solarisdeschain Reviews

Dym (2007)

A solid and visually striking short film

[7/10 · 16 November 2010]

Dym, or Smoke, is an interesting and well-conceived short film from a young Russian filmmaker named Grzegorz Cisiecki.

Smoke is a surrealist short with no clear plot, but nevertheless crafts an engaging visual narrative; anchored primarily by its taut editing, a knack for striking imagery, and a clear and concise vision for the project. Though it may be a short, there is nothing amateurish about the film. Cinematography and shot composition are consistently on target, and although there is no dialog, the acting competently expresses the intent of the scene. The film clearly bears the influence of filmmakers like Kubrick or Lynch, but not to the point where they're merely being aped. There is a legitimate and convincing vision here.

At the end of the day Smoke is a very involving and entertaining short film, perhaps about the elusiveness of truth, that confirms Cisiecki as a talent, and hopefully someone who can cultivate a large audience.

Eraserhead (1977)

An intriguing film, even if its hard to connect with

[9/10 · 15 March 2007]

David Lynch's feature debut, Eraserhead, soon rocketed to cult status, and set him up for bigger things.

The film tells the story of Henry Spencer, a printer on vacation throughout the length of the film. He has a girlfriend, and soon finds out he is the father of her child, which was born in the hospital premature. Then he has to take care of it.

That's just about the best way to explain it, but there is really less of a story here than just an emotional throughline with the films visual imagery that is clearly visible, but hard to relate to. This is because the film is so esoteric, such an exhibit of Lynch's pure ideas, that it is incapable to relate to unless you were involved in the production. That being said, you feel sympathy for the characters, even if they are given a little too less time to grow, as the story soons sheds them to focus on Henry. Henry is a sad individual tasked with taking care of a child that burdens his every move. He's a guy you can feel for, because parenthood is an experience everyone can sympathize with. It's hard, and even harder by yourself.

However, soon things go completely out of hand and body. The film becomes one large symbol for something else, and things may have a certain subconscious power, they, on the whole, don't mesh together or make an attempt to relate to you, like most other films would do.

That being said, Lynch's imagery is bizarre and mesmerizing, and sure to captivate you throughout the movie, and cause some serious intellectual discussion of differing interpretations afterword.

Eraserhead is well-done and its imagery and sound-design meticulous and inciteful, but the esoteric nature of the film's story will fail to relate in most peoples heart.

The Bouncer (2000 Video Game)

A worthy side-project from Square, but could have been so much more...

[25 May 2005]

