http://reelgamers.com/games/lo.html http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Jitbit RSS Feed Creator Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:07:18 -0400 Last year’s “Superbad” set a new standard for raunchy, teen-centered flicks, building upon the years of John Hughes memories and injecting a debauched humor and a perverted moral somewhere amidst all the oral sex gags. What pushed the film beyond its intended demographic of older teens and college kids were the smart script and the mostly genuine performances by its (then) unknown cast. While lead stars Michael Cera and Jonah Hill have received gobs of praise for their portrayals, both continuing their comedic careers to varying degrees of success (the highest of which would be Cera’s work in the critical darling “Juno,”) some of the supporting members of Apatow’s poon-quest flick have plugged away on their careers under much less of a glowing fan base, despite having the talent and ambition to merit otherwise. http://reelgamers.com/tv/carlin.htmlFri, 11 Jul 2008 00:07:18 -0400 There's no getting around it. Love, romance, kissing, hugging, love-making, snuggling, smooching, etc.... It's part of the film world. Films that center around love like Casablanca and Gone With the Wind have always held highly respected places in film culture. What is it about love that is so inexplicably alluring? Why should we, as viewers, be interested in the romance of others? Women, for the most part, reject these questions. “Why wonder?” they might ask. Men, on the other hand, will respond only with denial of interest, rejecting such “chick flicks” as refuse of femininity. http://reelgamers.com/movies/love.htmlWed, 09 Jul 2008 23:52:27 -0400 By Bennett Whitehttp://reelgamers.com/games/gha.htmlTue, 08 Jul 2008 21:39:45 -0400 Now that the Wall-E fervor has died down a bit, you'll have time to investigate the other films at theaters. And, while preliminary reviews for Hancock aren't looking so good, and Hellboy II is more than a week away, a safe bet would certainly be Wanted. Right of the bat, it's easy to say Wanted is a better than the average summer pop-corn flick. James McEvoy (Atonement) leads the cast that includes Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie in a story of betrayal, paternal issues, and yes, curving bullets.http://reelgamers.com/movies/wanted.htmlSat, 05 Jul 2008 00:47:52 -0400 After a year and a half of waiting, Playstation Nation has finally received what they asked (or rather, begged) for. Just last night, Sony rep Eric Lempell premiered the Playstation 3’s in-game XMB system along with their answer to Xbox 360’s “achievements”, the PS3 trophy system. Jubilant PS3 owners can now listen to their favorite tracks during those marathon CoD4 sessions, message their friends without leaving Snake in the cold, connect Bluetooth headsets in-game and even enter a different game – all without quitting back to the XMB. True, 360 owners have had the privilege of using these exact features for the past two and a half years, but with an ever expanding market for Blu-Ray, a wealth of excellent titles for ’08 and Playstation Home on the way, Sony’s now burgeoning online service can now compete directly with Microsoft’s. Let’s take a look at what each has to offer. http://reelgamers.com/games/online.htmlMon, 30 Jun 2008 21:15:45 -0400 by Bennett White on 6.29.08http://reelgamers.com/games/cont.htmlSun, 29 Jun 2008 10:32:43 -0400 I’m upset. Upset that I’m not sitting in the theater watching Wall-E rove through a post apocalyptic wasteland in his Chaplain-esque manner bringing smiles to every audience member who lays their eyes upon his rusted metal core. Upset that Pixar has once again managed to make me forget about Nemo, Remy and Woody and one-up their past films with a piece that makes Kung Fu Panda, a film I thoroughly enjoyed, look near shameful in comparison. Most of all, I’m upset that I may never see a true sequel to Wall-E, as Pixar rarely follows up their creative works with a second (save for Toy Story). You will not remember Wall-E for its story or lavish visuals, but for a tiny Waste Allocation Load-Lifter • Earth Class (Wall-E) who will steal your heart within the film’s first minute.http://reelgamers.com/movies/walle.htmlSat, 28 Jun 2008 14:39:16 -0400 In a 40th anniversary celebration of George Carlin’s work, John Stewart spoke one of performance’s foundational truths, “There are two things that comedians of all stripes have in common…a belief that someone that is not as funny as they are is doing better than they are…and…a sincere love and respect for George Carlin and his work. He is a member of our Holy Trinity...” The venomous aftertaste to Stewart’s script is that, like the religious figures he was so oft to mock, our last great funny man exists now only in his remnants left in our praising hands. George Carlin lost his life to heart failure this Sunday, June 22nd, 2008, at a Santa Monica Hospital, he was seventy-one. It’s hard to believe stand-up comedy existed before him, and it’s even harder to conjure up its future after