Movies I Love #6

The Host

Going international for this one, The Host is the greatest in a long line on South Korean horror movies. I actually had this as my number 5 movie of the year back in 2006, and it's probably my favorite horror movie ever (even above 28 Days Later, which I praise so highly). The Host is a monster movie, but it brings the monster movie into the 21'st century. The movie starts out with some doctors, or scientists, or whatever pouring chemicals down a drain. You then see a compilation of sightings of some sort of creature in a major canal in South Korea. The movie follows the story of a family who owns a little shop by the canal (which has become a hot spot to hang out). There's a grandfather who owns the shop, his son (a layer), the daughter (a professional archer), a dead beat son (who works at the shop), and his daughter. One afternoon some people at the canal notice something hanging from a nearby bridge, it soon drops into the water. Moments later it attacks everyone by the canal, and it takes the daughter. The government declares a state of emergency and starts quarantine because it is believed that anyone who comes in contact with the monster is infected with some sort of disease. The family is thrown into disarray, but after the father gets a call from the daughter saying that she is in a sewer, the family gains an ounce of hope. After escaping the quarantine the family sets out to find the daughter and kill the monster. I have a problem with horror movies now a days, people don't try. Horror movies tend to be made with a low budget and designed to do nothing but make money, but you can tell they really tried with this movie. Another great aspect about is the acting, so many modern horror movies have terrible acting but in The Host it's actually good. Later on in the movie the father pours his heart and soul into this one scene. But the best thing going for it is that movie unique; it's different than your traditional monster movie. The Host is a fantastic film; I put it in my top 15 of the decade. And it being my favorite horror movie, I make it a habit to watch it every Halloween. It's a great movie in every way, and it may be my favorite foreign movie as well. 

Movies I Love #5

Grindhouse

Released in 2007, Grindhouse is actually made up of two movies. It is made up of Robert Rodriguez's zombie horror movie "Planet Terror," and Quentin Tarantino's thriller "Death Proof." I'm fairly certain Grindhouse is like the first double feature down in like 20 years, I really wish their where more. Two movies for the price of one is a great deal for unemployed people like me. Planet Terror is a traditional zombie movie, but apparently physics aren't a thing in this universe and a body is just made of skin filled with blood. Death Proof is about a serial killer who lour’s young women into his stunt car and kills them by driving crazy and having them die of trauma after being thrashed around. But after a girl is killed her friends decide to give him a taste of his own medicine. Now the 64 thousand dollar question is whether these movies any good... they're a lot of fun. To be honest PT may be in Rodriguez's top 5 movies and DP may be Tarantino's weakest movie. Unfortunately Grindhouse was a commercial failure, but the game made quite a bit of money off of DVD sales. Personally I bought the Blu-ray. Grindhouse was made for movie lovers; it is an homage to the old school exploitation/B movies and old Grindhouse cinemas. Probably one of the coolest aspects of Grindhouse was that it came with several fake trailers, a couple of which were actually made into real movies. Machete and Hobo with a Shotgun where both released a couple years later. Grindhouse isn't a tour de force, it won't be remembered as the Rodriguez and Tarantino’s finest hour, but they're two fun movies made for cinema freaks like me.   

My 5 Most Anticipated Video Games of 2013

Honorable Mention: Watch Dogs


5. Killzone: Shadow Fall

Back in 2006/2007 we saw a trailer for Killzone 2 that looked too good to be true, but the game blew us away. The next installment was good but not on the same level, so hopefully Shadow Fall will take the series back to its former glory. Shadow Fall has been confirmed as a launch game for the recently reviled PS4. The first game play was shown not long ago and the game looks absolutely beautiful, especially for a console game. Killzone has become the staple FPS game for Playstation and has always managed to get the job done, but I'm interested to see if Shadow Fall takes the series to the next level.  

4. Infamous: Second Son

Second Son will be the third installment of the Infamous franchise and like Shadow Fall it will be the first of the series to make it to the next generation. The two previous games starred a man named Cole as the protagonist, but this game will have a new hero. I am interest to see how Second Son is related to the other games. It is supposed to take place after Infamous 2 but I'm not sure how that's possible. There are two possible endings in Infamous 2; neither would allow a any further games. But I'm still interested in Second Son and especially with the new character and the new powers we haven't seen before.    

3. The Last of Us
A lot of people complain of the number of zombie games on the market, but no one seems to be complaining about this one. Set to be released in a couple months, the game is the first new project from Naughty Dog since their completion of the award winning series Uncharted. Set in a post apocalyptic future where some sort of spore has started infecting and turned them into what are essentially zombies. You follow the story of an old man and a young girl as they travel cross country to escape the harsh regime of the US military who keep non-infected under their thumb. The game combines action and survival horror elements in an interesting way. But what I'm most interested in is the enemy AI. People who have played the demo have said that the game has some of the smartest enemies they've ever seen in a video game. Like enemies who know their out gunned will run away, one enemy will distract you while another flanks you, even the little things like the enemy giving orders to each other and coming up with strategies while in a fight. The game looks amazing and I can't wait to play it. 

