A Big Red Dude, a Few Games, and The Cookie Blog

Good morrow dear readers, I have much to say. First of all, I've started a new blog with several of my good friends that is entirely focused on cookies. The work is primarily done by resident food connoisseur Scott, but I'm planning to do quite a bit of guest posting. For now, head on over to A Lot of Cookies for a few posts on some delicious chocolate chip cookies from a local bakery.


Last Friday I was able to attend a showing of Hellboy II: The Golden Army. Essentially the film provides incredible fan service to Hellboy fans everywhere with a superb recreation of the dark humor from the comic. The story is fantastic, well written, and fast paced. The characters are immensely charming and provide great entertainment. Guillermo del Toro, the visionary director behind Pan's Labyrinth, uses the film as a giant playground for his imagination, with the Troll market scene standing out as one of the most novel sequences put to film since that vibrant saloon on Tatooine where we became acquainted with Luke, Han, and Obi Wan. I very much enjoyed this film with its droll humor and sarcastic tone. Ron Perlman has a sharp wit and a great presence on screen as the charismatic lead character. The supporting cast is nearly as good and really makes the film come together as something special. I highly recommend Hellboy II, especially if you like superhero movies, comic books, or just anything nerdy in general. Check it out.

I've also finished a few games that I'd like to comment on. After finishing Metal Gear Solid 4, I feel that I need to revise my initial impressions. While the plot is fairly interesting, the cutscenes just became too much to bear. I finished the game in 21 hours, and all joking aside, the cutscenes comprised at least 15 hours of that time. The gameplay is very tight, but not good enough to justify the insanely long and gratuitous cutscenes. Unless you are a huge Metal Gear fan, I would imagine that you will not enjoy this game very much. The story is incredibly confusing and absurd, and really is not worth following unless you've been following along for years.

Just to give you some perspective on how massive the story truly is, I'd like to describe the Metal Gear Solid Encyclopedia. A week or so after release, this enormous game add on appeared on the PSN. The Metal Gear Solid Encyclopedia is essentially Wikipedia for MGS. It is a 73 MB download comprised of mostly text. Do you have any idea how much raw information that is? I spent 3 hours reading article after article and made it through maybe 5% of the content. The time investment required to understand the story is simply mindblowing, so if you're looking for some quick, passive entertainment, this is not the right game. After finishing MGS4 and having some time to reflect on it, I'd give it a respectable 8.0/10. I would however, not recommend that you not play it if you're not already familiar with the world of Metal Gear and Hideo Kojima's outrageous eccentricities.

I also played Battlefield: Bad Company for the Xbox 360. The guys at DICE are very talented indeed, making some of the best multiplayer shooters out there, with the Battlfield series earning millions of fans worldwide. It's for good reason too- Battlefield features a very hectic and thrilling multiplayer mode. The explosions and effects of the brand new Frostbite engine are superb and make the game feel incredibly immersive. Unfortunately, there are a few drawbacks to the game. First of all, the game sets out to be funny while at the same time throwing players into an intense war zone. The humor really brings you out of the experience- you are supposed to be engaged in a pulse-pounding thrillride while all of your supporting players crack juvnile jokes? I think not. In addition, the single player campaign has a weak and rather mediocre story. I found it to be aggressively average and was not particularly impressed. The game as a whole also has a slightly poor aiming and control scheme. It's very difficult to say how exactly this feels, but if you play BF:BC side by side with Call of Duty 4 or Halo 3, you will know what I mean. These AAA shooters just have tighter gameplay and smoother aiming. I'm also very critical of the damage system. It takes an incredible amount of direct hits to kill someone and the damage is not at all realistic. By my count, it takes roughly 5 headshots to kill someone with a full machine gun. This is simply unacceptable. This game does not claim to be Halo, which acknowledges that players have thick armor and shields. I am somehow supposed to believe that a .45 caliber machine gun round to the bare skull of an ordinary man from 3 meters does almost nothing? Please. If you are looking for a good millitary shooter, just play Call of Duty 4 instead. I give BF:BC a 7.0/10.


Finally, I'll give a quick review of Unreal Tournament III. UT is the king of classic 90's twitch shooters, offering incredibly fast paced gameplay. The gore level is way over the top, with most weapons causing other players to explode into chunks of meat. If you don't like incredibly fast paced, twitchy, and violent gameplay, this game is not for you. If you're into Quake, Unreal, or TimeSplitters, this game is for you. UT III is the pinnacle of twitch gameplay, and I've been having a great time with this game. Not only are multiplayer matches fun, but bot AI is amazing. The programmers that worked on the AI should all be given raises for their incredible AI. The medium level bots are good, but the higher level bots really are something to behold. I highly recommend this game and give it an 8.5/10.

