There’s a shitload of geek anticipation over the next Batman villain, so we thought we’d give this dude a shot. He may not be movie star material, but he’s got the bulge and lazy eye to go pretty far in our book.
Tag Archives: riddler
Dress Down Day No. 121
Christopher Nolan and his INCEPTION
Could we just be honest with ourselves and admit that Inception was a cinematic masterpiece that far-exceeded anything he has done in the past?–and, yes, that does include The Dark Knight. Typically, when a film maker with Nolan’s talent and ability creates a picture of this quality, he has shit the proverbial bed.
Not so, I feel, with Christopher Nolan. From Insomnia to The Dark Knight, Nolan has never really been “disappointing” to me. But he is also a director with a vision we do not know much about yet. We haven’t really gotten “used” to Nolan outside of our Batman expectations and his obvious admiration for fine actors and Film Noir.
But let’s return to the point I made earlier–the heretical statement that Inception was somehow a superior film than The Dark Knight. Bloggers and columnists have actually managed to scribe a thought so profane and mind-numbing that I’m hesitant to believe that they even take themselves seriously. The idea was: “Now that Nolan got this dream-movie out of his system, he can get back on track with the next Batman sequel.”
Really? Fuck you. Really?!
Don’t get me wrong–The Dark Knight was phenomenal, as was Batman Begins–but they are (for all technical purposes) Comic Book Superhero movies. Of course they can be done well in the right hands. The source material is virtually infinite–you know all of the stories and how they turn out–and for fuck’s sake, after Batman and Robin, as long as the Batman isn’t wearing ice skates, I’m impressed.
But Inception takes film to a whole other level (like Avatar, except not totally gay) and it shows. Chris Nolan showcased some of the greatest actors in Hollywood today–and I’m not just saying that because I’m a total homer for Joseph Gordon Levitt, either…(wasn’t Brick fucking amazing?)
Hopefully this film puts Levitt on such a cinematic plateau that he will never even have to think about being in a G.I.Joe movie ever again.
There’s one more thing I’d like to say about this movie–and I’ll leave the rest of the review to Watson (coming soon)…
Without spoiling anything–at least nothing that hasn’t been spoiled already–let’s talk about the ending.
And the only thing about the ending that can be said is that you’re either going to laugh, groan, or let loose a string of profanity toward the big screen and everyone you care about. But before you do, know this: it doesn’t matter.
Inception‘s conclusion is insignificant, but not without meaning. The lifeblood of the film is in the journey and the mental labyrinth involved in the psychology and philosophy of dreams–exhibited in a kind-of Matrix and Minority Report level of sci-fi with a Dark Knight level of Noir modern-ish realism.
Essentially, it’s enough of a literary mixing pot to make an English Professor jizz his pants.
Think of the film’s ending as an inside joke with the audience–a tongue-in-cheek jab-in-the-ribs that all of you are a part of after sitting through the movie. Of course it will have you talking. It will have you talking for fucking hours.
…but when you walk out of the theater and hear someone’s cunty girlfriend asking, “Wait, so what happened? I don’t get it.” Try to ignore it, and be safe in the knowledge that–not unlike the finale of LOST–you’re amongst a demographic of people who “get it,” and that’s what makes this film so much more special than many will inevitably realize.
And if that makes you an asshole, so be it. Be an asshole in IMAX.
Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream? Poe. Edgar Allan.
Enjoy Your Stay at Arkham Asylum
After a long period of waiting around for a decent Batman game to launch after the disappointing Batman Begins clusterfuck, fans of the Dark Knight are finally rewarded. I’ve played Batman games before, but it has always felt like a typical action game featuring a central character wearing a Batman costume. Arkham Asylum created a lasting experience.
Let’s get a few things out of the way first…
–The graphics are phenomenal.
–The voice-over work is exceptional.
–The story plays out like a Batman mini-series rather than an actual film, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s more like the Animated Series that we all know and love.
–The controls are a little wonky, but once you train yourself to work past that, it flows seamlessly and effortlessly from then on.
–Sound effects are dark and often scary.
Whew…glad we got of that technical bullshit out of the way. I played through Arkham Asylum fairly quickly, but it wasn’t what I would call a “short game.” A short game can be completed by playing it 2 hours per day for about 3 days. A normal game should keep you busy for about a week…and a good game should create an addiction.
Arkham Asylum is a combination of Metal Gear Solid stealth and superhero game play. Most of the time, you’ll find yourself critically thinking out situations to eliminate all threats and remain completely unseen. Other times, you’re free to just leap into the middle of a room and kick some ass. The combination of these two seemingly incompatible game styles keeps the game interesting, flowing, and exciting.
The story, in case you didn’t know, is that the Joker gets loose in Arkham Asylum, releasing certain inmates that aid his plot to use a formula called TITAN to create a race of superhuman beasts. All of the villains in the game are used intuitively–by which I mean that at no point does a Batman nemesis simply “appear,” causing a “WTF?!” reaction. They all have a special place in the game…with the exception of Zsasz, but fuck it.
The environment is fairly “open,” but the story is linear…if that makes sense(?) You can go anywhere you like on the island to find extra trophies and solve (the Riddler’s) riddles, but there are no “side missions.” The game makes up for this by offering separate “Challenge Missions” where you can attempt high scores on various stealth or combat scenarios. Your Challenge Mode scores are then compared with others around the world.
Batman’s abilities and arsenal are updated throughout the game and through points earned by completing challenges, which has become a staple of any adventure game because it works. There are no distinct “BOSS FIGHTS” in the game, in my opinion. Every significant battle is played out through the game’s story. The game doesn’t really put you on hold for a “boss fight.”
Arkham Asylum isn’t perfect and it can often be frustrating (especially the virtually impossible Joker Challenges), but it will almost certainly be on your short list of top next generation games. The replay factor is extremely high, which is a plus for those who prefer to purchase games. It will not collect dust on the shelf for quite some time…
…but most importantly, it is the most immersive superhero game I’ve ever played. I loved Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, but this goes beyond the open world hero game. Arkham Asylum embraces the linear storyline and makes it its bitch. You will feel like you’re playing as the Batman, and not just controlling a character. You’ll have to think like Batman and move like Batman…and this game gives you every conceivable opportunity to do that.
If you haven’t played this game yet, you probably don’t like video games.
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