The Stone Killer (1973)
In many respects, Michael Winner's 1973 hard-boiled cop movie, The Stone Killer contains pretty much all the obligatory tropes and memes associated with both the genre and the decade. Hippies, black militants, casual racism and of course disgruntled Vietnam veterans. In the absence of any no computers, Detective Lou Torrey (the ubiquitous Charles Bronson) favoured method of solving crimes is to beat, threaten and shoot everyone who may be a suspect. Obviously remembering to read people their Miranda rights is far too much like hard work. This is how cop movies were in the seventies and the public ate them up.
Super Mario Run
Super Mario Run is now available for Android smartphones, so I thought I’d show willing and check it out. Despite Nintendo’s shockingly inane business decisions in recent years and their dogged determination to still approach the video games market as if it were still the nineties, I like many others still have a degree of good will towards them due to their franchises. So, I downloaded the game from the Google Play Store to find that, despite it’s free moniker, it is effectively a trial. Players get access World Tour, Toad Rally, and Kingdom Builder modes, with a selection of courses. The full game requires a single in-app purchase of $9.99 after which there are no further micro-transactions.
Update 20: Battle of the Black Gate
Finally, ten years after the launch of LOTRO, we find ourselves outside the Black Gates of Mordor. Dagorlad is the latest zone to feature in Update 20, released today and it’s a stark contrast after the lush and verdant hills of North Ithilien. Yet as ever with LOTRO the new area is beautifully realised and filled with lore references. The fact that we’ve finally arrived before the Morannon and will be entering Mordor in the next expansion, compensates to a degree for the years of unnecessary diversion we’ve endured, with prior zones such as Mirkwood, Enedwaith and Dunland. I make no bones about the fact that I never liked these areas and felt the stories they told were somewhat superfluous. However, that is all behind us now and Mordor awaits.
Acquainting Yourself with Classics Films
Let us take a moment to consider those movie lists you often come across on websites and in magazines. Why? Because there’s a lot of them about. You know the sort, one hundred movies that you must see before you go senile, according to some well-known critic or august institution like the BFI. Or if you prefer something more hip and eclectic then here’s another one collated by British filmmaker Edgar Wright. Furthermore, these lists are often somewhat homogeneous, containing a mixture of bonafide yet ubiquitous classics, a percentage of obscure arty-farty bollocks and a few wild cards that they put in for a laugh. These will be either so-called cult movies or examples from the “it’s so bad, it’s good” school of film making.
Is the UK Voting System Broken?
At present, there is talk in political circles of the prospect of an early General Election in the UK as a means of dealing with several looming political problems. If such a situation were to arise, then it has to contend with the fragmented state of the UK electorate as well as voter apathy and low turnouts. Perhaps the biggest issue is the mechanics of the election process itself. It has its roots in the past when there were two major parties. Things have changed in recent years with more political groups competing for parliamentary seats and the system now seems to be inequitable. So I thought it may be of interest to readers to offer a broad overview of the process. It differs quite considerably from other countries and as you'd expect with anything British, it has more than a few quirks and foibles. This is not in any way a discussion about party politics. I am simply writing about the actual mechanics of the UK First Past the Post system that determines who will form a government.
How Long Should a TV Show Run For?
Over the course of a year I tend to try five or six new TV shows. Like everyone else I have a finite amount of leisure time and I therefore try to split it evenly among my various interests. Overall, I watch no more than ten shows regularly. I like to do some research before selecting something new to watch and I also consider recommendations from my peers very important. Once I’ve decided upon what I shall try, I tend to give each new show a fighting chance to build up a head of steam. Not all shows hit the mark immediately. Some need at least half a dozen episodes. Some need several seasons. So far Designated Survivor has proven gripping and well-conceived. It also doesn’t make the usual mistake that densely-plotted dramas so often do, in continuously taking one step forward and another two back.
Am I a Whale?
Whenever reading about game monetisation, I often come across the term “whale” and their alleged importance to the free-to-play business model. Primarily they seem to be associated with the mobile gaming industry, due to the way the games are constructed. Paying does more than enhance game play, it is required to facilitate it. However, the whale is no stranger to the MMO genre. The proliferation of cash stores, lock boxes and cosmetic customisation means that there’s always something that people want. Furthermore, gaming in many respects can be a more economic form of entertainment compared to others. Therefore, occasional expenditure is often seen as providing value for money. Fans also like to support the developers that create the games that they enjoy, so again spending money is perceived as a positive thing.