/end

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Some Indie Films and a Bit about Spain

Greetings dear readers, it has been some time since we've had a chat. For the most part, I've been either working or up north in Door County where, tragically, we have no internet. I know what you are thinking, and no, I don't know how I made it either. At any rate, I have returned.

Euro 2008 finished with an epic 1-0 match with Spain defeating Germany. Fernando "El Nino" Torres scored for Spain in the 33rd minute with a superb individual effort. He finished with poise and class after a 40 yard run on the ball- it was simply sensational. Spain was finally able banish their curse and succeed in the late rounds of a major tournament after years of repeated failure. For their part, Germany did not play a very classy match, with several intentional fouls and all around poor play. Spain indeed deserved to win the match, with outstanding play by Casillas, Torres, Fabregas, and Ramos. I tip my hat to the Spanish squad for a memorable Euro 2008 campaign.

Spain had a bit more luck with their athletes after Rafa Nadal won the Wimbledon Final over Roger Federer. I believe I've said before that I've just watched "the finest match ever" but I must say that this one tops them all. The match lasted for 4 Hours and 48 Minutes, the longest Wimbledon Final ever. Nadal triumphed as the sun was setting and the light was fading just seconds past 9:15 PM. The final score of 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 is just a testament to how close in skill these two players are. The match consisted of one amazing shot after another, with each man looking nigh superhuman at several key moments. After the match, both players were pure class, congratulating one another, exchanging hugs, and behaving like true gentlemen. Federer was gracious in defeat, praising Nadal's outstanding play and shot making, while Nadal was utterly humble in his victory, freely admitting that Federer was a great champion and a master of his craft. I give credit to both of these men for their grace, class, passion, and fierce competitive spirit. In the words of John McEnroe, "If this doesn't get people excited about our great sport, I don't know what will."

I've also been to the movies quite a few times over the past few weeks. I saw WALL-E on opening day at the UltraScreen at about 10:00 PM. Thankfully we avoided all the kiddies and had a pretty good crowd. The film was so brilliant that I was back in the same theater just after noon on the very next day for a repeat viewing. There is not too much to say about WALL-E because you already know what's coming. Pixar has a reputation for making high quality films, and they have never really faltered. Just as with previous films, the animation is at the top of its class. The first bit of the film is set on Earth far in the future, when it has become overrun with garbage. The animation in this bit of the film is simply mindblowing, with thousands upon thousands of objects all flawlessly rendered and detailed. I simply do not know how the animators at Pixar were able to pull this off, but they have never ceased to amaze me. The film is very short on dialog, but again, Pixar is simply masterful at saying a lot without... saying a lot. The story is top notch, the characters are loveable and endearing, the animation is stellar, and WALL-E is one of the top 3 films of the year period. If you haven't seen it, I encourage you to do so at your earliest convenience.


Timur Bekmambetov, the visionary director behind Night Watch and Day Watch, has finally directed his first English language film, Wanted. American audiences who are not into indie films (Night/Day Watch are really out there and completely in Russian) will finally get a taste of Bekmambetov's unique imagination in a wide release film. James McAvoy gives a believable and compelling performance as mild mannered Wesley Gibson. Wesley leads a rather pitiful existence with a girlfriend that cheats on him with his best friend, a low-level job, and a boss that repeatedly emasculates him. Oh, and he's broke. And he sufferes from debilitating anxiety. Essentially, his life sucks. Suddenly, Angelina Jolie (codename "Fox") breaks into the scene with her massive lips flappin' in the wind and tells Wesley that he is the to succeed his recently deceased father in The Fraternity, a secret group of assassins who maintain order in the world by killing people. (Ironic much?) It's hard to talk much about the rest of the film without spoiling the plot, so I won't. If you enjoy lots of insane action, car chases, gun play, knife battles, and gratuitous gore, this movie is for you. If not, you may wish to pass. This was the perfect summer film and is easily entertaining enough to be worth your $9.

Next up is Jellyfish, a little known film from Israel. The film is a whimsical slice-of-life affair, following the lives of three women in present day Israel. Although there is little to criticize about the quality of the film and the depth of the characters, this film does not make a whole lot of sesne. Perhaps I'll understand it better if I watch it a few more times, but after Claire and I left the theater, we essentially stared at one another dumbfounded. Either we clearly missed something crucial or this film is flat out hard to understand. If you're interested in an offbeat comedy about rather ordinary people, check this one out. Then send me a message and explain what was going on.

