theSCENE
Issue 21 / April 2010 / Warez-bb.org
Avatar A look into one of the most influencial movies of the decade.
The Winning Article See what your fellow member has to say.
Game Reviews Borderlands, Call of Duty, Halo 3 and more.....
Plus
Are we moving away from reading An anaylisis of Kodu Are we in a Dark New Age?
The Scene
CONTENTS ISSUE 21 | APRIL 2010
General
04. Watching the Reading 05. Dark New Age 06. A World of Words Part 5 08. Intelligence Demystified 09. Flying Thoughts 10. Encryption 11. Members with a Different Story
Movies & Music 12. 2012 Review 14. Up in the Air Review 16. Precious Review 18. Sherlock Holmes Review 20. New Moon Review 22. Avatar Review 25. Paranormal Activity Review
Tech & Games 26. A Gaming Insight 27. 2010 Game Previews 29. Forza Motorsport 3 Review 30. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Review 32. Mass Effect 2 Review 34. Halo 3 ODST Review 35. Borderlands Review 36. Kodu Technical Preview
2 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Contents
The Scene
EDITORIAL ISSUE 21 | APRIL 2010
Editor ENIGMA Co-Editor .:Nvidia:. Writers Team Leader feenzie Artists Team Leader Surferdud3 KieronDSFX Proofreaders Team Leader Daniel.Blaze Writers Team Assistant spiderman120988 Artists Team Assistant Leroy44 Labonova Proofreaders Team Assistant Yawn. Writers BlueMaxima enveyur kartnite heavy11 Dzash Seashock jackoneill123 mayiru Net-mate morgan_ Artists Herinjo Red.Panther grafreak MrTambourineMan umairhaque mitch013 Quality Assurance Team Snow.Flake Sammyy Cadavari .Spiers MX1CAN Shoadow56 Tokkie Tritoch __V___ Magazine Team Compiler Surferdud3 Cover Design Surferdud3 Editorial
Hello everybody, Welcome my fellow members to a new issue of theSCENE. First I wish to thank all the members and staff as Warez-BB has reached 1500k members. The last couple of months have been very difficult for the press team. Vital members have left but we also added new members. I admit this is a late release but better late than ever right ;) It took a while to get issue 21 done but it’s finally here. We have a lot of good articles for you (especially gaming/movies related). I would also like to remind every one that you can submit your articles to us. We are also looking for designers who know Indesign (Drop me a pm). Finally, I hope you enjoy this issue. Don’t forget to post your comments, we are always open for suggestions on how to make theSCENE better. Regards, .:Nvidia:.
WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 3
Watching the reading
Written by: Heavy11 Layout by: Surferdud3
As more and more books are made into movies, the more I wonder: “What happened to reading? Why do people prefer to go to the theatre or sit at home and watch something that was made by someone’s imagination when they can experience the full enjoyment of their own imagination by reading?” It seems that we have reached the times when reading is becoming obsolete and the only things that thrill us are video games, television shows and movies. I don’t know your opinion about it, but I am simply disgusted by what people are becoming. The intellect is dying and the only thing we still do is the same thing that we have done to bring that upon us. We just watch. When I see a commercial for a movie that is made from a book, I always remember one that made me wonder. When Lord of The Rings was in theaters, a couple of my friends and I decided to go and see it. After we watched it, one of my friends and I were somewhat disappointed. I cannot express or write down that strange feeling. It was something like feeling lied to, and like a fraud was brought upon me by the human that made that movie and later on advertised it. Why? The answer to this question is simple. We have read the Tolkien books “The Hobbit”, “The Lord of The Rings” and “The Silmarillion” and neither he nor I found the movie to be as interesting as the books were. Another thing that has disappointed me was that every creature in that movie wasn’t the same and as interesting as I have imagined them. Hobbits in this movie were more human like, clean and sociable while the Hobbits in the book by my imagination were a little more darker, filthier and their faces weren’t so human-like. The point is that when you are reading a book there is so much in it that can boost your imagination to a whole new indescribable level and at the same time it raises your intellect and language skill, no matter which genre the book is. There are hundreds of movies about wars, conspiracies, fantasy worlds, drama and love but almost every single one is made in the same way. Every movie is made just for one and only purpose. To be sold for as much as possible! Two of the same books don’t exist on this planet. There are books that are about the same subject but every one is with a different flair and style. The book is written to be read. The movie is filmed to be sold, not watched! When reading a book, you create a whole new universe with only your imagination and you create it as you and only you would like it to look like. In books lies something magical that every person can unlock and when reading discover and experience. The sound of pages when I am flipping them makes my soul calm down and feel awakened and real. Maybe you will discover something too.
4 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
General
Dark New Age T
oto and Dorothy aren’t in Kansas anymore and neither are we in the age of freedom and understanding. I came to reason that the good old times aren’t so far away after all. It was only a few years ago I was still using CD’s and scrambling for serial codes with my dial-up modem. Those were solid times, but even then the communication between people was slowly starting to fade. I remember before the human communications collapsed that there was a much more likable and more human time, age or era, call it how you like it. Those were the good times; floppy discs, the internet made just from a handful of pages, CD was the new thing then... I am sure that most of you are following me and understand every word I write up till now, but did you know that there is another “universe” parallel with this one and that it is more likable than the one you and me are/were living in? That “universe” is full of hot chicks, music concerts, booze, healthy food (I can’t believe I have written this after booze, but yes it can do you good and in the end it’s not so bad), freedom of the soul and many other things that probably 80% of you have forgotten. What I am aiming at is the fact that we are living in some zombielike environment where the phrase “Come back after midnight!” is substituted with -:”Don’t stay too late in front of that computer.” Tell me now: is that sane? I must admit it feels really good to walk your dog from time to time or ride my motorcycle and really - and I mean REALLY - notice the true life that is just waiting for you to wake up. As a kid I played outdoors all the time no matter if it was summer or winter, socializing and playing, talking or arguing with other human beings. I remember that everything then had its own life, story, past and future and everything was realistic
you have that feeling recently? When was the last time you visited your friend just to see him, talk to him and not to borrow some DVD or to play some game together? When was the last time you walked through the forest and really felt like there is something in it that is beautiful and alive? When was the last time that you picked up some soil in your hands, really looked at it and felt the life that it possesses? Try something from this but try it only if you are willing to do it, otherwise it will have no effect on you.
M
onths ago I was walking on some old road near a small forest where my childhood friends and I used to play. That’s right: childhood friends. After we all grew up, I lost contact with them pretty quickly. We were like brothers back then and now we are more like strangers. Ok, back on track; As I am walking with my head slightly bent down, I notice one small rock. It had some nice colors and a interesting shape. I picked it up, started to look at it and as I was looking on that rock, I noticed a walnut leaf. I picked up the walnut leaf as well and instantly I got a flashback. I remember the time where we threw rocks and used those leafs to cover up our bunkers. After years of blindness and illusion I felt alive once again, and the feeling was better than anything I have encountered in my life. Did
5 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Article Written By Heavy11 Designing Layout By Muhammad Umair General
A World of Words By Kartz
Layout by Herinjo
M
ost statesmen, candidates and officials no longer worry about the impression they make on the world; they are concerned about their image. They no longer attend conferences, carry on discussions, or engage in debates. Instead, they take part in dialogues. Nothing builds up or increases, it escalates. Nothing spreads like wildfire; it burgeons or better still, proliferates. Anyone in the public eye whose personality is especially attractive has charisma. Those with special skills and knowledge have expertise. And they no longer offer suggestions or draw blueprints, they lay down guidelines. Someone who assumes an enthusiastic posture about the Civil War, opera or any sport is a buff or aficionado. A new born baby, an emerging nation, a country’s economy – you name it – that seems likely to survive is viable and probably has its own mystique. These (ones in italics) are few of the words you will come across – with startling frequency – in your reading and listening. These are today’s vogue words. Such words are not merely passing fancies. Most of them are viable, because when used discriminatingly they often offer us a shortcut in communication. They are able to express in one word what might often have taken three or four words to express as forcefully. They contribute a little something that wasn’t in the word or words they replace. Let us take proliferate as an example. Instead of having to use a cliché such as “spreading like wildfire” or an awkward succession of words like “sprouting all over the place at an everincreasing pace” we use the one word proliferate and we’ve said it all. Coming to think of it, proliferate is 6 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
an interesting word. It comes from the Latin word proles, offspring, plus the root fer, to bear; and so has the idea of multiplying, spreading, and expanding. Words containing the same basic root are prolific (abundant, profuse) and proletariat. Because proles is Latin for offspring and because the poor were prolific and served the state not with their property but with their offspring, they were given the name proletarii, from which come words proletarian and proletariat. But not the word prolix, which by derivation means “pouring forth (pro) like a liquid (lix)”, and is a synonym of diffuse, long-winded and verbose.
taken over some of the duties of environment or milieu. But it says more. It adds the idea of a pervading atmosphere, an aura, a setting.
Even the word dialogue, however overused, has something in its favor. It’s more formal than a conversation, less formal than a debate and probably less boring than a conference! What’s more, it guarantees an exchange of ideas which none of the other words do!
Cachet is a lovely word that generally is used to mean the seal of approval, the status that goes with complete acceptance. If you have read Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities, you may remember the letters de cachet, letters containing the King’s seal, used by the nobility for arbitrary orders of arrest, as in the case of Dr. Manette.
From its original meaning of “embrace”, the word accolade has swung in to a modern figurative meaning of crowning praise. In this meaning this overworked word has become a vogue word, used instead of award, praise, and honor. Originally, accolade was the name of the final step in conferring knighthood. The early kings of France were etymologically correct when they placed their arms around the neck (Latin, collum) of the newly-named knights in order to kiss them. French generals and officials still keep the custom of the accolade when they kiss the cheeks of the man on whom they bestow the award. Another form of the accolade is a tap on the shoulder with a sword. Ambience (Anglicized spelling of the French word ambiance) has
Burgeon (Anglicized, once again, from bourgeon) is used as a weaker and more poetic form of proliferate. The Oxford English Dictionary notes that the noun and verb forms “seem to have died out in ordinary and even in poetic use before the 18th c., but to have survived as technical terms in gardening. In the 19th c. they have been revived in poetry.” To which we can safely add that the verb form has already begun to burgeon especially in the adjective form, burgeoning.
