Burgies entertainment rants

Lost finale: Are we more lost than before?

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:50:00 +0000

No spoiler alerts, folks. I despise 'em. Besides, if you're a true fan you've already seen the season finale of "Lost."

Here's my take on what's going on with the island gang, in their order of appearance on imdb.com (hey, I had to pick some type of logic for my list, and this one made as much sense as the show itself.) Just consider this an open letter with some very good suggestions for the show's writing staff on what we want to see happen next season.

Sayid: He killed Ben but he didn't kill Ben. He got shot and will surely die but oh wait may not really die because everything that happened may not ever happen since "the incident" now never really happened.

Wha-wha-what!? (Insert needle off the record sound effect here.) It's a complete and utter mess, I know, but my guess is that we won't get rid of Sayid that easily. Besides, if he's dead, who will head the Guatemala chapter of Habitat for Humanity?

Jack: All of the sudden Jack has climbed on board Locke's "everything is our destiny" bandwagon and thinks that the island wants him to right all of the wrongs of the past. But maybe what Jack considers wrong is really what the island thinks is right?

And can we now say that the will of the island is really the will of Jacob since we've gotten a little peek at him and his meddling ways?

Hugo: Still fat but no longer filthy rich, he remains a constant source of comedy relief - and perhaps the only real constant on or off the island.

Sawyer: He's bedded the two hottest women on the island (since Maggie Grace was killed off two seasons or so ago). In light of this fact, as far as I'm concerned everything that Sawyer does is GOLDEN.

I sincerely hope he can still hook back up with Juliet again whether they remember each other or not next season. That pairing just seemed to make a whole lot of sense. Having him chase after Kate again would seem contrived.

Jin: Always a bad ass and remarkable at quickly picking up a new language, Jin will be reunited soon with Sun. To do otherwise would cause mass rioting amongst the "Lost" faithful.

Sun: A little bitter since she left the island, hopefully reuniting with her husband will temper her anger a bit (see previous entry).

Kate: Let's just say what everyone is thinking: Just go back with Jack and stop torturing us all! The love triangle is sooo season three.

Locke: Well it looks like the real Locke really is dead - but are we supposed to buy into the whole shape shifting impersonator story line?

And who is Jacob's nemesis anyway? And where did those two come from? Obviously next season we'll find out the answer, but did we really need to pose such major questions this late into the series?

Claire: At this point she's been out of the picture so long I'm not sure I even care anymore. I do want Kate to find her and reunite her with Aaron, though. A promise is a promise. On a side note, did anyone think that Claire's mom was a little on the young side? She could have been Claire's slightly older and hotter sister. Just sayin'.

Charlie: Oh, Charlie, I miss you so. We didn't get enough "back from the dead" guest appearances from you this season. By the way, are they ever going to tell us why Hurley sees dead people? Did Cuse, Lindelof and Abrams watch "The Sixth Sense" too many times?

Ben: Ben got bitch-slapped a lot this season, which was niiice. I like having him around just to see people like Desmond kick the shit out of him. I think he should have a bruise, cut, or splint in every episode, kind of like the ubiquitous band-aid sported by Les Nesman on "WKRP in Cincinnati."

Desmond: Des, let me just sat that you are one bad-assed dude. You have time traveled, sailed the world, gotten shot and lived, and battled an evil multi-millionaire, and still ended up with the girl of your dreams. Can you tell that I can't ever get enough of Desmond - which means that they will probably kill him off early next season. Perhaps even before the opening credits.

Juliet: Keep wearing those white tank tops and bending over to pick things up and you'll be just fine. Plus it's good for the ratings.

And don't give up on Sawyer so easily. Jeez, she folded like a house of cards as soon as Kate showed up. Did anyone else think that seemed a bit out of character? At least she was able to detonate the bomb down in the well to remind us that she's no wimp. Oh, she'll be back next season. They can't kill Juliet that easily. The "love quad" will live on.

Shannon: If the incident never happens and the plane never crashes then she's still alive, right? ABC, please just give us one more sunbathing bikini scene...

Boone: You can stay dead.

Vincent the dog: Does anyone really care about the dog anymore? I did at one time but now I'm over the little mutt.

Walt: The show at one time seemed to revolve around him but he's barely a footnote now. Is this by design or poor story development? Walt is one loose end that drives viewers more crazy than the origin of the smoke monster.

Daniel Faraday: He's too interesting to kill off and too knowledgeable about the island to lose. He has to come back next season. He is the professor to Jack's skipper.

Miles: He became a lot more likable this year but does little to advance the plot, so I'm sure they'll bring him back next season just to irritate me.

Mr. Eko: Does he walk the island along with the other dead characters? And why? Do the dead characters hang out together and think of ways to torture the living ones? Could be a spin-off show.

Ana Lucia: Her cameo this season was spot-on, but we don't need to see any more of her midriff bearing antics.

Libby: Please bring back Hugo's love interest. The poor guy is overweight, recently poor, and it doesn't look like his "Empire Strikes Back" script will ever make it back to the mainland. Throw the guy a bone, will ya?

Rose and Bernard: They're living on the beach in seclusion all lovey dovey and don't have a care in the world. They don't even mind if they die in a nuclear holocaust. A little too neat and tidy, but I guess it works for me. Could Bernard please fashion a comb out of a coconut husk and tame that wild hairdo, though? Whoof!

Richard Alpert: Let us in on who he is, how old he really is, and what his true purpose is already. We can handle the truth.

Charlotte: You knew once she died that Daniel wasn't far behind. He had nothing left to live for.

Tom: Am I the only one that wants a little back story on "Mr. Friendly?" And why he throws a football like a girl?

Rousseau: Okay, we saw young Rousseau go nutty but we don't know why. A little help, here?

Jack's Dad: The undead need to be explained thoroughly early in season six or we're all going to smash in our plasma screens.

Okay, I'm pretty far down the list on Internet Movie Database and there are still a boatload of characters I haven't mentioned. I guess I don't really care about the rest of them.

By way of conclusion I'll say that there definitely is a hole in my life every Wednesday night until next season's premiere that won't easily be filled by DVR'd episodes of "Entourage" and "Tru Blood." I will, however, find some way to carry on until then.

Quick bites on entertainment

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:20:00 +0000

Here's a few quickies on what's entertaining and what's not lately:

"Biggest Loser" - This show gets big ratings and has low production costs so it isn't going away anytime soon. If you like watching fat people cry about how they gain weight because they "eat all of their aggression and pain," you'll love this show. I wonder how many people are motivated to lose their own weight by watching this program, and how many others watch the show while they polish off a quart of chunky monkey ice cream.

