Doctor Strange Movie Review

Released: 28th October 2016 (United Kingdom)

Length: 115 Minutes

Certificate: 12A

Director: Scott Derrickson

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Mads Mikkelson and Tilda Swinton

The less well-known, but thoughtful Doctor Strange makes his debut in this latest offering from Marvel; while it isn’t such a radical departure from the norm, it is still an intriguing take on the superhero genre.

Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a brilliant but egocentric neuro-surgeon who loses the use of his hands in a car accident; desperate to regain the function of his most precious assets, Strange journeys to Nepal, only to be drawn into a realm of parallel universes far beyond his comprehension. Strange marks itself as one of the more fascinating tales spun in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; as the main character delves into the realm of the mystic, the audience is taken along on that journey, making the narrative continuously engaging. The source material is very solemn and collected, creating a focus on the mind and spirit, but Doctor Strange also mixes in a modern sense of humour and just like other films in the series, it makes great use of this tone to break up the more serious moments. Doctor Strange is also incredibly smart with its blending of science and spirituality, twisting, turning and colliding both in surprising ways. On the one hand, Strange believes in the application of physical skill and mental knowledge but he then begins to understand that the mind has another facet based in careful concentration. As a result the film’s settings, plot and lore come together to form an intoxicating ride.

The characters of Doctor Strange all have plenty of dimensions to them and very well defined characteristics. Benedict Cumberbatch is brilliantly cast as the Doctor; there’s a balanced mix of humour and intellect that slots him seamlessly into the MCU. However this does come at the cost of a worthwhile backstory; it would have added more depth had we seen more detail on how he became a successful neuro-surgeon. Cumberbatch’s closest friend and colleague Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) is fairly downplayed and it doesn’t distract from the proceedings while still giving her a role to play. On the other side of reality, Strange’s closest ally Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is built on duality; he believes in training Strange but also finds his own perspective changing as the film goes on. Benedict Wong is equally well-portrayed, his serious mannerisms bouncing off the comedic relief without ever feeling jarring.Mads Mikkelson plays main villain Kaecilius, whose backstory succeeds at deepening the lore of the mystics while also bringing a suitably threatening presence to bear. Lastly, there’s Tilda Swinton who takes on The Ancient One, one of the better mentor characters in the series so far; a collected yet committed woman who oozes just as much intrigue as the world she inhabits. The key line: “Forget everything you think you know” is a key aspect, the characters all conveying a theme of questioning things and thinking outside the box and this is a far more intelligent theme than anything the studio has done before.

Doctor Strange could well be the best looking film that Marvel has ever put out in recent years; the thoughtfulness that hangs over the film puts a new spin on the well-established trend of city destruction seen in its contemporaries. Fans of more mind-bending films will definitely be reminded of 2009’s Inception here as the environments shape-shift from one form to another with barely a moment to breathe. Add to that different dimensions and the bending of locations and you have an air of unpredictability that hooks into the action sequences. It’s an exhilarating ride that doesn’t falter for a second. Buildings fold, twist and break apart to form new structures and occasionally time itself slows or stops, allowing the audience to suspend their disbelief. The soundtrack has an air of science fiction to it, creating another elegant technical component. Doctor Strange is also one of few films that can join the likes of Avatar and How to train your Dragon with its superb use of 3D; it is used to truly make its alternate dimensions come alive and the strongest highlight of this is towards the end where a fantastic looking climax shifts in and out of reality with great precision.

The uncanny yet dazzlingly entertaining Doctor Strange is another sure-fire hit from Marvel. It takes a more calculated approach to the superhero genre and while the central character could have been introduced a bit better, the incredible special effects and fascinating narrative are more than enough to pull you into its world.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Controversy Clocking Episode 8: Review copies and the manipulation of game criticism

Reviews are a major component in the gaming industry, mostly due to their ability to affect purchases and in turn make a marked impact on profits for companies. They also take far longer to consider and produce than any other piece of media due to the many components that make up a game. In this follow up to my episode on “The Finger of Suspicion and outrage over game reviews”, further measures have recently been put in place to diminish and affect the way information on the quality of games is written and delivered to the masses.

