Dishonored Review

Dishonored takes ingredients from other games to create a fun formula that allows for true player freedom. A poorly presented story and dated graphics are the only things holding back this otherwise eminently playable game. Dishonored entrusts itself entirely on the player, however you choose to handle any given situation the game throws at you will determine how characters will react and eventually how the story will end. Dishonored takes place in the wonderfully designed city of Dunwall suffering from a plague being spread by rats. The world is incredibly well thought out and one of the great joys is taking your time with the game, reading journals and over hearing conversations which make this world come to life. But unfortunately the fiction of the world is the only thing that's narratively interesting, because the story itself is shallow and never quite captures the potential that the world itself seems to point towards.

Dishonored revels in player choice, there are hundreds (no exaggeration) of ways to tackle any given situation. The game even opens up all the available powers from the get go from teleporting to possessing animals and enemies to do your bidding, allowing you to specialize based on your preferred play style. While I primarily played the game as a stealth experience one of the great joys of playing this game is that any option is viable. Unlike most stealth games Dishonored's combat is pretty damn fun, so if you get caught and have to fight your way out, its actually an enjoyable experience and it's that flexibility that makes Dishonored truly shine. The missions in the game are broken up into large fully traversable areas where you can take on side missions, explore an abandoned home, or book it straight to your assassination target. These large levels provide much of the freedom allowing you to access buildings from any available doors and windows or sneak in through the rooftops or sewers. Once inside, avoid being spotted or go in guns blazing and see how far you can make it (not very). There is even an adventure-esque mission that takes place at a masquerade ball where you have to piece together clues to discover which mask your target is hiding behind.

Dishonored takes inspiration from games like Bioshock and Deus Ex and creates a unique world of its own with tons of options for how any given player wants to play it. Stealth is the ideal, but I fought my out of a bind on a few occasions and the game maintained the same level of enjoyment. I only wish they had come up with a better story to wrap around the great gameplay. The graphics are also a bit of a letdown, with character faces in particular looking especially horrendous. But don't let those two gripes stop you from playing Dishonored which is undoubtedly one of the most gratifying games to play with cool powers, fun combat, tons of options and stealth mechanics that aren't frustrating but in fact incredibly fun.

(4 out of 5)

AHS: Asylum "Welcome to Briarcliff" Review

American Horror Story was supremely successful last season becoming one of FX's highest rated shows and winning them a few Emmy's in the process. So it was interesting when last season ended in such a definite and conclusive way, leaving the prospects of a second season seemingly impossible. In an interesting twist the showrunners decided to create what I've coined an "anthology mini-series" mixing both concepts to hopefully great effect. Instead of the show building upon a single narrative they've opted to make each season a self contained story, completely unrelated to each other yet still casting a lot of the same actors but in completely different roles. For example the Harmon family and the "Murder House" from the first season have been replaced by a 1964 Insane Asylum run by Sister Jude. It's a risky move that could turn both new and returning viewers off, simply for its non-standard approach.

This show has always been a tough sell with horror, overly sexual scenes, and for simply being bizarre (rubber man). But now seeing the same actors as different characters and in every case so far, very different roles, might turn people who previously liked the show and its characters away. Evan Peter who played Tate last season is now playing a young man named Kit, who is fundamentally very different from Tate who was a violent psychopath. This occurs throughout the entire cast, some guest star from last season have even been promoted to series regulars like Zachery Quinto who now plays a psychiatrist who views the institutions methods as barbaric. Now for someone who watches a lot of TV, this premise is exciting, taking actors from each season thrusting them into polar opposite roles and in a vastly different time period and setting, it makes for fresh and challenging television and that's becoming increasingly rare these days. Unfortunately this season premier is a bit of a whirlwind and suffers from being over stuffed and frenetically shot and edited. The camera doesn't stay still for even a second and it becomes frustrating in even the most intimate scenes when the camera looks like its being operated by a drunk. As for the overly stuffed criticism, let me simply say I was overwhelmed by the amount of characters being introduced and plot points being brought up. It took all my attention to keep up with the show. Hopefully once the show gets into its groove it'll slow down and delve deeper into what seems like amazing potential for a horror themed show.

