Movie time

Just watched the movie The Shawshank Redemption again. I love that movie. It makes me happy and sad at the same time. To any who haven't seen it, watch it. Watch it NOW!

Favourite quote: "Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."

Games!

Well the new year is almost upon us. I sometimes wonder where the time has gone.

Moving on, and having nothing to do with my opening line, I have decided to compile a list of my favourite games from the past year. There will be five in total and there is no particular order.

First up Journey

Second Spec Ops: The Line

Third Mass Effect 3

Fourth Dear Esther

Fifth and finally Far Cry 3

Out of all of these games, Spec Ops is the one that surprised me the most and had me talking about it long after I have finished it. I highly recommend all of them though.

Laters, and a happy new year!

Rocket Man

For some reason I feel the need to share this.



Enjoy,

Words...

Part of me wants to joke. I can't help it, it is a defense mechanism. However, in light of recent events, I will not.

I will, however, share a quote generally attributed to Edmund Burke.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

I will also share a poem (or part of a poem) that I have always liked. Not too sure who wrote it though.

Justice, like lightning, ever should appear to few men's ruin, but to all men's fear.

And for now, I take my leave.

Ring-Wraith!?

Once again, I'm not too sure exactly what this says about me...


Ring-wraith
Take this quiz

Christmas time... the sequel.

If you'll recall I recently commented that I had stuff to say about Christmas. Well now is the time that I share with you.

I am not a fan of Christmas. I used to love it when I was younger, but I've gotten somewhat cynical in my old age. When I think of Christmas these days all I can think of is greed and entitlement. Greedy people (and stores) thinking that they are entitled to something. Admittedly some of this comes from the fact that I work retail, but it seems that no matter where I go I find something that reminds me of the greed and entitlement.

On a completely unrelated note does anyone else think that Frosty the Snowman is based on a drug induced hallucination? Seriously I think that "Magic" is street slang for a new designer drug. The drug was hidden in the hat that the kids got their hands on. All it took was one of them "seeing" the snowman come to life and then the rest of them saw it. Truly the traffic cop was not telling the snowman to stop, but rather telling a bunch of drug addled kids to stop.

Just think about that, and remember you heard it here first.

Poetry in motion

Greetings all. I really have nothing to say today so I will simply share the poem Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: `Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed. And on the pedestal these words appear -- "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.'

And to all a good night.

Cats...

I know little of them. Which is fine as I don't like them very much.

I scored 50%, with 5 of 10 correct on The Escapist's Schrödinger's Quiz.
Take this quiz

Christmas time...

And the holidays are upon us once again... I have been working more hours and have had other things going on. This is why I haven't updated in a while.

Anyhoo, if this is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year why are so many of the songs depressing. I swear, it's like He Stopped Loving Her Today: Christmas Edition

I actually have more to say regarding Christmas, but I will save it for later. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and survived black Friday.

Laters,

Monkey!!

I finally have the answer to what my evil pet would/should be.

Finally putting that monkey in the closet to good use!

Take this quiz

It's called character building.

Recently Microsoft released a series of web videos to tie into the release of Halo 4. The series, consisting of five 15 to 20 minute videos, is called Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn. Personally I enjoyed it. However, I have noticed that people are decrying the series as being too slow. Yes the first three episodes are slow, but it is a slow build to something greater in the last two episodes.

As the title of this post implies, they spent those first three episodes building up the characters. After all how and why are we supposed to care about these characters if they just throw us into the action?

Several of the people claiming that it is too slow claim that, as a video game spin off, it doesn't need that much character building. I disagree. In an actual video game we play as the character and therefore character building can be accomplished through gameplay. In a video/movie we are merely passive observers.

Here is the trailer for it in case anyone is interested.

All in all I recommend it. It is paced well and if it being slow bothers you just remind yourself that it ends with a bang.

It's Monday quiz time!

So it seems that I know my Halo.

I scored 100%, with 10 of 10 correct on The Escapist's Think You Know Halo?.
Take this quiz

Apparently there is no picture to go along with this one...

This is just... Profane

Profanity. How is it so popular? More importantly why? My friends know that I have to be quite annoyed or frustrated before I will resort to profanity. I have even started giving a friend and co-worker a hard time for his use of profanity, specifically in the work place.

Maybe I'm just square, but I do not understand it. Why is it so cool? Maybe it is the social stigma behind it. But isn't that almost completely gone? Do the 13 year old people on Xbox Live think it makes them, dare I say it, edgy? But it isn't just the kids. As I said a friend drops the F-bomb at the drop of a hat. Actually probably more often than that. That word pervades almost all aspects of his speech. When I point that out/confront him about it all I get in return is whatever.

Personally I think the use of profanity makes people less mature than many seem to think it makes them. That is to say... the more you use profanity, the more immature I think it makes you. Just the other night I was telling my friend that rather than swearing, grab a thesaurus and learn something new. At least give the illusion that you're intelligent.

Most of my favorite authors are the ones who either do not use profanity, or use it sparingly to help underscore the gravity of the scene. Perhaps it has to do with the way I was raised... perhaps not though. I guess I'm asking people to stop giving me more reason to think you immature. Is that too much to ask?!

There goes my hero.