Finally, I just got out of Mongol a few hours ago and it's fresh in my mind. Mongol chronicles the rise of Genghis Khan, the legendary Mongolian emperor who ruled over the largest contiguous empire in human history. Covering an area of 33 million km (^2), the Mongolian Empire was home to over 100 million people. Just to put those numbers in perspective, that is 22% of the total landmass on earth and approximately 30% of the world population.

Mongol is a deep and engaging look at the early life of Genghis Khan and provides a fascinating backstory for one of history's greatest rulers. The film itself is wonderfully shot, with excellent camera work and cinematography. Mongol is an epic unlike any other, putting many recent Hollywood blockbusters to shame. The film is as historically accurate as it possibly can be (there is little writting information about the life of the great Khan) and it is still an thrilling story. This is a testament to how extraordinary man Genghis Khan truly was. Although the film is in Mongolian, I highly recommend this excellent historical epic.

"42 is The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything. "

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Solid Snake, Movie Films, and Euro 2008 Part I

Good day readers. I've been away from the blog for a few weeks being home and then getting back to work. The good news is that there is much to speak of. I've got early impressions of the biggest PS3 release of the year, three movie reviews, and a quick summary of Euro 2008 coming up after the break.

Solid Snake is one of the most legendary game warriors of all time. For 21 years, Snake has been an unstoppable force of nature, and his latest adventure is no exception. Indeed, Hideo Kojima has put every ounce of his creative talents into making Metal Gear Solid 4, and the result is nothing short of extraordinary. This is Kojima's magnum opus, the culmination of his career. MGS4 is the finest game in the series, summarizing the story of the series so far, wrapping up every loose end that has come about over the years, and providing a fantastic story all on its own. Snake participates in a battle of titans, fighting with his twin brother, (also a supersoldier) Liquid Ocelot, throughout the game. Although it starts slowly and features at least as many minutes of cutscene as gameplay, MGS4 has an engaging narrative that will suck you in. More importantly, the fantastic gameplay in between the cutscenes is polished, refined, and supremely entertaining. The game is a technical masterpiece as well, with the best graphics of any game I've ever seen and a fantastic sweeping soundtrack. The character voicing, physics, and particle effects are also very tight and well done. I'm about 15 hours through and truly enjoying every minute. I will get back to you with a full review sometime soon, but at the moment I'd have to hit it with a 9.5/10.

I like to be positive in my posts overall, so I'll give you my most negative movie review first. Against my better judgment, I went with a group of friends to see The Happening, M. Night Shyamalan's latest film. His first wide release (third film overall), The Sixth Sense, is widely regarded as one of the finest Horror films of the 1990's. I thoroughly enjoyed that film, but I consider it the pinnacle of his career. Since 1999, his level of creativity and the quality of his films has plummeted. The Happening is a new low for Shyamalan, and that's saying something after 2006's ridiculous trifle, Lady in the Water. The Happening does have an intriguing opening and is quite compelling for about 20 minutes. At that point, the audience can figure out what's happening (haha... get it?). This, mind you, is at least 30 minutes before the characters in the film even have a clue. If Shyamalan is trying to make a thriller or be mysterious, he fails miserably by giving away the secret right away. Since my hope is that this review will convince you not to see this load of rubbish, I'm going to give away the secret. It's the plants. Yes, plants have decided that humans are bad for the planet, so they release a neurotoxin that causes anybody who breathes it in to become disoriented and then kill themselves. I wish I was making this up.
AHHHHHH! There are TREES in this picture! We're all going to go insane and kill ourselves! ...What?

There is no twist, no surprise to speak of, the phenomenon just randomly stops after a brief period of time. Now then, the concept of the film is hokey and implausible, but the actors really could have saved it and made it into a passable film. Actors have a job to do, and that is to convince us that what they are experiencing is real. Mark Wahlberg may have given the worst performance of his career, with lines so deadpan and lame that they caused me to laugh many times when I am sure that the lines were not intended to be funny. Wahlberg is usually quite talented, so this lack of effort can only be explained by one thing: he didn't believe in the script nor did he find it remotely believable. It's almost as if before every line he went "Really? That's what I'm honestly supposed to say?" His performance is just depressingly terrible. John Leguizamo and Zooey Deschanel don't fare any better, each turning in laughable and weak performances. Again, both of these actors have really done good stuff, but the fact that they are just so pathetic is really a testament to how terrible this story is. I encourage you to avoid this pile of manure on the yard that is cinema and save your $9 for... um... pretty much anything else.