Détente is a one-word way of saying “relaxation of tensions”. Rapprochement is the next step towards friendlier coexistence, or accommodation. Coming through French from the Latin word scala (ladder), echelon is now used chiefly to indicate a level of rank or grade – a step of the ladder, upper or lower, as the case may be. Another word – of Greek origin – hierarchy (hiero, sacred, and archy, rule) is now used in very much the same way as echelon to indicate levels of rank.
but know-what; it characterizes one who is at once an expert and a connoisseur in the field. A difficult word to define, mystique carries its own mystery with it. It doesn’t appear in Webster’s Second and Webster’s Third takes no less than forty-one words to define one meaning of it! The word implies a complex of mysterious beliefs or skills gathered around an idea, a feeling or a person that magically form a whole – an occult cult, so to speak. Quoting from a leading article in the Show Magazine titled “The Success Mystique” – there is an aura of magic, a curious mystique – which helps to give added meaning to the word. Anyone who has read Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac will know that panache refers to the white plume on Cyrano’s hat. Moreover, it is also the French word for plume or a bunch of feathers. However, the word today carries its symbolism – the sweep and flourish that Cyrano could make with it in the face of death. And so today panache has come to mean a heroic gesture, a splendid swagger, flamboyance, brio, dash, verve. This concludes our Etymological Tour for this edition of theSCENE. We hope you had a good time reading and learning something new. We shall see more vogue words in the next issue. Feedback is always welcome. Until next time, stay safe. Have fun. New Year’s greetings from all of us! Here’s to a blessed 2010…
Expertise is often used showily when only knowledge or expertness is meant. It means expert knowledge in a special field, not only know-how General
Quick quiz: Complete the sentences with the word that best completes the sentence. You have the following ten words to choose from – accolade, ambience, burgeon/burgeoning, cachet, détente, echelon, expertise, mystique, panache, rapprochement. Answers will be published in the next issue. Western officials here are attempting to determine whether the new Soviet line is a short-term tactical maneuver or a switch in policy that contemplates a long _____ in the cold war. Can we share, and share in time, the vast reserves of our wealth and our _____ to put nearly a billion adults and adolescents and children into school? Taipei is a sad place of refuge for those intellectuals, educated Chinese, and even small shopkeepers and tradesmen who knew the _____ of Shanghai. Despite the dignity and grace of the promenade and the luxury buildings dotting portions of the Concourse, the area is quietly losing its _____, its magic. Government salaries are low even when judged by the standards that prevail in the lower _____s of private industry. I liked Milne’s gallop toward the goal line; it had style, it even had _____. The _____ student expansion and shrinking college faculty made it imperative that the colleges try new methods of solving the crisis. Grover A. Whalen leaves as a legacy the nation’s prime _____ - the ticker tape parade up Lower Broadway.
7 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
General
Intelligence Demystified Text By: Seashock
Layout By: Surferdud3
W
hat goes on in the brain when we solve a difficult puzzle? Is it true that intelligent people generally achieve more in life? And what does ’being creative’ really mean? For decades, IQ was considered to be the best measure of intelligence. But we now know that things like perseverance, self-discipline and appropriate emotional behavior are more important than IQ. These abilities are partly hereditary, but we can also learn them. Human intelligence is regarded as the highest achievement of evolution; the product of uncounted thousands of years of development, intelligence reveals itself not only in achievements such as great musical compositions or lofty cathedrals. Equally baffling are those qualities which the brain handles on its own and without any noticeable effort - for example, laughing at the punch line of a good joke. Everyone would like to be considered clever - and wish the same for their children. But intelligence is in no way predestined, meaning that there is no guarantee that the children of clever parents will turn out to be clever as well. Geneticists assume that the ratio of unchangeable genetic material to controllable environmental factors is about 30 to 70. But increasingly, the longstanding scientific dispute over nature versus nurture is starting to look like a waste of time - a little like asking whether it is the soil or the climate that is more important for the growth of a plant. There are many factors which influence in shaping the mind of a particular individual. So, an exact definition of the term “intelligence” is difficult to define. Nevertheless, a number of tests have been designed which attempt to quantify this unique human talent. Many of these tests include activities such as completing pictures, continuing numerical series, comparing figures and structures and other logically stimulating activities. The results of these various activities are in turn are used to calculate what scientists call the “Intelligence Quotient” or simply IQ. But does this one factor alone standardize the intelligence level among human beings? The answer is obviously a big no as the intelligence of a person cannot be measured by something as simple as completing a set of symbols. For example, no one can tell whether a marriage will last or not. When it comes to choosing the right partner, the correct combination of intelligence and emotion seems the best recipe. In other words, different people have different abilities and it is not possible to measure it accurately by a set of standardized tests. There are some qualities that just cannot be defined in terms of IQ. These include qualities such as endurance, self discipline, empathy, character and sensitivity. It is these qualities that play a vital role in an individual’s success in life rather than his/her intelligence levels and genetic make-up. These qualities compromise the “Emotional Intelligence” or EQ of a person. But IQ is not the counterpart of EQ. Some people are blessed with both, others have too little of each. A main feature of an individual’s EQ is the ability to access one’s own emotional life. It all revolves around the ability to understand and control one’s own behavior. Does IQ and EQ guarantee happiness? Studies show that there is no relationship between personal fulfillment and the different intelligences. What is certain is that only the interplay of all our talents, intellect and emotion are thus two sides of the same coin. So, intelligence alone does not help people get on in life. It is important for each person to develop numerous other skills, in order to be successful in life. Without feelings, there would be no perception, memory and thought. And without human emotions, not even the most sophisticated and powerful electronic brain will be capable of thinking intelligently.
8 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
General
Flying Thoughts
Cartoon by : Red Panther
Layout by: Surferdud3
9 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
General
Encryption
design by mitch013 | written by dzash
The text: My first columnar transposition. First thing you need to do is count the letters. There are 28 letters. The second thing you need to do is making a table. The table should look like this:
We all use encryption. Some people know that they are using it, others do
not. Is it sending a mail to a friend or is it a password on a compressed file? You can find it everywhere. Why do we use encryption? The answer is easy. You don’t want other people reading your private message. Did you know that hundreds of years ago, people like you used encryption? It was not as high end as it is now but it did the job. One of the first encryption methods was the Caesar Cipher, also known as the ring encryption. This low end encryption method did what it had to do hundreds years ago and it is still fun to try it out. The idea was that you make a full alphabet and change the numbering.
You can see the text is written from left to right. You need to fill in every column till the maximum (we add XX to the end just to fill it up). Now we can start encrypting. First thing to do is you need to make a five character word. Let’s take ‘warez’. Now assign a number to each character. A=1 E=2 R=3 W=4 Z=5
In a normal alphabet A=1 B=2 C=3 …But with this method you can make D (or any other letter) number 1. So if D=1 then E=2, F=3 and so on. C will be 26 at the end. The idea was that you tell your friend the code 6, so A=6 and he/ she can decrypt the message. Let’s try it out. We want to encrypt the text: Hello mate. First thing what you do is type the alphabet normal and encrypted.
Normal: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Encrypted: DEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZABC Now we will change the 2 words to encrypted words: Hello mate. Khoor pdwh. You can send this message to your friend. Khoor pdwh. If there is a man in the middle that reads the message he/she can’t know what it is. Now your mate has the encrypted message and decrypts it. All he needs to know is one number of a letter. For example, you could tell him F=3. He can now make a table to decrypt the message.This is the old school type of encrypting. Not everyone could read it and if they could, there is no way that they had a way to find out what it means. One real important thing is not to put the number of the letter in the same message; otherwise it can still be decrypted by the man in the middle. Columnar Transposition is a better way to encrypt massages. The message is written in rows of a fixed length. This encryption was used in World War 1 only it was done two times or more. So let us make a message we want to send. 10 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
You can see that the word ‘warez’ is numbered “41325”. You must now place the columns the way you numbered it. The encrypted message will be: Imfyr osctl aunmr ntars ipsot XinoX. This means nothing, but if your friend knows the codeword he can do this encryption backwards to decrypt it. What they did in World War 1 is that they encrypted it for a second time so that it became harder to decrypt the message if an enemy had it. There are many of these fun types of encryptions, but nowadays, a computer can decrypt it in a matter of seconds.There are many encryption types. You might know WPA, DES, AES, WEP and many more. WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is one of the oldest encryptions you can use on your router. This encryption type had some manufactory faults and is breakable. At the time WEP was a new encryption and it could take days to break the code. In 2005 the FBI proved that it is possible to break a WEP key in a few minutes. The world did know that it was breakable. In 2004, a better version known as WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) came. The biggest change was the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol. It changes the automatic and does this often. This way it is harder to get the code. From your router to WinRAR You might know that WinRAR can encrypt files with a password. They use an encryption type called AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). The powerful thing about AES is that everyone can see on the internet how it encrypts something. This way hackers can try to break it and become famous. The smart part about this is, if someone breaks it they can try to fix this. Some of you might know some tools that “crack” WinRAR passwords. The only thing these tools do is try to brute force the password. So it starts with a A, B, C, …AA, AB, AC and so on. A password made of 6 characters can take a few minutes but if you go real big like 16 characters you can wait the rest of your life. This was some small talk about encryption. It will become harder and harder to make better ways to encrypt your files. Will the speed of the computer outrun the speed of our mind? I think they will one day, but till then we can chat with each other without the fear people are watching you. General
Design by mitch013
|
Written by Dzash
1,500,000 members all with a different story. Every member has their own story. Some of them are known and some won’t ever come above the water. There are rich people and there are poor people but on Warez-BB we are all the same. I don’t know the story of all of these members but I can tell you my story.
Hi I’m Dzash I’ll bring you my story and my experience. Two years ago I first heard about Warez-BB. Someone told me about the site. He told me that you can find everything there. That sounds nice so I made an account and checked it out. The first thing I noticed was the text in the banner “Come as guests, stay as family.” The first real positive thing I saw was the comments in a topic. We all know the p2p virus problems. Not everyone leaves a comment and many comments are fake (you know when they say wow awesome and then it is a virus). It was real nice to see people say ‘thnx’ and tell how they experienced the product. But then something new happened, a RapidShare link. I was like okay, I’ll download it. But who could know that you need to wait 90 seconds. A film is likely to have seven links. I thought I will just open seven pages in my browser. But who am I to think that it works that way. You can download one link every 15 minutes if you are a free user. I told my friend that his site kind a sucks because of the waiting time. So I went back to the good old torrents. After a big 6-8 months, I logged in on my Warez-BB account again. But now the need was higher. I was in need of an application I could not find anywhere (without viruses). I used the search function on Warez-BB and guess what, there it was. I flashed back to the moment my friend told me Warez-BB was “For the Win”. I was back on Warez-BB, downloading from file hosts. Some friends and I had a MegaUpload account for six months. We all knew MegaUpload links can be hard to find if you are looking for something rare. But then again Warez-BB was there for me. Link conversion was solving the problem. You post some links from a file host and a brother from Warez-BB converts it for you. This was the point I realized I can’t stay a leecher forever.
with the answer. This was the moment I saw Warez-BB has always someone that can help you out. Is it a math problem, is it a problem with your pc? In no time you can get some help.. The Warez-BB administrators and moderators are the best of the best. If you find a virus, the topic you reported will be checked by a moderator if he/she approves your report, the topic will be taken down in no time. A month ago my Warez-BB account got hacked. I had no idea what to do. Someone told me where to go and my account was recovered in a few days. I see this as a real positive thing that Warez-BB notes an account as hacked and you can tell your story before your account is banned forever. The request section is also a section that is there for you. If you need an item there will always be someone that has it and wants to share it with you. Here you can request the more rare items. If you are bored you can always check out ‘Funstuff ’, where you can find funny stories, pictures, games and way more. This is the place you need to be if you want to laugh on Warez-BB. This was my story. I told you the basics of Warez-BB and my own experience. There is much more to find on Warez-BB then you can ever imagine. The story just began and might never end. It will be a long journey full of joy and fun. There will be hard times and good times. But one thing I can tell you for sure is you cannot rip a big family apart.
