tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91023171116992381022024-03-17T23:01:31.557-07:00Trophy UnlockedA family's journey through pop cultureEHeroFlareNeoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677896135091344245noreply@blogger.comBlogger1677125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-34468088163051368672024-03-16T06:30:00.000-07:002024-03-16T06:30:00.144-07:00Pompo the Cinephile<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7xVtBnxoyT2w9cDW8qMp5HjZArQwWJ4EYLfJD7RriGgaQ22yvmdffYILV0fIwi3XLlyHbOMwghGKJGcIy2wmiSFflbfku3m7BbAq-8G5xEtAqOL-MhIOg5ioCvA22yX-i6AwMYXCb6ajFcjTGZ-rdVNMaZmVhKfWikkNTt3g2pinW7hbWbba6w/s2194/Pompo_finish_poster_small_KeyArt.jpg" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2194" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7xVtBnxoyT2w9cDW8qMp5HjZArQwWJ4EYLfJD7RriGgaQ22yvmdffYILV0fIwi3XLlyHbOMwghGKJGcIy2wmiSFflbfku3m7BbAq-8G5xEtAqOL-MhIOg5ioCvA22yX-i6AwMYXCb6ajFcjTGZ-rdVNMaZmVhKfWikkNTt3g2pinW7hbWbba6w/w274-h400/Pompo_finish_poster_small_KeyArt.jpg" width="274" /></a></span></div><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As is the nature of film, Hollywood studios occasionally
release films about the process of making one. While many are entertaining,
they typically depict the process as grueling and filled with inevitable
backstabbing or, at the very least, major interpersonal issues. Back in 2021, the
anime film <i>Pompo the Cinephile</i>, which partially adapts the pixiv Comic manga
<i>Pompo: The Cinéphile</i>, challenged this popular depiction as the only
valid one. In fact, it also successfully challenges the notion of overt
interpersonal drama as the main source of conflict, as well as other ideas
about the filmmaking process in general.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pompo (Brianna Gentilella) is a talented and gutsy
producer in “Nyallywood,” the movie-making capital of the world, although she’s
known for B-movies. One day, she tells her movie-loving but apprehensive
assistant Gene Fini (Christopher Trindade) that he will direct her next script,
<i>Meister</i>, a delicate drama about a tormented artistic genius. Not only
has she already cast Martin Braddock (Kenneth Cavett), a Marlon Brando-esque
actor considered the greatest in the world, she’s also cast Natalie Woodward (Jackie
Lastra), a young actress seeking her first big break. As Gene starts his work
on <i>Meister</i>, he learns not only the difficulties of film production, but
also more about himself as an artist.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unlike most cynical modern depictions of Hollywood
filmmaking, <i>Pompo the Cinephile</i>’s Nyallywood has a refreshingly
idealistic take. Here, characters are actually supportive of one another and filmmaking
is depicted through the lens of joy and passion. While it doesn’t shy away from
issues that can arise during production, the drama while creating <i>Meister</i>,
which has a story that interestingly parallels Gene’s at times, comes from realistic
setbacks like not having enough animals for a scene or unexpected weather
patterns, forcing Gene and the rest of his crew to get more creative. Even with
the issues that come up, however, the film still ends on an uplifting and inspiring
note. Different aspects of filmmaking are also explained very neatly and succinctly,
which helps make the plot easier to follow for someone not familiar with the
process.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6kPBwIB4OCVluVEDEioY3d8rUJO_aebBR9ClyuSAzRMIdXAABIu79OO3jJkYmZ_vTJoFARC3PoJV4EXzpYnOBqvDmsCp1MUjTLjC-yLubffTRN5HGYgljYc3EDjEf064Z-aAj1JDv76aCD4VYz9Idg5PxtFcEJFjZ6k6CKXMy57Nj20hYR6Dtdg/s1920/POMPO_Image5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1920" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6kPBwIB4OCVluVEDEioY3d8rUJO_aebBR9ClyuSAzRMIdXAABIu79OO3jJkYmZ_vTJoFARC3PoJV4EXzpYnOBqvDmsCp1MUjTLjC-yLubffTRN5HGYgljYc3EDjEf064Z-aAj1JDv76aCD4VYz9Idg5PxtFcEJFjZ6k6CKXMy57Nj20hYR6Dtdg/w400-h215/POMPO_Image5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gene (Christopher Trindade) has to prove himself in his directorial debut.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Much like the refreshingly idealistic story, <i>Pompo</i>’s
cast comes packed with likeable characters. As a creative person, Gene feels
pretty relatable, as he’s an outcast who’s passionate about his job but needs
the right push to really put his knowledge as a film buff towards creating
something he can feel proud of. Even when faced with issues during both production
and post-production, he doesn’t give up in seeing his vision through. Similarly,
Natalie’s talent as an actress shines through when she’s finally given the
opportunity, with Gene proving that he’s the right director for her and Mystia
the right actress to learn from. Although I haven’t read the manga, I’m aware
that one character, Alan (Jonah Platt), is original to the adaptation. Although
he's not directly involved in the making of <i>Meister</i>, his character arc
shows how <i>Pompo</i>’s themes apply to more than just creative people through
the power of inspiration. Along with his past as a former bully humbled by the
difficulties of the real world, he makes a great addition to the cast.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although she’s not the protagonist here, Pompo herself
is still one of the most important characters and a potentially divisive one
depending on the viewer. Her philosophies on film, heavily influenced by her famous
filmmaking grandfather Peterzen and filtered through her child eyes, in turn influence
Gene throughout his directorial debut. One of these ideas, that societal
outcasts tend to make better art than those who are satisfied with life, can
come off cliché for some, though Gene’s success also comes from tapping into the
self-confidence he’s unaware of until he starts filming. Her most important
idea is that film should be no longer than 90 minutes, as that’s how long her
own attention span lasts, though Gene doesn’t see that as a hard rule,
believing that films should be able to go on to two to four hours depending on
the material. He only starts worrying about <i>Meister</i> exceeding Pompo’s
preferred runtime when he’s in the editing booth and eventually realizes, following
Peterzen’s advice, exactly who he’s really making his movie for.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNs9Qtjr_qlWPY-MD6QftoZc23SpWR3UU44-xR81L5Xgqp50e2ZK3xKcZEgubuDCI7MKe74mvvauXXsxtLoZBwXBoKGnf8IVE_FHCwZL4kiFcxAIPdzPU1NHdp8oOE-aCI57tbJZKSh0Qx9nNLGq1VVuI6aZcQ3SIc-aA4dUb13SNKOYR7Phg8lQ/s1920/POMPO_Image1.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1920" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNs9Qtjr_qlWPY-MD6QftoZc23SpWR3UU44-xR81L5Xgqp50e2ZK3xKcZEgubuDCI7MKe74mvvauXXsxtLoZBwXBoKGnf8IVE_FHCwZL4kiFcxAIPdzPU1NHdp8oOE-aCI57tbJZKSh0Qx9nNLGq1VVuI6aZcQ3SIc-aA4dUb13SNKOYR7Phg8lQ/w400-h216/POMPO_Image1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While not the protagonist, Pompo (Briana Gentilella) is no less important.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That said, there’s a hilarious meta detail that the
main feature of <i>Pompo the Cinephile</i>, meaning without the distributor
logo, end credits or copyright info, runs exactly 90 minutes. Apart from appealing
to existing fans of the source material, who would likely care the most about
the runtime, this intentional choice can also prove Pompo’s point that you can
tell a well-written and moving story without feeling rushed in only 90 minutes.
In a landscape where it seems like nearly every modern film forces itself to at
least a two-hour runtime, even including mainstream superhero films, this
brevity is also a breath of fresh air.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whatever your feelings about <i>Pompo</i>’s
philosophies on filmmaking, there’s no denying that CLAP did an absolutely
stellar job with the animation. Inspired transitions and a unique visualization
of Gene’s editing process take full advantage of the animated medium, with
vibrant colors and a sense of flair that a live-action version couldn’t
reproduce. Although Nyallywood is a more semi-fantastical setting compared to the
traditional Hollywood, it captures the look and feel of its inspiration very
accurately, with some backgrounds even resembling actual Hollywood streets, and
some details still ground the story in reality. As an amateur video editor, I
liked seeing Gene’s timeline in action, especially in regards to the numerous
cuts he makes, and the deliberate decision to show the timecode at the end
(proving that the main feature is indeed 90 minutes exactly) is a genius way of
tying everything together.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPaROU11JJJw8OK_DUSFoCRXTCDT77fTCn2HyivbcFDhFhs7NAyekMr03mpaxRvpFTNpOBVD1uVxOXsvOoF4dyqt5U_gLfP18xjFFiLlovdiy2Ze94RjdRNlOvvTw-nLlrdWj_VV4j4KVS2THMZoXXQfxnNyMvxC-FW2ZNcXpPObjG-h36Ab16BQ/s1920/POMPO_Image3.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1920" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPaROU11JJJw8OK_DUSFoCRXTCDT77fTCn2HyivbcFDhFhs7NAyekMr03mpaxRvpFTNpOBVD1uVxOXsvOoF4dyqt5U_gLfP18xjFFiLlovdiy2Ze94RjdRNlOvvTw-nLlrdWj_VV4j4KVS2THMZoXXQfxnNyMvxC-FW2ZNcXpPObjG-h36Ab16BQ/w400-h217/POMPO_Image3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pompo the Cinephile has spectacular animation.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since I watched the English dub, I can’t speak to the original
Japanese performances, but I thought the voices were well-cast. Though I didn’t
recognize any of the names, they all did a fantastic job of bringing out the
personalities of their respective characters. Pompo in particular sounds
sufficiently “cute” without overdoing it and Gene’s voice does a lot with adding
to his character development.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While your mileage may vary on the ideas presented by <i>Pompo
the Cinephile</i> regarding the filmmaking process, it’s nonetheless
entertaining and, perhaps for some, inspirational. We may not suddenly get more
90-minute Hollywood films anytime soon, but until we do, CLAP has certainly done
an excellent job for such a young studio. Considering there’s more of <i>Pompo</i>
in its original manga form, I know I wouldn’t mind a potential sequel.</span></span></p>
<p></p>EHeroFlareNeoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677896135091344245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-87944340469350852392024-03-14T06:30:00.000-07:002024-03-14T06:30:00.141-07:00Second Look - God of War III Remastered<p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbGaBmzy7uj9Gnknw3JQ6H-cKYWe25cmMBk8DDbN5dpmMKV11I_H5Ar_FhuaL5G_d7WydE3PpY8HsQJBBYAxp5awjzp8wMwj1uXCZUGWgazFU0wxDKWDzp_D2VuDPMENwWxhUhUWX5hsIkymyHfYs1HX52OhRlQBYi7nDwbNqh9TsCis5d6PnP7FcVupF/s560/god-of-war-iii-remastered-two-column-01-ps4-us-19jun15.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbGaBmzy7uj9Gnknw3JQ6H-cKYWe25cmMBk8DDbN5dpmMKV11I_H5Ar_FhuaL5G_d7WydE3PpY8HsQJBBYAxp5awjzp8wMwj1uXCZUGWgazFU0wxDKWDzp_D2VuDPMENwWxhUhUWX5hsIkymyHfYs1HX52OhRlQBYi7nDwbNqh9TsCis5d6PnP7FcVupF/w321-h400/god-of-war-iii-remastered-two-column-01-ps4-us-19jun15.png" width="321" /></a></i></b></div><b><i><br /></i></b><p></p><p><b><i>Note:</i></b><i>
This review contains spoilers for the </i>God of War<i> series.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Following the
release of <i><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2024/03/second-look-god-of-war-chains-of-olympus.html">God of War: Chains of Olympus</a></i> on PSP in 2008 came the
long-awaited <i>God of War III</i> in 2010, the first to be released on the
PS3. This installment happens to be my personal favorite in the series and one
I have a fond memory of playing, in part since I attended a midnight launch of
the game in my senior year of high school and, due to the timing of its
release, was able to play through the entirety of the game across two days
since I was able to skip most of those two days (I was also admittedly a little
obsessive of its development during the pre-release hype). While <i>God of War
III</i> also got the remaster treatment like most of the other Greek games, in
the form of <i>God of War III Remastered</i>, this is also notably the only one
of those games to be released on PS4, likely as a way of hyping the
then-upcoming 2018 game. Naturally, I also played the remaster when it came
out, and found it only fitting to revisit this game through said remaster.
While I liked the original version well enough as a teenager, I got a lot more
out of the game’s story on this playthrough, allowing me to appreciate it even
further.</p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The plot picks
up immediately after the ending of <a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2024/03/second-look-god-of-war-ii.html"><i>God of War II</i></a>, in which Kratos is
joined by the Titans in his revenge against Zeus. In an attempt to stop Kratos’
rampage, Zeus calls upon aid from Hades, Hermes, Helios and Poseidon, the last
of whom attacks Kratos first. Following his defeat of Poseidon, which causes
the water level to rise, Kratos learns from Gaia that the Titans saw him as
merely a means to an end so they could get their own revenge against Zeus. When
he is left to die, Kratos begins to seek additional revenge against Gaia for
the Titans’ betrayal.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBME1Na1_dTH5bVyQWUGA40JpuSLcSDQRXHXjGjMqu6V_iIuIjsO3Ddr0towh_35VxtWrwGrJmyJTtphzkJSabShUTtBKb6gpVHVomK0I23l2jOSJa9VLGKRPRc3ye8E9awQtsj5Ht_aAyotAOqYMFODg_PHjG-SrHiWagaaK_DCI2hq8zjrnJT1u_M_-/s1280/889473-25g74wn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBME1Na1_dTH5bVyQWUGA40JpuSLcSDQRXHXjGjMqu6V_iIuIjsO3Ddr0towh_35VxtWrwGrJmyJTtphzkJSabShUTtBKb6gpVHVomK0I23l2jOSJa9VLGKRPRc3ye8E9awQtsj5Ht_aAyotAOqYMFODg_PHjG-SrHiWagaaK_DCI2hq8zjrnJT1u_M_-/w400-h225/889473-25g74wn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kratos' road to vengeance ends here.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">From a
storytelling perspective, <i>God of War III</i> neatly wraps up Kratos’
character arc in a satisfying way, as well as the exploration of the series’
themes. The primary theme of vengeance is explored even further here, with
several characters seeking revenge against Kratos due to the (sometimes
unintended) consequences of his actions in previous games, including <i>Chains
of Olympus</i>, while others, including the otherwise grateful Helios, are
killed by Kratos due to being an obstacle in the way of his pursuit of
vengeance against Zeus. It is only after he finally gets his revenge that
Kratos realizes the consequences of his actions in this game, having been so
blinded by rage that he failed to notice how killing the gods had a negative
impact on the world around him. In addition, this game also explores the theme
of hope in a way that circles back to the beginning of the original game, with
Kratos finally finding it where he originally believed he had none, as well as
attempting to redeem himself by releasing it back into the world.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Despite this,
Kratos’ journey is not quite done yet, as a small bit of dialogue from Zeus in
the final act alludes to the events of the second PSP game, <i>Ghost of Sparta</i>,
which would be released after this game and finally explore Kratos’ brother
Deimos, previously established in a hidden video in the original game. Having
recently played both of the Norse games, it’s also interesting seeing how the
events of this game tie into Kratos’ further development, and how the battle
between Kratos and Hermes here seems to have been revisited in <i>Ragnar</i><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ö</span>k</i>
with the fight against Heimdall (in that both Heimdall and Hermes are extremely
fast characters who actively taunt Kratos). I will also mention that I noticed
an inconsistency between this game and <a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2018/05/god-of-war-2018-it-all-begins-hereagain.html">the 2018 entry</a>, in that the Blades of
Exile here suddenly revert back to the Blades of Chaos in the latter with no
in-game explanation.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The core
gameplay remains similar with that of <i>God of War II</i>, including Kratos
retaining his arsenal from that game, albeit with Athena’s Blades quickly
replaced with the Blades of Exile and the Rage Meter becoming the Rage of
Sparta, but with a number of updates to the experience. To start, you can now
grapple enemies or grab them to use as a battering ram, while grabbed objects
can now also be rotated to make puzzle solving much easier. Although you no
longer have access to a Gorgon head to freeze enemies, decapitating one now
freezes all nearby enemies in addition to a boost of magic, which can come in
really handy since the game often takes full advantage of the original PS3
version’s improved specs at the time to throw whole armies of enemies at you at
once. In addition to the Health and Magic Meters, this game also introduces a
new Item Meter that requires Minotaur Horns to upgrade, with all three meters only requiring three each of their respective items (Gorgon Eyes, Phoenix Feathers, Minotaur
Horns) each time. Although the camera is still static, there are specific
areas, often while reading a pedestal, that allow you to freely move the camera
to get a better look your immediate surroundings.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ctt-6CiZ0hzrWuflROaNcUAVLXt2Wv45lTGLjlmwj7DJojzQIka0Zic17JP95W3CjMNMentTGGxjukT7YhW1v8GlxTXcPOhKxeNu81ZgRG8SPPHignFBxyl5bVnnvWn_-S45_H2U0dAH2WwhFIgJWItvjM-1FLsdUH4ZQMsLjI7W294IB1QE5pYoddZ_/s3840/God%20of%20War%C2%AE%20III%20Remastered_20230725161812.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ctt-6CiZ0hzrWuflROaNcUAVLXt2Wv45lTGLjlmwj7DJojzQIka0Zic17JP95W3CjMNMentTGGxjukT7YhW1v8GlxTXcPOhKxeNu81ZgRG8SPPHignFBxyl5bVnnvWn_-S45_H2U0dAH2WwhFIgJWItvjM-1FLsdUH4ZQMsLjI7W294IB1QE5pYoddZ_/w400-h225/God%20of%20War%C2%AE%20III%20Remastered_20230725161812.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks to better hardware, the number of enemies on screen at once has<br />increased significantly.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">There are also
a number of Godly Possessions hidden throughout the game at specific points, as
well as a number of costumes, that have an effect on gameplay while equipped,
with the remaster having all costumes (including the DLC costumes) available
from the start. However, having any of them active disables Trophies for some
reason, so I did not use any of them on my last playthrough, though I did go
out of my way to collect all of the Godly Possessions in case I wanted to turn
them on in a future playthrough. Since I don’t know where else to mention this,
it’s particularly noteworthy that, while this game does have the sex minigame
seen in most of the Greek games, this time it, rather appropriately, involves
Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty and sex.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">In most <i>God
of War</i> games from the Greek era, it’s not unfair to say that you can pretty
much get by just by using the Blades outside of very specific situations. The
devs took this into account and designed this game around making you actually
use your entire arsenal, and it shows, up to making each weapon (swappable with
the d-pad) play similarly to the Blades with their own twists. The Claws of
Hades, for instance, have the ability to summon souls chosen in the upgrade
menu, as well as drag out enemies hiding underground. The Nemian Cestus can
create shockwaves and break onyx, and while it does more resemble gauntlets,
some combo moves still produce a chain weapon similar to the Blades. Lastly,
the Nemesis Whip can create electric shocks, as well as activate electric mechanisms. No matter which one you have active, each
one is very satisfying to use in its own way, and the ability to more easily
swap between them on the fly makes it far easier to deal with a swarm of enemies that
require each of the different weapon types to survive.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpCUOc-riAgvONPvHApEFa8Nx96jIvn6YAt4QxEV4ba9q4ksKkqIUPQQQR4MFGPYF4h0XVbg2Sb4NP9mb7yXd9tklKa5SMxw4Vuee9ZUTe49zdvsOlzVuBX5lWuOgw4-1UGSgJP39Io6TaAPzrocInW2Is_jnbmUmZimeHyiKziPWEl33Q069_3U4zusY/s3840/God%20of%20War%C2%AE%20III%20Remastered_20230725165646.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpCUOc-riAgvONPvHApEFa8Nx96jIvn6YAt4QxEV4ba9q4ksKkqIUPQQQR4MFGPYF4h0XVbg2Sb4NP9mb7yXd9tklKa5SMxw4Vuee9ZUTe49zdvsOlzVuBX5lWuOgw4-1UGSgJP39Io6TaAPzrocInW2Is_jnbmUmZimeHyiKziPWEl33Q069_3U4zusY/w400-h225/God%20of%20War%C2%AE%20III%20Remastered_20230725165646.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least one fight in the third act emphasizes this.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">This even
extends to the items Kratos has at his disposal, which can be easily swapped by
holding L1 and pressing one of the face buttons. The Bow of Apollo is not only
good for long-range attacks, it can also burn bramble to unlock new areas as
well as burn enemies in a wide area. The Head of Helios is useful for lighting
up dark areas, but can also stun enemies with blinding light and
reveal hidden secrets. Finally, the Boots of Hermes enable wall running in designated
areas, however they can also provide a burst of speed that can be used to plow
through enemies. With such a vast array of weapons and items that all feel
important in their own way, this effectively encourages a wider range of
gameplay styles previously unseen in the preceding entries.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Of the Greek
games, this one is easily the best-looking, especially thanks to the remaster
providing a visual upgrade over the PS3 original. While water effects can be
dodgy in earlier console generations, this game has some amazing and
realistic-looking water effects that still hold up really well. That said, with
the increased graphical fidelity, the fight against Cronos can still get a
little gross at times, especially since he was designed more like a level to
some extent, yet somehow it doesn’t feel as gross as when it was applied to
Atlas in <i>God of War II</i>. This approach is also applied to Gaia, yet
somehow it comes off the least weird, likely because of her plant-based design.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">One thing that
this game does that no other game in the series does is heavily experiment with
the camera, leading to a lot of visually interesting scenarios, such as the end
of the Poseidon battle being depicted from his perspective rather than Kratos’,
leading to a more cinematic experience that takes full advantage of the medium
without being overbearing. Button prompts are also placed more around the
screen, in their approximate location on the controller rather than most of
them being centered, making the player look around the screen more and arguably
making the QTEs a bit easier. One other nice touch is that the current weapon
that is equipped also changes Kratos’ dodge animation, making them stand out
even more from each other and fitting in with the type of weapon they are.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRu6MJ2FkVjplOjavUL2F1XDid1PVoP7kjIjsf6wivgQWsxchUFYguiqyxhO-N1EQdYz5_qCQ_rz9zkrnU7iCrdOOmjmdaXEem-jSk5atyKA28BwopYIFkDXrXWe_68zhb33Q_cDJjBPnevAF5Ycg2SvOAGYbnfyBWcAcaEN6zijXfjciI0oVlWiYCIEL/s3840/God%20of%20War%C2%AE%20III%20Remastered_20230725161126.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRu6MJ2FkVjplOjavUL2F1XDid1PVoP7kjIjsf6wivgQWsxchUFYguiqyxhO-N1EQdYz5_qCQ_rz9zkrnU7iCrdOOmjmdaXEem-jSk5atyKA28BwopYIFkDXrXWe_68zhb33Q_cDJjBPnevAF5Ycg2SvOAGYbnfyBWcAcaEN6zijXfjciI0oVlWiYCIEL/w400-h225/God%20of%20War%C2%AE%20III%20Remastered_20230725161126.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One phase of the final battle with Zeus resembles <i>Mortal Kombat</i>.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Notably, there
is one music puzzle in the game that appears to incorporate the PlayStation
icons, which would normally be immersion-breaking, but this is not actually the
case. When designing this puzzle, they initially used Greek symbols that
represented the meaning of the icons, but it didn’t work well in playtesting,
so they tried by making the icons into Greek symbols that more visually
resembled the icons, but it still didn’t work until the symbols were given the
appropriate colors. Upon closer inspection, one can see that the symbols are
actually Greek letters (Delta, Omicron, Pi, Chi) that are colored
similarly to their respective PlayStation icons (Triangle, Circle, Square,
Cross), which makes more sense in the context of the series.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQhp4f3pS9JE438qFOWSzT7ktih50YsnWNVJ1Yux_LHqY8wYuVALfNhWzpiK1-kVPmtRgifiDzomKY9_XVIADPogYj8WY-zyS1tDoPGdDd1-4rURHfdTzueMmTOvX5R29ByohAvbpPxEdBDDidYQQ0_YMj9UhiDgxF9PBsjPjHNM7UtU3GNlA-reiv25K/s3840/God%20of%20War%C2%AE%20III%20Remastered_20230725165004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQhp4f3pS9JE438qFOWSzT7ktih50YsnWNVJ1Yux_LHqY8wYuVALfNhWzpiK1-kVPmtRgifiDzomKY9_XVIADPogYj8WY-zyS1tDoPGdDd1-4rURHfdTzueMmTOvX5R29ByohAvbpPxEdBDDidYQQ0_YMj9UhiDgxF9PBsjPjHNM7UtU3GNlA-reiv25K/w400-h225/God%20of%20War%C2%AE%20III%20Remastered_20230725165004.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upon closer inspection, these are not the actual PlayStation icons, but rather<br />Greek letters colored to look like them.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While the game
has a really good voice cast, T. C. Carson stands out with one of his best
performances as Kratos in the entire Greek series. Some casting choices stand
out as well, with screen actor Rip Torn playing Hephaestus in one of his scant
video game roles, but it’s clear that he took the role very seriously and makes
him stand out as a memorable character. Notably, Kevin Sorbo sort of reprises
his role as Hercules, having played a version of the character before in <i>Hercules:
The Legendary Journeys</i>, and while I will admit to not having watched any
amount of that series, it is interesting to hear him play a more villainous
take on the mythological figure. The soundtrack is also very memorable, with “Rage
of Sparta” standing out the most as a sort of leitmotif throughout
the game.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Rather notably,
there was originally a different version of the game’s story conceived by
creator David Jaffe. In this version, Kratos would have killed Zeus at the very
beginning, which would then cause the Norse and Egyptian pantheons to arrive
and fill in the gap left by the Greek pantheon. Kratos would then end up
killing those pantheons as well, with his counterparts from those mythologies joining
him and becoming the Three Wise Men from the Christian story of the birth of
Jesus. While this obviously did not come to pass, with the only remaining hint
of this being a painting of the future seen in <i>God of War II</i>, the series
moving into Norse mythology and hinting heavily at Egyptian mythology seems to
indicate that the franchise will follow a version of this original vision over
a longer period of time, but only time will tell if the aforementioned future
will ever be seen through (otherwise the Sisters of Fate will have been wrong).
For what it’s worth though, there is a known fan game called <i>Bit of War</i>,
originally conceived as an account of what happened to Morpheus in <i>Chains of
Olympus</i>, with the final game being a loose depiction of what David Jaffe
had in mind for <i>God of War III</i>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">After all this
time, <i>God of War III</i> is still a satisfying conclusion to the running
storyline of the Greek series, with <i>Remastered</i> offering a more visually
polished experience, and still remains my personal favorite entry in the
franchise. Looking back on it, it also effectively sets the stage for Kratos’
continuing development in the Norse games, even if that was not the intention
at the time. While this is still a generally fun game to play, new players are
strongly encouraged to play through the preceding games in the series first for
the sake of the story, otherwise I would recommend playing the remaster.</p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-90452750521022933702024-03-12T06:30:00.000-07:002024-03-12T06:30:00.134-07:00Second Look - God of War: Chains of Olympus<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyhdRP9CkRFU3GOMo-w5tEZelcGrJLyo92Rfn1dJ7R5vDHdweDRYx-Dxt2kEM5Xs5CIjUfglxusqrLNrTrtoQ1Y8EXSCvRdGz4vW5uK717O9c0Q0XoIcrteaWUFp9OObmb63yXGH2SpM71CCeEazX4rBZ2e5Q59M9suABeRfl2eaCFge5VHT23nKfNmxt/s1104/938607_85521.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyhdRP9CkRFU3GOMo-w5tEZelcGrJLyo92Rfn1dJ7R5vDHdweDRYx-Dxt2kEM5Xs5CIjUfglxusqrLNrTrtoQ1Y8EXSCvRdGz4vW5uK717O9c0Q0XoIcrteaWUFp9OObmb63yXGH2SpM71CCeEazX4rBZ2e5Q59M9suABeRfl2eaCFge5VHT23nKfNmxt/w233-h400/938607_85521.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><p></p><p><i><b>Note:</b> This review contains spoilers for </i>God of War: Chains of Olympus<i>.</i><br /></p><p></p><p>Between <a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2024/03/second-look-god-of-war-ii.html"><i>God
of War II</i></a> and <i>III</i>, two portable games were released to help fill in
the gaps in both the release and the story. The second of these games was <i>God of
War: Chains of Olympus</i>, released on the PSP and developed by Ready at Dawn,
serving as a prequel to the original <i><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2024/03/second-look-god-of-war-2005.html">God of War</a></i>. Following the release
of <i>God of War III</i>, this game and the second PSP game, <i>Ghost of Sparta</i>,
were later ported to PS3 as part of <i>God of War: Origins Collection</i>,
featuring an HD presentation and gameplay tweaks to bring them more in line
with their console brethren. Though I have had experience with the original PSP
release and find it to be a good reason to own the handheld, I remembered
having a much better time when it was ported to PS3, which was how I decided to
re-experience the game while revisiting the original Greek series. Although the
game is very definitely showing its age, especially by virtue of having been a
handheld game first, I still found it worth playing as a proper installment in
the franchise.</p><a name='more'></a>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Before the
events of the original <i>God of War</i>, Kratos is a loyal servant to the gods,
believing they will rid him of his nightmares once he has fulfilled his duties.
By the order of the gods, Kratos lays waste to a Persian army invading Greece,
after which he witnesses the sun plummeting to Earth. This event, plunging
everything in a perpetual darkness, allows Morpheus to reign over the world and
place everyone in a slumber. In order to stop him, with Helios nowhere to be
found, Kratos must reawaken the Fire Steeds and allow the sun chariot to ride across
the sky once again.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While the
storyline is generally written well and effectively expands on Kratos’
character arc, the pacing is a little odd. While Morpheus is established as the
main threat, he becomes less relevant to the story about halfway through, at
which point Persephone is established as the main antagonist towards the end of
the game and Morpheus is only mentioned offhandedly from then on, including his
defeat. Granted, Persephone’s actions and motivations serve as an interesting
parallel to Kratos, but her involvement in the story still feels oddly-placed.
These plotlines are bridged by a lengthy visit to Hades, the involvement of
which feels mildly forced even though it includes some mild foreshadowing to
Persephone, and a running plot thread of Kratos tracking down and eventually
briefly reuniting with his deceased daughter Calliope. To give the story some
credit though, it does show how Atlas was chained to the Earth, corroborating
something Atlas had alluded to in <i>God of War II</i>, and the ending neatly
explains why Kratos doesn’t retain his arsenal and further ties it into the
original game.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtLhVXtyoAdQScshwjQsldgX7g_3yFVHa01-eW1qtSVsnO6PCZPX2jraYo4Uh7t82DUJ0doixu6FmkerO2wCeMZJwudGxZZQkLwr-I_cBQ5TY4eu2J7mGOu9F8Xr346JtYI8pm6WnU9n4_x-SCPo2u6niXALYzfjZMFDMEKUXp3UE7TtQ9trWqUmoabMe/s480/19178_persephone1.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="272" data-original-width="480" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtLhVXtyoAdQScshwjQsldgX7g_3yFVHa01-eW1qtSVsnO6PCZPX2jraYo4Uh7t82DUJ0doixu6FmkerO2wCeMZJwudGxZZQkLwr-I_cBQ5TY4eu2J7mGOu9F8Xr346JtYI8pm6WnU9n4_x-SCPo2u6niXALYzfjZMFDMEKUXp3UE7TtQ9trWqUmoabMe/w400-h226/19178_persephone1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Persephone becomes the main antagonist in the third act.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Before getting into
the gameplay, I will mention that I played on Bonus Play while having the Spud
of War costume equipped, which grants infinite Magic and replaces the Blades of
Chaos with potato peelers in addition to dressing up Kratos as a potato.
Additionally, all magic abilities plus the Sun Shield and Gauntlet of Zeus
remained in my arsenal. I will also mention that, while I did play using a
DualSense, <i>God of War Origins Collection</i> makes using it awkward, since
for some reason you still need to connect a PS3 controller as Player 1 to
select the game. Said controller also needs to be active as Player 2 in order
for the DualSense to function as it should during gameplay, resulting in
periodically turning the controller back on when it disconnects.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The core
gameplay is similar to that of the first two games, but with controls adjusted
to account for the PSP having fewer buttons than a DualShock, which were then
further adjusted in the PS3 port to account for having those additional buttons
back. In the original PSP version, Circle replaces R1 as a context-sensitive
button for some tasks, while down on the d-pad swaps weapons, L1 allows you to
block, R1 + one of the action buttons activates magic. Due to the PSP only
having one stick, dodge rolls are performed by holding down L1+R1 and then
moving the stick, which could get awkward at times. In the PS3 version, the
controls remain the same, except now you can also use L2 and R2 for L1 and R1
actions, plus you now have the option to use the right stick to more
conveniently dodge roll like in the previous console games (and I must say that
it’s very satisfying if you’re coming off of the PSP version). To account for
the portable nature of the game, the space between checkpoints is made much shorter
so that it can more easily be played in chunks, though this has the side effect
of making the experience much shorter than its console brethren, plus you only
need to obtain five each of Gorgon Eyes and Phoenix Feathers, instead of six,
to upgrade your Health and Magic.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxq_qD28o83qPMyLlaU0idXeNUakt0hZW2AsxlFrpoVta1sEHVQlTEkTYNiR3txLPSR7MGpeOwfMuuP_osQRB9WEhYs1sy_t8CeUzbZaTKvPaZ4Tgydh2EXkJH22_9vsjS33VP0Uw8PmhAtI7qMfRTvAV9yCT_NNUQ51yd8A_nDp8Pfuqit5JQFuoQUiZh/s480/Gfs_85521_2_14.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="272" data-original-width="480" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxq_qD28o83qPMyLlaU0idXeNUakt0hZW2AsxlFrpoVta1sEHVQlTEkTYNiR3txLPSR7MGpeOwfMuuP_osQRB9WEhYs1sy_t8CeUzbZaTKvPaZ4Tgydh2EXkJH22_9vsjS33VP0Uw8PmhAtI7qMfRTvAV9yCT_NNUQ51yd8A_nDp8Pfuqit5JQFuoQUiZh/w400-h226/Gfs_85521_2_14.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kratos has a unique arsenal of weapons and magic, such as the Efreet.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While the
graphics were pretty good for the PSP at the time, they have since aged quite
poorly even for the system, especially when put next to <i>Ghost of
Sparta</i>, though the PS3 version is at least more polished. They otherwise feel consistent with the style of the series and are
translated decently to less-powerful hardware, though I did run into an odd
rendering error where a specific (breakable) rock in the Jails of Tartarus section
is rendered as see-through. The music also feels consistent with the rest of
the series, although I will mention that my playthrough for this review had an
issue where Persephone’s boss battle music did not play until the second half
of the fight.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">To promote the release of the game, a minigame known as <i>Temple of Helios</i> was released online, which had a number of unlockables related to <i>Chains of Olympus</i>, including concept art and videos. Notably, some of these unlockables include a series of text entries collectively called <i>The Lost World</i>, which expand on the backstories of Greek mytholigical figures relevant to <i>Chains of Olympus</i>. While the minigame is no longer available to play, these text entries have fortunately been archived and are worth taking a look at before playing the main game, presented here for convenience.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsVaW1KawS_ctFzNY1D-turuLlv6ChhBflR7StZHbVTnD1GfmNn4b38R14eeCB_TnynOBwJw2a7nhkDY7R-jXX2y-6XjooJHhfgkNJWk_Or0cSWju0KQ-u8wAFxq-2Jk6K9jmhXaMaiNETq37bbUM6Qc6emUHwAAMc3ii69NaKwv-Yss2ESP3s-fjGDLO/s1048/God-of-War-The-Lost-World-Persephone.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="1048" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsVaW1KawS_ctFzNY1D-turuLlv6ChhBflR7StZHbVTnD1GfmNn4b38R14eeCB_TnynOBwJw2a7nhkDY7R-jXX2y-6XjooJHhfgkNJWk_Or0cSWju0KQ-u8wAFxq-2Jk6K9jmhXaMaiNETq37bbUM6Qc6emUHwAAMc3ii69NaKwv-Yss2ESP3s-fjGDLO/s320/God-of-War-The-Lost-World-Persephone.png" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ld9DK34WhoyOS1Zs7iYWiZnQk7bv5qQrIx5HxevstpYa4pqh-yIie2sANx8UZRnf_sB0yB6xXVH3izsHvZy6Dz4mOf7y-kx8SNmNPiorjZvVgcnN43urLdwAqN-O5A9hEGMLjHH8u9kL0TM3kvDOVXKHnApx9kTgcAaokCw3wZfjr3EvVu4v8HsoO8jN/s1048/God-of-War-The-Lost-World-Morpheus.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="1048" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ld9DK34WhoyOS1Zs7iYWiZnQk7bv5qQrIx5HxevstpYa4pqh-yIie2sANx8UZRnf_sB0yB6xXVH3izsHvZy6Dz4mOf7y-kx8SNmNPiorjZvVgcnN43urLdwAqN-O5A9hEGMLjHH8u9kL0TM3kvDOVXKHnApx9kTgcAaokCw3wZfjr3EvVu4v8HsoO8jN/s320/God-of-War-The-Lost-World-Morpheus.png" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwtlhDeTdAOuobM59cOp2nYyY7kuB6_2cIVH94ub-1BFV1spikadjuSb9UFNC62_u5b-hoSWzIvaXLKwfyLTb7Tifw7_9XFUKPczf83PCPdSjFbQJHabB0zKpFt1Sy5IWrD7R8FmDUGW1LzJLR9uU0LQkYUSYbhf3iKIaVwkpgQgRKfSkC5iqrFccopH0/s1048/God-of-War-The-Lost-World-Helios.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="1048" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwtlhDeTdAOuobM59cOp2nYyY7kuB6_2cIVH94ub-1BFV1spikadjuSb9UFNC62_u5b-hoSWzIvaXLKwfyLTb7Tifw7_9XFUKPczf83PCPdSjFbQJHabB0zKpFt1Sy5IWrD7R8FmDUGW1LzJLR9uU0LQkYUSYbhf3iKIaVwkpgQgRKfSkC5iqrFccopH0/s320/God-of-War-The-Lost-World-Helios.png" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrBms2UbA5KISFQTr5ss7c9hwtI3NmigLIbjZ3Ccc5d3YcEn_8Kmu014oBn6dCGfa5LVBOErZYOr_Y2LHDod8C3tlFTJKDK_y-HCYd3W51Otb5Crwqf_ZWMlQL2JgkGV4buuJU3I14tR3PZLsmAAK8AjKw2yMDhgOhg7ejDeoOqx6kHIISvq3I_L5gMuR/s1048/God-of-War-The-Lost-World-Atlas.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="1048" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrBms2UbA5KISFQTr5ss7c9hwtI3NmigLIbjZ3Ccc5d3YcEn_8Kmu014oBn6dCGfa5LVBOErZYOr_Y2LHDod8C3tlFTJKDK_y-HCYd3W51Otb5Crwqf_ZWMlQL2JgkGV4buuJU3I14tR3PZLsmAAK8AjKw2yMDhgOhg7ejDeoOqx6kHIISvq3I_L5gMuR/s320/God-of-War-The-Lost-World-Atlas.png" width="320" /></a></div></div></div></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While not as strong
as the first two <i>God of War</i> games in terms of narrative or content, <i>God
of War: Chains of Olympus</i> is still worth playing for its contributions to
the storyline and Kratos’ character arc. While you will get a similar experience
whether you play the PSP or PS3 versions of the game, I would more strongly
recommend the latter for the sake of its expanded controls.</p>
<p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-14039934593320589312024-03-09T06:30:00.000-08:002024-03-09T06:30:00.131-08:00Stubs - The Last Command<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItRN-qFBRB1oEnwFVzgSRn7C8QQ1KGJPY3xiq4mhJP9sa10qmkLcKzLFtv1FRn44-1h5OrLCqqRInQTp7ZpKSIMTNyZ8QqWGDQTS6zNnANZcBDg6wyQ6WovD2p-jjbF5mam8z0dgbeh3dAr2OqYkUhuDqiuWEnprLKdN4MQO4tBmKewbkrwIWuGEuiA/s2696/Poster_-_Last_Command,_The_(1928)_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2696" data-original-width="2088" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItRN-qFBRB1oEnwFVzgSRn7C8QQ1KGJPY3xiq4mhJP9sa10qmkLcKzLFtv1FRn44-1h5OrLCqqRInQTp7ZpKSIMTNyZ8QqWGDQTS6zNnANZcBDg6wyQ6WovD2p-jjbF5mam8z0dgbeh3dAr2OqYkUhuDqiuWEnprLKdN4MQO4tBmKewbkrwIWuGEuiA/w310-h400/Poster_-_Last_Command,_The_(1928)_01.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b>The Last Command </b>(1928) Starring Emil Jannings,
Evelyn Brent, William Powell. Directed by Josef von Sternberg; Screenplay by John
Goodrich. Presented by Adolph Zukor, Jesse L. Lasky. Black and White. USA Run
time: 88 minutes. Silent, Melodrama.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Once considered by<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> the </span>Library
of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database to be extant, the
rumors of its demise have been overly exaggerated. <i>The Last Command</i> is a
noteworthy work mostly because of its prominence in Academy Awards history. The
lead actor, Emil Jannings would be the first actor to win for his work. Back
then, the award wasn’t for one film, but for a body of work for the year, so
Jannings won for this film, as well as his performance in <i>The Way of All
Flesh.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><i><o:p></o:p></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;">Originally called <i>The General</i>,
the title was changed. Director Josef von Sternberg claims to have written the
original scenario, though the film’s nomination for Best Writing (Original
Story) went to Lajos Bíró. However, there is general agreement that it is based
on an idea by Ernst Lubitsch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According
to an interview Lubitsch gave to newspaper columnist Gilbert Swan, the story is
based, in part, on a General in the Imperial Russian Army named Theodore A.
