While the last video for Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag showed an extended look into the new a different gameplay of the open world. Ubisoft has released a new video of The Black Flag Diaries variety with the developers talking a bit about some of these different elements.
Assassin’s Creed IV seems to just keep having more and more depth as the video brings up how each of the locations looks a bit different based on the culture and location, such as the biggest port Havana with it’s European feel, plus the addition of plantations for the pirates to plunder. It’s great to hear more about the new stuff from several different devs instead of just one who’s showing it off in a demo.
Those wanting to see the video for themselves can find it embedded below. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is set to release for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, PC, Xbox One and PS4 later this year.
The Conjuring is director James Wan’s (Saw, Insidious) latest horror film, and is based on the true case files of The Warrens. Ed and Lorraine Warren were highly prominent American paranormal investigators; Ed a demonologist, author and lecturer whilst Lorraine specialised in clairvoyance and light-trance medium work. Stories from their career have formed the basis of many iconic horror films of the past 3 and a half decades (The Amityville Horror included) that deal with hauntings. James Wan could be heralded as the voice of the genre for a new generation, but does he actually manage to conjure up any legitimate scares with this newest tale, or should we just saw his career in half right here, right now? (dreadful puns…)
Story
The Conjuring starts off with a prelude to the case that serves as the main focus of the movie. Meet Annabelle (seen below – in real life, she is a Raggedy Ann doll). Annabelle is the property of two roommates, who call upon the Warrens after they found her in different positions/locations throughout the house and even ostensibly writing on parchment with crayons. One of the most fabled and talked about possession tales of our time, the real-life counterpart was much more sinister as it reportedly choked a man out of his sleep. It is held locked away inside of a plexiglass box at the Warrens’ Occult Museum; a room in their Connecticut home.
What does this have to do with the Perron family; the subject of the movie? Not much…in fact, nothing at all. Annabelle is appropriated for the purpose of a) featuring the “creepy doll” trope purely because it is one of the most common fears in the world, and b) to play off of the real-life legend and show just what the Warrens had to deal with in their line of work. When the Perron family come into the picture, however, even the Warrens would not be fully prepared. In 1971, Carolynn (Lili Taylor) and Roger Perron (Ron Livingston) moved into a somewhat dilapidated farmhouse with their 5 daughters – one of which has to represent the stereotypical brat, naturally.
First bad sign: their dog Sadie refuses to enter the house and barks constantly at their bedroom window on the first night. On the same day, whilst playing a game of “hide and clap”, one of the girls accidentally breaks a board in the closet wall that leads to a secret cellar (bad sign number two). In the morning and over the next several days, more strange paranormal occurrences – not the least of which being one of the daughters seeing and being attacked by an ghostly, elderly woman – which leads Carolynn to track down the Warrens and attend one of their seminars, where she proceeds to practically beg them to investigate the household. The couple agree and hold their investigation as per usual.
Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) being a clairvoyant, can pick up on certain things that even her husband Ed (Patrick Wilson) can’t. She sees the evil force that haunts the Perrons, and is reminded of her face-to-face run-in with a demon on a past job which all but wrecked her emotionally. After more paranormal activity, and doing some hard research, the Warrens discover the grisly past of the land relating to a practicing witch named Bathsheba, who sacrificed her children to the Devil, and laid a curse for all prospective landowners before hanging herself from the large tree in the backyard near the lake. Now, the premise may sound like your generic horror-movie schtick, and for the most part it is, but it’s all in the execution.
