Random Film of the Week: Across 110th Street

Posted on January 9, 2014 by geelw

No, it’s NOT “Blaxploitation Week” here at DAF because believe it or else, Across 110th Street isn’t really an exploitation film at all. Sure it’s got sudden (but VERY expected) bursts of violence, plenty of (way too brightly colored) blood spilled, swearing out the wazoo, hard drug usage, funky fashions and Afros all wrapped in very palpable sense of dread that lurks around from the moment the film gets underway until its inevitable conclusion. Oh, and that urban gangster theme, stereotypical I-tal-i-an mobsters getting needlessly brutal, an equally racist white cop (Anthony Quinn) and the fresh to the precinct black detective (Yaphet Kotto) who has to work with him on his first major case may all make you THINK you know what you’re getting into.

But then a funny thing happens after the title credits roll… the film surprises you with a surprisingly well shot and tense crime action/thriller with a deliberately relentless tone that escalates as things spiral out of control. Stealing drug money from the mob is a bad idea in any dramatic film, but this film lets you watch the doomed men pull off their dirty deed successfully while letting you see all too clearly that they’re not going far with their ill-gotten gains… Continue reading →

Get Even Teaser Trailer Gets Really Even With My Skeptical Self But Good…

Posted on January 8, 2014 by geelw

Yes, it’s ONLY a teaser trailer and yes, it’s a bit on the “too much grey” for my tastes, but considering I was a bit of a pesky Land Snark a few days earlier when I saw screenshots of the up until then title-less game being worked on by developer The Farm 51, it’s gone and made me cut a small slice of crow pie and heat it up for later tonight. Now, this doesn’t mean I’m giving this upcoming PC shooter a hook-less release at all. Those graffiti-covered walls do indeed look fantastic and all, and the premise and promise of solo and multiplayer action being intertwined is intriguing. Hopefully this can be pulled off and done up right so that I can start a review out with a “Finally, someone gets this FPS thing RIGHT.” or something similarly pompous-sounding. Oh wait, that would most likely require me to buy a new PC, as both the desktop and laptop I use are still rockin’ Windows XP (hey, my hundreds of older games LOVE it and my experiences with Windows 8 and 8.1 have been… how do you say, “eeeeennnnteresting”.

Eh, we’ll get to something more modern soon enough. This game’s still in the oven for a while yet and I’m gathering some hands-on time at a press event will help make me more of a decision maker. Of course, that’s usually a bad idea, me making decisions. Last week, I decided to print my own currency and no one would take any G-Bucks. Crap. That’s what I get for NOT deciding to invest in that Bitcoin deal some guy hit me over the head with out of the blue in a Starbucks. “It’s a SCAM!” I thought. “A fool and his money and all that rot” Yeah, a good hundred buck investment to a total stranger (friendly and chatty as he was) seemed like a REALLY lousy idea (He said, crying on his keyboard)… Ah well. Perhaps I’ll get lucky and find I have a skill people will pay real money to utilize… what-ever could that be, I imagine?

Random Film of the Week: HIT MAN

Posted on January 8, 2014 by geelw

While watching 1972’s HIT MAN on TCM last week and in between bouts of nearly falling off the couch laughing a few times at the unintentional comedy gold, it hit me that I’d see this film’s story elsewhere. Granted, you get what you pay for with most “blaxploitation” flicks in the form of a reworking of older (and often, superior) films, but there was something here under all the massive afros, copious nudity and violence that seemed pretty familiar.

That something happened to be Get Carter, the classic 1971 British gangster film from director Mike Hodges that was an early showcase for Michael Caine as well as a pretty darn great and mature killer of a movie. A year later, director George Armitage pretty much piled on the T&A, beefing up the sexy time and violence to racier American levels of shameless acceptability and the cast here does a pretty awesome job at making this one of those absolutely memorable (but yes, gloriously bad on so many levels) “B” flicks that’s going to have your head shaking and spinning simultaneously… Continue reading →

The Witcher Adventure Game? Oh, Yes.

