On The Projection Room, Marco and Rebecka Duran cover a recent film, uncover some of their movie blind spots and discover a little known filmic gem. In this episode we talk with Jackson Truax about Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, take care of our Steven Soderbergh blind spot with Traffic and talk about the black comedy The Hospital. Tune in to also enter our contest so that you can win a free DVD! Please send all emails to ProjectionRoomFeedback@gmail.com – Let us know what you think. Thanks for listening and for your support!

• 00:00 – 32:41 / Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
– Music Break: “Star Wars Theme” by John Williams
• 33:58 – 47:29 / Traffic
– Music Break: “Duel of the Fates” by John Williams
• 51:36 – 1:02:46 / The Hospital
– Music Break: “Anakin’s Theme” by John Williams
• 1:03:53 – 1:06:46 / Contest and Close

This week’s music: Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace

What is “Take Two” and how do I play?
We give you two names and you tell us what film they both worked together in.

Send your submissions to ProjectionRoomFeedback@gmail.com. Do not leave any guesses on our Facebook page, in the comments section of We Rate Stuff, or in any other place that can be viewed by the public. You don’t want anyone stealing your ideas! Entries must be received along with your name and complete mailing address. The winner will be selected randomly in the case of any ties.

What are the rules for submission?
Pocket those wallets because entering this bi-weekly contest doesn’t require any monetary contributions on your part. And really, why should it? You’re in it to win it, and in this case “it” is a DVD or Blu-ray movie. To enter, tune in to The Projection Room every other week and submit your answer to the “Take Two” segment of the podcast. Any podcast listener is eligible to enter. (Void where prohibited by law, or at the discretion of the powers that be.)

How will I know if I’ve won?
Listen to each episode of The Projection Room to find out who’s winning our loot. If you hear your name on the podcast, you’ve won and we’ll have a shiny* prize en route to you shortly. (*Prizes will not always be shiny.)

Anything else I should know?
Yes. Individual entrants can only win once every two months. For example, if you win in May, you aren’t eligible to win again until July. Should you choose to enter this contest, you agree that We Rate Stuff maintains the final word on everything stipulated within. This includes but is not limited to prizes, winner selection, and the creation of any future addendum to these rules. Entrants also agree that their names may be announced at any time on the podcast and/or website without receiving additional prizes or compensation.

On The Projection Room, Marco and Rebecka Duran cover a recent film, uncover some of their movie blind spots and discover a little known filmic gem. In this episode we talk about A Dangerous Method, take care of our Steven Soderbergh blind spot with Out of Sight, and talk about the film Adaptation. Tune in to also enter our contest so that you can win a free DVD! Please send all emails to ProjectionRoomFeedback@gmail.com – Let us know what you think. Thanks for listening and for your support!

• 00:00 – 12:51 / A Dangerous Method
– Music Break: “March from A Clockwork Orange” by Wendy Carlos
• 14:00 – 33:01 / Out of Sight
– Music Break: “Timesteps” by Wendy Carlos
• 34:38 – 58:46 / Adaptation
– Music Break: “Gazza Ladra” by Wendy Carlos
• 1:01:01 – 1:05:17 / Contest and Close

This week’s music: A Clockwork Orange by Wendy Carlos

What is “Take Two” and how do I play?
We give you two names and you tell us what film they both worked together in.

Send your submissions to ProjectionRoomFeedback@gmail.com. Do not leave any guesses on our Facebook page, in the comments section of We Rate Stuff, or in any other place that can be viewed by the public. You don’t want anyone stealing your ideas! Entries must be received along with your name and complete mailing address. The winner will be selected randomly in the case of any ties.

What are the rules for submission?
Pocket those wallets because entering this bi-weekly contest doesn’t require any monetary contributions on your part. And really, why should it? You’re in it to win it, and in this case “it” is a DVD or Blu-ray movie. To enter, tune in to The Projection Room every other week and submit your answer to the “Take Two” segment of the podcast. Any podcast listener is eligible to enter. (Void where prohibited by law, or at the discretion of the powers that be.)