Hey... those are bushes. ZOMG RUN AWAY FROM THE BUSHES!

The Incredible Hulk doesn't make for a very interesting review to be quite honest. The film is miles better than Ang Lee's worthless adaptation of the Hulk from 2003, but that isn't saying too much since it was so bad. After seeing this film, it makes me wonder why on earth Marvel Studios released Iron Man before The Incredible Hulk rather than afterward. Compared to Iron Man, Hulk is kind of a letdown, with much weaker sense of wit and less compelling characters. However, aside from Iron Man, Hulk is the best superhero movie since 2005's Batman Begins. At its core, Hulk is a loud, boisterous, in your face action affair. Edward Norton is excellent as the Hulk, but that is no surprise considering his immense talent. Liv Tyler is appropriately emotional/whiny and William Hurt is appropriately cold. My main complaint about Hulk regards the final scene. It is supposed to be an epic showdown between the Hulk and the Abomination; however it truly will test your patience as it far overstays its welcome. It lasts for a good 30 minutes, and I checked my watch far too many times before it finally ended. Also, Tim Roth turns in a terrible performance and makes an unconvincing villain. He was not entertaining in the slightest, delivering flat and lifeless dialog. I feel like they could have picked so many different actors that would have fit the part much better. Overall, it is a solid film that will entertain fans of the comics, but it has little crossover appeal to those that do not ordinarily appreciate films from the superhero genre.

Finally, I am able to praise a lovely film from Italy, Mio fratello e figlio unico (My Brother is an Only Child). A legendary success in its native country, I was finally able to see it during a limited release at the local Sundance Theater. The movie tells the tale of Accio, the outcast of his small family, joining the Fascist party in Italy circa 1960. Meanwhile his older and more charming brother, Manrico, becomes active in the local Communist party. The two brothers grow up together in a time of great change and political instability. They follow different ideologies and slowly but surely grow apart. Accio ends up always being in his brother's shadow, being disliked by his family, and falling in love with his brother's girlfriend. Set in a small Italian town, My Brother is an Only Child is a delightful story of love, family, politics, and society. It provides a fresh and distinctly non-American perspective on the way society and the government should work while keeping it personal with characters that are deep, likable, and very well written. If you have the chance, do check this one out. And don't be the least bit surprised if this is nominated for Best Foreign Film at the next Academy Awards.

Euro 2008 has been nothing short of extraordinary, with epic finishes and some amazing football all around. The Netherlands look absolutely masterful in their three wins over very capable and solid teams. They dismantled France, Italy, and Romania with little difficulty. Edwin van der Sar, Robin van Persie, Ruud Van Nistlerooy, and Arjen Robben have played stunning football and just make their mastery of the game look effortless.

Italy came back however to snatch a spot in the final 8 by defeating France 2-0. The French were simply not able to put any offense together for the tournament and did not play their best football. They were unable to advance out of the "group of death" as it was called, with only Italy and The Netherlands advancing out of group C. In Group A action, the Turks pulled off one of the greatest Euro comebacks of all-time, scoring twice in the final three minutes to overcome a 2-1 deficit. Nihat Kahveci was Turkey's hero of the day, scoring the final two goals in the 87th and 89th minute. Portugal looked quite well in winning group A, resting all of its star players before their quarterfinal showdown with the Germans. Germany and Croatia advanced from Group B in rather unremarkable fashion. Both sides simply got the job done and played smart to move forward in the tournament. Neither team looks especially dangerous, but we shall see in just a few short days. Michael Ballack did have a brilliant goal in Germany's fixture with Austria, scoring on a free kick from nearly 30 meters. The final group D matches are to be played tomorrow, with Spain already having clinched a spot and Russia and Sweden battling it out for the right to play The Netherlands. Spain has maintained their impeccable form so far, but will they hold tradition and perform poorly in the knockout stages after a superb start? This type of performance is all too familiar from the Spanish, who look fantastic out on the pitch early in the tournament but then quickly lose form in the late stages of play. I wish to see a Spain vs. Netherlands semi-final, so hopefully Villa, Fabregas, Torres, and Silva can carry the team to victory over the perpetually dangerous Italians. There is much more football to be played, tune in to all the games on ESPN Classic, ESPN 2, and ESPN 360 online.

I'm out.

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Colorado, Day 7: Invesco Field!

