theSCENE
Issue 25 / September 2011 / Warez-BB.org
Rise & Fall of Rapidshare HOW THIS GIANT ROSE TO POWER THEN FELL
127 Hours ANOTHER SOLID MOVIE FROM BOYLE
PORTAL 2 A LOOK INTO ONE OF THE YEAR’S MOST HIGHLY ANTICIPATED GAMES
The Scene
CONTENTS ISSUE 25 | SEPTEMBER 2011
General 03. Flying Thoughts
Movies & Music 05. 127 Hours 08. Battle Los Angeles 11. Fast Five 15. The Green Hornet 3D 17. Fast & Furious 20. Valentine’s Day 23. Priest 26. An Education 29. Bridesmaids 33. Hanna 37. Red Riding Hood 40. Insidious 42. Sucker Punch 45. Source Code 48. Scream 4 51. 5 To Watch 52. No More Idols
Tech & Games 53. The Potato Sack 55. Portal 2 57. Bulletstorm 59. The Rise and Fall of Rapidshare 62. Call of Duty: Black Ops
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Contents
The Scene
EDITORIAL ISSUE 25 | SEPTEMBER 2011
Editor ENIGMA Co-Editor .:Nvidia:. Writers Team Leader feenzie Artists Team Leader Prendy QA Team Leader ~EvilBaby~ Website Team Leader LinuxTrance Writers Team Assistant spiderman120988 QA Team Assistant AceR Writers druid101 BlueMaxima Kartnite scoops TheGrimRaper LinuxTrance Artists dingo_d Lora kerwoer AndyMosh Herinjo surferdud3 RED.PANTHER (Cartoonist) Quality Assurance Team Aquascum druid101 Haplo12345 Thunderstruck Posixninja Magazine Team Compiler Prendy Cover Design Prendy
Editorial
Hello, and welcome to the most recent issue of theSCENE! On the occasion of the 25th release of our magazine, we’re pleased to announce our agenda to expand theSCENE and cater to the growing needs of our readers and interested contributors from around the world. All subsequent releases of our articles will now be quickly available through our website @ readthescene.org - The pdf releases will be available about every 3-4 months. As a reader, this implies that you no longer wait for your content. Further, you now have the ability to directly speak with those involved in the release of your favorite content. We encourage you to check out our website and and utilize social tools to tell us what you think. If you would like to receive notifications, please subscribe to us through twitter, facebook or our RSS feed. http://twitter.com/#!/readthescene http://www.facebook.com/ReadTheScene http://readthescene.org/feed/ As a contributor, you’re able to signup at our portal and directly submit articles containing rich web content for publication. If you’d like to volunteer and assist us with your artistic talents, please use the contact form and link us to your portfolio. You now have the opportunity to showcase your talents through a growing website and online community. We hope that you like the changes that we’ve made and look forward to seeing you at our new home @ readthescene.org ENIGMA
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Flying Thoughts Cartoon by Red Panther Layout by Prendy
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General
Flying Thoughts Cartoon by Red Panther Layout by Prendy
General
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127 HOURS
REVIEW | 127 HOURS | TEXT SPIDERMAN120988 | GFX DINGO_D
Rated R (Language and some Disturbing Violent Content/Bloody Images)
Running Time : 1 Hour & 33 Minutes Cast : James Franco - Aron Ralston Kate Mara - Kristi Moore Amber Tamblyn - Megan McBride Clémence Poésy - Rana Lizzy Caplan - Sonja Ralston 5 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Treat Williams - Larry Ralston, Aron’s Dad Kate Burton - Donna Ralston, Aron’s Mom Sean Bott - Aron’s Friend Rebecca C. Olson - Monique Meijer Pieter Jan Brugge - Eric Meijer Jeffrey Wood - Andy Meijer Fenton Quinn - Blue John
Directed by : Danny Boyle FINAL RATING :
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REVIEW | 127 HOURS
I
f you’re a “Star Trek” fan, then you should know that James T. Kirk does not believe in a no-win situation; to him, there is always a way out, always a solution. In late April, 2003, amateur mountain climber Aron Ralston found himself in a no-win situation while hiking in Blue John Canyon in Utah. After exploring a zombie-infected apocalypse, a possible future where the Earth is faced with a dying Sun, and a Bollywood romantic fantasy, Danny Boyle’s latest film, “127 Hours,” based upon Ralston’s 2004 autobiography, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, chronicles his harrowing ordeal at Blue John Canyon where he became trapped in a narrow passage after a dislodged boulder crushes his forearm and pins it against the canyon wall. Described as ‘an action movie with a guy who can't move,’ “127 Hours” is an intense, yet sometimes humorous and poignant, film that asks the all-important question: how far would we go to survive? To live? With a career-defining performance from James Franco, this is one of the best films of 2010.
lands National Park in Utah, specifically Blue John Canyon. Along the way he meets two lost hikers, Megan (Amber Tamblyn) and Kristi (Kate Mara), and offers to lead them through a more interesting path than the one they were trying to find. After parting company, Ralston descends a narrow passage, but falls after a boulder becomes dislodged. His forearm is crushed by the boulder and pinned against the canyon wall. He desperately tries to free himself and screams for help, to no avail. Realizing that he’ll be dead before anyone finds him, Ralston tries his best to survive by rationing whatever food and water he is carrying on him. He tries various methods to free himself, but as the hours tick by with supplies dwindling and dehydration setting in, Ralston is faced with the harsh reality that he will die alone.
“127 Hours” bears a passing similarity with Ryan Reynolds’ “Buried,” although the latter is a thriller film. The first fifteen or so minutes establishes Ralston’s character and being in his late twenties, he’s still at that youthful In late April, 2003, 27-year-old Aron stage where he believes nothing can go Ralston (James Franco) prepares to go wrong and even if it does, he’ll bounce on a day of canyoneering in Canyon- back quickly. He’s adventurous, but also Movies & Music
cocky and careless; some may even call him stupid. Boyle does not make him out to be some inspirational hero; his predicament is his fault and to survive his ordeal is nothing short of a miracle. I’m not the religious type, but someone up there was looking out for Ralston. For much of its ninety minute running time, there’s only the camera and Franco, often in close-up. There are no cuts to worried family members to drum up the ‘drama.’ Instead Boyle goes in a different direction where he delves deep into Ralston’s psyche. As dehydration sets in, he begins to experience hallucinations and we’re shown several surreal sequences that reflect what he is thinking. When the sun rises and he feels the warmth against his leg, Ralston flashes back to the time where his father took him to see his first sunset. He recalls the invitation to a party by the two lost female hikers and dreams about being there, drinking beer. Faced with no water, no food, and no hope for survival, Ralston records his regrets and reminisces about his family and fate. ‘I chose this. I chose all this. This rock... this rock has been waiting for me my entire life,’ he thinks aloud. It’s not all doom and gloom, with Ralston trying to stay positive by imagining himself as a WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 6
TV show host and putting his engineering skills to use to try and free himself. Of course, it’s the climax of “127 Hours” that will stay with you long after the end credits have rolled. If you’re familiar with the story of Ralston, then you know what he did to free himself, but if not, I won’t spoil it here. Suffice to say, it’s quite graphic, but nothing gratuitous like what you see in torture porn flicks like “Saw” or “Hostel.” It’s a very visceral scene and the reason it’s hard to watch is due to its brutal realism. “127 Hours” raises an important question and asks whether if we’d be able to do something this extreme and desperate if we found ourselves in a no-win situation. The only way you’ll answer this question is if you’ve been in such a situation already. Although some recognizable faces pop up in what amounts to cameos, this is James Franco’s show and he carries the film all the way. He may not have won, but his Oscar nomination was right on the money. Franco perfectly captures Ralston’s youthful energy, his sense of risk-taking and adventure and his descent into desperation is utterly
convincing. We know the outcome, but we are still glued to this man who pushes away his doubts and chooses to survive. A weaker man might have simply accepted his fate but it’s this indomitable will to live that makes Ralston and others like him, more than human. Released in early March, 2011, “127 Hours” looks stunning on Blu-Ray. Shot on-location at Moab, Utah, the breathtaking vistas as the camera pans up are vivid and sharp. Close-up shots are extremely detailed from the dry lips on Ralston to the tiny sand pebbles on the ground. Boyle makes sure to add his own signature, employing interesting perspectives, split screens, and fast cuts. Audio is just as strong thanks to A.R. Rahman’s score and use of ambience noise to create an unsettling, claustrophobic feel. The video diary that Ralston shot during his ordeal still exists, although it has never been shown publicly (with the exception of Boyle and Franco) and while it may have made a nice special feature, I understand why it has been kept private. What special features we do get is an audio commentary with Boyle, producer
Christian Colson, and co-writer Simon Beaufoy, 34 minutes of deleted scenes, a 35 minute making-of and a short look at the rescue effort after Ralston freed himself. “127 Hours” had a limited release on November 5, 2010 and expanded almost two months later on January 28, 2011. Filmed on a production budget of $18 million, it has earned $51 million worldwide. Reviews were overwhelmingly positive with 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised Boyle and Franco, calling the film ‘gut-wrenching as it is inspirational.’ The film was nominated for six categories, including Best Picture, at the 2011 Academy Awards, but failed to win any as “The King’s Speech” and “The Social Network” wiped the competition. “127 Hours” is a simple film, but it’s a chronicle of one man overcoming all odds and choosing to live. If you missed it in theaters, now’s your chance to finally experience another excellent addition to Boyle’s résumé.
“
You know, I’ve been thinking. Everything is...just comes together. It’s me. I chose this. I chose all this. This rock...this rock has been waiting for me my entire life. It’s entire life, ever since it was a bit of meteorite a million, billion years ago. In space. It’s been waiting, to come here. Right, right here. I’ve been moving towards it my entire life. The minute I was born, every breath that I’ve taken, every action has been leading me to this crack on the out surface.
”
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Movies & Music
REVIEW | BATTLE LOS ANGELES | TEXT SPIDERMAN120988 | GFX KERWOER
Rated PG-13 (Sustained and Intense Sequences of War Violence and Destruction, and for Language) Running Time: 1 Hour & 56 Minutes Cast: Aaron Eckhart - Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz Ramon Rodriguez - 2nd Lieutenant William Martinez Michelle Rodriguez - Tech Sergeant Elena Santos Michael Peña - Joe Rincon Bridget Moynahan - Michele Martinez Ne-Yo - Corporal Kevin Harris Cory Hardrict - Corporal Jason Lockett Gino Anthony Pesi - Corporal Nick Stavrou Lucas Till - Corporal Scott Grayston Kenneth Brown Jr. - Corporal Richard Oswald Will Rothhaar - Corporal Lee Imlay Neil Brown Jr. - Lance Corporal Richard Guerrero Taylor Handley - Lance Corporal Corey Simmons James Hiroyuki Liao - Lance Corporal Steven Mottola Jim Parrack - Lance Corporal Peter Kerns Adetokumboh M’Cormack - Corpsman Jibril Adukwu Noel Fisher - Private Shaun Lenihan Bryce Cass - Hector Rincon Directed by: Jonathan Liebesman Movies & Music
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REVIEW | BATTLE LOS ANGELES
B
oy, aliens really hate Earth, don’t they? From “Independence Day” to “War of the Worlds,” the alien invasion subgenre has remained a popular mainstay in Hollywood films. The latest is Jonathan Liebesman’s “Battle: Los Angeles,” which tries to meld giant explosions with gritty war drama ala “Black Hawk Down.” The film is partially inspired by the Battle of Los Angeles which took place in February, 1942 where the city was suspected of being attacked but it turned out to be nothing more than a false alarm. A small minority believe that the resulting anti-air barrage was targeted at extraterrestrial spacecraft. “Battle: Los Angeles” is an overlong, overly clichéd mindnumbing experience with incoherent action scenes, absolutely no plot or characters and represents the worst in Hollywood film-making. Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) has served the United States Marines for twenty years and has decided to retire after an incident during the Iraq War. He promises his CO that he’ll make sure the latest batch of Marines are combat-ready before he leaves. Meanwhile, news reports are coming in about a number of meteors hitting major cities all around the world. The meteors turn out to be a massive alien invasion force that begins pounding the West Coast with advanced weaponry. The Marines begin to mobilize with Nantz assigned as second-in-command to an untested lieutenant named William Martinez (Ramon Rodriquez).
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Martinez’s platoon is to insert into Santa Monica, Los Angeles to rescue a number of civilians trapped at the police station. They have three hours before the bombs start dropping. In a race against time, Nantz and the rest of the squad must survive and battle an enemy that seeks only the complete annihilation of their race. If Activision ever publishes a “Call of Duty” game about an alien invasion, this would be it. Frankly, I’m amazed that writer Christopher Bertolini managed to stretch out the already paper-thin plot of “Battle: Los Angeles” to an overlong two hours. The film wastes no time in getting to the action, quickly introducing all of the main characters and lets us know that aliens are attacking and it’s up to the United States Marines to save the world. It all feels like a disgusting piece of war propaganda that makes the Marines out to be superheroes. Nothing is ever revealed about the aliens’ origin with the exception that they’re here to take our water and possibly our women too. That last part was a joke. There are no characters, just clichéd cardboard cutouts. You have the war-weary veteran, the rookie commanding officer with a pregnant wife back home, the soldier with a brother killed in combat, another soldier about to get married etc. Whenever any one of the Marines dies, they go out in a blaze of glory. The civilians are an entirely forgettable bunch and their deaths are emotionally manipulative to provide canned ‘drama.’
Movies & Music
“
If you attend this crap with friends who admire it, tactfully inform them they are idiots”
90% of the dialogue consists of pseudo-military speak and is shouted. Of course, they throw in an ‘inspirational speech’ to get the unwashed masses cheering. Even the action scenes, the saving grace of a film of this type, ends up being a repetitive, boring, headache-inducing mess. Oh, there are plenty of explosions all right, but we can’t tell who’s shooting at whom thanks to the extreme use of close-ups and shaky cam. While the visual effects are competent and blend seamlessly within the sets, the alien designs are unimaginative, with the creatures and ships looking like they were put together in a scrap heap at the local junkyard. Approximately $70 million was spent on making this idiotic garbage. To quote Roger Ebert, ‘Generations of filmmakers devoted their lives to perfecting techniques that a director like Jonathan Liebesman is either ignorant of, or indifferent to. Yet he is given millions of dollars to produce this assault on the attention span of a generation.’ The acting…oh wait, there’s none of that either! The only praise I can muster is for Aaron Eckhart, who actually tries to ground his character despite being a walking cliché, but he can only do so much given the film’s atrocious script. The other members of the squad are made up of no-names, but you’ll recognize Ramon Rodriquez, Ne-Yo, and Michelle Rodriguez. The civilians are played by Michael Peña and Bridget Moynahan, who just so happens to be a veterinarian, with her skills proving handy when the squad encounters a
Movies & Music
wounded alien. Don’t you just love it when a random civilian just happens to work at a job that proves crucial to turning the tide of battle? “Battle: Los Angeles” was released into theaters on March 11, 2011 to negative reviews, with 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics found the film ‘overlong and overly burdened with war movie clichés, [and] will entertain only the most ardent action junkies.’ It is competing with Catherine Hardwicke’s “Red Riding Hood,” a reimagining of the classic folk tale for the “Twilight” crowd and the 3D animated film “Mars Needs Moms,” based upon the children’s book of the same name by Berkeley Breathed. “Battle: Los Angeles” should win the weekend box office with $30 to $35 million. Audience reaction was positive and there was actual clapping for this worthless drivel. Nothing here resembles a film; just a bunch of actors and actresses shouting and two hours of explosions that will appeal to no one but people with no taste in what constitutes a good film. I will end with another quote from Ebert: ‘If you attend this crap with friends who admire it, tactfully inform them they are idiots.’
