The Return of One of Many, Many Blogs

WOW! I have just logged into my account for the first time in a long time and although I am happy that I once attempted this, I am some what appalled by my once awful style of writing and some less than desirable opinions.

Time for a new name, better use of the English language and generally a better approach to reaching my somewhat small, if not non-existent audience.

Stay posted.

Naughty Bear.

Once again we see yet another game developer bring forth a very original, playful, funny and in some ways magnificent idea. Which, yes once again has been executed very badly!

This game is very entertaining and very funny for about 30 minutes and then it's all down hill from there. As you roam around Bearland slaughtering any civilian bears or police officers it becomes very clear that you will never ever leave Bearland. This is particularly unfortunate as Bearland is about the size of an average city house back garden.

Yes killing bears can be fun but with no blood spill and only fluffy dust coming out of a stab wound it is distinctly disappointing. "WAIT!" I hear you say. "Of course Teddy Bears don't have blood."
But then again they don't walk, talk or go around shooting other bears in the face.

The worst thing about this game, like a lot of below average games, is that it is painfully repetitive. I can't say a lot for the latter parts of the game because I couldn't get that far without dying of boredom and I don't think anyone ever will.

Sean's Game Rating 4/10

Grand Theft Auto 'The Ballad of Gay Tony'

GTA has pulled one out of the bag with this one. After a very disappointing GTA 4, Rockstar games thought they would go and use the same platform and graphic engine to create a new much more improved and enjoyable game. Your new character Louis finally lives lives up to the infamous CJ of San Andreas.

Although the game is still set in a fairly boring Liberty City, the gaming experience is very exciting and every mission is increasingly adventurous and fun. This is complimented by the all the new weapons and accessories that have been added for a less serious approach to being a gangsta!

The cursing and racial jokes have been taken to the limit and it is incredible that the creators continue to get away with things that really are walking on the tight rope. One line in particular springs to mind when the main character describes someone with a growth deficiency as a little ****.

The Ballad of Gay Tony is simply so much fun to play in comparison to GTA 4 which is of course rather dull. The story and characters are very compelling along with all the new cars and helicopters. This game has given me many laughs and has astonished me in it's unbelievable scenes of sex, drugs and violence.

Be sure to play the first episode of The Lost and Damned as you wont play it after this one because it is soooooo much better.

A very good buy.

Sean's Game Rating 8/10

Avatar

Sorry I have not been blogging of late followers. I have been overrun by university assignments but keep checking back for new material which will be coming soon. For now I would like to draw your attention to a very well written film review of 'Avatar' for those who are still waiting to see it.

Just a few extracts. Manohla Dargis of the New York Times wrote.

With “Avatar” James Cameron has turned one man’s dream of the movies into a trippy joy ride about the end of life — our moviegoing life included — as we know it. Several decades in the dreaming and more than four years in the actual making, the movie is a song to the natural world that was largely produced with software, an Emersonian exploration of the invisible world of the spirit filled with Cameronian rock ’em, sock ’em pulpy action. Created to conquer hearts, minds, history books and box-office records, the movie — one of the most expensive in history, the jungle drums thump — is glorious and goofy and blissfully deranged.

The story behind the story, including a production budget estimated to top $230 million, and Mr. Cameron’s future-shock ambitions for the medium have already begun to settle into myth (a process partly driven by the publicity, certainly). Every filmmaker is something of a visionary, just by virtue of the medium. But Mr. Cameron, who directed the megamelodrama“Titanic” and, more notably, several of the most influential science-fiction films of the past few decades (“The Terminator,” “Aliens” and “The Abyss”), is a filmmaker whose ambitions transcend a single movie or mere stories to embrace cinema as an art, as a social experience and a shamanistic ritual, one still capable of producing the big WOW.

Few films return us to the lost world of our first cinematic experiences, to that magical moment when movies really were bigger than life (instead of iPhone size), if only because we were children. Movies rarely carry us away, few even try. They entertain and instruct and sometimes enlighten. Some attempt to overwhelm us, but their efforts are usually a matter of volume. What’s often missing is awe, something Mr. Cameron has, after an absence from Hollywood, returned to the screen with a vengeance. He hasn’t changed cinema, but with blue people and pink blooms he has confirmed its wonder.

That's just a very good review to keep you going until I'm back on form. Stay tuned.

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

My Top 20 Movies Continued Again Again

1. Avatar (2009)

Okay when I left the cinema after this one, I said: "that was the best movie I have ever seen". So I'm sticking with it. With such amazing visual effects Cameron achieved a recorded breaking production. The underlying meaning of this film is incredible, from historic predigests toward the native Americans, to racism and war of the present and even the progression of these humanistic flaws into the future. Unbelievable Tekkerssss!

