Oh, I’d Say Games and Movies Aren’t At All The Thing to Worry About Here…

Posted on January 8, 2013 by geelw

So, I’m walking to the library here earlier today and take a detour to the post office to drop off a package I’d forgotten to send out on Saturday (oops). While waiting on line, a couple of people are “debating” gun control off to the side near the pay phone. Ruh Roh. This always, always makes for some amazingly bizarre conversations to overhear if (and yes, when) things get heated. Let’s just say by the time one guy who was a retired cop with a wife still in the school system he didn’t want packing heat threw up his hands and walked away from the other guy who said he was a veteran and suggested that not only should armed guards be in and around schools, a single tank be placed outside every school school to keep ANY sort of potential threats away, yeah… I was taking mental notes galore…

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CES 2013: Land of the Giants (and Some Other Big Issues)…

Posted on January 8, 2013 by geelw

Between the stupidly high-resolution TV’s that most average Joe and Jane consumers won’t care about thanks to sky-high price points and the fact that resolution means nothing if you’re just watching Honey Boo Boo’s Amish Mafia Fishin’ Moonshiner Auction Storage Hoarders all day on the couch and plenty of other useless but well-made tech goodies out of the price range of anyone but the seriously wealthy, it’s a wonder CES hasn’t sunk itself into the sands of Las Vegas this year like a truckload of Atari 2600 E.T. cartridges. Seriously, who needs a 20″ or 27″ tablet computer, a cell phone with a 6.1″ screen and some of those 100+” Super Ultra Mega Deluxe 4K screens? You want a Lamborghini with that order, mister? Yeesh. Granted, it’s great that tech companies are “innovating” every year, but the yearly emphasis on size in some things makes you wonder if the Jolly Green Giant or 50-Foot Woman is the actual customer being targeted. Well, they do make a cute couple come to think of it (and their kids are just lovely… and growing up so fast!)…

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Predictions 2013: “I Want My Life Back!” Will Be the New Black…

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I have the feeling that for some folks, this will be the year they want to be a lot less social, at least in terms of their online lives. Why, you ask? Well, given that every week we find out that (duh) everything we do is seen and pored over in detail by people we probably wouldn’t want in our homes or anywhere close to them and some of those sites we’re so enamored of are full of security holes big enough to float a battleship though. Add in the no-fault ever changeable terms of service that get people raging when they fund out they’re suddenly part of a corporation’s ad campaign and a few other stupid things straight out of a bad sci-fi novel and yup, I can see some deciding basta es basta when it comes to an online presence they no longer have complete control of… Continue reading →

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters: When Hollywood Says “You Kids Need Better Books!”

Posted on January 1, 2013 by geelw

Am I the only one whose eyeballs roll way back in his head when these ads or trailers run for these films that mangle the hell out of the classics? Sometimes I wonder who keeps forcing all this stuff upon those gullible types who snap up opening day tickets as if they’re going to see something as memorable as the source material. Bleh.

Of course, I’ll be a totally contradictory nutcase here and say I’d make a “Brothers Grimm: Screenplay Slashers” film with the ghosts of the Bros. stalking and getting rid of studio pests using methods from their many stories. Hmmm.. then again, that’s too close to the Dr. Phibes remakes I’ve been HOPING Tim Burton would get around to doing already. Eh, whatever – I’ll probably catch this flick on cable a few months after it tanks in theaters. If I’m lucky, it’ll be back to back with that Abe Lincoln: Vampire Killer film so I can kill two birds with one stone (and wish for that time back afterwards)…

Texas Chainsaw 3D: Nope, Screaming Won’t Help At All…

Posted on December 30, 2012 by geelw

Hey, maybe… just MAYBE, this will actually be good. But I’m an old, old cranky guy about stuff like this, so I doubt it. The fact that they reference the 1974 original in the trailer and TV spot is a bit irksome to an old fart like me because I know that it’s rare that a horror flick gets a well done remake or sequel. Not impossible, mind you – just rare. All (lousy) puns intended there, by the way. Still, I’ll give this a look without the 3D gimmickry at all once it’s cable bound. Hey kids! A good horror film is maybe 90% mood anyway (or more if it’s made before the late 50’s) and this one seems to be doing a wee bit too much plot jiggering and trying to tie in exactly to Tobe Hooper’s classic (still a fairly relentless viewing experience that’s a lot less bloody than you’d think if you’ve never seen it before). Well, good, bad or otherwise forgettable, if you DO get scared during this reboot… “just keep saying to yourself: It’s only a MOVIE, It’s only a MOVIE, It’s only a MOVIE…”