Now I'm reviewing The Bouncer for the PlayStation 2. This is an early PS2 title from Square. The game is also a fighter. Yeah, I know, that's some odd territory for Square, but…well, just read the review. The gameplay in The Bouncer is nothing really new. It's basically a button-mashing fighter. It's short too. It's so short. It's the shortest game for any console since the NES in the time it took for me to beat. 1:26. That's right. An hour and a half. A lot of that were cutscenes, as well. The Bouncer isn't a game so much as it is an interactive movie. I almost think that it was going to be Square Film's second project if Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within didn't throw their money down the drain. I think they lost somewhere around 65 million dollars on that boring movie. It may have been the original idea for Final Fantasy X, but was thrown out when that terribly simplistic Tidus plot line came along (Final Fantasy X reminds me of Final Fantasy I, only not so much fun). Whatever the story behind this game, the story is very good. Play the Action Movie is the tagline to the game, and that is exactly what you're doing. The reason I beat the game in one sitting is because I kept playing the levels, wanting to see what would happen in this surprisingly complex story. Anyway, if you have a couple hours to kill, just beat this game, its fun, and while the gameplay isn't anything original, it doesn't detract from the experience. The graphics in this game are very, very impressive. This thing is a graphical showpiece for ANY console this gen. It really shows off the PlayStation 2. Of course, part of that might be the fact that Tetsuya Nomura had a thing or two to do with this game. Tetsuya Nomura is one of the most talented people at Square. Tetsuya joined the group after the completion of the Final Fantasy VI project. His first project was Final Fantasy VII. Tetsuya Nomura was one of the most important people on the project, as he and Hironobu Sakaguchi CONCEIVED the STORY to Final Fantasy VII. He also designed the characters for battles. His next project was Final Fantasy VIII. On Final Fantasy VIII he was the lead character designer for the project, and conceived the story to that as well. He also worked as a supporting character designer on Final Fantasies IX and X, as well as this project, and the movie Advent Children, which is coming out soon. Anyway, the character designs are wonderful and so are the graphics. This is the perfect graphical showpiece for your console, and it's worth buying (if you can find it cheap) just to show it off. The sound is also some awesome greatness. Great voice acting from all sides, especially the character Kou Leifou, voiced by Steven Blum (the inimitable Spike Spiegel). That's right, Steven Blum. David Lucas is not his real name. The music is cool, the sound effects work great, and the announcer has a real movie feel even if he only says, "THE BOUNCER!!!" at the beginning the game. He also says, "GAME OVER!!!!" You don't hear that very often though. At least you shouldn't. Overall, the sound is as good as the graphics, which is why I really say this is a showpiece. Replay value in this game, however, is not so good. It has a multi-player and a survival mode, but who cares? For you to really play the game with other people it has to have great gameplay, not just stuff good enough to get you through the story. Honestly, I'm glad I only paid 10 bucks for it. The story might be good, but that alone isn't worth 50 bucks or some large amounts. Of course, there is the multi-player mode, which you may fall in love with, so, I say go ahead, have fun. Overall, this really isn't an ambitious project for Square, and with a little fleshing out, could have been a second project for Square's now defunct film department. With a LOT of fleshing out, maybe 50 hours worth of fleshing out, it could have been Final Fantasy X. But whatever, it's got a good story, and its worth a rental or a cheap buy.

Overall Score: 7.3/10

Metroid Prime (2002 Video Game)

One of the best games of all time

[25 May 2005]

The gameplay in this game is completely revolutionary. It's in First Person, but is in no way a first person shooter. Nintendo's given moniker of a FPA is about the best way to put it. I won't give the story here, as this review is long enough as it is. You can check the plot details to find it out. The game works like your usual FPS, only much better. A shoots, and B jumps. X and Y do other functions, such as the morph ball and missiles. What makes things better is that as she goes on, Samus unlocks new weapons and abilities, true to any Metroid game. However, this time, all her weapons remain accessible and usable, with just a swift jolt of the C-Stick, you can switch from the Power Beam, Plasma Beam, Ice Beam, and Wave Beams. Another great feature about the game is that Samus can switch between scan visors. In the beginning of the game you start out with just two visors, the combat visor, which is your normal view-screen, and the scan visor, which allows you to scan objects and enemies, and details most of the plot for you. It can also tell you enemy weaknesses. That's just one of the many things I like about this title. The story is very profound and immersive, but almost none of it progresses during the actual game. You can choose to scan around, learning more and more about what happened here. You can also choose to remain completely oblivious to the events that occurred on Tallon IV. This really adds some more atmosphere and makes the game even more immersive. Even looking up and down is extremely immersive. It would seem clunky at first, then you realize that Samus is in a very heavy suit. Speaking of immersive, this game carries it in spades. You can go anywhere, and mess with almost all of the environment and its creatures. This game is very open-ended…perhaps the most open-ended game I've ever played, allowing you millions of different ways to go about getting the next item on your list. However you like to think, Metroid Prime definitely supports it, and for someone with ANYTHING stimulating their brain cells, this game should definitely be for them. The graphics in this game are among the best ever burned onto a disc or stuffed into a cartridge. Everything is beautiful and extremely accurate and realistic to their certain area. Every villain is drawn wonderful, to the smallest detail, and the areas are perhaps the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Upon landing on Tallon IV I was shaken by just how beautiful the over-world looked. The tropical rains, the lush green forests, and the fact that as I stood in the water and looked into the churning waterfall Samus' face would actually get wet and fog. Magmoor Caverns are the same way. You step into a stream of hot water vapor and you vision wavers and fogs. Phendrana Drifts is perhaps the second most beautiful area I've seen in a game. The perpetual light snow, and those ever-white snowcaps. They just make me want to touch the screen. And the best thing of all? I didn't have a progressive scan cable. The progressive scan cable makes the graphics much sharper than before. Trust me that is a good thing. But the environment and enemies aren't the extent of the graphics of the game. There are some very small subtle touches Retro put in, that they didn't have to. For instance, if you just sit around and wait, Samus' hand will come up, and she will visibly stimulate all five fingers separately. You can see her press buttons on a panel than revolves on her gun arm. While being in your other two scan modes, X-Ray and Infa-Red visors, you can see even other great things. While in the X-Ray visor, you can see Samus' fingers work different functions on your guns and you switch weapons, shoot, charge, and shoot missiles. When there's a bright flash, you can also see her face reflect in her visor. There really aren't any games that are that graphically powerful, and to make things better, there are no load times. The game loads the next area very subtly, as Samus is journeying down to the place on an elevator. The next room loads from the time Samus shoots the door to the time she enter is. Never once is the experience broken by a loading bar. The sound in the game is another pinnacle of gaming. Everything is lush, and very fulfilling sound-wise. The score supplements the way the game works in every way. The fast techno beats goes extremely well with the epic science-fiction feel of the game, and for some reason it makes me wonder just what goes on in Samus' mind. There really isn't much to say about the music and the sound effects in the game. There is nothing to say for voice acting because it is not there. For good reason. It wouldn't make any sense. There's no one on this big, empty, dangerous planet. It's just Samus. There are no speaking parts in the entire game. This game is an achievement for Nintendo, Retro Studios, and gaming itself. I'd never seen a game so immersive and atmospheric before I played this game, and this really is one of the games that changed the way I game…even if I had been gaming for a good ten years + before I got it.