Final Rating:
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Rated PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Violence and Action, Sexual Content and Language) Running Time: 2 Hours 10 Minutes Directed by: Justin Lin Cast: Vin Diesel - Dominic Toretto Paul Walker - Brian O’Conner Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson - Lucas ‘Luke’ Hobbs Jordana Brewster - Mia Toretto Tyrese Gibson - Roman Pearce Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges - Tej Parker Sung Kang - Han Lue Matt Schulze - Vince Gal Gadot - Gisele Harabo Tego Calderon - Tego Leo Don Omar - Rico Santos Elsa Pataky - Officer Elena Neves Joaquim de Almeida - Hernan Reyes Michael Irby - Zizi Eva Mendes - Monica Fuentes
//REVIEWSPIDERMAN120988 //DESIGNLORA
Fast Five “Chances are sooner or later, we’re gonna end up behind bars or buried in a ditch somewhere…but not today.”
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F
or once, the trailers delivered exactly as promised: summer has indeed arrived early with the highly anticipated “Fast Five,” the fifth installment of “The Fast & the Furious” franchise. I’ve made it pretty clear that I don’t think very highly of this series; I mean it’s loud, obnoxious, and dumb ninety percent of the time, but the previews showed promise and I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. And you know what? I came away genuinely pleased as “Fast Five” is the best of the series by far, although that’s not exactly high praise considering that it took five attempts to get it right. The writing is still sloppy, the characters still paper-thin, and the
Movies & Music
action still cartoonishly over-the-top, but “Fast Five” is the most story-driven and benefits most from the camaraderie of its multicultural, ensemble cast. Let’s not also forget about the brawl of the century between Vin Diesel and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, whose no-holds-barred fight scene is worth the price of admission alone. Picking up immediately after “Fast & Furious,” Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) is on a prison bus destined for Lompoc Penitentiary, sentenced to 25 years to life for his crimes. Former FBI agent Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), along with Dom’s sister, Mia (Jordana Brewster), Tego Leo (Tego Calderon) and Rico Santos (Don Omar) free Dom by
forcing the bus to flip over. The group splits up for an unspecified period of time and eventually meets up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dom’s childhood friend Vince (Matt Schulze) has been living in Rio supporting his wife and son. He enlists Brian and Mia’s aid for an ‘easy’ job to steal three cars from a moving train. Dom arrives to help out, but the job quickly goes awry when the crew he hired betrays them, as their goal was to steal only one of the cars, a Ford GT40, for corrupt businessman Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida). Mia drives away with the car, but Dom and Brian are captured and brought before Reyes. They escape and manage to make it back to the safehouse
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where Mia is waiting. Vince is revealed to be working for Reyes and is forced to leave. Brian discovers that the car has a hidden computer chip that contains a record of all of Reyes’ illicit business activities, including the location of over $100 million divided up into various safehouses. To avoid running for the rest of their lives, Dom plans for one last heist to take Reyes’ $100 million and assembles a team which includes Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), Tej Parker (Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges), Han Lue (Sung Kang), Gisele Harabo (Gal Gadot), Tego Leo, and Rico Santos. Meanwhile, Diplomatic Security Service agent Lucas ‘Luke’ Hobbs (Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson) and his team, assisted by local officer Elena Neves (Elsa Pataky), are sent in to capture Dom and Brian and bring them to justice, by any means necessary. “Fast Five” is an incredibly loud movie that revels in its testosterone-fueled action, but director Justin Lin, in his third outing, wisely switches gears and moves the focus away from street racing to avoid a rehash, turning this entry into a heist film ala “Ocean’s Eleven,” only less suave and sophisticated. While street racing is still touched upon, it is no longer the heart of the series. Originality will be hard to find and the scenes revolving around the planning of the heist feel workmanlike and uninspired. One scene is even ripped straight out of Ridley Scott’s “American Gangster.” Later on, most of the intricate planning gets thrown out the window in favor of a ridiculous action set-piece that completely disregards real-world physics! Isacc Newton must be rolling in his grave right about now. The writing is also sloppy and often ‘cheats.’ One such example is when the crew receives a replica of the massive bank vault housing Reyes’ money and we wonder how they even managed to acquire it. This is simply explained 13 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
away with a throwaway line. Some attempt at ‘drama’ is made, but it is poorly paced, often coming right after a major action scene. The film also runs a little long, clocking in at over two hours with a drawn out epilogue for each of the characters. What “Fast Five” excels at is the action set-pieces and this time around, there’s a confidence behind Lin’s direction. There are still flashy cars and bikini-clad women walking in slo-mo to please the male fan-base, but they are not as excessively overdone as in the previous entries. The opening scene sets the tone with a massive prison bus flipped over that happens to leave no one hurt! During the attempt to steal the cars on a fast-moving a train, a flatbed truck is driven beside it where one person cuts into the side using nothing but an acetylene torch. The cars are pulled onto the flatbed, which tilt up and are then driven away. It all seems awfully complicated, but Lin polishes it to perfection. Of course, everything starts going boom when things go wrong and the flatbed ends up ramming itself onto the side of a train with Dom and Brian escaping by driving off a deep ravine and hitting the water below. There are also intense shootouts between Hobbs and Reyes’ men and they way they’re staged recalls the Favela levels in Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The highlight is the brawl between Diesel and Johnson and while it ends quickly, it does not disappoint. It builds up to it and finally lets loose as the two pummel each other like two incredible Hulks, throwing each other into walls and causing untold amounts of damage. “Fast Five” ends with a car chase that really defies description and has to be seen to be believed. Let’s just say it involves two cars dragging a giant bank vault with high-tension wire through the streets of Rio and smashing into many buildings and cars. Movies & Music
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The ‘acting’ largely involves shouted lines of dialogue and tons of male posturing. It seems like Vin Diesel and Paul Walker’s career has been reduced to this franchise. Diesel’s larger-than-life presence is always welcome, but Walker comes off as useless. The large ensemble cast limits how much screen-time each gets but makes up for it with their humorous camaraderie, especially between Gibson, Bridges, and Kang. Johnson really runs with his tough officer role and he’s so tough that he’s always drenched in sweat in every scene he appears in. The remaining female cast doesn’t amount to much. Jordana Brewster spends much of the film behind a computer screen, serving as the team’s Oracle like Batman. Gal Gadot only has one memorable scene and yes, it involves dropping her towel and revealing her supermodel body. Elsa Pataky is the rookie cop assisting Hobbs and is one of the more fleshed-out characters. Finally there’s Joaquim de Almeida as corrupt businessman Hernan Reyes, who’s just another in a long line of clichéd and generic villains.
2001 and an absolute rarity for fourth sequels. Critics called it ‘sleek, loud, and over the top, [the film] proudly embraces its brainless action thrills.’ Since the beginning of 2011, the box office has been down and although it received a slight uptick this month, this is the weekend that it might finally show positive growth. Actually, it already has as “Fast Five” has grossed a muscular $33 million on Friday on its way to an estimated $75 to $80 million weekend total. It doesn’t seem like the franchise will be put into the garage anytime soon if the post-credits scene is any indication and for the first time, I’m actually intrigued to see what happens next! Audience reaction was overwhelmingly positive and many seemed absolutely excited for a sixth entry. “Fast Five” straddles the line between outright stupidity and high entertainment, although thankfully it leans more toward the latter. It offers what you would expect but there’s an assured confidence behind the proceedings with Lin’s direction and for the first time, the franchise has finally found its groove despite its lazy story-telling.
Released on April 29, 2011 into regular theaters and IMAX, “Fast Five” has received a positive reception with 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, the best reviews the franchise has ever received since the original’s release in
Final Rating:
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THEGREEN C 3D HORNET3D
Written by Spiderman120988 Designed by Prendy Rated PG-13 (Sequences of Violent Action, Language, Sensuality and Drug Content) Running Time: 1 Hour & 59 Minutes Cast: Seth Rogen - Britt Reid/The Green Hornet Jay Chou - Kato Cameron Diaz - Lenore ‘Casey’ Case Christoph Waltz - Benjamin Chudnofsky David Harbour - District Attorney Frank Scanlon Edward James Olmos - Mike Axford Tom Wilkinson - James Reid Edward Furlong - Tupper James Franco - Danny ‘Crystal’ Clear Directed by: Michel Gondry 15 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
omic book movies are back with a vengeance in 2011, with “Green Lantern,” “Thor,” “Captain America: The First Avenger,” and “X-Men: First Class” all being released during the summer. Making a head start is “The Green Hornet,” which began as a radio serial in 1936 created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker with additional input from radio director James Jewell. The film has languished in development hell since 1992 and was originally going to be directed by Stephen Chow (of “Kung Fu Hustle” fame) and co-star as Kato alongside Seth Rogen, who serves as co-writer and executive producer. Chow eventually left the project due to creative differences and scheduling conflicts. He was replaced by Taiwanese pop star Jay Chou. The original target release was for summer 2010, but Sony pushed the film back numerous times to do a last-minute, lazy post-conversion to 3D in order squeeze more dollars out of gullible folks. With the trouble it took to get to the big-screen, it’s not a surprise “The Green Hornet” is one giant mess due to a miscast Rogen, a plot suffering an identity crisis, and loud, headache-inducing action scenes. Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) is the irresponsible 28-year-old son of wealthy newspaper publisher James Reid (Tom Wilkinson), who leads a life filled with booze and loose women. When his father suddenly dies due to an allergic reaction to a bee sting, Britt fires the entire staff with the exception of his maid and Kato (Jay Chou), a skilled mechanic and martial artist that James hired to Movies & Music
fix the cars. Britt and Kato bond while drinking, and sharing their hatred of James. The two decide to pull a prank by sawing off his memorial statue’s head. However, they witness a mugging and stop it, but the police mistake them as criminals and they end up on the front page of The Daily Sentinel, James’ newspaper. Britt gets the idea to become crime-fighters and convinces Kato to be his sidekick but with a twist: they will pose as villains, infiltrate the criminal underworld and fight them from within. Using his knowledge, Kato creates several gadgets and builds a special car dubbed the ‘Black Beauty.’ As the Green Hornet, Britt and Kato’s vigilante activities brings them to the attention of the police and Russian mobster Benjamin Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz). As an origin story, “The Green Hornet” fails on every level. Much of the plot is recycled and it can’t decide whether it wants to be funny or serious. Some of the one-liners are chuckle-worthy, but the comedy is largely juvenile. It attempts to satirize superhero conventions, but unlike “Kick-Ass” or “Watchmen,” the film has nothing worthwhile to say. Britt and Kato, although posing as criminals, make no attempt to actually help people besides causing massive amounts of property damage. They make their lives worse with the destruction they leave as everyone is after them. Part of the problem is that Rogen’s character comes off as a total a**hole and d*ck that refuses to grow up. He is unsympathetic who disrespects his dead father by desecrating his memorial statue for the sake of laughs. It’s unbelievable why Kato would be friends with someone that actively tries to get them killed which makes the chemistry, a critical aspect of a buddy film, fall flat. Kato is the one that does all the actual work while Britt just flails about and takes all the credit. The action subscribes to the school of Michael Bay, meaning there will be so many explosions you will be left brain dead. The fight scenes, a strange hybrid of “The Matrix” and “Sherlock Holmes,” try too hard to look ‘cool’ with its targeting cursers. The face-off between the Hornet and Chudnofsky during the last 30 minutes will leave you with a massive headache. As expected, the last-minute post-conversion to 3D is terrible and barely noticeable. You could watch large stretches of the film without wearing the glasses. Unfortunately, theaters make an effort to not show the 2D version so why bother watching this crap? As Seth Rogen serves as co-writer with Evan Goldberg, he gives himself the most lines. He’s not playing Britt Reid, he’s playing his usual buffoon self and everything is treated as one big joke. There was a nice satisfaction when Kato beats the crap out of him and Movies & Music
wipes that stupid smirk off his face. Jay Chou feels stiff, but that’s probably due to not being fluent in English. He’s at his most engaging during the fight scenes and that’s about it. Cameron Diaz is the obligatory love interest, Lenore ‘Casey’ Case, but ends up doing little besides giving great-looking smiles and being a victim of workplace sexual harassment. Christoph Waltz seems to have the most fun, giving a campy, tongue-in-cheek performance as Chudnofsky while wielding a double-barrel gun. Like “Inglourious Basterds,” he is the most engaging and the film is at its best (and most funny) when he’s on-screen. Edward James Olmos (the famous Captain Adama) is James’ former confidante Mike Axford, but his seriousness clashes with the overall tone and he seems to have stumbled out of a different movie. “The Green Hornet” was released on January 14, 2011 in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D and has received mixed reviews with 44% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics found it ‘sporadically entertaining, but…never approaches the surreal heights suggested by a Michel Gondry/ Seth Rogen collaboration.’ Gondry directed the excellent “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” from 2004, but here, he’s executing someone else’s idea. There was a sizable audience viewing the film so it’ll hit #1 at the box office fairly easily with $35 to $40 million over the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. To quote James Berardinelli, ‘Many long-time fans who treasure the radio adventures of the character will be insulted or horrified by what Seth Rogen and Michael Gondry have done.’ I wonder what would’ve happened if the film went into more gritty, serious direction, but lazy 3D aside, “The Green Hornet” squanders its potential by being too annoying, too loud, and too dumb.
“Think about this, Kato. We’ve been completely wasting our potential. This city needs our help. We could be heroes! We will ‘pose’ as villains to get close to the bad guys. That way, no one will suspect we’re really the good guys!” WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 16
F AST & FURIOUS Directed by: Justin Lin Review by: SpiderMan120988 Design by: dingo_d
Note: The following review was written on April 13, 2009.
Movie Review “Fast & Furious” is truly style over substance and it does this pretty well. [...] Many of the car races feature over-the-top crash sequences that stretch the laws of physics to video game territory. All of them are filled to the brim with scantily-clad women, often making out with each other. Yes, it does tickle my inner hormonal teenage self, but it doesn’t change the fact that “Fast & Furious” features a sub-par plot and non-existent character development.
On April 3rd, “Fast & Furious,” the fourth installment of “The Fast & the Furious” franchise, exploded out of the box office with an impressive opening weekend take of $71 million, beating out March’s “Watchmen,” which earned $55 million. The first film, “The Fast & the Furious,” was released way back in 2001, jumpstarting the careers of both Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. It was a surprise summer hit, which prompted Universal to greenlight the sequels. Unsurprisingly, none have surpassed the quality of the original thanks to the departure of Diesel in “2 Fast 2 Furious” and Walker in “The Fast & the Furious Tokyo Drift.” Now, Universal has done the smart thing and has reunited the original cast in what should have been the true sequel.
“A real driver knows exactly what’s in his car.” 17 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
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MINOR SPOILERS FOLLOW! Taking place between the second and third films, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) has escaped to the Dominican Republic, hijacking fuel tankers for a living with his girlfriend, Leticia ‘Letty’ Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez). With the authorities breathing on their neck, Dominic decides to leave Letty, unable to convince her to run away with him to another country again. Meanwhile, back in the United States, FBI agent Brian O’ Conner (Paul Walker) is chasing down a lead, literally, on notorious drug lord Arturo Braga. His investigation leads him to a man named David Park, who helps people gain entrance into illegal street races. Dominic is forced to return to Los Angeles after his sister, Mia (Jordana Brewster), contacts him with terrible news: Letty has been murdered. He manages to learn of David Park as well, crossing paths with O’ Conner. Despite the two being suspicious of each other, Dominic and Brian reluctantly work together and infiltrate Ramon Campos’ (John Ortiz) illegal street race so that they can bring Braga and Letty’s murderer to justice.
but some originality from screenwriter Chris Morgan would’ve greatly helped. This leaves it up to the cast to make the film work, but most of the time it’s hit-or-miss thanks to the clichéd dialogue. Vin Diesel can be pretty good if he puts his heart into it, but here all he does is stare at the camera in a grimace. Either that or he bursts into anger and starts throwing people against walls to pummel the life out of them. There are some scenes where he goes into ‘badass’ mode, especially the final act where he bursts from an underground tunnel in a battered vehicle and slams it into Letty’s murderer. In his deep baritone voice, he says, “Pussy.” Paul Walker is less interesting this time around, playing a role we’ve seen countless times before: the disobedient law enforcer who often takes matters into his own hands. While the original “Fast & the Furious” didn’t have a particularly deep story, his character goes through an identity crisis where he’s torn between his love for Mia and his commitment to bring the illegal street racers, including her brother, to justice. None of that exists here and “Fast & Furious” boils down to a buddy cop film where Brian and Dominic stalk the same prey, brought together by circumstance with neither fully trusting the other. The two remaining cast members, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster, appear in a handful of scenes, amounting to glorified cameos. It seems like they were written into the story for no other reason than they appeared in the first film. Yes, they are central to the plot, but they do not take part in it. The supporting cast members fill the standard roles seen in cop films, with Jack Conley as O’ Conner’s superior who is determined to being the criminals to justice as quickly as possible, Shea Whigham as the rival, disbelieving FBI agent, and John Ortiz as evil Mexican drug lord. Why are all drug lords from Mexico anyway? I’m pretty sure you can get heroin from other countries too, but I digress.
