Sam and Max: Hit the Road
Greetings, Sam and Max: Hit the Road is a point and click adventure game from 1993. It is the first Sam and Max game to be have been made and remained the only one until the franchise was updated by the Telltale series that lasted from 2006 to 2010. The planned 3D sequel named Sam and Max: Freelance Police was announced in 2002 and cancelled a few years later in 2004. Hit and Run was developed by LucasArts and as such it does not have an episodic approach to storytelling like the sequels do. There are still a few similarities between the two versions such as the whimsical style of humour, musical scenes and unusual puzzles. Hit and Run felt a little strange to play as the characters that I was used to interacting with were created or developed by Telltale and their absence was noticeable. Despite this, some of them were briefly mentioned in passing but never seen such as Bosco or their crime fighting neighbour, Flint Paper. Instead Hit and Run introduced new characters that weren’t included in the later series.
The plot, in usual Sam and Max style, is an unusual and light hearted. Sam and Max receive a call from the commissioner, who is never seen, to head down to the Kushman Brother’s Carnival. Once there Sam and Max are told by the Brothers, who are conjoined twins, that one of their star attractions is missing. The attraction is Bruno, a frozen Sasquatch or Bigfoot, that managed to escape. The Bigfoot isn’t the only one that went missing. A woman named Trixie with an elongated neck that resembles a giraffe’s had also disappeared at the same time that Bruno vanished. Armed with little information or clues, it is up to the freelance police to track the down the two missing individuals.
They explore various locations and tourist sites such as the world’s largest ball of twine or the vegetable resembling celebrities museum. It isn’t long before the duo discovers that a Liverpudlian country singer named Conroy Bumbus and his henchman, Lee Harvey, are also on the lookout for Bruno. They intend to use the Bigfoot for performance purposes, forcing Bruno to aid in his singing career. Sam also uses clues to deduce that Trixie was the one behind Bruno’s escape by unfreezing him from his block of ice. Therefore, the freelance police have to find Bruno and Trixie before Conroy does. There is a wider story beyond finding the two escapees but I won’t delve an deeper into the plot than I already have.
I had a few issues with the game. At times it was difficult to tell what objects were interact able as some items appeared to be in the background and the clues weren’t particularly helpful either. As such it had lead to a lot of confusion because the puzzles aren’t grounded in reality or logic based solutions. One noticeable aspect is that a lot of the characters were one dimensional and served only to further the plot, especially in comparison to the creations from Telltale Games. There were also a few mini-games included in the story such as Whack-A-Mole to break up the plotline. Overall, I found it to be an enjoyable experience but I don’t quite get why it is regarded as a cult classic or one of LucasArt’s finest games.
Plot=6/10
Characters=7/10
Graphics=6/10
Overall=7/10
Quote of the Day
As you know, our student records are held on a Microsoft Paint file, which I was assured was future-proof...
Dean Pelton
Community
Old Boy
Greetings, Old Boy is a South Korean film from 2003 and was directed by Par Chan-wook. It is based on a manga of the same title and is the second part in the Vengeance trilogy. Old Boy is placed in between Sympathy for Mr Vengeance and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance but I do not believe that these films are connected in terms of an overarching plot. There was also an American version of the movie that was released in 2013, ten years after the original film had come out to audiences. This remake is set in the United States but it received mixed reviews and was criticized for not adding anything new to the 2003 film or not being as entertaining in comparison to it.
The plot is set in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, and begins in the year 1988. It follows the protagonist named Oh Dae-Su, a drunken business man, who is abducted on the streets during his daughters 4th birthday. The film then reveals that Dae-Su is incarcerated in an apartment complex, isolated from any human contact, and is denied any explanation for his imprisonment. He is occasionally gassed with a drug that causes him to pass out and when he wakes up his hair has been cut by his jailors. One day Oh Dae-Su finds out through a television broadcast that his wife had been murdered and the news bulletin pinned him as the prime suspect. With nothing else he can do the protagonist learns to shadowbox, hardening his fists by hitting the wall and attempting to build an escape route out of the apartment. Throughout the years he tries to identify who did this to him and what possessed them to do it.
15 years after his capture, Oh Dae-Su finds himself in trapped in a box after being drugged by the gas again. He manages to break free and realizes that he is on top of a roof top and dressed in a fashionable suit. Dae-Su receives a call from a mobile phone that had been given to him before he had woken up. The person on the other side of the phone taunts him about his imprisonment and the mystery behind it. The caller is revealed to be the villain who had him locked away for more than a decade but when Dae-Su begins to question the antagonist he receives no answers. Later on Oh Dae-Su goes to a sushi restaurant where he falls unconscious and wakes up in a different apartment. A young female chef, named Mi-Do, took him into her home after he had collapsed in front of her at the restaurant. The two begin to fall for each other as they try to unravel the mystery behind who framed Oh Dae-Su for his wife’s murder, who imprisoned him and why.
