Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Launch Trailer: Vampire Post-Weekend Busts Up The Monday Blahs…

Posted on February 24, 2014 by geelw

Well, here’s a fine way to kick off a Monday, folks. Knowing that Tuesday will be better because Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is arriving in stores and online here in the US (Europe and the UK get theirs a few days later). Well, tomorrow is a big launch day for a few titles, but I’m thinking this one will be the one many are looking forward to the most. With developer MercurySteam going out in style here, it’ll be interesting to see what new plans Konami has for the franchise in the future. As for the present (today) and near future (tomorrow), I’d say fans and new players should enjoy what’s here quite a lot.

Random Film of the Week: Master of the World

Posted on February 24, 2014 by geelw

Ah, Master of the World… you’re so well intentioned but when all is said and done you’re just not as good a film as you wanted to be… and that’s too bad. Even the great Vincent Price reading the words of the great Richard Matheson (who reworked elements from two of the great Jules Verne’s books into a screenplay) can’t save you from your crushing mediocrity. Nope, those barrel bottom visual effects work and an unfunny comic relief chef character tossed into the rather serious story can’t keep this Albatross afloat at all. That said, it’s an OK flick if you don’t mind it reminding you of a few better ones it tries so hard to template.

Now, call me crazy… but I think the idea of a war-hating kind of madman flying around the world and waging war against people who wage wars is both nuts and necessary in this day and age. However, this film fails to excite on a few levels other than giving Price his juicy lead role and Charles Bronson a chance to play a rugged-looking 19th century good guy for a change. For all its explosions and shouting, it makes the idea of Price’s bomb-dropping anti-war antihero Robur a pretty dull one and the film wears out its welcome around the halfway point… Continue reading →

Review: Earth Defense Force 2025

Posted on February 23, 2014 by geelw

Platform: PlayStation 3/Xbox 360

Developer: Sandlot

Publisher: D3Publisher of America

# of Players: 1-2 (Online 1-4)

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: B+ (85%)

“The Bugs Are BACK!” and man, were they missed! As a longtime fan of the series since its 2003 debut on the Japanese PlayStation 2 (as part of D3Publisher’s Simple 2000 series of budget priced games), I’ll just go ahead and say that warts and all, Earth Defense Force 2025 is developer Sandlot’s best game to date. While the PS3 version still needs a wee bit more optimization (it’s developer Sandlot’s first game on the hardware) both it and the Xbox 360 version bring 85 offline solo or co-op missions, an additional 9 online missions, four classes (two new to the series) and well over 700 weapons split between the different classes.

There’s also paid DLC that adds some brutal offline/online missions with redesigned enemy types (but no new weapons as the main game has more than enough). The sheer amount of content and escalating challenge will test even the most hardcore shooter fan, but the game’s campy tone and solid yet not quite flawless visuals won’t be for every taste. On the other hand, if you’re a fan of old “B” sci-fi flicks from Japan and the US and games where you can blow the crap out of nearly everything on most maps, this one’s not only got your name on it, it’s going to make sure you’re not leaving home for a while once you fire this up… Continue reading →

Random Film of the Week(end), Too: The Night Digger (The Road Builder)

Posted on February 23, 2014 by geelw

(Thanks, Night of the Trailers!)

I used to get The Night Digger and The Night Visitor confused when I was younger, but that’s since been rectified (and nope, I’ve been fortunate enough to NOT confuse any of them with The Night Porter). Both films are from 1971 and bother are psychological thrillers, with the former film being the more “horror” oriented one on a few fronts. However, neither is a straight up slasher flick and both have elements that make them superior to typical genre entries.

Here, Patricia Neal gives a powerful performance as Maura Prince, a woman living with and caring for her blind mother Edith (Pamela Brown), with both women falling prey to the charms of the handsome young Billy (Nicholas Clay) who rides up one day on his sleek motorbike and asks for a job. He’s not just good with his tools, folks… he’s also a violent sex criminal and murderer who has a handy way of disposing of his victims. In a bizarre twist (one of a few the film socks you with), the film turns into a very strange love story where you may find yourself rooting for that emotion to take hold and win over all, but there’s that air of inevitability and gloom thanks to the plot turning as it does and a beautiful and haunting Bernard Herrmann score that will raise a few hackles (if you haven’t gone and shaved them off like the kids do with their hair in certain spots, ewww)…
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New Arrivals: Speaking of Godzilla (and Other Big Things)…

Posted on February 22, 2014 by geelw

Yeah, yeah, I know that luscious Criterion Collection version is THE one to have, but I couldn’t pass this older set up at under seven bucks. That Blade Runner set was a gift from a friend who knows I have mixed reactions to this “classic” even to this day and he’s trying to get me to be in the rah-rah camp on this. I don’t “hate” the film at all, mind you. It just has never floored me as much as some and I’ve seen three of the four versions in this set. I’ve never seen the making of features, so those will get viewed first because I just LOVE all that behind the scenes stuff. That Superman cartoon collection was four bucks and ESSENTIAL for anyone who thinks that Batman animated series from the 90’s was amazing. If it weren’t for the Fleisher brothers and their skilled handful of animators, that series and any others that swipe its lovely art style and still powerful animation wouldn’t even exist.