How will I know if I’ve won?
Listen to each episode of The Projection Room to find out who’s winning our loot. If you hear your name on the podcast, you’ve won and we’ll have a shiny* prize en route to you shortly. (*Prizes will not always be shiny.)

Anything else I should know?
Yes. Individual entrants can only win once every two months. For example, if you win in May, you aren’t eligible to win again until July. Should you choose to enter this contest, you agree that We Rate Stuff maintains the final word on everything stipulated within. This includes but is not limited to prizes, winner selection, and the creation of any future addendum to these rules. Entrants also agree that their names may be announced at any time on the podcast and/or website without receiving additional prizes or compensation.

On The Projection Room, Marco and Rebecka Duran cover a recent film, uncover some of their movie blind spots and discover a little known filmic gem. In this episode we talk with film buff Lori Smith about The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, take care of our Stephen Soderbergh blind spot with Sex, Lies, and Videotape, and talk about the 80s slasher film Intruder. Tune in to also enter our contest so that you can win a free DVD! Please send all emails to ProjectionRoomFeedback@gmail.com – Let us know what you think. Thanks for listening and for your support!

• 00:00 – 21:41 / The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn
– Music Break: “Transylvania 1887” by Alan Silvestri
• 22:28 – 30:13 / Sex, Lies and Videotape
– Music Break: “All Hallow’s Eve Ball” by Alan Silvestri
• 32:13 – 43:50 / Intruder
– Music Break: “Reunited” by Alan Silvestri
• 45:52 – 49:29 / Contest and Close

This week’s guest: Lori Smith
This week’s music: Van Helsing by Alan Silvestri

What is “Take Two” and how do I play?
We give you two names and you tell us what film they both worked together in.

Send your submissions to ProjectionRoomFeedback@gmail.com. Do not leave any guesses on our Facebook page, in the comments section of We Rate Stuff, or in any other place that can be viewed by the public. You don’t want anyone stealing your ideas! Entries must be received along with your name and complete mailing address. The winner will be selected randomly in the case of any ties.

What are the rules for submission?
Pocket those wallets because entering this bi-weekly contest doesn’t require any monetary contributions on your part. And really, why should it? You’re in it to win it, and in this case “it” is a DVD or Blu-ray movie. To enter, tune in to The Projection Room every other week and submit your answer to the “Take Two” segment of the podcast. Any podcast listener is eligible to enter. (Void where prohibited by law, or at the discretion of the powers that be.)

How will I know if I’ve won?
Listen to each episode of The Projection Room to find out who’s winning our loot. If you hear your name on the podcast, you’ve won and we’ll have a shiny* prize en route to you shortly. (*Prizes will not always be shiny.)

Anything else I should know?
Yes. Individual entrants can only win once every two months. For example, if you win in May, you aren’t eligible to win again until July. Should you choose to enter this contest, you agree that We Rate Stuff maintains the final word on everything stipulated within. This includes but is not limited to prizes, winner selection, and the creation of any future addendum to these rules. Entrants also agree that their names may be announced at any time on the podcast and/or website without receiving additional prizes or compensation.

In fact I prefer to go with some good ol’ fashion trucker-strength pills if available. I want my energy intake to be almost unnoticeable, and flavors seem to directly oppose that. And when it comes down to it, water is perfect. It’s usually all I feel like drinking early in the morning anyways, and that’s a huge selling point for me. Plus when it gets down to it, absolutely anything you make with water can be given an extra jolt of energy. Ramen, cake, lemonade, cement or even double charge your coffee or tea. Go crazy.

I practically only drink water, not trying to humblebrag or anything but I’d like to get the point across of how important the flavor of the water is to me. I am not one of those people who think water has no flavor, and I can’t even tell you how crazy I think those people are. Tap water clearly has too much fluoride and minerals in it, and when water is poorly purified like Aquafina you might as well be sipping on the Dead Sea. In my taste-pinion, spring water seems to be a perfect representation of all that is good with H2O, even though the smoothness from the silica in Fiji proves that not all springs are created equal.

