NN REVIEW: The Hunger Games

Book adaptations can be extremely difficult. Finding a balance of honoring the source material for the hardcore fans yet telling a comprehensive story that everyone can understand is a daunting task, especially when the tale is so beloved by millions. What director Gary Ross does with The Hunger Games is something truly remarkable that future book translations should learn from.

There are several aspects of The Hunger Games that make it wonderful, but the greatest and most noticeable is the cast. When I first saw that Jennifer Lawrence was cast as Katniss Everdeen, our protagonist, I was immediately filled with worry. She looked too old and far too pretty to play the poor, dirty girl I imagined from the books. I felt that Hollywood was going to get their grubby little paws on the movie and resort to casting whoever would draw the biggest crowd, not who was best for the part....damn was I wrong. Lawrence is stunning as Katnip and not once during the movie did I think of her as Jennifer Lawrence, she truly was Katniss. I was also worried about the casting of Peeta and Gale. It seemed that they were going the path of Twilight and signing the most attractive guys regardless of their acting prowess...again, dead wrong. Although Liam Hemsworth didn't have too much involvement as Gale, he quickly established his compassion for "Katnip" and it was clear how much he cared for her. Josh Hutcherson was phenomenal as Peeta; not only did he look the part, but his scenes with Lawrence were something to behold, the chemistry palpable between the two. From top to bottom, the cast in The Hunger Games was phenomenal and what could have been a kiss of death for the film ended up being its greatest strength.

 

The Hunger Games is nearly two and a half hours long, and not once did it feel that way. The pacing is brilliant as Ross methodically builds to the games with scenes that are often painstakingly quiet. It almost seems as if everyone is holding their breath waiting for all hell to break loose. Yet even though it does not feel like the build to the games is rushed, we get there in a hurry. The games themselves feel like they lasted at least an hour in the film (I honestly don't know when/how long they really were) and we don't feel shortchanged for a second. Granted, it's been some time since I read the book and there's no doubt some things were changed or altered for the film, but for the most part it played out almost exactly as I pictured it in the novel. The characters that I loved most from the book all make an appearance, if only for a brief time, and the trials that we see Katniss face are enough to make your stomach churn and your palms sweat. What we're left with is a satisfying conclusion that could have easily fallen flat after such a great buildup.

The Hunger Games is fantastic, but it isn't perfect. The visuals are solid for the most part, but at times they seem a bit lackluster and almost forced. A particular scene that stuck out to me was Katniss and Peeta's entrance into the Capitol on the chariots. A scene I vividly remembered from the book that didn't seem to have the same effect when on camera. The fire on Katniss' dress didn't convince, and it was clear that a good amount of green screen was involved in the process. This was really the only time that the visuals took something away from the movie for me though as everything else looked great (the Capitol was gorgeous). Another snag for the film is something that, I believe, is unavoidable. Obviously they can't play everything out exactly as it does in the book, but there were some scenes that were altered that felt like they didn't need to be messed with. I won't spoil anything, but those who have read the books might be left with a couple of disappointments. And on the other side of that coin, there are a decent amount of references and nods that will go straight over the heads of people who haven't read the books. The symbol of three fingers in the air and the back story between Peeta and Katniss may be lost on those who are unfamiliar with the source material. Other than these minor issues though, The Hunger Games completely satisfies.

I hope that the same care that went into The Hunger Games is put into the second two entries in this series. In my opinion, this was the best book of the three by far so it may be much more difficult to produce great results from here on out. But what The Hunger Games does right makes it worth your time and your money. Fans of the books will find the story that they love, and people who are experiencing it for the first time should be enticed by this haunting tale. From the cast, to the costumes, to the action, the movie works on multiple levels and, for the first time in a long time, gives us a movie that truly honors the wonderful book from where it came. The odds are ever in its favor.

My Rating: A

 

NN REVIEW: Chronicle

Remember that awkward time in high school? When you were struggling to find out who your were? When the school bully would constantly pick on you and your step dad took out his frustration with life on your face? Then do you remember when you got superpowers and realized that you could make all your problems disappear? No? Well Chronicle is probably exactly what would happen if something like this occurred. With a strong cast, excellent direction and a riveting story, Chronicle has become my first great love of 2012.

Who says you need a billion dollar budget to make a great super hero movie? Chronicle is a testament to the power of a good director and great storytelling. Clearly in the confines of a restricted budget, Chronicle manages to tell an intriguing story about three high school boys who stumble upon a power that is too great for them to understand. Our protagonist, Andrew, is a high school loner who spends his only social time with his cousin Matt. Andrew is abused by his stepfather and can't seem to find anything to smile about, so he decides to start filming his life. It's his barrier to the world and a chance for him to document the things that have made him so frustrated with his life. This also gives us a believable reason for these kids to be filming themselves throughout the course of the movie. As Andrew's power grows, he steadily develops the ability to control the camera while he focuses on other tasks which goes a long way in moving us away from the traditional "found footage" scenario where we deal with a protagonist's shaky hand for 120 minutes.

The plot moves along briskly as Chronicle uses its roughly 80 minute run time to develop our characters, reveal their power, allow them to grow in that power, and then force them to suffer the consequences. Andrew and Matt discover a mysterious cave alongside their school's hero Steve and inside they find an alien type relic that we never really get a great look at. After the encounter, the boys are left with Jedi-like abilities which give them the power of telekinesis and flight. They quickly move from curving a baseball in the backyard to much more complicated tasks. I won't give anything away, but it becomes apparent that this power can be dangerous. Matt and Steve realize that their power must be controlled (with great power, comes great responsibility anyone?) while Andrew sees this as a chance to turn his life around. From there the stakes continue to rise until an epic climax that may be too big for its britches.

This is where Chronicle falters slightly. The entire movie, although obviously science fiction, is based in reality and low-key special effects. Unfortunately the finale quickly evolves into an epic battle that tears the city of Seattle to pieces. I'm not saying it doesn't work. The action is brisk and the movie does a good job of showing our protagonists battle their emotions more than each other during the encounter. However, it is here that the low budget peers through since the action calls for top notch special effects and the end result doesn't look as crisp as one would hope. However, despite its minor visual flaws, Chronicle tells a story that is much more intriguing than the powers themselves.

In the end, Chronicle works extremely well. Grounded by incredible performances from the leads, the movie manages to create believable characters in a believable scenario. I couldn't help but think what would happen to me if I stumbled upon these kinds of abilities (I'd probably be dead in about three hours). Although it may not have gotten the budget it deserves, Chronicle does an amazing job of doing the absolute best with what it has. If you're in the mood for an original "super hero" type movie, Chronicle may be just what you're looking for.

MY RATING: A-

NN REVIEW: Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace

Pffftttttttttt!!! Still a massive bowel movement. 3D is fine, doesn't improve or take away from the experience. That's my review.

NN REVIEW: The Grey

What happens when a group of ex-convicts crash land in the middle of the Arctic Tundra and become the prey of vicious, man eating wolves? Unfortunately the result ends up being an initially exciting ride that quickly dwindles into a repetitive, tiresome affair for both the characters and the audience.

