My final Year in Review piece and it's books this time. I've managed a fair bit of reading this year and have read titles of varying quality. Not all of these have made the review but of the ones that have, some I have already posted about so I'll get those out of the way first.
Stephen Kotkin's Stalin duo, with still no date on the final volume, proved a tough read but interesting enough, whilst Richard Pike's Phantom brace were good, despite the second volume's change in presentation and The Explorer's Guild didn't live up to its promise.
Other books this year included another due of history tomes, James Holland's The War in the West. Volume three is due next year and is worth consideration. The books take quite a high level view with emphasis on individuals and their course through the war. Focusing as it does on the West, there is only cursory mention of the Eastern Front but the author does tie things neatly together. I would say that there is some repetition of facts within the narrative (Yes, I get it, the MG34 was wasteful to produce), and that the author's key contention, that Britain was never in that much danger due to it's logistical capabilities, is a bit too pat from the start, but overall, these two volumes tell the story of the Western theatre well.
Suez, by Keith Kyle, is considered by some to be the reference work on the Crisis and after reading it, I can see why. It is compelling and authoritative, combines details and grand scale politics and treats everyone fairly, which is not to say that it's kind to them, No. not at all. But there is one key off-putting issue with the book and that is the style of writing. This is purely a generational thing (it's flowery and effusive, a style that hasn't been taught in schools for a long time) but don't let that put you off if you want to know the background and the events of Suez. It just made it harder to read for me that I thought it would be.
Keeping with the period, slightly, is The Doomsday Machine by Daniel Ellsberg. He of the Pentagon Papers fame, Ellsberg writes with some humour about his time working as a nuclear strategist and planner. It's an enlightening tale and one that should fill you with horror at the mentality of those who controlled the nuclear forces of America during the Cold War. There are some factual errors in there and the overall tone betrays a left-leaning political basis but again, as with Suez, don't let a style (or politics but you off). There is much to be learned here.
That could also be said of The Sleepwalkers, Christopher Clarke's history of how Europe came to be in the position it was in during 1914 that led to The First World War. This is a densely packed title and hard going, especially with the focus on Serbian and Balkan politics but as a book to tell you why the First World War happened, it's hard to beat. There are other tomes that provide differing points of view and scale but The Sleepwalkers is an excellent addition to the mass of literature about that horrifying period.
Richard J Aldrich's GCHQ gives the uncensored tale of the eponymous secret agency. It does, especially the early years, and is entertaining in its own right. However, there are a couple of factual errors in there that detract from the authority of the author and the period following the end of the Cold War is patchy at best (the 30 year rule is a massive hindrance here too) so it's a case of buyer beware for this title.
Off the historical track and onto videogames, which tend to do poorly when it comes to books. Somehow, the mediums don't tend to gel too well. In these two instances, they kind of do. Blood, Sweat and Pixels is an anthology book by Jason Schreier, detailing the production stories of ten videogames. Some were massive successes, one didn't even get released. However, in each section, there is a tale of joy, humility, triumph and despair. If you're ever wondered what videogame development could be like, or want a window onto that world of entertainment software development, then this is the book for you.
Then there is Retro Tech by Peter Leigh. Better known by his YouTube channel name of Nostalgia Nerd, Leigh has written a guide to home computer and console hardware in a neat and tidy little package. By his own admission, PC gaming and handhelds get short shrift as they really do need books of their own, but what you do get here is a brief history of each machine, some nice pictures and a selection of three games for each one: a must see title - demonstrating the power of the machine at the time, a must play title - one you must play to appreciate what the machine brought to the table and a must avoid - really, one that should never be touched with a barge pole. What I like about Leigh's writing is that his voice shines through the text and if you've ever seen one of his videos, you'll know straight away what I mean. As a one book guide, this is very good and whilst there are other hardware books out there, this is one of the best.
Finally, we have Persepolis Rising, book 7 of The Expanse series. If you've read previous posts, you'll know how much I like the TV series which is based upon the books. The TV show is only up to the third book and I do wonder how they'll continue given the scale of the books. Even after seven volumes, the characters remain fresh and the story interesting. It helps that the planned nine-title series is split into three books of three. Seven kicks off another fight for the crew of the Rocinante and this time, you do get the feeling it's the end of the line for some, even if they don't know it yet. If you've not picked up The Expanse from the beginning, it's no good starting here, but I do recommend you do start. It's grand scale sci-fi and a good read too.
Well, that's it for the Year in Review series. I hope you've enjoyed them and if you have any comments, I welcome them all. May you all have a happy new year, and a healthy and prosperous 2019.
Monday, 31 December 2018
Sunday, 30 December 2018
Year in Review - Games
Videogames in 2018 this time and I have to admit that there aren't many worthy of remark. Not because there weren't many good games released this year, just that I simply haven't had time to play much.