him.http://reelgamers.com/movies/hulk.htmlFri, 27 Jun 2008 22:28:08 -0400 Does anyone remember the Hulk movie that came out a few years back, starring Eric Bana and directed by Ang Lee? If you answered yes to that question, I'm also assuming that you remember how stupendously bad that movie was. You may have, like myself, sworn never to go seen another Hulk movie after that travesty. But fear not, as I did relent, and see The Incredible Hulk, starring Edward Norton, opening night, and it was like a big affirming nod from the Heavens that yes, Marvel knows what they're doing with this franchise.http://reelgamers.com/movies/hulk.htmlFri, 27 Jun 2008 22:28:07 -0400 Visual effects legend, make-up artist, and producer Stan Winston died at the age of 62. A lot of the casual movie-going population probably doesn't even recognize his name, but trying to quantify Stan Winston's effect on my childhood (and adult life) would be nigh impossible, not to mention his effect on film industry. Visual effects legend, make-up artist, and producer Stan Winston died at the age of 62. A lot of the casual movie-going population probably doesn't even recognize his name, but trying to quantify Stan Winston's effect on my childhood (and adult life) would be nigh impossible, not to mention his effect on film industry.http://reelgamers.com/movies/winston.htmlFri, 27 Jun 2008 22:28:05 -0400 I never noticed how lame kids shows have become. Now that I am spending days babysitting elementary school kids, I have the pleasure of suffering through some of the Disney Channel and Noggin’s poor excuses for quality children’s programming. I’m probably going to sound like I am a ninety-year-old grandparent saying this, but back when I was a kid television was better. So, submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, I call this story, What the F*** Happened to Kids TV?http://reelgamers.com/tv/kidstv.htmlThu, 19 Jun 2008 22:35:59 -0400 I credit Disney Film Studios with making the Hero figure so damned unappealing. With the inflexible goody-to-shoes qualities never leaving the constant straight-forward motivations of the attractive yet oh-so-charmingly flawed protagonists, viewers like myself reached out to the villains of Walt’s films for some form of variance and depth. Strange thing is, for a company priding itself on family values and cheery tunes; Disney has a wonderful love for its bad guys, often giving them the better themes, outfits, and character design. The antagonist of a Disney movie thus becomes more entertaining, and definitely more fun to imagine yourself being. While my grandparent’s and parent’s generation acted out repressed sexuality in their youth as Prince Charming looking for their Sleeping Beauties or Snow Whites, I was practicing my malignant Jafar laugh or trying to goad rollie-pollie bugs into giving me their lunch money as both Honest John and Gideon. It seems I am not alone in this respect, as forums around the net are filled with “Wich Disney Villin R U Most Lik?” threads and proudly placed “You Are Professor Ratigan” personality quiz results on a multitude of sites. It is with this shared appreciation of Disney’s sometimes melodramatic, sometimes truly frightening that Reelgamers.com counts down the Top 10 Disney Villains. These suckers have to be evil, cool, and show us the true reason why it’s so damn good to be bad. http://reelgamers.com/movies/villains.htmlWed, 18 Jun 2008 19:31:20 -0400 by Bennett White on 6.17.08http://reelgamers.com/games/mgs4vid.htmlTue, 17 Jun 2008 17:33:26 -0400 Hustle & Flow (2005) - Terrence Howard shows the world just how awesome he is in writer/director Craig Brewer's hip-hop odyssey. Howard is Djay, a philosophical pimp determined to become a rap artist during a broiling Memphis summer. Keep your eyes open for the Willy Loman motifs and the rise and fall of the American dream. Anthony Anderson is Djay's producer Key, and manages to give a a rather good performance. Howard was nominated for an Academy Award, and ThreeSix Mafia won for best original song in 2006. Even if you're not a fan of rap music or hip-hop, it'll be hard not to get caught up in Hustle & Flow.http://reelgamers.com/movies/stuff2.htmlTue, 17 Jun 2008 14:07:58 -0400 They often say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, and it’s never been more evident than the current-gen era. Countless console shooters continue to follow the Halo model while dozens of MMO developers compete to create the next World of Warcraft, often times with sub-par results. Sometimes though, the stars will align and a title will improve on its predecessor. Gears of War took the Kill/Switch aiming system and ran with it while Splinter Cell managed to recreate the intense stealth action found in the Metal Gear Series. In saying this, there is on title in particular staring Sony right in the face that could mean an immediate pay-day: Super Smash Brothers.http://reelgamers.com/games/smash.htmlMon, 16 Jun 2008 02:07:23 -0400 Rarely do I leave a theater as satisfied and smiling as I did yesterday after seeing DreamWorks' latest animated venture, Kung-Fu