Deadpool Review

Every once in a while a video game comes around that is simply begging you to have anything less than a divisive opinion about it. It presents genuinely interesting and compelling moments followed by atrocious or down right face palming annoyances. It's no surprise these mixed feelings accompany a video game starring Deadpool, one of the most polarizing comic book characters in recent memory. A fourth-wall-breaking, reference dropping, sarcastic psychopath that is found either lovable by some or despised as everything wrong with modern comics by others. I tend to fall in the former category when exposed to Deadpool in small doses but this game tried my patience. If Deadpool the video game has any notable achievement it's the pitch perfect depiction of its titular character. High Moon Studios whose previous work includes the Transformer Cybertron games attempt to make a highly self-aware parody of modern action games, a feat that even the most talented developers would be hard-pressed to pull off. The main issue stems from the games outright mockery of systems, mechanics and tropes found in similar games only to directly implement those exact features in the game. It's hard to point and laugh at something that you are unabashedly mimicking.

Deadpool is a very basic third-person action game with a simple combo system and rudimentary shooting mechanics. The game play itself feels very poorly executed with a few context sensitive actions mapped to the same button leading to moments when your intended action is replaced with your death. Add to that an unforgivably bad framerate that drops into the single digits and an unwieldy camera and you have an absolute frustrating mess. The games humor is also not its strong suit though it will repeatedly attempt to convince you otherwise. But having said all these bad things I actually did enjoy portions of the game, going so far as to laughing at a few moments or simply smirking at the unconditional absurdity on display. Deadpool is a game with tons of heart but a limp in its step and no filter on its mouth means it can wear the players patience thin.

(2 out of 5)

The Wolverine Review

The Wolverine is an oddity among superhero films, an introspective character driven affair that is more concerned with the emotional journey of its characters; that is until the third act where it divulges into a noisy CGI finale. The previous Wolverine solo-film was an absolute shit fest, sure not the most eloquent descriptor but true nonetheless. This entry is a more honest depiction of the character as Wolverine struggles with his immortality and his place in the world. The Japanese setting adds a much needed breath of fresh air to the typically hyper american superhero movies and the pretty obvious similarities to Wolverine and the classic wandering samurais, the ronin, are not coincidental.

The Wolverine finds Logan living alone in the wilderness haunted by the death of Jean Grey by his own hand. He is approached by a mysterious woman whose employer, Yashida, seeks to thank him for saving his life many years ago. Wolverine reluctantly follows the woman to Tokyo where he meets the man who he saved in Nagasaki during WWII. Yashida is now a wealthy business man with a tumultuous family with tenuous connections to the yakuza. He offers Logan the chance for mortality and an end to his eternal suffering. Taking Wolverine's regeneration ability away lends stakes and consequences to the proceedings making Logan's obstacles that much more seemingly insurmountable and exciting. The film takes a more methodical approach to the typical bombastic comic book movie, instead unfolding like a sleek neo-noir thriller with a rage fueled steel-clawed beast at its core. The grounded story allows Hugh Jackman to give an exceptional and surprisingly multidimensional performance. The director, James Mangold's portrayal of the character is the most accurate and engaging yet, with an emphasis on his questionable morals and infamous berserker rage.

The film is beautifully shot taking advantage of the unique setting to great effect. The action is well choreographed and easy to follow, a godsend in modern action movies, with homages to classic samurai films. Practical effects keep the action fast, exciting. and grounded with the exception of the indulgent finale. The film is also surprisingly and appropriately violent lending even more intensity to the once invulnerable hero. A particularly intense and gruesome moment in the film involves Wolverine performing self-inflicting heart surgery and then promptly participating in a wonderfully brutal no-holds-barred sword fight which stands as the absolute height of the movie. Unfortunately the films climax is an absolute mess with all the comic book movie tropes coming out for some inane reason. A fight with a giant CGI monstrosity, a campy villianess with ridiculous powers, and a series of so called twists telegraphed a mile away.