During one the street races, O’ Conner says to Dominic that “A lot has changed.” Well, you could’ve fooled me, because the plot here is nothing special and paper-thin. In fact, the movie begins in the EXACT same way as the original! Director Justin Lin is competent in making a highly stylized film with an easy-to-follow narrative, but it feels like he’s just recycling from every other action movie in recent memory. The plot is nothing but an excuse to just bring Diesel and Walker back rather than a serious attempt to pump new life into this already worn franchise. In a way, it reminds me of “The MummyTomb of the Dragon Emperor” (directed by Rob Cohen, who also helmed the original “Fast & the Furious”) where an unnecessary installment to an aging franchise was made, except there was no demand for one, leaving the only reason that the film was released was to squeeze out every last drop of revenue left for said franchise. I know that audiences don’t go see films like “Fast & Furious” for the Oscar-worthy story, “Fast & Furious” is truly style over substance and it does this Movies & Music
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pretty well. You see many stylish cars with slick paint jobs and engines with all those pseudo-modifications. Many of the car races feature over-the-top crash sequences that stretch the laws of physics to video game territory. All of them are filled to the brim with scantily-clad women, often making out with each other. Yes, it does tickle my inner hormonal teenage self, but it doesn’t change the fact that “Fast & Furious” features a sub-par plot and non-existent character development.
car races and over-the-top stunts, but at the end of the day, it’s more of the same. Even the title feels lazy; all they did was remove the word ‘The.’ Fans will no doubt come out in droves (they already have!) but the franchise is fast losing fuel since the release of “Tokyo Drift” and I think it’s time for Universal to put this one in the garage for the long term.
Rated PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Violence and Action, Some Sexual Content, Language and Drug ReferWhen the film was released two weeks ago, I didn’t think too much on it, mainly because “The Fast & the Furious” franchise ences) never really appealed to me, but after reading about its impressive opening weekend gross, I decided to check it out. The fact that it reunited the original cast certainly piqued my interest. Unfortunately, my initial negative expectations turned out to be all true and when the entire theater applauded as the end credits rolled, I was seriously dumbfounded. Still, if you’re a hardcore fan of the franchise, than more power to you. I also want to mention that the theater I was at had a large number of kids and one of them was screaming throughout an entire chase sequence! Call me what you will, but I wanted to shoot an arrow through his face. Professional critics were largely not enthusiastic about “Fast & Furious” and it currently holds a rather low 26% on Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest out of the entire franchise. They cited that the film had “the requisite action and stunts, the filmmakers have failed to provide a competent story or compelling characters.” Still, what both professional and amateur critics think is meaningless as I mentioned before, shown by the record-breaking April debut. Currently, the film has grossed $118 million domestic and with the foreign box office factored in, $149 million worldwide. At this rate, it’ll easily surpass “2 Fast 2 Furious” and possibly the original. Universal has done the smart thing bringing back the original cast and it does make a difference, but not a lot and it seems like a last, desperate attempt to keep a worn franchise going. “Fast & Furious” features the expected 19 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Running Time: 1 Hour 47 Minutes Cast: Vin Diesel - Dominic Toretto Paul Walker - Agent Brian O’Conner Jordana Brewster - Mia Toretto Michelle Rodriguez - Leticia ‘Letty’ Ortiz John Ortiz - Ramon Campos Laz Alonso - Fenix Rise Gal Gadot - Gisele Harabo Sung Kang - Han Lue Jack Conley - Agent Penning Shea Whigham - Agent Ben Stasiak Liza Lapira - Agent Sophie Trinh Final Rating:
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REVIEW | VALENTINE’S DAY| TEXT SPIDERMAN120988 | GFX KERWOER
Many of the stories prove superfluous and pointless. Marshall utilizes an ‘everything, but the kitchen sinks’ method: just throw a bunch of pretty celebrities in front of the camera and laugh all the way to the bank. Rated PG-13 (Some Sexual Material and Brief Partial Nudity) Running Time: 2 Hours & 4 Minutes Cast: Ashton Kutcher - Reed Bennett Jessica Alba - Morley Clarkson Kathy Bates - Susan Moralez Jessica Biel - Kara Monahan Bradley Cooper - Holden Wilson Eric Dane - Sean Jackson Patrick Dempsey - Dr. Harrison Copeland Hector Elizondo - Edgar Paddington Jamie Foxx- Kelvin Moore Jennifer Garner - Julia Fitzpatrick Topher Grace - Jason Morris Movies & Music
Anne Hathaway - Liz Curran Carter Jenkins - Alex Franklin Queen Latifah - Paula Thomas Taylor Lautner - Willy Harrington George Lopez - Alphonso Rodriguez Shirley MacLaine - Estelle Paddington Emma Roberts - Grace Smart Julia Roberts - Captain Kate Hazeltine Bryce Robinson - Edison Hazeltine Taylor Swift - Felicia Miller Matthew Walker - Greg Gilkins Beth Kennedy - Mrs. Claudia Smart Katherine LaNasa - Pamela Copeland Kristen Schaal - Ms. Gilroy Directed by: Garry Marshall WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 20
REVIEW | VALENTINE’S DAY
Ah, Valentine’s Day: an overly-commercialized made-up holiday. In fact, St. Valentine is the name of fourteen martyred saints of Ancient Rome whose lives had nothing to do with romantic love, with much of the lore added in with absolutely no historical basis. It wasn’t until 1382 that Valentine’s Day was linked with romance in Geoffrey Chaucer’s 699-line poem, “Parlement of Foules.” Now we have Garry Marshall’s “Valentine’s Day,” released last February and now available on Blu-Ray. Like the holiday it’s named after, this is a banal and shallow film that’s overstuffed with characters, wrapped in a weak, clichéd-filled story. It’s Valentine’s Day in Los Angeles and local florist Reed Bennett (Ashton Kutcher) has proposed to his long-time girlfriend Morley Clarkson (Jessica Alba), much to the surprise of his two best friends, Alphonso (George Lopez) and Julia Fitzpatrick (Jennifer Garner). Although Morley is initially excited, she begins to have second thoughts about making such a huge commitment. Julia is in a relationship with Dr. Harrison Copeland (Patrick Dempsey) but later finds out that he is married and cheating on his wife. Receptionist Liz Curran (Anne Hathaway) is dating mailroom clerk Jason Morris (Topher Grace) and tries to hide the fact that she moonlights as a phone sex operator to make ends meet and pay back student loans. Kelvin Moore (Jamie Foxx), a sports reporter for a local news channel is forced to do a fluff piece on Valentine’s Day by his producer Susan (Kathy Bates) but finds love with neurotic publicist Kara Monahan (Jessica Biel). Two strangers, Kate Hazeltine (Julia Roberts) and Holden Wilson (Bradley Cooper), connect on a 14-hour flight to L.A. and finally, a high school student named Grace
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(Emma Roberts) contemplates about losing her virginity to her boyfriend, Alex (Carter Jenkins). Trying to keep track of all the characters and their connections (some of which are tenuous at best) will likely cause headaches. The first thing you’ll notice about “Valentine’s Day” is that everyone is Caucasian. Wait, that’s not true since there’s two African Americans and one Mexican. Apparently that’s what Hollywood calls diversity these days. The second thing is that the film follows the romantic comedy formula to the letter, which makes for a dull and predictable affair. You know how it goes: a guy and a girl love each other very much, but then their relationship encounters an obstacle. Instead of actually talking with each other like normal people, they go off on their own tangents until they have ‘the moment’ where they realize they’re meant to be and make up. There are a few minor alterations, but I’ll be frank—it’s just dumb. That’s not how real life works and if it did, I wouldn’t want any part of it. “Valentine’s Day” is the equivalent of ten (possibly more) chick flicks rolled into one, recycling the same clichés over and over. Many of the stories prove superfluous and pointless. Marshall utilizes an ‘everything, but the kitchen sinks’ method: just throw a bunch of pretty celebrities in front of the camera and laugh all the way to the bank. Much of what transpires feels contrived such as when Reed rushes to the airport (all rom-coms must have one!) to tell his friend Julia that her boyfriend is married. He pleads with the baggage handler to print out a ticket for him and tells his story as sincerely as Kutcher’s acting ability can allow (which is not much) and, lo and behold, Reed is given a gate pass! Wow, looking like a desperate sap is all you need to by
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pass airport security and running through the metal detector does not land you in jail! The film’s attempts at comedy fall flat, but seeing Hathaway using so many funny accents did give me a chuckle. The only plot thread that remotely resonates is Grace having second thoughts about losing her virginity. All is resolved with everyone getting back together and living happily ever after. Ironically, a minor character describes another high school couple (played by Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift) as ‘ignorant of reality.’ That is the best way to sum up “Valentine’s Day.” There’s not much to say about the acting because there is none. Everyone is cast to type and is portraying tired romcom stereotypes. In fact, the unwieldy cast proves to be a detriment to the film as no one has any significant screentime. Due to the stunt casting, any real chemistry is minimal or none at all and when it comes time to be sincere, it’s like they’re reading off cue cards. Granted, Kutcher and Garner’s scenes do work, but with Alba it’s a different story. Time and again, she has proven that she cannot give a convincing performance except to look pretty and smile. She might as well be a statue. Anne Hathaway exhibits charm as a phone sex operator, even if it is just an excuse for her to speak in funny accents. Jamie Foxx falls back onto his comedy antics that we rarely see now and that’s really all that sticks out. Kathy Bates, Queen Latifah, Patrick Dempsey, Julia Roberts, Bradley Cooper, Emma Roberts, Jessica Biel (playing the neurotic one, can’t have a rom-com without it), and the terrible Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift are all just extra baggage that make no impression other than to attract gullible couples (actually gullible women, what sane man wants
to see this?) to pay money to see their favorite stars pick up another fat paycheck. “Valentine’s Day” arrived on Blu-Ray last May and the results are average. Picture quality sports vibrant colors and a warm, inviting feel. Flesh tones lean toward a reddish hue. Audio is fine since much of the film is dialogue driven, although some of it sounds muffled. The only time bass is utilized is when it plays one of those lame licensed pop songs. Special features include an audio commentary and a number of back-patting fluff pieces. Released on February 12, 2010, “Valentine’s Day” has received overwhelmingly negative reviews with 17% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics concluded that the film ‘squanders its promise with a frantic, episodic plot and an abundance of rom-com clichés.’ Of course, everyone went to see it with its $216 million worldwide box office take. The production budget was $52 million, which I suspect went into those fat paychecks previously mentioned. Marshall already has a semi-sequel planned for release this December called “New Year’s Eve.” What’s next, “St. Patrick’s Day”? If you really want to watch a film about the ups and downs of love, I suggest “(500) Days of Summer” or “Blue Valentine.” Yes, both chronicle failed romances and there are no happy endings (especially the latter) but at least they boast superior acting and have something meaningful to say. “Valentine’s Day” is the equivalent of that box of chocolates you received: slickly packaged but ultimately a hollow experience.
Final Rating:
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Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Violence and Action, Disturbing Images and Brief Strong Language) Running Time: 1 Hour & 27 Minutes Cast: Paul Bettany - Priest Karl Urban - Black Hat Maggie Q - Priestess Cam Gigandet - Sheriff Hicks Lily Collins - Lucy Pace Christopher Plummer - Monsignor Orelas Stephen Moyer - Owen Pace Mädchen Amick - Shannon Pace Brad Dourif - The Salesman Directed by: Scott Charles Stewart
A review by Spiderman120988 • designed by Lora You know, when a film changes release dates three times, that’s not usually a good sign. Ever since Paul Bettany portrayed an albino monk who practiced severe corporal mortification in 2006’s The Da Vinci Code, based upon Dan Brown’s 2003 best-selling novel of the same, he’s been on something of a religion-themed film binge. Last January, Bettany played the archangel Michael in Scott Stewart’s Legion and reteams with Stewart for this summer’s Priest, a film loosely (and I emphasize this word) based upon the South Korean comic book series of the same name created by Hyung Min-Woo in 1998. The series is also available in English in the U.S., courtesy of TokyoPop. While Priest features some strong visuals and a badass Bettany wrapped in a dark cloak, the film ends up being generic, derivative, and lifeless, whizzing by in a blink of an eye with its short 87 minute running time.
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T
hrough a rather gory animated prologue, we learn of an eternal war between vampires and humans, a struggle that has lasted since the dawn of time. Both races have strengths and weaknesses, but were too evenly matched to gain a winning advantage. Determined to end the vampire threat once and for all, the Church creates a sect of warriors known as Priests to turn the tide of the war. The vampire army fell and the survivors were imprisoned in large reservations. With the war over, the Church turned its back on the Priests and disbanded them, forcing them to live in a society that hates and fears them (X-Men, anyone?). One such Priest (Paul Bettany) has been suffering from nightmares of a mission gone wrong at the vampire hive Mira Soral, which led to the death of one of his companions. Returning to his sparse home, Priest is greeted by Sheriff Hicks (Cam Gigandet), who reveals that his brother Owen Pace (Stephen Moyer) is gravely wounded in a vampire attack on an outskirts town. His wife Shannon (Mädchen Amick) was killed in the attack and their daughter Lucy (Lily Collins) has been kidnapped by the vampires. Priest goes to the Church High Council, led by Monsignor Orelas (Christopher Plummer), to have his authority reinstated, but is refused and is warned that ‘an act against the Church is an act against God.’ Leaving him no choice, Priest disobeys the Church and gathering his weapons, he sets out to his brother’s home in the outskirts to investigate. Sheriff Hicks joins up with him and together they head to a nearby town, where Priest’s brother is on his deathbed. He makes him promise that he will get Lucy back and ‘kill them all.’ Learning of his insubordination, the Church High Council gathers the remaining Priests to bring back their former ally in, dead or alive. One of them, a Priestess (Maggie Q), manages to find Priest, but instead of capturing him, she decides to aid him. As the three continue on their search, they discover that a former Priest who goes by the nickname of ‘Black Hat’ (Karl Urban) is behind the Movies & Music
kidnapping, having been turned into a unique human-vampire hybrid.
“Remember, an act against the Church is an act against God!”
