Murmur - All Content

"Dad Jokes" A Timmy Wood Thursday

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:37:32 GMT

by: TimmyWood
Timmy explores the world of the "Dad Joke"

Welcome to the Timmy Wood Thursday. Something to hold you off until the weekend.

Today:

Dad Jokes

The topic of the Thursday is something I think a lot of us can relate to. The Dad Joke. Now this is a concept that I am sure everyone is aware of. Still I will provide a definition from TimmyPedia in case you aren't.

Dad Joke
Noun
An attempt at humor that instantly receives a groan, roll of the eyes or a courtesy laugh.

You know those kind of jokes. And everyone knows someone who makes them whether they are a "Dad" or not. It could come from a boss, co-worker or a neighbor. You can tell that the person has told this joke a million times and yet will continue to tell it a million more time. They are dripping with cheese and puns.
Still confused at what I am talking about. Well here are a few of my favorite "Dad Jokes"

Dad walks by two people at a job
DAD: Hey are you guys "hard at work" or "hardly workin"?

The waiter at a restaurant asks Dad if he is done with his plate
DAD: I am done and I hated it soooo much I got rid of the whole thing!
Dad then gestures to an empty plate

Dad comes in from the rain
DAD: It's raining cats and dogs out there. I almost stepped in a POODLE!

Dad is purchasing something at the store and the barcode won't scan
DAD: Well then it must be FREE!

Dad get's opens a fortune cookie
DAD: And my fortune is..23..3...42..56 Wait a minute. Those are the lottery numbers!

Somebody compliments Dad on his new haircut
DAD: I GOT ALL OF THEM CUT!

I could go on but I am sure you get the point.
I often groaned at these jokes as a child but now I kind of enjoy them. They have a sense of familiarity which sometimes is nice. The worst part is as I get older I find myself making similar kinds of jokes. Granted they are not as cheesy but they still cause my girlfriend to roll her eyes and question the decisions she made that caused her to end up with me. I just feel as I age that they will get more cheesy. We can't help it. It will happen to all of us in our old age. So next time somebody makes a Dad joke. Go ahead and give them a laugh and a pat on the back. It could be you someday.

By they way my most recent example of a "dad joke" I made:

My Girlfriend: Hey we should go to Korea Town for dinner.
ME: Uh oh. Is this north or south korea town?

Almost there. Almost there.

Timmy Wood is a comedian who lives in New York City. You can follow him on twitter or check out his new tumblr blog.

The Oscar Project Part I - Wings

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:03:37 GMT

by: Gorsline
An examination of the oscar winners in the order they were released.

I love movies. They entertain, inform, make you think and bring about a great time. Movies have been around for a century now and there are thousands of movies available that most of us will never see. For movies there is one benchmark that was set in May of 1929. The Academy Awards. One reward in particular is given to the best picture of the previous year. This is the movie that the people that make movies say is their best work. My goal is to watch all 82 of these movies in the order that they were released. After each one I plan to write my thoughts on the movie, thinking about how it stands up today and how it compared to the previous winners.

In May of 1929 the award for Most Outstanding Production was given to the 1927 movie "Wings." The first Academy Awards honored movies from both 1927 and 1928. A second award was given out titled Most Artistic Quality of Production that went to a movie called "Sunrise." The academy however refers to "Wings" as the winner of the equivalent award to Best Picture.

Watching "Wings" was a bit of a challenge. First, it is not available on DVD in the United States. Fortunately, someone has posted it on YouTube. I wouldn't normally recommend watching any movie this way, but if you want to watch "Wings" this is one of the only ways to watch it. If you really want to watch a DVD, the only current release was a Korean release but it does have an English translation. Second, it is a silent movie, a 141 minute silent movie. I've never watched a full length silent movie before and I've never watched one that wasn?t a comedy. It was difficult to watch but I was glad that I did.

"Wings" is about two men from the same small town that become pilots during World War I. The movie features a growing friendship that involves mistaken love and tragedy. One of the most amazing parts of the movie was the aerial battles. To put on these aerial battles in 1927 just baffles my mind. Going into the movie I expected something light, with a happy ending for everyone. I was wrong. The movie is filled with death and really demonstrates some of the ferocious fighting that was part of World War I. It?s interesting to think of how often World War I is ignored in media today, mostly due to how much easier it is to label enemies in World War II.

The movie was good for it?s time. However, due to the fact it is a silent movie, it loses a lot of impact that it could have if it was not one. With few laughs in the movie and having to read lips more often then I thought would be necessary, it was difficult to watch the entire movie. Only those that really want to watch it should attempt it. An interesting note is that this was one of the first movies to feature a male on male kiss and the first widely distributed movie to feature female nudity, which lasts approximately a tenth of a second. I didn't think that I would see anything like that during these early movies and it has made me rethink what the film industry was like in the early days of the Academy Awards.

Overall, I think the movie is well directed with terrific cinematography, a well developed plot and great acting. In total it gets 3.5 out of 5 stars. The next movie on the list is "The Broadway Melody."

Lost - Dr. Linus

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:38:03 GMT

by: Gorsline
A summary of the latest episode of Lost, Dr. Linus with analysis.

This week on Lost we got a character study on Benjamin Linus. Let's take a look at this episode.

Timeline X

Ben is teaching his European history class about an Island where everything became clear: Elba, where Napoleon faced his greatest test, his loss of power. This is almost too easy of a comparison to draw between Ben and Napoleon, if you missed this one sham on you. After Principal Reynolds tells Ben that he will have to teach detention he thanks Linus and leaves. Ben remarks to himself that "It's 'Dr. Linus.'" Here we get instantly that this Ben is very different from the island Ben. Island Ben would have beat Reynolds with a cane until he apologized.

In the teachers' lounge, Dr. Arzt is complaining about a formaldehyde stain and how hard it is to get out. I wonder if it's as hard to get out as an Arzt stain?

At home while feeding his father Ben begins changing his father's oxygen bottle. It's interesting how on the island Ben killed his father with gas and here is saving him with it. His father says he wished for better for Ben and that is why he signed up with Dharma Initiative and went to the Island. He says "Imagine how our lives would have been if we'd stayed... Who knows what you would have become?" This is an interesting statement because it shows that Ben and Roger were on the island and left. Showing that the Dharma Initiative was still around when Ben was a kid. It does not however show how the island sank or why.

Later Ben offers to write a reference for Alex Rousseau, for whom he has a relationship that is probably a little too close for a teacher. During this she lets slip that "that pervert" Principal Reynolds is writing a letter of recommendation. When he promises not to tell anyone Alex tells him that the Principal and the school nurse were having a relationship on school grounds.

Ben goes to Principal Reynolds' office. He gives the Principal three months worth of his correspondence by email with the nurse. Reynolds counters by showing Ben a request from Alexandra Rousseau for a letter of recommendation. He threatens to "torch" Alex and her future if Ben proceeds with his threat. He wonders if his job, his power is that important to Ben. Here Ben is stuck in a similar situation to when he chose the Island over Alex. However, this Ben chooses Alex instead of power. This shows us that Ben, given the right circumstances, can make the right choices.

Timeline A

First let's cover the continuing adventures of Jack and Hurley.

While Jack and Hurley are arguing over which way to go, Richard Alpert appears saying they are both wrong and points in a different direction. Jack asks where Richard came from and Richard says that they wouldn't believe him if he told them.

Richard leads them through the jungle and Hurley asks him how it is possible that Richard looks the same as he did 30 years ago, which someone must have told him about because this is the first meeting between Hurley and Richard. Richard says it is not easy to explain but that Jacob gave him a gift. They arrive at the Black Rock and Richard admits he lied about going to the Temple because everyone at the Temple is dead. He says he doesn't know about their friends and that maybe they made it out alive. Hurley says that Jacob had "hinted" at the attack. Richard is surprised and says that whatever Jacob said, not to believe him. Showing that the Man in Locke's manipulation of Richard has worked.

Inside the hull Richard touches some chains and tells Jack (who has found and lit a kerosene lamp) that this is the first time he has come back to the ship in all the long time he has been on the Island. To me this and the earlier comment by Man in Locke about Richard being in chains, confirms that Richard was a slave on this ship when it reached the island. Jack engages with Richard who explains that Jacob touched him and although this is considered a gift it is actually a curse. My thought on this is that Jacob can only touch a candidate, since he has touched most of the Oceanic survivors. If Jacob touches you and you are not a candidate you will never age. That is why healing is done in the pool because it was a dilution of Jacob's power and is now a dilution of Man in Locke's power.

Jack asks him why he wants to die. Richard says that Jacob is now dead so he has realized that his entire life has no purpose. He asks Jack to light the stick of dynamite for him pointing out that he made the fuse long enough to give Jack time to get out. Jack immediately lights the fuse and sits down with Richard saying "Now, let's talk." Jack describes the events of the lighthouse and as the fuse burns to the last inch Jack closes his eyes in something like calm as a sweating and increasingly fearful Richard watches the flame. The fuse splutters out at the last instant. They decide to head back to the beach.

Now let's go back to the beach camp.

Ben is frantically running through the Jungle. He falls and sees a column of torches moving through the darkness adjacent to him. He scrambles up and rushes over. Ilana immediately asks Ben where Jarrah is. Ben tells her breathlessly that considering he just killed Dogen and the interpreter, he doesn't think Sayid will be joining them. Here we get proof that Ben did know what was in the Temple and who Dogen was. At least enough to recognize his dead body. They head for the beach. Miles falls back to ask Ben what "that thing" back there was. Ben says it was what killed his friends back at the statue. Ilana adds, "And Jacob, right, he killed Jacob too?" Ben, caught out, stammers, "Yeah, of course, and Jacob too". Ilana has Miles communicate with the dead Jacob. Miles kneels, communes, rises and says "Linus killed him". Ilana turns to Ben in quiet fury and says that Jacob was the closest thing she ever had to a father.

Ben follows her around, launching into a defense of his innocence which consists of attacking Miles' reliability by claiming Miles tried to blackmail him once. While she works, Sun approaches Ilana asking how long they are to stay there and explaining that she needs to find her husband. Ilana explains that if anyone wants to find Sun's husband it is her. Sun questions this and Ilana says it is because Jin's last name is Kwon and she doesn't know who she is "supposed to protect, you [Sun], him [Jin], or both of you". Sun asks what she means and Ilana says they are candidates to replace Jacob. Confirming what a candidate means, however we don't know if that means for only Jacob. Sun asks how many candidates there are, to which Ilana replies grimly, "There are only six left." Now, there were only 5 names left in the cave. If we count that Austen was on the lighthouse that makes 6. Could this mean that the Man in Locke doesn't know about Austen being a candidate?

Ben talks to Frank that he remembers that plane breaking in half like it was yesterday and Frank comments that Ben sounds nostalgic, to which Ben replies that he supposes he is. Frank says he was supposed to pilot the flight but had slept in. He wonders how different his life would have been. I think the writers are trying to hint at Timeline X here. This is the life people would have had without the island. Preparing us for when they will have to make their choice.

Ilana then takes Ben and hands him a 'shovel' and demands he dig his own grave. Ben slowly starts to dig with Ilana guarding him at a distance. Later Miles arrives with some green beans and banana for Ben. Ben refuses the food saying that in the circumstances he's not really hungry. Ben reminds Miles of once asking for 3.2 million dollars and somewhat desperately avows that if Miles still wants it, Ben has a vast network of people and resources that can provide Miles with the money if Ben can get off the Island. Miles caustically says he could just as well get the $8 million in diamonds buried with the bodies in this very cemetery. This means that Nikki and Paulo did have a purpose, good for them. Miles then tells Ben he is wrong thinking that Jacob didn't care. He informs Ben that Jacob did care, saying that "right up until the second the knife went through his heart Jacob was hoping he was wrong about you.

Man in Locke arrives and greets Ben. He lightly asks what Ben is doing and why. Ben bitterly says he's digging his own grave, because Locke talked him into killing Jacob and Ilana, Jacob's former bodyguard, is now going to kill him. Locke says he doesn't want Ben to die, and in fact that he had returned to the Statue to find him. He says that he is gathering a group to "leave this place for good". Knowing well Ben's obsession with power, he dangles the carrot, suggesting that he can't think of a better person to be in charge of the Island when he and his group departs than Ben himself. Ben calls attention to his restrained state. Locke points at Ben's foot iron, which falls open. Locke invites Ben to come to the Hydra Station. Ben protests that Ilana will come after him, but Locke tells Ben he has left a rifle for him 200 yards into the jungle and that if he runs now he can get there and gets a jump on Ilana. From this conversation we can now gather that in order to leave the island the Man in Locke also needs a replacement. Just like Jacob.