The Wolverine is a great film, marred only by a messy predictable climax, it takes an increasingly stale genre and infuses it with a great setting, a sharp character driven script and great performances. Hugh Jackman is fantastic in the role as always but the more subdued pace and grounded script give the talented actor more to work with, allowing for a more meaningful portrait of the beloved character. The movie unfortunately embraces the outlandish in its third act, but still leaves a refreshing and more intimate take on the superhero genre that marks the definitive portrayal of The Wolverine.

(4 out of 5)

Pacific Rim Review

Pacific Rim is unabashedly the most accurate realization of a young child's imagination. Fueled by a palpable passion and love for all things fantastical and just straight up cool. Where this film succeeds and where most of the movies this summer failed, is in the details. Within the first few minutes of the movie one of the 30-story tall mechanical behemoths intercepts a gigantic alien beast heading towards an Alaskan fishing boat. The mechanized war-machine proceeds to gently remove the fishing boat and its passengers from the imminent wrestling match. And in that one moment Pacific Rim completely invalidates the entirety of this summers Man of Steel. Focusing on details also helps create a believable world on the losing side of a war against viscous beasts from another dimension. Like the mechanical giants that populate it Pacific Rim gleefully strides forward, confident in the utter smack-down it's about to bestow upon an eagerly anticipatory audience.

Pacific Rim is a throwback to a time when movies evoked a sense of wonder. Where a fully realized world was waiting to be explored and where originality and creativity were valued above all else. When a movie could encompass all of life and its complexity, when awe and fear were two sides of the same coin; when joy was genuine and exciting; when drama wasn't window dressing but the drive to which characters were motivated. Pacific Rim is a breath of fresh air in a year filled with sequels, remakes, and flops. A genuinely fun and rousing experience that justifies multiple trips to the theater.


Pacific Rim finds humanity on the brink of extinction after a rift to another dimension begins spawning monsters or as the Japanese call them, kaiju, the size and ferocity of which level entire cities. To combat these beasts the nations of the world combined forces and began to create monsters of their own. Mechanical beasts dubbed Jaegers (German for hunter) to meet these creatures in battle. These Jaegers are so large and complicated they necessitate two pilots, one for each hemisphere of the brain, through a process called Drift the two compatible pilots share their consciousness allowing them to better control these gargantuan machines. Once these battle ready robots start dishing out the violence the movie truly takes off. The fights are on a massive scale, never more apparent than when the lead Jeager, Gypsy Danger comes into frame dragging a freight ship only to begin swinging it around like a baseball bat delivering some of the most satisfying wallops of the entire film. The action is well shot and easy to follow something a few of the other films this year could learn from. The movies color palette also helps the robots, monsters, and cities stand out giving the world this beautiful and colorful saturated look.

The exacting details and overall design of the world could not have come from anyone else but Guillermo del Toro. The monster designs unfortunately don't differentiate themselves too much and all carry del Toro's signature aesthetic: beady separated eyes, flat heads, several mouths, etc. The films only real negative aspect are the shallow characters, many of them are simple stereotypes and wild caricatures passed off as three dimensional characters. A few come out strong such as Idris Elba as Pentecost, the leader of this monster fighting resistance who carries large portions of the film on gravitas alone. Rinko Kikuchi also proves female characters can be more than love interests as a vengeance fueled aspiring Jaeger pilot. It's refreshing to see the two leads form a meaningful partnership rather than forcing any unnecessary sexual tension, instead creating a resonate relationship which drives the majority of the drama. Others such as Ron Perlman's charlatan crime boss and Charlie Days fast-talking eccentric scientist are disappointingly one-note.

Pacific Rim is bursting with passion. It embodies everything movies can be when made with love and attention to detail. It boasts some of the biggest action ever seen in a movie, yet it never losses sight of the human element. Minutes after seeing the film I was hung up on several minor issues but in all honesty as I sit here writing this review those problems are completely irrelevant, instead replaced with the moments I so thoroughly enjoyed. The films is big, loud, and sometimes dumb but it delivers one of the most singularly engaging and rousing movie-going experiences in awhile. It's playful and earnest and all the more endearing for it. Pacific Rim is an achievement in above all else, imagination.

