How so, you ask? Well, besides being easy on the eyeballs, incredibly friendly and a great conversationalist about all things gaming related, she’ll make even the most fervent non-believer in science WISH human cloning were possible (and legal). I’ll let you think about that for a minute (tick-tock, tick-tock)… ahem. She’s also the spokesmodel for Erox, a new pheromone-based unisex body spray that’s now available online. I got to meet the lady herself last evening at the Eventi Hotel in NYC but actually spent more time chatting with and listening to Sanjay Sabnani, CEO of Crowdgather, who’s behind the development, marketing and launch of Erox.
OK, this Doritos ad made me almost choke on a drink of water, so it’s currently my favorite. The good thing about all this corporate desperation this year is a nice chunk of the ads have been online for a few days, so watching the game is even less of an option for me. I’m neither a dog nor cat person, by the way… but most animals seem to love hanging around me for some reason. Probably because I’m neutral and lend an ear to all species as they whisper there nefarious plans for their sworn enemies my way. I tend to keep secrets quite well…
I’m a little late on commenting about this deal, but I don’t waste a lot of time trolling the Internet for this sort of thing and when I come across it, I usually hope it’s a really bad joke. Unfortunately, it’s not. Paul Verhoeven’s near-perfect blend of sci-fi, action and satire is soon to join the ranks of many other classics that got the remake treatment. Now, I could be completely wrong here, but I’m old and have a very long memory, so I doubt it. Given the pile of changes made since the idea of the remake gained traction over the past two years and the recent rumor about Russell Crowe being attached as the lead, the project seems to me it’s going to be a very expensive failure even if it goes in a completely new direction (and makes a pile of money in the process). On the other hand, after watching the original yesterday just to see what what was wrong that a remake HAD to be green-lit, here’s what I found… Continue reading →
Now, I haven’t even seen The Grey yet, but it’s getting decent reviews and this is Neeson’s what, third or fourth action movie role where he’s basically not taking any crap from anything on two (and now four) legs. Meanwhile, Old Fart, Texas Walker hasn’t made a decent film in ages, is shilling a janky exercise machine on late-nite infomercials, stumping for desperate political candidates who need an old-ass “star” power endorsement and oh yeah, he might be playing World of Warcraft. *snore…*
Yeah, yeah… so what if he’s a BIG internet meme with a huge following from back when he was younger, stronger and starring in some bad-ass action flicks where he always came out ahead. Whatever. I always see him as the hairy guy who got a beat-down he didn’t get up from in Way of the Dragon, so perhaps I’m a little biased. Anyway, I’m sure Chuck-O can lay out Liam in an actual fistfight (at some point), but I’d bet he’d break a hip throwing that knockout punch. And hell, you’re not taking down any Irishman without a good fight, last time I heard…
Still one of the most intense films I’ve seen, Henri-Georges Clouzot’s 1953 masterpiece will have you glued to the screen and peeling the fabric off whatever you’re sitting on as the movie puts its characters through sheer hell. Set somewhere in South America, the plot has four desperate men take on the challenge of driving two trucks packed with nitroglycerine through some hellish territory in order to help put out a massive oil well fire.
The film touches on a few political points in its (deservedly) negative portrayal of the American oil company that hires the drivers, some not so safe workplace practices and general employee exploitation. However, none of the major characters in the film are what you’d call “good” in terms of morality and motivation. They’re in it for the money and a way back to a better life they left that pushed them to this wretched corner of the globe. The film builds up so much tension that each perilous section of the long drive is practically the most terrifying as the danger increases thanks to all sorts of environmental and human created trouble. It’s practically guaranteed that you’ll forget to breathe at least three times during the more insane sections of the journey where the slightest mistake could send these men to their doom long before they reach their goal.
What works from start to finish are the oppressive atmosphere and fantastic performances by all the principals. Yves Montand and Charles Vanel absolutely steal the show as two of the drivers chosen to transport the volatile cargo to its destination. The deliberate pacing at the beginning is simply Clouzot slowly winding you up to a tight coiled spring that’s going to snap once things get rolling. There’s not a dull moment to be had here, although I’ll admit that Clouzot’s only error was the casting of his too-gorgeous wife, Vera as the local gal that falls for Montand’s character. Granted, she’s the best-looking person in the film, but she’s not portrayed all that well if you’re looking for a likable female character in a flick full of brutes. William Friedkin’s excellent (but not quite as spectacular) 1977 remake, Sorcerer, takes care of this with some more realistic casting for her part, but Clouzot’s cinematographer, Armand Thirard does some truly incredible work that’s still impressive in terms of lending a natural (and very deadly) feel to the environments.
