First things first though, when discussing Crysis 2, and the initial hurdle it had to overcome was whether or not it could look as good as it needed to, even on the consoles. It does. I’ve heard it said more then once that Crysis 2 on the 360 is the best looking console game, and while I personally can’t dismiss the Killzone or Uncharted franchises, it’s easily one of the most visually impressive I’ve ever seen. Whereas Killzone, is a dense muted and visceral endeavor, drenched in shadow and immersed in smoke, particles and debris, Crysis 2 basks in the sun. Though rubble and impressively destroyed looking buildings are prominent features, there seems to be almost less going on at any given time then the hectic warzone of Guarilla’s graphical showcase, or the textural vibrant antiquity of Uncharted, however it still easily holds it’s own in contrast. Differences in the specific ways these games achieve aesthetic excellence may be why I find direct comparisons so difficult but the clarity afforded by it’s incredible lighting give Crysis 2 a realism uncommon among most of today’s games. Impressively, though some minor pop-in may occur, it achieves it’s high visual benchmark without any significant framerate.

Scale is another of it’s best features. Massive structures and vast cityscapes unfold before you and the game constantly presents you with the epic, awe inspiring scenery of a war torn metropolis. Spectacular environments and set-pieces, that escalate the further into the game you get continue to surprise, entertain and amaze. Active destruction is a large part of the effect as skyscrapers and other architecture routinely collapse around you in some of the most impressive displays of devastation you’ve ever seen in a game. Metal, glass and stone all twist, tumble and collide with unparalleled naturalism. Smoke and particle effects are also very good and this game will ruin explosions in any other game for you. Everything is complimented by an outstanding musical score and top notch sound design.

The story of alien invasion in New York, that propels you through all the chaos, continues the ongoing Crysis plot line. It involves a surprising amount of political intrigue, is told primarily through a first person perspective and, combined with the games setting, had me reminiscing about Half-Life 2 and City 17. However, it relies heavily on it’s own backstory and just exactly what’s going on, may allude new players, since it also fails to adequately bring them up to speed. Considering the importance of several existing characters, and their slightly esoteric nature, this was a clumsy mistake to make, especially, considering the franchise is debuting on consoles for the first time. Even a brief cutscene could have served as an adequate primer for it’s new audience. To spite leaving some players out of the loop, the drama is paced very well, with set-pieces and twists coming at appropriate intervals, and the expertly crafted soundtrack stirs and swells appropriately with the action. The story of post humanism, political conspiracy and military conflict is nothing new and the game doesn’t do anything particularly inventive with the material but what’s here is solid if a little less accessible.

Besides the incredible visuals the other main attraction is the nanosuit augmentations, which help distinguish the gameplay from far too many run of the mill shooters looking to copy the Call of Duty formula. Typical run and gun action is opened up considerably, with larger then usual levels, that bely their still linear nature by giving the player space with which to enjoy the game’s freestyle action. Nanosuit abilities are essentially split into the two primary functions of strength and invisibility (cloak), the later of which is easily the most enjoyable to play around with. Continuing a trend (that it probably helped pioneer), of games empowering players with the immensely gratifying feeling of ninja-like stealth, the cloaking feature causes the game to eschews traditional action by simply being the easiest, most rewarding method with which to eradicate entire platoons.

Reinforcing this mentality are two visor modes that let players asses a situation from a safe distance with a variety of observational analytics that allow you to tactically evaluate any given scenario before you commit to a course of action. Strength is useful, but I found it to be more of a fallback option instead of my 1st approach to a situation, since stealth allows you to quickly dispose of enemies without taking significant damage or alerting reinforcements. The other dynamic to the nanosuit is speed, which automatically kicks in when you sprint and allows you to leap and move with acrobatic athleticism.

This is where Crysis 2 really sets itself apart. There is a satisfying physicality built into the gameplay, that expands upon traditional movement and make the deliberately spacious environments an active part of the experience. Running and leaping with effortless dexterity you can quickly negotiate the structural verticality of the worlds. Using elevation to your advantage is a common practice and gamers who love to perch as snipers will have a field day. Small structures and vehicles can easily be leaped over or scaled with a well implemented edge grab, or you can skid across the ground or under accommodating objects by transitioning from sprint to a cool slide. All the movement and nano suit abilities are fluent, intuitively designed and very fun to use. Abilities drain your suit’s energy which increases the strategy by limiting the amount of time you can rely on them before you have to attain cover, safety or distance.

Altogether their is an ebb and flow to your movement as you tactically engage abilities for just the right amount of time to successfully negotiate hostile environments and encounters. Suit energy drains quickly but recharges at just the right speed. My only complaint is that firing while cloaked arbitrarily drains almost all your energy and since strength and sprint both use the same meter, if you’re caught in the open you can’t engage armor, or run to safety. The simultaneously loss of all abilities can be a little frustrating at times. As you progress you can augment your suit with little perk’s that increase the capacity of existing abilities or offer small new ones.

Weapons can also be upgraded as you find things like silencers and laser sights and the beauty of the upgrade system is that once you attain one, it’s permanently unlocked for that weapon. Weapon variety is pretty good though after a while many of them start to look the same. The real problem is with enemy variety, it’s pretty weak. There are only two basic types of enemies, C.E.L.L. commando’s and the Aliens. Each has one or two heavier or specialized variant but it’s a pretty repetitive affair and one of the games obvious shortcomings. The AI is also a little dim. The inclusion of stealth as a fundamental element of gameplay make enemy intelligence and perception a difficult thing to balance it’s unfortunately too poor not to mention. There are a few other AI related bugs that cause enemies to go spastic or run around aimlessly but in general these are fairly rare.

Multiplayer is pretty straightforward with standard match types like deathmatch, territories and the loadout customization and upgrade system we’ve come to expect from online shooters, but there are also some more creative modes that allow players to alternate between standard soldiers and nano suit operatives. Gameplay is fast and fun, and the abilities add a nice dimension to the frenetic combat but make less of a difference on the overall experience then you’d think. A few more modes would have been nice and a Horde/Firefight variant would also have been appreciated. A local and online co-op campaign would really have been nice though. I suspect the logistics where just to complicated, and the story leaves no room for a second player but still the absence of coop is still a bit disappointing. It’s not going to overtake Halo and Call of Duty but it does a decent job in the multiplayer department.

It’s not game of the year, but Crysis 2 is refreshing compared to a lot of other familiar shooters and a ton of fun. The aggressive yet tactical, parkour style of combat is some of the most engaging and satisfying gameplay I’ve experienced in a shooter in some time and given the open nature of the environments it’s fun just to take the different features for a joyride. It’s the type of game that’s fun to play simply for the joy of doing so. The controls are responsive, incorporating more maneuvers and abilities then most shooters with intuitive ease. Stealth can make things a bit too easy and diminish the need to experiment but the overall satisfaction you get from playing makes up for it and encourages you to get creative anyway. It falls short of greatness but is still a completely worthwhile shooter that offers something different then the usual fare.

To those unfamiliar with the series’ modern incarnation, Fallout 3 represents one of the best contemporary amalgamations of classic RPG elements, FPS combat and sandbox gameplay. Players are set loose in a post apocalyptic wasteland where they brave the elements, as well as hostile factions, creatures and mutations, as they interact with the haggard remnants of humanity, completing quests and scavenging for the means to survive. With an emphasis on the desperation of post nuclear survival, scavenging is an essential part of the experience. Players will routinely search through debris, buildings, and storage containers for anything from food and chems to weapons or even scraps of junk that can be traded or used to craft useful items. Integral to it’s style is a future-past motif defined by a distinctly 1950′s ‘vision of tomorrow.’ This retro sci-fi design influences everything from the environments and architecture to the dialogue and behavior of characters. Even the songs you can listen to are pulled from that era and enforce the game’s cheeky sense of satire. Dark humor and nihilism further instill it with it’s own brand of comic relief and unique character.

