Beyond: Two Souls video game review.

I usually start my reviews off with a little history and backstory, but much like the library of French developer Quantic Dream’s several games, writing this review has made me ponder over many choices.

Quantic Dream (owned by frequent game director David Cage) has made games that blend cinematic storytelling and character development with gameplay to serve as further immersion, which includes the spectacular, Fincher-esque thriller game Heavy Rain. One thing that sets QD apart is how they take gaming’s choice-based structure to its fullest potential, giving the player choices meant to make them think hard before deciding. On top of that, they accomplish something that’s practically impossible; they make quicktime events NOT SUCK. As their second project for the PS3, they took a more supernatural turn with Beyond: Two Souls. They went for some inspired decisions, including casting actors Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe in major roles. Much like Heavy Rain, you might expect everyone to love this game, right?

Of course not! Not everyone has to like the same thing, but this game’s reception is especially mixed. Some people have issues with the story, some think the gameplay has hiccups, and there are many – including myself - who simply don’t like quicktime events. It’s not for everyone. However, in my opinion, it’s a more than worthy follow up to Heavy Rain. Beyond: Two Souls is an opus on its own level.

More September side-reviews: Blackfish, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, & Much Ado About Nothing.

Well, I found some more time recently to get in a few new viewings, and before the numerous films I’m looking forward to finally come into play, I decided to get a few more write ups done. Hope you enjoy reading them!

End of the World - Double Feature: This is the End & The World's End.

An odd topic to make a comedy out of, we had not one, but two comedies come out this year using apocalyptic settings for comedies. One being the gross-out, celebrity satire This is the End from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and the other being The World’s End, Edgar Wright’s third film teaming up with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. It only seemed fitting to have a nice double feature for the two back to back, and believe me, many fits of laughter ensued...

My top seven most anticipated movies coming from TIFF - 2013.

Once again, the Toronto International Film Festival came and went. Numerous films screened, hype was built up, some films bombed, some broke even, and others exceeded preconceptions. So just like last year, in celebration of many of these films, I decided to make a list of my top seven most anticipated films coming from the festival. Please note that if you don’t see a favorite of yours, it’s because I’m not looking forward to it enough, not looking forward to it at all (*cough* Blue is the Warmest Color!), or I simply have never heard of it.

September side-reviews - The Bling Ring, The East, Stories We Tell, & World War Z.

Hello again, everyone! Sorry for my long absence. Things have not been too kind to me in my personal life. However, I have recently found some time to get in a few new viewings. So, with the summer movie season concluded, and with the festival season in full swing, I thought I would put down some small side reviews for these films. Hope you enjoy reading them!

Byzantium movie review.

Bloody Undead! Un-Bloody-Dead! It’s even worse than bloody cats! Undead, what’s the bloody point?!

Indeed, the undead seems to be a popular trend at the moment. We’ve got plenty of shows and movies of zombies, ghosts, and vampires to go around. Shows like The Walking Dead do plenty of justice for zombies, but vampires, however, are not doing so strong. Popular hits like Twilight (noted for “bringing back” the vampire genre) have a deserved reputation for being weak, manipulative teen fare (highlighted by a terrible role model of a lead character). However, there are smaller, better films released that remind us what made the sub-genre so fascinating in the first place, Tomas Alfredson’s Let the Right One In being one of them. Byzantium, the latest from Interview with a Vampire director Neil Jordan, is also one such film.

After Earth movie review.

Of all the careers in Hollywood, none was more unfortunate than that of M. Night Shyamalan…

Unfortunate, indeed. Believe it or not, there was once a time when Shyamalan made good movies. The Sixth Sense we all know is a terrific film, Unbreakable might be the most underrated film of all time, Signs is a great, suspenseful Sci-Fi, and even The Village has its own spectacular merits. But, after leaving Touchstone Pictures, Shyamalan fell from grace hard. Starting with Lady in the Water, he made three horrible films in a row, and has practically become a punchline in his own industry. His latest film, After Earth, didn’t ease things. A starring vehicle for Will Smith’s son Jaden, the studio went so far as to hide Shyamalan’s name in advertising. However, the plan backfired. It seemed like the film had bigger problems than just Shyamalan. So when all is said and done, the movie is finished, and I get to thinking, I come to the conclusion that… It’s not that bad.

Let me just clarify. I am not saying this is a good movie, but it’s perhaps Shyamalan’s least bad film since leaving Touchstone.