After the LORD created the world and formed mountains, oceans, dolphins, cotton candy, and plastic bags, He invented a game known to Americans as football. He then assembled a glorious team of titans and warriors known to all as the Denver Broncos. Hark! The LORD has spoken thus: "This team shall go forth and have dominion over all other teams in the league known as the NFL." And so it was, as the mighty Broncos asserted their dominance over lesser teams comprised of mere mortals...

It was on this, the final day of our journey, that we had the opportunity to visit the home of the aforementioned Denver Broncos, Invesco Field at Mile High. Mark and I received a private tour from a kind fellow named Eric after which I proceeded to spend a hefty sum of money at the Broncos Pro Shop. Check out some photos of this epic tour after thine break.

The approach from the parking lot... WOO!

The view from the United Airlines Executive Suite... these people get the best seats in the house for a paltry $250,000/season plus $500/seat/game. If you are in this suite, you pay the trivial sum of $87/game just for some beer.


...and this is why having a private tour was so awesome. This view is from ON THE FIELD. Be jealous, it's okay.

This is what all opponents of the Broncos see as they exit their locker room. The design is painted around the point that is precisely 5280 ft. above sea level.


Here I am in the South end zone... Go Broncos!

Well, that sadly concludes my journey. I'm making this post from home, so my vacation is officially over. I hope everyone enjoyed the photos.

Cheers.

Blu3

Colorado, Days 5-6: Rest/Golden Gate Canyon Park

As you can probably tell from the title of the post, Mark and I took another day off yesterday after two straight days of hiking. Today however, we got up nice and early and headed out for Golden Gate Canyon Park. We felt adventurous today, so we decided to undertake the most difficult hike the park offered, the Black Bear trail. The intense 2.8 mile trail took about 2 hours and 20 minutes, while the lazy trip back on the Horseshoe trail at 2.7 miles took only 45 minutes. Check out some photos after the break.

About halfway through the trail, there was a great opening in the trees. We are about 9000 ft. above sea level.

We found a sweet rock formation about 500 feet from the opening in the trees. Mark began to climb...

...and then I began to climb. Hooray adventure!

The majestic view from the top of the Black Bear trail (9400 ft.). I have no idea how far away those mountains are but my best guess is about 35 miles.

This is another view from the top facing west instead of east. This view was very similar for about 300 degrees all the way from NE to SE. It was so peaceful... we hung out up here for about 15 minutes before finishing the hike.

After we got back from the park we watched game 5 of the Stanley Cup. I was kind of unhappy that the Red Wings lost in 3 OT... here's to hoping they can win game 6. The game itself was fairly trivial, considering we watched it at BW's and ran into a radiant and lovely girl named Amber. We chit-chatted, stayed for about 2 hours, and left a huge tip. Man I love Colorado... hahaha.

Cheers.

Blu3

Colorado, Day 4: Red Rocks Park

Our adventure continued today with a visit to Red Rocks Park. Indeed dear readers, this is the very same park we visited just a few days ago to see Death Cab play at the amphitheater. We hiked through the park on a fairly mild trail and then climbed a good bit up a steep ridge.

Check out some photos after the break.

A nice example of the rock formations along the trail.

This shot is from about half-way through the trail.

This was taken from the very top of the amphitheater. Look closely or you will miss Denver on the bottom right of the photo.

This is a sweeping shot from atop a ridge with Denver in the background again.

Another shot from atop the ridge... I believe those mountains are about 15 miles away.

The last shot I took before the end of the trail.

...and that about wraps it up.

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Colorado, Days 2-3: Nothing/Rocky Mountain National Park

Our second day was rather uneventful since we were both so exhausted. After a full day of work, an all-nighter with 17 hours of driving, and a concert until late, Mark and I were not prepared to do anything other than lay around and relax. I spent the day catching up on reading (currently enjoying An Inconvenient Book by Glenn Beck) while Mark spent approximately 9 hours creating a "fashionable" home on The Sims 2. Now then, onto day 3.

We set out for Rocky Mountain National Park early in the morning, and spent most of the day in the park. The journey to the park itself was breathtaking, with remarkable views from Boulder all the way into the mountains. We essentially drove all the way around the park on Highway 34, stopping at various overlooks and attempting a challenging hike to Timber Lake. We hiked for about 4 miles before reaching an impasse; the trail stopped and was blocked by snow drifts anywhere from 4-8 feet deep. Check out some photos after the break.

This is pretty much the first thing we saw- Longs Peak (14,259 ft.).

This photo was taken from an overlook at approximately 11,000 ft. above sea level. The large peak on the left is Mount Ida (12,880 ft.).