The newest quiz found on the escapist. I get to be a hero.

Here you come to save the day!

Take this quiz

On a side note, I really wish there was some way to tell your TV that you have already decided who you will vote for. Once you've done this, even if you have to lie, you will no longer have to suffer through all of the campaign commercials. Who's with me on this?

The Line in the sand.

I like video games. Anyone who knows me or reads the Crane regularly will know this. Some games are amazing visual or story driven pieces and are great to play. Journey comes to mind. Others, however, fit the bill in the visual and story departments but aren't fun. At least not in the conventional sense. Spec Ops: The Line falls into this category.

Don't get me wrong Spec Ops is a great game, but it does its level best to truly make war horrible. And, despite what Call of Duty & Battlefield may have you believe, war is no game. It is a terrible thing full of harsh realities and even worse choices.

This is where I get a little spoiler-y. At a certain point in the game you are given no other option but to use white phosphorous mortar fire on your "enemies". Yes, that is in quotes for a reason. Afterwards, as you walk through the battlefield, the game forces you to see what your handiwork has wrought. Yes... forces. You cannot run or sprint across the battlefield. You... must... walk. Following that there is a cut-scene, rather graphic I might add, showing more of your victims.

After a fashion I shouldn't be surprised. The game is loosely based on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. This may be recognizable as it is the same work the film Apocalypse Now is based.

Overall I enjoy the game and feel that its story has merit. Perhaps all the more merit because of the other war games that are populated with epic set pieces. All the while forgetting the true horrors of war. If you enjoy shooters (TPS or FPS), and want a mature story then you owe it to yourself to try this game. Read Heart of Darkness too while you're at it.

NOTE: If you are at all squeamish DO NOT Google images of white phosphorous... it won't end well for you.

Not as left handed as you would think.

As promised I am here to present my "review" of the movie Sinister. I will preface this with the statement that I generally don't go for horror movies.
I enjoyed it, but feel that it loses something at the end. To explain, the writers created a mythology just for this film and they work with it to build tension. However, as the movie comes to its conclusion they drop the tension in favor of a few jump scares. That isn't to say that jump scares are bad, but it seemed to break the flow of things.
The story works well; a true crime writer who hasn't had a hit in ten years or so moves his family into a house where a family was murdered. While there he starts hearing and experiencing strange things. The deeper he delves into the mystery, and learning about other murders across the US, the more strangeness he experiences. His son begins having night terrors again and things start to become (more) strained with his wife. We, along with the main character, find out about a pagan deity that seems to be linked with the murders in some capacity. About this time things begin to speed up and things begin happening. We see visions that, apparently the main cannot see, and get a little more insight into what is happening.
And this is where the jump scares really kick in. In actuality there are only a few of them but, as I said, they serve to diminish the tension already built. The ending is sorta, okay quite, twisted.
All things being equal I do recommend it, but just remember the ending of the movie takes something away from the journey (not much though).

And Nick, there is no possession anywhere in the movie. So it is safe for you...

Finally to explain the title of this post grab a dictionary and look up the word sinister. You'll get it then.

This post is... Sinister

Allright, so I have been away for a few days... Largely because I have nothing to post (yet). However, I am going to see Sinister this afternoon and will have something to say about it afterwards (I always do). In case you're wondering what Sinister is, here is the trailer;

Otherwise things have been kinda quiet around here. I did start reading the book Service: A Navy SEAL at War by Marcus Luttrell recently. I am greatly enjoying it, and have a greater appreciation for the men and women of the Armed Forces.
And that is it for now. My (semi)review of Sinister will be up before the weekend is over.
Thanks all,

Cool story bro.

Okay the other day I went to a friends house to just hang out with her and her son. On the way over I swung by the Colonel for some chicken. While she was digging through the bucket I made the statement "I can't tell a breast from a thigh." She started laughing at me. It took me a few moments to figure out why.

And now I have shared this tale with the whole of the internets.

What's in a name?

So I have been thinking of names recently. No I'm not pregnant. Anyhoo, I have always wanted to name my son, assuming I ever have one, Spartacus. Spartacus Brown just has an awesome ring to it. But at the same time I can't help but remember a name idea that someone I used to go to church with had. His idea was to name a son William Joseph James Robert. A mouthful yes, but it is the only logical way to have a name that can be shortened to Billy Joe Jim Bob.

And so for now I leave you with that.
David

Perhaps it should be Dead and Alive

I recently commented on the impending release of the video game Dead or Alive 5. Well it came out on the 25th of September and, as I said I would, I picked it up. The reviewers would have you believe that it is the epitome of mediocrity. And it sort of is. The fighting mechanics aren't bad, but the character designs... well...
Jim Sterling said it best in this weeks Jimquisition (warning NSFW).

The best concept I can come up with is that they stuffed a bra with jello and had someone wear it while doing the motion capture.
I'll just let that sink in for a moment (remember once you see it, it can't be unseen).

The characters seem lifeless (except for their jello bewbs). And the story is beyond pointless. Two people meet, one of them is wearing shorts. This is enough justification for them fighting.
Overall I do enjoy the game. But it is enjoyable because of how absurd it is. If you like fighting games I recommend picking it up.

Bye,