A pretty random review/rant here regarding a film that went unnoticed to some extent upon it’s release (1996) but should be at least somewhat famous. At a time when Hollywood is struggling to justify rising special effects costs and originality seems a dirty word (something that could also be applied to many of the conglomerates in the games industry but that’s another rant for another day…), it’s somehow ironic that one of the most memorable films I know of features little if any of the first and reams of the second.

Interestingly, it also says much for what’s possible when someone with real talent and vision is given complete creative control. Billy Bob Thornton both wrote, directed, and starred as the main character (Karl Childers).

Sling blade is many things, but essentially it’s a film about simplicity, about the fact that sometimes, in fact quite often, the most important people in the world are those that make the least sound of all, and those with the biggest hearts often suffer the greatest pain. It’s hard to say too much about a film like this without spoiling the plot, so forgive me if my prose seems somewhat abstract.

(Read more…)

Everyone and everything in life is entitled to a second chance. To wipe away the past and start anew, hopefully with a better, more fitting outcome. Ico, the critics’ darling, hailed by many as the finest game this generation didn’t match that title in the sales department.

But four years on, and by popular demand from those that didn’t realise what they had until it was too late, Ico gets its second chance. To fulfil its potential and rectify the quick (Read more…)

After the cult classic ICO had arrived, it left gamers with a different outlook on games, seeing them not just as a simple videogame, but as interactive art. It was the critics’ darling (including me) and one of the most enchanting and beautiful games to ever grace the consoles.

Now Fumito Ueda is back with what could only be described as a spiritual sequel to ICO. (Read more…)

So I look out the window,
and I feel the moonlight on my face,
I’ve been here before child,
but never with such easy grace.

It’s as if I know where I belong now,
no more searching for something beyond,
the light’s in the sky, out of reach,
and for once, I accept that’s where it belongs.

Not everyone gets to be an astronaut,
not every fool gets to fly a plane,
and you know, I’m happy for it to be like that,
and for my nights to be quiet, once again.

The memory is still there,
I’m pretty sure; it’ll never really fade,
in the middle of the night, hushed little whispers,
wondering if everyone else thinks I’m insane.

It used to be so much fun,
my innocent talk across the globe,
but like everything the end came,
but I was the only one who seemed to know.

Not everyone gets to be a warrior,
not every fool gets to be rich,
and you know, I’m happy for it to be like that,
and I promise I won’t complain or snitch. (Read more…)

In October 12th 2005, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced the new fifth generation (5G) iPod to the world’s press and everyone was surprisingly enthralling by the new version of the popular digital music player.

Jobs pitched the new iPod as the “music player with video as a bonus,” so how good is this video feature? Is it better than Sony’s PlayStation Portable? Lets take a closer examination…

The first impression that hits you is the size of the iPod itself. The dimension remains the same footprint – 4.1″ by 2.4″ – over the previous generations despite featuring a nice screen size – 2.5″.

The look of the iPod is like its predecessors. It is equipped with a screen; a circular touch-sensitive, five-button controller called the “Click Wheel,” and a rechargeable battery.

This is Apple Computer’s “fifth-generation” (5G) full-sized iPod, having been preceded by the original in 2001, the second-generation in 2002, the third-generation in 2003, and both the fourth-generation black-and-white and color iPods in 2004.

There are two models available, the 30-Gigabyte model which is capable of holding approximately 7,500 songs, while the 60-Gigabyte version stores around 15,000 songs. In addition, two colours are available. The classic Apple white and the cool, sexy black.

As for digital photos and video, Apple says that both 30GB and 60GB iPods can hold 25,000 compressed photos. The 60GB iPod is advertised as holding 150 hours of compressed video (with audio accompaniment), while the 30GB iPod can hold 75, each using the H.264 standard.

H.264, also known as MPEG-4 AVC (Advanced Video Coding), is a video compression standard that offers significantly greater compression than its predecessors are.