Mark and I asked this old chap to take a photo of us in front of Mount Julian (12,928 ft.) and I'm pretty sure he thought we were gay. It was kind of an awkward moment... hahaha.

Timber Creek swelled with all the runoff. This photo was taken about an hour before the trail stopped and the massive snow drifts began.

We made it back to the car without falling off a mountain... hooray!

Green Mountain (10,313 ft.) shot as the sun was setting and we were on our way out of the park.

I think this is an elk and Mark thinks this is a moose. At any rate, this thing was larger than our car and probably could have killed us. This shot was taken about 2 miles from the exit.

Now we are home, I am tired, and there is nothing on TV.

/end

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Colorado, Day 1: Death Cab Concert!

After a brutal 15 hour drive with only necessary stops, Mark and I arrived in Denver this afternoon. For those of you who have never traveled out west, the entire state of Iowa is a barren wasteland except for Des Moines, Nebraska is quite literally 400 miles of grass and swamps after Lincoln, and Colorado is quite unremarkable until you reach Denver, with over 150 miles of plain rolling hills and authentic tumbleweeds.

As soon as we reached Denver, Invesco Field at Mile High filled my entire field of view and my Denver Broncos pride welled up inside like never before. The awesome sight of the home of the finest team in professional football is enough to make any man have his breath taken away. So, yeah... Go Broncos! At any rate, we headed to the Red Rocks Amphitheater for a Death Cab for Cutie concert shortly after checking into our hotel. Long time readers, friends, or family know that I have more or less waited for this moment for at least 3 years, and that I may or may not be one of the biggest Death Cab fans around.

First of all, for those who do not know, Red Rocks Amphitheater is part of Red Rocks park, a strikingly beautiful park located about 10 minutes southwest of Denver. We sat in the 50th row, front and center. The stage was clearly visible, the acoustics were flawless, and the panoramic vista over the stage added to the ambiance in a way that sitting up close could not. Rouge Wave opened and performed a solid 40 minute set of songs from their last two albums, Descended Like Vultures and Asleep at Heaven's Gate. Death Cab played a stellar 75 minute set for over 7000 fans. Their set included songs from We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes, Trasatlanticism, Plans, and Narrow Stairs. They opened with Bixby Canyon Bridge, the first track from the new album. Ben also sang several classics like Soul Meets Body, Crooked Teeth, Expo '86, Sound of Settling, and Company Calls. He did indeed perform my all-time favorite song, I Will Follow You Into the Dark near the end of the set, and then eventually wrapped up with Marching Bands of Manhattan. After about 5 minutes of applause, the guys came back out and essentially played another set, delighting the fans with another glorious 45 minute set/encore. They played Title & Registration, What Sarah Said, and of course closed with one of their strongest and most memorable tracks, Transatlanticism. The concert was absolutely transcendent, and the sheer joy I felt is difficult to express with words. Let me just say that I did not stop smiling for the entire 3 hour show. Cheers to Death Cab for an outstanding live performance that will surely go down as one of the highlights of the trip.

Check out a few pictures after the break.

Woo-hoo, check out my ticket!

A quick snapshot of the "Red Rocks" after which the park is named.

The view from our seats during the sound check. Check out the city of Denver in the background as well as lovely scenery.

Rouge Wave rocking their set. They are singing Publish My Love.

One of the only good shots I got of Death Cab (too dark... sad). They are playing Sound of Settling.

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Narrow Stairs

So just in case you didn't know, the new Death Cab for Cutie album, Narrow Stairs, came out just a few hours ago. After giving it several careful spins, I'd like to share my thoughts. Just for a frame of reference, I quite frankly find Ben Gibbard to be one of the finest musicians of our generation. His solo work along with Death Cab, The Postal Service, and All-Time Quarterback are all in my top 10 list of favorite bands. So, I do beg your pardon if this review is a little biased.

Narrow Stairs starts off with a bang, immediately rolling in with Gibbard's smooth and silky voice telling a picturesque tale of lost love. Bixby Canyon Bridge indeed ends up being one of the best tracks on the disc. The second track, I Will Possess Your Heart, is an epic, 8 minute and 35 second track consisting of 4 full minutes of instrumentals before the lyrics begin. I must say that while in general, Gibbard's lyrics are what really make Death Cab, the tune is so catchy that it is hard not to enjoy the whole song. Other excellent tracks include You Can Do Better Than Me, The Ice Is Getting Thinner, Your New Twin Sized Bed, Long Division, and my personal favorite, Grapevine Fires. You Can Do Better Than Me is a lovely short, lasting only 1:59, while the lyrics of The Ice is Getting Thinner are reminiscent of Summer Skin from Plans. Long Division is some excellent Indie Rock/Pop and Your New Twin Sized Bed is equally upbeat, featuring a great guitar hook. Grapevine Fires is a perfect display of Gibbard's vocals and brilliant songwriting talents and features a deep and soothing bass line.

