The Monuments Men

When Saving Private Ryan is the standard that you set the bar, a new war film needs to be that little bit special in order to stand out. Pre-release The Monuments Men had some promise in an untold, true story and the power of a star studded cast, bragging the likes of George Clooney, Matt Damon and that guy from Downton Abbey but unfortunately, it fails to dazzle.

It is an original idea, based on a true story but fails to register as a classic due to the lack of conviction. The Monuments Men tells the story of 6 art lovers that seek to recover and return the pieces stolen by the nazis. In order to do this they join the forces and pose as soldiers who go behind enemy lines, risking their lives to save the masterpieces.

The plot is cute but one that does not have the gusto to be made

 into a feature length movie; in order to do so it needed a lot more character depth. We don't know who these men are and why they've been chosen to put their body and life on the line in the name of art. It felt as though the rickety story line had restricted the actors ability to put across a convincing performance, and therefore I can pick no one from the cast who stood out. Even when characters come close to death, your empathy is still tested because we know nothing about them.

There are hints of war-based comedy and some scenes with create tension for the watcher but not enough to give this film credibility in its field. I don't doubt that George Clooney & co. have the ability to make a convincing war film, but this production certainly lacked any direction and ultimately was not the right route to follow.

Tapped Out - Game Review

I've been playing Tapped Out for a year now and I feel like I need to share with you the love hate relationship that I have with this app. I downloaded it in the early days of owning a phone which could hold more than a ringtone so was naive in thinking that I had nothing to lose by accepting a free game. I instantly found that I literally could not stop tapping out but I wasn't quite sure why.

Essentially Tapped Out plays on the human beings desire for money, which you gain more of by playing more frequently. The aim of the game is to create your version of The Simpsons town and add characters to your collection in the process. This is all well and good when you're paying $1200 for the Krusty Burger or the Kwik-E-Mart but I have now reached the stage when buildings cost over $100,000, meaning I have to save up for a number of days before I can add to my town. As apps deviously do, it does offer ways round the longevity through buying (with real money) donuts, which allows you to speed up the process but I have not sunk to quite that level...yet.

In terms of gameplay, it is what is says on the tin. You tap and you wait... You tap and you wait. Tapped Out is extremely simplistic and is almost difficul

t to call a game because there is very little to do. Characters can undergo several different tasks, which fit their respective animated personalities. Mr Burns can hide nuclear waste, Snake can con money from old people but no matter what they do, the player is never involved with these activities.

I have struggled to find a positive aspect of this app and another of its major flaws is the maintenance it requires. It takes a long time to load into the game from the home screen and often contains minor glitches after updates, which annoyingly occur every few days. Another frustrating  problem I've found is the timing that the characters perform tasks to earn money. Some characters have tasks that last for 6 hours whereas some do not and I believe this is the agonising reason behind my addiction. The game is so cleverly made that it will drag you back to it whether you like it or not, in order to collect more fake money and drain more of your life away.

I've now spent too long on this game, which serves little purpose other than the right to boast to other Tapped Out players of your superior town. I think I'll soon find myself attending Tapped Out Anonymous as I'm hooked and I can't bring myself to delete it. Good luck

FIFA 14 - Game Review

My first thoughts on purchasing FIFA 14 were that of a pessimist (I’m only buying this for the squad updates). If I’m honest I did not expect much from a game that I thought could not offer any more than previous years. Imagine that; spending £40+ on a game solely so I could see Neymar in a Barcelona shirt or Gareth Bale in a Real Madrid kit.

 Like many avid FIFA fans out there I have purchased the game every year since roughly 2009 (when it started getting realistic). I didn’t warm to the game previous to that because those were the years when Aaron Lennon could win a header against Peter Crouch. I think the most important feature of FIFA is that it has to be real and in the case of FIFA 14, it has exceeded my cynical expectations.

