The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Greetings, the Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a film from 2013. It stars Ben stiller in the main role of the protagonist, Walter Mitty and it is an adaptation of a short story that was written by James Thurber in 1939. It is also a remake of the original movie that had been made in 1947.The film lacks a large cast of notable actors or recognizable stars. Aside from Ben Stiller the most prominent cast members are Patton Oswald and Sean Penn. The characters they play had a reasonably large role in putting the storyline into motion but the actors didn’t get much of a chance to perform, especially Sean, as they didn’t receive a lot of screen time in comparison to Stiller.
The plot begins with Walter Mitty attempting to build his courage and befriend a recently hired co-worker, Cheryl Melhoff, with the intentions of pursuing a relationship with her. The problem is that Walter doesn’t have the confidence to speak to her in person. As such he is forced to return to his job as a negative assets manager in the photography department for Life magazine. When he arrives at work it is revealed to Mitty that his company is being downsized due to the company’s transition to the internet. Therefore, the next edition of Life magazine will be the last printed issue and therefore it will result in many employees losing their occupations.
It is within Walter’s job description to ensure that the photograph makes it to the cover of the magazine. The picture was taken by photojournalist and adventurer Sean O’Connell, played by Sean Penn, who wants the photograph known as negative 25 to be used. O’Connell had sent Mitty a package that was supposed to contain photograph and a gift wallet for working with him for 16 years. Problems arise when negative 25 isn’t in the package. His job hangs in the balance and Walter threatened by Ted Hendricks, the transition manager, that if Mitty couldn’t find the picture that he was fired. This issue is further complicated by the nature of Sean O’Connell as he doesn’t stay still in one location as well as not having a mobile to contact him by. With the help of Melhoff, Walter is able to figure out that O’Connell is in Greenland but Sean wouldn’t be staying around for too long. This leads Mitty on a globetrotting in search of the ever moving photojournalist.
While there are positives to the movie, there were also a few aspects that are worth criticizing such as the day dreaming scenes. The character of Mitty tends to fantasies about committing heroic or outlandish deeds that are completely contrary to his dull nature. The daydreaming sequences were intended to give some personality to the character of Walter but in my opinion the scenes tend to disrupt the flow of the story without really adding anything. Another fault of ‘the Secret life of Walter Mitty’ that I found is that most of its jokes backfire in the sense that they are more strange than funny, leaving only a few memorable ones to keep the audience entertained. On the other side and on my own opinion, the film did get better as the story progressed. Overall it is worth watching but not something that you should actively seek out.
Plot=7/10
Characters=6/10
Special Effects=7/10
Overall=7/10
Quote of the day
Bring us the girl, and wipe away the debt.
Robert Lutece
BioShock Infinite
The Wolf of Wall Street
Greetings, the Wolf of Wall Street is a 2013 film directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio , Margot Robbie and Jonah Hill. The movie is based on the life of and book, of the same name, written by Jordan Belfort. He was a crooked stockbroker and cocaine addict who manipulated the stock market during the 1990s but has since become a motivational speaker. It is very dark, humorous and adult in nature but also a highly enjoyable watch with some great scenes and performances from the cast involved, especially from DiCaprio.
The story begins in 1987 when Jordan Belfort, played by DiCaprio, is a young and aspiring stockbroker married to his first wife named Teresa. He begins his career with a small job working for investment banking firm L.F. Rothschild but soon loses it due to the market crash known as Black Monday. Belfort’s time at Rothschild was not wasted as he had began to build up experience and took on the advice of his old boss, Mark Hanna, who was played by Matthew McConaughey. Belfort was encouraged to live an immoral lifestyle in order to reduce the stress of the job. As the economy becomes hostile to stockbrokers Belfort is forced to find an occupation elsewhere and becomes involved with boiler room dealing in penny stocks.