New Vegas brings the series back west where it began, with an aesthetic overhaul that retains the future-nostalgic interpretation, but adapts it to an appropriately “western” theme. Given the games inescapable similarities to Fallout 3 in most respects, Obsidian was wise to pursue a new direction wherever possible. Far removed from the grayish hues of the Capital Wasteland, the red, yellow and tan landscape of the Mohave Desert, is the most distinguished departure from the original. The unique ecology of the arid environment is a welcome change and Obsidian does a great job featuring it’s variety, and imparting it’s western style throughout the experience.

You play as a Courier who, in a CG opening that features an appropriate gangster tableau, is shot and left for dead in the middle of the desert. The game begins when you are resurrected by a friendly doctor from a nearby town. A few rehabilitation exercises allow the player to calibrate his character’s look and attributes similarly to Fallout 3′s G.O.A.T. The storyline, as it’s presented is a bit flat footed. The opening narration, which simply gives you some requisite Fallout backstory and a local history lesson, is a no frills rundown that does little more then tell you plainly what you need to know. As a story it’s fairly un-engaging. The games narrative delivery lacks finesse, and the personal touch of Fallout 3′s father son motivation, but it gets the job done. It’s all about putting the player in the midst of a vast and dangerous world. It’s up to them to do the rest. Story is crucial but is more about the aura and mythology of the wasteland then direct dramatic exposition. You’re on your way in no time, and once the Doc gives you a clean bill of health, you step outside into this complex and troubled world.

Exploration

Golf club upside your head

The Mojave desert itself is huge. Supposedly bigger then the Capital Wasteland, it can at times seem staggeringly vast, and at others, surprisingly compact given that the Strip’s frequent visibility acts as a focal reference point even at great distances. There is a lot less subterranean segments and thankfully less segregated areas then the previous game’s downtown D.C. sections. This results in a map that’s seemingly more expansive since most of the territory is open and accessible, though less restrained difficulty scaling and rampant wildlife means players are often punished for indulging in free spirited exploration early on. The game does a pretty good job of steering you towards some basic quests that gradually introduce you to the wasteland, rather then thrusting you into it. Players can still wander around to a degree, but there is a clear route almost every player will have to take before they make it to the Strip and while I appreciate and understand the reasons the developers did this, they have effectively blocked off a significant portion of the map with a ridiculous amount of murderous creatures in order to shoehorn the player into a pre-determined path. A little guidance wasn’t uncalled for but the way they did so seems a little heavy handed and contradicts the “go anywhere, do anything” model it’s supposed to reflect.

Aside from some of the obvious bottlenecks, as far as I can tell enemy scaling is almost non existent. If you wander off the safe travel routes into the wasteland before you level up you run the risk of sudden extermination. It’s possible to move in safety but the enemies tend to be slightly tougher and New Vegas features more creatures that travel in packs, which means that if your not extremely cautious you can stumble upon or be sideswiped by enemies too difficult to successfully fend off. Exploration is simply less forgiving to errors and carelessness and resorts to more trial and error that further discourages the free roaming spirit of it’s predecessor. Though this can be frustrating at times the consolation is a heightened sense of danger that’s very appealing and some remote areas that are truly satisfying to discover when you’r powerful enough to do so.

Politics

Powder Ganger

Unlike Fallout 3, which was based primarily upon a Karma system New Vegas is all about reputation management throughout the many tribes and factions of the world. Karma exists but as far my experience went, seems like a virtually pointless carry-over. There are a surprising number of locations to encounter and a staggering number of individuals to interact with as you negotiate the region’s various leaders and precarious political climate, deciding who you want to ally yourself with and who you want to bring down. To simplify things there is a broader dichotomy based on the less complicated hostility between the two largest factions, the NCR, the acting government of the region, and Caesar’s Legion, their rival to power. This wider narrative arc centers on the conflict over Hoover Dam and the approaching battle between the two sides, and encompasses whatever political affiliations the player chooses to make with the remaining tribes. How the player interacts with these groups will define how the final battle plays out and given the number of possible coalitions and rivalries, there is an amazing amount of incentive to play through the game repeatedly in different ways.

Favor is gained by completing quests, infamy by rejecting them or simply displaying hostility to the members of a given faction. With so many groups, New Vegas has a ton of quests to enjoy and while the game’s tendency to mark any little endeavor as a “quest” means that many are simply errands, most are fairly substantial and overall there is significantly more content here then in Fallout 3. Given the game’s relatively short development cycle and the nature of it’s complicated, politically structured gameplay, it’s not surprising though that certain loyalties and dialogue options can become awkward or in some cases illogical. The immense amount of branching conversations and quests can lack continuity at times and seem a little rough around the edges.

Survival

Survival it is

The gameplay hearkens back to the original games with a slightly more hardcore RPG approach, and an increased difficulty level that is less forgiving up front. Overall the game expands upon the various facets of Fallout 3 making it a more complex, challenging, and ultimately satisfying affair. The primary difference is with health management. Whereas in Fallout 3 stimpaks were the far superior method to instantly regenerate health, here consumable items (all but useless before) grant you more health and do so gradually over time which allows the player to supplement themselves strategically during extended fights. Character skills have also been tweaked and now include “Survival” which further determines the players resistance to the environment and their effectiveness with alternative sources of health. There are more items and a greater variety of ways to augment your characters stats manage your status which, coupled with the increased difficulty, greatly enhance the games’ sense of lean post apocalyptic survival. For players looking to get even more out of this type of gameplay Hardcore mode is particularly satisfying. Increasing the number of factors that effect your character’s performance to include, hunger, dehydration and the need to sleep, it isn’t tedious like you’d expect but a highly gratifying extension of the survival experience.

Episode #7

Intro and Outro – “Ghosts N’ Stuff” by DeadMau5

Music Recommendations

Patrick – “Cadillac Phunque” by Family Force 5
Jordan – “Last Train Home” by Lost Prophets
David – “In For The Kill” by La Roux

Movie Recommendations

Patrick – King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters
Jordan – Man on Wire
David – The Fall

Website Recommendations

Patrick – Mint.com
Jordan – Cracked.com
David – Feedfliks.com

To subscribe to Fish Food in iTunes click here.

It’s ironic that a setting drenched in blood and heroism in film and fantasy has been largely overlooked in gaming, a medium highly receptive to both, but it’s perhaps it’s seeming disadvantage when compared to other more accommodating genres that have limited it. After all, who wants to ride a creaky old buckboard when they can fly around in a spaceship or tear around in a Warthog, and why would I want to use a six shooter when I can use a gravity gun or a chainsaw bayonet? Any period of history following the sword but preceding the machine gun is in danger of being too mundane or tedious for a conventional shooter. The challenges of creating compelling gameplay aside, Developers face additional obstacles in building the environment since the organic spontaneity of nature is much harder to believably render than the symmetry and steel of sci-fi or the barren wastes of post apocalyptia. In short the unique limitations and challenges of creating a great Western game have always relegated it to near obscurity.

Looks Comfortable Huh?

With Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar has overcome these hurdles with solutions that include an impressively simulated, thoroughly engrossing environment, and gameplay and story elements that fully realize the unique potential of the Old West. It’s clear that the developers examined the issues at hand and understood what needed to be done. It was crucial that the individual qualities that make the Wild West legendary in our minds and so appropriately suited as fiction, be the foundation of any game that attempted to do it justice. Rockstar accomplishes this neatly and as a result, Redemption is not simply a dull Westernized clone of every other shooter, not simply old ideas transplanted to a different time and place, but a game that captures the spirit and experience of the Wild West. It delivers on the promise of it’s setting and it’s greatest success is how completely it fulfills that promise.

Following the exploits of ex-outlaw John Marston, the game accounts his attempts to end his old life and begin a new one. In order to do so he must hunt down his former brothers in arms in exchange for clemency for himself and his family from Government agents who’s ruthless tactics and callousness come off as more sinister then the relatively simple motives of the men he hunts. The story itself is less dramatically told or cinematic then say Mass Effect 2, but is a lot deeper than it’s candid delivery at first appears. It’s layered in a way few stories are. It’s depth is in many ways informed by the wealth of Western mythos inherent in our cultural subconscious but it’s Rockstar’s talent for satire and social analysis that give the lengthy story and characters genuine integrity. The understated comparisons between the forces of good and evil are one example of this underlying poignancy and the story’s methodical discernment of characters and motivations is deeply philosophical. Nothing is forced which is why the story seems fairly unassuming but there is a quiet nobility to it’s arc as a sensitive elegiac commentary on society and history.

The various personalities you’ll encounter are all very well done. Each is a Western caricature in their own way, brought to life with great writing, superb voice acting and some theatrically impressive mo-cap. Most of them have a charismatic eccentricity that makes them comedic and memorable and the more serious individuals fill their roles with appropriate gravitas. Rockstar continues to assert itself as a master of character design.

Nothing is wasted here and when I spoke of Redemption as the definitive western it wasn’t simply because there are so few to compare it with but rather because it’s a fulfillment of practically any Western fantasy you can imagine. Everything from the host of interesting and eccentric characters to the various missions, mini-games, challenges, side quests and multitude of locations have been designed to showcase the unique variety and range of the Old West as a time and place as well as a legendary realm of adventure and bravado. The missions read like a thrill seeker’s wild west to-do list and players will take part in everything from defending stagecoaches to boarding moving trains, robbing banks, assaulting fortresses, dueling with gunslingers, hunting buffalo, searching for treasure, cheating at poker, lassoing criminals, riding with posses and everything in between. Even agrarian chores such as herding cattle and breaking horses are accounted for and like everything else you’ll do, they’re fun and satisfying.

Traveling Easy

The ecology of the world is equally varied. The map itself is massive, (it has to be one of the biggest ever in a game) and, as with the activities, the diversity of the Old West is fully realized across it’s impressive acreage. Players can explore the great plains, shadowy forests, snowy mountains, arid canyons, bleached deserts and red mesas. Everything is stunning. The game looks as good and better, in fact, then most linear games, with a host of environmental effects and subtle touches, combined into one of the most impressively lifelike worlds in any game. High end tech like Grass, brush and vegetation that respond to your character’s movements are ubiquitous and more common effects such as footprints, dust and particles are masterfully implemented. Lighting is also top shelf, with dynamic shadows and impressive sunrises and sunsets. I’ve literally stopped on more then one occasion just to watch the last glimmering rays disappear beyond the horizon.

The world is populated by an impressive selection of region specific wildlife all of which can be hunted for valuable meat, feathers and pelts. In addition players will encounter the believable traffic of everyday life as, travelers, townsfolk, and campers all inhabit the landscape attributing a constant flow of activity and further enhancing it’s effectiveness as a real world setting. Everything is impressively rendered and animated thanks to Rockstar’s Euphoria engine, which gives humans and animals, a fluidity of movement often missing from other games.

It’s the fidelity and level of detail that’s unrivaled in this type of game that truly makes this such a unique experience. The world and it’s inhabitants (the day night cycles, weather patterns and ambient effects) seduce you with their realistic majesty and picturesque splendor. The ebb and flow of nature surrounds you as you explore and it’s easy to lose hours to the enchanting embrace of the wilderness. This natural quality also provides moments of almost poetic serendipity, such as the time I pursued a black stallion into the twilight of a misty forest as a gentle snow began to fall. Rarely does a game surprise you with moments that transcend the act of simply playing it. The quality and believability of the environment, it’s ability to captivate the player and function as an entity all it’s own, was an essential component in creating a great Western sandbox and Rockstar absolutely nails it here.

Continue on to page two for the rest of the review.

EDG Podcast Episode #59

Hosts In: David Lange and Eric Bouchard

EDG Podcast Episode #35

Hosts In: Eric Bouchard, David Lange, and Chris Maeurer

EDG Podcast Episode #34

10. Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

If there was such as thing as a cautionary comedy Dr. Strangelove would fit in that category. It might be a relevant caution against war and the proliferation of nuclear weapons if it wasn’t so deliberately absurd. The film is perfectly and completely goofy, committed to it’s spoofery with a kind of total sobriety that makes the whole thing that much funnier and this is the real genius of Dr. Strangelove. It’s a lark, but a deadly serious one. The film concerns the initiation of nuclear war at the hands of a delusional military officer and stars George C. Scott and Peter Sellers (who plays two roles). Both actors give great performances and the film provides plenty of opportunities for them to thoroughly enjoy the comedic posturing of their respective roles. The writing is superb and supplies several classic lines (“…you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room.) Dr. Strangelove is one of the iconic classics of comedy.

9. Casablanca (1942)

So well known, it’s easy to take Casablanca for granted or even dismiss it as an over appreciated antique. However the stature of this film is warranted and so to the enduring memory of it’s images not out of posterity for a cherished relic but for it’s brilliance as a film which still holds up today as an example of sublimely perfect film-making. The efficiency of the screenplay is one of the first things I noticed re-visiting the film. The way it shuffles a deck of characters, sub-plots and back-story deftly blending them together as an endearing drama and cultivates them within the antiquity of it’s setting and that of Rick’s Cafe is amazing. It works on practically every level and deserves credit for it’s performances, writing and technical precision, the culmination of which result in a dream of a picture. It’s easy to let the unanimity of certain classics can sometimes exhaust their appeal and deplete our interest in them.They’re great. We know it. Next. We don’t deny their quality, but we often forget about it. Casablanca might be the most universal classic of them all. Watching it again more recently I was reminded why. It’s a stirring tribute to heroism, chivalry and patriotism. It deserves the respect and status it has attained and as well as a second look, and naturally a first should that be the case, as a funny, moving, romantic, highly entertaining and unforgettable film.

8. On the Waterfront (1954)

Elia Kazan’s classic tale of guilt and redemption emanates with the grit, texture and desperation of it’s setting. Brando’s performance as Terry Maloy is one of the greatest in cinema and Karl Malden and Lee J. Cobb give equally potent performances as two sides of an emotional and spiritual conflict vying for his soul. The heaviness of a troubled conscious weighs heavily on the film. The penetrating realism and passionate suffering depicted is remarkable. It is very similar to the tormented laments of Scorceses with it’s preoccupation with the guilt and sin of those trapped by the social systems of class and status. Similarities also abound in the admirably realistic portrayal of the urban underworld and the criminality that exists within the fabric of everyday life. It has a look and feel permeated with the primal yearning of the oppressed and those trapped by themselves and the depravity they succumb to. The film’s wounded heart and soul culminates in Brando’s unforgettable “Contender” speech that is one of the most iconic moments in film.