With Some “True” Stories, There’s Always a Hitch…

Posted on December 28, 2012 by geelw

I finally sat down to catch HBO’s “The Girl” and sat through it twice because I didn’t like it the first time and wanted to be sure it was the film and not me. A second viewing didn’t change much, but it really had nothing much to do with what the director or actors did “wrong” at all. Sure, I knew of Hitchcock’s blonde ambitions and particularly peculiar proclivities from books and magazines I’d read, so that didn’t bother me one bit. I think it’s the general shorthand of the biopic or more precisely, those “based on (or worse, “inspired by”) a true story” films that condense certain elements of a person’s life to easily digestible cookies baked up from a Cliff Notes recipe that leaves the barest aroma of truth and the aftertaste of too many artificial ingredients and cooks in the kitchen…

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Peter Parker Buys The Farm, But Spider-Man Lives On (Ah, Comics)…

Posted on December 26, 2012 by geelw

As I haven’t read a Spider-Man book in ages but have been around the comics block on and off for decades, I’m not too surprised that Marvel has decided to phase Peter Parker out of the Marvel Universe and replace him (thanks to a mind and body swap) with Doctor Octupus, who will now star in the new Superior Spider-Man comic (“Superior?” What, they couldn’t find better word than that?). Can I get an “Eh, whatever” here? Let’s see now, Superman died, he came back. Same with Supergirl. Batman got his back broken – he got better. Robin died, he was replaced with a new one or something (I forget, as it’s been a while since I read a Batman comic too). The list goes on and on and every time some fans go out of their way to be as unpleasant about these changes as possible. Sometimes, a little dying can be good for a character, but it’s up to the writer to lure you in and surprise you every so often…

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A Little Opinion Piece About You Know What…

Posted on December 22, 2012 by geelw

I suppose I should offer up some sort of an opinion on all this video games and movies causing violent behavior nonsense being pushed around like cold peas on a plate by politicians and pundits that have never picked up a controller in their lives (and too bad for them for not broadening their horizons outside of that they THINK they know about gaming and gamers). Generally, I tend to keep out of these conversations because it seems that he who yells the loudest enough to drive everyone else out of the room clasping their blown out eardrums always considers themselves the “winner” of this sort of debate. So, instead of tossing out ideas or solutions (some of which have history behind them as working), I’ll offer up an observation or three just to get them out of my head because they’re messing up my mojo that wants to get back to writing about games and other fun stuff…

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Apocalypse No… Oh Wait, We’re Still Here (Er, Carry On, Then!)…

Posted on December 21, 2012 by geelw

Hmmm. So, the world did NOT end (well, for most of you) and I’ve heard that it seems to have ruined a few otherwise well-made doomsday plans. Hopefully you’re not one of those folks who was thinking of ending it all or that we’d go up in flames due to nuclear, planetary collision, zombie or some other sort of holocaust. Because my snarky side (which has just activated – you’ve been warned) would kindly point you to the nearest window (even if you’re in a basement), then the clock on the wall and tell you to get to it already so we don’t have to hear you wailing about how that Mayan calendar was upside down and it’s NEXT year or when the Cubs win the Super Cup or when the next season of GIRLS begins because it’s a show made by the Devil himself. Whatever.

One of those MAY be true, by the way…

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Earth Defense Force 4 (EDF 2025) Gameplay: Now, That’s What I Call A Bug Bomb!

Posted on December 21, 2012 by geelw

Finally, we get to see Sandlot’s super efforts on EDF 4 (which will be known as EDF 2025 here) in action and I’m quite happy with the more polished look to the game as well as the new character class system (which seems inspired by Vicious Cycle’s work on Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon) that shows off the new Air Raider, Wing Diver and others in action. Between this and yesterday’s announcement of Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable getting released over a month earlier than initially announced as a digital-only PSN title (I think that’s some sort of first), things are looking up for fans of the series. That said, the game NEEDS both a physical as well as digital release in North America so more people can play it.

Memo to Sony and D3Publisher: Think about it – while anyone can take a Vita to any wi-fi hotspot to get games for that handheld, those people who can’t get broadband at home or use a friend’s connection CANT BUY PS3 GAMES OR CONTENT ON PSN AT ALL. Stop NOT taking the money we want to spend on games and listen for a change. That said, how about a low print run disc version which will indeed sell out if you simply let the fans know it’s coming (or even better, Ask us HOW we like to buy our games in the future). That is all.