Jon Tilton

Movie and video game soundtracks are at the core of what makes me a geek. They’re responsible for well over 50% of my iTunes music library (and probably partially responsible for most girls having no interest in me during high school).  2011 was a fantastic year for new soundtracks; listed below are some of my favorites of the year in different categories.

Favorite Video Game Soundtrack

WINNER: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim by Jeremy Soule

Receiving the signed 4-disc collector’s soundtrack did nothing but confirm my undying love for this score.  It’s an exquisite example of what I love about video game music. Soule strikes the perfect balance between melody and atmosphere, allowing the score to accompany the game without being too distracting yet plays wonderfully as an album on its own.

Runner Up: Ni No Kuni by Joe Hisaishi

Favorite Movie Soundtrack

WINNER: The Adventures of Tintin by John Williams

After a three-and-a-half year hiatus, John Williams is back with two scores for 2011.  The music doesn’t break any new ground, but it certainly completes the classic Spielberg feel present in Tintin.  Williams’ distinct style may not have shifted too drastically over the years, but that might be for the best — each theme stays memorable, and each note feels magical.  In a time when soundtrack-lovers are asking who the next John Williams is, he kindly reminds us: no one.

Runner up: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Favorite OverClocked Remix Album

WINNER: Wild Arms: ARMed and DANGerous
http://armed.ocremix.org/

As many of you know OCRemix may in fact be my favorite website on the entire internet.  For those of you unfamiliar, OCR is a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation and promotion of video game music as an art form. You can check out the site, along with thousands of free remixes here.  The site posts new remixes on a regular basis, and every now and then they release a full album.

The fact that I never played Wild Arms speaks volumes for how in love I am with this remix album. My initial draw to video game remixes is the connection I feel to the memory of playing the game, but this release proves that OCR’s quality of remixes transcends the initial nostalgia factor that started my interest in the site.  ARMed and DANGerous is OCR’s largest album to date with over four hours of music spread over four discs.  If you’ve played the game or are a fan of OCRemix, the free download is a no-brainer, but if you’re interested in starting with an album from a game you’ve played feel free to browse their ever-growing selection here.

Runner Up: Sonic the Hedgehog: The Sound of Speed
http://sos.ocremix.org/

Favorite OverClocked Remix Single

WINNER: “Suite for Violin and Piano” by Gabriel Terracciano and Shnabubula from Metroid
http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02278/

In some cases less is more, but not for Terracciano and Shnabubula’s ten-minute tribute to the original Metroid.  In light of the series’ 25th anniversary, there were plenty of remixes to choose from in virtually any style imaginable.  I’ve always loved the way Metroid’s themes sound on piano, as these arrangements always show a much different perspective to the themes which are usually heard through a lens of eerie electronic sci-fi timbers.

Runner up: “Nullification” by PrototypeRaptor from The Legend of Zelda
http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02226/ 

BONUS: Favorite Album Normal People Listen to

WINNER: The King is Dead by The Decemberists

Sometimes it’s easy to forget January releases on lists like these, but not true for me and The Decemberists’ new album.  After 2009’s epic rock opera album, The Hazards of Love, the more traditional King is Dead may seem like a step back at first, but it offers ten solid tracks, including one of my all-time favorite Decemberists’ songs, “Rise to Me”.

Runner Up: Meyrin Fields EP by Broken Bells

Like many others, I’ve wanted something like Google+ Circles for a long time, but since the service is still so new, it’s hard to tell if Google will ever deliver what I want from Circles, or if it will just be another failed attempt at categorizing our friends online (see Twitter lists and Facebook lists).

As someone who has sorted all of his friends on Facebook already, the only real difference I see in Circles is the fact that they’re selling their entire concept as an online space where you can finally categorize your friends.  Miraculously, everyone believes it too.  Yes, Google’s drag-and-drop GUI works well, and yes, it’s fun because it’s new, but at the end of the day, I already have Circles’ functionality with Facebook.  I’ve grouped my Facebook friends into different categories (all of which, like Google+ are hidden from the other user), I can choose to select who sees which updates (just as easily as choosing a Google+ Circle), and I’ve friended 603 people on Facebook (…most of who won’t sign up for Google+ any time soon).

What I want to see from Google Circles (and Facebook and Twitter) is the exact opposite of what they’ve been offering.  While choosing who sees which updates is a nice feature to have, I rarely feel the need to hide an update from any group of people.  What I do feel constantly is the desire to pick and choose categories I want to read from each individual person.  We all have a handful of friends who post tweets and status updates that we enjoy reading back-to-back with posts we have no interest in.  For instance, I love hearing the hosts of a variety of video game podcasts tweet about the games they play on a daily basis, but as soon as football season starts, they add a lot of crap to my feed every Sunday.  For others, maybe they like the sports tweets, but would rather skip the tweets about movies or family life.  Knowing that sometimes I like to filter other people’s feeds occasionally makes me scale back on my own tweeting habits.  Maybe the people who like my video game tweets don’t want to know every thought I have about Pixar, and maybe the people following my adventures with Brian Brushwood don’t want to know about how much I love Scott Pilgrim.

I often wonder if we were given the choice to subscribe to subcategories if some of the annoyances we have with social media would go away.  As it stands now, everyone seems to be cranky about privacy, which, as far as I’m concerned, is an exact opposite of the Internet’s key characteristics.  The problem to solve here is filtration of the massive amount of content we see on a daily basis.  When I split apart my groups on Twitter, Facebook, and now Google+ I still get a mishmash of crap because, guess what: people have a variety of interests and no one person is going to talk about one thing and one thing only.  Just because I made a Twitter list containing people who are related to video games doesn’t mean that list will only contain updates about video games; the same goes for every Google Circle I made this week.  Again, it’s nice to filter who I see updates from via groups and circles, but that’s a problem we’ve already solved whether or not the general social networking public is aware of it. If Google+ wants Circles to win me over, I need something both useful and new.