Ben runs and Ilana dashes after him. Ben reaches the rifle planted by Lock and turns on a surprised Ilana who is forced to drop her weapon. Ben says he knows what Ilana is feeling because he watched his daughter Alex die in front of him. Visibly grieved and ashamed he says that when he had a chance to save her life he chose the Island and he did this in the name of Jacob. Ben says he sacrificed everything for Jacob, and "He didn't even care." Ben says that when he stabbed Jacob he was angry, confused and terrified that he was about to lose the only thing that had ever mattered to him - his power, but the thing that really mattered was already gone. Ben has lowered his rifle. Ilana, with tears in her eyes, asks hoarsely what he wants. Ben asks to be allowed to leave. She asks, "Where will you go"? Ben replies, "To Locke." Ilana murmurs, "Why?" Eyes wide with despair and sorrow, Ben tearfully whispers, "Because he is the only one who will have me."

Ilana's eyes are deep with pain but she murmurs, "I'll have you," picks up her rifle and turns for the Beach. Ben stares after her for a second, his face transformed by amazement. He then stumbles after her. This time, it appears that Ben has made the right decision.

Sun's face explodes into joy as Jack, Hurley and Richard come up on the beach. I know we've seen this scene many times during this show, but it always brings a smile to my face.

The calm water is disturbed by the surfacing of a submarine periscope. The periscope views the group on the Beach. Thus the submarine is traveling parallel to the beach. The watch officer in the sub below reports that there are people on the beach and asks whether they should stop. Charles Widmore, examining his Laptop says "No. Proceed as planned". And thus Charles Widmore has returned to the island. My guess is that he is headed to the Hydra station.

This flash-sideways and current timeline in this episode really dovetailed nicely together. Much more than most of the other episodes this season. The difference between sideways Ben and island Ben were greater than with any other character we have been shown so far. All of the actors this season have really been putting it all out there. They know this is the last season and they are doing some of their best work because of it.

But now it's time for my crazy ass theory of the week. I will admit that the basis for this theory didn't come from me, but from other people that have spoken about it on the old internet. The theory is that Jacob and the Man in Locke is the same person. This person was split in someway by the island into a being of light and a being a dark. Not necessarily good and evil. My belief is that the person was split into three beings. The third being the child that we saw earlier in this season and represents innocence.

Now, where does my proof come from? First, they have not named the Man in Locke and they know that this would drive people crazy. Now if it turns out that his name is just a common name, this will be a let down and it makes no sense for them to hold it back for so long. If his name is Jacob then it would make sense for them to hold this back.

Second, the children. It is beginning to be clear that both Jacobs would need replacements if they are going to get off the island. This would mean the kid would need a replacement as well. The Jacob of Darkness would have manipulated the Others outside of the temple to abduct Children to try and have a replacement ready. The special (candidate) children, like Walt, would already begin showing some of the power they would possess. The Jacob of Light, in order to halt the replacement of himself may have caused the pregnancy problem on the island to prevent a plethora of children being born as possible replacements.

How will this all play out? How do I explain the holes that can be poked in this theory? I don't know. But I can't wait to find out.

Was It Worth It? : Escaflowne: The Movie

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:46:42 GMT

by: cenquist
Was It Worth It? : Escaflowne: The Movie

I sure hope you can not see, and I am hoping that you can not see, the vast DVD library sitting 10 feet away from me. The sheer size of the collection is quickly becoming ridiculous and is starting to take over the apartment. What is really absurd is how little space ONE DVD requires, but when you have 500+ grouped together, well that is another story entirely! Let?s just say that my fiancée does not have a soft spot for most of the DVD collection and I do not have the heart to put them in a binder.

After a night of rearranging the shelves of DVDs (in alphabetical order), a brief thought popped into my brain, ?Should Bad Boys (Sean Penn version) be placed ahead of Bad Boys (Will Smith version) or the other way around??

No, wait, it was after that. When I realized that a few movies were still in their store packaging. That normally is not a problem but I purchased these movies 4 years ago! I kept thinking, was it worth buying all these movies? Some of them have never been watched.

So I figured a Murmur article could help me answer this question. Each week I will watch and rate a movie from my collection. I will not only be giving the movie a rating based on how good it is, but I will also evaluate if the movie was actually worth the price I paid for it. Many readers may hold the opinion that these two different ratings would be the same thing; however I would like to argue that purchasing a movie for $4.99 or the same movie for $24.99, would give a completely different rating. So if I was to rate Daredevil 5 stars, it does NOT mean it is a 5 star movie. It just means it was probably purchased for $0.99.

Sadly, I paid the price for watching Daredevil, and no I do not want to talk about it!

What movie did I watch this week?
Escaflowne: the Movie.

What is it about?
Escaflowne: The Movie is a retelling of the 26 episodes from the television series Vision of Escaflowne. The characters have changed quite a bit from the television series, both in design and personality. Although the plot has similar aspects of the original series it varies many degrees.

The story still follows Hitomi, who is having strange dreams which transport her to a mysterious world called Gaea. Hitomi is believed to be the Winged Goddess that all the Dragon Clans have been waiting for. Van (pronounced Vonn) is trying to protect Hitomi from his brother Lord Folken, who are in a battle for the Winged Goddess as she will either save or destroy Gaea.

A small change to the world of Gaea in the movie is that its architecture, transportation, and clothing are more Asian influenced where the television series was heavily European designed.

When did the movie get released?
June 24th, 2000.

Did I see it in theatres?
I do not think it was even in theatres.

When did I purchase the movie? (Immediately $21+, First Price Drop $15-$20, Bargain Bin $6-$14, Clearance Bin $5 and under)
I had to go back to my Amazon order history for this one. Escaflowne: The Movie was purchased for $18.89 back in 2007.

Why did I purchase the movie?
I was a big fan of the show and was ordering the complete DVD collection ($51.99 at the time) on Amazon. So I figured I should add the movie as well even though I really didn?t know anything about it. I also grabbed the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Volumes 4, 5 and 6 at the same time!

Was this my first watching of the movie since purchasing?
This was the second viewing of the movie.

How long between purchase and first watch?
Shortly after I bought and finished re-watching the television series is when I finally watched the movie.

Has something stuck with me between each viewing, reminding me of the film?
Nothing really, trying to block the movie out of my mind when watching the television series.

Was it worth the purchase?
Nope.

Rating of purchase? (ROP)
1 out of 5.

Rating of the movie? (ROM)
2 out of 5. The studio may have wanted to do a retelling of the 26 episodes in a much darker manner but they attempted to force too much into the 98 minutes of the movie. I was very disappointed the first time I watched it; the second time was a little different. Even noting that this is a stand alone story in the Escaflowne universe I still can not get passed the terrible dialogue and mundane story that does not keep me enthralled at all. The designs of the cities on Gaea and the characters are beautiful though, as well as the splendid soundtrack that almost makes the movie worth watching.

Rating of both combined? (ROP+ROM/2)
1.5 out of 5.

Is it worth upgrading to Blu-Ray?
No.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Colin Enquist can be found on Twitter. He is always looking for good anime recommendations, so send him some.

Murmur - Episode #19 - 3D Movies, Internet Blues, TV Memories

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:49:13 GMT

by: ronxo
Ali, Jim, and Paul adjust their 3D glasses and weigh in on Hollywood's latest attempt to lure you to the multiplex, the Internet and classic TV

March 9, 2010 - Ali, Jim, and Paul adjust their 3D glasses and weigh in on Hollywood's latest attempt to lure you to the multiplex. Are the studios mining new depths in high-tech storytelling, or is it all just one epic migraine after another? Later, Jim sings the Internet Blues. It's time to own up or shut up when it comes to online anonymity. Finally, we showcase a pair of community articles about 90s TV nostalgia, then ride the show right off the rails with memories of our own latch-key childhoods.

Listen to the Podcast:

Download directly - Murmur Episode 19 - 52 MB
(right click and choose "Save As...")

Subscribe:
iTunes
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Run Time: 00:56:34

00:01:08 - 3D Movies

00:17:21 - Jim has the Internet Blues
00:27:10 - We're getting to know you with Kelly's Talk Amongst Ourselves: Who Are You? article.
00:32:50 - Community Showcase: Back to the Well(sville) and Finding Myself in 90s Kids' TV

Music:
Buttons
Sia
and
Hey, Sandy
Polaris

Review: Boondock Saints II All Saints Day

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:36:26 GMT

by: JesTr82
Should you watch Boondock Saints II? Find out here.

Ten years ago Boondock Saints debuted and had a limited theatrical release in only five theaters for one week. It wasn't until the video release that the movie began to get a cult following. Ten years later we get treated to the sequel.

The story picks back up ten years after the original with the MacManus Twins returning to Boston and continuing their crusade to punish the wicked.
Was it good and does it stand up to the original? The answer to these questions are yes and no.

There is an old saying that "you can't go home again" and it's true. This movie doesn't quite capture the magic and ambiance of the first film. The sequel follows pretty much the same formula of the first movie.

The movie starts with a catalyst that causes the brothers to take up arms and kick ass again. Then they befriend an eccentric third wheel who gets brought into the fold and joins the action. Next a rampaging manhunt ensues, many people die (including some prominent characters), huge fight scene finale, and then retribution.

There are many homages to the first movie present in All Saints Day. Several lines and entire scenes reflect things in Boondock Saints and this serves as a real treat to fans. If you liked the first Boondock Saints then it's a safe bet you will enjoy this one.

This movie wasn't as good as its predecessor but still a very good movie in its own right. In fact, there is a scene toward the end that rivals end of Saw for best "I didn't see that coming" moment that just makes the movie. Also you definitely want to watch the first film before diving head first into the sequel.

My final verdict, if you are a Boondock fan definitely buy this movie. Otherwise, rent it and sit back and enjoy.

New Adventures in Hi- Fi # 2

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:51:37 GMT

by: piscespaul
The weekly column of overlooked music

Hi and welcome and back. For those who are new, "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" is a weekly column where each week I present a single. In the tradition of vinyl, cassette, and CD singles there will also be a B- side. A song that I think compliments the first track but presents something different. So without much I ado I humbly present this week's artist and single.

Amanda Palmer. Excuse me, Amanda F-ing Palmer for those in the know. Before we go any further I will admit my slight bias. We hail from the same city, Boston. Actually we're both suburban kids who made our way to the big city but that really doesn't matter now does it. About ten years ago at a Halloween party Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione met and formed the Dresden Dolls. They would release two studio albums and and three EPs for about seven years before embarking on solo careers. The style of music can only be described as they do on their website, "Brechtian Punk Cabaret" Unique to say the very least. Unique enough that when I first heard their debut album I did not know really how I felt about it. However the more I listened the more I began to love their sound. Here in Boston the single "Coin Operated Boy" was in heavy rotation on alternative rock stations.
Amanda would release her solo album "Who Killed Amanda Palmer" in September of 2008. From first listen I was amazed by it. It was a maturation of her initial work and the most amazing part was she sounded slightly different while wholly familiar.

Side A.

Oasis

From the album "Who Killed Amanda Palmer" released in September 2008
^{"oh, oh, I've seen better days but I don't care

Oasis got my letter in the mail

when vacation was over

the word was all over

that I was a crack whore

Melissa had told them"}

First and foremost the lyrics are not for the easily offended. That's honestly what I love about. The rather wretched statements made by a vapid character Ms. Palmer created in complete opposition to the almost doo-wop sound. The song is irony at its best and deliciously snarky. I found out later that it was produced by Ben Folds which upon listening to it again makes perfect sense. I could continue to gush but she sums it up better in her own words here .

Side B.

Sing

From the Dresden Dolls album "Yes, Virginia" released in 2006

^{"There is this thing that's like touching except you don't touch

Back in the day it just went without saying at all

All the world's history gradually dying of shock

There is thing that's like talking except you don't talk

You sing

You sing}"

There is again this sense of opposition that "Oasis" had. However with "Sing" it is a gradual build. Listen to the lyrics closely. She slowly begins to unfurl a litany of things that we shouldn't but sing to anyway. She, by the end, points out the listeners hypocrisy and does so with an ethereal sound. It amazes me.

Well, that's it for this week. I hope you enjoyed this installment and maybe listened to something you hadn't heard before. Look for this to come out every Tuesday evening.

If you have suggestions as to something I may have overlooked please share it. It just might be my new adventure in Hi-Fi.

You can follow all of my rantings and ravings (sometimes music related) on Twitter. Look for piscespaul

Lost Murmurs - Man In Black theory

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:54:51 GMT

by: Sawdog
Why won't they tell us his name?!?!

"Sundown" was without a doubt the darkest episode of Lost. There wasn't a lot of mythology although the action in the last 10 minutes was both thrilling and heartbreaking. Sayid has been a favorite of many during the five plus seasons and to see him turn to The Dark Side so completely and viciously was a gutsy move.

