an album worth returning to. You know the more I listen to it the more I warm up to it, maybe over time I’ll have a better appreciation but for now it’s just a fun little distraction.

Favorite Tracks: “11th Dimension”, “Glass”, “Left & Right in the Dark”

The Backwards Man

Hey gang, well I have to wake up excruciatingly early tomorrow but before I hit the hay, how about I post a link to a video project I did for school? For our first video in my video foundations class (thus far we’ve only done photography) we were supposed to do a video that we believe captures the spirit of silent filmmaker George Melies. Mainly were supposed to concentrate on his use of pioneering visual effects. So I decided to use a bunch of reverse effects due to the fact that it’s visually intriguing and humorous. I think my video kind of strayed from being anything similar to a Melies short but it’s good enough and it’s only about a million times better than anyone else’s video. I don’t want to be a jerk but that’s just the truth.

For a year or so I’ve been telling Sean that someday I’d make a video where I eat a sandwich in reverse and I guess this it. So here’s a link to my video “The Backwards Man.”

Sean’s Top Tens of 2006

I didn’t forget! I just… you know, wanted to put it off until after Shocktober. And then I wasn’t going to do it while I was busy with classes. Anyway, this is the last of these, as I don’t want to revisit 2007 once again and what’s the point of doing 2008 again? So enjoy the final part of my monthly retrospectives and start getting ready to work on your top tens of the decade, you know I am.

Top 10 Films of 2006

10. Bubble
An interesting little experiment by Steven Soderbergh about a tiny community of and a terrible incident. It’s bleak and enigmatic and short and really good. Bubble will get you thinking, that’s for sure.

9. Pan’s Labyrinth
I totally get why this is a good movie and a lot of critics latched onto it. But it’s so dark and unexpectedly violent that I probably will not ever watch it again. Drop it in the “one time is enough” can, along with A.I.

8. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
OK, hear me out on this one. Yes, Babel was a powerful film, but it had its flaws. V for Vendetta was kind of interesting, but also kind of boring. The Queen is for old people. For Your Consideration kind of missed the mark, and then kind of was a little too on the mark. The Pursuit of Happyness was sweet, but a little manipulative. There, have I answered for all the potential movies that could have taken this spot? No, I did not see The Last King of Scotland, United 93, Volver, The Science of Sleep or that other movie you’re thinking about.

7. Stranger Than Fiction
I wish Will Ferell did more movies like this. He actually has to act, and he’s alright. So are his A-list co-stars. A fun little story with a nice soundtrack. John knows what I’m talking about.

6. Thank You for Smoking
It’s rare to see a film so intelligently written and funny. But I guess we should have expected that from the son of the director of Stripes and Ghost Busters. Then again, he’s also the son of the guy who directed Junior and My Super Ex-Girlfriend… Good going Jason. Liked Juno and am looking forward to Up in the Air too.

5. Letters from Iwo Jima
Never got around to seeing this film’s companion, Flags of Our Fathers, and I never really worried about that either. Eastwood is in top form with this unique look at the Japanese side of the bloodiest battle of the Pacific Theatre.

4. Half Nelson
You know, I don’t get why this movie is called “Half Nelson.” It’s all about dianetics, sure, and that is really explicitly drilled into the viewer. An inner-city inspiration teacher with a drug problem. How real, how yin and yang, how “grey.” Where does the wrestling come into the equation?

3. Brick
Ah yes, the grand high school film noir. JGL is great, as is the dialogue throughout the movie. This movie didn’t get around as much as it deserved, if you haven’t checked it out, please do so soon. You’ll enjoy it.

2. Children of Men
I’m predisposed to like most sci fi, but Children of Men is remarkably good no matter what genre you assign it to. On a pure cinematographic level, it’s quite a feast. Remember all the long shots? Those were so cool. I wish there was more Chiwetel Ejiofor.

1. The Departed
Of course this is my number one. Scorsese returns to crime drama and scores his belated best picture and director Oscars. That’s no accident, this is a damn fine movie. From the crazy tense scenes between DiCaprio and Damon to the hilarious ones with Wahlberg and Baldwin, this is just something that you can’t help but enjoy. And, yes, Jack Nicholson is terrific.

Top 10 Albums of 2006

10. Kasabian – Empire
Honestly I could have gone either way between this and Keane’s Under the Iron Sea, but I find Kasabian less embarrassing to listen to in public. I mean, you can’t really be blastin’ “A Bad Dream” with your windows down, know can you. But “Shoot the Runner”? You go boy.