It is with a heavy heart and baggy eyes that we announce the closing of the curtains on the Trending Cinema podcast. It has been a beautiful 18 months, and we’re deeply proud of the 40 episodes and 2 specials we created (a little shy of the 100 episode-benchmark we were going for; close though!) but in recent months our priorities have shifted. Jon has moved on from college life, moved across the United States, and begun an exciting career full of fire-eating and sleight-of-hand. As for Simon, well, he’s just getting older, and sleepier, and frankly there are enough forums for him to share his ridiculous opinions on the world of film.

Just remember kids – this isn’t because we stopped loving you. We’re so glad to have had you as an audience. This podcast was founded by two movie-lovers from different sides of the globe that met over Twitter, became Facebook friends and began recording their chats on Skype. Beyond that, it gave us an excuse to talk with those of you who were similarly living in a different part of the world. On many occasions, our audience became our co-hosts; we couldn’t have done it without you.

There will be one final ‘Goodbye’ episode of Trending Cinema recorded in July; or, at least once our schedules clear up (seriously, if the canceling of the podcast wasn’t already an indication, we’re really busy right now). We’d love for you to send in some farewell messages to us at trendingcinema@gmail.com, in the comments here, or to leave a voicemail at (321) 57 TREND or (321) 578-7363, and we can include it on the show.

So, we’ll save our proper goodbye until then. In the meantime … did you hear our Disney Princesses episode? Ca-ray-zee!

- Jon and Simon

PS: Because our current host costs a few bucks per month, we will be moving the website from trendingcinema.com to trendingcinema.wordpress.com — we’re still in the middle of this transition, so the mp3 files aren’t properly linked up yet, but eventually they will be.  There’s a chance that the episodes won’t be accessible for a few days at the end of June and early July, so if our farewell message has inspired you to download a few of the episodes you haven’t listened to yet, it might be a good idea to grab those now.  They won’t be gone forever by any means, but they will probably be down for a few days.

While I always enjoy watching quality anime, every now and then I hit a state of anime-craving. My most recent one started early this week, and last night I finally got around to satisfying my anime needs with Mamoru Hosoda’s The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.

This 2006 anime film tells the story of Makoto, a teenage girl who discovers a mysterious artifact that grants her the ability to leap through time.  While the simple plot description reflects its title well, the film’s sci-fi elements don’t dominate the plot, but instead act as a lens to examine its characters, and more specifically, the romance between them.  This technique reminded me of Michel Gondry and Charlie Kaufman’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – another film I adore for its romantic focus, seasoned with subtle elements of science fiction.  In non-media cases, I typically hate anything that adds an unnecessary extra subtle flavor (namely flavored water, like Propel, and hint of lime tortilla chips – ewww).  But that’s not the case with The Girl Who Leapt Through Time; rather, sprinkling the right amount of sci-fi into a romance film tastes like a dash of chocolate in a strawberry banana smoothie (seriously, try that sometime). The addition adds something unique to the flavor while complementing the themes at work.

Ok, before that analogy turns into (even more of) a wild tangent about food, I better just say that I highly recommend checking out The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (and “Eternal Sunshine” if you haven’t already). I’m also hoping to find similar films to these, so if you have any recommendations, let me know on Twitter or in the comments.

I had the privilege of seeing Rango in theaters last night. After I woke up this morning, I immediately thought about how amazing it is, which, in the past, has been a consistent indicator for some of my favorite recent films.  I went into Rango not knowing much about it, and I’d recommend doing the same.  Overall though, the film is a perfect blend of action, humor, and beauty, all overlaid with a dazzling Western atmosphere and fun soundtrack from Hans Zimmer and Los Lobos.  One thing I did know, thanks to Germain Lussier, was that it’s an extremely good idea to bring a large bottle of water to the theater, as the entire film made me incredibly thirsty!

I hope live-action directors, like Rango’s Gore Verbinski, continue to take a crack at the animated medium, as we’ve seen some fantastic results so far. 2009’s Fantastic Mr. Fox from Wes Anderson hit a similar chord with me by delivering an experience far different from what we’re used to seeing every year from Dreamworks, Disney, and Pixar.  While I still enjoy both types of animated films, it’s nice to see something fresh in this medium, and like I said, I hope the trend continues.

Today I launched a website for my New Media class at Calvin. The goal is to help students improve their academic lives by teaching them how to use digital technology in light of their schoolwork.  If you know any friends who may benefit from reading this blog, feel free to pass it along. :)

I finished reading a breathtaking work of art tonight.  Its beauty has left me speechless. At its core, Daytripper explores life through the lens of death.  I’ll leave the remaining details for you to discover on your own.  Trust me, this is worth your time.

Tiny Wings is the latest 99¢ app to hit #1 in Apple’s paid iOS shop.  I just finished playing it for the first time, and I had one of those “this-is-so-cute-I-have-to-tell-someone-about-it” moments.

The game stars an adorable little bird whose wings are too tiny to fly.  Fortunately for him, the world is populated by beautiful rolling hills, which allow him to slide into the air and experience the feeling of flight.  Coupled with its gorgeous visuals, Tiny Wings includes a charming, catchy soundtrack that I’ve been humming silently while writing this short review. 