Posted on January 8, 2014 by geelw

Yep, there goes anything I’d call free time, folks. Coming sometime this year. I’ll have to see if CD Projekt RED will have this at this year’s Toy Fair, as I’ll be there looking at stuff to cover. If not, I’ll need to get a detective on the case to find out why. Let’s see now… where’s that Rolodex? Aha. Hmmm…(silly rhyme alert!) I’m feeling a little bit lazy today, so (*flip*)… let’s just see who’s under “A”? Okay, got one (and man, does he work cheap!):

ANY-way, click on below the jump for the press release. If the game is anything close to the source material or games, it’s going to be a tough call what to kill time with this year. Granted, both The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and this board game (which is also coming to iOS and Android devices) will find a home here, so no worries about me splitting my love for either in any directions… Continue reading →

Review: The Wolf Among Us (Episode One – Faith)

Posted on January 8, 2014 by geelw

Platform: PC/Mac

Developer: Telltale Games

Publisher: Telltale Games

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: A

Since my comics reading has dropped of considerably over the past decade plus, I’d not even heard of Vertigo’s Fables series (so shoot me, but not until I finish this review) until a few people in my circles started buzzing about this game and now that I’ve finally reached and competed the first chapter in my stupidly long backlog (it’s stretching into 2015 at this point, no thanks to irresistable Steam, Desura, gog.com and assorted cheap indie bundle sales), I want to go read everything I’ve missed out on. Well, that or get this time travel stuff sorted out so I can play at my leisure and post reviews before games even come out.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah . Once again, Telltale Games swings for the fences and knocks it out of the park with an adventure game fans will be more than pleased with and those new to the experience will groove on for its great, funny and mature plot, excellent visuals and gameplay that combines text-based and quick time sequences almost seamlessly. Even if you don’t like comics for any reason, The Wolf Among Us and its blend of film noir styling in a fantasy New York City populated by humans and fairytale characters is a hard pull to ignore…
Continue reading →

DAYLIGHT Update: The Horror Game That Makes You Lose Your Pants (For A Few Reasons)…

Posted on January 7, 2014 by geelw

Mine were scared off a little and if this trailer is any indication, some of you out where will also be scared out of, jump out of or simply pee your own pants (or worse) when playing this PC and PlayStation 4 exclusive upcoming horror fest with the randomly generated maps. Expect THRILLS! at every turn when something jumps at you from the shadows! Feel those CHILLS! as yous spine tightens then freezes as you’re too afraid to… Take. Another. Step! And prepare for SPILLS! when your poor bladder decides it’s constantly had enough of your foolish attempts to not be afraid and tells your brain it will keep peeing until your kidneys spit up sand! Ouch. Okay, perhaps this one isn’t THAT scary or painful at all, but I think the fine folks at Atlus have a nifty little sleeper on the way thanks to veteran developer Zombie Studios and Epic’s Unreal 4 engine.

That procedural level generation should keep the game replayable for some time in the vein of familiar rogue-like role playing games and more recently, Ubisoft’s excellently frightening ZombiU on the Wii U, making this a must-play game for horror game fans. That said, I so, SO want Zombie to include a very special Easter Egg in here in the form of a ONE ROOM level where it’s just you starting out in one corner and a quick run to the exit to conclude the stage… before it drops you into a second smaller room with you and a thing that’s about to eat your face right in front of you. Yeah, pants will be jumped out of, scared off, peed and pooped on all at the same time. That would make those now tired and CHEESY and many obviously faked for view clicks “Oooh, lookit me, I’m scared playing this SCARY new game!” videos have some actual meaning for sure. Of course, some of you are wondering if this will get the sales of adult diapers booming if indeed the game is THAT scary.. to which I offer a snazzy “Well,… that Depends!”

As usual, I win again!

DAYLIGHT will be popping up shortly… Keep and eye peeled over your shoulder for more updates…

RoboCop TV Spot #1: There’s A New Sheriff In Town (Metal Suit Version…)

Posted on January 7, 2014 by geelw

So, here they come. The first of many TV spots for this upcoming remake. Is it me or are people THAT jaded now that this otherwise fine-looking remake/reboot might not be as big as some on the internet are saying? Eh, not that I pay much mind to what others say on the Internet, mind you. I’m just worried that our new “wait it out” culture will wait it out for the first big early review that merely mentions a flaw, cross their collective arms with a mighty “SEE!,I told you it would suck!” and then go torrent the video off some pirate site only to discover it’s not the train wreck they thought. Of course, trying to get those people to pay for anything entertainment wise is a tough haul, but Hollywood loves to keep trying. Me, I think the film will do just fine when it hits a multiplex near you next month.