Meet John Ottway, an ex-convict who has a mastery of nature that allows him to lead a group of men through the snowy wilderness in an attempt to find rescue. Played by Liam Neeson, Ottway is a protagonist who gets the job done of keeping the movie going. Unfortunately, it ends up going to the same place over and over again. As the group moves deeper and deeper into the wilderness, Grey fails to deviate from its initial path of move, die, move, die, move, die. Although the actual way that characters die starts to vary, it never really feels like the movie takes a step in either direction once it gets going.

The group of convicts is believable to a degree and they clash with each other as expected before they realize there is a much bigger threat that requires them to unite. One area where The Grey does not fail is in its cast. Poor acting could have been a kiss of death for this movie, but a group of believable characters at least gives us reason to root for these poor bastards. It's unfortunate that more of their stories weren't allowed to expand as it would have been nice to find more of a reason to root for them to survive. It's also unfortunate that the only way we can learn more about them is for all threats to cease while they sit around a fire and talk. This is where the pacing becomes exhausting by the end.

It takes a skilled filmmaker to develop a plot as the characters face their trials. The Grey feels the need to silence the storms and put the wolves to sleep so we can learn about the men we are supposed to care for. This ends up making the action feel overwhelming and the dialogue feel stretched and dull. The unfortunate truth is that a good movie lies at the heart of the film's premise.

There's nothing wrong with a good "man vs. wild" film but it seems that The Grey wants to only prove that, in the end, man is impotent against nature. Don't get me wrong, I fully believe that we don't stand a chance against a ravid pack of wolves and a snow covered wilderness. However, it becomes painstaking to watch a group of men slowly fall to the perils of the wild with no glimmer of hope to be found.

The Grey seems to lose its footing once it gets out of the gate. With an odd mix of religious conflicts, disorienting action, long-winded fire side conversations and CG that, at times truly takes away from the experience, I can't help but feel like The Grey is one big misfire. I probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's looking for a great time at the movies because in my experience, the best movies take you away from reality and prove to be a nice diversion. However, if you're looking for a movie about humans getting their asses handed to them by nature then this is the movie you've been waiting for!

MY RATING: C+

NN REVIEW: Mario Kart 7

I bought the 3DS months ago during that small window of time when Wal-Mart jumped the gun on dropping the price of the system. So I got mine for the reduced price AND was able to sign up as a 3DS Ambassador. At the time the only game worth playing on the 3DS in my eyes was Ocarina of Time but I knew the future looked good for the system and I took the risk. So I beat Ocarina and then simply waited. My 3DS collected dust but the release of Mario Kart 7 got ever closer and it quickly made its way onto my Christmas list. It was worth the wait.

I'm a sucker for Nintendo, I always have been. Give me a good Mario, Zelda, or Donkey Kong game and I'll be a happy camper even if they don't shake things up too much. To me these games have always been the best example that a game doesn't need to redefine a genre to be enjoyable, it just needs to be fun. Mario Kart 7 is not a big step either forwards or backwards for the Mario Kart series, but it does so many things well that it's impossible not to enjoy your time with it, even if it's brief.

It took me about 2 days to beat every tournament on 100cc while earning 3 stars for each track and although that may not seem like a lot of time, there definitely doesn't feel like there is a lack of content when playing through. All in all there are 8 tournaments with 4 tracks each so a total of 32 possible tracks to play which is pretty extensive. 4 of those tournaments are comprised of old tracks from all the other iterations of Mario Kart and trust me the devs made the best decisions when deciding which tracks to bring back! You'll see some of the old school favorites like Kalimari Desert, Koopa Beach, old school Rainbow Road and more. The new tracks are almost all incredibly fun as well. Adding some new features like hang gliding and driving underwater give the tracks the opportunity to be more versatile and memorable. Some tracks, including the new Rainbow Road which is my favorite iteration of the popular course to date, are simply one huge lap comprised of three sections rather than a smaller course with three laps. All in all the variety and creativity that can be found in the different courses give Mario Kart 7 the best track list in a Mario Kart game to date.

Another aspect from MK7 that I have absolutely loved is the opportunity to race online against people from across the world. Joining an online match is simple and the 3DS does an incredibly nice job of grouping up 5-8 people within a matter of minutes. Not once have I been in a group where less than 3 countries are represented and it's pretty fun to know you're racing against people from Japan, Australia, Europe, etc. The online mode is simple and you simply get VR points for finishing well in races so there's nothing too in depth. But for so long the best part about the Mario Kart games was racing against our friends and now we can do that almost anytime.

The character selection in MK7 may be one area where the game is lacking. Initially there are only 8 drivers to choose from with 4 more available for unlocks. This is still a decent amount but I've come to expect somewhat of a larger lineup from the more recent iterations of MK, Super Smash, Mario Tennis, etc. However, it seems that MK7 has improved the disparity that often existed between characters. Choosing DK or Bowser will no longer make you infinitely slower than the competition although there is still a difference; and driving as Koopa (my personal favorite) will not condemn you to being knocked off the course each time you bump into Peach. When I play online there is always a wide variety of characters selected and it's nice to see people being able to play as whoever they want and still have a chance to win.

All in all I think Mario Kart 7 has to be looked at as a massive success. Coupled with Super Mario 3D Land, this Christmas season has seen a resurgence for the 3DS and has made the future look bright for the once "doomed" handheld. A wide selection of maps, brilliant use of 3D, some new items, online play, hang gliding and underwater sequences have all come together to make a Mario Kart that is different enough to feel fresh but not different enough to feel like a whole new series. Although there are some things that people won't enjoy about this iteration, for the most part it's everything we love from Mario Kart and it represents just one more reason to get out there and buy a 3DS!

My Rating: 8.5/10

NN REVIEW: Star Wars: The Old Republic (First Impressions)

Do you remember the first time you ever watched a Star Wars movie? I do. I was about 6 or 7 years old and I watched A New Hope with my parents in our living room. They gave me a toy Millennium Falcon to play with before the movie started and I was flying it around backwards because I thought the big blue part was the front. Then the movie began and I remember being completely awestruck from beginning to end. Never before had I so badly wanted to live in a fantasy world. The idea of flying my own ship, traveling from planet to planet, wielding a lightsaber or blaster and saving the galaxy became something that would forever be one of my dearest fantasies. Well, with Star Wars: The Old Republic, Bioware has fashioned an experience that honors the things that make Star Wars great and offers the most in depth, realistic Star Wars experience we have ever seen.

I stepped out of my space cruiser and ventured onto the remote, swampish planet of Hutta. Rarecandy, a cyborg bounty hunter who somewhat resembled Anakin had been born and I was ready to wreak havoc on anyone who got in my way of attaining credits. The main storyline quickly unfolded before me as I fought to gain the sponsorship of the local Hutt for something called The Great Hunt. A tournament where a bounty hunter could earn eternal glory and riches by being both the hunter and the hunted. Immediately the revelation that SWTOR is completely voice acted sank in and the gravity of that statement took hold. I have played WoW for about six years and the idea that a game even close to that size could feature voice acting not just for the main story line, but for each and every side quest is something that I still cannot fathom. Also, it's not cheaply done! Sometimes in Skyrim the voice acting would be somewhat cheesy or clearly the same voice as another character, but the range of behaviors, voices and emotions from the people in SWTOR is almost too much to comprehend.