 My favourite aspect of FIFA 14 has to be the crowd. In my opinion the crowd is one of the most important aspects of a football game, e.g. the 12th man. Thankfully, it is no longer a set of 3 figures (multiplied by 10,000) producing the same “Mexican wave” type action repeatedly in no accordance to the match itself. It is a crowd that responds accordingly to how the game is being played, which cheers when you score and jeers when you miss. This makes the match play more exciting and gives you a bigger buzz when you do find the top corner from a free kick.

 With every new version, EA Sports tell us they have changed something, which justifies charging us again and again for what seems like virtually the same game. FIFA 14 does include new features such as off balance shots and missed shot reactions but again these are barely noticeable in the grand scheme of things. On the other hand, this year is the best I have seen in terms of player characteristics. Speed, agility and strength; these traits of a good footballer are actually reflected accurately in the great players. They have more truthful reactions to the play; ones that reflect a real game and immerse you, helping you see more details of the play.

 However, despite EA Sports claims that players make decisions “4 times faster”, I noticed little difference when in-play. In fact I thought it was a slower game. This brings you back down to earth when you realise that players can’t cover 10 yards in one stride as they could in the previous FIFA. I also noticed that some players have the turning circle of a combine harvester, which is not realistic.

I will always maintain that I buy FIFA for the squad updates but this year has reassured me that FIFA is making some progress in term of realism and making it worth the money that we as gamers pay. I think if you were going to buy FIFA 14 you would have probably bought it already but if you haven’t, overall think it is worth it.

The Wolf of Wall Street

When fans of Martin Scorsese watch his work, they can always expect a touch of vigour, anarchy and drugs, so if you were hoping for exactly that then you will not be disappointed. The Wolf of Wall Street is an adrenaline thrill ride fuelled by a truckload of cocaine, which gives it an exceptionally high drive. However, operating at that level for 3-hours of film time creates a titanic risk of crashing and burning.

Leonardo Di Caprio plays the remarkable Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who starts his own business, which sores to success. Jordan has very little knowledge of the trade having been taught that drugs, masturbation and reading from a script are the ways forward. However his success is determined by his incredible showmanship, people skills and ability to get a large group of desperate, ageing individuals motivated. He becomes somewhat illogical, inevitably turning down the opportunity to cut his losses and call it a day. He almost becomes somewhat monstrous in his actions, discarding his wife for another woman and even then we want him to triumph. His character is captivating in that we want his success in the same way we strive for our own.

Scorsese has placed Jonah Hill in the role of Donnie Azoff, which gives this movie a comic edge. His inclusion brings a lighter side to Belfort’s wrongdoings such as the dwarf throwing and money laundering. He is also the main supplier of the drugs to which the movie runs on. The “ludes” as they are known were the inspiration behind his idea to bring shoe designer Steve Madden into the picture and are also part of the reason behind Belfort’s downfall.

 Although this is based on a true story, I had to question the inclusion of a scene in terms of the plot when Belfort attempts to steal his own daughter and goes on to crash his car in the process. I can only assume it was to broaden the background behind a man that had been brought back down to earth at some speed because it didn’t seem to relate. Otherwise it is a victory for the rekindled team of Scorsese and Di Caprio, who have captured the demented story of Jordan Belfort in such a way to make it into a clever and funny film.

 

Yours,

Alex x

‘My Film & Tv’ Contributor

@alexnee93

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Tags: Alex Nee × film review × Jonah Hill × Leonardo Di Caprio × Martin Scorsese × The Wolf Of Wall Street

Breaking Bad

Although Breaking Bad has been and gone, I can’t seem to get over it. When anybody asks me what it is, I usually stand there in disbelief and then use a comparison to the bear hunt song. You can’t go over it; you can’t go under it you’ve got to go through it. Few words can describe how unbelievable it is and the roller coaster that it takes you on; in fact they may have to invent a word to describe it because any that come to mind do not give it enough appreciation.