Panda. While not as rich or mature of a film as last year's Ratatouille, Kung-Fu Panda is a great ride, and easily one of the best movies of the season. Never too serious, but not too silly to be without the occasional emotional moment, Kung- Fu Panda offers up a big scoop of seriously funny animated pleasure. http://reelgamers.com/movies/panda.htmlSat, 14 Jun 2008 21:25:23 -0400 I’m pretty sure Adam Sandler still thinks its 1998. It would describe the majority of the jokes in his latest self-starring vehicle, “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan,” but it would also describe why the film still packs some funny before the end credits. Having a good sense to have Judd Apatow, of “Knocked Up” and “Superbad” fame, on as one of the writers was a saving grace for the film. From the beginning, Sandler’s Zohan, an Israeli soldier of near God-like proportions, dazzles with his superhuman abilities at anything requiring concentration. Within the first fifteen minutes of the film, Zohan picks bullets out from the air, simultaneously naked discos whie cooking fish and playing ping-pong, and cartwheels successfully off a multiple story building. The jokes of his ultimate manliness remain humorous, if not making it difficult to relate to his romantic misery.http://reelgamers.com/movies/zohan.htmlThu, 12 Jun 2008 22:34:51 -0400 Schindler’s List. The Godfather. Casablanca. Each of these films have solidified their standing in American culture as the most widely accepted works of art of the past century. Each film offers the most brutally realistic vision of its respective theme while at the same time delivering a lasting message to their audience. For instance, Saving Private Ryan engrossed the viewer in some of the most hellish battles of World War II while also offering a masterfully-written narrative that explores the concept of brotherhood, sacrifice and basic human instinct. These films are successful because no matter how old their viewer, they communicate their message effectively and challenge us to compare the morals and decisions of the film’s characters to our own. They have earned the right to be called, “great”.http://reelgamers.com/games/greatness.htmlWed, 11 Jun 2008 22:58:52 -0400 The Strangers is ultimately one of the summer's strangest offerings. (Pun intended.) A horror, suspense thriller released amidst the likes of Iron Man, Narnia, and Kung-Fu Panda is certainly something to be wary of. Even though the buzz about the film was good, I found it difficult to run out and see this one right away. Hence the lateness of my review. But can I be blamed? Horror in the past few years has largely consisted of Hong Kong imports, their remakes, and their sequels. That's not say there weren't a few horror films of note, but I wasn't exactly leaping for joy at the mention of a new slasher film. But here's the rub; The Strangers isn't really a slasher film. It's a cat and mouse thriller, a player and played suspense film; more Fallen than Halloween, but more Halloween than Friday the Thirteenth. All in all, it's hard to say exactly what it is.http://reelgamers.com/movies/strangers.htmlTue, 10 Jun 2008 17:55:23 -0400 This is a sample item in a feed, created by Jitbit RSS Feed Creator. NOTE: this item description should be edited.http://reelgamers.com/games/ix.htmlMon, 09 Jun 2008 10:59:36 -0400 It happens. Films fall through the cracks and are forgotten. Some of them fell through the cracks for a good reason, but others shouldn't be lost. I realize it's impossible to determine what the greater community at large has seen or has missed, but the following selections are films that no matter how much I talk about them a lot of people still don't know what I'm talking about. Therefore, I present the first-ever Stuff You Might Have Missed. http://reelgamers.com/movies/stuff1.htmlSat, 07 Jun 2008 16:17:06 -0400 The Playstation Portable handheld gaming system was first released in the United States on March 24, 2005, after being released in Japan the previous December. More importantly, the PSP found its way into my hands on December 25, 2007, in its second form, the PSP Slim/Lite. I quickly invested days into the internet, scouring for the greatest homebrew software that would enhance my portable system without corrupting and reducing it to its useless “brick” form. Half a year later, my PSP now acts as my GPS, a tutor in three different languages (French, Italian, German), a soon-to-be cell phone replacement (the wonders of Skype are highly underrated), and a digital photo album; not to mention a port of PC’s SCUMMVM, allowing me to relive all my Monkey Island fan service memories.http://reelgamers.com/games/psp.htmlFri, 06 Jun 2008 14:33:14 -0400 We’ve seen it before and we’ll undoubtedly see it again: the gaming community gets so wrapped up in a particular title in the months prior to its release that reviewers feel obligated to score the game generously. As a result, gamers are forced to sift through dozens of titles deemed “must-haves” by popular magazines and websites only to be let down a few hours into play. Reviewers