Nerd Chronicle

Cop Out (2010) Review

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:25:00 +0000

After watching Cop Out for the second time, I am still left with the same feeling as the first time I watched it. Hilarious.

Yes, Cop Out is another cop team up comedy. Yes, it struggles with cliche character bases. Sometimes the delivery of lines is wooden. But despite these drawbacks, more importantly, Cop Out is really funny.

Tracy Jordan and Bruce Willis are both humourous. They do a great job with their lines. Really, this movie is propped up hugely by the great writing and the general ridiculousness that follows Tracy Jordan where ever he goes.

The dumb cop / sassy black cop routine and the mexican drug lord routine is all pretty tired. Adam Brody is depressingly not good, and a letdown from his awesome character in the OC (yes, I watched that show.)

On the other hand, Sean Michael Scott's character is awesome and I never thought I'd like him.

Most importantly, this movie makes me laugh. The longish, semi-awkward, random conversations and the spearing of things in society that really are crap (reality tv anyone?) is awesome.

All in all, Cop Out's quick witty humour makes this movie great and encourages repeated watching.

Outland Review (PS3)

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 01:48:00 +0000

The last game I played from Housemarque was their fun zombie shoot-em-up. Outland is a definite departure from Dead Nation.

Outland is a simple side scroller with colourful graphics and satisfying gameplay, that manages to keep the genre fresh with colour-swapping flair.

Everything about Outland is simple. The characters' moves are easy to grasp and easy to implement. The characters itself is not overly detailed but brightly coloured and attractive. The backgrounds are lush and beautiful but not so much that they detract from the gameplay.

It's gameplay is smooth and responsive, pulling you deeper into your task. has an excellent introduction of abilities and moves to keep you interested. Though you could play it with a boorish slash-slash-slash, there is an immense satisfaction to a crouch attack-upperslice-stomp. The addition of colour-swapping brings a layer of depth that breathes new air into an overdone genre.

The sound is subdued but lends itself well to the ancient feel of the game. The deep narration also fits well with the overall theme.

Then there are the little things that made me smile: the simple and nonintrusive help systems (map and "tutorial" in the beginning), the minimalistic character sounds, the general trip-factor of the colour system.

This seven hour game is well worth the ten bucks you drop to play it.

Trailer (YT)
Gameplay (YT)

Hereafter (2010) Review

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 00:47:00 +0000

Hereafter
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Matt Damon, Cecile de France

Trailer (YT)

Rottentomatoes - 46%
IMDB - 67%

Hereafter has an interesting enough premise. The idea of crossed paths in a film has always intrigued me. Where were the characters before? What led to that momentous meeting?

While I enjoyed some of the style of the film and felt an invested interest in what would happen to the characters, overall the film didn't quite satisfy.

The writing and acting are meant to provide the tone for the movie, meant to slowly unfurl the characters, but Hereafter's premise seems unfulfilled and never quite eventuates.

There are things to like about Hereafter though: a wicked CG opening sequence, Frankie and George McLaren as the twins, .

This film suffers from the suggestion that it's science fiction. The sci-fi elements feel like barely more than the background. It's an example of how hype can twist our expectation and leave us feeling empty instead of being open to what the film is actually offering: a slow moving character study that deftly mimics the unpredictability of life itself.

Funny, Pro-Gay Marriage Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:39:00 +0000

the Beauty in Chaos

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 01:52:00 +0000

Tdot77 DeviantArt

Harry Potter as an Anime/Manga?? Even better!

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 18:02:00 +0000

Harry Potter and I have a complicated relationship. HP found me when I was on the cusp of many changes in my life. I recognized the simple greatness of the story at that time.

I still do, on some level, however, since it has been around for over a decade, a decade which saw many life changing events, I definitely do not connect with it in the same way.

However, upon seeing the accompanying drawing on Reddit, some of that same innocent love I once felt flooded back.

Since 1997, when the first books came out, I discovered anime and manga. To see this marriage makes me wish it was done manga style. It would be a new way to relive the books.

Here's hoping!

