What's up bloggers? It's been a while since I've updated, but I'm getting better... right? Well, in light of the 4th of July being right around the corner, I thought I would do a "Half-Year in Review" sort of post, commemorating what I think has mattered for the first half of 2007. I'll split it up into categories so you can skip the stuff you don't care about. Here we go.
Movies:
This year has been pretty.... well, weak when it comes to movies. I have only seen 5 films in theaters this year, down from my usual 10 or 15 by this time of year, and I've only missed 2 or 3 that I wanted to see but wasn't able to (Knocked Up, 28 Weeks Later and TMNT). I'm hoping the second half of the year is better, as there are a few films that have me positively excited (3:10 to Yuma, There Will Be Blood and American Gangster) and a few that have me mildly interested (The Simpsons Movie, The Bourne Ultimatum and National Treasure 2). However bleak the rest of this year looks, looking ahead, 2008 looks to more than make up for it, with sequels to Batman Begins (The Dark Knight), The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (Prince Caspian) and the 4th installment of the Indiana Jones adventures coming to theaters. Now, in the interest of reviewing (that is what this post is all about), here are the ratings (out of 10) for the 5 films I have seen this year.
300: 7.5/10
Hot Fuzz: 9.5/10
Spider-Man 3: 6/10
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End: 9/10
Live Free or Die Hard: 8.5/10
Music:
Now, my musical tastes are somewhat limited, so I'm going to stick with mini-reviews for the new albums by some of my favorite bands. Also, be sure to check back in mid-August when I review at least 3 of the shows I will have attended. Now, onto the reviews.
Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
When people think Queens of the Stone Age, they think "No One Knows", "Go With the Flow", and "Little Sister". This album contains a bit of each, with "Sick Sick Sick" echoing the heavy riffs found in NOK and GWtF and the stand out track, "3's & 7's", echoing the solo heavy LS. The rest of the album mixes just about any type of music you can imagine QotSA playing, and they do it with a flair I still haven't found in any other band.
Final Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Stand Out Tracks: Sick Sick Sick, I'm Designer, Misfit Love, Make It Wit Chu, 3's & 7's, Run Pig Run
Velvet Revolver - Libertad
A great break from their earlier sound in Contraband, Libertad manages to blend a few more styles of rock into its formula while still maintaining to guitar heavy rock that they are known for. Only listened to the album a few times, so I can't really comment on individual tracks just yet.
Initial Impression Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist
One of those most anticipated reunion albums in recent years, the Smashing Pumpkins (despite the exclusion of James Iha and D'Arcy or Melissa Auf der Maur) are back. The new album stays true to the framework laid down in Machina and Machina II, incorporating much heavier and straightforward songs than they had in previous albums. While the album does kind of peter out at the end, this, I would argue, is a much better use of that framework, and frontman Billy Corgan really wasn't kidding when he said he missed the band. The emotion missing from his side project Zwan and his solo career are back in full force on this new album, and I only hope this means many more years of The Smashing Pumpkins are ahead of us.
Final Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Stand Out Tracks: Doomsday Clock, Tarantula, United States, That's the Way (My Love Is)
The rest I didn't really spend a whole lot of time with, so I can really only give them star ratings based on my initial impressions.
Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos: 3 out of 5 stars
The White Stripes - Icky Thump: 4.5 out of 5 stars
And since this post is much longer than I thought it would be, I will save the other stuff (politics, law, etc) to another day, hopefully later this week. Enjoy the 4th of July!
Monday, July 02, 2007
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Summer Politics
Well, summer is here, and with it come the worst several months for entertainment as a whole. Summer is notoriously lacking in the video game department (the only 3 I plan on purchasing are Mass Effect for the Xbox 360, Guitar Hero Encore: Rock the 80's for the PS2 and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption for the Wii), the TV season is over and the wait for the new season in October has begun. Granted, summer is the big movie season, but as far as I'm concerned, aside from Transformers, the big movies have come and gone already (Pirates 3, Spider-Man 3, etc).