are not entirely to blame though, as many developers pour millions of dollars into immense advertising campaigns, touting even the most obviously flawed games as classics. These ten titles, though esteemed by many, are irrefutably the most glorified of the past ten years, and can guarantee you’ve played at least half of them.http://reelgamers.com/games/over.htmlThu, 05 Jun 2008 15:14:20 -0400 Every once in a while, gamers feel the overwhelming need to paint a town red. Driving around in a fictional town in a superfast fictional vehicle, assassinating dozens of fictional characters to progress through a series of fictional events; if you're not looking to be put away for fifty years, it's the best alternative route available today. Grand Theft Auto, since its rise to glory on the Playstation 2, has always beena series that is played by nearly all hardcore gamers. Thankfully, not much changes between each iteration on a regular basis. However the latest title from Rockstar has thrown a monkey wrench into the mix.http://reelgamers.com/games/gtarev.htmlThu, 05 Jun 2008 01:18:42 -0400 The Super Nintendo was the first console in which role-playing games truly came to the light. Square, Enix, and Nintendo released hit after hit and gamers began to realize both the appeal, and potential, of the genre. SNES RPG's were no longer simply endless, tedious battles as many NES titles were (think Dragon Warrior I); they introduced compelling stories and magic, and characters you actually cared about. Secret of Mana was released in 1993 before Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI, but after Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Due to its unfortunate timing, it became lost in the shuffle despite being created by a quality team at Square. It featured the action elements of Zelda and incorporated more traditional RPG elements such as item and equipment management and magic using. It took the genre even further with a team dynamic and an incredible amount of variety.http://reelgamers.com/games/som.htmlWed, 04 Jun 2008 01:25:30 -0400 On DVD and Blu-Ray this week is the latest installment in the Rambo series. Stallone, as you probably know, is back as John Rambo, now even more world weary but unable to escape his convictions. This time out Stallone also writes and directs. There's not a ton of plot to speak of. Rambo, living reclusively in Thailand, reluctantly decides to help some missionaries into a civil war-torn Burma. (“You taking weapons?” Stallone grumbles. “No.” “Then you ain't changing nothing.”) The ever stoic Rambo rapidly builds a connection with the young woman accompanying the missionaries, and carries them safely into Burma. Expectedly, things in Burma near the missionaries go horribly wrong, and the group is captured shortly after arriving. Rambo, approached by a member of the church, joins up with a group of mercenaries hired to bring the missionaries back. http://reelgamers.com/movies/rambo.htmlTue, 03 Jun 2008 00:23:24 -0400 In fall of 2008, two of the industry’s premier shooters will face off in Resistance 2 (PS3) and Gears of War 2 (360). Resistance, a PS3 launch title, found its way into gamers’ homes and hearts following a stream of positive reviews from the gaming media. Though it sorely lacked the polish of Gears of War in terms of its visuals, it more than made up for its blemishes with a terrific story, solid gameplay and an excellent multiplayer component. Gears of War, a title that did not see the light of day until over a year after the Xbox 360 was released, featured a brilliant singleplayer campaign with unsurpassed visuals and seriously addictive gunplay. Since their releases, Insomniac and Epic have had more than ample time to optimize each title’s engines in order to get the most out of their respective consoles. The gaming public is not only looking for these developers to deliver memorable second chapters, but also to create momentum before the crucial 2008 holiday season. http://reelgamers.com/games/showdown1.htmlSun, 01 Jun 2008 16:21:05 -0400 Over the past two years, Microsoft and Sony have engaged in the most brutal product conflict in recent memory. VHS versus Betamax. DVD versus LaserDisc. These petty feuds cannot hold a candle to the gruesome nature of modern-day console warfare. It’s the kind of battle that makes Ali vs. Frazier look like two chubbigans fighting over the last Twizzler, and it shows no sign of slowing in the near future. Though Microsoft Public Relations Head Shane Kim has issued a fair amount of criticism at the Playstation 3 over the past week, Sony continues to emphasize their infamous 10 Year Plan and superior hardware edge without rest. The truth is, while these industry behemoths throw hollow jabs, Nintendo has taken stride with the Wii and stands alone in their pursuit for worldwide market share. http://reelgamers.com/games/merge.htmlSat, 31 May 2008 12:35:57 -0400 http://reelgamers.com/games/mk.htmlFri, 30 May 2008 18:37:18 -0400 The difficulty in writing a review of this magnitude is the constant struggle to remain objective when in your heart you