 (4 out of 5)

Quick and Dirty Reviews

The Lone Ranger (2 out of 5)

The Lone Ranger is a bloated, tonally inconsistent, predictable mess. A script that goes nowhere and a run-time that will have you shifting in your seat. The Lone Ranger struggles to get off the track of predictable summer blockbusters but contains only one mildly entertaining set-piece. Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp play the two leads and while both are serviceable action heroes they are led astray by a bland script that is mind numbingly boring and tone deaf. Cutting between buddy movie antics and the slaughter of countless innocent lives. There is even a scene in the movie where the villain cuts the heart out of a still breathing man and eats it. Umm what. The films is well shot, taking advantage of the impressively vast real world locations and shooting the majority of the film on camera, meaning few special effects. While the film is an all but assured flop, I stress that people evaluate why this movies fails. It isn't simply because its a western, or a remake of something nobody was asking for, or even Johnny Depp playing the same role he has been playing for the past 10 years now. Put simply this movie is uninspired everything feels clinical, as if its going through a check-list. Watching this movie you can practically see the business room filled with suits discussing the best way to design the film to appeal to mass audience and make the most money. Utterly lifeless and devoid of fun or very much entertainment its high time audience stop feeding directly out of the studio's hands.

Monster's University (3 out of 5)

Completely unnecessary and entirely adorable, Monster's University is another unspectacular entry in an increasingly long slump from Pixar. All the ingredients are here, the original voice cast is back and as exuberant as ever, plenty of call-backs and Pixar's great sense of detail. But I couldn't help but feel that the entire thing was entirely unneeded, unwanted and outright unnecessary. Prequels are hard to pull off, because you know how everything ends up in the long run. You know which characters will live, which will fail and the general state of the world far into the future of these characters lives. So instead its about the journey unfortunately there simply isn't much to say that wasn't already inferred from the original Monsters Inc. We knew Mike and Sully weren't always friends we didn't need to see the exact details. But the movie is filled with Pixar's signature humor, and heartfelt sincerity. Kids will love it, parents will find it better than most animated movies out there but I'm starting to wonder when the Pixar that was winning Academy Awards on a yearly basis will return.

Spring Breakers (3 out of 5)

An exercise in excess, Spring Breakers attempts to both mock and celebrate today's youths obsession with the superficial. A double edged sword that both cements this film as a cult-classic and an absolute mess of a film. James Franco stars as Alien, a Miami rapper who takes four girls under his wings. Franco steals every scene he is in, shockingly transformed, he embodies the disillusioned gangster completely. The film is hard to explain as the plot is simply four young girls head down to Miami for Spring Break and chaos ensues. Visually and audibly this film is striking using juxtaposition to unnerve and haunt the viewer, with beautiful melodies accompanying acts of violence. It's difficult to determine if the film has any real meaning or if it is simply as stated above a mirror being held up to today's youth. There were times when I struggled to figure out the context for any particular scene, wondering pointlessly if this was a movie about something more meaningful and thoughtful or if it was simply unhealthy candy, entertainment to be enjoyed but not overly analyzed. Either way its an intoxicating film that you will find difficult to erase from your psyche.

The Walking Dead: 400 Days Review

With the astounding success of Telltale's first season of The Walking Dead the developer hopes to tide fans over before Season 2 with an additional look into this apocalyptic world. 400 Days is a series of vignettes, centered around different characters jumping through the first 400 days of the outbreak. With this DLC Telltale endearingly boasts of their immense talents as they tell intense and wonderfully crafted stories in roughly 15 minutes chunks. These small stories are each better than entire fully featured games and that is both impressive on Telltale's part and disappointing for the state of the industry. 400 Days allows you to play as any of 5 characters, with the ability to experience them in any order you want. This DLC seems very experimental but regardless Telltale doesn't skimp, and 400 Days delivers the same high caliber of storytelling the award-winning series has become known for.

It's difficult to talk about any of the events in this package without the risk of spoiling to much, as stated above each standalone story is fairly short and thus every moment is precious. Which brings me to one of the highlights of this DLC, 400 Days takes advantage of its conceit and amps up the intensity to jaw-dropping and palm sweating intensity. It's incredible that Telltale is able to deliver the same level of attention to story and characters even in these smaller episodes. Even the timed decisions that punctuated Season One are thrown at you with such speed you will struggling to keep up; an appropriate response for the situation these characters find themselves in. Telltale promises that the actions you make in this DLC along with those from the entirety of Season One will follow you into Season 2. I will be very interested to see how they tie these two disparate experiences into one cohesive season next go around, but suffice to say, I'm eagerly awaiting Telltale's next foray into The Walking Dead.

