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Ben Affleck, Antonio Banderas, John Barrowman, Cate Blanchett, Matthew Broderick, Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine, Henry Cavill, Keith Hamilton Cobb, Tim Curry, Jaye Davidson, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Vincent D'Onofrio, Kirsten Dunst, Cary Elwes, Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Laurence Fishburne, Errol Flynn, Harrison Ford, Jodie Foster, Michael J. Fox, Brendan Fraser, Teri Garr, Whoopi Goldberg, Cary Grant, Alyson Hannigan, Gale Harold, Audrey Hepburn, Boyd Holbrook, Holly Hunter, James Earl Jones, Tommy Lee Jones, Madeline Kahn, Gene Kelly, Nicole Kidman, Val Kilmer, Ben Kingsley, Kevin Kline, Keira Knightley, Angela Lansbury, Jude Law, James McAvoy, Roddy McDowall, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Bette Midler, Penelope Ann Miller, Cillian Murphy, Gary Oldman, Peter O'Toole, Ryan Phillippe, River Phoenix, Oliver Platt, Christopher Plummer, Bill Pullman, Duncan Regehr, Christina Ricci, Alan Rickman, Tim Robbins, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon, Charlie Sheen, James Stewart, Patrick Stewart, Kiefer Sutherland, David Tennant, Stuart Townsend, Denzel Washington, Rachel Weisz, Bruce Willis, Lesley Ann Warren, Natasha Richardson, Judi Dench, Christina Hendricks

Steven Spielberg, Terry Gilliam, Rob Reiner, Hayao Miyazaki, Kevin Smith, Stanley Kubrick, Tim Burton, Peter Jackson, Frank Oz, Garry Marshall, Ang Lee, Mel Brooks

Sharon Green, Melanie Rawn, William Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Guy Gavriel Kay, Raymond E Feist, F. M. Busby, Phyllis Eisenstein, Anne McCaffrey, Jk Rowling, Jude Deveraux, Robin Hobb

The Beatles, John Lennon, Queen, Suede, Rufus Wainwright, The Doors, Adam & The Ants, Simon & Garfunkel, Annie Lennox, Steeleye Span, Billy Joel, Paul Williams

All reviews - Movies (34) - TV Shows (2) - Books (8) - Games (11)

The game is afoot

Posted : 1 month, 1 week ago on 16 December 2011 05:30 (A review of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows)

Having been an informal fan of Sherlock Holmes from a young age, I was pleased to find that the first movie very much lived up to the hype I'd heard surrounding it. I was a fan of Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr before the movie, but they seemed odd casting for the roles. But they worked, and I absolutely loved the story.

Still, I was worried that the sequel might not live up to the first. After all, sequels are notorious for failing to live up to the promise of their predecessors. I needn't have worried. While this story may not have been quite as tightly woven as the first, it was highly enjoyable.

Robert Downey Jr is wonderfully quixotic as Holmes once more, and some of the less subtle things in the first movie (the fighting in particular) are more so in this one. There's a lovely sequence when instead of reciting his planned moves as in the first, he refers to them as lines in a recipe. And another at the end where the tables are turned on him.

Jude Law is lovely in this, and somehow more and less gormless than in the first film, which he seemed to spend the majority of his time angry at Holmes. In this, he's allowed a great deal more agency, and actually contributes to the story in a major way.

The new additions--Stephen Frye as Mycroft and Jared Harris as Moriarty--add a wonderful spice to the story. Both are excellent actors, and the few moments onscreen with Mycroft and Sherlock, or "Sherlie" as his brother calls him, are absolutely wonderful.

The endgame is unsurprising to anyone who knows the Sherlock Holmes series, but despite that, there are some surprises, and watching Sherlock and Moriarty circle each other is fascinating. It almost seems a shame that we won't see more movies with the two facing off against each other.

There are some lovely musical cues. Notable among them, the horse riding segment, the Opera montage, and the torture scene. But throughout, you can always hear the strains of the Holmes theme.

Overall, I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first.