"Rescue Me" - This FX show finally came back after being gone for a year and a half due to the writer's strike. Well it's back and just as good as ever. Denis Leary and Peter Tolan (the writer/producer/actors) behind the show haven't lost their touch.

"Tropic Thunder" - I finally saw this about a year after everyone else by downloading it to my XBOX in high-def. I got a lot of yucks out of it, especially in watching this cast of big Hollywood actors lampoon the very industry that provided them all with such a lavish lifestyle. I wonder though: Do they all really get the joke?

"Battlestar Galactica" - Yeah, I know this show is over, but I sometimes pine away for it like I would an ex-girlfriend who provided me with some of the most entertaining evenings imaginable and other times bogged me down with stories that weren't very exciting. And I think the "Caprica" prequel will suck, by the way. Who wants to watch "Dallas" in space?

"Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and the Damned" - This expansion pack for the popular video game is a blast and gave me just the right excuse to go back to playing the "guilty pleasure" title known to fans as "GTA4" on the XBOX 360.

Jutin.tv - I just discovered this video streaming site that allows people to broadcast video from their televisions, gaming systems, video cameras, or webcams live via the web for FREE! I broadcasted one of my son's hockey games and I can't wait to find some other applications for this great site.

Twitter - I'm tired of hearing about it on the news. I have an account but nothing to report; regardless, I gain followers daily. Try and figure that one out.

"Hell's Kitchen" - I still love this show even though every season is pretty much the same. I never get tired of hearing chef Gordon Ramsay tell someone to "piss off."

Movie review: State of Play

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 23:05:00 +0000

This former BBC series turned into an American feature film provides some interesting parallels to real life in its portrayal of political intrigue and corruption in the wake of the current war on terror. A decent group of actors, led by Russel Crowe as a grizzled veteran reporter who woefully awaits the demise of the print media to make way for more viral "blog based" Internet news, does a good job of moving the plot forward believably. He is paired up with Rachel McAdams, the cub reporter who represents the future of news via blog gossip journalism.

There is no romantic spark between the two, just a mentor relationship that works for the most part despite questions of how realistic it would actually be. The love interest in the film (if you can call her that) is the beautiful Robin Wright Penn, whose turn as a tortured politician's wife is worth the price of admission. The other part of the Penn-Crowe triangle is Ben Affleck, who plays an ambitious and talented rising star in congress, despite his shaky marriage and lack of any friends besides the slovenly hippy-dippy reporter played by Crowe. (By the way, it was kind of nice to see a sloppy overweight Crowe in this role after he made so many men feel inferior with his cut physique years ago in "Gladiator.")

Without giving anything away, the plight of the modern newspaper business and the controversy over privatizing war (read: Blackwater) are examined and the ethical, moral, and political questions pondered in the film give the audience some decent substance to chew on. I have to also note how much I enjoy watching Jason Bateman, who plays a sleazy, morally and sexually ambiguous Washington D.C. PR guy. Whether Bateman is playing drama for laughs (as he did in "Juno"), comedy (TV's "Arrested Development), or straight up drama (as he does here) he's always a joy to watch.

"State of Play" has shades of a modern "All the President's Men" without the level of drama or story of that film, but still achieves what it sets out to do. In a side note, as a former newspaperman, I felt that the end title sequence showing the newspaper making its way from filed story to printing press all the way to the delivery truck felt like a fitting epitath to the current state of the industry I grew to love during my time there.

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention there's also adultery, murder, and possibly a plot twist? And that Helen Mirren plays the newspaper editor? I still haven't figured out how a Brit became editor of a major U.S. newspaper in our nation's capitol with an Australian for her star reporter, but I still give "State of Play" three by-lines out of five.

Random entertainment thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:50:00 +0000

Wow, I haven't been very busy writing lately so I've got a lot to catch up on. For starters, the "Battlestar Galactica" finale is tonight and I have to say I can't really quantify how I feel. I'm not really that sad that it's over since the last few episodes have been so bland. I also have no idea how they're going to tie up all the loose ends. Let's just pray that the producers and writers don't "Frak it up."

"Lost" is still interesting and the answers to some big questions are being answered while yet other new ones are being posed. I continue to be incredibly entertained and anxious to see what happens next. It remains the highlight of my viewing week.

On a side note, I'm happy to see that FX's fantastic series "Rescue Me" will be back the first week of April, giving me another show to look forward to. After a looong hiatus due to the writer's strike, I'd like to refresh my memory and catch up with what Denis Leary and the gang have been up to.

If you haven't seen "Hell's Kitchen" on Fox yet, watch last season on their website, or this season's first seven episodes to get caught up. If you're a reality TV fan, (even if you don't care much about cooking, like me) this is still a major blast to watch and this season is as good as the previous ones. For the uninitiated, the show follows foul-mouthed U.K. Chef Gordon Ramsey as he takes two teams, one comprised of women and the other men, and puts them through their paces each week, slowly eliminating the weaker chefs until only one remains. His ire is entertaining to watch as he dresses down the contestants, often calling them names and dropping the F-word in for good measure. And,as in any good reality show, the chefs who are competing have been chosen for their unique character traits, weaknesses, quirks, and egos, which makes for good TV.

On the movie front, I managed to wrangle a free subscription to several premium channels when I moved the old DirecTV to my new house, so I've been catching up on films as well. First out of the gate, "10,000 BC" was interesting but at times slow and during the whole film I was thinking: "I've seen all of this before," but it helped me pass the time while I hung out at home with the kids one Saturday afternoon.

I also re-watched the classic, "More American Graffitti," which didn't have the exact same punch as the original George Lucas masterpiece but still delivered the fun on several different levels. I recommend it when you're at Blockbuster and have already seen all of the new releases, or put it on your NetFlix.

My favorite film on cable as of late has been "30 Days of Night," the vampire extravaganza that despite being the 4 millionth film of the genre, still had a dark, brooding tension throughout with interesting characters and an intriguing storyline. Without giving any spoilers, it took some stock horror film premises and gave them some fresh life without bowing to the typical Hollywood formulas. I recommend it.

