Category: Review

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Film Review

Film Review: Terminator Salvation

Terminator Salvation Logo
Terminator Salvation Logo

I was fairly law abiding growing up so the first 15 rated film I saw in the cinema was Terminator 2. That was 18 years ago now and there have only been two terminator films since then. Terminator 3 didn’t really make the grade although it wasn’t awful.

I was much more optimistic about this latest installment given its casting of Christian Bale as John Connor. I’ve been a fan of his for quite some time. Remembering his performances in American Psycho, The Machinist amd the 2 latest Batman movies.
What I hadn’t realised before I went was that it was directed by McG who I principally know as the director of the Charlies Angels films.

My overall impression was that it was a very loud film.  Lots of the sound effects were similar to those in the first Transformers film and it was a constant aural assault.  What I hadn’t expected was the number of  “Jump” moments, where I got frights.  There were wuite a few scenes wehre something unexpected happened and I jumped – not something i usually enjoy but it worked here.

I think it’s a film worth seeing.  Not as good as 2 but better than 3.

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Review

Something New is Coming

G1
G1

Well technically it arrived last week.  My phone contract came to an end and I called up to see what my options are.  I’ve had a qwerty keyboard on my past 2 phones and really like it so I’ve plumped for a T-Mobile G1.  I’m not sure what I think of it so far.  I’m enjoying geting used to it but I feel that it’s still in “beta” – not quite finished. Anyway, we’ll see what happens

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App Review

App Review: Kingdoms Live

Kingdoms Live Logo
Kingdoms Live Logo

Kingdoms Live was one of the first games I downloaded from the App store and it’s one that I still play a couple of times a day.

It’s an MMORPG which follows a medieval theme. You choose your character type and their strengths then work to build them up using quests, battles and upgrades.

The first game of this type which I saw was the Facebook game “MobWars”  which I played for a few weeks before getting bored of it.

Mobwars on Facebook had 2 major problems:

  1. You could only add actual Facebook friends as “army” members, so recruitment was slow
  2. The barriers in certain parts of the game were ridiculous (having to upgrade 100 levels to acquire new property types)
Level Up
Level Up

Neither of these problems exist in Kingdoms Live.  You can easily add people and there’s no downside or privacy issue.  You can easily trawl other peoples comments looking for “friend codes” and grow your army to the necessary size.

The only problem I have with Kingdoms live is that it can only be played online – perfect if you have an iPhone, not so great if you’re reliant on WiFi, as I am.

It’s a familiar concept, and one that’s been duplicated by the company themselves several times, with rockstars, vampires and space traders all getting the same treatment.  Personally I couldn’t play more than one of these games but I like this one and I’ll be sticking with it (My army code is 4VRSU).

  • Price: Free
  • Rating: 8 shields
Categories
App Review

App Review: AirportMania

Airport Mania Screenshot
Airport Mania Screenshot

My name’s Brian and I’m an addict.  I can’t seem to stop playing Airport Mania. It’s a fairly simple game concept but it’s beautifully executed and highly addictive.

You are the controller of an airport and you have to land planes, disembark passengers, repair and refuel aircraft and send them on their way again.

You guide the aircraft around by touching their destinations in order.  In that way it’s possible to set up a series of movements, waypoints if you like. IT sounds very simple, and it is, but there’s a definite art to it and the scoring system encourages you to reach for airport handling perfection.

You can upgrade the airport, adding runways, gates and other facilities.  This makes life easier but every 6 levels or so  you move airports, which means starting from scratch, or close to it.

There are around 50 levels to play, and there is the challenge of re-playing difficult levels to aim for the “supreme score”. I’m on my second play through, trying to work win all of the trophies and awards, and trying to complete every level with the highest score level.

The graphics and sounds are perfect and make the gameplay so much more entertaining.

I bought  AirportMania on a whim, and I’m glad I did.  I hadn’t realised that there was a lite version which you can get to try it out.  This has fewer levels but will give a good taste of what is in the full version.

  • Price: 59p
  • Rating: 9/10 Shields
Categories
Film Review

Film Review: Star Trek (2009)

 

Star Trek Logo
Star Trek Logo

Last night I saw the latest Star Trek and I’d heartily recommend it.  

This new film is a fresh origin story for the original Star Trek series.  Kirk, Spock, Sulu, Uhuru, Chekov, even Captain Pike are all there, enough to keep fans going but not enough to put off anybody not in the know.

I’ve been a fan of JJ Abrams ever since I got into Alias (by the way, what is it with him and Big Red Balls Of Goo™)  and I enjoyed Lost until I lost track of it midway through season  2.  I haven’t seen Cloverfield but hadn’t heard good things about it so I wasn’t sure how this latest film would work out. 

I’m not easily impressed by big movies and  I’ve seen my fair share of stinkers (Superman Returns anyone?) but this one won me over.  I’m not really familiar with any of the cast, and maybe that helped. 

The cast is very strong, sticking to the important parts of the original crewmembers.  As a scotsman I have to say that Simon Pegg‘s Scottish accent didn’t grate as I was worried it might, and his scenes got good laughs in his local multiplex

The film even manages to make Kirk look cool.  He may have been one of the most action orientated captains of the Star Trek universe but I was never that impressed by him. 

The script is generally very strong and there is great scope for follow ons.  The film has a very clever conceit to get around fitting in with past Star Trek canon while still having all that rich background to draw on.

Shield Rating: 8/10