PS. Though I couldn't see who drew this, it's totally awesome.
http://imgur.com/A9o5X

Max Temkin on Plastic Cutlery

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:05:00 +0000

Max Temkin - Maxistentialism - Prints

Let's Say You've Gone Back in Time

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:24:00 +0000

Not created by me but AWESOME!

Civilization V Review

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:44:00 +0000

Civilization has been one of my favourite games since approximately 1994 when I discovered the original Civilization.

It was the scope of the game more than the actual gameplay mechanics that fascinated me. It gave me an understanding of how certain disciplines or fields of research came to be. Obvious logical things like, the discovery of the Wheel would have led to other advancements such as Animal Husbandry to Chariots to Roads. These were things I hadn't had an opportunity to ponder.

Civilization V was released in September of 2010. It's still a turn based quest with the same principles applied but with updated graphics and some new rules. Stacking is gone, city-states exist. There are new diplomatic choices such as pacts of cooperation and research agreements. There is also a much needed notification system that keeps you from missing important information like that a city is starving, or that your diplomatic ties to your allies need tending.

The graphics are great looking, but coming from the original civilization this is not surprising. Sound while making changes within a city made me smile, bringing to mind the natural din of a city.

It's a bit glitchy on the mac. I can only play in strategic view. Normal view has no terrain, just a blanket of grey, but that could be because my Macbook Pro is on the low end in specs for this game.

All in all, I'm happy with the game. It lived up to my expectations of the Civilization series. As always, I will be able to while away many many hours building civilizations, conquering everyone and then starting all over.

Why the Hate on Sucker Punch?

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:10:00 +0000

First things, Sucker Punch is classified as an action-fantasy movie.

Typically, action movies aren't known for plot integrity. Action movies use sub-par plot (the average to poor ones anyway) to get to the fast driving, the sword slinging, the gun shooting, the ass-kicking. We accept this. They are an excuse for action. The plots are often terribly boring, or full of holes.

Worse than plot holes though, action films often defy the plausibility and even possibilities of fight scenes. The hero has perfect aim, the bad guys can't even shoot straight. They subliminally teach us that humans really can do these things. Incredible bloodshed and violence is often over-the-top.

Consider some recent action films: xXx, Transformers, Battle Los Angeles, Priest, the Mechanic etc.

The fantasy genre gives some leeway for plot though. Things won't necessarily fall into our understanding of science. It won't necessarily naturally align with our understanding of the world around us.

Some recent action-fantasy: Green Lantern, Thor, Pirates of the Caribbean, Scott Pilgrim, Prince of Persia etc.

With that out of the way, what's with the hate on Sucker Punch anyway? I've been trying to figure it out. Are people just pissed off because there was too much hype? Were they somehow tricked into thinking they were going to a different kind of movie?

Sucker Punch was NOT the best movie I have ever seen. It fell prey to the same trappings of an action film. The plot seemed like a device to get to the action sequences. But this is what we expected right? It's an action film.

The action sequences were well-done all around. There was only one or two portions where the cinematography of the film made me roll my eyes. "Enough slow-motion already,"I thought or, "Really? A dragon?" Most of the time though, I was actually fully engrossed in the movie. It pulled me into its' flow, let me suspend my reason and be absorbed into the world of the characters. The references to anime and comics made me smile. My kind of movie!

And the way it was filmed was a lot of it's beauty. Just the choice of shots from low-angles or from above. The angles chosen lent heavily to the atmosphere. This too deviates from the action film genre.

The characters were actually rather impressive, again for an action film. Rocket kicked ass! Jena Malone did very well in an action, gun-toting role. Emily Browning's character required subtlety and that she not steal the movie, since it was not about her anyway. (Whether that was intentional or she was just a bit drab, I can't say for sure.) Abbie Cornish and Jamie Chung came out swinging too. The "bad" characters were well done too. Carla Gugino semi-fake Polish accent seemed to solidify the fact that she was part of a dream. Oscar Isaac made an excellent charismatic predator. The only real weakness was Vanessa Hudgens, but she's new to the whole non-Disney movie scene.