know the game truly remarkable. There is so much good to be said about MGS4 and so very little negative that its one-sidedness might seem a bit unfounded to the reader; I assure you I will do my best in giving as balanced a perspective as I can without giving away too much information. The game undoubtedly captivates from the moment you place the disc into the Playstation 3 and does not let up for its thirty hour duration.http://reelgamers.com/games/mgs4.htmlFri, 30 May 2008 01:16:17 -0400 I have devoted a significant chunk of my adolescent and now adult life in the pursuit of filmmaking knowledge, going so as co-founding an award winning Film Company on my University campus in order to offer hands on experience to my members as I continue to experiment and incorporate my ideas into the movie making practice. For a much longer time, however, I have watching films; or, more appropriately, critiquing them afterwards. I would eviscerate the creative duds and idolize the cinematic gems that found their way to my view. The central idea to critiquing a film, and my most favorite part of reacting to cinema, is recognizing the faults of the film and how the film could be made better if its elements were changed.http://reelgamers.com/movies/sh.htmlThu, 29 May 2008 01:15:35 -0400 Thankfully, my bitter disappointment with Spider-man 3 a little more than a year ago allowed me to keep my expectations reasonable for any upcoming major titles like Indy IV. Don't read too much into that statement, though, because as the credits rolled at the end of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull I found myself unbelievably conflicted. I didn't go into the theater with unreasonable expectations, but I expected something, and something is what I got. And, as bothered as I was by the opening and the climax, I knew that I had more than enjoyed an overwhelming portion of the film. Even as I write, however, I struggle to pass a final judgment.http://reelgamers.com/movies/indy.htmlTue, 27 May 2008 14:02:25 -0400 Even if you did not make yourself suffer through Fox’s two hour finale of American Idol a few nights ago (I tried but a half an hour in I got bored) then chances are you heard all the talk shows gabbing about how the lesser David won or you read the barrage of articles clogging up the internet about the supposed “grand” finale. I always knew American Idol was a big deal and even though in seasons past the most I watched of Idol was just about the last ten minutes or so before House came on, I would still tune in to the end of the finales just to check out who’s crappy pop single I would have to suffer through on the radio for the next few weeks. But this year seemed different.http://reelgamers.com/tv/ai.htmlSat, 24 May 2008 18:05:22 -0400 Bella, written and directed by Alejandro Gomez Monteverde came out recently on DVD. It stars Eduardo Verástegui and Tammy Blanchard, as two friends who share a day together that changes their lives in unexpected ways. Eduardo Verástegui is Jose, a soccer player who was about to go pro and gets involved in a terrible accident. After the accident, he goes to work for his brother as a chef. Blanchard plays Nina, who works as a waitress in Jose's brother's restaurant. The two skip work together, and spend the day walking and talking in New York and the surrounding area. The film is told largely in a kind of real time fashion, akin to more famous examples such as Dazed and Confused and Slacker.http://reelgamers.com/movies/bella.htmlFri, 23 May 2008 17:27:03 -0400 As dumb, pointless, meritless, and inane as Book of Secrets is, I find myself incapable of hating it. Sure, the movie is riddled with errors, but something about Nick Cage telling us that he left his girlfriend because “She started saying 'so,' a lot,” is somehow enough to keep me from hurling the DVD out my open window. I don't suggest picking this one up, but I cannot wholeheartedly tell you there is nothing in it to enjoy.http://reelgamers.com/movies/nt2.htmlFri, 23 May 2008 17:26:27 -0400 In keeping with tradition of the United States’ second most gambled-upon sporting event, horse racing’s Triple Crown, it’s time for gamers to put their money where their mouths are and predict their choice for Game of the Year 2008. While we’ve already seen a wealth of great titles, gaming’s biggest season has not yet even descended upon us; with it will come a flood of excellent titles ranging from RPG's including Fable 2 to FPS's like Resistance 2 and everything in-between. Here are the choices that have ReelGamers’ engines revved for 2008.http://reelgamers.com/games/goty.htmlFri, 23 May 2008 01:51:27 -0400 When the Boston Celtics landed not only former UCONN three-pointer god Ray Allen but Timberwolves beastly Kevin Garnett too, everything seemed in place for a championship run. Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics had been struggling to finish with a record over 500, let alone a postseason birth. Up until this year, the Celtics had practically been a joke in an already weak Eastern Conference. So Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen landed in Beantown, and the “Boston Three-Party” jumped out to a great start and flat out dominated the league. 