Tony Scott and Denzel Washington are back with yet another 'thriller' as an unmanned train is running along the tracks. Not exactly Trainspotting...
Why, oh why, oh why do I even bother going to see a Tony Scott film, they are unbelievably awful. The camera is all over the place, making me feel sick, his focus pulling, sweeping shots, intense close-ups and shaky-cam look unprofessional to say the least. This whole effort to create action through a flimsy script by making the audience feel like they are on a rollercoaster is, in essence, playing on people's stupidity. By drawing their attention away from what matters, it's like dealing with a thick child who has fallen over; he's so taken away with a cuddly toy that he forgets that his knee is bleeding everywhere - and watching this film was definitely painful.
The journey to even get this film made was painful. The overrated diva that is Denzel Washington refused to have his $20 million salary cut holding up production. Tony Scott even got his pay cut to $4 million, though God knows who would pay him so much. It's a recession remember? The entire budget for the film was $90 million, so you can see how much of that was spent on Denzel's pulling power. Finally the film got made and is 'inspired by true events'. This statement always makes me laugh. Isn't every creation inspired by true events? Based on true events is something different (and usually a lie in films anyway) but 'inspired' by true events? You could say that about a diary of birdwatching - which would probably be more interesting than this film.
In any case, a train is left accelerating by accident without anyone driving it and it's left to Washington and Pine to save the day. Denzel plays his classic 'everyday' hero role that he usually does, especially in Tony Scott films, and Chris Pine tries to keep some integrity in the film by giving off a clearly angry young man on his first day on the job. How unlucky for him then. There's some lacklustre back story which is to fill in the gaps where trains are moving because, as every commuter knows, train journeys are usually very boring. The two bond and it's supposed to show a coming together of generations, and a somewhat meagre attempt at how people are losing their jobs, which Denzel can obviously sympathise with seeing as they were unfairly offering him only $16 million - the cheap bastards, no wonder he was threatening to pull out.
They film the train like it's a monster on the rampage when it seems to be going at different speeds from shot to shot. It needs to be stopped before it goes round a rather nasty bend which is inconveniently located above a bunch of fuel tanks and is carrying a load of flammable liquid as well. Not ideal then - who decided to put the train track there? So yeah, they have to stop a train. When I came out, some people were saying how great it was and that it was 'just like that programme 24' - so I guess there's always a market - for idiots - who probably don't watch 24 anyway. I was also annoyed I lost a button on my coat which got caught on the drinks holder as I stood up. That didn't help.
There's some explosions and it has Rosario Dawson in it as a dressed down stressed out worker, but she's still hot - and for the ladies Chris Pine has his shirt off at the beginning of the film so maybe watch it for that and then leave. I would rather have not gone and then I'd still have that button. Stop the Unstoppable and just don't watch this film. It's shit.
For those who enjoyed my Vanquish review (http://thewildbore.blogspot.com/2010/11/vanquish.html), I've now made a short video review which is on YouTube under channel name thewildboretv . This will be the first of many, hopefully, so please comment and tell me what you think. I quote my brother 'That was ... surreal'
CALL OF DUTY! One of the most successful game franchises ever returns with lots of stuff you've seen before and much more that you haven't.
For those who didn't know, both Call of Duty 1, 2, 4 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 were by Infinity Ward whereas Call of Duty 3 and World At War was by Treyarch. Confusing enough? Well it doesn't matter now because Infinity Ward has pretty much disbanded leaving Activision solely with Treyarch to keep the series afloat with Modern Warfare 3 stuck in development hell.
It is often argued that whereInfinity Ward was obsessed with making things look 'cool', Treyarch wanted to make the games more story-based and bring an emotional depth that is somewhat lacking in Infinity Ward's action-packed sagas. But it has cost Treyarch the big dollars as people see them as the underdogs of the Call of Duty series, lacking real scope and bogging things down with story with a much lesser focus on multiplayer. So whichever opinion you have, I would imagine for most of the gaming public all they care about is that this is another Call of Duty and does it raise the bar? Most definitely.