9. TV on the Radio – Return to Cookie Mountain
Not as refined as the masterpiece Dear Science, TV on the Radio are nonetheless in tip top shape for these delightful 11 tracks. “Wolf Like Me” is seriously one of my favorite songs ever.

8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Show Your Bones
It turns out I really like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I knew I liked “Maps,” but this I’ve been on-and-off listening to their catalog for a few years now and I keep coming back for more. At this point I doubt they’ll ever leave my iPod.

7. Phoenix – It’s Never Been Like That
Just a few months ago Colin turned me onto an amazing album called Wolfgang Amadeus Pheonix. Then this summer he told me to check out its predecessor, claiming it was even better. I don’t think it is, but it’s still quite good. I like these Frenchmen.

6. The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldiers
This was some hot shit back in ’06. Hell, it’s still pretty warm, even after all this time. “Steady as She Goes” is probably the song I associate most with the year.

5. The Flaming Lips – At War with the Mystics
Why didn’t I like Embryonic more? I liked this a lot. What’s my problem? Maybe it’s the lack of drugs and booze in my body. Who knows? Anyway, this is pretty good.

4. Band of Horses – Everything All the Time
It’s kind of like My Morning Jacket meets Death Cab for Cutie… Oh wait that exists as Monsters of Folk and is even better than Band of Horses. But these guys are good too. You guys don’t listen to my music recommendations anyway, but this is one of the most accessible of them.

3. Beck – The Information
I seriously enjoy each Beck release more than the last. Well, that’s probably not true, but The Information is some tight shit. That expression sounds really unpleasant. Unlike this album.

2. Muse – Black Holes and Revelations
By a significant margin my favorite Muse album. It’s just awesome. The best part, as we all know, is the outstanding “Knights of Cydonia” music video.

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Stadium Arcadium
OK, I know a lot of people totally hate that RHCP had pretty much been continuing on the Californication sound. But you know what? That’s a really good sound. As a double album, there’s always a pretty high chance a lot of the tracks would be duds. But they aren’t. If only “Snow” was easier in Rock Band.

Top 10 Video Games of 2006

10. Excite Truck
I really had no idea what game to put here. I could have easily gone with Brain Age, since, you know, it got people excited about math, which is pretty cool. Okami was pretty neat, but I barely played it for some reason. It’s been sitting in my collection for years now. So I’m going with Excite Truck, and why the hell not. It’s simple fun.

9. Chromehounds
Um, build giant robots and fight. How could I not like this game?

8. Elite Beat Agents
While the song selection is a lot lamer than its Japanese counterpart, for some reason I feel it would be shady to put Japanese games on these lists. Like, then I’d have to do foreign movies too, and change when movies came out to their original countries instead of the U.S… It all gets too messy. So this one’s here instead.

7. New Super Mario Bros.
“A new sidescrolling Super Mario Bros. game would be a good idea,” we said for years. Nintendo agreed.

6. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Oh Zelda, when did you get less fun? The magic just wasn’t there for the series foray into the Wii. It’s still fun, but with a distinct “been there, done that” feel. Maybe next time.

5. Guitar Hero II
They finally really did it. You maniacs! You added bass in! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to Hell!

4. Dead Rising
Turns out this is pretty much Dawn of the Dead the game. Also the first real next gen gaming experience for the 360. So that’s good.

3. Half-Life 2: Episode One
The only game on this list to only last a few hours. But those are some fine hours. Fine hours indeed.

2. Wii Sports
This was astounding back in the day before we figured out how disappointing Wii technology and Wii games in general would turn out to be. Oh well.

1. Gears of War
Pretty much the game that sold me on the Xbox 360. It looked so good and played so well. Nothing like giant dudes cutting up aliens with chainsaw bayonets.

Rad to the Bone

Weezer – Raditude

It’s only been a year since Weezer released their last self-titled album which although enjoyable was not without it’s problems. With Raditude (album title suggested by actor Rainn Wilson) Weezer shows more cohesion and opens the door for collaborations with everyone from All American Rejects to Lil’ Wayne. With artists like that it sounds like a recipe for disaster but I gave it a listen and was shocked to find that this album turned out to be my favorite Weezer album since The Green Album.