Along Came a Spider (2001)
Along Came a Spider, the second Alex Cross story to be adapted in to a feature film, once again takes a very procedural approach to its plot and keeps the action low key. As with Kiss the Girls, this reflects the intellectual nature of the central character, once again played by Morgan Freeman. This is a thriller where the focus is on using deductive reasoning and psychology to solve a crime rather than kicking down doors and breaking heads. The sequel is not quite as dark in tone as its predecessor and is more accessible with its traditional kidnapping plot about a congressman's daughter being abducted by her teacher. Naturally the case is far from black and white and Alex Cross soon discovers more complicated motives.
Kiss the Girls (1997)
I recently re-watched Alex Cross, the 2012 movie based upon author James Patterson's character. My opinion on the movie has not changed and I still consider it to be a cinematic misfire. The main flaw being trying to take a cerebral character away from the procedural nature of their work and retrofit them into a modern action movie. It simply doesn't work and subsequently the film studio failed to reboot the franchise. However, because Cross himself is such an interesting creation, being a former FBI agent and psychologist, I thought I would take a look at the two previous movie adaptations starring Morgan Freeman. The first of which, Kiss the Girls (1997) I review here. The latter, Along Came A Spider (2001) I will write about in a separate post
Diary of a Podcaster Part 5
Although we at the Burton & Scrooge podcast are not driven by numbers, it would be nice to see the audience grow. We seem at present to have plateaued somewhat and maintain a robust but fixed listenership. Currently our back catalogue of shows is available via SoundCloud, iTunes and Stitcher. However it would appear that other directories and aggregation services are available, so it would seem prudent to ensure that we are listed with them. My colleagues tell me that the Google Play Store and iHeartRadio are beneficial to register with. I believe that there may well also be comparable services aimed specifically at the console market. However, as our show is more geared towards PC gaming, I don’t see the need to pursue these.
What’s My Name Again?
A few Weeks ago, I created a new Dwarf Hunter in LOTRO and started playing through the game from scratch. Why? Because I wanted to. As ever with MMOs that have been around for a while, all the best names are taken. I spent at least thirty minutes trying various names that I had planned in advance. All were conspicuous by their absence, including Burton, which really irked me. I remember having a similar experience trying to secure a suitable name during the WildStar beta. I wanted Brother Numpsay but it was not available, so I had to settle for Captain Queeg. I guess WildStar players are more conversant with Eddie Murphy than Herman Wouk. But I digress. I ended up calling my new Dwarf Hunter Gryg, as a homage to a character in the film The Last Starfighter.
New Captain Scarlet (2005-6)
I’m not usually a big fan of “re-boots” and “re-imaginings” of classic material. There have been some successful examples in recent years, such as the Bond franchise and Doctor Who but many others have failed. Jonathan Frakes 2004 feature film Thunderbirds was the epitome of this. It total misjudged the target audience, completely failed to grasp the key aspects that made the original series so appealing and excluded the man himself, Gerry Anderson, from any involvement. It also failed to make use of any of Barry Grays sublime back catalogue of music, apart from the main theme. Conversely, the 2015 TV show Thunderbirds Are Go, managed to not only provide a suitable homage to the original show but successfully update the concept for a contemporary audience.
Alex Cross (2012)
The last time we saw F.B.I. profiler Alex Cross on the big screen, he was played by Morgan Freeman in both Kiss the Girls (1997) and Along Came a Spider (2001). The franchise, inspired by novels of author James Patterson, were subsequently rebooted in 2012 with Tyler Perry in the lead role. Alex Cross attempts to establish the origins of the character and explore a pivotal case he investigated while a detective in Detroit. Alex Cross and his partners Tommy Kane (Edward Burns) and Monica Ashe (Rachel Nichols) cross swords with a serial killer they dub Picasso (Matthew fox), who is murdering the business associates of French Industrialist Mercier (Jean Reno). During the course of the investigation it becomes clear that the killer has a specific interest in Cross himself.