Proud member Warez-BB, Dzash
I started to make some points with RapidShare and before I knew it I could make a premium account. The luck was on my side this time. RapidShare came with an offer 1998 points for one premium account. I made five premium accounts and could finally give something back to Warez-BB. I gave away some accounts. This was the point I realized I want more points with RapidShare so I became more active on Warez-BB. Before I knew it I had a question about RapidShare and their MD5 ban. I asked a question about it and in no time (something like five minutes) I had a reply 11 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
General
written by: spiderman120988 layout by: grafreak
N
o one has destroyed the world more than director Roland Emmerich. First it was aliens, next it was a giant mutated lizard, and finally it was massive climate change. Now, Emmerich has brought all the stops with his latest film, “2012,” throwing everything in but the kitchen sink. Unfortunately, while the film attempts to be something more, “2012” ends up being a chore to watch due to its bloated running time, reliance on computer effects that border on excessiveness, and cardboard characters that sprout some of the stupidest dialogue I’ve ever heard in a film. Scientist Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is in India to investigate a massive solar flare from the Sun and discovers that the Earth’s core temperature is rising rapidly, leading to a cataclysmic event in the year 2012. He presents his findings to Chief of Staff Carl Anheuser (Oliver Platt) and President Thomas Wilson (Danny Glover), leading the international community to try and formulate a plan to save as many lives as possible. Meanwhile, struggling writer and limousine driver Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) is rushing to meet his ex-wife, Kate (Amanda Peet) to pick up his two kids and go on a camping trip in Yellowstone Park. He comes upon an eccentric radio host named Charlie Frost (Woody Harrelson) who tells him of the Mayan prediction about the end of the world. As Los Angeles becomes subjected to massive earthquakes and volcanic activity, Jackson rushes to save his family and survive the greatest global disaster in human history. Let me ask you a question: how long did it take to just read that plot summary? A minute or two? Then why is this movie stretched out to an unbearable 2 hours and 38 minutes?! “2012” follows every formula in the disaster playbook to the letter. We see the ominous warning signs, then all hell breaks loose and finally a nice, tidy happy ending for the survivors. The film attempt’s to be more than just the spectacle by asking several moral questions about who gets to go on the ships. Adrian 12 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
and Carl clash horns several times, with the latter favoring the people who can cough up over one billion Euros just to buy a seat. Unfortunately, all of this just gets glossed over because no one wants to see that. I commend Emmerich for trying to give his film some meaning but his attempts are futile, because he’s just not that good of a writer. The film could’ve chopped a good 40 minutes by dropping numerous subplots that have no relevance, such as Adrian’s father trapped on a cruise ship and some sort of vague conspiracy where anyone who speaks out that the ships are only to save the privileged few, are killed. Yet no one really notices all these things, because they came to see the world get destroyed and on that front, Emmerich delivers in spades. No, he delivers more; it’s like “The Day After Tomorrow” on steroids. Los Angeles is the first city to fall, but Washington D.C., the Vatican, Buenos Ares also bite the dust but they’re given very little screen-time. Yes, they’re well-done and look spectacular on the big screen but it soon grows repetitive and even downright headache inducing because the film drags on for so long. Many of the chase scenes are so over-the-top and improbable that it’s hard to take anything seriously. An example is when Jackson and his family races across the streets in his limo as massive cracks form and buildings begin to crumble. Strangely, none of the debris ever hits the limo and they escape relatively unscathed! Next, there’s the plane sequence, piloted by Kate’s new boyfriend, Gordon (Thomas McCarthy), who’s only taken a few lessons but seems to fly like a pro. Amidst all the falling buildings, they fly straight into the carnage, when the smart thing would’ve been to go toward open water or similar. They repeat this sequence later on, except buildings are now replaced by snow. Films like this often require a certain amount of suspension of disbelief, but this is just asking for too much. Emmerich has managed to gather an impressive cast but we never get to care about the characters they play. The only scene that comes close to being emotional is when Adrian has one last conversation with his father but besides that, I wouldn’t shed a Movies & Music
tear if everyone in the film got crushed by the tsunamis. Chiwetel Ejiofor as Adrian Helmsley does a decent job, particularly near the end when he convinces the remaining leaders of the world to let the people in the ships. John Cusack gives a subdued performance because he knows what kind of film he signed for. The female leads, played by Amanda Peet and Thandie Newton do absolutely nothing at all but scream and cry. Oliver Platt is particularly slimy but his character is a missed opportunity to delve deep into how selfish people can be but alas, this is an Emmerich film. Finally, there’s Woody Harrelson, fresh off of last month’s “Zombieland” and giving an over-the-top performance as the conspiracy nut. What turns out be a funny cameo turns annoying and I sighed with relief as volcano debris finally shut his annoying trap. I also find it strange that all the survivors are so happy to see the world all messed up; it’s like the deaths of 90% of the human population didn’t even matter! As expected, reviews have been negative with a 36% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics agree that it ‘provides plenty of visual thrills, but lacks a strong enough script to support its massive scope and inflated length.’ Of course, will people even care what we think? This is exactly a repeat of the same situation with “Transformers Revenge of the Fallen.” Everyone will go see these films in droves because it’s ‘mindless fun’ but that’s always a weak excuse for poor story telling. With over $200 million down the drain, what’s sad is that this film will probably make back all its money and we’ll be subjected to some lame sequel. “2012” is like eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the same time as Emmerich crams in the destruction of every major city. Most people will say they got their money’s worth, I mean, stuff gets destroyed but with its paper-thin, formulaic plot that could’ve been told in less than two hours, characters that are little more than clichés and the smothering effects, you’d wish the apocalypse really was coming so you can stop watching this bloated, unbearable flick.
Movies & Music
“It’s not just California...it’s the whole world!”
Directed by Roland Emmerich Rated PG-13 (Intense Disaster Sequences and Some Language) Running Time: 2 Hours & 38 Minutes Cast: John Cusack Jackson Curtis Amanda Peet Kate Curtis Chiwetel Ejiofor Adrian Helmsley Thandie Newton Laura Wilson Oliver Platt Chief of Staff Carl Anheuser Thomas McCarthy Gordon Silberman Danny Glover President Thomas Wilson Woody Harrelson Charlie Frost Liam James Noah Curtis Morgan Lily Lilly Curtis Zlatko Buric Yuri Karpov Beatrice Rosen Tamara John Billingsley Professor West
WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 13
Up In The Air Written by: Spiderman120988 Designed by: Surferdud3 How many people go through life alone and at the end of their lives regret that they never made any sort of connection? Probably too many and for a reviewer, I spend a lot of time alone. I go to the movies alone and I go to comic book conventions alone. Part of this is choice but I would be lying if I said I didn’t want company. In today’s troubled economic climate, you never know when The Man (or Woman) is going to give you the boot. Along comes “Up in the Air,” the third film starring George Clooney and directed by Jason Reitman, famous for 2007’s “Juno.” The film could be viewed as a romantic comedy or a sign of how disillusioned and disconnected we’ve become, but whatever it’s trying to tell us, it’s one of the best films this year and watching cutie Anna Kendrick tell off Clooney is absolutely priceless. Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) works for Integrated Strategic Management and is a ‘career transition counselor.’ Simply, he is sub contracted out to other companies to fire people because the bosses who are supposed to do it just don’t have the balls to. Bingham doesn’t have a real home and travels frequently, having no real connection to anyone. One of his goals is to rack up 10 million frequent flyer miles and join that ‘elite club.’ During one of his travels, he meets Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga), who’s like him, ‘only with a vagina.’ They immediately hit it off and begin a casual relationship, having no-strings attached sex in hotel rooms. Out of the blue, Bingham’s boss, Craig Gregory ( Jason Bateman) calls all his employees back to HQ and introduces them to recent Cornell graduate Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), who’s developed a much more efficient way of firing people through video conferencing, which saves on the company shelling out money for travel expenses. Bingham sees this as threat as he treats firing people very seriously and with dignity but secretly, he believes that he’s about to get the boot. So Bingham takes Natalie along and shows her how hard it is to fire people face-to-face but along the way faces some life-altering obstacles that challenge his personal philosophy on relationships. Nowadays, you can’t flip through a newspaper without reading So-andso Company laying off this many percent of its employees. “Up in the Air” deals with the inhumanity of corporations just firing people, often out of necessity to cut costs to hilarious effect but there’s also a sadness behind it. The film begins with this opening montage of what happens when you don’t have people like Bingham to do damage control, showing Zach Galifianakis as a disgruntled employee standing outside the company he used to work for with a sniper rifle. Hey, we may never think of the worst case scenario but it happens! Scenes where Bingham and Natalie lay off countless people are often touching because these regular folks have given the better part of their lives and dreams for ‘the company,’ only to be treated this way in
14 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Movies & Music
return. One of them even threatens to go jump off a bridge. “Up in the Air” is about all those things but it’s also about one person who’s coasted through life, thriving on the misery of others and although he feels their pain, he doesn’t FEEL their pain. Bingham doesn’t think about settling down, having a family because he finds it all pointless. After all, everyone is heading toward the same end, which is, stuck in a coffin three feet below the earth, so he has these frivolous pursuits. Racking up 10 million frequent flyer miles? What is the point? You get a nice shiny card with your name on it and a dedicated phone line from the airport company but what do you get out of it? It’s all just meaningless. Natalie is fresh out of college and ready to prove her worth, but she’s also idealistic. She has her entire life planned out and hopes to be married by 23. Bingham and her often clash horns, particularly with his life style choice where he takes no responsibility for anyone or himself. Reitman shows how corporations and technology employ cold logic to what they do, and this extends to even personal relationships. Natalie’s boyfriend breaks up with her through text message and nowadays, people are so distant that after a one-night stand, they don’t even have the decency to say good-bye; they just leave! Perhaps most important of all though, the film tells us that although jobs are important because they help pay the bills and put food on the table, all this pales in comparison when you’re going through life alone and that even IF you get fired, someone will be there to help you through it. Life is just not worth going if you’re going it alone. “Up in the Air” works so well thanks to its performances and Clooney seems born to play a person like Bingham. He’s charismatic, charming, someone you can easily get along with, but in the end, you don’t really know him. People often ask how Bingham sleeps at night doing what he does, and although he may never truly know what it feels like to be fired, he can at least try to comfort them and that’s the kind of humanity Clooney brings to the table. Vera Farmiga plays a female version of Bingham and she exhibits many of the same qualities but knows how to keep her work life and home life separate. There is excellent chemistry between her and Clooney as they trade quips and innuendo that we hope their two characters end up together but alas, this is not the case. I won’t reveal how it happens but it’ll come as a surprise considering how many people gasped at the theater. Anna Kendrick is adorable as a fresh faced corporate employee and this may sound cruel, but it was sort of cute when she began sobbing loudly in front of everyone when her boyfriend broke up with her. Most impressive is that she is never overshadowed by Clooney and her Golden Globe nomination is welldeserved though the competition is certainly tough. Word of advice: she should drop out of the “Twilight” films; they may pay the bills but it’s beneath her talent and I hope to see her in more movies that show off her acting chops. Did I mention she looks great in a business suit? Despite its dour subject, there are plenty of funny moments such as when Natalie and Alex discuss what kind of ideal mate they want, or
when Bingham uses stereotypes to pick which line to go on at the airport and finally, Kendrick singing karaoke! “Up in the Air” had a limited released since December 4, 2009 and went wide this past Wednesday. Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive with 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised the ‘charismatic performances by its three leads’ and that the film ‘delivers a smart blend of humor and emotion with just enough edge for mainstream audiences.’ It has made $16 million so far and the positive word-ofmouth has helped immensely as it was a full house when I saw the film, although I didn’t particularly enjoy the snoring 80-year old woman sitting next to me. “Up in the Air” is a surprising film that’s relevant of the troubled times we live in but it’s also about the importance of forging a connection before it’s too late. With memorable performances, this is one movie you shouldn’t afford to miss.