The Sword of Doom is one of my favorite movies, period. But this isn’t that Criterion Collection edition that commands top dollar, but a fine restoration print for under five bucks. On the game front, Tales of Symphonia Chronicles was also in the mail today (Thanks, Namco Bandai Games!) so there goes my weekend. Well, thee goes next weekend, as I’m just starting a few reviews I need to get done and I’m not even going to crack open the shrink wrap on this or else I’ll just see a week vanish in no time flat with nothing to show for it but a lack of sleep. Okay, back to work for me – I’m poking together a few Toy Fair articles for next week, so updates will me minimal while I get those together. My brain is ready – my fingers just need to be able to keep up (typety type type type)…

Random Film of the Week(end): The Night Visitor

Posted on February 22, 2014 by geelw

(Thanks, vivendientertainment!)

As a child, the poster to Laslo Benedek’s The Night Visitor used to scare the heck out of me, but when I finally saw the film after it popped up on TV a few years later, I wasn’t frightened all that much. Granted, it took a few more viewings as I got older to really appreciate what’s here and it’s a nifty little thriller worth tracking down (it’s been out of print for years on DVD). While it’s not the best nor most coherent suspense flick out there (calling it a “horror” movie is a bit of a mistake), the casting is solid (Liv Ullman, Max von Sydow, Trevor Howard, Per Oscarsson), the script has its moments and you may even get a surprise or three as this creepy little tale plays out.

Von Sydow plays Salem, a rather crafty resident of a supposed “escape proof” mental asylum who escapes a few times in order to exact some extended revenge on his sister (Ullman) and her husband (Oscarsson). Why? Well, not just because he’s nuts plus tax, kids. Salem was set up for a brutal murder by his brother-in-law and he’s not having the time of his life in that freezing hellhole. Of course, the fact that each time he escapes he’s in his underwear (Why? You’ll see, you’ll see) and he manages to make it back before its noticed he’s missing keeps the film going for a while as a local inspector (Howard) tries to find out what’s going on when some new murders start happening…
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Deception IV: Blood Ties Gets Me In A (Badly) Rhyming Mood…

Posted on February 21, 2014 by geelw

Here comes a lazy redirect
on a foggy Friday gray
Five new Deception IV game screens
from Sony’s PS Blog page.

The fun is back, oh sweet revenge!
Your victims will soon feel
Humiliation and then death
From a banana peel!

Oh, yeah, I’m on a roll now, kids. Well, perhaps not. I wasn’t planning on writing a crappy poem today, but it just popped out when I saw that screen with the gal slipping on the banana peel. Yep, the deception series is back in a big way, goofy humor and bloody demises and all. Deception IV: Blood Ties slides into retail and onto PSN for the PS3 and Vita on March 25, 2014.

So, It Looks As If Godzilla Is Going to Be Huge On A Few Fronts…

Posted on February 21, 2014 by geelw

(thanks, Yahoo Movies!)
If this latest poster is any indication of relative size, the upcoming star of one of this summer’s definite blockbusters is going to be using skyscraper spires for toothpicks and about ten tractor trailers for a set of funky roller skates. I like that it’s a companion piece to the poster on the left and shows how massive this monster will be provided this IS the actual scale (he said, still ticked off about John Berkey’s infamous King Kong poster from the 1976 remake of that classic film). As usual, we shall see, but I think the fans would get all fire-breathing and stompy if that lizards wasn’t as advertised. Pacific Rim at least delivered the goods (and how) when it came to making jaws drop as its monsters got larger and larger…

Random Art: Eh, Have A Tree Thursday Seems Like A Good Idea…

Posted on February 20, 2014 by geelw

So, shhhhhh! Shut up and enjoy the view, already. Yeah, it’s still winter out. Yuck. If I’m not buried under a pile of stuff, maybe there’s a picture coming next week. We’ll see. At least the forecast is shaking it up a bit. Instead of cold and snow tomorrow, it’s going to be in the 40’s and raining most of the day. Won-derful. It’s a good thing I’m too old to be emo or else I’d put on some old 90’s mix tapes and toss a few old neckties over the shower curtain rod. Bleh. Spring can’t get here fast enough (sings: “nothing but flowers…”)

Game of Thrones “Artisan Piece” Vignettes: Making Westeros As Lovely And Deadly As Ever…

Posted on February 20, 2014 by geelw

I haven’t been keeping up with all these behind the scenes videos on Season Four, but I may as well post the two that jumped out at me thanks to someone pointing me to them earlier. I’m gathering all these locations around the world that get used on the show make great tourist dollar traps afterwards for those who can afford the vacation and maybe an arrow to the knee from some pissed of local who’s tired of loud crowds tromping through their back yards cooing and pointing at every tree, rock and body of water that LOOKS as if it’s straight from the show.

Yeah, that can get tiring for sure. On the other hand, you KNOW there’s that ONE guy or gal who’s making a killing being some sort of unofficial “official” go-to person who’s a font of knowledge about the areas and histories of everything they lay an eyeball on. Of course, there’s a good chance they’re lying through their teeth about half the stuff they’re bending your willing ear over. But that’s a good thing if you end up falling for their tall tales, correct? After all, you wouldn’t be a fantasy fan if you weren’t a sucker for a tale told well, right? Yeah, you know that’s true…