Overall, Narrow Stairs falls just short of We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes, Death Cab's greatest album, and indeed one of the finest albums of the last two decades. With that said, Narrow Stairs is a fantastic album in its own right and ends up being well worth almost three years of waiting. Do pick up a copy for yourself and enjoy it.

Cheers.

Blu3

Odds and Ends

Hello readers, it's been too long. My semester is nearly over, and it is time to blog again. Indeed, a few topics require discussion. First of all, I finished Grand Theft Auto IV. After spending about 35 hours with the game, I can stand by my 9.5 score. A few problems still exist, but don't let that stop you from experiencing one of the most engrossing stories in entertainment, period. GTA IV had a $100 million budget, and it really shows. The story is truly outstanding all the way through and subtle details like car and body physics are impeccable. It just goes to show that when you make a quality title, people will buy it. Take-Two announced earnings of over $500 million in the first week, breaking the all time entertainment record previously held by Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The game sold over 5.9 million copies in its first week, with 3.3 million units being moved on the 360 and 2.6 million units sold for the PS3. Hats off to the folks at Rockstar North and Rockstar NYC for making one of the finest games in years.

In other news, I caught a showing of The Counterfeiters, the 2007 Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Film. It tells the tale of a group of counterfeiters, led by the legendary Salomon Sorowitsch. This group of brilliant Jewish prisoners orchestrated the largest counterfeiting operation in history, perfectly replicating the British pound and the American dollar, and funding the Nazi war effort for several months during World War II. Although the film tells a fictionalized story, Sorowitsch is a very likable character his story is poignant and moving. The film is mildly depressing, but it gives a good message and a stern reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust. I highly recommend this Austrian tour de force.

I also went to Iron Man and had a good chance to geek out and enjoy a sweet superhero movie. I am constantly skeptical of superhero films after being disappointed by the last two Spiderman disaster- ... *cough*... films. Indeed there is very little I can criticize about this film, as John Favreau does a wonderful job of making Iron Man into a charming character while appealing to hardcore comic book fans with outstanding action set pieces. Iron Man is a film with broad appeal and is a perfect summer movie to enjoy with some friends. I must join the bandwagon and tip my hat to Robert Downey Jr. for an immensely entertaining performance as Tony Stark. His snarky humor and sharp wit make the film so much more enjoyable than what it would have been in the hands of a less skilled actor.

Finally, I'll leave you with this, considering I did almost the EXACT SAME THING on the day of my prom:


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Grand Theft Awesome

Perhaps you were able to predict the content of this post from the title. If not, dear readers, I would like to discuss Grand Theft Auto IV. I was able to attend the midnight release of this long awaited and much anticipated title with approximately 200 other people. Indeed, it was glorious in spite of the uncomfortable cold and the repeated ID checks. I got in line at about 10:30 and waited alongside two delightful gents who were more than happy to discuss the latest happenings in the video game industry and other nerdy discussion topics. I was roughly the 10th person in line, so I was able to obtain a copy and make it home by approximately 12:15. I rifled through the packaging like young chap on Christmas morning and put the disc into my Xbox.

The opening cinematic sequence was nothing short of amazing, resembling several well known films. I was only moderately irresponsible, staying awake until about 3:30 before succumbing to crushing fatigue. In that brief time, I have formed several important impressions of the game. The story and cinematic sequences are easily on par with even the finest Hollywood films. The themes of capitalism, the perennial struggle between good and evil, what it means to be human, friendship, and love are all portrayed through compelling and well-written characters. The mission structure is excellent, and when one of your friends calls you just to hang out, the conversation is just interesting enough for you to oblige. I am quite enraptured with the story and am really enjoying myself.

Although at least half of the reviews I've read hand out a 10 to this game, I do not think I'm able to do so. I've indeed played games that were more enjoyable and better made than this, especially from a technical standpoint. The dialog has cut out on me a few times, trees/lamps popping in have caused me to lose races, the multiplayer has some very egregious technical issues as far as lag or being able to even enter a match, and a very small minority of the missions are really not very good. Overall, I would have to give this game a 9.5/10 because the glaring technical shortcomings are far outweighed by the sheer quality of the experience as a whole. Cheers to RockStar for making an outstanding title that will be played for many years to come.