Final Rating: 5 out of 5
Rated R (Language and some Sexual Content) Running Time: 1 Hour & 49 Minutes Cast: George Clooney-Ryan Bingham Vera Farmiga-Alex Goran Anna Kendrick-Natalie Keener Jason Bateman-Craig Gregory Sam Elliott-Captain Maynard Finch J.K. Simmons-Bob Zach Galifianakis-Steve Amy Morton-Kara Bingham Melanie Lynskey-Julie Bingham Danny McBride-Jim Miller Directed by Jason Reitman
ces; a l p g n i d i h ime t y a d r i e h t ill m o w r , f t s h e t r r o e f h l t e whe than l r l i e t w h s r g i a r t b s y e l “ Th slight , s t h g i l e s o h and one of t passing over.” tip g n i w y m e b Movies & Music
WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 15
Directed by Lee Daniels
E
very year there’s that one film that receives almost unanimous praise. Last year it was “Slumdog Millionaire.” This year it will be “Precious Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”, though I must admit, that is one of the most unwieldy subtitles I have ever seen for a film. Originally it was going to have the same name as the novel but to avoid confusion with the pseudo-comic book film “Push” (which turned out terrible), the name was changed. “Precious” is one of the hardest films you’ll experience this year and is unrelenting when its main character suffers from incest, rape and abuse but there is a spark at the end, and that is of hope. Hands down, this is the best film of the year by far and deserves a place at the Academy Awards next year, especially for its strong performance from newcomer Gabourey ‘Gabby’Sidibe.
I
t’s 1987, Claireece ‘Precious’ Jones (Gabourey ‘Gabby’ Sidibe), a 16 year old obese girl living in Harlem is sitting in her math class. She is summoned to the principal’s office who tells her that since she is pregnant with her second child, it would be best to drop out of junior high and go to an alternative school. Later that evening, Precious is waiting hand and foot on her abusive chain smoking mother, Mary (Mo’Nique) when the school’s principal arrives and tells her to enter the ‘Each One/Teach One’ adult 16 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
GED program. We learn through flashback that her father, Carl, had raped her and she bore a child with him, named ‘Mongo’ (short for Mongoloid) and suffers from Down syndrome. At the GED program, Precious meets Ms. Blu Rain (Paula Patton) and a colorful group of classmates. Ms. Rain encourages her to read and write, taking it one step at a time. Precious’ mother however is against any further education and believes her ‘dumb’ daughter will never amount to anything; her only future is to get on welfare. At the social office, she meets Mrs. Weiss (Mariah Carey) and as time goes on, Precious begins to open up about the abuse she suffers. After the birth of her second child, whom she names Abdul, Precious realizes that her current home life is not good for raising her children and after one particularly brutal altercation with her mother, fights back. Despite her hardships, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, one Precious will do anything to reach.
“Precious” is a very grim film thatdeals with a multitude of social issues, some very controversial. Precious constantly faces the wrath of her mother, who accuses her of ‘stealing’ her man instead of protecting her. Despite its depressing tone, the story of “Precious” is one of hope, the hope that things will get better eventually. The film often cuts to Precious’ inner thoughts and Movies & Music
we learn that she is full of imagination and dreams. During a disturbing scene where her father throws her on a bed and rapes her, she stares at the ceiling and imagines herself as a glamorous model and at the center of attention. She keeps a photo album and imagines the pictures talking to her, saying that they love her. In a world of harsh reality, Precious wants only love and acceptance, from her mother, her teacher, anyone. A film like this can often fall under the trap of being manipulative but it feels surprisingly real; there is no Hollywood ending where it is all warm and fuzzy with everyone redeeming themselves. “Precious” is a harsh film, one that will affect you deeply as ‘you’ve witnessed nothing less than the birth of a soul’ (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly).
I
f anything, the acting is the most powerful, and comedian Mo’Nique is terrifyingly convincing as Precious’ bitter, abusive mother. She screams at her, telling her she knows nothing about being a woman and that she ruined everything by ‘stealing’ her boyfriend. When Precious cooks a meal for her, she angrily says that it looks terrible and forces her daughter to eat all of it. As the two finally lock horns, Mary deliberately drops her daughter’s baby and begins throwing things at her but Precious manages to escape. In a shocking scene, she even tries to murder Precious by dropping a television on her head. By the film’s end, Mary meets with her daughter and Mrs. Weiss, begging to be reunited. In a powerful scene, she tearfully explains that she knew her boyfriend had been raping her daughter (as early as age three) and knowingly did nothing. This scene allows us to sympathize with her plight but does not let her off the hook. There is no big redemption for her and she will have to live with what she has done for the rest of her life. Mo’Nique, although I’ve always found her a bit of a loudmouth, deserves the Oscar and it’ll be a great injustice if she does not win. More impressive is Gabourey ‘Gabby’ Sidibe, who has no prior acting experience at all. She is not an actress playing Precious, she is Precious. There’s a weariness in her eyes but there’s also determination, to strive to do better despite the circumstances she lives in. When she finds out that she is HIV positive because of her father, she lashes out at Ms. Rain, screaming that ‘Nobody loves me!’ We feel for Precious and cry for her; for someone who has done no wrong does not deserve the hardships she must go through. Despite its bleak tone, there is still joy to be found, as Precious makes some funny remarks about her fantasies, such as marrying her math teacher and living in suburban Westchester. After a student makes a vulgar remark, she lunges at him and quietly thinks to herself that she got her math teacher’s back. The rest of the supporting characters also do a fine job and I was surprised to find that Mariah Carey looked a lot more attractive without all her makeup on. The actresses that play Precious’ classmates make for a rowdy bunch but they all have dreams they want to see realized and reflect the problems of urban ghettos, problems that still exist even today. “Precious” was first screened at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in January and at the Cannes Film Festival in May. It was reported that director Lee Daniels was embarrassed by the film because he felt it would exploit African Americans but this couldn’t be farther from the truth, although controversial film critic Armond White believes otherwise, panning the film as a ‘strange combination of liberal guilt and condescension.’ To be honest, does anyone even take this guy seriously? Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive with a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes as critics called it ‘a grim yet ultimately triumphant film about abuse and inner-city life, largely bolstered by exceptional performances from its cast.’ The film has been in limited Movies & Music
release since November 6, 2009 and earned $2 million with a pertheater average of $104,025, higher than all other mainstream films in release during that week. It has been expanding slowly with each week and continues to climb the box office charts with its current gross at $21 million. I hope “Precious” continues to do well as this is the movie people should see but of course, everyone went to see that steaming pile of crap known as “Twilight New Moon.” As the end credits rolled, everyone gave the film a standing ovation. “Precious” is a film that will make you weep and is ‘a truly inspirational tale of overcoming the odds and never losing sight of your dreams’ (Edward Douglas, ComingSoon). This is a movie that deserves any and all Oscar awards it should (and hopefully will) receive. Go see and support this film, as we’ll probably never see another of its kind, a film that can have such a profound affect as you walk out of the theater. Cast: Gabourey‘Gabby’Sidibe-Claireece‘Precious’Jones Mo’Nique-MaryLeeJohnston PaulaPatton-Ms.BluRain Mariah Carey-Mrs. Weiss Lenny Kravitz-Nurse John McFadden Sherri Shepherd-Cornrows Stephanie Andujar-Rita Chyna Layne-Rhonda Amina Robinson-Jermaine Hicks Xosha Roquemore-Joann Angelic Zambrana-Consuelo Nealla Gordon-Mrs. Lichtenstein Rodney ‘Bear’ Jackson-Carl Running Time: 1 Hour & 50 Minutes Rated R (Child Abuse Including Sexual Assault, and Pervasive Language).
Article by SpiderMan. Designed By Muhammad Umair
WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 17
Cast:
Robert Downey Jr.-Sherlock Holmes Jude Law-Dr. John Watson Rachel McAdams-Irene Adler Mark Strong-Lord Blackwood Eddie Marsan-Inspector Lestrade Kelly Reilly-Mary Morstan Geraldine James-Mrs. Hudson Robert Maillet-Dredger William Houston-Constable Clark Hans Matheson-Lord Coward James Fox-Sir Thomas William Hope-Ambassador Standish Clive Russell-Captain Tanner Running Time: 2 Hours & 14 Minutes. ‘The game’s afoot!’ Most people conceive of Sherlock Holmes, the famous literary character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1888 as a stodgy detective sprouting rational, often boring logic and wears a deerstalker hat. Well, director Guy Ritchie has re-invented Holmes for the “ADD”, actionminded audience. In addition to solving crimes using his brilliant mind, he’s also a skilled fighter, an interpretation that is not far removed from the canonical Holmes that appeared in the stories, according to fans of the 18 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
character. “Sherlock Holmes” suffers from a plot that is stretched too thin to sustain its 134 minute running time and too often, Holmes’ deductive reasoning is used for long scenes of exposition but the chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law makes up for its deficiencies, making for a fun-to-watch 19th century Dynamic Duo.
In 1861, London, detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his
ever-faithful sidekick Dr. John Watson ( Jude Law) are racing against time to prevent Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) from carrying out a human sacrifice. They are successful and the police, led by Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan), arrive to arrest him. Three months later, Holmes is sitting at home at 221B Baker Street, restless and bored without any new cases. Watson is preparing to move to a new home with his soon-to-be wife, Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly). On the day that Blackwood is to be hanged, he requests Holmes’ presence, promising him that he will return and that three more will die. Holmes pays no attention to this and Blackwood is executed, declared dead by Watson himself. Unfortunately, his words prove to be true and an eyewitness states that Blackwood rose from the grave, the tomb shattered from the inside out. He has apparently dabbled with occult powers and attempts to destroy Parliament and take over the world. Meanwhile, the only person to have ever outsmarted Holmes, Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), wants him to look for a certain individual who turns out to have ties to Blackwood. Movies & Music
As all this unfolds, a shadowy individual plots to destroy Holmes once and for all. “Sherlock Holmes” never really comes together as a satisfying whole due to the fact that not much is wrapped up and it’s too thin to sustain the two-hour running time. Often, it feels like a swashbuckling comic book as Holmes is both brilliant detective and skilled martial artist, like a Victorian Batman (the campy one) if you will. Blackwood’s evil plan is one that has been done to death already: kill off the leaders of the government and then it’s off to world domination! He doesn’t feel like much of a threat and comes off as a secondrate Dr. Doom. Characters also seem to pop up without any explanation (such as the Temple of the Four Orders) and too often, Holmes’ rambling logic is used to explain things in case the audience gets lost. The film feels like the first part of a larger story, with the introduction of a mysterious villain, who isn’t exactly so mysterious if you have a passing familiarity with Holmes. I mean, who else is considered to be his evil opposite? Nonetheless, the film is saved by the humorous interactions between Holmes and Watson as they try to solve the case, but once it moves away to a more personal level, it’s kinetic pace slows down considerably and at times, can be somewhat of a bore.
To appeal to the masses, “Sherlock Holmes” has a few fight scenes but noth-
ing stands out as many of them have been spoiled by the trailers. While investigating, the Duo comes across Blackwood’s goons, including a very large Frenchman, the analogue to Batman’s Bane. Holmes shocks him with an electric prod, leading into a long chase with a lot of CGI destruction. It’s not bad but at times, feels like it should’ve been released in the summer. The climatic sword fight is nicely done but sadly, ends way too soon. The film is also funny in spots, with most of the humor coming from the banter between Holmes and Watson. One scene already spoiled by the trailers is when Holmes is stripped naked and handcuffed to the bed. Victorian London is also vividly brought to life, though some of the green-screen can be obvious and Hans Zimmer’s score is particularly jaunty.