Firstly, most of the game is set during the Sixties / Seventies with missions in Kowloon, Cuba, Vietnam, Russia and more. At one point you're cruising down a river shooting the Vietcong while listening to the Rolling Stones - clearly 'Nam films have had a huge impact on the game. The sheer scale and globe trotting nature of the game, not unfamiliar with the Call of Duty series, goes above and beyond what has been done before. It includes every setting you could possibly want from a war game, whether you're escaping from a huge jail or playing Russian Roulette Deer Hunter style, it never ceases to keep you on the edge of your seat.
The graphics look incredible with faces, textures and landscapes making you almost forget you're playing a game. I'd love to see what this looks like in 3D as fortunately the game is 3D compatible! Let me know if I can come round to see it on your 3D TV because I imagine it'll blow your socks off. The voice acting adds even more to the experience with impressive casting including Gary Oldman returning as Reznov (from World At War and an important character in the game), Sam Worthington, Ed Harris and Ice Cube as the main roles, but the overall sound is amazing. The score is epic and changes according to what's happening onscreen, subtle yet deeply affecting. The sound effects , background noise and how it all changes according to your environment is mind-blowing, every detail here has been thought about.
So what about the actual gameplay? My opinion is that it is the smoothest I've seen in an FPS yet. The normal controls are still there but whether you're on a boat, helicopter, motorbike, car or whatever, the controls work very simply and very effectively. You do not need to 'enter' vehicles, the game just smoothly puts you in them and the same goes for entering cut-scenes, you could be riding your car, then get a flash of bright white light and in the second you think you've crashed and died, it's actually part of the story, this is how smooth the game works. There's also some cool 'bullet-time' sequences that trigger automatically, sporadically and spontaneously, unlike when 'breaching' doors in the previous COD, the bullet time could happen at any point making it's surprise even more cooler. The weapons work well and are varied enough to keep you interested but the developers realise you just want to point and shoot and not get too bogged down customising your weapons (which is more for multiplayer use anyway). The game might also be too linear for some, but FPS's aren't supposed to be too sandbox, you are on a mission after all. The whole thing clocks in at about 8 or 9 hours as well, perhaps a bit more, which means it's more than enough to sink your teeth into without getting too bored either.
The story is the first in the Call of Duty series which I actually thought 'Wow' - not in the same way America was getting blown apart in Modern Warfare, or the Russian airport sequence in Modern Warfare 2, but a character piece that would make some Hollywood movies blush. You play different characters, but for the most part you are Mason, some poor operative who from the very menu sequence before the game has actually started, is holed up in a torture room surrounded by TV's and made to listen to a sequence of numbers. 'What do these numbers mean?' someone from another room is shouting at you, but poor Mason hasn't got a clue, so they delve into his memories to try and uncover the truth which is how you 'flashback' to the missions.
I don't want to ruin it by saying too much, but it seems like Mason is losing his mind. He keeps hallucinating and can't seem to rid himself of these Lost-esque numbers rattling around in his head as you control him in key moments of his life and try and uncover the secret of Nova 6. Even when you think you're approaching the end of the game, something else opens up (in a good way) and the second time you play it through, you'll definitely have a new perspective on it. This adds not only replay value, but it's the first CoD game where I vaguely know what's going on and I vaguely care. They haven't detracted from Modern Warfare's gameplay, but they've added a depth to the game people often criticise it for lacking. I'd argue that, perhaps people might prefer the advanced technology and faster pace of the Modern Warfare series rather than this, but I'd say they're missing the point. This is a whole new Call of Duty experience and one that should definitely not be missed - and this is merely the Campaign mode!
Once you've completed the game, you unlock a new 'Zombies' level (you can play another zombie level immediately if you so wish) where you play JFK in the war bunker of the White House. For those who loved the Nazi Zombies of World At War, Treyarch have turned Zombies into a more advanced beast altogether, realising that fans had a lot of fun shooting the shit out of Zombies (aren't Zombies everywhere these days? Undead Nightmare? Dead Rising? Walking Dead?) and includes split screen, co-op and all the stuff that you loved and more.
Treyarch have said that the multiplayer is incredible but unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to do so as it has not been officially released, meaning I can't log on to the server. I can walk about the maps by myself though or do some split screen action (if I had friends) and from what I've seen, it's impressive. For me, Call of Duty's success relies heavily on how it works as an online battleground but I haven't been able to test this as of yet, which is why the marking excludes multiplayer, as this can be a whole new game all together.