Lodigensky.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;">Lubitsch had met him in Russia
prior to the revolution, and later, again, when the former general was opening<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a Russian restaurant after fleeing the
communist takeover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lubitsch encountered
the ex-general a third time, when Lodigensky, in full uniform, came looking for
work as an extra at $7.50 a day. Apparently, Lubitsch later told <a name="_Hlk132522617">Bíró</a> the anecdote.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;">Under the name Theodore Lodi,
Lodigensky went on to play a handful of roles between 1929 and 1935, including
Grand Duke Michael, a Russian exile who is forced to work as a hotel doorman in
<i>Down to Earth</i> (1932).<o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0BodQD_vyf6qXHo2Y6GaTeIzREW9TXtSnzHdADuLNIKwxeTFzQsdl467PIVTpvoubPxGrJtdL1FnYgf2iaZHed9bJoq3RxvUDTRM5jgH0KKB_9SwS988BIURt7GPzyW_tq_EXHtg7nWiQlL7mqendhwk1Se7KRa7ARKJ_p8eVBaAaPZ3xAth-sF3Qg/s660/The%20Last%20Command%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="660" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0BodQD_vyf6qXHo2Y6GaTeIzREW9TXtSnzHdADuLNIKwxeTFzQsdl467PIVTpvoubPxGrJtdL1FnYgf2iaZHed9bJoq3RxvUDTRM5jgH0KKB_9SwS988BIURt7GPzyW_tq_EXHtg7nWiQlL7mqendhwk1Se7KRa7ARKJ_p8eVBaAaPZ3xAth-sF3Qg/w400-h301/The%20Last%20Command%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Russian film director Leo Andreyev (William Powell).</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;">The film opens in 1928 Hollywood.
Russian film director Leo Andreyev (William Powell) wants to cast Russians in
his new film and is looking through photographs of possible actors for his next
movie. When he comes to the picture of an aged Sergius Alexander (Emil
Jannings), he pauses, then tells his Assistant Director (Jack Raymond) to cast
the man. Wardrobe is instructed to dress him as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>a general. On the back of the photo, with the contact information is a
note that Sergius claims to have been the commanding general in the Russian
Army and the cousin of the Czar and that he would work for $7.50 a day, the
same amount Lodigensky would work for, it should be noted.<o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRFfwGBQksJSn0Oi-ZxYJ0eVq3RHsz_8D8UgJ_2rSdD0k06nyw_w83OWEjsa_J0MnEsrT5bwVzPCbf45l_OsTtluXADtV_O5WNxLc6I6_vKqrDmgK5NkqR7L7EnNZ25ImxVvb55l-etqqzMFKRNlMPvpNsrA1MRe484qH2j6y_ekZSFcDdRIFkwPsoQ/s1280/large-screenshot3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRFfwGBQksJSn0Oi-ZxYJ0eVq3RHsz_8D8UgJ_2rSdD0k06nyw_w83OWEjsa_J0MnEsrT5bwVzPCbf45l_OsTtluXADtV_O5WNxLc6I6_vKqrDmgK5NkqR7L7EnNZ25ImxVvb55l-etqqzMFKRNlMPvpNsrA1MRe484qH2j6y_ekZSFcDdRIFkwPsoQ/w400-h300/large-screenshot3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sergius Alexander (Emil Jannings) goes to answer the call.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;">Sergius lives in a boarding house
and is called to the communal phone when the call comes in. He is told to
report to the Eureka Studio front gate at 6 AM the next morning. One of his
notable attributes is a persistent twitch.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;">In what may have been typical for
extras at the time, Sergius shows up at the Eureka Studio with a horde of
others. It is a real cattle call as he moves from window to window, picking up
the appropriate costume, boots, hat, and weapon for the role. As he is
dressing, another actor complains that his continual head twitching is
distracting. Sergius apologizes and explains that it is the result of a great
shock he once experienced.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPPIIXppp3wT2IBdNZDo9ldVxz1t95YWZ4FSS4E6viCSZnzOpc829icITZii3N4cJwoIt57mcQSfyHB_izgcmZhjxsbXs0Wnoxj193ZH2oRWxtIQwqGtqhpi9OjSAxqsTySXHezHU2svQA-SadyFwPBI5csikXnzvm4occuuMbvQZ1T6nc34m0MlMhQ/s640/62573431300337402144_thumb.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPPIIXppp3wT2IBdNZDo9ldVxz1t95YWZ4FSS4E6viCSZnzOpc829icITZii3N4cJwoIt57mcQSfyHB_izgcmZhjxsbXs0Wnoxj193ZH2oRWxtIQwqGtqhpi9OjSAxqsTySXHezHU2svQA-SadyFwPBI5csikXnzvm4occuuMbvQZ1T6nc34m0MlMhQ/w400-h300/62573431300337402144_thumb.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Another extra notices the medal that Sergius is so proud of.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;">He applies to his costume a medal
he had worn as a Russian general. When asked by another extra, he tells him
that it was a gift from the Czar. The extra thinks he’s making that up and
takes the medal from him and tries to humiliate him in front of the others in
the dressing room. With some effort, Sergius manages to get the medal back and
does put it back on his costume.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;">As Sergius is applying makeup, he
has a flashback ten years to Czarist Russia. World War I is raging and the
prospects of a Revolution are building. Grand Duke Sergius Alexander, the
Czar's cousin and commander of all his armies, has come to inspect the troops
and everyone gives way to him.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;">Two actors entertaining the
troops, Natalie Dobrova (Evelyn Brent) and younger Leo, are watching the
military maneuvers out on the street below. They are revolutionists and are
certain that change is coming. Into their apartment steps a soldier, who orders
them to come to headquarters the next morning for a passport check.<o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cMnm5P78IxluTU80hspPbVVyQl0FkwTYpNdi2o0rgJQBOxFArwmrECWeVzedc1Xi2NO1CV2VAX61GLw8aRbguc0pwnQiztr2mbHnrgMdU3GGsUdAGBr7YHDWLd1D7yqOtgEAIhCe7U2CiYaa61eAkOMaXzsfI1wOnkpX3yA1BwjqmBItwaen0kR17Q/s1200/Powell%20Test.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="1200" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cMnm5P78IxluTU80hspPbVVyQl0FkwTYpNdi2o0rgJQBOxFArwmrECWeVzedc1Xi2NO1CV2VAX61GLw8aRbguc0pwnQiztr2mbHnrgMdU3GGsUdAGBr7YHDWLd1D7yqOtgEAIhCe7U2CiYaa61eAkOMaXzsfI1wOnkpX3yA1BwjqmBItwaen0kR17Q/w400-h296/Powell%20Test.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Leo and fellow actor Natalie Dobrova (Evelyn Brent) are found to be revolutionaries.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;">The next morning, Sergius is
informed by his Adjutant (Nicholas Soussanin) that the two actors have been
identified as dangerous "revolutionists", with the woman being
identified as the most dangerous person in Russia. Sergius decides to toy with
them for his amusement. When Leo becomes insolent, Sergius whips him across the
face and has him jailed.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZVddyozE13KYhZYPiTCxytO0l0PiJtTqjaatQSzsze_GHvSxSm2FD1e_foVK7_D3e8zRy3lzDgkFlglqCLkMe4CjiowGHkkvRH_CQdVRZp-SI8et1O2XgrzvWuPlM57tsCQyudjKeGCGUgFMTp3vLD22igCFkcUrBclpt2P8vlZu1UGcRWRfyMZM5Q/s1280/image-w1280.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZVddyozE13KYhZYPiTCxytO0l0PiJtTqjaatQSzsze_GHvSxSm2FD1e_foVK7_D3e8zRy3lzDgkFlglqCLkMe4CjiowGHkkvRH_CQdVRZp-SI8et1O2XgrzvWuPlM57tsCQyudjKeGCGUgFMTp3vLD22igCFkcUrBclpt2P8vlZu1UGcRWRfyMZM5Q/w400-h225/image-w1280.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sergius finds that he has fallen for Natalie.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;">The beautiful Natalie intrigues Sergius. Despite the danger
she poses, he takes her along with him. After a week, he gives her a pearl
necklace as a token of his feelings for her. When Sergius is ordered to put on
an offensive the next day for the benefit of the Czar, he refuses, not wanting
to needlessly endanger his men.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xKPT8lHLRLBg8itC1HOpU-ingVIJwTKePEyry9yqy6rulPq9IuI4mr8yyTYF3UOSY5p42M9Ty1K-WNQZrpeLYiOF3nEBidyujHzZfybdWNWZJ_IFCmJ47QC33D9nytsyElFIz60Mrw6JyLLEuMS6tzogRg8pEtDCI2VDMFdjGo2kR9PkOcW9ASUPrQ/s720/57599681.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xKPT8lHLRLBg8itC1HOpU-ingVIJwTKePEyry9yqy6rulPq9IuI4mr8yyTYF3UOSY5p42M9Ty1K-WNQZrpeLYiOF3nEBidyujHzZfybdWNWZJ_IFCmJ47QC33D9nytsyElFIz60Mrw6JyLLEuMS6tzogRg8pEtDCI2VDMFdjGo2kR9PkOcW9ASUPrQ/w400-h300/57599681.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Natalie had planned to kill Sergius, but can't bring herself to do it.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">She comes to realize that he is at heart a man of great
honor who loves Russia as deeply as she does. When she invites him to her room,
the plan is to assassinate him. Sergius even spots the partially hidden pistol,
but deliberately turns his back to her. She draws the weapon, but cannot fire.
Despite their political differences, she has fallen in love with him, too.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVbRUzDMFDu4pp8h3me179uHTas4iw4kAQIclS_fsOZLRwcFIrqKx_xNmjDyNeRXDcB8yA1BDJblr5LuVhNSNayTDHaZCXpb_hv0ckGJbmAxR83KE_J3xghax2DcFm1Kn4AvNfw5gjKuivI01tN1IQVS8VuMcgr0CFh39o5nSoTrMwXRJienelKb5tQ/s640/lastcommand2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="640" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVbRUzDMFDu4pp8h3me179uHTas4iw4kAQIclS_fsOZLRwcFIrqKx_xNmjDyNeRXDcB8yA1BDJblr5LuVhNSNayTDHaZCXpb_hv0ckGJbmAxR83KE_J3xghax2DcFm1Kn4AvNfw5gjKuivI01tN1IQVS8VuMcgr0CFh39o5nSoTrMwXRJienelKb5tQ/w400-h301/lastcommand2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Natalie lets her true colors show as she helps lead the revolutionaries.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">When the Bolsheviks capture the train on which they are
traveling, she pretends to despise him. Instead of having him shot out of hand
like his officers, she suggests they have him stoke coal into the locomotive
all the way to Petrograd, where he will be publicly hanged. Sergius, who is
beaten by the crowd, is confused by Natalie’s change and is forced to stoke the
fire of the train while everyone else gets drunk on vodka.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRVbmG-WgygnbOZID76MWovWKVz0LJ_l7Nde17FIdXZjam3tWn5hTquoxW3ohRugsEvsxFVpudzuAi1GsFq5Bds1FaYvfK2y4r5dQlXB8dee3bhbBGqZUu7v8V6GPvn_PmPhbh6uR9Asp9X4dQRHvm12iqQyEmmunZhrU3UI2VUWZAyHZZzdYD3ybTA/s640/24906502999_f2933968ec_z.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="640" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRVbmG-WgygnbOZID76MWovWKVz0LJ_l7Nde17FIdXZjam3tWn5hTquoxW3ohRugsEvsxFVpudzuAi1GsFq5Bds1FaYvfK2y4r5dQlXB8dee3bhbBGqZUu7v8V6GPvn_PmPhbh6uR9Asp9X4dQRHvm12iqQyEmmunZhrU3UI2VUWZAyHZZzdYD3ybTA/w400-h316/24906502999_f2933968ec_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">But that turns out to be a ruse, as Natalie does love Sergius.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">But this turns out to be a ruse to keep him alive. When
everyone on board is drunk, she gives him back the pearl necklace, telling him
that it should finance his escape from the country. While she looks on, he
knocks out the train engineer and jumps off the train into a bank of snow.
Lying there, he watches as the train tumbles off a nearby bridge into the icy
river below, taking Natalie with it. This moment is when Sergius develops his
head twitch.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ten years later, Sergius is back as the extra. The assistant
director takes a certain pride in his work, but when Sergius corrects him about
the placement of a medal, the man doesn’t believe him, telling him he’s made 12
Russian pictures, so he knows what he’s doing.<o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugJqD29M2gYLMku1f5Oes-6D0odNvC5tSbb2XvW-eMQyOVz_abZcb-tD6Caj0ua_NEzH5H8WoQIcluNM7JuLJ_1js7yzHHinnMTKj0-N8J7ueffFsKAFDLzapAmJ4oZG21fwz_rLJaZds35gw5kc9GcYQ9_bwPbsnh4z1F4nVjiAG8Niy2jCKvmlROA/s651/A3Cx3jW.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="651" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugJqD29M2gYLMku1f5Oes-6D0odNvC5tSbb2XvW-eMQyOVz_abZcb-tD6Caj0ua_NEzH5H8WoQIcluNM7JuLJ_1js7yzHHinnMTKj0-N8J7ueffFsKAFDLzapAmJ4oZG21fwz_rLJaZds35gw5kc9GcYQ9_bwPbsnh4z1F4nVjiAG8Niy2jCKvmlROA/w400-h301/A3Cx3jW.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Leo makes sure Sergius is dressed just like he used to be</span>.</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">When he and the director finally meet, Sergius recognizes
him. Leo puts the medal back where Sergius had put it on the uniform. While he
doesn’t come out and say it, Leo has calculated to humiliate Sergius. Leo tells
him that the troops are dispirited and directs him to give a speech. When one
soldier tries to incite a mutiny, telling the general that "you've given
your last command", Leo instructs him to whip the man in the face, adding
that Sergius already knows how to use a whip.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsyd0rheVHsr4YTY265tC-MXeswOpeCYtvXO4dNrbc4pw1fCZ24p1cVSRUDEIYOWL2Dl8ubQsy2iup6Xhy1bulr4Hw6v1As8PPM4-nmr6ZPkNqlYRzN0kffUkX_yJGgTCZF8WwsSOJw5MNWgbszpVn6eECPHWBxyqWMhrxLjxbTYmozBPSoEQciKqcQ/s518/cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="518" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsyd0rheVHsr4YTY265tC-MXeswOpeCYtvXO4dNrbc4pw1fCZ24p1cVSRUDEIYOWL2Dl8ubQsy2iup6Xhy1bulr4Hw6v1As8PPM4-nmr6ZPkNqlYRzN0kffUkX_yJGgTCZF8WwsSOJw5MNWgbszpVn6eECPHWBxyqWMhrxLjxbTYmozBPSoEQciKqcQ/w400-h225/cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sergius delivers a very passionate speech to the "troops".</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">Fantasy and reality blur in Sergius’ mind and he imagines
that he’s not on studio set, but on a real battlefield being besieged by
approaching enemy troops. Sergius delivers a very passionate speech urging his
men to fight for Russia.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVU_uBA5UIbwfFtS7knCKPRobHqgjp8qfkbrXHoVD8Cx7s4mxCt5uQN7h-Vi1k8fJR3-k4a51En8fKLv6GPk6fQfiiIGc58h3U5F53lKgTt06UQm7EKh8PhOXDefae423XbDy7RNXhWEab1ZRbIPPWhG6QjUrFLm2j_WshLr_sLIYVnGHP-i6_8Tf7Q/s500/lastcommand62.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="500" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVU_uBA5UIbwfFtS7knCKPRobHqgjp8qfkbrXHoVD8Cx7s4mxCt5uQN7h-Vi1k8fJR3-k4a51En8fKLv6GPk6fQfiiIGc58h3U5F53lKgTt06UQm7EKh8PhOXDefae423XbDy7RNXhWEab1ZRbIPPWhG6QjUrFLm2j_WshLr_sLIYVnGHP-i6_8Tf7Q/w400-h301/lastcommand62.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Leo and his Assistant Director (Jack Raymond) comfort a dying Sergius</span>.</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">However, the strain on Sergius is too great and he collapses
after delivering the speech. The set empties and Leo and his assistant come to
his aid. In Sergius’ last words, he asks if they had won. Leo tells him that
they have and Sergius dies. He then places the flag of Russia over the dead
man’s body.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The assistant remarks, "That guy was a great
actor." Leo replies, "He was more than a great actor - he was a great
man."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Somehow, that last bit seems forced to me. If the
director had wanted to get his revenge by humiliating Sergius by making him
relive his last command, so to speak, it seems odd that he would now see him as
a great man just because he died. Rather, I would have suspected Leo to think
it was just desserts for a Czarist. But that probably wouldn’t have been the
ending Paramount wanted for the film. Sergius was supposed to be seen as
sympathetic and Leo as a changed man.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Following the commercial success of his film <i>Underworld </i>(1927),
director Josef von Sternberg was being given large budgets to work with on
films he was making at Paramount. However, that didn’t stop the studio from
holding up the release of <i>The Last Command</i>. When Paramount executives
reviewed the film, they discovered that Sternberg had inserted material
portraying Hollywood as heartless and cynical. They further complained that he
had historically misrepresented the Russian Revolution, including
"recognizable portraits of Trotsky and the young Stalin". Only under
duress from a wealthy Paramount stockholder did the studio relent and distribute
the film as is.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Despite the studio’s high expectations, <i>The Last Command </i>was
not a commercial success. The reviews seemed to be generally positive though,
with Mordaunt Hall of <i>The New York Times</i> calling it “one of the
most satisfactory of shadow stories.” He even singles out the ending, writing,
“The motion picture end of this feature is wonderfully good, even to the
selection of the players.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The film did receive a couple of nominations at the first
Academy Awards ceremony, including Lajos Bíró’s nomination, as mentioned above. The
other one was the win for lead actor Emil Jannings. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a sort of Hollywood folklore surrounding Jannings’
win. Supposedly, canine actor Rin Tin Tin received the most votes before the
fledging Academy recalculated and decided that only human actors could win. The
story seems to go back to Darryl Zanuck, then working as a writer at Warner
Bros. Zanuck was recruited by screenwriter Frank Woods to help move the Academy
Awards project along. However, Zanuck didn’t particularly like the idea of the
Awards and when given a sample ballot wrote in Rin Tin Tin for Best Actor, the
studio’s biggest star at the time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">However, there were no recorded votes for Rin Tin Tin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to a story on <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/rin-tin-tin-oscar-win-first-best-actor/"><i>thewrap.com</i></a>,
“Those 1928 ballots lie in a storage box in the Academy’s Margaret Herrick
Library in Los Angeles. Jack Warner’s is there — they were signed, not secret,
in the first year — along with stacks of others, not a single one of them
mentioning a dog. Zanuck, probably because he still regarded voting for Academy
Awards as wasted effort, seems not to have submitted a ballot.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jannings does give a memorable performance in <i>The Last
Command</i>. At the time of the film, Jannings was one of the most popular
actors in the world. A major star in Germany, his popularity enabled Jannings
to sign an agreement with Paramount Pictures and eventually follow his acting
colleagues Lubitsch and Pola Negri to Hollywood. Not only is he the first Best
Actor award winner, he was both the first to hold the award, having been given
it three months prior to the awards ceremony, but also the first winner not to
attend the ceremony, having returned to Europe.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The coming of talkies would limit Jannings in Hollywood
because of his thick German accent. That didn’t mean Jannings stopped acting in
Germany. However, he became involved with the rise of Hitler in that country,
starring in several films which were intended to promote Nazism.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The shooting of his last film <i>Wo ist Herr Belling?</i>
was aborted when troops of the Allied Powers entered Germany in Spring 1945.
Jannings reportedly carried his Oscar statuette with him as proof of his former
association with Hollywood. However, his active role in Nazi propaganda meant
that he was subject to denazification, effectively ending his career.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Evelyn Brent is striking as Natalie Dabrova in the film.
Brent had been in films since 1914’s <i>A Gentleman from Mississippi</i>. Most
of early films are unfortunately now considered lost. Her career got a major
boost in 1923 when she was chosen as one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars. She
successfully made the transition to sound appearing with William Powell in <i>Interference</i>
(1928), Paramount’s first feature-length all-talking film. By the mid-1930s,
she was playing more secondary roles in films. In the 1940s, she was no longer
in demand by the majors and continued her career acting at smaller, low-budget
studios. She retired in 1950 and worked for several years as an actor’s agent.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hall noted in his review that, “William Powell gives a
sterling portrait of a motion picture director and also as one of the
ringleaders of the infuriated mob.” It’s hard to think of a role that Powell
wasn’t good in. No telling if he might have been nominated as Supporting Actor
if that category existed at the time. His acting chops really don’t come in
until the last act of the film. Most of the time, his character is in prison and
out of the story, however he plays a very major role in the bookends of the
film.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">When Sergius makes such a big deal about the medal the Czar gave him, I kept looking for it during the flashback. It is a prominent piece on his uniform. And despite his being beaten by the mob and the destruction of his uniform, that medal still stays with him. It had to be something he was very proud of and something that reminded him of better times.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While I wasn’t a big fan of the ending of the film, the
sequence leading up to it is one of the film’s highlights. I’ll give credit to
the director, Josef von Sternberg. The movie set is both a real location and
one that exists only in the mind of Sergius. He is less acting as an extra and
more a Russian general fighting phantom soldiers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While there were better films released at year, including
<a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2012/01/stubs-wings.html" target="_blank"><i>Wings</i></a> and <a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2011/07/stubs-sunrise.html" target="_blank"><i>Sunrise</i></a><i>,</i> I will admit that I really enjoyed the film overall. This is
another good example of how far silent films had come in their storytelling
technique. I was a bit apprehensive before watching the film, not sure of what
to expect or how well it would have aged, but I was pleasantly surprised.</p>lionsroarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05575728698472889728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-79583080348011222732024-03-08T06:30:00.000-08:002024-03-08T22:06:01.713-08:00Second Look - God of War: Betrayal<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqf4MAV0uogn_QijCmyyMXcz6Xn2YZOg42vz82n01DugrvEPP8v1zUXAW0VcsEMcmGaQhJPgjcXN4vhVc2Wn6AJYg-Dv7l1HgMqiwL0BNuG9Gg7T0a8IfjSV5VGg44WwShs2zSAb98Pej1EBfuhARFRtZZ41d8JDcr02X0-iJ187gWT8KHiyNhsP23A/s480/7070982-god-of-war-betrayal-j2me-front-cover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqf4MAV0uogn_QijCmyyMXcz6Xn2YZOg42vz82n01DugrvEPP8v1zUXAW0VcsEMcmGaQhJPgjcXN4vhVc2Wn6AJYg-Dv7l1HgMqiwL0BNuG9Gg7T0a8IfjSV5VGg44WwShs2zSAb98Pej1EBfuhARFRtZZ41d8JDcr02X0-iJ187gWT8KHiyNhsP23A/w400-h400/7070982-god-of-war-betrayal-j2me-front-cover.png" width="400" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">In the
intervening period between <i><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2024/03/second-look-god-of-war-ii.html">God of War II</a></i> and <i>God of War III</i>, two
other games in the series were released that expanded further on the story,
both developed for handheld devices. The first of these was <i>God of War:
Betrayal</i>, the only one to be developed for mobile phones, taking place
between the events of the first two games. I actually played this game quite a
bit in high school, back when I had a compatible phone that could play it,
though the game’s canonicity had been debated over the years and has since
become unavailable to download legally. Once it was confirmed that the game was
canon, via a tweet from Santa Monica Studio animation director Bruno Velasquez,
I scrambled to dig out an old phone I held on to that still had the game on it,
or else have to resort to emulation just to play an old mobile game. Miraculously,
after having to buy a charger, I managed to uncover an old LG Rumor phone that still
had the game on it, allowing me to finally play it once again in its original
glory.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_00qma86jRa-5pCBiBHh5kJ5u5jwdePOIPE7fkLl7sljcHhMSt9wTrnHL-IVTYgbolzvFStamJe7ozhYF-1_J0CBuQ6U3PYL_4mvCInfBcO7A1wQW0lJlf99NMycGn1YyuM5S3afLEYnWUPj2acnC2VM4PA4I0ryRSzoQnxfW9JW-pUYHWSFyOOb3A/s2385/Screenshot_20230518_191809.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2385" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_00qma86jRa-5pCBiBHh5kJ5u5jwdePOIPE7fkLl7sljcHhMSt9wTrnHL-IVTYgbolzvFStamJe7ozhYF-1_J0CBuQ6U3PYL_4mvCInfBcO7A1wQW0lJlf99NMycGn1YyuM5S3afLEYnWUPj2acnC2VM4PA4I0ryRSzoQnxfW9JW-pUYHWSFyOOb3A/w181-h400/Screenshot_20230518_191809.jpg" width="181" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tweet confirming its canon status.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While the game
was certainly groundbreaking at the time for its ability to translate the
series to the mobile space, to where it was considered one of the best mobile
games to play in the era before smart phones, its quality is now more hotly
contested as a result of its antiquity.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Since the game
is now nigh impossible to play outside of emulation, that is unless you still
own a phone with the game already installed, I will be going more in-depth here
with the story.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">After defeating
Ares, Kratos, the new god of war, leads a Spartan army on a path of conquest. The
angered gods send Hera’s giant, Argos, to try and stop the Spartan army, but
Kratos persists as his army is pursued by the Dead Rider and the Minotaur,
while Zeus turns a blind eye to the carnage. Eventually, Argos is slain, which concerns
the gods. However, Kratos was not the one to kill it, rather it was the work of
an unknown assassin. Kratos faces off against Cerberus and an army of undead
soldiers in pursuit of the assassin that killed Argos, only for the Spartan
army to fall to Cerberus. This only gives Kratos further reason to hunt down
the assassin, for it turns out they were not acting alone. Unable to ignore the
carnage any longer, Zeus sends the messenger god Ceryx, son of Hermes, to stop
Kratos, only for Ceryx to fall victim to Kratos’ rampage. Ceryx’s death fuels
Zeus’ vengeance against Kratos. Meanwhile, the assassin Kratos had been chasing
is never found.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUZ4H_6SRoOZ0KaBZan5lDxxE7d56dhuyk2SVPiK0yIIKPSxK-WPdDNKzBrz0JrMHNejDHM9FngRG7jjtHTV5Mt38zPxGeL7qGhOQbKD3LwrJptDkzs3JVWGo06-SH424r57YjskWLx5Y0xkJ0IIMLFbAO7pgtFKDYlkUNKmW_klbSYx1xB1A1iisbw/s320/16091283-god-of-war-betrayal-j2me-starting-out.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUZ4H_6SRoOZ0KaBZan5lDxxE7d56dhuyk2SVPiK0yIIKPSxK-WPdDNKzBrz0JrMHNejDHM9FngRG7jjtHTV5Mt38zPxGeL7qGhOQbKD3LwrJptDkzs3JVWGo06-SH424r57YjskWLx5Y0xkJ0IIMLFbAO7pgtFKDYlkUNKmW_klbSYx1xB1A1iisbw/w300-h400/16091283-god-of-war-betrayal-j2me-starting-out.png" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Story and dialogue are delivered through text.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">There isn’t
that much to the story compared with the console games, though the fact this
was originally developed for mobile phones makes this more forgivable and the structure
of the game serves as a neat way to introduce new enemy types while integrating
them into the narrative. While the amount of contribution to the plot of <i>God
of War II</i> is debatable, it does at least explain how Zeus came to turn on
Kratos after being more benevolent in the original game, even if Ceryx and the
events surrounding his death are never mentioned again. There’s also the unresolved
plot point of the assassin that comes off as sequel bait, though the fact that
there actually were planned sequels that got axed may have had something to do
with this.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Amazingly, the
gameplay is similar to that of the original two games, but translated to play
more like a side-scroller to account for mobile devices at the time, with
movement performed by the arrow keys and the center OK button tied to attacks.
Much of Kratos’ arsenal from the end of the original game is retained here, specifically
Athena’s Blades, the Blade of Artemis, Medusa’s Gaze and the Army of Hades,
with the Blade of Artemis being treated as a magic item tied to the Magic meter.
Said weapons can be scrolled through using the left soft key, reverting back to
the Blades after each use, and can be upgraded as normal between chapters or by
visiting the upgrade screen with the # key. QTEs also return here, with the
Down key replacing the Circle button to initiate them, and the QTEs themselves
being a three-button combination between the arrows and OK. You can also attack
random civilians as in the console games, but they give you arguably more
useful (for this game) green orbs rather than red.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhwxH7_h8ytSk-9Oyfiulkzf4jwZeog7XSllHcFx0H39B8oIIt0QW4gmzhZIPCF7gaJSPP_MYwyqeGPmb5jqN3Bz6lk2UKF-Pc7DjHewKi3U0a850pLQYFxwAQHAb-InNGDf9lUwpzVJzGA4j5u0tseCXN0Uc34ZdgMXHw3g5FKQtXo5c3iZskkblZg/s320/16091043-god-of-war-betrayal-j2me-swimming.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhwxH7_h8ytSk-9Oyfiulkzf4jwZeog7XSllHcFx0H39B8oIIt0QW4gmzhZIPCF7gaJSPP_MYwyqeGPmb5jqN3Bz6lk2UKF-Pc7DjHewKi3U0a850pLQYFxwAQHAb-InNGDf9lUwpzVJzGA4j5u0tseCXN0Uc34ZdgMXHw3g5FKQtXo5c3iZskkblZg/w300-h400/16091043-god-of-war-betrayal-j2me-swimming.png" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is also an underused swimming mechanic.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Some mechanics
have also been adjusted to make them work better in a mobile space, in some
cases making them even easier than in the first two console games. For
instance, (double) jump and grapple have been mapped to the contextual Up
button, with the grapple action performing an automatic swing as opposed to
having to hold a button down as in <i>God of War II</i>. Additionally,
grabbable objects are automatically grabbed just by running into them, beam
walks no longer require dealing with balance and rope sections don’t feature
any enemies until the undead warriors are introduced. The Gorgon Eye/Phoenix
Feather system is also retained, but, in a clever way of accounting for the more
bite-sized level design, you only need to gather one each to upgrade their
respective meters, although you need to be within a certain pixel range in
order to unlock any chests. One nice addition not seen in the console games is
the way it handles magic barriers, in that you get to see how many enemies you
are required to defeat in a room in order to unlock them.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-z4CmK_xEYgo0dM1jBJrzyWWCXfirNf8mx3ndy5ZGOMU5bjYs0HGeYogbtxKNKz52Ab9Uy75TImiPYSF6jEpdvf4SHgb0V1emA22lI7XY5U3ZyCKTz5KFiHkvNKbnyvuzzlbymT81cx3TEeg1hLlDLVs-69kXGL_JFE1G1qevegDAZT5asYsMf2-nA/s320/16091202-god-of-war-betrayal-j2me-grabbing-an-enemy.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-z4CmK_xEYgo0dM1jBJrzyWWCXfirNf8mx3ndy5ZGOMU5bjYs0HGeYogbtxKNKz52Ab9Uy75TImiPYSF6jEpdvf4SHgb0V1emA22lI7XY5U3ZyCKTz5KFiHkvNKbnyvuzzlbymT81cx3TEeg1hLlDLVs-69kXGL_JFE1G1qevegDAZT5asYsMf2-nA/w300-h400/16091202-god-of-war-betrayal-j2me-grabbing-an-enemy.png" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A useful feature. (Screencaps from MobyGames.)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While it does
manage to faithfully translate the gameplay style to a portable space, it can
feel a bit repetitive after a while, especially with the short levels, even
with an increase in enemy variety over time. The fact that you respawn with
your progress intact helps to mitigate this, though it can also help to take
breaks between sessions, as was clearly the intention in its design, given you are
far more likely to be playing a portable game in short bursts.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">I will also
mention that, for whatever reason, I have consistently been spawned at the end
of the Catacombs level, meaning I was able to complete it in mere seconds by
jumping up and to the left, as opposed to taking a few minutes like all the
other levels around it. For literally years, I had no idea there was more to it
until I looked up gameplay footage during my session for this review, at which
point I found out I was locked out of two Gorgon Eye/Phoenix Feather chests, as
well as a small part of the story. At the time I first played the game, all of
my devices had been under Sprint (back before they were pronounced T-Mobile),
so I have no idea if this was an issue with the carrier, the storefront or the
device(s) I played it on, since that is the version I am stuck with, but it is
nice to know what exactly it was that I missed out on this whole time. Because
I don’t know where else to bring this up, one feature I do appreciate is that,
on a Rumor phone or other device with a slide-out keyboard, the game will
recognize whether you slid out the keyboard and will tell you to go back to
vertical mode to keep playing.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ir5XuEg1O_8qkLkZwDuQhaizme6fOnvDIaDs_f4m9BZPCNF_2EjNkgdpnp3cErVmlBUebCNhj8hcrW3BcbyCKZAQAsWaqt6F7rWD3IemH9B95o_0h1KBvKuKFHRLjLSvLPXf0AdedNsyUl8XMmRNJYdDCz008LRBTF001cgkLeAmPwIJJoxcyOTLPA/s4032/20230604_221328.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ir5XuEg1O_8qkLkZwDuQhaizme6fOnvDIaDs_f4m9BZPCNF_2EjNkgdpnp3cErVmlBUebCNhj8hcrW3BcbyCKZAQAsWaqt6F7rWD3IemH9B95o_0h1KBvKuKFHRLjLSvLPXf0AdedNsyUl8XMmRNJYdDCz008LRBTF001cgkLeAmPwIJJoxcyOTLPA/w400-h300/20230604_221328.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A small detail, but one I appreciate.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The only other
mode that provides any sort of replay value is Arena, in which you, to quote
the loading screen, “kill as many enemies as you can without dying,” with further
levels in the Arena unlocked by killing enough enemies. This can be useful as a
way to grind for red orbs to further upgrade your arsenal, but it can still
feel repetitive after a while, in addition to risking pain to your thumb after
an extended session.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While the
gameplay can feel subpar by modern standards, the 32-bit visuals are still
impressive, especially considering it was from the pre-smartphone era. Though
Kratos is based on his starting appearance from the original game, the sprite
art is spot-on to the designs in the console games, with a lot of very fluid
animations. However, aside from a version of the main <i>God of War</i> theme
in the main menu, should you enable audio, the game is surprisingly quiet, with
very minimal sound effects amounting to the transition screens and the
occasional sound from the Blades.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">As mentioned
before, while the story is decent for what it is, it establishes a subplot with
an assassin that remains inconclusive. This is because, as explained in a
YouTube comment by director/designer/producer/co-writer Philip Cohen, <i>God of
War: Betrayal</i> was meant to be the first in a series of mobile games with
their own story arc. Although these plans fell through for one reason or
another, ideas from these canceled sequels would eventually make their way into
the other handheld games, <i>Chains of Olympus</i> and <i>Ghost of Sparta</i>.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jAZbSBgQTYKJcNw2E6kMSj1-hks0P-alFJ7qDxmfSogTopu04UUrQnWiJ7NwnZUIn4Om9TqlO7LjnBMgIlDDiJcW1G8LhtraggzoKltkJS40J-QGoAfifBt8BJcpk8DVrtQ4aFPXJpNYurt_afAUNTz2Ia4aaNhwSy8mXYJKcLj4XqPQhJ976hi1Zw/s1150/Philip_Cohan_comment.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1150" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jAZbSBgQTYKJcNw2E6kMSj1-hks0P-alFJ7qDxmfSogTopu04UUrQnWiJ7NwnZUIn4Om9TqlO7LjnBMgIlDDiJcW1G8LhtraggzoKltkJS40J-QGoAfifBt8BJcpk8DVrtQ4aFPXJpNYurt_afAUNTz2Ia4aaNhwSy8mXYJKcLj4XqPQhJ976hi1Zw/w400-h235/Philip_Cohan_comment.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The full comment, for reference.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Seeing how
mobile game design has advanced and changed, for better or worse, to what it is
today, <i>God of War: Betrayal</i> is a time capsule of mobile game design from
a bygone era. Despite this, I would still recommend trying to play this game
however possible, especially if you had the foresight to keep an old phone with
the game on it still lying around, mainly for its confirmed status as a canon
entry in Kratos’ saga. Although chances are slim, it would be nice to see a
modern port or remake of this game one day, if only so that new players can
still experience this chapter of the story without having to jump through massive
hoops.</p>
<p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-85832299111514582282024-03-06T06:30:00.000-08:002024-03-06T06:30:00.236-08:00Second Look - God of War II<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fTP6GnXI_ryCCfWybOXSuRYOMHKuEJsZmS6cyONQHxP00qK-pHAPnB4zc7KpJeFfxyBzA2gvCk976QSMqRXzAiOOc8i_9rVrn1x4Lq7Kxpd3pvtqZvtwfmYxjqUfBNYU3s0yj4fKlTcIlhQzAIMWhOm8R_iBnxmYDlq6V8Gy7Tmn5A2Eg_6714aI7w/s800/4804311-god-of-war-ii-playstation-2-front-cover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="561" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fTP6GnXI_ryCCfWybOXSuRYOMHKuEJsZmS6cyONQHxP00qK-pHAPnB4zc7KpJeFfxyBzA2gvCk976QSMqRXzAiOOc8i_9rVrn1x4Lq7Kxpd3pvtqZvtwfmYxjqUfBNYU3s0yj4fKlTcIlhQzAIMWhOm8R_iBnxmYDlq6V8Gy7Tmn5A2Eg_6714aI7w/w280-h400/4804311-god-of-war-ii-playstation-2-front-cover.png" width="280" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Following the
release and success of the original <a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2024/03/second-look-god-of-war-2005.html"><i>God of War</i></a>, Kratos’ story was
allowed to continue in a sequel, aptly titled <i>God of War II</i>. Notably,
although the PS3 was around the corner during its development, the game was
developed exclusively for the PS2, due to the developers having a better
understanding of the PS2’s architecture in addition to the system having the
bigger player base at the time. This game and the original <i>God of War</i>
would also be ported to the PS3 as part of <i>God of War Legacy Collection</i>,
which was made to promote <i>God of War III</i> and ended up popularizing, if
not pioneering, HD remasters of retro games. As with the first game, I decided
to replay the second through this collection after having not played it for a
little over 10 years, coming away with a much better understanding of its plot
and themes than I did previously.</p><a name='more'></a>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">After becoming
the new god of war, Kratos uses his position to lead Spartans into battle
against the city of Rhodes, out of revenge for not ridding him of his haunting
memories. In order to stop him, Zeus weakens Kratos and brings the Colossus of
Rhodes to life to attack him. Following this, Kratos is tricked into draining
his godly powers into the Blade of Olympus to stop the Colossus, only for that
to be revealed a spart of Zeus’ ruse. After he is betrayed by Zeus and sent to
Hades, Kratos is saved by the Titan known as Gaia, who tells him to find the
Sisters of Fate, as well as find the remaining Titans, so he can turn back time
and get his revenge on Zeus.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYiddAvF2YhnKxW44Sif0an5LR5XXplPoUakftxlRh7iwecXOjr3cc_4o5ZCVp3mCUuJCFxeiv4bhqqCLgJmuAzjMgvwoNKgTZXOvLLv1nSl02oeNxXPnqne7DOU2GHhmwYzRFLBJjucbDvqiiifcSnY7of0AJK2P0rlMrvile8X-aP9I6D-hRvQazrA/s1280/517201-god_of_war_ii_12b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYiddAvF2YhnKxW44Sif0an5LR5XXplPoUakftxlRh7iwecXOjr3cc_4o5ZCVp3mCUuJCFxeiv4bhqqCLgJmuAzjMgvwoNKgTZXOvLLv1nSl02oeNxXPnqne7DOU2GHhmwYzRFLBJjucbDvqiiifcSnY7of0AJK2P0rlMrvile8X-aP9I6D-hRvQazrA/w400-h320/517201-god_of_war_ii_12b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even after becoming the new God of War, Kratos (T.C. Carson) has some<br />unfinished business with the gods.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The storyline
feels like a natural extension of the original game, building on the theme of
revenge and expanding on Kratos’ character in a way that works with this theme.
Interestingly, while some mythological figures do get slain along the way,
Kratos is only interested in going after Zeus himself and not any of the other
Greek pantheon, with the rest being casualties for getting in his way, a plot
point which is echoed in <i>God of War: Ragnar</i><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ö</span>k</i> in regards to Odin and
the Norse pantheon. While the ending is an obvious hook for the later-released <i>God
of War III</i>, the amount of Kratos’ character arc explored in this game is
compelling enough in its own right to ensure demand for said sequel.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">As far as its
relation to the previous game, aside from the effects of time travel
inconsequentially altering a scene from the original, the plot point of Cronos
being presented as the last Titan is contradicted a bit in order to make its
story work, with Gaia, Typhon and Atlas suddenly being relevant. On top of
this, while redesigns following the first game are nothing new, Atlas is
depicted very differently in the original game, resembling a human more than he
does a Titan. As for the future, while there is an image in the chambers of the
Sisters of Fate foreshadowing the ending of <i>God of War III</i>, there is an
interesting acknowledgement of Christianity that ties in with creator David
Jaffe’s original concept for <i>God of War III</i>, but whether or not this
event will occur in any future games is currently unknown.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Before getting
into the gameplay, I should mention that this playthrough involved me playing
in Bonus Play, which is basically New Game +, which allows you to start with
the unlocked Blade of Olympus and have any collected Urns of Power active (I
started off with three active, then found a fourth during my run and activated
that as well). Additionally, I played using the Cod of War skin, which among
its enhancements allows for infinite Magic. In an interesting touch, even with
every weapon available in Bonus Play, the game is still designed in a way that
prevents sequence breaking by locking you out of using certain weapons in
specific situations before you would have obtained them normally.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The core
gameplay is largely identical to that of the first game, but with some
differences, including the Blades of Chaos being replaced with Athena's Blades from the end of the first game and Rage of the Gods being replaced with
Rage of the Titans for narrative purposes. Aside from that, there are some
actual gameplay improvements, such as making it easier to swap weapons with a
single button press, with the secondary weapon being selected through the pause
menu, as well as it being far easier to swing from hooks by holding down R1
instead having to also move the stick back and forth to create momentum.
Additionally, puzzles are made a little easier to get through, even on lower
difficulties, and you obtain additional items such as the Golden Fleece, which
deflects projectiles; and Icarus’ wings, which enable you to glide.
