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All reviews - Movies (19) - TV Shows (38) - DVDs (1) - Books (3) - Music (11) - Games (5)

Not funny anymore.

Posted : 2 weeks, 2 days ago on 25 April 2008 05:37 (A review of Scrubs)

Scrubs used to be the most brilliant comedy series available in its first 5 years. Every episode had a wonderful tale, some hilarious inventions such as new phrases, or highlighting things certain people do that make you laugh because you agree and know someone just like it etc.

Then it started to become formulated. JD has far to many stupid outrageous thoughts, Turk and JD are always childish and naughty, Turk acts black, and Carla acts like the mum/Spaniard/straight one. These 3 alone would be enough but then you have Eliot who now cant seem to be in a scene without some anecdote, they used to be superb but now they just make me feel uncomfortable, as do Dr Cox's rants. You just want both of them to find a new gimmick and never look back. The Janitor and Ted are still funny as ever, but the writers are abusing this humor by making them wacky or absurd.
Even the episodes seem to follow the exact same template, new predicament/happening, trouble adjusting/fixing then resolution and moral of the story. Every time, in every episode this happens. It just needs to stop!
Sadly, they were going to stop it at season 7, but the American network executives decided to sell it and make a season 8 on another channel! So low and behold the show continues. I feel out of the yearn to finish the story i must watch along, but this is fast becoming like Smallville for me, there is only so much i can take before i stop watching because its become tripe.

That being said, if you are reading this as someone who wants to know wether to bother watching Scrubs, then i would say YES, DEFINITELY purely because the first 5 seasons are absolutely hilarious. The writing in these years just seems clever and witty. The formula is there, but it is used properly as a conduit for their brilliant tale. Its only when they start creating episodes in a "paint by numbers" style filling in the blanks as they go along that things start trailing. But by then you would be on season 6 so you would of had a fill of great tv anyway!

I wouldnt say this is the funniest comedy America has given us, i was a big fan of Friends, and you cant really say that was less of a success as it ran for 10 years and was still very funny at the end. Scrubs however feels more like an upbeat soap opera to me now, i watch it because i want to know about the characters lives, but i found tonight for example i laughed about 3 times in a half hour episode. I guess they raised the bar to high and lost it. Roll on Americas next top Sitcom!

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An Average Album

Posted : 2 weeks, 2 days ago on 25 April 2008 04:19 (A review of Have a Nice Day)

When i heard Bon Jovi was releasing a new CD i thought it would be great, as they are a very talented band and their best of album shows the bulk combination of their worth to music, which is vast.
However, unfortunately for them, they are stuck in the past. This album was great in the sense that it has everything you want to hear from Bon Jovi, it has everything that IS Bon Jovi, but that is not enough, its the new millennium, music is evolving, and Bon Jovi just sticks to the formula they are used to.
The songs are not particularly memorable songs, mainly ones you will sing along to whilst the album is on, or when they come on the radio, but which you wont be playing in 20 years time. Most Bon Jovi fans will stick to their Cross Roads, or if a new best of comes out in the future, perhaps 1 or 2 of these songs will make it on there (Although i strongly feel none would)
Now if i was a member of the band, i would have said

"We have this retrospective album, and it has made the world think "oh yeah, they are great!!" (like Guns and Roses did....) but now we need to make an album that blows that CD out of the water and shows them we can do FAR BETTER" (Guns and Roses are bringing out a CD this year i believe, i get the feeling my review for them will be similar to this one!)

Sadly they didnt top a single song on Cross Roads, and so if that was their aim they failed. If their aim was to supply a CD which meets satisfactory requirements but does not surpass them then this is it. Im shocked to say im listening to the CD whilst i write this to get a better feel, and i have listened to it countless times in the past, but i still did not recognize some of the songs because they are just average!

Bon Jovi fans will disagree, but music fans will like this CD and likely never Love it.


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I expected more from this.

