Batman: Arkham Asylum
Posted by thegreatredhope
For one brief second, today was like Christmas for me. After a long day at work and a never-ending softball game, I was eagerly anticipating my arrival back home. I would be receiving a much larger respite than normal.
Finally, finally, finally, Amazon followed through and sent me my copy of Batman: Arkham Asylum for the XBox 360. As a lifelong Bat-fan, I was oh so very excited. This was, however, the game that finally got me to buy the damn system way back when. Unfortunately the game was delayed for a few months, proving I could clench my jaw harder than I ever thought possible.
Because of this release delay, coupled with the fact that there's never really been a standout Batman game I can mention, I was concerned this would be a forgettable affair. Then the reviews started pouring in. Oh, how they praised the story, combat, acting, visuals, gameplay, and pacing. Oh, and how they're all exactly on the money. Without parroting too many of the reviews out there, I'd like to say that I am really digging this game.
Everything about this title just comes together exactly the way you think it should, right down to Batman's appearance (which I'm a pretty big stickler about. I'm looking at you, puffy outfit from Batman Begins). I was raised on the animated series from the 90's, and Paul Dini, one of the main creative forces behind that endeavor, provides the story for this game. It's wonderful, as to be expected. You'll also see the return of many cast members from the show playing the roles that were so very crystalized to me as a child.
The word on everyone's lips about this title seems to be "combat", and I can absolutely see why. Creating elaborate, flowing combos is quite easy, and holy hell is it satisfying. Punch, crack, slam...they're all there. You'll never again wonder what'd it be like to lay down a Batman-style beatdown. And, not to be forgotten, there's a "detective mode" that you'll be making copious use out of as you sneak through the various levels. Taking at least a small cue from The Dark Knight's x-ray lens thingies, you'll be able to spot clues and enemies in a very cool and scientific way. You really do feel like the world's greatest detective.
So yes, I'm writing in praise of this game. In a way, it's a rough representation of the pretend Batman games I played as a kid...and that's a compliment. Any time you can accurately personify an 8-year-old's imagination, you've really accomplished something. Go get this game. Go get it now.
And welcome to the madhouse.
Fictionalized History
Posted by thegreatredhope
Made it a point to stay up late and Finish "Frost/Nixon" the other night. Why did I do this? Well calm the hell down, I'm gonna tell ya...
I was extremely invested in the story, mainly because it extracted legitimate drama from real-world people and the situations they found themselves in. The real icing on the cake, however, was that it was all BASED ON A TRUE STORY. Oh, what a fun blanket statement. Hollywood can ride for miles and miles on that sentence.
I really enjoyed the movie overall, but I was hesitant to look up any info about the film afterwords (as I'm prone to doing) in fear of having the drama become undermined. I wanted to remain just a little naive and assume that whole thing was strongly rooted in reality. I mean, it was Richard Nixon after all. That guy could stir up some pretty dramatic shite. But, of course, curiosity got the best of me, and I looked it up. Go figure, a lot of it was altered for the purposes of drama. Should've expected this from the team that brought you "A Beautiful Mind". Ech.
I just wonder how much further films could ride on their drama if they didn't cling so tightly to the "based on a true story" angle. I'm guessing most people take that phrase with a grain of salt. And since the filmmakers never claim WHICH PART of the film comes from the real story, we're left to optimistically assume that all of this happens in the real world. Would it perhaps be easier to downplay the fact that these have their roots in true stories? An innumerable amount of films are based on true events, even if those events are just small moments of inspiration. Think about how many horror movies ride the hype of "based on a true story". Now think about how ridiculous it is to claim that a movie about ghosts is trying to recreate something that actually happened. OOhhhhh.
Maybe the most compelling angle you could hype is to keep the "true" parts to yourself. Compelling stories will sell regardless of their source material, and rigidly pairing a Hollywood film with reality can only harm its credibility.
Oh, and here's a funny article to support my argument.
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You Basterds!!
Posted by thegreatredhope
I had the misfortune of going to film school after Quentin Tarantino burst onto the film scene. Needless to say, by the end of my run, I was sick to death of every cinematic trope he made "cool". I'd had it up to HERE with lengthy dialogue about some small piece of pop culture, references to film eras I was not privy to, and badass violence for the sake of pure, badass violence.
I'd been hearing about his latest, Inglourious Basterds, for a long, long time. There had been rumors of Tarantino making a WWII-era film for the last 10 years or so. Was I excited to learn that it would finally see the light of day? Not even close. I was ready for that guy to disappear forever, especially after the ultimate self-indulgent flick Death Proof. Goodbye Tarantino, you had your fun.
Yet, I started hearing more and more positive buzz about Inglourious Basterds, and I was hearing it from people who shared the same anti-Tarantino sentiment as me. Needless to say, after absorbing enough of this hype, I marched in to see exactly what they were talking about...
And I really liked it! My life wasn't changed, but I think that expectation is just a smidge unrealistic for his movies. All of his tropes were there, but they actually served the story very well. And any moments that seemed cool for the sake of being cool actually served the story. See, that's where I come away with the most respect for this film: It was self-contained. His other films feel like elements of cinema from many different eras all mushed together. Yet, you can tell that this new concoction is made up of tiny little pieces. This flick, however, really blended all the inspirational elements (and there are many) to form something entirely his own. For once he seemed to really use his influences to take this film to a level all its own.
So please do check this one out if you're at all curious, if not only for its (truly) unforgettable climax. My mind ain't totally changed on this Tarantino fella, but as an independent work it's something I can really respect. Looks like the guy finally found a story that suits him just perfectly.