First up, we have Kingdom Come: Deliverance. An action role-playing game set in Bohemia in 1403, KC:D offers an open world experience with period accurate weapons, architecture, clothing and politics. I picked this one up as it had been reviewed with a tag-line of "like Skyrim, but without the Dragons". That got my interest. That it is also as historically accurate as it can be in an entertainment medium also piqued my curiosity. What it delivered was a decent, though not spectacular experience that was a bit rough around the edges, had more than a few bugs and a god-awful save system (there were conditions required for you to save your game and you could die a lot!). It did deliver on the history and the developers must be applauded for that. It just felt right and if you have even a passing interest in the period, give it a try.
We Happy Few was one of the most anticipated titles for me in 2018. Set in an alternate 1960's England where we lost World War 2, people are controlled by a substance called Joy, WHF is steeped in English history and Shakespeare in particular. With a unique art style, intriguing story and three playable characters, I took to this game immediately. Then stopped. The melee combat is practically broken, there are game-breaking bugs, general graphical and sound issues and even the story left so much up in the air, it kind of made me question why I had bothered at all. I suppose if you can pick it up on the cheap, then give it a go, but for a full-price title, it's disappointing.
The Shenmue Collection brings two classic Sega Dreamcast titles that surely deserved a greater audience back in the day to modern gaming consoles. Whilst not true re-masters, the Collection is a welcome return of Yu Suzuji's seminal due ahead of the much anticipated Shenmue 3 due in 2019. The lack up much of an update to the graphics isn't that bad a thing, they're still functional today but it's the character animation that really is showing its age. However, despite being nearly 20 years old, they still deliver the goods. What has dated are the gameplay mechanics. There really are from a different era and the slow, nay glacial pace at the very beginning of the first game does draw you into the story if you give it time. The gameplay can be a tad unforgiving and there is a lack of polish in some areas that younger gamers may not be used to but even now, the Shenmue Collection is evidence of a master of the trade showboating a technical and story-telling ability that even with the passage of time, astounds today.
Oh Strange Brigade, I so wanted to like you. With your 1930's pulpy story and funny characters, you promised to be a shooter that would be just the bill for a Saturday afternoon session. And you almost were, but with gunplay that was a smidge too loose and the game really needing co-op play (I know it was advertised as an up to four player co-op experience but you still permitted single players), it snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. True, you have a likable swagger and the premise is worthy of Rebellion Studios continuing it with it's comic or movie/TV wing, but as a game, this lacked that vital spark to make it a must play.
Similarly disappointing was Shadow of the Tomb Raider. The final part of the most recent re-boot's trilogy, SotR is a polished and enjoyable experience with a couple of issues that stop it being a truly great game. The base story is decent and most of the performances are good, with just Camilla Luddington as Lara Croft coming across as a bit bored of it all (which is a shame as her previous two appearances have been excellent). The exploration sections are challenging enough and the shooting is as good as the series has had, but the key fault in the game lies in the silly turns in the story makes to keep it moving. One example is Lara donning a disguise and questioning the Peruvian locals in her plummy English accent and no-one realising it's Lara. Hmmm...
Next up, Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse. Not a new release per se this year, but it was ported over to the Nintendo Switch and it was on this format that I revisited the game since originally purchasing it on the X-Box One a couple of years back. This is point and click adventuring in the true Revolution Studios style and sees the welcome return of George Stobbart and Nico Collard. The move to switch suits the slow pace of the gameplay and the port is well handled. The story is intriguing and the puzzles are mostly sensible (but all point and click adventures throughout the years have suffered from weak puzzling at one point or another. The quality of the voice acting, animation and artwork make the fifth of the Broken Sword series feel like a comfy blanket, to be enjoyed and savoured. I'll honestly say it's not the best in the Broken Sword series (that would be the first game), but The Serpent's Tale shows the series still has what it takes and is well worth purchasing. Hopefully, they'll get round to number six at some point.
Finally, we have Forza Horizon 4. Another sequel, yes, but one that continues the drive (see what I did there) of the Forza Horizon franchise to become the most polished and fun driving series available anywhere. Moving to an idealised Britain after number three's Australian tour, FH4 introduces seasons, changing on a weekly basis, more enhanced weather effects and what I can only describe as amazingly accurate facsimiles of British geography given the limitations of storage and playability. Derwent Reservoir is identifiable by shape, Bamburgh Castle is correct and present, as is the car park opposite it and the village is pretty spot on. Ambleside is a bit smaller than I remember but the bits that are there are correct, and Edinburgh is Edinburgh (well, at least the city centre bit). It's one of those kind of cool things when a videogame developer aims to recreate the real world and does so with such a degree of fidelity that being there in-game brings back vivid memories of being there in the real world. I will add that real world beats computer world every time (just in case anyone was wondering :-)) The driving remains sublime and there is enough freedom and challenges to keep you occupied for weeks, if not months. The first of the DLC packs, Fortune Island, adds even more and I eagerly await the second DLC pack in January 2019. Are there any issues? Some, maybe a hint of slowdown in really busy sections, but they are few and far between. That and the wheelspin prize function which, as it brings in clothing and accessories alongside the traditional credits and cars, tends to give you a fair bit of unwanted crap. However, there are no micro-transactions and that should be applauded.