(5 out of 5)

The Last of Us Review

The Last of Us is the latest game from Naughty Dog and one of the last big exclusive releases on the PS3 before the next set of consoles are upon us. The Last of Us seeks to avail Naughty Dog of one key criticism of their previous series Uncharted, that of the inordinate amount of enemy deaths with no consequences. But the acclaimed developer wasn't satisfied with simply quelling a few gripes, they felt it necessary to end their development on the PS3 by exponentially raising the bar in every conceivable facet. They have always been master storytellers but The Last of Us is incomparable and impeccably designed, from its graphical prowess, impressive sound design, nuanced mechanics, beautiful score, and outstanding performances and writing. The Last of Us is the absolute height of video game story telling and design, a breathtaking experience that will leave you terrified through its uncompromising brutality and depiction of human depravity.

The world of The Last of Us has been ravaged by a fungal infection that takes control of its human hosts and transforms them into savage monsters. The world has been reclaimed by nature and humanity as on the brink of extinction. The game follows Joel, a man warped by the decayed remnants of civilization, and Ellie who despite being born amid this unrelenting world stands tall and strives to carve her place in it. The relationship between these two characters is one of the games many resounding accomplishments. What begins as a testy and distrusting partnership slowly builds and grows throughout the game, small moments of conversation between Joel and Ellie about the world before its now fractured existence build the fiction while simultaneously strengthening their bond. The two undergo profound character arcs throughout the story. Joel's jaded perspective is chipped away while struggling to course correct his moral compass and Ellie's innocence is shattered as the harsh realities of this world are laid bare. This is not a traditionally enjoyable story in fact I couldn't play for more than a few hours at a time because it was so draining. But the depths to which this game explores the human condition is staggering and fulfilling in ways games typically are not. Naughty Dog deserves immense praise for their depiction of their characters never undervaluing the importance of a grounded portrayal over stereotypes and cliches.

The Last of Us gameplay is hard to categorize, not strictly stealth nor action but a seamless merger of the two. Conflict with enemies is tense and even a small patrol of two or three enemies will have you scurrying for cover, cursing under your breath and hoping they don't spot you. The AI is unpredictable keeping every encounter tense and enjoyable. The mechanics are integrated into the story in way that drives home the heart-rending journey these two characters are on. You scavenge for materials to craft into items oftentimes choosing between a powerful weapon or a health boost. Bullets are few and guns are a last resort reserved for moments of extreme desperation. Describing this as a stealth game is a disservice as Joel doesn't display any proficiency in sneaking around instead hiding from enemies is born out of necessity as you find yourself struggling to escape without using any essential items or losing health. Each of the games enemies are terrifying in their own way, from the savage uninfected Hunters to the frightening Clickers whose advanced mutation has replaced their sense of sight with improved hearing. This game elicits a genuine sense of fear in me, exploring an abandoned college campus filled me with dread the moment the spine chilling sound of Clickers came from the other side of the door, this tense atmosphere is intense and exhausting and all the more impressive for it.

The Last of Us is truly unlike any gaming experience. From storytelling to game design its unflinching depiction of humanity and society on the brink of extinction is unnerving. Yet despite this grim apocalyptic reality filled with brutal violence the game is stunningly beautiful. Not just graphically but emotionally, the lengths Naughty Dog goes to realistically portray these characters is astonishing. These are people you truly care about and the small moments of levity, while rare, serve as a reminder of what's at stake. The realities of survival are a prevailing theme that will have you questioning the lengths to which you would go to survive and the consequences of that singular drive both psychologically and physically. The Last of Us is a profound and harrowing experience with a riveting story that is unfathomably poignant for the medium.