When it comes down to it, caffeinated water is a product I’ve long been searching for, and ZoomWater fulfilled all my dreams for the product. Sourced from a spring in Idaho, they nailed the right amount of caffeine (although the bottle does not say how much) and miraculously it does not affect the taste what so ever. While I could tell quite a few different sources of water apart in a blind taste test, if Zoom was put up against Nestlé or Dannon or whatever local spring you have to offer, I would be taking a shot in the dark. It’s a few cents overpriced and not easy to come by yet, but these are very minuscule problems relatively. After air, what’s easer to consume than water? Now I’m glad I have the option between regular water and water +.

6/7

Brewer, known mostly for his films Hustle & Flow and Black Snake Moan, makes movies with very little depth and very little realism. He approaches gritty subjects with a mop and bucket, scrubbing away the reality to create films that seem to approach difficult subjects but instead just graze the surface. His edition of Footloose isn’t a reflection of the current times, it instead recounts the ‘80s sensibilities of the original, and therefore doesn’t present realistic teenagers. Although, asking the audience to believe that Julianne Hough as Ariel Moore is actually a high school student is a bit of a stretch. The idea that banning dancing would have any effect on modern teenagers is a serious underestimation of the capabilities of kids these days, and therefore seems silly and unbelievable.

This is not to say that the film isn’t entertaining, Kenny Wormald as Ren McCormack is not terrible, and Miles Teller’s turn as Willard is actually really funny and can easily hold its own against Chris Penn’s performance. You can tell that both Wormald and Hough are putting their all into their performances, but they still come off as lackluster compared to the Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer. Hough’s inexperience with acting is extremely obvious and her reliance on her sex appeal detracts from the layers of her character. We lose much of what makes Ariel the girl she is, and it’s difficult to see past her tight clothing to the poetic scholar that lay beneath in the original. A lot of the failure of this film to live up to the first Footloose comes from Hough’s inability to present a character that’s deeper than her daddy issues, and she therefore gives us no reason to respect her or her struggles.

Brewer had a real opportunity to enhance the story of Footloose from a cheesy argument for individuality to an exploration of the responsibility of the youth of America to determine their own future. He had the opportunity to address the apathy and isolation of American teenagers through their response to the restriction of their freedoms. Instead he relied on the initial message, which is an understandable argument then and now, but one that’s growing increasingly irrelevant in a society that’s becoming more and more accepting. Footloose is somewhat entertaining, yes, but it is also fluff, and the kind of fluff that we have come to expect from an otherwise talented director.

It’s funny, it really is, that a remake of a movie about individuality would have so little personality of its own. When I enjoyed a moment of this film it was because I’d already enjoyed it in the original. This edition is a carbon copy of its predecessor. It isn’t unique and doesn’t even try to reflect our current society, so why would I want to watch a film like Footloose when I can already pull it off my shelf whenever I want? That’s exactly what’s going to happen too. This version of Footloose, one that barely puts in the effort to distinguish itself from its source material, will soon fade into obscurity and the $5.00 bargain bin. This is because, at the end of the day, people will always reach for the original. It’s simply better.

4/7

Sega’s throwing a birthday bash in the form of Sonic Generations, a game combining the best of old-school 2D platforming and modern 2D-3D hybrid action. Sonic and friends are celebrating his birthday when an evil entity known as the Time Lord swoops in, kidnaps Sonic’s friends and traps them through time. Meanwhile, Sonic and Tails’ younger selves are also in on the adventure, and the two duos team up to take out this new threat to the universe.

In all there are 9 zones from Sonic’s history to speed through, with each zone featuring 2 main acts and a number of challenge acts. Each zone represents one of 9 games featured among Sonic’s main line of adventures: Green Hill from Sonic 1, Chemical Plant from Sonic 2, Sky Sanctuary from S3&K, Speed Highway from Adventure, City Escape from Adventure 2, Seaside Hill from Heroes (has some Ocean Palace thrown in, too), Crisis City from Sonic 06, Rooftop Run from Unleashed and Planet Wisp from Colors.

