Cop Out (2010) Review

After watching Cop Out for the second time, I am still left with the same feeling as the first time I watched it. Hilarious.

Yes, Cop Out is another cop team up comedy. Yes, it struggles with cliche character bases. Sometimes the delivery of lines is wooden. But despite these drawbacks, more importantly, Cop Out is really funny.

Tracy Jordan and Bruce Willis are both humourous. They do a great job with their lines. Really, this movie is propped up hugely by the great writing and the general ridiculousness that follows Tracy Jordan where ever he goes.

The dumb cop / sassy black cop routine and the mexican drug lord routine is all pretty tired. Adam Brody is depressingly not good, and a letdown from his awesome character in the OC (yes, I watched that show.)

On the other hand, Sean Michael Scott's character is awesome and I never thought I'd like him.

Most importantly, this movie makes me laugh. The longish, semi-awkward, random conversations and the spearing of things in society that really are crap (reality tv anyone?) is awesome.

All in all, Cop Out's quick witty humour makes this movie great and encourages repeated watching.

Outland Review (PS3)

The last game I played from Housemarque was their fun zombie shoot-em-up. Outland is a definite departure from Dead Nation.

Outland is a simple side scroller with colourful graphics and satisfying gameplay, that manages to keep the genre fresh with colour-swapping flair.

Everything about Outland is simple. The characters' moves are easy to grasp and easy to implement. The characters itself is not overly detailed but brightly coloured and attractive. The backgrounds are lush and beautiful but not so much that they detract from the gameplay.

It's gameplay is smooth and responsive, pulling you deeper into your task.  has an excellent introduction of abilities and moves to keep you interested. Though you could play it with a boorish slash-slash-slash, there is an immense satisfaction to a crouch attack-upperslice-stomp. The addition of colour-swapping brings a layer of depth that breathes new air into an overdone genre.

The sound is subdued but lends itself well to the ancient feel of the game. The deep narration also fits well with the overall theme.

Then there are the little things that made me smile: the simple and nonintrusive help systems (map and "tutorial" in the beginning), the minimalistic character sounds, the general trip-factor of the colour system.

This seven hour game is well worth the ten bucks you drop to play it.

Trailer (YT)
Gameplay (YT)

Hereafter (2010) Review

Hereafter
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Matt Damon, Cecile de France

Trailer (YT)

Rottentomatoes - 46%
IMDB - 67%

Hereafter has an interesting enough premise. The idea of crossed paths in a film has always intrigued me.  Where were the characters before? What led to that momentous meeting?


While I enjoyed some of the style of the film and felt an invested interest in what would happen to the characters, overall the film didn't quite satisfy.

The writing and acting are meant to provide the tone for the movie, meant to slowly unfurl the characters, but Hereafter's premise seems unfulfilled and never quite eventuates.

There are things to like about Hereafter though: a wicked CG opening sequence, Frankie and George McLaren as the twins, .

This film suffers from the suggestion that it's science fiction. The sci-fi elements feel like barely more than the background. It's an example of how hype can twist our expectation and leave us feeling empty instead of being open to what the film is actually offering: a slow moving character study that deftly mimics the unpredictability of life itself.

Funny, Pro-Gay Marriage Pictures