Blu-Ray Review: Ronin

Posted on August 10, 2017 by geelw

I’ve always viewed Ronin as a sped-up Alfred Hitchcock film, but yep, I’m nuttier than a fruitcake when I need to be. Late director John Frankenheimer’s mostly solid and thrilling 1997 action flick has a few Hitch hallmarks such as an obvious red herring as a major plot device, a bunch of men (and one woman) under pressure crammed into a tough situation, indiscriminate collateral damage thanks to high-speed chases and a story that has at least one major flaw one can overlook when all is said and done.

As usual, Arrow’s stellar Blu-Ray/DVD combo packs in the film and a load of bonus features worth a look. There’s also an alternate ending that is pretty darn awful, but we’ll get to that when we get to that.

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Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen Headed To PS4/Xbox One October 3rd

Posted on August 10, 2017 by geelw

It’s about time Capcom ported over one of it’s biggest surprise sleepers from a few years back. I’m thinking the success of the PS version and all its tweaks plus a lot of fan bugging them helped compel this smart move. But hey, whatever. It looks as if the wait will be worth it. I’m gathering save data will NOT be transferable from any other versions of the game which means it’ll be a fresh start and all that exploration, fighting and leveling to do all over again. Yours truly won’t mind one bit as DD:DA is pretty compelling to dive into and has a lengthy campaign that doesn’t require playing with others to get your fill. I just need to find the time to sink into this gem, as I know my October is going to be packed with medical appointments (boo!). Then again, this seems like the perfect game to de-stress with for a while between visits to people poking and prodding at me and my assorted body fluids (yuck!).

-GW

Blu-Ray Review: Re-Animator (Limited Edition)

Posted on August 9, 2017 by geelw

Well, wow. As someone who’d missed out on the film during its theatrical run, I’ve always wanted to catch Re-Animator to see what all the fuss was about. Well, Arrow Video has just released an outstanding 4K transfer of both the theatrical cut and much longer Integral version that’s not not only a must-buy, it’s one of their best releases to date.

Amusingly enough, I’d gotten a copy of Bride of Re-Animator a while back, but stayed away from watching it because I wanted to see the first film before the sequels. Yep, I’m crazy like that. Anyway, yep. This movie is pretty damn great stuff and oh yeah, it’s not for the kiddies at all.

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The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II PSN-Bound

Posted on August 9, 2017 by geelw

Okay, it’s August 15 for you folks in the USA, but the game has dropped into the European PS Store already. As this PlayStation Blog post points out, a bunch of improvements and changes have been made over the PS original.

The Playstation 4 version of the game comes with a lot of new gameplay features, unique trophies, full DualShock 4 controller support and a completely reworked scenario mode and Tower Defense mini game. On PlayStation 4 Pro players are able to choose from three different settings: Better Performance (1920 x 1080 aiming @ 60fps), Balanced (2880 x 1620 aiming @ 50fps) and Better Quality (native 4K aiming @ 30fps).

– all of which sounds fine to me. Players of the first installment can (and should!) import their save file in order to take a more powerful Van Helsing into the second game, as the first big battle is indeed a tough one if you jump in under-prepared.

Even better, the game is only $14.99, making it a must for action ARPG fans looking for a budget-priced game that promises plenty of action for a fair price point.

-GW

Ninja Nope

Posted on August 4, 2017 by geelw

Ha! Unholy masters of unintentional comic relief, if you ask me.

Confession time, again. I was never much into the whole ninja craze that hit America in the 80’s and despite oh, 30+ years of trying to watch a chunk of these films, they just bounce off my imagination like bullets off Superman’s chest. Sorry, but the sight of some guy in black or white pajamas throwing down a smoke bomb and a handful of sharpened jacks just makes me chuckle to on end. Give an American ninja a deck of Hanafuda cards and he’d still be a joke shilling 3-card monte on a street corner somewhere in Baltimore.

Granted, the films I’m referring to are primarily American-made and very intentionally cheesy (even if they try too damn hard to be serious). I’ve seen a few Asian ninja flicks that I vaguely recall being “okay” in that “Well, it’s made over there, so it’s not so bad” manner one says as he politely dismisses more guys in their pajamas tossing pointy metal stars and throwing gravel in the faces of their enemies as they make a clean getaway (snicker!). Yeah, I just think the whole idea of stealthy assassins dropping in on a catered or any affair to bump off some poor sap(s) is prime hilarity more than any actual threat.

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AGFA Delivers A Case Of Double Vision

Posted on August 4, 2017 by geelw

Well, ooh. This pair of grindhouse-y beauties arrived today from AGFA as did the big, honkin’ six-pound box of unsalted Keystone Pretzels I ordered two days ago (those bakers ship fast!). Part of my weekend is set, that’s for sure. I’ll very likely triple up the movies with the gorgeous Arrow Video version of Re-Animator, as I went through the special features yesterday and they’re all great stuff.