Overall, playing Tiny Wings is simply a pleasant experience – the type you might be itching for if another bird-related app has you hitting your head against a wall.

Download here: iTunes link

As some of you already know, Zelda turned 25 years old today.  While my experience with the franchise didn’t start until Ocarina of Time, the series has made a clear impact on my love for video games, and I await Skyward Sword with much anticipation.

Music has always played a large role in my video game experience. I celebrated Mario’s 25th by listening to a variety of Mushroom Kingdom remixes, and today I’m doing the same thing with Zelda.  Below are some of my favorite remixed Zelda tracks from OCRemix:

Eutopia Pegasi

Song of Storms

Hyrule Wimbledon

The Darkness and the Light

Awakening of the Giant

Follow Friday has become a large part of Twitter culture.  Every week, Twitter users encourage each other to try following new people.  As someone who enjoys meeting new people through the micro-blogging service, I think Follow Friday is an important and helpful part of interacting with people online… well, in theory at least.

The problem with Follow Friday doesn’t reside in its concept.  As I hinted before, finding new, interesting people online is a very good thing.  Rather, the problem lies in how we, the users of Twitter, treat this weekly event.  Every Friday I see a stream of tweets that look like this:

“#follow friday: @user51 @user23 @user43 @user94 @user12 #ff”

When I see this, it goes right past me, no matter how much I want to find new people that day.  After all, if I should consider following these people, aren’t they worth more than a quick mention in a Follow Friday tweet?  Look at it this way: if I’m following you on Twitter, I care about what you have to say, so if you think other people would enjoy following @user51, I want to know why.  And if you think they truly are worth following, isn’t it worth showing some of your top reasons, or at least a short description of who they even are?  Even if it’s something short and simple, this helps build an understanding for why or why not I might be interested in finding out more about an individual.

I’m not trying to guilt anyone into changing the way they treat Follow Friday.  In a way, a group list is a neat way to quickly show appreciation in general for anything from good interaction to a funny sense of humor.  What I am trying to do is encourage people to build community by properly introducing the people who they think are worth meeting.  Maybe that’s hard to do if you have thirty people you’d love everyone to meet; but, if that’s so, perhaps it’s best to only mention a couple each week - remember, the next Friday’s only seven days away.

Around this time last year, I was waiting for the fifth Scott Pilgrim book to hit store shelves.  It seemed like the wait was taking forever, so I decided to grab a comic book from Calvin’s library in the meantime.  The book I picked was Tricked by Alex Robinson.  I remembered reading and enjoying Robinson’s first book Box Office Poison, so I figured Tricked would be a good choice.  After five or so chapters in, I decided that I wasn’t enjoying myself.  Something felt off about the characters.  It wasn’t that they felt different; they felt unfriendly, selfish, and unpleasant - people who I didn’t want to read about.  While I had remembered liking Box Office Poison, I had forgotten how long it took me to become situated with its characters and to find their appeal.  About a week ago, I decided to give Tricked another shot, and I’m glad I did.

As I started reading Tricked for the second time, I initially ran into the same problem - I didn’t care for the characters; their behaviors were off-putting, and I couldn’t imagine getting along with them if they were real people.  However, this time, I decided to stick with it.  I read a couple of the book’s bite-sized chapters every day, slowly catching glimpses of each of its six lead characters.  This short-spurted reading routine continued for around a week, until, when I hit the half-way point of the novel, something clicked.  The characters weren’t the unfriendly, off-putting jerks I saw in the first few chapters.  Well, ok, maybe they still were, but now I saw past that.  I was beginning to see who they were, understanding them as people and noticing the good along with the bad.  I finished the second half of the book in one sitting and loved it.

While Tricked is loaded with important messages, for me, its most valued insight wasn’t found in a theme explored by the story, but rather in my actual reading experience.  Giving the book another shot showed me that second chances can be well worth it.  Not every movie, book, video game, or comic is necessarily worth investing in, for example, I highly doubt I’ll be throwing down seven bucks to see The Tooth Fairy this weekend; however, some things require an investment to be appreciated.  And if I thought it was worthwhile to give a comic book another chance, how much more important are the real people I run into?  The characters in Tricked might be fictional, but I think there’s still truth in my understanding of them.  Tricked has challenged me to take the time to see the more subtle dimensions of things, whether it’s a piece of media or a human being.

For my Media Criticism class last semester, I wrote a paper on game journalism in light of the changing media landscape.  I thought some of you might be interested in checking it out. As always, please share your own thoughts in the comments!

The Internet Says, “All Your Game Journalists Are Belong To Us”

To put it simply: the video game audience has changed.  Sure, there’s still a thriving market when it comes to the “gamer stereotype,” but games continue to become both more mainstream and more sophisticated every day, grabbing new audiences and challenging past ones.  Like games, journalism is changing too.  The days of newspapers and magazines are fading, and online media is rapidly taking over.  The Internet provides an opportunity for game journalists to adapt to the growth of video games, but also requires them to rethink the way they write and interact with their audiences.

So who plays games?  We have the “stereotypical gamers,” who range from teens playing Halo every weekend to dedicated guild members of World of Warcraft.  This type of player is responsible for kicking off the video game industry and still plays a key role in the market.  However, video gaming has expanded to a larger audience.  Perhaps you’ve seen one or more of the following scenarios: a thirteen-year-old girl logged in to Facebook, playing FarmVille; a young employee catching the bus to work, playing a game on his iPhone; or an advertisement in a nursing home, informing residents of next week’s Wii Sports tournament.  This trend goes far beyond these examples.  For some, casual titles act as a gateway to other games with higher learning curves, giving people a willingness to try things targeted outside their demographic.  As computer technology grows more integral to our daily lives, games become less scary to the general public and more comparable to traditional board and card games, expanding the market.