Well, only one more to go, so next time, it will be books for 2018.
First up, we have Kingdom Come: Deliverance. An action role-playing game set in Bohemia in 1403, KC:D offers an open world experience with period accurate weapons, architecture, clothing and politics. I picked this one up as it had been reviewed with a tag-line of "like Skyrim, but without the Dragons". That got my interest. That it is also as historically accurate as it can be in an entertainment medium also piqued my curiosity. What it delivered was a decent, though not spectacular experience that was a bit rough around the edges, had more than a few bugs and a god-awful save system (there were conditions required for you to save your game and you could die a lot!). It did deliver on the history and the developers must be applauded for that. It just felt right and if you have even a passing interest in the period, give it a try.
We Happy Few was one of the most anticipated titles for me in 2018. Set in an alternate 1960's England where we lost World War 2, people are controlled by a substance called Joy, WHF is steeped in English history and Shakespeare in particular. With a unique art style, intriguing story and three playable characters, I took to this game immediately. Then stopped. The melee combat is practically broken, there are game-breaking bugs, general graphical and sound issues and even the story left so much up in the air, it kind of made me question why I had bothered at all. I suppose if you can pick it up on the cheap, then give it a go, but for a full-price title, it's disappointing.
The Shenmue Collection brings two classic Sega Dreamcast titles that surely deserved a greater audience back in the day to modern gaming consoles. Whilst not true re-masters, the Collection is a welcome return of Yu Suzuji's seminal due ahead of the much anticipated Shenmue 3 due in 2019. The lack up much of an update to the graphics isn't that bad a thing, they're still functional today but it's the character animation that really is showing its age. However, despite being nearly 20 years old, they still deliver the goods. What has dated are the gameplay mechanics. There really are from a different era and the slow, nay glacial pace at the very beginning of the first game does draw you into the story if you give it time. The gameplay can be a tad unforgiving and there is a lack of polish in some areas that younger gamers may not be used to but even now, the Shenmue Collection is evidence of a master of the trade showboating a technical and story-telling ability that even with the passage of time, astounds today.
Oh Strange Brigade, I so wanted to like you. With your 1930's pulpy story and funny characters, you promised to be a shooter that would be just the bill for a Saturday afternoon session. And you almost were, but with gunplay that was a smidge too loose and the game really needing co-op play (I know it was advertised as an up to four player co-op experience but you still permitted single players), it snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. True, you have a likable swagger and the premise is worthy of Rebellion Studios continuing it with it's comic or movie/TV wing, but as a game, this lacked that vital spark to make it a must play.
Similarly disappointing was Shadow of the Tomb Raider. The final part of the most recent re-boot's trilogy, SotR is a polished and enjoyable experience with a couple of issues that stop it being a truly great game. The base story is decent and most of the performances are good, with just Camilla Luddington as Lara Croft coming across as a bit bored of it all (which is a shame as her previous two appearances have been excellent). The exploration sections are challenging enough and the shooting is as good as the series has had, but the key fault in the game lies in the silly turns in the story makes to keep it moving. One example is Lara donning a disguise and questioning the Peruvian locals in her plummy English accent and no-one realising it's Lara. Hmmm...
Next up, Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse. Not a new release per se this year, but it was ported over to the Nintendo Switch and it was on this format that I revisited the game since originally purchasing it on the X-Box One a couple of years back. This is point and click adventuring in the true Revolution Studios style and sees the welcome return of George Stobbart and Nico Collard. The move to switch suits the slow pace of the gameplay and the port is well handled. The story is intriguing and the puzzles are mostly sensible (but all point and click adventures throughout the years have suffered from weak puzzling at one point or another. The quality of the voice acting, animation and artwork make the fifth of the Broken Sword series feel like a comfy blanket, to be enjoyed and savoured. I'll honestly say it's not the best in the Broken Sword series (that would be the first game), but The Serpent's Tale shows the series still has what it takes and is well worth purchasing. Hopefully, they'll get round to number six at some point.
Finally, we have Forza Horizon 4. Another sequel, yes, but one that continues the drive (see what I did there) of the Forza Horizon franchise to become the most polished and fun driving series available anywhere. Moving to an idealised Britain after number three's Australian tour, FH4 introduces seasons, changing on a weekly basis, more enhanced weather effects and what I can only describe as amazingly accurate facsimiles of British geography given the limitations of storage and playability. Derwent Reservoir is identifiable by shape, Bamburgh Castle is correct and present, as is the car park opposite it and the village is pretty spot on. Ambleside is a bit smaller than I remember but the bits that are there are correct, and Edinburgh is Edinburgh (well, at least the city centre bit). It's one of those kind of cool things when a videogame developer aims to recreate the real world and does so with such a degree of fidelity that being there in-game brings back vivid memories of being there in the real world. I will add that real world beats computer world every time (just in case anyone was wondering :-)) The driving remains sublime and there is enough freedom and challenges to keep you occupied for weeks, if not months. The first of the DLC packs, Fortune Island, adds even more and I eagerly await the second DLC pack in January 2019. Are there any issues? Some, maybe a hint of slowdown in really busy sections, but they are few and far between. That and the wheelspin prize function which, as it brings in clothing and accessories alongside the traditional credits and cars, tends to give you a fair bit of unwanted crap. However, there are no micro-transactions and that should be applauded.