With Jordan’s charismatic pitching style, he is able to establish a small fortune as well as turn co-workers into enthusiastic followers who begin to use his pitching methods. With the financing and support from colleagues he had gained from the boiler room trade, Belfort is able to establish his own company called Stratton Oakmont with the help of his friend named Donnie Azoff. As such, Jordan becomes rich and follows the advice of Hanna by living an extravagant and decadent lifestyle that puts stress on the relationship with his wife. As Oakmont grows in size its fraudulent activity becomes clear to the FBI and agent Patrick Denham is put on the case. Much to Belfort’s discomfort Denham cannot be bribed and a lot of the film is dedicated to the two characters trying to outsmart each other.
Overall, it is a very fun film to watch with plenty of comedic and more dramatic scenes. It has a running time of around three hours but was entertaining from beginning to end with a gripping storyline and characters. The fictionalized version of Belfort was portrayed excellently by DiCaprio and was an interesting character to watch as due to his lack of morality. In my opinion the Wolf of Wall Street is one of the best films to have come out in 2013.
Plot=10/10
Characters=10/10
Special effects=10/10
Overall=10/10
Quote of the day
The darkness is coming. It will spread to every corner of the land.
Smaug
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Walking Dead
Greetings, the Walking Dead is a rather dark video game from Tell Tale that is loosely based on the television series and therefore on the original comic books as well. It was released in 2012 between April and November in an episodic format, consisting of five segments and one additional DLC named 400 days. The DLC is an episode that I have yet to play and follows the stories of characters that were not in the original game. Apparently the plot of 400 days incorporates the decisions made by the player in the original videogame. as well as acting as a bridge between the first and second season together, connecting the stories together.
The plot is centred on the protagonist, a history professor at the University of Georgia called Lee Everett, whose personality is shaped by what the player chooses in the timed conversation trees. It begins with Lee being transported in a police car towards prison for a crime that is unkown to the player. The conversation between Lee and the cop driving the vehicle provides some vague evidence as to what crime Everett committed but it isn’t revealed until later on in the game. While talking to the distracted police officer, the crashes the car into a zombie, called Walkers in the game, that had wondered onto the road. Following the accident Lee is confronted by his first Walker, the cop who had died during the crash, and manages to kill him in self-defence.
At this point Everett runs to the nearest house for his own safety and finds it almost deserted. Lee discovers that a little girl by the name of Clementine had managed to hide herself in her tree house, protecting herself against the Walkers with a hammer. In my opinion, unlike most fictional children in survival situations Clementine is actually a well written, original and likeable character rather than just a stereotypical plot device that gives the player someone to protect. Once Everett gains Clementine’s trust and kills her zombie baby sitter, he discovers that her family are on a trip to Savannah. The player then promises to protect Clementine and help to find her parents via the use of a walkie-talkie. On their journey they soon find themselves united with memorable characters such as Kenny and his family, his wife named Kajtaa and his son knicknamed Duck. The episodes are full of interesting characters, whose fate is ofetn let to the player as well as the ability to change their attitude depending on what choice are made.
This game is one of the best I have played in a while and is a credit to Telltale games, who are fast becoming my favourite company in the games industry by creating high quality games like this, Sam and Max and the videogame version of Back to the Future. The music was conducted by Jared Emerson Johnson, who has composed music for many other Telltale games, and does a good job creating music that sets the right tone. The atmosphere is also crafted with great writing for all the characters as well as putting the player in difficult positions with unclear ethical implications. The choices are difficult as the results are normally based on either doing what is morally right or following the rational but callous route. The player must take into acount the effect their choices will have on the fragile relationships that could easily be ruined by making ‘wrong’ decisions. It is made more complicated as main characters often have strong and contrasting opinions that are hard to balance. At the end of each episode the game will compare your results to the actions of other players which I thought was a interesting feature. I look forward to playing the DLC and what the next season will bring.
Plot=10/10
Characters=10/10
Graphics=10/10
Overall=10/10
Quote of the day
Listen up, we have been boarded by armed pirates. If they find you, remember, you know this ship, they don't. Stick together and we'll be all right. Good luck.