So the whole gimmick here is that Rivers has decided to collaborate with a whole slew of random artists for the song-writing process. Out of ten tracks, Rivers has only written two by himself, maybe that’s what it took for a Weezer album to sound fresh again. Sure The Red Album had it’s moments but this one seems to have a better idea of what it wants to accomplish. It can tend to waver a little bit on the wimpy, almost emo-ish side of pop/rock but hey, it’s catchy, rockin’ and runs at a short and sweet 34 minutes.

So the album starts right out of the gates with your typical Weezer brand rock with the upbeat acoustic driven “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To” followed by my favorite track on the album “I’m Your Daddy”, strangely enough co-written by Dr. Luke, who’s known for the writing for the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne and Britney Spears… How did this song end up being good? I don’t know but I like it. The rest of the album follows in your typical Weezer pop/rock fashion only occasionally dipping into stranger waters.

“I Can’t Stop Partying” is perhaps the big “love it” or “hate it” track of the album. Written by Jermaine Dupri, it’s like something you might hear playing in the background of one of those shows like “The Hills”. Driven by an electro club beat, this track features who else but Lil Wayne (Heh Weezer and Weezy I wonder if that’s why they did it.) At first I thought “This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” but I don’t think they’re expecting to be taken seriously so I’ve opened up to it a little since then.

It’s funny how even if a song is well written the exact arrangement can make you love it or hate it. Like the track “Put Me Back Together” co-written by two guys from All American Rejects. If they released a version I’d probably hate it but in Weezer’s hands it’s actually an enjoyable track, makes you think.

The only track that is just unlistenable is “Love is the Answer”. Originally written for Sugar Ray, it’s an indian flavored ballad with a recurring Bollywoodesque vocalist that just wallows in lameness. Aside from that it’s a solid album that although incredibly cheesy is enjoyable as mindless party rock. If you’re looking for something deeper than songs about “Going to Best Buy” or “Watching Titanic” than this is definitely not for you but if you just wanna pump up the jams then give it a listen.

Favorite Tracks: “The Girl Got Hot”, “”(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To”, “I’m Your Daddy”

Halloween 09′ Mighty Fine.

Still finishing up my “Top Terrors of 2000s” list which is taking a little longer than I anticipated but I’d still say it was a successful Halloween themed week. I hope everyone else enjoyed this spooky time of the year and will continue to enjoy the crisp autumn season as I do. So How about I leave with you a link to a creepy classic Slaughter Man. It’s more than just an urban legend… It’s an “Urband” legend.

Shocktober: Top Terrors of the 2000s

So often I hear people discussing the decline of horror movies in this day and age. Where it would appear that remakes and the “Torture Porn” genre ruled most of the decade there’s surprisingly been a handful notable bone-chillers as well, you just got to know where to look. Though good American horror films may be somewhat of rarity these days, I think you’d be surprised by how many good foreign horror films were released in the 2000s. Unfortunately I could only tackle so many movies this year, here’s some flicks I’ve heard good things about but haven’t seen.

– Thirst (2008)
– Slither (2006)
– Inside (2007)

And now on to my list, enjoy.

10. Dog Soldiers (2002)
It was tough picking a number ten, it really could of gone to any of my honorable mentions (listed at the bottom) but I went with my gut and chose the gory, tongue and cheek U.K. flick Dog Soldiers. Following a squad of British soldiers training in the highlands of Scottland, all seems well until the team discovers a wounded Special Forces captain and the last remains of his men. So next thing you know we have our cast, lead by Kevin McKidd (Trainspotting) facing off against seven foot tall werewolves for an action packed, blood filled 100 or so minutes. It’s not one to be taken too seriously but there’s still some good scares and impressive makeup effects.

9. Paranormal Activity (2009)
Maybe it’s a little premature to add a film that I just saw yesterday but seeing that it’s already topped The Blair Witch Project for most successful indie film must account for something significant. I’m confident that this is one that horror fans will remember and cherish for years to come. It’s scary, unique and a definite highlight in this era of low budget shaky cam films.

8. REC (2007)
Jesus Christ! Remember when I said I’d mention the scariest movie I’d seen in years? Well this is it and this Spanish horror film is a relentless 75 minutes of non -stop shit jumping out at you like some high adrenaline monster thrill ride. I assume most people are probably more familiar with this film’s American remake Quarantine (2008) but this is where it all started and it’s another triumph of the handheld video camera era. Ángela Vidal (Manuela Velasco) is a television reporter in Barcelona who along with her cameraman Pablo is filming a segment for a show about people who work various nightshift jobs. For this night Angela accompanies a couple of firefighters as they’re called out on a disturbance to a local apartment building. What starts out as routine call soon escalates into a viral breakout transforming residents into enraged psychopaths. The building quickly becomes quarantined and the next thing you know, everyone is trapped in a frightening fun house of thrills and chills. Wanna see a freaky flick? Check out REC.