There was a scene early on which brought me back to something that's been sticking in my craw for a while now. Claire and Dogen are talking and it goes something like this:

"He's coming"

"Who's 'he'?"

"You know who"

Now unless it's Voldemort they're talking about (and wouldn't that be a twist ending?), who would realistically have a conversation like that?

So I was wondering why they still haven't named the Man In Black's character and gone out of their way no to. Maybe naming him will reveal too much or that his name will be instantly recognizable and will give away secrets they're not ready to unveil yet. So I started thinking about names that have a history built in. The following are just tidbits that I'm sure are not right but I'm just throwing ideas out there:

I thought about names that would be instantly recognizable and the name Gabriel jumped into my head. Wasn't he an angel? I looked him up on Wikipedia and didn't find much except that he is "the angel that shall blow the trumpet blast that initiates the end of time". But I saw the name of the archangel Michael and while perusing his info found this:

"In Greek folklore, Michael leads souls to Hades, and is the weigher of souls on Judgment Day. A related folk belief is that St Michael's face can only be seen by the dead and by those about to die. It is for this reason that some folk icons depict him without a face.

He is the Christian angel of death, carrying the souls of all the deceased to heaven, where they are weighed in his perfectly balanced scales (hence Michael is often depicted holding scales). At the hour of death, Michael descends and gives each soul the chance to redeem itself before passing."

And this:

"Church tradition relates that Saint Michael in the earliest ages caused a medicinal spring to spout at Chairotopa, near Colossae, where all the sick who bathed there, invoking the Blessed Trinity and St Michael, were cured"

And this:

"Michael then kept an eye on the first family, remaining vigilant even after the fall of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden".

So much of this seems to relate to images, mysteries and themes that we've seen on Lost.

Lastly:

"In the Epistle of Jude St Michael disputes with the Devil over the body of Moses. In the Book of Revelation "...there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down - that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him." Saint John describes Satan being thrown out of heaven three and a half years from the end of the age, "a time, times and half a time". Satan being thrown from heaven coincides with the "abomination that causes desolation" spoken of by Daniel. In Catholic teachings, Saint Michael will also triumph at the end times when he defeats Antichrist.

Could Jacob be the archangel Michael and the Man in Black Satan trying to return to heaven?

I actually would prefer that the secrets of Lost not be biblical in nature, that it be its own story, but some of the connections above and the description of MIB as "evil incarnate" in this latest episode as well as his tempting Sayid with anything he wants (Garden of Eden style) make me wonder.

Last tidbit:

Michael commands the army of angels loyal to God against the rebel forces of Satan. This occured in the epic poem, Paradise LOST!

So anyway, food for thought.

Until next time.

Cover Songs 7 - Ten Masked Men

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:29:48 GMT

by: Rchapoteau
I love cover songs, so I decided to do a regular column here on Murmur dedicated to just that. Once a week I highlight a cover band, album, or group of songs.

I love cover songs, so I decided to do a regular column here on Murmur dedicated to just that. Once a week I highlight a cover band, album, or group of songs. This week I'm delving into Ten Masked Men. Ten Masked Men is a death metal cover band that formed in the UK in 1996. Thats right, DEATH METAL. They don't cover death metal songs. They take popular pop songs and sing them as if they were death metal. This sometimes results in an amazing song thats better then the original.

In 1999 they released their debut self titled album "Ten Masked Men". This album has an amazing cover of "Message In A Bottle" originally performed by The Police. Some people on youtube get pretty creative and try to sync the Ten Masked Men version to the music video of of the original song. It doesn't sync up perfectly, but its interesting to see.

Also in 1999 the band released an EP called "The Ten Masked Men Strike Back" which contains "Papa Don't Preach" originally performed by Madonna, and "Smooth Operator" by Sade.

In 2000 the band came right back with their follow up album "Return of the Ten Masked Men". This album has a few great covers including "Living La Vida Loca" originally by Ricky Martin, and "You Spin Me Round" by Dead or Alive. While those are really good my favorite is "Baby one more time" originally performed by Britanny Spears.

In 2003 Ten Masked Men released "The Phanten Masked Menace" As you can see they seem to have a Star Wars fixation (and there's nothing wrong with that!). This time around they covered "Cry me a River" by Justin Timberlake, and "Genie in a Bottle" by Christina Aguilera.

In 2008 they finally made another comeback with "Attack of the Ten Masked Men" For some reason it seems to be impossible to find as far as legally purchasing it. It contains a cover of "La Isla Bonita" by Madonna, and "Careless Whisper" by Wham!. To be honest though Seether's cover of "Careless Whisper" is far superior.

They have done several songs that were never released on an official Album, but you will often see them on a fake album labeled "Best Of the Ten Masked Men". One of their best covers is "Blue" originally by Eifel 65. Once again someone tried to sync the video with cover, but it didn't work out as well. :-(

There really hasn't been much info about the band lately. They have performed a few live shows int he UK last year, but I can't find any new shows scheduled. Hopefully we don't have to wait another 5 years for a new album.

Help! Healthy Lifestyle Essay

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:40:40 GMT

by: kevin
An essay I am working on for scholarship.

I know I am not a very good writer but I am trying to earn some scholarship money since I will be attending college next year and was wondering if anyone would be able to give some advice or pointers on what I have written so far. The topic of the essay is why is it important to have a healthy lifestyle during school.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Keeping a healthy lifestyle in college is very important for one huge reason: College is not healthy. There are no home-cooked meals made by your mom or dad, students spend a lot of time procrastinating, spending late nights in the library, and eating cheap food from places like McDonalds, or ordering pizza every night. On top of that everyone knows a lot of college students spend time partying and drinking which does not help their health at all. When my older cousins finished their first year at college the rest of my family all assumed that they probably gained at least 5 pounds because of being off at college.
Now, considerding myself a responsible person I decided about half way through my senior year of high school to quit drinking soda, because when I really thought about it I was drinking way too much of it. So to be healthy I replaced drinking soda with tea. Although it may have no connection I felt like a healthier person, and even began doing better in school and as an athlete in basketball. After my basketball stats went up and I got my calculus grade up to an A, I decided to make it a permenant thing. I know this will be great for when I go off to college because soda will probably be something in every dorm room and it will be much easier for me to avoid having almost a whole year off of it already.

This all may seem very off topic but it really helped me notice how much one small or maybe not so small change to have a healthier life can really help you in a lot bigger ways then you originally intended. I've lived most of my life a very healthy person eating vegetables, being a fit (maybe even underweight at 6'3'' 160 lbs.) athlete my whole life, and consistenly playing sports and staying active. But when you get to college it is almost impossible to stay as active and eat as healthly living on a much smaller budget and not having your high school athletic teams. Even people who go in with plans to eat healthy and a schedule for excersie to stay active sometimes lose sight of that original plan that they really did intend to follow through with.

The real question though: Why is a healthy lifestyle important in school? Why make an extra effort to do things that aren't as much fun, and eat things that may not be as pleasing to your tounge as other things. A simple awnser for that is the healthier peson, the happier person. There are a lot of people that wouldn't believe in that statement or agree with it, and I was one of those people before I quit drinking pop, I didn't think it would help me really in any way but I knew I was drinking to much of it and all that sugar wasn't helping my basketball game. For me, being just a high school senior and not a big time scientist I have no way to prove that being healthier will help with your studies or athletics, so I can only say from my experiences.

For the people who don't think staying healthy at school is a big deal I only have one question for them, do you really want to be the guy just chilling on the couch playing video games while the fit and healthy guys are getting the girls and doing well in their class that will help their future even more? If there is even just a small chance that being healthy while at school could end up helping your future, why not take it? It really is that simple, you don't have to give up every good tasting and fun thing, making just a few sacrifices like giving up soda, or just making an effort to drink less of it, can make a huge difference.

I will even admit I have been a lazy person for a lot of my life and being okay because of my fast metabolism, but I decided that it's not enough to just be skinny and have passing grades, and I know in college it won't be as easy to just breeze through my classes without much care so I have really put an emphasize on my senior year to prepare myself for my senior year by being a healthier and more active person. So to answer the question why is important to have a healthy lifestyle at school, is that it will make a big difference for something so small so why not do it?

The Week That Was in TV! (03/01-03/07)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:07:18 GMT

by: gobo
Looking at TV of last week

Now that the olympics are over I'm back to watching plenty of TV, we've got a couple finales this week to talk about, plus I met geek icon.

Monday

Big Bang Theory
Stan Lee! Also judge J. Kirby! Fun Sheldon/Penny centric episode, really not much to talk about other than it was fun to see Stan Lee in a less well.. Stan Lee type character, just a normal guy who happens to have a kick ass Fantastic Four robe. I liked that Sheldon was excited he now has a restraining order from Stan Lee as well.

Other shows I watched: Chuck, How I Met Your Mother, 24

Tuesday

Lost
I was expecting these temple-people to last longer but apparently Esau (the man in black/Locke/Christian/dead people) decided we'd had enough and murdered all of the ones who didn't join up with the dark side. There weren't really any questions answered this week but we had a major push in terms of plot so that's ok. I'm thoroughly enjoying this season and I'm totally confident we'll get enough answers to questions. I definitely don't want everything spelled out for us by the end, leave us some stuff to wonder about.

Other shows I watched: White Collar

Wednesday

Nip/Tuck
I know I'm in the minority but I was satisfied by the series finale of Nip/Tuck, it's been a rocky season that's been trying to tie up lose ends and bring some sort of closure to the cast of Nip/Tuck. It was nowhere near as successful doing so as Monk was last year. Sean finally ended up pursuing a more altruistic career, Liz became a partner (in the new Troy/Cruz firm), Matt ran off with Eva but gave a plausible explanation about why they'd be together and Julia went back to men and got married to what sounds like a decent man. There were no crazy twists and turns this episode but it's the end of the entire series, they couldn't exactly end it on a cliffhanger. Ultimately I was satisfied but I wish they had pulled this off last season instead of dragging it out.

Other shows I watched: The Middle, Modern Family, Psych, Criminal Minds

Thursday

Burn Notice
Finale #2, until the last minute of this episode I had been losing interest in Burn Notice. It's been taking itself too seriously most of the season with Michael and (especially) Fiona always angry and stressed out. Thankfully Sam and Michael's mom are around to bring some much needed humour and heart to the series. The last minute has me really intrigued about what's going to happen next season though with possibly what might be a real new status quo now that we know all about how and why he was Burned.

Other shows I watched: The Office, Survivor, The Mentalist
Stuff I haven't watched yet: Parks and Recreation, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Community

Friday

Caprica
Last week sewed the seeds but this week hooked me. I'm finally fully on board with Caprica. It took a while but we're finally firing on all cylinders. I hope we see more of the other non Caprica/Tauron colonies soon to start fleshing out the universe more. I know the show is "Caprica" so obviously it will be focused mainly on that world but I really want to know more about the cultures of the other groups.

Other shows I watched: Numb3rs

Saturday

Burton double feature
So on Saturday I saw Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (in IMAX 3D complete with laser show), I enjoyed it despite the Vorpal Blade not making a "Snicker-Snack" noise. It was gorgeous and worked both as a standlone and a sequel to the old Disney cartoon. Not sure it's worth going all out for like Avatar is but it's not bad. That's not the highlight of my day though, as you might be able to tell from the above picture I also met Levar Burton. He's in Montreal filming a movie/pilot and he held a tweet up at a local bar. A friend of mine immediately reserved a table so we'd be sure to get a seat (although it didn't end up really being an issue) so a bunch of us went down and hung out and Levar ended up spending most of the time at our table just having drinks and talking to everyone. Super friendly and personable. Wow, I also look extra bald in that picture.

Sunday

Big Love
The final finale of the week was Big Love, wrapping up an insane season of twists and turns. I only just got used to the new opening too I hope they don't change it again next season. So we had murder, suicide, unwilling artificial insemination, indian casinos, secret gay lovers, bastard children, marriages of convenience, adoption and an election, bird smuggling and a trip to Mexico. In some cases more than one of those. Ultimately we end up with a family hanging on by a thread and Bill winning the election and outing them all as polygamists. I'm really curious what next season will be like.

Other shows I watched: Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job
Stuff I haven't watched yet: The Amazing Race

The Great Amazon Glitch!

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:20:40 GMT

by: cenquist
The Great Amazon Glitch!

I woke up late this morning for a breakfast with friends. As my fiancée took over the bathroom for a moment I checked my Twitter page. It was buzzing with talk of Amazon.com's $8 Marvel Omnibus sale. Glancing at all the talk, I ignored it. It just sounded like an early April Fools Day joke started by a shit disturber (I am imagining @fuzzytypewriter laughing manically in his kitchen, fingers tapping together like Mr. Burns when he says ?excellent?). Once out of the house and on the way to the restaurant my curiosity is peaked. I check Amazon.com. To my surprise the prices are legit (for now).