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Almost back on track

Posted : 1 year, 1 month ago on 19 December 2010 06:30 (A review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1)

Having seen Deathly Hallows part 1 twice now, I figured my review was quite overdue. After Half Blood Prince, my expectations were greatly lowered, so I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised.

The movie still wasn't perfect, but they did a much better job covering the necessary things, and the things that were changed were far less jarring. The changes they did make felt much more in line with the story as opposed to feeling like a completely unnecessary addition that took away from the story.

As for getting back on track, I felt this one was a good deal closer to giving the audience the story they needed to see. I went with a friend who's read the books, and her husband, who has not. After the movie, he said that while he could follow much of the film, there were also some things he could see that were left out, and he couldn't quite connect those pieces to the rest of what was going on. So obviously, it's still not completely perfect.

But overall, especially for those who are fans, I highly recommend this film, and I really can't wait to see the sequel.

**Spoilers Bit**

> The opening doesn't quite work. Once again, Klovis's adoration of Hermione overruled his common sense, and suddenly for the first five or so minutes, it was Hermione Granger and the Deathly Hallows. At least we won't have to deal with his, as someone else has referred to it, "inappropriate crush" on her much longer.

> I really was quite upset that we didn't get to see Dudley finally recognizing Harry, even if only in the small way he did in the book. I probably should have expected it, but it was still a disappointment.

> The Death Eaters meeting at Malfoy Manor was lovely, though they didn't specify where they were. I was particularly pleased with the moment of Voldemort taking Lucius's wand. Just a great scene for both of them.

> The 7 Harrys was great. Particularly the Twins "We're Identical!" and Fleur "Bill, don't look at me. I am hideous!" And I liked seeing Bill finally, even if it was too little too late. Definitely very much a Weasley. A fun note is that he's also played by Brendan Gleeson's son, and so the fact that he got to announce Mad-Eye's death made me giggle a bit, if inappropriately. I also liked that they gave Hedwig her dignity. She still died, but I liked that she was able to defend her master on final time before she died.

> The wedding seemed completely unnecessary. I mean, we'd not even met Bill until that point, and we'd only seen Fleur once. I'm sure they could have found another way to have this moment happen without the wedding, though I suppose fans would have been angry, and it did offer a few story-threads--like meeting Xenophilius and talking to Alphias Doge.

> Grimmauld Place seemed a bit under-used, but really, most of that in the book was planning, so that's not a huge shock, though the reveal of Regulus Black as RAB seemed a bit anti-climactic.

> The Ministry scenes were good, particularly the flushing in and "Reg Cattermole's" story. Ron definitely shone in those scenes, even if Rupert only actually got to voice-act.

> The camping wasn't nearly as drawn-out as it felt in the book, though the fight seemed a bit too sudden.

> Godric's Hollow was almost perfect. The grave scene was sweet and sad, and Bathilda was creepy as all heck. I did want more about Gellert, but hopefully we'll get more in the next film. The breaking of Harry's wand got almost lost in the shuffle, though. Too much going on to really feel much about it. And wth was the fresh, clean nursery Harry and Nagini rolled into during their fight? Just...weird.

> The doe patronus was gorgeous, and I'm glad we were able to see her for what she was. Made me tear up a bit, even though it hasn't been connected to the story yet. And the locket scene...that is the ONLY time I ever want to see Harry and Hermione kissing, thankyouverymuch.

> Xenophilius was interesting, but the Tale of the Three Brothers definitely stole the show. The animation was perfect, and lent just the littlest bit of extra spookiness to the scene. And it was nice to see Harry and Hermione glance at each other at the mention of the cloak.

> The Snatchers, especially Scabior, stole the show any time they were on the screen, if not in the scene. I had to look him up, because I didn't remember him from the book, but the casting was great. Definitely a new fandom favorite. Though the Scabior/Hermione stuff makes my skin crawl.

