Tag: Reviews

Categories
Music Reviews

Keith Jarrett’s No End Review

To those with unadventurous ears, Keith Jarrett’s No End (CD, digital) might seem like apt title for this new (though not newly-recorded) album. Driven by Santana-esque guitars and rhythms, and employing rather loose structures, the tracks on this instrumental collection harkens back to the work Jarrett did with Miles Davis on such epic jazz-rock fusion albums as 1971’s A Tribute To Jack Johnson, 1970’s Miles Davis At Fillmore: Live At The Fillmore East, and 1971’s Live-Evil. But for those of us who appreciate loosely-structured, atmospheric instrumental soundscapes, calling this No End couldn’t be a less appropriate.

Continue reading “Keith Jarrett’s No End Review”
Categories
PlayStation 3 Reviews Video Games

Ratchet And Clank: Into The Nexus Review

 

With Ratchet And Clank: Into The Nexus — which Sony is releasing for the PlayStation 3 both on disc and through the PSN store — Insomniac Games bring to a close to the Future set of Ratchet And Clank games. But while this hopefully isn’t the last we’ll see of Mssrs. Ratchet y Clank, at least this chapter of the series is going out with a bang.

Continue reading “Ratchet And Clank: Into The Nexus Review”
Categories
Books Movies Reviews

J.W. Rinzler’s The Making Of Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi Review

 

In J.W. Rinzler’s The Making Of Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi (hardcover, Kindle), we learn, in great detail, how the titular sci-fi movie was made, complete with behind-the-scenes photos, numerous new interviews, original concept drawings, script pages, and other bits of movie minutiae. But if you think this makes the book just for film students or people who have to know every single trivial detail about this film, you couldn’t be more wrong.

Continue reading “J.W. Rinzler’s The Making Of Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi Review”
Categories
PC PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 Reviews Video Games Xbox 360 Xbox One

EXCLUSIVE GAME REVIEW: Battlefield 4

As the saying goes, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Clearly, it’s one that, DICE, the makers of the Battlefield games, have taken to heart because after failing repeatedly to make a single-player mode that’s as compelling as their online multiplayer ones, they’ve finally pulled it off with Battlefield 4.

Oh, and the multiplayer is still good, too.

Continue reading “EXCLUSIVE GAME REVIEW: Battlefield 4”
Categories
Comics PC PlayStation 3 Reviews Video Games WiiU Xbox 360

EXCLUSIVE GAME REVIEW: Batman: Arkham Origins

In Batman: Arkham Origins, the role of The Dark Knight is played by actor Roger Craig Smith, who previously voiced Ezio in Assassin’s Creed II, Brotherhood, and Revelations. But while Smith’s take on The Caped Crusader is largely cribbed from Kevin Conroy, who masterfully voiced Batman in 2009’s Batman: Arkham Asylum and 2011’s Batman: Arkham City (with a little Christian Bale thrown in for good measure), at the very least, Smith’s imitation of Conroy’s Batman is still pretty spot on.

Continue reading “EXCLUSIVE GAME REVIEW: Batman: Arkham Origins”
Categories
3DS Movies Reviews Video Games

“Star Wars Pinball” for the 3DS Review

 

As someone who loves Star Wars, pinball, and video games, but is not a big fan of playing games on systems with tiny screens, the idea of playing Star Wars Pinball for the 3DS is…well, let’s just say even C-3PO could feel the conflict within me. And he can’t feel anything.

But while Star Wars Pinball for the 3DS has its issues — most of which, admittedly, have more to do with the 3DS than the game itself — it’s still fairly addictive.

Continue reading ““Star Wars Pinball” for the 3DS Review”
Categories
Movies PC PlayStation 3 PlayStation Vita Reviews Video Games Xbox 360

“Star Wars Pinball: Balance Of The Force” Review

 

Like their previous pinball tables, Star Wars or otherwise, the ones included in Zen Studio’s new Star Wars Pinball: Balance Of The Force collection strike a great balance between realism and unrealistic expectations. Which is why, like their previous pinball tables, the ones included in Star Wars Pinball: Balance Of The Force are as addictive and fun, well, Zen’s other pinball tables, Star Wars or otherwise.

Continue reading ““Star Wars Pinball: Balance Of The Force” Review”
Categories
DVDs/Blu-rays Movies Reviews

EXCLUSIVE BLU-RAY REVIEW: Monty Python’s The Meaning Of Life Blu-ray

You’d think that the release of a Monty Python’s The Meaning Of Life Blu-ray ($14.19) would be reason enough to celebrate, especially since this is the film’s first appearance on a high-definition format. Though it was the last movie that the British comedy troupe ever made, it still has some of the funniest bits they ever committed to film. Which makes it all the more painful that Universal Home Video didn’t do a better job with it.

Continue reading “EXCLUSIVE BLU-RAY REVIEW: Monty Python’s The Meaning Of Life Blu-ray”
Categories
PlayStation 3 Reviews Video Games

Beyond: Two Souls Review

 

Beyond: Two Souls is an attempt by the French studio Quantic Dream to evolve video games beyond being just interactive versions of big dumb action movies, and into a true storytelling medium. Which is what they previously tried (and failed) to do with 2005’s Indigo Prophecy and 2010’s Heavy Rain. But while this PlayStation 3 exclusive, published by Sony, has some of the same flaws, those flaws aren’t fatal this time around, and if you’re willing to give yourself the time to get used to these shortcomings, you’ll be rewarded with a rather unique and engaging adventure.

Continue reading “Beyond: Two Souls Review”