Classic Sonic takes care of each Act 1, where gameplay is similar to classic Sonic games from the Genesis era. Classic Sonic has the standard running and jumping, as well as curling up into a ball to deliver attacks from the side. Although introduced in Sonic 2, he also has the ability to rev up to unleash his Spin Dash attack, barreling through any obstacles and enemies in his path. Gameplay takes place on a completely 2D plane, and although obstacles are fairly simple to overcome, you can’t take advantage of some newer aerial manuervers such as the Homing Attack to make your jumps easier.

Modern Sonic is up for each zone’s Act 2, where gameplay is similar to more modern games in the series, namely Unleashed (day) and Colors. Running and jumping are still around, but you can now take advantage of new moves such as the Homing Attack, Boost, and Slide. The Homing Attack, in the vicinity of an enemy, will automatically target the closest enemy and let you dash full-speed at it, destroying it. You can chain these together to cross large gaps. The Boost allows you to speed through anything in your path instantly, but takes up the Boost Meter, which is gained by defeating enemies and collecting rings. The slide allows you to attack enemies on the ground without boosting, and lets you seamlessly limbo through low passages with proper timing.

In more recent Sonic games, each act will rank you according to a number of things you did well in playing the stage. Enemies defeated, rings collected, time taken, and so on. Now, the only thing that determines your rank is time. Naturally, the faster you complete the stage, the higher your rank gets, from E (bad) to A (good). Additionally, if you complete the stage without losing a life, your rank will be boosted up a grade, allowing you to reach up to an S rank in each act. In challenge acts, there is no bonus for not losing lives; time is all that matters. Also stashed away in each main act are 5 Red Star Rings. Finding these unlock artwork, music, and other collectibles for later viewing/listening.

In order to progress through the game you’ll have to complete Acts 1 and 2, and at least one challenge act of each of the 3 zones in a particular era, of which there are three in all. Once you’ve done that, you can acquire the Boss Key of each zone; upon acquiring all three Boss Keys, you can then challenge that era’s boss. Defeat the boss and you’ll be given access to the next era. Challenge acts are pretty simple, focused challenges based on categorized skills. Some require use of techniques, others are races, and some even have you summoning other characters to help you find treasure or make higher jumps.

In addition to standard Boss Battles, each era also features a Rival Battle. You’ll contend with Metal Sonic, Shadow and Silver in a racing-style battle, reminiscent of how you fight the characters in their respective games. These aren’t immediately necessary encounters, but they each provide you with a Chaos Emerald, and all 7 of them are required in order to face off against the final boss. I won’t name off the actual boss battles, as those could be considered spoilers, in a sense.

Both Sonics have skills that you can equip in order to gain buffs they wouldn’t normally have. Skills include making Sonic faster, let him land on his feet upon taking damage, allow him to slow down to a halt instantly, and, upon completion of the game, even turning Super Sonic in normal stages. You’ll need to purchase these skills at Omochao’s shop on the map using points you earn for doing well in the acts, and only a certain number can be equipped at a time, determined by each skill’s point value; you can’t exceed 100 points in any given skill set. There are also some Sonic-specific skills that can only be used by Classic or Modern, but most of them are open to both.

That about covers the game itself. The way they reimagined some of the stages is simply amazing, however. How they made stages like City Escape work so well in 2D gameplay, as well as envisioning stages like Chemical Plant into a 3D environment and really feel the essence of the stages themselves, despite having never been experienced in the way they’re represented. The remixes are also very good. Classic Sonic’s music has a more techno feel to it, representing the more electronic sounds of the chiptune era he represents, where Modern Sonic’s are more rock and roll based with Jun Senoue’s signature sound. In addition to having mixed the themes of the 9 zones (and boss/rival fights) represented, there are remixes of other songs included as well. For example, during race challenge acts, a remix of Super Sonic Racing from Sonic R plays.