7. Singing in the Rain (1952)

Gene Kelly is at his best in the classic, comedically affectionate, satirical tribute to Hollywood and the glorious studios and stars. As with other enduring classics, such as Casablanca, it’s easy to take Singing in the Rain for granted and forget just how brilliant it is. Featuring some of the most memorable dance sequences captured on film and the extravagance of Kelly’s theatrical set pieces, it is also one of the most superbly crafted motion pictures in history. The “Gotta Dance” sequence is signature of Kelly and reminiscent of the extravagant Ballet in An American in Paris in it’s Operatic overtures and romantic treatment of a classic story (the sequence itself references the character arc of Kelly’s Don Lockwood). In addition to it’s memorable songs and comedy Singing in the Rain is a visual delight, a flourishing amalgamation of special effects and technique. Note for instance one of the very best examples of montage transition in all of cinema during the “Would You” number, as a multitude of graduating scenarios and progressive cuts and are masterfully elevated to poetry. The screenplay is marvelous, the acting, dancing and songs unforgettable and the technical aspects of the camera work, editing and special effects all coalesce into one of the most perfect cinematic confections ever made.

6. Vertigo (1958)

Though Psycho is his most iconic and best known, Vertigo is widely considered the finest example of Hitchcocks genius. Less obvious than some of his other masterpieces such as North by Northwest, is has gained traction lately as the greatest from a director who brought us countless classics. When detective John ‘Scottie’ Ferguson (Jimmy Stewart), disturbed by a recent traumatic experience, is hired by an old friend to find out the truth behind his wife’s strange behavior, his diligent surveillance and observation of the troubled woman (Kim Novak) leads him into a spiral of debilitating obsession. As he grapples with his own inner demons, John pursues catharsis through his fixation with the haunted woman. Vertigo is not about international espionage, innocent men wrongly accused or cross country chases. Hitchcock utilizes his mastery of mood and his remarkable talent for subversion to craft his most potent and brilliant film. As he did throughout his career and most apparently in Pyscho, Hitchcock is able to conjure an extraordinary amount of suspense, fear and anticipation with the genius of his camera and the patience of his technique, weaving psychological tapestry of Freudian complexity. The deep, anxious undertones that run beneath the surface are expressed in the brilliant musical scoring by the great film composer Bernard Herrmann. Hitchcock is known for the psychological depths with which his characters are steeped (The Birds, Marnie, Notorious, Shadow of a Doubt…) With Vertigo he composes a symphony of subversion, a masterpiece of subconscious presence.

5. Breathless (1960)

Considered by many to be acclaimed director Jean Luc Godard’s finest, About De Suffle (french title) took first place on the British Film Institutes de-centennial survey of the greatest films of all time the only time Citizen Kane hasn’t (That was 1952). A seminal work of the French New Wave it practically defines it and to this day is perhaps the finest example of it’s self-liberation, youth, social anxiety and boldness. The film and it’s revolution has influenced the course of cinema and it’s contemporary form with it’s liberating approach to story, characters and technique as well as it’s self awareness and angst. The rebellion of it’s young couple is reflected in Dunaway and Beatty’s Bonnie and Clyde and echoed again in Pierrot Le Fou (also available in streaming) which Godard made years later. To watch it now is to look back on a film that reverberates with the nerve and passion of a movement in which film was being rediscovered as a medium as well as a social statement. There is a violence, not only in subject matter (the New Wave drew from the provocative cool of earlier gangster and crime films) but in the recklessness with which it is told. The French New Wave was a time of discovery, and necessarily as a result, one of letting go.

4. Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972)

Kluas Kinski stars in the title role as a Spanish conquistador who’s self ennobling obsession to lead a band of soldiers and natives to the fabled Mayan city of Gold borders precariously on the edge of madness before tumbling in. One of Werner Herzog’s very best, the unconventional director shot on location in the inhospitable jungles of South America, arduously transporting film equipment and actors through the mud, rain and swamplands. As with many of Herzog’s films the story behind it’s production is as fascinating as the movie itself. The density and isolation of the jungle envelops the actors and the reality of the setting overtakes the film. Characteristic of the great Director’s work he evokes passionate performances and realistic spectacle of men pushed to the limits are fascinating to behold. Kluas Kinski again demonstrates fervent dedication and commitment to his role as the demented Don Lope de Aguirre Comparisons between this film and the story Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now can be made as the adventurers’ single-minded pursuit down a river becomes a descent into madness and self destruction. An ethereal score pervades the film with it’s otherworldly presence, like the fog and mystery of the jungle itself. This is one of those strange period epics, like Andrei Rublev, whose production seems to take on an almost historic quality and the power of which commands the fascination and respect of the viewer.

3. The Bicycle Thief (1948)

The seminal classic of Neorealism Vittoro De sica’s masterpiece has become one of the darlings of film connoisseurs, a requisite favorite of the cinema intelligentsia. However you don’t have to be a movie snob to appreciate the story of an impoverished man’s search for a stolen bicycle he desperately needs to keep his job and support his family. The naturalistic appeal of Neorealism (the use of non actors and real locations) ads to the film’s texture and character. The man’s quest through the streets and lives of Rome is a profoundly effective and touching journey and, given the authenticity of the style, nearly documentarian in nature. Joining him in his pursuit of the thief is his young son Bruno. The father son dynamic is one of the films greatest charms and fundamental attributes as the search becomes a struggle not simply to survive poverty but to maintain basic human dignity. The Bicycle Thief is one of the cornerstones of cinema one of the most enduring and humane tales ever committed to film. (Also check out De sica’s Umberto D.)

2. 8 1/2 (1963)

The consummate movie about movies by master director Federrico Fellini. Often regarded as his best work (though some would argue La Dolce Vita) 8 1/2 is the first full fledged expression and purest incarnation of the carnival eccentricity, whimsy, indulgence, and autobiography that came to define the great Director’s style. Guido Anselmi (Fellini’s favorite on screen persona, Marcello Mastroianni) is a successful Director facing both a midlife crisis and the stifling expectations of a public awaiting his next big production. Typical of Fellini, 8 1/2 follows the disheveled director through the encounters of nightlife, parties and his own whimsical imaginings in his pursuit of emotional and intellectual clarity, absolution and purpose. A profound culmination of Fellini’s directorial pursuits and social, intellectual commentary, 8 1/2 is a magnificent condensation of his artistic essence. The opening sequences and the last rivalry are two of the most magnificent and brilliant sequences ever shot and express the film’s poetic conceptualism. 8 1/2 was one of his first to completely embrace Fellini’s unique style of films, later dubbed Felliniesque, and probably the best representation of the man himself. It is one of the fundamental landmarks of cinema.