The gaming industry is a sector where developers and publishers hold all the cards when it comes to marketing and selling their products. If a reviewer calls out a company’s practices or gives a lower score, they’re added to the blacklist (Most recently with Jim Sterling being labelled a “Wild Card” reviewer by big publishers). If a game is broken on release, a version is created that presents the game as running perfectly well. If a game has microtransactions or some kind of pay-to win aspect, these components are locked off from mainstream reviewers until the game is launched. It’s all tailored towards keeping the pre-orders and profits as high as they can be while misleading the consumer based on a hype cycle that continues to be impervious to major criticism.

The latest case of developers purposely disrupting this flow of information to suit their own ends is Bethesda, who recently put out a statement saying that their review copies would be given to the press just one day before release. They already pulled a similar move with the Doom reboot earlier this year over concerns that the lukewarm reaction to the game’s multiplayer beta would impact sales. According to Bethesda’s statement, users should wait for reviews and explains that they want reviewers and consumers to get into their games at the same time. Unfortunately, in the gaming industry this is impossible; no matter how many disappointing games are released there will always be those who fall for the hype and put down their money too soon.

There’s an endless obsession with getting your hands on a game as fast as possible and playing it before everyone else. In that sense, this latest move plays on the consumer’s distaste towards the gaming media who get to play upcoming games early for free. When looking at the pre-order bonus for the upcoming Dishonored 2, players are able to get into the game a day before release if they put down their money before the official release date of November 11^th; in other words they can take on the media in a sense by having the game first and it’s this kind of pandering that will feed even more into the negative cycle of hype and pre-order culture that has dogged the industry in recent years.

By restricting its games to reviewers in this way, Bethesda’s new policy is very cowardly, showcasing a publisher that refuses to take criticism upon the launch of its products. It will affect two main groups in the following ways…

1. Reviewers both mainstream and third party: Under the policy game critics are given just one day to play the game’s modes and collect their thoughts and this is nowhere near sufficient enough to form a credible impression. There’s a tendency to gloss over specifics such as multiplayer performance, random bugs and glitches and the examination of specific modes in their entirety. There’s a pressure to slap a score on a title and put the review out more quickly to take advantage of clicks and advertisement revenue to pay the bills which will degrade the quality of game criticism as a whole.

2. The consumer: The flow of information regarding the quality of an upcoming game will be drastically cut down, making consumers far less informed and more susceptible to purchasing titles without having the proper information beforehand. The companies get your money before the reviews come out and the potential impact they could have (Based on quality information) are neutered. Therefore, publishers and developers who put out poorly made or exploitative games receive few ramifications for their unethical decisions.

As a result, Bethesda’s recent statement feels very contradictory; it’s hardly based on their so called “valuing of game reviews” and instead looks to quell negative criticism that could affect their bottom line in profits. Inaccurate and rushed game reviews have a lower chance of convincing the consumer that their game isn’t worth buying at launch. With them being such a well-known company, it’s easy to see other big name developers and publishers taking a similar step to quell any kind of criticism that could affect pre-order levels and profits right before the game releases. This controlling move from Bethesda can only serve to increase the effectiveness of misleading advertising and shoddy pre-order tactics because there will be fewer obstacles to get in their way.

The Wave Album Review

Released: 14th October 2016

Published by Island Records

After over fifteen years as the leading voice of Keane, Tom Chaplin has struck out on his own with “The Wave”, a meaningful and fiercely passionate contribution to post-brit pop.

The often underrated Keane have had a presence in UK music since 1995; Chaplin joined the band in 1997 and his strong singing voice was a key component to their success across four major album releases. The band remains on hiatus as of 2013, but Tom has aimed to keep a more active role on the music scene, producing “The Wave” with Matt Hales of Aqualung fame.