Frantically before they realize there error. I order 6 omnibuses. Secret Wars, Daredevil Vol 2 by Brian Michael Bendis, Daredevil Vol 1 by Ed Brubaker, Invincible Iron Man by Matt Fraction and The Ultimates by Mark Millar would have cost me $375 on Amazon.ca. Yet I got all 6 for $80 on Amazon.com! Or at least I hope I get them as it now is revealed that Amazon.com had a little glitch. I am not shocked by this at all considering they probably paid double that price to get the books from the distributor.

The top 100 books on Amazon quickly became all graphic novels. Even Howard the Duck broke the top 25! This raises a question though, are graphic novels too expensive?

The first Daredevil Omnibus (by Bendis) is always on the top of my ?to buy? list but at $75 I can not pull the trigger. If it was $50 I would have already purchased it. Obviously the comic book companies do not have a problem selling them that high. Especially since the Daredevil Omnibus in question is out of print. So maybe another question should be asked. Would a higher print run on the omnibuses and a slightly cheaper price get more sales overall?

This may cause initial purchases to be less likely because you are not trying to get the book before it is out of print but in the long run it may get a few more sales. You could wait under this scenario until you actually have the cash for it, instead of putting it on your credit card. Imagine if certain Absolute Editions were still in print and a few dollars cheaper! I would own more than just a couple Absolute Editions for sure then.

What do you all think? If prices were lower would you buy more books? If some books were still in print, would you purchase them?

LIVEBLOG: 2010 Academy Awards

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:06:00 GMT

by: ConorKilpatrick
Liveblogging the 2010 Academy Awards!

Tonight is the night to honor television excellence in America, with the most prestigious entertainment award -- The Oscar.

It's the 2010 Academy Awards!

Let's face it, half the fun of watching an awards show is the yelling and the complaining and the celebrating and the snarkiness, and like a lot of things, all of that stuff is always more fun when done in a group. And if you aren't throwing your own Academy Awards watching party tonight, well then Murmur can be your virtual Oscars party. Just use the coasters, don't spill any of the spinach dip on the rug, and no sex in the back bedrooms.

Every year my family and friends do an Oscars ballot and we all throw some cash in and winner takes all. Most years I win because I pay the most attention to what's going on in the world of film. But this year, beyond the acting awards (which all seem to be iron-clad locks) I am not so confident about my ballot. I'll be honest, I haven't done a lot of research and I've not seen most of the big movies (they have all been "Very Long Wait" on NetFlix for months!).

There are a ton of nominations, and instead of listing them I'll just direct you to click here.

The 2010 Academy Awards begin at 8:30pm EST/7:30pm CST (the red carpet show starts at 8:00pm EST/7pm CST)! Your hosts are Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.

Hot Tub Time Machine Review

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:30:48 GMT

by: Gorsline
Advanced Screening Review of Hot Tub Time Machine. Spoiler Free.

I was able to catch Hot Tub Time Machine last Thursday as part of an advanced screening at the local theatre. In my opinion it has one of the best titles ever for a movie. It really tells you everything you need to know about the movie.

Hot Tub Time Machine is a mixture of hit and miss jokes with a barely there plot. It involves 4 guys getting into a Hot Tub that transports them back to 1986. The movie doesn't drown us in 80's jokes though. There are quite a few "crude" jokes as well, most of these miss the mark. Still, there were quite a few laughs to be had. Most of these come from Craig Robinson (Darryl from the Office.) Almost every time he is on screen, laughs can be found.

While there is a coherent plot to the movie, the manner in which it is displayed to us feels random. Honestly it feels like half of this movie was shot in 2006, halted, and then the other half was finished in the last 6 months. The filmmakers did the best they could trying to piece the two halves together, but it leaves a lot of awkward transitions and quite a few gaps. Though, from a movie called Hot Tub Time Machine, how much can you really expect.

Overall, it's not an awful movie but it's not a good movie either. Try to resist the temptation of the title and wait for it to come out on DVD or air on Comedy Central.

"It's Astounding..." What are the new cult films?

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:57:09 GMT

by: crossoverman
Cult films - what are the new cult films of the 2000s and how do they fit in the cult film legacy?

When I was growing up, there were three cult films that dominated midnight screenings at my favourite art/cult/underground cinema: David Lynch's Eraserhead, Jim Sharman's The Rocky Horror Picture Show and John Landis' The Blues Brothers. When people talk about Cult Films as a genre, those are the three pics my mind goes to because I remember a time when taking a trip to see these films on the big screen was the best (and only) way to see them. It was always the most fun way to see them this way as well, because of the Frank'n'Furters and Columbias in the Rocky Horror audience or the Jakes and Elwoods at the Blues Brothers. (Thankfully nobody goes to Eraserhead dressed as Henry or the Lady in the Radiator.)

If I'm asked to expand on the cult genre, I think of John Waters' ouevre or Ed Wood's or perhaps B-movies of the 1950s. Or the films that played after the midnight screenings, like Robot Monster or The Terror of Tiny Town (the title of which I rediscovered by googling three words: vampire, dwarf, western). And while John Waters still occasionally directs a film and all of these are considered cult classics, in the DVD age, we as viewers aren't expected to dig deep to find new cult films. We aren't expected to turn up to midnight screenings to see a film we would never see anywhere else. What does a cult film even look like these days?

I was recently asked what my definition of a cult film was, in an attempt to figure out if any more recent films fit with the legacy of these others.

Firstly, I think the film has to be underappreciated in its initial release. Admittedly, I'm not sure if that's true of The Blues Brothers, since that was a product of Saturday Night Live and two well-known comic actors. Perhaps its cult status is reserved for people outside the United States? I grew up in Australia where SNL was only known through cultural osmosis; it has only been regularly screened here on cable television in the last decade, well past its prime in the 1970s and 80s.

Secondly, and I think this is harder to guage, it has to be unconventional in some way - the characters have to be odd or the story has to executed in a way that would make it unpalatable to a large audience. John Waters' films are never going to be ones you can watch with your parents or even some of your closest friends - Pink Flamingos, for exampe. And the Terror of Tiny Town is probably something nobody should ever see!

Third, it should be difficult to find. This, of course, is what separates the early 21st century from the cult cinema of even the late 20th century. It's not hard to film films these days. Not everything is easily available, but it doesn't take a lot of work to get a film if someone recommends it - given online DVD stores or the wonderful world of torrents. On the other hand, this plethora of venues with which to find films of all kinds, means you might have to do a lot of sifting. And DVD culture allows for even more specialised cults, since there is no requirement to fill a cinema with costumed admirers.

In the end, I thought of three films that might well fit these definitions (broadly) but are most definitely a product of a new era in cult films.

Run Lola Run is a German film from 1998, which stars Franke Potente before she became relatively well-known as the love interest in the first two Jason Bourne films. I would consider it difficult to discover, rather than difficult to find - since art and foreign films get better distribution now than ever before, with much better niche cinemas dedicated to screening them. But I think it crossed over out of the art market, once it arrived on DVD. It created a cult simply because its unconventional storytelling found an audience that might never have seen it unless recommended by word of mouth.

Donnie Darko feels less like a cult film now that Jake Gyllenhaal is really, really famous - but it was certainly underappreciated in its cinema release and I remember it as one of the first films that gained a following by people passing illegally downloaded copies around. People seemed to pass it along with recommendations much like those who talked about David Lynch films in the 1980s or 90s - "I love it, but I have no idea what's going on." It's no longer difficult to find, given its Directors Cut re-release and the aforementioned Mr Gyllenhaal, but it remains unconventional in a way most Cult Films are.

Napoleon Dynamite is the most recent film I feel these rules apply to, since even six years after its initial release, it really is an oddball film which people either love or hate. The "Vote for Pedro" t-shirts come as close to dressing up like Frank'n'Furter or Jake Elwood as can be expected from the New Cult movement - which often seeds itself through piracy, since most people are still unwilling to try art or non-mainstream cinemas for their first-run movie fare. And it's certainly as unconventional now as John Waters' films were in the 70s and 80s or Ed Wood's were in the 1950s.

I could bemoan the loss of underground cinemas who boasted midnight screenings of films nobody would see unless a colourful cult following had built up around them, but I'm unlikely to go to a cinema at midnight these days anyway. The New Cult movement has found its way online and torrents are the new underground. But it's getting harder and harder to find concensus on cult classics, since in this new digital age, every film seems to find its niche audience and rarely is any collective agreement required.

What do you think are the cult films of the 2000s? Where do you discover films that were underappreciated during their cinema run? And what happens now that cinema runs are increasingly becoming the appetisers to the main meal of DVD?

BioShock 2 Review

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:35:29 GMT

by: sleeplessdave
BioShock 2 Review

When I first got my 360 in 2007, three of the first games I played were Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect, and BioShock. It was like a buffet of video game crack, and I've been hooked ever since. Recently, both Mass Effect 2 and AC2 have improved on even the stellar quality of the original games, but of the trio of sequels, the one I was always worried about was BioShock 2. Both AC and ME were great games, but they had obvious flaws that a sequel could fix. BioShock didn't have a single flaw in it. It's probably one of the best games I've ever played, and it left an impossible bar for any follow-up to clear. So let's get it right out of the way: BioShock 2 isn't anywhere near as good as BioShock, and that-really-is the game's primary problem.

BS2 is a very good game, make no mistake. It's a first-class shooter with an excellent interface. The sequel takes place a decade after the original and explores the origins of the two most memorable characters from the first game: the Big Daddies and the Little Sisters. If you haven't played either game, the Little Sisters are basically vampiric little girls who are protected by diving suit wearing engines of destruction called Big Daddies. The story begins and ends strongly, but in the middle it really disappears. The first game's narrative, combined with the art deco masterpiece that is the underwater city of Rapture, were so engrossing that you were almost annoyed when enemies came along and stopped you from exploring this failed utopia. This game is primarily a shooter with story elements.

Rapture has decayed noticeably in the 10 years since your first visit and the design team does a fantastic job of showing you mostly new portions of the city (and a few old haunts) and the gradual reclamation of them by the ocean. The combat is satisfying with a different feel than the first game. You play as the original Big Daddy and are a much more powerful character than your avatar from the first game. Plasmids (gene warping super powers) also return and you can dual wield both a plasmid and a weapon to mix up combat.

The first game had no multiplayer and I was fine with that. Not every game needs multiplayer. What has been added in BS2 feels very standard. It takes place in a different point in time than the single player story, but there's not really much story to be had. It's the familiar shooter modes that you've seen before (deathmatch, capture the flag, king of the hill, etc) with a Rapture twist. I think the game suffered a lack of focus from the driving force behind the first game, Ken Levine, not returning and splitting their attention on adding a multiplayer mode that wasn't needed. Play Call of Duty if you want multiplayer.

Again, the main problem with BioShock2 is that it's not BioShock. That's not really the game's fault, nor do I want to imply it's not worth playing. What story there is expands on the mythos and gets fascinating towards the end. If you liked the first game, this is much of the same. The formula was perfect, so there's not much sense in departing from it and they don't. I will be extremely interested to see what happens with future games in the series as the game seems to imply the story is by no means finished. For now, BS2 is a great shooter with fantastic atmosphere, just don't build your hopes up expecting more.

8.25/10

The Internet Blues: the Downsides of a Life Online

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:35:40 GMT

by: Jimski
If we're so connected now, why does it feel so much like isolation?

Monday night, I gave several minutes of thought to leaving my laptop on the curb with the recycling. Not that I believed anyone could make anything good out of it at that point.

The last few days online had just been leaden, but Monday was the worst. Even for a Monday, it was bad. Twitter seemed to be full of people directly @-replying public figures just to tell them that they sucked, or getting into arguments with strangers about TV trivia that immediately devolved into profanity-laden personal attacks. Over in my web browser, the teaser for a new comic book had just been released, and in the Comments below the announcement anonymous people behind pseudonyms and cartoon character avatars were falling all over themselves to be the first to say it was a terrible idea doomed to failure three months before a single page of it had been printed, much less read. I know I shouldn't read the comments-- lately, I never make it through more than about four without being sorry-- but I am pathologically unable to control myself. The extent to which hope and enthusiasm are unwelcome still manages to stun and sting me every time. I clicked over to my favorite webcomic just in time to see it launching an attack against a favorite podcast of mine that was shocking in its harshness, accompanied by a blog post that could win next year's Nobel for its pioneering work in the field of dickishness. Stunned by the vitriol where I had expected humor, I clicked away to a web site forum. In the forum, someone had just left a post that consisted entirely of the word "meh"; I looked down to see that the sig file this poster appends to the bottom of every post reads, quote, "Fuck off and die," period.

