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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Release: November 18, 2005

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth installment in the Harry Potter series, and based on the J.K. Rowling book of the same name. Goblet of Fire manages to push the envelope and improves over all of it’s predecessors in every way. It’s complexity is what pushes it ahead, boasting new and interesting characters such as Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson), while Harry, Ron and Hermione are all maturing, respectively. Goblet of Fire also makes less mistakes than previous installments, with more intense action, new spells and character development. You will also see the rise of Lord Voldemort, which makes things that much more exciting. It’s the first time Harry and Voldemort get a taste of each other’s magic skills, making for one of the most nail-biting “fight” scenes in the series yet.

Goblet of Fire delivers on it’s premise in every possible way. It manages to be diverse and compelling without sacrificing any of the classic Potter substance we have come to know and love. The emphasis put on the story really puts Goblet over the top, and with new characters, exciting new games and activities taking place, it’s sure to hold your attention through out the two hour plus run time, leaving you begging for more. Goblet is also the most emotional Potter yet. You’ll be cheering Harry on as he battles the evil Lord Voldemort in an epic battle scene, but a few minutes later you’ll be crying because new character Cedric Diggory meets his demise at the hands of the dark lord. It’s a roller coaster from start to finish, one you won’t want to get off of.

The characters are all growing and maturing, and it’s fun to watch as the series progresses. This time around, you start getting attached to them and actually begin to care about their well-being. This is where Harry starts to emerge as the main protagonist and starts showing qualities of a hero and leader. There’s just so much good to say about Goblet of Fire, it’s the best film in the series thus far. It brings so much to the table, making it a real winner, especially for hardcore Potter fans. “Epic” is probably the best way to describe this entry in an already fantastic series. I can’t say enough about how much the series grows with each entry. Chamber of Secrets improved upon Sorcerer’s Stone and Goblet of Fire improved upon Prisoner of Azkaban. The writers and director just keep plugging away and really deliver for the masses here.

Score: 4.5/5


Systems: PS3, 360

Release:  November 2, 2010

ESRB: Teen

Score: 3.5/5

007: Blood Stone is the latest installment in the James Bond franchise. It stars Daniel Craig as Bond. Craig’s voice acting is present here as well, which is definitely a good thing. Blood Stone is developed by Bizzare Creations, which is now closed down, and published by Activision. The game utilizes a 3rd person view, like in 007: Everything or Nothing released a few years back.  The story is completely original, again, like Everything or Nothing.

007: Blood Stone is a mixed bag in the graphics department. The characters models look bland and boring, along with simple environmental things such as bushes and greenery. When it comes to the car models, boats and other objects, the game shines. Effects like sparks and explosions are big pluses as well, they just look really good. The environments as a whole look great as well. There are many different types of locales boasting snow, rain, sunshine and so on, in which all have different seasons, making for a diverse experience when traveling from level to level.

The sound in 007 Blood Stone is pretty average. The gun fights are all pretty bare bones and the music is hit or miss, depending on which part of the game you’re playing. The best part of the sound in Blood Stone is the voice acting, which include all the series likenesses such as Daniel Craig and Judi Dench, as well as new Bond girl, Joss Stone. Having the real voice actors really makes the game feel genuine. The gameplay in Blood Stone is very simple and easily accessible for all players. The game gives you the choice of four difficulty levels. Gun play is pretty simple as well, using it’s own unique targeting system. There are many types of gameplay here, including epic shoot outs, intense car chases and a downright fun boat chase. There are also elements of stealth which are pretty entertaining as well. The controls are well done but nothing ground breaking. Overall, Blood Stone does a good job of keeping things simple, but at the same time, it does nothing new and fresh, making it feel a bit stale in the gameplay category.

All in all, 007: Blood Stone is another decent entry in the James Bond series. It doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but it offers one thing, and that’s entertainment. To be completely honest, I had a blast playing through Blood Stone. I enjoyed the simple gameplay, fun shootouts, car and boat chases, gorgeous scenery and the story line. The sad ting is, it’s all been done before in the series, and there needs to be a change. There has already been talks of a sequel coming in 2012, so hopefully the developers can create a new Bond experience that’s fresh and unique. For what you get in Blood Stone, I think it’s worth a purchase, simply because it’s good old, action-packed James Bond entertainment, so check this one out, especially fans of the franchise.


The Woman in Black

Released February 3, 2012

Rated PG-13

Directed By James Watkins

Starring Daniel Radcliffe

95 Minutes

The Woman In Black is a horror film starring Daniel Radcliffe. It’s Radcliffe’s first starring role since the Harry Potter saga. He bodes fairly well here, given the source material. The film tends to play it safe when it comes to thrills, boasting quick scares while leaving out blood and gore. This works fairly decent and works well to go along with the story. The first half of the film is better than the second half, sadly, losing it’s momentum halfway through. At first, the film gives you chills, brings emotion and genuinely scares you, then by mid-point, it starts to really hone in on it’s story line, wasting all of it’s built-up steam. This doesn’t go to say it falls short of expectations.

The film definitely gets weaker as it goes on though. The acting on everyone’s part is superb, meaning Radcliffe and all of his supporting cast members. The scares The Woman In Black delivers are quick and undetected, giving it a genuine feel, which is greatly needed, considering the weak story line. As I just said, the story is quite weak, but the premise doesn’t have much to offer as it is anyway. It’s overly simple and predictable. What really makes The Lady In Black special and unique is it’s creepy approach to horror and it’s main star, Daniel Radcliffe, offering an overall, mildly scary, yet nail-biting experience. The Lady In Black should be appreciated by Radcliffe’s fans, and should also appeal to thriller and horror fans alike, but expectations going in need to be set pretty low so no one gets disappointed.

Score:

3 out of 5

 



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