So why, you ask, am I updating my seldom updated blog? Well, it is because of something that Jon Stewart has perfectly described as "Clusterfuck to the White House". That's right, the presidential primaries have me interested for the first time ever. Nearly 20 candidates are vying for the White House from just the main two parties alone, but according to the ever inane media, you would only think that there are 6 possible candidates (John Edwards, Hillary "the Devil" Clinton and Barrack Obama for the Dems and Mitt "Kerry 2" Romney, Rudy "9/11" Giuliani and John McCain for the Republicans). Predicting this race is about as hard as picking a name out of a hat, since at this point that's the only way to determine whose going to be our next President. It's really too bad that the media has already picked their front runners (and hell, they're even giving more importance to two people who aren't even officially in the goddamn race yet, Fred Thompson and Al Gore), because closely examining a field of nearly 20 candidates instead of narrowing it to the popular 6 could yield us a much more competent, intelligent and well rounded president.
Unfortunately, the absolute best candidate in the running is not getting the publicity and respect he deserves. That would be Representative Ron Paul from Texas, who is a straight up Libertarian that knows how to play the game and maximize his chances for getting elected (he realizes that the system is controlled by the Dems and Republicans, so thats why he's running as a RINO (Republican in Name Only) and not a Libertarian). He's for market freedom, legalized competition in every single aspect of life that the government currently controls, and is just an all-around intelligent man. I am very happy he was featured on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart earlier this week (and I recommend everyone seek out the episode or a clip of Representative Paul's segment), because it will get his name to the youth of America, of whom a boatload get their political information from Stewart and Stephen Colbert. I fully support this man's run to the White House, and I want to give him my full support in the Republican primary (and hopefully later in the national election).
I encourage everyone of all political leanings to pay close attention to this particular race to the White House, as the next president will more than likely define the entirety of the post-Bush United States. Ignore the media frenzy surrounding the Big 6 (as the 3 Dems and the 3 Republicans are pretty much exactly the same when it comes to the issues) and dig for information regarding the other 14 candidates. Everyone needs to get politically educated and get active. This election is too important to sit idly by and watch it happen.
So why, you ask, am I updating my seldom updated blog? Well, it is because of something that Jon Stewart has perfectly described as "Clusterfuck to the White House". That's right, the presidential primaries have me interested for the first time ever. Nearly 20 candidates are vying for the White House from just the main two parties alone, but according to the ever inane media, you would only think that there are 6 possible candidates (John Edwards, Hillary "the Devil" Clinton and Barrack Obama for the Dems and Mitt "Kerry 2" Romney, Rudy "9/11" Giuliani and John McCain for the Republicans). Predicting this race is about as hard as picking a name out of a hat, since at this point that's the only way to determine whose going to be our next President. It's really too bad that the media has already picked their front runners (and hell, they're even giving more importance to two people who aren't even officially in the goddamn race yet, Fred Thompson and Al Gore), because closely examining a field of nearly 20 candidates instead of narrowing it to the popular 6 could yield us a much more competent, intelligent and well rounded president.
Unfortunately, the absolute best candidate in the running is not getting the publicity and respect he deserves. That would be Representative Ron Paul from Texas, who is a straight up Libertarian that knows how to play the game and maximize his chances for getting elected (he realizes that the system is controlled by the Dems and Republicans, so thats why he's running as a RINO (Republican in Name Only) and not a Libertarian). He's for market freedom, legalized competition in every single aspect of life that the government currently controls, and is just an all-around intelligent man. I am very happy he was featured on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart earlier this week (and I recommend everyone seek out the episode or a clip of Representative Paul's segment), because it will get his name to the youth of America, of whom a boatload get their political information from Stewart and Stephen Colbert. I fully support this man's run to the White House, and I want to give him my full support in the Republican primary (and hopefully later in the national election).