Classic Movie Themes: Theatre of Blood
Theatre of Blood is a rather unique horror movie about crazed egotistical thespian named Edward Lionheart. Played by the great Vincent Price, this Shakespeare-obsessed actor commits suicide rather publicly, after being allegedly "cheated" out of an award. However when a spate of murders targeting theatre critics occurs, with each victim dispatched in an homage to the Bard, Scotland Yard begins to suspect the actor may have faked his death. This hilariously baroque revenge picture directed by Douglas Hickox, benefits from a great cast of some of Britain's finest character actors. The film also serves as a wonderful window in to the mid-seventies Britain.
A War on Critics
Last year film director Alex Proyas famously threw his proverbial toys out of the pram, after his fantasy movie Gods of Egypt received universally poor reviews. He labelled critics “deranged idiots” and “diseased vultures” in a heated post on his Facebook page. He went on to accuse critics as slaves to the prevailing consensus. Proyas is not the only film maker to clash with critics. Uwe Boll famously had a similar antagonistic relationship with the press after being accused of being the world’s worst film maker. His solution to the problem was to challenge his detractors to meet him in the boxing ring. Some did so, not realising that Boll has a background in boxing. It did not go well for them.
Side by Side (2012)
Keanu Reeves both presents and produces the intelligent and compelling documentary Side by Side, offering a very interesting insight into the changing world of film. The production discusses with over forty directors, cinematographers, editors, producers and technical innovators the rapid replacement of traditional photochemical film with digital technology. It's a story of science versus art and emotion. How the practitioners of traditional methods are coping with the reality of change and it is a seismic change. It impacts upon the way films are made and by whom, how they're perceived, produced, exhibited, experienced and preserved. Side by Side explores whether the democratisation of film making will destroy the art of cinema.
Star Trek Online: Beyond Endgame
The recent Arena of Sompek Event in STO was immense fun and presented me with an opportunity to fine tune the ground build on my primary character. Furthermore, the current return of the Phoenix Prize Pack has allowed me to spend a lot of my surplus Dilithium. I obtained a Kobali Samsar Cruiser [T6] last night which allowed me to complete the Kobali Space Set. It’s also nice to be able to finally own the iconic Red Matter Converter, which was only previously available in the Collector’s Edition of STO on launch. However, for me the best item available from the Phoenix Prize Pack is the special Phoenix Upgrade Tech (equivalent to multiple Universal Superior Tech Upgrades, with no Dilithium costs). I have used a hundred plus and have now managed to upgrade a lot of my gear to Epic quality. Finally, after months of tweaking and customising, I’ve broken the 30K DPS barrier.
Where Have all the Bloggers Gone?
I’m a creature of habit. I don’t mean “if it’s Wednesday, it’s Pork Chops”, I’m referring to simple routines that help me organise my days. One example is my morning ritual. As soon as I wake, I get straight up, shower and dress. I then sit myself down at my computer with a mug of coffee and catch up with my emails, Twitter and Feedly. I also get a flash news briefing from Alexa. These things appraise me of what is going on in the world and often give me potential writing prompts. Feedly has been invaluable source of inspiration in the past. I subscribed to half a dozen professional gaming and movie news websites and a further thirty of so blogs, written by my peers.
The Secret Service (1968)
The Secret Service is somewhat of an enigma, being the last Supermarionation show that Gerry Anderson produced. It was poorly received not only by critics but also by its own financier, Sir Lew Grade and was therefore given a limited broadcast upon its initial release. However, it marked the end of an era for Century 21 productions as they turned their creative attentions to film and live action TV after a decade of puppets shows. Subsequently, The Secret Service fell into obscurity over the following years and never gained the same degree of attention from the public, as previous Supermarionation shows had.
The Average LOTRO Player
Despite my claims to be a casual gamer, I tend to go all-in when a title takes my interest. Therefore, I will make it my business to read and learn about the various mechanics and systems in a game. I also like to be active in the wider community, so I write and podcast about the games I enjoy. Social media is an invaluable way to keep up-to-date with both developers and publishers. Forums and websites also play an integral role in keeping a player informed, by providing guides, press releases and a platform for sharing opinions. In recent years, many games have looked to Reddit as an additional way of communicating with their player base and fostering a community.