7. Drag Me To Hell (2009)
Sam Raimi’s return to horror is another gooey, gross out instant classic (classic in cult horror sense.) An offbeat take on the infamous “Gypsy curse” scenario, Drag Me To Hell may be the closest we’ll ever get to another Evil Dead movie. Alison Lohman stars as Christine Brown an ambitious loan officer attempting to get ahead. Though what she didn’t anticipate was an encounter with customer Mrs. Sylvia Ganush (Lorna Raver), of course Christine denies her an extension on her mortgage and from then on, all hell breaks loose. All in all it’s basically a dark comedy that’s good for a quick laugh and a few “jump out of your seat” moments.

6. The Mist (2007)
Although a bit of downer particularly the ending, The Mist has an outstanding ensemble cast, entertaining creature effects and a striking atmosphere. Based off the Stephen King short story, The Mist is about a group of citizens in a small town in Maine that hold up in grocery store after the appearance of a mysterious fog. Waiting for it to pass, things only get worse after a man arrives warning everyone of “something in the fog” and the next thing you know all hell breaks loose as waves of bizarre creatures attack the townspeople. This film seemed to go more or less unnoticed when it was released but it still did well financially and critically. I guess it really struck a chord with me, I love those “isolation” type movies that pin people against each other.

5. The Host (2006)
Not only South Korea’s most successful film of all time but perhaps the best “giant monster” movie in years. Opening with a U.S. run military base dumping formaldehyde into the Han River, four years pass when suddenly a vicious tadpole-like monster emerges attacking the people of Seoul. We follow Park Gang-du (Song Kang-ho) a slow witted man who along with his oddball family attempt to track down the creature to rescue Gang-Du’s daughter. Almost as much a comedy as a horror film The Host is an excellent creature feature with a lot to say, check it out if you’re in the mood for a monster.

4. The Devil’s Backbone (2001)
A great horror fan himself it’s no surprise that Guillermo Del Toro had a great horror movie brewing within him. The Devil’s Backbone set in an orphanage during the Spanish Civil War, is about Carlos and his experiences with ghosts and a cruel caretaker. It’s powerful and fascinating film that although chilling has a lot of heart. If you liked Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth than I highly recommend this film that Guillermo calls the “brother companion piece” to Pan’s Labyrinth (Pan’s Labyrinth of course being the sister companion.)

3. Let the Right One In (2008)
Still a relatively new movie, (that’s soon to be remade for American audiences) Sweden’s own vampire romance story is both a dark and moving film. Oscar is a bullied young boy living between divorced parents in Blackeberg, Stockholm until one evening when he finds love and revenge through Eli, a young gil who turns out to be a vampire. Now I’m sure everyone’s pretty damn tired of vampires in this day and age but this one is a return to tradition and respects the mythology. It’s a wonderful story, the cinematography is magnificent and the acting between the two young leads is worth high note. This is definitely one that will go down as one of the great horror films of this decade.

2. 28 Days Later (2002), 28 Weeks Later (2007
At this point I’m not sure about my order. I’ve really come to appreciate the seemingly bleak but fascinating 28 Series but whether I like it better than Let the Right One In? I don’t know it’s a tough call. I doubled these two up because for some reason I can’t think of one without thinking of the other. They’re both violent, yet human views at a post-apocalyptic world. It’s funny too how they reflect a lot of issues that our world has faced in this decade. 28 Days Later is definitely the better film but they’re both notable highlights in the genre and have definitely made a big impact.

1. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Perhaps the best homage/tribute to the genre Shaun of the Dead is an incredibly layered horror comedy that’s endlessly quotable, a little creepy and all out hilarious. Out of all of these films it’s just the one I enjoy watching the most and has quickly become one of my favorite movies of this decade. I’ve discussed it before so I’m gonna keep it brief and say that Shaun of the Dead is perhaps the greatest horror/comedy film of all time (at least in my eyes) and will continue to be remembered through it’s already large cult following.

Finally it’s done and I have a few honorable mentions below, Happy Halloween.

Honorable Mention
Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
Cloverfield (2008)
Mothman Prophecies (2002)