1. 2001 A Space Odyssey (1968)

A peerless sci-fi classic and example of the power of images, Stanley Kubrik’s uber cerebral Neitsiche think piece and meditation on human enlightenment is one of the cornerstones of cinema. With only 45 minutes of dialogue throughout it’s 2 1/2 hours and none whatsoever during the first and final 20 minutes it is a testimate to the power of images as a conveyance of ideas, communicating complex theories on the progression of civilization and the nature of enlightenment with the measured span of cinematography, putative leaps and some highly unusual visuals. The film’s slow deliberate pace might bely the expectations some have towards Sci-fi and the tedious procedural nature of the story and screenplay might seem plodding and dull to some. Eschewing the action element of other classics of the genre such as Star Wars or Blade Runner, 2001 is an immaculately crafted, deliberately paced work of intellectual filmmaking that argues the validity of film as a platform of profound literary power. Kubrick’s use of symbolism and the orchestration of images and sound as a language of thought is simply brilliant. There are lots of great films, but there are some, like Last Year at Marienbad, 8 1/2, or Apocalypse Now, that achieve something beyond the ordinary and remind us of the possibility of film as an art and a medium of ideas. 2001 perhaps more so than any other is an achievement of this caliber. The computer Hal is one of the best villains in film and every evil computer from thenceforth from I-Robot’s V.I.K.I. to Skynet, owes a debt to this movie. Even though the film was drastically different than most Sci-fi it has had a definite influence on the genre and films such as Andrei Tarkovsky’s similar masterpiece Solaris, and the recent Moon. Everyone should see it at least once. There’s nothing else quite like it.

After the Thin Man (1936)

Though the series began to tire a little as it lost it’s novelty in later sequels, the direct successor to The Thin Man followed in the footsteps of the original brilliantly, doing everything right as a sequel. The Thin Man series incorporates elements of Noir, detective films and stars William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles. Nick is a famous “retired” detective reluctant to involve himself in new capers and Nora is his wealthy socialite wife, always interested in seeing him return to form and crack a case. The two share some of the best on screen chemistry of any famous pairing and are one of the classic couples in cinema, sharing cocktails and wisecracks with effortless timing. Nick carries himself with an inebriated swagger that belies his prowess as an investigator, the sharpness of his wit and genius for deduction. After the Thin Man is a bit more deliberate in it’s who-done-it setup then it’s predecessor but is still serviceable as a plot vehicle for the entertaining escapades of Nick and Nora and the cast of characters is varied and interesting. Though fairly standard the it does feature a nice twist, interesting locations and memorable scenes but the real attraction and the center of the series is the unforgettable antics of the sleuthing couple.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919)

Noteworthy for several reasons, the silent film Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was one of the earliest horror films and most prominent examples of German Expressionism (the use of distorted and imaginatively configured sets to convey emotion and tone.) The film also featured a shocking twist that today has become a well traveled device of shock thrillers. Above all The Cabinet of Caligari is an exercise in imaginative expressionistic film making, a phantasmagorical excursion into a nightmarish fantasy. The disfigured architecture and bizarre perspectives is straight out of a cubist painting and the film as though from the collective imagination of Picasso and Salvador Dali. The deranged sets fully serve the creative vision of the film and help transport the viewer into an immaterial world, not of logic and certainty, but shadow and creeping terror. The film is a classic entry in cinema canon and is worth viewing as an example of a style now extinct and the striking concept of Mise-en scene which has also similarly vanished from the medium.

The Good The Bad and The Ugly (1966)

One of the most popular westerns ever made, The Good The Bad and The Ugly isn’t an American film. Filled with in your face grit and style Sergio Leone’s quintessential Spaghetti Western features the maverick author’s remarkable style at it’s purest; a fetishistic glorification of western cliches and larger than life bravado that was inspired as much by Samurai culture and the films of Akira Kurosawa as it was by the American old west. Leone’s technique was characterized by dramatic and stylish exaggerations of classic Western scenarios. His films includes some of the most entertaining examples of the classic showdown. His brilliant command of style and it’s personification in his characters is unique among the genre. The final duel of The Good The Bad and The Ugly for instance is a great example of how Leone was able to invoke the natural intensity of a moment and elevate it to a kind of poetry. It’s also remarkable how much underlying narrative is provided with each brief cut. Notice how long he is able to sustain what might have been merely a few seconds of tired cliche into a magnificent crescendo. The film’s iconic style is due in large part to it’s score, one of the greatest and most memorable, by the incomparable Ennio Morricone. Leone’s favor of captivating style and quasi-poetic dialogue, punctuated by sudden violence and death has inspired the works of Quenten Tarantino, and is recognizable most clearly in the Kill Bill films. Leone Westerns lacked the meditation of more contemplative examples such as High Noon or The Searchers but in their romantic overture possessed a similarly melancholic repose. Interesting to note: The Good The Bad and The Ugly was the third film in Leone’s man with no name trilogy which where filmed in Spain and began with A Fist Full of Dollars, which was a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo, which itself had been inspired by the American Western.

Grande Illusion (1937)

Jean Renoir’s acclaimed humanistic war film tells the story of french prisoners and a German high commander during WWI. The film artfully depicts the lines that both separate and unite countries and classes. Considered to be one of Renoir’s finest it is arguably one of his most personal as a filmmaker as it was partially based off his own experiences as a WWI pilot. Though the impact of movies dealing with the social or political climate of a particular time or region can diminish with age, great films always possess qualities that are exempt from such limitations. With the Grand Illusion it’s the way it’s observance of class, etiquette and protocol help us to understand war as a state of mind rather than a necessary or absolute reality. The courtesy or disregard for individuals based on the notion of class or nationality are lines we ourselves except for the comfortable security of our own prejudices. Concepts such as this exist in the fiber of the Grande Illusion, to which the name itself is a reference, and sustain the timelessness of one of the greatest and most enduring war films ever made.

The Good – "Such ingratitude after all the times I've saved your life."

Hoop Dreams (1994)

One of the wonders of film is it’s detachment from the limitations of time and place: it’s capacity to express ideas and perspectives on life that would otherwise be difficult to comprehend. In the transcendence of cinema, by the vision and patience of the filmmaker we are afforded a glimpse at life as we cannot see it from within. It’s a virtue put to good use in films such as the Up Documentaries and one of the greatest films from the 90′s; Hoop Dreams, another one of the best documentaries of all time. To experience life and it’s spectrum of years and events and dramas unfolding before our eyes in a few brief moments is one of the great freedoms and exultation’s of film as an art, as well as a historical document. Hoop Dreams chronicles the high-school years of two promising young basketball players as they struggle to attain their dreams of playing in the NBA. The film follows the everyday lives of the boys and their families, through good times and bad, victory and defeat. A poignant real life drama, the film is so much more than a basketball documentary and over the course of a few hours captures 4 years in the lives of two boys and the dream of a lifetime.

In Cold Blood (1967)

Based on Truman Capote’s novel of the same name, in Cold Blood is the brooding account of drifters Perry Smith and Richard Hickock and the infamous murder of the Klutter family in Kansas 1959. The film’s respectful treatment of the material does not coerce sympathy, nor does it pass judgment, but in the meticulous recount of two stray lives, finds poignancy that transcends both. It draws an intimate portrait of the two men who’s pathetic dreams and aimlessness in life led them on a tragic journey across the country. The story follows the two companions from the beginning of their fateful road trip, depicting them with honesty as men embittered by society and their own pasts but with a tenderness it also reveals their own trials and suffering as wounded souls. The film’s great achievement is it’s humanity. It never makes excuses for their actions nor ignores the terrible consequence of their choices but is honest enough not to make it’s own condemnation. It is merely an account of a tragedy and the unfortunate circumstance that brought to misguided deadbeats to murder. Shot in black and white it is one of the most beautiful and appropriate uses of the style. The heaviness of guilt and the anguish of ruined lives pervades the film and the brilliant performances, particularly by Robert Blake as Smith, give it an ennobling authenticity. It has a style and mood remarkably unique and truly powerful in it’s realism.

