The K-Files - Halo 3 Edition

Perhaps you've seen the commercials already? You know, the one with the two soldiers talking about how the Chief saved their lives. Or maybe you've noticed a new flavor of Mountain Dew on your grocery store shelves? Surely you've at least seen one of the many print advertisements asking you to 'Believe'?

All of these ads are part of the 10 million dollar advertising blitz by Microsoft to promote what is without question the most anticipated video game of the year, Halo 3. Described by Peter Moore, the ex-Entertainment and Devices vice president of Microsoft, during this past summer's E3 video entertainment showcase as the Star Wars of a new generation, Halo 3 is certainly shaping up that way. With a dedicated fanbase of millions and merchandising spanning several mediums, Halo 3 is a shining example of a 21st century blockbuster--just as cinematic, but also infinitely interactive.

It's a bit of a change from my usual subject matter here at The K-Files, but an opportunity to cover an event like this is just too great to pass up...Full Article.

*Here be no spoilers*

The full review will be coming soon, but in the meantime, check out my unboxing video the iPod Touch. The future is indeed now.

Review: 3:10 to Yuma - Directed by James Mangold
Rated R for some graphic gun violence and brief strong language

Of all the movies that I've seen so far this year, this has been the hardest to review. I haven't seen many Western films outside of Clint Eastwood's spaghetti variety, therefore comparing director James Mangold's remake of 1957's 3:10 to Yuma to other films in the genre was a difficult task. So what follows is a review from a relative novice.

I'm sure there are better films out there if I were to look for them, but I can honestly say that this is one of the best Westerns I have ever seen (for whatever that's worth).

In 3:10 to Yuma, down on his luck rancher Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is tasked with escorting bad ass outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) to the 3:10 train bound for Yuma prison. Trying to do the right thing and earn his son's respect, Evans finds himself tempted by greed and forced to decide what kind of man he wants to be.

A little early for the bandwagon of Oscar contenders, Bale and Crowe's performances are still no less worthy for consideration.

Firstly, Christian Bale proves once again that he's capable in just about any role given to him. From a psycho killer to Batman, Bale is one of those actors that has a way of becoming his characters rather than simply portraying them. As Dan Evans, Bale comes off as the ultimate in tortured souls; a disgraced soldier, useless husband, and, worst of all, an embarrassment to his eldest son. So pathetic is his life that even Russell Crowe's hardened cutthroat takes pity on him.

Speaking of Crowe, I could think of no better choice for Ben Wade. He gives the charismatic outlaw a sort of Anthony Hopkins, Hannibal Lecter-esque quality while also hinting that he's not all bad underneath. Still, he's able to gun-play with the best of them and not afraid to get his hands dirty. Between the two, despite my personal preference for Bale, I'd say Crowe is most likely to get a nomination if the Academy takes notice of this one.

Westerns are a few and far between thing nowadays--especially good ones--so do yourself a favor and check this one out. The story may drift into action movie territory towards the end (if that might turn you off), but a better film you'd have a hard time finding at theaters this month.

Go for the... magic that is seeing Christian Bale and Russell Crowe together in a film.

Stay for the... terrific gun-play shootouts.

Rating: 9 / 10

The K-Files - Jones vs. Rivera

In my boredom, I found myself watching Geraldo At Large in its 3am repeat timeslot this past Saturday night.

I wasn't paying much attention to the generally unremarkable show, but I couldn't help but take notice when Geraldo was suddenly forced to shout over a crowd of protesters that had gathered behind his live broadcast. Chanting "9/11 was an inside job" relentlessly and waving their 9/11 Truth Movement banners, Geraldo became noticeably perturbed.

As I watched this spectacle unfold over the course of about 20 minutes, I laughed to myself wondering if Alex 'The Bulldog' Jones had anything to do with it. Sure enough, the next morning, I was amused to discover that Jones was in fact in attendance at the protest and was even arrested for it. Not so funny, however, were the circumstances for his arrest. On this anniversary of September 11th, I could think of no better topic to write about this week...Full Article.

Review: Shoot 'Em Up - Directed by Michael Davis
Rated R for strong language, brief nudity, and plenty of gun violence

The phrase 'balls to the wall' is thrown around a lot lately. Though I'm at a loss to describe Shoot 'Em Up any other way.

In this appropriately titled actioner, lead hero Mr. Smith (Clive Owen) battles hordes of goons and hitmen who are out to kill a mother and her newborn child. There's a bit more to the plot--if you can really call it that--but it's Shoot 'Em Up's distinct lack of a coherent story that only builds to its cheesy, satirical charm.

I can recommend Shoot 'Em Up to only two groups of moviegoers: gun fanatics and Clive Owen fans. I fall in that later category, so let me start there.

If not for Owen's deadpan delivery and constant look of annoyance, Shoot 'Em Up would have been nowhere near as enjoyable. In his own unique way, he's able to deliver a one-liner with the seriousness of Shakespeare. His adversarial patsy, hammed up by Paul Giamatti, is also good fun to watch, but it's Owen that holds this flick together.