Horror is both a psychological and sensory medium. The movie runs just under 2 hours, but doesn’t feel necessarily long or overwrought. Not much time passes without some terror creeping its way in. And the film might single-handedly present the highest number of genre-tropes of any recent horror film: the living doll, the spooky house, the frightened dog, the hidden cellar, children’s whispers and giggles, ghosts, checking for a creature under the bed, “the boogeyman” (monster in the closet), the leg-puller, slamming doors, hanging bodies, exorcism, “the power of Christ” AND “the power of love”, the rule of threes and frozen time (clocks stopping at witching hour). Heck, there’s more, but I’m afraid I may have already stirred an evil presence just typing this…
Visuals & Audio
James Wan is not your traditional director; he always strives to take the art form of creating true horror further than where he found it, and that translates into a unique, unconventional directorial style. If you think you will get a reprieve in a simple landscape shot, you’re wrong. He maintains a heavy sense of unease and anxiety with the repeated use of the dolly zoom (otherwise known as the “Hitchcock Zoom”, “Vertigo Effect” or “Jaws Shot”), as ever-so-slight as it may be for the most part. When using this effect on something as unassuming as a shot of a house, or any outdoors daytime scene, it takes away that comfort and the perceived confidence that you are safe and keeps you on edge.
Wan also utilises other rare/uncommonly used camera techniques, such as an “upside down shot”, which acts to disorient the viewer even in the most harmless situation. He also plays with dark and light extremely well. What Wan does better than everyone else in his field, however, is build tension. His shots linger longer than you expect them too, either lulling you into a false sense of security that too much time has passed for a scare to occur and then hitting you with the fright, or going the opposite route and actually achieving the fake-out in an effective manner. In fact, that’s exactly the appropriate word to brand Wan’s craft as, above all else – effective.
The score is very reminiscent of the soundtrack to Insidious, and that’s because composer Joseph Bishara scored both (trivia: he also plays the main villain in both films). It’s clear that he has developed a great working relationship with Wan, which is beneficial for the viewer because Bishara’s full-frontal assault on the ears complements the visuals and the pace perfectly here. The sudden attacks that ratchet from silence to almost deafening, the eerie backing chorus and the strings and horns all played in such a manically discordant fashion reflect the tone of the on-screen happenings, whilst supplementing and intensifying the current mood.
Overall
The Conjuringis James Wan at his best. Although the conclusion suffered in my eyes (completely over the exorcism resolution for virtually every second horror film released), this is a master-class in how to shoot and produce a modern horror film. It is quite ironic to use the word “modern” in describing The Conjuring though, because in many facets it is a throwback to horror of the late 70’s – it features more classic genre tropes than any film in recent memory after all. But again, the masterful use of suspense and dread, enhanced by amazing direction and camera work, makes The Conjuring worth seeing. Fans of being frightened should catch it before it goes out of cinemas within the next month for the best audio-visual experience.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Star Driver Series Collection Studio:Bones Publisher:Madman Format: DVD Release Date: 21st August 2013 Price: $59.95 – Available Here
Overview Dashing Entrance! Have you ever thought that mech animes were missing something? Was the answer that you came to ever bishounen characters? Well regardless, it’s happened. Star Driver, one part mecha and another part pretty boys…and sometimes girls. Straight from Southern Cross Island comes the hero who shines like justice. Dazzle the Stage, Ginga Bishounen!
What do you mean a flair for the dramatic?
Story Whilst taking a stroll down the beach, childhood friends Wako and Sugata find someone washed up on the shore. After saving his life, they discover that his name is Takuto and he is starting at Southern Cross High School. Having missed the ferry, he naturally swam from the mainland…That’s Takuto in a nutshell. With their first day of school over and after being told not to explore the abandoned gold mine behind the school, Takuto sets off to explore the abandoned gold mine behind the school. Whilst there, he witnesses a group of mysterious individuals kidnapping a girl. Unable to save her, Takuto is knocked out whilst the girl is taken into the mine and the secret hedquarters of the Kiraboshi Order of Cross. The organisation strives to break the four Maiden Seals, which are held by four Shrine Maidens, of the island to free powerful robots known as Cybodies from the confines of a space known as Zero Time.
Having broken the first Maiden Seal, Kiraboshi are free to activate their Cybodies within Zero Time via a machine known as an Electric Bier. Doing so freezes time for all people who aren’t connected to the Cybodies, allowing combat to take place completely unnoticed. With their sights set on Wako, another Shrine Maiden, Takuto appears within Zero Time and makes his dashing entrance as the Ginga Bishounen, literally the Galactic Pretty Boy. After summoning his own Cybody, the mysterious Tauburn, Takuto defeats Kiraboshi’s Cybody and saves Wako…And this all happens in the first episode.