Video games haven’t only expanded; they’ve grown up.  If back in 1980, kids at the arcade started analyzing Pac-Man, they’d probably get a few chuckles.  Since then, I think game developers started proving to the general public that games are worth analyzing.  It’s a gross misconception that gaming is only about pretty graphics and fun gameplay mechanics.  Over the years, games have gradually offered more to the player.  Titles like Uncharted offer original stories with well-developed characters, while games like Flower carry a distinct mood or tone.  Furthermore, games such as Fallout 3 and Dragon Age: Origins dabble in moralistic questions, challenging players to think through their actions.

Since game developers both offer games for a broader audience and treat their core audience respectfully, game discussion now ventures in countless directions.  While a few years ago, gaming magazines might have been able to serve most gamers’ needs, today there’s too much for one magazine to cover.  Additionally, many of these audiences are too small to justify their own focused magazine.  Thankfully, the online space has room to serve every audience while staying cost-efficient.

Beyond the ability to serve every audience, online services, such as podcasts and Twitter, allow these audiences to be addressed in a new, improved way.  Both services add personal context to game reviews.  Game journalist John Davison began his career writing for the printed media and recently has seen his work transition to the online space.  As an active podcaster, Davison understands how podcasting benefits his audience: “When we talk about games, we don’t talk about them in isolation – there’s so much context to be considered, whether it’s the body of work of an individual, studio, genre, or other games in a series.  Much like with movies or TV, we all judge based on our own personal context.  When you’re talking on a podcast, it’s a little easier to communicate because the thoughts and feelings emerge from the conversation.”  Most podcasts involve multiple viewpoints, allowing these discussions to take place.  Conversations provide listeners with different personal opinions and contexts, making it easier to understand why something is said.  For example, hearing a conversation may help explain why one journalist hates the new Zelda game while another one loves it.  Podcasts don’t simply help connect content to a face or voice; they connect content to a human being.  Twitter acts in a similar way, adding context and building trust between the game journalist and his audience.  When covering Cartoon Network’s MMO Fusion Fall, Davison experienced the power of trust he built through Twitter.  He states, “A lot of gamers had just dismissed it as a silly kids game – but Twitter was a quick and efficient way of communicating that it was worth checking out.  If someone you know, respect, or like says, ‘hey, you should seriously take a look at this’ – that’s a very powerful thing.”

Clearly the Internet provides a benefit to people wanting to read about games, but what does this transition mean for game journalists?  Many people argue that the Internet’s countless number of voices makes it harder for people to find an individual’s voice in the first place.  Only a few years ago, video game magazines had the luxury of being the only voice guiding people in their industry.  Now, there are countless people chiming in online.  In short, I agree that many game journalists will become lost in the “noise,” but I also believe the talented, hard-working game journalists will rise to the top.  Game journalists can reach this position by building a successful personal brand.

The Internet’s shift of attention from company brand to personal brand is one of the biggest yet most overlooked changes in business.  In his book Crush It!, Gary Vaynerchuck explains, “journalists no longer need to exist within the confines of an institution.”  Talented game journalists should rejoice at this statement.  No longer do they need to rely on disproportionate compensation from ad revenue their company earns.  Instead, they rise through building their own brand equity (Vaynerchuck 41-42).  However, in order for online game journalists to stand out and be trusted, a lot more work is required (Davison).  Instead of simply landing a job for a popular gaming magazine, you must actually prove you’re worth listening to.

To build a successful personal brand, journalists must focus on honesty, personal touch, and quality.  Game journalists need to avoid “selling out.”  No matter what Electronic Arts offers for a positive review on the newest Harry Potter game, if the journalist doesn’t think the game is good, he needs to keep his integrity.  Without honesty, there’s no trust.  Personal touch not only helps maintain honesty, it adds personal context to the review, which, as I discussed before, benefits the audience.  Finally, content is king; without quality of content, why would anyone return for more?  Without these three traits, audiences will quickly move to another game journalist.  After all, the next one is only a few clicks away.

The changes the Internet brings to game journalism benefit the industry in every way.  Game journalists can now serve the needs of each gaming audience within the online space.  Instead of merely connecting with a company, audiences have the opportunity to connect directly to another human being.  Most importantly, while it requires a lot of work, the large number of voices forces game journalists to offer quality content to their audience.  I look forward to seeing online journalism continue to expand and evolve, particularly in light of video games, a medium which is just starting to receive its much-deserved attention and appreciation.

Sources:
Davison, John. Personal interview. 28 Nov. 2009. Personal interview.
Vaynerchuck, Gary. Crush It! Why Now is the Time to Cash in on Your Passion. New York: HarperCollins, 2009. Print.

It’s already the third full week of 2010.  At this point, I’ve finally made the date adjustment in my mind.  I don’t think of 2010 as “the future” anymore; instead I think of it as “this year.”  While I realize everyone is not on that same boat yet, I figured it would be a good time to look ahead and share the things I’m most excited for in 2010.  In no particular order, here are the four media-related items I’m most excited for in the upcoming months. As always, please share what books, music, movies, and games you’re looking forward to in 2010.