Priest is a thoroughly forgettable action film that’s so mediocre in its efforts that one wonders why Screen Gems/Sony decided to release it during the summer. With so many potential blockbusters, it’s bound to get lost in the shuffle and forgotten. I’ve never read the comic book series that it’s based on but after doing a little research online, the film bares almost no resemblance to it, as Stewart has only taken the Priest angle and the Wild West influence. In fact, there is no mention of vampires at all in the comic as it actually involves humanity’s war against twelve fallen angels. Still, whatever story Priest is trying to tell is largely inconsequential and often takes itself way too seriously. It even shamelessly sets itself up for a sequel but I can’t believe that it’d recoup its budget and make a profit to allow for one to be greenlit. Priest does well visually with a mish-mash of concepts at work, most of them unoriginal. The dilapidated, rain-drenched city recalls Blade Runner with the Church serving as Big Brother ala 1984. There are some nice touches such as when Priest goes into a booth for confession and is greeted by canned responses from a computer. The film also touches upon the Church’s authoritarian law, who uses God as an excuse to stay in power, versus one’s individual faith, but it’s all brushed aside once the action begins. Once Priest leaves the city, the film takes on a Wild West influence with a dash of steam-punk thrown in. The action will thrill thirteen-year-old boys as Priest handily slices a number of CG vampires with ease. Priestess also has a nifty action scene where she wields a rope dart during the film’s climax. The fist fight between Priest and Black Hat, which takes place on top of a speeding train, is also well-done but other than those scenes, nothing really stands out. Again, I didn’t bother with the 3D as it’s another one of those postconversions. 3D is an amazing technology and has the power to immerse you even more into a film, but with WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 24
Hollywood using it solely as a cash grab to prop up their earnings and movie-goers getting wise, it’s not doing this tech any justice at all. In fact, the current use of 3D is nothing but a waste of potential.
generic and while the film isn’t a total loss with its strong visuals, it’s all wrapped in a grim, humorless, and dull film. Better save that $13.00 for “Bridesmaids” instead. Final Rating:
With such a short running time, none of the cast is really given the chance to shine. Wearing a black cloak, Paul Bettany certainly has the cool factor with his gruff delivery but that’s about it. Maggie Q has only a handful of lines and is mostly there for sex appeal. Cam Gigandet is his usual squinty and annoying self while Karl Urban tries his best Darth Vader impression with his ‘Join with me!’ dialogue. Lily Collins is the obligatory damsel-in-distress complete with a cleavage-baring dress. Christopher Plummer is also on-hand, slumming for a quick paycheck as the leader of the Church High Council.
2 out of 5
Originally set to release last year on October 1, 2010, Priest moved earlier to August 27, 2010 but to capitalize on the 3D craze, the film was delayed until January 14, 2011. It arrived finally on May 13, 2011 as a potential summer blockbuster but I just don’t see that happening. Reviews have been negative with a low 22% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics found it ‘sleek and stylish, but those qualities are wasted on a dull, derivative blend of sci-fi, action, and horror clichés.’ Priest is competing with producer Judd Atapow’s latest comedy, “Bridesmaids,” which has received critical acclaim and last week’s reigning champion Thor, but going by Friday estimates, it’s taken a beating with only $5.6 million. It’d be lucky to even reach a modest weekend debut of $15 million. Everything about Priest just screams 25 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
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AN EDUCATION Written By: Spiderman120988 Designed By: Prendy
Rated PG-13 (Mature Thematic Material involving Sexual Content, and for Smoking) Running Time: 1 Hour & 40 Minutes Cast: Carey Mulligan - Jenny Mellor Peter Sarsgaard - David Goldman Alfred Molina - Jack Mellor Cara Seymour - Marjorie Mellor Dominic Cooper - Danny Rosamund Pike - Helen Olivia Williams - Miss Stubbs Emma Thompson - Miss Walters, School Headmistress Sally Hawkins - Sarah Goldman Matthew Beard - Graham Ellie Kendrick - Tina Amanda Fairbank - Hynes-Hattie Directed by: Lone Scherfig Movies & Music
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W
hat is it that makes younger women attracted to older men? Is it because of their supposed ‘maturity’? Joyce Carol Oates’ 1966 short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is the quintessential cautionary tale about a fifteen-year-old girl who flaunts her sexuality without foreseeing the negative consequences or the unsavory characters it attracts due to a mixture of naivety and lack of life experience. Lone Scherfig’s 2009 film “An Education,” based upon British journalist Lynn Barber’s memoir of the same name, chronicles one such relationship. Despite its mature subject matter, the film handles it with grace, never venturing into sleazy territory as it explores a young girl’s struggle with her sexuality and her place as a burgeoning woman during the early 1960’s. Poignant and humorous, “An Education” boasts excellent performances, especially a star-making turn from Carey Mulligan. In 1961 Twickenham, London, sixteenyear-old cello player Jenny Mellor (Carey Mulligan) is a studious young girl whose only goal is to get into Oxford University, pushed along by her father, Jack (Alfred Molina). One day, Jenny waits for the bus in the soaking rain after a rehearsal session at the local youth orchestra when a car pulls up. The driver introduces himself as David (Peter Sarsgaard) and being a music lover, offers to give her cello a ride home as she wouldn’t want to get into a car with a stranger. Jenny walks alongside the car, but eventually gets in to escape the pouring rain. David drives her home and leaves. A few days later, Jenny, while out with her friends, runs into David, who asks her to come to a concert and a late supper with him on Friday. Although sure her father wouldn’t let her go, David manages to charm Jenny’s parents with flattery. As they spend more time together, Jenny becomes enamored with David and flashy lifestyle. He takes her to concerts, foreign films, expensive restaurants, jazz clubs, and even Paris. However, everything comes crashing down when Jenny discovers David’s unsavory work and that he isn’t who he says he is. While some may object to the depiction of a relationship between a sixteen-year-old girl and a thirty-year-old man, the real focus of “An Education” is Jenny’s growth as a
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person and the conflict that arises when her cloistered lifestyle is tested in the real world. Jenny is not Connie; she does not act in a sexual manner to attract older men. She is, however, smart and determined but also naïve and gullible, two qualities which David exploits. Jenny admires the French and their ‘sophistication,’ listening to records by Juliette Gréco and longs to visit Paris. She feels she is ready to enter into a relationship with an older man because he represents her vision of sophistication, but comes to realize the cold hard truth that her upbringing has failed to adequately prepare her for the trials and tribulations of reality. Her relationship with David shatters her preconceived notions and fantasies. David comes across as suave and lulls us (and Jenny’s family) into trusting that his intentions as pure, but the age-old adage is proved once again: if something is too good to be true, it probably is. The film also touches upon the limited opportunities for women during the early 1960’s. Jenny’s father places all his hopes into his daughter getting into Oxford, but reveals a double-standard when David proposes to Jenny, pushing her to accept because she’ll be taken care of. Even Jenny herself is faced with doubt when she questions what the point of going to school is if she is ‘to be bored, and then bored, and finally bored again’ compared to the luxurious lifestyle with David. When everything is finally revealed and she comes to her senses, we don’t fault Jenny. Although she chooses to be in a relationship with David, she could not foresee the consequences of her actions and life is, after all, a learning experience. It is ‘an education’ that will never cease until we are dead and forgotten. Carey Mulligan was 22 at the time of filming, but she is utterly convincing as a sixteen-year-old. With her wide eyes and dimpled smile, Mulligan not only perfectly captures Jenny’s youthful sense of fun and her desire to be treated as an adult, but also her insecurities and doubts. Peter Sarsgaard puts on a convincing British accent and wins us over with his confident and slightly mischievous smile. Played by Dominic Cooper and Rosamund Pike, David’s friends symbolize the carefree, luxurious lifestyle that Jenny becomes enamored with. As her doting father Jack, Alfred Molina brings a nice dose of humor, grilling Jenny’s would-be suitors and complaining about trivial money matters. However
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misguided, he does care for his daughter’s welfare and future, genuinely believing that David would take good care of Jenny. Cara Seymour is Jack’s wife Marjorie, who is a bit more receptive to Jenny’s feelings. The rest of the cast includes Olivia Williams as Jenny’s English teacher, Miss Stubbs, Emma Thompson as the school’s anti-Semitic and Puritanical headmistress, Miss Walters, and Sally Hawkins in a small, but important role. “An Education” arrived on Blu-Ray last March with above average picture and audio quality. The color of the film leans toward a blue hue, which gives it a sterile feel, but there are several scenes that show off the lush and vibrant English countryside. Buildings and architecture are also nicely detailed to reinforce that glamorous feeling. The film features a jaunty music score and ambience, especially during the jazz club scene, is put to good use. Dialogue is also crisp and clear. Special features are bit on the bare side with an audio commentary with Scherfig, Sarsgaard, and Mulligan. There are also sixteen minutes of delet-
ed scenes and a disappointing nine minute making-of featurette. “An Education” premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews with 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics hailed the film as ‘a charming coming-of-age tale powered by the strength of relative newcomer Carey Mulligan’s standout performance.’ It had a limited release on October 9, 2009 and its widest release was only 763 theaters, hardly enough to build awareness. The final box office gross was $26 million worldwide against a $7.5 million production budget. While it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Writing at the 2010 Academy Awards, the lack of marketing hurt the film’s chances of winning. Like Oates’ short story, “An Education” may seem like a cautionary tale, but it is proof that life is fraught with mistakes and the only thing we can do is learn from them and be better. With excellent performances and a simple tale that any person of any age can relate to, this is one little film that you shouldn’t miss out on.
“
Studying is hard and boring. Teaching is hard and boring. So, what you’re telling me is to be bored, and then bored, and finally bored again, but this time for the rest of my life? This whole stupid country is bored! There’s no life in it, or color, or fun! It’s probably just as well the Russians are going to drop a nuclear bomb on us any day now. So my choice is to do something hard and boring or to marry my...Jew, and go to Paris and Rome and listen to jazz, and read, and eat good food in nice restaurants, and have fun! It’s not enough to educate us anymore Ms. Walters. You’ve got to tell us why you’re doing it.
“
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BRIDESMAIDS
Rated R (Some Strong Sexuality, and Language Throughout) Running Time: 2 Hours & 5 Minutes Cast: Kristen Wiig - Annie Walker Maya Rudolph - Lillian Donovan Rose Byrne - Helen Harris Melissa McaCarthy - Megan Wendi McLendon Covey - Rita Ellie Kemper - Becca Chris O’Dowd - Officer Nathan Rhodes Jon Hamm - Ted
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WRITTEN BY SPIDERMAN120988 DESIGNED BY HERINJO RELEASED 28 APRIL (US) 24 JUNE (UK)
Jill Clayburgh - Annie’s Mother Rebel Wilson - Brynn Matt Lucas - Gil Ben Falcone - Air Marshall Jon Michael Hitchcock - Don Cholodecki Terry Crews - Fitness Instructor Directed by: Paul Feig
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T
here have been dick flicks and chick flicks, but producer Judd Atapow seeks to change all that with his latest comedy, Bridesmaids, combining raunchy, Rrated antics with a feminine sensibility. The film is also a starring vehicle for SNL veteran Kristen Wiig, who also serves as the film’s writer with Annie Mumolo. Bridesmaids has been dubbed the female version of The Hangover, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth as it is entirely different animal altogether. The wedding premise may not be all that original, but Bridesmaids is a thoroughly hilarious romp with pitch-perfect casting but, most importantly, it has heart thanks to its witty drama and themes of friendship. This is arguably one of the best and funniest films of 2011. Annie Walker (Kristen Wiig) is a woman in her mid-thirties whose life is down in the dumps. Her bakery, Cake Baby, has been closed down, a victim of the economic recession so she now works at a minimum wage job at a jewelry store. She lives in a tiny apartment with clueless brother-and-sister roommates who rummage through her personal belongings and is in a relationship with a man named Ted (Jon Hamm), who is a total dick and uses her solely for sex. Annie meets with her best friend, Lillian Donovan (Maya Rudolph), who excitedly reveals that she is now engaged and asks her to be her maid of honor. Annie enthusiastically accepts, but is soon filled with self-doubt when she meets the rest of Lillian’s bridesmaids, which includes her cousin Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey), her co-worker and newlywed Becca (Ellie Kemper), her fiancé’s loud sister Megan (Melissa McCarthy) and her fiancé’s boss’ too-young wife, Helen Harris (Rose
Byrne). Annie eventually becomes overwhelmed in planning the bachelorette party and wedding that her friend deserves, lacking the necessary funds with every event ending in total disaster. She also faces stiff competition from Helen, who uses every opportunity to undermine her and take over the duties of maid of honor using her wealth. Everything soon spirals out of control as Annie faces a severe mid-life crisis that threatens to cause a rift with her best friend. Watching Bridesmaids, I couldn’t help but think of Robert Burns’ 1785 Scots poem To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough with the famous line, ‘The best laid Movies & Music
schemes of mice and men/Go often askew,’ immortalized in John Steinbeck’s classic 1937 novella, Of Mice & Men. First and foremost, the film is a laugh-riot and is unafraid to go to places that would be unusual for a standard, PG-13 chick flick. I must admit that I find most R-rated, male-dominated comedies to be too juvenile, with The Hangover being the sole exception. Although I am not well-versed in Judd Atapow’s comedies, I am familiar with his formula, which is to combine often scatological acts for comedic effect with wit-
ty and heartfelt drama. Bridesmaids is made up of a series of vignettes, some of which figure into the main plot while others are made to make us laugh. They start off small, such as when Annie and Lillian talk with food stuck between their teeth to big ones where all the bridesmaids except Helen get food poisoning during a bridal fitting. All the girls start sweating and emitting massive farts until all hell breaks loose and they rush toward the bathroom. Since Rita and Becca are busy throwing up in the toilet, Megan is forced to defecate on the sink, screaming ‘It’s coming out of me like lava!’ Lillian makes a run for a nearby store’s bathroom, but is unable to WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 30
control her bowels and lets it loose right in the middle of the street! There’s also a violent tennis match between Annie and Helen to a disastrous plane ride to Las Vegas with Annie spaced out on a mixture of prescription drugs and alcohol. Her antics end up causing the plane to be grounded in Ohio. Later, Annie is forced to ask for help from her state
ing cast doesn’t appear as much as we would like as the perspective is always on Annie so we only seem them in their interactions with her. The standout is definitely Melissa McCarthy as Megan, who is currently starring on CBS’ “Mike & Molly.” Megan is loud, obnoxious and unafraid to speak her mind and steals many of the film’s best comedic
trooper lover Nathan Rhodes (Chris O’Dowd) and when he ignores her, she starts flouting every traffic law by driving recklessly, talking and texting, consuming alcohol and going topless.
bits. Ellie Kemper is her usual sweet and adorable self as Becca, although she does share a lesbian make-out session with Wendi McLendon-Covey’s Rita, who has quite a few punch-lines. ‘There’s semen all over everything—I cracked a blanket in half!’ as she describes her life with two teenage sons. She later laments that ‘sometimes, I just want to watch The Daily Show without him entering me’ and that she wants ‘balls in my face’ while Annie plans for the bachelorette party for the purpose of having something to fantasize about while having sex with her husband. Rose Byrne is the wealthy and snobbish Helen, whom we discover is just as insecure as Annie. There is a funny scene where Annie calls her an ‘ugly crier’ and Helen insists that she’s not through tears and that she’s still pretty. Finally there’s Maya Rudolph, who’s largely playing the straight role, but she has some humorous deadpan moments: ‘I just took a sh*t in the middle of the street’ and screams that she had her anus bleached during a shouting match with Annie. There are only two male characters and that’s Ted, played by Jon Hamm and Chris O’Dowd’s state trooper officer Nathan Rhodes, a sweet Average Joe who likes Annie and does his best to lift her spirits.