10/10.

Bully (2001)

Too crude to be great, but it has its moments... (possible spoilers)

[8/10 · 30 January 2005]

2001's Bully from director Larry Clark (Kids, Another Day in Paradise) is indeed a good movie. I won't tell you the plot details here, since you can check the plot higher up on the page.

Bully has wonderful screen writing for the most part, nice direction, and the acting was all good, too. Nothing great, just good.

The film is indeed based on a book, which is an account of a true story, and is very compelling.

Now we get to the cons, almost every other scene features sex between Bijou Philips or Rachel Miner, or at least one of them nude, now this doesn't really irk me all, and the two of them (Bijou Phillips much more, though) are quite nice to look at. But after a point you think, "wow, this is just gratuitous. How is this important to anything in any way?" I also found it hard to sympathize with several of the "terrorized kids" but I don't think this is a bad thing. These kids were, for all intents and purposes, useless (I'm not talking about Nick Stahl) except maybe for Marty Pucchio, who coulduh been a contenduh...at surfing.

Now, though, for Nick Stahl. This is the character I felt most sympathetic about, because sure, he may have been a bit of a bully, but it seemed to be because he couldn't get in touch with his feelings. He was afraid and yet at the same time intrigued by his sexual confusion which several teenagers go through. I know kids like this (except maybe about the homosexual feelings, because thats only my business if they tell me) and this poor kid needed counseling. However, this, for me made the pivotal scene, the climax, that more powerful. What was left after the climax though, still carried that power, because of the final song in the movie. It worked great.

Final word, Too much sex, too much nudity, and a little too much language keep this film from becoming truly great.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (2004 Video Game)

A great game, but...

[19 January 2005]

not quite up to the original.

This time Samus is sent to investigate the disappearance of a group of soldiers on a distant, out of the way planet called Aether. When she gets there she finds all the soldiers dead, Space pirates conducting Phazon experiments, and a war between two species, the Luminoth and the Ing, who live on a ghost version of the Aether, called Dark Aether. Samus is then pulled into war by the Luminoth. To make things worse, there's a malevolent version of Samus around, who is completely black.

This time you don't lose so much equipment in the beginning, as this focuses more on story than exploration. You soon find out what happened to the soldiers, by scanning of course, and everything heats up from there.