Of course, I still CAN’T see any darn movies at all around here now that the two closest movie houses are DEAD. Boo. What kind of crap area is this now? We USED to have five theaters in walking distance not so long ago. My “local” theater is now something like four or five miles away at least. Probably more, as I haven’t checked around for a replacement theater in a while. Eh, small world problem considering REAL issues facing too many these days, right? But hey, little things (like a decent cinema) DO mean a lot to some folks…

Alien Isolation: The Creative Assembly Plays The Role Of Redeemer Quite Well Indeed…

Posted on January 7, 2014 by geelw

So, here we go folks – once more into the breach with Sega and the somehow tougher to make it work right as a video game Alien license. Can you name a decent game made this century with the license that’s not only on PC? I thought not.

While its last two attempts were decidedly of the “mixed results” and “missed opportunities” trains, this time out it’s veteran developer The Creative Assembly at the wheel and Alien Isolation is looking pretty darned scary where it counts (as you’ll see in Three… Two.. One.):

Of course, the boo-bird naysayers are out in force on this thanks to the critical mass that was Aliens: Colonial Marines, so Sega has a lot to live up to and live down even if Isolation is indeed the best game using the license to date.

I trust this team quite a lot as in addition to the incredible Total War franchise on PC, they’ve also had fun making more action-heavy game experiences such as the excellent Spartan: Total Warrior (which is being remade as a PlayStation 4 exclusive!) and the solid Viking: Battle For Asgard (which could use a nice remake or sequel one of these days). So an Alien game from these guys and gals should be (wait for it…) a “walk in the park” to some extent.

Of course, we shall see what the future brings and of course, I’m hoping that people aren’t all screaming into space for all the wrong reasons again. But again, I trust The CA to not go where man has gone before and deliver an Alien experience that’s truly memorable and frightening for all the RIGHT reasons. More on this as it develops…

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls Gives Me The Hots For The PS4…

Posted on January 7, 2014 by geelw

Ah, Diablo III. Other than the PC version, you haven’t failed me yet. Yeah, I’m an offline solo guy who had to deal with the original game being a total pain in the neck to get up and running, so I more than welcomed the PS3 version which I gladly paid for. Having blazed through two difficulty modes (so far), it pleases me to no end that the PS4 is getting this expansion and yes indeed, I can transfer my save files over when I finally get that PS4 in a bit. Hell may be other people (and how), but I like my personal hell packed with demons I can decimate on my own time and walk away happy and sane afterwards. Granted, Inferno mode awaits and I know I’ll be in for a fight against that lord of darkness and his many, many minions (and how, according to some folks who’ve survived the blitz of beefed up baddies raining hell down on them in solo play). But the game is supposed to be HARD. Hell, Normal mode is basically training for the others. You may not think so, you uber-core players who seem to LIKE your avatar dying endlessly until you get your skills together. Me, I prefer to have a fighting chance and enough room to run away when needed on those randomly generated maps.

Misty Non-Mountain Brain Hopping (Winter Version)…

Posted on January 7, 2014 by geelw

“What is that?” you ask? Well, that a look outside my window at about 4am or so Monday morning. It was so foggy and misty out that I wanted to snap a picture just for reference. I got this mess instead. So I tried again a few times and pretty much got the same result. Yeah, it’s not art or good photography, but what can I say? I was about to go to sleep and pop up less than two hours later to hit the laundry and get it over with before the cold snap hit. The weather has been getting pretty unusual over the past few years, but I can’t recall so many extremes in such a short time around here.

It was 75 degrees about a week or so ago and in the space of 24 hours here, the drop from the low 50’s to below zero is making news (and news reporters stupid). Granted, this stuff does happen in many places, but usually when it gets cold like this it stays like this for the better part of a week. As it stands, the snap here is just that, as temperatures are zipping up to about 40 in a day or so (it’s a regular heatwave!) and as usual, people are going into winter shopping panic mode, stocking up on things they stocked up on already as a form of exercise and protective paranoia.

Granted, I’d prefer if some of those running around doing the headless chicken stayed the hell home and stopped coughing and sneezing around me and at least some of them would remember to bathe more regularly (seriously, there’s nothing like the scent of the great unwashed as you’re sitting in a public spot trying to write only to be distracted by a punch in the nose from a smelly person in smellier clothing who’s NOT homeless, mind you). But what can you do but hold your breath and perhaps raise and eyebrow in the general direction of someone offending. There’s no thrill quite like telling a total stranger to cover his nose and mouth as you’re covering your own from the germs and odor wafting your way. Yuck.