Captain Phillips
Captain Phillips
Captain Phillips
Greetings, Captain Phillips is a 2013 film based on the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama, an American cargo ship, by Somali pirates in 2009. It stars Tom Hanks in the lead role of Richard Phillips, captain of the unarmed cargo ship, and serves as the cinematic debut of Barkhad Abdi who plays the pirate leader known as Abduwali Muse. It was based on Phillip’s book ‘A captain’s Duty’ about his experience as hostage and has been criticised by some crew members of the Alabama for depicting Phillips as more of a hero than he actually was during the event. Some of the crew blame Richard for travelling in waters known to be infested by Somali pirates and therefore placing them in danger unjustifiably.
The plot is simplistic due to the film being grounded in reality. In 2009 Captain Phillips is given orders to sail the MV Maersk Alabama through the Gulf of Aden to his destination of Mombasa in Kenya. Meanwhile in Somali, Muse, leader of the pirates, knows about the arrival of Alabama. He wishes to take the crew hostage and use them as a bargaining chip in exchange for millions of dollars. The captain travels through the dangerous waters, disregarding the recent warnings about Somali pirate activities in the area. During a security exercise Richard discovers that two skiffs are sailing towards the cargo ship, using binoculars Phillips is able to see that the two vehicles are transporting armed and hostile pirates.
Richard attempts to escape the pirates by outrunning them. His plan works for a short while but despite his best efforts one pirate ship manages to board the cargo ship via the use of a ladder while the other ship backs off. The four young pirates make their way to the bridge with little difficulty or resistance. When they managed to take control of the ship, Phillips becomes their hostage while other members of the crew managed to hide themselves during the assault. Under Muse’s leadership the other pirates are ordered to find the other crew members and take them hostage. Conflict arises when staff of the Alabama manage to fight back against the Somalis with their knowledge of the ship’s layout, guerrilla tactics and makeshift weapons.
The plot and characters are not particularly original which is understandable once you consider that the event was based on the experiences of actual people. Screen time is mostly dedicated to a few of the major individuals involved, the most prominent being Richard Phillips and Muse. The actors and actresses gave a good performance with the experienced Hanks and the new comer Abdi having given the most noteworthy acting. In terms of duration, I felt that the film was a little too long and outstretched but still an enjoyable movie to watch. In my opinion, it is worth while experience but not a film that is essential viewing.
Plot=7/10
Characters=7/10
Special Effects=8/10
Overall=7/10
Quote of the day
I never asked for this
Adam Jensen
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
BioShock Infinite
Greetings, BioShock Infinite is the third game in the series and serves as a prequel to the original story as it is set in 1912. Unlike the other two games there are no Big Daddies or Little Sisters and ADAM is replaced by vigors which introduce new abilities such as controlling bloodthirsty crows. Despite the absence of the iconic Big Daddies there are equivalents including the introduction of Handymen or crank gun wielding machines in the form of Washington, Lincoln or Comstock, the founder of Columbia. Infinite still has a BioShock feel to it despite the change of scenery as it continues to tell its story and lore through the use audio logs known as Voxophones.
The plot begins with Booker DeWitt, a war veteran of Wounded Knee and a Pinkerton agent, who has piled up a lot of debt. He takes on a contract to go to the floating city of Columbia and bring back a woman called Elizabeth in order to wipe away his debt. The city was founded by the Prophet, also known as Comstock, who is believed to be able to see into the future and therefore builds a personality cult to ensure the consolidation of his reign over his citizens. Booker is brought to a lighthouse and reaches Columbia via a rocket that was hidden inside the structure. Once he arrives safely to the city it becomes clear to DeWitt that the ruling population is driven by ideas of religious fanaticism, unhealthy worship of the founding fathers, Columbian exceptionalism, white supremacy and xenophobia.
Before he can break Elizabeth out of her tower DeWitt is branded as the False Shepherd as he has the letters A and D written on his hand. The False Shepherd is a figure to be feared as it was prophesised he would lead the lamb, Elizabeth, astray from her purpose. Booker has to fight his way to the tower against Columbian authorities as well as being wary of Elizabeth’s protector and prison warden, a giant metallic bird known as Songbird. It isn’t long before the Vox Populi, a revolutionary group of monitories lead by Daisy Fiztroy, use DeWitt’s presence to benefit their armed struggle. Fitzroy was falsely accused of killing Lady Comstock and has since been in hiding from the Prophet’s men.
