Photo Gallery Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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Green Lantern

Director: 

Martin Campbell

Stars:

 Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively and Peter Sarsgaard

In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan. Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corps has ever had: humanity. With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax...he will become the greatest Green Lantern of all.

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Source Code

Before Colter can ponder matters further, a massive explosion sends him hurtling into oblivion, from which he emerges, intact, strapped to a chair inside a dark capsule-like enclosure. A woman, Goodwin, pops up on a video screen and tersely informs him that he is now part of a new, high-tech front in the War on Terror: Source Code, an experimental program that allows a person to assume the identity of someone else during the last eight minutes of his or her life. Whoever planted the bomb on the train is said to be readying another, far deadlier attack to unleash on Chicago in a matter of hours. The only hope for preventing it is for Colter to repeatedly scour the memory of one of the train's deceased passengers in the hopes of finding clues that might help them determine the identity of the bomber.

Soon Colter finds himself in an existence not unlike that of Bill Murray’s character in Groundhog Day, revisiting the same eight-minute scenario over and over again. As a soldier, his first instinct is to try and prevent the explosion from happening and save the lives of the innocents on board. But doing so is futile, Source Code’s creepy and condescending inventor, Dr. Walter Rutledge , glibly explains. Source Code is not a time-travel machine but rather a “time-reassignment” device built on principles of quantum mechanics and parabolic calculus that Colter's feeble mind couldn’t possibly comprehend. The train bombing is a part of the past, which is unalterable; Stevens’ actions to prevent its occurrence, however heroic, have no real-world ramifications. He is simply a detective whose crime scene is the residual consciousness – the “after-image” – of a dead man’s brain.


But if that were true, Colter wouldn’t be able to exit the train, make cell phone calls, strike a romantic chord with Monaghan’s character, or engage in various other activities that we see him perform in the film, activities that lie well beyond the experiential purview of the dead man’s final memories. Could it be that the Source Code program is actually something more profound, perhaps a kind of portal to a parallel universe? (Jones’s usage of Scott Bakula, star of TV’s Quantum Leap, in a clever cameo as the Colter's father, provides a strong hint.) Colter's own experiences seem to confirm as much: Each time the train-bombing scenario unfolds, he notices subtle differences in seemingly trivial details, like the timing of a coffee spill. No two universes, after all, can ever be exactlyalike.

This little twist exposes some potential issues with Source Code’s underlying logic, chief among them being questions about the reliability of any “evidence” uncovered by Colter in his quantum adventures. The narrative asks us to take a few logical leaps of faith, and I humbly suggest you comply. Source Code is more than strong enough as a film – an intelligent, probing sci-fi thriller that packs a surprisingly strong emotional punch – to withstand any nitpicking about its theoretical veracity. Director Jones’s ambitions are grander, his aim more mainstream, his tone more hopeful this time around than in his haunting 2009 breakout hit, Moon, but the result is just as resonant.

Source Code

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Darkspore

Don’t let the name fool you; Darkspore has virtually nothing to do with Maxis’ 2008 release, Spore. Darkspore’s 100-plus creatures may look like products of Spore’s character editor, but they’re all pre-created and the only customization available to players is moving body parts around and making them bigger or smaller. Luckily the gameplay that takes the place of this customization is much more focused and addictive than Spore.

Darkspore uses the same formula popularized by Diablo and its many clones. You work through stand-alone levels, destroying out-of-control genetic monstrosities (the titular Darkspore) and gathering equipment upgrades (mostly in the form of new body parts rather than weapons and armor). You also gain levels, but they represent your overall progress rather than individual heroes’ strength.

This is where Darkspore breaks from the action-RPG tradition. Rather than powering up individual heroes, each level gained allows you to unlock a new creature (up to a total of 100). Creatures are grouped in squads of three, and any of the three in your currently selected squad can be called upon during each level. Since the creatures don’t level up or gain new abilities, the strategy in Darkspore becomes more about building well-rounded squads with complementary powers than grinding out levels – a welcome twist on the Diablo template, full of opportunities to create powerful partnerships.

Darkspore also features an annoying rock-paper-scissors system where each creature fits under one of five genetic types – plasma, quantum, bio, cyber, or necro. Damage taken and dealt is doubled when facing creatures that are under the same classification, creating a risk/reward tradeoff when building your squad. More often than not, this mechanic leads to you dropping a preferred creature when levels are full of opponents of a matching type. Then again, learning how to best use new creatures keeps the game from getting stale, so the minor irritation is worth the trouble.

While it may not create the long-term allure of Diablo’s gear grind, the variety of creatures makes mastering Darkspore a rewarding prospect. The game is seeded with clever hooks to encourage frequent play, such as increasing your chances of winning a rare item if you string multiple levels together and offering bonus rare item rolls on a daily basis.

Like so many games of this variety, the best way to enjoy Darkspore is playing co-op. Playing cooperatively gives you a noticeable bump in XP and item drops, and the gameplay is simple enough that even with random matchmaking success is a possibility. Since each player has a squad of three creatures to call on, it’s unlikely that you’ll bump into someone who doesn’t have a single helpful ally. You also unlock PvP mode at level 10, although finding a squad that’s balanced correctly for taking on other players can be frustrating.