There are some white-knuckle, nail-biting moments (if you can grip an armrest and bite your nails simultaneously, that is) that include a trip across a rotting wooden bridge, the truckers dealing with a huge boulder in their path and the sudden loss of part of their cargo and the aftermath. Oh yeah, that ending? It’s a total corker that may catch you off guard. OK, I’ll stop here as I don’t want to spoil anything more and heck, you need to go watch this as soon as you can. Don’t forget to grab a friend who hasn’t seen this and prepare for a wild ride you’ll want to recommend to as many people as possible. Back next week with another recommendation – watch this space (well, after you go watch the film)…
While the holiday season is usually packed with happy jolly tidings and the usual mass consumer craziness (that’s turned some shopping malls into pepper spray scented war zones), it’s also a time for reflection and a bit of moodiness about current and future events. Winter also brings in a bit of depression, as we humans are also prone to go gloomy when the lack of sun and warmth hits hard, sending some into a depressed state. Kenji Eno and WARP’s final console game, D2 has been my go-to holiday gift for myself ever since it was released on the Sega Dreamcast in Japan back in 1999. I’m not going to do a full review of the game (there’s an older one I wrote posted here), but I will say that the game manages to capture the feeling of being inside a bad winter dream that you can’t wake up from, yet one that you don’t want to simply because you want to see how it plays out. It’s definitely not for all tastes and in fact, can be baffling even when you piece things together into a more sensible narrative than what’s presented. On the other hand, the game also soars into unsuspecting territory a few times and packs an emotional punch where it counts. Continue reading →
I’ve noticed loads of complaints regarding privacy and other pesky issues with mobile data carriers, movie and game content services and anything that requires a lengthy Terms Of Service (TOS) agreement to be read before a consumer gives his or her OK. Given that almost no one actually seems to read through these things before or after they’ve clicked that “OK” button only to go ballistic later on when they find out they’ve lost another basic civil right, I propose a fail-safe solution that will take care of the problem. And as I’m all about job creation these days, this solution will also get a few people employed in the process.
Here’s the dead: get a bunch of Hollywood actor-types to shoot a video/record audio where they read through a TOS contract and stick it on the next update as a mandatory viewing or listening experience. It’ll be just like a TV ad for medications, but read so that you can actually hear every word. Yeah, the entire user base of every device on the market will rant their asses off online (I can see the fires lighting as I type this out). But hell, at least they can’t say that they didn’t know what they were in for in terms of the next invasion of a tiny bit more of their privacy, right?
Hey Santa, you bum! Where the hell are those shelves I asked so nicely for about what, five years ago? You keep eating all the cookies and drinking the booze-spiked eggnog I leave out and I always get socks and underwear that don’t fit. Anyway, the jig is up, fat man. Make good with the wood or I’m putting a little surprise in YOUR stocking! That is all… Now, go get those elves sawing away. Good U.S. of A. wood, too, not some splinter-packed plywood or that laminated particle board crap that wouldn’t make a decent diner table, either.
…remake of the 1970 horror flick Equinox, which can indeed be seen as a prequel of sorts to the Evil Dead films? Hell, it definitely inspired Sam Raimi and I’m crazy enough to see an influence or two in a few other horror films such as Phantasm and The Gate (but I could be wrong). Not to second guess anyone involved in the project, but I’d personally prefer Bruce Campbell to play something er, closer to his age range and not attempt to prance around like Harrison Ford in that last Indiana Jones flick (aided by stuntmen and CG work where necessary). OK, maybe I was a wee bit too influenced by Bubba Ho-Tep (see it if you haven’t – it’s weird and insanely funny) in judging Mr. Campbell’s current state (that Old Spice ad campaign from a few years back shows he still has it going on). Nevertheless, I just don’t want any of the crazier fans to get their hopes up and think there’s going to be a NEW trilogy of Evil Dead films with the new one kicking things off. After all, the movies DID inspire quite a few Duke Nukem quotes and we all know what happened when HE came back recently (and a few too many years late for some folks)…
Platform: PlayStation 3
Developer: Omega Force
Publisher: Tecmo Koei
# of Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Official Site Score: B+
If you’re a big fan of hack & slash action RPGs and happen to own a PlayStation 3, Trinity: Souls of Zill O’ll is going to be right up your alley. Omega Force’s latest is a solid dungeon hack with a few splashes of familiar genre influences (both Eastern and Western) from Diablo to Demon’s Souls. If that puts a grin on your face, you’re all set for many hours of quality monster slaying, loot grabbing and quests galore. The game’s non-linear structure allows for enough freedom that the main plot of a half-elf’s revenge against the evil overlord that killed his family almost takes second place to the sheer amount of rescue/escort missions, fetch quests, arena challenges and other RPG staples. I say almost because while the story does pick up as the game goes on, the simple, yet challenging gameplay is the star when it needs to be. While it isn’t perfect, Omega Force deserves a ton of credit for making such a fun to play experience that’s guaranteed to steal many hours from those players that fall under its spell.
How so, you ask? Well, besides being easy on the eyeballs, incredibly friendly and a great conversationalist about all things gaming related, she’ll make even the most fervent non-believer in science WISH human cloning were possible (and legal). I’ll let you think about that for a minute (tick-tock, tick-tock)… ahem. She’s also the spokesmodel for Erox, a new pheromone-based unisex body spray that’s now available online. I got to meet the lady herself last evening at the Eventi Hotel in NYC but actually spent more time chatting with and listening to Sanjay Sabnani, CEO of Crowdgather, who’s behind the development, marketing and launch of Erox.
"DESTROY ALL FANBOYS!" 