Collectibles now also include Cyclops Eyes, collecting 20 of which unlocks a special
costume; and hidden Urns of Power, which unlock gameplay perks during Bonus
Play.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrCpSfYwbqg6ATdkErulXcvYe6Y4WO4qGEaSMKQVcquk2mMullCBqM4uYSkQ2Q3APwNSP9mN4p4y0AJfe8li3ohpWGPq6fSo9ni9rbW33lWuFbkDrp3j4XoOJa8QeUGPK4ZGGf2MjcA-U0y22kIUqPE5TWlcaBNlfRYyWXC-rU8C0TfR8gXIWNfMtJA/s1792/1648879-god_of_war_ii.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1792" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrCpSfYwbqg6ATdkErulXcvYe6Y4WO4qGEaSMKQVcquk2mMullCBqM4uYSkQ2Q3APwNSP9mN4p4y0AJfe8li3ohpWGPq6fSo9ni9rbW33lWuFbkDrp3j4XoOJa8QeUGPK4ZGGf2MjcA-U0y22kIUqPE5TWlcaBNlfRYyWXC-rU8C0TfR8gXIWNfMtJA/w400-h225/1648879-god_of_war_ii.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are also new flying sections between some locations.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While the
graphics are improved over the original <i>God of War</i>, in both gameplay and
cutscenes, they still look dated by modern standards, especially in comparison
with the Norse games. That said, the particle effects hold up rather well and
the fight with the Colossus of Rhodes still feels impressive and epic for a PS2
game. The Upgrade screen also has a new look, even including new options to
toggle settings and Urns of Power, as well as letting you check your progress
with some collectibles. One thing that admittedly weirded me out in previous
playthroughs was Atlas’ design, since he appears to be a living being that was
designed as a level first, and no amount of noticeable aging in the visuals
could change that for me.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02SDNS4Syc0wAKfUY_mY1b0TfQzUy3fzzN2WIH8v7z5EXfLeVohzU4uF5InShfl3sZ1pASR25x04YgIfIJKJHclR2VCeWK4MkbozRvuZ432G-3nqlFK0L_UJRvd-SUGpaZXHDzJhr8zG8ynCfBpXKiUYi9Em1mViNqC7Y59HnvXr54UAI-KPhwG22dA/s1792/1647364-god_of_war_2__8_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1792" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02SDNS4Syc0wAKfUY_mY1b0TfQzUy3fzzN2WIH8v7z5EXfLeVohzU4uF5InShfl3sZ1pASR25x04YgIfIJKJHclR2VCeWK4MkbozRvuZ432G-3nqlFK0L_UJRvd-SUGpaZXHDzJhr8zG8ynCfBpXKiUYi9Em1mViNqC7Y59HnvXr54UAI-KPhwG22dA/w400-h225/1647364-god_of_war_2__8_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Colossus of Rhodes still impresses today.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Many voice
actors from the previous game return here, giving excellent performances that
build on what came before, though some were recast. Of these, the most notable
is Corey Burton replacing Paul Eiding in the role of Zeus going forward,
however this change works for the better, since Burton has the right delivery
to portray a more vengeful Zeus. Of the new additions to the cast, one of the
most interesting is Bob Joles of <i>Big City Greens</i> fame as a handful of
characters, including the insane Icarus, in a way that shows off his voice
acting range. Much of the sound design form the previous game is retained in
this installment as well, keeping a sense of familiarity and continuity between
experiences.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Much like the
original, <i>God of War II</i> has aged surprisingly well from a narrative
perspective. While it could easily have ended at the first game despite obvious
forward thinking, this sequel serves as a good expansion on its take on Greek
mythology, Kratos’ character arc and the original’s narrative themes of revenge,
feeling justified in its existence. While I would still recommend this entry in
the series, I would also highly suggest playing the first one beforehand for
story reasons.</p>
<p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-9303103028856027512024-03-04T06:30:00.000-08:002024-03-04T06:30:00.152-08:00Second Look - God of War (2005)<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiew2HDxM40PmO-NS8InZC0KgoFHF1pHEey2ewRz_2D7vsBHnMUrvL5RGe1GiJkJpxHzqjUXvMdgXL7vxlvyioA521ZICF0SNi1X3ift0vWtgwY9CyhL3FOEo-Zj7wUImi2OgpQoIr9G0jCyqDJGrJnuJaLi8pZvvT-cAzXMUpk0rgwxQ0Jvp-Lt5_9Kg/s800/2579658-god-of-war-playstation-2-front-cover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="559" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiew2HDxM40PmO-NS8InZC0KgoFHF1pHEey2ewRz_2D7vsBHnMUrvL5RGe1GiJkJpxHzqjUXvMdgXL7vxlvyioA521ZICF0SNi1X3ift0vWtgwY9CyhL3FOEo-Zj7wUImi2OgpQoIr9G0jCyqDJGrJnuJaLi8pZvvT-cAzXMUpk0rgwxQ0Jvp-Lt5_9Kg/w280-h400/2579658-god-of-war-playstation-2-front-cover.png" width="280" /></a></div><p><i><b> </b></i></p><p><i><b>Note:</b> This review contains spoilers for </i>God of War (2005)<i>.</i><br /></p><p></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While my
opinions of the <i>God of War</i> series have been mostly positive, as time has
passed, I have not been completely satisfied with my original reviews of the
entries centered on Greek mythology, which were originally written around the
release of <i>God of War: Ascension</i>. Around the release of <a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/03/god-of-war-ragnarok.html"><i>God of War:
Ragnar</i><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ö</span>k</i></a>, the idea of revisiting Kratos’ roots resurfaced,
and I felt more motivated to do so upon finishing that game, starting with the
original <i>God of War</i> from 2005. While the game was originally released on
the PS2, and I have played it multiple times on that platform, I decided to
replay it through the <i>God of War HD Collection</i> on PS3 due to the
graphical improvements made for that port, and in the process realizing I had
not touched the game in a little over a decade. After diving back into it
following such a lengthy absence, while it hasn’t exactly aged well visually,
it has aged very well from a storytelling perspective and remains one of the
best examples of a Mature-rated game.</p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">In ancient
Greece, a mortal known as Kratos has done numerous favors for the gods to clear
the sins of his past, culminating in him traveling to Athens to kill Ares, the
god of war, to stop his rampage in the city. As he arrives, Kratos is informed
by Athena that completing this one final task will give him the forgiveness
that he seeks. Kratos then learns that the only way he can kill Ares is by
seeking out Pandora’s Box, which is located in a temple on the back of the
Titan, Cronos. As Kratos gets increasingly closer to his goal, it becomes
clearer that Ares is more involved in his past than initially let on.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNgzFtGjrmwLKXXGHoBfFjve6HwP2lHiYF9QIfmFLmO5i2pepnGXeLuYq8SZDvev1FR-j3tGPk84SGrA98HKRI3vl4-TT0t-RPkLIPbVtxLZ2l3POyBO0YP4ovucQG-d_RswwbWFP8WSW4PzsrEhIa-LzRgx3MiofL61scIsmDs8kn9AX_jaccQNU2g/s1280/Kratos_Fighting.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1280" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNgzFtGjrmwLKXXGHoBfFjve6HwP2lHiYF9QIfmFLmO5i2pepnGXeLuYq8SZDvev1FR-j3tGPk84SGrA98HKRI3vl4-TT0t-RPkLIPbVtxLZ2l3POyBO0YP4ovucQG-d_RswwbWFP8WSW4PzsrEhIa-LzRgx3MiofL61scIsmDs8kn9AX_jaccQNU2g/w400-h309/Kratos_Fighting.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kratos (T.C. Carson) seeks to kill Ares, the god of war.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">On its own
merits, the storytelling does an effective job in handling its subject matter
and themes of loss and revenge in a very tactful way, with an interesting take
on Greek mythology to boot. While Kratos is largely remembered as being a
“one-dimensional rage machine,” this game alone shows that he is far from that and
is a very three-dimensional character, as he has very personal reasons for
hunting down Ares that tie into the deaths of his wife and daughter that he has
deep regrets over. This even extends to a segment in the final boss fight where
Kratos is given a second chance to protect his family and does so at all costs,
only to have it ripped away from him once again. Not only is the narrative presented
in a very engaging way as well, it does so without an overreliance on
blood/gore and without any swearing, even with the first in the Greek Era’s
tradition of its (in)famous sex minigames in the early game.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Revisiting this
game after so many years, it feels very self-contained in comparison to later
installments, which focus more on telling an overarching narrative, though this
isn’t really a bad thing since it allows the plot to stand on its own in case
future installments could not get made. That said, some seeds were clearly
planted in hindsight for potential sequel bait, though much of it would
eventually end up getting contradicted in some way anyway. The first of these
is the ending narration, which suggests that Kratos would be looked up to as
the new god of war even in the modern day, only for its direct sequel to pivot
towards the “revenge on Zeus” plotline, though this can be chalked up to the
exact direction of the series not being ironed out at the time. This is also
evident in the “The Fate of the Titan” cutscene unlocked for completing God Mode,
in which Cronos is discovered by a modern-day army, becomes contradicted by
later games, including the idea that Cronos is the only Titan remaining.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Similarly, the
“Birth of a Beast” bonus video, which reveals that Kratos has a then-unnamed
brother, would eventually become contradicted by later games, though this does
plant the seeds for the <i>Ghost of Sparta</i> PSP game, in which another
version of its concept is realized. On that note, one interactable object
in-game talks about an impending conflict between god and mortal. While this
was obviously meant to refer to the battle between Kratos and Ares, the imagery
that was chosen, in which the god in question more resembles Zeus, can come
across as rather epic foreshadowing in hindsight for the events of <i>God of
War III</i>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Since this game
provides the basis for the gameplay style of the Greek games, I will cover the
basics here.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The core
gameplay heavily involves hack-and-slash with some platforming elements, along
with some puzzle-solving that has a similar vibe to an old point-and-click
game. There is a double jump that is useful for traversing gaps, though you may
also have to swing across with a rope or walk a tightrope across narrow planks to
traverse some long distances, the latter of which can be frustrating at times.
You can also climb about on ropes or walls, but in these cases, you often also
have to fend off enemies on the first pass through them. One mechanic is the
ability to grab and move objects, which can be sped up by holding down Cross
and kicking the object, which is often required for some platforming and puzzle
segments. Designated save points allow you to save your game and are well-placed, with other well-placed checkpoints to aid in resuming your progress in a level in case you die at any point.<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">One ability
that comes in very handy is the ability to dodge roll using the right stick.
Though meant for combat use, outside of that context it suddenly becomes very
easy to traverse through a given area much faster, making it very useful for
speedruns and skipping entire enemy encounters that are not required to
progress. While the game is designed in such a way that you don’t normally see
any loading screens outside of reloading saves or checkpoints, it is possible
to actually see one just by dodge rolling fast enough, which is the only way to
see such screens during normal gameplay.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">On the subject
of combat, one mechanic that the series is famous for is its use of QTEs. When
dealing enough damage to bigger or more powerful enemies, a Circle prompt
appears above their head, and grabbing the enemy within a certain time frame
initiates a minigame where you have to match the actions on-screen. On regular
enemies, performing this minigame is optional and can often yield bonuses,
while with bosses it becomes the only way to progress between phases.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEZMFH5-Z_6G4GXL7aNXjsY-E_pQ8L1-bzosdPgkUL5uiWAOxEMK9cwRmZQdWHXVgqZiyNudw-NUEkL7CSV87xr0NgpvY7rk92UGWvNJOSzqn86bS7K8nGtcGoKlXkY-I5rsIPs8tMFgR6nAJVBNHYI8MIzbxY2bGuOvIpPrOJO5cQqP3vanj7n0H9g/s640/3056363-god-of-war-screenshot.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEZMFH5-Z_6G4GXL7aNXjsY-E_pQ8L1-bzosdPgkUL5uiWAOxEMK9cwRmZQdWHXVgqZiyNudw-NUEkL7CSV87xr0NgpvY7rk92UGWvNJOSzqn86bS7K8nGtcGoKlXkY-I5rsIPs8tMFgR6nAJVBNHYI8MIzbxY2bGuOvIpPrOJO5cQqP3vanj7n0H9g/w400-h225/3056363-god-of-war-screenshot.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You may also be required to mash a button at certain points.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Aside from the
Blades of Chaos, Kratos gains a number of other weapons and magical abilities from
the gods to help in the fight against Ares and his forces. While weapons, of
which there are two, are tied to the shoulder buttons to swap between them,
swapping magic is tied to the d-pad and pressing L2 to activate them. On that note, the design
of the DualShock 3’s triggers would cause magic to go off prematurely or at
random times for me, not helped by the one I was using having a far more
sensitive left side, a problem which I was able to resolve by switching to a
DualSense at the cost of disabled rumble features. Though different magic can
be useful for certain crowd control situations, limited only in their use by a Magic
Meter, you can get away with simply using the Blades a majority of the time,
especially in close quarters. Some abilities, such as Medusa’s Gaze, are also
required to complete specific puzzles, though I will also mention an
interesting attention to detail that Gorgons are immune to the aforementioned ability.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">An additional
aspect of the game is its collectibles, taking the form of Orbs, Gorgon Eyes
and Phoenix Feathers, the last two of which are found in oft-hidden chests.
Collecting enough Gorgon Eyes increases the length of your Health Meter, while
Phoenix Feathers increase the length of your Magic Meter, and going out of your
way to find them all can be beneficial for the late game unless in the case of
a speedrun. As for Orbs, Green and Blue Orbs fill up your Health and Magic
Meters, respectively, and can be found in chests marked by an
appropriately-colored light, with some swapping between green and blue before
you open it, as well as rewards for completing QTEs; in the HD version, there’s
even a Trophy for opening a green chest while you have full health. While the
other two colors are important, Red Orbs are the most important, as they can be
found just about anywhere in chests, breakable objects and defeating enemies,
and are used for upgrading your weapons and magic in the pause menu. Upgrading
the Blades of Chaos to Level 2 even unlocks Rage of the Gods, activated by
clicking both sticks, which grants a temporary attack boost and can be refilled
through combat.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEHc-avuSWoo9IJ1iIl6fGPV3VPaMly5lRmM35MZlBw-9fjpmU4wB-wGvbzJowOXGlG28iI9c0iKOz1JRTSG3vN3znQsn-A_OziRi9lR9pQ5NYKQFJrSwm_5zmjh8LFzKi-wy6Y1OY6hLs_dPfnpElQSHPLPNNiBNAEdycODH6uu1u5VxzhTAMa75-Q/s640/3056834-god-of-war-screenshot.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEHc-avuSWoo9IJ1iIl6fGPV3VPaMly5lRmM35MZlBw-9fjpmU4wB-wGvbzJowOXGlG28iI9c0iKOz1JRTSG3vN3znQsn-A_OziRi9lR9pQ5NYKQFJrSwm_5zmjh8LFzKi-wy6Y1OY6hLs_dPfnpElQSHPLPNNiBNAEdycODH6uu1u5VxzhTAMa75-Q/w400-h225/3056834-god-of-war-screenshot.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upgrading the Blades of Chaos unlocks Rage of the Gods.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While the main
gameplay loop is satisfying thanks to a surprising enemy variety, there are
some imperfections that became more noticeable to me due to my time away from
it. Some puzzles can be difficult even on a lower difficulty due to the
dexterity required, including one where you have to move a stone block to get
past a timed spike trap and another where you need to use Medusa’s Gaze to
freeze a Minotaur long enough to get past a gate that requires putting weight on
a button. The developers have also admitted to not playtesting the Hades
section and it shows even on a lower difficulty, especially with platforming segments
involving rotating blades, for which the only advice I can give is to keep
running through as quickly as possible and not think too hard about your next
move.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">One notable extra
unlockable is a pair of secret messages, which, at least in the US version, are
presented as a pair of phone numbers, one of which is unlocked by destroying a
pair of statues at the very end of the game and the other unlocked by beating
the game on the unlockable God Mode difficulty. Miraculously, these numbers
still work as of 2023, though your mileage may vary for accessibility outside the
US.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While the
visuals were certainly good for their time, they definitely show their age now,
even with the improvements made in the HD port. That said, the cutscenes still
hold up pretty well and the levels show a lot of inspiration from ancient Greek
statuary and architecture, plus the reflection effects in some tiled areas are still impressive. Though the game uses a fixed camera, it uses very strategic
angles for a full view of the immediate area, though some camera shifts can
have an effect on your forward movement if you’re not careful. The in-game and
pause screen UIs are also very clear and would become a staple of the Greek
games, providing a basis for the former as seen in the Norse games. Some
characters, mainly the gods, also notably appear a little differently than they
do in later installments, with Hades being the biggest standout when compared
with his appearance in <i>God of War III</i>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Much like the
UI, the game also has good audio design, with the sound bank being retained and
improved in future entries of the Greek era. After having played the Norse
games, it’s interesting going back and hearing T.C. Carson as Kratos, who gives
the character a lot of personality and depth even in the early stage of his
tenure in the role. In another first, Paul Eiding of <i>Transformers</i> and <i>Metal
Gear</i> fame provides the voice of Zeus, presenting a calmer and more helpful
take on the character in contrast to the more vengeful portrayal by Corey Burton
beginning in the following game. Ares is perhaps one of Steve Blum’s
better-known video game roles and with good reason, with a voice that gives him
a commanding presence and perfectly fits the more villainous portrayal of the
Greek deity.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While it is
weird to go back to it after playing the Norse entries, the original <i>God of
War</i> still holds up as an overall solid game with a well-handled exploration
of mature themes without relying on cheap tactics to increase the age rating.
While a newcomer could conceivably start with the Norse games, this game is the
most optimal starting point for those that want to see the full progression of
Kratos’ character arc, though it’s still worth playing anyway on its own
merits.</p>
<p></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-15339406195704157152024-03-02T06:30:00.000-08:002024-03-02T06:30:00.133-08:00Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhraM4Y1oSPVcD72ifqx61hcg1nBvJ479xH6Ls6MLDpBDF_mM5xb0VeFJ2D-FklaQykP7I3O2tf2_zntx61pXLeSi6agrdxGVJ7V0Vp2-lFreVT8-hSTG2cBrqGAuua7Dce7Xg3OC71SM8n1CMjDkZppL043Pp76UVZfe8WJ4XQ0oVhyphenhyphenMHTcndJKhhQ/s1477/MV5BZmFjNzkwOGYtMzBlYS00NmI4LWIwOTAtMDhhMjY4ZDkwNzI0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODUyNjMyOTE@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhraM4Y1oSPVcD72ifqx61hcg1nBvJ479xH6Ls6MLDpBDF_mM5xb0VeFJ2D-FklaQykP7I3O2tf2_zntx61pXLeSi6agrdxGVJ7V0Vp2-lFreVT8-hSTG2cBrqGAuua7Dce7Xg3OC71SM8n1CMjDkZppL043Pp76UVZfe8WJ4XQ0oVhyphenhyphenMHTcndJKhhQ/w271-h400/MV5BZmFjNzkwOGYtMzBlYS00NmI4LWIwOTAtMDhhMjY4ZDkwNzI0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODUyNjMyOTE@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" width="271" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b><i><span>Note:</span></i></b><i><span>
This review contains spoilers for</span></i><span>
Dragon Ball<i>,</i> Dragon Ball Z<i>,</i> Dragon Ball Super<i>,</i> Dragon Ball
Super: Broly <i>and</i> Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero<i>.</i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>While <i>Dragon Ball</i> remains a popular franchise,
due in part to the franchise’s second wind in the wake of the success of <i>Dragon
Ball Z: Battle of Gods</i>, the newer films had more of a focus on the
characters Goku and Vegeta at the expense of just about everyone else. This would
change with <i>Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero</i> (<i>Super Hero</i>), which
released in 2022 to critical acclaim and became the second-highest grossing
film in the franchise, as well as the first one independently distributed by
Toei following the Disney/Fox merger. Apart from a switch to CG animation in
place of traditional, the film would also focus on the relationship between
Gohan and Piccolo and revisit the Red Ribbon Army as antagonists. Although we
admittedly still haven’t seen the original <i>Dragon Ball</i> (<i>DB</i>), we
still found ourselves enjoying the film and its welcome change in focus.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span><span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>Over thirty years after Goku defeated the Red Ribbon
Army and its leader Commander Red, his son, Commander Magenta (Charles
Martinet), seeks to revive it under the guise of Red Pharmaceuticals. To enable
his plan, Magenta recruits Dr. Gero’s grandson Dr. Hedo (Zach Aguilar), a mad
scientist obsessed with superheroes, following his release from prison by
convincing him that Bulma’s (Monica Rial) Capsule Corporation is an evil
organization bent on world domination. Later, while Goku (Sean Schemmel),
Vegeta (Christopher Sabat) and Broly (Johnny Yong Bosch) train off-planet,
Piccolo (Christopher Sabat) is attacked by a Red Ribbon android named Gamma 2
(Zeno Robinson). Following the battle, Piccolo tails Gamma 2 to the Red Ribbon Army’s base, where he learns of Commander Magenta’s plans. When he’s unable to
contact Goku and Vegeta, Piccolo resolves to stop the Red Ribbon Army while
re-awakening Gohan’s (Kyle Hebert) fighting spirit.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiup-5rUTrvg4CUgyVbvDz2fZheAT-TJI4gQ-3RUu6_MzFDc2_TiOfGCfMWFN6ua8Ko1stK_xPNlw9BzeVT7bsPkVQI3Z1V4ialM5MF8CdRLXuikcdMiDEKGrOXdxX1uFQHuZspOomha9_RIZaThq7J5niEjh53LmT_lwrhR8wOblGPF06WVmdve3oD/s1920/8963820.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiup-5rUTrvg4CUgyVbvDz2fZheAT-TJI4gQ-3RUu6_MzFDc2_TiOfGCfMWFN6ua8Ko1stK_xPNlw9BzeVT7bsPkVQI3Z1V4ialM5MF8CdRLXuikcdMiDEKGrOXdxX1uFQHuZspOomha9_RIZaThq7J5niEjh53LmT_lwrhR8wOblGPF06WVmdve3oD/w400-h225/8963820.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piccolo (Christopher Sabat) goes undercover at the Red Ribbon Army base.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>While the <i>Dragon Ball Super</i> (<i>DBS</i>) storyline
continues moving forward, <i>Super Hero</i> calls back to the past. The Red
Ribbon Army, an antagonistic force in the original <i>DB</i>, makes their grand
return through Commander Magenta, who plays the long game in continuing where his
father left off. Dr. Hedo’s presence, as well as the new androids Gamma 1 (Aleks
Le) and Gamma 2, also calls back to the Cell Saga from <i>Dragon Ball Z</i> (<i>DBZ</i>),
though he’s much different from his grandfather through his obsession with
superheroes. These callbacks continue through not just the presence of Cell Max
(Dameon Clarke), an attempt at creating an android more powerful than Cell, but
also specific moments from <i>DB</i>, even showing the original footage in
flashback as a reminder for the audience. While these flashback scenes can help
those who haven’t seen <i>DB</i> follow along, they also double as a great
fanservice for longtime fans and show that Toriyama hasn’t truly forgotten his
own series.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>A shared theme of legacy between Magenta and Hedo also
extends to the protagonists. In a refreshing change of pace, Goku and Vegeta
aren’t the ones in the spotlight. Instead, we get more of a focus on Gohan,
Goku’s son, and his relationship with Piccolo, who mentored him and arguably acted
as a sort of father figure during <i>DBZ</i>. Piccolo makes it clear that he’s
disappointed in Gohan’s lack of training and, in a moment of catharsis for some
viewers, calls him out for ignoring his daughter Pan (Jeannie Tirado) in favor
of focusing on his research. Although Piccolo doesn’t have any descendants of
his own, he himself is the “son” of King Piccolo from <i>DB</i> and tells the
villains that he’s no longer the person he once was. As an added bonus, other
characters get a chance to shine, including Krillin (Sonny Strait) and Android
18 (Meredith McCoy), as well as Goku and Vegeta’s descendants Goten (Robert
McCollum) and Trunks (Eric Vale).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>Compared to the previous films following <i>Battle of
Gods</i>, <i>Super Hero</i> stands out for more than just its different character
focus. Where <i>Broly</i>’s main fight took up half the film’s runtime, <i>Super
Hero</i> has more fights and more variety in them, even at the end, while somehow
reducing collateral damage. The story itself also leans a bit more into the
humor of <i>DB</i> in a good way and presents some interesting concepts, such as
a misguided villain acting like a superhero because they believe they are one.
Although a twist regarding Hedo and Magenta’s working relationship may feel
inevitable, it’s still presented well and I ended up getting more attached to Gamma
1 and 2 than I thought I would.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kVOn6Z5nFxxioP3da1q_H00Nbs362DnCqbgTFXJnMX37kKHO36pnqrWZMWkfO75wJYa2psIGW_BAZFmK8NwL6DD2qgeKsE8y6FR4eMR-Zq40V_S62BoZMHUi5z60JzOAoQvQ31s3RRZqWXwgsx0HFBEIo1Nw33_rnkz5oAmThRd4hiUh5HpXe7zz/s1920/8963599.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kVOn6Z5nFxxioP3da1q_H00Nbs362DnCqbgTFXJnMX37kKHO36pnqrWZMWkfO75wJYa2psIGW_BAZFmK8NwL6DD2qgeKsE8y6FR4eMR-Zq40V_S62BoZMHUi5z60JzOAoQvQ31s3RRZqWXwgsx0HFBEIo1Nw33_rnkz5oAmThRd4hiUh5HpXe7zz/w400-h225/8963599.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Super Hero</i> benefits from greater fight variety.<br />Also depicted: Gamma 2 (Zeno Robinson, right).<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>What isn’t unique to this film, however, is that <i>DBS</i>
started diversifying the series’ iconic transformations at some point, shifting
to a focus on giving every character a unique transformation. In this case,
Piccolo gains the Orange Piccolo form thanks to a neat callback to <i>DBZ</i>,
while Gohan gains the Gohan Beast form, albeit with next to no foreshadowing.
Both forms are interesting in their own right, though the audience is given more
time with Orange Piccolo and thus may find it better executed.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>While we didn’t really have many complaints about <i>Super
Hero</i>, two things in particular stood out. The first is that while Cell Max
inevitably wakes up, it’s nowhere near as interesting as the original Cell, as
its immense power, though unstable, comes at the cost of any real personality.
The second is that despite the focus on superheroes, even villainous ones,
there isn’t even a single reference to The Great Saiyaman, Gohan’s superhero
persona, even in passing. One can only wonder what the story could have done
with that angle.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>One major highlight, however, is the quality of <i>Super
Hero</i>’s CG animation, a first for the series. Although the franchise is certainly
no stranger to rendering Akira Toriyama’s art style in 3D (just look at all of
the video games throughout the years), the models here are not only very
faithful, but move far more fluidly than you would think at first glance. Not
only does this help the film stand out visually, it also doesn’t detract at all
from the incredible fight scenes and more easily allows for some subtle touches
of humor throughout. On top of that, the moments of traditional animation,
including a quick cameo from Buu, blend in surprisingly well.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>As expected, the voice acting is on-point, especially
from series veterans. Charles Martinet, best known for voicing Mario and Luigi
in the <i>Super Mario</i> series, is a surprise bit of casting as Commander
Magenta, but he really shows his range and that he’s very capable of playing a
villain. For reasons I won’t go into here, the <i>DBS</i> version of Broly was
recast with Johnny Yong Bosch, who actually does a pretty good job with the few
lines he’s given.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAhDOA299M6bVrhKEVNtQo2u3-2GHgNMacPIVly4hthopVHnrOd2fPAa6jpw3kh69PcM9r_9E-CCGydEBPxUZKxq6xRfZuR-w-VgaMNre4ZJXl-oycT6eesI3XBR_fm8I5sDXKbJErlwSamKdsonxv89484tHdAkK6yhJQSu7yI0JhIw0fQGTebmp/s1920/8963107.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAhDOA299M6bVrhKEVNtQo2u3-2GHgNMacPIVly4hthopVHnrOd2fPAa6jpw3kh69PcM9r_9E-CCGydEBPxUZKxq6xRfZuR-w-VgaMNre4ZJXl-oycT6eesI3XBR_fm8I5sDXKbJErlwSamKdsonxv89484tHdAkK6yhJQSu7yI0JhIw0fQGTebmp/w400-h225/8963107.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charles Martinet is good as Commander Magenta.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>For the most part, <i>Super Hero</i> continues the
upward trend in quality for <i>Dragon Ball</i> films after <i>Broly</i>. While
some viewers may not like the more relaxed and light-hearted atmosphere, it’s
also a nice change of pace from the more serious tone of the previous films. If
you’re already a <i>Dragon Ball</i> fan, <i>Super Hero</i> is an easy recommendation.
If you’re not, it’ll certainly make for a different kind of superhero film from
Marvel and DC’s output.</span></span></p>
EHeroFlareNeoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677896135091344245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-39538534322262900532024-02-29T06:30:00.000-08:002024-03-01T22:54:39.206-08:00Stubs - Leap Year (1924)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepMJnTbw7UfNkI-_okGNwTLcylKbfQ52w8l4P4_aWaMb_jt3ism1RGis1RUtOMHqllaiZA80nsdIvMe3F99hz7jdQS8KLqO0ukqPBRVMDxDWBOMZ_vyXuRxVgcfPqMYma-gn7WQNMwAwLMgl6VYQaaXWUFb9SxhdDYYE8ODI1_Xi6UB8x97bRREefWPBh/s1000/s-l1600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="704" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepMJnTbw7UfNkI-_okGNwTLcylKbfQ52w8l4P4_aWaMb_jt3ism1RGis1RUtOMHqllaiZA80nsdIvMe3F99hz7jdQS8KLqO0ukqPBRVMDxDWBOMZ_vyXuRxVgcfPqMYma-gn7WQNMwAwLMgl6VYQaaXWUFb9SxhdDYYE8ODI1_Xi6UB8x97bRREefWPBh/w281-h400/s-l1600.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Leap Year </b>(1924) Starring Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle,
Mary Thurman, Lucien Littlefield, Harriet Hammond, Clarence Geldart. Directed
by<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Roscoe Arbuckle, James Cruze. Screenplay by Sarah Y. Mason, Walter Woods No Producer Credited. Run time: 56
minutes. Black and White. USA. Silent, Comedy<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Though finished in 1921, <i>Leap Year</i> would not get released
in the United States until 1981. This was due to the scandal that would strike
star, Fatty Arbuckle, a few months after he completed this film in connection
with the death of actress Virginia Rappe following a Labor Day party Arbuckle
was hosting at the Hotel St. Francis<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in
San Francisco.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Charged with rape and manslaughter in connection with
Rappe’s death from a ruptured bladder, Arbuckle had three trials in connection
with the charges. The first two would end in mistrials, but the third would end on April 12, 1922 with a jury acquittal. In addition to
the verdict, the jury released a statement, “Acquittal is not enough for Roscoe
Arbuckle. We feel that a great injustice has been done to him … there was not
the slightest proof adduced to connect him in any way with the commission of a crime.
He was manly throughout the case and told a straightforward story which we all
believe. We wish him success and hope that the American people will take the
judgment of fourteen men and women that Roscoe Arbuckle is entirely innocent
and free from all blame.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Despite the jury’s sentiments, by 1923, after most theaters
refused to run his films due to the scandal,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paramount had shelved the film, as well as two
other films he had already finished, <i>The Life of the Party</i> (1921) and <i>Brewster's
Millions</i> (1921)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the US. But the
studio did release <i>Leap Year</i> overseas, the first being Finland on April
27, 1924.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Should a Man Marry</i>, the film’s original title, went
before cameras on Catalina Island in late May, 1921 and had a four-week shoot.
The title changed in August, 1921 to <i>This Is So Sudden</i>, and again in
September to <i>Skirt Shy. Leap Year </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>would be the name it would be released under
in Europe.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Despite the title, <i>Leap Year, </i>has nothing to do with
the additional day added to the Georgian calendar every quadrennial.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The film opens with a title card, "The opening scene of the
trouble is a long shot of Piper Hall, with a doctor approaching the house.
Cutting inside, we find the patient - gouty, grouchy and a girl-hater. Inside
Piper Hall, an aging bachelor millionaire Jeremiah Piper (Lucien Littlefield)
laid up in bed. A doctor is attending to him." As a title card<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>informs us, one of his legs and his nephew don’t
work. Even though Jeremiah’s nurse Phyllis Brown (Mary Thurman) is a woman, Jeremiah
hates the opposite sex. He is also concerned that his nephew, Stanley (Roscoe
"Fatty" Arbuckle) doesn’t feel the same way. In fact, his sole heir,
as he tells the doctor tending to him, falls in love with every woman he sees.<o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2m0H3scDaL__duh9RzyunRcl23_ySc1I20ZrymBZuOd26pgs6R2tqwzp4E5EfiRvOfuK1m6Zuu1rjiB2KVtxUwNU9WilzMq-Xo8pAMq0-4huxDTtDUkC9JcLx2efXWdch_RN33GGCPCIJIjiPQaR9tND-6g9-A_bOFcNTkqt46VL5yT9x1InYoxKUZ61Y/s703/roscoe-arbuckle-leap-year-1921.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="703" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2m0H3scDaL__duh9RzyunRcl23_ySc1I20ZrymBZuOd26pgs6R2tqwzp4E5EfiRvOfuK1m6Zuu1rjiB2KVtxUwNU9WilzMq-Xo8pAMq0-4huxDTtDUkC9JcLx2efXWdch_RN33GGCPCIJIjiPQaR9tND-6g9-A_bOFcNTkqt46VL5yT9x1InYoxKUZ61Y/w400-h299/roscoe-arbuckle-leap-year-1921.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: left;">Stanley Piper ( Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle) tries to tell </span>Phyllis Brown<br />(Mary Thurman) that he loves her, but she doesn't believe him.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">That’s not exactly true, as Stanley only has eyes for Phyllis.
While Stanley is out picking roses for her, with his faithful British valet,
Mumford (Jack McKinnon), Jeremiah fires her. His doctor has recommended that he
spend time at a health spa, so Jeremiah dismisses his nurse. He also plans to
send Stanley on a “fishing trip” to Catalina Island, while he’s away, hoping to
keep him away from women.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When Stanley returns to the house with the roses, Phyllis is
already packed. Even though Stanley professes his love
for her, she has overheard from his uncle and believes Stanley is a "trifler"
of women’s affections. Stanley is a stutterer when he’s nervous, which is
manifested on screen as him jumping up and down until he gets a drink (water). He stammers his love to Phyllis as she leaves,
but she demands proof.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When Stanley arrives at a fashionable Catalina Island hotel,
there are plenty of women around. Stanley runs into a middle-aged friend, Scott
Travis (Clarence Geldert), who has brought his young mistress, Loris Keene (Harriet
Hammond), to the island while his stern wife stays home. Loris flirts with
Stanley, but Scott hurries her away. There is also a strange thin man who keeps
an eye on them.<o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXz2BjeZ-pJEwwMJV37kTaB_JRJeh4duWqbCj3ajUyrCDo4PTkZRhdywv4pd4q7O7YQi1d8Phw4nxeaD2rwXGL8qdpOWI8X97lQfvfz8IEcWH23_WDU6ssq-wFOUuV_H_6RbvE-B9i5hllDXrG0b8FWrUCN5zOnEogaQyepvIa6YIWDwo5rdqlOxiJMDS/s1400/1__COigDXneSd4yPc2XZUdsA.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="1400" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXz2BjeZ-pJEwwMJV37kTaB_JRJeh4duWqbCj3ajUyrCDo4PTkZRhdywv4pd4q7O7YQi1d8Phw4nxeaD2rwXGL8qdpOWI8X97lQfvfz8IEcWH23_WDU6ssq-wFOUuV_H_6RbvE-B9i5hllDXrG0b8FWrUCN5zOnEogaQyepvIa6YIWDwo5rdqlOxiJMDS/w400-h151/1__COigDXneSd4yPc2XZUdsA.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">While golfing, Stanley runs into Molly Morris (Gertrude Short).</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">On the hotel golf course, Stanley is held up by a feuding
young couple, Tommy Blaine (Allen Durnell) and Molly Morris (Gertrude Short) on
the hole in front of him. Tommy storms off and Molly seeks consoling words
from Stanley. They appear to be old friends, having run in the same circles. Stuttering
as he tries to express his own thwarted love for Phyllis, Stanley gives Molly
the impression he is proposing to her, and she immediately wants to marry him.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oxDBzT-eh6BflRukulKcL37d3adtGxp9nxe5sH4PKKsUtR87B9CLOMa8GmA9Rg6WeSg1sWAsE-c1qgnBeZERsBEPPcLp3FNcAhankxspl9AKXUuoQLcLWPmicw4ZmSHiUlFl2zxokYRsz8ffrbatyhjUJ6MS9tmF5Rk_0Wb3bvmuuiIpL-R1cJpQlauV/s444/Molly%20accepts%20his%20proposal.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="444" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oxDBzT-eh6BflRukulKcL37d3adtGxp9nxe5sH4PKKsUtR87B9CLOMa8GmA9Rg6WeSg1sWAsE-c1qgnBeZERsBEPPcLp3FNcAhankxspl9AKXUuoQLcLWPmicw4ZmSHiUlFl2zxokYRsz8ffrbatyhjUJ6MS9tmF5Rk_0Wb3bvmuuiIpL-R1cJpQlauV/w400-h300/Molly%20accepts%20his%20proposal.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Even though he doesn't ask, Molly accepts Stanley's proposal.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">Nervous Stanley grabs his black child who is caddying for
him and runs away. He plans to leave the island and gets Mumford to start packing,
but is stopped by Scott. The missus has sent
a telegram that she’s changed her mind and is coming on the next boat. Scott
asks Stanley to pretend that Loris is his girlfriend, at least for as long as Mrs.
Travis (Winifred Greenwood) is on the island. Apparently, Stanley’s reputation with
the ladies is well known, as Mrs. Travis hopes her husband stays away from the bad
influence.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oGYt-GIACRqFyY03Z709zqbqsA9a9nq0Y0nHsaDxqmWWx8-aTTUVX6qab8TM3ojupFgaHVeM9eNZVMCT38nA1ceO_FRCwhMhrdFGWAsoIrdtJcW2qxHK7RyevJGhhf67A-xg5cOlEpMzE6chygJPWVgA8uM5Jb_3Ra6fS6YNhsrPjsuSFqhvaYiM54OE/s776/Loris%20accepts%20his%20proposal.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="776" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oGYt-GIACRqFyY03Z709zqbqsA9a9nq0Y0nHsaDxqmWWx8-aTTUVX6qab8TM3ojupFgaHVeM9eNZVMCT38nA1ceO_FRCwhMhrdFGWAsoIrdtJcW2qxHK7RyevJGhhf67A-xg5cOlEpMzE6chygJPWVgA8uM5Jb_3Ra6fS6YNhsrPjsuSFqhvaYiM54OE/w400-h304/Loris%20accepts%20his%20proposal.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Again, Stanley doesn't ask, but Loris Keene (Harriet Hammond) accepts his proposal.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">Alone on the beach with Loris, Stanley stutters as he tries to explain his
ill-fated love for Phyllis, but Loris thinks he is proposing to her and
accepts. Stanley gets nervous and, needing water, runs into the ocean and swims
away.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Per the title card, “We now come to a full shot of the
Rutherford yacht at anchor.” Another old friend, Irene Rutherford (Maude Wayne),
and her mother see Stanley in the water and invite him to come aboard. Alone with
Irene, who is single and looking for a husband, Stanley once again tries to
describe his predicament to Irene, but when he stammers that he’s in love, she misconstrues
his distress as a proposal of marriage and accepts. Once again nervous, Stanley
leaps overboard and swims away.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Back home at Piper Hall, Mumford delivers Stanley a letter
from his uncle reiterating his demand that Stanley avoid women, but that he’s
also coming home, having recovered at the spa. At that moment, Tommy Blaine
arrives at the estate, threatening to kill Stanley if he is only trifling with
Molly’s affections.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No sooner does he leave than there is a knock at the door.
With Mumford’s help, Stanley tries to pretend that he’s sick and bedridden when
the three women—Loris, Molly, and Irene—arrive separately. When each hears that
he’s ill, they ask why they weren’t told, each claiming to be Stanley’s fiancée.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Stanley tries to keep the women separate, sending each on an
errand in the mansion. Loris, who has a dog with her, to the kitchen for water,
Irene to the closet for pills, etc.<o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CpUKr46hp_GBegcFCutli9Eggy8BMvYSn9kNBAmyCcBI1XEUYoOqRtFzYiJxGNnTCYrIXi2DsVIGDrkWNuMFPbcGjGmlr9w4HfKS7puG_LQrpPxTcKSnnI7MIM-CaDmwBT5HPf9KyFkxZs8IlRxqdVJntzvXU_gIOIUx9mGETBA55HmJeaYs2Yd1p0T-/s480/Fighting%20with%20his%20friend%20over%20Loris.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CpUKr46hp_GBegcFCutli9Eggy8BMvYSn9kNBAmyCcBI1XEUYoOqRtFzYiJxGNnTCYrIXi2DsVIGDrkWNuMFPbcGjGmlr9w4HfKS7puG_LQrpPxTcKSnnI7MIM-CaDmwBT5HPf9KyFkxZs8IlRxqdVJntzvXU_gIOIUx9mGETBA55HmJeaYs2Yd1p0T-/w400-h300/Fighting%20with%20his%20friend%20over%20Loris.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Scott Travis (Clarence Geldert) comes looking for Loris.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal">As if to complicate things, Scott arrives, looking for
Loris. He doesn’t appear to be happy to find her there with Stanley. The two have a brief fight, but when Loris
confesses her love for Stanley, Scott offers to step aside. As soon as Loris is
out of the room, Stanley asks Scott to help him not to commit “trigamy.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Stanley Piper</b>: Scott, do you want to see me go to
jail for bigamy, or t-t-trigamy?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Scott agreed to help and suggests that Stanley throw fits to
show the women that he has an affliction. However, when Stanley goes into his
act and flops on the floor, each woman refuses to leave him in his hour of need
and promises to take care of him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Next, Scott tells Stanley to call a nurse and applies
pancake makeup to give his face a sickly appearance.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To throw a wrench into things, Uncle Jeremiah returns,
sprightly and rejuvenated by the spa’s treatments. When Jeremiah finds women in
the bedrooms, Stanley explains that Scott Travis is a doctor and the women are
his patients, who are suffering “home-brew” poisoning.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile, Phyllis Brown arrives as Stanley’s nurse and
again he pledges his love, but when she sees the other women, she accuses him
of “trifling” and leaves.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A letter arrives from England for Mumford informing him that
he has inherited his family title and is now Lord Mumford and he quits his job
as Stanley’s valet. Scott then pretends to be as, one by one, representatives of
the other women arrive with a marriage certificate and a person to wed them;
Irene’s mother, Tommy Blaine for Molly, and Loris’s Press Agent (Sidney Bracey),
the same man who had been watching her on Catalina.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lord Mumford, having joined high society, makes a play for
Irene Rutherford, who accepts his offer of marriage. The newly energized
Jeremiah Piper takes a liking to beautiful Loris, and she accepts his offer of
marriage. And Tommy reconciles with Molly.<o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUb0oLrzXxJV7YW6ty6J2yGN1zphpXpfMkTUuHLca8rTQYUUNtZFXJVi89E3u7gnUi-cZ_WO0EHS9dLPMH6DB9X43HPU2fXTwQZLig5cH381dCAgmHouAHa6Pc6Nn2j9NI-0EQkrM3Jwfq4qGXGhvqrwNhThhFn3tyiFcAuatNZn1N-tAty5PfrxhiXxqC/s2048/Molly%20lets%20him%20down%20easy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1637" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUb0oLrzXxJV7YW6ty6J2yGN1zphpXpfMkTUuHLca8rTQYUUNtZFXJVi89E3u7gnUi-cZ_WO0EHS9dLPMH6DB9X43HPU2fXTwQZLig5cH381dCAgmHouAHa6Pc6Nn2j9NI-0EQkrM3Jwfq4qGXGhvqrwNhThhFn3tyiFcAuatNZn1N-tAty5PfrxhiXxqC/w400-h320/Molly%20lets%20him%20down%20easy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Molly tells Stanley that she's going to marry Tommy.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">As Stanley tries to ask Phyllis to marry him, he stutters,
but she pours him a glass of water and he gets out the words. She tries to
stutter her answer, pours another glass for herself, and accepts his proposal.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I found the film to be uneven. The beginning was funny at
times.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One thing that makes the film funny are the title cards,
which sometimes read like a shooting script. For example, at the beginning, a
card reads: “The opening scene of the trouble is a long shot of Piper Hall,
with a doctor approaching the house.” The star is introduced: “A close-up of
ROSCOE ARBUCKLE.” Other cards read: “We almost forgot to introduce Stanley’s
valet, Mumford”; “The next location is picturesque Catalina Island”; “We now
come to a full shot of the Rutherford yacht at anchor”; “After a time lapse to
the next day, we’re back in Piper Hall—“; and finally, from Arbuckle’s
character, “Let’s have a fade-out without the usual clinch [embrace].”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">However, once the film returns to Piper Hall, it starts to drag.