The laughs, big and small, just keep coming, but Bridesmaids is also about friendship. Having two real-life friends (Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph) portray best friends on the big-screen really helped give it that genuine feeling that these two people are close and would do anything for each other. There discussions are often raunchy (‘Did you let him sleep over in your mouth?’) yet honest and all of it feels real, free of the artificial sentimentality that Hollywood shoves down our throats with every other chick flick. There are also some nice scenes that show Annie is a true artist when it comes to baking, but because of her dream being crushed and her self-esteem at an all-time low, she lacks
“
This is arguably one of the best and funniest films of 2011.
the willpower to pick herself up. It isn’t until loud Megan literally slaps Annie silly that she gets out of her stupor and begins to pick herself up. There are some minor niggles with Bridesmaids, one of which is that the film goes on for a little too long with its two hour running time, but it does allow for Annie to believably grow as person rather than rush through it. Pacing is also an issue as the laughs come fast and hard in the first half, but get fewer in the second as it gets more serious with Annie hitting rock-bottom. Bridesmaids certainly exaggerates, but even amongst all the dirty humor and scatological acts it never loses sight of its heart and soul: that of Annie and Lillian’s friendship. This potent combination makes it the best comedy of the year, even if it is too soon to make such a declaration. The cast is just perfect and Kristen Wiig is easily up the challenge of handling the comedy and the drama, in addition to serving as the film’s writer. Wiig has been on SNL since 2005, but on film, she mostly plays supporting or bit roles. “Bridesmaids” allows her to prove her acting chops and is fully capable of carrying the entire film. The support31 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Released on May 13, 2011, Bridesmaids has received overwhelmingly positive reviews with 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised it as ‘a marriage of genuine characters, gross out gags, and pathos, [the film] is a female-driven comedy that refuses to be boxed in as Kristen Wiig emerges as a real star.’ However, looking on IMDB, the film rates a 6.2 and the forums are full of sexist remarks that women aren’t funny, their sole reasoning being their gender. Yes, men and women have different views on what is funny but just because you don’t find the other funny does not make it a fact; it is simply a matter of opinion. I just cannot believe that even in this day and age that there are men who still think in such a backwards manner. Of course, this is the internet and the anonymity allows them to make their prejudices known. The film is opening with Paul Bettany’s religion-themed action film Priest, but its real competition is with last weekend’s reigning champion Thor. Expecting huge numbers like the first Sex and the City film is out of Movies & Music
the question, but with a solid $7.8 million start, it’s on its way to a $20 to $25 million debut. Hopefully, positive word-of-mouth will make a hit as it did 2009’s The Hangover. It may be too soon to declare Bridesmaids the best comedy of the year, but I just cannot see the upcoming The Hangover Part II as being better with its regurgitated plot with only a change of scenery. Judd Atapow’s latest will appeal more to females but there’s no reason that males can’t laugh along. The 2011 summer movie season has barely begun and already we have a hilarious comedy that brings the laughs and the heart. Go see “Bridesmaids” and prepare for tears from laughing too hard!
Final Rating:
“No quote here, there are just too many good ones to choose!
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HANNA //REVIEWSPIDERMAN120988 //DESIGNLORA
Rated PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Violence and Action, some Sexual Material and Language) Running Time: 1 Hour 51 Minutes Cast: Saoirse Ronan - Hanna Heller Eric Bana - Erik Heller Cate Blanchett - Marissa Wiegler Tom Hollander - Isaacs Olivia Williams - Rachel Jason Flemyng - Sebastian Jessica Barden - Sophie Vicky Krieps - Johanna Zadek Directed by Joe Wright 33 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
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“Hanna” is one unusual action/revenge thriller film, but I suppose that’s a good thing given Hollywood’s penchant for conventionality. Looking at Joe Wright’s brief resume, “Hanna” is the oddball as his previous work, which includes “Pride & Prejudice” and “Atonement,” leaned more toward character-driven drama. As usual, the previews for Wright’s latest are misconceiving, advertising a run-of-the-mill thriller when it is not. The tale may not be original, but Wright infuses “Hanna” with an eccentric quality with his stylish camera, beating soundtrack, and fairy tale motifs that may put off those who were looking for something more mainstream. Of course, we can’t forget about Saoirse Ronan, who kicks all kinds of ass! Sixteen-year-old Hanna Heller (Saoirse Ronan) has lived in the snowy forests of Northern Finland for most of her life. Under the care of her father, Erik (Eric Bana), Hanna undergoes a rigorous training regimen to make her into the perfect assassin. As a consequence, Hanna knows absolutely nothing of the outside world except what is read to her by her father from an encyclopedia. Erik’s ultimate goal is to send his daughter out to kill his former handler in the CIA and the person responsible for Hanna’s mother’s death, Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett). Hanna insists that she is ready for the mission and is told that all she has to do is activate a transmitter which will broadcast their location to Wiegler. After contemplating, she decides to activate the transmitter, with her father leaving and telling her to meet him in Berlin, Germany after the kill is successful. Marissa sends armed men to the cabin and manages to
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capture Hanna, who offers no resistance when cornered. She is confined at a remote bunker where she is interrogated. Her only response is that she wants to see Marissa Wiegler. A body double meets with Hanna, but is promptly killed and she escapes the bunker, which is in the middle of the Moroccan desert. The mission becomes complicated when Hanna befriends a girl her age named Sophie (Jessica Barden), who is traveling with her family. Hanna becomes transfixed by the outside world as she has never experienced anything like it before. Meanwhile, Wiegler enlists the aid of an off-kilter and sadistic mercenary named Isaccs (Tom Hollander) to kill Hanna. The plot for “Hanna” is a rather straight-forward revenge thriller and by itself, it wouldn’t amount to much but the film, like its title character, is efficient in its story-telling. It lets us know enough, but there’s a lot going
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on below the surface, chief among them the relationship between Marissa and Erik. We know that Erik left the CIA and went rogue, but the fact that Marissa is so intent on killing him and devote the resources and money of the agency to do so suggest that maybe their relationship went beyond professional. Adding a wrinkle to the proceedings is Hanna’s curiosity about the outside world, making it a coming-of-age film as well and the Frankenstein influence becomes much clearer once it is revealed how she came to be. As a young teen, Hanna is dealing with feelings and emotions that she is unable to interpret or articulate, more so due to her harsh upbringing. When she befriends Sophie, Hanna is unable to separate feelings of friendship from feelings of romance. There are strong fairy tale motifs throughout the film, some more obvious than others. Hanna carries around a German version of Grimm’s fairy tales, given to her by her deceased mother. She is told by her father to meet his contact nicknamed ‘Mr. Grimm,’ whose home resembles a gingerbread house ala Hansel and Gretel. Finally, Hanna sees Marissa emerge from a wolf’s head in the film’s final act. The way Marissa speaks to Hanna is unusual as well as she orders her not ‘to walk away from me, young lady!’ in an almost… stepmotherly tone. In fact, you could say “Hanna” is a weird variant of classic fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood or Snow White. Wright employs several flourishes during the chase and fight scenes. When Hanna escapes from the bunker, the tunnel she is in has flashing strobe lights to produce a disorienting effect with the camera edits turning into a spiral. One fight scene involves Hanna leaping around cargo containers to evade Isaacs and his henchmen while another has her father Erik engaging in hand-to-hand combat with four men in a subway station, surrounded by four columns. The soundtrack by The Chemical Brothers adds to the film’s eclectic sensibilities with its
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thumping beats and tinkling ambience. Edward Douglas of ComingSoon describes “Hanna” best: ‘a bizzaro arthouse action film.’ Although the supporting cast does a fine job, this is Saoirse Ronan’s show and she is amazing as Hanna: cold, violent, and deadly, but also curious and vulnerable. Some have compared her to Chloe Moretz’s Hit-Girl from “Kick-Ass” but Hanna is much more human. Eric Bana has a minor role; his best scenes involve him fighting and beating people down. Cate Blanchett looks every bit the corrupt CIA agent she portrays with her immaculate clothes and fierce expression, although her Southern accent took some getting used to. Tom Hollander is the eccentric mercenary and there’s just something creepy about a man dressed in tight shorts and beating people with a pipe. Olivia Williams, Jason Flemyng and Jessica Barden also star as the family that Hanna tags along with.
“Hanna” was released on April 8, 2011 to positive reviews with 71% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised its ‘fantastic acting and crisply choreographed action sequences [that] propel this unique, cool take on the revenge thriller.’ Some critics, such as James Berardinelli, dubbed it ‘one of the best movies of 2011’s first half.’ The film competed with the medieval comedy “Your Highness,” the remake “Arthur,” and “Soul Surfer” but none of them were able to unseat animated flick “Hop” from the top spot. However, “Hanna” did solid business with $12 million for a #2 debut at the box office. Current gross is at $31 million and it stands to become a moderate success. “Hanna” is an off-beat action thriller and that is precisely why it is compelling to watch. It is unafraid to experiment and have a unique identity to stand out from the pack. This is certainly one film you should make time to check out.
4 out of 5
“I just missed your heart.” *BANG!* Movies & Music
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REDRIDINGHOOD REVIEWED BY: SPIDERMAN120988 DESIGNER: ANDYMOSH RATING: PG-13 (Violence and Creature Terror, and some Sensuality) RUNNING TIME: 1 Hour & 40 Minutes CAST: Amanda Seyfried - Valerie Gary Oldman - Father Soloman Shiloh Fernandez - Peter Max Irons - Henry Lazar Billy Burke - Cesaire Virginia Madsen - Suzette Julie Christie - Valerie’s Grandmother Lukas Haas - Father Auguste Shauna Kain - Roxanne Kacey Rohl - Prudence Carmen Lavigne - Rose Cole Heppell - Claude Michael Shanks - Adrien Lazar Christine Willes - Madame Lazar Michael Hogan - The Reeve Adrian Holmes - The Captain Directed by Catherine Hardwicke
I
nstead of original ideas, Hollywood often makes adaptations of existing properties to minimize financial risk. As “Twilight” is currently the hottest property, we now have “Red Riding Hood,” a loose re-telling of the famous fairy tale collected in the works of the Brothers Grimm, packaged to appeal to thirteen year old girls. They even brought in Catherine Hardwicke, who made the first “Twilight,” to direct. “Red Riding Hood” blends a teen romance with classic horror, and while there are some interesting concepts at work, the effort to appeal to its gullible target audience undermines the film. The snowy medieval village of Daggerhorn has been plagued by The Wolf for as long as its residents can remember, and to placate the beast, an animal sacrifice is made under every full moon. Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) is a young woman living in the village with her parents, Cesaire (Billy Burke) and 37 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Suzette (Virginia Madsen), and is betrothed to the son of a wealthy blacksmith, Henry (Max Irons). She, however, feels no love for him, as her heart belongs to her childhood friend, a poor woodcutter named Peter (Shiloh Fernandez). Valerie and Peter plan to run away together, but their plans are interrupted when the townspeople discover her older sister Lucy has been murdered by The Wolf. Henry, his father Adrian, Peter, Cesaire, and several men go off into the woods to hunt the beast and manage to behead it; Adrian is killed in the process. The local priest, Father Auguste (Lucas Haas), summons a hunter, Father Soloman (Gary Oldman), who reveals that they killed an ordinary wolf and that their town is plagued by a werewolf. Since a werewolf is human by day, he warns that the culprit can be anyone. As the full moon is red for the next three days, a bite from the werewolf will transfer the curse. Daggerhorn is thrown into a state of panic as Valerie discovers that The Wolf is after her’ so she races against time to uncover the beast’s true identity. Movies & Music
The comparisons between “Twilight” and “Red Riding Hood” are inevitable and the two are stylistically very similar. The current, popular version of Little Red Riding Hood is the one recorded in the works of the Brothers Grimm. However, the origins of the tale date back to as early as the 14th century, with the first printed version appearing in 1697 in a collection of tales from Charles Perrault.
As a monster movie, the violence is just too tame to really appeal to anybody. There is hardly any blood whenever someone gets mauled (more like a scratch) by The Wolf, but color me surprised when I saw someone’s arm get chewed off, though it’s a blinkand-you-miss-it scene.
There are numerous interpretations of Little Red Riding Hood, the most common being a simple morality/cautionary tale to being an allegory for sexual awakening. Hardwicke and writer David Leslie Johnson have kept the general framework of the fairy tale, but rework it to be both a teen romance and a horror monster movie. Despite the potential of its premise, the film does not do a good job in meshing these elements organically.
“Red Riding Hood” is strongest when it plays up the mystery angle and the panic that grips Daggerhorn recalls the Salem Witch Trials. A number of red herrings are thrown our way, but you know how these things work: it’s never the obvious choice. Hardwicke certainly has a good eye as the film has an effective atmosphere and takes full advantage of its Canadian location with its sweeping camera. Unfortunately, that is all “Red Riding Hood” has to offer: a visually appealing film with nothing substantial or memorable underneath.
The romance is limp, due in part to the two male leads played by Shiloh Fernandez and Max Irons, who exhibit as much emotion as a rock. It’s clear they were chosen for their chiseled good looks than their acting ability. The dialogue between Seyfried and her male co-stars feels like something out of a bad teenage soap opera on the CW. Several scenes end up being laughably bad, such as a nightmare sequence between Valerie and her Grandmother (Julie Christie) and a sexually suggestive dance between Valerie and her friend.
The acting is sub-par and the cast never feels like they’re living in the time period the film depicts. They look like they’re playing dress-up at the local Renaissance Fair. Compared to Kristen Stewart, Amanda Seyfried is more likable with her cute eyes in her role as Valerie, but her two male co-stars are nothing more than dead weights. At least they keep their shirts on. Shiloh Fernandez smirks and grimaces while Max Irons just stares off into space, with neither of them doing it particularly well.
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“Red Riding Hood” was released into theaters on March 11, 2011 to overwhelmingly negative reviews with 12% on Rotten Tomatoes. Although critics described Seyfried as magnetic, she is ‘let down by her uninspired leading men and a painfully clichéd script.’ The film competed with “Battle: Los Angeles” but failed to make much of an impression at the box office, coming in third place behind Johnny Depp’s animated flick “Rango” with $14 million. It has made $18 million domestically so far and will likely recoup its estimated $42 million production budget, though it will be a far cry compared to “Twilight.”
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As expected, much of the audience was female and skewed to 25 and younger, but I was surprised by the turnout of males. “Red Riding Hood” ends up being your typical teen fluff, and that is disappointing as the film certainly has some nice ideas, but either fails to explore them properly or ignores them in favor of convention. Still, I would rather watch this one instead of “Twilight.”
“ THE Wolf is coming. You're gonna get what you deserve.
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As Father Soloman, Gary Oldman does what is expected of a film of this type; he overacts, but doesn’t quite chew up the scenery. His character is given an interesting back-story and the film could have explored the moral grey area he inhabits, but alas, such questions aren’t fit for the movie’s intended audience. Billy Burke must enjoy being in these female teen-oriented flicks and once again plays a father, like “Twilight.” Julie Christie fits into her role as the famous Grandmother seamlessly, but Valerie’s mother, played by Virginia Madsen, ends up doing very little.