> Malfoy Manor...highlights and lowlights both in the scene. Good: he Harry/Draco moment, and you could just *see* Harry trying to communicate with Draco mentally, and hoping he won't give him up. Bella's insanity was *perfect*, even when she was torturing Hermione. And Dobby showing up. Bad: the connection to the sword was a bit murky--it's hard to tell *what* Bella's angry about. And as for Wormtail...if that was his death, that really doesn't work for me. I get that he was a bad guy, but given the build-up he's had both in the books *and* in the movies, it seems stupid to sell his character that short.

> Dobby...made me bawl.

> And the Elder Wand...I had a feeling that we'd end it about there. I'll be interested to see how much they have to repeat for the second half.

> The Hallows:
* As I said, the Tale of the Brothers was excellent. And the symbol's growing on me more as time goes on.
* As of the moment when Harry wrests the wands from Draco's hand, he now has all the Hallows, even if he doesn't know it. I kind of hope that figures somehow in the next film. Possibly more than the book.

> Hopes for the next film:
* A better conclusion for Peter.
* More about DD and Gellert.
* Feindfyre
* The Prince's Story.
* I'd wish for Severus, Remus, and Fred to survive, among others, but... Yeah.
* Neville the brave.
* The Marauders.
* A moment of Teddy Lupin or two.

All in all? Definitely worth at least one viewing as a fan.

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Powerful in a way that the Ten Commandments wasn't

Posted : 1 year, 4 months ago on 22 September 2010 06:01 (A review of The Prince of Egypt)

This movie is based on the Biblical story of the Exodus, the same story as that in the Charlton Heston movie, The Ten Commandments. I tend to shy away from Religious subjects in movie form. I don't like to be preached at, particularly since I consider myself non-religious. But one quarter of my family was Jewish, and many of my relations still are. So watching this movie even as a non-religious person of Jewish descent, I feel the power of this movie.

Though the Ten Commandments was a powerful movie in its time, and still highly watchable, this one manages to feel more authentic and has more heart. Perhaps it's the music, or the fact that the Jewish themes are more intensely present in the story. Then there's the fact that this movie shows many things that were either ignored by the Ten Commandments or were only just touched on--because of the climate about movie themes at the time, or the climate of the country.

From the first song, "Deliver Us," the story grabs you in a way that the Ten Commandments cannot. And its concluding song, "When You Believe," is just as powerful and grabbing. Both tell you so much about the story and the world these characters live in. And both are so emotionally charged that you cannot help but feel the characters' emotions yourself.

Definitely a gem of a movie, and one anyone interested in history, biblical history, Hebrew history, or even the history of this area should watch it at least once. Religious or not.

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Flash over substance, but fun for an afternoon

Posted : 1 year, 6 months ago on 19 July 2010 09:59 (A review of The Sorcerer's Apprentice)

So, I went into this film with low expectations, and came out of it with an enjoyable memory for the afternoon. Not grand cinema, to be sure, and certainly not as good as Pirates of the Caribbean, which they are obviously still trying to duplicate the success of, but quite enjoyable. And there's enough there for them to do a sequel if they so wanted.

I could have done with a few more layers of substance, but as a Merlin fan, the young man playing Dave was perfect. So geeky that I just couldn't help but feel for him.

The love story felt unnecessary. I would have rather had a gradual growing of the character's abilities over a longer period of time than this forced rush of exposition/special effects that apparently took place in perhaps a week? Not quite believable. Not that I expected it to be, but still, I would have preferred substance over flash.

Cage's performance is definitely one of his better ones. Whoever was directing obviously did a good job of reining him in on this one, as there were only a couple of scenes where he over-acted, and several scenes where he actually felt the part he was portraying.

Mostly? I think this could have used a few more years of plotting to flesh it out more. It would have made for a more interesting story. And we can always use a new version of the hero's tale.

Overall? Not bad, just not great, but if you like Cage or the subject matter, well worth a viewing.