(3 out of 5)

The Walking Dead S3 E1 "Seed" Review

As Season 3 begins Rick and the gang have become an efficient zombie killing machine, which makes sense since its clearly been a few months since the end of last season judging by the size of Lori's baby bump. First and foremost its important to note that it seems at least with this first episode that Season 3 is a direct response to fans complaints of last season. With a higher zombie kill-count than 8 total episodes of last season. But zombie action isn't what I come for the show for, its the characters and their interaction with this apocalyptic wasteland, the zombies are just the icing on the cake of dwindling humanity. Every single character seems to have evolved in response to last years criticisms, Carl is not an annoying kid who runs off every second he is given a chance, he is now a battle hardened survivor. Lori is now actually sympathetic, acknowledging that she instigated and even edged on Rick's confrontation with the now deceased Shane. Even T-Dog gets some speaking lines, thoughtful too, rare I know. But it really seems like the showrunners have realized their mistakes from last season and intend to deliver high-caliber content deserving of the programs highest rated cable show status.

The prison, finally we have arrived to the much requested location from the comic books, the infamous prison where all manner of fucked up shit is lurking around every dusty darkened corner. This episode takes the action first approach to a season opener, with zombie deaths aplenty with just enough characters stuff to reestablish everyone and their standings with each other and the state of the world. There are some great character interactions and some well intentioned bad ones, like singing around a campfire or the weird pseudo-romance between Darryl and Carol. An example of a great moment between two characters is Lori's panicked talk to Herschel in which she imagines delivering a still born baby with the implications of it coming back to life or tearing itself out of her.

The Walking Dead Season 3 premier episode "Seed" is a phenomenal start for this season and sets a high bar for future episodes. I can't imagine the show will maintain this level of action for its entire run since there need to be human stakes and drama as well, but the showrunners clearly took criticisms to heart. Characters, pacing everything has been tweaked for the better and it shows promise for a program that seems to be finally coming into its own. We still haven't gotten into the shows newest and possibly vilest character The Governor or where and what Michonne and Andre have been up to, who we only got a sneak peak of this week. But if this first episode is any indication we are in for a high octane intense season which seems to have finally cemented this show as a phenomenon worthy of its huge success.

(5 out of 5)

Argo Review

Ben Affleck nails it for the third time in a row. Since becoming a feature film director with the 2007 Gone Baby Gone, Ben Affleck has made the successful transition to director with now 3 great films under his belt. Argo tells the story of the 6 Americans who hid in the Canadian ambassadors residence when the Iranian people stormed the US embassy in the 1970's and the CIA operative who created and executed the plan to get them out. Argo is an astoundingly accurate historical film, shots in the film are lifted straight from the real world events and everything is meticulously detailed, more amazing is how incredibly easy to digest it is. The film does a great job making sure the audience understands whats going on without ever being pandering. The film unfortunately loses some of its intended affect by its tone, which reveals the outcome far too early making the tension fall flat in the climatic finale.

Argo is filled to the brim with fantastic actors giving strong performances. Ben Affleck who seems to do best when directing himself pushes his character a little into the background while giving the supporting characters more of a chance to shine. Everyone from Alan Arkin and John Goodman who play filmmakers in Hollywood who lend their expertise to help the CIA mission and Bryan Cranston who plays the CIA director responsible for making sure the mission goes smoothly. Like I said above the films tone is very telling, with lots of jokes and moments of brevity completely unrelated to the hostage situation in Iran concentrated more on the preposterous sci-fi film which serves as the CIA cover that is going to save the lives of the 6 American embassy worker. And while at times the movie can be tense and dramatic it quickly differs that energy as soon as it can with a return to the comic pairing of Arkin and Goodman's characters.

