Posted in Brain Blasters by David Annandale on October 3rd, 2009
So I guess this column should join in with the Halloween fun. I’ll be popping in and out with various short film musings and recommendations, some of which might run the risk of being rehashes. If so, I apologize, but my reasoning is that the film deserves to be fresh in your mind for the season. First up: Beyond the Door (1974).
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Posted in Brain Blasters by David Annandale on September 25th, 2009
All right, so I’m a bit late to the party on this one, but I wanted to toss in my two-bits anyway.
Quentin Tarantino’s films have always been about their dialogue. They are not action-heavy – Kill Bill is the aberration here. When he is at his best, as in Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino’s dialogue and active camera work together to generate suspense and give the impression of a plot surging forward even when nothing much is actually happening on the screen. At his worst, as in Death Proof, the film descends into turgid, self-indulgent wankery and the we are painfully aware of the man behind the curtain.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on September 23rd, 2009
Rhythm Game Saturation, Arkham Asylum goes Platinum & Best Buy looking to buy Gamestop? – Welcome to the column that puts its pants on one bad news story at a time known as Dare to Play the Game.
This week, I can safely say I might be done with two games for the time being. My hands have been firmly removed from the Peggle bottle and the only thing I did in World of Warcraft was make a bank toon on my second account for the sole purpose of transferring gold.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on September 16th, 2009
Playing Games from the Backside, Tecmo editing their Wiki & Used Game sales driving New Ones? – Welcome to the column that tried to edit its own Wiki page before they realized they weren’t important enough to have one known as Dare to Play the Game.
Another week, another column. This past week, I was happy to get in some normal gaming that didn’t involve me huddled on an airplane staring at a tiny screen and making my character turn every which way but loose.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on September 9th, 2009
Nigerian Government upset over the PS3, A New Bonk & Kicking your WoW Habit for 14k? – Welcome to the column that wants to know who to contact to get rid of this Peggle addicition known as Dare to Play the Game.
This last week has been a rollercoaster of sorts. I made the journey from Texas to Tennessee to help my folks move. They are in that retirement age bracket and plan to only work a couple of more years.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on September 2nd, 2009
Addictive EA Sports Games, 250GB Xbox 360 & Sexual Achievements? – Welcome to the column that played a game for over 200 hours and then was told he couldn’t visit the petting zoo anymore known as Dare to Play the Game.
Kinda like last week, my gaming time was spent with two titles: Peggle and Shadow Complex. I’m about halfway through the Adventure mode again and I still feel confident about 20 million points. I’ve also taken the time to earn some of the Xbox Live achievements and actually beat some fellow players.
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Posted in Brain Blasters by David Annandale on August 30th, 2009
Another book review today, as there’s a delightful new tome on the shelves: Scott Stine’s Trashfiend: Disposable Horror Fare of the 1960s & 1970s. With a title like that, I don’t think I need to explain why it falls within this column’s purview. Sharing its focus with Stine’s short-lived zine of the same name, this is a loving but open-eyed survey of a wide array of horror offerings that are bad for us in the best way possible.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on August 26th, 2009
Fable II Hate Mail, Guitar Hero 5 DLC Issues & Boycotting Shadow Complex? – Welcome to the column that was asked to discuss their morals and rejected that proposal based on the fact they didn’t have any known as Dare to Play the Game.
The term is Peggle fiend. That’s what I feel like from last week. I was about 1/3 through Peggle’s adventure mode when we talked last.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on August 19th, 2009
Earthworm Jim coming, No HD Cables with the Elite & Update for Madden already? – Welcome to the column that was warned about the deadly thing called Peggle but didn’t exactly heed the words known as Dare to Play the Game.
So, I actually bought a couple of games this week. Both of them for the Xbox 360. I first bought a collection of XBLA games, better known as PopCap Volume 2 which contains Heavy Weapon, Feeding Frenzy 2 and Peggle. I should have known better.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on August 12th, 2009
Guitar Hero: Van Halen Setlist, World of Warcraft Races & Roses for the Sweetie? – Welcome to the column that realized a long time ago that flowers are poor substitutes for excuses when they own a rose garden known as Dare to Play the Game.
Remember when I had a lot to write about in this space every week because I would either play some new 360 games or conquer something new in the World of Warcraft? Well I can’t confess to either.
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Posted in Brain Blasters by David Annandale on August 8th, 2009
So John Hughes died the other day. What does that have to do with this column’s mandate, as flexibly defined as it might be, you might well ask. As it turns out, not much, at least not directly. But Hughes’ passing did wind up overshadowing two other deaths in the film industry. Screenwriter Budd Schulberg also died, and he wrote such fare as A Face in the Crowd (1957) and a little thing called On the Waterfront (1954), which, I dunno, might wind up standing the test of time better than Pretty in Pink, but what do I know? More to the point, as far as this space is concerned, Harry Alan Towers also passed on.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on August 5th, 2009
More GTA Blame, Xbox Install Sizes Down & the debut of Chia Obama? – Welcome to the column that needed a sidekick that was even a less funny joke than he was known as Dare to Play the Game.
So last week was kinda busy for me, I finally finished my review of the Rock Band Country Track Pack, did a couple of No Huddle reviews and barely played World of Warcraft at all.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on July 29th, 2009
Iron Man Lessons Learned, DS Piracy, and EA Tramp Stamping? – Welcome to the column that would tattoo their logo on their body but it would just end up being the butt of the jokes every other week known as Dare to Play the Game.
