Is this blog still working? Been a very long time since I posted anything here!
I wanted to expand on some of my game of the year picks I put together for Frugal Gaming, a nice place where I’m doing some features and review editing (and the odd bit of writing) with a great new team of writer-types there. So without further ado, here’s my rundown of some of 2011′s most memorable titles …
If you’re looking for a review of Criterion’s acclaimed racing game, I’m sorry to disappoint you – I haven’t played it! I spend many hours playing, tweeting about them, listening to gaming podcasts and chatting with others on internet forums, so I think it’s fair to say that gaming plays a big part in my life! No, this is a post about a recent stint of gaming burnout …
As far as I can recall I don’t think I’ve sat down and watched a silent movie in its entirety. I can’t really explain why I’ve been put off in the past but I decided to take a look at this era of film-making to see if it had anything to offer today. One DVD that’s been sat on my self for years, one remastered Blu Ray and one digital download …
2011 New Year Honours List Part 3 – Movies
I feel ashamed to say that I haven’t been to the cinema anywhere near as many timed as I’d liked to in 2010 so my list seems a little uninspiring. I did catch up with a load more films thanks to my DVD rental service and saw a good number of older films too. These will get a mention after my top 5, along with some of my letdowns and ones that got away …
2011 New Year Honours List Part 2 – Games
Yes, this is yet another one of those Best and Worst of 2010 lists but I can honestly say that 2010 was a great and very memorable year of gaming. I did find myself branching out and playing a few genres that I would normally have dismissed. More often than not it was these ‘mixed bag’ games rather than AAA titles that provided me with the best gaming experiences of 2010 and here are a few of my highlights, lowlights and a few words about the ones that got away …
2011 New Year Honours List Part 1 – TGS
Today sees the start of a new year and the sad departure of a great UK Podcast and community. The Gamer Scene has been around for 18 months but existed as Cranky Gamers UK for a long time before that. I’d listened to the original show pretty much since the start with the 2 hosts Kid Dogg and Toz. I was new to podcasts and forums and found the sense of community there very welcoming. Through time they both went their seperate way and Toz’s departure being more than a little messy to say the least! Shortly after this TGS was founded to make a clean break from the opposing community that had sprung up. Sure, the podcasts at The Gamer Scene felt very different now, and if I’m honest a little patchy in the early days but the thing that kept me coming back was the superb community that had stayed strong.
The Cove (2009) IMDB
Directed by: Louie Psihoyos
Starring: Richard O’Barry
I would never have gone out of my way to watch a documentary film a few years ago. I just wrote them off as being a bit boring and never thought to even consider them. Bowling for Columbine and Super Size Me played a big part in changing this opinion and has opened my mind to the world of documentary film-making. The Cove is this year’s Oscar winner and provides an insight into some fishy goings on in a sleepy town in Japan …
Put it down to time constraints, laziness or the notion of shaking things up a bit, this post is more of a quick look at a few of the films I’ve watched in the last week or so, so lets crack on then …
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) IMDB
Directed by: Shane Black
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan
Not the story of a crazy one night stand as the title may suggest, this is a comedy thriller by none other than Shane Black (he’s the guy that created the Lethal Weapon series). Not content with writing great characters, this also happens to be his directorial debut.
The Ultimate Cut: Watchmen (2009) IMDB
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Starring: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley
I was never really into comics as a kid, the occasional Beano was about my limit! Always curious about some of the darker, adult themed graphic novels, I decided to pick up Watchmen a few years ago. I was not disappointed …