The game really did take me back through the past 20 years I’ve spent with Sonic’s games (damn I’m old). The scenery, the music, and just watching the two Sonics collide and team up to take down a threat really got me nostalgic (the use of a certain outdated name really got me, too). The game is nothing short of amazing, though, a perfect celebration of 20 years of speeding through time, space, and everything in between. Happy birthday Sonic, and Sega? You’re forgiven for ’06.

7/7

In addition to basic running and jumping as basic platformers go, Kirby’s got a slew of signature abilities. He can inhale enemies and spit them out as projectiles, or swallow them. If he swallows an enemy with an ability or a weapon, he’ll steal that ability or weapon and use it as his own. If you see an enemy spitting fire, you’ll obtain the Fire ability from the enemy; if the enemy wields a sword, you’ll obtain the Sword ability, and so on. There are over 20 copy abilities, and each of them have multiple uses and ways of attacking. He can also fly indefinitely (though when holding an item such as a key, he cannot). A new “power” introduced is his ability to suck up multiple enemies and objects at a time, to fire off a powerful star. While he could do this in other games, this specifically enhances his range, and doesn’t stop sucking in foes until you let go of the button.

There are three weapon-based abilities for Kirby to utilize; Sword, Hammer, and Spear. These three abilities are the bases for friend characters Metaknight, King Dedede and Waddle Dee, respectively. All three of them can fly (Waddle Dee just has an infinite amount of air hops), and they don’t lose their weapons upon being attacked consecutively like Kirby can. One of the coolest aspects of the game is four-player co-op. The first player must be Kirby, but players 2-4 can choose between any of the 4 characters (though the 3 friend characters can’t be repeated). It’s also drop-in and drop-out on the fly, not even requiring menus to add or remove players.

The plot starts out as Kirby and friends are just casually hanging out in Dream Land, when suddenly a ship crash lands nearby. Kirby and friends check out the wreckage and find someone inside. This someone is Magolor, who requests Kirby and friends to help him find the pieces of his ship, the Lor Starcutter, that were scattered around when the ship crashed. These pieces, naturally, are all held by boss enemies in the different worlds of Pop Star. Each world consists of between 4-5 levels (the last world containing only 3), followed by a boss battle stage after. This is one of my primary gripes with the game. The bosses, with the exception of some of the last ones and series staple Whispy Woods, feel very uninspired, like they could pass for stronger versions of regular enemies, in both shape and even in size.

Each level has anywhere between 3-5 spheres hidden in it; the spheres are the game’s resident collectible item, and when collected are used to unlock rooms within the Lor Starcutter (which acts as the game’s central hub). Some stages have “super” abilities, obtained by consuming shining enemies. Not all abilities have super variations; in fact, only 5 of them do: Fire, Beam, Ice, Sword, and Hammer. In segments involving these, you’ll usually have to destroy all the obstacles in the area that are only breakable using the super powers. When you do, you’ll be greeted by a star of dark matter that you can jump into. You’ll lose your power, but you’ll need your inhaling for these segments. The dark matter slowly advances in your direction, and you have to run away from it to the end of the segment. You can spit out blocks and enemies at the dark matter to push it back (the more blocks/enemies at a time, the stronger the effect). At the end, you’ll contend with a mini-boss of sorts that will spit up 2 spheres upon defeat, so sometimes the stage itself won’t have as many as you think. These segments are always near the end of a stage, by the way.

As you accumulate spheres, you’ll slowly unlock multiple doors within the Lor Starcutter. One wing of the ship has a number of challenge rooms that test your prowess with a certain ability, using every function and aspect of the ability to collect stars, defeat enemies and unlock hidden passageways, all the while hastily making your way to the end; you’re scored on virtually everything, and you’re awarded a medal at the end. There are also copy ability rooms that allow you to pick between whatever abilities are displayed in the room (4 rooms in all), and practice your skills on a training dummy that takes a lot of hits before dying (it immediately respawns, however). There are also two mini-games to unlock. One’s a ninja star game that has you firing shuriken at moving targets (competitive, best score wins) and one’s a game that has you shooting a huge mech (cooperative, teamwork helps). Upon completion of the game, you will also unlock The Arena (boss rush), Sound Test and an Extra Game, which is the game but with half the maximum health bar.

