Dumb and Dumber-Movie Review

Lloyd (left) & Harry (right)

   Summary

  Dumb and Dumber is a hilarious comedy film made in 1994, starring Jim Carrey (as Lloyd) and Jeff Daniels (as Harry).
   Lloyd and Harry are two kind and caring, but stupid friends, who aren't very successful in life. Lloyd is a terrible limousine driver, and after driving a woman by the name of Mary Swanson to the airport, Lloyd falls in love with her. Mary Swanson was going to Aspen for a vacation with her family. As Lloyd starts driving away, he notices that Mary "forgot" her briefcase. Lloyd quickly went after the briefcase in an attempt to return it to Mary. However, what Lloyd did not know, was that the briefcase was full of a million dollars and that Mary had left it there for two criminals to take. These two criminals work for a man by the name of Nicholas Andre, who is plotting a kidnapping scheme.
   Unfortunately, Lloyd couldn't return the briefcase to Mary in time, so he brought it home with him. Lloyd and Harry live in the same apartment as roommates. After Lloyd explains to Harry what had happened, he influences Harry to go to Aspen with him so they can find Mary and give her the briefcase. So, quickly, the two of them get ready and set out to go on a road trip to Aspen. However, as they are travelling, the two criminals are going after Lloyd and Harry for the money, and plotting to kidnap them.
    On their way to Aspen, Lloyd and Harry experience a few unfortunate, but hilarious events. As Lloyd is driving, being the idiot he is, he takes the wrong turn and they end up in Nebraska instead of Colorado. Throughout their trip to Aspen, Lloyd and Harry have a few arguments, but in the end they come together and finally reach Aspen. When the two arrive there, they realize they may have not thought their plan fully through. They were unable to remember Mary's last name, so they didn't know where to find her. Lloyd and Harry decide to hold on to the briefcase until they find Mary. Soon, the two friends discover that the briefcase is full of money. Lloyd and Harry selfishly take all the money for themselves. The two decide to spend it "responsibly", but being as stupid as they are, they carelessly spend the money on Lamborghini Diablos, luxury hotels, and on expensive clothes and tuxedos. 
    After a few days in Aspen, Lloyd and Harry finally meet Mary Swanson. As soon as Harry saw Mary, he fell in love with her. Lloyd gets jealous of his friend after Harry and Mary spent the day together, so this causes a little bit of conflict between the two best friends. Lloyd pulls a few mean, but funny pranks on Harry, and then Harry gets back at him. This is what makes Lloyd and Harry such good friends; they fight, but in the end they always make up.
    One night, Lloyd heads to Mary's house to ask her to come to his hotel room for the briefcase. When Lloyd and Mary arrive to his hotel room, Nicholas Andre, the mastermind of the kidnapping plot, breaks into the room. He commands Lloyd to hand him the briefcase. When he finds out that all the money is gone, he freaks out and handcuffs Lloyd and Mary to the bed. Harry then enters the room, and Nicholas shoots him. However, Harry was wearing a bulletproof vest. The FBI arrive shortly after that, and arrest Nicholas Andre for his kidnapping scheme and attempted murder.
   In the end, Lloyd and Harry are safe, and they walk back home together with no money.

Characters

-Jim Carrey as Lloyd Christmas; a chip-toothed, a loser and mischievous man who has been fired from several jobs due to his lack of intelligence and his unwillingness to work "40 hours a week", the most recent of which is driving a limousine.

-Jeff Daniels as Harry Dunne; Lloyd's best friend. A good-natured dog groomer who has a dog-shaped van. He also owned a pet parakeet named Petey until he was killed by Mental, which Harry didn't realise and just thought his head had "fallen off" from old age.

-Lauren Holly as Mary Swanson, a wealthy heiress.

-Charles Rocket as Nicholas Andre; a greedy, wealthy resident of Aspen, Colorado and the mastermind behind the kidnapping. He enjoys fine living and is a longtime confidant of the equally wealthy family of Aspen, the Swansons.