I encourage everyone of all political leanings to pay close attention to this particular race to the White House, as the next president will more than likely define the entirety of the post-Bush United States. Ignore the media frenzy surrounding the Big 6 (as the 3 Dems and the 3 Republicans are pretty much exactly the same when it comes to the issues) and dig for information regarding the other 14 candidates. Everyone needs to get politically educated and get active. This election is too important to sit idly by and watch it happen.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Console Wars Part 2: A Rant
Yet when it comes to gaming, Xbox 360 users are serious, Mr. Rodman says. Six out of 10 Xbox 360 users use Xbox Live, Microsoft’s online gaming service.
“We don’t feel like the Wii customer and the Xbox customer are the same thing,” he said. “We think that as soon as the Wii customer turns 14 they want something else.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/28/technology/28xbox.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
Well Mr. Rodman, I can safely say that I am a Wii and Xbox 360 customer, and it is statements like these that make me hate these idiots and wish I didn't buy their product. Ignore the fact that everyone, everyone's family and everyone's grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends and acquaintances are buying up the Wii at a record pace (last I checked most of those people weren't 13). I am sick and tired of Microsoft (and Sony) thinking that there is this "Elite" class of gamer out there that is going to eat up every piece of bullshit that M$ and Sony feed them, while proverbially shunning the "kiddy" Wii. Face up to the facts Micro$ony, people can (and will) enjoy multiple systems whether you fuckheads think so or not. Just a few weeks ago another Sony CEO blamed the "cheap Americans" on the PS3's lackluster numbers in the United States... he actually had the audacity to blame the consumer for not buying Sony's product. What a load of shit.
Don't get me wrong, I love my Xbox 360, my Wii and I would probably like a PS3 if I ever had any intention of buying it, but the people who run these companies just refuse to get their foots out of their mouths and their heads out of their asses (making for an awfully painful contortion, but they somehow manage it) and just own up to the fact that the Nintendo is going to kick their collective asses in console sales and stop insulting the customers who might consider another system alongside their Wii.
PSWii? Wii60? These are the most likely combinations of consoles gamers are likely to purchase, but Micro$ony can't stop and see that an alliance with Nintendo would be a better business decision than constantly picking fights with the company that is producing a cheaper, wider-reaching, more innovative gaming system that is still impossible to find, while Xbox360s and PS3s sit on the store shelves, collecting dust. PSWii or Wii60? If Microsoft and Sony have their way, it will be PS"fuck you" and Xbox"you are a dumbass if you buy anything else". Mark my words, Nintendo is going to win in console sales, and until Sony and Microsoft can finally realize that they are just going to keep alienating the gamers they are so halfheartedly trying to court.
Morons.
“We don’t feel like the Wii customer and the Xbox customer are the same thing,” he said. “We think that as soon as the Wii customer turns 14 they want something else.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/28/technology/28xbox.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
Well Mr. Rodman, I can safely say that I am a Wii and Xbox 360 customer, and it is statements like these that make me hate these idiots and wish I didn't buy their product. Ignore the fact that everyone, everyone's family and everyone's grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends and acquaintances are buying up the Wii at a record pace (last I checked most of those people weren't 13). I am sick and tired of Microsoft (and Sony) thinking that there is this "Elite" class of gamer out there that is going to eat up every piece of bullshit that M$ and Sony feed them, while proverbially shunning the "kiddy" Wii. Face up to the facts Micro$ony, people can (and will) enjoy multiple systems whether you fuckheads think so or not. Just a few weeks ago another Sony CEO blamed the "cheap Americans" on the PS3's lackluster numbers in the United States... he actually had the audacity to blame the consumer for not buying Sony's product. What a load of shit.
Don't get me wrong, I love my Xbox 360, my Wii and I would probably like a PS3 if I ever had any intention of buying it, but the people who run these companies just refuse to get their foots out of their mouths and their heads out of their asses (making for an awfully painful contortion, but they somehow manage it) and just own up to the fact that the Nintendo is going to kick their collective asses in console sales and stop insulting the customers who might consider another system alongside their Wii.