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Battle in Seattle review

Posted : 1 year, 9 months ago on 28 April 2010 12:09 (A review of Battle in Seattle)

As someone who is someone who lived through this moment in Seattle's history, as well as someone who is a huge fan of Stuart Townsend, I felt this was something I had to see. I admit to being a bit worried at first, but Stuart not only manages to show all sides of this story, but does it well.

No one who lived through this Riot can say this was a stellar moment. No one won. And far too many people were hurt by the actions of people who went off-track for their own reasons, and by a mayor who failed to stand up for his city.

I am a bit disappointed that they had to fictionalize a few things--the name of the Mayor and Governor, for example--though I do wonder now if that was because they refused to sign releases.

Please watch this film. As someone who always believed that protest was a good thing, WTO shook my trust in that truism. This managed to restore it somewhat. Protest is good. It is one of the few viable options open in a Democratic society to say "this isn't the right way." What went wrong here was not protest. It was a few random people hurting the whole, and a government that couldn't keep things straight.

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Could have been so much better

Posted : 2 years, 6 months ago on 27 July 2009 08:15 (A review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)

So...I've seen it twice now. The first time I was so overwhelmed by emotion that I had trouble sorting out my thoughts. This is my second favorite of the books for several reasons. Among them the fact that this is basically Draco and Snape's story. Even as much as it is Harry's and Tom's. The book itself is flawed, but there are many points in the story that I can't help but love, despite the ridiculous teenage drama.

The movie is far less so. Obviously, it can't follow the book exactly. That would have taken three movies worth. But there were some distinct disappointments when it came to things left out, or reactions in general.

Overall, worth a viewing, but I wouldn't expect it to be the best of the series if you have yet to see it.

**Spoilers past here**

Watching this movie a second time led me to thinking about what worked in this movie and what didn't, and why. I realized that both depended on how I looked at the movie itself.

The first, and to me, most important layer, is the storytelling. As a movie trying to stand on its own, it fails on several counts. Granted, part of that can be forgiven, as it is the sixth in a series. Few who don't already know the series would even bother attending. But on a deeper level, even before this movie, the bits needed to hold up the flow of the story have been dropped.  You can see that they're obviously trying to pull things back together, much as JK Rowling did in the book, but they have dropped far more threads than she, and it leads to quite a mess.

A particular plot point here is Tom Riddle's background. Not only have we missed some of the vital clues that explain who he is and where he came from (yes, we know, if vaguely, that he is a half-blood from COS, but only just), but the horcruxes are only explained in a glancing blow which tells Harry nothing about how to find more of them. A truly disastrous loss for the coming movie.

Then there is the basics of storytelling itself. A story should have a flow to it. It helps the audience follow better, and even retain the story better. Particularly when it comes to pattern. Stories have patterns the same way music does. This means repetition and pacing and a number of other storytelling devices that have been around for a very long time.

In this case, the movie seemed incredibly choppy, like there was no direction for the story. This has nothing to do with leaving things out (I'll deal with that point later on). This is about telling a good story that people can enjoy. That means each plot point should add something to the overall story, and to its impact. If you can't do that, whether you are writing a book, filming a movie, or making a tv show, you have failed. Period. End of statement.

Also, some might consider this less important, but I've always considered it a basic guiding principle--when you have a device you are using to impart information, whatever it may be--a town cryer announcing something each day, a tree changing with the seasons, newspaper transitions--or say, a few journies into memories about someone--it is always best to use that device at least three times. This movie only showed us two memories. Granted, they showed one twice, and slightly different versions, but they were the same memory. It leaves the viewer unconsciously wanting more. Even if they don't necessarily know it. Having three or more helps with the flow of the story, so that the audience knows what to expect. Going without leaves that feeling of waiting for the last shoe to drop, so to speak. I can't say which would have been the best memory to add (possibly one of the memories about the other possible horcruxes), just that we needed one more to make it feel right. At least, to me.

Beyond that, we have the moviemaking part. This is not only acting, but also directing and effects. I have only ever found one fault with the effects of Harry Potter, and that was the Dragon in Goblet because the scene went on far too long for something that wasn't that integral to the plot. Focusing on effects over plot is always a bad choice in my eyes.