Overall, Black Ops is a great step forward for Call of Duty, it doesn't hold back on plot, set pieces, environments or character and it'll take a hell of a lot to beat this game. As much as I enjoyed Modern Warfare, it's not exactly Vietnam is it? I mean, war back then was cool right? Do yourself a favour and go and buy it. Some may prefer Modern Warfare, but I think this was a lot more fun. It absolutely desecrates Medal of Honor and puts it in it's place, which is at the back. It just goes to show you can ooze style and still have more than enough substance to match. It is your duty to buy Call of Duty.
SEGA has put Shinji Mikami from Resident Evil fame with Platinum Games who made Bayonetta and the result is something, that's not too bad.
Firstly, I'm still making my way through Bayonetta and I find it hard to engage with, but that got rave reviews and when this came out, it didn't do too badly either. But I don't understand why.
The problems with Vanquish are quite big ones. Firstly, the plot is confusing and the voice acting typically OTT as the Japanese are used to. One scene runs into another without really telling you what's going on, but then you don't really care because the entire game is completely mental.
It's relentless, you go from one shooting gallery to another with the odd gigantic boss turning up to ruin your day. However, I have to admit it works. The gameplay is smooth and boosting around the place is never boring. The shooting and different guns available are enough to keep you busy and it uses a unique upgrading system where picking up the same gun when you have full ammo allows it to upgrade somehow. I didn't quite understand it, I just played along. This really being the mantra of the whole game.
The story is that you are playing Sam Gideon, someone who has a nice new suit to play with, but San Francisco is blown up (which looks amazing) and you have to go to a space colony to take down the Russians. With a few twists and turns on the way, you are trying to defeat the Russians but find out there's more to it than it seems. But it's likely you won't care. There's the political angle of the economy, of foreign policy, 9/11, government cover-ups but essentially you just wanna shoot some stuff. And boy, do you.
The graphics look stunning and the colours, depth and sheer scale of the piece is impressive to say the least but after a while, it all looks very similar. There are some great moments from taking down a huge walking machine, to coming up against a garbage pile with some bite (and which can also kill you with one move - much to my annoyance) but the whole thing is way too short, completing it at about five and a half hours myself. Compared to similar titles such as Gears Of War, it doesn't quite cut it but the Japanese feel of it all shines through (no surprises then that the makers were inspired by Casshern). Once you've had your fill though I doubt very much you'll go on to do the challenges on offer - it's all style and no substance.
Don't get me wrong, for a bit of senseless shooting in a futuristic robot world, it's great, but there's not much that makes it stand out. I do love the enemies and the set pieces but already I'm starting to think about the next game to play. It might not have much of a soul but thank God then that it looks pretty.
I have a feeling this post will upset a lot of people, but it's seven artists who I feel have completely bent over and taken it up the arse for a dollar. Whether it's appearing on an advert, changing your image or even worse, changing your entire music style in an effort to become more mainstream, this is some of the worst I can think of. If you agree, disagree, or can think of any more then comment below. This is a good place to start and if we can justify more, I'll put more up with your comments and stuff. These aren't necessarily in any order.
1. BiffyClyro
Having been a fan since before Blackened Sky even came out about a decade ago, it was only until the world first heard Puzzle that we knew there'd be trouble. It was such a jump from Infinity Land which was quite experimental to something so, uninspired. Fortunately, there were still some good tracks but something had changed since they left Beggar's Banquet to Warner Bros, oh that was it, they no longer cared. Since then Only Revolutions has to be one of the most clearly sell-out records ever when compared to the masterful songwriting on Blackened Sky - and it was this album that got a Mercury nomination. Ridiculous. Not only that, but they've been whoring their name out to all and sundry that will take them on - doing so many corporate shows even Jimmy Carr would be jealous. So here are two tracks, the first is their first video for Justboy (look at how young they all look) and the second is the OTT, shit Captain. Compare for yourself.