The controls are exactly the same as the first one. They work just as well in this game. You have new weapons, the Light, Dark, and Annihilator beams, as well as the standard power beams. You're kept using your power beams, as the other beams have a new ammo system. Killing with Dark gets light ammo, and vice versa.

The graphics are a little better than the first, but are basically the same. The boss fights are excellent and the designs are second to none.

The sound is just as great, making you feel like the person who stumbled onto a violent train wreck before anyone else. The music is reminiscent of its predecessor, but is equally good.

The game play is a bit different, still focusing heavily on the Metroid theme, but there is a bit more action than the first one.

Plus, there is the Dark World. In the Dark World the very atmosphere is toxic, quickly draining Samus's health just to be in there. As a safety precaution for the battles, the Luminoth have gone in and planted Light Crystals, that provide an umbrella of protection and slowly heal Samus. This really goes to creating tension and a sense of urgency at the danger of the situation.

This game is great, but there is just something about it that is missing. I don't really know what it is, but its something. I guess it just doesn't have the charm of its predecessor.

If I gave Metroid Prime a 10/10, which I do, I (so far, as I've not yet beaten it) give this one about a 9.1/10.

Manhunt (2003 Video Game)

Great voice acting and a simple, yet compelling story, make Manhunt a great game

[13 January 2005]

*Possible Spoilers* Manhunt, the latest from Rockstar North, creators of the notorious Grand Theft Auto games, have branched out into Manhunt. Manhunt is a stealth game, and a great one at that.

I will not mention the story, as you can simply look up into the Plot Summary to get your details. I will say that the cutscenes are few, and at first glance the story doesn't really develop at all. But that isn't so. Unlike most games, Manhunt's story is progressed IN THE LEVELS. If you watch the situations that James Earl Cash is put in frequently, you see how his, and even Starkweather's characters develop.

Cash turns from a menace to society to a tragic hero, and Starkweather is revealed as a pitiful creature, who can only feel worthwhile by watching others suffering. Especially the level where he takes some things VERY personal to Cash, if you play that level, and the subsequent cutscene, you'll really see when the story becomes more than graphic gratuity.

Now on to the Gameplay. It's wonderful. It's really not like much that has been out before it. The Director (Starkweather) has Cash hide in the shadows) and the only way he can get through the night is by killing several gang members in the corrupt, impoverished, ****hole Carcer City. These games were hired by Starkweather to play the cat and find the mouse in these Manhunts. The thing is, Starkweather also wants Cash to kill these gang members in a special way.

Executions with melee weapons are what he wants. This is done by trailing behind the would-be Cash killers with your weapon, locked on to the back of their head, waiting to power up three different levels of gruesome death. There are several weapons in the game, and Cash can carry one of each type at a time. 1 big weapon (like a baseball bat, Shotgun, etc.) 1 small weapon (machete, hammer, revolver, etc.) one single use item (like a plastic bag or wire) and one throwing item (like a bottle, a brick, or the decapitated head of a gang member.)

The executions are wonderful, and are seen from a security camera, in other words, what Starkweather films. It's hard to get tired of the executions, but right when it happens things get switched up with the introduction of firearms.

This leads us to Graphics. The graphics in this game are beautiful. They use the same graphics engine as Vice City and Grant Theft Auto 3, but it has been severely powered up for this game. All the buildings are a washed out, uncaring gray. The entire city reeks of corruption, crushed dreams, and death, there nary is a happy moment or colorful place in the whole city. The cutscenes are beautiful, however sometime rats crawl around on the ground, and they look rather bad. On the whole, the game is beautiful.

Sound. Sound, in a stealth game, needs to be one of the most important components, and in Manhunt, it is. The ambient, yet rather dark, score is reminiscent of John Carpenter's own, and there's a moment in one of the later levels, where I was in a deserted casino, holed up in the highest indoor room there, and fending off a legion of corrupt cops. Since only a few bullets will stop Cash, it was quite difficult, and the way it mixed with the score is a moment I shall not forget. Aside from the score, the sound of the game is wonderful as well. Gunshots ring loud and clear, hitting a wall makes a scarily clear thud, especially with a gang member breathing down your throat. It sets up tension like almost no game I've ever played, except probably Metroid Prime.