Toy Story 3

Most of you already know that I absolutely love animated film, and many of you probably know that Toy Story is my favorite film of all-time.  It’s been over 10 years since Toy Story 2, and I can’t wait to see these characters return to the big screen in a brand new feature film.  After hearing that first-time director Lee Unkrich would direct the film, I started paying a lot more attention to him by following him on Twitter and keeping an eye out for him in Pixar-related documentaries and interviews.  Even though Toy Story 3 is Unkrich’s first time in the director’s chair, he’s been at Pixar since the beginning, as the editor of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 and the co-director of Monsters Inc. and Finding Nemo.  Along with his close involvement on other Pixar flicks, Unkrich’s enthusiasm and fun sense of humor assure me that Pixar is on track to hit another home run.

Heavy Rain

Over the past few years, games have been the platform of media that excites me most.  As a young platform, games are finally starting to see a rapid expansion of possibility.  Last year Flower proved to me that an interactive experience can create a powerful mood and draw a unique emotional experience, and in the past, games have showcased rich, colorful characters, such as Uncharted, Half-Life 2, and as far back as Chrono Trigger.  Unlike film, which has more or less plateaued in these categories, games continue to push their possibilities forward.  I hope to see Heavy Rain raise the bar for interactive art even higher in 2010.

Locke and Key: Crown of Shadows

Locke and Key is a comic book series from writer Joe Hill, Stephen King’s son.  As a series I’ve discovered very recently, it means a lot for “Crown of Shadows” to appear on my very select “2010 anticipation” list.  Everything I want from a comic book is present in Locke and Key - beautiful art, wonderful characters, imagination, fantasy elements, occasional humor, and a gripping story.

Now, anyone who’s done a bit of research on Locke and Key will see that issues one and two of “Crown of Shadows” are already out, and issue three will be out next week - so, if I like it so much, why haven’t I started yet?  The answer is, I like my comics to come all at once.  Waiting between entire volumes is bad enough; I would go insane reading the first bit, forcing myself to wait a month to have the next part of the story.  (For similar reasons, I’ve never been too much of a TV guy.)  Having to wait every month for the next chapter doesn’t intrigue me, so I’ll stick with waiting until the end of July to experience the next storyline in the series.

Scott Pilgrim

Scott Pilgrim is my favorite book series ever.  Riddled with video game references, a fantastic sense of humor, and imaginative battle sequences, there’s a lot to like in the series; however, it’s the characters and their relationships that keep me coming back again and again.  Even though Scott, Ramona, Kim, and the rest of the gang only exist as lines on a page, they feel true and relatable.  I can’t wait to see what happens to these characters next, as it’s been a joy to watch the series unfold.  The sixth, and final book is scheduled for release later this year, and as if that wasn’t enough, there’s a film adaptation expected to hit theaters this summer (an exact release date has yet to be announced).  I’d be excited enough for the existence of any kind of Scott Pilgrim movie, but thankfully there’s a lot of talent going into the project.  Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz) is directing the film, and the cast includes Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman, and a bazillion others.  I’d highly recommend picking up the books before the movie comes out.  Since the film is destined to blow everyone’s mind, you definitely don’t want to be “that guy” who sees the film, loves it, yet hasn’t read any of the books.

I usually don’t gravitate to comic book stories featuring capes and cowls, but there are always exceptions to that rule.  For me, these exceptions usually feature the well-known, critically acclaimed titles, such as Watchmen and Batman: The Long Halloween.  After a hearty recommendation from my cousin, I decided to go ahead and give Batman: Hush a shot, and I’m rather glad that I did.

While the action is fun and the artwork is stunning, Hush isn’t flawless.  For example, almost every popular Batman villain makes an appearance, causing Hush to suffer slightly from character overload.  Still, it’s fun to see them show up.  After all, the popular series has created some of my favorite super-villians, making it hard for me to decide which should have been cut.  In the end, it’s a minor complaint, and Loeb winds up explaining the villain-overload as part of the mastermind’s plot to distract Batman.  Thankfully, while the characters are many, they aren’t evenly focused, which allows select character development, particularly for Catwoman.

Throughout its twelve issues, Loeb focuses less on the detective plot and more on the relationship between Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne, Catwoman and Batman.  This relationship is far more engaging than the silly, typical detective story playing in the background.  Their relationship explores a range of ideas, from trust to human complexity.  The scenes between Bruce and Selina provide a welcome change of pace from what I expect in a Batman comic.  While their romance has been explored before, I appreciated seeing Hush examine and emphasize the relationship as a central focus.

After killing off Rachel Dawes in The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan leaves the door open for a new love interest, and I hope to see Selina Kyle in the next film.  I’ve always found the romance between Batman and Catwoman intriguing, and Loeb proves exploring their relationship is both interesting and sexy.  While this may cause some slight tone changes in Nolan’s series, I think something new and interesting would help produce a worthy followup to the insane success of The Dark Knight.  After reading Hush, I can imagine this direction working out well for the series.

Which Batman comics have you read?  Have any recommendations?  Share below in the comments!

Another year has come and gone. I’ve really enjoyed this year in film, so narrowing down a top ten was no easy task. Feel free to share your own favorite movies of the year in the comments section. I want to hear what you loved and why!

#10 Where the Wild Things Are

“Wild Things” was easily one of my most anticipated films of 2009. While it didn’t exceed my expectations in any way, it definitely gave me something different than what I expected. I thought I’d see a nostalgic vision of childhood, and while parts of the film fulfill this expectation, its strongest elements target adults in the audience, asking questions surrounding Max’s inner conflicts and the struggles of friendship. The film’s not perfect in any sense of the word, but its stunning visuals and uniqueness helped it earn its spot on my top ten of 2009.