Maxis' track record from the past few years stands as evidence that innovation does not always equal excellence in video games. Spore is an infinitely more unique and nuanced experience than Darkspore, but in the end, Darkspore is much more likely to stick around in the gamer psyche. It may not do anything particularly new, but the way it polishes and riffs on known gaming conventions should leave you happily clicking on bad guys and collecting new body parts late into the night.

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That's Why You Go Away

Baby won't you tell me why there is sadness in your eyes
I don't wanna say goodbye to you
Love is one big illusion I should try to forget
But there is something left in my head

You're the one who set it up
Now you're the one to make it stop
I'm the one who's feeling lost right now
Now you want me to forget every little thing you said
But there is something left in my head

I won't forget the way you're kissing
The feelings so strong were lasting for so long
But I'm not the man your heart is missing
That's why you go away I know



You were never satisfied no matter how I tried
Now you wanna say goodbye to me
Love is one big illusion I should try to forget
But there is something left in my head

I won't forget the way you're kissing
The feelings so strong were lasting for so long
But I'm not the man your heart is missing
That's why you go away I know

Sitting here all alone in the middle of nowhere
Don't know which way to go
There ain't so much to say now between us
There ain't so much for you
There ain't so much for me anymore

I won't forget the way you're kissing
The feelings so strong were lasting for so long
But I'm not the man your heart is missing
That's why you go away I know
That's why you go away I know......

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Super Monkey Ball 3D

Since Super Monkey Ball first arrived on the Gamecube a decade ago, the series’ iterations have clung to the third-person Marble Madness formula like an ape to the back of a Dole truck. The Wii version innovated slightly by letting gamers tilt the Wii remote to manipulate the game world and move their monkey ball, but that appears to be where the fresh, functional ideas halt.

Super Monkey Ball 3D apes the Wii version’s movement-based controls, allowing players to use the 3DS’ gyroscope to awkwardly steer their monkey ball. The mechanic would work well if you were viewing a full-sized TV, but keeping your eyes on the 3DS’ tiny screen is near impossible while twisting it in your hands. This control method makes the viewing angle so consistently awful that the 3D effect is out of the question. I tried out the motion control for one world, understood the gimmick, then switched to the circle pad. Even though the circle pad works better than the gyroscopic controls, I would have appreciated if the shoulder buttons could’ve controlled the camera to make turning easier. The circle pad works, but the jerky movement of the game makes playing on such a small screen slightly nauseating.

Speaking of nausea, Monkey Ball 3D’s three-dimensional effects probably won’t upset your stomach. That’s probably because they’re so unremarkable that you’ll turn them off immediately. Bananas occasionally fly at the screen, dirt is sometimes kicked into your face, and the monkey ball pops out from the game world. Super Monkey Ball 3D is a poor demonstration of the unit’s immersive 3D tech.

I lost count of how many times I yawned as I rolled through the least imaginative obstacle courses I’ve ever seen. If you’ve played a Super Monkey Ball game before, you’ve already played this one. If you’re interested in losing some friends, you can invite them into a local wireless race or monkey fight, a two-bit Super Smash Bros. knock-off. Super Monkey Ball 3D’s extra modes are so soulless and boring that only the most juvenile gamers would appreciate them, but those kids are too young to play the 3DS.

If you’ve been a devout Super Monkey Ball fan since the beginning you may be more willing to overlook this entry’s glaring faults. If you haven’t hopped on board the banana bandwagon, however, the weakly implemented 3D and unusable motion controls won’t be enough to make you a believer.

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[HQ] Neu - Dong Nhi w/ Noo Phuoc Thinh

Hurt, my hearts broken down, trying to forget

Because your love is not for me

Fading our memories we had but I dont want

Miss you every night, miss you every day

Maybe in a dream Ill see you back

Give me a hug to warm my heart, to wake my soul and open my eyes

If tomorrow comes and you wont come back

Youre still always inside my mind

I just wanna see your happy smile

Though youre not coming back to me

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NASCAR The Game 2011

It’s hard to be a startup team in NASCAR when you have to go up against the Hendricks and RCRs of the stock car world. Eutechnyx might not face NASCAR video game competition on the console side, but it does face an uphill battle as a fresh face. The developer’s uneven first outing is filled with good and bad laps, and has to resign itself to some morale victories.

The basic driving experience gives casual NASCAR fans an enjoyable ride – dial up the difficulty, play with the car settings, hit different track lines, and go back-and-forth with the likes of Jeff Gordon or Clint Bowyer. Eutechnyx smartly includes some HUD additions that some may dismiss as unrealistic (you can turn them off anyway), but I like them. The radar gives you an idea of who’s around you so you don’t get your rear quarter panel clipped when you’re going into a turn, and an optional replay/rewind system means that your afternoon isn’t automatically over if you crash.