Imagine someone in public-- just walking down the aisles in your grocery store, say-- going up to each person he encountered, leaning in a little, and saying, "Fuck off and die" before calmly moving on to the next person. A guy in a uniform would be coming over to deal with him after about three minutes, wouldn't he?

By that point, logging on felt like the equivalent of showing up at a friend's house to hang out, only to get pummeled by masked men with socks full of quarters when I walked through the door. And the thing is, the more I thought about it, it probably wasn't that different from any other day, from every other day. More likely, the only thing that had changed was how much sleep I'd gotten the night before.

Not too long afterwards, a friend of mine posted a quote on Facebook: "It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." I normally gloss right over quotey status updates, but this time I couldn't help lingering, wondering how much it applied to all of us in 2010. Shrug; the web just makes some people awful, and everyone else just adjusts to the awful as a cost of doing business. Real life has the weather, and virtual life has that. Partly snarky with a chance of breathtakingly awful.

I thought about the friend who'd posted the quote, and how his Facebook updates were the only way I heard from him anymore. A couple of months ago, an old roommate of mine deleted his Facebook account because he found it "too impersonal" a method of staying connected with his friends. He soon realized that, without Facebook, he no longer knew anyone's phone numbers, addresses, or contact information; without realizing it, he had handed the steering wheel over to Facebook and whoever runs it long ago. He sheepishly reactivated his account. We all hear from him every couple of weeks now, when he posts a cryptic sentence like, "Well, that was a day," or "Sheesh! I don't even want to talk about it."

I wanted to shake the bad vibe I was carrying around, but I didn't want to pull one of those Vaguebooking posts. I didn't want to have a conversation by baiting my status update and fishing for replies. "This black cloud over my head is something I need to actually talk with a friend about," I thought. Naturally, then, I opened up the Google Talk chat window. As I started to ping my friend, though, I quickly realized that there was no way I could even begin to explain what I was talking about. She didn't know the forum, the message board, the comic book, the commenters, or the podcast. It would be like explaining indigestion to a Neptunian.

"How's it going?"

"Well, not great, but in order to elaborate I'm going to need to explain how my species evolved and the way we metabolize nutrients. You might want to take a knee."

The internet is amazing in the way that it allows us to pursue and hone in on the specific things that interest us in as much detail as we want, in any direction we choose. Unfortunately, the cost is that we no longer have any Beatles-on-Ed-Sullivan moments. There are few if any cultural touchstones that everyone in the culture experiences at the same time. Offline, I have plenty of old, close friends, but weirdly none of them share most of my day-to-day interests. We have dinner or play cards and shoot the breeze, but when it comes to our actual hobbies, passions, and niche interests, we're largely sharing them with faceless entities hundreds of miles away through a screen. I don't know that any of my friends even listen to podcasts, much less the ones I love. As a culture, we don't even watch the same news anymore; everyone goes to the site that is written with their point of view in mind and listens to people who agree with them. No wonder whenever people online do encounter someone who disagrees with them, they go for the jugular. They spend all day on sites that do nothing but tell them how right they are.

In the midst of this reflection, I thought about venting on Twitter. Twitter is great for venting. As I opened the tweet window, though, I thought: what if Twitter didn't exist today? Who would you be saying these things to? Would you be saying them at all? In that moment, I thought, "Twitter is where I say things to nobody that I used to say to friends." I closed the window.

A handful of studies, including one that came out just last month, have shown a link between heavy internet use and depression. The one thing those studies are hesitant to weigh in on is causation: are depressed people simply drawn to spending more time online, or does spending that much time online lead to depression? I know which one it would be in my case. I'm not saying I'm depressed, but I get it.

Jim Mroczkowski had hundreds of words to say about negativity online and the death of human connection, and then he said them in an article online.

Pulses raise in "Hurt Locker"

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:39:25 GMT

by: Skullboy
My first Murmur article, a review of the film "The Hurt Locker."

"War is a drug." That's the concept that's been perpetuated in the newest film by director Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break). The Hurt Locker is excellent in essentially every way possible; the acting by the lead as well as the two supporting actors is phenomenal, the cinematography is fantastic, it has an excellent story to tell and most of all, its intensity starts within the first three minutes and never stops.

Based upon the journalistic writings of war correspondent and screenwriter Mark Boal, the film is more or less a modern day historical fiction. It tells the story of bomb techs in Iraq, following the exploits of Sargeant First Class William James (played amazingly by Jeremy Renner) and his squad mates Sargeant J.T. Sanborn (well played by Anthony Mackie) and Speicalist Owen Eldridge (portrayed well by Brian Geraghty). Each sequence is told with the background of however many days are left until the sqauds' rotation ends, adding a certain bit of tension as the number ticks down to zero.

Acting-wise each of the actors does a great job of portraying a certain amount of depth to their characters. Nothing is left to the surface and each thing that is usually appears to be only the tip of the complex iceberg for each character. Renner doesn't portray the adrenaline junkie of William James, he is him. His mere presence disrupts the usual tendencies that are introduced to the audience in the beginning of the film. His general attitude of "I do things my way, deal with it" is portrayed so well the audience begins to lose touch with the notion that this is all pretend. The treatments he receives from Sanborn are extremely believable. Their tension is very present and very real, all the while maintaining a certain veil of mysteriousness as to either party's true intentions or feelings toward the other. All the while, underneath their noses Eldridge is battling extreme guilt and sorrow for his actions and never tells his squad-mates about his troubles. Each member of the team has hidden feelings that are never really revealed to anyone, not even the audience. This element of underlying mystery adds a certain level of depth to each of the characters and leaves a lot to the imagination.

The films' effects are absolutely outstanding. Being a film about bomb squads in Iraq, it's pretty reasonable to assume there's explosions. And boy are there. The explosions seen in the film are not CG, they're not some shotty fireworks being fired off on some studio set in Hollywood. These are real explosions, fired off by real explosives. The majority of the film was shot in Jordan, giving it the authentic middle-eastern look. The technical team behind the explosion sequences did an astounding job, with the explosions looking as close to real bombs as possible.

The cinematography is also much worth mentioning. One of the first explosions in the film features a high speed camera shot of various objects affected by the blast. Rust floats off of a burned out car. The sand rises from the ground, all while a massive explosion bursts and shoots smoke and debris in every direction. Jaws hit the floor while hearts pound during this sequence and will surely be one of memory in the future. The film also sports a pseudo-documentary style of filming that has become somewhat popular lately. The camera follows the action, all the while focusing and unfocusing on various characters and objects. While some films' use of this technique feel like it interrupts the flow, The Hurt Locker's usage seems to only add to the realism behind it.

Typically when it comes to movies about war, especially current ones, they will usually have some form of commentary; be it anti-war, pro-war etc. The Hurt Locker seems to stray away from those ideals and becomes only pro-people. This film is more or less about the people involved than the situations they are put in or the context of their actions. Not once in the film does it make mention of how this war is useless, or something to that degree. It simply tells the story it needs to tell and puts the rest on the viewer.

The Hurt Locker is a film that will surely be marked as one of greatness. It's unwavering intensity and straightforward narrative make it one that is definitely worth viewing. I give The Hurt Locker a 9.5 out of 10.

Doc Talk: The Cove

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:59:54 GMT

by: Jurassicalien
A look at the Documentary film and Oscar Nominee "The Cove"

I've always been an avid watcher of films. And I've tried to litter the occasional documentary in my film watching here and there. But over this last year, I find I'm watching more documentaries then anything else. Thanks to Netflix Watch Instantly most of my free time is spent watching up to four documentaries a night. And since there are so many good ones, and since there are so many different kinds, I wanted to start doing an article highlighting the occasional documentary. Try to get some people to see it, talk about it, and tell you where you can find it.

Note: To me, a documentary is still a film. It needs to be entertaining and compelling. No matter how interesting the subjects may be, if there is no story, there is no movie. I understand that some, if not most documentaries are one sided looks at a certain subjects, and some people may say that they are "manipulative". To which I say, well yes, it's a film, and films are often there to manipulate to make you feel something. That's why there's sad music in scenes where you should feel sad and such. So I won't be coming at these as a "this is BS because of such and such facts". I'm going to try to come at these more as "Does this work as a film?"

So...Let's Talk Docs.

This weeks article is dedicated to the recent oscar nominee "The Cove."

Date of Release: 2009.

Length: Hour and Half

Director: Louie Psihoyos

Story: In the 1960's dolphin capturer and trainer Ric O' Barry captured five dolphins. He trained these dolphins to perform for the television show "Flipper". When the show ended, Barry continued to take care of the dolphins. When the main dolphin named Cathy, died in O' Barry's arms. In O' Barry's eyes, Cathy had committed suicide. From that day O' Barry dedicated his life to the preservation and rescue of captive and hunted dolphins. Director Louie Psihoyos and his team follow O' Barry to the shores of Taiji Japan. Where Dolphins are killed and captured yearly. The crew try to get a camera into this hidden "cove", to capture the slaughter and show the world what is happening. But the fishermen, the authorities, and the local Taiji government do everything they can to cut them off and stop the production and rescue. It's up to Psihoyos and his crew to use their techniques in the film industry and hiring some of the worlds best diving experts to get to the secrets in the Cove.

Thoughts: This film deserves its Oscar nomination and possibly the win. The thing that makes this film work, on many many levels, is it feels like a film. That's not to say it feels fake or fabricated. This is perhaps the closest a documentary can come to feeling like a spy thriller. It's like a real life "Ocean's 11". The director gets together experts in every field, special effects people, camera operators, deep sea divers and dolphin experts, and set about a mission to film this hidden (and forbidden to outsiders) area. I've read some critics say that "for this film to work, you need to believe a dolphin can commit suicide, or willingly kill itself." I don't believe that to be true. You know O' Barry believes this to be possible, he's the main subject of the film. As long as he believes it, then the story of this film, the drive of this man, works. Now I won't beat around the bush, for anyone squeamish, yes, you do see Dolphins getting killed in this film, there are scenes of violence. But these scenes are hidden camera footage, this isn't "Saw" featuring dolphins. It's not overly brutal, but you do see dolphins dying and other powerful imagery. But beyond that this film is also beautiful looking, with many great angles and shots. Once you do some research on director Psihoyos, you find that he's also a photographer, having done work for "National Geographic". That's not surprising, as scenes of both beauty and horror have a very picturesque quality to them. The music in this movie is also quite good. It has a simple melody repeated through out the film, but it works. Having a dream like quality to it when we see dolphins swimming around in their natural habitat. And this film has, perhaps, one of the best, fist pumping, hero style endings I've seen in any film, documentary or fictional in years. Do you have to care about the cause to enjoy this movie? I don't think so, I think you have a well enough crafted film and story to get behind it none the less, but i might not hurt. However, I think if you sit down and watch this film you will get something out of it. Does it go through every angle of Dolphin slaughter? From the POV of the fishermen and what Sea World thinks? No. That's a much larger story and it's not the story of this film. That would possibly make it far to scattered and give it no overall vision. These subjects are touched on, but they aren't explored to their fullest. Perhaps more time could have been spent on dolphins in captivity, but that feels like another possible film altogether. The fact that the film makers decided to concentrate on this one particular person and this one area of the world and build on it from there, really gave this film a through line. A line you follow right to the end.

Rating: 10/10.

How can you see it: At the moment it's not on netflix watch instantly. It'll probably be there soon because Netflix gets documentaries quicker then anything else. But at the moment it is on DVD to rent from netflix. It's also available on Amazon on demand, if you have a roku box, it's 3.99 to rent, if you don't want to wait for netflix disc, give it a rent. It's worth the 3.99. It was available on YouTube to rent, but it doesn't appear to be anymore. Just add it to your queue, hopefully it'll be on watch instantly soon, but in the mean time, snag the disc.

Whatever you do don't...: Eat a tuna sandwich or wear a Sea World shirt while watching, it's possible you will feel a large amount of guilt. Soooo much guilt.

Follow up (Stuff that isn't mentioned at the end of the film): It was up in the air as to whether or not this film would screen in Japan. Some have said they found the film racists to some extent (The white people coming in and telling another culture how to behave). The film did end up going to the "Japan International Film Festival" in 2009. And was very well received by the Japanese people who expressed shock and outrage over what was happening on their shores. This film also caused the annual dolphin slaughter to be delayed, it didn't stop it, but it was delayed and is being further investigated. For more info on the film as a whole, there is a great interview over at NPR by Terry Gross with Louie Psihoyos and Ric O' Barry. It's a great listen.