One of my first quests sent me to fetch a woman's son from her husband who had kidnapped the boy. All this loving mother wanted was for her son to be shipped off to the Sith academy so he could be trained in the dark side of the force. She had credits to offer, so I asked no questions. Upon tracking down the husband and son I discovered that the father had in fact been to the Sith academy as a youth and was lucky enough to escape. In an attempt to free his son from the torture and probable death that the academy entailed, he begged me to allow them to escape the planet and lie to his wife that I had convinced him to send his son to the academy. As his lifeless body fell to the ground, I told his son to run home to mommy where he would be shipped off to become a Sith. Then I felt something that very few games, much less an MMO have ever caused me to feel...confliction and remorse. But it was too late for Rarecandy, I decided at that moment I would do whatever earned me the most credits and whatever sent me down the dark side. Now my character is level 25 and as he delves deeper into the darkness, his face begins to show signs of shadows and black veins creeping in from beneath. I am becoming evil to the core.

Upon completing the first planet I had reached level 10 and I chose between being a Mercenary who could focus on either dealing damage or healing or being a Powertech who focused on dealing damage or tanking. I chose the side of Mercenary and was presented with three talent trees to choose from while leveling up. The system is straight forward and easy to understand so it's simple to build your character to play the way you desire. There are 4 classes to choose from (Jedi Knight/Sith Warrior, Jedi Consular/Sith Inquisitor, Trooper/Bounty Hunter or Smuggler/Imperial Agent) and each class offers two, more specific designations to choose from at level 10 which results in basically 8 different classes to play. Obviously the Sith and Jedi are the most popular but there are still a respectable amount of Bounty Hunters, Smugglers, Imperial Agents and such running around. Each class offers a unique type of gameplay and everyone should have no trouble finding a class and specification that fits their play style.

Then there are the planets. Each a respectable size offering a good amount of quests and people to interact with and each with a unique, intriguing environment to truly make you feel like you're on a different planet. You can use your own private ship (which acts as a place to rest, do space missions and even store items) to travel from destination to destination and this is one of the things that makes it feel the most like you are in the world of Star Wars. When you choose a planet to visit you access your ship's holographic map to select a new destination. Upon making your selection, you look out of the cockpit window as you turn away from the planet you are leaving and blast into hyperspace towards the next location. As you come out of your blue tunnel of awesomeness, the next planet materializes in front of you and it really feels like you've experienced what travel in the world of Star Wars would be like. It's the little things like this that Bioware didn't need to put in the game but they make you stop and marvel at the depth and realization that this world offers.

This is starting to get pretty long so I'll wrap it up. Like I said earlier I'm only level 25 so I have a long way to go before I've even experienced a majority of what the game has to offer. Leveling does take a while and it seems like getting to level 50 will eventually take some patience and we may tire of listening to dialogue for each and every quest. I've yet to try the PvP but from what I've heard it's pretty fun but still lacking in player participation from the Republic side at times. Some of the servers are full and at times you may experience a wait time before you can log on but expect this to go away as more servers are created and current servers' maximum capacities are raised.

I can't stress enough to you how great SWTOR truly is. It's the Star Wars game that we have wanted for so long and it finally feels like we may have a lasting environment that we can be swept into for years. The implications of how the game can be expanded are encouraging and the fact that a majority of player complaints are all issues that can be easily fixed in the future is something I think Bioware should be extremely proud of. So if you haven't already, get out there and start your adventure in one of the greatest video games we've had in a long, long time.

MY EARLY SCORE: 9.5/10

NN REVIEW: The Muppets

It's time to play the music, it's time to light the lights, these Muppets have life in them yet. It's been over a decade since the Muppets graced the silver screen and their return to theaters couldn't be more welcome. The Muppets brings the gang back to life and breathes life into a franchise that somehow fell off the face of the earth. It brings back the innocent, clean, silly humor that makes the Muppets great and will please both fans of the old Muppets and newcomers to the series alike.

The plot of the movie is pretty basic and makes plenty of references to the actual state of the Muppets. Long forgotten by their fans, the Muppets have been out of work for years. Their contract is coming to an end and if they don't raise $10 million, the evil Tex Richman will buy out their old studio and use the property to drill oil. We follow the story of Gary (Jason Segel), his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) and Gary's Muppet brother Walter as they take a trip to Los Angeles and get caught up in the Muppets' goal to earn $10 million. Their barriers include getting the gang back together, finding a television station to air their show, finding a celebrity host and more. It's a perfect way to reintroduce us to the classic Muppet characters and try to get as many familiar faces on screen as possible in the brief running time.

This is Jason Segel's passion project inside and out. You should know by now that he has always been a fan of the Muppets and he put the Dracula musical in Forgetting Sarah Marshall as sort of an audition to make The Muppets movie. And speaking of musicals, the songs in The Muppets are absolutely brilliant. I won't spoil any of them but from the opening number to the closing act, each song finds a unique sound that keeps the lightheartedness of the Muppets alive. From the musical numbers to the references to old school Muppets you can see his passion in each and every frame of the movie. It's great to see someone's love for something translate into such a fantastic final product that everyone seems to be enjoying.

In true Muppet fashion there are countless celebrity cameos in the film, most of which leave you wanting more. We see Neil Patrick Harris, Zach Galifinakis, Alan Arkin, Rashida Jones, John Krasinski, Sarah Silverman and more. It's great to see all these familiar faces scattered throughout the movie as celebrity guests were a big part of what made the Muppets famous in their prime. The performances are all true to the Muppet style. Silly and bright eyed, it seems as though everyone who participated in the movie did it out of sheer love for the Muppets and what they represent. This really is a fun movie to watch and I found it hard to stop smiling from beginning to end.

For those who are not huge fans of the Muppets, like me, there will be quite a few references that you may not understand. This movie definitely has a little more in store for the fans of the old series but there is still plenty to love for those of us who haven't been with the Muppets from the beginning. The movie keeps a free spirited tone throughout and in the end focuses on the message that the Muppets have always tried to convey; that life is only worth living with the people that you love. It's sad how few movies these days provide clean, wholesome humor that everyone can enjoy and The Muppets is a breath of fresh air from a franchise that has been around for years. Here's hoping that more Muppets movies are on the way!

MY RATING: A

NN REVIEW: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

How can I even begin to write a review for a game like Skyrim? I've played roughly 24 hours of the game and so far I've completed probably less than half of the main quest line, become the new Arch Mage of the College of Winterhold, slain about 10 dragons, crafted armor, bought a house, become a Thane of both Whiterun and Falkreath and so much more. I still have not joined the Thieves Guild, gotten married, passed level 30, used a bow and arrow, or even traveled to all of the main cities. I was struggling with deciding when and how to write this review since if I waited until I completed all of the game's content it's likely this review wouldn't come out for at least a year and possibly never. But my time with Skyrim has revealed a few things to me. It was in no way overhyped, it is likely the best game of the year and it is possibly my favorite game of all time. So let's jump in.