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The Prodigal Blogger

Greetings and salutations dear readers. My life has been one crazy ride in the last 3 weeks as the end of the semester draws near. Since we last spoke much has happened.

Arsenal's season sadly came to an end as they were eliminated from the Champions League in humiliating fashion in a 4-0 loss to Liverpool. In the same week, they melted down in the Premeirship and came up short for yet another year, losing to Manchester United to seal the deal just a few days ago. Although this season ended in bitter disappointment, Eduardo will be back next year and I will never stop believing that the Gunners are the finest football club on earth.

I've been rather remiss in checking out movies to comment on, and since The Band's Visit, there have been precious few films to catch my fancy. I am quite interested in Blindsight, and may visit the cinema this weekend for a viewing.

Madison has suddenly come alive with the nice weather, and I've done my best to get outside and catch some sun. My profile photo more or less does my skin justice... I usually blend in with white walls with my translucent, Conan O'Brien-style skin.

Summer lets the world know that I in fact have two skin colors, pasty and lobster. Amazing, I know.














I haven't been totally useless though when it comes to popular media. I've been on a reading kick recently, which has sadly become a dying pastime. I'd like to give you a pair of recommendations for classic books that you may have never read. First up is Ender's Game, the classic story of a Messiah archetype penned by the legendary Orson Scott Card. Ender's Game tells the story of Ender Wiggin, a brilliant child who has been commissioned with the perfectly reasonable task of saving the world from imminent annihilation. Card weaves an intricate tale with plain and understandable language, and the story itself has influenced nearly every Sci-Fi film, TV show, or book to come after it. Indeed, video games as a whole have taken significant inspiration from the work of Card in creating protagonists for hundreds of games over the past two decades. This book is a classic, and if you missed it for any reason, I highly recommend you take 6 hours or so to give this one a read. The other book I have for you is Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. Stephenson is a one-of-a-kind fiction writer, whose style you can appreciate after just a few pages. His novel Snow Crash is a landmark book that provides most of the inspiration for The Matrix as well as many other films from the futuristic thriller genre. The book is full of delightful irony, with Stephenson going so far as to name his lead character Hiro Protagonist. This book is a fair amount longer and will take about 20 hours to finish, but the wild ride for your imagination is more than worth it.

I've got a few bits of humor to leave you with in parting.

Please don't do this on my blog... hahaha. [Comic from XKCD]

Also, check out this video (SFW) for how to ruin your surprise birthday party.

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The Band's Visit / Final 4

As you can probably tell by the title of this post, the Final 4 is set. For the first time in history, all 4 #1 seeds will face off in the Final 4.

Indeed this was a year of great parody in college basketball, so this is quite unexpected. Memphis was absolutely dominant over Texas in what easily became the biggest surprise of the Elite 8. We all know that Stephan Curry is an inhuman shooter and that Davidson can play as well as any team in the country, so the fact that they played Kansas closely all night was no surprise. What was surprising though was the fact that they wasted the last 16.8 seconds and showed an uncharacteristic lapse in judgment to ultimately lose the game by 2. I picked UNC as my champion and I still feel strongly that they will win in a championship game matchup against UCLA. As March Madness winds to a close, I tip my hat to the Wisconsin Badgers for an excellent season and Stephan Curry for the single most outstanding performance by a player I have ever seen.

Now then, I'd like to speak a moment about The Band's Visit (Bikur Ha-Tizmoret). This is a truly delightful film with a genuine message. Written and directed by Eran Kolirin (Israel), The Band's Visit tells a simple tale of a group of Arab musicians. Hailing from Egypt, The Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra has been invited to play at the opening of a cultural center in Petah Tikva, Israel (a major center of culture). Due to a miscommunication, the band mistakenly arrives in Beit Hatikva (a fictional village far out in the desert) on the last bus of the day and is left no choice but to stay a night in this quiet, rural village. The film deftly avoids the obvious conflicts between Arabs and Jews and instead develops into a quiet, poignant, snapshot-of-life comedy. The characters and conversations are well developed and heartfelt. Indeed, just like real life, sometimes you will laugh and sometimes you will cry. Both the people from the village and the members of the band have much to say. Expressing a wide range of human emotion, the beauty of music, and the pain that resides in every one of us, this beautiful film is not one to be missed.


I highly recommend The Band's Visit; it is the first truly great film of 2008. If you'd like further proof, head on over to Rotten Tomatoes and take a look at this film's summary page. Any film that scores over 80% is fairly remarkable, but with a score of 98%, The Band's Visit is truly something special.

Cheers.

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