Brian Ashcraft, one of my favorite game journalists, has a new editorial piece up on Kotaku called "The Colossus and the Comedian." It discusses how the game Shadow of the Colossus was worked into the (released today} movie Reign Over Me.

I've been looking forward to this movie for some time now. I saw a preview a long time ago, maybe last July, and remember telling all my friends about it. No one else had seen the trailer and I couldn't find one online anywhere. I couldn't even remember WHICH movie I'd seen it was in the previews for. I saw another trailer for it in November which was a bit more extended, and the same result ensued. Let me pause for a minute and say I've got a great appreciation for Adam Sandler's acting ability. Most people know him as a lovable buffoon from SNL, his comedy CDs or his comedy movies. If you've never seen Punch Drunk Love you owe it to yourself to go and rent that film immediately. It's an owner if you're a dvd-buyer. It was the first really serious role I'd ever seen him in, and he followed it up two years later with Spanglish.

Adam Sandler could act. Really act.

Close friends know how much of a film aficionado I consider myself and I usually take more out of movies than most. Perhaps I loved both films because of their sense of realism. They were firmly rooted in reality and while both had sort-of happy endings the turmoil and strife needed to get there in both were something you don't see much nowadays. Punch Drunk Love especially was a beautifully shot film. The art style was something else. Sandler's character, Barry, could have come off as a moron, but his portrayal left him oozing oddities. He felt like the everyman but unique. He was clumsy, awkward and ended up being a hero to the only person it really mattered...himself.

But back to Shadow of the Colossus...that article from Ashcraft is a really awesome look into how the game made it into the movie. It's cool Sandler was on board with the idea and pushed for it. Ironically I'm actually playing through it currently. It's one of the most artistic games I've played in a long, long time.


It feels like a barren and lonely world, and it's basically a story about a man trying to do the bidding of his god to bring back his dead wife. I couldn't think of a better game they'd have used. Much better than some stock bs shoot 'em up.

Here's a 22 month-old playing Wii Tennis.

http://gamedrift.com/articles.php?a=333

Extra hilarity when he gets so excited he knocks himself over and cracks up.

"Every so often we witness one of those television moments that make us stand-up from our assumed couch potato positions and say "WOW, thank you for TV." "The Man from Tallahassee" had two of those moments including one that answered a long asked Lost question. Add to that the fantastic dialogue between John Locke and Benjamin Linus, plus the emotionally charged scene involving Jack and Kate, and you're left with a solid hour of television." -IGN review of "The Man from Tallahassee"

My thoughts exactly.

Thank god the last few episodes have been getting better. I was worried the show was headed down to suckerville.

Like Kryptonite. Can't...move...Child....too....cute.

So glad they found the lost boyscout.

When I think of "defining" bands of my generation a few always come to mind. Green Day, Blink 182, No Doubt and Third Eye Blind. Man did I love when Semi-Charmed Life came out. And for the longest time I couldn't get into Wounded from the Blue album. I saw them live at PNC along with Splender who I also loved. That concert was amazing and now this is one of my favorite TEB songs.

Wounded

The guy who put his hands on you
Has got nothing to do with me
And the bruises that you feel will heal
And I hope you'll come around
'Cause we're missing you
And you used to speak so easy
Now you're afraid to talk to me
It's like walking with the wounded
Carrying that weight way too far
The concrete pulled you down so hard
Out there with the wounded
Missing you
Well I never claimed to understand what happens after dark
But my fingers catch sparks at the thought of touching you
When you're wounded
Let me break it down 'till I force the issue
We miss your face and you know I wish you
Would come back down the the Dalva Bar
You tell 'em, that's just my battle scar
I want to kiss you
And knock 'em down like we used to
You're the marigold
Till you're walking down shaking that ass again
And then you walk on, baby walk on, you walk on, on and on
You're an angel in the pit with her hands in the air
And we're missing you
Now it's fall, and your shoulders get tighter
Nervous flicks on the lighter, boots
Your pissed off poets, your women's groups
And the friends with you, we should have known this fool
Well I guess we missed the mark
Still my fingers catch the sparks at the thought of them touching you
Now you're wounded
Let me break it down 'till I force the issue
You never come around, and you know we miss you
Well nobody took your pride away
I said, that's something people say
Back down the bully to the back of the bus
'Cause it's time for them to be scared of us
'Till you're yelling, how we living cause you got the ball
Then you rock on baby, rock on, you rock on, on and on
You're a summer time hottie with her socks in the air
You're screaming I don't care baby I don't care
You say you don't know
You say you can't grow
All I know is we're missing you
You say you don't know
You say you can't grow
All I know is we're missing you
Show up, show up wounded
Show up, show up wounded