PSWii? Wii60? These are the most likely combinations of consoles gamers are likely to purchase, but Micro$ony can't stop and see that an alliance with Nintendo would be a better business decision than constantly picking fights with the company that is producing a cheaper, wider-reaching, more innovative gaming system that is still impossible to find, while Xbox360s and PS3s sit on the store shelves, collecting dust. PSWii or Wii60? If Microsoft and Sony have their way, it will be PS"fuck you" and Xbox"you are a dumbass if you buy anything else". Mark my words, Nintendo is going to win in console sales, and until Sony and Microsoft can finally realize that they are just going to keep alienating the gamers they are so halfheartedly trying to court.
Morons.
Monday, March 26, 2007
The Console Wars: Month 17
Long time no see... all 2 of you that read this ill-maintained blog of mine.
Nintendo's Wii and Sony's Playstation 3 have now officially been out for 5 months and have finally started cutting into Microsoft's marketshare (The Xbox 360 launched 17 months ago). The Wii has exploded onto the scene as this year’s hottest Christmas gift and Wii consoles are still impossible to find, while the PS3's sales have been struggling amid a whopping $599 price tag. The Xbox 360 still owns the market, selling almost 11 million units (Wii is at just over 5 million and PS3 is still slightly under 2 million).
This generation looks like it’s going to be a split between Nintendo and Xbox 360, with the main question still hovering over the Wii's ability to last for the duration (the next wave of consoles is expected in 2010 or 2011), but as of right now it’s still too early to tell. The PS3 started quickly, selling out the first shipment within the first hour of its release (but what new console doesn't?) and has since tapered off, mostly due to a relatively high price tag in comparison with the other two consoles and a general dislike of the console by much of the gaming community, not to mention the fact that Sony execs still refuse to own up to their own mistakes and keep sluffing the blame for everything on the consumers. Blaming the Customer, always a good way to win the hearts of the masses….However, there have been a few new developments that have the capacity to really shake things up. Microsoft is poised to keep the sales crown, with the unveiling of the Xbox 360 Elite, a black 360 with an HDMI port and a 120 GB hard drive. They stay poised to win the battle of games as well, with one of Sony’s AAA titles, Devil May Cry 4, officially going multiplatform, and rumors of a second AAA game, Final Fantasy XIII, also going the route of DMC4. Exclusive support for Sony’s console is dwindling, and other than their first party companies and a resilient Konami, most publishers are eager to put their games on multiple platforms. Ex: Capcom (DMC4), Square Enix (FFXIII), Ubisoft (Assassin’s Creed), Electronic Arts (Mercenaries 2), just to name a few of the formerly exclusive games that the PS3 has lost, not to mention Sony’s idiotic business decision last generation not to continue their exclusive contract with Take Two/Rockstar, the creators of GRAND f***ing THEFT AUTO. Gee, what could have made Sony let a franchise that sold better than any other PS2 franchise get away? Just another stupid business decision by a company plagued by stupid decision makers.
Nintendo execs, on the other hand, have been business geniuses, giving us the first system everyone and their grandmothers want to play (literally, nothing is more satisfying that seeing your 70 year old grandma own everyone else in your family at Wii Bowling). While the post-launch drought for the Wii has been pretty bad (Wario Ware: Smooth Movies, WiiPlay and SSX Blur are really the only titles we have received since launch), but upcoming games should bolster the Wii’s otherwise flaccid lineup (ba dum ching!). Super Paper Mario releases in a week, followed by summer/fall/winter releases of Nintendo-developed titles Mario Party 8, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, not to mention a myriad of other games from dev’s other than the Wii’s creator. After that, however, the future looks pretty murky for Nintendo’s “new way to play” console.
Final Sales Predictions for the 5th Generation:
Nintendo Wii: 27 million
Microsoft Xbox 360: 25 million
Sony PS3: 15 million
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