After the Thin Man – "Come on, let's get something to eat. I'm thirsty."

Intolerance (1916)

Master of the silent epic D.W. Griffith, though known more for his controversial milestone Birth of a Nation, made what is probably the crowning achievement of his grandiose style and personal philosophy with Intolerance. A collection of historical vignettes the film is a three hour journey that looks at hate and prejudice through the ages. There is something extraordinary about the great fantasy dramas of the silent era, with the ingenuity, craftsmanship and imagination of their special effects and the startling immensity of sets. Intolerance is an epic in every sense of the word with a visionary story concept and composition ahead of it’s time, (preceding films such as Babel, The Hours, Crash and Magnolia) as well as magnificent sets and spectacular set pieces (compare scenes from the siege of Babylon to those of Return of the King, or Kingdom of Heaven.) Intolerance is an amazing film of breathtaking scope. It’s sheer size, the enormity of it’s production, the sets, costumes and number of actors involved, is to this day astounding. Life and death, love and hate, greed and charity. In all the superficial scale and visual hyperbole of modern CGI, I seldom find anything as truly breathtaking as this classic epic. If you think silent films are boring or never think about them at all, you owe it to yourself to see Intolerance. It is a culmination of everything they where capable of, a marvel of cinema and a film to behold.

Man with the Movie Camera (1929)

In some ways an early precursor to the brilliant and visually peerless Baracka, Man with the Movie Camera is one of those films that reminds us of the simple wonder of the motion picture as an invention and the capacity of film as an experimental art form. We become accustomed to the conventional format of “movies” and fixed in our expectations of just what a movie is but every so often we experience a film that doesn’t passively abide by established convention but instead simply explores it’s possibilities as an art form but also an amazing and mysterious phenomenon. Man with the Movie Camera is a collection of images, moments and scenes, that capture life as it progresses through a single day. The self referential title as well as the conceptual nature of some of the techniques used are also indicative that the artist was going for something beyond mere objectivity. It is in fact a film about film and the voyeuristic eye of the cameraman, as well as the audience and in some ways resembles films such as The Player, or Blow-Up. Still revolutionary to this day, I can only imagine how much it must have been in it’s time.

Intolerance – "Such a wonderful king. If only he thought as we do.

The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)

In the tradition of the sensitive contemplative westerns such as High Noon and My Darling Clementine, Ox-Bow examines the estate of the human heart and the nature of pride and vengeance when the of the law is stretched to accommodate both. The western has always been the great American mythology and one of the most accommodating of genres for moral parables. The frailty of true justice in the hands of men and the restraint that distinguishes it from lawless retribution is one of the intriguing aspects of the old west because while technically the difference between murder and justice is a matter of legal positioning, morally it’s a matter of the heart. The Ox Bow Incident makes such an observation when hate and vengeance are concealed by overtures of duty and justice. Henry Fonda stars in this lyrical tale of a would-be poses so possessed by the desire to render judgment upon a man suspected of murder the boundaries of law of the land and that of the heart are tested. Fonda, with a similar sensitivity he demonstrated in My Darling Clementine, plays Gil Carter, a man torn between the logical arguments in favor of condemning the accused man and the reasonable doubts of his conscience.

Say Anything (1989)

The films of Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous) exhibit emotional complexities seldom allowed in formulaic Hollywood. His characters don’t just go through the motions of a plot but struggle with themselves and their feelings. They are flawed but try very hard to do what is right. Crowe’s sensitivity to life’s ambiguity, demonstrates honesty and integrity. The moral and emotional vagueness that haunt the consciences of his characters is what makes his films so fascinating and elusive. They are closer to the reality of real life than the manufactured happiness of most movies. As a result his films, like life itself, are often times more resilient, harder to predict, and more engaging. Though 2000′s Almost Famous is a great film in it’s own right Say Anything and it’s observance of a blossoming relationship between two adolescents is perhaps his most profound.

Now that we’ve explored every nook of the wastes, the world beyond and even the past, there was only one more frontier we had yet to venture: The final frontier. I tip my hat once again to Bethesda as I have in past reviews for their willingness to experiment with the DLC and use it to do things they couldn’t try in the main game. Unfortunately however, differen’t hasn’t always been good and the DLC, though mostly positive has had it’s areas of disappoint. In attempting new things the DLC has too often strayed from the core gameplay, that special myriad of mechanics and genres, that makes Fallout 3 work.

Overall the DLC has been a slow positive return to that formula, a gradual rise to near perfection and into outer space. Mothership Zeta is the last DLC Bethesda has currently planned and takes us far beyond the arid desolation of earth into the cold metallic recesses of an alien spaceship. Sadly after the greatness of Broken Steel and Point Lookout, Mothership Zeta is an unfortunate and puzzling reversion to some of the same things that plauged the lesser of these installments. It isn’t a complete disappointment but it has similar problems as Operation Anchorage, the first and worst of the DLC. Whereas Point Lookout finally got it right as a simple continuation of the open ended adventuring that made Fallout 3 so much fun, Mothership Zeta returns to the constrictive “corridor-shooter” style gameplay that frustrated in Operation Anchorage.

With a game that succeeds in the freedom and expanse of an open world it baffles me why the creators have at times aspired to more linear, scripted gameplay in the DLC. Mothership Zeta is not as annoying as I found much of Operation Anchorage to be, you can still scavenge after all, but it still reduces the gameplay to relatively simple, straightforward objectives and mindless run and gun action. As the DLC progressively went from mediocre to great, I didn’t think I would have to go through this routine again. I think I’ve remarked on the flaws of this approach at least to some degree in each of the DLC reviews, thoroughly in my frustrated review of Operation Anchorage.

To those who complain that Fallout 3 is an FPS disguised as an RPG, that it’s merely a shooter and little else, let me assure them: It’s very definitely not. How do I know? Because it’s a great game but when it’s reduced to simple FPS gameplay it isn’t. So there’s definitely something else to it. It’s the sum of it’s parts. When you strip away the exploration, and the dynamic nuance, strategy and variety it’s freedom represents, and you trap it in a narrow hallway with limited options and 5 enemies blitzing you, you’re quickly reminded how much this game is not an FPS. This may be outer space, but Halo it aint. There are a lot of reasons why but, without going in to detail, the controls are stiffer and less fluent in frenetic combat situations, the weapons less accurate or, in some cases, responsive, and the subtleties of an RPG style damage system makes straight firefights harder to assess tactically. It’s just not an FPS. Trust me.

Mothership Zeta begins when you explore the source of a mysterious radio transmission and are promptly abducted. Beamed aboard the alien craft you soon meet others who have been similarly collected for insidious experimentation at the hands of your extraterrestrial captors. after some introductions you’ll find yourself striking a blow for humanity and leading a charge to commandeer the spaceship. The gameplay is simple but well executed, if only Fallout 3 were a better shooter. Meeting a motley crew of abducted humans from various places and time periods, they station themselves behind you at specific locations, throughout the game as you clear sections, complete objectives, and reach new areas. They remain in tow as you press deeper into the alien vessel. Among these characters are a woman who can repair your weapons and a medic who can modify alien substances into healing biogel, as well as a little girl that reminded me of a little sister from Bioshock as she crawled through doors and vents to open them to you.