The directing in this series has been about has haphazard as the DADA classes in Harry Potter. We've had several directors, each with their own styles, and it has led to shifts in the continuity that otherwise wouldn't have taken place. Still, overall, it's been generally forgivable, aside from a few minor quirks.

But more importantly, by this second viewing of the movie, I realized that the cast, rather than becoming more cohesive, as any good cast would do, seems to be becoming less so over time. Each of them should have such a good idea of their character by now that they should be able to react without direction, even when the focus is not on them. Instead, I feel like what we're getting are wooden dolls that only react when the focus is on them. They seem to have no clue of anything going on around them unless they have been told to. It's growing increasingly frustrating for me. Some of the actors are better about it than others, but it seems to be true overall for the entire cast, including the veteran adults who should all know better by now.

As much as I adore Rickman, I'm growing to hate his Snape more and more because he's not bothering to give him any life. I could speculate whether this is his token resistance to not being given more before now, but I won't. Why he's doing it doesn't matter so much as the fact that it's killing the character--at least as far as the movies go.

Even Dan, who is amazing in OOTP, felt a bit like he was daydreaming his way through the movie this time. It just leaves me disappointed overall, and with a bad taste in my mouth.

I go to a movie like this for the emotional connection. And this feels completely devoid of that, because the actors don't seem to be connecting with each other, and therefore we can't really seem to connect with them. For me, it's incredibly disappointing. Especially in a series that I love so much.

Next we have the Harry Potter story. Yes, it really does come third, because if you're not a fan, it's more about the story itself, and the acting. If those two don't hold up, people who aren't familiar with the story won't be interested (which is pretty much what has happened...). Most fans watch the movie with this filter on, and it's hard to let go of that favorite scene, even if it really isn't vital to the overall story. That means that when we talk about the movie after, we remark on what was missing and what was added, and whether or not it worked with or without that scene. It's really incredibly hard to let go of that filter, though.

I have to say that there were changes that worked for me in this, and changes that did not.

I loved watching Draco try to fix the cabinet--though I do have to say that I wanted to see him actually working on the cabinet more than he did.  Simply having him open and close the doors and place things inside or looking in to see if they had returned weren't quite enough for me.  The chanting worked, though.  I would have liked more like that, probably in conjunction with the opening and closing of the doors.  Something more to show that the "repair" wasn't just accidental.

Also, speaking of the cabinet--I loved the way they chose to add an explanation for it, given that it hadn't been in either of the two movies where it was previously mentioned (COS for the one at B+B and also for Peeves's breaking the one at Hogwarts, and GOF for Warrington being shoved into it by the Weasley twins, and therefore giving Draco the idea to fix it in the first place.).  The explanation was an intriguing one, and made me wonder how the things work, and just how many there are out there.

On the other hand, Gambon has worked less and less for me as Dumbledore as time went on.  I hope his bit will be kept to a minimum the last two movies.  When the book says Dumbledore calling for Harry in the Goblet of Fire echoed through the room, it doesn't mean he shouted.  It means the room was so quiet that you could have heard a pindrop.  That scene still bugs me even now.  And he did it again this time.  Granted, I know this was more a directoral and scripting choice than Gambon's choice--if Dumbledore were so stupid as not to even suspect that the journal was a horcrux, then why did he go after the ring?  No, the reason he needed that memory was to find out how many horcruxes Tom had made.  I will say that the connection between Harry and the horcruxes was better threaded, though.  Though mentioned that there was no time to set up everything Dumbledore would have once he realized Harry's necessary role before they left the next day...

While I'm at it, there were other annoyances: I still hate Narcissa's hair--no, it does not need to be dark.  I'm sure witches have their own way of making their hair different colours, if you have to insist on her having Black-dark hair like the rest of her family...  And Peter's hand--correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't he cut off the hand with the missing finger when he sacrificed it for Voldemort's rebirth?