For those of you who grew up in the 80s, you would appreciate (or perhaps groan at) the fact that I re-watched "Enemy Mine," a sci-fi send up of a World War II movie about two enemy pilots who end up stranded together and must learn to work with each other to survive. This version stars a young Dennis Quaid and a heavily made-up and unrecognizable Louis Gossett Jr. (yes, Chappy from "Iron Eagle!") as a lizard-like creature who is trapped on an uninhabited planet with Quaid in outer space. It's a little dated but still fun if you grew up during the early days of HBO where I first saw this film.

Gosh, I'm sure I've got more to report about in the entertainment world but will have to wait for another day. Until then I bid you all to try and find your next favorite show or movie.

Friday the 13th sneak preview

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:32:00 +0000

Every time I hear about another movie remake, re-imagining, or retooling of a classic film, especially one in the horror genre, my first reaction is always to cover my ears and repeatedly say "la-la-la-la" in an attempt to block out the news and pretend that Hollywood has not once again resorted to cannibalizing another cinematic success story in an attempt to cash in.

So it was with great skepticism and furious cynicism that I attended an advance screening of the new "Friday the 13th." My first prayer was answered once the opening scene was over and I realized that this wouldn't be a shot for shot remake similar to other newly remade horror films like 1998's "Psycho."

And I have to say, I was pleased by a couple of other choices made by the producers and director Marcus Nispel as well. First off, they kept the film moving along well, paced just right at under an hour and thirty minutes. In addition to the tight direction, the art direction, sets, and quality of acting was above standards for the genre.

Most importantly, producers Brad Fuller and Andrew Form of Platinum Dunes, the same company that successfully re-imagined "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Amityville Horror," and "The Hitcher," decided not to take the Hollywood low road of dummying down their film to a PG-13 rating to pimp more ticket sales, but instead went full bore with an R-rated gore fest filled with gruesome kill scenes and gratuitous sex.

That was the other pleasant surprise: a return to the days when an attractive cast is set against a bloody, sexy backdrop, reminiscent of the good old days of the 80's when I cut my cinematic teeth simultaneously on teen sex comedies and slasher pics. The new "Friday the 13th" was a pleasant combination of the two time honored traditions and should satisfy Gen Xers who grew up with a steady diet of this type of fare at the cineplex and in subsequent releases during the early days of HBO and Cinemax.

With a cast picked more for their attractiveness and willingness to appear topless, there are still a few familiar faces -- Jared Padalecki from TV's "Supernatural," Amanda Righetti from "The Mentalist," Willa Ford from "Dancing with the Stars," and Aaron Yoo from "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist," "21," and "Disturbia" are a few you may remember. But "Friday the 13th" is more about who will be killed and how than it is about individual performances, so better known actors would have detracted from the fun. The casting seemed spot on to achieve the desired effect.

Is this art? Probably not? Will it be successful? Surely. Was I entertained? Yes!

I give "Friday the 13th" three Jason masks plus one machete out of four. It ain't "The Reader," or "Slumdog Millionaire," but it hits all the right notes for the avid slasher movie fan. See it this Friday, Feb. 13.

TV is fun again

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:28:00 +0000

I've gotta say, things are really clickin' on the boob tube these days. Here's a rundown of a few of my favorites:

LOST
Now in their final season, long suffering fans are finally getting more answers than questions each week. This show's writing, acting, and direction are definitely at the top of their game, making it difficult to wait 7 days until the next installment. Oh well, at least there are a myriad of strange theories on about 100 LOST message boards to help fill the time...

HEROES
During every other episode of this series I'm about to give up completely on this show, but something keeps bringing me back. Let's hope this latest incarnation can deliver the same thrills that season one had. The change of showrunner will hopefully spark some excitement in the story lines. I'm not holding my breath as of yet.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
Another show in it's final episodes, BSG continues to deliver some solid drama, plot twists, and fun. With Earth a burned cinder, the identity of the final Cylon divulged, and the fleet in the midst of a civil war, what will happen next? What is left to do? How can they tie this all up in a neat package with only a half dozen or so episodes left?

SHOWS I MISS
I can't wait for the return of "Rescue Me," "True Blood," and "Entourage." *SIGH*

BSG is back and just as good as ever

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:44:00 +0000

Friday, Jan. 16 marked the return of Battlestar Galactica on the Sci Fi network, now in its final 10 episodes. What has been heralded as "one of the best shows on television" by many critics didn't fail to deliver in this season premiere episode, revealing the identity of the final Cylon as well as whetting our appetites for the next nine episodes. We should be in for quite a wild ride as the weeks progress, with the answers to questions such as what exactly Starbuck is, what happened to the 13th colony, and the fate of the human race hanging in the balance. Friday night TV will be fun again, at least for a couple of months.

Holiday time means movie marathons!

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:52:00 +0000

The holidays are great because not only do we get to watch great old Christmas movies, but the cable networks also capitalize on this time to run various movie marathons, from James Bond Fests to John Wayne Westerns and other themed parades of great films. Here are a few of the latest gems I've been able to catch:

"Miracle on 34th Street" (1973)

This film has been made and remade several times and this version is certainly not the best, but is still entertaining to watch because it captures the zeitgeist of an early 70s Christmas, reminiscent of my formative years growing up. Watch this with a fellow TV buff and have fun picking out all of the stars. Kris Kringle is played by Sebastian Cabot (Mr. French on "Family Affair"), Roddy McDowall as the psychiatrist ("Planet of the Apes"), Jim Backus ("Gilligans Island" and "Mr. Magoo"), David Doyle as Mr. Macy (Bosley on "Charlie's Angels"), Tom Bosley as the judge (Mr. C on "Happy Days"), and James Gregory as the District Attorney (Fish on "Barney Miller")!! ABC opened up their cavalcade of acting talent and threw them all at this camp Christmas classic. I'd stick with the original 1947 version for pure entertainment or the very well done 1994 remake, but this one is still fun for viewers like myself who grew up in the 70s and 80s.

"Hondo"

If you like John Wayne or westerns, this is one good flick, based on a Louis L'Amor story and filmed in 1953 during the height of the Western's popularity. Here's a brief summary without any spoilers: Wayne meets rancher's wife and kid, Wayne falls in love with said rancher's wife, Wayne tussles with local Indians, everyone ends up happily ever after...that is after plenty of gun fights and positive male role-modeling!

"Jeremiah Johnson"
This 1972 Robert Redford film directed by the recently deceased and brilliant Sydney Pollack chronicles the fabled life of the 1800s mountain man named in the title. Not really a western, but still of that genre, this drama does not follow the typical Hollywood version we often see of historical figures, which makes it refreshing and interesting to watch. This film is only very loosely based on a real mountain man, but still provides some history lessons for viewers dealing with the cruel realities of life during that era and the hardships that accompanied.