66 wins later, the Celtics found themselves with the best record in the NBA and home court advantage throughout the playoffs. Not bad considering they went 28 and 54 in the 2006/2007 season.http://reelgamers.com/tv/celtics.htmlThu, 22 May 2008 17:27:14 -0400 “House,” if anything, can be called a reliable show; one of the few programs whose formulaic plots strengthen, rather than detract from its charm. It is known for its consistent story arch of “curious symptoms turn deadly/confusing, leading up to the final moments of patient’s life, insert dramatic moments, cue an epiphany shot in time to cure the illness-of-the-week.” More attractive on a weekly scale is the witty banter of inter-character dialogue, specifically the titular performance of Hugh Laurie, with supporters Lisa Edelstein as House’s supervisor and Robert Sean Leonard as the Watson to House’s Sherlock Holmes. The script has been a quotable standard in television, and it is refreshing to see that it has yet to lose its edge.http://reelgamers.com/tv/house.htmlThu, 22 May 2008 17:26:37 -0400 As great as summer is, it usually means that after May finales there is a whole three months ahead of us with nothing good to watch on TV. Networks do their best to fill their prime time slots with an excessive amount of horrible reality programming that we all end up watching (even though no one wants to admit it) because we are tricked into thinking all the sitcoms and TV dramas are on hiatus. However, we are in luck, for the most part, because there are a few shows on the summer schedule that have nothing to do with a bachelorette auditioning men to marry them and celebrities learning how to do circus tricks. I promise this article will not even mention one reality show, so here we go...http://reelgamers.com/tv/summer.htmlWed, 21 May 2008 21:45:55 -0400 In the past two years, gamers who have doled out the cash for a shiny new Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 or Xbox 360 have enjoyed a wealth of great titles. Games such as Bioshock, Call of Duty 4, Super Mario Galaxy and Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune have reassured owners that their purchases were not vein, and that the potential for memorable videogame experiences would be ever-present in this generation. However, developers continue to promise titles that will astound in the months (even years) leading up to its release, but end up coming horrendously short. The games on this list, though many still popular with a small contingent, have earned the ire of many throughout the gaming community.http://reelgamers.com/games/dis.htmlWed, 21 May 2008 15:59:44 -0400 http://reelgamers.com/games/show.htmlTue, 20 May 2008 09:12:47 -0400 Lost Odyssey, the second game developed for the Xbox 360 by Mistwalker Corporation, is an RPG in the same vein as Final Fantasy. This isn't surprising, as Mistwalker's founder, Hironobu Sakaguchi, is the father of the famed series. Blue Dragon, the first game developed by Mistwalker, received mixed reactions due to the childish nature of its story, the simple turn-based combat, and odd animation choices. Following its disappointing release, many eager RPG fans hoped Mistwalker could buckle down and redeem itself with the release of Lost Odyssey for the Xbox 360. Fortunately, Sakaguchi seems to have stepped up in nearly all regards. Lost Odyssey is a polished, impressive video game containing a deep story, notable graphics (LO is the first RPG to use the Unreal Engine 3.0), an enjoyable combat system and a compelling cast of characters.http://reelgamers.com/games/lo.htmlMon, 19 May 2008 19:33:39 -0400 This movie is difficult to review, mostly because of the circumstances that I saw it in. On a whole, I cannot recommend it. While the visuals are quite stunning, the over-drawn running time and poor story structure is enough to make anyone cry out in pain. The problems with this film are numerous, but this is a shame, because it is easy to see how the film could have been made much stronger. I saw Speed Racer with two friends in an empty theater on Thursday, so we were free to shout at the screen and make jokes about what we saw. I don't think the experience would have been nearly that fun without these circumstances. That is to say, Speed Racer is not a good film, but I had a good time watching it.http://reelgamers.com/movies/racer.htmlSun, 18 May 2008 18:54:16 -0400 Now that we are about one-fourth of the way through this year’s baseball season, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at what teams have been off to surprisingly good starts. If you had predicted three months ago that some of these teams would be atop their division come May, the most knowledgeable baseball fans probably would have laughed in your face. Nevertheless, here we are. These five teams have been strong out of the gates, and are my choices for biggest surprises of the season thus far.http://reelgamers.com/tv/mlb.htmlSat, 17 May 2008 15:12:02 -0400