Posted : 2 weeks, 2 days ago on 25 April 2008 03:48 (A review of My Brother's Blood Machine)

When i heard that Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria was going Solo on a new album about my favorite Coheed Character "Jessie the prize fighter inferno" i was quite excited. I expected such a great character to be given center stage away from Coheed and Cambria and to have some wild adventure in acoustic form.
Most of this belief was down to the fact since first becoming a Coheed fan i had heard the rumors of PFI coming to light, and about 3 acoustic guitar singles circulated the internet called "Run like Hell" "Im going to kill you" and another one i forget the name of.
Only "Im going to kill you" actually made it onto the Album and unfortunately it was renamed "the missing mcCloud boys" and was my least favorite of the 3.
I was also mistaken in thinking it would be about Jessie, in fact it turned out to be a story told BY Jessie

"Long-arm and Butchie Bleam brothers brought together by physical distortion and social seclusion are about to find themselves in the running for the most unusual job in the world.....DEATH! Listen to the story unfold as we follow these two misunderstood yet maniacal minstrels of macabre in a neverending race for ultimate power. Listen to the disturbing details as the songs takes you through the hell that is the Blood Machine. This is a story being told in song......this is hell being unleashed through love and sound...... I am the hitchhiker doomed to tell the tale of Margretville, I am your Guide, I am the Prizefighter Inferno."

This is the tagline that accompanies it on many a website/advert. I feel that it over hypes it really. But it is still a good album! There are some awesome sounds in the album and its worth a listen through once or twice as i think you'd find one song to add to your collection at least.

The songs fluctuate between electronica, folk rock and synth rock throughout the album, and upon hearing this i instantly decided i was going to love the rock but hate the electronica, AGAIN i was wrong, i actually hate the folk rock songs, LOVE the electronica songs and the synth rock is just in between really.

I would say if you like Coheed and Cambria a lot then you are going to like this too, not as much, but to a degree. If you are not a coheed fan, or dont know who Coheed and Cambria are then this probably is not for you, in my opinion it is not a fraction as good as The Amory Wars has turned out to be, but i guess that might be because that story has been going for a hell of a lot longer. I think though that with more albums and some explanation, this story may unfold quite well in the long run, but id rather Claudio stick to Coheed first!!

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An important book everyone should read.

Posted : 2 weeks, 2 days ago on 25 April 2008 03:28 (A review of The God Delusion)

I picked this book up at Easter, it was being heralded in my local book store and i figured it would be a very interesting read. At half way through the book i find that my assumption was not wrong.
If you have ever thought to yourself about religion, what to believe, what not to believe, you must read this book, or at least a book like it.
In it, Richard Dawkins examines all the reasons why there MUST be some kind of God and why there simply CAN NOT be a God. He also examines why religions are inherently flawed, and where each of them finds their roots through out history.
This book is part philosophy, part history and i would say part religious and part science. Its an age old debate, of which i am new to following, although extremely interested in. I find this book has been a great starting point in exploring my true beliefs and also questioning what the world leads people to believe. I feel that once i have finished this book i will have a vastly improved knowledge of religions, including the one i have supposedly been a part of for the past 22 years without truely knowing anything factual about it!
If you are a truely religious person, or part of a religion you know little about, then i recommend this to you. If you are an extremist then you would definitely benefit from reading the words in this book as they aim to open your eyes a bit more, however one of the problems i find with this book is that people who do ere on the extreme side of believing, will no doubt discard and discredit this book without actually reading it. I imagined whilst first reading through it, the Pope sitting in the Vatican, shunning the book without even opening it, decreeing that it was the work of the devil and should be ignored at all costs. If thats your opinion too then sadly this is the 1 book above all others you NEED to read.

Since starting to read this book, i have discovered numerous people who are already familiar with it, or familiar with Dawkins work and they are all in agreement that his work is very well presented and that it has given them the encouragement to explore further into a world of knowledge that is rarely discussed in the open.

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Awful Awful Film.