2. The Offspring
If ever there were a tale of how selling out is a short term solution to your problems, it's The Offspring. Having already done well with their first album Smash in 1994 and the incredible Ixnay On The Hombre, they got so greedy that they went from being dark, moody, California punkers who started the entire 90's scene there (kinda) to pure pop sell outs. It's not as if they didn't have mainstream songs already, people would argue Gone Away etc. were their 'ballads' but they still kept an air of dignity. However, since Americana and the single Pretty Fly (For A White Guy) got released, it's become nothing short of embarrassing. They've now tried everything to not only win back the mainstream audience, but to also win back their original fanbase. However, it's too little too late and they are still releasing albums. I think it's time to put this band to rest once and for all. Selling your soul doesn't always pay kids. To commiserate, here's a live version of 'All I Want' (one of the first covers I played live when I was about 16 - ahh, memories) and Pretty Fly (For A White Guy) at Woodstock 99 - look how bored they look, there's only three years difference or something between the two tracks.
3. Iggy Pop
The fact that one of the Gods of rock will now be better known as the guy that sells car insurance is enough to make me cry. Why do it? The supreme case of selling your legend, your persona, something you've worked on for decades, something you've been building up, a respect amongst the world that can only be earned, just to sell it to buy a bigger house. It's disgraceful. For anyone who wants to know more go out and buy the book Wonderland Avenue, he's not the focus but it's a great insight into the man.
4. Idlewild
A band that I have probably seen more times live than any other. They started off as a post-grunge alternative rock/indie pioneers for the modern age, and bands today probably don't even realise it. They played music they enjoyed and that was the main thing - they never catered for what the record companies or the audience wanted, which is the way it should be. After all, that's why people enjoy it right? Unfortunately, by the end it was only the lyrics of Roddy Woomble that held it together. Everyone started doing solo projects to try and recreate their own sound again, but they had turned Idlewild into a money making beast that soon everyone got bored of. It was the style change and the release of 'The Remote Part' that signalled the end, yet it was their most successful album. It sounds as if the band have split but they are currently touring playing 100 Broken Windows in it's entirety to celebrate the re-release. Once again, you can't claw yourselves back guys. Here's what it sounds like to be good and then to sell out.
5. Green Day
Anyone remember Kerplunk? Back in 1992, it became an underground hit that broke Green Day free from Lookout records and took them straight to Reprise Records where the punk scene had then already dismissed them as sell-outs, but unfortunately it got even worse. Dookie was released and MTV played Basket Case to death. Their popularity started to wane after Warning pretty much bombed, so after selling out, how could they regain their popularity? By riding on the wave of emo and selling out all over again. By 2002, they had already had two Greatest Hits albums released and when they finally came out of hiding with American Idiot, an entirely brand new teenage audience welcomed them with open arms. After some more awful 'punk' songs, the band now have a Broadway musical, a game and more. They don't mind anyone using their songs and will basically let themselves be pissed all over for a couple of hundred bucks. Don't believe me? Well here's the difference.
6. Kings Of Leon
I can't go into the whole Kings Of Leon debate again (Look at my album review last month) but it's safe to say no-one in the most recent years has probably sold out more than Kings Of Leon. Here's the proof.
7. Sex Pistols
It's hard to say about whether Sex Pistols (mainly John Lydon) ever sold out because the punk movement, anti-establishment in nature, was just a money making machine. If it wasn't for punk, Virgin would never have come about as a multi-million dollar industry. People forget that punk didn't start in England, it started in America and was copied over here to sell clothes from a store called Sex run by Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood. It was all about creating controversy for the sake of making money, Sex Pistols were a boy band way before Take That. So in a way, they were made to sell out but the punk ethos of anti-capitalism etc. should still ring true today and John Lydon, who was so outspoken against the bourgeoisie mainstream culture, has in fact, much like the rest of the band, turned into it. What a shame. I mean Christ, there's even a Sex Pistols perfume out.
OK so I could go on and say Ozzy Osbourne, but in fact I don't think he even knows what's going on anymore and his solo stuff is still shit. Muse might have changed their sound to complete space-cock-rock anthems, but they just got really popular and it seemed they didn't change their sound on purpose, they just got shit. Ramones might have sold out with their logo emblazoned on everything, but half of them are dead now and they did keep on doing the music they wanted to do, even if it got shit near the end. Lemmy in the Kronenburg advert might seem a bit much, but Motorhead were never known for being underground - Ace of Spades is used for everything. Korn, Limp Bizkit, some argue even Metallica, but for the most part if you sell out, then you take the risk of losing more money in the future. Slow and steady wins the race.