The game consists of simple forward progression as you make your way through each new section of the ship mowing down stereotypical aliens on your merry rampage to the bridge. A scenario of this kind would have been far better served in a game like Timesplitters, right down to the humor. Each section has objectives to complete along the way although I found 9 times out of 10 this consisted of nothing more interesting than blowing up the same type of generator over and over again. Meanwhile you’re assaulted by the alien crew who wield a variety of fancy laser guns and electric batons. This kind of simplicity works fine for shooters but only draws attention to Fallout 3′s shortcomings as such. With the RPG model, why are we limiting the game to rudimentary, over simplified action with little to no emphasis on story, character development or strategy?

As far as the story goes there’s not much of a driving narrative other than the obvious imperative to escape. It’s true that given the situation I really don’t need a complicated drama to motivate my actions. Fighting for freedom is obvious and so are the reasons. Instead of an overarching story the scenario itself is informed by pop culture and the tongue and cheek references to abduction, alien experimentation, spacemen and flying saucers. Audio sound bytes from human prisoners that fill out the story a-la Bioshock and each member of your team has their own story, however I found myself willing to bypass both since they were basically just standard stage dressing. The story exists in the background. It’s there if you’re interested. I’m a little surprised how little else they attempted, but what’s here works on an indirect level.

Enemy AI is serviceable but not great by any standard. Enemies charge you or shoot depending on what type of weapon they have but other than that they aren’t very creative and the minimal intelligence suffers from the cramped quarters. Often times I found myself surrounded by several enemies as they assaulted me with batons. This annoying scenario was often repeated and it wasn’t helped by the fact that the combat suffers from the slight over durability of certain enemies. Most are fine but the force field protected soldiers are frustratingly resilient.

Abduction is not altogether without benefits though. You find and collect a surplus of foreign substances and items that have advantageous uses such as the Alien epoxy, which can be used to repair weapons and the Adapted Bio-Gel which is good for restoring a whopping 180Hp. You’d think the new weaponry would be the coolest yet but it’s fairly modest in terms of damage and function. There is a pistol, the Alien Atomizer, and a rifle, the Alien Disintegrator. Both are fun to toy around with but ultimately somewhat dismissible, especially compared with some of the cool toys in DLC past. The other notable weapon is the Drone Canon, which sounds cool but is just plain bad. It’s a heavy weapon that launches a ball of energy that explodes after bouncing around a bit. Since it doesn’t explode on contact but deflects against surfaces, accurately placing a shot is a guessing game. I actually had it bounce right off my target only to explode harmlessly off to the side and after only a few shots I put it away.

The best part of scavenging is how little everything weighs and how valuable it is. You will, in the course of the game acquire a ton of equipment, all of which can be traded for large sums of money. I went up fairly light and returned with about 30,000 caps worth of loot. You heard me right. Your money problems are over. Honestly, though it’s a little excessive and unbalances the game slightly but it’s nice to get something for your trouble. You can also return to the ship after the quest is completed but many doors are no longer accessible.

To be fair, Motherhsip Zeta is not a terrible campaign. The design of the alien craft is visually appealing with blinking lights, buttons and screens practically everywhere, though at times the disarray of bells and whistles can be distracting during quests and make knowing exactly which button to push a little confusing. Responses to this DLC seem generally positive but playing it I found myself more often than not underwhelmed by the gameplay. It isn’t badly designed but, like Operation Anchorage it fails to deliver on the potential we know Fallout 3 is capable of and I experienced a similar sense of aggravation in some situations as I did with that first DLC episode. It gravitates to it’s weaker FPS side and given the content, we’ve been there and done that in better shooters. Mothership Zeta gets a very moderate recommendation to only the Fallout 3 die hards like myself. It simply pales in comparison to what was offered in Point Lookout and is an unfortunately mediocre finale to Fallout 3′s DLC.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

One of the early anti-war gestures in film, Lewis Milestone crafts in All Quiet on the Western Front a film remarkable for it’s time in it’s intelligence and the richness of it’s production. Compared to the near unanimity of patriotic bravado that characterized most early war films it was an unconventional repose about the devastation and tragic cost of war. The film follows several school friends at the outset of WWI. Filled with the idealism of youth the boys are incited to action by the sanctimonious declarations of patriotism and glory given by their professor. The film’s lyrical symmetry brilliantly portrays it’s message about the naivety of youth, the foolish glorification of war and the loss of innocence both material and ideological. As the boys march from the simple idealism of the classroom right into the battlefield their ennobling concepts of war are replaced by it’s bleak desolate reality. A poetic and allegorical commentary of war, All Quiet on the Western Front is a haunting and sensitive lament on the toll it exacts on the souls of those who fight.

Battleship Potemkin (1925)

Like many of Sergei Eisenstein’s films, Battleship Potemkin is essentially a Russian propaganda piece and as such is less accessible to modern audiences with regards to it’s story. It is, none the less one of the greatest achievements in silent film. A stunning demonstration of visual storytelling through brilliant editing and montage, Potemkin and it’s story of revolt, may not be the most relatable but the manner in which it is told makes it necessary viewing for any film fan. Their is a strange frenzy in the stillness and silence of Eisenstein’s films that is a result of his editing; a pent up energy that culminates in the speechless expression of cuts, both their timing and destination. The crescendo of his style in Potemkin is the famed scene on the Odessa Steps. There are things that qualify films beyond simply how much they amuse us or satiate our desire to sit back and be entertained with pretty sights and sounds. Like many films, especially silent, Potemkin makes you work a little. It’s not the easiest film to enjoy, nor the most entertaining on this list. It’s one of those films that’s remarkable for it’s artistic craftsmanship and satisfying to behold and appreciate as a work of technical brilliance. You need to invest yourself as the viewer but the reward for doing so is worth it.

"Your effort to remain what you are is what limits you."

Das Boot (1981)

An opera of faces. Wolfgang Petersen’s 3 hour WWII epic resides primarily in the claustrophobic confinement of a German U-boat (Submarine) and finds significance in the earnest hopes and fears of it’s crew. At the end of the film I couldn’t tell you a single name but I knew very well those onboard, not by rank or position except the captain (Jürgen Prochnow) but the personality and meaning in their faces. The eyes betray what words alone can never convince us of. Petersen has not crafted a war film of action and bravado but one that finds the human element essential to it’s universal importance. It’s grandeur is not visual but psychological. The men aboard cannot see beyond their metal undersea prison into the murky depths and must rely on their own instincts to ascertain what is happening during hostile confrontations. The speculative nature of these battles is where the film draws it’s greatest strength. The fear of the unknown and the terrible possibilities of what could be happening on the other side of the hull create a war thriller of powerful drama and suspense. The focus is not so much on the action but the crews’ reaction to it. We do not see them with historical prejudices because the film wisely omits most of the national specifics of it’s conflict, generalizing politics and hostile encounters. It is viewed not with the deceit and corruption of the German hierarchy but through the eyes of young men forced to shoulder the duties of their nation. The war has made them “the enemy” but fear makes them simply human beings and the resulting film avoids the negative stigma of Nazism by demonstrating and relying, not on the flags or politics which separate us, but on the humanity that unites us.

Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Part of the cerebral cyberpunk Anime culture that has informed other contemporary sci-fi classics such as Dark City, and most strikingly, The Matrix, Ghost in the shell is a provocative thriller that ponders the nature of the human soul. Based on the Manga, the world of Ghost in the Shell is set in the very near future, in which the advent of highly advanced cybernetics allows the human body to be partially or completely replaced (cyberized) by superior prosthetics. The processes of the human brain can be mapped digitally and transferred across or even simply reside within cyberspace (thus the most prominent Matrix link and the allusion to new “realities” and the substance thereof). Ghost in the Shell explores just what it is that makes us human. In a world where our minds can be hacked, memories forged, and AI is as sophisticated as the human brain, what defines a living being and what is the truth of our reality? If your body and mind are artificially duplicated and your consciousness digitally transferred, where is your soul? Can it be defined algorithmically? In the vein of theoretical fiction visionary Andy K Dick, who’s meditations on the nature of memory as it relates to the being, have been adapted into classic films such as Blade Runner, and Minority Report, the film uses logical scientific propositions to ask profound questions about the nature of humanity and whether we are more than the sum of our accumulated experiences. The film would have benefited from a more substantial story arc but it’s most compelling feature is the questions it’s source material suggests than the details of it’s plot.

"Hail and victory and sink 'em all!"

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Perhaps the greatest of all Noir. Humphry Bogart stars as another classic literary “shamus” as Dashiel Hammett’s Sam Spade in a superbly written an acted film that is one of the most distinguished and dramatic examples of the genre. Somewhat less ostentatious than The Big Sleep, The Maltese Falcon still features all the cynical edge but ingrains it deeply within characters it treats with more brooding sobriety. Bogart plays Spade with more refrain and slightly less swagger than his Marlow in the Big Sleep, but with the same prowess and self possession. When beautiful damsel in distress Brigid O’Shaughnessy comes to Spade for help finding her sister, Sam becomes embroiled in the affairs of a treacherous group of international thugs, all in pursuit of a legendary and valuable statue. Sydney Greenstreet (who also appeared with Bogart in Casablanca) gives a delightful performance as the unscrupulous Kasper Gutman. Spade never really trusts Miss O’Shaughnessy but is attracted to her and involves himself in a dangerous game on her behalf. Putting himself precariously in the middle of the various gangsters and police with the kind of Machiavellian duplicity characteristic of classic detective stories, Spade attempts to unravel the convoluted case of theft, blackmail, extortion and murder before it’s too late.

Nosferatu (1922)

Bela Legosi created, what has become, the classic Dracula persona with his interpretative performance in the 1931 film based on Bram Stoker’s legendary character. Long before Legosi invented the henceforth stereotypical standard of Vampiric aura and manner, Max Schreck had created his own iconic presence in F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu. Murnau did not have the rights to the Dracula name but the story is virtually identical. Schreck’s Nosferatu is not the debonair aristocrat of seeming ageless experience and command, implied in Legosi’s performance but instead a withered, ghastly presence. Since the film was silent, the performance is contained in his physical presence and posturing not the dialogue or the iconic accent Legosi famously attributed to Dracula. It’s this difference as well as the unique name that help distinguish the two roles and make the Nosferatu character so enduring to spite it’s obscurity and later displacement by the definitive hollywood version. What is most memorable about F.W. Murnau’s vampire however is that unlike the 1931 version there is nothing suave or charming about him. He was not a creature of social grace and accomplishment but a hideous and reclusive being. One of the most memorable things however is simply the way he looks, with an elongated sunken face and slender limbs, and a prominent set of fangs protruding from the center of his mouth instead of the sides. Silent film is well suited to the kind of creepy pervasive atmosphere Murnau uses here. The solitary of the images, amplifies the physical persona of a given character. It is this unequely subversive language and Schreck’s affecting demeanor that makes simply the presence of Nosferatu so ominous. Culled from German Expressionism and Murnau’s own genius as a stylish filmmaker, Nosferatu is a lesser known but superior version of the famous legend.

"We all go a little mad sometimes."

Odd Man Out  (1947)

Director Carol Reed (The Third Man) again proves his ability to get the most out of his environment, this time the underworld of Belfast Ireland. An entertaining human study, Odd Man Out takes a candid look at the heart of man and what motivates our choices, compassion or judgment towards others. When a bank robbery goes wrong Johnny McQueen (Played by the great thespian James Mason) is left behind, wounded and on the run from a police manhunt closing in around him. In a bad way, desperate and cold, Johnny makes his way through the seedy underbelly of the city. Forced to rely on the help of compassionate strangers he encounters a variety of different people, from all walks of life. Reed uses these encounters to explore the inscrutable nature of the human heart as some fear him, some misunderstand him and some avoid him while still others take compassion on him. For some their attitude towards him good or bad is immediate and unthinking while others struggle to reconcile their conscience towards a dying man and their civic duty against a criminal. Odd Man Out is superbly crafted entertainment, cleverly devised and well executed, poignant, emotional and wise.

Paths of Glory (1957)

No stranger to war films, Stanley Kubrick directs his most powerful and complete in Paths of Glory, a scathing deconstruction of the politics of war and the meaning behind it. Kurt Douglas gives an intense performance as a Colonol tasked with selecting three soliders to take the fall for an operation gone wrong. The film is a brilliant portrayal of the inhuman nature of war as soldiers are used and discarded with callous inhumanity. The effect of the social politic machine of war reduces the value of human life to numbers on paper and the deaths of thousands are not regarded as horrific tragedy but instead merely interpreted through the lens of public and military opinion, discussed over glasses of cognac by high command. The film takes an unflinching look at the harsh reality behind war, where the lives of men are arranged and manipulated to serve the arrogance and stature of high ranking officials. It concludes with one of those profound and moving moments in film where, for a brief time, barriers fade away in revelation of the human condition we all share.

Psycho (1960)

As an exercise in convention defying style and surprisingly visceral filmmaking, Psycho is a timeless work of horror and one of the definitive examples of the genre. Revisiting it now, as is often the case, I was amazed at how original and brilliant it really is. Hitchcock’s remarkable command of his camera has never been better as one of the greatest Directors of all time demonstrates a mastery of style and technique, building a supernatural suspense and expectation with every cut and every angle. The range of cinematography exhibited, and the extraordinary expression Hitchcock evokes with his method is amazing. The film is remembered most for the infamous shower scene (not what it sounds like), in which Hitchcock famously used 78 cuts in 45 seconds. This is one of the most consummately crafted films I’ve ever seen and there is not a moment when the pervasive atmosphere or unsettling camera work isn’t slowly building in suspense towards some unknown terror. Through it’s course the film is taught with this kind of primal energy, punctuated only a few times in sudden moments of shocking violence or revelation. From beginning to end this film is pure, magnificent cinema.

The Up Documentaries (1964 – 2005)

I cheat a little to include the 5 available instalments of the “Up Documentaries,” a series of 7 total episodic documentaries that comprise a whole work and a concept 49 years in the making. The saying goes, “Give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man.” The Up Documentaries began in 1964 when Director Michael Apted selected a group of seven year olds to film as part of a social cross section. Since that day, Micheal has revisited these children every seven years. The series is comprised of these septennial interviews in which we observe the amazing phenomenon of life unfolding in 7 year chapters. The series begins with 7 Up and concludes, thus far, with 49 Up (though sadly 7 Up and 21 Up are unavailable for streaming). The culminative experience and the unprecedented glimpse into the sum of these individuals lives is a revelation. One of the most amazing things committed to film and one of surprising power are the brief montages that show each progressive encounter of a given subject. To see the lives of these individuals pass before you and the faces gradually mature and age in 7 year leaps is stunning. The Up Documentaries is similar to the great documentary Hoop Dreams, which follows the lives of two students for the duration of their high-school basketball careers, yet it surpasses it in the expanse of it’s scope. It is a modern time capsule containing real human lives. Rarely do we see the amazing power of film to transcend, nor see so clearly the fleeting brevity of our lives.