Longtime Kirby fans will likely get a distinctive Kirby 64 feeling from this game, despite the powers feeling more like Kirby Super Star in that each power has multiple attacks. The main story is quite easy to complete, with the main challenge being finding and acquiring all of the spheres. You can find plenty of challenge in the ability challenge rooms, however. The music is great, consisting of both catchy original tunes as well as sweet remixes of classic songs. The visuals are fairly standard as far as Kirby goes, with a large emphasis on color and design, with beautiful cutscenes despite the Wii’s graphical limitations. It’s a great transition back to classic form, an easy-to-play 4-player platformer starring the super tough pink puff and company, and besides, it’s not like you’ve been buying a bunch of other games for the Wii lately, right? Time to dust it off, because this game’s a must-buy for anyone man enough to play Kirby.

7/7

It’s a strange choice to me that Ruffles would spend so much time devoting themselves to copying the taste of other foods. Chip flavorings always seem best to me when the flavor is based on a traditional flavoring than a whole course meal item. As to the varying quality of the flavors I spoke of, there are some that lend themselves to chips well, like the Chili Cheese Fries flavor. On the other hand the Philly Cheese Steak chips I previously tried are probably the only chips I’ve come across that I couldn’t eat because the flavor was so appalling. There’s a lot of room for error in some of these flavors, but it’s gotta be kinda difficult to screw up BBQ. The question is whether or not they could set their version apart from the pack.

With a picture of a slab of ribs on the bag, I kept having to remind myself not to expect to actually taste pork flavoring. While the bag may boast a new BBQ flavoring developed with some fancy rib competition down in Memphis, these chips are good at the very least, but it almost seems like a trick that they’re being called new. A new dry rub was added in the process as well but that also seems hardly noticeable. I expected more zest than I got.They pretty much taste exactly the same as the Barbecue Lays except on Ruffles’ thick and wavy chip. But if BBQ Ruffles is something you thought missing from your life, they have arrived. Just don’t expect anything special, as promising as the bag makes it look.

4/7

The freeflow combat system is back, with strikes, counters, stuns, and aerial maneuvers, as well as quickfire gadget use to really become the Bat in close quarters combat against groups of enemies. Most of your gadgets are upgradable, be they automatically acquired as the story demands them to be utilized, or by choosing to level them up through an experience and leveling system. For example, you get the Line Launcher only when you get to the point where you need to use it. However, you can only obtain the Sonic Batarang (and its explosive upgrade) by acquiring them via level-up. Many gadgets, however, such as the Batclaw, Explosive Gel, and Remote Control Batarang, are available at the start, despite having to be obtained throughout the course of Arkham Asylum. This level-up system can also be used to heighten Batman’s defenses and other techniques.

The ability to quickly navigate through the city is one of the game’s finest updates from Asylum. Instead of being confined to the relatively small and crowded Arkham Island as in the game’s predecessor, you’re in the open world environment of Arkham City. Be it quickly gliding around and using your Batgrapple to patrol the skies or taking to the ground, you’ll find that simply moving from place to place is quite an experience.

Many concepts from Arkham Asylum make their return in this game. For example, hacking systems via decrypting passwords is back, allowing you to gain access to locked away places. You’ll need to upgrade this gadget in order to access more military-level passwords, as well as the Riddler’s puzzles, however. Detective Mode is also back, allowing you to quickly scan entire areas for enemies, distinguishing between armed and unarmed thugs, as well as scanning evidence and picking up a trail. The Riddler’s challenges are also more present than ever, and now take multiple forms. There are Riddler trophies all around the city to pick up, as well as times when the Riddler will give you a riddle and you’ll have to figure out the answer before a trap in the room activates (these will typically require the use of gadgets not already acquired). Lining up question marks are also back, and the Riddler also now makes use of hostages, where you must answer riddles in order to learn of their whereabouts to save them. Most Riddler challenges will unlock something, such as concept art, challenge maps, etc.