Kitchen Nightmares are my TV dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:24:00 +0000

You've probably all at least seen the commercials if not the actual program "Hell's Kitchen." I haven't yet but I know the charismatic and angry main character Chef Gordon Ramsay well.

I was introduced to him on a more personal level when I saw his other show, "Kitchen Nightmares," now in its second season on FOX. I never thought I'd care about a show focusing on chefs and restaurants, but this one is a winner.

The show follows Ramsay as he criss-crosses America, visiting some of the worst restaurants you could imagine, each of them on the brink of bankruptcy, failure, and utter collapse. The kitchens are dirty, moldy, and infested with vermin, and the owners, chefs, and other staff are usually egotistical and often inept.

That's where Ramsay comes in. This tall lanky Englishman with a penchant for the "F-word" swoops into these places, immediately determines their fallacies, and attacks them with furious anger. Unafraid of even the largest megalomaniac culinary personality, he cuts master chefs, head cooks, restaurant managers, and owners down to size, usually with tremendously entertaining results.

He calls them losers, horrible businessmen, pigs (usually for the less than clean state of their kitchens, walk-ins, and food prep areas) along with a never ending list of other colorful epithets, usually with plenty of bleeped out swear words mixed in that are easy to decipher for even the most church going of viewers.

No one is sacred in Chef Ramsay's world, and it's a guilty pleasure to watch him work.

What's best about this show is that he doesn't even try to baby these people. He tells them their shortcomings blatantly and without hesitation. In turn they cry, they scream, they even break things. Under this deluge of honesty and the subsequent breakdown of their tremendous egos, most of them hate Ramsey passionately for the first three days that he spends trying to resurrect their failing restaurants.

By the end of the week, though, he revamps the menu, the staff, the decor (ala several other home makeover type shows) and most important of all, he turns these places into operations that finally turn a profit. As a result, most of these eating establishments even manage to dig themselves out of hundreds of thousands of dollars of paralyzing debt.

And despite the venom and turmoil he unleashes on each of these restauranteurs and the businesses they run, each one of them learns to like Gordon by the end and even thanks him for coming. More than one owner has called the Chef an "angel" or a "blessing" on the program.

And they have good reason to do so; he's saved more failing small businesses in the last two seasons than Roosevelt's New Deal.

I used to hate that Ramsay guy, always swearing at the poor defenseless young chefs on "Hell's Kitchen," but now I respect him. Because, behind the yelling is something that this country and her citizens could use, especially in these tough financial times we're experiencing: It's honest talk that motivates good people to do what will make them successful.

And its this straight talk that Ramsay delivers which makes the program "Kitchen Nightmares" successful as well.

I give Chef Ramsay and "Kitchen Nightmares" five Ginsu knives out of five.

Fallout 3 not for me

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:30:00 +0000

I read the reviews. I watched the trailers. I thought I would like the game.

Unfortunately, less than an hour, and 20 achievement points into the new release "Fallout 3" I knew I wasn't going to like it.

Why? Too much reading.

Okay, I'm not trying to sound like a Neanderthal, but I love a good old fashioned first person shooter. When I read about Fallout I did indeed realize that it was supposed to be a role player mixed with a shooter rather than a pure shooter. But from what I gathered -- or maybe just my own high hopes -- I figured there would be enough action to balance the talking parts. The game's story and setting just seemed too cool to pass up.

But that wasn't the case, at least for me. The game just doesn't suit my personal gaming sensibilities. I'm a moron shoot 'em up guy without the patience or time to walk around talking to citizens of the video game world for hours on end. For the same reason, I didn't like "Viking" either.

I get bored just interviewing people and aimlessly wandering around an open world map trying to figure out the best place to go next. Some people love that, and that's great, but if I wanted to play "World of Warcraft," I would have bought WOW. I guess I just need more direction in my games to keep me engaged.

Oh well, you live and learn. Hopefully Gamestop will buy it back and not hit me too hard...

I give Fallout 3 one mutant zombie out of five.

Dead Space is rather lively fun

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:04:00 +0000

I recently finished the title "Dead Space" on the XBOX 360, and found it to be the most fun I've had since Bioshock. The story has a true cinematic feel to it, and there are some scary moments that will keep you on the edge of your seat during gameplay. The weapons are diverse and require some skill to determine which tool is the right one for each job or each creature.

Each mission is challenging yet not so difficult that you'll be running to the walkthrough to leaf through and find the answers. There's also a unique set of skins, weapons, and other add-ons available for download which will enhance the gaming experience.

With multiple difficulty levels to suit every style of gamer and plenty of room to roam and explore what feels like a working mining ship which has been invaded by an alien presence, this game will give 12 hours plus of playtime and will make it difficult to put down the controller for any lover of first person shooters.

I give "Dead Space" four and a half severed limbs out of five. Oh, yeah, did I mention the best way to kill the mutated monstrosities in this game is to shoot off their limbs? How cool is that?

Battlefield: Bad Company isn't bad at all

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:00:00 +0000

As a purchaser and player of all the "Battlefield" titles from the PC days on up to the next gen consoles, I have to admit, I got burned out on the World War II gaming genre.

Then came "Battlefield: Bad Company," a game set presumably in modern day that includes big guns, comedic content, and the ability to blow apart just about anything your heart desires -- such as walls, trees, you name it. This game plays like a dream, has no blaring technical problems, surrounds a decent storyline, and is, well...fun as hell.

The story mode is pretty easy to play on "normal" but still has its challenging moments filled with plenty of bad guys to kill, mortars to dodge, and heavy artillery to blow up before advancing to the next chapter or mission. You can drive, fly, or boat (is that even a verb?) about in a number of vehicles as well. The helicopter, unlike other games, is actually not too hard to fly once you get the hang of it, either.

For more hardcore first person shooter fans like myself, you can go back and play through the game on "hard" for an even greater challenge. Some sections get tedious because of their difficulty, but going through a second time allows you to gather all of the collectables (which are in the form of a couple dozen different weapons), and of course the all important gold bars that the game bases its story around.

Expect to use a walkthrough in order to find all of these prizes, though, as they aren't easy to stumble across. In fact, expect to have to use more than one walkthrough and maybe a user created map of locations in order to find the little buggers at times.