Argo isn't as good as Ben Affleck other two directorial features but it continues to prove his talents as a director to watch. Both The Town and Gone Baby Gone were fresher and felt higher stake or maybe its simply because Affleck didn't write the script for Argo. Whatever the case may be Affleck has crafted a great spy film that accurately depicts the events in which its based and filled it with great performances. Will Argo be remembered, probably not; but is Argo a re-validation of a great director, sure is and its a decent enough time to spend two hours.

(3 out of 5)

Looper Review

Looper is one of the smartest sci-fi films in a long time and without spoiling anything, the marketing has done a fantastic job of keeping what the film is actually about under wraps, which is becoming frustratingly rare these days. Time travel is the name of the game, and while it's a premise that always leaves plot holes, Looper manages to disguise these gaps in logic enough that you simply buy into the story as it unfolds. Staring Joseph Gordon-Levitt who plays a young Bruce Willis with the help of some not so successful prosthetic make-up and an eerily accurate impersonation. Levitt's impersonation is so good in fact that you forget about the odd looking make-up and truly believe that he is a younger Bruce Willis. It's tough describing a movie that hinges so much on expectations or really the lack of them as is the case here but suffice to say Looper is an apt name, because you'll be flipped ass over tea kettle and be completely blown away by this stylish and unique sci-fi actioner. 

Strong performances and a great premise aren't the only thing making this the equivalent of Inception this year. There is a wonderful twist on typical audience expectations, and its the way the film plays around with those notions mixed with the directors stylish presentation that make this such a standout genre film. For example a simple but effective twist the movie uses is character motivations, in this case the protagonist has the motivations typically associated with the villain; greed, self interest, untrustworthy, etc. While the antagonist has motivations an audience would normally cheer on like fighting for the greater good and revenge over the death of a loved one. Its a simple twist but it keeps you engaged as you follow two characters that are going for each-others throats and you can't decide who to root for. As a tangentially related aside, this is the only movie I've ever seen legitimately justify killing a 4 year old. I looked around the audience at that moment and saw people frantically trying to figure out how to respond and looking around them for some sort of barometer. 

I really can't say more without giving too much away, simply know Looper is one of few genuinely unique and intelligent sci-fi action movies around. Great performances with a particularly frighteningly spot on impersonation by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The biggest surprise and the thing I am dancing around is worth this ridiculously coy review, without spoiling the surprise, it is something most movies fail miserably at accomplishing and yet this movie pulls off with such ease its mind blowing. When I realized where the movie was going I has all but given up, "well that was pretty amazing until this started" instead I sat there mouth agape as they defied all preconceptions and pulled off what even the most skilled filmmakers fail to do. I was stunned to say the least. The film doesn't reinvent the wheel at least not for the most part, nor does it aspire to be anything more than it is, a striking and deftly creative sci-fi film that will give your mind and your heart a run of their money. 

(4 out of 5)

Quick & Dirty Reviews

End of Watch (4 out of 5)

An authentic portrayal of police officers on and off duty. Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena play hot-shot partners who get in over their head when they catch the attention of a local Mexican cartel gang. Set in South Central, End of Watch delivers an exhilarating and almost first hand look at the day to day lives of two police officers in their best heroic light and in their worst macho posturing ways. End of Watch is shot in a handheld style, similar to the found-footage horror films which seem to be all the rage these days. This perspective is both an asset and a detriment, while it certainly draws you in it can be frustrating when you can't see what is going on, though in some brutally violent scenes you may be glad you can't. What makes End of Watch so engaging are the performances from the two leads both Gyllenhaal and Pena play well off each other and display a comradery so honest you lose yourself and join in with their dirty jokes and bravado. This film doesn't portray cops in neither a good or bad way, it is simply a more dramatized version of an episode of Cops and I guarantee you will find yourself questioning however you feel about cops for good or ill. The ending is my one compliant but unfortunately it's a pretty big deal. The film quickly becomes an over the top action movie in its final moments sucking all drama and realism it had up until then, and the ending while approriate will leave some viewers cold and maybe a little shaken. End of Watch is worth watching for the two lead performances alone, few times have a pair of actors so realistically portrayed friendship of this level and its incredibly engaging to follow these two around.