And a few additions: Regulus was mentioned more in this than in the book.  Does make me wonder if we're going to see Grimmauld Place at all next movie, though.  And I will say for once, Klovis actually did a good job adding Ginny into the mix of Harry and his friends--unlike JK, who couldn't be bothered.  I can see he's set her up to be much more instrumental in helping to find the tiara when Harry and his friends return to Hogwarts in the final movie.

And finally for me, and I think also for most fans, there is the character-specific reactions.  I think most fans have those characters they like and/or identify more with, and therefore see the plot through.  These are the truly personal reactions--the ones that rely on our own specific views of the characters that often have little to nothing to do with canon, but purely what we have made the character into in our head, whether that be from reading, writing, or even Roleplaying.

For me, this movie breaks down to three main characters, and a few minor ones.

Overall, of course, is Draco.  He was the one that reacted loudest as I watched this the first time, and he is the one I play and write the most, so that makes sense.  Not to mention that this is his movie--his time to shine.  I think Tom did a lovely job, though I didn't see Draco's emotions build as much as I would have liked.  I did love seeing him fix the cabinet, as I said above.  I also loved his horror when Auntie dearest came through along with Fenny and the other two Death Eaters (Amycus and Alecto, I presume...).  And while JK Rowling never told us for sure that Draco was ever Marked, mine has always been, so it was sort of a horrified thrill to see him show Dumbledore his Mark there at the end.

Then there is Blaise.  I thought the Movie Blaise was very nice, and it was cool to see him in the background throughout the movie.  I did get one incredibly strong reaction from him, and this is sort of a sideline rant.  Blaise was never on the Quidditch team.  Granted, it was never said that he wasn't, but I think it would have in this book, at the very least, if he had been.  Not everyone has to be on the Quidditch team, and I imagine that Slytherin's a harder team to get onto than most.  It's one of the reasons I don't see girls getting on their team.  Not to mention the hide-bound "traditions" of the purebloods that probably run the house.  I doubt they would let a girl on unless they were simply given no other option.

And then there was Regulus.  It was nice to see him mentioned--more than once, even.  And then, I couldn't stop myself from looking at the inferii when they came out of the lake.  Granted, I doubted they would actually show him, but I knew he was there, and I just had to look.

Beyond them, there was Snape--who I have already discussed above.  Though I will say that I was incredibly disappointed at how little screen-time he got, considering that he's the secondary title character next to Harry...  Would it truly have killed them to give us even one DADA class?  And maybe Harry's reaction to his being DADA teacher?  Let's not even go into how washed-out the reveal was, considering that anyone who hadn't read the books would never understand the full implication of Snape's words to Harry that he was the Half Blood Prince...

I also felt a bit of a reaction from Remus this time around.  I hate what JK Rowling did with him overall, though.  After POA, she undersold his character more and more.  And this movie actually made me hate that even more--he didn't feel like Remus to me at all.  The point of Remus, as I have always seen him, since readong POA, is that he is a man who has always kept himself tightly controlled--even as a teenager.  That is why Sirius and James got away with so much without him telling them off.  That and the fear that he would lose them as friends.  But this older Remus, who has lost them?  He's spent nearly all of his adult life alone.  He's worn down. Tired.  Lost.  Not angry.  I hated that in  DH, and I hate it here.

Those were my major reactions, though I'm sure I've forgotten something here or there, but I'd say I've rambled on far long enough.  Overall, not bad.  Just not great like I know it could have been.

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Legend updated

Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 22 February 2009 04:27 (A review of Merlin)

I have been watching the series for the first time this weekend, and I have to say...I love it. I'm very much an Arthur nerd. Meaning I know more about Arthurian legend and characters than most laymen. Though I'm far from fluent enough to be considered an Arthurian scholar.

I was avoiding this show because someone described it to me as "Hercules-style Camelot." It's not. It so much better. I avoided watching Hercules because someone's ego quickly took it over, and yes, the show was about him, so there was no way to divorce him from the plots without killing the show. I could never stomach how different the show was from the myths the few times I tried to watch. It just wasn't something I could handle. So I didn't watch. And I avoided this show for the same reason, fearing that it would annoy me in the same way.