Well, only one more to go, so next time, it will be books for 2018.
Saturday, 29 December 2018
Year in Review - Films
Another Year in Review post, this one covering the cinematic releases I managed to catch in 2018.
I'll start with the Marvel trio of Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War and Ant-man and the Wasp. Another three slickly produced and well made blockbusters, demonstrating how good the Disney-owned Marvel movie factory actually is. Black Panther nails the origins story, Infinity War brings the Thanos story line along nicely and Ant-man 2 gives us more character background and a chance to see CGI Michael Douglas as a young man again. And yes, it's still a little freaky! Each ties in with the on-going narrative that Marvel started all those many films ago (the original Iron Man - it feels like an age since that first came out) and whilst each was successful at the Box Office (especially Black Panther - $1.34 billion for effectively an origin story is tremendous), I think the steam is running out of the series.
Let me explain. Black Panther gave us the origin story of the character and one of the best secondary villains in a Marvel film (Andy Serkis showing that he's more than just a bloke in a mo-cap suit), so far, so good. The thing is it's only the second of the origin films (from Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Ant-Man, Dr Strange and even Guardians of the Galaxy), that's been great in every respect. Spiderman - Homecoming is about equal here. We have another origins movie next year, Captain Marvel that, when I saw the first trailer, I thought it looked decent. Then the second trailer dropped and I found I couldn't care less. Maybe it's just me, but once we get the Infinity Wars story line finished in Avengers: Endgame, I'm not sure how much more effort I want to put into these films. Another by the book origins story with an overly CGI'd final battle and character redemption is not something I really want to see again. That's been done already. I could be wrong, but at it's current standing, Captain Marvel might be the Marvel film that hits "Peak Superhero" for me.
Of course, whilst fans will say it's great bringing new characters and new story lines in, it's all just about the Benjamins and I am increasingly cynical about Disney. They bought Marvel and have so far managed a frankly embarrassing high level of quality releases. That surely can't continue forever? They bought Star Wars and have pretty much ridden that one into the ground - I would like to see Episode 9 to see how the story ends but that's about it. Now they have the 20th Century Fox-held Marvel licence, so that's the X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool. Lord knows what the conservatively minded studio execs will do with the Merc with a mouth.
Speaking of him, Deadpool 2 saw a sequel that, while it didn't hit the heights of the first film, provided a worthy and fun follow up. Yup, they pushed the boundaries with the humour again, but that's what makes Deadpool quite refreshing. Of course, the success of this one means calls for a third but I'm in two minds about this and even Ryan Reynolds has been honest about saying unless there is a good story, they're willing to leave well alone. As I said above, who knows what Disney will do with the franchise.
The final superhero (or anti-hero) movie is Venom. Nominally part of the Spider-verse that Sony holds the rights to, Venom had some challenges to overcome, with both production fights and questions as to whether Sony could produce a decent superhero movie since the last decent one they made, Spiderman 2 in 2004. Well, they produced a corker, most of which I am crediting to Tom Hardy who once again demonstrates his ability to put 100% into any project he's involved with. A serviceable story, coupled with all-round good performances and a decent line in humour, the only thing that detracts from Venom is the CGI-fest finale, but that's a staple now of the genre. Feeling more fresh that Deadpool 2 and less "manufactured" than the Marvel series, Venom was the superhero film of the year for me.
On to what can only be described as the most unnecessary sequel ever produced (unless you are the studio execs who saw the first film take $1.67 billion worldwide), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom was advertised as a new adventure and ended up being a bit of a re-tread with an oddly small-scale third act. That didn't harm its box office success too much, raking in $1.3 billion and more than justifying a third film in the Jurassic World series. And that's the disappointing thing here - Fallen Kingdom exists merely to bridge the gap. The story is lazy, the actors look bored and it's likely the film will be remembered only as something you have to watch to keep up with the story. The worry here is that the third film will suffer from the same malaise that has gripped the second. Time will tell.
Before I get to my final film, a quick note about The Greatest Showman. The Hugh Jackman-starring musical loosely based on PT Barnum (loosely based is about the right level to describe this movie - there is a guy called Barnum and he had a circus - the rest is purely for entertainment), is a rip-roaring crowd-pleaser with enough ear-worm songs that you'll be humming them for hours after the end of the movie. My opinion is based purely on the entertainment value of the film, not its historical accuracy and you could do far worse than give up a couple of hours for this.