#9 Star Trek

Before 2009, I had never seen a Star Trek film. I’d seen a handful of episodes as a kid, but never held any interest, even though I love science fiction. The week before Star Trek’s release, I watched The Wrath of Khan, which frankly didn’t do anything to excite me for the upcoming reboot. Thankfully, JJ Abrams delivered something that barely represented what I saw in The Wrath of Khan. Instead of feeling isolated from not being a Star Trek-fan, I felt engaged in the story and characters; instead of feeling bored by the slow pace of the film, I constantly felt on the edge of my seat; and instead of rolling my eyes at any cheesiness, I laughed at genuinely funny moments (mostly thanks to the charm of Chris Pine). Clearly, I’m on board for the sequel; let’s just hope they decide to cut back on the lens flare next time around.

#8 Up in the Air

Up in the Air blends a handful of important questions together in a way that feels relatable and true. The casting is great, and each character feels like a real person - a testament to both great writing and great performances across the board. From the opening title sequence to the last scene, Up in the Air’s execution is flawless.

#7 District 9

Hands down 2009’s best directoral debut. Neil Blomkamp shows a lot of promise, and I can’t wait to see what he delivers next. District 9 is a perfect blend of both action and psychological science fiction, asking questions about humankind while satisfying the desire to watch advanced technology blow stuff up.

#6 Fantastic Mr. Fox

“Mr. Fox” truly is fantastic, but more importantly, it’s refreshing. I love animation, and thanks to Pixar, we’ve seen some truly great animated movies over the past few years. That said, it feels refreshing to see a new style in the mix. The handcrafted look of the models feels unique, the voice work is pitch-perfect, and the film has a lovable personality, making it easy for any movie-goer to walk out of the theater smiling.

#5 Avatar

It’s hard to put Avatar on a list like this because it’s much more than a movie; the experience is closer to visiting another planet. Every insect, every plant, every animal, every rock, not only feels real, but also feels fascinating and wonderful. I had a couple minor problems throughout (I think some scenes drag a bit, others come off as slightly cheesy, and I wish some of the side characters were a bit more three-dimensional), but thankfully, the sheer awesomeness of the rest of the film plows over the handful of minute missteps; unfortunately, they’re the only things preventing Avatar from earning the highest spot on my list. While I won’t say Avatar’s my #1 movie of the year (obviously, since I just said it’s number five), I will say: if you only went to the theater once this year, I hope the movie you picked was Avatar, and I hope you dropped the extra few bucks for 3D. The film’s truly breathtaking throughout and the final battle sequence contains some of the most impressive imagery I’ve ever seen in a movie theater.

#4 Inglourious Basterds

There’s a lot to love about Inglourious Basterds. First of all, the writing and direction are phenomenal. There aren’t many other filmmakers who can make a half hour dialogue scene about nothing come off as, not only interesting, but also gripping and filled with intensity. Beyond this, each actor’s performance is astonishing, specifically Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz. Pitt gives an entertaining, top-notch performance, providing some of the best comedy moments in any film this year, and after Waltz’s mind-blowing portrayal of Hans Landa, the Academy doesn’t even need to bother coming up with any other nominees for Best Supporting Actor. “Basterds” essentially ends with Tarantino telling his audience, “Hey everyone, in case you didn’t notice, I’ve created a masterpiece!” And while that might make him sound incredibly arrogant, by the end of the film, I felt like he earned himself the right to such a statement.

#3 Watchmen

I’m not a big fan of 300, but thankfully a lot of other people are, which allowed Zach Snyder to make a proper Watchmen movie. Apart from some minor deviations, Watchmen is a panel-for-panel remake of the graphic novel, which has definitely isolated some audiences, making Watchmen a film I’d have a hard time recommending to everyone. However, for fans such as myself, it would be crazy to ask for a better adaptation. Every detail is so precise, it’s obvious Snyder is not only working with source material that he knows others love - it’s clear he loves the book just as much as they do. The visuals are stunning, the action is intense, and the casting is near perfect, particularly Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach and Jeffery Dean Morgan as the Comedian.

#2 Up

Unsurprisingly, Pixar hits another home run. Through Up, Pixar continues to show its audience that animation isn’t just a medium for Saturday morning cartoons. The emotion runs deep, the attention to detail is mind-boggling, the music is fantastic, and the characters are complex and read. While I wouldn’t consider Up Pixar’s best film, it’s definitely one of their better ones (which is saying a lot). It would be nice to see every studio put as much time and thought into their projects as Pixar does - the benefits of their creative process are clear.

#1 A Serious Man

A Serious Man is not only my favorite film of 2009, it just might be my favorite Coen Brothers film. The film blew my mind while watching it, yet my real appreciation developed after my initial theater experience. Around an hour after returning home from the theater, the film’s questions bounced around in my mind. As I thought through the film, its complexity deepened, and my love for it has continually grown exponentially. A Serious Man is thought-provoking, but also visually stimulating, well-acted, and fun to watch. The Coens craft everything so perfectly, I can’t imagine giving any other film my number one spot of the year.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

(500) Days of Summer, Drag Me to Hell, In the Loop, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Moon

Please keep in mind that I did not include Miyazaki’s latest feature, Ponyo, even though the English dub was released this year. While the film would easily beat out some of the films on this list, I’m considering it a 2008 release; furthermore, I have yet to see the English dub.

Again, I want to hear what films you saw this year. Disagree with something on my list? Think something should be higher or lower? Share your thoughts!

My favorite Christmas movie is The Santa Clause.  This isn’t because of any well-acted or fantastically edited scene; I love The Santa Clause because I’ve watched it every year for as long as I can remember.  I’ve grown up loving Tim Allen’s sarcastic one-liners, the ugly sweaters worn by Judge Reinhold, and the Christmas magic found in Charlie’s snow globe.  I’m perfectly aware that The Santa Clause probably isn’t the greatest Christmas movie on the face of the earth, but to me, a Christmas film isn’t about being “the best.”  They aren’t about quality - they’re about nostalgia.