The show isn’t all bishounen…
After the introductions, Star Driver essentially becomes a challenger-a-week kind of anime. Each episode, one of Kiraboshi’s illustrious members tries their hand at besting Tauburn, having come to the arrangement that whoever wins shall become leader of the entire organisation. This causes some degree of infighting between the Brigades of Kiraboshi, various factions that make up the organisation proper, with each striving for the lofty heights of leadership.
Though the attacks are constant, they never feel like anything more than an inconvenience. With the immense and seemingly ever growing power of Tauburn, there never reall seems to be any danger. Though knocked down, Tauburn generally gets back up fairly quickly to mete out justice and look pretty doing it. The fact that Cybodies can only activate in Zero Time also means that the battle literally take no time at all, leaving Takuto and friends to freely finish the meal they were eating. You know, prior to the whole fight for humanity thing. These factors, along with the series overall pacing, place the Cybody conflict somewhat in the background to school life and the series of love stories that blossom within. Unlike other series where characters struggle to hide their true power and deal with the weight of their decisions, neither Takuto nor members of Kiraboshi ever face any consequences. Even when one particular battle results in fairly substantial damage to the real world, it is simply forgotten about, as if no one saw the giant flash of light that nearly blew up half a forest.
…though it definitely has its moments
Over the course of the series it is revealed that a majority of the members of Kiraboshi are also students of Southern Cross High. This isn’t really a spoiler, due to the fact that Kiraboshi’s mastery of disguise extends to wearing a face mask. Also there aren’t too many green haired girls roaming the island. The amazing thing is that some characters don’t recognise them, not even other members of Kiraboshi. Though they have their suspicions, it isn’t until they perform their secret salute that they fully understand that the short, pouty pink haired girl from Second Brigade, is the same short, pouty pink haired girl from school. Shocking I know. That being said, there are moments where the main characters break this trope, immediately seeing through people’s ploys and recognising that something is amiss.
The culmination of the series also feels a tad underdeveloped. By the finale, a fair few details have been left open ended and a number of questions raised. Takuto’s entire reason for swimming to Southern Cross Island is only hand waved, not receiving the attention such a moment should garner. Details regarding the Cybodies is also fairly vague. Though the lack of knowledge on their origin creates an air of mystery, certain aspects of their abilities were left fairly vague. Though this allows the Cybodies to appear unique to one another, it also allows deus ex machinas to appear, somewhat limiting the intensity of the battles.
The Galactic Pretty Boy…can’t argue with the galaxy
Visuals In a series that features a person known as the Galactic Pretty Boy, you’d expect the visuals to be beautiful…and you’d be right. One of the best things Star Driver has going for it is the visual elements. First of all, Takuto. Apparently one of the most gorgeous people ever. Though it seems he’s in good company. Essentially every student, and most teachers, of Southern Cross High are highly attactive…and equally as lustful. School life seems to revolve around nothing but trying to attract members of the opposite, or same, sex. The Drama Club even uses their excercise routine as fan service to gather more members. So…there’s that. The more major characters also feature a much more noticable colouring scheme. Takuto, Sugata and Wako, being the main characters, are mainly the prime colours red, blue and yellow respectively. The Cybodies themselves are also visually appealing and varied in their designs. This lends to the mystery of their powers and creates interesting fights.
Real bishounen heroes aren’t afraid to cry
The combat itself is animated well. Though the battles are often brief, they feature a lot of acrobatic animation and flair. Tauburn rarely does anything without a flourish. Much like the characters, Star Swords are also of varied colour, leading to a lot of very vibrant clashes. The space in which the Cybodies battle is also visually distinguished. Whilst in Zero Time, the scenery is replaced by a background depicting space. Stars and galaxies encompass the entirety of the realm, seemingly lacking sky or ground. Occasionally clouds or fog will also appear, as the Zero Time landscape tend to change between fights. The visual style of the realm breaking is also interesting, as it adds a two dimensional element to a seemingly three dimensional space, such as when the backdrop “shatters” whenever Tauburn enters.