Best Part

   I think the best part of Dumb and Dumber was when Lloyd and Harry were on the road to Aspen, and Lloyd had to urinate really badly. Lloyd requested for Harry to make a quick pit-stop so he could take a whiz. Harry told him to hold it for a little longer, but Lloyd could not. So, Lloyd took an empty beer bottle from the back of the car and started peeing into it. Quickly, the bottle started to overflow, so Lloyd took another bottle. After he was done, Lloyd had five beer bottles full of his own urine. Immediately after that, a police officer pulled Lloyd and Harry over for speeding. The officer walked up to their vehicle and he saw the beer bottles. From what the officer saw, he assumed that the two were drinking booze, and may have been drunk. The officer told Lloyd to give him a bottle to drink. Lloyd and Harry tried to warn the officer, but he eventually he took the bottle and drank a bit. Lloyd and Harry were frozen, waiting to see the officer's reaction. The officer made a strange face, and his mouth started to twitch. He told Lloyd and Harry: "Get the hell outta here!"
   I think this part was the best because it was the funniest scene of the whole movie, and it got the best laugh out of me. When the scene was over, I was still dying of laughter.

Worst Part

  To be honest, I think there is no bad part in this film. Every scene fits into the film, and they are all very well made. The producers gave a lot of attention to detail in every scene, which really makes this an enjoyable film to watch.

Opinion

   
   I think that Dumb and Dumber is a hilarious comedy film. Jim Carrey is my favourite actor, and I think this is one of the best movies that he has starred in. Dumb and Dumber is one of my favourite movies.
The producers of  Dumb and Dumber put together a great comedy film and there was obviously a lot of time and effort put into it. The director made a great choice of making Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels the two stars movie, because I think these roles really suit them.
  Overall, Dumb and Dumber is a really funny movie, and it is great for the whole family. Most of the comedy is silly but it is appropriate and will really make you laugh. I rate this film a 9/10.

Assassins Creed lll- Game Review

    Amazing. It's a word that is overused to describe something. It is, however, the best word to describe Assassin's Creed 3. This game is the biggest, and greatest Assassin's Creed yet. With the combination of life-like graphics, and great gameplay, it puts together a fantastic role playing game.
Ubisoft, the makers of AC3, created such a great story, with twists and turns, making the game really interesting and fun to play. The settings of the game are very compelling. There is great attention to detail, which is important in action games like this. The little details are crucial, because they make the game seem so real, and it allows you to engage in the game.

   The story of Assassin's Creed 3 takes a turn much different from Assassin's Creed 2's story. In AC3, the story spans two eras and over thirty years of American history, with great action through cities, wilderness and open sea battles. Throughout the game you experience wars, ancient mysteries, and risky voyages and missions. AC3 has to do with earlier civilization and there is much violence involved.

   The story of Assassin's Creed 3 is action-packed and very interesting, with a few twists added in. Assassin's Creed 3 is a fictional history game about real world events, and it tells us about the battles of Assassins.
   Desmond Miles, the protagonist of this game, relives the memories of his ancestors from the 18th century. Desmond has been in all the games of the Assassin's Creed series. Desmond is in the present, 21st century, and he enters a machine called the Animus, which allows him to relive his ancestors' moments in the past. In Assassin's Creed 3, Desmond relives Connor Kenway's experience as an Assassin. Connor is Desmond's half-Mohawk ancestor. Connor's mother was Native American, and his father, Haytham Kenway, was an English Templar.

Desmond Miles in the Animus

   In this story, Connor Kenway is in the middle of the American Revolutionary War. However, Connor is fighting his own battle; the battle between the Templars and Assassins. This battle has to do with the events of the Revolutionary War, and the Assassins and Connor will fight the Templars for freedom and attempt to gain control of the newly forming nation.

 

Connor Kenway

Connor Kenway is the main character of Assassin's Creed 3. Connor is the ancestor of Desmond Miles, and he is Native American. Connor's mother was a First Nations' person, part of the Mohawk creed, and his father Haytham Kenway, was an English Templar. Connor's Mohawk name is Ratohnhaké:ton. When Connor was a child, he lived in a village with his mother. Sadly, Connor lost his mother when a group of English Templars had attacked and burned down the village. From that day, he swore he would get revenge and kill the Templars, and that is why now, he is in a battle against them.
  Connor is a strong-willed and courageous Assassin. However, sometimes he can make wrong decisions due to anger. He is very loyal to his friends, and he will do anything to protect them if they are in danger. Connor is an extremely skilled Assassin; he is agile, fast and strong. He is very skillful in the use of weaponry, and he is also a great hunter and woodsman.