I can't ever remember playing a game in which I stopped so frequently to simply gaze at the world I was standing in. Skyrim looks absolutely gorgeous. I'm playing it on the Xbox 360 and the graphics are fantastic. With the mountains shrouded in mist constantly hanging in the distance, weather that changes with the seasons, vast plains that open up before you and more, this game not only offers countless areas to explore but it invites you to take the time to wander into its farthest reaches. The other day I was on my way to a dungeon to acquire an amulet and halfway there I crossed a bridge with a river gushing beneath it. From my perch I could see distant waterfalls leading up to a mountain peak covered in snow. Naturally I diverted from my quest and explored the terrain only to come across a bandit hideout. I smote my enemies, took their supplies, and began to head back towards my original destination to recover the amulet. This is what Skyrim is all about. Bethesda has spent so much time making a game that encourages you to explore and discover new places that it's almost an insult to the makers if you simply stick to the main quest.

The main quest is certainly intriguing enough if you do decide to spend some time with it. Although I haven't done all of it I can tell you the basics. Dragons have returned to Skyrim after being absent from the land for hundreds of years. This has put the people of Skyrim on edge because the monsters can cause massive amounts of damage and wipe out entire civilizations. You quickly discover that you are a Dragonborn. Meaning you have the power to absorb the souls of dragons when they are killed which allows you to speak their language and use their powers. Killing dragons will give you souls and finding specific walls throughout the world will teach you words from the ancient language. Combining the words with the souls lets you unleash the powers of the dragons which include slowing time, sending your enemies flying through the air, freezing everyone around you and other incredible feats. In short, you are the only one with the ability to keep Skyrim safe from the dragons and you must find a way to solve the mystery of their return. Definitely awesome.

Magic. There is something quite satisfying about pouring two molten streams of fire from your hands until your enemies start to run in fear before you chase them down to finish them off. I've been playing as a mage focusing on Destruction and Conjuration with some dabbling in Restoration. In the last Elder Scrolls game, Oblivion, the combat for magic was lackluster and not truly a viable option for doing damage. This is not the case with Skyrim. The developers have taken the time to make sure that no matter what style of combat you choose whether it be magic, massive two handed weapons, the classic sword and shield or the stealth based archer with daggers for close combat you will be a real threat to your enemies. I've been talking to friends who are also getting lost in the world of Skyrim and it quickly becomes apparent that no two people will ever have the same experience...not even close. The new talent system makes it easy to improve the skills that you use most, awarding you a talent point each time you level which you can spend in trees that are aimed at specific aspects of the game. Simply put, whatever you use the most is what you will become the best at.

Let's go questing! The sheer number of quests in Skyrim is overwhelming. A couple hours into the game you'll already find your quest log packed to the brim with missions. Some, more important quests will have their own tab while smaller quests will be bunched into the miscellaneous category. By selecting a quest from your menu, you can activate it to show on your map. This makes it easy to tackle one quest at a time when your log may seem a little cluttered. Assuming you're ever able to focus on one task long enough to finish a quest I can promise you that there is very little repetition in this game which is an astounding feat. Some of the quests I've completed so far have involved killing bandit leaders in camps, retrieving artifacts from dungeons, following a talking dog to a temple where he and his master (a god stuck in a statue) seem to be at odds, collecting bear pelts for a woman who simply hates animals and a few even stranger tasks. Some quests are extremely quick and will be completed within a couple of minutes while others will send you across the world, deep into the wilderness to reach your goal. It is a testament to how much time Bethesda put into making Skyrim that the quests never feel tired or tedious despite the fact that there are hundreds upon hundreds of them in the game.

For all its glory there are a few minor issues with Skyrim that are actually quite amusing at times. With such a massive world there are bound to be a number of glitches and there are certainly some issues within Skyrim. Players have encountered issues such as flying mammoths, disappearing heads, quests that won't load for some time and some terrain issues. In my personal play through my head has disappeared a few times and one of the quests I was on led me to a dungeon where I was supposed to meet a man outside who never showed up. Eventually I left to do some other quests and upon returning a couple days later he had miraculously arrived. Bethesda is already working on some patches to resolve these issues but to be honest they are so minor that it never feels like they truly take away from the experience.

It's absolutely incredible how much more I could talk about here. I didn't even cover things like becoming a werewolf or vampire, buying a horse, settling the civil war or decorating your house. The sheer amount of content in Skyrim is glorious and it ensures that hours into the game you will still be discovering new vistas and unlocking new powers. Everyone will find something to enjoy from the combat, to crafting, to simply walking through town talking to people. Bethesda has accomplished something truly marvelous with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and it's an experience that I think everyone should have. Skyrim is easily my favorite game of the year and it is steadily becoming my favorite game of all time. A remarkable feat.

MY RATING: 10/10

NN REVIEW: Paranormal Activity 3

I think I'm still shaking so I'm going to keep this review short. Paranormal Activity 3 is by far the scariest movie I have ever seen in my life. If you've seen the first 2 and enjoyed them then this movie is for you. It's very much more of the same but it still haunts. Bringing the story all the way to its origins with a young Katie and Kristi we see how the terror began. Once again the performances by the actors make the whole story feel too real for comfort. The young girls were especially impressive with some heavy material to deal with. I don't really know what more I can say about it. Every horror movie maker should take notes from the Paranormal Activity films. It doesn't take over the top gore, sex or language to make a movie scary. Our imagination often conjures haunts far more frightening than anything we can actually see on film and the Paranormal films feed that terror. I was literally trembling for about the last half hour of the film. So if you enjoy scary movies I highly recommend it, but if you don't...do not go see this movie.

My Rating: B

NN REVIEW: Batman: Arkham City

Batman. He has always been my favorite super hero. He is so incredible to me mostly because he actually has no super powers. Just billions of dollars and a hate for evil. In Arkham City you become the caped crusader plunged into a society of thugs and psycho villains. The Joker is sick and in an attempt to get the cure, he infects you as well. This sends you on a wild goose hunt through Arkham City in which you encounter almost every notable Batman villain imaginable as they all seek to control Gotham.

Now I just finished the campaign and I haven't done too many of the side quests so far so this review is based solely on the main story line within the game. Let's start with the most obvious...the graphics. Arkham City is truly breathtaking. It's dark, dank, filthy, grimy, gritty and gorgeous to look at. There were countless times when I was on my way somewhere for a mission but found myself aimlessly gliding over the rooftops simply being badass. Occasionally I'd stumble across a group of thugs and swoop down from the shadows to teach them a lesson. The story line also provides you with some truly breathtaking sequences looking over the scope of Gotham and Arkham City. As the story progresses, Batman's suit becomes tattered and torn and there is a constant sense of Bruce being stretched to both his physical and moral limits purely based on how he looks. If for some reason you can't find the combat, story, voice acting or anything else enjoyable...you'll love how this game looks.