Not usually a fan of online play myself, I have to say, "Bad Company's" multiplayer content sucked me right in and kept me playing for over 100 quick matches. There are plenty of additional achievements you can earn along with patches and other trophies for which you don't earn any gamer points but nonetheless are fun to see pop up on your screen during a match.

I got more than the $39 I plunked down for this on Ebay in terms of gaming hours and enjoyment, and rank it one of the top three games I've played in recent months. I give "Battlefield: Bad Company" four and a half blown up tanks out of five.

What's new on TV

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:55:00 +0000

I have to admit I wasn't too excited about the new shows this fall season but here's one to watch: "True Blood" on HBO.

Yes, HBO has been churning out hit after hit, and with "The Wire" over, I had given up almost entirely on them, but this modern day vampire tale starring Ana Pacquin is a good watch. TiVo or DVR it and see for yourself. This isn't your father's well-worn vampire tale.

Speaking of HBO, "Generation Kill" from the writers of "The Wire," which follows a company of Recon Marines during the Iraq invasion is another excellent 6 program series. There's plenty of great dialogue, action, and character study that we've grown to love from this writer/producer pair.

Seen from the prospective of the grunts on the ground and an imbedded journalist, this "warts and all" view of the war is telling, informative, and moving -- sometimes even hard to watch.

Fans of HBO's "Entourage" who felt that maybe they strayed too far from the winning formula of season one in their sophomore year will be glad to see that season 3 is back on track. With this triad of hits, HBO is still a good alternative to the blah broadcast TV networks this fall.

I give "True Blood" 3 fangs out of four but expect that number to increase as the season plays out, and the miniseries "Generation Kill" gets five spent shell casings out of five. Entourage as a series gets 4 stars, but the direction this season is taking could add a half point to that summation.

TV series review: The Wire

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:04:00 +0000

As the credits rolled on the series finale of season 5 of HBO's "The Wire" (just released on DVD this month) I felt as if a family member or two had just died. There was a definite disturbance in the force -- the "quality television" force that is.

Okay, I know I'm being melodramatic, but I haven't felt this maudlin since the M*A*S*H series finale almost 25 years ago. If ever I didn't want a series to end, this was the one.

Written and directed like a television novel, "The Wire" introduced audiences to a cavalcade of characters: from cops, crooks, judges, lawyers, and politicians to schoolchildren and newspaper writers. Each one was multidimensional, real, and endearing in their own way to fans of the critically acclaimed program. Not one of them was without flaws, and each were presented, warts and all, to the viewing public.

I have to admit that while the series was in its first run I never watched the show and was a little suspicious of the hype. I have to be when the phrase "best show ever on television" is bandied about so readily. But I eventually found myself with some free time and a few bucks to spend on Amazon, so I bought season one. Then in rapid succession I gobbled up season two, three, four, and finally season five; each time barely able to contain myself as I waited for the UPS truck to arrive.

For those who aren't familiar, the show explored the lives of several characters, but the most important one was Baltimore. Like the river in "Huck Finn," the city of Baltimore stood as the real main character of the show, with the myriad assortment of other flavorful players all orbiting around this colorful town and the themes of corruption, bureacracy run wild, urban blight, crime, an educational system in crisis, the abondonment of the working class, and the scourge of drugs in the inner city -- to name but a few.

Each season highlighted a set of these topics while still pulling along all of our favorite characters -- those who were still living that is -- and gave us multiple viewpoints which made good storytelling rise to the level of greatness. Created and penned by a former Baltimore City "Police" and inner city teacher, along with a former Baltimore Sun reporter, viewers were instantly aware that this was a no-holds barred, zero B.S. representation of the real goings on of a major metropolitan city with major problems -- the same problems shared by all large cities across the U.S.

Film, communications, and journalism students will be dissecting and writing about this show for decades to come, and discussions of "The Wire" will show up on college curriculums as an example of what quality telvision should aspire to. TV critics, similarly, will hold this as an example of writing at it's best and characterizations that haven't ever been seen on this scale in the television medium.

You might think that this praise for "The Wire" is far too high -- as I once did -- but I ask you to set aside your skepticism and run to the local rental store to obtain a copy of season one to see for yourself. It's obvious immediately that this is something different and special.

"The Wire" was a true treat every step of the way from start to finish, one which I will sorely miss. I can only hope that this amalgamation of writing, acting, and storytelling will once again come together in some future program.

Odds are that it won't, though.

I give the entire series of "The Wire" six wire-taps out of five, my highest rating ever. And deservedly so.

My new favorite TV show: Cash Cab

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:28:00 +0000

Informed by a recent health fair at work that I could stand to lose a few extra pounds, I immediately ran to a local gym and signed up. Little did I know that this would lead to the discovery (pun intended) of a new favorite television program on (you guessed it) the Discovery Channel.

It just so happens that the treadmills at the athletic club are fitted with schnazzy tv monitors to which I can plug my MP3 player's headphones, and the programming during the wee hours of the morning before I must arrive at work are filled with new and exciting adventures such as the one I will describe for you.

That program is "Cash Cab," a television game show shot right inside a working N.Y. taxicab piloted by host Ben Bailey. Unsuspecting riders hail the cash cab and once seated are informed that they have wandered onto the mobile game show set by flashing lights and music. Those who agree to be contestants will have until the end of their cab ride to answer general knowlege questions at $25 apiece and increasing in difficulty and value up to $100 apiece, with the total amount of money to be won determined only by the random length of the cab ride they have requested, making this a unique game show format to say the least.

In "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" fashion, riders are allowed two lifelines, called "shout outs," one via mobile phone and one to selected passers by on the street, adding an interesting facet to the program. Three wrong answers amount to three strikes, where host Bailey kicks the contestants out of the cab, sometimes into the rain blocks from their destination.

Added to the mix are special bonus questions when the cab encounters red lights, and video bonus questions at the end which give contestants the opportunity to double their money. Most New Yorkers, I have noticed, choose to keep their winnings rather than gamble it all at the end. Also of note is the fact that most of the everyday schmoes who stumble into the Cash Cab possess a fairly good knowledge of trivia.

In terms of originality and enjoyment, this game show rates five hack licenses out of five from this reviewer. Cash Cab makes my torturous time on the treadmill each morning a little more tolerable.

Movie review: Death Race

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:52:00 +0000

If you're looking for one more relatively brainless summer thrill ride of a movie, look no further than "Death Race," out in theaters Friday, Aug. 22. This remake of a Roger Corman film has plenty of action along with a little sex appeal and a bit of gore thrown in for good measure.