The main story is fairly short, but quite an experience. Due to an overdose of the Titan formula from the last game, the Joker has found himself to be fatally ill, and decides to put on a show for a last laugh. Meanwhile, Hugo Strange (genius professor and psychologist) is placed in charge of Arkham City, an expansion of Arkham Asylum in an effort to give the housed criminals more room and freedom, in order to keep them from wanting to escape and lowering crime in Gotham. However, due to the strict laws of Gotham, even the smallest crime means being sent to this entire city of the worst of the worst, something even politicians manage to fall victim to. As Bruce Wayne decides to enter politics in an attempt to help his Batman alter-ego keep the citizens of Gotham at ease, he ends up on the business end of a few fists, and finds himself imprisoned in Arkham. Before long he manages to escape confinement, suit up as Batman, and get to work cleaning up the place, and he starts by saving Catwoman from the clutches of Two-Face.

Catwoman plays a strong role in the storyline, and that role is made much stronger if you unlock the DLC to play as Catwoman (comes with the collector’s edition and I imagine was a pre-order bonus in some places). Catwoman fights similarly to Batman, but navigates quite differently. She can pounce onto gated ceilings to move out of detection, and uses some modified gadgets, as well as use of her signature whip for both grappling and for incapacitating enemies. She is used in “episodes”; one at the very beginning of the game, two throughout the main game, and one post-game, after which you’ll be able to switch between the two characters at specified switch points. Catwoman also has her own Riddler trophies to find that Batman might not be able to access (and if he can, there’s a static aura preventing him from picking them up). In addition to Catwoman, future DLC includes Nightwing (Dick Grayson) and Robin (Tim Drake), the latter making an appearance in the story.

One of the game’s most notable features are the boss fights. While some classic villains such as the Penguin and Joker rely on throwing a bunch of thugs at you in intervals, there are some intense one-on-one fights, such as the one against Mr. Freeze. You’ll also do battle against Solomon Grundy, Clayface, and the great Ra’s al Ghul through the main storyline as well. You also end up fighting Two-Face as Catwoman. Something that did kind of disappoint me is the lack of Scarecrow missions from Arkham Asylum. I won’t deny that the effects of the scare toxin followed by the straight up missions themselves were horribly missed in this sequel.

While the campaign itself is fairly short, taken out in around 10 hours on a standard runthrough, there are a load of unlockables to take out in the game. In addition to the Riddler puzzles and challenges, there are a number of Titan tanks that must be found and blown up (Bane makes an appearance through helping out with this), finding ringing phone calls and intercepting signals to save hostages being held captive by Zsasz, and if you count them, simply finding Calendar Man in his cell on specified holidays (talking to him on all 12 days marked on his calendar will award you a trophy/achievement), for example. Then of course, simply upgrading all of your equipment, completing the augmented reality training courses (definitely helpful when learning how to glide, though this is typically done near the beginning of the game), and after you’ve had your post-game fun, you can also take on a New Game+ that allows you to start the game over with all of your current equipment, but the enemies are tougher, and the counter symbol won’t appear, requiring you to pay close attention during combat. It should be noted that during New Game+, all collectibles such as Riddler challenges are shared between the two modes, as they’re shared on the same save data.

I’m not going to spoil this game for anyone, as this game is truly one that you have to experience for yourself. I will however state that there is very little room for a sequel, that Arkham City could quite possibly be the last of the series. It does end the legacy started by Arkham Asylum on a very high note, however, further cementing the duology as quite easily the best superhero video game series of all time. I will definitely recommend this to any fan of Batman, games that involve a lot of gadgetry, stealth, puzzles, and/or straight up in-your-face combat – this is a game that can truly appeal to a large group of gamers – or, hell, pretty much anyone. With stunning performances by Mark Hamill (Joker), Kevin Conroy (Batman) and a cast of performers that make their respective characters truly their own, ambient but pumping music in the background, every audible sound effect from the gusts of wind while flying to the impact of a Batfist to the face, the amazingly dark scenery, and so many other small things seamlessly just coming together to create this love letter to Batman fans everywhere. Cheers to Rocksteady, for once again reinventing the definitive Batman experience.