In terms of game play, Elizabeth’s powers are quite useful when in combat as she can provide the player with ammunition, salts and health as well as opening Tears to access useful items, cover or allies in the form of lethal machines. Another interesting feature was the addition of the sky line which allows the player to travel around as well as being a platform to kill enemies down below. I liked how well known songs from within the past few decades were transformed into an older style to fit into Columbia’s setting. Not all songs in the game are relatively modern as classical music is still used, especially during the graveyard or areas dedicated to the late Lady Comstock. Overall it is a very enjoyable game with a strong story with an unexpected ending, a visually impressive setting and colourful characters with the likes of Elizabeth, Comstock, the Lutece twins and Booker himself. I haven’t played the Burial at Sea DLC yet, which links Infinite to the original BioShock, but do intend to do so soon.
Plot=10/10
Characters=10/10
Graphics=10/10
Overall=10/10
Quote of the day
This Fontaine fellow is somebody to watch. Once, he was just a menace, to be convicted and hung. But he always manages to be where the evidence isn't. He's the most dangerous type of hoodlum... the kind with vision.
Andrew Ryan
BioShock
Dragon Age: The Calling
Greetings, Dragon Age: The Calling is a book written by David Gaider and is a sequel to his other novel, The Stolen Throne, as well as being a prequel to Dragon Age: Origins. It expands on a few characters from the video game such as Duncan who was a character that was used to introduce the world of Thedas in Origins to the player. Another is a darkspawn emissary by the name of the Architect who came from the Dragon Age expansion pack. The book delves deeper into his plan for ensuring peace between the darkspawn and the other species on the planet through destructive mean as well as revealing a little about his past but mostly keeping it shrouded in mystery.
It is set several years after the events of the first book with King Maric having returned to his throne and ruling Ferelden after he had reclaimed it from the Orlesian Empire through military force. A group of Grey Wardens, which includes the newly recruited Duncan, is led by an experienced veteran known as Genevieve ask Maric for his help to lead them through the Deep Roads. They want the king to direct them towards an abandoned Dwarven city called Ortan Thaigh which Maric had travelled to several years previously when he attempted to oust the Orsleians during his adventures in the first novel. It had been revealed to Genevieve in a dream that her brother Bregan, an important figure in the Grey Wardens, had been kidnapped by the darkspawn and was being held underground in the Deep Roads.
It is an unusual action by the creatures as they normally kill rather than take prisoners and is made even more unnerving as Bregan was one of the few in order who knew of the location of the Old Gods. The Old Gods are what the darkspawn strive to find and awaken so they can rise to the surface in a bloody event known as a Blight and physically corrupt the world with their presence. As such it is important that the Grey Wardens find Bregan and rescue him before he reveals the coordinates under interrogation. Maric agrees to aid them in their quest. Meanwhile, in the Deep Roads Bregan meets the Architect while imprisoned and is slowly convinced to help him in a risky as well as lethal plan to achieve peace between the darkspawn and the other creatures in Thedas.
While I mostly enjoyed the book I felt it was a little lacking in story which Gaider tried to fill with a few unnecessary battle scenes in order to kill off a few main characters. An additional villain was also created and reviled shortly towards the end of the book and could have expanded upon during the plot but he received little attention until the novel was almost over. There is also a romantic subplot near the end of the book that is almost identical to one in the first novel that involved one of the same characters and as such felt a little too familiar. Another issue I had with it was that several characters from across the Dragon Age media have a very similar personality such as Maric, a young version of Duncan and Alistar who is a main character from the original videogame. Despite this I still enjoyed the experience and look forward to his next novel Dragon Age: Asunder.
Plot=7/10
Characters=7/10
Wording=8/10
Overall=7/10
Quote of the day
I CAN'T GO BACK TO JAIL!
Art
Monsters University