Chaplin’s debut record feels both grounded and emotional, borne from a set of personal experiences and beliefs; every song is flavoured with a sense of rooted poignancy while also boasting an extremely creative set of rhythms and instrument compositions. The way the songs are layered (And Chaplin’s own album commentary) represents a journey; “Still Waiting” and “Hardened Heart” open the album with a sense of being trapped in darkness but as the track list progresses, there’s a sense of hopefulness that builds up. “The River” and “I remember you” look to the past, conveying a sense of personal understanding.

Further down the list, beginning with the powerful “Bring the Rain”, a more positive tone begins to take shape, a sense of looking at the positive things in life; “Quicksand” is an echoing tribute to the power of parenthood whereas “See it so clear” puts across a sense of acceptance. The self-titled “The Wave” is the perfect close to the album, making use of trumpets to give an impactful send-off. When taken as a whole package the overall theme of Chaplin’s lyrics is the notion of rising up and bettering oneself after hard times, something which stands tall across the entire album; every song is beautifully layered to show this. Because of this, “The Wave” stands out as a highly uplifting album.

By setting itself apart from his previous work and pouring in all his heart and soul, Tom Chaplin’s The Wave is an immensely heartfelt blend of reflection and change with every track taking equal advantage of resonant themes alongside a powerful voice that always leads the way.

Rating: A

The Nintendo Switch Reveal: My Thoughts

On October 20^th 2016 Nintendo’s NX was finally revealed as Nintendo Switch and it’s an interesting direction indeed. I had been disappointed by Nintendo’s showings this year; most notably their refusal to unveil their latest system at E3 in July. The reveal trailer has come quite late, considering the system will be launched in March 2017, which may be down to Nintendo’s brightest sitting in their test labs trying to make a console that will bring the company back into the game after the Wii U’s disappointing performance. Just like many moves it has made over the past three decades, Nintendo is aiming to set itself apart from the rest of the pack. In this case it appears to have refined the Wii U somewhat, turning the tablet controller into a second display while making its control scheme more traditional and straightforward; its key selling point is a fully portable system that can be taken and used anywhere. In essence, it's being viewed as a hybrid of handheld and console gaming.

The console looks incredibly easy to use with an interchangeable controller shifting from a traditional game-pad to smaller bolt-on units at a moment’s notice. By default the system will allow for quick and easy two player gaming; it’s probable that having two Switches in close proximity will increase that number further. The display is also interchangeable; it can either be plugged into a standard HD television or become a display unit itself much like a tablet, the controllers connecting to the sides. Both components of the system make a strong step towards engaging the casual crowd who just want to plug in and play without worrying about lengthy setups or installation processes. Like other mobile devices, there’s sure to be a set of applications for the Switch, including Netflix which will fill the gap for a multimedia device.

However the portability of the system may also be its greatest weakness; can Nintendo deliver a step up in power that can deliver those key third party titles? According to NVIDIA the Switch will run on a Tegra processor, a component used in mobile technology. While these are the fastest mobile processors on the market, running high end software from third parties may be a challenge. If it can run games close to the level of its biggest competitors, the Switch and its “take anywhere” focus will be an easy sell for hard-core gamers. There was also little to do with online multiplayer and connectivity in the trailer other than the likely integration of the street pass feature seen on the 3DS handheld. Nintendo needs to get up to speed with its online networking service and offer more features to match those on both the PC and its fellow consoles or they won’t be able to hold the full attention of the hard-core for long. The advertising message also needs a bit of fine-tuning; it isn’t lacking clarity like the Wii U was in 2012 but showing games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and NBA 2K17 on the device when they haven’t been confirmed yet doesn’t bode well for marketing.

How can the Switch succeed when it launches next year? For starters Nintendo must break their long-standing stigma of being the “kiddie” system and to do that the Switch needs plenty of third party support that lasts all the way through its lifestyle, rather than drying up after the first year. EA, Bethesda and Activision have all apparently signed up to support the system (Though no specific announcements have been made as of yet) but they will not hesitate to pull their investments if the console doesn’t do well enough in its first year.