  I really like to play as Connor, because he is an excellent Assassin, and I also like him as a person. I respect him due to his unfortunate past, and I respect his bravery and loyalty. I look forward to seeing this character in future games of the Assassin's Creed series.

   I play Assassin's Creed 3 on my PS3, and the gameplay is great. I've played the previous games of the Assassin's Creed series, and I must say, AC3 runs much more smoothly than all the other games. Smooth gameplay allows gamers to enjoy playing, and when you are in combat or a battle, the game never lags.
Also, in this year's game, Ubisoft has made one slight change to the controls. It is not a big change, however it makes quite a big difference. In previous Assassin's Creed games, you would have to hold the right trigger and the X button to climb. An issue that was frustrating in previous games was the climbing problem. Due to these controls, it would be hard to climb, and sometimes you would fall off and kill yourself. Fortunately, in this year's game all you have to do to climb, is simply hold the right trigger. Now, I find these controls more comfortable and easier to use, but that's my opinion. Other than those two small but important factors, nothing else has changed from the previous games.
  All the other controls are fairly straight-forward and basic. The left analog stick is to move around, and the right one is to move the camera around. To fight, you press the square button, and the circle button to perform different moves and skills.

   I think that the best part of Assassin's Creed is Connor Kenway's "Power of the Wolf" ability. This isn't really a "best part" but it is a new ability introduced to the Assassin's Creed series. I think that this Wolf Mode is the best ability of the game. This ability gives Connor the agility, strength and hunting skills of a wolf. Connor Kenway is part of a pack of wolves, and he wears a "Wolf Cloak" which allows him to turn invisible and assassinate enemies.

  I think that there is no specific worst part or Assassin's Creed 3, but there are a few issues in general. When there are short scenes of dialogue, it doesn't keep me interested. I find that the scenes come up much too frequently, which is disturbing while playing the game. Also, when starting up the game, it takes an extremely long time to load. Despite those small disadvantages, I still really like Assassin's Creed 3.

   Assassin's Creed 3 is the fifth installment of the Assassin's Creed 3 series, and in my opinion it is the best of the series. This video game is fun, action-packed, and thrilling. The graphics and animation couldn't be more realistic, and the gameplay is fantastic. The unbelievable amount of game content there is, makes this game very addictive. The story of Assassin's Creed 3 is very engaging and interesting. Ubisoft spent nearly three years developing and working on this video game, and the time and effort really shows that AC3 is a spectacular game.
  In relation to this, there is news of an upcoming Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag. I have my hopes up for this game and I really look forward to playing it.

I rate Assassin's Creed 3 an outstanding 9/10.

True Legend- Book Review

    Drew "True" Robinson, a sixteen-year old boy, aspires to become a professional basketball player. He and his mother, Darlene, moved to California from New York to advance his basketball career. Only a junior in high school, and yet he is the best on the Oakley basketball team. If things work out, he will be scouted by the best colleges and after the minimum one year of college play, he'll head to the NBA. Lately Drew hasn't exactly been focused much on his grades, and he is getting some grief about it from his mother and his counsellor. He tries to remind them that college isn't really his goal; it's just a step into his pro career. The temptation of endorsements and perks from his mother's rich boss and scouts is beginning to take Drew's attention away from his game. Late one night Drew heads to his favourite street court at Morrison Park to practice. When he arrives, Drew comes across a street player shooting around. The guy was quite old, but he has great skills. Drew watches him unnoticed, and after seeing him a second time, he attempts to find out who the mystery player is. It turns out he was a legend years ago, by the name of Donald, but poor decisions ruined his chances to turn pro. When Drew finally does meet him, he realizes they have a lot in common. This realization might be just what Drew needs to get back on track. Hopefully, it's not too late.


Drew has everything going easy for him, but throughout the story he realizes that all the fame and glory might be distracting him from his basketball. When Drew too begins to make mistakes on the court, he seeks out Donald for help. He reminds Drew to focus on his game and to not let all the fame get to his head.