Maybe it’s because I’m watching this over a hundred years after it was made, but
the running around with the three women in different rooms seems to be cliché. The
joke gets old and the set up takes goes on too long to reach their conclusion.<o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidfL9gVM1SqJ0qqItUeqWqiLMPIwX3x8FwiDuZQP5sA3V4sZu_aiUsfDoHQxXyWjf1bAeMXh3MdW_BDzkulXUDW6yyzMoacF_H0aG6KIjueTt7NSC7f_zZHJQk2SJQ-WzwG-_5PXkgwlqs8UVW6Y6TbmyOHaxQG3lwC_ufD0J7isB6WK7BpiUgLIkOH7iT/s460/Leap%20Year%202_0.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="460" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidfL9gVM1SqJ0qqItUeqWqiLMPIwX3x8FwiDuZQP5sA3V4sZu_aiUsfDoHQxXyWjf1bAeMXh3MdW_BDzkulXUDW6yyzMoacF_H0aG6KIjueTt7NSC7f_zZHJQk2SJQ-WzwG-_5PXkgwlqs8UVW6Y6TbmyOHaxQG3lwC_ufD0J7isB6WK7BpiUgLIkOH7iT/w400-h306/Leap%20Year%202_0.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">This is the second Arbuckle film I’ve seen, the other being <i><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2015/11/stubs-fatty-and-mabel-adrift.html" target="_blank">Fatty and Mabel Adrift</a></i> (1916), and so far I don’t see the comedic genius that
propelled him to be a star. The choice to show stuttering as a physical
attribute may have made sense since the film was silent, but instead it makes
Stanley appear to be throwing a fit like a child. Maybe I’m expecting too much,
but he isn’t strong enough to make it funny.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Two of his co-stars, Harriet Hammond and Mary Thurman, were,
like Arbuckle, former Mack Sennett actresses. Hammond, who had at one time tried
to be a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>concert pianist, began her film career
as one of the Sennett Bathing Beauties. She plays Loris Keene, the wannabe
movie star, and she is pretty enough to carry off the role. Her career in films
would last until sound came in.<o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiNjBQvyQ8t1_TrHK1tFmaNIQXdKnTGgKd4DCZC44PiObghPPRs3e6B2YVXr6eZVksOXcuELt1xw-FCuLpVjzFd_m6yJSf38rluriXgC2FlN052mrD_J29CcIXeDESds2bmXCMsiSFNNw9roxGIYq_2XiWyo5ZqlornAW-UyX4CSTauYT0TagQcR0mQRu/s1166/mary_thurman-046861294471535-nm_large.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="777" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiNjBQvyQ8t1_TrHK1tFmaNIQXdKnTGgKd4DCZC44PiObghPPRs3e6B2YVXr6eZVksOXcuELt1xw-FCuLpVjzFd_m6yJSf38rluriXgC2FlN052mrD_J29CcIXeDESds2bmXCMsiSFNNw9roxGIYq_2XiWyo5ZqlornAW-UyX4CSTauYT0TagQcR0mQRu/w266-h400/mary_thurman-046861294471535-nm_large.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mary Thurman</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">Thurman, who played Nurse Phyllis Brown, also got her start as one
of the Sennett Bathing Beauties. Her career, though short, would include 60
films starting in 1915. Her work with director Allan Dwan would produce some critically
acclaimed films including <i>The Sin of Martha Queed</i> (1921) and <i>A Broken
Doll</i> (1921). <span style="background: white; color: #202122;">Off screen
Thurman and Dwan were engaged for several years.</span> In 1924, while working
on the film<i> Down Upon the Suwanee River </i>in Florida, Thurman came down
with a serious case of pneumonia. She would spend the next year suffering from
illness and would lose her life to the disease at the end of
1925.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #202122; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I’m not sure why they called this film
<i>Leap Year </i>and I would not
recommend it. Maybe if it had been a two-reeler and not a feature, it might have
worked better. Some funny moments, but not enough to fill an hour.</span><o:p></o:p></p>lionsroarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05575728698472889728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-55755663504017030102024-02-24T06:30:00.000-08:002024-02-24T06:30:00.138-08:00PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioINPPO3ra2s3aDr2XpD1WZtDf2-N7G9ob-IOf3BkE0iR3SIVb4dRMdo0v_T7nLqi9x150hSO1gZplQ21Mvao96pCSUeq09PT9UC-n3mnPhaW3i7D1kCyCL3gM1YZFOU-leLfRzcYpONmu2EeblI2QmxGoR98EP2y0KK5MoT-7le1xAui1-bwfEWI-T6iA/s3000/paw_patrol_the_mighty_movie_ver2_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2025" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioINPPO3ra2s3aDr2XpD1WZtDf2-N7G9ob-IOf3BkE0iR3SIVb4dRMdo0v_T7nLqi9x150hSO1gZplQ21Mvao96pCSUeq09PT9UC-n3mnPhaW3i7D1kCyCL3gM1YZFOU-leLfRzcYpONmu2EeblI2QmxGoR98EP2y0KK5MoT-7le1xAui1-bwfEWI-T6iA/w270-h400/paw_patrol_the_mighty_movie_ver2_xxlg.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">With the
continuing success of Spin Master’s <i>PAW Patrol</i> multimedia franchise, the
logical conclusion was the theatrically-released <a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2021/08/paw-patrol-movie.html"><i>PAW Patrol: The Movie</i></a>
in 2021. This proved successful enough to warrant a sequel in 2023, <i>PAW
Patrol: The Mighty Movie</i>, which revisits the Mighty Pups subline of the series.
Having seen the original <i>PAW Patrol</i> film on Paramount+ and actually
enjoyed it, I became curious about <i>The Mighty Movie</i> with cautious
optimism for a similar level of quality, but opted to wait for its Paramount+
release since I didn’t feel strongly enough about seeing it in the theater.
Upon getting the chance to watch it, I still found myself enjoying it even as a
non-fan.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">After stealing
an electromagnet from a scrapyard, <s>mad</s> scientist Victoria Vance (Taraji
P. Henson) uses it to attract a meteor to Adventure City, hoping to harness its
power. Her plan goes awry as the magnet was not powerful enough to bring it
directly to her, causing it to crash into Adventure City and destroy the
Adventure City HQ/Pup Tower in the process. The PAW Patrol use their Aircraft
carrier HQ as both a new base and storage for the meteor, where Skye (Mckenna
Grace) discovers that the crystals inside the meteor can grant them superpowers.
Meanwhile, when Victoria is sent to jail for her crime, which she recorded, she
ends up cellmates with the imprisoned Mayor Humdinger (Ron Pardo), who suggests
a team-up for revenge against the PAW Patrol.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Having seen the
original “Mighty Pups” special from the TV series exactly once around when it
first premiered, I could tell <i>The Mighty Movie</i> has a similar setup in
that the PAW Patrol gain superpowers from a magic meteor that crashes into
Earth, but the execution is otherwise completely different, with at least some
of the pups even having different powers than they had in the original series. Said
execution works better for a theatrical film than it does a lower-budget TV
series, particularly for the character arc of Skye, who is the focus character
this time around after Chase had the spotlight in the previous film. Aside from
her, though, the other pups don’t really get to use their powers very much
during the movie, aside from when they first acquire them and during the final
battle at the end. That said, while not quite as a strong as the first film, the plot was still written well and Skye’s
backstory and motivations, that she isn’t sure of her worth on the team because
she is the PAW Patrol’s smallest member and the last to join, provide a solid
emotional core and makes Victoria Vance a perfect foil for her. I will say,
however, that as both an adult viewer as well as a toy collector, some of the
less character-driven sequences made the movie feel more like a feature-length
toy commercial at times, which the movie itself hilariously pokes fun at.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYflVf1mqpe8hLmLE5Z_-2QuQ1l-x7Vg4hViNJT-IqeBg34EOGQAEOn925MPyj7gdfkaPfwjYIXLIoJdsXsCcQPkjf7NIpwMl0IdBK9DpP3vUKZpSvzq6B-hMQI6LsJtbEUEZRm4dnER5RHK0nqUn4yzmMZueZD9utw2YTjUX9aSXU7cOwap4oobKqZXjX/s1920/Mighty_Movie_159.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1920" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYflVf1mqpe8hLmLE5Z_-2QuQ1l-x7Vg4hViNJT-IqeBg34EOGQAEOn925MPyj7gdfkaPfwjYIXLIoJdsXsCcQPkjf7NIpwMl0IdBK9DpP3vUKZpSvzq6B-hMQI6LsJtbEUEZRm4dnER5RHK0nqUn4yzmMZueZD9utw2YTjUX9aSXU7cOwap4oobKqZXjX/w400-h166/Mighty_Movie_159.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prior to gaining superpowers, Skye (Mckenna Grace) starts having self-doubts<br />on account of her being physically the smallest pup on the team.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">When I first
saw trailers for <i>The Mighty Movie</i>, as someone who is an extremely casual
<i>PAW Patrol</i> viewer, one thought that stuck in the back of my mind was
whether the events of the film would make it so the films and TV series are
separate timelines, given the events of the “Mighty Pups” special. The events
of this film seem to confirm this, including the pups acting like they’ve never
had superpowers before and the mechanics of how they gain their powers differing
slightly from the show to make it work better for the plot. From research, my
understanding is that the films only treat the first 1½-ish Seasons as canon,
but the show itself treats at least a version of the films’ events as canon,
based on Liberty’s appearances in seasons 9 and 10. For someone who has only
watched the films, this isn’t much of an issue, but for parents or hardcore
fans of the show, it’s best not to think about it too hard.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Much like the
first film, <i>The Mighty Movie</i> having a higher budget than an average <i>PAW
Patrol</i> episode is evident in the higher-quality visuals, even continuing
the first film’s style of adjusting the pups to appear more realistic without
straying too far from the <i>PAW Patrol</i> art style. This also extends to the
pups’ vehicles and outfits, both of which are designed well, and in a way that
could easily translate to a toy, as well as their superpowers having very good
animations and effects (special mention to Zuma (Nylan Parthipan) and his
ability to turn into water). Like Liberty (Marsai Martin) before them, the new
characters, especially Victoria Vance and the Junior Patrollers Nano (Alan Kim),
Mini (North West) and Tot (Brice Gonzalez), while debuting on the screen, are
designed such that they still look like they belong in the <i>PAW Patrol</i>
universe.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The voice
acting is generally good, with the returning VAs doing fantastic jobs in their roles,
including Ron Pardo as Mayor Humdinger. Some roles were recast from both the
series and the previous film, though one standout is Mckenna Grace (<i>Ghostbusters:
Afterlife</i>) as Skye (played by Lilly Bartlam in both the show and the first
film), who does a great job in the role. There are also a handful of celebrity cameos,
but many of their inclusions often feel a little superfluous and seem to be in
it just long enough to have their name in promotional material, either having
so little dialogue that they could have been voiced by literally anyone else (ex.
Chris Rock, Serena Williams) or having a role so superfluous that it could
easily have been cut without missing anything (ex. Kim Kardashian reprising her
role as Delores from the first film).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Like the
previous film, <i>PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie</i> is a surprisingly good film
on its own merits that both its target audience and their parents can enjoy.
Based on the quality of the first two films, I remain cautiously optimistic for
the third <i>PAW Patrol</i> film that’s in development, which currently has a
2026 release window.</p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-90671271164547308102024-02-17T06:30:00.000-08:002024-02-17T06:30:00.127-08:00Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx40QXzd5jAjunvwxmHC1UbWidHMSXPKT2cKlBSok1UaayraYIsTEVNZjBpZBWMEOkgrYz_FEAwn_dVk1NnOJT51japU6Xkaox99madNsNhrMrzoogeKEcgVMrZ5jsUWX7K_ulT8BL84YOxMj4LjNfX0jsMoy5kTKAEA3GruB4nCjXToK8Mr-9SWoa/s755/percy_jackson_and_the_olympians_the_lightning_thief_ver2.jpg" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx40QXzd5jAjunvwxmHC1UbWidHMSXPKT2cKlBSok1UaayraYIsTEVNZjBpZBWMEOkgrYz_FEAwn_dVk1NnOJT51japU6Xkaox99madNsNhrMrzoogeKEcgVMrZ5jsUWX7K_ulT8BL84YOxMj4LjNfX0jsMoy5kTKAEA3GruB4nCjXToK8Mr-9SWoa/w270-h400/percy_jackson_and_the_olympians_the_lightning_thief_ver2.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><span>Note:</span></i></b><i><span>
This review contains spoilers for</span></i><span>
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief<i>.</i></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whether or not you’re familiar with middle grade
fiction, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of <i>Percy Jackson & the
Olympians</i>, a novel series by Rick Riordan about a young demigod named Percy
Jackson. The series proved popular enough that a film based on the first book, <i>Percy
Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief</i> (<i>The Lightning Thief</i>),
was released in 2010. The film, directed by Chris Columbus, did well at the box
office, but was criticized, even by the author, for the way it deviated from
the source material. It was actually around when the film released that I first
became aware of <i>Percy Jackson</i>, although I didn’t do anything with that
knowledge at the time because both the <i>Harry Potter</i> and <i>A Series of
Unfortunate Events</i> series had reached their end around that time and I
thought I had outgrown middle grade fiction. As an adult, however, when I
rediscovered the joy of reading middle grade fiction, I finally dipped my toe
into <i>Percy Jackson</i> and read the first book in time for the Disney+
adaptation, which I enjoyed. Afterwards, I decided to try watching the film
just to see how badly it had apparently handled the same material. By the end,
I realized that my past self was right in not watching it.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Zeus (Sean Bean), the ruler of the Greek pantheon, accuses
his brother Poseidon’s (Kevin McKidd) demigod son, Percy Jackson, of stealing
his master lightning bolt. Although Poseidon doubts his brother, he is told
that unless Percy returns the master bolt to Mount Olympus before the Summer
Solstice in two weeks’ time, a war will erupt between all the gods. Shortly
after, a 16-year-old Percy (Logan Lerman), who struggles with dyslexia and
ADHD, is attacked by a Fury during a school trip to the Metropolitan Museum of
Art. This starts a chain reaction of events that lead him to Camp Half-Blood, a
summer camp that trains demigods, with the aid of his best friend Grover
Underwood (Brandon T. Jackson), who is actually a satyr, but at the loss of his
mother Sally (Catherine Keener) at the hands of a minotaur. After Percy learns
that he’s the son of Poseidon, he comes into his unique abilities and learns of
his role in stopping the oncoming war.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAyX14S0zRohMXVn6tCIwzVr4g1MOfFvsGKzOQfNO5M4YD1nReTzNvm4ObKo3ms5q-bGQS-vhkGlPm3DLf4hpR27j3eDtxMppx7367EifjUhNkoZE5BdyarLdYOvy0YjSqqTEmXo3ZYhngbdA71roHagM8HC8v_DdzF-BGlc43TGQrSIBh6U0sysh2/s1920/percyjacksonlightning-movie-screencaps.com-1711.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1920" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAyX14S0zRohMXVn6tCIwzVr4g1MOfFvsGKzOQfNO5M4YD1nReTzNvm4ObKo3ms5q-bGQS-vhkGlPm3DLf4hpR27j3eDtxMppx7367EifjUhNkoZE5BdyarLdYOvy0YjSqqTEmXo3ZYhngbdA71roHagM8HC8v_DdzF-BGlc43TGQrSIBh6U0sysh2/w400-h170/percyjacksonlightning-movie-screencaps.com-1711.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Grover (Brandon T. Jackson, right) at his side,<br />Percy's (Logan Lerman, left) life changes forever.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Reviewing an adaptation that deviates so significantly
from the original work is a little challenging, as your exact opinion on it may
depend on your familiarity with the source material, in this case the first <i>Percy
Jackson</i> book. As such, I’ll look at it on two fronts.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As far as adaptations go, <i>The Lightning Thief</i>
is pretty bad, mainly due to how so many changes are made that it barely
resembles the original story. Opening with a meeting between Zeus and Poseidon
may have been a way to help fit the plot of the book within two hours, but this
opening changes the tone of the story and de-emphasizes the sense of discovery
the audience would normally feel alongside Percy. While the first act at least
somewhat follows what happened in the book, the cracks start showing once they
reach Camp Half-Blood, as it gets increasingly obvious from there that the
script made other changes in the name of efficiency. Just to name a few, Percy
learns almost immediately that he’s the son of Poseidon, anything even remotely
related to Ares is cut and the main trio of Percy, Annabeth Chase (Alexandra
Daddario) and Grover don’t go to the St. Louis Arch or meet certain
mythological figures. While, again, these changes get the film’s runtime
slightly under two hours, it results in a rather breakneck pace that feels like
the script is speedrunning the book. While the film does still hit many of the
same major story beats from the outset, the rushed pacing means that hardly
anything feels earned.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The script noticeably takes its own creative liberties
with whatever material did make it in. An updated setting firmly places the
film within the late 2000s, particularly through the technology of the time and
certain cultural references, which differs from the more timeless quality of
the book. The scenes at Camp Half-Blood are condensed, shortening Percy’s
demigod training to the capture the flag game. Due to the relative ease at
which the main trio travel across the country, not to mention the presence of a
map telling them exactly where to go, their quest feels less like an adventure
and more like a road trip. Without going too much into spoilers, their
encounter with Medusa is relatively more action-packed and, afterwards, they
travel to a location that wasn’t in the original book, although I’ve learned
through research that their second stop is a set piece from a later book. The
final battle is also not only in a different location, but is more
action-packed.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_i-uyycPJvfgfnREfsVz6ljKv73HWyvwyKW7KiPmWj7FcsixbNId5GiGuu5KSr9mWHiItUKVEitukrdKfCUxSGdHCx261E2jdbar-BShuHTGcK-3THAO760_a2dJxo6jC9rwKYRfWeuAeSVPII5lv01nVcStE73RUHUn6T29iDKC9fXsXh-23l-9R/s1920/percyjacksonlightning-movie-screencaps.com-6697.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1920" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_i-uyycPJvfgfnREfsVz6ljKv73HWyvwyKW7KiPmWj7FcsixbNId5GiGuu5KSr9mWHiItUKVEitukrdKfCUxSGdHCx261E2jdbar-BShuHTGcK-3THAO760_a2dJxo6jC9rwKYRfWeuAeSVPII5lv01nVcStE73RUHUn6T29iDKC9fXsXh-23l-9R/w400-h170/percyjacksonlightning-movie-screencaps.com-6697.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The quest feels more like a road trip;<br />L-R: Percy, Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), Grover<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even the characters undergo major changes to suit the
altered story and more young adult tone. Percy comes off as more of a brooding
teenager and has no trouble controlling his demigod powers. Annabeth is written
like a more obvious love interest for Percy and her personality is an odd
composite of the book version of Annabeth and Clarise, a character that got cut
along with her father Ares. Of the main trio, Grover has undergone the most
radical change, as the film version is oddly horny and comes off as more of a
confident ladies’ man, even though some aspects of his original characterization
still remain. With the change in the opening, Poseidon is more obviously
guiding Percy, even speaking to him, rather than play with the ambiguity of
whether or not he’s only acknowledging his son because he needs him. Of the
various mythological figures that appear, Hades’ personality is almost a
complete 180 from the book, replacing his jerkish, but reasonable
characterization with a generic evil one, complete with a desire to obtain the
master bolt for his own nefarious purposes.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While the book is also pretty accurate in its
portrayal of Greek mythology while putting its own urban fantasy spin on it,
the film plays fast and loose with it at times, mostly around Persephone. In
this version, the main trio are supposed to obtain three of Persephone’s pearls
on their way to the underworld so that they can escape, but the idea that she
had pearls to begin with has no basis in Greek mythology. Additionally, although
the trio could escape the underworld with the aid of special pearls, a water
nymph provided them in the original story. When they do reach the underworld in
the film, the trio encounter Persephone, who should actually be in Olympus at
the time according the original myths. On top of that, Persephone is faithful
to Hades in the myths, in spite of the circumstances of how they got together, but
here in the film, she has no qualms about cheating on him, even hitting on
Grover, who has no issue with the arrangement.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although <i>The Lightning Thief</i> is a bad adaptation,
I do have to give credit where it’s due, as there are moments where it’s
accurate to the source, even if it appears accidental. Grover gives Percy an
accurate explanation of Percy’s ADHD and Dyslexia, that the ADHD made him ready
for battle and that the Dyslexia wired his brain for reading ancient Greek, and
there is actually an attack on the camp before Percy sets off on his quest,
although it was a hellhound in the book and not Hades like in the film. While the
Lotus Casino scene still takes some liberties, like emphasizing Grover’s hornier
personality, it’s the most faithful scene in the film and also the one thing more
accurate than the Disney+ series. There’s also one very minor detail kept from
the book where Percy’s stepfather, Gabe Ugliano (Joe Pantoliano), is depicted
playing poker with other guys right before Percy leaves for Camp Half-Blood.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZU_rTHUrdVuGPHxVLOGl09VqTx7Ub6Ry83KrQElbw-Fe7Y4hXlpVvGMW32cuYsVUogBzs69a9y1-j2PeBHyr8ATQ1NZEFVQbb4zqYil8RfmPs5dxZ0zCRriGBFhELhltpjmHDjmjNxoF0k0ArPqrxbP_p7i-IIpr7As7yPSWWaOWPovnmxUh_VGLH/s1920/percyjacksonlightning-movie-screencaps.com-8477.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1920" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZU_rTHUrdVuGPHxVLOGl09VqTx7Ub6Ry83KrQElbw-Fe7Y4hXlpVvGMW32cuYsVUogBzs69a9y1-j2PeBHyr8ATQ1NZEFVQbb4zqYil8RfmPs5dxZ0zCRriGBFhELhltpjmHDjmjNxoF0k0ArPqrxbP_p7i-IIpr7As7yPSWWaOWPovnmxUh_VGLH/w400-h170/percyjacksonlightning-movie-screencaps.com-8477.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lotus Casino scene is actually pretty accurate.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While I did just spend a few paragraphs calling <i>The
Lightning Thief</i> a bad adaptation, I would also say that if you completely
divorce it from the original context, it’s just okay. The film doesn’t drag,
the acting is solid, including from the bigger name actors and Logan Lerman,
and the special effects hold up fine for the most part. Plus, Christophe Beck’s
score does a decent job setting and complementing the mood of each scene. These
qualities still don’t save the film, but it did at least have some solid
construction.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you’re already a fan of <i>Percy Jackson & the
Olympians</i>, you’re better off watching the Disney+ adaptation instead unless
you have some morbid curiosity. If you aren’t already a fan, there’s no harm in
giving <i>The Lightning Thief</i> a try, though I would still encourage reading
the original book or watching the Disney+ series regardless of how you feel afterwards.</span></span></p>
EHeroFlareNeoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677896135091344245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-53940123914257885882024-02-14T06:30:00.000-08:002024-02-14T08:24:35.179-08:00Transformers: EarthSpark - Expedition<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFzG3FCgV9cwPOVpMlFCG9Ws1VSy9rmbd6kTP9I7o3k12wQw8J0kQ0lEVYvzMj4jgVCDm5sZbGmLfcQeafjV0acqsvRcxdxmXV77CzQwwaB0hNDPd7VonHWGv8rDcJE7t7S8wjqLAp_bQlmmuuheOXTyeootvshoGyNpY9NHISNrotcd4YNBoJ1UuHG66/s1120/Transformers_EarthSpark_Expedition_cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="1006" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFzG3FCgV9cwPOVpMlFCG9Ws1VSy9rmbd6kTP9I7o3k12wQw8J0kQ0lEVYvzMj4jgVCDm5sZbGmLfcQeafjV0acqsvRcxdxmXV77CzQwwaB0hNDPd7VonHWGv8rDcJE7t7S8wjqLAp_bQlmmuuheOXTyeootvshoGyNpY9NHISNrotcd4YNBoJ1UuHG66/w359-h400/Transformers_EarthSpark_Expedition_cover.jpg" width="359" /></a></div><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">As most <i>Transformers</i>
fans are familiar with, the franchise goes through a refresh every three years
in an effort to attract new fans. 2022 saw the launch of the most recent incarnation,
<i>Transformers: EarthSpark</i>, on Paramount+, which follows the batch release
format and completed its first Season last year, with a second on the way as of
this writing. As someone who has been watching it in an effort to stay current
with the TV side of the franchise as much as possible, I so far don’t
find it to be on the same level as <i>Prime</i> or <i>Animated</i> in terms of
story, but I think it has some great animation and interesting ideas, such as the
concept of the Terrans and the Season 1 antagonist Mandroid, and I’m at least
curious to see what the second season will bring (that said, the Season 1
ending was a little rough).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Last year, a
video game based on the cartoon was also announced called <i>Transformers:
EarthSpark – Expedition</i> (<i>Expedition</i>), which caught my interest due
to being what seemed more like the sort of <i>Transformers</i> console gaming
experience I been wanting since <i><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2020/06/second-look-transformers-fall-of.html">Fall of Cybertron</a></i>, though I had already
tempered my expectations due to it being a family-oriented game published by
Outright Games. Said expectations were met just by glancing at gameplay on
display at Comic-Con that year, but I still wanted to experience it myself,
eventually getting it on sale for Black Friday after it came out later in the
year. Despite a PS5 version having been announced, I could not find any
evidence of its availability in the US, which led me to get the PS4 version
with a free PS5 upgrade. While the game did meet my already tempered expectations,
I feel like it could still have been better.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Following the
events of <i>EarthSpark</i> Season 1, Team Bee report having encountered
Mandroid’s Arachnobots, despite having defeated him. As they investigate these
reports, Team Bee revisit the now dilapidated G.H.O.S.T. Base, discovering an
audio file from mandroid where he gloats about his return and tells them where
to find him. As Bumblebee follows this strange lead, he also discovers that Mandroid
is digging for the three pieces of an ancient Cybertronian weapon known as the
Energon Activator and tries to get to them before Mandroid can.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5F9yGZck3fIRdY4t4Pws_oEbGqvqsmE80Xj89Fu5eBKDaHGr2V0gy6tVC2k7a8wKi6dcAXN7Ojup8jOqAnwu9O5urbnuN0UHWE54tDVbrs5EJ5-1g4qW3T4f_nL-7F3ZXG1mb1QDgeYP8B54XhR3ls7bHv59wRpfNCnwW12n3krjmG3OilkBCBErbvOGd" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5F9yGZck3fIRdY4t4Pws_oEbGqvqsmE80Xj89Fu5eBKDaHGr2V0gy6tVC2k7a8wKi6dcAXN7Ojup8jOqAnwu9O5urbnuN0UHWE54tDVbrs5EJ5-1g4qW3T4f_nL-7F3ZXG1mb1QDgeYP8B54XhR3ls7bHv59wRpfNCnwW12n3krjmG3OilkBCBErbvOGd=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somehow, Mandroid has returned.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">For what it is,
the story is thankfully consistent with that of the cartoon and manages not to
contradict anything, even calling back to it a few times and opening with a
recap of the Season 1 finale. The story having been written by Simon Furman,
writer of numerous <i>Transformers</i> comics, likely helps with its
consistency, though I was surprised to learn this on watching the credits since
it lacked any of his trademark Furmanisms. That said, even with the recap, you
might feel completely lost if you’re a newcomer who hasn’t watched the show, as
it otherwise expects you to know of certain concepts such as the Terrans, the Malto
family and G.H.O.S.T., let alone Mandroid. While the ending does hint that
Mandroid might come back again, only time will tell whether the showrunners
have any plans of their own left for him. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Fitting with
the plot, Bumblebee is the only playable character, with gameplay spread across
three different larger maps. Although the maps are nowhere near as big as many
modern AAA games, they can still feel a bit empty and maze-like at times, which
is thankfully mitigated by the ability to transform at will and fast travel to
different areas after beating quests. The combat is pretty basic and
repetitive, though using vehicle mode in the right way can open up new
possibilities, as can your blaster when used on the right enemy. You can also
unlock Special Attacks (L2) that refill as you deal damage, which can really
help in a pinch, and you can use L1 to swap between any of your unlocked
Special Attacks to suit your playstyle. There are also some pickups that are
automatically assigned to a d-pad button (max. 10-15 each), including two types
of health boosts along with attack and defense boosts, each of which provides a
much-needed boost in the heat of battle. Any extra pick-ups that exceed your
limit cannot be picked up until you use one, preventing any from going to waste,
but it is worth mentioning that they cannot be used while in vehicle mode.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Aside from
enemy encounters, each map is also populated by various quests. Completing
them increases your influence on the area with a minimum required to advance
to each of Mandroid’s Lairs. Epic Camps provide the largest boosts to this, with
other quests providing a small boost towards 100% completion. Scrap can be
collected by defeating enemies or breaking crates, though completing side
quests given to you by Terrans across each map also provides Scrap as well as
additional resources to use at G.H.O.S.T. Base. You can also return to G.H.O.S.T.
Base at any time in the pause menu, where you can use your collected resources for
advancing skill trees, unlocking cosmetics and purchasing pick-ups outright. There
are also two additional collectibles in the form of Cards and Glyphs, the
latter of which can be deciphered into messages at G.H.O.S.T. Base when
collected, many of which are blocked off until you obtain certain abilities
later in the game upon completing Mandroid’s Lairs. Upon completing the story,
I decided to go back and collect all nine Glyphs just to see what messages they
would spell out, only to feel some disappointment when they turned out to be
famous <i>Transformers</i> quotes, as I viewed it as a missed opportunity to
plant some seeds for <i>EarthSpark</i> Season 2.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While <i>Expedition</i>
plays decently, the gravity is a little floaty, making the combat and other
minor aspects feel slower than they probably should, with combat made frustrating
at times by Bumblebee’s lack of iFrames. Bumblebee also has a rather lengthy
animation if he falls from a great-enough height, which can be rather
detrimental if enemies happen to be in the area, however I figured out that it’s
possible to bypass this animation completely by transforming to vehicle mode
before hitting the ground, significantly increasing recovery time. It’s also
entirely possible to get stuck in the environment at times, which in one area
got so bad that I had to retreat to G.H.O.S.T. Base and start it over. This
also came up once during a boss fight, which I somehow managed to barely survive
and wiggle my way out of in time. The camera is pretty good, but it can also
sort of bug out if it hits an environmental object at the wrong angle.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwGr2_Usk5kv3uW8Dtac9WkseXF7RS2bQYneQuzVxH5RQyDwHFCJAreHlX29P93UlCUA5rFjJ4lIbwHiLEg3w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx55_QUqAR5LX6k8aR5snBH-pCSBSg7mIIW-Rk-Ccs3X4aNUsjen0jM1C0aqKjNtdHULhisnKuGOP72RRIL6A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxL9_scXMz7947eeV8wuiNr9_l14Y9PDQTBh6eyqfrMaHcMYQLZyrpJDqi9PrYaacjvB_HssAE_04OewClAuw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">One thing <i>Expedition</i>
gets credit for is managing to faithfully replicate the visual style of <i>EarthSpark</i>,
with menus and other visual elements fitting in with said art style. Although
paced a little slowly, I also can’t deny that the opening comic book-style
sequence is well-drawn. That said, the game itself has some rather iffy draw
distance, especially with smaller objects such as grass and even some larger
objects such as Mandroid’s large machinery at the Epic Camps. On the smaller
side, some objects also have odd geometries, including a structure in the third
map that has an area with no hitbox. Wooden structures in the first map have
invisible barriers for Bumblebee to stand on, but they can become visible at
the right angles, almost appearing like panes of glass. Additionally, water
physics are non-existent for vehicle mode in spite of their presence for robot
mode, plus Brawler enemies oddly spawn in a way that makes them look like they
got knocked over.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEin7Fie1nwmeb9ApWKaTvbCVOkjEtwDxKoV1S38Eh-MqJXeM-6zXfu53QlY0yKKelBo6BUSSYUEGnXv_Vpn9wHhYYo24Mn7lwkkCrhs2uMftrY0XODB7d8f1LuarFbTWwD3PmXrYOAIXty828BzTpf3zl8qiFjNVbmRJ6_krdeXjlY8hypw3alZUkOeVZP7" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEin7Fie1nwmeb9ApWKaTvbCVOkjEtwDxKoV1S38Eh-MqJXeM-6zXfu53QlY0yKKelBo6BUSSYUEGnXv_Vpn9wHhYYo24Mn7lwkkCrhs2uMftrY0XODB7d8f1LuarFbTWwD3PmXrYOAIXty828BzTpf3zl8qiFjNVbmRJ6_krdeXjlY8hypw3alZUkOeVZP7=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And now for a compilation.<br />Alex Malto's hologram is floating slightly above the ground.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimUWZ_T2z9c70uhLg8aY21HsaRsec3EmFsS6THX6GUrkzFGw8kRkzj-qGybkPTY9wWv1Txw3wycvCf62OakqPvVxDGfNGCfxFwdvZor7tAPHQsa3cch3z-8W0eT_mvfwdBPcoIvyPSC5_UE8Q9Th1jm0HWmi3GcgKOkxO5Bj4C2PJSkNMPTLY1CKG0guUV" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimUWZ_T2z9c70uhLg8aY21HsaRsec3EmFsS6THX6GUrkzFGw8kRkzj-qGybkPTY9wWv1Txw3wycvCf62OakqPvVxDGfNGCfxFwdvZor7tAPHQsa3cch3z-8W0eT_mvfwdBPcoIvyPSC5_UE8Q9Th1jm0HWmi3GcgKOkxO5Bj4C2PJSkNMPTLY1CKG0guUV=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The invisible box is visible and looks like a pane of glass.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw6eio3UboGQeO0XIw_gNdTFWoLBSj0riHQ3dUNskk1JbtCsRnCFUTLec3rFuefN-LgHuQldt5M_XEDfZkpMA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwfdEuhHmTdl0AX7FZpXHpAkP134ylLLmBjEBooO8V23n6HVcDmX2KOHtdcK9LZUFRC0_aRZWFJInNR4GxKwA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxrmbS5puks8MhfYEvU_LpW3ydXiKiR2FLJpcc8uenXFKewPxd0SJ--HTcnL-guouLgiHWpChFdJwPe7uvmrg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyHMq9hm4-gszQuIHLloDiV18R37b0oqxhwMsOsv_IxXmLmMnj19dBZ1NoUFZLrnh-SQKxIdo7-JlMAmRN1UA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzGPWSKh_ZRSpFcJRWyUSsEiXpmXZUgIxKkOS7nHz2zdRfDYoFvSeGrEYmqxZtNaJaDpB763IH8EJMH1TEkkg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzFTeuAOoF5w4OOezsTsM8J0Y_mJ92SpnCR7m8O0RdPKX9kopjctSlptCA1G9s0ShP9KZZedge7V5QGTBx5lA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz_mCG-7BhXj0UL7-chgA2Na6koq40TVaX1YPHIGuMltdR3FHJl_Lpx_9FlZvFp5Z8iV2JfPd7Y5K-lB5Jt5g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyYhZTGQB7YmKaoiYKgISbrWLy1Qr7hz_pKgvmTsb4wOUCAsRaD41tR6V-fT5YlUDfq3TlkyOgq13FQV0eqGg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuISL6oEG-FK4CCi4gYUDwfjsw0gi4kUPI7uXNbAWgogjiwM0Zkm8ofySClrz8jOFsIONx0Dlw9OIuA0wo2Jz2EWrdLxagKkvdCLFM6JAniYmRSfnUzTEkXeRHTdclSSGZ5ZFA2R_wVD4NKdBqtqh7Gl04XnqfuCELquImmEb8N67ktncpunM4wGmvf3l/s3840/TRANSFORMERS_%20EARTHSPARK%20-%20Expedition_20240126155702.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuISL6oEG-FK4CCi4gYUDwfjsw0gi4kUPI7uXNbAWgogjiwM0Zkm8ofySClrz8jOFsIONx0Dlw9OIuA0wo2Jz2EWrdLxagKkvdCLFM6JAniYmRSfnUzTEkXeRHTdclSSGZ5ZFA2R_wVD4NKdBqtqh7Gl04XnqfuCELquImmEb8N67ktncpunM4wGmvf3l/w400-h225/TRANSFORMERS_%20EARTHSPARK%20-%20Expedition_20240126155702.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Something ain't right about this...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Also worth
mentioning is that you can toggle Bumblebee’s headlights by clicking L3, which
actually comes in very handy in darker areas. This is probably a bit more
nitpicky, but I noticed that turning the headlights on is not reflected in the
headlights on Bumblebee’s character model, which I thought would have been a
very clever attention to detail.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwY_euaHW2MBbV_wv41KvMB5wHtCqnMfbDSHwVth24GSLZBKBzxVYNH7_V2NCV1A01dCbzao8KcS90EbZ0eX39YKoiMjr1vuc0zzXjPn25BwN7qeZ4PyC5q2im8OCTCMu5q9OHWkQ_wQyi4pqmn-Uv95BUx6PSz1fsJp6b65sDZfi5rZ6wtdm0q2V_diG/s3840/TRANSFORMERS_%20EARTHSPARK%20-%20Expedition_20240125155440.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwY_euaHW2MBbV_wv41KvMB5wHtCqnMfbDSHwVth24GSLZBKBzxVYNH7_V2NCV1A01dCbzao8KcS90EbZ0eX39YKoiMjr1vuc0zzXjPn25BwN7qeZ4PyC5q2im8OCTCMu5q9OHWkQ_wQyi4pqmn-Uv95BUx6PSz1fsJp6b65sDZfi5rZ6wtdm0q2V_diG/w400-h225/TRANSFORMERS_%20EARTHSPARK%20-%20Expedition_20240125155440.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One nice detail, however, is that Bumblebee can park in this spot.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Although the
game has some decent sound design, even including the iconic transformation
noise, the voice acting has to be one of the weakest aspects of the game. Hiring
sound-alikes in place of the original voice actors isn’t new, but despite being
professionally cast, even including returning voices from previous <i>Transformers</i>
projects, the voice cast in this game sounds nothing like the ones in the
cartoon, sounding oddly robotic or phoned in, like they’re just reading the
script. Additionally, there seemed to have been a typo in the script that was
reflected in the subs, which was surprisingly read off anyway, along with an
instance of the audio not matching the subs, leading to a disconnect in the
conversation it occurred in if going only by the audio. On the flip side, the
music is at least somewhat memorable, if only due to its repetitive nature and
usage.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyxgUfiLPoiScSCnbhuEzBNyTgVbHwHCo7d8QVqprgK8fh40kFnUIuZPDoQJBtsf_35N4SAbh1Oh10dCK2Paw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwWQkNjXfA6WUCmOmD6Bz-93n-7ast08E4Gj6Zw750LTfi76LIAo1bFtHH1fm_A-AQ6UtK1bdQ632KpSABQqw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i>Transformers:
EarthSpark – Expedition</i> is not the worst <i>Transformers</i> game ever
made, but some noticeable drawbacks make it fall short of some of the better ones
(not that I expected this game to be of that caliber in the first place).