In addition to looking pretty, Arkham City is a hell of a lot of fun to play. The combat is at times fast paced as you'll find yourself stuck in the middle of about 20 thugs but at other times it is the epitome of stealth. It is possibly the most fun I've ever had in a game, sitting high above a room watching my enemies aimlessly patrol. As soon as one of them splits from the pack I glide down from the darkness, land silently behind him and take him out. Before the others even find his unconscious body I'm back in the rafters planning my next attack. The way this game truly makes you feel like Batman is something that I think we all wish more video games could do these days. You get a real sense that these thugs struggle with following orders from a villain they obviously fear when they know they will likely have to face you at some point. It's awesome hearing them talk confidently about taking you out until they find a fallen comrade and their heart rate spikes while their mood changes from calm to nervous to terrified.

The score of the game is also brilliant. At times just dull tones much like in The Dark Knight which is perfect for when you decide to lurk in the darkness and strike fear into the heart of your enemies. But once the combat gets going the music picks up and it almost feels like you're playing a movie. Along with brilliant voice acting across the board, it's nearly impossible to not get caught up in the story of Arkham City.

The campaign moves along briskly and you always get the sense of moving on to the next step. There are plenty of villain appearances and I think one of the complaints that people might give is that some bad guys show up for almost too short of a time. Batman has such a plethora of brilliant baddies at his disposal that I was actually happy they decided to go with less of more rather than more of less. It was awesome getting to see so many familiar faces as they all revealed their motives for trying to take over Arkham City. I'm not sure how many hours exactly it took me to beat the campaign but I've basically been playing it non-stop since the evening of its release day. At a rough guess I would say the campaign should take you around 10 hours. It alternates between you playing as Batman and Catwoman but thankfully the Catwoman segments are short and few. This is not to say that Catwoman isn't fun to play because she definitely is. But she's just not Batman.

There is so much more I could say about this game that makes it incredible but I don't think I need to. Every review that I've seen has been almost perfect and everyone I know who has bought the game so far can't put it down. The story is intriguing, the visuals breathtaking, the action both subtle and harried, the voice acting sharp, the soundtrack dark and the overall experience is...for lack of a better word...Batman.

My Rating: 10/10

NN REVIEW: The Walking Dead: What Lies Ahead

Season 1 of The Walking Dead was somewhat of a mixed bag for most people. The show started off extremely strong in the first couple of episodes and finally gave people a well thought out, quality zombie story on television for the first time ever. Although the last few episodes of the season stumbled a bit, bogged down by weak plot points, foolish characters and some odd side stories (Mexican gangsters taking care of the elderly) the whole of season 1 was something that I think most people enjoyed. Needless to say it left us excited for season 2, a chance to get to know these characters even more all while watching the living dead get their brains bashed in. So did the season 2 premier, "What Lies Ahead" give us what we were hoping for after almost a year off the air? Yes and no...let's jump in!

THIS IS A SPOILER FILLED REVIEW:

I'm still on the fence about whether or not I like Rick. He's obviously the protagonist that we're supposed to relate to and root for but for some reason I just can't seem to get fully on board with him. Season 2 starts with Rick on top of one of Atlanta's buildings talking into his walkie-talkie to explain how the group is moving on. It seems that the group's mobile goal of the season will be to get to some fort that is apparently a safe-house where they have the best chance of surviving. Rick's monologue at the beginning wasn't exactly stirring and I was hoping for a different opening shot that would suck us right back into the show that we had been missing for a year. But the rest of the episode helps to make up for this misstep.

As the gang heads out of Atlanta they come to a road block created by broken down cars on the road. Obviously as they try to navigate the wreckage their trailer breaks down and they find themselves stranded. The group decides to start searching the broken down cars for parts, food, etc. and for some reason Rick's wife Lori objects because "it's a graveyard." Ummm...what? Why is this location, made up of mostly just broken down cars too grim of a location to salvage food and supplies? I'm pretty sure at this point you wouldn't give a crap about some bodies in cars after having survived the zombie apocalypse for over a month. But her whining doesn't prevail and they start scavenging. Then comes our first zombie encounter of the season.

Dale is positioned on top of the trailer keeping an eye out for their slow moving friends and he eventually spots a herd of them headed their way. So the gang thinks on their feet and...gets under the cars? Okay I'm sorry, I know this sequence ended up being incredibly tense and a great zombie moment but I keep getting distracted by how dumb these peoples' decisions are. At this point they have graduated zombie basic training and should make wiser decisions than trapping themselves under cars where, if discovered, it would be almost impossible to escape. Also, in season 1 we established that zombies can smell when Rick and Glen masked themselves in gore to hide in plain sight from the flesh munchers. Also, there's a perfectly good forest just off the road that they could spread out in and have infinite escape routes if a zombie decides it's lunch time. But they hop under the cars anyways and we actually get some nicely done, tense moments of zombie feet scuttling across as the gang struggles to remain silent. Then it happens.  Obviously since she's the most confident of the group, Sophia, the 8 year old girl decides the coast is clear and slides out from under her car...the coast wasn't clear sweetheart. She is quickly discovered and forced to flee into the forest quickly pursued by Rick and two walkers.

Eventually Rick tells Sophia to hide while he distracts the zombies and then to return to camp once they're gone. So she does just that but of course gets lost on the way back. The rest of the episode centers around the gang trying to find Sophia somewhere in the woods as her mother, Carol, deals with blaming Rick for her daughter's disappearance. They eventually stop by a church and, after some sweet zombie brain bashings, we actually get some nice character moments. Andrea, the blonde chick whose sister died last season overhears Shane and Lori talk about their relationship and why Shane should leave the group, Carol takes some time to beg God to punish her for her wrongdoings and not her daughter, and Rick also takes some time to beg Jesus for a sign that he is doing the right thing.

Then we come to the final scene in the episode...holy nuts. Rick, his son Carl, and Shane decide to keep looking for Sophia while the rest of the group heads back to the road. During the guys' search in the woods they happen upon the least skittish deer I've ever seen in my life. Carl begins to approach the deer with wide eyed wonder as Shane and Rick look on and smile. Then Carl gets shot in the freaking chest! Yea, as he's looking at the deer somebody shoots the thing from the other side and the bullet goes right through the animal and nails Carl. In the "shots from next week/this season" after the episode we see that Rick rushes him to a house where we'll meet some new characters...but seriously, this was crazy.

There were definitely some nice side stories established in this episode that I'm interested to see how they turn out. Will Andrea and Shane bail on the group for some time? How soon will we find Sophia and will she be alive or...you know...dead but alive? Will Carl survive getting shot just below the heart? I'm guessing the writers may not be afraid of letting one of the kids die as it helps establish that no one is safe and to be honest it can help propel some intense character development for those who have to deal with a child's death. I haven't read the graphic novel so I have no idea what to expect as far as who lives and who dies.

The season 2 premier didn't quite live up to what I hoped for after such a long hiatus from the show but it certainly set up what promises to be another good season. If we can get the characters' zombie IQ's up to a realistic level and we can continue to learn about these people in the midst of the zombie apocalypse then I think The Walking Dead may have quite a few seasons under its belt. To be honest, I think there's a lot of pressure on the next 4 or 5 episodes to really get us on board for the long haul.