   Mike Lupica's novel, "True Legend," teaches young people to make good and informed decisions in life. We as young teenagers, have a lack of experience of life, so it's best we take advice from our elders. The clear message here is that young athletes should not let fame go to their heads, a case made so well by the story that Drew's continued arrogance and poor decision-making is sometimes difficult to believe. Author Mike Lupica focuses not only on the game of basketball, but also on the mind of the athlete in True Legend.
This story teaches young athletes that all the fame and attention can quickly ruin their dreams of becoming a professional, no matter how good you are. I think that using the old legend, Donald, in this story is a great way to express the message that Mike Lupica wants to get across to young athletes.

Main Characters

Drew (True) Robinson
"Donald" (Old basketball legend)
Darlene Robinson (Drew's mother)
Seth Gilbert (Darlene's boss/Drew's manager)
Lee Atkins (Drew's best friend, on the Oakley basketball team)

    I think the best part of the story was when Drew went and followed the legend basketball player, "Donald". I think this was the best part because this is where things got interesting. I couldn't wait to find out who the mystery player was.
    It was after the game, when Oakley had lost to Conejo, Drew was angry with himself. Drew was very upset after the loss, and frustrated with himself because he didn't make good decisions on the court. He quickly walked out of the school, and there across the street was Donald. Drew is a very curious young man, so of course he decided to follow him. He was eager to find out who the guy was, once and for all. Finally, after reaching downtown, Donald walked into an old residence hotel. Drew walked into the hotel and hung back for a few minutes until there was no one around. After that, he found out which room Donald was in, and then came up to his door. He knocked on the door. Donald opened the door and said, "You followed me." Drew told him he wanted to know who he really is.
Donald told him his full name, "Urban Donald Sellers."
   This part surprised me, and it got me really interested. To understand this part of the story, you have to have read the whole story, otherwise it wouldn't make sense. Now, to people who haven't read this story, let me tell you briefly why this part is so interesting. Earlier in the story, Drew talks about the old legend Urban Sellers with his friend Lee. (This was before Drew met Donald) According to the research on the legend that Drew and his friend did, Urban Sellers dies years ago in a tragic accident. Therefore, that is why I was so surprised when I heard that the legend was still alive.

All throughout this story, there were no bad parts. I think the author did a great job of making every part important. "True Legend" is one of the best novels I've ever read.

In my opinion, "True Legend" is a fantastic novel. Mike Lupica's vivid description of the characters, especially of Drew, adds texture to the story. This allows readers to ingage into the story. Not only that, but readers are able to view the story from Drew's perspective too. True Legend is a very inspiring story, and it teaches children, especially young athletes, a very important lesson. The message that Mike Lupica wants to get across to us, is obvious. It's telling us to make good and informed decisions in life in order to reach success. I would recommend this novel to young athletes in the ages of 12-18.
                                                                                                                            Mike Lupica
True Legend by Mike Lupica is a great story. I would rate this novel a 9/10.

Eminem Recovery Album-Review

 Recovery is Eminem's seventh studio album, released on June 18, 2010, by Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. Recovery is said to be the best album that Eminem ever made. As where a few his previous albums were rather a disappointment to his fans, Recovery is Eminem's way of saying sorry.

   Recovery is meant to be all about Eminem's troubles in life. The lyrics talk about how he got out of depression and drug addiction. It's about him recovering, hence the album name, Recovery. Almost all of Eminem's songs in this album talk about his depression and drug addiction. 
   "Not Afraid," and "Talkin' 2 Myself," are two particular songs that I think represent the whole meaning of the album. In these songs, he talks about how he wants to become a new and better person. He regrets all the mistakes he made in his life, and tries to move on, knowing that his past will still follow him. A quote from Not Afraid: "This f***ing black cloud still follows me around but its time to exercise these demons these mother******s are doing jumping jacks now!" 
In "Talkin' 2 Myself," he wants to prove to his fans that he's the best he can ever be. He's telling them to not give up on him yet, because he's got something great coming up.
  
