damian-from-dublin Reviews

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)

A Film to Kill For

[8/10 · 22 August 2014]

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, much like its predecessor, should really be considered a bad film. Yet its bizarre mixture of cartoonish ultra-violence, cheesy dialogue, and noire aesthetic come together to create something incredibly unique. It is also a film that makes good use of 3D, as at times it looks like you are staring at a three dimensional diorama of a comic book frame, and it is beautiful.

The cast is strong, although with so many big names a lot of them only end up getting a few minutes of screen time. Mickey Rourke returns as Marv, and is clearly the heart of the movie, featuring in three of the four stories in major roles. Josh Brolin takes over for Clive Owen as Dwight, which works well given the darker tone in A Dame to Kill For. As for Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Johnnie, a newcomer to the franchise, Gordon-Levitt does well enough with the role, but Johnnie's story itself is rather forgettable. Jessica Alba returns as Nancy, and is both appropriately sexy and scary at the same time. The casting couldn't have been better.

The plot itself consists of four loosely connected stories featuring the four lead protagonists respectively, it does feel a little rougher during the transitions between them compared to the original Sin City. The titular story, A Dame to Kill For, certainly stands out among the four, and fans will be more than pleased with this adaptation of one of the most beloved Sin City comics.

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For may not be as innovative or as seamless as the original, but it is still a great, unique piece of cinema.

Now I hope you don't mind me saying this... But this here is a film to kill for.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II (2012 Video Game)

The Future is Black.

[9/10 · 15 November 2012]

While the future may indeed be black be in this gloomy, believable fiction written by established Hollywood writer David Goyer, the future for the Call of Duty franchise certainly is not. Game developer Treyarch Studios has delivered a game that not only lives up to the franchise's reputation, but is an incredible game overall.

Call of Duty has pioneered the shooting genre for years now, and Black Ops II is a testament to why that is. Sharp, responsive controls; constantly evolving game-play; writing that is both compelling and touching; Black Ops II is an absorbing experience.

The story follows several characters, some from other Call of Duty games, but anything relevant to the plot is recapped in character dialogue. You'll tread in the boots of many different soldiers throughout the course of the game, but you'll slowly realize that if Black Ops II does have a main character, it would be the antagonist, Raul Menendez.

Contrary to the black and white stories typically told by war movies and war video games alike, you will truly sympathize with Menendez as you learn more about him. Maybe he's even right in his cause.

The story is far stronger than any first person shooter should have, and I recommend playing it just for the story. Oh, and the story has several different endings based on player input, so be careful out there! Long time fans of the series will be pleased to see the competitive multi-player seeing its first major advancement in years. There is even a zombies mode that is on par with any action survival game out there. This game is massive.

The future is not black for this franchise if Treyarch Studios keeps making games like this. See you on the battlefield!