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INSIDIOUS WRITTEN BY SPIDERMAN120988 DESIGNED BY PRENDY
Rated PG-13 (Thematic Material, Violence, Terror and Frightening Images, and Brief Strong Language) Running Time: 1 Hour & 42 Minutes Cast: Patrick Wilson - Josh Lambert Rose Byrne - Renai Lambert Barbara Hershey - Lorraine Lambert Lin Shaye - Elise Rainier Leigh Whannell - Specs Angus Sampson - Tucker Ty Simpkins - Dalton Lambert Andrew Astor - Foster Lambert Directed by: James Wan
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W
hen director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell made their debut in 2004 with the film “Saw,” it was a breath of fresh air thanks to its unique premise and introduced us to a new horror icon, Jigsaw, played by Tobin Bell. With a $103 million worldwide gross against a measly $1.2 million production budget, “Saw” jumpstarted a new horror franchise with six sequels, but unfortunately it devolved into gratuitous blood and gore, losing what made the original so well-regarded in the first place. Part of it might have been Wan exiting as director and only staying on as executive producer with Whannell. Wan’s next films, “Dead Silence” and “Death Sentence,” both released in 2007, received negative reviews and failed to repeat the box office success of “Saw.” Now, Wan and Whannell reteam for “Insidious,” a film that returns to the tried-and-true Haunted House theme with a few wrinkles thrown in. “Insidious” is not entirely original, but with its strong cast and tense atmosphere, Wan has created a truly frightening experience that mixes the best elements of “Paranormal Activity,” “The Exorcist,” and “Drag Me to Hell.” Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai Lambert (Rose Byrne) are a happily married couple with three children, one baby daughter and two sons named Dalton (Ty Simpkins) and Foster (Andrew Astor). They have just recently moved into a new home, but
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their optimism is short-lived as one morning, Josh finds that he is unable to wake up Dalton. The doctors say there is nothing neurologically wrong, but for some strange reason, he is trapped in a deep coma-like sleep. Three months later their son’s condition has not improved, but strange occurrences begin to take place at the house. They start off small, like objects moving and doors being opened, but they soon escalate, with a demonic voice heard on the baby monitor and ghostly apparitions appearing out of nowhere. Renai becomes so frightened that the family is forced to move to a new house, but the paranormal occurrences still continue. Josh’s mother Lorraine (Barbara Hershey) contacts her friend, who happens to be a psychic and an exorcist named Elise (Lin Shaye). After investigating the house, Elise reveals that it is not the house that is haunted, but her son and that a demon seeks to possess his body. Stylistically, “Insidious” bears a resemblance to Sam Raimi’s 2009’s “Drag Me to Hell” in that it uses sound effects to build a suspenseful atmosphere rather than spilling buckets of blood. For the most part, the film relies on tried-and-true Haunted House clichés during the first half and the inspiration from “Paranormal Activity” (Oren Peli serves as producer) is clearly felt as the strange occurrences start off small and escalate further. What sets it apart is the ‘Boo!’ moments and you’ll certainly jump out of your seat, exclaiming ‘Holy Sh*t!’ There’s no traditional music build-up. It all happens in the most innocuous scenes where it’s just people conversing, you relax your guard and bam, it hits you full force with a blaring, dissonant noise. This keeps us on edge as we don’t know what Wan might throw at us next. “Insidious” also isn’t afraid to get a little ridiculous and there’s a nice humorous moment when we’re introduced to two ghost hunters named ‘Specs’ (Leigh Whannell) and Tucker (Angus Sampson), who clumsily comb over the house using their fancy doo-dads. Things get even more far-fetched once Elise arrives and explains what’s happening (it involves astral projection), culminating in a crazy séance like Raimi’s film. There’s also a palpable sense of drama as Josh and Renai are unable to grasp what’s going on and feel terrified, but more importantly, helpless to save their son. “Insidious” utilizes many elements that have been done to death in other horror films, but Wan polishes them to maximum effect and adds a few wrinkles
to create a unique experience. What’s even more astonishing is that he made this film with less than a million dollars! Once again it goes to show what you can do with only a handful of money combined with a creative vision. The acting is above-average for a horror film and Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne are entirely convincing as a married couple who finds their lives abruptly disrupted, recalling Ellen Burstyn’s role in “The Exorcist.” Barbara Hershey (last seen in “Black Swan”) is Josh’s mother, who knows more than she’s letting on and despite the role being way out there, Lin Shaye manages to play Elise with an entirely straight face. The rest of the cast includes Leigh Whannell (who serves as writer) and Angus Sampson as amateur Ghostbusters who inject some levity into what is a bleak and hopeless situation. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 14, 2010 and released on April 1, 2011, “Insidious” has received somewhat mixed reviews with 59% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics found the third act shaky but it still remains as ‘a very scary and very fun haunted house thrill ride.’ It is competing with two other films, Duncan Jones’ sophomore effort “Source Code” and the liveanimation flick “Hop.” While it may not set the box office on fire, the film should come in at third or fourth place with approximately $10 to $15 million and seeing as it’s made on the cheap, that’s already a resounding success. There was a respectable turn-out at the theater, but like all horror films, it was plagued by teens who just couldn’t keep their f*cking mouths shut. Not a single drop of blood was spilled but Wan has taken a less-is-more approach with “Insidious” and while his ideas aren’t all that original, he utilizes all the right elements and manages to surprise us once again!
“It’s not the house that is haunted. It’s your son.”
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Movies & Music
REVIEW | SUCKER PUNCH | TEXT SPIDERMAN120988 | GFX DINGO_D
Rated PG-13
(Thematic Material involving Oscar Isaac - Blue Jones Sexuality, Violence and Combat Sequences, Carla Gugino - Dr. Vera Gorski and for Language) Scott Glenn - The Wise Man/The General/ The Bus Driver Jon Hamm - The Doctor/High Roller Running Time : 1 Hour & 50 Minutes Malcolm Scott - The Cook Gerard Plunkett - Baby Doll’s Stepfather Cast : Emily Browning - Baby Doll Abbie Cornish - Sweet Pea Jena Malone - Rocket Vanessa Hudgens - Blondie Jamie Chung - Amber Movies & Music
Directed by : Zack Snyder FINAL RATING :
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REVIEW | SUCKER PUNCH
D
irector Zack Snyder has quickly made a name for himself since his debut in 2004 with “Dawn of the Dead,” a remake of George A. Romero’s 1978 classic zombie film of the same name. He followed with two comic book adaptations in 2007 and 2009, Frank Miller’s “300” and Alan Moore’s “Watchmen.” He’s been locked in to helm the reboot of the next “Superman” film due in December, 2012, with Christopher Nolan as producer. Unfortunately, Snyder’s recent work leaves much to be desired. His first foray into animation, “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole,” adapted from Kathryn Lasky’s series of fantasy books of the same name, received mixed reviews and little audience attention. His latest, the action-fantasy “Sucker Punch” is right up Snyder’s alley with its images of skimpy-clad women wielding 43 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
all sorts of weaponry. While “Sucker Punch” features some ridiculous action scenes and unique visuals, none of it amounts to anything as the story is a convoluted mess with virtually no character development. Shakespeare says it best in Macbeth: ‘It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.’ In 1955, a 20-year old girl nicknamed Baby Doll (Emily Browning) is sent to the Lennox House for the Mentally Insane by her cruel stepfather after she attempts to kill him, but accidentally shoots her sister instead. The stepfather bribes a corrupt orderly named Blue Jones (Oscar Isaac) to forge the signature of the asylum’s main therapist, Dr. Vera Gorski (Carla Gugino), and have Baby Doll undergo a transorbital lobotomy. With the Doctor
(Jon Hamm) arriving in five days, Baby Doll retreats into a fantasy world where she imagines herself as a new arrival at a brothel/strip club run by Jones, with Gorski serving as the girls’ dance instructor. Set on escaping, Baby Doll befriends four other dancers, Amber (Jamie Chung), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), Rocket (Jena Malone) and her older sister, Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish). Their goal is to retrieve five items: a map, fire, a knife, a key, with the final item being unknown. Whenever Baby Doll dances, she again retreats into another fantasy world where she and her friends are dressed in skimpy, burlesque clothing wielding swords and assault rifles, battling all sorts of monsters. This world reflects their attempt to retrieve said items. Baby Doll, along with her friends, race against the clock to escape, as she has been sold to ‘the Movies & Music
High Roller’ (also Jon Hamm), who will be arriving in five days. I must say, Snyder certainly has quite the imagination (or should I say fetish) but he really can’t write worth a damn. “Sucker Punch” is what would happen if “Inception” was written by a horny thirteenyear-old boy. The story is a total mess and none of it ever makes sense or feels compelling because there’s no emotional risk involved. The girls themselves serve absolutely no purpose other than to look sexy wearing as little clothing as a PG-13 rating allows. Also, why is this film rated PG-13 when it so clearly wants to be rated R? With the exception of “Legend of the Guardians,” Snyder’s previous films have been rated R so I wonder what happened here. “Sucker Punch” strives for meaning with its themes of female empowerment, but it ends up half-baked and clashes with what we’re shown on-screen. So that just leaves the action scenes and while they’re visually impressive, it’s a given with a Snyder film. Dressed in a midriffbaring, Catholic school girl outfit and wielding a samurai sword, Baby Doll battles with giant mechanical samurai’s, with one of them firing a huge chain gun. An-
other has her and her friends mow down legions of German soldiers during World War II with a steampunk twist. There’s also a dragon that makes its lair in a gothic castle and a chase toward a speeding train carrying a bomb that’s headed for a nearby city. Each is more ridiculous than the last and it slows down frequently to show off the eye-candy. However, the music video vibe and the accompanying songs feel tacky and clichéd. What would’ve been the film’s saving grace ends up being dull because there’s never any sense of danger and by the time there is, I could not care less! While the five actresses look sexy, none of them do any actual acting. Emily Browning sports the same glazed-over expression with her flat dialogue delivery. Jena Malone fares better as the ‘tough chick’ but only Abbie Cornish’s performance comes close to being three-dimensional, providing some semblance of drama. Vanessa Hudgens and Jamie Chung end up doing very little except as window-dressing. As the villain, Oscar Isaac excels at playing a slimy sleaze-ball. Carla Gugino spends much of the film sporting a heavy Russian accent and Jon Hamm only appears in two scenes that amount to absolutely nothing. Finally, there’s Scott Glenn in an Obi-Wan Kenobi role as the Wise Man, sprouting such golden nug-
”
gets of wisdom such as, ‘If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.’ “Sucker Punch” was released on March 25, 2011 and has received highly negative reviews, with 20% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it Snyder’s worst-reviewed film. Critics noted that it’s ‘technically impressive and loaded with eye-catching images, but without characters or a plot to support them, all of [the film’s] visual thrills are for naught.’ Although it has a huge marketing push, the film failed to garner much attention at the box office, with a middling $19 million debut and coming in second place to “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.” With only $24 million domestic, it’ll have to make up its $82 million production budget through foreign grosses. Snyder has also promised an R-rated director’s cut when it releases on Blu-Ray and DVD. “Sucker Punch” is a gigantic failure for Snyder and represents everything that’s wrong with Hollywood film-making today where the visuals have become the story without actually having a story. The action will thrill hormone-raging boys but with little of substance, the film is a dull, lifeless, incomprehensible affair that’s a waste of everyone’s talent (including Snyder’s) and time. Come on, Snyder, I know you can do better than this. Makes us proud in “Superman”!
Who honors those we love for the very life we live? Who sends monsters to kill us...and at the same time sings that we’ll never die? Who teaches us what’s real...and how to laugh at lies? Who decides why we live and what we’ll die to defend? Who chains us...and who holds the key that can set us free? It’s you. You have all the weapons you need. Now fight!
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SOURCE CODE REVIEWED BY: SPIDERMAN120988
DESIGNER: ANDYMOSH
RATING: PG-13 (Some Violence, Disturbing Images and Language) RUNNING TIME: 1 Hour & 33 Minutes CAST: Jake Gyllenhaal - Captain Colter Stevens/Sean Fentress Michelle Monaghan - Christina Warren Vera Farmiga - Captain Colleen Goodwin Jeffrey Wright - Dr. Rutledge Michael Arden - Derek Frost Cas Anvar - Hazmi Russell Peters - Max Denoff Brent Skagford - George Troxel Scott Bakula (voice) - Colter’s Father Directed by Duncan Jones
B
ritish director Duncan Jones made a splash in 2008 with his feature debut, “Moon,” a science fiction/ drama film that earned him numerous accolades from critics, but unfortunately was ignored by mainstream audiences. With influences from Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” and Stanislaw Lem’s 1961 novel Solaris, “Moon” ‘illustrates a truism forgotten by Hollywood: the best science fiction films are about something’ (James Berardinelli, ReelViews). In his sophomore outing, Jones directs “Source Code,” a film where he had no hand in writing the script. Can lighting strike twice for this rising director? The answer is yes as “Source Code,” despite being let down by a forced and contrived ending, benefits from its taut pacing, an intriguing and novel premise, and a sincere performance from Jake Gyllenhaal. A decorated U.S. Army helicopter pilot serving in Afghanistan named Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up disoriented and confused on a commuter train headed for Chicago. Sitting across from him is an attractive woman named Christina Warren (Michelle Monaghan), who seems to know him as history teacher Sean Fentress. With no memory of how he arrived there, Colter discovers to his shock that his face is not his own. 45 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
“What would you
if you knew o
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Movies & Music
Eight minutes later, a bomb explodes, derailing and killing everyone onboard the train. However, Colter is not dead and wakes up trapped in some sort of capsule. He is greeted by Air Force officer Captain Colleen Goodwin (Vera Farmiga), who reveals that he is in a military experiment dubbed the ‘Source Code,’ which allows Colter to take over the mind and body of someone in his or her last eight minutes of life. It is a way to visit the past through an alternate reality/parallel universe. Goodwin briefs Colter that earlier in the day, a bomb went off and destroyed a train heading for Chicago, the same train he had awoken in. Colter’s mission is to find the bomb and discover the person who built it so he can prevent a second bomb, a dirty nuclear device, from going off in downtown Chicago. Each time, he will only have eight minutes to complete his goal. However, stopping the bomb is the least of Colter’s problems as he also tries to unravel the mystery of how he came to participate in the Source Code.
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Since Colter is forced to relive the same eight minutes over and over again, Jones is at risk of being repetitive, even if it is out of necessity for the story. He manages to hold our attention through the slight altering of details and character actions, dropping a few breadcrumbs here and there. It is an absolute must that you are alert or you’ll become lost. The pacing is tight so it is unlikely to be a bore, but “Source Code” is unfortunately let down with an out-of-the-blue ending that actually confuses more than it helps. The film comes to a brilliant and satisfying stopping point, but it’s saddled with a forced and contrived ending in an effort to leave the audience feeling ‘upbeat’ or ‘ happy.’
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do w you only had one minute to live?
At first glance, “Source Code” looks like another generic sci-fi action flick, with its tag-line a blatant rip-off of “127 Hours” but thanks to its intriguing premise, it successfully blends elements of “24” with 2006’s “Déjà Vu,” a Denzel Washington film that also explored time travel through the use of alternate timelines. There are certainly some gaps in its logic and its ideas on alternate realities, infinite parallel universes, and quantum mechanics will go over mainstream audiences, but it is precisely these elements that elevate it from the average science fiction film. It also touches upon the military’s obsession of turning soldiers into living weapons at the cost of their own humanity.
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This is Jake Gyllenhaal’s show and he proves to be up to the task, deftly moving through a range of emotions that includes confusion, anger, desperation and determination. His insistence on saving everyone and doing what’s right feel sincere and honest. One scene where he tearfully calls his father is extremely well-done. The rest of the cast play essential, if secondary, roles. Gyllenhaal has some cute chemistry with Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga, in what could’ve been a paycheck role, is forced to grapple with her moral convictions as Captain Colleen Goodwin. The only disappointment is Jeffrey Wright, who exhibits little personality as the creator of the Source Code. Released on April 1, 2011, “Source Code” has received overwhelmingly positive reviews with 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. So far, it is one of the few best reviewed films of the year. Critics praised Jones for ‘finding the human story amidst the action…[to] craft a smart, satisfying scifi thriller.’ Competing against the animated flick “Hop” and James Wan’s “Insidious,” the film had a rather ho-hum debut at the box office, coming in at #2 with $14 million. With a current worldwide gross of $43 million against an estimated $32 million production budget, it’s poised to be at least a modest success. Despite repeated attempts, Gyllenhaal has never had a film that opened big with the exception of Roland Emmerich’s “The Day After Tomorrow” in 2004. The main plot of “Source Code” is rather conventional, but it’s the smart use of its ideas that make the film such a breath of fresh air without thumbing itself down. The ending is weak but for much of its ninety minute running time, it remains a taut thrill ride.