(5 out of 5)

Bioshock Infinite Review

Bioshock Infinite is simply put, one of the most perfectly crafted and engrossing video games ever conceived. I hesitate even writing this review as I feel no words I can string together could possibly encapsulate the sheer wonderment of exploring this world and its grandiose themes that are unprecedentedly profound for the medium. Video games rarely, nay, NEVER touch on topics of much debate; I mean why would they, these are multi-million dollar endeavors that demand exceedingly high sales figures. This is just one of the many ways Bioshock Infinite subverts typical video games, touching on themes such as identity, nationalism, racism, sexism, faith, and belonging with many more than possible to count. It oftentimes looks and even plays like a normal big-budget first person shooter but it quickly reasserts itself and begins toying with the concepts of reality all the while tackling issues that are persistent throughout the in-game world but never overbearing. Bioshock Infinite is a game with grand ambitions but what makes it one of the most remarkable creative experiences is how perfectly realized and crafted every single inch of the game is.

Bioshock Infinite begins in an alternate 1912 with you, Booker Dewitt, being given the deceivingly simple task of bringing back a mysterious young woman to wipe away the debt you owe to some very nasty people. But as you quickly discover after quite literally being flung into the floating idealized city of Columbia, this is a world few could ever have imagined thus begins your thrilling and sometimes emotional roller coaster through the city. Bioshock Infinite is developed by Irrational Games, who above all else are masters of world building, sensorially transporting you into a place of their own creation. Columbia is the perfect city as envisioned by Zachery Comstock, a self-proclaimed prophet, and leader of the ultra-nationalist party who worship the founding fathers as if they were gods. But festering under this hyper idealized vision of America is a disturbing drive for racial purity and immigrant slavery to maintain the city's pathological idealist vision of the America that never existed. The game brilliantly and subtly brings up themes of religion, racism, and sexism within the world with out ever stating its standings nor overemphasizing its existence, letting it seep into the players conscience through pedestrian interactions, posters and music. It's one of the many ways Irrational creates a highly detailed and believable world you can truly lose yourself in.

Booker quickly finds the girl, Elizabeth, locked away in a tower and protected by a mechanical beast and with that minor set-up Irrational quickly sets its sights on creating one of the most well realized video game companions. Suffice to say they surpass their goal and with Elizabeth they craft one of the most impressive accomplishments in video game history. Elizabeth is obviously modeled after the classic Disney princesses and between her design and mannerisms she endears herself to you quite quickly. Her sheltered upbringing allows her a unique perspective on the world and her interactions with the city of Columbia and its inhabitants  drive home some of the darker elements of the story. This attachment is an important feat as you will be tasked with guiding her through Columbia as you both attempt to escape from the myriad of forces out to kill Booker and send Elizabeth back to her prison. But this is no glorified escort mission, Irrational knows better and instead makes her a indelible ally in combat who can toss you health, ammo or salts (this game's magic source) in a time of need. As the game develops her proficiency with her powers allow her to access items through tears in the fabric of the universe to appear at a critical moment in combat. Bioshock Infinite is similar to its predecessor in its mix of gun-play and magic use, Vigors take the place of Plasmids but act similarly. These drinks bestow the player with different powers that give you more control in the battlefield, setting traps and tossing enemies around like rag dolls. The combat is perfectly tuned and with this game's variety of enemies and large open area scenarios make it a highly enjoyable experience above the pitch perfect narrative.

Bioshock Infinite goes above and beyond what video games even attempt and delivers an experience that has no equal in the medium. Elizabeth is brought to life in such a magnificent way you'll find yourself truly falling for her as you spend more time with each other. Irrational crafts an extraordinary story that will sink its hooks deep into you so by the time the ending rolls around you'll be hard pressed to recall a more emotionally resonate narrative in a video game. But its the way the story is conveyed to the player that is truly breath taking. The world of Columbia is bursting with an excruciating level of detail in signs, radio broadcasts, civilian conversations, and general level design that reveal an exacting portrait of this world that is at times both beautiful and haunting. The game definitely has some tricks up its sleeves and its ending alone will deservedly spark heated debates, analysis and meaningful conversation for a long time to come. Poetically written, perfectly realized, memorable and beyond comparison, Bioshock Infinite single-handedly reinvigorates and redefines everything video games can accomplish.

(5 out of 5)