Think "Running Man" meets "Mad Max" and you've got a pretty good idea of the story here, as "Transporter" star Jason Statham reprises his bad ass image to play a framed prison inmate who must race to the death in an armor plated Mustang to win his freedom and claim his infant daughter against unbelievable odds and a corrupt corporate prison warden played by Joan Allen. It's a Hollywood-style script filled with plenty of predictability and cliche, but fun nonetheless.

Paul W.S. Anderson directs, the man who also brought us the "Resident Evil" films. If you're a fan, you'll probably like "Death Race" as well. The direction plays out as part music video, part video game, and while the story doesn't have much depth, popcorn summer action movie fans will be pleased with the results.

I give "Death Race" three 50-caliber hood mounted machine gun turrets out of five. The rating is three rather than two strictly because of the presence of the ultra-hot Natalie Martinez, who Anderson showcases quite heavily in the film (see photo for clarification.)

John Adams: An enjoyable and valuable history lesson

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:37:00 +0000

Garnering a slew of Emmy nominations was this year's number one mini-series "John Adams" appearing on HBO. It's out on DVD now so I highly suggest you check it out. Paul Giamatti, who received rave reviews for his role as "Pig Virus" in Howard Stern's film "Private Parts," and in a more dramatic vein for his great work in the 2004 film "Sideways" with Thomas Hayden Church, along with a slew of other great underated performances, plays the series' namesake.

For history buffs this is a must see. For fans of good acting, the same can be said. The story, which skips over the revolutionary war and instead focuses on the political, social, and diplomatic woes of our early founding fathers, provides a great deal of insight into the thought processes and struggles faced at the birth of our nation. Bringing this historical material to life, the mini-series does high justice to the subject matter and sheds light on topics which anyone calling themselves a "real American" should become well versed in.

I give "John Adams" four and a half three cornered hats out of five.

XBOX 360 Game Review: Turning Point

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:03:00 +0000

I just finished the first person shooter "Turning Point," and found it to be pretty satisfying. The story is based on an alternate reality where Winston Churchill is struck by a New York cab and killed years before the onset of World War II. Without his leadership in Great Britain, Europe falls to the Nazis while America stays out of the war completely.

Unfortunately, the war comes to America when the Nazis air drop from zeppelins in New York with crack commando troops and new technologies like jets and of course the atom bomb, set sometime in the 1950s. You are Carson, a high-steel worker who turns underground freedom fighter, joining the brand new war against Nazi oppression.

This game is built on the Unreal engine, and they get it right for the most part, but the game's environments are sparse, the aiming engine a little too loose for my taste, and there's some noticeable glitches along the way which are too numerous to skip mention. Clipping issues occur often, with Nazi soldiers poking their head through doors (doors, not doorways), dead soldiers falling inside of walls, their weapons stuck inside other elements of the environment.

The AI is a little more "A" and far too little "I." Enemy soldiers take a few seconds to notice your presence, making them easy to pick off, and soldiers on your own team help little and move unpredicatably.

Overall, this was enjoyable, at times challenging, with an interesting premise. The story wasn't very deep, though. I give it two and a half zeppelins out of five.

Not much to say about Dark Knight

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:40:00 +0000

If the headline of this entry angered you, allow me to explain. The reason I don't have much to say about the film "The Dark Knight" isn't because I didn't like it; it's just that the movie is so good and so well received that I can't add anything to the buzz that is already out there.

We expected it to be good. We heard Heath Ledger put in an Oscar-worthy performance. We were told it was going to be even better than the original.

True on all counts.

I'll make this simple: See it, then see it again. Rent it and watch it a third time. Tell your friends (if it's possible there's anyone left who hasn't seen it yet.)

I give this film five bat signals out of five. 'Nuf said.

LOST: Now in video game form!

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:03:00 +0000

Let's face it. Summer TV sucks.

All of my favorite shows have gone into hibernation - "LOST," "Rescue Me," "Heroes," "Battlestar Galactica." But there's still a way to get a decent "LOST" fix with the "LOST: Via Domus" videogame, which I played on the XBOX 360 platform.

This one's been out for a few months but I kept a close eye on it and waited until it was available for $20 since the reviews I read told me that the title would only take about 5 hours to complete. I rarely pay the full $60 for a video game, especially if it's as short in the gameplay category as this one.

For the price, though, if you're a fan of the TV show this is worth your time, and for those XBOX 360 achievement point whores out there, LOST has a potential of adding a whopping 1,000 points to your gamerscore total. They aren't hard to get either. Without even trying I was able to rack up 810 points in achievements during the course of normal gaming.

Fans of the TV show will appreciate this far more than non-fans. Despite the fact that the gameplay consists basically of solving fuse puzzles and garnering story clues from the island's castaways and other cast of characters, it's still a blast to walk around in 3D representations of the shows locations (Yes, you can explore the entire hatch and even enter the numbers into the computer and push the button!) Before playing this game, I could only pause the show on my 2D TV screen and attempt to examine each scene for clues to the big questions posed by producer J.J. Abrams' cryptic storyline.

There aren't any clues to be found in the LOST video game as to any of these mysteries, though, to the dissapointment of fans like myself. Despite that, it's a load of fun to talk to Claire, Hurley, Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Sayid, Locke, Charlie, and the rest of the gang, even though your questions and responses are somewhat limited and only intended to move the story forward.

I'd recommend this title for any LOSTIES with a diehard love of the show, even though the character you portray is in no way connected with the TV program and the events you must live through, along with the storyline presented, are completely separate from the beloved television drama.

As a video game title it's far too short and a sequel with a richer storyline and deeper gameplay would be very welcome in the years to come. I give "LOST: Via Domus" two hatches open, three if you're a true LOST fan in search of a quick fix during the summer hiatus.

SF Comedy Competition launched a bevy of stars

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:18:00 +0000

Hundreds of comedians audition each year to compete in the Annual San Francisco International Stand Up Comedy Competition – but out of this group of talented comics, only thirty are chosen. More than just a run of the mill comedy contest, over the years many now famous performers have taken part in this renowned competition. In 1976, the first year it was held, Robin Williams came in second place.

And in the years since, many other talented comedians have emerged from the competition as well. 1977 Comedy Champ Dana Carvey went on to fame on Saturday Night Live and several feature films. Marsha Warfield won in 1979 and went on to star as everyone's favorite Night Court bailiff. Two first runners up — Ellen DeGeneres and Mark Curry — landed their own TV series. 1993 Crown Prince Patton Oswalt has appeared on a number of television programs as well as serving as a regular on King of Queens and the voice of Remy in the successful animated feature “Ratatoullie.”