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SCREAM4 WRITTEN BY SPIDERMAN120988 DESIGNED BY PRENDY
Rated R (Strong Bloody Violence, Language and some Teen Drinking) Running Time: 1 Hour & 51 Minutes Cast: Neve Campbell - Sidney Prescott Courteney Cox - Gale Weathers-Riley David Arquette - Sheriff Dwight ‘Dewey’ Riley Emma Roberts - Jill Roberts Hayden Panettiere - Kirby Reed Rory Culkin - Charlie Walker Erik Knudsen - Robbie Mercer Marielle Jaffe - Olivia Morris
Movies & Music
Nico Tortorella - Trevor Sheldon Alison Brie - Rebecca Walters Mary McDonnell - Kate Roberts Marley Shelton - Deputy Judy Hicks Anthony Anderson - Deputy Anthony Perkins Adam Brody - Deputy Ross Hoss Aimee Teegarden - Jenny Randall Brittany Robertson - Marnie Cooper Lucy Hale - Sherrie Shenae Grimes - Trudie Anna Paquin - Rachel Kristen Bell - Chloe Roger L. Jackson (voice) - Ghostface Directed by: Wes Craven
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W
ow, has it been that long? Eleven years after the release of “Scream 3,” director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson team-up once more to revitalize a franchise that had long since worn out its welcome with “Scream 4.” When the original “Scream” was released fifteen years ago in 1996, it was a breath of fresh air for the slasher subgenre, which had so mired itself in formulaic plots and never-ending sequels. “Scream” embraced these clichés with a winkand-a-nod, thrilling audiences with jump scares and chases even as it lampooned its own genre. Craven kept up the momentum with the sequel, but by the time “Scream 3” rolled into theaters in 2000, the whole affair just felt tired as it had fallen victim to the very thing the series had gleefully mocked. So when a fourth film was announced in mid-2008, fans met the news with skepticism. Craven’s recent work left much to be desired (with the exception of 2005’s “Red Eye”) and his much-touted return to horror with last year’s “My Soul to Take” in disastrous 3D was met with universal negative reviews and was a major flop at the box office with only $21 million worldwide. Reviving a decadeold series reeked of desperation but fortunately, Craven has brought his A-game. “Scream 4” lacks the freshness of the original (it is number four after all) but it offers enough of a mixture of old and new, plus a few twists in-between, to make it a worthy addition of the franchise.
(Emma Roberts). The killings begin to escalate and it soon becomes harder to ignore the truth: Ghostface has returned to terrorize Woodsboro once more.
As expected, “Scream 4” does not stray too far from the formula established by its predecessors, which is disappointing as it squanders an opportunity to shake things up. Fortunately, the series’ trademark self-parody has remained intact as it wastes no time in mocking the current trends in horror, from the popularity of the torture porn subgenre to Hollywood’s obsession with reboots and remakes. In fact, that is the main crux to “Scream 4”, as the characters come to the realization that the killer is concerned with doing a real-life ‘remake’ of the events in the original film. I won’t reveal more, but the film ends with a clever truism on how remakes never exceed that of the originals. Like the first two films, there’s some nice social commentary thrown in and it’s about our current generation’s narcissistic obsession with the media and fame, creating a much more cynical film. The killer actually records the murders in the hopes of creating a snuff film. It feels relevant given the amount of attention certain celebrities receive when they have done absolutely nothing to deserve it… but I digress. The film has a bit of a disjointed feel as it has to juggle two sets of main characters. Much of the focus is on the new, younger cast while the original cast is pushed into more of a supporting role. The gore has also been amped up to compete with films like “Saw” and we’re treated to grisly stabbings and even one “Scream 4” opens with a rather clever prologue before we re- where the victim’s intestines are hanging out with an abundance of turn to the small town of Woodsboro ten years after the events blood covering the walls. The series was never particularly scary to of the third film, where the original murders have now become begin with and “Scream 4” continues this trend, but the cat-andthe stuff of legend. Dwight ‘Dewey’ Riley (David Arquette) is now mouse chase scenes are polished to maximum effect and crackle the town sheriff, happily married to with energy thanks to Marco Beltrami, former tabloid news reporter Gale “The film has a bit of a disjointed who returns to scoring duties. Weathers (Courteney Cox). Sole survifeel as it has to juggle two sets of The acting is good with a few standvor Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has returned to her hometown pro- main characters. Much of the focus outs, but nothing to write home about. moting her new self-help book Out of is on the new, younger cast while the Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and Darkness, which chronicles her ordeal David Arquette slip into their old roles about the killings and how she over- original cast is pushed into more of a easily as if no time had passed at all came them. Two students of Woods- supporting role.“ and while it’s great seeing them all boro High School are bloodily stabbed back together, their characters don’t to death upon Sidney’s return and she is prevented from leaving have much to do. Well, Cox’s Gale Weathers does try to get back until the investigation is over because of circumstantial evidence into her journalism groove by ‘going rogue’, but it is clear that Crafound in her rent-a-car. In the meantime, she is given a place to ven favors the new cast to carry the film. All of them are actually stay by her aunt, Kate Roberts (Mary McDonnell) and cousin, Jill playing analogues to the original cast and it fits in with the film’s 49 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
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remake angle. Emma Roberts is fine as Jill, but much of the sharp dialogue is provided by Hayden Panettiere, Rory Culkin, and Erik Knudsen with their gleeful horror movie references. You’re actually unsure whether if they’ll even bite the dust as Craven goes to great lengths to flesh these characters out. “Scream 4” was released into theaters on April 15, 2011 to mixed reviews with 57% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics agreed that it was ‘undeniably an improvement over its predecessor, with just enough meta-humor and clever kills’ but found the franchise showing its age and bringing nothing overtly new to the table. However, the film disappointed at the box office with its $18 million debut, coming in at #2 and far behind the animated flick
“Rio.” Of course, we do have to take into account that this has been a down year for movies, with the only successes being animated or family films. So far it has made $69 million worldwide so I’m not sure if we’ll see a “Scream 5” given the lukewarm response from moviegoers. My advice is to stop here before its reputation becomes tarnished as this one ends on a strong note. “Scream 4” is a fun ride, an improvement over the last film since Craven is actually putting in the effort and not going through the motions, but there’s only so much he can do. While there are some nice twists and the satirical elements combined with Williamson’s snappy dialogue are funny, the formula remains unchanged and that’s a shame given its boastful tagline. It’s a worthy sequel but mostly same-old, same-old.
“You forgot the first rule of remakes: DON’T F*CK WITH THE ORIGINAL!”
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I
5 TOPART WATCH 2 WRITTEN BY DRUID101 DESIGNED BY HERINJO
like telling people about good music; it makes me feel good. I hope that when they listen to it for the first time that it will make them feel warm inside, in that way that only music can. So, here’s part two of this set of articles. Last time I told you about 5 good songs, this time I’m going to do something a little different. Since we are nearing the summer, I decided to make this is a very mini holiday playlist. I’m making the assumption that people are going to holiday in the sun, so these are all feel good songs. Without further ado, here you go.
On The Beach Carl Craig - “Sandstorms”
Song For On the Plane Faithless - “Flyin’ High” I had to think a bit for this one. When you’re on the plane, do you want fast music to get you fired up for the holiday ahead, or something laid back to help relax you for your up and coming break? I went for the latter. This track has no drum beat, just a simple piano melody. What it really showcases is the lyrical skill and unique vocal style of Maxi Jazz. This is the ultimate chilled track, and a great start to a vacation.
Beer & Mates Jakes & D*Minds “Warface” [D*Minds Remix]
When I’m on a beach I tend to reflect on my life as I stare into the distant horizon, watching the waves slowly lap in front of me. This Detroit techno masterpiece, by a Detroit techno master, lets me do this. It has such a unique bassline, and gradually builds, with minimalistic drums and a crisp high-end synth.
Night Out Feed Me - “Talk To Me”
Now we move to the harder, faster stuff. This year I will go on my first ‘lad’s holiday’, which basically means that we sleep during the day then drink copious amounts of alcohol at night. Typically before we go out we all sit around with an iPod in the background while having a few pre-party drinks. This drum and bass track features a vocal sample from Full Metal Jacket; it’s really just a funny tune which helps put us in the mood. It never gets old, and if you’re really drunk you can sing along. It’s a great start to the evening.
I have a sickening feeling that this year clubs will be full of commercialised Dubstep, in other words, crap. In the hope that some of the new and emerging genres get a chance, here is some electro house to get you in the mood. Feed Me is a producer better known as Spor; he has recently signed to mau5trap and moved away from drum and bass to make hard hitting, bass heavy, high quality tunes. His recent EP, Feed Me’s Big Adventure, doesn’t have a bad track on it. I hope to see more from him in the future.
Hangover Cure Jose Gonzalez - “Teardrop” We had a debate in the Press Room a while back about the perfect hangover cure. At the time we were talking about food and drink, but I think a good song, when you’re feeling delicate, can help lift you up a little. Jose Gonzalez and his guitar fill the criteria nicely- quiet, ambient and vocal based. “Teardrop” is a gorgeous track that really helps to make everything feel just a little better. 51 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Movies & Music
CHASE AND STATUS NO MORE IDOLS REVIEW WRITTEN BY DRUID101 DESIGNED BY PRENDY
C
hase and Status are a British dance music duo who achieved mainstream popularity a few years ago with the release of their first studio album, More Than Alot. That album was a masterpiece of drum & bass/dubstep, and showcased their ability to take a genre and transform it into their own unique variation. For example, “Take Me Away”, one of their first single releases, is described as being ‘Acid-House Jungle’, and I completely understand why. Other tracks on the album included “Smash TV”, featuring a sample from Guns & Roses, and “Against All Odds”, featuring then unheard-of Kano. The album didn’t have a bad track on it, and allowed singers such as Takura and Plan B to achieve a wider audience; in Plan B’s case, it really paid off. His work with Chase & Status allowed him to release a critically acclaimed album a couple of years later.
It really was a massive let down. This was a poor effort in my opinion and had they stopped at any point to really think about what they were doing, they might have saved themselves. As it is, buy the singles, the two extra good songs don’t make up for the 8 or 9 that are abysmal.
It was early 2010 when the first single from the new album was released, “End Credits”, once again featuring Plan B. They had been relatively inactive since the success of More Than Alot, and this track was classic Chase & Status- hard hitting drum & bass. I, for one, didn’t realise at the time that this was the build up to a new album, as it was kept very quiet. Following this, two more singles were released, both of which were excellent themselves.”Let You Go”, featuring Mali, was the first and featured a variation of the house genre, completely different to their usual style. It worked, and when “Blind Faith” was released sometime later, the same kind of effect was achieved. It’s hard to describe, it’s not quite house or dubstep. You have to listen to it to appreciate it.
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Virtually every other track was a disappointment.
Then at the end of 2010, the album was released. I eagerly downloaded it expecting a blend of fast, euphoric D&B, with a few dubstep tunes, and a few with this new genre; what I got was different. I remember looking at the original tracklist and seeing that out of the 15 songs, 13 were collaborations with another vocalist or producer. This is strange, especially seeing as it was meant to be an artist album. After listening through it once, I was disappointed. The only good songs on the album were the ones that had been already released, plus two more; one with Tinie Tempah and one with Tempa T. Virtually every other track was a disappointment. There is a distinct lack of their original sound and far too much of the style used in “Blind Faith”. I think they tried to appeal to a more mainstream audience, and in doing so they released an album in which approximately half of the songs sound very much the same. Even the input from many other artists hasn’t helped. I imagine that there were too many conflicting ideas on the collaboration tracks, causing a flat, boring tune to be created as a result. Movies & Music
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THE POTATO SACK To promote the release of Portal 2, Valve created an Alternative Reality Game (ARG) based around 13 different indie games, and bundled them for sale in the “Potato Sack” at a hugely discounted price.
1… 2… 3… Kick It: It’s currently just a pre-alpha, musically generated version of A Reckless Disregard for Gravity. It’s not worth scoring, yet.
Score:
N/A
Was it worth the discounted price?
A Reckless Disregard for Gravity: A fairly cool BASE jumping game, this one is a good challenge in dodging, weaving, and hugging/ kissing the landscape.
Score:
3/5
“BUT IT’S SO SCARY I NEVER MANAGED TO FINISH IT.” Amnesia: It has an incredible atmosphere and extremely fun gameplay, but it’s so scary I never managed to finish it. Absolutely fantastic.
Score:
5/5
Audiosurf: Pulsating match-3 gameplay while flying along a black space highway doesn’t get much more fun than Audiosurf. Free music and the Orange Box soundtrack give you a good amount to start with.
Score:
4/5
“HOPEFULLY THE REST OF THE BIT TRIP SERIES IS PORTED” Bit Trip Beat: Imagine playing a super-hard game of Pong in an 8-bit wacky graphical style. That’s Bit Trip Beat. It’s a charmer to play, so hopefully the rest of the Bit Trip series is ported to PC.
Cogs: Quite amusing steampunk swapsquares-to-empty-squares puzzling. The puzzles will take a while to go through. It has humorous alternate language choices.
Score:
Score:
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4/5
3.5/5 Tech & Games
Defense Grid: One of the better tower defense games I’ve played. It has a high amount of content and a lovely atmosphere.
Score:
Killing Floor: It is a B-grade first person shooter. Avoid it if you don’t like zombies. It can be fun with friends who know what they’re doing.
4/5
Score:
RUSH: It’s a fun cube-based puzzler, with quite a relaxing look and feel. The ARG added a good amount of content to the game as well.
Score:
3/5
Super Meat Boy: It’s one of the hardest platformers I’ve ever played. I’ve reviewed this before, but at the very least the bugs were fixed, so it deserves a higher rating.
3.5/5
Score:
4/5
The Ball: It’s a typical, Super Monkey Balllike game where you roll around to collect objects and fight enemies. It has a good atmosphere, but there are better games in this genre.
The Wonderful End of The World: You run around collecting as many objects as you can in order to get big, very big. It’s basically a lowcost Katamari clone, but plays just as well.
Score:
Score:
3/5
3.5/5
Toki Tori: Is an interesting puzzler that tries to disguise itself as a platformer. The presentation is cute and the number of levels is impressive. Enjoyable.
Score:
3.5/5
WRITTEN BY BLUEMAXIMA - DESIGNED BY ANDYMOSH
Tech & Games
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PORTAL 2 WRITTEN BY BLUEMAXIMA - DESIGNED BY ANDYMOSH
Ah, it’s here. After the long wait, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Portal has finally arrived. The first game was a collection of high quality puzzling wrapped up in a mysterious and very well told story (typical for Valve, not typical for most people); it was an act that would be incredibly hard to top. It turns out that they did top it.
If you have not played Portal (SHAME ON YOU, Valve has given it away for free, multiple times). It is a game where you create a hole in a wall that connects with another hole in the wall. It is with this mechanism that you solve puzzles, using lasers, bouncing energy balls, and adorable, (if I may say so) talking turrets that will turn you into mincemeat if you give them the chance, all while being watched over by an evil female robot known as GLaDOS. To put it simply, you kick her butt and escape (but are dragged away by something), all while being treated to one of the best game soundtracks in recent history (“Still Alive”). Portal 2 puts you back into the mix, with GLaDOS and a surprisingly charming and funny personality core (robot ball) named Wheatley as the story continues. Plenty of twists, turns, and laughs (wisecracking GLaDOS and scared Wheatley), and you have a story worthy of a Valve game. The ending is quite a shocker (spoiler alert: the end song is not as good as “Still Alive”!) This wouldn’t mean anything if Portal 2 didn’t come close to Portal’s original gameplay, and it doesn’t disappoint– the eight or so hours you play through the single-player has tricky puzzle after tricky puzzle, with new mechanics like the laser redirection cube and the various gels adding those extra layers of intricacy that we’ve come to enjoy from Portal.
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Something new to the series is the ability play in co-op mode! Two equal bots, a tall one and a fat one, need to work together to solve every puzzle they can. Valve has done their best here, giving simple, elegant ways of alerting the other player of what they need to do through “Pings”, and the interactions between the robots are worth a good chuckle. Let me tell you, teleporting your companion through a floor into the abyss never gets old. Unfortunately, with two good players, you will get only half of the playtime you’ll get out of single player, and since the puzzles never particularly change, the game loses much of its replay value. Asking for some DLC soon (which is actually coming) would be fair enough. At least it has a longer first-time-through life than Call of Duty games. Portal 2 is graphically sound, inheriting a few new tricks from a new Source engine build. I had some graphics errors when I put the settings too low (but at midrange, they were fine). The Source engine still has that rough-around-the-edges look (it won’t surprise me if Source3 is announced around the same time as Half-Life 3 or the next Valve game) but it still looks good, no visible texture blurring or bad jagged edges. The soundwork remains remarkable for a source game as well, with the music and sound effects giving a great atmosphere.
