Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on November 4th, 2007
Everybody remembers the first scary movie that gave them nightmares for days and months after they saw it. For some, it was the Exorcist and for more recent folks perhaps it was Scream or Saw. For me, it was Poltergeist. I was but seven years old and thought it would be something like E.T. Phone Home, but with swirly demons and ghosts? It was PG, how bad could it be? In the next two hours, I was treated to something that resonates with me to this very day. From the moment I heard "They're Here", I knew I would never see static on televisions the same way.
It's 3:00 in the morning, the national anthem is playing and then the television goes to static (remember those days, now we just get infomercials about losing weight). A small child named Carol Anne (played by Heather O' Rourke) gets out of bed and walks towards the television. She starts talking to the set and works up a pretty good conversation. The people inside the television were trying to communicate with the 5 year old child. However, there was something else in the television set, something far more sinister. There was more at work here than a girl perhaps making an imaginary friend.
Posted in: Game Reviews by Michael Durr on November 4th, 2007
Some games take time to gain acceptance. This game started out a fledging curiosity, now the obsession has hit and everybody wants to play air guitar except with the a controller shaped like one. The game is Guitar Hero 3. This is the first installment that has hit every major console at the same time. This also marks the first time where they really pushed the concept of actual guitarists and musicians coming out to help such as Bret Michaels, Slash and the Sex Pistols. Some would describe it as a sell out especially since the team that made the original Guitar Hero was busy making Rock Band and the reins were left to Neversoft. How would they fare; could they possibly mess up what made the first two Guitar Heros so great?
Graphics
As previously said in other Guitar Heros, graphics has never been the game's strong suit. Many of the objects got a face lift and look better. The widescreen display and 1080p resolution is the greatest it has been. Problem is we as Guitar Hero enthusiasts never needed complicated graphics. We wanted notes across a plane and good music. Instead we get a muppet face male lead singer and a complicated star power bar. Actually the star power bar has been turned into some science experiment where you fill up incandescent light tubes when you hit your special notes. This becomes very confusing to followers of the series. Back to the muppet face male lead singer (and I don't mean Bret Michaels when he's singing Talk Dirty to Me). Your main lead singer is downright scary and not in a good way. All of the characters got face lifts but they should have kept them the same way as in the previous 360 Guitar Hero. Simplicity is better.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 2nd, 2007
This box set of three movies tries to take advantage of a college course theme to generate interest for films already available in these same editions. This collection uses Astronomy to bunch together three lighthearted science fiction adventures. The films are Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Spaceballs, and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The Eighth Dimension. The lesson we’re really learning here is how corporate quests for profits can reach almost ridiculous proportions. Many studios are running low on the films in their libraries that have yet to be released but still have a market to sustain a DVD title. The obvious answer to this dilemma is double, triple, and beyond dipping. The idea is to repackage a film, maybe add an extra or two, often not, and put it in a newer, shinier package. In theory we unsavvy buyers are like wild raccoons who can’t resist putting their hands on that new glittering design and will buy products which we already own. It would sound silly, except that it works. Record companies have been doing it for decades. Elvis has been dead for almost 30 years, but there’s still at least one new Elvis CD every year since. OK. Rant out of the way. Let’s talk about the three films in the package.
Posted in: Brain Blasters by David Annandale on November 2nd, 2007
It must stop! Somebody has to take a stand, and I guess that somebody has to be me. But surely I will not be alone. Surely I will have comrades aplenty in my march to justice. Surely the day of victory cannot be too far over the horizon. With courage and determination, we can stamp out the scourge. What scourge? Surely I don’t have to spell it out. Surely you know I am referring to the twist ending.
And one particular brand of twist ending, at that.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 2nd, 2007
The Sopranos, called by some the greatest TV show in history, is over. With a much-publicized fade-to-black finish, the series finale aired June 10, 2007, leaving fans to forever speculate about the fate of Tony Soprano. Many were disappointed at this ambiguous ending, but I'm sure a similar number enjoyed having some major loose ends.
It's all academic for me, because I hadn't watched the series since its season three finale, and only caught the end when this DVD set came my way for review. After catching up on seasons four, five and six (part one) through synopses, I sat down to experience The Sopranos' closing act.
Posted in: News and Opinions by Archive Authors on November 1st, 2007
According to Engadget, on Friday(one day only), Wal-mart will be offering the entry level Toshiba A2 HD DVD player for the astonishing $99.99 price point. The A2 model is a entry level machine that is only able to output a 1080i/60fps signal. The latest model the A3, will be capable of outputting a full 1080p Signal. The A3 is expected to be priced at or around 200 dollars this holiday season.
One thing to be wary of is that Wal-mart tends to cut prices drastically on products they have little intention of stocking. Meaning every store may only be getting a few of the A2's and a few dozen of the A3's.
Posted in: Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on October 31st, 2007
There is a Mutant Storm brewing, Doritos brings XBLA snacks and the Wii shows up forgetting beer and a HDD - Welcome to the column that shows up early and then stays way too late (and doesn't clean up) known as Dare to Play the Game.