Still, it’s a passable game for existing <i>Transformers</i> fans, particularly
those within the target demographic, but its appeal is limited even further by
requiring the player to already be a fan of <i>Transformers: EarthSpark</i> (at
least through Season 1) to fully understand the plot.</p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-45536153140945076992024-02-12T06:30:00.000-08:002024-02-12T06:30:00.134-08:00Review Hub - Silent Hill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiseK6GJ1BTqCfk2FnvOE6XjO3ZmtG9mT-wqhoJrvJ3AGaIE1kv6NC6IFeGrATj5Ykbqtaq-Sjtm_nmlY5meko-TQK6gRkgNnF_sdoi9__c6dviOVS5aaVgBrpNAyij-Yf2MWADmJ-V0TjB/s1152/Silent_Hill.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="129" data-original-width="1152" height="36" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiseK6GJ1BTqCfk2FnvOE6XjO3ZmtG9mT-wqhoJrvJ3AGaIE1kv6NC6IFeGrATj5Ykbqtaq-Sjtm_nmlY5meko-TQK6gRkgNnF_sdoi9__c6dviOVS5aaVgBrpNAyij-Yf2MWADmJ-V0TjB/s320/Silent_Hill.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Since the original <i>Silent Hill</i> game launched on the PlayStation in 1999, the <i>Silent Hill</i> series has capitalized on its unique brand of psychological horror, typically showcasing normal people struggling to move past their personal demons. The Team Silent era is usually held in the highest regard, but even the games developed afterwards display a clear passion for the series and a willingness to take it in bold, new directions. While the cancellation of <i>Silent Hills</i> certainly still stings, <i>P.T.</i> is still a continued source of inspiration for other horror developers. As Konami moves forward with its full revival of the brand, we'll continue hoping for the best from what's to come.<div><br /><div>Below is a list of links to every <i>Silent Hill</i> review on this blog, separated by development era and medium and listed in release order.<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGnbmOIbLWE5o5UQx-BCbknQZfEY3oh7mRBc2mL86kNe9gdnDiZGAWhFJRXIkk7W4m3b6TNTqxeER-kiLbXtokD2IeoH3JMRbYI3maEozAq_0TN72e2MRdE2bxKbK8kX7DbmMKXM54e30N/s1152/Silent_Hill.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="129" data-original-width="1152" height="36" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGnbmOIbLWE5o5UQx-BCbknQZfEY3oh7mRBc2mL86kNe9gdnDiZGAWhFJRXIkk7W4m3b6TNTqxeER-kiLbXtokD2IeoH3JMRbYI3maEozAq_0TN72e2MRdE2bxKbK8kX7DbmMKXM54e30N/s320/Silent_Hill.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Team Silent</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-game.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8FtssyTnMdCK3RI3sJ0H1Exg4EZe7SVl38X5nK_nvYZuw6w1TgqIAkrMkgVyP-gnJyFSVeGCFPS0sb4MXdNnAJntOgp1FGGRA__4rZ0KC-GsVOuvwPyixDlYhMtFwsd4ZFp5klLJzVLp/w200-h200/5929-silent-hill-playstation-front-cover.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2020/10/silent-hill-2-restless-dreams-xbox.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="284" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAELFscJdm-0S2xsb21ZMA0AxRj2JsyXEvYON5aeDiVxHzGdcMkAgYKkGzitTljZHIp4TLwxQ1shICJMH3kwAsacca_KtQX3UOY_4wYFlbaM8XY0vR8cHy-RzGuh-UMFYiSg5vRB1ut2Y/w142-h200/14388-silent-hill-2-restless-dreams-xbox-front-cover.jpg" width="142" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-3.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAwFUild6z6ucz6pl7_oHFwuJxC5twA7Foh5xxREGUZyLcniHbmRSotM1vIvnQUDT5vTVdKmjw7JWde3n1tfRQ_iraoysnJm2ByA6VR7NeTMJYG7oQ-t7X9y7YlnQjCa6sUMr_hMKTA09P/w140-h200/199659-silent-hill-3-playstation-2-front-cover.jpg" width="140" /></a> <a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-hd-collection.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="346" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp97oWf8DkKIk2PslhAmwrFeBXzC4pjyM3kaVop1MLuPzLskOLJfbRUzPd8MooyRATc_nrOCuyO8LPotLqCYyq04G3NRBkJiVG2_R3RyK1FVqK0l_rouyKcKD5FzbBxrWmFZocsdrJ3oC-/w173-h200/289076-silent-hill-hd-collection-playstation-3-front-cover.jpg" width="173" /></a> <a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-4-room-xbox.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="281" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUb6ybmBnM3L99fizcKS5gMEwgGlFOCFwh_JvzaGHAsNdl3lVFDOoqvT5TJ8uthklq8X_hiaviDO8_83CLeBuliACOJMfWA0vrFCk_wUu3d-hBzO7cLHpc4eHrgcq2cPaMiiHPFCgKBSqU/w141-h200/695768-silent-hill-4-the-room-xbox-front-cover.jpg" width="141" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-game.html">Silent Hill (Game)</a></div><div><div><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2020/10/silent-hill-2-restless-dreams-xbox.html">Silent Hill 2</a></div><div><div><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-3.html">Silent Hill 3</a></div><div><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-hd-collection.html">Silent Hill HD Collection</a></div><div><div><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-4-room-xbox.html">Silent Hill 4: The Room</a></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEict1H05_r7xrpG-UmCqVjoyYtbxN93h3SC8NPO1nxHEHO6vvIY_-y4j7gkMDRaEpuSMGS9mT8WmjkycfsPNS0DEeNmep7PQ6d7-6dcJ2bYQTE-d7NZ_7dyxdC0EHbLZwQVT-nIKFB6sWOv/s3516/Silent_Hill+%25281%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="894" data-original-width="3516" height="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEict1H05_r7xrpG-UmCqVjoyYtbxN93h3SC8NPO1nxHEHO6vvIY_-y4j7gkMDRaEpuSMGS9mT8WmjkycfsPNS0DEeNmep7PQ6d7-6dcJ2bYQTE-d7NZ_7dyxdC0EHbLZwQVT-nIKFB6sWOv/s320/Silent_Hill+%25281%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Post-Team Silent</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-origins.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="230" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZYKf_mEfKGSN0qM6wwUT9tzB0moQqd3Fuytsz0lPk7j4wt9ZHjm51yCe9tuFKCaoGa9xO9urJ1HTe9WkjAvJWheGp2ALUdHNwPzYKl7agTQP30wmHDhDwiLa-6FcToNs6O5eA-m-cPTe/w115-h200/109866-silent-hill-0rigins-psp-front-cover.jpg" width="115" /></a> <a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-homecoming-xbox-360.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj8bv_eaJdhy1epYNusTArahZBe-PAI0PjCFMLCO8cdncuPFbOZCCJAWpVXd3kvPuZFAKD1A9QJPXMBH48OfWZJWuOE9GuX5ob6FUwpWjS5yq_z9TS8jfHBpOCycprYLgqX-jrcKJeeyY3/w141-h200/178840-silent-hill-homecoming-xbox-360-front-cover.png" width="141" /></a> <a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-shattered-memories-wii.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4-XOrsHfQXEH-99_1Lb9y6tMH_CseQlAhEcylOZXW3N12i2syCJgOoHRQGKaYUmBrBFTV4FTJuQbvdrjAdvfbYGrIkBZ4E7-1QLPVp14uCaEmm3LEO4V01cw0DdAe3ZHAvAPTxeGnVSx/w141-h200/171882-silent-hill-shattered-memories-wii-front-cover.jpg" width="141" /></a><br /><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-downpour-xbox-360.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXUPB3FUAxjd79qBl-S6OORVJzubW0_JlpKFk43IrBBmRhDXlbJ-FKvYTbEGxMMaSecw_hqRs3ZWqAml3NclNwFLHBKrIvQqt6QgOhKbFY9aBX8tXXb3_Uws1mK3wFoUK7DC8EWR1vtEM/w141-h200/747921-silent-hill-downpour-xbox-360-front-cover.jpg" width="141" /></a> <a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-downpour-annes-story.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="988" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8RGE7faWKsmhH2ff8Vr8vZcbrCKWuCj7d995KDO87yMtEWp6Z_Eokss8-mrzoJpDflDGaW6-PGjc3Ej1OLkCxIEiiiP_V5mIqobIezxENFS9cfKY6P0iD2oIKeBFlrEp5Jndd_qOA2o8WCMamy2tHo2QdsxpffCT_nO7WvieoZApzJZxA-Dt7jLWgg/w132-h200/AScover.png" width="132" /></a> <a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2020/10/pt.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-i_YR-GMugSZlJkkKwVpTFbyy4x53JNup7AKxtSCrKXVY6Crjy3R5kK1WCW7Jnf9wPq24eNQ1ERoro4s0sOBy8m4r3ujarRykIa6wXOvf1FVrIAAJMA_xzlNJri_k2NfwcY7_KNjJuVQ/w200-h113/PT_Title_Card.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-origins.html">Silent Hill: Origins</a></div><div><div><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-homecoming-xbox-360.html">Silent Hill: Homecoming</a></div><div><div><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-shattered-memories-wii.html">Silent Hill: Shattered Memories</a></div><div><div><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-downpour-xbox-360.html">Silent Hill: Downpour</a></div><div><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-downpour-annes-story.html">Silent Hill Downpour: Anne's Story</a></div><div><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2020/10/pt.html">P.T.</a> (<a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/second-look-pt.html">Second Look</a>)</div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOjMYjBRmWzo_UQ4xOims6lXeWDknQJQdztrO37hdyDVgXnSGrECeLpueGCarL_f4hvIoIjs13V_HEHTHi3JSYDgVEfLKAKMvLoj03MbwTStG5T3Li78uTzA8Dks1PP7Kvgw6gdXiu3g4McFDK8xCqmbRAYzHwcY0agip7JCkQB6Pkxa3edr86w9LNe8u/s897/Silent_Hill_2022_Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="93" data-original-width="897" height="33" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOjMYjBRmWzo_UQ4xOims6lXeWDknQJQdztrO37hdyDVgXnSGrECeLpueGCarL_f4hvIoIjs13V_HEHTHi3JSYDgVEfLKAKMvLoj03MbwTStG5T3Li78uTzA8Dks1PP7Kvgw6gdXiu3g4McFDK8xCqmbRAYzHwcY0agip7JCkQB6Pkxa3edr86w9LNe8u/s320/Silent_Hill_2022_Logo.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Revival</b></div><div> <br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2024/02/silent-hill-short-message.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lm1LfDpVTcBV1T8q460Vi_3V51NBmyVsqzKe-M0X7en1YwBdJovODNw8JBtK3cUhmk9ld1MIBXcc2jPvxqRRT439uh-NziiLYuquga8Y3B1ZEAS-PZEc2MvHOhuUJn9VsV5hFMF-NHPu_ctPy1DHTdBcQNIQG8pHffhAu7aOJN8tNoH4miqiDZHeG3Kv/w200-h200/18183615-silent-hill-the-short-message-playstation-5-front-cover.png" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2024/02/silent-hill-short-message.html"><br /></a></div><div><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2024/02/silent-hill-short-message.html">Silent Hill: The Short Message</a><br /></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFX5HDldAtQZLXtH4BWlH0pmm1LQ_6dk8T_L51GI7AYNmsIW4sqqOjYP-VSCA6kcOx-hD4pULzB_SYi0izQJYxwqbQS4D6Ymir62bXbk-g3RMFhmp_fkCiLRLsCg2rSo5F23h8DSoNUPnE/s807/Silent_Hill_film_logo.PNG.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="807" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFX5HDldAtQZLXtH4BWlH0pmm1LQ_6dk8T_L51GI7AYNmsIW4sqqOjYP-VSCA6kcOx-hD4pULzB_SYi0izQJYxwqbQS4D6Ymir62bXbk-g3RMFhmp_fkCiLRLsCg2rSo5F23h8DSoNUPnE/s320/Silent_Hill_film_logo.PNG.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Films</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-film.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="270" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPbiPFrPyc3DwBe1-zE4e1RFILfjucfEPUCYsMQak4VQDEPEv6FilHI3RM8TKm3BE11Rzh6N9A2w6ocH_x1-CJ8TTpUE-QVeZos7yijdKv2z9r9eMUnkPqgPZgHYBeqmkfodhA3_ekHEpC/w135-h200/Silent_hill_xlg.png" width="135" /></a> <a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-revelation.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="270" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEnMtOa4c4VT7n1VnuAE6PNR0q0oCa3SJDaMw87gBEXiXOs5aquwJyeILajWSuM27AeeE9h36RYq3J_UurvTfLZN13Ux1_Ia0hHb31VATHd_tr7ICanUVzgRzLDaFFe7TDoohpGe2fInc/w135-h200/silent_hill_revelation_3d_ver5_xxlg.jpg" width="135" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-film.html">Silent Hill (Film)</a></div><div><div><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-revelation.html">Silent Hill: Revelation</a></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-31520553694440196952024-02-10T06:30:00.000-08:002024-02-10T06:30:00.133-08:00Stubs - The Holdovers<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyYtIeD7EDgKLuD1fApSiI8_SBzveagCSO8iW159JWB-_KjtvwoWrJRpFFpOJZ8XVHYQpMhVBDpX2uqcelc_PP2cI69KCeOebOLxpPLHDfy7Z7hhJS47Q7lWQhxCuj2NHnW9JNQOtVZFNMCX0Q5C_-4ohPEGoufbK5emj0ThxRj_T5bYRRoMmEorwA3sP/s1600/MV5BNDc2MzNkMjMtZDY5NC00NmQ0LWI1NjctZjRhNWIzZjc4MGRiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjkwOTAyMDU@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyYtIeD7EDgKLuD1fApSiI8_SBzveagCSO8iW159JWB-_KjtvwoWrJRpFFpOJZ8XVHYQpMhVBDpX2uqcelc_PP2cI69KCeOebOLxpPLHDfy7Z7hhJS47Q7lWQhxCuj2NHnW9JNQOtVZFNMCX0Q5C_-4ohPEGoufbK5emj0ThxRj_T5bYRRoMmEorwA3sP/w270-h400/MV5BNDc2MzNkMjMtZDY5NC00NmQ0LWI1NjctZjRhNWIzZjc4MGRiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjkwOTAyMDU@._V1_.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><br /><b>The Holdovers</b> (2023) starring Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa. Directed by Alexander Payne. Screenplay by David Hemingson Produced by Mark Johnson, Bill Block, David Hemingson. Run time: 133 minutes. Color. USA Comedy, Drama, Christmas<p></p><div>After six years between projects, Alexander Payne returns to the screen, and re-teamed with <i>Sideways </i>star, Paul Giamatti, with <i>The Holdovers </i>(2023), a comedy drama set at Christmas vacation in 1970 at a private boys school. The result has been nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Giamatti), Best Supporting Actress (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), Best Original Screenplay (David Hemingson), and Best Film Editing (Kevin Tent).</div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div>The story revolves around three people, Paul Hunham, a classics teacher at Barton Academy played by Giamatti; Angus Tully, a student, played by Dominic Sessa; and Mary Lamb, the Barton head cook and bereaved mother, played by Da'Vine Joy Randolph, forced to spend two weeks together during the Christmas break when students, staff and faculty leave for the holidays.</div><div><br /></div><div>Five students, for various reasons, are left to spend the Christmas break at the boarding school. Because of that, Hunham gets drafted to play babysitter and Lamb is left to cook for them. It comes at a time when Lamb's son, and a former student at the school, has been killed in action during the Vietnam War.</div><div><br /></div><div>Four students suddenly depart the school for a last minute ski holiday when they get invited along with Jason Smith (Michael Provost), the Barton football team's quarterback and his family. But Tully's parents are unavailable, so he's not allowed to go.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2joCxUFL0c2tPY2zLqrJ9DKZ4tEBh199nNUjtK5Cw0umkbxGH7IVQHSCUcgyiSMSTM8elmbv-bqNqw_WDFuruj_JTK7n23HbKoEAurN-eYRKvdcqicsrJEcOmxHHgCpOlXPAuJUQNs1PCv6vfoGQGDFsdAdfs5xJTlZz1U8mXkjp34vEDy_XXSUFQumBW/s677/Capture.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="677" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2joCxUFL0c2tPY2zLqrJ9DKZ4tEBh199nNUjtK5Cw0umkbxGH7IVQHSCUcgyiSMSTM8elmbv-bqNqw_WDFuruj_JTK7n23HbKoEAurN-eYRKvdcqicsrJEcOmxHHgCpOlXPAuJUQNs1PCv6vfoGQGDFsdAdfs5xJTlZz1U8mXkjp34vEDy_XXSUFQumBW/w400-h238/Capture.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: left;">Angus Tully (</span>Dominic Sessa), Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) and Mary Lamb<br />(Da'Vine Joy Randolph) form an ersatz family in <i>The Holdovers.</i></span> </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Hunham is not a popular teacher, and, is in fact, hated and not just by students in his classes. A tough grader, he takes a certain amount of pride in being one. Tully is no prize either. Smart, he is also a bit spoiled, and not well-liked by the other students. He's worried that one more wrong move will get him shipped off to military school.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTdJ5LP87KXnsASEhpWBtkAZ8LIQVmFCQDL03Cyajq4q3PvPXYN5gtiEq_UbtzfDhWnhRdWvZp5ALrzDKj2ydhNoPrMgaJh-hWuccoOVGwUqh93FSRcuBmh53T_5SXLbVIE13R2UXCC68iCGpXdoLbN9UByCif7HLBCcENq_3eSv_QWZFZRXpoNGM6Sp5/s1798/approved_images_-_giamatti_&_sessa.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1798" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTdJ5LP87KXnsASEhpWBtkAZ8LIQVmFCQDL03Cyajq4q3PvPXYN5gtiEq_UbtzfDhWnhRdWvZp5ALrzDKj2ydhNoPrMgaJh-hWuccoOVGwUqh93FSRcuBmh53T_5SXLbVIE13R2UXCC68iCGpXdoLbN9UByCif7HLBCcENq_3eSv_QWZFZRXpoNGM6Sp5/w400-h240/approved_images_-_giamatti_&_sessa.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Adversaries grow to appreciate the other.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The film, which is essentially a character study, shows how these three relative strangers on December 17 form an ersatz family by the time they sit down for Christmas dinner. And over the next week, before school resumes, Tully and Hunham learn each other's darkest secrets and form a bond. Both start the film as self-described a**holes, but by the end have each other's backs.</div><div><br /></div><div>Paul Giamatti, who seems to excel at these kinds of roles, is his usual good as Paul Hunham. His is a performance worthy of nomination, if not the Academy Award. A multi-faceted character, Hunham takes stock of himself and doesn't like all that he sees.</div><div><br /></div><div>Da'Vine Joy Randolph likewise gives a strong performance as Lamb, who is spending her first holidays since the death of her only son at the school. Randolph gives a strong performance as Lamb.</div><div><br /></div><div>I believe this is Dominic Sessa's first film and he does an excellent job as an estranged and troubled teen who stops thinking only about himself and actually comes to appreciate a man, Hunham, who he has, up to now, loathed.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Holdovers</i> takes it's time to develop the characters that are central to the film. This is not an action-packed adventure film, but it does tell a compelling story, as the characters explore themselves. Don't take the slow pace as a weakness, but rather <i>The Holdovers </i>is allowed to take the time it needs. Alexander Payne's return to film shows the strength of his directorial skills, as he certainly brings out the best performances from the actors.</div>lionsroarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05575728698472889728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-79404706493718328392024-02-07T06:30:00.000-08:002024-02-07T06:30:00.135-08:00Silent Hill: The Short Message<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFd230w_Xkda9lqI-Szjti7mPGjCQQ1piOUFoeGeWvaXUnpoNGvHQkeDebmQDdhpXxpskrQt80PiYCTCoptv0sC7a3RGceg6fBbkdSNcKV6Sv-JlK4GaEAJE6IcAKmY7Akcg9gD-n1vLpU_cqibxrTqNjuvyV-8axVbXysPFczZ_0DsR3DScAF4fL4/s800/18183615-silent-hill-the-short-message-playstation-5-front-cover.png" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFd230w_Xkda9lqI-Szjti7mPGjCQQ1piOUFoeGeWvaXUnpoNGvHQkeDebmQDdhpXxpskrQt80PiYCTCoptv0sC7a3RGceg6fBbkdSNcKV6Sv-JlK4GaEAJE6IcAKmY7Akcg9gD-n1vLpU_cqibxrTqNjuvyV-8axVbXysPFczZ_0DsR3DScAF4fL4/w400-h400/18183615-silent-hill-the-short-message-playstation-5-front-cover.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For nearly a decade, <i>Silent Hill</i> was considered
a dead franchise following the cancellation of <i>Silent Hills</i> and
subsequent delisting of <i><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/second-look-pt.html">P.T.</a></i> While I was already upset with Konami’s
actions after their treatment of Hideo Kojima (who would have directed <i>Silent
Hills</i> with Guillermo del Toro) came to light, the idea that the series
would remain dormant didn’t affect me as much until I actually played through
every main game back-to-back, as well as multiple times each. In a very timely
coincidence, however, Konami would announce a full-on series revival in late
2022, which would include a new movie as well as multiple new video game
projects. The official start of this revival would start with <i>Silent Hill: The
Short Message</i> (<i>TSM</i>), a short experimental concept game that received
a surprise release after Sony’s State of Play on January 31, 2024, the 25th
anniversary of the original <i>Silent Hill</i>’s release (according to Konami,
at least). Naturally, as someone excited at the prospect of more <i>Silent Hill</i>
content, I downloaded <i>TSM</i> the instant I learned of its surprise release
and played through it shortly after. While it’s not a perfect experience, and
not as good as some of the series’ highs, <i>TSM</i> still felt like a step in the
right direction and gave me confidence about the future of the revival.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the fictional town of Kettenstadt, Germany, a young
woman named Anita Planert receives a message from her friend Maya, a graffiti artist,
asking to show her something at the “Villa”, an abandoned apartment complex with
a reputation as a famous suicide spot among teenage girls. Although she has no
idea what Maya wants to show her, Anita presses on in search of her friend. As
she explores the Villa, however, she encounters a creature covered in cherry
blossoms and uncovers some shocking truths.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibazyscsZprVhpjD4pFpBTb1v_VeCVzL2lQjQS16MQP68M2wvIF1Gl1n6w1neOoE48o6M4Yib0ZuNfWx6Pgl9foVeKPeNdOJvqvt4OBdDpvfGXPN-8mwl-Tamr8sKiZ3H4ADxH1iBLMDM_fLsEbvkKt8fItIeQaiARGQlvLQskyCnGHn2DGTkh-nWB/s1000/18183631-silent-hill-the-short-message-screenshot.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibazyscsZprVhpjD4pFpBTb1v_VeCVzL2lQjQS16MQP68M2wvIF1Gl1n6w1neOoE48o6M4Yib0ZuNfWx6Pgl9foVeKPeNdOJvqvt4OBdDpvfGXPN-8mwl-Tamr8sKiZ3H4ADxH1iBLMDM_fLsEbvkKt8fItIeQaiARGQlvLQskyCnGHn2DGTkh-nWB/w400-h225/18183631-silent-hill-the-short-message-screenshot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anita has no idea what's in store for her.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although the entire experience lasts about one to two
hours, it acts as a good window into what would happen if you set a <i>Silent
Hill</i> game in the modern day. <i>TSM</i> touches on modern topics like the negative
mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of social media, as
well as more universal and tragic ones like bullying (the in-person and cyber
varieties), depression and suicide. How well the game handles these topics really
depends on the player, but I liked that the development team didn’t shy away
from trying to cover those topics in the first place. These topics also lead to
powerful moments that reveal more about Anita’s past and relationships,
including a sequence near the end of the game that reveals her home life and
how that affected her outlook on the world. While there aren’t any alternate
endings, the one we do get has a good message of being there for the people who
matter in your life and letting them know they have someone they can talk to if
they need it.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anita herself is an atypical <i>Silent Hill</i>
protagonist. She’s more helpless and vulnerable than Heather Mason from <a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-3.html"><i>Silent
Hill 3</i></a>, but in this case, it works to the game’s advantage, as she’s
completely left in the dark about what’s truly in store for her until the game
gets closer to the end. While we don’t know much about her at the beginning, I
found myself more attached to her by the end after learning more about her and
her relationships. While we don’t get much of a glimpse into her inner thoughts
when interacting with certain parts of the environment (not to say we don’t),
there are also various files the player can read that do a good job at further
establishing <i>TSM</i>’s world and filling in narrative blanks that help both the
player and Anita realize what’s really going on.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For a short experience more akin to <i>P.T.</i>, <i>TSM</i>
has very simple gameplay that mostly consists of walking through the
environment and interacting with items or certain landmarks. That said, there
is still a puzzle element that while simpler than puzzles from the Team Silent
era, still felt clever in its design and made me feel smart for figuring it out
on my own. There are also a few sequences where Anita is chased by the cherry
blossom monster without any way to defend herself and instead just run towards
the exit in increasingly maze-like environments, which can call to mind similar
sequences from <i><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-shattered-memories-wii.html">Silent Hill: Shattered Memories</a></i>. Since Anita is a
teenager with a smartphone, I liked how <i>TSM</i> integrated it into the gameplay,
where the cell phone light acts as the traditional Flashlight and screen
distortions mimic the traditional Radio. In addition, the player can reread any
messages Anita has received or any files they’ve found within the environment.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For the most part, <i>TSM</i> has impressive graphics,
aided by good lighting and a strong attention to detail. This and the first-person
camera help with the amount of environmental storytelling that gives an idea of
what happened in the room, including a powerful sequence where we see Anita’s past
through her eyes as a child. Anita’s Otherworld also looks great, not only in
the varied and individual rooms, but also the familiar industrial look from
previous games that’s most present during the chases. Chases also have some
tension not only in them having a single monster constantly stalk you, but also moving
at a slightly different framerate that can look unsettling, at least at first.
It certainly helps that both the monster and Otherworld were designed by series
veteran Masahiro Ito. I also enjoyed seeing some nods to the other games in the
series, including drawings of holes like the ones in <i><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/10/silent-hill-4-room-xbox.html">Silent Hill 4: The Room</a></i>
(<i>SH4</i>).</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiX45UrPsbHtHnV6XAgA2cPMxVGRkAVNtWMYburhr_K9-PC8V9WwG5hq8CvVrIireOAapuqm7W8Dplu8HfECdvPgYIPdlBLl8RWPDf4N5CTDtsNGoZwIJoYpu9BuVuoR6uochv7xqxNEz5EUXyJN9ua-HahbOFX1L5pz7mWM9sa-38LBTdmWskfv8U/s1000/18183635-silent-hill-the-short-message-screenshot.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiX45UrPsbHtHnV6XAgA2cPMxVGRkAVNtWMYburhr_K9-PC8V9WwG5hq8CvVrIireOAapuqm7W8Dplu8HfECdvPgYIPdlBLl8RWPDf4N5CTDtsNGoZwIJoYpu9BuVuoR6uochv7xqxNEz5EUXyJN9ua-HahbOFX1L5pz7mWM9sa-38LBTdmWskfv8U/w400-h225/18183635-silent-hill-the-short-message-screenshot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The atmosphere is on point.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Similarly, series veteran Akira Yamaoka handled the
soundtrack, which fits in well with the rest of the <i>Silent Hill</i> series
and helps create an unsettling atmosphere. <i>TSM</i> also takes advantage of
the PS5’s capabilities to increase immersion, like having some audio come out
of the controller speakers or letting the player feel the humming of a nearby
generator through the rumble.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As much as like a lot about <i>TSM</i>, however, I can’t
ignore its flaws. For one, the story isn’t exactly subtle about its themes and
messages. Whether this has to do with the short length, subpar writing or
appealing to increased media illiteracy is debatable, though I don’t fault the
game for displaying a splash screen for suicide prevention at certain intervals.
While the game looks great, there are at least a couple framerate dips,
fortunately not during any of the chases, and the lip-synch looked off during
third-person cutscenes, including the live-action material, which made it more
obvious that I was playing an English dub of a Japanese product. On that note,
the voice acting is questionable at times, most noticeably Anita’s mother
sounding a little over the top. Additionally, I couldn’t quite tell whether
Anita’s hair existed in front of or behind her glasses due to some clipping,
though that detail didn’t detract from the experience.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Two other aspects are more contentious, however. The
first is the chase sequences, where you can’t defend yourself and can only
outrun the monster, otherwise you’ll have to start the entire sequence over
again. This didn’t feel so bad early on, but the issue is that these sequences
get more labyrinthine the more they pop up and the final sequence also requires
you find five objects to remove the chains on a certain door (another possible
nod to <i>SH4</i>) so you can finally leave. I struggled enough on the final
chase that I eventually gave up and traced the path of a speedrunner just so I
could complete the game in a timely fashion. It can help when you figure out
the ways the game subtly guides you, like having flashlights point at certain
doors or looking at the static on your phone screen, as well as how to
effectively kite the monster, but the persistent issues make these sequences go
from tense to frustrating rather quickly.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrUFYpppR48WPTmB02BC1jcK_0ZB38s86aAOZWKTZoaMgXPTRKFNTnJQczdySp-I2WSKp1Ty4fuarYjXVb0oNU-SrpUuwu1Q8KeKIQGrOjsVBUoAJkbrTFd_FhLogrFMWcvyxsh7xAScUcuALdrScCx_QKa2qBF_loW0TqiZ36vq1RvaAr32fem2f/s640/1617878252-1784024773.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrUFYpppR48WPTmB02BC1jcK_0ZB38s86aAOZWKTZoaMgXPTRKFNTnJQczdySp-I2WSKp1Ty4fuarYjXVb0oNU-SrpUuwu1Q8KeKIQGrOjsVBUoAJkbrTFd_FhLogrFMWcvyxsh7xAScUcuALdrScCx_QKa2qBF_loW0TqiZ36vq1RvaAr32fem2f/w400-h300/1617878252-1784024773.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6vlNW23slNoOFJI7VmyUGaMNu73_0F_347DOm-wl5icYDrXVHTtre68xIhFECoQcjSa2_apnBkHkOoqTL7ghatpXtjfsqqoOeZKqmhgIoQOAbSOdWr950afLh2KRUdx7Xizojzxm9yyUDWufBmbpTwu04Q8JlBoDmKxk96B7NUGRqyIowXZj65mX/s1000/18183643-silent-hill-the-short-message-screenshot.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6vlNW23slNoOFJI7VmyUGaMNu73_0F_347DOm-wl5icYDrXVHTtre68xIhFECoQcjSa2_apnBkHkOoqTL7ghatpXtjfsqqoOeZKqmhgIoQOAbSOdWr950afLh2KRUdx7Xizojzxm9yyUDWufBmbpTwu04Q8JlBoDmKxk96B7NUGRqyIowXZj65mX/w400-h225/18183643-silent-hill-the-short-message-screenshot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Silent Hill 4</i>, anyone?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The other point of contention is how the game justifies
going beyond the eponymous town with the in-universe “Silent Hill Phenomenon”, which
suggests that in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, psychologically unstable people
can see fog even on fair weather days, with the fog representing uncertainty and
sensory illusions. How well this justifies the series revival going into
different locations depends on the player, though I personally don’t mind the
idea of a legacy series such as <i>Silent Hill</i> trying something new.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although I can’t speak to how well <i>The Short
Message</i> represents the issues it portrays, and it’s certainly not as good
as the best <i>Silent Hill</i> games or <i>P.T.</i>, I like that the developer
experimented with the formula and still made something pretty decent that has me curious about where they'll go from here. If you’re
new to <i>Silent Hill</i>, it’s not the worst entry point and since it’s free,
you’re at least not out any money if you don’t like it. If you’re a series
veteran, at least consider giving it a shot.</span></span></p>
<p></p>EHeroFlareNeoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677896135091344245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-9527404805756477292024-02-03T06:30:00.000-08:002024-02-03T06:30:00.129-08:00Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoo5hZx133gyzj9e-jOL0S6QoACBnCmxOg-8YP2WA-E4iJOQ17RcG_PsWKlO-SY4VajS473xbB-acE43Rk1I-p09hE93jgTaUQ3o6umntNlc0qqY4rYYWp947wPoyzq4JEencTGK2FTk9sWObhL13xRJo0ME_M2_hU5OaS05ZHVTX0JgadAPZoPUerqvW/s1024/EAC2_Poster_International_Web_810x1200_2023-03-01-691x1024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="691" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoo5hZx133gyzj9e-jOL0S6QoACBnCmxOg-8YP2WA-E4iJOQ17RcG_PsWKlO-SY4VajS473xbB-acE43Rk1I-p09hE93jgTaUQ3o6umntNlc0qqY4rYYWp947wPoyzq4JEencTGK2FTk9sWObhL13xRJo0ME_M2_hU5OaS05ZHVTX0JgadAPZoPUerqvW/w270-h400/EAC2_Poster_International_Web_810x1200_2023-03-01-691x1024.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Gabrielle
Vincent’s <i>Ernest & Celestine</i> books may be harder to come by now, but
when I finally watched the 2012 <a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2020/12/ernest-celestine.html">animated adaptation</a>, which got an Academy Award
nomination for Best Animated Feature, years after it came out, I liked it
enough to track down a former library copy of the first book due to a lack of
modern availability. 10 years later, this film would receive a proper sequel,
subtitled <i>A Trip to Gibberitia</i>, the idea of which had me excited.
Although I had known about it for a while, I somehow missed its limited US
theatrical run, but I would finally get to see it when GKIDS listed an English
US Blu-ray release, and found to be just as enjoyable as the first film.</p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Following the
events of the first film, Ernest (Andrew Kishino) and Celestine (Ashley Boettcher) are living together. Celestine
wakes up Ernest one morning to the first day of Spring, but they have hardly
any food and are flat broke. Celestine has the idea that they could raise money
by playing music in the street, but accidentally breaks Ernest’s violin while
retrieving it for him. The violin turns out to be difficult to fix since it was
one-of-a-kind and made in Gibberitia, where Ernest is from, but Ernest refuses
to go back for undisclosed reasons. Despite this, Celestine sets off on her own
anyway since she feels bad about breaking the violin, forcing Ernest to go
after her upon finding the note she left behind.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">In this film,
Ernest’s backstory and hometown are explored in greater detail in a way that’s
internally consistent with the original, with some interesting plot
developments that ultimately lead to an emotional and satisfying conclusion. Ernest
takes much of the spotlight as we see the internal struggles stemming from the
state of his family life, but Celestine is nowhere near superfluous and in fact
becomes integral to the third act, in addition to serving as the surrogate
character that learns about Gibberitia at the same time the viewer does. While 80
minutes is a little on the short side for a feature film, the plot is paced
well enough to prove that it had enough story to tell in that amount of time,
as making it any longer would run the risk of needless padding.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HOJX-umtbmCfrdo5NNF0OteA3eyQtTWlIrfPMazerQaZ8DBNbQAZ0M3o24veegFj0ySRLkDikbI-Xx-taIxYetBLGDabvn15W3w13ugmQvvzyGleniRxemGCg8Opv8SKI0XO5IXdujcs8_C1WdHDo6DnoIj517FX-tSglCQvH5sSfXID_tiSlo61r17G/s768/EAC2_Still_02_1920w_2023-03-01-768x413.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="768" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HOJX-umtbmCfrdo5NNF0OteA3eyQtTWlIrfPMazerQaZ8DBNbQAZ0M3o24veegFj0ySRLkDikbI-Xx-taIxYetBLGDabvn15W3w13ugmQvvzyGleniRxemGCg8Opv8SKI0XO5IXdujcs8_C1WdHDo6DnoIj517FX-tSglCQvH5sSfXID_tiSlo61r17G/w400-h215/EAC2_Still_02_1920w_2023-03-01-768x413.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ernest (Andrew Kishino, center) and Celestine (Ashley Boettcher, left) travel to<br />Gibberitia to repair Ernest's violin.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The original
film’s storybook aesthetic is retained here, with some interesting experimentation
in this film’s musical theming, such as a chase sequence that plays around with
the appearance of bars found in sheet music. The design and layout of Gibberitia
is also visually interesting, feeling very lived-in and leaving enough to the
imagination to make you want to actually go there. Although the animation is of a consistent quality with the previous film, one thing I did notice was that, after the opening sequence, Ernest's violin seems to change size depending on whether or not the much smaller Celestine is carrying it, but I assumed on my initial viewing that it might have been just simply a cheat to make things easier to animate rather than an extreme oversight.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Since music is central to
the plot, it’s fortunate that the music both in-universe and out is very
well-made, even when there’s only a single note involved. Although this film
lacks the star power of the original, with even the title characters being
recast, the English voice cast still contains some professional voice actors,
with Andrew Kishino and Ashley Boettcher still having the same energy as Forest
Whitaker and Mackenzie Foy in the respective roles of Ernest and Celestine.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i>Ernest &
Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia</i> is a worthy follow-up to the original that
manages to retain the same level of quality, making it well worth the 10-year
wait. While I highly recommend it, I would also recommend watching the original
<i>Ernest & Celestine</i> beforehand if possible, if only for the sake of
the plot.</p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-70508956156269081942024-01-28T06:30:00.000-08:002024-01-28T06:30:00.240-08:00Stubs - Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BqrBTWzlXhk8gBZTSo9GZklBg2UBaZPCew8er6ra9E9xRB_VBHB4ao3wlwTZR6NCsjSxATM2xjMAix3Unc9199bOfagGfKZLPI8wTqBm7xh14riHkLM6QIcJIxt7iymxS1Qga8E2DuIeZtYj8mlT5dIxtqQFOgFr26VzffgCzBYLtQyAuNrjRfq6q4ZN/s600/Godzilla_Minus_One_Minus_Color_Key_Art_3868c31c-2c0f-42b3-b193-e72103f7b0f2_600x600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="405" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BqrBTWzlXhk8gBZTSo9GZklBg2UBaZPCew8er6ra9E9xRB_VBHB4ao3wlwTZR6NCsjSxATM2xjMAix3Unc9199bOfagGfKZLPI8wTqBm7xh14riHkLM6QIcJIxt7iymxS1Qga8E2DuIeZtYj8mlT5dIxtqQFOgFr26VzffgCzBYLtQyAuNrjRfq6q4ZN/w270-h400/Godzilla_Minus_One_Minus_Color_Key_Art_3868c31c-2c0f-42b3-b193-e72103f7b0f2_600x600.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><br /><b>Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color (aka G-1.0/C) </b>(2024)<b> </b>Starring Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, Kuranosuke Sasaki. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki. Screenplay by Takashi Yamazaki Produced by Minami Ichikawa, Shūji Abe, Kenji Yamada, Kazuaki Kishida, Gō Abe, Keiichirō Moriya Run time: 125 minutes. Black and White. Japan. Epic, Kaiju, Monster.<div><br /></div><div>Godzilla is one of the most shopworn monster characters, having appeared in 39 films in 70 years since its first appearance, <i><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2014/05/stubs-gojira-1954.html" target="_blank">Gojira</a></i> (1954). Usually, the films are cheap numbers with similar plots with Godzilla, obviously a man in a suit. More often that not, Godzilla has had to share the bill with a litany of other monsters, Mothra, Hedora, Biolantte and/or King Kong. Godzilla has become big budget in recent years with Hollywood productions and once again teaming the dinosaur-like monster with the giant ape. The emphasis is almost always on the monsters and not the people it terrorizes.</div><div><br /></div><div>That changed, and for the better, with the November 3, 2023 release in Japan of Takashi Yamazaki's <i>Gojira Mainasu Wan. </i>A film with a relatively low budget, $10-15 million, it would come to the US on December 1, 2023 and win rave reviews, becoming the first <i>Godzilla</i> film to be nominated for an Academy Award, for Best Visual Effects, also supervised by Yamazaki. Eventually, the film would cross $100 million in worldwide boxoffice.</div><div><br /></div><div>A black-and-white version, <i>Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color</i>, premiered in Japan on January 12, 2024, and was distributed in the United States by Toho International on January 26 and that is the film we're reviewing here. We regrettably missed out on seeing the original color version of the film. Both are Japanese with English subtitltes.</div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div>Unlike most of the <i>Godzilla</i> films, rather than concentrating on the monster, <i>G-1.0/C</i><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>is a character study concentrating on Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki), a former World War II kamikaze pilot whose own cowardice led to the deaths of many men when first confronted by the monster.</div><div><br /></div><div>Returning to war-torn Tokyo, Kōichi is still fighting the war, ashamed of the deaths he caused and the fact he managed to live when he was supposed to give his life for his country. While he's coming to terms with himself, he takes on the responsibilities for Noriko Ōishi (Minami Hamabe) and Akiko (Sae Nagatani), the baby she's taking care of but who is not her own. With families torn apart by the war, Kōichi, Noriko, and Akiko form an ersatz one. Despite their sharing a small house, the war is a boundary that keeps Kōichi from committing to her. Still, he does what he can to take care of her, even taking a dangerous job, working on a crew disabling unexploded sea mines.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeuODHOF-zJlf_p8RDdN-XPgJlFzbiQJt6u4mdwtcRuGPG2op4t1cpGySfjY3S_9bbSZY6j2WDqe93A6UMM6tcsdtyYtwHRxOpy2tMDjAEC-sn4oy3Gdk8ECKRt2SbQUDlB6fy5gTBhs1XJ0s8V3oOLE7IE05YrSjN8yP_1GvmWtA1P5v40fPPr4t-pGv9/s500/noxSquare.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeuODHOF-zJlf_p8RDdN-XPgJlFzbiQJt6u4mdwtcRuGPG2op4t1cpGySfjY3S_9bbSZY6j2WDqe93A6UMM6tcsdtyYtwHRxOpy2tMDjAEC-sn4oy3Gdk8ECKRt2SbQUDlB6fy5gTBhs1XJ0s8V3oOLE7IE05YrSjN8yP_1GvmWtA1P5v40fPPr4t-pGv9/w400-h225/noxSquare.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: left;">Noriko Ōishi (Minami Hamabe) is terrorized by the monster in<i> </i></span><i>Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The black and white version gives the film an almost documentary feel and you get the sense of the destitute conditions that the Japanese were forced to live in in the months and years following World War II. Their desperation is only made worse when Godzilla, now larger, terrorizes the sea and eventually moves in towards Tokyo.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a film about survival. There is a belief expressed that those who survived the war were destined to survive. Humans will do whatever they can to survive when faced with annihilation at the hands of Godzilla. The plan they come up with is the brainchild of Kenji Noda (Hidetaka Yoshioka), a former Naval weapons engineer and former crew member of Kōichi's on the mine detection ship. And while Kōichi is a part of the plan, he has his own ideas on redemption for himself and the people he thinks he's wronged.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wqfoHKmIT2NTtpPctltHPtve6bfYiI5GKQH5HP_PEBEhWo8_OVhIEnCyBWbup96Jz0St_BhnfChHIsB5nCqSOUTbL4yOdk-GdonVLe6DirCDfeOhGq5-sPrM_e11eqZXscKnOHgcWLFI48e1Dbx0Od1PXxTBOw0IOoukvulQ2BPbuVd08f280_XTXJ6H/s1200/fs-godzilla-minus-one-minus-color-1200.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1200" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wqfoHKmIT2NTtpPctltHPtve6bfYiI5GKQH5HP_PEBEhWo8_OVhIEnCyBWbup96Jz0St_BhnfChHIsB5nCqSOUTbL4yOdk-GdonVLe6DirCDfeOhGq5-sPrM_e11eqZXscKnOHgcWLFI48e1Dbx0Od1PXxTBOw0IOoukvulQ2BPbuVd08f280_XTXJ6H/w400-h250/fs-godzilla-minus-one-minus-color-1200.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Godzilla is as terrorizing as ever.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Takashi Yamazaki has done a phenomenal job with the visual effects. Godzilla is as scary as ever; it is really the humanity of the film that sets this apart.</div><div><br /></div><div>The acting, too, is very good. Ryunosuke Kamiki does an excellent job playing Kōichi, a man who can't shake his own past or at least his own read on that past. Troubled by what he'd done, or rather didn't do, he is finally able to make amends.</div><div><br /></div><div>Minami Hamabe plays Norika, a complex character who, with no experience, had taken responsibility for another woman's baby. She meets Kōichi and takes advantage of him for the sake of Akiko.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are some who complain that Godzilla is not as prominent in <i>G-1.0 </i>and<i> G-1.0/C </i>as he is in most of the other 38 films, but that plays to the benefit of the film. Limited appearances don't take away from the power of the film and it helps to make <i>Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color </i>not just a great monster film, but also a great film on its own.</div><p></p>lionsroarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05575728698472889728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-83805168783097269232024-01-27T06:30:00.000-08:002024-01-27T06:30:00.131-08:00The Boy and the Heron<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Yr4eo_EYlavVSwVu6ptg5ZJ9CVww0D0B-nbfADNyNQTw5pPDBU4LRSbjpC5g_draG1YQcHOUyXDvc7VD06ZYnWu7Us1y6tPsNs4Qw4oY_gZoi-voGsw599VgNt0nQE4mDZgdCydiaLH9yUoqJ67Wza-9X-NlQlu0CZsEjFWCEtg5Oi2mEH7ioE26/s2194/kimitachi_wa_do_ikiru_ka_ver5_xxlg.jpg" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2194" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Yr4eo_EYlavVSwVu6ptg5ZJ9CVww0D0B-nbfADNyNQTw5pPDBU4LRSbjpC5g_draG1YQcHOUyXDvc7VD06ZYnWu7Us1y6tPsNs4Qw4oY_gZoi-voGsw599VgNt0nQE4mDZgdCydiaLH9yUoqJ67Wza-9X-NlQlu0CZsEjFWCEtg5Oi2mEH7ioE26/w274-h400/kimitachi_wa_do_ikiru_ka_ver5_xxlg.jpg" width="274" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I don’t think I need to explain who Hayao Miyazaki or
Studio Ghibli are. For decades, Miyazaki has built up a reputation as one of Japan’s
greatest anime film directors, starting all the way back in 1979 with <a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/01/lupin-iii-castle-of-cagliostro.html"><i>The Castle
of Cagliostro</i></a> and continuing through Studio Ghibli with such classics as <i><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2017/02/stubs-my-neighbor-totoro.html">My Neighbor Totoro</a></i>, <a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2018/09/stubs-kikis-delivery-service.html"><i>Kiki’s Delivery Service</i></a> and the Academy Award-winning
<i>Spirited Away</i> (also the highest-grossing Japanese film ever made until <i><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2021/08/demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-movie.html">Mugen Train</a></i>), to name a few. Following <i>The Wind Rises</i> in 2013, Miyazaki
would announce his retirement from producing feature films due to his age, though
this would be short-lived, as only three years later, after creating the short <i>Boro
the Caterpillar</i>, he started work on his twelfth film, <i>The Boy and the
Heron</i> (JP: <i>Kimitachi wa Dō Ikiru ka</i>, lit. <i>How Do You Live?</i>).