Watching The Santa Clause makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside because I grew up watching it every year.  So when you go through your VHS and DVD collection tonight, searching for the perfect Christmas movie to watch before bed, don’t debate which flick has the highest IMDb score - that doesn’t matter.  Instead, think about which movie connects most with a Christmas memory and pick that one.  I promise you won’t be disappointed.

What’s your favorite Christmas movie?  Why is it your favorite?  Share your stories below in the comments!

As 2010 approaches, I see almost everyone making their “Top Ten Films of the Decade” lists.  I’m having enough trouble deciding what my top ten of 2009 are, so at the moment, I don’t have plans to put together my top ten films of the decade.  However, as a lover of film music, I decided it would be fun to put together a list of my top ten film scores of the past decade.  Keep in mind, I’m talking about film scores, so I won’t be including films that have simply compiled good soundtracks, such as Garden Stateor Cars.  But without further ado, I give you my top ten film score of the decade, starting with my tenth favorite and ending with my number one:

#10: The Village by James Newton Howard

While The Village’s third act may fall flat, James Newton Howard’s beautifully crafted score stays consistent throughout.  Howard’s score ranges from suspense to sadness, but the most powerful sections are the latter, featuring beautiful violin solo melodies with light accompaniment.  The score’s repetitiveness keeps it from being higher on my list, but it’s definitely still worthy of its #10 spot.

#9: Up by Michael Giacchino

The most impressive accomplishment of Up’s score is its four minute montage sequence that had us all weeping our eyes out.  During the montage, the music is the only thing accompanying the visuals.  Giacchino swings between emotions quickly, yet in a way that doesn’t feel disruptive.  Apart from these tender, emotional moments, Up’s music boasts a fun throw-back to adventure scores from the 1930s.  All in all, Giacchino successfully balances his score between both the film’s tender moments and its fun, action-adventure sequences.

#8: The Dark Knight by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard

I’m a bit of a soundtrack geek, so when I buy a ticket for the latest summer blockbuster, I always check out who wrote the score before entering the theater.  Now what could get me more excited than having one of my favorite composers on board for the soundtrack?  How about two of my favorite composers on board for the soundtrack.  Hans Zimmer and James Newtown Howard definitely deliver on their follow-up to Batman Begins, improving everything I already loved about the first score.   Dark Knight’s score pulls you into the film, ramping up the excitement and intensity of each scene.

#7: Ponyo by Joe Hisaishi

Ponyo’s score perfectly captures the tone of the film.  In some tracks, every note is like a capsule of concentrated fun that explodes upon hitting your ear.  But perhaps the most memorable part of Ponyo’s score is the triumphant trumpet fanfare that accompanies the images of Ponyo running after Sōsuke across the enormous fish waves.

#6: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by John Williams

What would any “best scores” list be without an appearance from the masterful John Williams?  While I enjoy the first two Potter soundtracks, they feel a bit bland to me. Azkaban, on the other hand, shows some real personality, while still holding that John Williams feel that we all know and love so much.

#5: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest by Hans Zimmer

I find it ironic that one of my least favorite films of the decade sported one of my favorite scores.  Zimmer improves upon the original score in every way, re-imagining old themes and adding plenty of new ones.

#4: Monsters Inc. by Randy Newman

For me, there’s two types of Pixar movies: one’s that Randy Newman scored and one’s that Randy Newman didn’t score.  I don’t have anything against non-Randy scored Pixar flicks, but there sure is a whole lot of difference in the tone.  The score for Monsters Inc. blends charm with jazz and reminds listeners why they love watching the classic Pixar movies.

#3: Dinosaur by James Newton Howard

I’ve loved this score since the very first time I saw the trailer in theaters.  Beautiful, epic, and triumphant, James Newton Howard really hits it out of the park on this one.

#2: Lord of the Rings by Howard Shore

Whether or not you like the films, the sheer magnitude of converting the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy to film is unarguably one of the biggest accomplishments in film this past decade.  I’m awarding my #2 spot to the whole trilogy because the entire work fits together so well.  Motifs for Gondor tease us in Fellowship, only to be fully exposed during Return of the King.  Every minute detail of Shore’s masterpiece is thought through and executed beautifully, fitting perfectly with the images on screen.  When listening apart from the film, every track instantly transports its listener to the world of Middle Earth, from the Plains of Rohan to Khazad-dûm, from the heart of the Shire to the depths of Mount Doom.

#1: Howl’s Moving Castle by Joe Hisaishi

Sometimes I wish every film score was composed by Joe Hisaishi.  Memorable themes, beautiful orchestration - every second of Hisaishi’s score to Howl’s is breathtaking.  For many films, if you listen to the score separate from the film, you still feel that you’re listening to “movie music.”  Hisaishi sets himself apart in that his music feels less “film-scoreish” and more like a masterpiece of classical music.  Every time I listen to Howl’s I still can’t believe that the music was composed for the sole purpose of accompanying an animated film - truly remarkable work.

I just came across this gem of a game thanks to a tweet from Ryan O’Donnell.  I firmly believe games are evolving as a medium, creating new and even thought-provoking experiences.  Seeing something like this in an online flash game is very refreshing.  There’s no need to spoil what happens - it’s free to play and doesn’t take too long finish.  So, what are you waiting for?! Go check it out!