My Rating: 8/10

NN REVIEW: 50/50

Cancer. You'd have to search far and wide to find someone who hasn't been affected by it in some way. 50/50 tells the story of Adam, a boy in his mid-20's who is diagnosed with spinal cancer and has to deal with the reality of a 50% chance of death. Through most of the film his only person to fall on is his friend Kyle and the portrayal of how they both deal with Adam's situation is truly profound and moving. 50/50 has been labeled as a dramedy but the drama far outweighs the comedy as we feel the complicated swirl of emotions that comes with looking death in the face.

When we think of cancer patients we usually don't picture anyone under the age of say 65. Personally I try to avoid the movies which I know will depress me so I haven't watched too many that deal with the heavy material from 50/50. Showing someone in the prime of their life such as Adam being forced to deal with his illness forced me to think about the fact that everyone will die at some point in their lives and we truly have no power over when that time will come. How would we react if we were put in Adam's situation? Personally I think my story would be similar to Adam's in many ways. The initial reaction of numbness and perhaps failing to grasp the situation. Everyone around you telling you useless information and promising that things will be "ok" when you know that they have no idea what will happen. The pain of having to tell family members the news that is already eating you apart and having to deal with their emotions as well. And finally, as death looms ever closer, the fear that each of us has, no matter how deeply, of death. I think whether we are eight or ninety-eight when each of us stares death in the face we will be scared. 50/50 portrays the reality of a death sentence so realistically that I found it impossible to not get involved with Adam's story.

However, 50/50 is also quite funny, at times hilarious. Thank the Lord for Seth Rogen. Whether you like him or not, the comic relief he brings to 50/50 could not have been more welcome. Without a good amount of laughs I feel like this movie would have been too much for me to stomach and the relief of finding something to smile about was almost as welcome to the audience as it was to Adam. But the comedy is different in this film. It's almost as if every time we laugh, we get the feeling that we are only laughing to try and forget about what looms ahead. There were very few actual gut-busting moments; but the comedy brought to life the struggle of trying to find joy even in the most dire of situations.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is becoming one of my most respected actors in Hollywood. Last summer he took part in one of the biggest blockbusters of the year in Inception and next year we will see him in The Dark Knight Rises which promises to be one of the most successful films of all time. And yet we still see him choosing roles in movies that have true heart. 50/50 is a movie about one of life's most difficult subjects but Gordon-Levitt handles the role with such humanity that we forget he was the handsome, suit wearing, bad guy fighting badass from the spinning hallway last summer. A weak lead character could have been a kiss of death for 50/50 but Gordon-Levitt makes us feel the emotions of a young man diagnosed with cancer.

Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick and Anjelica Huston offer supporting roles that truly round out the movie. Rogen's bumbling character eases the tension and is the only person who is there for Adam from the beginning. Kendrick plays Adam's psychiatrist in training and the awkwardness of their relationship helps show that no one is good at dealing with something like cancer, even those who are trained for it. Huston takes the role of Adam's mother and seeing how she dealt with the situation made me think of how my mom would feel if something like this happened to me. We feel the struggle of the supporting characters as they try to walk on egg shells around Adam at first but come to realize that sometimes the best thing for someone in his situation is just to be there.

50/50 is not a movie for everyone. If you want a hilarious comedy, this is not the one to go to. But I feel that this is one of those movies that is truly important. If anything it helps us realize that if we ever face a situation like this, we are not alone. At times a cancer sentence can make a person feel alienated and it can make the people around them act entirely different. It's easy for no one and it's scary as hell. But there is also a profound sense of realization that comes along with it. None of us will be here for long so we might as well find the people we love and make every day count.

My Rating: B+

NN REVIEW: Drive

You know a movie is powerful when the protagonist is standing in the middle of a room filled with naked women and you can't take your eyes off of him. From the opening shot, Drive is a breathtaking cinematic experience. Methodically paced, gorgeously shot, perfectly acted and expertly crafted, Drive finds an astonishing blend of hyper stylized violence and pure artistic brilliance to bring us something that is truly remarkable.

Driver. That is all we know him as. Give him a time and a place and he'll give you five minutes to do whatever you need to do. Be back in the car within the five minute window, and you have yourself a driver. By day he works as a movie stuntman flipping cop cars and filming chase scenes. Eventually Driver becomes smitten with Irene, a fellow resident in his apartment complex. All seems to be going well, except for one small detail...her husband who just got out of jail. Driver's life takes a turn for the complex when Irene's recently released husband, Standard, gets caught up in a job he must do in order to pay his debt to some gangsters. If the debt doesn't get paid, they will soon come after Irene and her son. Enter Driver. Determined to keep the woman he loves safe, Driver agrees to help Standard with his heist...then all hell breaks loose.

I'll keep this spoiler free so that is all I'll say about the story in this review. But now I can talk about all the things that made this movie incredible. I'll start with the overall direction. Nicolas Winding Refn takes the director's seat for Drive and what he brings to the table is absolutely incredible. The movie is paced so methodically it keeps you on the edge of your seat from the get go. Although the violence is intermittent, when it hits, it hits hard. Most of the first half of the movie is the establishment of Driver's relationship with Irene but you can't help but feel like something terrible is constantly looming around the corner.

A haunting soundtrack is, what I believe, will stick with me the longest from Drive. Composed mostly by Cliff Martinez, the ambient  tracks honestly leave me at a loss for words to describe how much they enhance the tension. It's almost as if these dark tones are being set throughout the entire film and just when something is about to happen, the theater becomes deafeningly quiet. Every gun shot rang through our theater, each curse hung in the air and the tension, this constant uneasiness throughout the film is honestly unlike anything I've felt in a long time. Refn's direction blends so perfectly with the music, at times artistic and shockingly unique and at others clean cut and precise. This is one of those rare films where each piece of the puzzle ended up meshing perfectly with the others to create a real masterpiece.

Ryan Gosling is scary good with his role. It's a testament to how truly talented Gosling is that even while he is currently igniting Hollywood as the hottest thing since whatever the last hottest thing was, he can take the time to do a smaller film like Drive and completely, utterly immerse himself in the role. I've never seen him play a role quite like this and his disturbingly quiet character who at times shows such compassion to Irene and at other times such unrelenting, brutal violence to those who threaten her is astonishing to watch. It was one of those performances where 5 minutes into the film you're no longer watching Ryan Gosling, you're watching Driver. The supporting cast was also excellent throughout. Carey Mulligan made Irene feel so real, not Hollywood beautiful or too good to be true, but a girl worth fighting for. Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston offered what little comic relief there was to be found in the movie as Shannon, Driver's employer and really only confidant in the film. Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman were both in true form as top gangsters concerned with one thing, money. When the entire cast is so committed to a film, it makes it an experience that the audience can get that much more involved in.

There's not much more I think I need to say about Drive. I would say that if you don't do well with violence, like the kind of violence where peoples' heads get blown off, you might want to avoid it. But Drive is truly an immersive experience where there are honestly no weak points to be found. It's the kind of movie that people who are looking for a Fast and Furious type film will be disappointed by. But it's also the kind of film that grabs you from the beginning and refuses to let go until the credits role. Drive is my favorite movie of the year so far and I hope it gets the recognition and adoration it deserves.