I give the game a 9.7 out of ten.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2002 Video Game)

Really wonderful...

[7 January 2005]

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is the latest entry in the classic saga.

First off, I just want to say...Wow. This game is an experience. Taking place on the ocean instead of the familiar realm of Hyrule, you sail around to several different islands in the course of play.

The sea is huge, a 7 by 7 square grid dotted all over with islands. The story is new, and plays as a loose sequel to Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. Now I know that would sound kind of stupid, considering that they are all part of a series, and would of course be connected. But its different here. Just watch the opening cinematic.

The game play is wonderful, from sailing and retrieving treasure chests to the familiar Zelda formula, it works on every level.

The graphics are amazing. Never before has Cel-Shaded graphics been done to such an extent. It's really quite wonderful. When you roll, dust flies. Your ship cuts through the water as it sails, and lets not forget the waves and the wind blowing in certain directions.

To go deeper into the story, let me just say that it is a bit of a departure from the earlier editions. This time it is about Link (of course) who sets out with pirates to retake his kidnapped sister, and he is thrown into dark and sinister implications, and has to rise to his destiny. All while trying to get her back. There still isn't voice acting, just words on the screen. Which is good, because no voice acting can't seriously be a con, but terrible voice acting can.

Several new characters and a whole new world to explore recreate the Zelda scene with riveting force. Some may complain that there's too much sailing. They can stick with Serious Sam if they can't sit down that long.

Some may gripe about the cel-shaded graphics. But their best argument tends to be "its stupid." My only problem isn't really a problem. I just with they would have kept something in the game in alignment with the Ocarina of Time. No real bother.

Anyway, I give it a 9.8 out of 10. My second favorite GameCube game. (Just behind Metroid Prime.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998 Video Game)

Superb...

[19 September 2004]

This is, hands down, the best video game ever made. It's graphics (I hate to start with these) were revolutionary to both the series and gaming itself. It did a complete retake on the "save the princess" story-line of the previous Zelda games (except for Link's Awakening, and it was different from that too). It was, instead, a sweeping epic that moved seven years across time. You, of course, are the child Link, but thing's don't stay that way forever. The gameplay is wonderful, and easy to get used to, (Z-targeting is an invaluable asset), and it was also, like the rest of the game, revolutionary for at least the series. The change from overhead view was perfect.

Basically...its a 10.5/10

Final Fantasy VIII (1999 Video Game)

Just plain Great...

[10/10 · 23 April 2004]

Final Fantasy 8 is a superb game. This isn't a where you can just shoot 'em up, blast 'em down and be done with it. This is a deeply involved game with a nice plot that you mustn't view as a movie. Picture it instead as a novel, a novel that you have to sit down, appreciate the plot and the characters as you watch the plot develop over its grand four-disc length.

I'm not going into the plot, as you can just read the quotes above to get your details there. I will say it has an amazing soundtrack and great graphics, and some nice dialog as well.

If you balk at the fact that it becomes a little unbelievable at times...remember that FAN-tasy equals FUN-tasy and then be on your way.

Oh, and if you can, get it for PlayStation, not PC.

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (1995–1996)

One of The Greatest...

[9 February 2004]

This was one of the first anime's I ever saw...I remember staying up late to watch it unedited on Cartoon Network.

The story follows Heero Yuy, a young asassin trained to pilot a Gundam Mobile Suit. Him and his team of other Gundam pilots, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, and Chang, against the corrupt and oppressive Earth-Sphere alliance.

The Earth Sphere alliance is lead by Treize Kushrenada and the mysterious Zechs Marquise, who wears a mask almost constantly.

However, the story quickly unfolds into much larger implications.

This is a great anime and in my opinion the best in the saga. The anime has extremely well developed characters with several problems and inner demons. The plot is also great. The animation is smart and the dialog witty.



There are really only a things I didn't like about this show, one was that it didn't really tread much new ground since its predecessors.

I give it an 8/10.