Sweeny Condemned to Star

Sweeney Todd
Musicals movies seem a bit silly to me, particularly modern ones, because I don't really have any hang ups with Grease. When a character sings and dances in crowded streets and the passers-by don't acknowledge what would seem to be a crazy person there is a small disconnect in my brain. Musicals on stage, don't provoke the same reaction and I think that is because they don't create a suspension of disbelief like a movie does.

Johnny Depp is essentially Capt. Jake Sparrow again, and the plot is a little bit far fetched, but remains interesting. The ending was mildly surprising, but the whole movie just lacked punch. A gorey musical is something I have never seen before, but it doesn't get a free pass on innovation alone.

Condemned 2: Bloodshot
I have had marathon sessions of World of Warcraft that have lasted well beyond twelve hours in the past and went to LAN parties that reached the ten hour mark. Condemned is not a video game world I can live in for longer than two to three hours. Not because it gets boring, but because it is creepy and unnerving to beat up lunatic homeless guys and investigate gruesome murders for hours on end. The game looks amazing and creates an atmosphere that you rarely see in video games.

Melee combat from the first person perspective feels more visceral than floaty. It is to bad that in the later game guns are introduced and used almost exclusively for a few levels. The story is good, but not great and the crime scene investigations are ten times better than bargain bin CSI games. All in I was expecting to like this game and I ended up loving it, aside from being scared that is. I am sure I would have completed it must faster had it not evoked such a strong feeling in me. I'd chalk that up as a good thing.

The Next Food Network Star
Guy Fieri is not on the fourth season of TNFNS, but Google images was a bit lacking in vertical pictures of the whole cast. Crystal and I decided to watch this show or rather try it out after watching the first two episodes this past Sunday. The premise seems interesting when you add acting to the same formula that Top Chef is already using. I don't see any chef that is the next Alton Brown or anything, but I'm routing for and against a few already. I will keep watching the show, but the first bad episode I catch will most likely be the last.