So, if you have already seen this film, OR this article compelled you enough to watch it, what do you think? Do you agree or dis-agree? And feel free to spoil in the comment section if you wish. Just let it be known you'll be spoiling if you do.

Come back next week for more "Let's talk Docs". Next week, try to brighten the mood up a bit, the last two docs have been a bit sad, next week, we bring the funny. See you then.

If I Ran Hollywood... Daredevil

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:48:52 GMT

by: TheDoctorGeek
The Man Without Fear!

    If I Ran Hollywood... is a series of articles in which I take on the role of Producer and not only cast an adaptation of my favorite comic/geek-related properties, but also choose a director, and write out a rough outline of what I think the story should be. Of course I know that even in a perfect world the odds of the stars aligning for any of my "dream projects" to come to fruition are slim to none, making this less "If I Ran Hollywood..." and more "If I Ruled Hollywood With An Iron Fist Of Doom...", but I digress.

    Reboots seem to be all the rage in Hollywood at the moment, so for my first outing I'm going to take a swing at one of my favorite Marvel Comics characters, Daredevil. The 2003 film (from writer/director Mark Steven Johnson) was, in my opinion, one of the biggest disappointments to come out of this new age of comic book movies. Some will without a doubt argue that the Director's Cut was vastly improved, but I would argue that while I agree it was better, it still wasn't necessarily good, and it still wasn't what I want from a Daredevil film.

    Daredevil is a character that, if done right, could easily be one of the more accessible superheroes for mainstream audiences. I think that if The Dark Knight did anything, it proved that audiences are extremely interested in street level heroes. Daredevil is definitely at his best when he's taking down Hell's Kitchen's organized criminal element, rather than groups like The Hand who work just fine in the funnybooks, but I just don't think they're as easy to swallow on film. Plus, while he technically has superpowers, they don't have to be a focus at all and can be kept purposefully vague. The fact that Matt Murdock is a blind superhero who has the power to kinda sorta see, isn't what makes the character interesting. Instead, the focus should be on his inner battle with trying to keep his faith in the the court system, but ultimately wanting justice whether it comes from the sound of a judge's gavel or at the hands of his vigilante alter-ego. At the end of the day, Daredevil should be a crime story. Period.

THE DIRECTOR

    My first instinct for the director's chair would be Martin Scorcese. Between the mob stuff and the boxing stuff (Battlin' Jack Murdock flashbacks), he seems like a perfect choice, and it goes without saying he has the talent. But since I didn't cast Leonardo DiCaprio as Matt Murdock (even though that wouldn't be the end of the world by any stretch), lets just assume Scorcese wouldn't be available. He's almost so perfect it takes out a bit of the fun. So with that in mind, my pick for the filmmaker to bring Daredevil to the big screen would be...

David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club, and Zodiac)

    It wasn't long ago that the director of Fight Club was on the short list for Spider-Man's theatrical debut (a job that eventually went to Sam Raimi), and while I don't think that would have necessarily been a good fit, I think Fincher's gothic-noir style would be great to bring dirty, gritty life to Daredevil. Plus, what's a hero without a hometown to protect? I can already picture Fincher's Hell's Kitchen in all its glory, and I can get why Matt Murdock would feel the need to throw on red tights, grab a billy club, and do whatever it took to protect it from it's more unsavory elements.

    Daredevil isn't all rooftops and back alleys, however, so he'd have to be able to make the courtroom drama just as exciting as The Man Without Fear's nightlife exploits. Matt Murdock is a lawyer at the end of the day, and all the best Daredevil stories found a perfect balance between court cases and pounding faces (Yeah, I rhymed. What of it?).Normally, I would have been worried, but with his upcoming film The Social Network, I think we'll get a better idea of Fincher's range as a filmmaker, because let's face it: there's nothing gritty about Facebook.

THE CAST

Matt Murdock aka Daredevil - Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica and Law&Order: UK)

    Every once in a while an actor or actress comes along that is absolutely born to play a particular role. For Daredevil, I believe that actor is Jamie Bamber. Anyone who has seen him as Lee Adama on Battlestar Galactica knows he can already run the gamut from action hero to legal defender through the course of the series. He's a capable actor who I believe could bring a level of believability and respectability back to the character of Matt Murdock. Its important the audience sympathizes with Matt, and Affleck just couldn't do it for me (now rather that was Affleck or the script is another story entirely... but regardless, it didn't work). Daredevil doesn't kill, that the Punisher's MO. That was a huge mistake the first film made because I can't genuinely like a character that is a murderer. At the end of the day, Matt needs to believe in the justice system, not take it into his own hands. That just makes me Judge Dredd, not Daredevil. Many fans have made exclamations of Michael C. Hall (Dexter) or Misha Collins (Supernatural) for the role, and while I genuinely like both actors, I just don't see either of them as a great Daredevil. For my money, Bamber is pitch perfect.

Franklin "Foggy" Nelson - Patton Oswalt (Big Fan and The King of Queens)

    The strongest part of 2003's Daredevil was easily Jon Favreau as Foggy, so it is unfortunate that in order for a clean break from the ham and cheese of the original film, we really need to recast everyone. Of course, I'm pretty sure Favreau is far too busy counting his Iron Man money to be upset about missing out on playing Foggy Nelson again, so no worries. This brings us to Patton Oswalt, who really has the perfect personality to pull off the character. Foggy is Matt's anchor to humanity and best friend. He has to be there to point out when/if Matt is taking his exploits as Daredevil too far, regardless of whether he wants to hear it or not. Beyond that, he should also be a subtle means of comic relief in an otherwise dark film. I think Oswalt has proven himself recently with his roles in Big Fan and even Dollhouse that he has the chops to pull off the role perfectly. And best of all? He's one of us! Total comic book nerd who I truly believe, if a producer offered him the role, he'd never think twice. Besides, who wouldn't want to be Patton Oswalt's best friend? (rhetorical. seriously, don't answer just so you can be "that guy")

Karen Page - January Jones (Mad Men)

    I know that Elektra seems to be the fan favorite for Matt's love interest, but I gotta be honest, I never really got it. While I can understand the appeal of the a romance between two equals, there's just something much more interesting about Matt trying to maintain a romantic relationship with someone who isn't related to all that superhero business. For me, Karen Page was the love of Matt's life and losing her was always much more tragic. Sure, it was sad when Elekra died, but they both knew it was a possibility because of the life they've chosen to lead. I think January Jones will be great to take the role of Karen Page from what most actresses would keep firmly in two-dimensions to a full, well-rounded character. She did the same for Betty Draper on Mad Men, a character who could easily have become a parody of a 60s housewife. Not to mention the simple fact that January's Betty looks like Tim Sale's Karen Page from Daredevil: Yellow come to life. As for the darker aspects of the character? I don't care what continuity says, my Karen Page was never addicted to heroin nor a porn star, and I'm not remotely interested in her ever doing either.

Ben Urich - Enrico Colantoni (Veronica Mars)

    I know that this isn't a conventional choice as he doesn't particularly resemble the character, but there's just something about Enrico Colantoni (and especially his portrayal of Keith Mars) that just screams "Ben Urich" to me. When most people do fancasts (which I know is what this whole article essentially is) they seem to focus on outward appearance. This is how you see a TON of wrestlers cast as comic characters, or in the case of Ben Urich: David Caruso. I mean, not for nothing, but the character deserves better than that people... what did he ever do to you? For me, Ben Urich is the best investigative journalist in New York, but he's not successful because he's cursed with a moral code. Even though he has every reason in the world to print a story that could make him famous, he won't do it if it could destroy the life of a good person. This is ultimately the dilemma he's faced with when he figures out that the blind lawyer from Hell's Kitchen is also Daredevil. Urich is doomed to be down on his luck, and Colantoni is the first face that comes to mind.

Wilson Fisk aka The Kingpin - Ray Winstone (The Departed and Indiana Jones 4)

    Remember when I said people get too wrapped up in physical appearances when casting comic characters? Well, the Kingpin is no exception. The problem, of course, is that Wilson Fisk is a very recognizable character and there really isn't anyone that fits the bill physically. No one is that big (and before you say it: No, Butterbean cannot play The Kingpin). I think that's ultimately why the producers went with Michael Clark Duncan, he's the losest thing they could get to the physical stature and presence needed to pull off the role as its presented in the funnybooks. But here's the thing: It's COMIC BOOKS. Its not supposed to be realistic, that why we read them. The Kingpin doesn't exist, and the best thing you can do is cast someone who can play both respected business man and ruthless mob boss. If he can play the character larger than life, then he will BE larger than life. This brought me to Ray Winstone who has proven that he can play a gangster with ease, and I think his graduation to Kingpin would be a non-issue.


Leland Owlsley aka The Owl - Jack Nicholson (Lots of stuff. He's Jack Nicholson!)

    Leland Owlsley has been (mostly) portrayed as a bit of a joke. From inception, he was essentially a knock-off of another bird fixated villain from Gotham City. So in order to quell that comparison for the film, I thought it would be more interesting if The Owl had the "Kingpin of crime" title at the beginning of the film, eventually losing his role to his right hand man, Wilson Fisk. For the role of a cocky, been there done that Godfather-type, I personally feel that Jack Nicholson fits the role nicely. Plus, I really dig the idea of him being referred to as an "old bird". He'd just need to play it straight and not try to ham it up like he did as the Joker (Which as long as nobody actually tells Jack that Daredevil is a comic book, he shouldn't be wiser...).

Mary Walker aka Typhoid Mary - Angela Bettis (May and 2002's Carrie)

   Another character that I think would benefit from a bit of change would be Typhoid Mary. Her character could be super cheesy if done improperly, so the first change would be that Mary Walker is The Owl's daughter. I know I know, cry sacrilege all you want, but at least hear me out. I see Mary as the daughter of a crime boss who is mousy and constantly talked down to and mistreated. Her "Typhoid" personality comes as a way of coping with a total lack of confidence, while her "Bloody" personality first arrives when she is nearly raped by one of her father's henchmen. She's broken for sure, and when I think broken, I think Angela Bettis. Her roles in May and Carrie are exactly what I've envision for Mary. She's a talented actress who not only deserves the exposure, but would be able to believably play all three of Mary's personalities.

Battlin' Jack Murdock - Ray Liotta (Goodfellas and Narc)

    Jack Murdock would only be in flashbacks of course, but its an important role nevertheless. I like Ray Liotta, and I think he'd be pretty believable as an aging boxer and father. Plus, he looks like he could be one half of Bamber... kind of.

THE PITCH

    Movie 1

    As the film opens, Daredevil has been around for a few months, just long enough to have become a nuisance to Leland Owlsley, the man running the biggest crime organization in Hell's Kitchen. Wilson Fisk is his right hand man, mostly due to the fact that he is in a relationship with Owl's daughter Mary, but Fisk is secretly leading a rival crime family. His plan is to eventually overpower and betray Owlsley and combine the two mobs of Hell's Kitchen and setting himself up as the Kingpin of the whole shebang (SPOILER! He succeeds...).

    Matt Murdock and Foggy have just opened their Nelson and Murdock legal firm after leaving the giant firm they had worked at since graduating law school. Needless to say they're struggling, taking any case they can. They're also very unorganized, their office still looking like they just moved in. Karen Page comes by looking for secretarial work, and they explain to her that as much as they want and desperately need a secretary, they just can't afford it. Karen offers to work for free until they can pay her, she believes that she can improve their business just by keeping them organized and answering their phone. She begins working for them, and of course, her and Matt spark up a relationship much to Foggy's chagrin who had called "dibs".

    Ben Urich is a reporter for the Daily Bugle. He has an assistant who he usually sticks with whatever stories he doesn't want. His assistant, a wannabe reporter, keeps telling him that this Daredevil could be the story of his career, but Urich doesn't buy it. Instead Urich writes a story about Leland Owlsley which he isn't too happy about. Owl orders his men to teach Urich a lesson. They corner him in an alley and beat him up. Daredevil shows up and saves him. Suddenly, Urich doesn't think a story about Hell's Kitchen's guardian would be too bad an idea. So he begins to investigate Daredevil, and try to figure out his identity.

    Mary Walker, Leland Owlsely's daughter, has had enough abuse (mental and physical) at her father's hand, and Typhoid Mary is born. Typhoid Mary becomes a vigilante in her own right, going out at night and breaking up some of her father's shady dealings. At first, Daredevil sees her as an ally, even teaming up with her a couple times. This changes however when one of Owl's thugs attempts to rape Mary, and Bloody Mary is born. Bloody Mary brutally kills the thug, and goes out on patrol with Daredevil as Typhoid Mary. The two put a stop to a big drug exchange, but Mary doesn't stop there. She begins slaughtering the men one by one. Daredevil stops her, but she gets away.