Released on Christmas Day, “Sherlock Holmes” has received positive reviews
The oddball chemistry of the two leads is attributed to the spot-on perfor-
mances from Downey Jr. and Law. As Holmes, Robert Downey Jr. has a pitch perfect British accent and displays the many traits associated with the character. He’s a brilliant genius (something he is very keen of showing off), arrogant, petty, obsessive and can virtually see any outcome, such as when we hear his inner monologue as he plans out the way to disable an opponent but this is abandoned later in the film. Jude Law is overshadowed by Downey Jr. but his Watson complements Holmes. He despises his friend’s habits, like his ‘general lack of hygiene’ but when given several opportunities to let Holmes go it alone, he doesn’t. Whatever their differences, they have each other’s back; it’s like the ultimate bromance! Mark Strong (who looks a lot like Andy Garcia) is menacing but does little than look at the camera with his icy stare. He’s too onedimensional to make much of an impact and he’s beaten quite easily at the end. The weakest link is Rachel McAdams, who’s very pretty but doesn’t seems like the dangerous femme fatale the film makes her out to be. She just seems like that cute girl next door you secretly like. Although we know she likes Holmes and vice versa, we never really feel it.
Movies & Music
with 70% on Rotten Tomatoes but only 52% from Top Critics. They felt that Guy Ritchie’s ‘directorial style might not be quite the best fit for an update on the legendary detective but [the film] benefits from the elementary appeal of a strong performance by Robert Downey, Jr.’ Competition was strong during its weekend release with the strong word-of-mouth for “Avatar” and the children’s film “Alvin & the Chipmunks The Squeakquel” but “Sherlock Holmes” did fine with $62 million in second place. So far, it has made $84 million and a sequel is all but guaranteed, as was the intention anyways. “Sherlock Holmes” is fun to watch thanks to Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law’s take on these classic literary characters but in updating it for modern audiences, it comes across as too generic for an action film and the story just feels incomplete. This is nice diversion but don’t expect anything more. Final Rating: 3.5 out of 5 “Madame, I need you to remain calm and trust me, I’m a professional. Beneath this pillow lies the key to my release.”
Written by spiderman120988 Design by mitch013
WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 19
Twilight: New Moon L
Written by: Spiderman120988 Designed by: Surferdud3
ast November, a little movie called “Twilight,” based upon the novel by Stephanie Meyer, exploded into theaters and earned a whopping $385 million worldwide against a measly $37 million production budget. Success does not even come close to describing a franchise with one of the most rabid female fan-bases ever. One year later, the sequel, “Twilight New Moon,” based upon the second novel has arrived in theaters and is one of the most, if not THE most, anticipated film of the year, more so than action fare such as “Transformers Revenge of the Fallen.” Catherine Hardwicke, the director of the first film, bowed out due to Summit fast-tracking production for the sequel and Chris Weitz, who directed 2007’s “The Golden Compass,” replaced her. “Twilight” definitely had its problems but I was very lenient toward it seeing as it was the first film and hopefully the sequel would be the franchise’s “Empire Strikes Back.” Unfortunately, this is not to be the case, as “New Moon” ranks as one of the year’s worst films, bogged down by a banal plot that goes nowhere until the last five minutes, clichéd and terribly written dialogue and unintentionally becoming nothing but a farce due to its extremely morose tone. Isabella ‘Bella’ Swan (Kristen Stewart) and 109-year old vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) have been together for one year now. Bella has just turned 18 and to celebrate, Edward’s sister Alice (Ashley Greene) throws her a big birthday party with the rest of the Cullens attending but while unwrapping her gift, Bella gets a small paper cut, causing Jasper ( Jackson Rathbone) to go ballistic and try to kill her. The rest of the family manage to restrain him but this event distresses Edward greatly and prompts him to break up with Bella. With the rest of his family, Edward leaves Forks and promises that this ‘is the last time you’ll ever see me.’ Heartbroken and depressed, Bella spends the next few months in a daze but soon discovers that thrill-seeking activities allow her to ‘see’ Edward. Her best friend, Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) tries to cheer her up by fixing up motorcycles with her but he soon discovers that he has the ability to transform into a werewolf. As she slowly falls for Jacob, Bella learns that Edward is about to do something drastic, forcing her to choose between the two men in her life. “New Moon” is plagued with the problems of the first two “Harry Potter” films but to a much, much larger degree. In an attempt to placate the fans, Weitz has opted to cram everything into the film but any good director knows that literature and cinema are two different mediums. A successful adaptation always follows the general plot and captures the spirit of the work instead of replicating everything. This fills “New Moon” with unnecessary scenes that have no relevance to the story at all. Unfortunately, there’s little story to be had here and the film meanders its way through a boring middle half until finally something happens but the end credits roll! The writing is one of the worst I’ve seen, filled with dialogue that’ll have everyone but the fans l aughing out of their seats at how bad it is. One-liners often approach the campiness of “Batman & Robin,” turning the film into nothing but a self-parody and farce. Scenes that are supposed to be serious fall flat, such as when a future Edward and Bella jog through the forest. The extremely morose tone will also have everyone going to the pharmacy to buy loads of Zoloft. When Edward breaks up with Bella, she goes through a very depressing phase and mopes around the house crying. All right, that’s a realistic reaction since they’re so strongly in love but she’ll bounce back since she has Jacob, right? No, she does not and you’ll soon find that Bella is quite literally insane and is in need of massive amounts of therapy. Any teenager that does what she does should be locked up in an asylum with the key thrown away. This was an opportunity for Weitz to create a tighter narrative and create a film that will appeal to the fans and people who aren’t familiar with the novels like “Harry Potter” has but he couldn’t man up and take that risk, leaving us with this piece of trash with the fans lapping it up. There seems to be zero improvement with the acting at all; Kristen Stewart speaks all her lines in a monotone that makes one wonder whether she’s human at all. Robert Pattinson only appears for the first twenty minutes and 20 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Movies & Music
the endgame but his expression is still permanently stuck in a grimace, like he’s been pumped full of Botox. Hell, watching these two interact is about as engaging as watching a goldfish go through its day. The only bright spot is Taylor Lautner as Jacob, who exhibits a natural friendliness and warmth that is missing from Edward. You really get the sense that he cares about Bella. Unfortunately, Weitz decides to do the worst fan service of all by having Lautner spend 90% of the film shirtless. When Bella crashes into a rock while riding a motorcycle and hits her head, Jacob just rips off his shirt to wipe the blood off, leading the theaters mostly female audience to whoop and cheer. Yes, we get it; he worked out to keep his part but once is enough. Showing it constantly borders on the film turning into ‘a gay porno video box cover’ ( James Berardinelli, ReelViews), especially when the Wolf Pack also run around half-naked. It seems that to ensure box office success one just needs to get buff and stand in the rain with no clothes on. The rest of the cast mostly feature bit parts with one or two lines but I did notice Alice was as perky as ever. The notable additions are Michael Sheen as Aro and Dakota Fanning as Jane, part of a group of elite vampires called the Volturi who reside in Volterra, Italy. Sheen relishes playing an amoral vampire and is quite a natural at it, seeing as how he was in the “Underworld” films but Fanning is wasted in her role. All she does is show off her powers and that’s it. Worth mentioning is the ever-reliable Billy Burke as Bella’s father, who gets quite a few humorous scenes. “Twilight” suffered from some problematic special effects, and it’s largely corrected in “New Moon.” The wolves look adequate but the blur effect used when vampires run still looks like it leaped from a B-movie from the Sci-Fi Channel. The action scenes are rather well-done, such as when the wolves engage Laurent and Edward trades blows with Felix inside the cathedral. The cinematography is also impressive and in contrast to the original’s dull blue tint, this one has an amber color, no doubt for Jacob’s fur color. Released today, the hype around “New Moon” has reached a fevered pitch that even exceeds other films with devoted fan-bases. While the first film had a lukewarm response, the sequel has been hit with negative reviews left and right, with a 30% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics said the ‘second installment may satisfy hardcore fans of the series, but outsiders are likely to be turned off by its slow pace, relentlessly downcast tone, and excessive length.’ At the theater today, I found all the show-times were all sold out, though luckily I ordered my tickets online. The audience was universally female, with the exception of males who were no doubt dragged along by their girlfriends and me, because I am a film critic. After the credits rolled and I stepped out, lines were everywhere. So far, “New Moon” has made $27 million from midnight screenings, surpassing both the sixth “Harry Potter” film and “The Dark Knight.” This film may very well break the latter’s opening day and possibly weekend record but will drop hard in its second week since all the fans will have seen it. As Roger Ebert writes, “New Moon” takes what worked in the original, ‘guts it, and leaves it for undead.’ This is exactly the same situation with “Transformers 2,” we all will trash the film but everyone will still go see it, which sort of makes reviewing it kind of pointless. Fan-girls will eat it up like dogs smelling bacon but for everyone else dragged along to see this film, I suggest you just dump your girlfriend there and take a two hour bathroom break. “New Moon” squanders all opportunity to create a memorable franchise by settling for slavish devotion, banal storytelling and hilariously bad dialogue. Don’t worry; we’re all going to have to sit through this again next summer when “Eclipse” gets released.
Rated PG-13 (Some Violence and Action) Running Time: 2 Hours & 10 Minutes Cast: Kristen Stewart-Isabella ‘Bella’ Swan Robert Pattinson-Edward Cullen Taylor Lautner-Jacob Black Billy Burke-Charlie Swan Michael Sheen-Aro Dakota Fanning-Jane Ashley Greene-Alice Cullen Jackson Rathbone-Jasper Hale Kellan Lutz-Emmett Cullen Nikki Reed-Rosalie Hale Peter Facinelli-Carlisle Cullen Elizabeth Reaser-Esme Cullen Chaske Spencer-Sam Uley Alex Meraz-Paul Bronson Pelletier-Jared Rachelle Lefevre-Victoria Edi Gathegi-Laurent Jamie Campbell Bower-Caius Christopher Heyerdahl-Marcus Cameron Bright-Alec Charlie Bewley-Demetri Daniel Cudmore-Felix Noot Seear-Heidi Anna Kendrick-Jessica Stanley Justin Chon-Eric Yorkie Christian Serratos-Angela Weber Michael Welch-Mike Newton Directed by Chris Weitz
Final Rating: 1.5 out of 5
to put r e v e n e s i m o r d. I p e n e p p a h u’ll e o v ’ y d e l u m o i t c t t s a a h l ed to w s is the r i a h p T . m o n i c a g g n a i r h “Not this eve e k i l g n i h t y n you through a ever see me.” Movies & Music
WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 21
H
e did it. He DID IT! James Cameron, returning from a twelve year hiatus since his last film, has silenced all detractors with “Avatar.” Hype for the film has steadily grown as the release date drew closer and knowing it was a tough sell, 20th Century Fox aggressively promoted the film with an exclusive 16 minute preview back in late August, although overall response from moviegoers was mixed. Cameron first conceived of the story back in 1994 and was keen on filming “Avatar” after finishing “Titanic” but believing technology had not caught up with his vision, decided to wait patiently. It wasn’t until 2006 that he finally started working on the script and creating the world of “Avatar,” burning through a massive budget rumored to be over $300 million, plus $200 million for distribution costs and making this the most expensive movie ever made. In a year dominated by crap-fests such as “Transformers 2,” “2012,” and “New Moon,” Cameron’s “Avatar” proves that there’s still imagination in Hollywood to craft epic stories and worlds that can touch us emotionally. Whatever its flaws, this film will go down in the history of cinema as not just a stunning technical achievement that raises the bar to infinity, but serve as a reminder of why we love to watch movies.