Though the action sequences slammed you over the head, they were equally an excuse to explore themes, which is far from a typical action film. It didn't preach its' message and from my perspective it actually had several, which separates it from most of the action films that get released. There was female empowerment (well, except for the wise old man!). There was the importance and necessity of sacrifice. There was

In the end, this movie was not the end all and be all of action fantasy films. It had it's problems. But mostly, it gave more to the viewer than was expected and yet didn't deliver enough of the expected. In essence, it was pigeon-holed incorrectly. People watched it looking for something mindless. However, in order to appreciate the "more" of Sucker Punch, you must be willing to think about the levels, see the depth that is hiding delicately beneath the beautiful surface.

It is true however, that Sucker Punch could have been so much more. There is a plethora to ponder in it, but it seems to lack a few elements that would have pulled it into a cohesive package. The first battle seemed more epic than the last. Oscar Isaac should have been more menacing in the beginning rather than at the end.

Regardless, Sucker Punch offers a great couple hours, which is surprising for an action film. It's a movie I don't wish I could take back the time wasted watching. It's a movie I will see again.

Hopefully in the future people will look past the initial negative reviews that highlight the fact that people went into the movie hoping for something different and weren't able to see the film's beauty for what it was.

NatGeo Space Pics of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:43:00 +0000

Check out the 10 NatGeo Space Pics of the Week.

Cool!

Philanthroper.com: Donate $1 to Autism Research

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:03:00 +0000

Philanthroper.com makes donating easy. Sign up for a free account and then make a payment using PayPal. I just donated a dollar and it took about one minute.

It's easy, free to join, and makes you feel good.

So support actual research into the causes of Autism.

Philanthroper.com

New Material: Strength of Glass, Toughness of Metal

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:12:00 +0000

Finding a material with the strength of glass and the toughness of metal has proved impossible up until now.

Glass is strong but tends to shatter easily, while metal resists the shattering but is malleable.

Marios Demetriou, a scientist from Caltech, has married the properties of both glass and metal, creating a new material that doubles the strength and toughness of steel and therefore has great potential. While it is rather expensive at the moment (He used palladium and silver.), Demetriou hopes to duplicate the experiment with metals that cost less.

Checkout the full article at Discover.

Google's Clean Power Agenda

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:47:00 +0000

Okay. I'm a fan of Google. At first I was not. I railed against the idea of gmail. But here I am. And it's just these kinds of announcements that make it impossible for me not to be a Google fan:

Reuters: Google's Investment of $780 Million in Clean Energy

Wind farms, solar power, solar thermal.
SolarCity, Shepherds Flat (Oregon), NextEra (South Dakota), BrightSource (California), Solar Photovoltaic (Germany), ActaCell, AltaRock, RelayRides, WeatherBill, SilverSpring, Cool Planet Biofuels, Transphorm.

In my hippie-inspired, happy place, Google does these things solely because the world needs it, because it cares about the Earth, because it wants people to live happily together.

But, Google makes money. It puts it's money into intelligent ideas. It's positively progressive in profitable arenas.

Either way, I'm proud to support any company that is trying to help alternative energy gain a much-needed foothold.

JK Rowling's Pottermore: "A Unique Reading Experience"

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:29:00 +0000

Harry Potter fans will be delighted to hear about Pottermore, a "unique reading experience" in the form of a website that that allows the reader to participate.

No more news except that the site will be open to all in October. A lucky few will have access sooner.

Rowling had this to say on a video on the Pottermore website:
"I'm thrilled to say that I am now in a position to give you something unique. An online reading experience unlike any other. It's called Pottermore. It's the same story, with a few crucial additions, the most important one is you... Pottermore will be built, in part, by you the reader. I'll be joining in too because I will be sharing additional information I've been hoarding for years about the world of Harry Potter."

Videogames That Should Be TV Shows (IGN TV)

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:26:00 +0000

Great article from IGN about videogames that are good enough to be TV shows.

Starting off with LA Noire of course, the most cinematic of videogames thus far.