Tech & Games
Valve had an incredibly hard job ahead of them in terms of improving the almost un-improvable, but they pulled it off with a new, deep story, lots of new content, and a great new co-op mode. Just bring on some DLC so we don’t go back to playing Portal 1 mods again.
PRESENTATION:
Looks and sounds good, visual bugs on low settings and a little roughness bring it down a little. “Still Alive” beats the ending song on this by a mile and a half sadly.
GAMEPLAY:
Portal’s wacky puzzles are back and twice as fun with a friend. Unfortunately, they tend not to last very long.
LONGEVITY:
The story is much more of a laugh fest than the first Portal and you can definitely go through it once or twice without getting bored… then there’s the co-op.
TILT:
I was never one for puzzlers, but I daresay that Portal 2 is one of those rare ones that can pique my interest, even if it makes me feel like an idiot for not being able to get out of one room for an hour.
OVERALL:
Tech & Games
Portal 2 is a worthy successor, a champion of a puzzle game, and is well worth the money you spend on it.
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REVIEW | BULLETSTORM | TEXT BLUEMAXIMA | GFX DINGO_D
D
on’t get me wrong, Bulletstorm was a lot of fun. I definitely found myself having a few chuckles with it. It’s rude, gory, and requires actual skill (just like it says on the box), but the experience itself was quite short, disappointing, and a little bit over the top. Bulletstorm starts off with a remarkably cool action sequence. You take your ship on a kamikaze run towards an evil guy’s ship; it’s basically a revenge-onthe-other-guy plot. It works well for what the game is trying to achieve. Mainly the game is about action sequences and dick jokes, and there are plenty of those. If you give this game to a five-year old, they’ll ask for something more mature. The jokes constantly come at you through the plot. While some are good and laugh worthy, others turn out to be ‘farting-in-an-elevator’ awkward. The gameplay is honestly one of the best FPS games I’ve played in a while. They weren’t kidding with the game the slogan “Kill with Skill”. The weapon se57 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
lection, while fewer than offered in the latest CoD or Halo, is still incredibly cool to play with. My personal favorites are the giant hammer and the suicide-vest gun. Along with your series of weapons, you have a whip that pulls enemies towards you, plus you have the ability to kick and slide your way to victory. In order to earn points to purchase or upgrade your wild-and-wacky weapons you will need to’ Kill with Skill’ by doing a series of tasks with your weapons. An example is whipping an enemy then shooting his balls off (yes, this is an actual goal in-game). There are over 140 of these babies to find, and they’re quite fun and good to pull off, but the cool ones are drug down by the ones you repeat a million times before you get to the second level. The’ Kill with Skill’ shots don’t feel particularly challenging either, since most of the enemy AI is dumb (things like standing still for a few seconds to shooting his own mates with an explosive gun every now and again).
I need to draw attention to the game length here as well. The plot goes on for a few hours which is all well and good; then you can replay specific sections for high scores. That’s it, really? Sure, there’s multiplayer, but it would be mostly empty after the influx and eventual outflow of CoD fans. There’s not really a lot to do in Bulletstorm. The game’s graphics deserve definite praise. The environments are incredible, especially areas that are far away, yet are incredibly detailed (the first cityscape level definitely shows this off). The voice actors are the typical scruff males and “tough” females, which fits the Bulletstorm immature attitude. I’m really wondering whether to say Bulletstorm is a pass or a fail. It does have all the qualities of a good action game – lots of explosions, death and gore; but it also has the over the top dick jokes with a very short game length which tends to bring it flat on its arse. You should probably wait for this one to hit the bargain bins. Tech & Games
Presentation : Environments are incredible, skyboxes even more so. Voices aren’t the best in the world, but they fit. Gameplay : ‘Kill with Skill’ was definitely a good idea, the good variety of weapons helps, but the dumb AI makes this easier than it should be. Longevity :
A few hours of campaign and repeating parts of said campaign thereafter Tilt : I really wanted to like Bulletstorm, but the crude humour of it unfortunately brings it down a few notches. Tech & Games
Overall :
Bulletstorm might be worth the money if it drops to something more reasonable, but for now it’s a bit too short and immature to recommend to the more serious game player.
Developed by : People Can Fly Released for : PC(reviewed)/360/ PS3 Genre : First - person shooter Mode : Single-player, multiplayer
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THE RISE A OF
Some of you may be wondering what I mean by the “fall” of Rapidshare. Obviously the website is still up and running, and the Alexa traffic stats still show it in the top100 of all global sites (rank 100 as of the writing of this article), so how exactly has it fallen? Rapidshare’s traffic has been on a steady decline for the last two years. Daily reach stats were at 4% in 2009, now they have fallen below an anemic 1 share, and are still falling. To put it in simple terms, Rapidshare was at a global traffic rank of 17 less than 2 years ago, and has been on a steady This information was passed to major record labels, not nosedive since then. Their restructuring has not had any the government. The catalyst for this action was the early marked impact on their numbers, and realistically there release of Metallica’s Death Magnetic album. is not much that can be done to save the ailing service. Rapidshare entered damage-control mode in May 2009, Remember when Facebook was the new, big craze and stating that they had no intent to spy on files that their Myspace got pushed out of the picture? Rapidshare is clients (the uploaders) uploaded through their service. In the Myspace of this new decade, its days are numbered. the span of a month Rapidshare went from handing over There are a number of factors that must be taken into information on their uploaders, to promising never to do account when considering the decline of Rapidshare. The so again. one-click file hosting market has been inundated with competitors. Megaupload, Fileserve, Hotfile, Filesonic, Me- To be fair, let’s take a look at some of Rapidshare’s legal diafire, and hundreds of other sites are now fighting tooth victories. In a 2009-2010 case, ATARI USA vs. Rapidshare and nail in the niche that Rapidshare itself created. How AG, a German High Court judge declared that there was long can any filehosting site stay afloat? New laws are be- no burden of proof to support the fact that Rapidshare is ing passed that will restrict their tenuous holds on legality, primarily intended for illegal use. This verdict was made and it’s not unrealistic to think that 50% or more of these after Rapidshare appealed the original decision, and is sites will not be running in the next three to five years. now binding. The judge further stated that to assume the service was intended or used only for a medium of transRapidshare has a history of legal troubles that have con- porting illegal content was an impossible statement to tributed, in no small way, to their current state. Legal re- prove, and was an unfounded claim against Rapidshare, strictions bred new programs, policies, and standards that its users, and one-click file hosters as a whole. hindered user growth and loyalty. 2007 brought the first major legal action against Rapidshare in which GEMA (A Rapidshare also won a similar case against an undisclosed German Collection Agency) accused Rapidshare of “us- pornographic magazine. The case, which took place in the ing copyright protected works of GEMA members in an District of Columbia, was thrown out after the presiding unlawful fashion.” The result of this suit was increased judge determined the plaintiff could make no credible or awareness of Rapidshare’s practices, and caused Rapid- substantiated claim of direct or continual infringement. share to implement a system in which all newly uploaded files would be checked against an MD5-hash base to de- So how can we interpret this? Well, the numbers don’t lie. termine whether the uploaded file was blacklisted (illegal Rapidshare’s restructuring, their new Rapids system, their or copyright). high profile legal troubles, the fact that they handed over user information, and so many other factors have contribLegal issues continued to plague Rapidshare, and in April uted to their sharp decline. They are on shaky ground at 2009 Rapidshare handed over member information, IP best, and their future may very well hang in the balance of addresses, and other personal and sensitive information. decisions they make over the next few months.
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Tech & Games
AND FALL WRITTEN BY: LINUXTRANCE
DESIGNED BY: ANDYMOSH
Rapidshare is at a crossroads of sorts. To continue on their current path would disallow all copyright or illegal content, and would banish the people who upload it. To embrace piracy would be to embrace further legal issues. It’s an impossible choice; to lose piracy they lose money and status, that’s undeniable. The future will only tell what direction they will take, we will just have to wait and see.
the one-click “...but concept was indeed pioneered by Rapidshare, and revolutionized the Warez world.
“
Tech & Games
So now that the gloom and doom is over with, let me give a bit of credit to Rapidshare. The entire concept of One-Click hosting was pioneered by Rapidshare. Under the guise of Ezshare, the founder of Rapidshare, Christian Schmid, discovered an untapped niche with unlimited potential. Christian found a marketplace ripe for exposure and growth, and created a service that is used by millions which has spawned hundreds, if not thousands, of copycat sites. The idea was innocent enough at the time; give users a way to send files that were too large to email to people who had the direct link to the file. In October of 2006 the first filehosting site was born, and the Internet hasn’t looked back. Services such as Usenet, Shareaza, and of course Torrent sites, were around before Rapidshare, but the one-click concept was indeed pioneered by Rapidshare, and revolutionized the Warez world. Note: Megaupload was established in 2005, but there is no significant information that they had any substantial operation before Rapidshare. It is also interesting to note that the robots.txt file in use by Megaupload. com has one, specific, block...archive.org – interesting. The fall of Rapidshare is important to the Warez community and filesharing sites, as a whole. How long can these operations stand up against mounting legal pressure? What measures can they take to remain legal while not peeking at every file we upload? How safe is your information with these services? Every site has a Terms of Service agreement that states they will comply with the laws of the land and will respond to any appearance of infringement, but how far will they take those actions? Think about this- if Rapidshare could give away user information to major record labels once, what would stop them or any file host, from doing this again? At the end of the day you are nothing but a line in a ledger, or a dollar in the pocket, of these companies, end of story.
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So, let’s think of some ways to keep you safe if it’s your desire to stay on this precarious path. VPN services are a great way to stay safe, protect your physical location, and allow you to maintain a modicum of security while browsing the internet or even uploading. VPNs are not foolproof, but they are a great first step. Essentially a VPN is a secure method of connecting to a Private Virtual Network at a remote location. The end location is encrypted so your insecure packets would pass through their level of encryption, which disallows users without access to read the private packets of information. VPNs are typically used by companies with workers in remote locations to transmit private data in a secure fashion. VPNs use a method of transferring data using secure cryptographic methods between at least two networked devices which are NOT on the same private network. This method keeps the data completely private as it passes through the various nodes of your local and wide networks.
to note that while the site was Russian, the servers were located in the Ukraine. There are many Non-Adult trackers that have been shut down as well; however, the Adult trackers listed above are most recent. So, where do we go from here? That’s for you to decide. You can either stick with the status quo or wait for your turn to come, you can join a pirate party in the hopes of changing your local laws regarding new technology and the legality of certain downloads, or you can back away from downloading and uploading; what other choice do we have? I’ll leave you with a quote by Anne Baxter – “It’s best to have failure early in life. It wakes up the phoenix bird in you so you can rise from the ashes.” The World Wide Web is in its infancy; we have yet to see its full potential. Even if our current systems fail, we can rise from the ashes and promote change for the future.
The second method would be to simply not upload or download. Obviously this is not ideal to some people, so you can choose to continue down your current path and hope to blend in with the mass of others doing the same thing. Typically downloading is less risky than uploading, but there is always a risk. One of the biggest mistakes a wannabe downloader can make is to use a public torrent site such as The Pirate Bay, ISOhunt, Fenopy, and others. So called “private” torrent sites are said to be more secure, but this is not always the case. Demonoid is a “private” torrent site, but has such a large userbase that the fact they are “private” is moot. Furthermore, Demonoid is now in the process of migrating all information to a .me domain, as a result of COICA (Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act) which could, in essence, allow the United States government to take control of the .com, .org, and, .net TLD (top-level domain) names. Torrent sites are under attack on quite a few fronts. Let’s look at some recent closures and seizures: On 1/13/2011 Empornium and PureTNA went permanently offline. TorrentFreak broke the story and confirmed with both site owners that they would not be coming back online. The owners refused to comment about the specifics but one, by the name of Breeze, stated that such is torrent life. On 4/28/2011 in Russia the torrent site Pornolab.net, which (after the takedown of the two larger porn trackers) was arguably the largest porn tracker in the world, had their servers seized by police. It’s important
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Tech & Games
CALLOFDUTY
BLACK OPS
Developed by Treyarch / N-Space Available for PC / PS3 / X360 (reviewed) / Wii (reviewed) / DS Written by BlueMaxima Designed by Prendy
I
would like to say right here and right now, that Call of Duty is not “bad” or “sucky”. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with it. It looks good, sounds good, and plays well. Call of Duty re-invented the first person genre on a level not seen since DOOM and they’ve never changed a thing, which is the problem; they haven’t budged. If you don’t know what Call of Duty is, get out from under that boulder of yours. It’s a first person military shooter; every game visits a different time period from WW2 to modern day. There’s never been much of a story to Call of Duty, except that you go around and shoot people. Treyarch at least tried hard this time in creating an intricate back-story and a good series of set pieces; then again, you can say the same thing about every Call of Duty game. The game plays like you’d expect it to – the controls remain exactly the same except that it introduces the new ‘dive’ move. You can do it by holding your crouch button when you run. The moves are still pretty tight and responsive. The game’s difficulty goes from pushover one minute to next-to-impossible the next. ‘Recruit to Veteran’ provides a good challenge (if you’re not throwing your controller at the wall). The game lasts approximately 8-9 hours; going back to find all the Intel, achievements, etc. notwithstanding. Outside of the campaign, you have returned Zombies mode, which is remarkably good fun with a skilled group of players. Buying weapons off the wall, unlocking new sections of a map, and hiding in a corner fighting off zombies is surprisingly good; which is easily the best area of the whole game. Split-screen and online are both included for a good time. It only comes with 2 maps by default though, which means you’ll have to pay for map packs.
“
“
BlueMaxima’s Note: I want to know why people complain about the amount of Microsoft Points it costs to buy maps. Last time I checked, 2400MSP for 10 maps/two packs in Call of Duty compared to 2400MSP for 9 maps/3 packs in Halo mean you’re officially getting a better deal buying two CoD map packs than three Halo map packs.)
Presentation 3.5 / 5 Gameplay 3.5 / 5 Longevity 4.5 / 5 Tilt Overall Tech & Games
2.5 / 5 3/5
Now we get to the multiplayer; the crowning jewel of every Call of Duty game. You can play split-screen or online (two players on the same console can hop on as well) in several different playlists, build your classes and so on. We’ve done this all before. The only ‘new’ things are the “CoD Points”- currency which you use to unlock things such as weapons and perks. You can also gamble with them in some new game modes like one in the Chamber or Gun Game (shamelessly stolen from Counter-Strike) or earn them in the new ‘contracts’ (win one game, get 7 kills without dying, etc). Here is a quick, one paragraph, review of the Wii version of the game. It controlled better than I expected, it has the full campaign, you get most of the multiplayer options (with a few compromises, the worst being only one zombie map), and the graphical differences still make the Wii version look damn fine; much better than WaW or Modern Warfare Reflex. Nevertheless, it’s still CoD. You may have noticed that I became bored as time moved on. Treyarch did try to improve and to be innovative; I will give them credit for that, but between juggling the Call of Duty franchise and Infinity Ward over the past 4 years, not a single step forward has really been taken in the series. It’s been the same game for years and years; that will eventually be its downfall. I won’t be cheering and clapping when the Call of Duty boat sinks under its repetitiveness, but I certainly won’t be crying either.
Same as always; no ups or downs here. Same as above. If you don’t get bored with the multiplayer level grinding, you do have a lot of game to go through here. It’s easy to get bored of CoD when they put the same game out every year. Another day, another Call of Duty game. WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 62
the SCENE Thank you for reading theSCENE issue 25. We look forward to seeing you next time!
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