Right, the final film of the post and it's undoubtedly the best of the films I have seen this year, so much so that we went to see it twice (once at the chain cinema in the MetroCentre and once at the local independent cinema in Consett - you use it or lose it). That film, Mission Impossible: Fallout. Entry number six in a series that started in 1996, MI: Fallout continues the quality trend since MI: Ghost Protocol. With regular cast members back in place (Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg and the seemingly immortal Tom Cruise) plus returning cast from the previous entry MI: Rogue Nation (Alex Baldwin, Rebecca Ferguson and Sean Harris), MI: Fallout also brings in a few nods to the older entries and celebrates the fact that they've been doing this kind of thing for so long. Some might say this entry is a little too long but it never really sags and the action sequences are the best the series has had yet. The HALO jump and the toilet fight scene are two stand outs among the many set pieces. Part of the success is the acknowledgment of Cruise's advancing age and yet he still puts in maximum effort on screen - even to the point they kept the shot from a roof top jump where he breaks his ankle on contact with the side of a building and then hobbles off. That is a tad mental! Mention must also be given to the soundtrack which is simply sublime. People generally take little interest in the music used in action films - this soundtrack will make you sit up and take notice. That this series still feels fresh and exciting after 22 years is very much down to the right production teams, writers, directors and actors and I for one look forward to the inevitable follow up. How Cruise beats the spectacle he's already provided will be the big question. Space, anyone?
That's films out of the way. Let me know what you think of my choices and if there are films you have seen in 2018 that caught your interest. Next up, it'll be videogames.
I'll start with the Marvel trio of Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War and Ant-man and the Wasp. Another three slickly produced and well made blockbusters, demonstrating how good the Disney-owned Marvel movie factory actually is. Black Panther nails the origins story, Infinity War brings the Thanos story line along nicely and Ant-man 2 gives us more character background and a chance to see CGI Michael Douglas as a young man again. And yes, it's still a little freaky! Each ties in with the on-going narrative that Marvel started all those many films ago (the original Iron Man - it feels like an age since that first came out) and whilst each was successful at the Box Office (especially Black Panther - $1.34 billion for effectively an origin story is tremendous), I think the steam is running out of the series.
Let me explain. Black Panther gave us the origin story of the character and one of the best secondary villains in a Marvel film (Andy Serkis showing that he's more than just a bloke in a mo-cap suit), so far, so good. The thing is it's only the second of the origin films (from Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Ant-Man, Dr Strange and even Guardians of the Galaxy), that's been great in every respect. Spiderman - Homecoming is about equal here. We have another origins movie next year, Captain Marvel that, when I saw the first trailer, I thought it looked decent. Then the second trailer dropped and I found I couldn't care less. Maybe it's just me, but once we get the Infinity Wars story line finished in Avengers: Endgame, I'm not sure how much more effort I want to put into these films. Another by the book origins story with an overly CGI'd final battle and character redemption is not something I really want to see again. That's been done already. I could be wrong, but at it's current standing, Captain Marvel might be the Marvel film that hits "Peak Superhero" for me.
Of course, whilst fans will say it's great bringing new characters and new story lines in, it's all just about the Benjamins and I am increasingly cynical about Disney. They bought Marvel and have so far managed a frankly embarrassing high level of quality releases. That surely can't continue forever? They bought Star Wars and have pretty much ridden that one into the ground - I would like to see Episode 9 to see how the story ends but that's about it. Now they have the 20th Century Fox-held Marvel licence, so that's the X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool. Lord knows what the conservatively minded studio execs will do with the Merc with a mouth.
Speaking of him, Deadpool 2 saw a sequel that, while it didn't hit the heights of the first film, provided a worthy and fun follow up. Yup, they pushed the boundaries with the humour again, but that's what makes Deadpool quite refreshing. Of course, the success of this one means calls for a third but I'm in two minds about this and even Ryan Reynolds has been honest about saying unless there is a good story, they're willing to leave well alone. As I said above, who knows what Disney will do with the franchise.
The final superhero (or anti-hero) movie is Venom. Nominally part of the Spider-verse that Sony holds the rights to, Venom had some challenges to overcome, with both production fights and questions as to whether Sony could produce a decent superhero movie since the last decent one they made, Spiderman 2 in 2004. Well, they produced a corker, most of which I am crediting to Tom Hardy who once again demonstrates his ability to put 100% into any project he's involved with. A serviceable story, coupled with all-round good performances and a decent line in humour, the only thing that detracts from Venom is the CGI-fest finale, but that's a staple now of the genre. Feeling more fresh that Deadpool 2 and less "manufactured" than the Marvel series, Venom was the superhero film of the year for me.
On to what can only be described as the most unnecessary sequel ever produced (unless you are the studio execs who saw the first film take $1.67 billion worldwide), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom was advertised as a new adventure and ended up being a bit of a re-tread with an oddly small-scale third act. That didn't harm its box office success too much, raking in $1.3 billion and more than justifying a third film in the Jurassic World series. And that's the disappointing thing here - Fallen Kingdom exists merely to bridge the gap. The story is lazy, the actors look bored and it's likely the film will be remembered only as something you have to watch to keep up with the story. The worry here is that the third film will suffer from the same malaise that has gripped the second. Time will tell.