Edit: Also, there is indeed an ending to the game.  The lady in the elevator will let you know if you’re on track.  I only say this because I know a few people weren’t sure if you could actually beat it.

Over the years, Mario titles have transported video gamers to countless imaginative locations, from underwater caverns to the far corners of the galaxy.  Bowser’s Inside Story takes players to perhaps the strangest location in Mario’s history – Bowser’s innards.  But does this wacky setting help stir up the embers in the potentially stale Mario saga?  As the third title in the Mario & Luigi RPG series, franchise exhaustion is at risk.  Thankfully, Nintendo keeps the best parts of the series intact, while adding an arsenal of new bells and whistles, making “Inside Story” my favorite entry yet.

Like previous Mario & Luigi titles, “Inside Story” contains a multitude of RPG characteristics, harkening back to the 1996 fan-favorite Super Mario RPG. Most typical RPG elements make an appearance: a turn-based battle system, item collecting, leveling up, and extensive dialogue; however, like the series’ past titles, Nintendo marvelously adds its own colorful flavor to the game.

The plot of Bowser’s Inside Story revolves around a virus that has infiltrated the Mushroom Kingdom, causing all the Toads to inflate and roll around uncontrollably.  In order to solve the problem, Princess Peach calls a council meeting with the Mario Brothers.  Continuing a Mario RPG tradition, Bowser is not the central antagonist.  In fact, for a majority of the game, players control Bowser.  After swallowing a mysterious mushroom, Bowser acquires the strange ability to inhale objects, shrinking them down to fit inside his body.  Upon arriving at the castle, Bowser engulfs the council, scattering them throughout his internal organs.  The story lends itself well to the DS, splitting the action across its two screens. The upper screen focuses on Bowser, while the lower follows Mario and Luigi exploring Bowser’s innards. Throughout the game, Mario and Luigi’s actions inside Bowser affect his condition.

The game’s witty dialogue complements its ridiculous plot, often with a self-aware tone.  While I often skip dialogue in portable games, the smartly written text, coupled with extraordinary characters left me reading every single line, occasionally letting out an audible chuckle.

At first glance, the turn-based battle system looks standard, but one key element sets it apart from traditional RPG combat.  Instead of passively watching characters attack, the game engages players, by allowing timed button presses during battle to increase damage or counter incoming attacks.  Beyond the battle system, “Inside Story” includes an assortment of mini-games, which helps to change things up.  The mini-games vary from rhythm-based to 2D shooter.  Additionally, the game often throws a curveball, like asking the player to blow into the DS’s microphone or turn the system sideways, like a book. These are welcome additions since traditional RPG repetitiveness can grow tiresome.

Nintendo makes newcomers feel welcome by easing players into the action (the game doesn’t offer too much challenge until around the three-hour mark).  While this might seem like a hassle for returning players, the hilarious script makes the first couple hours highly enjoyable, even for those already familiar.  Bowser’s Inside Story might look like a repackaged version of its predecessors, but Nintendo gave everything a fresh feel without reinventing the game’s core mechanics.  Bowser’s Inside Story doesn’t simply offer everyone something; instead, everyone can enjoy all it has to offer.

Ahhh, it’s Oscar season.  While a bunch of this year’s “contenders” haven’t yet seen their wide-releases, films are slowly, but finally, starting to roll out, making these harsh, cold, winter months one of the best times of year for the movie lover.  While I’m still waiting on films like Up in the Air to make the rounds, thankfully movies like Brothers have already made the jump outside of New York and LA.

Brothers is the type of film that plays better the less you know, making it a bit hard to write about.  For the first half of the film, I was disappointed I saw the trailer a few months back, as some shocking moments in the plot had a muted effect on me.  If you haven’t heard of Brothers or somehow dodged the marketing for the film - congratulations, head over to the theater and let me know what you think!  That said, even if you have seen the trailer or someone’s told you a good deal of the plot, the film’s still very much worth checking out.

It’s one thing to know or guess what might happen next in a film, but actually seeing it happen - that’s entirely different.  In a poorly constructed scene, when something you expect happens, your expectations make the moment fall flat on its face; however, in a good scene, even if you know or can guess the next beat, the moment will still grip you.  While, sure, I might have known a bit more than I would’ve liked walking into Brothers, the film still surprised me by how much it dug into my emotions and into my thoughts.

The emotional core of the film is tied to a talented director working with a group of strong actors.  The film stars Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, and Jake Gyllenhaal.  At first, it took a while to shake off some of my previous connections to the three leads.  Immediately when Maguire comes onscreen, the word “Spider-man” plasters itself to the front of my mind.  Same with Portman and “Star Wars prequels” and with Gyllenhaal and “Donnie Darko.”  But this notion dissipated pretty quickly, thanks to mature, convincing, performances across the board.

I can’t talk about acting and Brothers without mentioning the two child actors’ performances.  Played by Taylor Geare and Bailee Madison, the children serve a key role in making the audience care about the situation at hand.  The subtleness of both children, especially Madison’s character, astonished me, adding an important dimension of believability to the film.

Each performance in Brothers undoubtably contributes to the film’s climax, an emotionally-charged scene that I don’t want to spoil for you; nevertheless, I will sayit’s one of the greatest (maybe even the greatest) single scene I’ve seen in a film all year.  The emotion packed a strong punch, causing me to tremble in my seat - something even the wildest amusement park rides have failed to do recently.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Brothers receive a handful of Oscar nominations in February, especially with the Best Picture category opening to ten entries.  While I can’t say Brothers is a perfect film, there’s more than enough great filmmaking present to make Brothers worth checking out this Oscar-season.