The animation receives a significant bump in the final episode. The Cybodies appear much more defined than before, with a slightly different and more intense style. The characters also move more fluidly than in the rest of the season, adding definition to their actions. Both Cybody and person also show much more damage than they have before, propotianate to the stakes of the final episode. Also featured are some atistic moments wherein the animation cuts to black and white. This comes with a sketch like style, intensifying certain moments.
Zero Time can be anytime
Audio Much like the visual, the audio of Star Driver is very triumphant. Whenever Tauburn enters the fray, he is met by the fanfare of trumpets, and an orchestra to back them up, making for a very heroic and showy entrance. Battles themselves will also often feature guitar for the more intense moments and piano for those of wonder and confusion. Surprisngly, scenes of regular social interaction will occasionally feature a soundtrack that, amongst the other instruments, includes an organ. This adds a sense of drama to what are visually less intense scenes.
Music is also somewhat prevalent in the story itself. Whenever a member of Kiraboshi decides to challenge Tauburn, the scenes are accompanied by the song of a Shrine Maiden. Being serene songs, they often contrast the violent visuals of a Cybody activation, creating an odd sense of beauty and sadness. Each Maiden possesses their own unique song and as the series progresses, each of the four Shrine Maidens express their voice.
Now that’s a hell of a pose
Extras Star Driver is fairly light on the extra features. The collection features a textless version of the second opening “Shining Star” and two versions of the second closing theme “Pride”, featuring different visuals. The traditional trailers for other productions are also present.
Overall Star Driver is an interesting series. Essentially attempting to be a mix of mecha and bishonen, the experience tends to be watered down by the conflicting elements. The sappy love stories about highschoolers seem rather inconsequential next to the threat of the Cybodies but, at the same time, the conflict often takes a back eat to said love stories. The overall balance just seems off. However, whatever it is Star Driver is doing, it looks good doing it. All in all, though the plot may not be the strongest element, the series as a whole isn’t bad. I mean, how many mecha can pull off the musketeer look? Not many, I bet.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Stand up Inazuma fans, your favourite team of football misfits is heading to Europe once again with Inazuma Eleven 3 for the Nintendo 3DS being officially confirmed for release in the region.
Available in two versions, ‘Lightning Bolt’ and ‘Bomb Blast’, Inazuma Eleven 3 is set to be the biggest entry in the series to date with over 2000 playable characters and over 350 special moves to use in game. It looks to be the best Inazuma Eleven game to date.
Inazuma Eleven 3 will be heading to Europe later this month on the 27th of September. For now you can tide yourself over with the English trailer for the game below.
Madman Entertainment have officially confirmed that they have acquired the license for Studio Ghibli’s latest animated feature film The Wind Rises. The film itself incidentally has become the final work in the long and legendary history of Hayao Miyazaki following his recent retirement announcement.
The Wind Rises is a semi-autobiographical tale of the life of World War II fighter plane designer Jiro Horikoshi. The film has done commercially well in its native land of Japan raking in over ¥8.78 billion to date which is roughly $96 million AUD.
Madman have yet to confirm any plans for a home video release, but did reveal plans for a theatrical release at some point in 2014. Stay tuned for further information on the release of The Wind Rises as details surface.
Welcome to Sydney’s film festival of the year –catering for all our lust, desire, fetish, humour, horror and fantastical urges from cinema –in this amazing visual and cultural experience. The Sydney Underground Film Festival 2013 (SUFF) took place from September 5-8 at the Factory Theatre in Marrickville, a central and suitable location to immerse in this screening adventure for film goers and makers.
Opening night featured the return of director, Alejandro Jodorowsky with his masterpiece, ‘The Dance of Reality’ (La Danza de la Realidad), an independent autobiographical film of his coming of age in Chile. After 23 years behind screen, Jodorowsky restores his cinematographic work through this surrealistic adaptation of his personal life; drawn from his memoir of the same name.
There were a number of stand out features, special screenings, documentaries and short film sessions that drew in large audiences. To name a few, the documentary ‘Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton’, celebrates 85 years (1913-1999) of this amazing poet and his experimental filmmaking to discover his sexual orientation and be the voice for homosexuals. On the other hand, ‘Unhung Hero’ is a cockumentary of comedian, Patrick Moote and his mission to overcome his own shortcomings by determining the importance of size in manhood.