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10 *

2. Star Trek (2009)

J.J.Abrams who knew you had this one in you. Where did you find the time to make such a great movie during he production of 'Lost'. I'm not even a big Trek fan but I had sufficient enough knowledge to see that this was awesome. Unbelievable casting skills in this one lads. Bravo! This film is totally a personal favourite but I'm sure there is one or two people who would agree ; ).

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

3. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Tom Hanks again. A depiction of WW2 and storming the beach of Normandy done to absolute perfection. The greatest opening scene to a movie you will ever see and the best acting performances witnessed by audiences. For many years this has been my favourite movie of all time and has now slipped to number three sheerly because I have seen it countless times. War movies do not get better than this!

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

4. The Green Mile (1999)

Tom Hanks could quite possibly be the greatest actor of all time and he really shows it in this incredible film. The audience witness death row at first hand and the types of people kept in this facility during dramatic circumstances. A wrongly accused man possesses a special gift and passes that gift on around him. Girls, I challenge you not to cry.

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

5. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

An unbelievable timeless classic and IMDB's top rated movie. For me, it's my number five. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman team up in this dramatic story that unfolds into a conspiracy of truth and innocence. People can watch this in 500 years time and it will still be brilliant. The writing, producing, directing and acting have created one of the best movies ever created.

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

My Top 20 Movies Continued Again

6. Godfather 1 & 2 (1972 & 1974)

Okay so I am cheating now as I can't decide which of these to epic movies are better, so I'm counting them as one. For me Brando was by far the best Godfather but this doesn't mean the first was my favourite. Both were remarkable and depicted 1920's 30's Italian American Mafia to a T. Unfortunately the third one would be about 5000 on my list of favourite movies. Pacino, De Niro, Brando and Duvall you are my heroes.

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

7. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

"Mmmmmmm, Juicy Fruit." How amazed were you. This is a heart wrenching, comical drama about a bunch of A list celebrities gone crazy. At least that's what it looked like. A really great performance from Nicholson went a long way, unfortunately it seemed that his performances were just him. He did about 50 movies following this one where he was still playing the same role in every one. Despite that this is a favourite to many and my number 7.

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

8. Pulp Fiction (1994)

I don't believe that there is anyone in the world that hasn't seen this one, and if there is I am appalled. Although Tarantino has made some brilliant movies unfortunately he made his best ever back in 1994 and I challenge him to beat it. I think NOT!

Willis, Travolta, and Jackson, you can't really ask for anything more.

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

9. Fight Club (1999)

"People are always asking me if I know Tyler Durden". When Tyler Durden met Tyler Durden or something like that it was..................... confusing. Well I now understand it after watching it like five times over and it gets better and better every time. I won't say too much because I don't want to spoil it for people who have missed out. Edward Norton is a truly unbelievably talented actor and it shows in every way.

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

10. Batman The Dark Knight (2008)

Focusing on all the favourite batman villains, this sequel to 'Batman Begins' was a spectacle. With an incredible cast we see Christian Bale as Batman take on Heath Ledger as the Joker. An Oscar winning performance from Ledger insured the success of the movie and there will never be a joker the same again.

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

My Top 20 Movies Continued

11. Independence day (1996)

1996/1997 was a great time for great movies. Yet another sci-fi in my top 20 but they are all so good. I could easily have a top 20 Will Smith movies but lets be fair to everyone else and just have this one. It looks as though Smith also thought this was so good that it now needs to be made a trilogy. How exciting!

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

12. The Fifth Element (1997)

Gary Oldman, Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich all give incredible performances in this romantic sci-fi. When the perfect specimen falls into the back seat of Korben Dallas's flying taxi things can only get better. Holidays in space is the future but I think this is one future nobody want to see, unless Chris Tucker really is the flight attendant, that would be entertaining. This is a must see for all!

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

13. Gladiator (2000)

Russel Crowe at his finest, not to mention Ridley Scott. A fantastic story of a war hero stripped of his honours and made to be a slave turned gladiator. Maximus didn't only have his leadership taken but his family too. An historical informative adventurous masterpiece now ten years old and still fresh in my mind. Troy, 300, Kingdom Of Heaven all incredible movies but none as good as Gladiator.

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

14. Lord Of The Rings 3 (2003)

The final film in the trilogy and it really was a worthy finale. 'The Return Of The King' was awarded with 11 Oscars and deservedly so, as it also picked up another 106 awards globally. One of the best things about this epic trilogy was that we didn't have to wait 2 or 3 three years between productions for release as within 3 short years we witnessed one of the best trilogies of all time. This Movie was ground breaking in every way and produced some magnificent actors.

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10

15. District 9 (2009)

WOW! This is one of the most original science fiction movies to date and it was unbelievable. Many might disagree but this really was special in it's own right. Actor Sharlto Copley has done virtually nothing in the film industry and has stepped out and created a truly great production. This is a must see for anyone interested in extraterrestrial activity and please when you do see this, don't be put off by the first 15 minutes as it only gets better.

Sean's Movie Rating 10/10