  What I like about Eminem so much, is that he sings from his soul. He talks about his past and emotions. Unlike many other rappers' lyrics, Eminem's are so meaningful and true. I think other rappers are jerks. They just talk about getting money and girls. 
Many people may not like Eminem because of the fact that he swears a lot in his songs. However, Eminem uses swearing for emphasis.
He can't help always swearing. He had a terrible childhood, growing up in the Detroit ghetto. People around him would always swear, so he caught on to that, and now it's embedded in his vocabulary. 
If you pay close attention to Eminem's lyrics, you'll realise how clever he is. The way he puts words together is mind-boggling. An example from Not Afraid: 

"No if ands or buts don't try to ask him why or how can he
From Infinite down to the last Relapse album he's still s**ttin'
Whether he's on salary, paid hourly
Until he bows out or he s**t's his bowels out of him"

Although these particular lyrics are rather inappropriate, it's amazing how he's able to put all that together, and rhyme it so fast. As a child, Eminem was very good in English. I was reading about Eminem on the Internet, and it said that he would read the dictionary as a kid!

   
  Originally, Eminem planned for Recovery to be a continuation of his previous album, Relapse (2009), however, the music on Recovery came out very different from Relapse.  Recovery finds the real Eminem, as this is his best work yet. Unlike all his other albums, Recovery takes a more serious turn. Eminem finally declares that he wants to concentrate just on himself, his family and his music.
When I listen to Eminem's songs in Recovery, I feel inspired and motivated by the lyrics. Also, the sound of the music gets me into a great mood. It makes me feel like I can do anything. I feel stronger, and I only focus on myself. However, other songs express more of a sad mood. At times, the songs are depressing when you hear the types of things Eminem raps about.

   Eminem does not only talk about his drug addiction and depression in this album. He also talks about his troubles in his relationships with women. "Love the Way You lie," "25 to Life," and "Space Bound" are three songs that are all about Eminem's past love life. 
-(Space Bound by Eminem)

  I think that "Not Afraid" is the best song of the album. He talks about his past with drug abuse, depression, and family problems. In this song, Eminem goes on to admit to some mistakes he made in his previous album: “And to the fans, I’ll never let you down again, I’m back/I promise to never go back on that promise, in fact/Let’s be honest, that last Relapse CD was eh/Perhaps I ran them accents into the ground/Relax, I ain’t going back to that now." "Not Afraid" is the most popular song of the whole album.

Eminem tries to portray an important message in Not Afraid, and I think it really gets across to people. His message is saying, for everyone who's been through the same things he went through, to follow him, and he'll lead them to a better place. The chorus of the song portrays the message:

" I’m not afraid to take a stand
 Everybody come take my hand
 Well walk this road together, through the storm
 Whatever weather, cold or warm
 Just let you know that, you’re not alone
 Hola if you feel that you’ve been down the same road"                            

                                            (Not Afraid by Eminem)-

In "Not Afraid" Eminem also talks about how he's trying  to move on and become a better person. He regrets all the decisions he made in the past, and now realises what he should do. He willingly wants to change and become a new and improved person. "Not Afraid" portrays a lot of willpower and courage. I love this song because it gets me into a great mood, and makes me feel a lot more powerful. It helps me find great willpower and courage within, making me more focused on the things that I want to succeed in.

  I think the worst part, or most unnecessary part of the album I should say, is the song "W.T.P" (White Trash Party). There's not much to say about this song, only that it doesn't really fit the mood of the album, and it doesn't have much meaning behind it. Now, I'm not saying I don't like this song, I just feel it shouldn't be a part of the album. "Recovery" is a serious album for the most part, but this type of song ruins the mood. Perhaps Eminem didn't know what to do with this song, so he just made it a part of Recovery. However, I don't think that was a good choice. 

  Overall, I really like Eminem's album Recovery.  I think it is definitely his best work, and it is his most popular album. Recovery is all about Eminem's past history, his emotions, and how he resolved his problems. Before this album came out, I wasn't a huge fan of Eminem. I thought he was just one of the rappers. However, now I realise that Eminem is very unique and he is a great rapper. Eminem stands out from the other rappers, and not just because he's white. Obviously, Eminem wanted to come up with the best album ever, so he put a lot of hard work into it. Almost every single song in this album is perfect. This album really changed the way I felt about Eminem before and I hope he will come up with another great album.