But a movie called Shoot 'Em Up better succeed in having some damn fine action to back the title up. In most ways, it does. There are four well choreographed 'gun ballets' in the vein of a John Woo film to take note of--each featuring their own unique set of circumstances played out to a pounding heavy metal song. Though what I found disappointing about these scenes was how fast they fizzled out and how heavily they were edited. Never is the viewer graced with a wide shot of the action or is focus given to any one event for a meaningful amount of time.

If you enjoyed such mindless romps as Smokin' Aces or Crank, you'll find a similar flair in Shoot 'Em Up. Although definitely not a classic by any stretch, it's still a solid hour and half of heavy violence, quirky characters, and impossible stunts.

Go for the... chance to see Clive Owen shoot people with guns. Lots of guns.

Stay for the... ridiculously unnecessary mid-air shoot-out after jumping from a plane.

Rating: 8 / 10

The K-Files - Viral Ufology Revisited

Back on July 4th, I wrote a K-Files titled Viral Ufology. In it, I detailed the possible link between those alien 'drone' images circulating around the 'net and a viral marketing campaign for Microsoft's upcoming shooter, Halo 3. I ended that report without any definitive answers, as it was still a very developing story at the time.

Now that a couple months have passed and the release of Halo 3 rapidly approaches, it seems there might be new development to this story. You may have already seen what I'm talking about. They are known as the Haiti and Dominican Republic UFO videos. Posted on YouTube on August 6th and the 9th, the videos show several different UFO variants streaking across the sky with an almost unreal clarity. In the same way those drone pictures seemed too good to be true, the same can be said about these video clips.

But are these videos just another attempt by a skilled CGI artist to gain notoriety? Or could they be part of the mysterious Iris alternate reality game? Or, quite possibly, could these be the real deal? Let's dig deeper...Full Article.

Review: Halloween - directed by Rob Zombie
Rated R for sadistic violence, strong language, and nudity

With 2003's House of 1000 Corpses, macabre rocker Rob Zombie showed the world that he was a capable horror director. With his much superior follow up, The Devil's Rejects, two years later, Zombie solidified his position as one of horror cinema's most promising rising stars. It seemed rather fitting then that his third theatrical attempt be a remake of 1978's Halloween--the movie that launched the successful career of John Carpenter, a writer/director/composer Zombie has often been compared to.

Nevertheless, remakes are a risky business. So does 2007's Halloween hold a jack-o'-lantern to the original? I say no. Although Zombie is able to achieve a near equal sense of dread and foreboding, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had seen this movie before. To put it another way, it seemed that Rob wanted to be so faithful to the source material that the bulk of his film's final act played out nearly verbatim to Carpenter's. When the remake is this close to the original, why even bother?

Halloween certainly starts strong, however. In the opening act, we are introduced to an awkward 10-year-old Michael Myers growing up in a rather dysfunctional family. His mother, played by Zombie's wife Sheri Moon, strip dances to make ends meet while his step-dad (William Forsythe) sits around drinking and swearing. In a scene in which Myers confronts two bullies in a school bathroom, we're given a small glimpse of the rage building in his little mind and perhaps a better understanding as to why he takes the path of the serial killer. Unfortunately, these scenes are short lived.

Rather quickly, Myers has already murdered his family and been institutionalized for his crimes. What follow are interesting but rather short meetings with his psychologist, Dr. Loomis (Malcom McDowell). Played by Donald Pleasence to great effect in the original, 2007's Loomis is the most frustratingly underutilized character. Because before he can get inside Michael's head and give us something worthwhile to watch, Myers has already escaped and begins killing teenagers.

Besides borrowing too heavily from the original, the massacre scenes also seemed out of place in regard to the tone of the film. Zombie went to great lengths building Michael up as a killer that, however soulless, was still very much human. I found it an odd choice then that the finale started to portray him as more the walking shadow of the 78 version--a creature of the paranormal, able to appear behind people whenever convenient and survive many a killing blow unscathed.

In it's defense, Zombie's Halloween will be a treat for fans of his Firefly Family saga. Pretty much the entire cast of The Devil's Rejects appears in some way or another, making for a few chuckles as they come on screen. Also, Brad Dourif of Child's Play fame makes a brief appearance as the local sheriff. From the looks of it, these guys must've at least had a good time making this film, and on some level, that enjoyment permeates the final product.

More fittingly referred to as a tribute than a remake, Rob Zombie's Halloween is easily the best iteration of the Michael Myers character in over two decades. Although, ultimately, it is a step down from the originality shown in The Devil's Rejects. In his first two films, Rob Zombie was risky enough to engage in interesting experimentation and unusual effects that just aren't present in Halloween. In being more conventional, the violence and sadism has also been toned down in comparison to Rejects...

...I'll leave that up to you if that's a good thing or not.

Go for the... prospect of checking out Rob Zombie's latest directorial effort.

Stay for the... fine job Scout Taylor-Compton does in Jamie Lee Curtis' old role.

Rating: 7 / 10