Posted : 3 weeks ago on 20 April 2008 09:36 (A review of X-Men: The Last Stand)

For months before X-MEN 3 i was excited, the adverts looked awe inspiring and the story sounded brilliant. I really thought it would be the greatest of the trilogy and that they would continue to surpass themselves at every turn. Instead we got this awful kill fest that just trys to make the story "shocking" by killing half the characters aimlessly instead of actually creating a better plot. They tried to hard to incorporate as many fan favorites as possible so that everyone would feel like they must see it to view x and y.
This film was a blatant ploy to get everyone into the cinema and out again for as little effort as possible, milking the success of the other 2 films a little too far and insulting anyone who actually liked the first two films. I hear they are making a wolverine and a magneto film, im not very sure wether i shall bother to watch them! I will probably wait until someone else buys it on DVD and puts it on as i am not giving them another PENNY of my money after this shite.
If you really like X-Men then dont bother with this unless you have to, i think my review will wind up having a good effect on you as you will think "Oh, it wasn't as bad as he felt!" but when your the other way around, expecting gold, you find it hard not to feel let down.
All i remember in the cinema now is getting up feeling gutted that i had raised my hopes on this, even my partner was disappointed for me because she knew id been looking forward to it for weeks. It'l take a lot of people raving and shouting about the next films for me to take interest!!

Definite 1/10 from me!

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A Brilliant Story.

Posted : 3 weeks, 1 day ago on 19 April 2008 05:48 (A review of Battle Royale)

I recommend this film to everyone who can handle subtitles and mild gore really, its a brilliant idea which im sure has been done before but there is so much to like about this particular story that it stands out as a classic straight away.

The Japanese government come up with the novel idea of combating unemployment and the increasing issue of youth crime, by sending the worse offending classes to a remote island where they are forced into collars capable of killing them and told they have 3 days to murder each other until 1 is left standing otherwise after 3 days they all die. Each youth is given a back pack of supplies, a map, and 1 secret weapon to aid them in their battle, ranging from machine guns, cross bows, right down to a fan and a bin lid. They are forced into moving constantly by fluctuating death zones which they avoid using their map. Some of them chose to work together, others go it alone. Obviously eventually the killing starts and everyone is forced to come up with a solution.

Most of this movie you will find yourself fantasizing about what YOU would do in this scenario, would you (being the first one out) hide behind the door and just kill everyone that came out after you? Would you jump to your death, or would you go out with a bang taking down as many others with you as possible?

It sounds like something you wouldn't like to consider, but it does make you feel like you have learned something new about yourself after watching it. The story isn't just one big kill fest there is a plot to it that is good enough to warrant a re-watch etc. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and its always good to shove on if someone you know hasn't seen it and your stuck for something else to do etc. There are very surreal moments throughout the story, as if being shoved on an island to kill your class mates wasn't surreal enough, and that just adds to the fun of the film really. My only fear about this great story is that it will be remade in the West. This would be the worst possible thing to happen and would prove that Hollywood is just a massive pile of wank.

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Childrens TV died with this.

Posted : 3 weeks, 1 day ago on 19 April 2008 05:22 (A review of Muppet Babies)

This show had a lot of imagination in it, much like some episodes of Rugrats today i guess (except better) Coupled with the immensely brilliant characters of the muppets you have one hell of a cartoon.
The muppet babies mainly told each other stories and re-enacted famous stories/films/plays etc, it was fun and innocent and much better than watching the teletubbies and the tweenies! Much more can be taught by watching a baby frog and a baby pig re-enact romeo and julliet than by watching a fat purple alien ponse around with his handbag going "et oooh"
If you are a new parent, forget the bull you find on television now. Go on the internet and download this, Thomas the Tank Engine (Ringo Star only) and other old classics like that. They didn't do you any harm, but your kids stand no chance with todays crap!

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How is this not on page one?!

