Movies!
Stir of Echoes
Rating: ****
Comments: A good ghost story at last! Kevin Bacon is the only real big name in this one, with faces of familiar actors that I couldn't name. The story is about a blue collar handyman who discoveres a spirit in his home after being hypnotized at a block party. Creepy and with really neat effects to boot, Stir of Echoes is a spook story with a great mood and feel to it. Four stars.
The Sixth Sense
Rating: *****
Comments: Oooooh, an even better ghost story. I really can't get into why this movie rocks so much without spoiling the whole damn thing. Just know that you need to see it. A true collector's piece for the discriminating spook story lover. Five stars!
Anime!
Outlaw Star (Bandai)
Rating: ***i/2
Comments: Neat! This one is a good blend of space battles, western conflicts and good design. It's the story of Gene Starwind, an outlaw with an attitude that's out to seek his fortune in the vast darkness of space. Go check it out and see it for yourself if you get the time.
Cowboy Bebop (Bandai)
Rating: ****
Comments: Normally, I wouldn't be caught dead saying anything positive about an anime with a seventies feel (save for Starblazers). But this anime is really good! Spike is a planetary bounty hunter, searching for people with huge prices on their head. A cool mix of seventies cop show, dazzling special effects and action bordering on the comedic. Go take a peek!
Rating: ***
Comments: Ever wanted to watch Neon Genesis Evangelion, but didn't have the time and couldn't stomach the angst? Then you need this. It's along the same lines. Nasty aliens have taken over our solar system but there's one last revolutionary hope. And damn it's funny! Goin the crew of the Nadesco as they battle the Jovian threat.
Master of Mosquiton (ADV)
Rating: ***1/2
Comments: Finally, a vampire tale that doesn't drone on and on like an Anne Rice book. While it has some angst and sorrow to it, Mosquiton is mostly an action comedy about the vampire Mosquiton and his misadventures with the thoroughly obnoxious female protagonist (I ain't even about to call her a heroine) Inaho and her pet demons. Worth a watch. The first tape is absolutely great, but loses something in the second episode where it quickly turns into an S & M sex comedy. I'm hoping for big things (not those!) in the third installment.
Perfect Blue (Manga Video)
Rating: ****
Comments: This movie is good, but not for the weak of heart. The hype however is true. This is what you would have got had Hitchcock made anime. Bloody and violent, this thriller about a former pop idol slipping into a world she no longer controls is captivating and disturbing in a way few films turn out. This is not for everybody however. If you can't take the imagery of icepicks doing nasty things to people, go rent My Neighbor Totoro and watch that nancy boy.
Rating:**1/2
Comments: The World of Darkness setting has been the centerpiece of the White Wolf Publishing Studio for ten years it has had its share of absolutely crappy books about it. But these books aren't so bad. As usual, the editing from WW needs work (although there are those who'd remind me to stop chucking gin bottles at losers from my glass house...). Lots of it. While the story can sometimes break down into prose that is less than exciting, the story it tells is intriguing. I advise this for hardcore fans of the WoD setting, but for the casual reader, look elsewhere.
All Tomorrow's Parties (William Gibson)
Rating: ****
Comments: YES! Will Gibson is GOD! Ahem, I mean, uh... All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson is the third in his series of books which he claims are not a trilogy, despite recurring characters and settings. It covers the coming of a Nodal Point, an event that brings several random seeming elements together to change history forever. But this is no ordinary point. This one will change the lives of every man woman and child on planet earth. Join legendary hacker and Nodal expert Colin Laney, Barry Rydell, Chevette Washington and Yamizaki for yet another grand adventure into the San Francisco district of Bridgetown for another potent Gibson hit.
Angel Fire East (Terry Brooks)
Rating: ****
Comments: Good work again Terry! The story of Nest Freemark and her world of terrifying magic continues in the third part of the Running With the Demon series. In her past, Nest has had to deal with the Demon warriors of the Void, but never has she had to face Findo Gask. This dark story revolves around familiar characters and old battles along with the powerful Gypsy Morph, an enigmatic force that Word and Void will stop at nothing to accquire.
RPGs!
Nights of Prophecy (White Wolf)
Rating: *****
Comments: Yeah! Secrets are revealed in this book of the Year of Revalations. Five scenarios and many elements of the meta-plot emerge to give you the REAL deal on what's going down in the World of Darkness. Presented in a format that can be adapted to any group of any level of experience, Nights of Prophecy will give you all sorts of story ideas to get you going in the right directions.
Mage: Third Edition (White Wolf)
Rating: *****
Comments: These guys just can't put out stuff I don't like! Mage, Third Edition carries the Ascension War to its end. The Technocracy stands triumphant, but the broken Traditions still stand in the shadows, waiting for the time to rise again and to give humanity the choice it so desperately needs to unshackle themselves from the yoke of the spiritually barren Technocracy. Rules system revisions and new breakdowns on the Traditions give the book a totally new look and feel. Two thumbs up!
Video Games!
Fear Effect (Eidos)
Rating:***1/2
Comments: Good story, neat animations, wonderful environments, with shitty control. Analog compatible my ass! The story is interesting and Byzantine, just the way I like it though, although admittedly, I've played it little these past few months. Maybe my opinion of it will rise after a few more hours of gameplay. Then again, maybe not.
Septerra Core (Valkyrie Studios)
Rating: **
Comments: Neat story and good artwork, but that's about it. The graphics seem too stiff when they move and moving around is a hassle. While the story bears some merit, as do its characters and inventive talk systems, the game seems too scripted and not emotional enough. Go back to school guys and try to do a little better next time.