    Through a bit of good detective work and crazyrandomhappenstance, Ben Urich discovers that the struggling blind lawyer, Matt Murdock, and Daredevil are one in the same. He struggles with the information because he know what would happen to Matt's life if he wrote the story. He decides to meet with Matt and come clean. Matt thinks he wants money, but in reality, Urich just wants to thank him for everything he's done for the city and for saving his life. Matt simply smiles and says "I don't know what you're talking about...". They understand each other. Urich shreds the file he had on Daredevil, but his assistant takes the shredded paper.

    With Bloody Mary on the loose, Fisk decides that the time is now to enact his takeover. He shows up with his gang to the Owl's office for a showdown, but is surprised to find that Mary has beaten him there. The Owl is dead. Long live The Kingpin.

    Daredevil finds Mary on a roof, covered in her father's blood. She wants him to get her help. Just so happens that he knows a great lawyer that would be able to get her an insanity plea no problem if she turned herself in.

    Urich's assistant storms into the editor's office of the Daily Bugle's competitor and throws down a painstakingly taped together file that reads: Daredevil.

    After the very public trial of Mary Walker, who is now in a mental hospital, business is booming at Nelson and Murdock. Karen gets her first paycheck (with back pay of course), and everything is awesome.

    The film ends on a close up of a newspaper headline at a news stand: DAREDEVIL IS BLIND LAWYER FROM HELL'S KITCHEN

(NOTE: I did not bother casting anything from the next two films because they're a lot more vague than my take on the first movie.)

    Movie 2

   This film will show the rise of Wilson Fisk as the "Kingpin of Crime". As Daredevil, Matt will be trying his best to foil Fisk's plans, but fails at every turn. His outting as Daredevil by the press is taking a tole on his personal life, both his new romance with Karen and his longtime friendship with Foggy. But through it all, the situation should make both relationships stronger. Kingpin hires the Enforcers to take out Daredevil, and fail several times. Eventually Kingpin comes up with a "better idea" and asks Matt to meet him. There he finds the bodies of the Enforcers and the police show up and find him. He's been set-up. Daredevil escapes, but the police show up at his apartment and arrest him later. Before the trial, Ben Urich is trying to find out information on the murders and questions the morgue tech. The morgue guy mentions that all three men were killed exactly the same way: precise hit to a particular artery near the heart. Morgue tech - "The guy would have to be a perfect shot. Pop! Pop! Pop! Bullseye..". Matt Murdock is found guilty and goes to prison.

    Movie 3

    Matt is in prison, but with the help of Urich and Foggy, tries to build a case to prove his innocence. Kingpin gets wind of Matt's plans, and knowing that he will eventually succeed, rehires Bullseye after he used him off camera in the last film. Bullseye must commit a crime, get caught, convicted, and then kill Matt Murdock from within prison. Of course he fails to kill Matt, after a standoff between the two during a prison riot that Bullseye started as a distraction. Foggy and Urich prove Matt's innocence and he is released. Everything is back to normal and Matt vows to put his Daredevil alter ego away for good so he can focus on his career and his relationship with Karen. But since nothing can be happy for Matt, Bullseye escapes and takes Karen hostage, demanding that Matt show up in costume to face him. They fight, Daredevil wins, but with his last bit of strength, Bullseye throws Daredevil's billy club and hits Karen. She dies in his arms. While Matt grieves, Bullseye takes this opportunity to escape. Matt decides to go after the man responsible for all of this: Wilson Fisk. Foggy tries to stop him, it isn't what Karen would have wanted, but Matt refuses to listen to reason. He fights his way into Fisk's office. Fisk - "Are you here to kill me?" Daredevil - "No. I'm here to tell you that I'm not going away. Not now. Not ever.". We then see Matt, Foggy, and Urich at Karen's funeral. They ask Matt about what he's going to do now, is he going to stop being Daredevil? Matt - "Before, I wouldn't do what was needed to get justice. I didn't want to put my loved ones in harm's way. But now, I'll never stop. I'm a Man Without Fear..."

So ends my Daredevil trilogy.

So ends my very first If I Ran Hollywood article! I really hope you guys liked this and will want to read more of them. I put a lot of research into these so I doubt I can get them done more than once a month, but as soon as I finish them, I'll post it!

Next Time: The Fastest Man Alive!

Scott Carelli is a podcaster and aspiring writer. Look for more of his articles coming soon to Murmur. Until then, you can go to his website or follow him on Twitter.

The Week That Was in TV! (2/22-28/10)

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:18:46 GMT

by: WonderAli
Curling, lots and lots of curling

Previously on "The Week That Was in TV"...
Ryan and I watch a lot of TV, and each week we write about what we watched.

Week 2 of Olympic coverage and I could not be more excited - CURLING! Plus, it's nice to have a break from all my shows... except for LOST, which barrels along like the guggernaut it is, not caring that it left me in the dust a long time ago. But I digress.

Monday

Winter Olympics XXI (CNBC)
Men's Curling: China v. USA

I love curling. When the matches are good, it's a really fun and tense sport to watch. When the matches aren't so good, you end up chatting on Skype and half paying attention. Luckily the curlers are usually yelling stuff like "Yup! Yup! HAAAARD! HAAAARD!" and that usually brings your attention back to the game.

Monday night's match wasn't so good. I think both the U.S. Men's and Women's teams have the same problems. They play too conservatively and their Skips should not be throwing last rocks. The Men's Team has also been rotating the players and their throwing order around so much I think the lack on consistency is also hurting them. Skip John Schuster was back on last stone for this match - it did not go well. USA conceded to China 11-5 after 9 ends. With a record of 2-7, the U.S. Men's team will not be advancing. Fingers crossed Chris Neseman and Conor Kilpatrick will lead the Men's Curling team to victory in 2014.

Tuesday

Winter Olympics XXI (MSNBC)
Women's Curling: Switzerland v. USA

Tonight was another night of talking and watching curling. I knew the match was doomed before I even turned it on. The U.S. Women's team was 2-5 on Monday, and they needed to win both matches on Tuesday to advance passed Round Robin. After an afternoon of refreshing the Olympics website, I saw the U.S. lost to China 5-6 in what sounded like a very close game.

When I flicked on the match, the ladies were in the 4th end with the score tied at 3. While I knew it was way too early in the match for this to be a good sign, part of me was hoping that maybe the U.S. team could win this match, and if the right teams lost then maybe, just maybe, the U.S. could get a wild card-type spot. And as soon as I though that, the Swiss dominated the rest of the match and the U.S. conceded in the 8th. Final score: 10-3 Switzerland.

So I'm very sad that my girl crush on U.S. curler Allison Pottinger will have to end, and my allegiance now belongs to Cheryl "Last Shot" Bernard, the fantastic skip of the Canadian Women's team. Now, I better start training because me and Allison are gonna kick some serious butt in 2014.

Wednesday

The Tudors (Netflix)
"Episode 1"

I did watch curling tonight, but I think you'll kill me if I do another blurb on curling.

It's common knowledge that I'm a geek. But what most people don't know is that I am a sucker for British history, particularly Tudor history. When I say history, I mean history - not corset-ripping historical fiction. The Other Boylen Girl annoys the heck out of my because Mary Boylen was never the sweet innocent one. Anyways. I've been very tentative to watch The Tudors because I know it's going to be very far from historically accurate.

And it kinda was. But I think Jonathan Rhys-Myers was a perfect Henry VIII. Yes, there are issues about his biuld -- but most people need to remember that Henry was not an enormous glutton his entire life. Yes, he was always a big man, but he was very athletic when he was young. Henry was impulsive and charming and and confident and passionate and, basically, walking sex (at least he was before he turned into a tyrannical train reck). And Mr. Rhys-Myers is quite good at that. I'm not sure how long I'll last with this series, but I'd like to stick around until Anne shows up.

Curling match of the evening: Men's Curling: Sweden v. Great Britain

Thursday

The Simpsons (Hulu)
"Boy Meets Curl"

A few people sent me the link to this because of my little curling obsession. So I finally watched it. I haven't watched The Simpsons in ages, so it was nice to come back to Springfield.

After screwing up Date Night, Homer takes Marge to the local ice rink for what ends up being Curling Night. Turns out, Marge is a wiz with a broom. So the Springfield Mixed Curling Team makes it to the Vancouver Olympics for an exhibition competition. We find out why Principal Skinner's mom hates him, ... and Lisa gets addicted to collectible pins.

Curling match of the evening: Men's Curling: Sweden v. Canada

Friday

Caprica (SyFy)
"There is Another Sky"

Outside of curling, I had been looking forward to Caprica all week. I'm really digging this show. It's smart, it's slick, it's got the style of Mad Men and all the great scifi mythology of Battlestar Gallactica. If you're not watching this, I recommend you start, like now.

Curling match of the evening: see below

Saturday

Winter Olympics XXI (MSNBC)
Women's Curling: Canada v. Sweden (Gold Medal match)
Men's Curling: Canada v. Norway (Gold Medal match)

OK, technically the Women's match was on Friday night but I wanted to talk about both.

The Women's match was fantastic. Canada and Sweden were very well matched teams but I was pretty sure Canada had it in the bag. At the end of the 9th end, Canada was up 6-4. But Sweden rallied and tied things up in the tenth, which meant Sudden Death! OK, it mean going into an 11th end but Sudden Death sounds way cooler. Now, I was still pretty confident Canada would win this since they had last stone and Cheryl Bernard is absolutely brilliant at this kind of thing. Sadly, I was wrong. While Bernard had a fantastic double take-out, she still left one of Sweden's rocks in the house and Sweden went home with the Gold.

The Men's match was not surprising at all. Canada had not lost a match yet. Norway's pants just weren't enough to win Olympic Gold. Canada won 6-3.

Sunday

Lost in Yonkers (Rehearsal)

Sunday was the first time we ran the entire show with the full cast. The was a mandatory rehearsal. So not only did I miss the Open House at the Plainfield Curling Club (possibly ruining my dream of becoming an Olympic Curler) but I also missed the wonderfully intense USA v. Canada hockey match. I did, however, get to follow most of it on Twitter.

*grumble grumble*

OK, folks, tune in next week for The Week That Was in TV! Same Murmur-time, same Murmur-Channel!

Was It Worth It? : Celtic Pride

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:52:42 GMT

by: cenquist
Was It Worth It? : Celtic Pride

I sure hope you can not see, and I am hoping that you can not see, the vast DVD library sitting 10 feet away from me. The sheer size of the collection is quickly becoming ridiculous and is starting to take over the apartment. What is really absurd is how little space ONE DVD requires, but when you have 500+ grouped together, well that is another story entirely! Let's just say that my fiancee does not have a soft spot for most of the DVD collection and I do not have the heart to put them in a binder.

After a night of rearranging the shelves of DVDs (in alphabetical order), a brief thought popped into my brain, "Should Bad Boys (Sean Penn version) be placed ahead of Bad Boys (Will Smith version) or the other way around?"

No, wait, it was after that. When I realized that a few movies were still in their store packaging. That normally is not a problem but I purchased these movies 4 years ago! I kept thinking, was it worth buying all these movies? Some have never been watched.

I figured a Murmur artcile could help me answer this question. Each week I will watch and rate a movie from my collection. I will not only be giving the movie a rating based on how good it is, but I will also evaluate if the movie was actually worth the price I paid for it. Many readers may hold the opinion that these two different ratings would be the same thing; however I would like to argue that purchasing a movie for $4.99 or the same movie for $24.99, would give a completely different rating. So if I was to rate Daredevil 5 stars, it does NOT mean it is a 5 star movie. It just means it was probably purchased for $0.99.

Sadly, I paid the price for watching Daredevil, and no I do not want to talk about it!

What movie did I watch this week?
Celtic Pride.

What is it about?
Lewis Scott (Damon Wayans) is the star player of the Utah Jazz and he has single handedly led them to the NBA Finals but in the opposite corner are the Boston Celtics and the hallowed Boston Gardens. As Game 7 looms Scott is ready to crown his team victorious, what he does not take into account is the die hard Celtics fans, Mike and Jimmy (Daniel Stern and Dan Aykroyd), willing to do anything to help their team win. The two passionate fans stumble across Scott at a nightclub and attempt to get him drunk enough to be too hung-over to play in Game 7. When all three wake up, in Jimmy's apartment, Scott has his hands and legs duct taped together. Mike and Jimmy reason that they are going to jail anyway so they might as well keep Scott a hostage until after Game 7.

When did the movie get released?
April 19th, 1996.

Did I see it in theatres?
No. Not sure if I would have wanted to!

When did I purchase the movie? (Immediately $21+, First Price Drop $15-$20, Bargain Bin $6-$14, Clearance Bin $5 and under)
This was a strange $10 purchase.