Notably, the film took seven years to produce and didn’t have a robust marketing
campaign ahead of its Japanese premiere, opting instead for a single poster
image.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9Ms704e38MLc5qvea6gjH19vbfjPgRWmESMye7VccITAh6Y8lHj4E3ShXBvAq4VGhE59BFrqsupXB8aEvxnQrqTa7HCIRf0kldN4bnaMDaJYF4eXHhAJZkZbPaw5-fSf_E9wtdBNdpF3RqJRzEol4BPIjdggUK1QIMMPC7C9x4PQvIBGOZSgY396/s3000/kimitachi_wa_do_ikiru_ka_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9Ms704e38MLc5qvea6gjH19vbfjPgRWmESMye7VccITAh6Y8lHj4E3ShXBvAq4VGhE59BFrqsupXB8aEvxnQrqTa7HCIRf0kldN4bnaMDaJYF4eXHhAJZkZbPaw5-fSf_E9wtdBNdpF3RqJRzEol4BPIjdggUK1QIMMPC7C9x4PQvIBGOZSgY396/w283-h400/kimitachi_wa_do_ikiru_ka_xxlg.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The poster in question.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While I wouldn’t consider myself a hardcore Miyazaki
fan, as I haven’t seen all of his films yet, I have seen enough that I
understand his talent as a director and why his works are so beloved to this
day. In fact, what grabbed our attention with seeing <i>The Boy and the Heron</i>
while we could still catch it in a theater was that it received animation awards
despite competing against the boundary-pushing <a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/06/spider-man-across-spider-verse.html"><i>Spider-Man: Across the
Spider-Verse</i></a>. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to like <i>The Boy and the
Heron</i>, considering the director’s track record, I found it lacking where it
mattered most: the story.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">During the Pacific War in Tokyo, Mahito Maki (Luca
Padovan) loses his mother Hisako in a hospital fire. Mahito’s father, Shoichi
(Christian Bale), marries another woman, Natsuko (Gemma Chan), and they
evacuate to her rural estate, where Mahito encounters a grey heron that seems
oddly fixated on him. After a fight at school, Mahito injures himself and,
during his recovery, hears the heron (Robert Pattinson) say that his mother is
still alive. After Natsuko saves him from a supernatural swarm of toads, Mahito
crafts a bow and arrow. Shortly after finishing the arrow with a fallen feather
that he grabbed from the heron, Mahito goes into the forest to search for
Natsuki, who has disappeared, and, with elderly housemaid Kiriko (Florence Pugh)
in tow, reaches a sealed tower constructed by his architect granduncle. Mahito is
led inside by the heron, where he enters a world of supernatural wonder.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There’s no doubt that <i>The Boy and the Heron</i> has
stunning animation. Everything is lovingly rendered in gorgeous traditional animation,
which leads to very impressive effects like the flow of water, the flapping of
wings, reflections and even the movement of fire. There are even points where
it dips into a slightly different art style or feel vaguely reminiscent of
Satoshi Kon’s work in its ability to blend dream and reality (though that’s not
to say it has the same effect as Satoshi Kon’s work). You can tell that a lot
of time and care went into the entire project, as every effect totally lands
with incredible precision and certain elements, including the heron’s
appearance, are thoughtfully controlled, as though Miyazaki got exactly what he
wanted. There is at least one moment where it looks like Ghibli eased the process
with CG, but it’s hardly noticeable and doesn’t take away from the film’s
technical achievement. Since I watched the English dub, I also thought the
voice actors all did a great job with their roles.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3Zt1bGYDJ6AWUfd-iFDxVZklNyFWoI87jZ7vb0j61XiZ4F_Mq1tvmOa8XZYAT-NmIK0gdlHBF3f6dZ0sMjWg0bdp7ioF_fV4QhNrW4On89FVIZ8rQUPowy7OylYA8G-nPm2WFtT9QbDNt5VH-5JPHWEtazADl6RmuI2dboFbPZjZC7EGyVS6aGfT/s768/HERON_img_1-768x415.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="768" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3Zt1bGYDJ6AWUfd-iFDxVZklNyFWoI87jZ7vb0j61XiZ4F_Mq1tvmOa8XZYAT-NmIK0gdlHBF3f6dZ0sMjWg0bdp7ioF_fV4QhNrW4On89FVIZ8rQUPowy7OylYA8G-nPm2WFtT9QbDNt5VH-5JPHWEtazADl6RmuI2dboFbPZjZC7EGyVS6aGfT/w400-h216/HERON_img_1-768x415.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luca Padovan does a good job as Mahito.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In an unfortunate twist, however, the beautiful
animation can’t mask the messy storytelling that lies beneath. While the
opening scene is very powerful and the first act opens up a good amount of
potential for an equally powerful story, the plot loses its way in the second act
onward, more precisely as soon as Mahito enters the tower. A slow beginning for
the sake of setting everything up and establishing the protagonist’s “normal” is
one thing, but the majority of the film continues this same slow pace to the
point that I kept checking my watch and, eventually, more than one of us fell into a
confused slumber. Unlike other Miyazaki films, I had a much harder time
following what exactly was going on, as it constantly throws new ideas at the
audience without fully elaborating on any of them or even properly explaining
the rules of its world. Though the pacing does pick up in the third act, it
gets even messier, as it's much clearer at that point that the characters’
actions don’t quite line up with their motivations and certain lines feel wildly
out of character and come equally out of nowhere. By the end, certain plot
threads, including one about Mahito’s mother(!), have an anticlimactic
resolution and the overall payoff feels rushed and unearned.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While it’s clear that <i>The Boy and the Heron</i> has
a message, whether it’s one about grief and loss, as I interpreted as its
intention, or, as some have interpreted, a meta commentary about Miyazaki’s
career, the film fails in its delivery. The lack of cohesion within its story
doesn’t really help, as instead it feels like Mahito goes from place to place,
situation to situation, with little rhyme or reason. I didn’t want a flashing
neon sign pointed at the deeper meanings, but it’s frustrating when you finish
a story and you can’t really remember much of what happened and even when you
do, you can’t explain the why. Perhaps I didn’t quite pick up on the intended symbolism
in either case, as I found it rather esoteric, even for Miyazaki.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As much as I don’t like saying this, I can’t really
recommend <i>The Boy and the Heron</i>. I appreciate its artistry and consider
it a technical achievement in modern traditional animation, but its disparate
elements don’t quite come together in a satisfying way. Feel free to give it a
try if you’re a diehard Miyazaki fan, but I would otherwise suggest watching his
other works or even other Studio Ghibli films (like <i><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-cat-returns.html">The Cat Returns</a></i>)
instead.</span></span></p>
EHeroFlareNeoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677896135091344245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-30681825607616074112024-01-24T06:30:00.000-08:002024-01-24T06:30:00.128-08:00The Last Kids on Earth and the Staff of Doom (PS4)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2_YBusgr77o5qOKND2u9kApMrfKgCuKyJs2DgTEsV7iEZurnayHmicBQYDQ0QKQAleo6L6YQmYUx31R1GhG8gwmvO3wYCmnuHgyWwSv6qlmLwSn03zZouLmxoyQmdhMbjAMVQ3Is1CWEPe6gcN8BdgpGOWQf5jOthClqrnIoJJvA2Hei7GVwLW2J/s800/9839799-the-last-kids-on-earth-and-the-staff-of-doom-playstation-4-front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2_YBusgr77o5qOKND2u9kApMrfKgCuKyJs2DgTEsV7iEZurnayHmicBQYDQ0QKQAleo6L6YQmYUx31R1GhG8gwmvO3wYCmnuHgyWwSv6qlmLwSn03zZouLmxoyQmdhMbjAMVQ3Is1CWEPe6gcN8BdgpGOWQf5jOthClqrnIoJJvA2Hei7GVwLW2J/w400-h400/9839799-the-last-kids-on-earth-and-the-staff-of-doom-playstation-4-front.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b><i><span>Note:</span></i></b><i><span>
This review contains spoilers for</span></i><span> The
Last Kids on Earth.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>Over the last year or so, I’ve become a big fan of <i>The
Last Kids on Earth</i> (<i>TLKOE</i>), a Middle Grade series by Max Brallier
that provides a lighthearted take on the zombie apocalypse and elements of
cosmic horror. Thanks to my local library, I got hooked on the book series, which
gave me a greater interest in watching the animated Netflix adaptation (through
the DVDs, since I don’t have a Netflix account). During my journey through <i>TLKOE</i>,
I also learned that the animated series, which Netflix sadly canceled after
three seasons and a special, received a tie-in video game, <i>The Last Kids on
Earth and the Staff of Doom</i> (<i>Staff of Doom</i>), developed by Stage Clear
Studios and published by Outright Games in 2021.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>While I would love to give more meta information about
the game here, I unfortunately cannot. There are no articles about it apart
from press releases, a handful of reviews or whatever is available on the
publisher’s website. All I know for sure is that the developer’s games have
received positive reviews on Steam, though I can’t personally vouch for the
quality, that Outright Games has a track record of publishing at least somewhat
decent licensed games and that <i>Staff of Doom</i> has a rather mixed reception
from what few user reviews I saw before diving in. The only other thing I can
say for sure is that I sure am glad I only paid $9 for a used copy instead of
the full $30 for a new one.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span><span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>Jack Sullivan, Quint Baker, June Del Toro and Dirk
Savage, the titular “Last Kids on Earth”, have learned that Bardle has found an
amulet within their town of Wakefield, Massachusetts. As he shows it to them,
Malondre, a servant of </span><span>Ŗ</span><span>e</span><span>żżő</span><span>c</span><span>ħ</span><span>
the Ancient, Destructor of Worlds, attempts to steal it, but breaks it instead.
The kids must now retrieve the four pieces of the amulet before Malondre, Queen
of the Slime Monsters, can reconstruct the eponymous Staff of Doom, which would
have the power to bring </span><span>Ŗ</span><span>e</span><span>żżő</span><span>c</span><span>ħ</span><span>
into their dimension.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>It’s worth noting that <i>Staff of Doom</i> isn’t
adapting any particular <i>TLKOE</i> story and instead goes for something
original. This by itself isn’t a bad thing, as licensed games can certainly try
their hand at original material, so long as it’s within the same spirit as the
source material. In this case, it’s a decent entry, introducing the new villain
Malondre the only way it conceivably could, by making her a servant of </span><span>Ŗ</span><span>e</span><span>żżő</span><span>c</span><span>ħ,
without contradicting the books or the show from which this clearly takes more
inspiration. Fans of the show may enjoy the return of not only their favorite
lead, but also certain monsters, including those original to the adaptation, or
that the game confirms certain names. The writing also has the same humor that fans have come to expect form the series.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTO9jVjj0Dl6MiodwllY-LtkxKfBV0kM2MKSta1U4zsILF-WbzUUKnXEBrMjMTcKENUXriRp6SzSVGwKyeLe2hBhsP68EE57msOYtfFylPCpQYjvnY9OUCvubhZLXl4zCahBvX2H2lrdlP75cjM6YmaH0iUCRCllD06Qx2DSC6QBOxeaHuOpmi4BFz/s3840/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224113414.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTO9jVjj0Dl6MiodwllY-LtkxKfBV0kM2MKSta1U4zsILF-WbzUUKnXEBrMjMTcKENUXriRp6SzSVGwKyeLe2hBhsP68EE57msOYtfFylPCpQYjvnY9OUCvubhZLXl4zCahBvX2H2lrdlP75cjM6YmaH0iUCRCllD06Qx2DSC6QBOxeaHuOpmi4BFz/w400-h225/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224113414.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENygX63gmtFL6dz4Fok9jqNRdZyAjK4lp2R_LijAuWyLecetbrK3VXWjpkyH32Qs9wfksItAcrrfs65cMrRTf5VNx2nZiYuOn8fukLwqE-pgBBGZQOmhh2drBhEEw5g-7kI8AkKDFKHTvUDUfNuzz4sOdmHZWgoOO9VP5si-8zwbQiRBHVAY1czJV/s3840/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224113419.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENygX63gmtFL6dz4Fok9jqNRdZyAjK4lp2R_LijAuWyLecetbrK3VXWjpkyH32Qs9wfksItAcrrfs65cMrRTf5VNx2nZiYuOn8fukLwqE-pgBBGZQOmhh2drBhEEw5g-7kI8AkKDFKHTvUDUfNuzz4sOdmHZWgoOO9VP5si-8zwbQiRBHVAY1czJV/w400-h225/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224113419.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSRjxT6XL0AD1eoOuVPA_5KFAWyLdtDNQJ-OlfeADyHstlfmLKnL-CTigFD3MnwLxCQung_fE3yOeLoWHdxfkzSIrLTIqOK69l4j4jftJJgprE2tfuwXvIyscZDlpEcPJNzUmSo1NuS0Mylqc7nm9W8-Hjdi95194-mADGFl8c8nH61sr4R0k4Vr3/s3840/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224113422.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSRjxT6XL0AD1eoOuVPA_5KFAWyLdtDNQJ-OlfeADyHstlfmLKnL-CTigFD3MnwLxCQung_fE3yOeLoWHdxfkzSIrLTIqOK69l4j4jftJJgprE2tfuwXvIyscZDlpEcPJNzUmSo1NuS0Mylqc7nm9W8-Hjdi95194-mADGFl8c8nH61sr4R0k4Vr3/w400-h225/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224113422.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>Speaking
as someone who has fully caught up with the series in both forms, however, I
can’t help finding myself a little confused and even disappointed. The story as-is
is rather barebones and largely told through either barely animated motion
comic style cutscenes, which often go out of sync, or silent in-engine dialogue
exchanges. Players only get the absolute bare minimum information about Malondre
compared to the other villains in the series, which makes her come off rather
one-dimensional (we don’t even get a voice unless you count Jack’s narration). Then
there’s the timeline, as the kids act like they already fought the monster
Meathook, who they wouldn’t actually fight until the fourth book, <i>The Last
Kids on Earth and the Cosmic Beyond</i>, which suggests it would have taken
place after the canceled fourth season of the show, but before a hypothetical fifth
season, which would have adapted <i>The Last Kids on Earth and the Midnight Blade</i>,
potentially confusing show-only fans. Worse, right after properly fighting
Meathook, the game plops the player in the last part of the game, which takes
place in Funland (though they can still return to the Town Square (more on that
later)) and leads to a rather rushed conclusion where Malondre herself isn’t
even fought directly, rather the game puts the player through a mini boss rush that
ends with Malondre getting defeated indirectly.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>While I didn’t have the highest expectations for a licensed
game aimed at an audience younger than myself, I did still wish we had gotten a
more substantial story, or at least something more than just a motivator. This
criticism may not matter for many players, particularly those of the target
demographic, but I thought it fell short compared with the source material. It
would have helped though if the ending didn’t feel rather anticlimactic (not
even a Credits roll).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>As advertised, players can go through the campaign and
explore Wakefield as any of the four kids, Jack, Quint, June or Dirk, when
starting a new game or loading a save (Jack is selected by default). If you
decide you want to play as someone else, however, you can easily change
characters at a conveniently-placed Character Swapper.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>Fighting through the infestations of zombies and
monsters is rather easy thanks to a simple control scheme. Light attacks are
only a button press away, as are heavy attacks, though players can hold the
light attack button for a continuous attack while heavy attacks, as well as dodge
rolls, drain stamina with each use. You can also lock onto enemies to more
easily target one with a specific attack or get around them and every kid can
throw grenades for extra damage, though they can only hold five at a time (the
kids otherwise have infinite ammo). Choosing a certain kid also has an effect
on gameplay, as they not only give their weapons and grenades unique
properties, but can summon a different ally for special attacks and effects
(though you must refill the Summoning gauge afterwards by defeating enemies).
Depending on the combat zone you’re in, you can also harm enemies with environmental
obstacles and hazards.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmnMr2A_Kdn3mAfmxjaRLHdPz5CAAwqyz8krsm-jYgX70uyUuFvEnIUI-XTOz17F04X9_qkct8CN02Ao5YkGFjCe4YZSny0gHlOFA6Jfq82CQWVfwng_zNAFe5jiVzVrZ7vwL1OQiohT3D6AWTX7YEL_CG44nJe09pDh_2w8esQ0csmAgKOygp4_8q/s3840/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20240112165013.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmnMr2A_Kdn3mAfmxjaRLHdPz5CAAwqyz8krsm-jYgX70uyUuFvEnIUI-XTOz17F04X9_qkct8CN02Ao5YkGFjCe4YZSny0gHlOFA6Jfq82CQWVfwng_zNAFe5jiVzVrZ7vwL1OQiohT3D6AWTX7YEL_CG44nJe09pDh_2w8esQ0csmAgKOygp4_8q/w400-h225/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20240112165013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sample of combat.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>While <i>Staff of Doom</i> has pretty standard Action RPG
elements at its core, including leveling up to Level 15 by gaining XP from defeated
enemies, I appreciated the amount of flavor included for the license. Eating
pizza restores health. Destroying objects and opening chests grants Scrap or
other resources, since Quint is a tinkerer and inventor. Dungeons are various
abandoned buildings and defeating enemies adds them to a Bestiary based on
Quint’s from Book Two of the show (based on <i>The Last Kids on Earth and the Zombie
Parade</i>). Due to Wakefield’s size, you can also Fast Travel between
locations with the help of Wormungulous, or even return to the Town Square
(more on that later) at any time by holding Down. Destroying white seeds on
certain “vine-thingies” will also open up shortcuts that make exploration much
easier on a return trip. Though not particularly flavorful, you may also need to follow
wires so you can find levers that open doors.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>Exploring Wakefield on foot can take a long time due
to the kids’ movement speeds, so it’s fortunate that in most outdoor areas, you
can call for their trusty truck Big Mama at any Big Mama Station (provided
there are no obstacles in the way). Big Mama has some utility outside of a quick
travel option, as you can still mow down zombies or destroy objects and still
get Scrap for doing so. While driving, your health meter is replaced with a
similar-looking one for Big Mama, which will deplete as it takes damage until
it explodes, though you don’t die if it does and you can always summon Big Mama
again afterwards. You can still extend Big Mama’s life, however, and repair it
by driving through Wrenches. There’s also an extra use for Scrap, as you can
upgrade Big Mama’s Turrets for extra attack power. Plus, if that wasn’t enough,
each area has a Big Mama Challenge that you can complete, which involves collecting
all of the red bolts that spawn in a path before time runs out.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw0oMapiW937NhWzUMVKNU9Gv_4fk7n-LmkrtWfDwBGl2iCo3pIXdT9qHqVS2qcKgvRySLif8F4WyLUBIzlUQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>In the center of Wakefield is the Town Square, which
you’ll become very familiar with, as it’s where you’ll get to talk to NPCs for
the purpose of either furthering the story or taking on Quests. You upgrade Big
Mama through a shopkeeper, though the process feels a bit anticlimactic. Of
course, you’ll likely return to the Town Square often to interact with the
Treehouse, where you can spend Scrap on constructing objects with the Blueprints
you’ve obtained, either from Quests or out in the wild, or upgrading your
stockpile of weapons, armor and turrets. Upgrading the Treehouse itself will
also let you upgrade everything to a higher level (I actually prioritized spending
Scrap on the Treehouse for this reason).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>At certain parts in the story, while in the Town
Square, you’ll also engage in a Zombie Assault mode. Zombie Assault plays out
like a light Tower Defense sequence (or perhaps like a Horde Mode if the store pages are anything to go by) where zombies will come towards the
treehouse down three lanes in three waves (the game doesn’t indicate which wave
you’re currently on). You defend the Treehouse by placing up to three turrets
in front of it, which you can mix and match and will all automatically attack incoming
zombies, but you can also attack the zombies yourself. Each turret also has
their own strengths and weaknesses, though it didn’t take long for me to land
on a formation I used for every subsequent Zombie Assault. As far as I could tell, there is no way to initiate Zombie Assault outside of the pre-determined points in the game (though I could be wrong and just didn't figure it out).</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTjwvIn8-f_JADBIzq8vf4_SHxikLVuRHWySlD_AdZ8_vxuwkft41ujle9arW23lA9eDI840VeprUF7LZUHy2TAUNPbVCwahgvNUNnF-ddS024w13R4KbfGk2sa1evkJl2M2erFMHJQXwocNjrmniMqtTLcR3GNb77K4US097fuQ1EYjH-PVnpHfP/s3840/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231219123906.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTjwvIn8-f_JADBIzq8vf4_SHxikLVuRHWySlD_AdZ8_vxuwkft41ujle9arW23lA9eDI840VeprUF7LZUHy2TAUNPbVCwahgvNUNnF-ddS024w13R4KbfGk2sa1evkJl2M2erFMHJQXwocNjrmniMqtTLcR3GNb77K4US097fuQ1EYjH-PVnpHfP/w400-h225/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231219123906.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this the "Horde Mode" they meant?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>One major feature of <i>Staff of Doom</i>, of course, is its
co-op functionality. Up to four players, each playing as one of the four kids, can
explore Wakefield and complete Quests together. While this can make the game
more fun, the game does a poor job of explaining how it works. First of all,
players are restricted by an invisible tether and can’t go off in different
directions to do their own thing. As such, it takes some coordination for
players to stay on the same page. Second, while Big Mama has its own Turrets, the
game neglects to mention that this feature only works in a co-op session. Since
the game doesn’t explain any of the controls, and there are no text guides for
this game to speak of (at least not any I’m aware of) I worked it out on my own
based on what little info the game itself provides (controls based on PS4
version):</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>1) Players can take different positions in Big Mama
between the Driver and the Gunner. No matter which of the four doors the first player
enters from, they will automatically be the Driver. After that, each other
player becomes a Gunner operating the turret of whichever door they entered
from.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>2) If you’re in the Gunner position, you aim the
Turret with the left stick and have two available attacks, each with their own gauge.
The top gauge is your regular Attack and will drain as you hold down Square.
The bottom gauge is your Special Attack (going off what the Field Manual says)
and drains as you hold L2.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHG2FX1IEa2j4QkTh62bdpM-UlYuAIlkq7a2essWag-D5EoaSa72LoPrRPsaFL8iW8wWYIPQqDlhI9WP8n2ntloiWwKRO13CRrcOCCASegvx3ww1xzvvzHaeUIHr06KORNrwaa2WyD3kvkzEeukSUCQXXPF1L-38ZbBd_5UPXl3_e1Z_idJN3heEt/s3840/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224110850.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHG2FX1IEa2j4QkTh62bdpM-UlYuAIlkq7a2essWag-D5EoaSa72LoPrRPsaFL8iW8wWYIPQqDlhI9WP8n2ntloiWwKRO13CRrcOCCASegvx3ww1xzvvzHaeUIHr06KORNrwaa2WyD3kvkzEeukSUCQXXPF1L-38ZbBd_5UPXl3_e1Z_idJN3heEt/w400-h225/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224110850.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This page in particular isn't very helpful.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>The last thing prospective co-op players need to know
is that for whatever reason, all progression is tied to Player 1. If Player 1
has leveled up, all characters will level up as well (dramatically reducing
potential grinding) and Player 2-4 will also have access to any Blueprint
obtained by Player 1 on any previous session. I say Blueprint and not weapon
because, unfortunately, weapon progress does not persist between sessions for
Player 2-4, only Player 1. This means that if you start another co-op session,
Player 2-4 will once again have to spend Scrap on unlocking a weapon from the
Blueprint and then upgrade their weapon(s) of choice all over again. Such a
system is sure to lead to a lot of heartbreak if playing with younger children
who get invested in their favorite character.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrb08ae2dsnB5h-7qPw4gFnzGTkB8G8mYXpk7xULaC5cC1zu3gPz0QkG4jxDeUAv2aJbO1e0RNSNKgpow-uPYmXBvtpjd3ESlnGpUYWq_Tn2i_OFHxbzwrKY4aq_5iIgkO4SCDYQbOURP0g3rLxQgUd3yr0tD0CESewOGkhBb09qsvGKfMkFpd9FPu/s3840/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20240108160714.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrb08ae2dsnB5h-7qPw4gFnzGTkB8G8mYXpk7xULaC5cC1zu3gPz0QkG4jxDeUAv2aJbO1e0RNSNKgpow-uPYmXBvtpjd3ESlnGpUYWq_Tn2i_OFHxbzwrKY4aq_5iIgkO4SCDYQbOURP0g3rLxQgUd3yr0tD0CESewOGkhBb09qsvGKfMkFpd9FPu/w400-h225/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20240108160714.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only one player can play as any one kid at a time.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>This isn’t the only disappointment, however, as there
are multiple choices and issues that I ran into that mar the experience and hold
the game back from greatness. Admittedly, some things are less game breaking
than others, but I’ll still mention them anyway for the sake of being thorough.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>Regarding Dungeons, entrances and exits don’t necessarily
line up between the inside and the outside. Entering and exiting one can not
only reset progress on part of a story Quest, but will also despawn Big Mama.
That last point is more important, as this potentially means walking a long
distance just to try and spawn Big Mama again.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>Opening and closing the inventory, which operates in
real time, will remove your current armor for whatever reason unless you hover
over your desired armor first. Although you swap weapons and armor through the
inventory, the game doesn’t tell you that you can also swap weapons with the
d-pad (I also ran into a visual bug this way where the weapon shown and the
weapon equipped are out of sync, which can cause you to scroll to a blank space
to equip the weapon you want). Other things the game won’t tell you are that
you can destroy objects by rolling into them and that you must switch to each
character individually to unlock Blueprints and level up their associated
weapons, as well as the fact that you can cancel the initial game start by
pressing X or Circle in case you want to change characters first. The minimap is
also rather small and while you can see a full map, it has no zoom function and
all of the icons are pretty close together, plus you can only view four Quests
at a time even though the game lets you take on more than four at once (in my
experience, it didn’t register accepting a fifth). For whatever reason,
dismissing screens with X will also activate the heavy attack and drain Stamina. <br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>That’s not to mention the bugs I ran into. A couple of
them are harmless like a specific fence in front of a specific house, as well
as a specific chest, lacking collision. One Dungeon in District 4.2 – Funland
even features a pointless switch, as its associated door was already open. Then
there’s the fact that when you flip a switch, the pan to the associated door
can show you blank parts of the map (you can still take damage during these
pans, which caught me off guard). Not so harmless, however, are the crashes I
witnessed. Throughout my entire playthrough, the game crashed on me six times.
One of these occurred during a mission in District 4.1 – Funland Entrance where
I had to flip switches. I worried that I would have to start the entire lengthy
mission all over again, but once I got back in, the mission registered as
mostly complete when I Continued my save. I did run into other bugs, like Jack
gliding across the ground instead of walking and accessing a part of the map
you clearly weren’t meant to, but these were the most notable to me.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcU_4g7QoZilSirqWB2ei-ebecsuQcID9zzKTuEg2HWmvep3_-pctmiqSZI6W60CGSh_b1ll6WvTUrdYktk6DAESWvcRUmItcS-xAZ9zx0biaGL5u7qRTfmoHzx4Pkqrmfsr9vdDPyNhZ5aTtYoez0m1lj6_s7pSb5QO4bkMjgaM3MUH840YwtEokO/s3840/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231223132410.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcU_4g7QoZilSirqWB2ei-ebecsuQcID9zzKTuEg2HWmvep3_-pctmiqSZI6W60CGSh_b1ll6WvTUrdYktk6DAESWvcRUmItcS-xAZ9zx0biaGL5u7qRTfmoHzx4Pkqrmfsr9vdDPyNhZ5aTtYoez0m1lj6_s7pSb5QO4bkMjgaM3MUH840YwtEokO/w400-h225/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231223132410.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And now, a glitch compilation.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2wViwjU1SiG3sAxucdP1PIcKR8qsjiJAn5i4KK0uyAzENsjXkAJvPssgZDBtKVffu7FEvnPknMP5BgknP-5-yXT1xPjKIWPWTKIvcHy3qdIsDDEx8FlLzMzNcEg9aViV05ecOauM_WcotQ-LKaDw_7xYM2r1GD9PzuRbwTQbL-KEYqeBQEFwoOC1/s3840/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224110715.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2wViwjU1SiG3sAxucdP1PIcKR8qsjiJAn5i4KK0uyAzENsjXkAJvPssgZDBtKVffu7FEvnPknMP5BgknP-5-yXT1xPjKIWPWTKIvcHy3qdIsDDEx8FlLzMzNcEg9aViV05ecOauM_WcotQ-LKaDw_7xYM2r1GD9PzuRbwTQbL-KEYqeBQEFwoOC1/w400-h225/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224110715.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What are those health bars attached to?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdMcQJ-iQHY_7KPB5lIsYqvxfJXneJI4ehynGRrm1XUjO2wQsb8mRwM2RH1fgVv0fNEfSo7X0uS8uehKcKeD0SCr7zjRU2ckJB7VMFKudWcaBsEpo2-mWF6wfztZOKNTzvd4HRvFdjmvAGuQHVE-Jqg_wMpBwOIZPpnsZJv-X-rF_hvhUKqtVF1XO/s3840/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224113457.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdMcQJ-iQHY_7KPB5lIsYqvxfJXneJI4ehynGRrm1XUjO2wQsb8mRwM2RH1fgVv0fNEfSo7X0uS8uehKcKeD0SCr7zjRU2ckJB7VMFKudWcaBsEpo2-mWF6wfztZOKNTzvd4HRvFdjmvAGuQHVE-Jqg_wMpBwOIZPpnsZJv-X-rF_hvhUKqtVF1XO/w400-h225/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224113457.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't even know what number it's trying to display.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGsAJ2Z4Cs5qR42R1CeoeH4np7Jqt4uG0EzwZRd2TUGxBNUwtycJYryfjWd9ZFUvapYBdC03Rjg5DBxCjhO3RxFCCapppz7Ct1LQNe2kK1QML3r3df-c7OoDS9qKyqHt8TtfKPEBVguSn5SIruqW1yCDn4R8s8Adsf5pCxPGyfLg7D_M3wtg8OGWTA/s3840/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224113459.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGsAJ2Z4Cs5qR42R1CeoeH4np7Jqt4uG0EzwZRd2TUGxBNUwtycJYryfjWd9ZFUvapYBdC03Rjg5DBxCjhO3RxFCCapppz7Ct1LQNe2kK1QML3r3df-c7OoDS9qKyqHt8TtfKPEBVguSn5SIruqW1yCDn4R8s8Adsf5pCxPGyfLg7D_M3wtg8OGWTA/w400-h225/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231224113459.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These Big Mama screens here are more of a sign of a rush job.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8Fu92Ru1x9J8RxeEVzJ-4ASEvwhVkOcEOEXBaOK33gOhlwT_P_Kx97WkiHJ8G__1mNojjPZInnx_y5KNWJ7REhkDJrzB2UQ-4qD-jD9ZkrYVr4IWpF7uDFCgMd56O9f4iAsDNJkRpVyOlzJG-vh0VwDfdlaOOhTR89gZtW1SoWRRSSrxDcSs2fFy/s3840/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231227124839.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8Fu92Ru1x9J8RxeEVzJ-4ASEvwhVkOcEOEXBaOK33gOhlwT_P_Kx97WkiHJ8G__1mNojjPZInnx_y5KNWJ7REhkDJrzB2UQ-4qD-jD9ZkrYVr4IWpF7uDFCgMd56O9f4iAsDNJkRpVyOlzJG-vh0VwDfdlaOOhTR89gZtW1SoWRRSSrxDcSs2fFy/w400-h225/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20231227124839.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judging by the black space in the minimap, you're not even supposed to<br />be here (I have video, but it exceeded Blogger's limits).<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdN0bXJfxw7llaoysItDtlTdDBQBCA0oYodwZudxivZrVLZO-MIuwh731gK_VmtIApnatiqrsJwq5ogkOisk_1JVm4FU1GkR6WrDfew2u4EjaK81ZwZUj528OJcXCFB47xpHTACo2uY9gwEzuVXvL44LlsDtDNqpoeKqz_KmzC3sH-wYV-PGatZTAg/s3840/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20240111161517.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdN0bXJfxw7llaoysItDtlTdDBQBCA0oYodwZudxivZrVLZO-MIuwh731gK_VmtIApnatiqrsJwq5ogkOisk_1JVm4FU1GkR6WrDfew2u4EjaK81ZwZUj528OJcXCFB47xpHTACo2uY9gwEzuVXvL44LlsDtDNqpoeKqz_KmzC3sH-wYV-PGatZTAg/w400-h225/The%20Last%20Kids%20On%20Earth_20240111161517.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of these looks off.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzHv8NF_oQStFWEr_dyFVStQmj9n_-WXMi9GSsoUf_ISR8VMOBcSPKaYciTchtVk2sJlt05EtArTOWsYijmig' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwZnwyRb7xNXvYohyFyLU_YzLcGlkTV3tWt7KGnwaXeyteksOeuYgIFFl2Ats9y4D3YpGhHkPv9AfJBmgg2aw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwAIvq-zLH3oIgB-smutgSh3y9ckpnH1FSAkLj0UqfOyrlp9YhqL6jabZhsXS_Lse8I69YeotDoo6eL_V3O_g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxfn3_HlMFdCwRwQFwyWhscKw8sT0kSGIzyzy4VcvgMC64cEi_-ebpjZIoaQTVDNDtJytyxmqP3eYoa_YEazQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyV3pzsMxxmJFG25qxDSuMQoUVpOITh_-_fLHSFIqSCQG4H2lbL05x-hTZOvrmfPylDqIDknWbJHVUxFdfVrQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>Two small nitpicks are that any areas that advance
when you “Defeat all enemies X/Y” usually spawn more enemies than required to
advance, which means you could be left running from a larger enemy like a
Dozer, and that fighting zombies as regular enemies, while thematically
appropriate, felt odd considering the kids actively go out of their way to not
harm the zombies in the books and show.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>Not so small a matter is that the game feels very
repetitive. Yes, you do face new types of enemies and hazards as the game
progresses, including the eventual introduction of Slime monsters, but the core
gameplay loop hardly changes from when you find the first piece of the Amulet.
Even when the game changes up the environments or throws a new type of boss at
you, you didn’t do much of anything different to get to that point. Progression
almost always involves mowing down groups of enemies and getting past obstacles
by flipping switches while completing other Quests usually involves some amount
of backtracking and either retrieving an item or defeating a group of enemies.
Although I did complete the game, I was mostly driven by my love for the
license and that it had only just enough variety to not make me quit out of
boredom. I don’t know how much of what I felt has to do with the fact I’m a
thirty-one-year-old man talking about a game aimed at children, but it’s still
something for parents or older fans to consider.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>Since <i>Staff of Doom</i> is based more on the
Netflix series, I appreciated that it translated the art style to 3D pretty
well and that it had the same voice actors from the show. I also liked that the
game included a Field Manual that helps explain the game, especially useful for
younger players, even if it’s imperfect. That said, I ran into issues where the
cutscene audio and video were noticeably out of sync and the Controller Disconnect
popup was in Spanish even though I had selected the English language option.
Then there’s the occasional water texture pop-in and the occasional invisible
Quest marker, not to mention the very limited dialogue pools and the relative
lack of variety in the soundtrack. The only reason I remembered
certain tracks wasn’t necessarily because I liked them but because I heard them
on a continuous loop for hours on end.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span>As a big fan of <i>The Last Kids on Earth</i>, it’s
hard to recommend <i>The Staff of Doom</i> except to big fans of the Netflix
series. Fans of the books may get a kick out of seeing certain weapons from
future books make an appearance, as well as a glimpse as what could have
happened if the show got a Book Four. Otherwise, there’s nothing here that
would attract anyone outside of the core audience and what we did get is a neat,
but glitchy and very repetitive mess. If you’re still interested in playing
this game anyway, I would highly advise waiting for a sale.</span></span></p>
EHeroFlareNeoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677896135091344245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-90263882933470908722024-01-20T06:30:00.000-08:002024-01-20T06:30:00.130-08:00The Last Kids on Earth - Book One (Film)<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFM0KfFIc7tDpfkdS2n_1jSn5hoyc0mtUFT9XSPve3aN3G6vVqLwQBpDFA5nHaPE9ZetuG80ZymbIYZKHB79G4SuJSalKvb7SQikUxo9gigcjVoORHoxa7_CDZAY4NxZV0OaZedUw8lgj9fhYjjd5L6p8pqeVTuAfDu9COku1lZhNF9Z9PdDWKjBXo/s1500/71dg7cNfObL._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1056" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFM0KfFIc7tDpfkdS2n_1jSn5hoyc0mtUFT9XSPve3aN3G6vVqLwQBpDFA5nHaPE9ZetuG80ZymbIYZKHB79G4SuJSalKvb7SQikUxo9gigcjVoORHoxa7_CDZAY4NxZV0OaZedUw8lgj9fhYjjd5L6p8pqeVTuAfDu9COku1lZhNF9Z9PdDWKjBXo/w281-h400/71dg7cNfObL._SL1500_.jpg" width="281" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s not often that we discuss television series on this
blog, although we usually justify doing so when part of it is presented as a
feature film. Such is the case with “Book One” of <i>The Last Kids on Earth</i>,
an animated Netflix series based on Max Brallier’s book series of the same name,
of which I have recently become a fan (to the point I signed up for the
official fan club). While <i>Book One</i> is technically the first season, it’s
only an hour-long feature, as opposed to the two ten-episode seasons that
followed. As such, since I’ve enjoyed the books, I felt like I could weigh in
on how well it works not only as an adaptation, but as a film on its own
merits. Fortunately, I can say that <i>Book One</i> succeeds on both fronts.</span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Following a sudden worldwide zombie outbreak, thirteen-year-old
Jack Sullivan (Nick Wolfhard) has taken refuge in his foster brother’s
treehouse in his hometown of Wakefield, Massachusetts. While searching for a small
screwdriver from a glasses repair kit, he accidentally angers Blarg, a towering
monster that has taken up residence within the town. After fixing his walkie-talkie,
he reunites with his best friend Quint Baker (Garland Whitt) and, soon after,
teams up with former school bully Dirk Savage (Charles Demers) in the hopes of
rescuing his crush, June Del Toro (Montserrat Hernandez), so they can all
survive the apocalypse together. Throughout the adventure, however, he’ll have
to avoid zombies, fight monsters and figure out how to defeat Blarg once and
for all.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As an adaptation, <i>Book One</i> is, for the most
part, very faithful. There are some small changes here and there, but the loss
of Jack’s internal thoughts, which helps explain some small details in the book
like why Quint addresses the others as “friend”, doesn’t detract from the
experience, as the story itself still works without it. Some other small
changes or omissions still work for the format, as certain moments may not have
added that much to the plot and only existed for the sake of faithfulness to
the source.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On its own merits, <i>Book One</i> is well-written and
stays fun from start to finish. Jack, Quint, Dirk and June all have clearly
distinct personalities and skill sets, but work well as a team once they all warm
up to each other. Each of them is also introduced efficiently without feeling
like the film is moving too quickly for its own good and there’s some good early
character development. For instance, Dirk gradually appreciates Quint more once
he sees what he can do and, in a moment when they’re alone, Jack opens up to June
about why he’s been acting the way he has during a zombie apocalypse, which
includes gamifying it with his “Feats of Apocalyptic Success”. Although the
characters do get into real danger, the story ultimately maintains a
light-hearted tone, which helps it stand out from other popular dystopian fiction
that prefer a constantly moody or brooding atmosphere in search of realism.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfZL4H9R2BP7m8wu2fgQKR_K2ZULRE4UFptxrzgamSF7jeCar_IoBJ3H60yONu3HiFhXldceBukQ4cDH0UogCyHUImGAlLoXuMErkyFHXvDJK5JPvuHhJVtKRvfA-C0yvBjFT7Ic0U7OkUPjyxxzvz5eQ3CXJwN-Am6YzTpidKKaQsS4ULXZ4jgwm/s1280/MV5BMDIyZjNjNTUtNjcxNS00NDBlLWE1OTEtNmQyZDFkYmUzZDdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTI1NDQ4MTQ1._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfZL4H9R2BP7m8wu2fgQKR_K2ZULRE4UFptxrzgamSF7jeCar_IoBJ3H60yONu3HiFhXldceBukQ4cDH0UogCyHUImGAlLoXuMErkyFHXvDJK5JPvuHhJVtKRvfA-C0yvBjFT7Ic0U7OkUPjyxxzvz5eQ3CXJwN-Am6YzTpidKKaQsS4ULXZ4jgwm/w400-h225/MV5BMDIyZjNjNTUtNjcxNS00NDBlLWE1OTEtNmQyZDFkYmUzZDdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTI1NDQ4MTQ1._V1_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who says the end of the world can't be fun?<br />L-R: June Del Toro (Montserrat Hernandez), Jack Sullivan (Nick Wolfhard),<br />Dirk Savage (Chalres Demers), Quint Baker (Garland Whitt)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It also helps that <i>Book One</i> has a bright color
palette that not only suits the younger demographic (without overdoing it), but
is also arguably more realistic than the typical brown or muted tones from
other zombie fiction on the market (and across mediums), as the real world is
usually bright and colorful. The art style of this interpretation resembles a
more animation-friendly version of Douglas Holgate’s art style from the books, faithfully
translating the characters to the small screen while adding in some unique
touches like consistently having Jack wear a glove on his right hand (a detail
that’s actually important later on in the books). Everyone looks distinct from
one another, with differing silhouettes and body types, and it’s neat to see
the monsters animated for the first time. There were some small errors here and
there, like at least one brief shot where Jack doesn’t have gloves on or June hanging
a red hoodie out to dry when she otherwise wears a blue one (she consistently
wears a red one in the books), but not enough to take me out of the story. Otherwise,
the animation actually looks pretty good and the otherwise noticeable CG shots
blend in pretty well with the 2D elements.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The voice cast not only does a good job,
their voices came out kind of close to how I had imagined them in my head while
reading the books, especially Quint. After hearing them in this interpretation
of the story, I also started hearing them as I continued reading the books,
which I would also take as a sign of good casting. While I didn’t end up
remembering the music afterwards, it did a good job at maintaining the right
atmosphere.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whether or not you’re familiar with the original book,
<i>The Last Kids on Earth – Book One</i> makes for a very entertaining hour and
acts as a breath of fresh air in a landscape of dark dystopias. If you enjoy
this, I would also still highly recommend the book series (just make sure you
read them in release order for the best experience, including the <i>Thrilling
Tales from the Treehouse</i> anthology).</span></span></p>
EHeroFlareNeoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677896135091344245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-73850730877641234172024-01-13T06:30:00.000-08:002024-01-13T08:21:30.637-08:00Stubs - Illicit <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMceUT71_UCNMsxFXz6EfT0IEMroXIR1bKwoqVY3TQ6wm5MBFBTDvubheEAQIPURb2cTN8tOE5-aKl73fxpeFm9-tC4iDlTu3HFaa2Jft6ZHQX_vJa5yeN8jPk-WfCzBrvwvyvbJYhQbbmNKoe-OhYiDXk5TmxDrvlfBulMJS7unWFyo3Vg3o1Kmk-vzyq/s2231/il_1588xN.2266456301_e0ew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2231" data-original-width="1588" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMceUT71_UCNMsxFXz6EfT0IEMroXIR1bKwoqVY3TQ6wm5MBFBTDvubheEAQIPURb2cTN8tOE5-aKl73fxpeFm9-tC4iDlTu3HFaa2Jft6ZHQX_vJa5yeN8jPk-WfCzBrvwvyvbJYhQbbmNKoe-OhYiDXk5TmxDrvlfBulMJS7unWFyo3Vg3o1Kmk-vzyq/w285-h400/il_1588xN.2266456301_e0ew.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Illicit </b>(1931) Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, James
Rennie, Ricardo Cortez, Natalie Moorhead. Directed by Archie Mayo. Screenplay
by Harvey Thew. Based on a play by Edith Fitzgerald and Robert Riskin
(copyrighted 1 Jul 1930). Produced by Darryl F. Zanuck Run time: 82 minutes.