For those missing out, Walter White is a chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer early on in the series. Naively I thought they couldn’t go anywhere else with a man that is virtually pushing daisies but I was so wrong. Walter White has to prevent his family from being in debt when he passes so turns to Jesse Pinkman  (Aaron Paul), a former student of Whites turned small-time drug dealer. The pairing of the two forms the best meth in Albuquerque and the basis of a chaotic but at times comical, love-hate relationship. At times it becomes as though they can’t escape each other. Meanwhile Walter is putting on his “I’m not a drug dealer” face to his entire family, including Skyler (Anna Gunn), Walter Junior (RJ Mitte) and his Skyler’s sister’s husband, Hank Shrader (Dean Norris) who unfortunately for Walt is a DEA agent. You can imagine the kind of heart pounding scenarios created when those two are in the same room together.

Vince Gilligan being the mastermind behind it all has devised a unique show, which is perfect right down to the little insignificant details. He has brought together great actors and actresses combined with an astonishing plot line to make what I can only describe as the finest series ever made. I don’t think anyone was mentally or physically prepared when they sat down in front of the television to watch Breaking Bad; even if you knew what was going to happen you’d still be in awe of this masterpiece. We can’t give all the credit to Mr Gilligan. Bryan Cranston’s depiction of Walter White is outstanding. Even after destroying his family and killing half of the main characters, he still manages to take our sympathy and compassion in the final episode. I don’t think I will ever look at Hal of Malcolm in the middle in the same way again.

I truly believe that this show has to be watched and really writing this review is worthless unless I’ve persuaded you to do so. You won’t be disappointed I personally guarantee it.

That Awkward Moment

At first sight I was quite skeptical about That Awkward Moment simply because it was a 94 minute film. From past experience, films short of 100 minutes tend to lack strength in depth and the ability to convince you. It was to my surprise that this rom-com sufficiently satisfies the audience's needs and if it is possible make you more jealous that you don't look like Zac Efron.

I'm sure men around the world are envious to see that the once teenage heart-throb known for his pre-pubescent role in High School Musical has now grown up to become some how more attractive and is now proving he is able to put across a convincing performance on screen. He plays Jason, who is some what of a womaniser, a character that reflects the complete opposite of Troy Boulton and the nice guy that we all imagine Zac Efron to be.

With the rom firmly in place (Zac Efron), Director Tom Gormican had to recruit some talent to form the com. In short, he did a good job. Miles Teller and Michael Jordan (actor not basket ball player) play the comical Daniel and Mikey, who form a trio with Jason and are the hub of the movie. They suggest a mutual agreement to not date girls so they can be closer friends but quickly find themselves falling in love with no turning back.

It is essentially male based, Tom Gormican deciding to ignore the traditions of a rom-com. It goes for a different angle which portrays the changes a man goes through when he is in love, that are so dramatic that he might sit on a bench for 4 hours in the freezing cold just hoping to talk to you. The plot does lack structure and it does seem a bit wishy washy to begin with but it does eventually gather some pace and comes together nicely in the end.

If your girlfriend drags you to see it, don't resist. The ladies may be slightly disappointed that it is not a conventional love story but Zac Efron will keep them distracted for 94 minutes whilst you enjoy what is a very good film.

 

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa

For anyone else, converting a 30 second skit into a feature length movie would be borderline impossible. However as we full well know from his Jackass antics, Jonny Knoxville always takes the word impossible with a pinch of salt.

Irving Zisman is a creation of Knoxville’s and used in Jackass to generate awkward situations, typically by leaving his fake old man testicles hanging out of his shorts and falling on people. Not to say that seeing grown men run away from an old man’s privates isn’t funny, but you would think that there’s only so many times that a joke like that can be used.

This is not the case with Bad Grandpa as we see Knoxville rise to new levels with his ridiculous stunts and by the end of the film almost becomes convincing as an old man. As you’d expect we do see Irving’s manhood several times in the film, but this time he goes a step beyond by destroying property, defecating on walls and even dropping his dead wife off a bridge. Even his grandson plays a part in the mayhem but can get away with it because of his mischievous character.

A warning for those Jackass fanatics who were hoping for more of the same from Knoxville and crew, it is not what you’d expect. It is a film that flows with a real plot line and at some moments there is even the opportunity to feel compassionate towards Irving and his grandson. The film does lack some originality but it’s ultimately the public deception that draws you in to make it hilarious and definitely worth a watch.