Recent Stuff II

It's been a dreadfully slow few weeks of gaming for me. Like, the last game I played was a week ago, which happened to be...

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
In the last Recent Stuff, I mentioned that being forced to start over at the beginning of a chapter after losing your tries in court could easily be what kills this game for me. Guess what? It did. I'm currently on Episode 4, where I assume is the climax of the episode, and the court segment had so many twist and turns to the point where the proceedings went on for about 40-some minutes in real time. I ended up losing all my tries, since it was my first time through the thing, and the second the game sent me back to the start of the chapter, I turned off the game. Having to sit through 40 minutes of text dialogue I've already just been through is not my idea of entertainment. I mean, even PC adventure titles give you more leeway! I've yet to return to the game since, and I'm contemplating just looking at a FAQ for that section, since I highly doubt I remember all the right choices I made from over a week ago.

Unfortunately, I haven't played other games since, as well, but I have purchased the three following games: Mighty Flip Champs! for DSiWare, Alien on the Run for the 3DS eShop, and Amok for the Sega Saturn. They might be potential review material, but don't be surprised if I never end up reviewing any. There's also a HUGE likelihood that I won't be able to submit a review for February, since I'm currently swamped with other important things I need to get finished. Possibly a review at the end of February, but more likely in March.

Movies!

Django Unchained
Something I wanted to see for some time, but always forget. Though, there was this small side of me that was worried to see DU due to its theme of slavery mixed in with Quentin Tarantino's trademark violence and pop-ish references. But, once I finished the movie and thought back on scenes and how they worked as a whole, I realized it was a pretty solid movie. I will say, of all the QT movies I've watched from beginning to end, which include the Kill Bills and Death Proof (I've seen huge chunks of Pulp Fiction, but never the entire film in one go, so I'm exempting that), I consider Django Unchained an entertainingly polished movie from start to finish. Sure, there "could have been more", but it did a good job with its material. Not a film for everyone, though. DU doesn't shy away from graphic violence and harshness.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
I remember watching this about maybe three years ago, though I can't really recall why I was drawn towards the movie in the first place. I think I was reading an article or passage lauding this movie for its depiction of 1970s New York, so I was curious. I was pleasantly surprised by the colorful cast of characters, with Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw being at the forefront of this subway hostage thriller. Every time someone stepped in to say something in the movie, they always seemed alive and full of... well, character. Just wanted to see it again. I think I remember seeing the 2009 movie on tv around a year later, and I just could not stand the directing style: weird zoom ins/outs, a gaudy soundtrack, forced attempts to make it look more modernized, and what I found to be the bizarre miscasting of both Denzel Washington and John Travolta. Avoid it.

Kindergarten Cop
I half-jokingly got this because I wanted my nephew to watch the movie before he's done with kindergarten. After watching it again, I still find most of the movie charming and holds up today. It's sappy at times, sure, but I mean, come on, it's Kindergarten Cop.

John Wick
In Venter's blog entry of the movie, I said it was a fun, violent, gun-action film, and looking for something deeper will lead to disappointment. I did enjoy the movie, but one other complaint I have with it is the use of typical settings you've seen in many other movies of its style: nightclub setting, factory setting, etc. If you squint during these segments, you'll likely think you're watching another movie. The action, thankfully, really makes up for it.