I
n the year 2154, Earth has engaged in forceful colonization of the planet Pandora, a moon orbiting the gas giant Polyphemus in the Alpha Centauri A star system. Pandora is home to an indigenous species called the Na’vi, who stand 10 feet tall with sky blue skin and slender bodies. They use no known technology of any kind and instead, live in harmony with nature and the wildlife. On a massive hi-tech army base, RDA Corporation led by administrator Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi) is looking to mine a precious mineral called unobtanium. To avoid a costly conflict, scientists have developed a way to genetically engineer Human-Na’vi hybrids called Avatars. Each one is tailored to a specific person and can link to it mentally. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is a former marine who suffered an injury during combat and is now a paraplegic. His twin brother was working on the Avatar program 22 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
with Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) but was killed in a robbery. Sully is brought in since he shares the same genetic material with his brother’s Avatar. Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) wants Sully to gain the Na’vi’s trust and force them to relocate. In his avatar body, Sully is delighted to be able to walk again and during a routine scouting mission, becomes lost in the jungle. He encounters Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), a princess of a local Na’vi tribe who initially distrusts Sully but feels that there’s something about him that compels her to bring him before her tribe. Neytiri is assigned to be Sully’s mentor in the ways of the Na’vi and the two slowly fall in love. Having doubts about his mission, Sully is forced to choose between humanity and the Na’vi who has unquestioningly adopted him as one of their own.
T
he story of “Avatar” is essentially a tale of a man going native and at times can be too predictable, especially for someone of Cameron’s caliber. Nonetheless, science fiction is always best when mixed with allegory and this one has it in spades. Most obvious is its themes of imperialism and one won’t have any trouble with drawing parallels to today’s world with our involvement in Iraq and now Afghanistan. Colonialism is one of the darkest periods in history as we have caused untold amounts of cultural and environmental damage, all in the name of making profit. Although set on an alien planet, Cameron doesn’t forget to remind us that it is human nature that drives us to do dark deeds but this is a double-edged sword, as humans can also triumph in the face of adversity. The film’s central romance is heavily influenced by Pocahontas and there are some similarities with “Titanic,” as the two lovers come from different worlds, only this time, its literal! A popular theme in many of Cameron’s films is the corruptive nature of technology and how we’re better off without such complexity ruling our lives. This is a director that understands visual effects does not make a movie, the story does and despite the film’s predictability, he has given “Avatar” heart, as there are several scenes where you can’t help but reach for a box of Kleenex tissues. Movies & Music
T
he acting is mostly good, barring a few cringeworthy moments of dialogue. After “Terminator Salvation” flopped at the box office, this is the make-it or break-it film for Sam Worthington and he has risen to the challenge. At first, he views the Avatar program as just another job and when the Colonel promises to give him legs back, now he really wants to do it. He’s cocky, perhaps a bit overconfident in a Han Solo sort of way but once he starts learning the way of the Na’vi and falls in love with Neytiri, his eyes and more importantly his soul has now opened to a whole new world that is at one with nature, where everything is sacred. His American accent wavers at times but nonetheless, he does a great job. The other characters are mostly just archetypes but the one that stands out is Stephen Lang as Miles Quaritch. This is a guy you don’ t want to get on his bad side and he doesn’t care whether his orders are morally right or not, as long as it involves killing. He’s so tough that in one scene, he leaps through a broken window with no oxygen mask (Pandora’s atmosphere is not breathable by humans) and with assault rifle in hand, tries to stop a handful of escaped prisoners. You’ll grow to really hate this guy and cheer when he gets his due but Lang has taken a somewhat cartoonish character and made it work. It’s nice to see Sigourney Weaver doing a bigbudget film since the “Alien” quadrilogy and she hasn’t lost a step, playing a tough hippie scientist who ‘geeks out’ whenever she discovers something new about Pandora
L
astly, there’s Zoe Saldana as Neytiri and her performance is tied with the Movies & Music
special effects. What Cameron has created is nothing short of breathtaking. If you’re a gamer, you’ll remember a little 2007 game called “Crysis” that brought many gaming PC’s to its knees with its state-ofthe-art graphics. Remember how amazed you were when you saw that lush jungle being rendered on your monitor? It’s like that with “Avatar” and every scene is jam-pack ed with so much detail that I can’t even list all of them here. From the plants to the wildlife to the culture of the Na’vi, Pandora is a living, breathing world that we believe CAN exist. The one that really is the icing on the cake is the Na’vi themselves and while we know they are CG creations, once the film starts, the thought of this or that looks fake never crosses your mind. The degree of facial animation they have done is just beyond words. I mean, look at how the Na’vi’s faces look just like the actors/actresses that portray them. Like Liara from BioWare’s “Mass Effect,” let me just say that Neytiri is just damn sexy with her fine legs and wicked bow-andarrow skills! Roger Ebert has compared “Avatar” to watching the original “Star Wars” for the first time and it’s apt; as George Lucas had pushed technology in 1977, Cameron has pushed it to beyond anything we have never seen before. My only regret is that I was forced to view the film in 2D due to sold out show-times but rest assured, I will go back for a second helping in IMAX 3D..
“
Avatar” features several thrilling scenes, such as when Sully leaps into a waterfall after being chased by a giant panther-like creature called a Thanator. There’s also his rite of passage where Sully has to choose a mountain WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 23
c
hoose a mountain banshee as his companion. He later trades it for an even more majestic creature called a Leonopteryx. The subsequent flight is just jaw-dropping. Finally, all hell breaks loose in the final battle as gunships, infantry and large mechs engage in battle with the Na’vi. Cameron definitely knows how to impress the audience and that’s an understatement!
R
eleased into conventional theaters and IMAX yesterday, “Avatar” has garnered positive reviews with an 82% on Rotten Tomatoes. Much of the criticism has been at the story but they agreed the film ‘reaffirms James Cameron’s singular gift for imaginative, absorbing filmmaking.’ Projected to make at least $75 million, “Avatar” is off to a promising start with already $27 million, although the heavy snowstorm that’s raging as I type this right now might force people to stay at home instead. However, I did see a huge turnout at the local AMC with three show-times sold out (these were the 3D ones) so for the sa ke of getting this review out, I decided to just watch it in 2D. Despite missing the extra pizzazz, every seat was filled, and as the theater staff slowly cleaned, everyone was just itching to get into their seats! I sincerely hope “Avatar” becomes the highest grossing movie of the year and ends 2009 on a high note because Michael Bay’s garbage of a film “Transformers 2” absolutely does not deserve such a distinction. “Avatar” is very much a movie that you have to experience and let all of its visuals wash over you. Bay and Emmerich will never hope to become part of what James Cameron is: an elite group of directors that knows how to entertain an audience but also tell an emotional, engaging tale. People may not remember what “Avatar” is about in the years to come but it will stand the test of time as a historic cinematic achievement the likes of which will probably never come again. Cameron proves, once and for all, why he is, and always will be, one of the greatest directors of our time.
RATING:
“They’ve sent us a message...that they can take whatever they want! Well we will send them a message! That this...this is our
”
land!
Article By Spider Man Layout By Muhammad Umair
24 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Movies & Music
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY
Written by: Spiderman120988 Designed by: Surferdud3
Nyctophobia, or fear of the dark, has been one of humankind’s most pervading phobias. Once the lights go out, we become much more sensitive to every little noise in our homes, such as a creaky floorboard or a shaking pipe. Pure terror comes not from gratuitous gore, but from not being able to see or understand what lurks behind the veil of darkness. This is “Paranormal Activity” in a nutshell, from first-time director Oren Peli and filmed on a shoe-string budget of $15,000 over a period of seven days with all dialogue improvised by the actors/ actresses. With its mockumentary approach and minimalist style, “Paranormal Activity” creates an unrelenting sense of unease and terror that will affect you long after you leave the theater. I strongly suspect this film to go on to critical acclaim much like 1999’s “The Blair Witch Project.” Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat) are a young couple living together, but they’ve been having some weird disturbances in their home. During a visit with a psychic ghost expert (Mark Fredrichs), we learn that they may be plagued by a demon and that it seems to be after Katie herself, who has experienced these hauntings ever since she was eight years old. An excited Micah decides to get a camera and, mounted on a tripod, film any weird occurrences in their bedroom. Not surprisingly, strange things begin to happen around the hours of 2 and 3 AM, such as the bedroom door moving a few inches or random objects being dropped to the floor. As these events occur, a low droning noise can be heard. Micah’s excitement continues to grow, much to the chagrin of Katie but as the days go on, things start to get worse, pushing the young couple’s psychological state past breaking point. “Paranormal Activity” works best when you know the basic premise and nothing else. You’ll no doubt notice that everything is very simple and naturalistic; there’s basically one set (the house) and outside of two other people, the focus is always on Katie and Micah. This is a film that plays upon our primal fear of the unknown, where small occurrences in the night can ‘instantly transform the most mundane location into a place of menace’ ( James Berardinelli, ReelViews). Peli takes a ‘less is more’ approach, using just sound cues and moving shadows to create a sense of atmosphere and suspense. Many of the scenes are just the camera showing the couple sleeping and you’ll be sitting there knowing that ‘something’ is about to happen but just when you begin to relax your guard, a loud thud can be heard in the hallway and the bedroom door just suddenly slams shut! You never actually see anything, but this is a good thing and leaves you to use your imagination to try to fill in the blanks. Unfortunately, those who grew up with mainstream horror or today’s torture porn might find “Paranormal Activity” too slow an experience, possibly even downright boring. People who keep an open mind for the unconventional will praise the film but from what I’ve seen as I left the theater, most of the audience was truly on the edge of their seats, minus a few hecklers who can’t keep their mouths shut.
‘everything will be fine from now on,’ and this is where you’re likely to go, ‘oh sh*t!’ The ending will definitely hit you like a hammer so it goes without warning that you should brace yourself if you’re planning to go see it (preferably, no, definitely not alone!). “Paranormal Activity” took quite a while to reach the multiplex after it was finished, the film was screened in 2007 at the Screamfest Film Festival where a DVD copy made its way into the offices of Miramax. Although accepted into the Slamdance Film Festival, no one was interested in picking the film up for major distribution. By 2008, the DVD ended up at DreamWorks and after being viewed by director Steven Spielberg, a remake was green-lighted with Peli as director. Fortunately, Peli decided to do a one-time screening of his original version to see how a real audience would react. Viewers began to walk out soon after, which seemed like a bad sign, but the real reason was that they were genuinely scared of the film. It was at this point that all attempts for a remake were disbanded and the film released as originally made. Released on September 25, 2009 (wide release on October 16) with midnight-only screenings, the film expanded into 160 theaters this weekend and managed to make $9 million so far with a per-theater average that is higher than all of the other major releases. Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive with an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. Only time will tell if it will turn into the “Blair Witch Project” of the decade. “Paranormal Activity” is a film that builds upon its simple premise with a terrifying climax that will leave you breathless. I am 21 year old man and I will probably never sleep alone now!
Final Rating: 5 out of 5 Rated R (Language) Running Time: 1 Hour & 25 Minutes Cast: Katie Featherston-Katie Micah Sloat-Micah Mark Fredrichs-Ghost Expert Amber Armstrong-Amber Ashley Palmer-Girl on Internet Directed by Oren Peli “Paranormal Activity” is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray.