Before I get to my final film, a quick note about The Greatest Showman. The Hugh Jackman-starring musical loosely based on PT Barnum (loosely based is about the right level to describe this movie - there is a guy called Barnum and he had a circus - the rest is purely for entertainment), is a rip-roaring crowd-pleaser with enough ear-worm songs that you'll be humming them for hours after the end of the movie. My opinion is based purely on the entertainment value of the film, not its historical accuracy and you could do far worse than give up a couple of hours for this.
Right, the final film of the post and it's undoubtedly the best of the films I have seen this year, so much so that we went to see it twice (once at the chain cinema in the MetroCentre and once at the local independent cinema in Consett - you use it or lose it). That film, Mission Impossible: Fallout. Entry number six in a series that started in 1996, MI: Fallout continues the quality trend since MI: Ghost Protocol. With regular cast members back in place (Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg and the seemingly immortal Tom Cruise) plus returning cast from the previous entry MI: Rogue Nation (Alex Baldwin, Rebecca Ferguson and Sean Harris), MI: Fallout also brings in a few nods to the older entries and celebrates the fact that they've been doing this kind of thing for so long. Some might say this entry is a little too long but it never really sags and the action sequences are the best the series has had yet. The HALO jump and the toilet fight scene are two stand outs among the many set pieces. Part of the success is the acknowledgment of Cruise's advancing age and yet he still puts in maximum effort on screen - even to the point they kept the shot from a roof top jump where he breaks his ankle on contact with the side of a building and then hobbles off. That is a tad mental! Mention must also be given to the soundtrack which is simply sublime. People generally take little interest in the music used in action films - this soundtrack will make you sit up and take notice. That this series still feels fresh and exciting after 22 years is very much down to the right production teams, writers, directors and actors and I for one look forward to the inevitable follow up. How Cruise beats the spectacle he's already provided will be the big question. Space, anyone?
That's films out of the way. Let me know what you think of my choices and if there are films you have seen in 2018 that caught your interest. Next up, it'll be videogames.
Friday, 28 December 2018
Year in Review - Television
The end of another year and a time to reflect a little on what I've been watching on TV in 2018. Not a great deal, to be honest, but there have been a few shows worthy of comment.
Starting off, we have Hard Sun, a so-called pre-apocalyptic thriller that the BBC aired in January. I put up a review post here and to avoid repeating myself, all I'll add is that I was disappointed with the show. It promised much but the execution was lacking.
Next up, the second half of season one for Star Trek: Discovery. I say second half as American broadcasters have this annoying habit of putting months-long break in TV shows instead of showing the whole season in one block. The break didn't hurt ST: Disco as the season ended on a high and delivered what I was expecting from a modern day ST show. The cast were uniformly excellent (especially Jason Isaacs who seems to have been having a ball!), the production values were top notch and the story engrossing. True, some didn't like it as it wasn't "true" to the values of Trek, but I think it mostly was and let's be honest here, if a show doesn't re-invent itself periodically, it disappears into the depressing void of formulaic nothingness. No, Disco was an excellent return to form for TV Trek and I look forward to the second season coming next month.
Another show that re-invented itself for the umpteenth time, Dr Who. I'll address the elephant in the room first - Jodie Whitaker is excellent in the role and the new (or should I say old) vibe of providing educational episodes (where you actually learn a bit about history) is refreshing compared to the convoluted series arcs that the Tennant and Smith era's provided. The three new companions, sorry, friends of the Doctor are worthy additions, especially Bradley Walsh, who gets to show some serious acting chops. One thing this Doctor has mostly avoided is terrible scripting, something that plagued Peter Capaldi's first series, doing much to undermine his great efforts to make the role his own. With a New Year special coming and a second series due at some point, the show has gotten past the kerfuffle about a female Doctor with style and hopefully has a bright future ahead. However, with rumoured issues between Chris Chibnall, the show runner and the BBC, it may be that we only get two series in total.
Another good TV show this year was Jack Ryan. A review of the show is here and that too is another programme I'm looking forward to returning.
The same can be said for Lost in Space, Netflix's re-imagining of the classic sci-fi show. Brought up to date and with vastly superior SFX, Lost in Space had a lot to prove as a flagship show and by God, did it prove it. With an excellent cast (minus the ever-so-slightly annoying Parker Posey as Dr Smith - you really want people to just think about what she's doing and kill her) and a re-jigged story line, Lost in Space provided an excellent counter to Trek and Who for sci-fi fans. It also boasted excellent production values and the pacing over the limited run of episodes was top notch. Again, a second season is due, probably next year.
Marvel TV shows got short shrift from me this year, with only the second season of Luke Cage getting a watch. That show, to be honest, was crap. Too long, too slow and boring, I made my feelings known here. They haven't changed.