One of the final points in the trailer hints at a greater focus on e-sports for Nintendo; two teams are seen connecting the Switch on a grand stage to play a match of Splatoon. This could be another positive step in getting Nintendo up onto the same level as Sony and Microsoft. If the Japanese company pours more resources into games which can be played competitively then they would be able to give their Nintendo World Championship events much more prominence in an event landscape filled with the likes of MOBAs and other long established titles. Currently Nintendo’s three major multiplayer focused games are Super Smash Bros, Mario Kart and Splatoon alongside classics from older systems but they could definitely need to add a few more to the roster to make their competitive gaming ventures more diverse and engaging.

If the Switch doesn’t sell enough, Nintendo’s time in the hardware business will be over. Right now they aren’t too far from where Sega was with the Dreamcast at the turn of the millennium; a potentially solid and affordable console, but will it be enough to win over the crowd and continue to compete in the market? The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are both technical powerhouses which have firmly established themselves with a large library of games. Nintendo’s approach with the Switch is offering something different while also playing to its strength in local play. There’s certainly a hint of their portable success with the Switch as well and in the way the system can be unplugged and taken anywhere allows Nintendo to compete with mobile gaming. All eyes will be pointing to the eventual technical spec reveal, March 2017 launch and the launch titles (Most notably The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) to give the Nintendo Switch a solid start out of the gate.

(All images used for the purposes of review and criticism are the property of Nintendo and the respective EuroGamer YouTube channel)

Young as the Morning, Old as the Sea Album Review

Release date: 23rd September 2016 (UK)

Published by Nettwerk and Black Crow

“Young as the Morning, Old as the Sea”, the latest album from English artist Passenger continues the singer’s trend of simple, classical tunes.

Michael Rosenberg struck out on a solo career in 2009, keeping the name of his previous band; but it was “All the Little Lights” in 2013, specifically the wildly popular “Let her go” that stamped him onto the music scene. “Young as the Morning, Old as the Sea” doesn’t stray far from this tone which gives fans of the singer a perfectly serviceable offering.

The overall tone and theme of the album is very humble and reflective, moving away from the chirpy guitar riffs of All the Little Lights in favour of slower, methodical tracks; the music videos also reflect this, taking place in the midst of beautiful, solitary landscapes from the UK all the way to New Zealand. A sense of yearning for journeying and the need calm reflection is also a key focal point. YATMOATS has a widespread implementation of string instruments which compliment Passenger’s acoustic foundation very well but these hang over most of the album, resulting in a composition that feels quite samey. Often the songs alternate between acoustic and string leads with the one exception being “Anywhere”, a cheerful folk track about traveling to far off places. The vocals are also suitably subdued, again keeping in line with Passenger’s previous works. One of the more soothing pieces; a collaboration with Birdy on the aptly titled “Beautiful Birds” connects the two artists brilliantly. To close out the album, a tender piano slides into “Home” which also manages to add an additional dimension to an otherwise standard track list. Of all the tracks on the record though; “Somebody’s Love” is definitely the most heart-warming piece to listen to with a sonnet like mannerism to it.

The seventh major release from Passenger is a fairly safe album which relies on a main formula without much in the way of deviation. Many of the songs do blend together which holds it back from being as varied and listenable as previous releases. It could have used a better balance between subdued and lively tones to create a stronger package overall.

Rating: C

5 Niggling Things: Deus Ex Human Revolution

Deus Ex: Human Revolution has proven to be one of my favourite role-playing games in recent years; it’s a deeply investing and intriguing peek into a future ruled by corporations, conspiracies and technological advancement. Recently I got back into the game with the director’s cut, a pack which cuts down the loading times, implements downloadable content into the game and comes with a full set of developer commentary. As much as I enjoy it though, there are still some annoying things which hold it back from exceptional status.