The acting feels very real; Katie and Micah’s mannerisms around each other would fool most people into thinking they were a real-life couple if it weren’t for the mention of Paramount Pictures during its opening credits. Micah’s macho-man demeanor creates a few funny moments despite the film’s tense atmosphere. While inspecting the house he talks aloud whether moving the door a few inches was the demon’s ‘master plan’ or if he’s just doing ‘random sh*t.’ Another scene had him standing in a room with a microphone and, in an effort to communicate, he asks several questions such as what the demon’s ‘quest’ is, whether it can speak English next time or if he should get a Ouija board. The latter produces a noticeable inhuman growl when Micah plays back the recording. Katie is against getting a Ouija board and makes her boyfriend promise not to buy one but of course, he finds a loophole and instead, borrows one! Speaking of Katie, her downward spiral is utterly convincing and her growing spats with her boyfriend helps us to create a sense of unease as the situation escalates out of control. Near the end of the film, she utters that 25 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Movies & Music
A GAMING INSIGHT BY enveyur Layout by Herinjo
C
onsoles have advanced massively throughout the last 20 years. Rapid progress in technology has allowed companies to breach the borders and provide games to an exceedingly high level. In terms of companies adapting to the technology, we as console users have adapted to this and are typically on the hunt for the perfect game. But is there a game that you can call perfect? What is perfect? I remember in my early years where it all seemed so simple. An average day for me back then would consist of playing on my Super Nintendo console, cabled to a television that was probably the size of my head. Fifteen years later I am sitting here beside my Playstation 3 120GB Slim with my Toshiba Regza 32 inch 1080p Full HD television. Where did simplicity go? I must spend far too long tweaking and editing settings both on the television and the Playstation trying to increase the graphic appearance, nonetheless I am positive it makes next to no difference. Technology advances alongside complexity nowadays, or so it seems. Some of the games that I have come across throughout the years have been fantastic. However, if I was to be asked what my favorite was or which the best was, I wouldn’t know how to start. One of the games that I will always remember is “Day of the Tentacle”, a stunning 1993 production by LucasArts. A humorous storyline and interesting characters made it an extremely addictive game. Moving on in terms of gaming highlights, I can’t imagine how much money I have spent on consoles, let alone the games! I’ve always wanted DJ
26 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Hero but when I see the price sticker slapped on the box, I can’t help but feel scared. Maybe when the price shoots down a bit I could grab it then. What amazes me is how serious gaming can be taken. Professional tournaments are held around the world where the winner receives a series of good prizes and nine times out of ten, a truckload of cash. I play games for fun and I am generally relaxed when playing them, unless the game is called Dead Space in which case you can find me crying in the corner of my room clutching to my controller, as I fear there is a monster ready to attack me. What a great game. Modern Warfare 2 is a popular favourite at the moment, the only downside to this is that it is taken far too seriously. I myself can be found screaming down the headset to five year olds hiding in the same spot, with
a shotgun, waiting for somebody to pass their screen. How annoying. Still, as time goes on and technology advances, I’m sure in years to come we will actually start shooting each other and receiving points through deaths and kill streaks. The possibilities to gaming are endless. Each year great games are made and the platform they are built on increases in both size and performance. The addiction to beat your opponent thrives on your mind like a leech, one way or another you will win. If you don’t succeed, try; try again – say goodbye to your social life!
Tech & Games
2010 Game Previews
Written by: BlueMaxima Desinged by: Surferdud3
Halo: Reach We all knew there was another Halo game coming. This time, the main characters are a group of Spartan-IIs in the Battle of Reach (this is before the original Halo, non-fanboys). Promised features include, large landscapes with grand battles, and up to 40-player multiplayer. A beta exclusive will be coming sometime this year for Halo 3: ODST owners.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 A direct sequel to 2008’s Bad Company. New features include new online modes, more varied campaign environments, a new damage model allowing complete building destruction, and plenty of new vehicles and weapons to go around. North American release date: March 2, 2010.
BioShock 2 Crackdown 2
Taking place ten years after the events of the original BioShock, you control the first Big Daddy to ever been made, in an attempt to stop the destruction of Rapture by its new ruler, Sofia Lamb. One of the most notable points is that water may actually have something to do with the storyline this time. Multiplayer is also included. North American release date: February 9, 2010.
The original Crackdown involved you running around as a super-powered police officer killing gangsters. This new Crackdown game involves running around as a super-powered police office killing… zombies. Release date: sometime this year.
Command and Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight The final game in the Tiberian saga of ‘Command and Conquer(C&C)’, Tiberian Twilight is looking to go out with one heck of a fight. New units include the Crawler, a completely mobile base, and as a detour from previous C&C games, three classes will be available for the GDI and NOD forces: attack, defence and support. North American release date: March 16, 2010.
27 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Dubbed by Hideo Kojima as “Metal Gear Solid 5”, the new portable instalment in the series includes fourplayer co-op, three-on-three competitive multiplayer, and “a feature that should get people to run out and buy PSPs”. Also, singing and dancing bosses. I’m not kidding. North American release date: May 25, 2010.
Tech & Games
Gran Turismo 5 If you own a PlayStation of any kind and enjoy racing, there’s really no excuse to not have heard about Gran Turismo 5. With full high-definition graphics, up to 16 players online and the ability to export replays to YouTube, of all things, this is looking to be the definitive racing experience on the PlayStation 3; if not the world’s biggest bragging tool. If only they would stop delaying it. Release date not available.
Pokémon Heart Gold/Soul Silver The second round of remakes for the Pokémon series takes us back to the Johto region. Expect new features to be available due to the Nintendo DS hardware, including backwards-compatibility with the last generation of games (Diamond/Pearl/Platinum). Also included is the ‘Pokéwalker’, which allows you to train your Pokémon while walking around. North American release date: March 14, 2010.
God of War 3 Where excessive (in lack of better words) violence gets beautified and put into a game, you have the God of War series. The game has been confirmed to use most of the processor power available on the PlayStation 3, with up to 50 enemies on screen at one time, and plenty of gigantic boss fights (Helios, for example). North American release date: Sometime in March, 2010.
Napoleon: Total War
Super Mario Galaxy 2 Not just a sequel with nothing new, according to Shigeru Miyamoto, who says the game is “99% packed with new features”, with the ability to ride Yoshi being one of them. Other new gameplay mechanics will be implemented as well, such as the ability to slow down time for puzzles. Release date not available, but it will be released sometime in 2010.
Blur Blur comes from Bizarre Creations, the same team that developed the retro hit, Geometry Wars. The game places real world cars in environments such as Los Angeles, but is going to include arcade-style game play and head-to-head vehicle combat. North American release date: Spring 2010.
Tech & Games
The Total War series has been known for its huge scale real-time strategy gameplay, and the latest instalment, Napoleon, is no exception. Two campaigns will be included, detailing the 1796 and 1798 campaigns of Italy and Egypt respectively. Napoleon’s other major battles will be available as separate scenarios. The game has been given a slight overhaul to create more realism; Rain can cause gunpowder to not work, for example. North American release date: February 23, 2010.
Heavy Rain Coming from David Cage, the (in my opinion, genius) man who wrote Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy, comes the “thrilling” story of four people – an FBI agent; a retired detective; an architect and a journalist looking for a madman named the “Origami Killer”. North American release date: February 23, 2010.
WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 28
Written by: BlueMaxima Designed by: Feenzie
Developed by Turn 10 Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios For the Xbox 360 Released: October 27, 2009
Forza Motorsport 3 is the third instalment in the arguable premiere racing sim on the Xbox 360. A crisp new graphics engine has high-speed beauty, and the huge amount of cars and tracks included only serve to lend to this purpose. The Season Play mode, the main mode of the game, takes you through a series of events, one at a time, with a championship race at the end of such. It’s not very deep and leaves a lot to be desired. However, the game picks up the slack in the many included online features; along with the expected typical online racing, your custom designed content (paintjobs and tuning kits for cars, among others) can be sold on the “storefront” to other players for in-game credits, and the ability to upload replays and photos for friends to watch is always welcome. With all the content from the previous games still intact (the accurate damage model, for example) and other features included, (like being able to flip your car *wide grin*) this is the must-own racer for the Xbox today.
Final Rating: 4.5 out of 5
If you want it, you can drive it. And tune it. And paint it. And demolish it. And more.
29 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Tech & Games
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Written by Bluemaxima Graphics by: Surferdud3
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is number six (count ‘em, SIX) in the Call of Duty series, two thirds of which involve you running around as a WW2 trooper kicking ass and taking names. But since this is Modern Warfare TWO, you’re running around in today’s warfare (kicking ass and taking names) in a direct sequel to the forth game’s plot. But before I start discussing the plot, I have to comment on the Call of Duty atmosphere in general. That is, the immersion of the warfare that you are participating in. From Call of Duty Classic to today’s game, this feel has never changed. Realistic AI, sound effects and top-notch voice acting was my first impression throughout the first couple of levels. I’d like to place a direct medal of honour (see what I did there?) on the soundtrack though. Hans Zimmer has done a fantastic job of orchestrating every level and every scene throughout the campaign with gripping music. If only I had the money to buy the soundtrack...
*SPOILER ALERT!* However, my hopes of “immersion” were immediately dashed once I had gone through most of the game. The basic plot is that the Russians get their hands on the USA’s defence system codes and launch an all-out assault on the US after a bloody massacre at a Russian airport left the body of an American. While I’m on the subject of the said massacre, I’d like to focus on ‘No Russian’. The basic idea is that you take your Russian mates out on a killing spree in an airport terminal. The point of this whole level was just to give people something to gawk at. I played through once. Then I chose to skip the mission every single time I played through. Am I the only one who found this whole story to be absolute bonkers? Even though the story in Call of Duty 4 was relatively isolated and not filled with action, the fact it was actually possible created a higher level of immersion reserved for fantastic storytelling. Unfortunately, IW just threw this out the window and said to itself, “Let’s go and blow up the White House, or kill everyone in an airport! Oh! I know! How about nuking half of Washington D.C. and somehow leave them away from the ravages of radiation poisoning!”
*END SPOILERS!* I have one last point about the campaign. The AI has been considerably improved, I’m willing to admit that myself. However, the improvement of said AI has removed IW’s need for respawning enemies all the time, instead only spawning them once. This has the effect of taking the campaign time from bloody long (Forever, Call of Duty 4, Veteran) to bloody short (7 hours, COD:MW2, Veteran).This
30 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
e W ! e r e h e m a g d o o g a t ” ! o w g o e n v t i “I’ d n e can Tech & Games
rning o m e h p in t u e k a n’t w s th.” e r o a d E d n n ay o n mi d a t m s u a l h it’s lthy s i a e s i h h e t g “Th thinkin
makes me question the price of $110 Australian for the console versions. For something that only lasts seven hours on its main experience, the price just seems to be way too high. However, with IW attempting to kill two birds with one stone (the second bird being removal of the co-op campaign mode) comes the new Special Ops mode, with 23, isolated-from-the-storyline missions that can be done with a friend. In theory, it’s a fun, enjoyable experience. In practice, the concept seems underused, and it leaves me thinking, where’s the rest of this fantastic idea? Most of the missions can be taken alone, but there are two particular missions that stand out: the ones that require two players. It just makes me sad that this idea wasn’t expanded on at all. Maybe a head-to-head competition between two players for the highest score killing zombies? (Wait, sorry, somebody’s probably already done that.) Now, speaking of competitive, time to talk about the main online experience of Call of Duty: Version 6, also known as “Multiplayer”. The playlist system, game types and levelling have pretty much held steady since CoD4, but that’s the only thing that’s actually held steady. With the addition of so many new elements, such as kill streak rewards and death streaks, to overpowered weapons like the Akimbo 1887 shotguns all the Level 70’s have made a very unbalanced game. I consider a balanced game to equal the same meaning as “stalemate” – a battle where one team can never get the edge on another. The balance doesn’t need to be perfect, but the closer the better. MW2’s multiplayer takes my definition and throws it out the window. The second one team gets ahead of another, that team will stay in the lead 99% of the time, never slowing down on points. This has been most of my experience in the multiplayer. Before I end this review off, I’d like to take the time to compare two versions of Modern Warfare 2 to each-other; the Xbox 360 edition and the PC edition. Controls are much smoother on the PC and the SteamWorks platform for the PC allows syncing of configuration over computers, with the same settings on every PC you get your hands on. Points for that. However, with the removal of several features such as mods and dedicated servers, this leaves the PC community for Modern Warfare 2 smaller than a peanut. Counter-Strike called, thanks for giving them their ideas back. I’d also like to note that the online experience on the PC seems to have more lag than the Xbox edition. Connectivity problems or what, I don’t know, I’m just stating my experiences. In conclusion, some days are diamonds, some days are stone. Some games are good, most sequels are bad. This probably falls in the latter category. If you must pick up Modern Warfare 2 and see what happened to the cockroach, the ghost, the bar of soap and the rising gas price, wait a few months and pick it up off the used pile. You’ll be glad you did.
Developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision Available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC Released on 10/11/09 Tech & Games
“Bolloc ks! Ro g er that!” WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 31
Mass Effect 2 Article by: BlueMaxIma Design by: Surferdud3 Mass Effect 2, the sequel to one of my favourite games of all time, has been released around the world and the reviews have been universally positive – both the platforms the game has been released on are currently in the top 10 on Metacritic.com. And I’m here to tell you – they’re right. Mass Effect 2’s quality of graphics, gameplay and story may mean we’ve seen 2010’s game of the year already. But I’m not here to give praise without proof, so I might as well do the rundown. The graphics, sound effects and soundtrack are all top-notch once again, creating a heavily believable alien galaxy. I do however, wonder why the Film Grain and Motion Blur effects are still included in the game. One of the best features to be included in the game is the ability to import your own finished Mass Effect 1 character (and your Mass Effect 2 character when you finish the game for the first time). You even get to change your character’s class and appearance through a plot point which is explained below.
Except you may not want to read the next sentence because...
SPOILER ALERT The game starts with Commander Shepard’s death, and reconstruction two years after said death by the shadow company Cerberus, which appeared in Mass Effect: Ascension.
END SPOILERS Imported characters, in no way, conform to the new systems of Mass Effect 2, so they’re reset to level 5, with lots of credits and ‘resources’ to go spend. However, if the player does not import a character, the storyline takes a specific route, depending on the sex of your character. I’m not going to spoil THAT for you. ;) This leads me to the story. The story, while slightly longwinded, is still one of the best cinematic experiences on the PC and 360 to date. The characters remain believable and deep. Each quest has its own story behind it, minimizing repetitiveness (or as Oblivion fans call it, “White Castle Syndrome”). While some of these side quests are shorter than a fart’s average duration, they’re still fun to do. Dialogue between Shepard and NPCs remains the same as in Mass Effect – the choice wheel makes its return, with new Paragon and Renegade “interrupts” – press the Left Mouse button to be very very mean, and press the Right Mouse button to be very very good. It adds another level of realism to an already realistic game. The gameplay has been given a huge overhaul this time around. Instead of the overheating weapons with cool down periods, there’s ‘thermal clips’ which are used, then discarded. Oh, just like every other 3rd person shooter in the galaxy, you may say. However, it was an upgrade I deem necessary. Speaking of gameplay upgrades, you may wonder what’s happened with the RPG side of things. After playing the game for 20 minutes, I thought, “what RPG side?” Most of the management, upgrades, and even skills have been removed to make a more streamlined experience; if you don’t like it, may I suggest Dragon Age: Origins? Galaxy and planet searching have been given a large overhaul as well. Instead of just bouncing from system to system, scanning random out of the way planets and landing on others, you fly to them controlling the actual Normandy with your mouse. Moving between star systems costs fuel, while making jumps to other star clusters uses the mass effect relays. Planets now play a large part in the game – you scan them, slowly, and launch probes to collect resources. These resources are used as a currency for building upgrades in the ‘tech lab’ aboard the Normandy. You don’t actually land on a planet unless you find an anomaly on the surface – launch another probe on top of it to get a chance to land and do a quest. Romance still exists in Mass Effect 2, and while it isn’t as...for lack of a better word, “intense” as in Mass Effect 1, sex scenes still exist, and there are eight characters instead of the three to romance this time.
32 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Further changes have been made to the whole game, such as crippling enemies with leg shots, new heavy weapons that blow the crap out of anything you point them at, there’s even a message terminal that gets messages from most quests. And there’s even spam mail. Even little details will make every Mass EfTech & Games
“How c ome ev erytime problem , you e there i nd up r s a unning to me” fect fan happy to explore the new world. (Keep your eyes open for the salarian that rips off GameStop employees on the Citadel!) The DLC is already quite numerous; a bonus companion, complete with special mission and romantic encounter, and the crash site of a certain ship. Both DLCs are pretty good in terms of DLC, especially since this DLC is free for people who possess brand new copies of ME2. More free DLC is on the way as well. Time to wrap up; Mass Effect 2 is arguably one of the best role-playing games to ever exist on our small planet, if not THE best. The expansiveness of the game, deep back stories, simple and great gameplay and lots of DLC on the way makes an overall fantastic experience. Oh, and Seth Green as Joker is actually hilarious this time around. IGN called it “a fascinating and hugely enjoyable experience”, Joystiq said “This achievement, probably BioWare’s greatest, is nothing short of staggering”, but, I believe it would be best to recall what Destructoid said about Mass Effect 2.
Final Rating: 5 out of 5 Released January 26, 2010 Made by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts For the PC and Xbox 360
Tech & Games
WAREZ-BB.ORG \ theSCENE \ 33
Halo 3: ODST
Written by: BlueMaxima Designed by: MrTambourineMan
Developed by Bungie Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios For the Xbox 360 Released: September 22, 2009 Halo 3: ODST is a prequel, and also a follow-up to the most popular game on the Xbox 360 to date, Halo 3. The main character has been changed with an ODST, which basically just switches the effectiveness of health and shields (now stronger and weaker, respectively). The formula remains unchanged completely, which is slightly disappointing – can we have something new? The new campaign involves wandering around a city and doing a variety of assorted missions. It will take longer to read that description, than completing the actual game – I breezed through Halo 3 with the difficulty set to normal in just four hours. Bungie studios overhyped the “open world”, but I don’t consider a world to be “open” unless there’s rare items and extra missions. Other than doing missions, fighting Covenant and looking for audio logs, there’s absolutely nothing else to do. It’s not all bad news though; Firefight works well, not completely copying the Horde formula by adding wave types, bonus rounds, skulls and multiplayer medals. A secondary disk also includes the entire Halo 3 multiplayer experience, which includes all 24 maps, but is this worth full price for a four-hour expansion? In short, no. In long, noooooooooooo.
Final Rating: 3 out of 5
34 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Tech & Games
Developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K Games Released: October 20, 2009 For the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC Borderlands is a hybrid first-person shooter / role-playing game from Gearbox Software that takes place on a world named Pandora (and before you ask, NO, not Avatar’s Pandora), a wasteland planet that reminds me of a giant junkyard.The game is drawn as a form of animation known as cel-shading, and in my opinion, it has been used excellently, with the textures and models being top-notch. No other art direction would’ve worked so well in presenting the Pandorian wasteland.
The gameplay is a cross of first-person shooter gameplay with light RPG elements mixed in – you run around the wasteland shooting at enemies, which in turn gives you EXP, which levels you up and gives you points, and so on. However, past earning skill points for certain abilities and increasing your skills with certain guns (pistols and shotguns, for example), it leaves the RPG portion feeling a little flat on the ground. The mainly hyped feature of Borderlands is known as the Procedural Content Creation System, which is the system that creates the random weapons, shields and attachments for the player, with their own attributes. For the job it’s supposed to do, this systems works perfectly, leaving me finding new weapons that didn’t actually feel like randomly-generated weapons.However, the existence of a giant downside is actually even worse when the PCCS exists; a lot of the game content isn’t randomized. Loot chests and objects for quests are never moved from their original positions in game, so on your second play through; you’ll know where everything is right down to the pixel.
Another area of the game that feels slightly tacked on is the vehicle sections – while the ability to spawn a vehicle and hop right on in, mowing down enemies in your way seems like a fun one, it tends to become boring – most of the enemies that can be defeated using the cannon mounted on the vehicle can be run down, and if they can’t be run down, you’re going to get your ass blown sky-high one way or another. A well sized online component helps make up for the short fallings though – work in co-op with up to three players against the general monsters in the game, or, if you want to take on each-other, just hit them in the face and you’ll start a duel.
However, in my experiences on the PC version, it was hard to get into a game – 90% of games I tried to join ended in “Cannot connect to server” errors. One thing I want to comment Borderlands on is the two DLC packages: these aren’t just an extra mode or a small little quest in the middle of nowhere. Zombie Island of Dr Ned adds a full island to the game and tons of new enemies, with a few extra hours of gameplay. Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot adds a coliseum with weapons storage and several arena-based challenges with different modifiers. This is what I call an example of fitting DLC: a considerable amount of content with new challenges. Overall, Borderlands, while it has its rough and soft edges, is an example of how to blend two genres almost flawlessly. A few problems to fix, otherwise, a promising new series (I hope). Final Rating: 4 out of 5 “I wanna see you back in Fyrestone, you hear?” Design by mitch013 | Written by BlueMaxima
35 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Tech & Games
Kodu Technical Preview
Written by: BlueMaxima Designed by: Surferdud3
Released by Microsoft Connect (PC) Released on the 13th of January 2010 (PC) Available on PC (Full edition available on Xbox 360 Indie Games) Considering I’m an Australian, I had no access to the Kodu game development kit for human younglings when it was released on the Xbox 360 Indie Games service. I was actually quite interested in this, and the effect it could have on the gaming industry; getting kids while they’re young infected with the game development whoopla. *BUG!* So when the Kodu platform was ported to the PC, I was eager to give it a shot. After the 150mb download and installation, I opened the Game Lab to find a load of examples, most of which I assume were made on the 360 and ported with Kodu. One of the main attractions of the port was that I wouldn’t need an Xbox gamepad in order to make a game. And yet for some reason all the examples (minus one or two) require the Xbox controller in order to actually be controllable. What’s the point of showing you how it’s done if you can’t see the execution? The general interface still contains the Xbox controls as well, but at least you can click them for their effects. *BUG!* Having developed a few small games myself in varying IDEs, I jumped right in, expecting the development to be very easy for me to access. And my predictions were right on the money; I found the designer to be easy to use, with everything I could do crystal clear. Terrain was easy to make, objects were easy to insert and get them to do things. *BUG!* One thing I do condemn Kodu for is simple – the inability to import custom resources, like say, ground textures or models. While the included resources are enough to make a few different types of games, it’s always good practice in IDEs to allow custom resource importing. I can understand if this doesn’t come along though, the interface is designed to be kid-friendly, after all. And you may wonder why I stuck a few *BUG!*s in here and there. Well, simple – the preview is buggy. Not very buggy, but they’re noticeable (and mostly reproducible). The most noticeable bug is the bug where undoing then redoing land placement then alt-tabbing causes a fatal crash. However, I can’t give a score of the technical preview, for that exact reason: It’s a preview. It can be extended. It can be fixed. It can be turned upside down and coins might come out. I might review the full package when it comes out (if I can get my hands on it. Then again, what’s Warez-BB for? ;) ) Final Rating: Withheld.
36 \ theSCENE \ WAREZ-BB.ORG
Tech & Games
theSCENE Thank you for reading theSCENE issue 21. We look forward to seeing you again next time!