Even though movies are compressed in this new format, the quality offered my H.264 is acceptable. Offering crystal clear display and sound.

To watch videos on your iPod, you can either convert your own personal movies (from your computer) or download a selection of music videos from the UK version of the extremely successful iTunes Music Store. TV shows are missing at the moment (compared to the US iTunes), but eventually we will have access to a number of TV shows from the likes of the BBC.

So how great is this iPod at playing videos? Initially, I was sceptical in particular the 320×240 display but in actual fact, it looks quite good.

The screen is nice and clear, running at a smooth framerate around 27 frames-per-second (fps). You can view the moving image at any angle without having to worry about distortion or glaring.

The sound quality is excellent and watching an episode of Desperate Housewives brings a huge joy to this reviewer because you never imagine watching a popular TV show on your iPod!

But is this better than Sony’s PSP in terms of playback quality? Yes and no… Yes, because it supports H.264 and MPEG4 meaning more data space on which to store your movies. But sadly no, because the screen is at 4:3 ratio compared to the widescreen 16:9 – 480×272 pixels – offered by the PSP. So it’s not a good idea to watch a two-hour movie on such a small screen…

But what about the other features on the new 5G iPod? The music playback is outstanding with even a louder and impressive sound quality. The photo mode has a nice animated slideshow that showcase your personal digital photos. Plus updates to the organiser to keep track of all your personal notes and business details.

Conclusion
So what can we say about the Fifth Generation iPod? It is still the best music player in its field (compared to iRiver, Zen and Sony’s Walkman). Features an impressive photo player and it is a beautiful piece of technology. Regardless of its only acceptable video performance, there is no device at its size and price that does all of these things as well as it does, or looks as elegant doing them. For first-time iPod buyers, especially those focused on its audio functionality, this is an exciting new product. 9/10

Pros
• Attractive, thinner-than-ever iPod enclosures with a bright, detailed 2.5″ display.
• Best-sounding iPod yet, plus optional on-screen lyric display.
• Improved battery life. Over fifteen-hour music play time for 30GB model beats Apple’s estimate, 60GB model runs nearly 20 hours.
• The ability to watch videos on the go. Without having to worry about carrying a portable DVD player, laptop or PSP.
• Beautiful User Interface. No complicated controls, easy to use.

Cons
• No FireWire support. Only USB 2.0 is used to transfer data from computer to iPod.
• Implementation of video functionality is incomplete, lacking hardware support for popular standards, and free software to convert existing videos.
• Though detailed and bright, the screen is smaller than both competitors and consumers’ expectations.
• No longer includes wall charger! So you have to charge it via your computer.
• Can get scratches, like the Nano!
• New Creative Zen Vision is on the market with better handling on video formats.

The FFIII remake that everyone has been waiting for – In 3D! Yes that’s right, the classic RPG will now be in full 3D and hopefully the storyline will be unedited too compared to the original edits made to the SNES USA version. Expect some form of mini-games to be added and other extras. ETA – N/A.

Developed by Square-Enix (after approaching Nintendo with a concept of using the touch screen) comes this Basketball title from the RPG creators. From the screenshots the game looks amazing for the DS and will have innovative uses of the touch screen for control mechanics. One to keep tabs on as if this becomes online enabled it could be good fun. ETA – N/A

Harvest Moon fans rejoice! This is a brand new 3D title of the classic farming sim. From the developers of Record of Lodoss Wars it seems that this DS version will be a slight departure from the previous series. For one you have the ability to attack enemies in what seems like an Action RPG meets Farming scenario. This could make or break the series so it will be interesting to see how it plays out. ETA – N/A

Square-Enix presents a “Secret of Mana” title for the DS! While not many details have been released thus far bar some screenshots it seems that it will be much like the original on the SNES and its sequel “Seiken Densetsu III” which was only released in Japan.

An action RPG with real-time battles and hopefully multiplayer aspects, we hope it’s a return to form for the Mana series which is becoming a multi-platform RPG. ETA – N/A