Back in a bit – I guess I need to figure out what goes well with a small bowl of pretzels other than some freshly made Colman’s Mustard. Eh, I’ll figure something out.

-GW

Take A Good Look Coming to DVD in October

Posted on August 2, 2017 by geelw

Take A Good Look DVD Ooh, this one’s been a long time coming, but if you like to laugh it up significantly and like old TV (or hey, just want to see something more fun than the usual modern reality junk), well here you go. Okay, so you have to wait until October, but that’s not too far away, right? Right.

Ernie Kovacs: Take A Good Look – The Definitive Collection is now up for pre-order on Shout Factory with the first 1000 copies getting an exclusive bonus disc, Ernie Kovacs: Private Eye, Private Eye. If you’re new to Kovac’s work, you’re in for a real treat. The man did so much to elevate comedy that it’s astounding he only did about ten years worth of work before his untimely death in 1962.

Hmmm… I smell a short press release… it’s minty!

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Take A Good Look – The Definitive Collection is now set for release on October 17! This DVD set is the third box set of Ernie Kovacs amazing body of television work (1952 -1962) to be released over the better part of this decade. All 49 existing episodes of Kovacs cockeyed and offbeat gameshow are presented here, fully restored and digitized by the Library of Congress.

Take A Good Look hosted an eclectic mix of guest stars, such as my mom (!), performer Edie Adams, writer/director Carl Reiner, the glamorous Zsa Zsa Gabor, comedian Mort Sahl, Our Gang’s Jean Darling, chess world champion Bobby Fischer, Major League Baseball’s Rogers Hornsby, White House Butler Alonzo Fields, Los Angeles Dodgers Chuck Essegian and Don Drysdale, Hawaiian Congressman Daniel Inouye, Miss America 1959 Mary Ann Mobley, several Olympic athletes, and many mor

-GW

The Old Song And Dance, Medical Division

Posted on July 26, 2017 by geelw

(thanks, TomPettyVEVO!)

Ugh. I have two more medical appointments this week to go with yesterday’s eye appointment, so I’m pretty much doctored out for the time being. It’s not the appointments themselves as they’re kind of needed to see how my assorted parts are holding up after all that stuff happening back in May. The annoying part is all the waiting. Personally, I prefer to arrive early (up to an hour ahead) just in case someone doesn’t show and I get bumped up on the list (hasn’t happened yet, though).

While I don’t mind the wait time much (I’ve never had an appointment start anywhere close to the time chosen), I do mind some of the people waiting constantly complaining about having to wait every single time. Welcome to this insane, imperfect health care system where insurance is more a middleman pick-pocketing you with a smile more than an actual helping hand.

Eh, let them whine away – I’ll just break into an old song and dance number to throw them for a loop. Let’s see now… this should do:

(thanks, GoodOldDaysReturns!)

Of course, it’s hard to dance once your eyes are dilated and singing isn’t easy when you throw your back out when trying to dance in a crowded waiting room.

-GW

Review: Valkyria Revolution (PS4)

Posted on July 25, 2017 by geelw

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Valkyria Revolution PS4 (Custom) Well, veteran developer Media Vision gave it the old college try, but as a set in the past side story to the fan favorite Valkyria Chronicles series, Valkyria Revolution isn’t so thrilling as a game experience. Packed full of overlong exposition, mostly pretty visuals ruined by stiffly animated characters, and somewhat weak gameplay, this one manages to be somewhat lifeless despite trying very hard to appeal to longtime fans and players new to the series.

That said, the music is great, some of the timely political intrigue is interesting enough, as is the main storytelling device of a teacher and student discussing events that happened decades earlier. But the core gameplay never rises above mediocre thanks to somewhat loose controls and a “tactical” side that really doesn’t add much challenge. It’s not a “bad” game per se – it’s just one where you may feel too much time was spent on making a game packed with too much of some stuff and too little of everything else.

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Songs For Spies (A Playlist)

Posted on July 20, 2017 by geelw

Wow, you take some time off the internet to get better and stuff just falls apart in a bunch of places, huh? Anyway, as some of our intelligence agencies are under pressure from a guy with not too much intelligence at all, I decided to sweep up some music off YouTube to keep our sly guys and gals upbeat and maybe chuckling a little.

1. Secret Agent Man – Johnny Rivers
(Yes, the DEVO version is also recommended!)
2. I Spy (For the FBI) – The Untouchables
(feel free to substitute the cool Jamo Thomas version if you prefer)
3. Spy World – Wall of Voodoo
4. Somebody’s Watching Me – Rockwell
5. Heroes – David Bowie
6. Back In The USSR – The Beatles (but you get the Motorhead version just because it’s awesome)
7. Vanishing Spies – Frank Black
8. Don’t Worry About The Government – Talking Heads
9. Every Breath You Take– The Police
10. We Are Detective – Thompson Twins
11. The Big Heat – Stan Ridgway
12. Territorial Pissings – Nirvana
13. Men In Black – Will Smith
14. Senses Working Overtime – XTC