Dredd (3 out of 5) 

Dredd is a very different cop movie from the one above. Minimal in its story-telling and cartoonishly gory in its portrayal of action. Dredd sets out to make a kick-ass simple action movie, and it mostly succeeds. Karl Urban plays Dredd a Judge, a sort of terminator-esque cop dispatched to bring down criminals and ditch out justice on the spot as deemed necessary. Dredd is brutal and unemotional, executing criminals on the spot and dryly requesting the "meat-wagon" to dispose of the innocent bystanders who are undiscriminating killed throughout the movie. Dredd is played by Urban but since he never removes the iconic helmet, the only thing that comes across is his gravely voice and dead-pan delivery, and quite frankly it's all he needs. Partnered with a rookie physic Judge on her first mission, they must investigate Peach Trees a city block sized super complex run by the notorious Mama and her gang. The film doesn't aspire to be anything its not, and god bless it for that, but it also never truly stands out or becomes remarkable in any way. Even the over the top violence is too fake to have any visceral impact. I kept waiting for the big set-piece the one thing I would remember for weeks, but I never got it. Dredd aims low and hits right on target, a simple mindless action movie that is plenty bloody but never amounts to anything even remotely interesting.

Quick & Dirty Reviews

The Road (5 out of 5) 
It may surprise you to learn that The Road is actually a love story between a father and his son, albeit a bleak and hauntingly raw post-apocalyptic paternal love story. The Road contains one of the very best child performances ever committed to celluloid. Rarely can such a young actor convey such power and emotional range as Kodi Smit-McPhee and he does so at every turn. The ever reliable Viggo Mortensen gives his usual 110% in selling the absolute heart-breaking and demoralizing lengths this father is willing to go to protect his son in this savage and depressing new world. The Road is a movie with very little plot; it is a movie about circumstance. You follow this oftentimes silent father and son duo as they trek through this awful wasteland and you would still be hard-pressed to call this movie boring. This film is a masterpiece in minimalistic film-making, with long silent scenes of intense suspense and an apocalypse that is wholly believable as these two stumble upon abandoned homes, collapsed highways and legitimate concerns of cannibalists. Yet through all this doom and gloom the real message is one of hope, courage and the good in all of us. It's a wonderful film that may be too depressing for some viewers, but powerful performances and an original atmosphere make it worth the two hours of grey skies and the depravity of man.

Magic Mike (4 out of 5)

A sharp script and naturalistic performances make what could have been a shallow sex appeal movie into a interesting look into the lives of Tampa, Florida male strippers. Channing Tatum gives another in a quickly amassing collection of great performances, and as a former stripper himself he shows his talent in each of his routines. Matthew McConaughey is also fantastic as an aging stripper and owner of the club whose time in the limelight is fading but is desperate to keep it. Magic Mike directed by anyone other than Steven Soderbergh would have turned into something closer resembling a Step-Up movie, instead Soderbergh coxes real drama and genuine laughs that tears down any reservations male viewers may have. Soderbergh brings his usual deft directorial hands, allowing actors to improvise and keeping the camera on them longer than a typical scene to capture more grounded interactions. If you aren't confident enough in your sexuality and the thought of watching a male stripper movie worries you let me simply say there is no male nudity in this film though there is a fair share of female nudity, take that as you will, I simply think its incredibly ironic. Magic Mike is simply great film, don't let any predisposition sway your opinion before checking this movie out. Slightly left of center but still an engaging and entertaining trip through the stripping culture with its hundreds of cheering female screams highs and drug overdosing and overly competitive lows.