Other entertainment industry notables followed. Carlos Alazraqui, 1993 winner, was the voice of several animated characters in addition to the Taco Bell Chihuahua and is now a regular on "Reno 911." Well known actor comedians Kevin Pollack, Sinbad, and Rob Schneider have all become successful stars on both the big and small screen.

Some non-winners also achieved fame. Roseann Barr, Janeane Garofalo, Steven Wright, Bobcat Goldthwait, Christopher Titus and DL Hughly all competed in the San Francisco International Stand Up Comedy Competition despite never making it to the finals.

Adventures in DVD repair

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:04:00 +0000

Anyone who owns an XBOX 360 has personally experienced or at least heard stories about discs becoming scratched by moving the game console from a horizontal to a vertical position or vice versa while the disc is inserted and spinning.

Why would someone do this, you might ask? Well, as a victim of this phenomenon, I will attempt to explain. For years I worked on my own computers - upgrading, souping them up, and tweaking my PC's to within an inch of their cybernetic lives. This meant that many times I would move the PC tower around while a disc was playing in order to open up the back and fix a problem or perhaps to silence a noisy fan. Never once did I have an issue with this practice.

So I thought nothing at all of moving my XBOX 360 console to evade the grabby hands of my one year old while my 9-year-old son and I were playing Guitar Hero III. MISTAKE!

What resulted was a horrifying GRAAAKK! sound, followed by some adult terms emitting from my mouth because I knew exactly what had just happened. Opening the CD tray confirmed my suspicions.

I had scratched the disc irreparably, rendering it unplayable. After contacting customer service at Microsoft I found that there was nothing which could be done for me in this particular situation. A trip to their website warned users of moving the unit while a game disc was madly spinning away. Perhaps they felt that this exempted them from any responsibility.

But I digress. Because of this unfortunate incident, I was forced to shell out another $60 for the game. I'm not a poor man, but I'm also not wealthy, so $60 isn't a small sum for a father of three whose PR man salary supports the entire family.

Fast forward a few months to a rather intense Grand Theft Auto IV gaming session (God I love that game.) Let me set the scene:

I had nearly completed a critical key mission - the second to the last one in the game as a matter of fact. My son and his friend were playing in his room, far from where the ultra-violence and virtual slew of "F-bombs" were dropping like spring flower petals in the living room. For some reason the boys wandered out to the living room, perhaps on their way to the backyard to take in some wiffle ball practice, and my son's friend decided at that particular time to body tackle our 90 pound yellow-labrador.

In the midst of this impromptu wrestling session - which lasted mere seconds mind you - the young lad kicked out his foot, struck the XBOX squarely with his heel, and I heard that dreaded sound once more - GRAAAK! A sinister noise which could only mean I had destroyed yet another $60 game (one which I was THOROUGHLY enjoying I might add.)

This time instead of feebly calling Microsoft and facing their denial of any liability, I chose to turn to the God of all information - the Internet - in an attempt to solve the problem myself. What follows are the results I gathered from my research. I present them in the hopes that you may be able to apply these techniques to solving your own scratched CD or DVD dilemmas; whether they occur from an XBOX mishap, an overactive child, or other calamitous situation.

The first thing I discovered in my reading was that disc scratching is a common problem with the XBOX 360, so much so that there is a website which sells a kit to correct the problem. Since the 360 requires special tools and tricks to crack them open in order to install the buffer pads included in the kit, I decided instead to leave my XBOX case, and in turn the manufacturer's warranty, intact.

Learning my lesson the hard way, I now leave my console in the horizontal position at all times and take extreme measures to assure that all horseplay or other similar ruckus-induced activity is kept to a minimum near the XBOX while I'm gaming. That didn't help me much with my existing scratch, though. Since the damage had already been done, I had no remorse but to try and repair the disc.

A trip to Radio Shack yielded a couple of different potions which were touted as disc scratch removers. Neither one repaired the deep groove which afflicted my GTA IV disc so it was back to the Internet, specifically YouTube. Before you google "disc repair" yourself, be aware that there are dozens of interesting videos out there, some very creative but essentially useless, so you'll have to weed through them to find the methods which work the best. I'll boil them down for you to save some time:

1. A banana rubbed on the disc followed by a banana peel rub. After running the disc under water and wiping it off with a cloth, this seemed to hardly make a difference.
2. Toothpaste plastered on and washed off. This didn't do much either, even after multiple attempts.
3. Toothpaste, then peanut butter on top of that, followed by a bath in a tupperware vat of coca cola. Surprisingly enough, this removed some small scratches but not enough to repair the nasty groove I was working on.
4. Buffing with super fine sandpaper. I didn't have the cajones to attempt this one and I still have doubts about whether or not it will actually work without destroying the disc entirely. One guy even used an electric drill with a buffing wheel to wear down a thin layer of the disc's acrylic surface. This method may work but seems dangerous and carries the possibility of completely melting the disc.
5. THE FINAL SOLUTION. One of the YouTube videos which advocated sanding the disc finished the process off with a hand cloth buff on/buff off with rubbing compound - the same kind of compound used to take scratches out of a car's finish. With nothing to lose I decided to try the rubbing compound without the sanding to see if it actually worked. So with a tub of compound in hand I rubbed on the goop, let it dry, then rubbed it off three times, trying the disc in the XBOX after each try. My efforts yielded no success at all. The disc would begin to load, then freeze on the opening screen.

Just when I was ready to give up, I remembered that I had another kind of rubbing compound in the garage that was a little bit grittier called "Blue Magic." This different formula also left behind an acrylic coating after it was applied and subsequently removed.

The first time I used this new product on my scratched disc, the game went from completely freezing up when I put it in the console to actually advancing almost to the point of gameplay. My spirits soared!

I ecstatically ran back to the garage and grabbed my tube of Blue Magic and applied a few more coats, being careful not to use too much and to spread it evenly across the entire disc. I finished with a clean cloth (actually an old T-shirt), buffing the affected software delivery device to a bright sheen. Even after I was satisfied that I had worked the lotion into the surface of the disc sufficiently I could still faintly see the scratch, but it certainly had been reduced signifigantly.

But would it play?