USA Black and White Pre-Code, Drama.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So much has changed since the day that <i>Illicit</i> was
originally released on February 14, 1931. Back then, the film was condemned by
the Catholic Legion of Decency and enraged women’s groups. What had once been
scandalous is now rated TV-G when it recently aired on TCM.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At 24, Barbara Stanwyck was not yet considered a movie star.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Contracted to Columbia Pictures, she had
already appeared in four films by the time <i>Illicit </i>went into
production. After a successful dancing career and a short stint on Broadway,
Stanwyck appeared in a couple of films prior to signing on with Columbia
Pictures, starring in <i>Mexicali Rose</i> (1929) and <i>Ladies of Leisure</i>
(1930) before being lent out to Warner Bros. to star in this film.<o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0AWlrR0h0qdrf18akTdgKzknJsM-JiX58q_-dq2EsS8WbKqcfXNEaAgT1SbJ3Qo9xvNQTafGpU8hzGMS_xk5p4jDnreRoGcLuu736PbVvnfJjmlbBQsCe1InzbmVDLP-dTp13tSz6lyaJ/s700/Illicit2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="700" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0AWlrR0h0qdrf18akTdgKzknJsM-JiX58q_-dq2EsS8WbKqcfXNEaAgT1SbJ3Qo9xvNQTafGpU8hzGMS_xk5p4jDnreRoGcLuu736PbVvnfJjmlbBQsCe1InzbmVDLP-dTp13tSz6lyaJ/w400-h275/Illicit2.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: left;">Dick Ives (James Rennie), and </span>Anne Vincent (Barbara Stanwyck) are lovers.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dick Ives (James Rennie), a wealthy New Yorker, and Anne
Vincent (Barbara Stanwyck), a beautiful and liberated young woman, are lovers. We
see them lounging around in silk robes in his massive apartment when the film
opens. They are obviously in love, but despite Dick's eagerness to marry Anne,
she refuses, afraid to lose the romance in their relationship if they marry.
Apparently, her parents' love suffered when they married and she doesn’t want
to repeat that mistake.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, their lifestyle has caused a scandal. They learn
from their friend George Evans (Charles Butterworth), who has stopped by to
borrow bottles of gin, that the word is out about their weekend holidays in
Connecticut. If that wasn’t bad enough, Dick’s father (Claude Gillingwater) comes
to talk to them about it. Under his influence, Anne agrees to marry Dick.<o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1nkwCWFb5jtYCj-Bv57Eq-dfFUCmSb70wcdocUTNEMVluk9XexLkLvwXvOhZNJKWNHcbmGnV7e1-Fx_lD30JNIkffbmxHWId9ig1kNkxZysOd16MHelvF77WKxIdXZR-skCdYJWEZxMu/s2048/illicit1931.13979.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="2048" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1nkwCWFb5jtYCj-Bv57Eq-dfFUCmSb70wcdocUTNEMVluk9XexLkLvwXvOhZNJKWNHcbmGnV7e1-Fx_lD30JNIkffbmxHWId9ig1kNkxZysOd16MHelvF77WKxIdXZR-skCdYJWEZxMu/w400-h260/illicit1931.13979.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Anne's former lover, Price Baines (Ricardo Cortez) tries to talk her out of marrying Dick.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But before they get married, one of Anne’s former lovers, Price
Baines (Ricardo Cortez) flies into town to try and talk her out of going
through with it. Dick, who is uncomfortable with the meeting, eventually goes
to Anne’s apartment, with Price is still there. And you get the impression it
is only Dick’s appearance that makes Price leave on his own.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7TndEZidFEY3qcakc_AF0GWdhTPYPYyE1zwOPaM6w1JipcAgPfFCMpD0wIzyuB4-mPrcWZUFDSKZGjOS0_V3FlE3vjKMfTIPgOr6XZ9XROLWeIZMyD9S2UQ0fVTUMoIYLHWYpRCGoHn5/s1440/x1080.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7TndEZidFEY3qcakc_AF0GWdhTPYPYyE1zwOPaM6w1JipcAgPfFCMpD0wIzyuB4-mPrcWZUFDSKZGjOS0_V3FlE3vjKMfTIPgOr6XZ9XROLWeIZMyD9S2UQ0fVTUMoIYLHWYpRCGoHn5/w400-h300/x1080.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">The lingerie Bridal shower for Anne.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Prior to the marriage, Anne is thrown a lingerie shower. Helen
“Dukie” (pronounced Duckie) Childers (Joan Blondell) shows up not with lingerie
but cocktail paraphernalia. She delivers what might be the raciest line in the
film.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000951/?ref_=tt_trv_qu"><span class="character"><b><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; color: black; line-height: 107%; text-decoration: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Helen
'Dukie' Childers</span></span></b></span></a></span><span style="background: rgb(251, 251, 251); color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">: Anne Vincent, don't tell you're so old fashioned
you wear a... under garments.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(251, 251, 251); color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoj3XlQGfJNc6dT9waGhZEpz1dn6EUkUHieYTszJD5SVJ2QRQheeMO0S5y_mvLkfp_pdt_Tu1As2TvN47U6SoBD-lLmiL8cxkBKLQlBo3KBE-dcsyUCwlnWv8m3aYMwEt9Bc9nWu3hzjs/s700/Illicit8.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="700" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoj3XlQGfJNc6dT9waGhZEpz1dn6EUkUHieYTszJD5SVJ2QRQheeMO0S5y_mvLkfp_pdt_Tu1As2TvN47U6SoBD-lLmiL8cxkBKLQlBo3KBE-dcsyUCwlnWv8m3aYMwEt9Bc9nWu3hzjs/w400-h296/Illicit8.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The newlyweds home from their honeymoon.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: rgb(251, 251, 251); color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">At first, the marriage seems happy and the couple hosts a
welcome home party with George, his ever-companion Dukie, and Margie True (Natalie
Moorhead). It is at this party, when they’re alone, that Margie confesses that she’s
still in love with Dick.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(251, 251, 251); color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMu-pJuzcTfynF2C_Y9xfeyuVd9hP2lqVX3Xaf5PgFSwVAlok__05sb8SuOQEJmoM9dQXjYOTBfuZpWGs3a4H3EN_nzPDomhjzZ37lgi2lGmeDLhYjJJUTpT19ad-Ie6yUEJtvWo0y0Ow/s220/220px-James_Rennie_Natalie_Moorhead_Illicit_1931.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="220" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMu-pJuzcTfynF2C_Y9xfeyuVd9hP2lqVX3Xaf5PgFSwVAlok__05sb8SuOQEJmoM9dQXjYOTBfuZpWGs3a4H3EN_nzPDomhjzZ37lgi2lGmeDLhYjJJUTpT19ad-Ie6yUEJtvWo0y0Ow/w400-h295/220px-James_Rennie_Natalie_Moorhead_Illicit_1931.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dick's former lover, Margie True (Natalie Moorhead), confides that she still loves him.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: rgb(251, 251, 251); color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After a year of marriage, Anne’s biggest fear seems to be
coming true as Dick and Anne are taking each other for granted. She thinks that
he’s busy working, but discovers that he is stepping out with Margie. Anne
learns about his affair when she leaves a nightclub with friends Georgie and Dukie and sees Dick with Margie arriving.</span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-Bf_9fQoQtajUlwWB7e67HL3T3ZUSN5zT7niVK0DtpqNuJ-CZ5zBkcRk2HdaXjMCkwDZuPPFzQVYWsnLITW4QYECrrv0cmdx8UVctWm7fRabmEq56NtqsNhSMmrCdiF4rU-kRzDr_btN/s701/furglamor-1931-illicit-02.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="701" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-Bf_9fQoQtajUlwWB7e67HL3T3ZUSN5zT7niVK0DtpqNuJ-CZ5zBkcRk2HdaXjMCkwDZuPPFzQVYWsnLITW4QYECrrv0cmdx8UVctWm7fRabmEq56NtqsNhSMmrCdiF4rU-kRzDr_btN/w400-h281/furglamor-1931-illicit-02.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Anne leaves a club with Georgie and Dukie just before she sees Dick arrive with Margie.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When he finally comes home at 4:30 in the morning, he lies
to Anne about it. When she confronts him, he apologies, but she is deeply hurt
by his actions and leaves him, returning to her own apartment.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After a month apart, Dick and Anne see each other and it is
obvious they are still in love. However, when he finds Price at Anne's
apartment one day, he begs her to come home with him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDf0rFNSP-4o4S8eM55gNTqiaeG1CIWbXHidudJe4UHIHVdKGztsckdJnGaLUOxjRx1tceybORol6b293_AnbuzaFeOhfJdmdsQuz7ZRK1V8mdldnAj23Z3ylH2Nb94SXUeUpTVEcbQQLJ/s640/tumblr_p49g6zshM91r5fazco3_640.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDf0rFNSP-4o4S8eM55gNTqiaeG1CIWbXHidudJe4UHIHVdKGztsckdJnGaLUOxjRx1tceybORol6b293_AnbuzaFeOhfJdmdsQuz7ZRK1V8mdldnAj23Z3ylH2Nb94SXUeUpTVEcbQQLJ/w400-h300/tumblr_p49g6zshM91r5fazco3_640.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dick and Anne agree never to be separated again.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When Anne refuses, Dick tells her that from now on he will
live his life with complete freedom. Dick and Margie plan to go abroad together
and everyone believes they have left. However, Dick decides that he wants to be
with Anne, and they resolve never to separate again.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Released on Valentine’s Day 1931, the same day as Universal’s
<i><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2014/10/stubs-dracula.html">Dracula</a></i>,
the film caused a bit of a kerfuffle when first released. On the surface, this
film doesn’t appear to be all that scandalous, however, in 1931 it wasn’t
acceptable for a woman to refuse marriage or for the partners to carry on
illicit affairs. This latter piece of the story flew in the face of the newly
minted, though unenforced, Production Code. Specifically, the Code decreed that:
"The sanctity of marriage and the home had to be upheld. Pictures shall
not infer that low forms of sex relationships are the accepted or common thing.
Adultery and illicit sex, although recognized as sometimes necessary to the
plot, could not be explicit or justified and were not supposed to be presented
as an attractive option."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sources report that local censor boards in New York required
a good deal of cutting to appease the powerful Catholic moral forces in the
state before the release of <i>Illicit</i>, and some cuts were so drastic that
parts of the storyline were altered. Many censor boards cut overt references to
the couple’s intimacy and required less suggestive angles to hide any implied
immorality on the part of Dick and Anne. The drinking in the movie was also of
concern to the censors, who wanted it taken out as it did not “progress the
story.” It should be noted that this was also made during Prohibition and not
only is there a lot of drinking, but George is depicted as drunk every time he’s
onscreen. New York was also one of the censor boards objecting to the title of
the film, but ultimately the title stayed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite that, the reviews were generally good. Our favorite
contemporary reviewer, Mordaunt Hall of <i>The New York Times</i> wrote,
"In this story, an intelligent adaptation of a play by Edith Fitzgerald
and Robert Riskin, the real conqueror is not marriage, but love. Although the
happenings in this production are not particularly dramatic or original, the
tale is well worked out and whether Richard and Anne are frowning or cheerful,
their doings are always interesting. Here and there the episodes strain one's
powers of credulity, but as they are part and parcel of the plot one has to
accept them. Barbara Stanwyck gives a most effective performance as Anne. James
Rennie measures up to what is desired of him in the role of Richard. The
inimitable <a name="_Hlk64815819">Charles Butterworth</a>, whose comedy is
always so welcome, gives an emphatically amusing portrayal of the intemperate
Georgie. Ricardo Cortez does quite well in the minor role of Price Baines and
Natalie Moorhead lends her flaxen beauty to the part of Margie."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My biggest criticism about the film is that it seems to
drag, despite its short run time. It is very stagey, taking place in one room
after another, and there is little or no action in the film. The dialogue at
times is rather “racy” here and there. As an example, Dukie’s remarks to Anne
during the lingerie shower. <span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 107%;">Mentioning
unmentionables or the lack thereof most likely caused some women in the audience
to blush. Going commando was not something that was done in 1931, however, Dukie
seems to be an early proponent of the practice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Barbara Stanwyck may not
have been a star at the time she made this film, looking back it was easy to
see that she was destined to be one. The camera, as they say, loves her and despite
the rather out-there views of Anne, they don’t distract from her performance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Stanwyck was an actress
that made her fame in controversy. Following <i>Illicit, </i>she would go on to
star in several films that would meet the ire of the Production Code Administration
and give work to the Censor Boards. Films like <i>Night Nurse</i> (1931), <i>Forbidden</i>
(1932), <i>Baby Face</i> (1933), and <i>The Bitter Tea of General Yen</i>
(1933) would all be considered controversial when they were released. Stanwyck’s
career didn’t seem to suffer from their notoriety though as she would be active
for many years to come and her best work was still ahead of her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">James Rennie was not the
first choice to play Dick, that was Neil Hamilton. Unlike Stanwyck, Rennie
doesn’t light up the screen when he’s on the way she does. As Hall notes, Rennie
“measures up” to the role but he really doesn’t blow you away with his
performance. It should say something about his acting chops that he is perhaps
best known as being silent actress Dorothy Gish’s husband. He only made three
more films in the 1930s and only a handful in the 40s. In the years in between,
and afterward, Rennie returned to a successful stage career on Broadway.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(251, 251, 251); line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">The role of Price Baines
was originally going to Lew Cody, another actor best known for marrying a
silent cinema star, in his case Mabel Normand. However, Cody became ill before
the film went into production and was replaced by Ricardo Cortez. Despite this Latin stage name and looks, he was
born Jacob Krantz to a Jewish family in New York City. His name was changed to
Cortez by Hollywood trying to capitalize on the popularity of Latin Lovers such
as Rudolph Valentino, Ramon Novarro, and Antonio Moreno. When this cultural appropriation
was discovered, his “origins” were changed to be French and then Viennese.</span></span></span><span style="background: rgb(251, 251, 251); color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(251, 251, 251); color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmnXVMUMeo-iBARUDn12uDZgMiGztoJtAHnqqkjXU9mfrvg0dTQXVjpn3VkMNAgJXOaqN8FxAVJ3mp6zzx1qQrJBE_UmVmIQwJSaqqDaz7-zE_U-5jiltQD-VIObQLv2B72QzCgleXAt4/s700/MV5BYzY3Mjc3MjUtYjE2NS00NThhLWE4OGMtNjNiOGFlN2U0MTNiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="700" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmnXVMUMeo-iBARUDn12uDZgMiGztoJtAHnqqkjXU9mfrvg0dTQXVjpn3VkMNAgJXOaqN8FxAVJ3mp6zzx1qQrJBE_UmVmIQwJSaqqDaz7-zE_U-5jiltQD-VIObQLv2B72QzCgleXAt4/w400-h301/MV5BYzY3Mjc3MjUtYjE2NS00NThhLWE4OGMtNjNiOGFlN2U0MTNiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ricardo Cortez trying to seduce Barbara Stanwyck in <i>Illicit.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cortez, who appeared in
over 100 films, may be best remembered by some for being the first Sam Spade in
Warner’s 1931 version of the <i>Maltese</i> <i>Falcon</i>. He comes off just swarmy
enough here to be unsettling. You get the feeling that he could easily win over
Anne from Dick and you never really want that to happen. Cortez, is, therefore,
perfect for the part.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(251, 251, 251); color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLwLGVFQ8E7an5PpQNVbm5a8aRj9ofTCzk9DqUfO4tLTAnhY5dJW22p56Pm5smrCovjEMOo0pbDYEc2Ut1vJbKBmY0e2Gn-hU1xpJ_2V9UE8KsYK2yTiKZ0GG5djRmaCNcGvhJ-AU1HY2/s200/IllicitChar2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="142" data-original-width="200" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLwLGVFQ8E7an5PpQNVbm5a8aRj9ofTCzk9DqUfO4tLTAnhY5dJW22p56Pm5smrCovjEMOo0pbDYEc2Ut1vJbKBmY0e2Gn-hU1xpJ_2V9UE8KsYK2yTiKZ0GG5djRmaCNcGvhJ-AU1HY2/w400-h284/IllicitChar2.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Charles Butterworth</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: rgb(251, 251, 251); color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 107%;">I recently discovered </span><span>Charles
Butterworth for myself in another Pre-code film, <i>Beauty and the Boss</i> (1932). In
that film, his comedy was sorely needed as it was in this film. Here, he is the perennial
drunk and again, brings comedic relief as such when he is on the screen.</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Known for her distinctive platinum blonde hair, Natalie Moorhead
was a</span> stage actress who came to Hollywood when sound pictures became the rage. It’s
hard to get a feel for how good of an actress she is because there really isn’t
that much for her to work within the role of the other woman.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCMOcR5vhXz7cz_2XsKws5vDbLBGnGGP0WuWkSCo93umSYQSJzB1IE1TmtDcAHuvp_daTQr0oQ1V4djtEq9gNbRLvITK2sXt4kpLlosR2JuuH5k2W-72h9VLKNAtShPYU5eQpy435JWpQ/s500/MV5BZjRkZmU4ZmQtOTk5YS00ZjdiLWEwMDMtZjI5OTA5NWQzMzhiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="500" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCMOcR5vhXz7cz_2XsKws5vDbLBGnGGP0WuWkSCo93umSYQSJzB1IE1TmtDcAHuvp_daTQr0oQ1V4djtEq9gNbRLvITK2sXt4kpLlosR2JuuH5k2W-72h9VLKNAtShPYU5eQpy435JWpQ/w400-h296/MV5BZjRkZmU4ZmQtOTk5YS00ZjdiLWEwMDMtZjI5OTA5NWQzMzhiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Natalie Moorhead, Barbara Stanwyck, and Joan Blondell in<i> Illicit.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, Joan Blondell has a surprisingly small role in the
film as Dukie. She seems to be the only person on Anne’s wavelength in the
film. This was only her fifth film in Hollywood, so maybe Warner Bros. was
still trying to figure out how to use her. She is always fun to see on the
screen.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like so many pre-code films of its day, <i>Illicit</i> hasn’t
really stood the test of time. Controversy is not the same as quality. <i>Illicit</i>
was made to make money and what may have worked in the early 1930s wouldn’t
necessarily work today. I’m a big fan of Stanwyck’s and was happy to have had
the chance to see her in a very early role. And if you are similarly enamored
with her, you will no doubt want to see this film, too.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Otherwise, this isn’t really a film that you’ll want to see
again after you’ve seen it.</span><o:p></o:p></p>lionsroarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05575728698472889728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-64609687561739466722024-01-06T06:30:00.000-08:002024-01-06T06:30:00.237-08:00Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyt7luMXBi3mDBoKE6mrpuFOZlgfYdGVdT_WskbrMqj6pZB-4cm27znPjym1DlVsC7wEjtoCW0UeQg5O8TwjHvNSMl3iU22XL3YdizDOKc5CIDUOp0stUWq-CJt4j-jEk2_KgsEak1jhDZciDqrLH1FLsRs_Rfdu6ZJ7eiWp4bcoeUVVw91KFYuQsz/s2048/are_you_there_god_its_me_margaret_ver2_xxlg.jpg" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1402" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyt7luMXBi3mDBoKE6mrpuFOZlgfYdGVdT_WskbrMqj6pZB-4cm27znPjym1DlVsC7wEjtoCW0UeQg5O8TwjHvNSMl3iU22XL3YdizDOKc5CIDUOp0stUWq-CJt4j-jEk2_KgsEak1jhDZciDqrLH1FLsRs_Rfdu6ZJ7eiWp4bcoeUVVw91KFYuQsz/w274-h400/are_you_there_god_its_me_margaret_ver2_xxlg.jpg" width="274" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For the longest time, I had never read any literature
aimed at girls, as I had grown up towards the end of an era where boys rigidly consumed
media aimed at their demographic, at least out in the open (before the “Brony”
phenomenon challenged this idea in the 2010s). As an adult, I would finally do so as part of
an exploration of middle grade material, which would include <i>Are You There
God? It's Me, Margaret.</i>, Judy Blume’s 1970 novel famous for its frank
discussion of female puberty and religious topics, after learning of its 2023
film adaptation of the same name. Despite reading it as a grown man, I found
the novel engaging and understood its cultural significance, which made me more
curious about the film, although I sadly didn’t get the opportunity to see it during
its original theatrical run. Nevertheless, I did finally get the chance near
the end of the year and found that on top of its high quality, it did the
source material proper justice and it’s a shame that not enough people saw it.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 1970, eleven-year-old Maragat Simon (Abby Ryder
Fortson) learns that she and her parents, Barbara (Rachel McAdams) and Herb (Benny
Safdie), moving from New York to a New Jersey suburb, which means she’ll also
be away from her grandmother Sylvia (Kathy Bates). Upset about the move, Margaret
begins communicating with God about her innermost feelings. In New Jersey, she
becomes friends with Nancy Wheeler (Elle Graham), who invites her into a secret
group with two other girls, Gretchen Potter (Katherine Kupferer) and Janie
Loomis (Amari Alexis Price). As she tries to navigate her oncoming puberty and life
at her new school, her teacher, Mr. Benedict (Echo Kellum), gives the class a
year-long research assignment. When Mr. Benedict learns why Margaret dislikes
religious holidays, her Christian mother and Jewish didn’t celebrate them and
left it up to her to decide her religion when she got older, he suggests that
she explore her relationship with religion for her research topic.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuW1-Z0Cx4sXabeFuzsMjg7fgBlkcrntiVCmd8Del_cHzcrp9KPpEk0R-Ux3UzlZbBL7U7NPSztJWMeUCtfnwKll8dRE-m8LX8q0wmF-2BHW4MMEtUvEJxwdlT2jJunnubnX7e_zaxfJZ2HvsMDG-tj0jeShawneDImpPqdBURB5L8gqlezY9Hw7O/s1614/image2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1614" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuW1-Z0Cx4sXabeFuzsMjg7fgBlkcrntiVCmd8Del_cHzcrp9KPpEk0R-Ux3UzlZbBL7U7NPSztJWMeUCtfnwKll8dRE-m8LX8q0wmF-2BHW4MMEtUvEJxwdlT2jJunnubnX7e_zaxfJZ2HvsMDG-tj0jeShawneDImpPqdBURB5L8gqlezY9Hw7O/w400-h266/image2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Simons move to New Jersey; L-R: Barbara (Rachel McAdams),<br />Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson), Herb (Benny Safdie)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From the beginning, <i>Are You There God? It's Me,
Margaret.</i> faithfully adapts the story from the book, down to the same plot
progression and 1970 setting. While there are some small changes here and
there, none of them take away from the spirit of the story and work well for
the sake of the medium, in some cases even enhancing the material. For instance,
Margaret has more of a redemption at the end for how she treated one of her
fellow students and there’s more of a subplot showing the story from the
perspective of her mother Barbara, who has a hard time balancing community
involvement with her home life and her own creative endeavors.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although I couldn’t relate 100% to Margaret’s puberty
struggles, as male puberty differs from female puberty in certain ways, I did
still relate to her on an emotional level. On top of dealing with the hormonal
changes that come with hitting that age, there’s also the struggle of fitting
in with a new and unfamiliar setting where hundreds of other kids are hitting
the same changes and learning how to make the right friends, as well as
realizing that others may not be who they seem or who they’re cracked up to be.
As such, it’s satisfying when she figures out how to stay true to herself, a
message that anyone in her age group would find worth learning.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As for the frank discussions of certain topics, I felt
the story handled them very well and in a way that would still resonate with
audiences today. Due to how I viewed the film, I can confirm that Margaret’s
puberty struggles remain universal and that although the use of menstrual pads
is slightly anachronistic, it has helped the story remain relevant for its
intended audience long after the book’s original publication. I also thought the
story used its religious aspects very well as part of Margaret’s journey of
self-discovery and showing one way of raising a child in an interfaith marriage.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPPrFxu7H95FrMH5axpuy5ol0CTXYRTSfMQdvgAzsa6h9h6YQVtceB5S6S5RFG2CrNN-Ue0mWuCJ5She2l_h2lJYPmrJaVSt66U1e1GeQf8rDAy8IAEGCAEQZWKXsNP-Gj-J2Swa8YM5T6JyVp-RC7z5EkuaCXNDdZjeUffZwCKcLca2cMga0p-ul/s1613/image3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1613" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPPrFxu7H95FrMH5axpuy5ol0CTXYRTSfMQdvgAzsa6h9h6YQVtceB5S6S5RFG2CrNN-Ue0mWuCJ5She2l_h2lJYPmrJaVSt66U1e1GeQf8rDAy8IAEGCAEQZWKXsNP-Gj-J2Swa8YM5T6JyVp-RC7z5EkuaCXNDdZjeUffZwCKcLca2cMga0p-ul/w400-h266/image3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barbara (left) and Margaret (right) are very well-written.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since <i>Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.</i> sticks
with the book’s 1970 setting, a decision I feel was for the best, it does a good
job at capturing the time period, at least as far as I can tell. As a nice bit
of flavor, you can even hear someone watching Julia Child’s cooking show <i>The
French Chef</i> in the background at one point. All of the licensed music is
also of the time and these are used in very appropriate situations.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What helps the film is its strong acting. Abby Ryder Fortson,
whom some may know as Cassie Lang from the first two <i>Ant-Man</i> movies,
does an excellent job in the title role, as does Rachel McAdams as Barbara.
While the rest of the cast is composed of both younger and more seasoned
actors, I found them all impressive and wonder what will come of the newer
talent.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Regardless of your identity or faith, <i>Are You There
God? It's Me, Margaret.</i> is an excellent film that I would highly recommend.
Even over 50 years later, it’s evident that Judy Blume’s work can still have an
impact.</span></span></p>
EHeroFlareNeoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677896135091344245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-22472106231735395042023-12-31T06:32:00.000-08:002023-12-31T06:32:00.121-08:002023 - The Highlights (EHeroFlareNeos)<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although the world has pretty much opened back up,
even with COVID-19 still floating around, the pandemic’s effect on film
releases has remained irreversibly altered. In turn, we’ve since adopted a
practice where we only go to a theater if it’s a film that we’d actually pay money
to see and otherwise waiting until something hits its respective streaming
platform (or, in the case of something like <i>Five Nights at Freddy’s</i>,
watching it theatrically or waiting for home video if it would go to a service
that we don’t have access to). As usual, only films we’ve seen or games we’ve
played have a chance to end up on this list.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Top Movies of 2023</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdLCkUvnE6yHnGAOl2BdllpK4yem4v3PhZRIeS2A3PqlKflVE0ylOhFmlpBDC04Boninw-R13XotSM430mb70Y0RNqUhPcCmeWctwwURhwYMv4kjIyv7RBynF6dPpee1c1icukUYdB6dOl322ZKOr0qNAIp3q-FlBUALQqS4yiEIhwyDb5imkIUfH/s3000/super_mario_bros_the_movie_ver10_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="1895" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdLCkUvnE6yHnGAOl2BdllpK4yem4v3PhZRIeS2A3PqlKflVE0ylOhFmlpBDC04Boninw-R13XotSM430mb70Y0RNqUhPcCmeWctwwURhwYMv4kjIyv7RBynF6dPpee1c1icukUYdB6dOl322ZKOr0qNAIp3q-FlBUALQqS4yiEIhwyDb5imkIUfH/w253-h400/super_mario_bros_the_movie_ver10_xxlg.jpg" width="253" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span></b></span></b></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-super-mario-bros-movie.html">The Super Mario Bros. Movie</a></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Video game films have seen an upswing in quality over
the years and <i>The Super Mario Bros. Movie</i> represents a great next step
forward. Despite the hit and miss pedigree of animation studio Illumination,
Nintendo’s heavy involvement ensured that Mario’s second crack at the big
screen featured very faithful writing and animation, as well as a surprisingly
fitting and talented voice cast and a trove of Easter eggs. While not
completely perfect, as it could have used with another five minutes or so to better
let certain scenes breathe, the future looks a lot more hopeful.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXd2Q35ekZLF1gr6JMARFDP7BDyQdYNkIScWVX3isvpb74Z-EWg9dlHtkX-haTqN2wJ7kPcFYXuJNCa7RkdA3-XC65kxcbKXpwKYzbBp3MyNv3OaBDxm8KfjHjX0lFMEj3oG4pvTjOW1OJKt0iVJGqikA7hSjVONPttoga1bI5wATpS5CUBYZ1wpUs/s2500/guardians_of_the_galaxy_vol_three_ver2_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1688" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXd2Q35ekZLF1gr6JMARFDP7BDyQdYNkIScWVX3isvpb74Z-EWg9dlHtkX-haTqN2wJ7kPcFYXuJNCa7RkdA3-XC65kxcbKXpwKYzbBp3MyNv3OaBDxm8KfjHjX0lFMEj3oG4pvTjOW1OJKt0iVJGqikA7hSjVONPttoga1bI5wATpS5CUBYZ1wpUs/w270-h400/guardians_of_the_galaxy_vol_three_ver2_xxlg.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/05/stubs-guardians-of-galaxy-vol-3-best.html">Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3</a></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had a long
string of duds as of late, <i>Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3</i> proved itself
the lone exception from this year thanks to its strong, emotional writing and a
very well-acted villain. Even if you didn’t care about any of the MCU films
after <i>Avengers: Endgame</i>, this is still one worth watching, especially if
you already liked the titular Guardians of the Galaxy.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGKjrkDVmNqV3ZlJ6ioG4500PCHjSC-o0ufbRBS0ErJMv0HgwzZM12hIbhOQzXZ47t-DMvRHgigS_Qua4i9L2Yxu0-xp-xOEyyJW7TaWslYk7KFN96jurHkcglBj3dufCGc_krbvbYyNkHvdYLnumqhL8P4QkdOUsw_jUqKgro_FGUJiROJEqcOVl/s3000/dungeons_and_dragons_honor_among_thieves_ver2_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2025" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGKjrkDVmNqV3ZlJ6ioG4500PCHjSC-o0ufbRBS0ErJMv0HgwzZM12hIbhOQzXZ47t-DMvRHgigS_Qua4i9L2Yxu0-xp-xOEyyJW7TaWslYk7KFN96jurHkcglBj3dufCGc_krbvbYyNkHvdYLnumqhL8P4QkdOUsw_jUqKgro_FGUJiROJEqcOVl/w270-h400/dungeons_and_dragons_honor_among_thieves_ver2_xxlg.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/05/stubs-dungeons-dragons-honor-among.html">Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</a></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This isn’t the first tabletop game adaptation, nor is
it the first <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i> adaptation, but <i>Honor Among
Thieves</i> is sure to steal your heart. Though based more directly on the game’s
world and rules, it's written in a very accessible way with engaging and
likeable characters, coupled with a plot that even complete newcomers can
easily follow. If you didn’t have any knowledge of <i>D&D</i> going in, you
may also find yourself curious on the way out.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkQ4PM9LkfDfFXgpqGksv7VrEeGbvCZr2PF8cucopdZyo4yvCxl4olY0IzhL_wloCBJGjDE8zhq02LUBMQ6J8hJ6wmYcCa9Qf9g2r04_KO_jO7A3CHhVxWT5m7ecbSGOkBJG2QMCndKSFRAL2_deSUybYf5tUhW1W82hV0u_Xd6HDRNJHYhe2-0x2/s3000/oppenheimer_ver3_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="1895" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkQ4PM9LkfDfFXgpqGksv7VrEeGbvCZr2PF8cucopdZyo4yvCxl4olY0IzhL_wloCBJGjDE8zhq02LUBMQ6J8hJ6wmYcCa9Qf9g2r04_KO_jO7A3CHhVxWT5m7ecbSGOkBJG2QMCndKSFRAL2_deSUybYf5tUhW1W82hV0u_Xd6HDRNJHYhe2-0x2/w253-h400/oppenheimer_ver3_xxlg.jpg" width="253" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/08/stubs-oppenheimer.html">Oppenheimer</a></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although I’m not normally attracted to this kind of
film, and one that’s three hours long no less, I still found myself completely
engaged with the <i>Oppenheimer</i> half of the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. The
strong acting really carries the story and J. Robert Oppenheimer comes off as a
very complex individual, a truly brilliant man with a strong scientific drive,
but also very complex with his morality. Even though most of the film features
people talking in a room, the incredible recreation of the New Mexico atomic
bomb test alone makes it worth watching in the highest possible quality.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAplNn-NZJhkodNyATGMoqJ7WqWGL_sFFYtQP0JIlNGR8hoGtuylRkDdRzQ4u1rm3fuYWOx3FnRKzRH33_IcH1k1v6jGrEKTskPOM7EelJnz7XtPtarE_Vpr_2fM_A6ODq6sJUFFxLdgF8cgiTTKnqgd-CtvMc27929eC60lTNrVWqS7WzSznHV_hQ/s2965/gran_turismo_ver2_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2965" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAplNn-NZJhkodNyATGMoqJ7WqWGL_sFFYtQP0JIlNGR8hoGtuylRkDdRzQ4u1rm3fuYWOx3FnRKzRH33_IcH1k1v6jGrEKTskPOM7EelJnz7XtPtarE_Vpr_2fM_A6ODq6sJUFFxLdgF8cgiTTKnqgd-CtvMc27929eC60lTNrVWqS7WzSznHV_hQ/w270-h400/gran_turismo_ver2_xxlg.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/09/gran-turismo-film.html">Gran Turismo</a></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As with <i>The Super Mario Bros. Movie</i>, <i>Gran
Turismo</i> represents a good step forward for video game adaptations, this
time in the realm of live-action. Rather than create a story whole cloth for a series
that historically doesn’t have one, this film instead adapts the story of real-life
racer Jann Mardenborough, who went from playing the games to actually competing
as a professional racer. While the timeline of his career isn’t 100% accurate,
the emotionally gripping story works very well regardless and the strong
performances help keep it engaging throughout. As an added bonus, you can enjoy
it even if you’re like us and have never played a single <i>Gran Turismo</i> game
in your life.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPhKpBtQxt8U18rD3KUsVpse5HGHwHWA5s71wq8yBqEiISUm2AThWn7izoRG3L57_MKs0_BtBNX0jluFqGkFhIu5JEyQmxNLva65vFyXu6rWf6XSG4qKpdtJXmAsPt-xlZArDjpHdeu2TWmcjRcgahSJAkANfJfLKQJE181A1Yi7lcTdbIGaWIEBY/s3000/Rohan_au_Louvre_Film.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2129" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPhKpBtQxt8U18rD3KUsVpse5HGHwHWA5s71wq8yBqEiISUm2AThWn7izoRG3L57_MKs0_BtBNX0jluFqGkFhIu5JEyQmxNLva65vFyXu6rWf6XSG4qKpdtJXmAsPt-xlZArDjpHdeu2TWmcjRcgahSJAkANfJfLKQJE181A1Yi7lcTdbIGaWIEBY/w284-h400/Rohan_au_Louvre_Film.jpg" width="284" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/11/rohan-at-louvre.html">Rohan at the Louvre</a></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span>Rohan at the Louvre</span></i><span> may have its roots in <i>JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure</i>, but you won’t need
any knowledge of its parent series or the spinoff <i>Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe</i>
one-shots. Indeed, this film completely divorces itself from the source material
and lets the strength of its story speak for itself, with only a brief
introduction of who Rohan Kishibe is and what makes him unique as a manga
artist. Its strong cast, carried over from the <i>Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan</i> TV
drama, does a remarkable job here, especially Issey Takahashi and Marie Iitoyo
in the lead roles, and the cinematic camera angles help bring out the beauty of
the Louvre in all its glory. A can’t-miss, including for foreign film lovers looking
for something new.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUppjo2oKqmBKYtXXmXVG7zAZFF6gQ-ywvK8kB7hB6eEG8z0KY8ryrJvDnaMYHC2VDf5oEXVnxnS6P1Ku3_9bkj7fL57LlboNEQTunInBf9UZ7NVk7D2Pf1NtugU4aQU-Gv4-kdqaNuULBK-GBpI_WsfexvvPJlXcoOMQylfFoBibSs9NLFKcCdZG/s2048/are_you_there_god_its_me_margaret_ver2_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1402" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUppjo2oKqmBKYtXXmXVG7zAZFF6gQ-ywvK8kB7hB6eEG8z0KY8ryrJvDnaMYHC2VDf5oEXVnxnS6P1Ku3_9bkj7fL57LlboNEQTunInBf9UZ7NVk7D2Pf1NtugU4aQU-Gv4-kdqaNuULBK-GBpI_WsfexvvPJlXcoOMQylfFoBibSs9NLFKcCdZG/w274-h400/are_you_there_god_its_me_margaret_ver2_xxlg.jpg" width="274" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Based on the famous 1970 Judy Blume novel of the same
name, <i>Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.</i> is a fantastic film that
does the source material justice. Its frank depictions of the realities of
female puberty, including the physical and emotional changes that come with it,
remain universal for its target demographic, but even male viewers can still
relate to Margaret Simon’s struggles with finding herself, trying to fit in and
adapting to changing circumstances beyond her control.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Top Games of 2023</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PjKtirA6fOBDTe94EMWzY2P3sEDSOJ4q0vj7NJcDvv23DBek9lE7M5Y2PhSW4wd8K84aLspu15s5QYuAKJORfSwD8TwGGwzU0ZMLz_rrA_Xb3F81MRtgwmXxKdDEh8P1DyWIruCpqD1ozS-E1VhKnDCQ6VRMOPw6L_9K77sYR45C-wkC4iULkolp/s2160/RUIN.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2160" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PjKtirA6fOBDTe94EMWzY2P3sEDSOJ4q0vj7NJcDvv23DBek9lE7M5Y2PhSW4wd8K84aLspu15s5QYuAKJORfSwD8TwGGwzU0ZMLz_rrA_Xb3F81MRtgwmXxKdDEh8P1DyWIruCpqD1ozS-E1VhKnDCQ6VRMOPw6L_9K77sYR45C-wkC4iULkolp/w400-h400/RUIN.png" width="400" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"></b></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/08/five-nights-at-freddys-security-breach.html">Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach – Ruin</a></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Due to varying circumstances, I didn’t play very many
video games from this year. However, I did want to highlight the <i>Ruin</i>
DLC for <i>Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach</i> as an example of what
happens when a developer really plays to their strengths and somehow delivers
an experience better and more focused than the base game. It’s not necessarily
the same level as something like <i>Minerva’s Den</i> from <i>BioShock 2</i>
(another instance of DLC offering a better experience than the base game), but
it does show a level of polish that offers a glimmer of hope for Steel Wool’s
further ventures into <i>FNAF</i>, even if not completely bug-free.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGQ9WXb0lDnvOurGmga7FmtvUFxv-PJZhkyjbilgizQYjGEPMq5vcoiQIQ-5Dd_pifBLDzkZBoBg4IfBjgRipS54XieptJjxCNlyal0DsjJG9-k1LcXDDJCNd6Z74IFa9OV3bLR757e_FjnOWmfEZ_hXwthi6PTgm-HMkFBTHzfS4KFk0ltjUpPhz/s800/16977235-resident-evil-4-playstation-5-front-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGQ9WXb0lDnvOurGmga7FmtvUFxv-PJZhkyjbilgizQYjGEPMq5vcoiQIQ-5Dd_pifBLDzkZBoBg4IfBjgRipS54XieptJjxCNlyal0DsjJG9-k1LcXDDJCNd6Z74IFa9OV3bLR757e_FjnOWmfEZ_hXwthi6PTgm-HMkFBTHzfS4KFk0ltjUpPhz/w324-h400/16977235-resident-evil-4-playstation-5-front-cover.jpg" width="324" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/10/resident-evil-4-2023-ps5.html">Resident Evil 4 (2023)</a></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Capcom’s trend of remaking the <i>Resident Evil</i>
series inevitably led to a remake of the highly regarded <i>Resident Evil 4</i>
(2005) and while <i>Resident Evil 4</i> (2023) has a much more grounded and
serious tone, you can really feel the passion put into the project. Just about
any and all blemishes I had noticed while playing the original were handled
masterfully here, including deeper characterizations, more natural story beats
and, rather importantly, the ability to move and shoot at the same time.