  Recovery shows a lot of improvement in Eminem's career as a rapper and song writer. I think he is the best rapper alive, and maybe even the best rapper of all time. 
I rate this album a 9/10.

Jack Reacher-Movie Review

    Jack Reacher is a fantastic crime thriller film with a great performance by Tom Cruise. The movie is based on Lee Childs' ninth Jack Reacher book "One Shot." This movie always keeps you on the edge of your seat, and can even make you laugh.

 

James Barr (accused killer)

   This film takes place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The plot is about the killing of five innocent people by an expert sniper that has thrown the city into a state of terror. However, in no time the police have the case wrapped up. All the evidence the investigators found lead to a former American military soldier, James Barr. The police quickly catch the culprit and arrest him. However, the case might not be over yet. The police take the man into custody and Emerson, the head detective, starts questioning him. Barr claims he is innocent, saying, "you've got the wrong guy." He takes a pad of paper, and writes, "Get Jack Reacher." 

Emerson (head detective)

   Reacher is a man with no known address and no criminal record, so therefore it makes him impossible to find. Luckily for James Barr, Reacher suddenly shows up at the police department because he saw the news on television. Jack Reacher knows this skilled sniper from when he served in the military police. James Barr was a bit mentally unstable, and he would always have the urge to snipe someone down. However, Reacher believes Barr was framed, and suddenly the whole case had turned around.  Reacher was teamed with defence lawyer, Helen Rodin, as they moved closer to finding out who's behind all this. Later on, Reacher and Helen find out who the killer is; a man by the name of Charlie. Charlie, who is a very wise and tactical man, takes the defence lawyer as hostage, to lure Reacher.

Helen Rodin (defence lawyer)

  Charlie calls Reacher, telling him to come to where Helen is, but to come alone. Obviously, Reacher isn't stupid to come alone, so he comes along with a shooting range owner, Cash. Although Cash is old, he is a very skillful sniper. Reacher and Cash arrive to rescue Helen. Cash snipes down a few of Charlie's men from on top of a hill, as Reacher takes down the rest using a handgun. Finally, he reaches Charlie. They have a short stare down and small talk, then they throw away their weapons. Reacher and Charlie fight, and finally, Reacher takes him down. He then finds Helen and rescues her. Reacher starts walking away, but Helen stops him and says, "Wait, what if I need you again?" Reacher responds, "You know how to find me."

Reacher and Cash
ready to go after Charlie and
save Helen

Characters

-Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher
-Rosamund Pike as Helen Rodin (defence lawyer)
-Robert Duvall as Cash ( shooting range owner, helps Reacher)
-Joseph Sikora as James Barr (the accused man) 
-Jai Courtney as Charlie (the real murderer)
-David Oyelowo as Emerson (the head detective)
-Richard Jenkins as Alex Rodin (father of Helen Rodin, detective)
-Werner Herzog as The Zec (A.K.A The Prisoner, in Russian)

Reacher getting out of his car

   I think the best and most funniest part was the car chase scene. In the car chase, Emerson, the detective, believes Reacher could be a suspect. During the night, Reacher is cruising around in a nice, stolen SS Camaro, and all of a sudden, Emerson sees him. He orders all the police officers to go after him. Emerson hops into his car and starts chasing after Reacher. This is the part that got me really excited. As the chase was going on, Charlie, who was in a 
silver Audi, sees Reacher. Jack doesn't notice Charlie until he gets   closer to the Audi.
   
  Charlie rams into the side of the SS Camaro, making it even harder for Jack to get away from the cops. That made Jack pretty angry, so he went after the silver Audi. After pursuing Charlie for a while, the police were getting on to Reacher. So, he walks out of the car, and quickly blends in with a group of bystanders. A man standing beside Jack, gives him his baseball cap so the cops won't notice him. This was my favourite part, and preferably the best part of the film because it was very action-packed and at the end of the scene it was very funny! (Part of this scene is in the trailer above). 

Charlie

 In this movie, I believe there are no bad parts and there is no worst part. I think all parts were important because the movie is kind of like a puzzle. All parts are like pieces or clues, all connecting the story, and leading to the hidden killer. Obviously, the producers of this film devoted a lot of effort and attention to detail. Every part of the movie connects, and flows very well, and enables you to enjoy watching it.
You are always waiting to see what happens next, and that constantly keeps you on your toes.