My Rating: A

NN REVIEW: Moneyball

It's America's pastime. Baseball is one of the greatest sports in the world and it has been around for generations. Moneyball is the story of a man (or rather two men) who set out to change the way things were done. The opposition was intense and truly no one believed in what they were doing...except for themselves.

Meet Billy Beane, general manager of the 2002 Oakland Athletics. A team with almost a quarter of the funding of the New York Yankees that is about to lose three of its best players with no means for replacing them. Beane is surrounded by men who have been doing the same thing for years with a system that is clearly broken. He knows that something different has to be done and he sees the opportunity in Peter Brand. A Yale graduate with next to no experience at a real job who sees things a little differently. Peter breaks down players' value based on a complicated system of numbers and statistics. He believes that everyone is looking at the game the wrong way which leaves plenty of players heavily undervalued. Those are the players that a team like the Athletics can afford.

Beane and Brand set out to make a championship team with whatever players they can scrap together, as Brand puts it, "like an island of misfit toys." Moneyball is a movie about a baseball team defying the odds and doing what no one thought was possible. It shows that innovation is dangerous and the first man through the wall is always bloodied, but sometimes all you need to do is truly believe in what you are doing.

I would say the average age in our theater was around 40 and it was well so. There is a lot of talking in this movie and if you don't have an inherent interest or knowledge of baseball most of it will be like watching paint dry. Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network, A Few Good Men, etc.) is one of my favorite writers in Hollywood and he again does an excellent job in developing the characters. In addition to the story of Beane and Brand, we also see Beane's struggling relationship with his daughter and his ex-wife. There are issues that Beane must deal with off the field and Moneyball strikes the right note when giving us a reason to root for Beane. If you're like me or millions of other Americans who love baseball you will be sucked in from the get go but if the sport is not for you then Beane's family issues may be enough to at least keep you in your seat.

Director Bennett Miller does an incredible job of incorporating real life footage of the '02 A's to bring the story to life and the opening sequence of the movie was brilliantly done. The movie is beautifully shot and the way some of the games bounce back and forth between blurry shots on a television screen and heavily produced Hollywood lit shots is ingenious. 

Brad Pitt is again excellent and although I don't think it's one of his best performances or anything Oscar worthy he is more than sufficient to carry the lead role of Billy Beane. What will people be talking about? Jonah Hill. Yes, Jonah Hill is amazing in this movie. Taking his first serious role in stride I honestly believe his name will be tossed around come Oscar season for supporting actor. I have to admit when I first saw him in the trailer I thought he had been horribly miscast but it turns out I was horribly wrong. I honestly hope this puts him on the map for more serious roles in the future as it looks like he is trying to take his career in a more serious direction (or at least keep that option open). There's no denying that he is great for comedies but I always get so much respect for actors when they show that they have real range, to me that is one of the rarest gifts in Hollywood. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is the other big name attached to Moneyball and he does a great job as Manager of the Athletics Art Howe who clashes with the unorthodox methods of Beane. A well rounded cast helps propel Moneyball to the next level and lets you stay involved with the story rather than worry about how believable these characters really are.

In the end Moneyball is a movie about taking risks. About completely committing to an idea when literally everyone is against you. It's about the rewards of hard work and determination and the fact that sometimes the reward you get isn't the one you set out for. What Billy Beane did with the 2002 Oakland Athletics changed the way that teams think about baseball and the methods he and Brand developed are still used today. With lasting appeal and a real love for the sport, Moneyball may take its rightful place alongside the baseball classics

My Rating: A

NN REVIEW: The Lion King 3D

So a few months ago my friends and I decided to watch The Brave Little Toaster. It was a movie that I had fond memories of from my childhood and I was excited to revisit it. It turns out that movie was terrible! The story was dumb, boring and just plain weird. Needless to say I was a bit disappointed that I watched it since those are the feelings I now associate with that movie. Now I knew The Lion King would never be as terrible if I watched it again but I did have some worry in the back of my mind that maybe it wouldn't be quite as incredible as I remembered it from my childhood...and then it started.

As the obscured sun rose over the savanna to those oh so famous lyrics that none of us really know, any worries that I had seemed to slip away. The opening song reveals the gorgeous tapestry that is the African wildlife and it's an early opportunity for the filmmakers to show us what the 3D can do for this film. The end result? Perhaps an even more beautiful movie than we remember. I absolutely love when 3D is used to simply add depth to shots rather than make a billion things shoot out of the screen at the audience and this is exactly what they've done. The savanna appears to have real depth and some of the shots, i.e. Simba and Mufasa staring out over their kingdom are truly breathtaking. If you were worried that the 3D might look cheap or ineffective let me promise you that it only adds to the experience.

If you're like me, then you haven't actually sat down and watched The Lion King since your youth. Sure we know all the songs and know the story, but it has been far too long since I actually watched the film from beginning to end. Even though this is a movie for kids I don't think they can quite grasp how truly great The Lion King really is. First off there are plenty of jokes that went right over our heads as kids and some of them are honestly hilarious. There's a part where Zazu is reporting all of the problems in the kingdom to Mufasa and his voice sort of fades into the background. Now as kids we blocked out whatever he was saying but if you listen you start to hear lines like, "I've told the elephants to forget it, but you know they can't" and "Cheetahs never prosper." Timon and Pumbaa are still laugh out loud funny but also the perfect example of how incredible loyal friends truly are. It was incredible to revisit this movie that I watched countless times as a kid and pick up on what I missed back then, and that goes beyond the humor.

This is an emotional movie. I think for us (my generation), seeing this movie again at this point in our lives is a pretty incredible thing. We watched this movie as children and I think many of us have carried the image of Mufasa's death as one of the saddest parts of any movie from our childhood. I know the scene was in the back of my mind from the very beginning and I was dreading getting to the stampede sequence because I knew what was coming. But before that, a scene I had completely forgotten about caught me off guard. It's the part when Simba believes he is about to be scolded by his dad and Mufasa shows how much he cares for his son. Simba believes his father could never be afraid of anything but Mufasa catches him off guard by revealing that he had been scared before, scared that he had lost his son. He tells Simba that he is only brave when he has to be and that true bravery is not to go looking for trouble. We see how much Simba looks up to his dad and we see how much Mufasa, this image of the most powerful king, can still be vulnerable. The relationship between father and son is portrayed so realistically and so uniquely in this movie it's impossible to not get involved. As they look to the stars and Mufasa tells of the kings who are always looking down on them, I realized how powerful the messages in this movie really are.

So what are the messages? What was the movie instilling in each of us as we were growing up? Well, to be honest it's very simple but very powerful. I think the most prominent messages are that change is good, bad things will happen but we must learn from the past, and choosing to do the right thing will never be easy. There's an absolutely incredible sequence when Rafiki is trying to show Simba the way. He leads him through the brush to a pond where he shows Simba that his father still lives within him. We see Simba begin to realize that he has to become his father in order to save the land that he loves. Mufasa appears in a vision in the clouds and calls on Simba to remember who he is and where he came from. We see Simba's conflict as he struggles with the decision of staying in the carefree life of Timon and Pumbaa or risking everything to take his rightful place as king of Pride Rock. This movie is truly powerful as I think we can all relate to Simba in one way or another, especially those of us who have now grown up and experienced life.

"Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or...learn from it."

I could go on and on about how important I think this movie is. It has to be considered one of Disney's greatest triumphs in their incredible cinematic history and the fact that over a decade later it can still bring tears to our eyes is a testament to how timeless it truly is. I can't recommend it enough and I hope that everyone makes time to go see it before it leaves theaters on September 30th.

The Lion King is truly magnificent and this re-release in theaters brings only one thought to mind...The King has returned.

My Rating: A+

NN REVIEW: Thundercats: Old Friends

Another step in the right direction for Thundercats. Episode 5, titled "Old Friends" introduces us to a new team member while giving some back story on our villain.

Meet Panthro. The badass that badasses refer to as badass. A once loyal soldier of the king, Panthro turned up at the end of last week's episode and saved our heroes from certain death. In this episode we got to see a little bit of Panthro's history and his relationship with a formidable foe.

At the start of the episode we learn that Panthro's ThunderTank runs on what is called Thundrillium and he is out of it. Unfortunately the closest place to get some is a lizard infested mine where Grune is harvesting the Thundrillium for Mumm-Ra's army. Remember Grune? The cat that betrayed everyone in the battle that led to the king's death in the series premier? Ya, he and Panthro are old buddies.

And that leads us to the second story in this episode. Grune and Panthro initially met on the battlefield as soldiers and became inseparable. From the get-go we see that Grune strives to become king and somehow upset the establishment, while Panthro needs only a strong king to serve in order to feel fulfilled. Eventually the two are sent out on a special mission to find the fabled Book of Omens. Seeing the back story between Grune and Panthro was great and it did an excellent job of introducing us to Panthro while giving us the reasoning for Grune's eventual betrayal of his kingdom. Although it was a bit unfortunate that Grune was so clearly anti-establishment from the beginning. Literally almost right after we meet him in battle he is complaining about what they have to do. But it was still a great back story for the episode.

Back in present time, Lion-O quickly discovers that Panthro will not follow him blindly simply because he is the new king. Lion-O must earn his respect. I'm glad that Lion-O now has another member of the team that will challenge him and force him to mature as a character. His development has to be done slowly and it has to seem like he is being shaped by those around him and I think they have set this up perfectly with Tygra and Panthro. Eventually they break into the mine and are forced to confront Grune and his lizard crones.

I won't say much more since I don't want to put in any spoilers. But all in all I thought the episode was pretty much on par with what I've come to expect from the show. Nothing particularly earth shattering (actually that's not true) but also nothing that made this a poor episode. I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing some more flashbacks from this show so as to learn more about the history of our characters and what has made them the way they are.

4/5

NN REVIEW: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

It took me 13 days after it hit theaters, but I finally went to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes tonight. I remember when I saw the first trailer for it and my first thought was, ya that's gunna suck...not seeing it. Then some early reviews started coming in. They were all strong to my bewilderment; but I figured the trend would stop once the public started seeing it. I mean, come on, Rise of the Planet of the Apes? Did a 4 year old come up with the title? It's not gunna be good...Then the numbers came in from its first weekend in the box office. Domination. Then the second weekend, first place once again. That's when I realized I was probably dead wrong about it. So tonight I finally saw it...and ya, I was dead wrong. Here's my relatively spoiler free review!

Let me preface this by saying that in no way is Apes perfect. It shouldn't be nominated for any Oscars and there are a few plot holes and such. But as far as summer movies go, where all I want is to be entertained for 2 hours, it certainly is top notch.

We start out by meeting James Franco. Yup, that's what I think the character's name is because I'm pretty sure we only heard his name twice and I forgot it. Anyways, James is a very smart scientist who has developed a super awesome chemical that basically allows the brain to repair itself...this can only lead to good things right? Anyways, this chemical is thought to be a potential cure for Alzheimers; unfortunately the first ape that it is tested on not only shows intense cognitive improvement, she goes freaking insane and basically shuts down the whole program. Good ole James decides to take home her baby chimp and call it quits. Until two things happen.

First, James tests the chemical on his Alzheimers stricken father, and second he discovers that the baby chimp he took home, who they eventually name Caesar, is freaking brilliant. One thing leads to another and eventually Caesar must be kept in captivity (sad scene).

This is where the movie takes off. As Caesar learns to integrate with the other chimps in the compound we witness the glory that is Motion Capture (mo-cap) technology. Andy Serkis, the incredible man behind our beloved Smeagol, plays Caesar and truly, truly brings him to life. The movie is worth seeing just for the mo-cap alone, as each and every movement on Andy's face is brought to vivid form on Caesar's. Absolutely essential for developing a character that can't speak. There has been some talk of Andy Serkis being nominated for an Oscar since it is basically him doing all the acting of Caesar. I agree with the concept that actors shown through mo-cap should be considered for Oscars, but I don't think Andy did enough with Caesar to earn a nod. Yes, he played the part perfectly, but it's still hard to justify that honor to someone who doesn't speak in the film. Now with roles like Smeagol in Lord of the Rings, yes, that is where he should definitely be considered for an Oscar since he also has an immense amount of dialogue.

Eventually the chimps band together and find a way out of the compound. Oh boy, is the finale awesome. I won't spoil anything but let's put it this way. How insane would it be if suddenly hundreds of pissed off, massive apes broke loose on San Francisco and absolutely wreaked havoc? Pretty insane right? Well you get to see that happen in Apes and yea, it's pretty insane and pretty awesome.

I'm a little too young to be familiar with the old Planet of the Apes films so this is the first one I have seen. This, in no way, was detrimental to enjoying the film. I believe that, other than a few inside lines that should please fans of the films, there was nothing in this movie that required any knowledge of the previous films. So do not let that stop you from seeing it.

In the end the movie moves along very smoothly in it's almost exactly 2 hour running time. With very few dull moments and a story that is certainly engaging enough. It does suffer from a romantic relationship that we literally care nothing about (I can't remember the love interest's name), some acting from James Franco that isn't quite up to his 127 hours perfection and some plot holes that could be a bit distracting. But none of these are anywhere close to enough to make the movie not worth seeing.

I want my summer movies to do nothing but entertain me. I don't want them to try and be something they're not. And I want to walk out of the theater feeling that my $10-$15 was well spent. Apes met all of that criteria so I consider it a great success. Also, stay for about 2 minutes when the credits roll, there's a cool scene worth staying for.

One of my favorite authors is Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park). At the end of one of his books titled Prey, there's a line that says, "They didn't understand what they were doing. I'm afraid that will be on the tombstone of the human race. I hope it's not. We might get lucky." Apes is a perfect example of what that statement means and I think every once in a while, it's nice to see our messed up race get beat the frick up by animals. I don't know why, I guess we kind of deserve it.

MY RATING: A-