Although some fans would understandably prefer the tone and style of the original
game, which Capcom has graciously made available on all the same platforms as
the new version (including at least one HD remaster), the remake is still a
fantastic game in its own right and I would highly recommend it.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkm3bGPww_m02IhKys1HyKVN3OjTGPk6iegJCNtp1u97o4mb6P0Ay5oKIX4pO3KHeHxof181WRldQSkOEI69G7y-QzjhQytg96mDif0c55sOLbO4902jBLkXbbkZlFyLKE0Qiy9UUSGxHCRreXKAyCYKo8jP-M3tblFX_ticxBWXKOJHZ_HxuP8PbD/s1920/RE4_remake_Separate_Ways.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkm3bGPww_m02IhKys1HyKVN3OjTGPk6iegJCNtp1u97o4mb6P0Ay5oKIX4pO3KHeHxof181WRldQSkOEI69G7y-QzjhQytg96mDif0c55sOLbO4902jBLkXbbkZlFyLKE0Qiy9UUSGxHCRreXKAyCYKo8jP-M3tblFX_ticxBWXKOJHZ_HxuP8PbD/w400-h225/RE4_remake_Separate_Ways.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/10/resident-evil-4-separate-ways-dlc.html">Resident Evil 4 – Separate Ways</a></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Four months after <i>Resident Evil 4</i> (2023),
Capcom released the <i>Separate Ways</i> DLC, which remakes the campaign of the
same name from the original 2005 version, but in a way that feels developed
alongside the new game rather than after it. Although rather linear, its story
provides a perfect capstone to the main campaign, with a proper sense of
closure that also hints at a remake of <i>Resident Evil 5</i>. Though I didn’t really
like that Capcom put this DLC behind a $10 paywall when the original version came
with its base game for free (at least from the PS2 version onwards), it’s still
a must-play for those who have already beaten the new <i>RE4</i>.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Top Disappointments of 2023</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DfZPMcK5j-IEil06xqCCav-rcSi8MZPfRMKrUYBMfNgcQO1XD5gBdGKI96iTQzjvxq1TyS8GgNvzxWcfNRLpG0NdbaD4XiifTwPtNqAoJU9an0tXFTjK2sscSbmS5-goF2FImjDBKXtjztQjZClZtfJ4mAp4MYVb2O9kaqaQn19e_gbw7KFPECKf/s2048/shazam_fury_of_the_gods_ver3_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1382" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DfZPMcK5j-IEil06xqCCav-rcSi8MZPfRMKrUYBMfNgcQO1XD5gBdGKI96iTQzjvxq1TyS8GgNvzxWcfNRLpG0NdbaD4XiifTwPtNqAoJU9an0tXFTjK2sscSbmS5-goF2FImjDBKXtjztQjZClZtfJ4mAp4MYVb2O9kaqaQn19e_gbw7KFPECKf/w270-h400/shazam_fury_of_the_gods_ver3_xxlg.jpg" width="270" /></a></b></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/03/shazam-fury-of-gods.html">Shazam! Fury of the Gods</a></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Where the original <i>Shazam!</i> was easily one of
the best DCEU films thanks to its fun atmosphere, <i>Fury of the Gods</i> is
unfortunately a letdown. An unfocused story, forced jokes (including a
plot-critical Skittles product placement) and an overreliance on CGI hold this
sequel back from greatness. Though its unknown if a third film will surface, we
can only hope that if one does, they learn form the mistakes of this one.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLZHLx-df1TEdpMZNq3LoArgEEdZs7et2YBlGgLEse9dUXchUgz2CCDmP5CCXTi5ecrgyZeCeaVqajbvhW1WntIGTtEe20MGjstXIjzTBRWyHpc-ncDB_BxnjfrALHSeklw3sLyc5C4dbywlB7pjEfPu6ZD-30wpbxN2fa6gpzTHfzAkF0qoQxb5T/s2500/antman_and_the_wasp_quantumania_ver4_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1688" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLZHLx-df1TEdpMZNq3LoArgEEdZs7et2YBlGgLEse9dUXchUgz2CCDmP5CCXTi5ecrgyZeCeaVqajbvhW1WntIGTtEe20MGjstXIjzTBRWyHpc-ncDB_BxnjfrALHSeklw3sLyc5C4dbywlB7pjEfPu6ZD-30wpbxN2fa6gpzTHfzAkF0qoQxb5T/w270-h400/antman_and_the_wasp_quantumania_ver4_xxlg.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/07/ant-man-and-wasp-quantumania.html">Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania</a></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There’s no getting around the fact that <i>Quantumania</i>
is easily the worst of the <i>Ant-Man</i> trilogy. Terrible pacing, a muddied
storyline, including the near lack of personal stakes on Scott Lang’s end, and subpar
CG plague every aspect of this film. Add to that the cherry on top of expecting
the audience to have seen <i>Loki</i>, a TV series locked behind the paywall of
Disney+. The only neat thing that came from this film’s time theft is that Scott’s
in-universe memoir, <i>Look Out For The Little Guy!</i>, was made into a real
book.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLQWQWLoAbhOWD_Os2qLeayJ6OoTG_Fx6TvTWcvtAZCOcbFwtQ1ad2Vjb_C_P7-aEYOqbEmrFbw3oG_G3RWQsxVXJ1j0a1s6vW5aBN6GkCrqKc6J49n-XXOTWUrShoMDV6s_7bz1LY6shcbcigmXj3dOxLUOy0ZbyJUrht6C3Ded_lgRovLJQ5S5_/s1024/BVG-1024x576.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLQWQWLoAbhOWD_Os2qLeayJ6OoTG_Fx6TvTWcvtAZCOcbFwtQ1ad2Vjb_C_P7-aEYOqbEmrFbw3oG_G3RWQsxVXJ1j0a1s6vW5aBN6GkCrqKc6J49n-XXOTWUrShoMDV6s_7bz1LY6shcbcigmXj3dOxLUOy0ZbyJUrht6C3Ded_lgRovLJQ5S5_/w400-h225/BVG-1024x576.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Bluey: The Videogame</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As a big fan of <i>Bluey</i>, I really wanted to like this game for real life, but I unfortunately found myself let down. Although it perfectly captures the spirit of the show audibly and visually and does a good job at making itself accessible to younger players, the experience is riddled with glitches even a month after launch, the animations are janky (with a very noticeable contrast between the 2D models and 3D objects) and the voice acting isn't quite the same level as the show itself. Worst of all, there are only four short and awkwardly-paced levels, meaning you can beat the entire game in only an hour, maybe three if you go for all of the collectables (I got the Platinum Trophy in under two). The only saving grace was that I didn't pay the steep $40 asking price and got it at a discount very shortly after launch (and so should you).<br /></span></span></p>
EHeroFlareNeoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677896135091344245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-45539594960413548102023-12-31T06:31:00.000-08:002023-12-31T06:31:00.125-08:002023 - The Highlights (Tetris_King)<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While the
COVID-19 pandemic isn’t as much of a threat as it was back in 2020, I still
take precautions to avoid infection, though my interest in seeing films in a
theater has become less about whether or not I can and more about whether or
not it seems worth it, now that our household has integrated streaming options
for newer titles. That said, between both streaming and the theater, so many
films came out this year that I liked that my list was difficult to pare down,
but I am overall satisfied with my final list. Due to various circumstances,
however, I didn’t get to play too many new games this year, but I did manage enough
to still put a list of my favorites together.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Each list is
presented in no particular order, with links to reviews where applicable.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Top Movies</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/05/stubs-guardians-of-galaxy-vol-3-best.html">Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b> </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcns7_k4w9o-N1AtR91JW5uhktaMouLNK8vrAnUUnBOFCazIvdeP7Rjwxg3z0qSqjekjg8oDi0S0DQbm8Wn3XSGt6dDPGj2_d50yq8Rwh2MpFNeLQKTvkB6B_cZNzDSpR8OqRrMFr_v-7p-6hOWAycK77Ec5zB5dFwAvVUY3Zb5NsYBK-rkPAJ9LQAUhR/s1481/MV5BMDgxOTdjMzYtZGQxMS00ZTAzLWI4Y2UtMTQzN2VlYjYyZWRiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkxNjUyNQ@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcns7_k4w9o-N1AtR91JW5uhktaMouLNK8vrAnUUnBOFCazIvdeP7Rjwxg3z0qSqjekjg8oDi0S0DQbm8Wn3XSGt6dDPGj2_d50yq8Rwh2MpFNeLQKTvkB6B_cZNzDSpR8OqRrMFr_v-7p-6hOWAycK77Ec5zB5dFwAvVUY3Zb5NsYBK-rkPAJ9LQAUhR/s320/MV5BMDgxOTdjMzYtZGQxMS00ZTAzLWI4Y2UtMTQzN2VlYjYyZWRiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkxNjUyNQ@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" width="216" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Following the end
of the Infinity Saga, the quality of subsequent MCU films has overall been on a
decline, but I was still dedicated to seeing the <i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i>
sub-series through since it had generally remained consistent, and also since
the third film would be the last Marvel would see of director James Gunn before
his move to DC. Not only did <i>Vol. 3</i> provide a surprisingly emotional arc
for Rocket Raccoon, it also has arguably the best MCU villain since Thanos in
the form of the High Evolutionary, thanks largely to a stellar performance by Chukwudi
Iwuji. For those who have been following the Guardians’ exploits and/or want a
good dropping off point from the seemingly-endless Marvel train, this is a
must-see.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/05/stubs-dungeons-dragons-honor-among.html">Dungeons
& Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELKhUnwY6brPHCnaU0m9KfJincyMYQ9RM8uQ27WS2F_GrafWMMtfcXTTKkwCAuAvmdcdQP9w90SunQ3VMv1I9_ouLc2hQL73tCmk4t0no-skr58vdHY9y7Vjg28xnIomAeP4TeylOO4VL8vozVh8bmXoDAxc4CPwURIawhKp5eR04elawhc3NZE5MDBfp/s755/dungeons_and_dragons_honor_among_thieves_ver2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELKhUnwY6brPHCnaU0m9KfJincyMYQ9RM8uQ27WS2F_GrafWMMtfcXTTKkwCAuAvmdcdQP9w90SunQ3VMv1I9_ouLc2hQL73tCmk4t0no-skr58vdHY9y7Vjg28xnIomAeP4TeylOO4VL8vozVh8bmXoDAxc4CPwURIawhKp5eR04elawhc3NZE5MDBfp/s320/dungeons_and_dragons_honor_among_thieves_ver2.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></div><b> </b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">As someone who
has only a general idea of <i>D&D</i>, not to say I haven’t tried to dip my
toe in it before, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this film going in, but
came away wholly enjoying it thanks to its well-timed humor and having the
general atmosphere of a <i>D&D</i> session in a good way. I enjoyed it so
much that I not only bought every <i>D&D</i> transforming Diceling figure
with the <i>Honor Among Thieves</i> branding, but it also made me seriously consider
giving the game itself another shot.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/06/transformers-rise-of-beasts.html">Transformers: Rise of the Beasts</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgm4FX300z3CDa721ZV2geDYR9f9GM6Oq58M9GE21wT6FnTCHX1Ru7E-A31Z6DSO9ba3Ehvh8y7HYx3WaI4Hs4eCv981rfmKOlkGUu9Zpxfso1dfvyMkt4dstOC99hCMrsfFIKLOymL4_qxYhYaWiUJWWqHoOnyjbRZqdqq-iuH-9r84sCb4gcQOqB-HF/s3000/transformers_rise_of_the_beasts_ver11_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2025" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgm4FX300z3CDa721ZV2geDYR9f9GM6Oq58M9GE21wT6FnTCHX1Ru7E-A31Z6DSO9ba3Ehvh8y7HYx3WaI4Hs4eCv981rfmKOlkGUu9Zpxfso1dfvyMkt4dstOC99hCMrsfFIKLOymL4_qxYhYaWiUJWWqHoOnyjbRZqdqq-iuH-9r84sCb4gcQOqB-HF/s320/transformers_rise_of_the_beasts_ver11_xxlg.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></div><b> </b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">After seeing
how good <i>Bumblebee</i> turned out, I gained a renewed interest in the
Transformers film series as it began to pivot in a new direction, especially
with its sequel <i>Transformers: Rise of the Beasts</i> finally venturing
outside the franchise’s then-overextended stay in its G1-inspired comfort zone.
While my expectations were tempered with cautious optimism going in, said
expectations were exceeded thanks to its well-written human cast and its
expanded robot cast somehow feeling decently well-balanced. One ending scene
even has me excited for what’s to come in this new universe, though I first
hope that the upcoming <i>Transformers: One</i> animated prequel film can
maintain the same level of quality.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/08/stubs-oppenheimer.html">Oppenheimer</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DFO_pD85kTryok5LoxNEHbUCjTBIvAt7dCXiEFPZNOoYI9dzD2SDgDwj7DZbg_geYQMneYAGWZVe_Q0Ve0wrUgvTSjcmkEBiFZvkW6L33HjoJre2g1sBgdhxYqK_0Yoj4wNleMNlJnQM1Z1Wb9U66l48vlThGLLdlze7wn9skA8cgKuYucZ9-yzp82nz/s3454/MV5BMDBmYTZjNjUtN2M1MS00MTQ2LTk2ODgtNzc2M2QyZGE5NTVjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzAwMjU2MTY@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3454" data-original-width="2331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DFO_pD85kTryok5LoxNEHbUCjTBIvAt7dCXiEFPZNOoYI9dzD2SDgDwj7DZbg_geYQMneYAGWZVe_Q0Ve0wrUgvTSjcmkEBiFZvkW6L33HjoJre2g1sBgdhxYqK_0Yoj4wNleMNlJnQM1Z1Wb9U66l48vlThGLLdlze7wn9skA8cgKuYucZ9-yzp82nz/s320/MV5BMDBmYTZjNjUtN2M1MS00MTQ2LTk2ODgtNzc2M2QyZGE5NTVjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzAwMjU2MTY@._V1_.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></div><b> </b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Films such as <i>Oppenheimer</i>
are not usually my speed, especially ones with hefty runtimes, but I went to
see this anyway, and in the highest quality possible, so I could be a participant
in the Barbenheimer phenomenon. Despite my personal feelings on these types of
films, and much of it consisting of people talking, I was actually hooked from
start to finish and was particularly blown away by the surprisingly-tense
nuclear bomb test scene. This scene alone is the main reason to see it in the
best quality you can, something the sold-out 4K sets can attest to, though I
would still strongly recommend this film anyway.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/09/gran-turismo-film.html">Gran Turismo</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b> </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvyQyjth4HV_DY8eh3ErC0gZIW6-25cZjSYr4cuy4NsvgLhJlx3y4dQKSVpI8f61Yk3IpObHioVvLXUG5v7ndmqGQZedl9wb24k_U9uwXDOmhSIGIFFqxdD0R94S4DanoaHuTXaviEC-I65fQAZjiJ5ngpEA5fxx6TUZW0Kge7APjucGbdd7D3vCflzWe/s3000/gran_turismo_ver8_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvyQyjth4HV_DY8eh3ErC0gZIW6-25cZjSYr4cuy4NsvgLhJlx3y4dQKSVpI8f61Yk3IpObHioVvLXUG5v7ndmqGQZedl9wb24k_U9uwXDOmhSIGIFFqxdD0R94S4DanoaHuTXaviEC-I65fQAZjiJ5ngpEA5fxx6TUZW0Kge7APjucGbdd7D3vCflzWe/s320/gran_turismo_ver8_xxlg.jpg" width="216" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While video
game movies usually attempt to adapt the game’s premise to the big screen, with
mixed results that have gotten steadily better in recent years, <i>Gran Turismo</i>
takes a different approach by adapting the story of a real-life event
surrounding the game, with a few liberties taken for the sake of dramatization.
The result is far better in its own right than one might expect, with a very
suspenseful racing story that even those (such as myself) with no familiarity
with the game itself can enjoy it, as well as a multitude of Easter eggs for
those who are.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/11/rohan-at-louvre.html">Rohan at the Louvre</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGHi1h43a7RL1LJAvX2dFovvHhTmFrBtL6qIsgxhlyUQ_wMyvsnO1CDgmSSQF9JIWKikehIW4yrV125mWtAj-lWo1_50njlY3bVUzCz6Fog2G6qP5TnLDp13ojMlKbgIY6Du0NHme4NPfL1cYsZwHY1rmz6lpmDe7UZkGOfNnAYBBnEFbRPTeSTJJ1jZF/s3000/Rohan_au_Louvre_Film.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2129" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGHi1h43a7RL1LJAvX2dFovvHhTmFrBtL6qIsgxhlyUQ_wMyvsnO1CDgmSSQF9JIWKikehIW4yrV125mWtAj-lWo1_50njlY3bVUzCz6Fog2G6qP5TnLDp13ojMlKbgIY6Du0NHme4NPfL1cYsZwHY1rmz6lpmDe7UZkGOfNnAYBBnEFbRPTeSTJJ1jZF/s320/Rohan_au_Louvre_Film.jpg" width="227" /></a></b></div><b> </b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While this film
already grabbed my interest as a fan of <i>JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure</i> and the
<i>Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan</i> spinoffs, I found it to be both an excellent
adaptation of the original one-shot and a solid suspense film on its own merits,
thanks in no small part to the spot-on performance of Issey Takahashi in the
role of Rohan Kishibe. Fortunately, this film is also written in such a way
that anyone who is not familiar in any way with the world of <i>JoJo</i> can
enjoy it, succeeding where the live-action <i>Diamond is Unbreakable</i> film
fell short. Although not required viewing for this film, I would also highly
recommend newcomers to watch the <i>Thus Spoke KIshibe Rohan</i> live-action
drama, which this film shares a universe with and also successfully divorces
itself from <i>JoJo</i>, if they can.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Top Games</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-murder-of-sonic-hedgehog.html">The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvCSedO-NbxWQ6QRERZ_nFhkSrsZHg1Ak1T_HtMLmmQlJeVq5v2W9iYgsJVNlJhQN0PpWHOSYqEis1UVEL5Ae0MpDfY-AAqqZejkB3XbxBc1-aE_Jf2vcgLTJQ7A_uesu2pqXjM0dMQk4d4FKJHsGdHLDZjKPykMVdwk7qZ2i26ia8Ko1jEV8FE1tra7V/s616/capsule_616x353.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="616" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvCSedO-NbxWQ6QRERZ_nFhkSrsZHg1Ak1T_HtMLmmQlJeVq5v2W9iYgsJVNlJhQN0PpWHOSYqEis1UVEL5Ae0MpDfY-AAqqZejkB3XbxBc1-aE_Jf2vcgLTJQ7A_uesu2pqXjM0dMQk4d4FKJHsGdHLDZjKPykMVdwk7qZ2i26ia8Ko1jEV8FE1tra7V/s320/capsule_616x353.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b> </b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">In a pleasant
surprise for April Fool’s Day, a new <i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i> game was
released for free, placing the characters in a visual novel mystery about Sonic’s
death, though the events turn out to be more mundane than initially let on (at
least at first). For a free game, it has some amazing production values on all
fronts, with some funny and clever writing that makes it a joyful ride from
start to finish.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/06/we-love-katamari-reroll-royal-reverie.html">We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtH5woc6mjwsYQwMhgREi0g0flc2AhYtUtKTKbO1FVy2YwVoC0K14x8VSL58YOqH54ajJGxXHCzWYwc_dZ7JqvGZTI5YSmHQuV6aPmbuk0WPSgNKnzdBL_mVsWk_u_o7t6AV2CuJ389Ow-ieHDo44BH6CeNSPGGY_SvBbWHS79P6g5q91-KHofTCGA8rr/s587/we-love-katamari-reroll-plus-royal-reverie-cover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtH5woc6mjwsYQwMhgREi0g0flc2AhYtUtKTKbO1FVy2YwVoC0K14x8VSL58YOqH54ajJGxXHCzWYwc_dZ7JqvGZTI5YSmHQuV6aPmbuk0WPSgNKnzdBL_mVsWk_u_o7t6AV2CuJ389Ow-ieHDo44BH6CeNSPGGY_SvBbWHS79P6g5q91-KHofTCGA8rr/s320/we-love-katamari-reroll-plus-royal-reverie-cover.png" width="257" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Part of Bandai Namco’s
latest series of remasters of older Namco games included <i>Katamari Damacy
Reroll</i>, which already excited me as a fan of the series, but I was even
more surprised by the announcement of <i>We Love Katamari Reroll</i> and became
further interested by the new <i>Royal Reverie</i> content. Much like the first,
this is a remaster done right and the most ideal way to play this classic title,
featuring cleaner visuals and several quality-of-life changes to bring the
addictive gameplay to newer audiences, along with some new levels that expand
on the game’s lore. While I would like to see the <i>Katamari</i> remasters
continue, I would also hope the fact they made a second remaster means more of
a full-on revival for the once-dormant IP.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/08/tron-identity-pc.html">Tron: Identity</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUh9JpPW5k9O-8BhGszIacfZiJUxN0ftqNo-bcLYMwAYduSojrFHwnIvpgpk_642Nu1z-InB42yYeMMz25hv43GGaMwIooliMYVzm759azHWaFZ61tUYAC8z_D06zvxsgcP_Zl-9ThSotnAdcd3xgwc2zwm8L_7_i7wyWkgTsbeIXIFcZt_7TzmHB5qCqC/s2400/397e3c0fe769b576e93a813ce37024c5f77f36c9beb80cef996d6215255db91c.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="2400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUh9JpPW5k9O-8BhGszIacfZiJUxN0ftqNo-bcLYMwAYduSojrFHwnIvpgpk_642Nu1z-InB42yYeMMz25hv43GGaMwIooliMYVzm759azHWaFZ61tUYAC8z_D06zvxsgcP_Zl-9ThSotnAdcd3xgwc2zwm8L_7_i7wyWkgTsbeIXIFcZt_7TzmHB5qCqC/s320/397e3c0fe769b576e93a813ce37024c5f77f36c9beb80cef996d6215255db91c.png" width="320" /></a></b></div><b> </b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">It’s not too
often we get any new <i>Tron</i> media since the franchise was put on hold after
<i>Tron: Legacy</i>, so the announcement of a new <i>Tron</i> game at D23 Expo
got me very excited for having any new media at all. While a choice-driven
visual novel mystery might not be to everyone’s liking, with the main gameplay
outside of that being Identity Disk puzzles, <i>Tron: Identity</i> has some
very intriguing world-building and characters, as well as a great soundtrack,
that makes it worth playing for anyone starving for new <i>Tron</i> content
prior to the upcoming <i>Tron: Ares</i>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/12/god-of-war-ragnarok-valhalla-dlc.html">God of War: Ragnarök – Valhalla</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBenFvDKMp5VIrPzu11QJmLS2By873Hv8xCBjdTOrsbqEmzIAo9N28PUOkqC2_vCG-WQWGbjx46_FgKVwPoGCXF0a_QaiNjIW37XC0gA-t0EHrZ9YxYa8zeLOT3oJk5xMqQ_rP61vu5IABvyaNhRWlVUHmeVP40Km8cTu_ery7f3Y-9ENSXN9dQmcoHB9/s800/17995058-god-of-war-ragnarok-valhalla-playstation-4-front-cover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBenFvDKMp5VIrPzu11QJmLS2By873Hv8xCBjdTOrsbqEmzIAo9N28PUOkqC2_vCG-WQWGbjx46_FgKVwPoGCXF0a_QaiNjIW37XC0gA-t0EHrZ9YxYa8zeLOT3oJk5xMqQ_rP61vu5IABvyaNhRWlVUHmeVP40Km8cTu_ery7f3Y-9ENSXN9dQmcoHB9/s320/17995058-god-of-war-ragnarok-valhalla-playstation-4-front-cover.png" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">In celebration
of <i>God of War: Ragnarök</i>’s one-year anniversary, the game received a bit
of DLC content that serves as an epilogue to main story and mixes things up
with rougelite gameplay, all for free. Said gameplay loop provides an extra
challenge that can be freely adjusted to one’s desires, backed by a short bit
of story that satisfactorily caps off Kratos’ character arc in the Norse games
as he learns to make peace with the actions of his younger self. While a must-play
for fans of the series, it is strongly recommended you brush up on both the
Greek and Norse games if you care about the plot.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Top
Disappointments</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/03/shazam-fury-of-gods.html">Shazam! Fury of the Gods</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh914WusqUucbfCe9oE_wGlHztWFAS0sAc_fTJlDsE2nJajz9zLdhZrCJSGV_zOhFjHuNlOkSyZuVuwCCBkZdeHxPgbU8SfOMGAzi6CPg4BmA-fzsru29fP6z1Ba0Zlc4jsgA8czKs8vib_pepvdtKGgRPQpFBH8h7ECDEl1S9aea5rJBia8F4Xg3tXcjZd/s2048/shazam_fury_of_the_gods_ver3_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1382" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh914WusqUucbfCe9oE_wGlHztWFAS0sAc_fTJlDsE2nJajz9zLdhZrCJSGV_zOhFjHuNlOkSyZuVuwCCBkZdeHxPgbU8SfOMGAzi6CPg4BmA-fzsru29fP6z1Ba0Zlc4jsgA8czKs8vib_pepvdtKGgRPQpFBH8h7ECDEl1S9aea5rJBia8F4Xg3tXcjZd/s320/shazam_fury_of_the_gods_ver3_xxlg.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></div><b> </b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Where the original
<i>Shazam!</i> film felt like a step in the right direction for what the DCEU
could be, <i>Fury of the Gods</i> felt like a step back, with an overreliance
on computer effects and a more complex storyline that takes away the more intimate
focus that helped the first film stand out. While not one of the worst DC films
out there, it is certainly one of the weakest and is more likely to disappoint
fans of the original.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9102317111699238102/4553959496041354810">Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcR-5mcx_AJEAT8b8QGQiqax866USF_59iRF24Fu1g0HaTa5zdahp3QLgu7kZ5EDmNUvFxacfA7O3MABSvrpx8lubiJ48VLsLDSnRwANtQI6orXCbhKrEg0nxF0VQjrRL4LJdGeTMoxju_2LzDs9xk5t9N3AztygQPAlx4-1g9Oi9wM6aAt4wQHCnLTIxv/s2500/antman_and_the_wasp_quantumania_ver4_xxlg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1688" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcR-5mcx_AJEAT8b8QGQiqax866USF_59iRF24Fu1g0HaTa5zdahp3QLgu7kZ5EDmNUvFxacfA7O3MABSvrpx8lubiJ48VLsLDSnRwANtQI6orXCbhKrEg0nxF0VQjrRL4LJdGeTMoxju_2LzDs9xk5t9N3AztygQPAlx4-1g9Oi9wM6aAt4wQHCnLTIxv/s320/antman_and_the_wasp_quantumania_ver4_xxlg.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></div><b> </b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The <i>Ant-Man</i>
sub-series of the MCU isn’t one of the strongest, starting with a pretty funny
first film and followed up by a less-well-written second installment whose main
redeeming factor is its relationship with the Infinity Saga. Now that the MCU
is in the midst of the Multiverse Saga, <i>Quantumania</i> represents
everything wrong with the MCU at its current point, with a plot that takes
comic book logic to its absolute extreme even by Marvel Studios standards and a
setting that feels more like <i>Star Wars</i> than Marvel, not to mention weak villains,
convoluted multiverse logic and a reliance on the viewer having seen a bunch of
TV shows locked behind a Disney+ paywall. Unless you’re wholly devoted to the
Marvel lifestyle, you can safely skip this one.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Bluey: The Videogame</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUXkudEUMkOyVQ4BlU42JhLsYeAmL3L0_p1QquTwHGoD_nLEjQVAq2bnGtorWoX6UPLkLP8b4lWaBsOWxhp5ZzkTwtRTS3MBpaYw0ZWulyXEHQdWHHwrFardkUJDRaXgpcHlDRNt3zahv7P-cLgD9jserfr68uAkYPAwzMYxEjZywnX_0KYIjnPvGdoJa/s1024/BVG-1024x576.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUXkudEUMkOyVQ4BlU42JhLsYeAmL3L0_p1QquTwHGoD_nLEjQVAq2bnGtorWoX6UPLkLP8b4lWaBsOWxhp5ZzkTwtRTS3MBpaYw0ZWulyXEHQdWHHwrFardkUJDRaXgpcHlDRNt3zahv7P-cLgD9jserfr68uAkYPAwzMYxEjZywnX_0KYIjnPvGdoJa/s320/BVG-1024x576.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">With the immense popularity of the Australian animated series <i>Bluey</i>, to the point of it even getting a successful stage production, a video game adaptation seemed inevitable. Sadly, <i>Bluey: The Videogame</i> can't live up to the quality of the cartoon, mainly due to its severe lack of content for the asking price ($40) that can be beaten within an hour, maybe two or three if you make the time to gather all of the collectibles and Trophies. The voice acting and music are all there and the art style is faithfully recreated, but these alone do not make up for the janky animations and odd glitches that make the end product feel oddly rushed. I did not pay full price for the game, and neither should you (I got a physical PS5 copy on sale for $25), but I could tell I would most certainly have felt ripped off if I did. </p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9102317111699238102.post-30358583164345888192023-12-31T06:30:00.000-08:002023-12-31T06:30:00.139-08:002023 - The Highlights (lionsroar)<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Each year the reviewers at <i>Trophy Unlocked </i>decide which films are the highlights of the past year and which are the biggest disappointments. We started to see more films in theaters, but there are still some that we watched on various streaming services, and in some cases, that is the only way some of these can be seen.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The choice of films to include are the ones that we decided to watch during the year and to pay for, so this is not drawn from a complete list of all movies released but from the ones we chose to watch.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Highlights of 2023 (in no particular order):</b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgey-pbeM53RzZ6jXgCBFG_MMravaTSt288UnHYgmBKrecsXLEq7HYp9mjYCp9Yi-YTLjC9yxD136ncmxzILXdeWx8klemc883CpIW0_9rEup8BNAc86TWy1Mbo_b2uAo_nTnFZjbV8baesM3dSHJfq2XXqkTHs5VIu4WhT_rm2YxVFkihiSyE02gPJuE/s755/guardians_of_the_galaxy_vol_three_ver2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgey-pbeM53RzZ6jXgCBFG_MMravaTSt288UnHYgmBKrecsXLEq7HYp9mjYCp9Yi-YTLjC9yxD136ncmxzILXdeWx8klemc883CpIW0_9rEup8BNAc86TWy1Mbo_b2uAo_nTnFZjbV8baesM3dSHJfq2XXqkTHs5VIu4WhT_rm2YxVFkihiSyE02gPJuE/w270-h400/guardians_of_the_galaxy_vol_three_ver2.jpg" width="270" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><br /><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/05/stubs-guardians-of-galaxy-vol-3-best.html" target="_blank">Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3</a></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The end of the MCU as we knew it, James Gunn's farewell to Guardians, was one of the few comic book film highlights of 2023. You have to give him credit for making you care about a foulmouthed CGI character's backstory. And you have to wonder, as the MCU grapples for change, if they battled the new central villain of the franchise going forward, the High Evolutionary. I'm not sure I really care anymore. With a few exceptions, this might be my jumping off point from the MCU. All good things come to an end.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/05/stubs-dungeons-dragons-honor-among.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxYLIl1qT2eIkUi3w8CtGGx0UBpsD0YBEGntpwSs2QCLxMf5F2GITgqvcKu-6tOcKYEHRa-5wN-L52wg718plOV1o9icH2HvCYLFjW3Zpfqq9IoSDQpU8a-tY0yblv41lAnXOMcT8pn3rgLUZYRwJnfUH1RVZWxKtKGamk7AJdHr_chvoLxxF8hMDfJBV/w270-h400/dungeons_and_dragons_honor_among_thieves_ver2.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/05/stubs-dungeons-dragons-honor-among.html" target="_blank"><br />Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</a></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><p>Not having played DnD more than a couple of times, I might have been unsure about this movie going in, which is partially why we didn't catch it in theaters. However, this film is a lot of fun and really doesn't require any knowledge of the game in the title. The strong ensemble cast develops some really great characters and it was a lot of fun to watch. Too bad, I don't think there will be any sequels coming.</p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/08/stubs-oppenheimer.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="3454" data-original-width="2331" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNU1e36V1fJv6m4Wno8ryLtHBZrbIcBFrI2rShyphenhyphenS8n1EXjJgv0tEU6WBOPffKXXPNe9fO5q6OElgzz4VFTnygwZBxXLHFP7uK2G_hbeagIHPSS57_WlBLVPhyo7n-zQb140O0CxhO_p5hWlaYJVw7Tpf8WOMp5E7oRghwAyqTue_B8ylp7MJhDNdY4kkrM/w270-h400/MV5BMDBmYTZjNjUtN2M1MS00MTQ2LTk2ODgtNzc2M2QyZGE5NTVjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzAwMjU2MTY@._V1_.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/08/stubs-oppenheimer.html" target="_blank"><br />Oppenheimer</a></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For me, Christopher Nolan is a little hit and miss as a director, but <i>Oppenheimer </i>was one of his better outings and perhaps the best picture I saw in a theater, though it very well might be my last at the once great Chinese theater in Hollywood. Nolan manages to make a three-hour movie that doesn't seem like three hours and </span></span>Cillian Murphy does a great job as the brilliant but flawed man. The Academy has disappointed me before, but I hope they see their way to give this film the praise it deserves.<p></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/09/gran-turismo-film.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81SZmHvU4_rIHxTIAJ5r-WhB1ej0uG91AfFLTJJTtmugVwHyNTCQOZFbxJGzdR5FIkXtSDF4gkvsVPpkHdqsGy8O_MdaVIgJ9I9Zgyb1qSleO0fX9BwMv5v764dMLk8WEf3CKzYEP36CTuLUxqrYkgZqMIOM8JMl_N4dFq9EkFa8jZeG7fGXFnfPnUgWW/w266-h400/granturismo_onesheet_1400x2100_v2.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/09/gran-turismo-film.html" target="_blank"><br />Gran Turismo</a></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Not a film based on the video game of the same name, but rather a slightly fictionalized biography of real life racecar driver, Jann Mardenborough. Mardenborough, who gets a chance to really drive a racecar rather than a virtual, succeeds in an against all-odds sort of story, building on some of the skills he learned playing the video game. I went in never having heard of Mardenborough, but I left moved by his story.<div><br /><p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDnmAVWRcKoaKwTqsU7Cim3U65COQ1ay1AO0J_Av-OOOzQsEXtV5e51m3BP1MCsNpqNFm7AvtnsuHcCN9xglnUw4BluN3OeY-bgMcV2R0mGevGaD1LanKIPdQ5TdZZGR8_cNMjSh6ka4vhzKnMv42x5qoNP2nqMVxkM0VSD3VwshcScEomU405wbXZH1O/s707/poster.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="549" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDnmAVWRcKoaKwTqsU7Cim3U65COQ1ay1AO0J_Av-OOOzQsEXtV5e51m3BP1MCsNpqNFm7AvtnsuHcCN9xglnUw4BluN3OeY-bgMcV2R0mGevGaD1LanKIPdQ5TdZZGR8_cNMjSh6ka4vhzKnMv42x5qoNP2nqMVxkM0VSD3VwshcScEomU405wbXZH1O/w248-h320/poster.PNG" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><br />Merry Little Batman</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white;"><br />From Amazon/MGM comes one of the best new holiday films, <i>Merry Little Batman</i>, which provides a new twist on a DC character. Single parent Bruce Wayne has a son, Damian, who wants to follow in his father's footsteps. We get the usual roster of Batman villains, Mr. Freeze, The Penguin, Bane, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow and The Joker, but in a more family friendly way, sinister without being other the top. The movie has good voice work, animation and story to please any fan of the Caped Crusader.<br /></span><p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/11/rohan-at-louvre.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgXHczovOVUi_9IgkVIyww4ZCbw4tzRRqQr6DNr8qxKBuuCMu-V1Lw5CIKfCHts-U3O12id4BrQVLU5KppktpEG8CRXccMkExuaMvq5Qb_3sOcV9NCf1Nk1QLKJH3l_XdG2pHXZg0AWnS75f49Zb7XUHY0UlfVgulyMJbOBaAepCsH_VRIns8BOpjvn0G/w284-h400/Rohan_au_Louvre_Film.jpg" width="284" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/11/rohan-at-louvre.html" target="_blank">Rohan at the Louvre<br /><br /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white;">A spin-off of sorts from <i>JoJo's Bizarre Adventure</i>, Rohan got a live-action series, which culminated in the feature <i>Rohan at the Louvre, </i>which is about a mysterious all-black Japanese painting in storage at the famed museum. One of the real reasons to watch is Issei Takahashi in the title role. Takahashi inhabits the character in a way few actors can. Even if you're not a huge <i>JoJo</i> fan, this should be a film to see.<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disappointments of 2023</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/03/shazam-fury-of-gods.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="270" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTsS9W8jA5oERzmVV20MGF37YL5_NzttZqkozfobmyNIBSN9Dx5YcWiaZMPkO5TRaEwggugMtMN_oVdMqtU-iOOtmDoOIkZajM4N0C0x4V6_BdlIpByzp8QHRdl1MfCeF4R24RJ2ySfdyG7GySXzd1pBDEYwznfLF4eyQQ7mxljiWUzt7VLaotnOFxmCb/w270-h400/shazam_fury_of_the_gods_ver3_xxlg.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/03/shazam-fury-of-gods.html" target="_blank"><br />Shazam! Fury of the Gods</a></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>You might see a trend here, but it seems sometimes that superhero films seem to be resting on their laurels. The original <i>Shazam!</i> (2019) was one of the better DCEU titles to come out, but the sequel seems to have lost some of the magic. The film was disappointing and a flop at the box office, so what started off with promise four years ago, along with the current DCEU, ends badly. Are fans tired of superheroes or tired of being counted on to come no matter the film?<div><br /></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/07/ant-man-and-wasp-quantumania.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="270" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwpsIdb6aaPUblOTBnv7brfMEXgFGmJlQObJ0dSUx2dpddQNGMphrCJta6vHc3aLR7dc2oBsy_wUNuttdUtJzk_UyrcA-dyZKHyBpl216SBY4ZJcVUacnlIUqDwd1vRfX2KBu5DYVAS7GJdEtWy-lDLBeZUTjOwOLkiyOpmFZHokTNTkBI6tofHSVaLlr/w270-h400/antman_and_the_wasp_quantumania_ver4_xxlg.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/07/ant-man-and-wasp-quantumania.html" target="_blank"><br />Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania</a></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Talk about a colossal waste of time. The main point of the film wasn't to see more of Ant-Man, but a hamfisted way to introduce the MCU to Kang (Jonathan Majors), who was supposed to carry the next phase of films for the now beleaguered franchise. Post conviction, Majors has been dropped and the MCU will look elsewhere for a Thanos replacement. It was a disappointing <i>Ant-Man</i> film and as it turns out, unnecessary. There's two hours I won't get back.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/06/stubs-flash.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="509" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEo135ba7aUsuHlebMbXtgMRqJ5rUpKVSxU0GL1EbiiBSFQAg2-NGAbEsL4ohVXCk6SG_fjJDiC_IbJ0cPAdS7JogtdOs5rzYpAeZzaMPqpBNaM7Yo220cQjxjn3bTX_wMjeFw0ji9zirfIjASPxEc1p4mSWmI-Ne0TMr2T8n20DZVLhjrW5uooVtjfFDf/w270-h400/flash_ver3.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/06/stubs-flash.html" target="_blank"><br />The Flash</a></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">While the MCU maybe floundering post<i>-Avengers</i>, the DCEU never really seemed to get off the ground. Ballyhooed as the greatest superhero film ever, <i>The Flash</i> was pretty much a flop and deservedly so. There are some bright moments, like Michael Keaton's return as Batman and </span></span>Sasha Calle as Supergirl, they seem to be wasted in this overly long, too dependent on bad special effects dud. While we all wish James Gunn success at revitalizing the franchise, you wonder if it might be too late.<p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/09/elemental-carls-date.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="270" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxVZwukGUKFzd2E5sRakLTymq5y4QKqoqTdmONOPywHCpKZofVuU_A_jZv6l7oleI59XckZvhBFyRpTar3ebytAoSqjPm6lEAFxNx9YWpkmCvJCGIg9GsVlhucI5YSFF9T0iPvYDC-DYOM7V-t874yvYi3jpIRj-Go7niRmA0XNwVw9eT6RWZMTD_nagd/w270-h400/elemental_ver10_xxlg.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/09/elemental-carls-date.html" target="_blank"><br />Elemental</a></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Remember when Pixar could do no wrong and you couldn't wait to see their new one in a theater upon release? Sadly those days are over. We waited until the film hit streaming and while it is better than advertised, it makes it look like Pixar is running out of new ideas. Having gone through their initial book of ideas, they're left with Fire and Water for their animated Rom Com. Opposites attract, right? Many of the plot points are too obvious and the film gets a little preachy at the expense of experimental and fun.</span></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/08/stubs-barbie.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="509" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYx8fdQeRJ9SU2g-Zm55Z95fwaBqUbxVpfFS7Oat8V-kOVgucRYhGcJ7NfflQ-GO_Ns6TNKtu5Sz6pBgaokmGV5pG86SUq1MhyM6xtYXlzJk35pdHjNk57SGmtpuC4gln035whN1hWICwsoJ-EkTHAjqZ0V1UGItuYy3Jn2pPtIwR4ifq8vVgKBUMXm0bj/w270-h400/barbie_ver2.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2023/08/stubs-barbie.html" target="_blank"><br />Barbie</a></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white;"><br />I know that you wouldn't expect the biggest film of the year to be on a list of disappointments, but here it is. Being male and not having played with Barbies before, my reason to go to see the film was to see what all the fuss was about. While Margot Robbie nails the title character's look and the pink sets looked great, I can't say that the film was really all that enjoyable. More political than entertaining, having seen it once, I can't imagine going to see it again.</span></div></div></div>lionsroarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05575728698472889728noreply@blogger.com0