    I think that Jack Reacher is a fantastic, action-packed film, and the bit of comedy at the right moments is the icing on the cake.  It's a great family movie as well; I went to see this movie with my younger brother and my parents.  My parents said Tom Cruise is better than ever and his performance in this role was outstanding.  My brother is only nine years old, and the movie captured his interest from the moment it started and all the way to the end.  I was actually surprised because he usually cannot sit for ten minutes during a movie.  Obviously this movie is full of suspense and keeps you on the edge of your seat for the full 130 minutes.

  I would rate this movie a 9/10.

Reviews- NBA 2K13

     If you have ever played NBA 2K13, you may find it hard to believe that a few years ago, the NBA 2K series was nothing special. Then came along 2K11 with the explosive "Jordan Challenge" game mode, followed by NBA 2K12 and the "NBA's Greatest" mode. Both games took basketball gaming to a whole new level. And this year's game, NBA 2K13, is outstanding.

   This year's edition of the best-selling basketball franchise welcomes rapper—and owner of the Brooklyn Nets— Jay-Z,  as executive producer. I really like that Jay-Z is the executive producer for this year's game, because the songs are really good, and they motivate you to play the game. The songs get you pumped and into your game zone.

   On the court, NBA 2K13 plays better than ever. Last season, in 2K12, I would always get frustrated with two things--inaccurate passing and fast break execution. In 2K13, that has been significantly improved. Lazy passes will still be intercepted, but a higher percentage of “safe” passes and outlets will make their way to their intended targets. You’ll finish on a lot more fast breaks too, as the speed of offensive players on the run feels much more balanced with that of trailing defenders. Now the flow of the game is really smooth, and that's important in order to play a good game. Also, the controls of the game are fairly simple, just like in last year's game. There is a slight change to the controls in 2K13, to make the gameplay easier and less frustrating. To perform the alley-oop, the most commonly used play on fastbreaks, you simply press the buttons X and square, and its convenient because they're right beside each other. That's the only change to the controls.

PS3 Controller

 

   A huge problem that has been dramatically improved this year is the online experience. Online games are running rather smoothly, compared to last year, where it would lag almost every thirty seconds. Im really glad how much effort the 2K Sports developers put into these modes. 
 
    Let's take a look at the graphics. The developers lacked in this category a little bit. The graphics are still great, just like in 2K12, however, the players in the game don't look that realistic. In 2K12, they made the players look just like they do in real life.
Being a new game and all, I just expected better graphics.

   Despite the graphics, NBA 2K13 is still really good and fun to play. There are various game modes to explore, such as, MyPlayer and MyCareer. MyPlayer and MyCareer are two game modes where you basically create your own NBA player, then you can play NBA games, win awards and money, and you can even style your own player! Those two game modes are my favourite. A celebrated addition this year is the inclusion of the 1992 Dream Team and the 2012 Team USA Olympic squad. While the addition of these teams is great, the Jordan Challenge and the NBA's Greatest Mode, the two most popular, and arguably the best game modes in NBA 2K, have been removed. To take its place, a new online-only MyTEAM mode has been introduced, which was bound to happen, considering the success EA has had with its famous Ultimate Team mode. You gather cards from packs to create, build, and lead your team to victories. You can also spend the coins you earn in-game to purchase players to enhance your team. Yes, MyTEAM has proven to be fun in limited playtime--but it’s too bad that the historical modes had to be sacrificed for its creation.

   In my opinion, NBA 2K13 is in many ways a tremendous achievement. The game’s fundamentals are great, offering an on-court experience that is the best representation of real NBA basketball yet. You got to hand it to the developers for doing such a great job. I would recommend this game to everybody, you don't have to be a basketball lover to play this game, but I would especially recommend it to basketball fans, of course. I would rate it a solid 8/10. However, I wouldn't say it revolutionized NBA 2K gaming, because there are some down sides to the game. It's tough to improve a video game that has been so excellent over the past few years. In other words, it seems that after reaching the mountaintop, there really was no place to go but down--even just a little bit.