30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 11

 Favorite PC Game.

This was a hard question for me, seeing as how until about five years ago I didn't even own a computer of my own. I always had access to one, but I never had one of my own, so I didn't bother with PC games. Though I do vividly remember being addicted to this game. A friend of mine had it and every weekend I would go over to his house and we would play this for hours. Looking back on it, I'm not sure if I could still be that entertained by creating a city and then destroying it, but at the time, it was great fun.

The Next Three Days Review

"If we choose to exist in our own reality, are we insane? And if we are, isn't that better than a life of despair?" That’s the question ‘The Next Three Days’ asks and also kind of the theme of the movie. Paul Haggis (Director of ‘Crash’) directs this 2010 thriller staring Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks. The movie is about a husband (Crowe) and wife (Banks) who are living very happy lives with there son Luke until the wife is arrested for the murder of her boss and the husband does everything he can to get her free.

The acting in this movie is top notch. I never thought Crowe was all that great of an actor but he really blew me away in this movie. In fact everyone, minus a few very minor characters, give great performances and I am shocked that they weren’t noticed more for it. All of the actors really make you feel for them. It’s very easy to sympathize with them and you want to see them succeed. Every time they fail, you kind of feel it too and you begin cheering for them even more to get back up and keep going.

Were this movie goes wrong is the outrageous story. I know it’s a movie and entertainment so being over the top is allowed but something about it didn’t fit with this movie and every time something crazy happened it just pulls you out of the film. Also the story is very predictable. I don’t think there was ever a time during the movie that I didn’t know what was going to happen next. That also hurts the film a lot since it’s supposed to be an edge of your seat thriller.

It’s really disappointing to see a movie turn out like this. The wonderful acting is bogged down by a predictable, mediocre story and because of this will probably never really be appreciated. I will recommend this movie as a rental, just don’t go into it expecting the story to blow you away.

Buried Review

‘Buried’ is a thriller about an American truck driver in Iraq whose convoy is attacked and is then held for ransom buried under ground in a coffin. The film was directed by Rodrigo Cortés and stars Ryan Reynolds alongside, well nobody except a few voices over the phone.

The film really knows how to make you feel sympathy for Reynolds character. Even though he’s in a coffin he has to go through so much and it really makes you kind of angry at the other people. The entire film I wanted to yell at him about what he could / should do. Sure my ideas weren’t the greatest but my point is that the movie pulls you in from the very beginning and never lets you go.

A problem for me though was that the movie shares way too many similarities with ‘127 Hours’.  I know that now days a lot of films seem similar to each other, but these two have things in common that you would never guess and it kind of bugged me. I will say that the camera work in this movie really sets it apart. From odd angles looking up at Reynolds to the weird green glow stick lighting, and even the scenes in complete darkness.  It made watching a movie that takes place entirely in a coffin very enjoyable. Although I can’t say this was a problem for me but I could definitely see some Closter phobic people not being able to watch this movie, being that there is some emphasis on the enclosed space.

A few minor spoilers in this next section so if you want to be completely fresh going into the movie then you can just skip ahead to my wrap up.

Another thing with this movie is that the entire time I was waiting for that huge twist. For some reason I couldn’t help but think the entire time that maybe this was some weird messed up test that the government was doing on him and that the movie would end with his coffin accidentally breaking and him realizing he’s in some type of airport hanger or lab or something. It didn’t help that they kept pointing out some of the holes and stuff in the coffin like maybe somebody was looking in. Also the way some of the people that Reynolds character spoke to over the phone talked to him about his situation. It just seemed like they knew what was going on and just wanted him to shut up. That was more of a personal thing for me, but I just figured I’d share that part.

This movie is definitely worth checking out, not sure about multiple viewings though. Again it’s very similar to ‘127 Hours’ so if movies like that are what you’re into then I would recommend buying this one to put in your collection because again, it really is a great movie.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 10

Favorite Simulation Game.

I could talk for days about all the great things in this game. I was so wrapped up in the game that it almost became my real life. It also happened to be summer vacation, so there was nothing I had to do except get up every afternoon and keep making my house in the town the best. Probably my favorite part about this game though, well one of my favorite things. Was that you could play the NES games. That was so awesome to just be able to take a break from playing a great game by playing great old school games. It just doesn't get too much better.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 09

Favorite Playstation 2 Game.

Wow. This was easily the hardest question so far. There are so many truly great PS2 games that I have put so many hours of gameplay into. I decided to go with the game that I have put the most hours into and it also happens to be the game that I have the most memories of. From getting my file deleted forty hours into it on my first play through and wanting to give up to having competitions to see how fast the game could be completed. Also this is the only game that I actually bought the soundtrack to so that when I wasn't able to play it, at least I could here the battle music and think about the game. Yea that's borderline fanboy right there.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 08

Game You're Currently Playing.

This is a great game. Don't you agree Zach?

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 07

 Favorite Playstation(1) Game.

Now I must first mention that this game is not my favorite PS1 game but as I am trying not to use the same game twice, I am just going to post my second favorite PS1 game. Metal Gear Solid was an amazing experience for me and it gave me one my proudest moments when I finally beat it. Not much really to say about this game except that it's an amazing game that everyone should play and one that I still play to this day.