As for the premiere features, ‘Magic Magic’ is an intensifying psychological thriller, exploring the depths of hypnosis and insomnia, driven by an all star cast; Michael Cera, Juno Temple and Emily Browning. In contrast, ‘Antisocial’ brings to screen a horror that challenges the ideal of social networks through an epidemic of violence on New Years Eve.
The most impressive short films that received awards include:
Free Radicals: L’apparition de Courbes Aurorales (Samantha Gurry)
Lovesick: Blind Passenger (Shahane Bekarian)
LSD Factory: Auto Bambina
Ozploit: Catch of the Day (Patrick Feary)
Reality Bites: The Sandwich Nazi (Lewis Bennett)
Closing night presented a thrilling ending with ‘The Canyons’, a suspenseful and erotic drama written by Bret Easton Ellis and directed by Paul Schrader. The neo-noir film, starring Lindsay Lohan and James Deen, explores the controversy of unconventional relationships, double-standards of privacy, trust and degrading oneself for money and fame.
Outside the theatre rooms, entertainment arose in the form of guest music performances from Twilight of the Dogs, an enticing black culture cab booth for free photos, delicious jaffles, serendipity ice cream and limited merchandise; SUFF t-shirts and a collection of previous screenings on DVD. However, the main attraction of the event lies within the lively atmosphere, built on the exploration of film at its finest or worst.
There is no doubt that the seventh instalment of SUFF 2013 will not be forgotten anytime soon. Don’t miss out on next years festival!
While many fans of the old Crash Bandicoot series on the original PlayStation are still longing for a true sequel, Mark Cerny, who worked on the original Crash games over 17 years ago and also on Ratchet and Clank, is touting the new PS4 launch title Knack will appeal to that wanting audience.
Knack is an adventure filled action game starring the creation Knack, who can change size from 70 centimeters tall to 10 meters tall by collecting parts in each stage. Small Knack is small and agile while big Knack can overwhelm enemies with his enormous power. Knack can also call on support characters such as Robo Knack to help in fights. The title promises dynamic action and Knack can have over 5000 different parts in his makeup at once thanks to the power of the PS4.
Knack is being developed by Sony Entertainment Studios and will be packaged with all PS4 launch consoles in Japan as a further incentive to pick the console up early. You can check out the trailer for the game below.
The newest entry in the long-standing Yakuza series from Sega has been officially confirmed, and for not only the PlayStation 3, but also the next-gen PlayStation 4.
Yakuza Ishin (Yakuza Restoration as it is translated for us westerners…whom will likely not even get the game) will simultaneously release on the PS3, and be a launch title for the PS4 in Japan, on February 22nd, 2014. This title is set in the Edo period (1603-1868) and features iconic characters such as Kazuma Kiryu playing historical figures – think of them as past lives. Not many details have been revealed about the game, however we do know that cross-play with the PS Vita as a controller will be available.
Today it has been revealed that Japan will be getting the PlayStation 4 quite a few months after North America. While Sony is planning on releasing the console in North America on November 15th, they aren’t planning on bringing it to Japan until February 22, 2014.
The system will cost 39,980 yen, but will come with a PS Eye camera and all launch versions of the PS4 will be called the “First Limited Pack” which comes with a Knack download code and a one year extended warranty for no extra charge. The reason for this delay is because Sony believes that Japan needs many unique game titles, many of which were announced at their SCEJA Press Conference 2013 today.
Today with the SCEJA Press Conference 2013 going on, D3 Publisher took to the stage to announce that they are bringing two of their more popular franchises in Japan to the PlayStation 4. They announced that they are currently working on a new Earth Defense Force game which has yet to be named and a Dream Club game called Dream Club: Host Girls, both of which will be released sometime in the future.
To commemorate the announcement, the company released a teaser trailer which shows a small tidbit of what Dream Club: Host Girls has to offer, though we may never actually see it in the West.