Well...I'm happy to say that Blue Magic really was magic, because I was able to get the game to reboot with no further problems, even throughout multiple additional playing sessions. I'm also happy to say that I've finished the game now and I'm gleefully playing in free mode in an attempt to rack up as many achievements as I can before I get tired of carjacking and senselessly killing bad guys and move on to some other game. For the price of $0 and about 15 minutes of my time I had saved $60 and a lot of frustration from not finishing my game.

Since going through this ordeal I've found a couple of websites where you can send a disc at no shipping charge and a company will use a $2,300 "disc repairing machine" (as seen on CSI!) to take scratches out of your games, CDs or DVDs. If I would have known about that then I might have used them instead.

But for now I'm happy with my rubbing compound and an old T-shirt.

Hellboy II - Hell yes!

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:59:00 +0000

The best films during this summer in the year of our lord 2008 have all had their origins in the world of the comic book or graphic novel. "Ironman" kicked off the season with a remarkably well done film which took the box office by literal storm.

Then followed "The Incredible Hulk," which similarly thrilled audiences whether they were comic fans or not. I have yet to see "Dark Knight," but based on the first film of the series and the early fan feedback, I can virtually guarantee that I won't be dissapointed.

This past weekend I found my self in a rare situation - my wife and kids were out of town and I was able to fill my time with my two other loves: movies and videogames. The film I chose to see in the theater was the sequel to 2004's "Hellboy," - "Hellboy II: The Golden Army."

As a sequel this film did what many follow-ups do not; it outperformed the original. At the hand of director/writer Guillermo Del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth and the upcoming "Hobbit") the Hellboy story continued, with his evolution as a character and continuing struggle with the oppression of having to live a secluded, sequestered existence in the bowels of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense's New Jersey branch office.

Del Toro did what he does best, creating a layered and rich background filled with more interesting and creative creatures than the Star Wars Cantina on acid - a true delight for the eyes. Oh yeah, besides looking good, the story was interesting, the acting solid, and the overall action moved the film along at an even, steady pace.

Ron Perlman showed that he's still the king of heavy prosthetic acting, along with other master prosthetic-laden actor Doug Jones, who turned in performances in three different roles. The new freak on the block, Johann Krauss, was acted by two performers and voiced comically by "Spawn" creator Seth MacFarlane. Jeffrey Tambor put in a conservative comedy peformance as the Bureau boss, with Luke Goss and Anna Walton as the prince and princess doing some nice work despite the fact that Walton was a spot on look-alike for Calista Flockhart in her heavy albinoesque makeup.

While it wasn't the standout film of the summer, it was entertaining and worth viewing. Besides, in this comic book blockbuster heavy summer, being better than average is a tough chore, and worthy of applause.

I give it three and a half sawed off demon horns up...

Batman Begins - Finally somebody got it right!

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 05:24:00 +0000

Sometimes, (rarely) I like being wrong. Let's just make sure that I'm being clear here - I'm talking very rarely, especially when it comes to my love of and opinions regarding feature films.

I resisted one particular film - "Batman Begins" - with every fiber of my being. But why? Everyone loved it. Everyone recommended it. Audiences flocked to it.

Still, I refused to see it in the theater. And for three years I let it languish on the shelf at Blockbuster - going from new release, to recent release, to just plain old release in the dusty annals of the action section.

Why, you may ask?

Because my heart was broken before by the caped crusader. And it still stung a little. You see, I grew up watching Adam West and Burt Ward camping it up on TV's classic "Batman." I LOVED "Batman" when I was a young lad. I even had Batman colorforms (those of you over 35 may remember colorforms. The rest of you will have to google them). I had comic books, too, and "Superfriends" on Saturday morning TV was the cornerstone of weekend viewing.

So when I found out that Tim Burton was set to helm a rebirth of the man we call bat, I was pumped and ready to enjoy my childhood hero on the big screen. What resutled was, well...interesting.

Yeah, Jack Nicholson was fantastic and the effects were cool, but the goofy art direction and diversion from what for years we had come to love from Batman made this a less than enjoyable experience. Adding to the disasterous results was the flip-flopping of the lead actor.

Michael Keaton? You mean Mr. Mom? Val Kilmer? But he was the lizard King! George Clooney? His suit had nipples! This was not Batman. And don't get me started on the other villains they trotted out for us after the demise of the Joker. (My current governor was one of them, so out of respect I'll just let it go.)

The tone set in these films was increasingly dissapointing with each successive foray onto the silver screen. I watched them all regardless, and my heart shattered a bit more with each passing attempt.

Then came Christian Bale and what was touted as the more true to form "Dark Knight" approach to the Batman legend. Sorry, I'd been burned too many times before. No more Batman movies. I was done.

Or so I thought.

Now, with the newest "Dark Knight" film breaking the record for a movie opening, surpassing Spiderman 3, and my son asking repeatedly if he could see it, I had a choice to make. So I swallowed my pride, marched down to Blockbuster, and rented "Batman Begins."

What I discovered was a slightly dark, innovative, and well delivered origin film which hit the perfect tone for a whole new generation of Batman devotees. The movie is fun and well-paced, introduced the staple characters we've come to love and expect, and gave us the action that we crave along with the techno-gadgetry that Batman has become famous for in his numerous incarnations.

I will admit it. I have been converted. I'm a Dark Knight fan. I can't wait to plunk down my matinee ticket at the local multiplex and introduce my son to my favorite crime fighting idol of all time. Make note, because I don't admit my errors often or freely, but this time, I have to. And what a great cast: Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, and the great Rutger Hauer. Very good stuff all around. (Yeah I know I didn't mention Katie Holmes. That was on purpose.)

I give "Batman Begins" five flying Batarangs out of five...

Now on DVD-American Gangster

noreply@blogger.com (Burgie) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 05:09:00 +0000

In New York during the mid 70s the Italian mafia wasn't at the top of the food chain in the Heroin production industry - at least if the facts in the film "American Gangster" are correct.

Starring Denzel Washington, who never dissapoints, this crime drama set in the 60s and 70s in New York is well shot with spot on costuming and art direction, right down to the automobiles and shaggy hairstyles, helping us to get into the mood as the story unfolds.

Russel Crowe is the cop who is tasked with taking down drug kingpin Frank Lucas, an actual criminal player during the time period depicted by master director Ridley Scott. With a wonderful supporting cast putting in some good performance, including Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr., Armand Assante, Ted Levine, Josh Brolin and "The Wire's" Idris Elba, this is a good movie to watch on DVD, and is sure to entertain.

I give it three needles up...