There could be a debate about what exactly classifies as selling out, but if you're making music which you know is shit and you don't care how your band looks as long as you get paid, I'd say that's selling out. There's one thing playing music you love, becoming successful and maintaining your dignity, selling out packed stadiums and yet not selling out (Radiohead for instance) but it's another thing being a whore.
Dutch music video director Anton Corbijn returns from the success of his first full length feature 'Control' with a take on the novel 'A Very Private Gentleman' starring George Clooney as a gunmaker hiding out in an Italian village. Is this 'thoughtful thriller', as Corbijn puts it, another Jason Bourne? Definitely not ...
Let's start by saying that this film isn't the action blockbuster that Focus have made it out to be. Instead it's a slow, reflective piece that works almost like a serious Lost In Translation, which can only be a good thing right? Well, not really.
Clooney plays Jack, a man who right from the first shot of him sipping on a drink while his girlfriend puts her arms around him from behind, while he stares emotionless into the middle distance, looks dead inside. He's completely detached from the world and after getting found by his enemies (why they are after him in the first place we never find out) he has to leave to set up shop again in a small Italian village. Whilst he is there he makes friends with the local priest and falls in love with a local prostitute and soon wants out of the game. That's the whole film, apart from the opening action, a small chase scene halfway through and the end, that's all the action you're going to get. Boring? Well, yes and no.
What Corbijn has done here is taken Clooney's paranoia and brought us into it. Through the score, the shots, the look and the general silence (it feels like hardly a word is uttered throughout the film), we start questioning what's around the corner, if anyone can ever be trusted and a mere shadow makes us just as tense as Jack. The way this feeling of suspense effortlessly glides from character to the audience is a masterful stroke in itself, but with all the suspense in the world even the master himself Hitchcock knew you have to give the audience a pay off, and The American just doesn't do it enough. It might build things up, but the audience's confidence in Jack means that there's no situation we feel he cannot control and so the tension can only work to a certain degree. However, the constant turning of one's head and lack of trust is an important concept that you can imagine all these spy thriller heroes would have to go through. It looks lonely and exhausting and, as we know from the off, Jack is no hero either.
It's also interesting how it's called The American. His lack of trust and paranoia is something that could be said of the country's social mentality post 9/11, but also how he feels isolated outside of his natural habitat - as if America feels cut off from the rest of the world and how, in some ways, it is. I don't think it's just by chance that he deals arms and is ex-military either. I'd also argue that the whole world he's living in is his own Hell, which is even suggested by the priest at one point. There's a lot of talk of religion, of cleansing sins, of hope and despair and the ultimate trial of opening up to someone and falling in love. All the while he's making deals with the devil for monetary gain and has, in theory, sold his soul.
It's a film that is more about what's not being said than by what is. Little looks, turns of heads and the use of light indicate a director who knows exactly what he wants and the framing and cinematography in general is beautiful. Every shot is like a perfect picture and cannot be faulted, you can see why this man is one of the best photographers out there. However, I can't help but feel that this should have been an art-house film with perhaps an unknown in the lead. Not that there's anything wrong with Clooney, in fact all the acting in this is superb, but the expectation of this being a Clooney spy thriller means that it becomes a disappointment for a lot of people. It's a slow-paced, suggestive tale of one man trying to reach out to others and would have been better off without being touched by Hollywood. Had this have been advertised as a slow, emotive, indie art-house foreign flick (whatever that means anymore) I would have liked it more. As it is, it feels like a pretentious, yet beautiful, sequence of images that is more about scoring credibility for all involved rather than entertaining the audience. If people say they loved it, it's more likely because they feel they have to. It's a good, quiet, sombre film that jogs along and keeps you guessing, but essentially it was a bit boring.
News has come that Marion Cottilard has turned down the role of Catwoman but that another role was being suggested, that of Talia al Ghul, daughter of Ras al Ghul from Batman Begins.
If you don't want to know what she has to do with Batman from the comics then LOOK AWAY NOW. Otherwise, read on, but I doubt they'll fit it all in anyway.
Talia has a kid with Batman called Damian who turns out to be the fifth Robin (yes, fifth). She's a bit of a dark, complex character often trying to keep her criminal dad happy but at the same time wanting to be a better person. She saves Batman's life loads and she's French, so it might all fit in together. We'll see...!
Tony Scott and Denzel Washington are back with yet another 'thriller' as an unmanned train is running along the tracks. Not exactly Trainspotting...