This leads me to the Missing In Action section, shows that I haven't seen yet they were released in 2018. First up, the Marvel shows - Daredevil season 3 and Iron Fist season 2. After ploughing through Luke Cage, my lovely lady and I decided that we weren't going to waste any more time on these shows. Yes, Iron Fist season 2 got better reviews than the first, but that wasn't exactly something to shout about, and the third outing for Daredevil was considered a return to form, but when each series takes up to 13 hours of your time, you want to be entertained and they just didn't seem to offer that - and no, this does not break the Magnusson Protocol.
That leaves The Expanse season 3. With a 100% fresh rating on Rottentomatoes.com, this season was one I was really looking forward to appearing on Netflix. Sadly, it didn't. You see, Alcon Entertainment makes the show, with SyFy having first broadcast rights in the US, Amazon having re-broadcast rights in the US and Netflix pretty much covering the rest of the planet. SyFy cancelled the show despite the glowing reviews and obvious quality due to poor ratings - remember, they only have first broadcast rights. Fortunately, Amazon picked up the show for a fourth season, but in doing so, picked up the rights for all broadcasts worldwide. This happened before season 3 made it to the UK. Netflix have since pulled the first two seasons from their network and there is no sign of Amazon showing any of the seasons in the UK. It's a shame and it looks like I'll have to wait until the DVD release next autumn.
So that's it for television. Next year promises to have some corking shows and no doubt I'll have a comment or two on here. Also look out for the Year in Review posts for Films, Books and Games coming up over the next few days.
Starting off, we have Hard Sun, a so-called pre-apocalyptic thriller that the BBC aired in January. I put up a review post here and to avoid repeating myself, all I'll add is that I was disappointed with the show. It promised much but the execution was lacking.
Next up, the second half of season one for Star Trek: Discovery. I say second half as American broadcasters have this annoying habit of putting months-long break in TV shows instead of showing the whole season in one block. The break didn't hurt ST: Disco as the season ended on a high and delivered what I was expecting from a modern day ST show. The cast were uniformly excellent (especially Jason Isaacs who seems to have been having a ball!), the production values were top notch and the story engrossing. True, some didn't like it as it wasn't "true" to the values of Trek, but I think it mostly was and let's be honest here, if a show doesn't re-invent itself periodically, it disappears into the depressing void of formulaic nothingness. No, Disco was an excellent return to form for TV Trek and I look forward to the second season coming next month.
Another show that re-invented itself for the umpteenth time, Dr Who. I'll address the elephant in the room first - Jodie Whitaker is excellent in the role and the new (or should I say old) vibe of providing educational episodes (where you actually learn a bit about history) is refreshing compared to the convoluted series arcs that the Tennant and Smith era's provided. The three new companions, sorry, friends of the Doctor are worthy additions, especially Bradley Walsh, who gets to show some serious acting chops. One thing this Doctor has mostly avoided is terrible scripting, something that plagued Peter Capaldi's first series, doing much to undermine his great efforts to make the role his own. With a New Year special coming and a second series due at some point, the show has gotten past the kerfuffle about a female Doctor with style and hopefully has a bright future ahead. However, with rumoured issues between Chris Chibnall, the show runner and the BBC, it may be that we only get two series in total.
Another good TV show this year was Jack Ryan. A review of the show is here and that too is another programme I'm looking forward to returning.
The same can be said for Lost in Space, Netflix's re-imagining of the classic sci-fi show. Brought up to date and with vastly superior SFX, Lost in Space had a lot to prove as a flagship show and by God, did it prove it. With an excellent cast (minus the ever-so-slightly annoying Parker Posey as Dr Smith - you really want people to just think about what she's doing and kill her) and a re-jigged story line, Lost in Space provided an excellent counter to Trek and Who for sci-fi fans. It also boasted excellent production values and the pacing over the limited run of episodes was top notch. Again, a second season is due, probably next year.
Marvel TV shows got short shrift from me this year, with only the second season of Luke Cage getting a watch. That show, to be honest, was crap. Too long, too slow and boring, I made my feelings known here. They haven't changed.
This leads me to the Missing In Action section, shows that I haven't seen yet they were released in 2018. First up, the Marvel shows - Daredevil season 3 and Iron Fist season 2. After ploughing through Luke Cage, my lovely lady and I decided that we weren't going to waste any more time on these shows. Yes, Iron Fist season 2 got better reviews than the first, but that wasn't exactly something to shout about, and the third outing for Daredevil was considered a return to form, but when each series takes up to 13 hours of your time, you want to be entertained and they just didn't seem to offer that - and no, this does not break the Magnusson Protocol.