1. Panchea (A good portion of it)

When taken as a whole package, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a very well-paced title, taking you from Detroit to Hengsha and back again while managing to maintain the freedom of choice it prides itself in offering. Panchea (An arctic base) is the exception to this rule though. The opening of the final mission in the game is fairly straightforward; you’re introduced to the scale of the base and the sheer devastation unleashed by Darrow’s actions. Jensen eventually finds the intellectual inventor and a very intriguing conversation/social boss battle unfolds in which you convince him that his deed was unjustifiable. However once you take the elevator down into the bowels of the facility, things go downhill. The final stretch of the game turns into a maze with brainless zombies as the main adversaries; there’s barely any elements of choice here and many limitations placed on the augmentations the player has spent hours building up. You can slog your way through it, mowing down the enemies as they charge mindlessly into your bullets or undergo a process of trial and error as you attempt to slip by unnoticed. It’s a shame to see Human Revolution clunk to an end like this, but at least the endings themselves (if you took the time to unlock them) manage to pick up some of the slack.

2. Some sloppiness in moving enemies and performing takedowns

As mentioned previously, Deus Ex’s focus on player choice is tightly maintained in Human Revolution but the gameplay itself does have some hiccups. The process of moving unconscious foes out of view is incredibly fiddly as you can only drag them around as opposed to picking them up. The game could have taken a cue from the Metal Gear series and allow Jensen to sling a body over his shoulder for a more efficient move. The takedowns are incredibly flashy and cool to watch but they have their own limitations as well; dual takedowns require two enemies to stand mere inches from each other and it’s impossible to take down two enemies when one is sitting and the other is standing. Some further refinement here would have gone a long way to ensure the core gameplay offered full flexibility.

3. Missed opportunities and brief story moments that could have had more depth to them

Human Revolutions boasts a very absorbing story and it often dips into some great looking pre-rendered cutscenes to tell it. As Adam Jensen delves deeper into the attack on Sarif Industries and the conspiracy behind it he comes into contact with underground crime gangs, hidden artificial intelligences and a set of conflicting ideals. Despite this, there’s never a moment that really wows or shocks the player and some of the darker elements of the story (particularly the anti-augmentation riots) are kept out of bounds to the player throughout the game. Some of the cut scenes themselves felt quite brief too me, falling short of the depth they could have added to the story. The most prominent of these is the point where Jensen finds Megan Reed after months of searching; it’s a very quick conversation that ends up putting aside the bond between them too soon.

4. Few consequences when playing lethally

Depending on how you wish to play, Deus Ex can change and alter itself in some unexpected ways, such as the quests you have access to, but this is not carried through every aspect of the game. The impact of a gun-toting Jensen ruthlessly slaughtering hundreds (or acting unethically) is miniscule at best. Some of these include Pritchard’s line in response to the first main mission: “If it isn’t Attila the Hun, back from the killing fields”. The only real detriment to the player for going the guns blazing route is a slightly reduced XP intake for killing as opposed to knocking out foes but the sheer number of enemies taken head-on quickly makes up for this. One of the biggest offenders is the Detroit police station; if you walk through the front door and murder every police officer in the building to complete the objective, the only impact of this is a newspaper headline with Jensen’s face across the front cover. Other more dubious choices don’t have a lot of weight to them which throws the element of choice out of balance somewhat. In a Hengsha side mission, Jensen must head to a LIMB clinic to get information from an informant. He gives you the information then asks for 1000 credits which Jensen can refuse to pay. His frustrated words: “You scoundrel! I’ll get you for this” ring hollow as there’s never any point where this informant comes back to hinder the protagonist later in the game. A similar thing occurs with Arie van Bruggen, a hacker who is being hunted by one of China’s largest PMCs, Belltower. You can choose to give Bruggen a weapon to help him escape or leave him unarmed. The latter sees him killed by Belltower which felt rather basic to me. What if the PMC had used the hacker’s intelligence to increase their security in a later mission? It would have gone a long way towards adding consequence to the player’s actions on both sides of the spectrum.