The more I played the game, however, the more issues I uncovered. NASCAR is filled with little details, and this game doesn’t get them all correct. The AI cars don’t pit safely (too late), don’t know when to strategically take pit stops, the yellow flag doesn’t always wave, online doesn’t have accelerated tire wear, and the AI (even with a rival system) shows no teeth. These things aren’t the end of the world, but as a NASCAR fan I easily spotted them. It’s not about delivering painful realism (I like the radar, after all); it’s about finding ways to make the game deeper.

The career mode isn’t a lot of help either. Although it awards you experience points and unlockable pins, paint schemes, coins, and trophies, it doesn’t go anywhere in the traditional, multi-year franchise approach that we expect from a licensed sports property. At least the game includes invitational events, where you can compete in challenges like elimination races, and All-Star like multi-round races where the order of the field is inversed.

Sometimes you don’t have the car to beat, and you end up point racing for whatever you can get. Eutechnyx’s effort here is appreciated, but it’s not championship material.

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Michael Jackson The Experience

When Ubisoft released Michael Jackson The Experience last holiday on Wii (check out our review), it allowed fans of the pop icon to jam out to classic tracks using the remote-waggling dance mechanic featured in the publisher's money making franchise Just Dance. With the Kinect version, Ubisoft Montreal uses the sensor's body and voice tracking capabilities to give users a more faithful interpretation of the Michael Jackson performance experience -- and mostly succeeds.

Michael Jackson The Experience projects a fluid outline of your likeness on a variety of performance stages designed after each song's respective music video. Players step along a lit up sidewalk in "Billie Jean" and jam among undead backup dancers in "Thriller." All of the tracks are available at the outset, allowing you to sing, dance, or both.

The King of Pop is music royalty for a reason, as the perfectionist performer flawlessly sang and danced at the same time. Unfortunately, The Experience on Kinect doesn't have the same chops. If you choose the option to sing and dance, the song is broken up into sections that alternate between movement and vocals. No one's stopping you from singing through the whole song even when not prompted, but you won't get credit for your efforts.

The Kinect version of The Experience has a similar performance-scoring problem as the Wii counterpart -- it's brutal. The game rewards exaggerated movements over accuracy, and since the only visual feedback offered is a few flashes of the words "Perfect" or "Almost", you'll be hard pressed to get five stars. Difficulty is determined by song, and some arbitrarily chosen tracks require the player to both sing and dance with no other option, leaving little in terms of player choice. With the exception of ballads, which wisely feature only vocals, not accommodating people who just prefer cutting a rug to belting out a tune or vice versa is a missed opportunity.

These flaws hamper the single player, but in co-op The Experience shines. After selecting a track, up to four players can join in on the performance. Each player is randomly selected to complete a segment of a song, and roles of singers and dancers are constantly shaken up so you never know what to expect. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about versus mode. Here two teams compete for a high score, but it lacks the frantic spontaneity that makes co-op so entertaining. Instead you are forced to listen to the selected song twice, as you and your opponent perform the same routine one after the other.

As a fan of Michael Jackson, I can say The Experience on Kinect is fun despite its shortcomings. Working through each track and learning the routines is a refreshing reminder of his greatness as a performer. I may never dance like MJ, but after my time with The Experience, I am much closer to perfecting the moonwalk.

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Pro Evolution Soccer 2011

Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 is one of the best representations of 3D on the handheld, but that’s not what I find interesting about the game itself. Rather, I like how it attempts to be like its console brother – and actually goes some way to achieving this goal. Intentions and execution, however, are different matters.

Once you change out of the default, player-focused camera (which is horrible), Pro Evolution fans will immediately recognize much of the gameplay they’ve enjoyed on the big consoles. Perhaps that’s part of the beauty of the sport – its relatively simple at its core. On the other end of the spectrum, this game attempts to replicate some of the sports’ sophistication on the pitch by offering feints (no linked feints like the console version, however) and other controls from the franchise’s arsenal. Unfortunately, the 3DS is missing two shoulder buttons, so it doesn’t have the kitchen sink of controls the series is known for.

I’m not terribly concerned about a few missing dribbling techniques. However, this 3DS version also has some more serious gameplay flubs. Defensive coverage is slightly harder because defenders don’t back off as well as on the console version. Combine this with some poor defensive angles taken due to the imprecision of both the analog nub and the spotty AI, and PES fans will have to make some adjustments. Overall, I wasn’t as comfortable using the nub since its natural resistance and sliding motions sometimes created unexpected player movements.

The game looks good for a handheld sports title, and the 3D isn’t too distracting or hard to keep in focus (it works best in the VerticleWide camera setting). It actually adds something to the experience when you pop a long through ball into space, go up for a header, or target a rocket into the upper corner.

Just like the controls try to mimic the larger console offering, the game’s feature attempts to add some depth via the UEFA Champions League tournament and the Master League franchise mode. Unfortunately, multiplayer is restricted to local wireless play.

Most handheld sports games (and launch ones, at that) have a hard time presenting gamers with a compelling feature set or satisfactory gameplay experience. Pro Evo 2011 for the 3DS goes some way toward alleviating that problem, but in the process comes up with new ones all its own.

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