2. Grand Theft Auto 5

Grand Theft Auto is one of the longest running, most critically acclaimed, and controversial video game series of all time. GTA is an open world sand box game that has drawn fire many times for the fact that your character is usually a criminal and that you are given full power in killing innocent civilians. The previous installment in the main series (GTA4) became one of the most critically praised and highest selling games in modern gaming. What makes GTA5 interesting is that you will actually play as three different characters involved in an intertwined story. I'm interested in seeing how they will get this to work seamlessly with the game play. Set to be released in September, I have no doubt GTA5 will be one of the best games of the year.   

1. Bioshock Infinite 

Not much of a question it, this is by far the game I am most excited for. After being delayed about three or four times, the game finally has an official release date of March 26. Infinite will be the third game in the series, but for the first time it will not take place in the underwater city of Rapture. This time it will take place in the flying city of Columbia. The first Bioshock is one of my all time favorite games, I loved the setting, aesthetics, game play, story, and just about everything else. It won dozens of game of the year awards and was mentioned on several top ten of the decade lists. The second game was very good and made several needed improvement, but lacked the magic we got with the first one. People who have gotten their hands on the game have praised it for its combat along with the attention to detail of the world. I don't buy a whole lot of new video games, they're just too expensive. I usually get two or three a year, I'm probably not even going to get all the games on this list. But I assure you that of all the games coming out in 2013, I will be getting Bioshock Infinite.   

Movies I Love #4

Sunshine

Sunshine is a British sci-fi film released back in 2007 directed by Danny Boyle. The movie was a financial flop and was met with mixed reviews; some praised the film for its visual style and unique take on a possible problem while others panned it for its weak final act and absurdness. Sunshine takes place about 40 years in the future where our sun has started to die and earth has been thrown into another ice age. Humanities only hope is to work together to reignite the sun. Mankind invents a bomb the size of Manhattan that they plan to throw into the sun that will essentially make another star inside the sun. A couple years before they sent a bomb off with a crew but they lose them once they get near Mercury. So they send a new team, and with the sun almost dead this is their last shot. While the new ship passes Mercury they pick up a signal from the old ship and decide to go see what's up. Once aboard they discover that the other crew went crazy and believed it was the will of God for humanity to die, and they all committed suicide by turning the protection tint on the what are essentially windows on the ship facing the sun. Being so close with no protection, the where basically set on fire. Soon after a terrible accident happens that leaves four of the crew members stranded on the old ship with the airlock destroyed. They only way off would be to eject themselves from the ship in hopes they can make it to a hatch that is open on their ship. In this process one of the crew members dies after going adrift in space with no protection and a member who had to stay behind to open the airlock commits suicide the same way as the other crew instead of starving to death. Once aboard the remaining crew members decide to continue the mission, but it is hard to come back from something like that. And the soon learn that something is very wrong with their ship. Sunshine is a very good movie; the only really bad problem would probably be the last 30 minutes. Up to that point I was engaged and interested with the story. But the throw in a "twist" that is such a pathetic and impossible cop-out it takes a lot away from the movie. Another thing that people complained about, that didn't really bother me personally was the scientific accuracy of the movie. It's... less than factual in a couple parts. Sunshine has its faults like any movie but I still loved it. It is a visually stunning and interesting movie, and even with its flaws it is a movie that I'd recommend if you're a sci-fi fan.      

Movie I Love #3

The King's Speech

The last movie I talked about wasn't actually very good, so I feel I need to redeem myself by talking about one that is. The King's Speech is a British film that was released in 2010. It was met with widespread critical acclaim and won seven BAFTA's and four Oscars (including best picture). The film was also an outstanding box office hit, grossing over 400 million dollars on a budget of only 15 million. The movie is based off the true life story of King George the 4th and his rise to power. The movie starts out when George is still a Duke giving a speech at Wimbledon we soon learn he has a terrible stutter. He seeks help from dozens of doctors and therapists, because in his eyes how can one be royalty if he cannot give a speech. Unfortunately none of them are able to help, so his wife seeks out help from someone she has heard good things about, Lionel Logue. Lionel is a suborn man who demands to see George on his own terms; his wife is shocked that he refuses to visit her husband on their time. But she realizes she doesn't have many other options, so she reluctantly agrees. Not long after the speech lessons starts George has many family problems, from his father’s death to his older brother coming into power. But his bother starts seeing a woman who has been divorced, and this is obviously frowned upon. His brother plans on marrying her, but he first has to resign as king. Which means George will come into power. This is obviously frightening to him, so with the help of Lionel he must overcome his impediment and become the king he is meant to be. This is a feel good movie if there ever was one. It is the perfect combination of witty humor with serious and emotional undertones. The writing is superb and the actors carry it out flawlessly. It's a movie about overcoming the odds and finding your voice. It was the best movie of 2010, it was my favorite movie of 2010, and an outstanding film that everyone who doubts them self should see.