Overall, I found the film to be very entertaining with a memorable soundtrack composed by Jo Yeong-wook. The music complements the film very well as it enhances the atmosphere in certain scenes and gives personality to the characters, especially the villain’s theme which gives him a sophisticated demeanour. It certainly had a good balance between humorous scenes, violent fights and outright disturbing moments towards the end of the movie. I generally didn’t know where the film was going to go but I was entertained the whole way through. It was a surprising shock when the plot unravelled and once the plot twist was revealed. I really enjoyed this film and would encourage you to watch it if you haven’t already done so.
Plot=10/10
Characters=10/10
Special Effects=10/10
Overall=10/10
Quote of the Day
Patience isn't my strongest suit.
Logan/ Wolverine
X-Men: Days of Future Past
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Greetings, for the first blog update of 2015 I have chosen to write about the last Hobbit movie. For me, the previous entries in the Hobbit series have not lived up to the same quality of LOTR and the Battle of the Five Armies is no exception. Throughout the entire trilogy I have found it difficult to make distinctions between the dwarves as they don’t seem to have any unique personalities or original characteristics besides Thorin Oakenshield. As such it made it difficult to care or sympathize with the character’s motives or their ultimate fate and therefore impacted on the experience of the movie. This film in particular included many unnecessary scenes that seemed to function only as fan service rather than adding anything to the plot. The fight between Gandalf and his allies against the Nazgul is a prominent example of this as it didn’t enhance the story.
There is little to the plot and is the film is essentially an extended fight scene. It starts with Smaug destroying Laketown until he is killed Bard in the first fifteen minutes of the story. With Laketown reduced to debris by Smaug’s smouldering fire, Bard plans to lead his people to the ruins of Dale in the hopes of seeking shelter. In his search for the Arkenstone the leader of the Dwarves, Thorin Oakenshield, has succumbed to Dragon sickness. In his madness he orders the Lonely Mountains to be shut down until the stone is found in the complex as he is unaware that Bilbo is keeping it from him. Bilbo is concerned that Thorin would suffer insane if he were to have the Arkenstone that he desired. The Elves Legolas and Taureil, watch the march of Bolg’s army of Orcs to Erebore. Bolg is an ally of the primary Orc villain named Azog and has appeared in all three films but was played by different actors each time. It should be noted that the original character of Taureil is involved in a love triangle between Legolas and Kili the Dwarf, an aspect that was not in the original books.
Gandalf is freed from his imprisonment in Dol Guldur at the hands of Sauron by Galadriel, Elrond and Saruman. Sauron makes a brief cameo appearance and the scene suggests the establishment of Saruman and Sauron’s alliance. Outside the Dwarves’ fortress, the Elf king Thranduil, played by Lee Pace, brings his army to the Lonely Mountain with the intention of reclaiming some of the treasure. He forms an alliance with Bard and they attempt to seek a peaceful arrangement to settle the dispute. Throin, in his sickness, does not let them in to Erebore and sparks off the conflict. It is revealed that Oakenshield has called on his cousin named Dain, portrayed by Billy Connelly, to send military aid. Bolg’s army also arrive to the battle and provide a common enemy for the Dwarves, Elves and humans to fight against.
Overall, the film is by no means a classic movie. The music, unlike the LOTR OST, was forgettable bar Billy Boyd’s performance in the credits. Jackson’s use of CGI seemed excessive in comparison to what he had achieved in the LOTR trilogy .The entire trilogy seems to be an unnecessary addition to the previous films and is too drawn out in my opinion. I believe that the story could have been improved by being contained within one film instead of three. The future of the series is uncertain as I am not sure if Peter Jackson has any plans for adapting any of the other novels.
Plot=6/10
Characters=7/10
Special Effects=7/10
Overall=7/10
Quote of the Day
Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let's hunt some Orc!
Aragorn
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Happy New Year, 2014 Review
Greetings, today’s blog update is the last one from 2014 and it sums up my favourite entertainment that the year has provided. Like last year’s review the categories consist of games, books, television shows and films that I have experienced in 2014 and not necessarily media that has been produced during the year. The next blog update will occur sometime next year and I will be reviewing ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’. I hope that 2014 was a good year for you and wish that 2015 proves to be an even better year.
Television show of the year: Fargo
I haven’t seen that many TV series this year but Fargo was certainly an entertaining show to watch. Prominent celebrities include Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton and Allison Tolman who were cast as the main characters. The show does have links to the 1996 film but it is set in 2006 and revolves around new characters that are unrelated to the original Fargo. Billy Bob Thornton as Lorne Malvo, a sadistic contract killer, is one of the shows highlights and is a memorable character that keeps the story interesting. Even though season two of Fargo will focus on different individuals I am still looking forward to what will bring and if it is connected to the Coen brother’s previous works.
Game of the year: The Walking Dead
The game of the year goes to Telltales’ take on ‘The Walking Dead’. The story is episodic in format and is set during a zombie apocalypse, following survivors named Lee Everett and Clementine. It introduces a wide range of colourful characters that often come into conflict with one another and forces the player into difficult decisions. The choices are difficult to make with the player being pressured due to a short time limit in order to reach a decision that often pits morality and rational reasoning at odds. I have yet to play the DLC or the second season but I intend to play them soon and am expecting it to keep up to the same high standard as the original.