Well, one positive thing to come out of this week and that is I’m done with Warcraft for a little while. I finished my rep grind with Timbermaw and got my epic trinket for completing the task.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on July 22nd, 2009
NXE Dashboard commercials, Ghostbusters busting budgets and Microsoft not Gay or Proud? – Welcome to the column that is straight but scared to know where his sensitive side has been known as Dare to Play the Game.
Once upon a time, I gamed on my Xbox 360. Then, the people of Blizzard put subjective thoughts into my head about getting to level 70 and becoming addicted to a thing called rep. The rest is history.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on July 15th, 2009
EA vs UFC, New Michael Jackson Game and Am I a journalist or not? – Welcome to the column that has a job title that roughly translates into video game hack known as Dare to Play the Game.
Remember that whole spiel about how I was going to pick a new 360 game and play that instead of World of Warcraft? Hahaha, fooled you. Actually, more accurately I fooled myself.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on July 8th, 2009
Rocketing Used Game Sales, Wii Hour usage and Pirate Bay Lives On? – Welcome to the column that after three years would like to issue a serious message to its fanbase and that is PBBBBTTTTT! and also known as Dare to Play the Game.
I hardly played my Xbox 360 at all this week. It was mostly used for Rock Band 2 and to get in some Cellfactor. Nothing changed in those games, no achievements were gained. What did I really do this week?
World of Warcraft. *sigh*.
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Posted in Brain Blasters by David Annandale on July 3rd, 2009
Ishiro Honda is, of course, best known and (deservedly) beloved for his classic kaiju eiga: he not only directed the first appearances of Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra, he also delivered many of their subsequent adventures, wrapping things up with 1975’s Terror of Mechagodzilla, which would be the last such entry until the mid-80s revival. The high profile of the giant monster movies has a tendency to overshadow some of this other contributions to fantastic cinema. One such effort which shouldn’t be overlooked is the inventive and grim Matango (1963).
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on July 1st, 2009
Warner gets Midway, Patcher on the Used Game Market & Console Price Drops coming? – Welcome to the column that is better than the rest because we gave the rest a very strong laxative in their morning cereal known as Dare to Play the Game.
Cellfactor was again the game of the week for me. I only gained one achievement this week, but it was perhaps the most important one left. The ArenaMaster achievement finally clicked this weekend.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on June 24th, 2009
360 Dashboard Speed, Moore vs Obama & Digital Downloads or Bust? – Welcome to the column that dares to cross the line but quietly goes back behind it afterwards known as Dare to Play the Game.
Cellfactor off Xbox Live was my main addiction this weekend. I have gained 115 achievement points and only three achievements stand in my way.
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Posted in Podcasts by Gino Sassani on June 19th, 2009
I had a chance to chat with Hercules himself, Kevin Sorbo this afternoon. He took time out of his busy schedule to talk to us about his television career and his new direct to DVD film, Tommy And The Cool Mule. Look for our review next week. Learn what Captain Dylan Hunt has been up to since his days recreating The Commonwealth.
Bang it here to listen to our exclusive interview with Kevin Sorbo
Check out Kevin’s children charity at: World Fit For Kids.
Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on June 17th, 2009
Rock Band goes Country Tracklist, Ronnie James Dio Dropped & No Van Hagar? – Welcome to the column that sings for their dinner and any other meal too just to keep from paying known as Dare to Play the Game.
My two Arcade reviews for Wolfenstein 3d and Cellfactor: Psychokinetic Wars were posted this past weekend. In such, I played a lot of those two games.
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Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on June 10th, 2009
More Project Natal, EA Fight Night MMA Year Rotation & Should Apple iPhone Games be Rated? – Welcome to the column that would be interested in a hands-only controlled game if they knew where their hands had been known as Dare to Play the Game.
A funny thing happened to me with NHL 2k9 this week, I didn’t play it. Yes, it involved World of Warcraft and yes I am ashamed.
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Posted in Podcasts, Random Fun by Gino Sassani on June 5th, 2009
I had the chance to chat with Chris Lemmon on the phone today.
While Chris has done a little acting over the years we all knew his Dad, Jack Lemmon.
Sony is about to release a new collection of Jack Lemmon’s films and so Chris agreed to chat a little bit about that and more.
Bang it here to listen to the Chris Lemmon interview
Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on June 3rd, 2009
Halo 3 ODST, Project Natal & Facebook on Xbox Live? – Welcome to the column that would have gone to E3 if the show organizers didn’t do background checks for booth girl stalking known as Dare to Play the Game.
Many video game columnists are currently at E3 getting all giddy over the latest announcements and acting important like somebody is supposed to be impressed with their credentials by being at this event.
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Posted in Brain Blasters by David Annandale on May 30th, 2009
As I believe I may have mentioned before, I’m of an age that meant I was too young to actually attend any grindhouses in their 70s heyday, though I’m old enough to remember them. When I did come of age in the 80s, the VHS and Beta war was in full swing, video rental stores were sprouting like mushrooms, and the hunger for product on the shelves, any product, was insatiable. Those were the days when people actually rented VCRs, and Mom-and-Pop stores proudly offered the likes of Microwave Massacre, Screamers and The Beast Within for rental. This was the era of distributors like Key Video, Magnum, and many, many more, all with processed cheese computer graphic logos.
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