That leaves The Expanse season 3. With a 100% fresh rating on Rottentomatoes.com, this season was one I was really looking forward to appearing on Netflix. Sadly, it didn't. You see, Alcon Entertainment makes the show, with SyFy having first broadcast rights in the US, Amazon having re-broadcast rights in the US and Netflix pretty much covering the rest of the planet. SyFy cancelled the show despite the glowing reviews and obvious quality due to poor ratings - remember, they only have first broadcast rights. Fortunately, Amazon picked up the show for a fourth season, but in doing so, picked up the rights for all broadcasts worldwide. This happened before season 3 made it to the UK. Netflix have since pulled the first two seasons from their network and there is no sign of Amazon showing any of the seasons in the UK. It's a shame and it looks like I'll have to wait until the DVD release next autumn.
So that's it for television. Next year promises to have some corking shows and no doubt I'll have a comment or two on here. Also look out for the Year in Review posts for Films, Books and Games coming up over the next few days.
Thursday, 13 December 2018
A Spiritual Psion - The Oregon Scientific Osaris
After posting the piece about the Psion Series 3, I intended to get my hands on a Psion Series 5 for comparison. After all, it was the follow up device in the Psion range. However, actually buying one is a smidge expensive. E-bay prices for good condition models are exorbitant and I could only find one retailer offering reconditioned units whose prices are not bad at all, especially compared to auction sellers but still high enough to put off a casual purchase. It was a bit like a replay of the 1990's, wanting one but never being able to fully justify the price and buying one. All was not lost, though. Just as in the '90's, there was a cheaper alternative that does almost exactly the same thing as the Series 5: The Oregon Scientific Osaris.
Oregon Scientific started out life in Portland, Oregon (I see what they did there!) producing electronic weather stations, digital clocks, electronic learning devices and the like. From a UK perspective, the clogged up the Argos catalogue with tat but at the back end of the 1990's. They licensed the EPOC operating system from Psion and released this relatively cheap PDA.
I say relatively cheap, at £219.99 to £279.99, it was cheaper than a Series 5 proper but also didn't offer everything that the Series 5 did. The main differences were the screen and operating system. The Osaris packed an 18MHz Arm 710 chip with 4 or 8Mb or RAM depending upon the model. The screen is a backlit and touch capable, with a resolution of 320x200 pixels (The Series 5 offered a 640x240 screen). Unlike the Psion, the Osaris used a forked version of the EPOC operating system, release 4. With the technical gubbins out of the way, what about the device itself?
It's fairly light and quite compact. Built from plastic, it doesn't feel overly robust and I wouldn't want to drop test of these machines. The hinge is quite easy to operate and upon opening, there is a plasticky rattle that gives pause for thought. Closing it gives a sharp snap that is more reassuring. The display is bordered by two touch-sensitive menus, leading to the smaller (although cheaper) display. These function as you'd expect and to be honest, the smaller display size is something you tend to forget about in day to day use. It helps that the side menus have a similar background to the display. One issue with the display is the fixed angle of the hinge, meaning if you're not in the right position, you'll have to contort yourself to see the screen clearly. Some might also find the screen a bit too murky and in less than decent ambient light, the backlight is a must.
The main draw is the keyboard and, whilst not up to the standard of Psion's Series 5, is more than good enough for note taking. The keys are relatively big and quite easy to tap away at. Initially, I found them a tad stiff with little feedback but with some perseverance, I grew to accept the feel. It's not a keyboard you could bash out a lot of words on but it does the job.
The built in software is the Psion standard package, so Word, Sheet, Data, Agenda etc. Nothing much to be added about those.
Connectivity is as per late 1990's standard PDA tradition - a compact flash slot that permits file transfers even today using a USB to CF adapter, RS-232 for a serial PC link and an IR port for beaming contacts and phone connections. Power is supplied by two AA batteries and they are easily replaceable.
Is this a device that could be used today? Well, maybe. Certainly you can use it for typing on the go, but the rather firm keyboard and the fixed angle screen hinge are two of the main ergonomic reasons against the Osaris. File transfers are still possible using a CF card and I don't have a serial cable or software to try a PC link. In one sense, I am glad I didn't get my hands on one of these back in the day. Yes, it looks a bit like a Psion, and it acts like a Psion, but it's not a Psion. With too many corners cut to hit a budget, it just can't compare with it's more expensive cousin.
 |
| It looks decent... |
 |
| With the usual software... |
 |
| ... but even here you can see issues with the screen |
The main draw is the keyboard and, whilst not up to the standard of Psion's Series 5, is more than good enough for note taking. The keys are relatively big and quite easy to tap away at. Initially, I found them a tad stiff with little feedback but with some perseverance, I grew to accept the feel. It's not a keyboard you could bash out a lot of words on but it does the job.
The built in software is the Psion standard package, so Word, Sheet, Data, Agenda etc. Nothing much to be added about those.
Connectivity is as per late 1990's standard PDA tradition - a compact flash slot that permits file transfers even today using a USB to CF adapter, RS-232 for a serial PC link and an IR port for beaming contacts and phone connections. Power is supplied by two AA batteries and they are easily replaceable.
 |
| Power, IR, RS-232 and slot for stylus |
 |
| CF slot cover |