Why did I purchase this movie?
Initially I grabbed the DVD to laugh at the movie itself. Wayans, Stern and Aykroyd, it could not be good. Once I flipped over the DVD to actually read what the movie was about I began to get a little intrigued. Sure I chuckled at how basic the plot sounded but I was considering paying the $10 for the movie already. Then something caught my eye. Judd Apatow wrote this, he had help, Colin Quinn got credit for the story as well, but Apatow wrote the script. Even though I am not the biggest Apatow fan, it was his name that sold the movie.

Was this my first watching of the movie since purchasing?
This was the second time I have seen it since purchasing.

How long between purchase and first watch?
Pretty sure I watched this realitively soon after purchasing.

Has something stuck with me between each viewing, reminding me of the film?
Laughing at Celtics fans that adore this movie, does that count?

Was it worth the purchase?
Nope. Sure I watched it twice but I could probably find it on some channel late at night for free.

Rating of purchase? (ROP)
1 out of 5. I sat through the first viewing with no problems but really wanted to shut if off when I watched it this past week.

Rating of movie? (ROM)
1 out of 5. It is just not good. The only thing this movie got right was the portrayal of the selfish rich athlete.

Rating of both combined? (ROP+ROM/2)
1 out of 5.

Is it worth upgrading to Blu-Ray?
Ha!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Colin Enquist likes basketball movies but would force this on nobody! You can yell at him on Twitter if you actually like this movie.

New Adventures in Hi-Fi

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:36:11 GMT

by: piscespaul
Weekly music column of overlooked songs

Welcome to my first ever and I mean ever weekly article. I love music. All genres, styles, everything about it. So now I'm here, after some cajoling, writing articles about it. Here's the basic premise; each week I will pick a song that I think has either been overlooked or not as well known as it should be. It could be an old hidden gem, from a well known artist, or some up and comer I think needs to be shared with the world.

In essence each week I'll be presenting a single. In the tradition of vinyl, cassette, and CD singles there will also be a B- side. A song that I think compliments the first track but presents something different.

   Since I'm "borrowing" the title of this column from an album by one of my all time favorite bands, this week I give the nod to them. R.E.M. was founded in 1980 in a small college town of Athens, Georgia. On a personal note, one of my most cherished memories is that I once lived 45 minutes away from Athens and would hang out in the venues that they used to play and shopped in many of the same music shops they frequented. R.E.M. would go from an indie college radio band to mega stars throughout the 1980s and still plays to this day.


    Side A.

     Afterma th

   The single I picked this week is "Aftermath". Its from their "Around the Sun" album which was released in 2004.

_{"Now the universe left you for a runners lap.}
_{It feels like home when it comes crashing back.}
_{And it makes you laugh}
_{And it makes you cry,}
_{When London falls}
_{And you're still alive.}
_{The radio stutters,}
_{It makes you laugh}
_{And the aftermath,}
_{Open up your eyes.}
_{You're so alive.}"

This album wasn't as big as previous hits such as "Out of Time" or "Automatic for the People." However to my mind just as powerful. The beauty of R.E.M. lies in Michael Stipe's lyrical poetry in juxtaposition with Peter Buck's guitar styling. In this song we are not overtly told how to feel, there is a subtle quality of both sadness and hope in the lyrics while an upbeat quality in the surrounding chords evocative of optimism. It is this strange and unsettling combination that resonates in all of their music. Stipe weaves poetry into his lyrics effortlessly making him in my humble opinion the heir apparent to the legacy of Kerouac and Ginsberg.


    Side B.

     Electrolite

   From the album "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" released in 1996

       Simply put I think this is the perfect love song.

Well, that's it for this week. I hope you enjoyed this installment and maybe listened to something you hadn't heard before. Look for this to come out every Tuesday evening.

If you have suggestions as to something I may have overlooked please share it. It just might be my new adventure in Hi-Fi.

You can follow all of my rantings and ravings (sometimes music related) on Twitter. Look for piscespaul

Music Homework

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:06:23 GMT

by: WonderAli
If the songs on my iPod had a face, you'd punch it. You'd punch my iPod in the face.

I'll be the first to admit that I do not have the most sophisticated taste in music. I like a catchy three-minute tune I can sing along too and I haven't really sought out new music since college. Normally I'm ok with this, but every few months I get a bit restless and want to find something new.

In a desperate attempt to be cool, I used a $15 iTunes gift card from Christmas to breathe some life into my iPod.

Using Twitter and the first Murmur Mix Tape for inspiration, I came up with a few bands and songs to preview on iTunes to see what caught my interest. I didn't really use any criteria for picking the songs, I just went with my gut and clicked "download now" until I was out of money on the gift card. So here are the songs I ended up with and what I think now that they've been shuffled in with the rest of my music for a couple weeks (actually, it's been over a month because I'm way late in actually getting this article done).

Vampire Weekend "White Sky" and "Giving Up the Gun"
There has been a lot of buzz around the new Vampire Weekend album, Contra. There was a week I couldn't go on to twitter and not see someone talking about it. But I was worried about giving them a shot because, with a name like Vampire Weekend, I was thinking it was going to be whiney Twilight-type music.

I could not have been more wrong. I love these two tracks. I can't help but bob along with them. To me they sound like Graceland-era Paul Simon, and that gives me the warm fuzzies.

Arcade Fire "Wake Up"
Arcade Fire was the most suggested band in my Twitter poll and "Wake Up" was only 69 cents. I like this song, but after a few weeks on my iPod, all I can think of is Where the Wild Things Are when it comes on, so I usually skip it about half way through. I also can't sing along with it, which is a minus in my book. I wasn't really digging any of the other previews on iTunes, so if there's something you think I need to have, definitely let me know in the comments.

Los Camposinos! "We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives" and "Broken Hearts Sound Like Breakbeats"
Like Vampire Weekend, I feel like I can't escape Los Camposinos! So when they popped up for the fourth time in a week in Phonogram: The Singles Club #6, I added them to the download list.

Both this tracks make me want to jump around my room and sing. They are a blast! And the lyrics are messed up and funny (my favorite this week is "He's so much more like Spider-Man than you will ever, ever be"). While I like Los Camposinos! a lot, I'm not sure I could do a whole album of their stuff, but it's so much fun having a few singles floating around my iPod.

The Noisettes "Wild Young Hearts" and "Io Bacio... Tu Baci"
Someone mentioned The Noisettes on Twitter and I got all excited because I had been thinking of checking them out... then I remembered it was The Pipettes that I wanted to check out... oops. Anyway, they've got that fun retro sound, similar to Amy Winehouse and Duffy and them. Again, I wouldn't want a whole album, but it's cool having a couple songs in rotation.

Side note: I totally downloaded "Io Bacio... Tu Baci" because the title was in Italian. It literally translates "I Kiss... You Kiss" so I think it probably should have been "Ti Bacio... Mi Baci" -- or "I Kiss You... You Kiss Me".

Side note 2: I also recenetly got a hold of two singles from The Pipettes and I'm kinda in love with "It Hurts to See You Dance So Well" right now.

Them Crooked Vultures "New Fang"
I adore Dave Grohl. I have since Nirvana and I probably always will. Part of me feels like I grew up with him, if that makes any sense. So I usually check out whatever it is he's up to. But add legend John Paul Jones to the mix and how do you not check it out.

"New Fang" is a great rock single - great guitar riffs, great drums. I makes me want to strut around like a rock star and I like that.

The Decemberists "O Valencia!"
I downloaded "Summersong" back when P-Money put it on the first Murmur mix tape because I loved it so much. So I thought I'd go back and check out another track from the album "The Crane Wife". I downloaded "O, Valencia!" mostly because of the name.

This is easily my favorite song of the batch. At first it was just because I liked the melody and the vocals. Then listening to it on the train one morning, I actually started to pay attention to the lyrics. It's a heartbreaking Romeo and Juliet-type tale (which normally doesn't do anything for me) that had me welling up by the end.

Maximo Park "Graffiti"
Ugh, I love this song. This was another track form Paul's mix but I didn't get around to downloading til now. This is a great rock song to blast in your car and sing along with at the top of your lungs!

The Big Pink "Dominos"
Months ago, the Pick of the Week podcast over at Murmur's brother site, iFanboy, used this as the intro/outro music. It's been stuck in my head ever since. It's everything I like about a single - great tune, fun to sing along with, not too long. I was smitten with it... until I paid attention to the lyrics: "As soon as I love her it's been too long, And I really like breaking your heart" Ugh! Get over yourself!

I still kinda love it though.

Matt&Kim "Daylight" and The Holloways "Generator"
Both of these came from the Murmur mixes (courtesy of LouisKwok and BrianMcNamara respectively). I combined the entry on these two songs because I feel the same way about them. They're both fun to listen to and sing along to and I can't help but dance when I hear them. I love having them on my iPod, eventhough they make me look silly on public transportation.

Regina Spektor "Samson"
A lot of people love Regina Spektor, which is why she's on here. "Sampson" was also on Brian's mix, which is why I went with this song. Ms. Spektor has a simple, but hauntingly beautiful voice that just gets right inside you. And "Sampson" is a sweet sad song that makes me think of someone with whom things went very wrong. Although I think everyone feels like that when they listen to this song.

So there you have it. My attempt to make my music taste a bit hipper. Did I miss anything? Is there something I absolutely must be listening to? Or am I not worthy of your music snobbery? Let me know in the comments below.

Heavy Rain: First Impressions

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:30:41 GMT

by: JohnVFerrigno
a look at the new PS3 exclusive, Heavy Rain

There have been very few non-sequel video games the last few years that have been as eagerly anticipated as the Playstation 3 exclusive title Heavy Rain. Before it?s release, it was described as a gaming experience unlike any other: a game based around moral choices and story telling, rather than action and open ended game play. Having spent a few hours playing the game, I felt compelled to share my initial thoughts on it.

Upon starting game play, the first thing I noticed was that the game had movie-style opening credits. Actors, producers and the writer-director credits were displayed on screen over the initial cinematic opening. This immediately set the mood for this game.

The next thing that struck me was the production value. The music score was first rate, the graphics excellent. Great care was taken to really set a particular tone. This is not a happy world. It is a world of heartache and loss, sadness and depression. There is a noir feel to the game, which is a vibe that is well suited to it?s themes of murder, anxiety and hopelessness.

Game play is very simple. The story plays out and you make minor interactions with the world around you. Shave, shower, take a leak, watch a little TV. Most of the things you do in the course of Heavy Rain don?t involve a lot of action. When action is called for, you don?t have decisions or strategy to take into account. Cues are shown on screen: just press the indicated button, or make the displayed motion with the controller, and you will succeed. Press the wrong button, make the wrong motion, and you will fail. Whether you succeed or fail, the story will continue, subtly changed by whether or not you accomplished your task.

At first glance, this may seem repetitious or even downright boring. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The real draw of heavy Rain is not the game play. The thing that will make you devote the time to this game is the story. The premise is a pretty basic one. A serial killer has been terrorizing the city. He has kidnapped a young boy, and the race is on to track him down before yet another child ends up dead. The story alternates between four main characters you will control throughout: the father of the missing boy, an FBI agent assigned to the case, a private investigator hired by the families of the victims, and a photographer who gets roped into the story.

Each of these characters finds themselves in different situations, situations which you can influence and change. There is no ?failing? in Heavy Rain. If you do not succeed at a task, you do not have to redo it until you get it right to advance. The story just adjusts to your failure, making it a part of the story. You are faced with challenges, as well as moral choices to make. Your actions and decisions influence the path the story goes. As a result, you can not ?fail.? If you die, the story just continues, taking into account that the character in question is now deceased, and the story adjusts accordingly.

This is what gives Heavy Rain its replay value. I am not even close to being finished with the game and already I am looking forward to playing it again, making different choices, offering different options in conversations, using different tactics to handle a given situation.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that Heavy Rain is not actually a video game at all, certainly not in the traditional way. It is not what we think of as a video game, there is far too much story and far too little ?action? to classify it as that. Heavy Rain is not a movie, either. The fact that you can alter and change the path the story takes stops it from being a straightforward work of fiction.

So if it isn?t a traditional video game and it isn?t a movie, what is it? I actually feel it some amazing hybrid of the two. Heavy Rain is something like a new form of entertainment, a new medium to tell a story. It is a work of fiction presented in a way that has never been used before.

Traditional gamers may not enjoy the lack of action or ability to go and do anything. Movie fans may not like the interaction and way your decisions effect the course of the story. But for those of you who are open minded, and willing to go along for the ride, prepare to be amazed by the most unique media experience you will likely have had for a very long time.

-John V. Ferrigno