Welcome to the spooktacular edition of Dare to Play the Game (no you probably won't find any other Halloween related material but it will be spooooky). No, I didn't finish Halo 3 (stuck halfway thru stage 8 ) and I didn't even start Half Life 2 Orange. I'm a very sad panda. We (my girlfriend and me) are hopelessly addicted to Puzzle Quest. My girlfriend is nearing level 25 with her character and I'm around 15. However, I have to admit I like my wizard very very much. Fireball and Hands of Power are a deadly combo. I was able to finish my PQ review naturally. I also finished a couple of dvd reviews (The Lair - Season One and The Reaping) and have three more on tap (The Tripper, Red Road, and Poltergeist 25th Anniversary). I also went out and bought Guitar Hero 3 Wireless Bundle for the 360. *keep telling yourself, I will get to Half Life 2 Orange* I have to admit that I like the all black face. That and I can't bring myself to paying $15-$20 for a beeping face plate. My girlfriend might play with me since we have two guitars now but I don't know anybody else I'm showing it off to. Expect those to hit bargain bins inside of 6 months. Just like any other GH "gear" except the actual guitars themselves.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 31st, 2007
Back around the time I was born, and Tom Cruise had an ounce of sanity, a little movie called Top Gun swept across the globe raking in over $350,000,000 worldwide, as well as sparking an interest in the US Navy and everything Tomcat, Skyhawk, and MiG related. Ever since its original release Top Gun has kept a hold on its audience, being played almost weekly, and now it makes its way into the world of high definition with its release on HD DVD.
For the few of you out there who don't know, Tom Cruise (Mission Impossible) plays Pete Mitchell better known to the rest of us as Maverick. He's young, cocky, and he pilots an F-14 Tomcat. His wingman Goose (Anthony Edwards, Zodiac) keeps him in check with a cool head, and is the more cautious of the two. After another pilot turns in his wings the two are given the opportunity to join the Top Gun fighter pilot school in which only the top 1% of fighter pilots are invited. Upon getting into the school Maverick believes himself to be the best there and borders on the line of being reckless, creating an enemy of fellow pilot Iceman (Val Kilmer, Heat). As the movie plays out Maverick falls in love, contemplates his lifestyle, looses people close to him, and faces death well trying to make it through the training. The movie pretty much wraps up in typical Hollywood style with a bow on it, but still manages to be a good watch.
![Top Gun [HD DVD] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/top-gun-hd-dvd-large.jpg)
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 30th, 2007
Scrubs is a show that resists being defined. Certainly there have been a ton of medical shows over the years. Recently shows like Grey’s Anatomy have found a way to balance a bit of drama with a light mood that often approaches comedy. MASH was the opposite. It was a comedy that often allowed quite serious moments to intrude upon the laughter. Any way you slice it, it turns out that pain and disease can be funny. Nowhere is that more true than on Scrubs. On Scrubs you are never left in an awkward position of knowing if it’s appropriate to laugh. Everything about the show is geared toward the absurd, and hopefully the funny.
The show exists almost exclusively in the mind of Dr. J.D. Dorian (Braff). He exists in a world where he can say and do exactly what he feels like, even if he might not actually say or do any of it. We see what he sees inside of his head. If he sees a good looking woman, he has a vision of his friend giving a sportscaster breakdown of her attributes. In this place he has none of the inhibitions his real life demands. He can ridicule a patient or fantasize a torrid affair with a nurse. Dorian is surrounded by a solid cast of crazy characters. His best friend is Dr. Christopher Turk (Faison). Turk is recently married to Nurse Carla (Reyes) and they are having a baby. She’s pretty much the straight man here and sets up a lot of the material. Dorian has an awkward relationship with his ex Elliott Reid (Chalke), now with another guy. He’s a bit jealous of her time these days, and more than a few of his fantasy moments involve her. Dr. Bob Kelso (Jenkins) is one of the better characters and actors in the show. Often underused, his tight ship exterior would make a better foil for the gang if used more generously. Finally, arrogant Dr. Cox (McGinley) does get to be the butt of a lot of the jokes, but he’s established himself as a strong lead at times instead of the typical fall guy. All in all, the cast is sharp and witty. Where I find fault with Scrubs is likely what the fans enjoy the most. It is way over the top. The moments are often ridiculous, and the writers are not afraid to make a huge stretch for a joke. Fans of the show probably went head over heels for the My Musical episode as Scrubs goes where Buffy The Vampire Slayer has gone before and the cast breaks out in song.
Posted in: Random Fun by David Annandale on October 30th, 2007
Okay, title got your attention? Good. Now the disclaimer. I was thinking of calling this piece “Ten Horrors From the Path Less Travelled,” but that would have been a bit precious. I’m not going to pretend that the serious horror fans out there are unfamiliar with these titles. Nor is this list meant really and truly as a “Top Ten” (see, two lies already in my title). But consider this a reminder that there’s something other than the umpteenth rental of The Exorcist or latest iteration of Saw out there for your Halloween pleasure. So here, chronological order, are ten fine films for the season.
The Seventh Victim (1943)
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