7/7

In Bruges is the classic story of a hit gone wrong and, as a result, the two hit men, Ken (Brendan Gleeson) and Ray (Colin Ferrell) are forced to hightail it to Belgium and the eponymous city of Bruges. While there, they are tasked with staying out of trouble by their boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes), something that seems impossible for the hapless Ray, and quite simple for Ken, who is content to see the sights and await instructions. Hilarity and heartbreak ensue with the help of a heavily drugged dwarf, a gorgeous drug-dealer, and some extremely obese Americans. It all leads up to a conclusion that leaves you stunned and begging for more.

After seeing In Bruges, many people will draw comparisons to films like Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels or Kiss Kiss Bang Bang for its combination of black comedy and extreme violence, but In Bruges sets itself apart for its unflinching evaluation of its heavy subject matter. Never has a film facing such serious issues as suicide, infanticide, and general murder for hire made you laugh so far into the conclusion, while still making you think about good and evil. That is what makes In Bruges stand out from the pack, it cannot be considered violent fluff, because it refuses to back down from the sensitive subjects it faces.

Even though In Bruges has a bolder outlook on its subject matter, don’t think that means it isn’t entertaining; to do so would underestimate McDonagh’s skill as a scriptwriter. It remains to this day one of the most endlessly quoted films among my friends and I. With classic lines such as: “If I grew up on a farm and was retarded, Bruges might impress me, but I didn’t, so it doesn’t,” or flat out physical comedy (Ray’s reaction to a bottle-wielding Canadian is a moment I still laugh over after repeated viewings). It’s definitely a film that takes someone who’s not afraid of a little foul language to laugh at, but if you are that type of person, you won’t be able to stop.

Above and beyond all of that, the true revelation in this film is Colin Ferrell’s performance as Ray. After what can only be described as a disastrous acting career, it’s wonderful to watch him justify his success. As the twitchy, violent, and vulnerable Ray, Ferrell leaps between gunshots and tears with gusto, giving his character reality while easily able to make the audience laugh. Having written Ferrell off for his tragically bad performances in Alexander, Daredevil, and Phone Booth, it was astonishing to see him exhibit character depth and comic timing. It goes to show that a few terrible films aren’t an actor’s full story, and when he’s in his element, Colin Ferrell can be fantastic.

Brendan Gleeson, too, finally gets to unleash the full force of his comedic talent through his performance as Ken. Known mostly as a dramatic actor from films such as 28 Days Later, Into the Storm, and Braveheart, as well as his incredibly entertaining Mad-eye Moody in the Harry Potter films, Gleeson definitely breaks out of that mold in In Bruges. Though Ken’s humor is much more subtle than Ray’s, Gleeson attacks his lines with charm and what can almost be called innocence. He’s so effective at winning the audience over, that for much of the film you forget he is a killer, no matter how many times he reminds you of it. Gleeson often plays the ultimate father-figure in his films, and he continues that trend with his portrayal of Ken. There is a level of compassion in his performance that is unexpected, but it never completely conceals the anger that simmers beneath his countenance.

With such powerful, nuanced performances from the two lead actors, it’s easy to write off the other characters as lacking depth or subtlety, but that would be a disservice to what can be taken away from In Bruges. Every actor, from Clemence Posey to Jordan Prentice, delivers spot on performances. Eric Gordan as Yuri? His speech about alcoves is spectacular! Though most of the actors in the film are unknown, each is perfect for their role, and not a single person delivers a performance that isn’t spot on.

Ultimately, In Bruges is a film that isn’t for everyone. It features extreme violence and some words that should never be repeated in front of your grandmother. Even so, if you can handle the gore and the language, as well as have an appreciation for black humor, you will not be disappointed by a film like this. It is equal parts hilarity and morality, with a razor sharp wit and a perfect cast. After watching In Bruges once, you’ll find yourself quoting it to everyone you meet, and those who know it will say the lines right along with you.

6/7