Check out the full article:
IGN TV: Videogames That Should Be TV Shows

Michele Bachmann - the State of American Republican Politics

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:21:00 +0000

I just had to pass on this article from RollingStone about Michele Bachmann.

Funny, over-the-top and yet frighteningly accurate, wander over to RollingStone and check the article out:

RollingStone: Michele Bachmann's Holy War

Kinda makes Sarah Palin look less threatening.

Cool Cosplay Video Edited From Toronto Anime North

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:12:00 +0000

Yung Lee went to Anime North in Toronto and asked for a few cosplayers to act out a few fight scenes.

He compiled the following video with spectacular, awesome and funny results.

Check it out!

Anime North Cosplay Video

End of Days?

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:07:00 +0000

Sure, you can blame some of this on the ubiquity of news on the internet. You can even make a claim about the natural rhythms of the Earth. But seriously, global warming doesn't exist?

Every day there are new examples. Tornados, drought, floods, wildfires, earthquakes. If I was a more religious person, I'd be thinking it's the "end of days".

USAToday: Another 6.7 Earthquake in Japan
FreePress: North Dakota Flooding
CNN: 12 States with WildFires
PRNewsWire: Most Active Tornado Season on Record

Okay, so I don't really think it's the end of days, well not in a biblical, God-prophesied sort of way. But it is hard to look into the future and not see catastrophe around every corner.

Billions of people, most of whom do not care or are in denial about how their actions are affecting the world around them. Billions more people on the way. If that isn't a recipe for disaster, I don't know what is.

But humans are a resilient group. We've survived and survived. Though our period of survival, while incredible and impressive to us, is pathetically puny when compared with the history of Earth.

I'm guessing humans will go on surviving. It will be a very long time before it is just impossible. Of course, how drastically will the population be culled in the coming years?

There you go. Happy thought for the day.

Pics of Lightning-Inducing Volcanic Eruption (CHILE)

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:15:00 +0000

Wow, check out these incredible images of the of ash, lightning and the Chilean volcano:
DailyMail: Chile Volcano Erupts + video.

Plastic Money? Polymer $100s Hit Canada in November

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:19:00 +0000

Lasting over twice as long and much harder to duplicate, Canada is letting loose it's polypropylene substate $100s in November with $50s to follow next March.

The $100s celebrate Canada's contribution to science (DNA, ECG, microscope, insulin).

Science save the Queen!

CNET: Canada's Polymer $100s

GTA V "Well Underway"

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:54:00 +0000

Gamespot recently advised that Rockstar told them that GTA V was well underway. No other details have emerged except for the hope of a 2012 release.

Gamespot: GTA V

US Crime Rates Falling - Why?

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:45:00 +0000

According to figures from the FBI, crime rates have steadily dropped since 1991. Several theories were put forth in a BBC article:
BBC: US Murder & Robbery Rates Drop

1. The Obama effect
2. Less demand for crack
3. Smarter policing
4. CompStat
5. Availability of legal abortion
6. More criminals behind bars
7. Decrease in children exposed to lead in petrol
8. Baby boomers grew up, less children born
9. Videogames keep would-be criminals occupied
10. Proliferation of camera phones

For much more details, check out the BBC article above.

I think it must be several factors at work. Perhaps even the fact that the world has become so much smaller since the conception of the Internet.

Regardless of the reason, it's heartening to know that the rates are dropping.

What do you think is causing the crime decrease.

Lunar Eclipse! BBC Video

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 03:41:00 +0000

I really wish I could have seen this. Not enough to leave North America of course, but in spirit (which is rather lame).

Anyway, check out the BBC link below:
BBC: Lunar Eclipse Video

Love It! Robin Williams Legend of Zelda Ad - Named Daughter After Zelda

noreply@blogger.com (Nerd Chronicle) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 03:04:00 +0000

I remember playing the Legend of Zelda for hours and hours, over and over on my NES. I could probably play that game and remember all the hiding spots and cheats.

Now, I have no offspring so I have no basis for comparison, but it's pretty damn cool that Robin Williams named his daughter Zelda after the series.

Check out the ad over at Kotaku:

Kotaku: Robin Williams - Legend of Zelda ad