Posted : 3 weeks, 1 day ago on 19 April 2008 04:35 (A review of Final Fantasy VII)

Voted the greatest game in history on gamefaq you can understand why i am a little confused to discover Final Fantasy 7 has not even made it into the top 3 pages on Listal! I presume a lot more people have played this than have rated it otherwise there is something awfully wrong here! Final Fantasy 7 is the defining game of the playstation, it is the most epic and awe inspiring game ever to be released and over 10 years on it is still as popular as ever.
The only Final Fantasy i know of which has been played at least 10-15 times through by me and my friends, its story never gets old. There are perfectly crafted characters, fantastic scenes and a wonderful adventure, and there is just so much you can do in this game! I recommend this to anybody with eyes, if your blind dont talk to me, otherwise get the hell onto your local boilermakers, or whatever shop you have to buy it in, put it into your Playstation and sit! Play it for the full 30-150 hours you should spend on it (at least 60 to do it averagely, though it can be completed in a lot less) You will not regret playing this game, it is pure brilliance. Japans greatest achievement is making this game, their finest minds were creating this, every other technological advance they have made since was playing second fiddle to its creation. All final fantasies since have been good, but none are truely on par with this game. Rumors of a remake had people drooling but thus far it is unlikely. It is a game that has spawned numerous sequels and prequels in the past year or two which is great considering there was nothing for a decade after its release. The graphics may be the only worry in this game, but that should not matter to you once the story immerses you. Remember, you are playing a game from 1997!
So, Stop reading this review now and start playing the game! I am appalled that you haven't. If you have, you will know what i mean. No Ps should exist without having had this game inside it.


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Hairspray review

Posted : 3 weeks, 3 days ago on 16 April 2008 08:59 (A review of Hairspray)

I must say, having a partner who absolutely loves musicals kind of warps your opinion of them in time. I remember seeing the old version of Hairspray when i was younger just because it was on late at night and i was "staying up" which was a treat. Any other time in life i can safely say iv never subjected myself to the musical variety of film except for the biggies like Greece.
That in mind i wasn't exactly looking to watch this film when i did! My vision of the evening was a quiet night on the computer with a few drinks n the occasional word to the other half, instead she put this on and i wasn't really sure what to expect! I liked the first song, the leads voice is incredibly strong and powerful, i decided it might not be a bad film after all, and that was it! The rest of the story went by in no time, i enjoyed the music, the plot was great, and held important messages about the world, i loved how well they did at making it look like and feel like the 60's etc and how the whole film just seemed spot on. (Note im not old enough to know the 60's but it seemed like how other old films portray it)
Im sure most musical lovers will have bought this film in triplicate by now but any one else who hasn't seen it should give it a shot, even John Travolta almost acts in this film! Its the only time in his entire career iv not hated him for filling a roll. Zac Efron was brilliant in his roll and i feel that although he belongs to the evil Disney corporation etc, and he seems incredibly plastic, he does seem to posses an enormous amount of talent i could never equal and for that i respect him.
This is a great film with well chosen actors, each roll is played perfectly and it is filled with talent from the start. It even almost convinced me to watch more musicals!!

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Now some men like a fishin'......

Posted : 1 month ago on 10 April 2008 03:11 (A review of Whiskey In The Jar Single)

...But some men like the fowlin'
Some men like to hear, to hear the cannonball a-roarin'

But me, I like this cover of Whiskey in the Jar. Its an absolutely brilliant piece of music taken from Irish History, assumed to be about the 18th century era.
Its about a man who whilst in the Cork and Kerry mountains, holds up a captain and robs him of his riches, then is betrayed by his lover, in this version her name is Molly, who dobs him in to the captain he robs from, he shoots the captain and winds up in prison as a result.
The guitars Metallica use in this song are spot on, absolutely love the solos and i think the lead vocals are perfect for this kind of song. All the Oh's, Yeah's and the way he sings WHISKEEEEY IN THE JAROOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHYEAAAAAH always makes me want to shout it out loud. There are not many truely great covers, but this one is fantastic and to boot it reminds me of my grandfather who used to constantly listen to an Irish folk version of it when he was alive. I would recommend this song to anybody really, its not a matter of disliking specific genres of music, either a songs good or a song is bad, and this one is incredible! Listen to it!

Oh and P.S, SORRY for the awful start to the review, it just had to be done!!! I feel quite dirty for it now.

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