It doesn't. There is one thing about Arthurian mythos that is different from Hercules. There are so many contradictory tales and rewritings of the stories that a new version of them only adds to the mythos. Now, granted, it could be done badly, but having watched ten episodes, I think I can now safely say that they've got people who know what they're doing plotting the story out.

Though they have aged down Merlin, it fits almost better than the older sage giving Arthur decrees and undecipherable prophesies from on high. He still has secrets from his prince, but the fact that they are learning from each other and growing closer is excellently done.

I think all the characters have been carefully studied before writing out the series. While Arthur still has his father, the basis of what makes him Arthur is there. And through their friendship, Arthur and Merlin grow together. (with some absolutely wonderful subtext.)

There are some major changes of character roles (Gwenivere as a servant rather than a princess & Lancelot as a commoner as well), but the way things are laid out, it's easy to see how the threads will weave to make the stories we're all familiar with. I look forward to seeing how it all plays out.

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A resimplification of a classic

Posted : 3 years, 1 month ago on 15 December 2008 03:28 (A review of Sid Meier's Civilization: Revolution)

I've been playing Civilization since the original version, and it has always been one of my favorite games. However, as time has gone on, and the game has been upgraded, it has become somewhat unmanigable. Too many things to keep track of, too much to do, too hard (or in some cases, too easy) to win. Four has kind of lost its glamour for me.

So I debated with myself about whether or not to get this version. I have to say, I'm glad I did. It's rather like playing Civ 4 crossed with the original game--the amount of things you have to keep track of has been very trimmed down, and it makes for easier gameplay.

My only issue with this new version, and it might be a DS issue, is that it doesn't last very long at all, because the continents are so tiny. I'm now curious what the differences between the DS and Computer or platform versions of the game are.

I do think, if you've become rather disenfranchised by the series, this is a good way to get back into it once more.

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Making your luck

Posted : 3 years, 3 months ago on 27 October 2008 12:06 (A review of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day)

I remember seeing the preview for this movie this past winter, and thinking it looked interesting. But what I saw was nothing like what I'd expected. Francis and Amy did an incredible job of pulling my interest throughout the story, and the setting was one that I find quite fascinating--England in the late thirties.

Francis's character is easy to empathise with, even if Amy's is not. She's the common woman just trying to make her way in a hard world (not unlike the world of today). Amy's is a flitting gadabout that is fun to watch, even as you want to pin her to a chair and tell her to grown up.

Most of all, I enjoy the idea of the story--one day that changes both womens' lives. Francis finds her place in life, and Amy makes the choice for her future.

The cast of characters around them is interesting. Crooks and socialites, rich and working class, not to mention the glitz of show business, and the undertone of the coming war and the echo of the one that came before. It's all there, and each bit lends more to the surreality of the story.

It's a movie I highly recommend, and one I will be buying at my earliest opportunity.

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With talent comes improvement

Posted : 3 years, 4 months ago on 15 September 2008 02:41 (A review of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)

While this is not my favorite of the series, after Goblet of Fire, it was by far a vast improvement. The kids felt like they were having fun again, they got in (almost) enough of the story to make up for the lack in the previous two movies, and they didn't cut out anything vital this time around.

Umbridge was perfect, and we saw just enough without having to suffer too much. The twins exit was stupendous. And the Order was nice.

I would have liked to have seen the Quidditch match--any of them. For me, you can't have Harry without Quidditch being in there somewhere, and this one had a decided lack of it. I could definitely have done without Cho, though. But that's more a matter of personal taste.

It was lovely to see how much Daniel has grown up, especially after his experiences with Equus in London. Of course, at the time of filming, they hadn't actually started showing yet, but you can see that he'd already been working out--he just looks wonderful. Whatever else the creators of this team have done, they did one thing right in hiring him.

I look forward to seeing where the next film will land.

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