Book of the year: A Clash of Kings
‘A Game of Thrones’ was crowned the book of the year for 2013 and ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ manages to win the title again in 2014. George R.R. Martin is a talented writer who has created some intriguing stories and characters, most notably the clever and sly dwarf known as Tyrion Lannister. This novel introduces some new characters, such as Melisandre, that will become more important as the series advances and it has expanded on others that were only mentioned in passing previously. Martin is setting up a complex world with an extensive lore and various opposing factions that the reader has only just begun to explore. I have plenty more novels to read before the series is finished and I am eager to see what plot twist lie ahead or who will be the ultimate victor in the conquest for the Iron Throne.
Film of the year: Guardians of the Galaxy
This year’s competition for movie of the year was a tough one as ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ were contenders. It was a close call between the three notable films but the latter wins the title and is easily the best work that the Marvel Universe has produced so far. It stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper and Dave Bautista as the main cast. The film has many positive aspects including a good sense of humour, memorable characters as well as a noteworthy soundtrack. I look forward to what the Marvel Universe has in store, especially the sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy.
Quote of the Day
What should we do next? Something good, or something bad, or a bit of both?
Peter Quill/ Star Lord
Guardians of the Galaxy
Merry Christmas 2014!
Greetings, today’s blog update is a short message wishing you a merry Christmas. To celebrate the occasion I have written an entry called ‘The Death and Life of Ellen Smith’ despite the fact that there are no more Write Wise Christmas Challenges. Last year’s story was ‘Frontier Planet: Winter Tales’. I hope you enjoy this new entry. The story itself is intended to be a standalone plot which is unusual as Cogworld and William Litt: Corruption are the only other works that I have created that don’t have a sequel or prequel. My next update will be celebrating the end of 2014 with a quick review of this year’s entertainment. I hope you have a good Christmas.
Quote of the Day
Oh, Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg. The Batmobile lost its wheel, the Joker got awa--hey!!!
Bart
The Simpsons
A Clash of Kings
Greetings, A Clash of Kings is the second novel in the Song of Ice and Fire series, written by George R.R. Martin and was published in 1998. In this novel he introduces new characters to the story, such as Melisandre of Asshiai, and elaborates on those who had only been mentioned beforehand, most notably Stannis Baratheon. There are a lot of characters to keep track of even this early on in the series as well as numerous dynasties with different loyalties and an extensive lore. There certainly were a few more minor individuals that lacked any sort of uniqueness, personality or traits that made them stand out and added to the confusion. I’m sure that it will only get more complex as the series progresses as even more characters are introduced. Despite this, it still is an entertaining experience due to the inclusion of devious or untrustworthy characters such as Tyrion, Varys and Littlefinger.
The plot takes place shortly after the first novel and the kingdom is at war with four kings competing for the throne. Joffrey, a young and cruel king who had inherited the throne from Robert, tries to maintain his crown from the clutches of the other kings. As he is an unpopular ruler he has to keep his starving and rebellious subjects suppressed or be overthrown by his own population. Robb Stark crowned himself king of the North and attempts to avenge his father’s fate by waging war against Lannister troops. In another plot line, the Stark kingdom of Winterfell is under threat from a region that seeks its independence from the North and the rebels hope to achieve it through force. The other two kings are Robert’s brothers who are called Stannis and Renly. The two both claim that the throne is rightfully theirs and as such are on hostile terms, threatening to use their militaries to settle the dispute. While Renly relies on earthly powers his older brother, Stannis, has enlisted the help of a sorceress called Melisandre to help him win the war.
The storyline revolving around the four monarchs is the most prominent plot in the novel but there are others that take place outside of the main realm. For instance, John Snow and a convoy of the Nights Watch are searching for his uncle, Benjen Stark, beyond the wall as he had not returned from his mission in the first book. The main concern of the order is that there are circulating rumours that Mance Rayder, king beyond the wall and a threat to the Nights Watch, is building an army of wildlings and supernatural creatures. Another central character to the plot is Daenerys Targaryen, a princess titled the mother of dragons, that lost her inheritance to the Iron throne of the seven kingdoms when Robert took it by force. In my opinion her storyline is rather slow and her chapters are the least interesting to read. Her chapters are about her attempts to raise an army in the East in order to invade and retake the throne that was denied to her.
Those are just a few of the many plots and characters that are in the novel. Individuals such as Arya Stark do have chapters dedicated to them but it would take too long to list all the important characters for this blog update. I did notice that many previous characters, including the antagonist Jamie Lannister and John Snow, received little attention in this book compared to the original but I assume that this was to introduce new characters. Overall, it is entertaining to read even if some characters are a little dull at times. I look forward to what lies in store for the future of the series and all the unexpected plot twists that are bound to come. I would encourage you to watch it if you have an interest in the fantasy genre.
Plot=8/10
Characters=8/10
Wording=8/10
Overall=8/10
Quote of the Day
I wanted this to be professional. Efficient, adult, cooperative, not a lot to ask. Alas, your Mr. Takagi did not see it that way, so he won't be joining us for the rest of his life.
Hans Gruber
Die Hard