5. Inconsistencies in stealth gameplay

Stealth is definitely the most rewarding way to play Human Revolution; it’s incredibly satisfying to slip into heavily guarded areas unnoticed, fitting in a silent takedown or two along the way. For the most part, enemy AI is also well-tuned to this style of play. They’ll check Jensen’s last known location, hit alarm panels upon discovering fallen comrades and look into suspicious sights or noises. If only the alarm system itself had the same consistency; the indicators for the enemy being “Suspicious”, “Alarmed” or “Hostile” are sometimes tricky to discern from a situation where the an alarm panel has been hit. When you’re attempting the stealthiest run-through possible, it gets pretty confusing when the indicator occasionally bounces between suspicious, alarmed and back again with reckless abandon. I’m hoping that the sequel, Mankind Divided has managed to tweak this to a better degree.

Deepwater Horizon Movie Review

Released: September 29th 2016 (United Kingdom)

Length: 107 Minutes

Certificate: 12A

Director: Peter Berg

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russel, Kate Hudson, John Malkovich, Gina Rodriguez and Dylan O'Brien

Deepwater Horizon is the latest action-focused effort from Peter Berg and much like his previous film Lone Survivor it focuses on real life events. It’s a simple film with an incredibly weighty and rugged disaster at its centre.

DH takes place in 2010 around the Gulf of Mexico and follows Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg), an oil worker who arrives at the rig to serve a typical three week venture. Safety is overseen by the respected “Mr Jimmy” Harrel (Kurt Russel) and things appear to be going smoothly at first. However, a miscalculation from BP company man Donald Vidrine (John Malkovich) places schedules ahead of safety and a catastrophic oil blowout occurs, engulfing the platform in flames. From here a desperate escape takes place. Deepwater Horizon’s narrow plot is clearly focused from the offset without any kind of distractions; it kicks off with a set of character introductions mixed with some smart implementation of foreshadowing before introducing us to the titular oil rig and the 120 people who work there. The film eventually transforms into a constant state of perilous panic with the film cutting between various characters and their efforts to escape the crumbling rig; the tension is unrelenting, a tight grip that only ever leaves the action to focus on the approaching rescue efforts.

Deepwater Horizon keeps its characters simple and straightforward; while the film is told mostly from the perspective of Williams and Mr Jimmy, the film goes the distance to show the struggles of every man and woman trapped in the deadly situation. As the film first arrives at the main setting, there’s a casual and well-realised collection of dialogue which portrays the crew as a close circle of people, though this doesn’t quite rise to its full potential; the film could have used a bit more time to get to know the team further so that we’re completely enveloped in their struggles. The same goes for Williams’s wife Felicia played by Kate Hudson; it has the makings of a strong emotional anchor point but just falls short of engaging the audience fully. It’s the only major aspect of the film that could have used a bit more substance and fine-tuning.

With its central focus on continuous action, Deepwater Horizon pounds the audience hard, but unlike mindless action films, the devastation presented here transports the audience into the roaring heart of the disaster. Often times it’s incredibly disorienting for the characters and the frantic camerawork reflects this. An angry blaze hangs over a majority of the film and as it tears through the Horizon rig, a set of closely knit internal shots alongside computer effects deliver an intimate view of the catastrophe from long exteriors to internal views of the piping. Practical make up effects illustrate some visceral injuries from glass cuts to horrific burns while music is used well to build up the tension with particularly strong flourishes towards the end. Deepwater Horizon, from a technical standpoint, is ultimately a film that demands viewing on the big screen to receive the full impact of its intensity.

As a retelling of one of the biggest oil disasters in history, Deepwater Horizon is a hard-hitting action thriller which succeeds at combining straightforward characterisation with strong special effects. The camaraderie between the oil crew and other characters could have been developed a bit further but otherwise it’s an intense and dramatically engaging ride all the way through.

Rating: 4/5 Stars