Chase's Review of Portal 2 (No Spoilers)

Valve is a company that I have been following for many years now. Ever since I first played Half-Life in 2001, I've been mesmerized by their ability to create games worth playing. This holds true with their most recent release, Portal 2, which came out earlier this week. The first Portal was a surprise and a revelation when it came out in 2007 along with Half-Life 2: Episode 2 and Team Fortress 2. I was more than willing at the time to pay $50 to get the continuation of the Half-Life storyline, so Portal was just a really nice free extra. However, upon playing Portal I realized that this was possibly the greatest thing to come out of gaming in years. I expected to get a slew of fun and interesting puzzle, but what I wasn't expecting was some of the best black humor and writing ever put into a game.

I say this so you will be able to understand that much of my praise for Portal came from how surprising and refreshing it was to play such a game. The real question is weather or not Portal 2 lives up to the high praise of the first? In my opinion, yes. And it does something no one was expecting, it goes beyond the first game in more ways than one. Portal 2 is the same logic of the first game, but in a new body. It is tell a very rich and clever story while expanding on the world and concepts in such a way that Portal feels like an introduction for this second chapter.

Portal 2 starts you what must be decades after first game with a bumbling but wonderful character named Wheatley trying to help (or save his own ass) from a catastrophe happening at Aperture Science. Characters like Wheatley (voiced by Stephen Merchant) and the founder of Aperture Science Cave Johnson (Voiced by J.K. Simmons) create a vivid and realistic world while keeping the universe popping and funny. However, The person who really steals the show is Ellen McLain as the ever wonderful GLaDOS. GLaDOS is the true star of Portal 2 as she was in the previous game. He comes over more human in this game which at first seems like a bad thing, but GLaDOS seems to always retain what makes her so special.

This is mainly a response than a review. I love this game. the graphics are solid, the universe is beautiful and detailed. This game works on every single level and is exhilarating and refreshing. In this day and age of Modern Warfare 2 and Homefront, Portal 2 stands as a shining example of what makes Valve the greatest game maker in the country and if not the world. Portal 2 may be short (all three of my playthroughs have been 5 hours long) but those will be the best hours of your day and is polished to a mirror shine. I don't understand why people are complaining. Portal 2 is short, fun and if you don't think so I feel the need to tell you that you are the problem with games these days.

On a final note: the Co-Op addition to the game is wonderfully complex in of it self. It will make friendships or break them, but you can not blame that on the tools Valve gives you.

Teaser trailer for Portal 2:

Chase's 100 Movies/100 Scenes: 94 - Hannibal (2001)

Soon I will be finished with films like this, but for right now we must trudge on with another film that isn't good but I still like. Today's film is the 2001 film directed by Ridley Scott called Hannibal. Hannibal is a sequel to the far superior 1991 film Silence of the Lambs. this film follows the characters of Dr. Hannibal Lector as he tries to remain in hiding in Italy, and Agent Clarice Starling (this time played by Julianne Moore). The story is about Clarice trying to prove herself as an agent in the F.B.I. and to find Hannibal Lector who is also being tracked down by a former patient of his. the film is very weak with only the performances of Anthony Hopkins and Julianne Moore to make up for the weak story by author Thomas Harris. Honestly the film suffers for trying to be as smart as the previous, but is unable to be as simple.However, the film has amazing atmosphere. This is mainly due to how amazing of a director Scott can be, but also from how perfectly Anthony Hopkins can play the Lector character.

The scene that ultimately portrays this is around the mid point of the film when Lector is discovered in Italy. Hannibal is hiding out in Florence playing the part of a Dante scholar. he has many communications with local detective and they become friends. However, the detective discovers who Hannibal is. He goes to confront Hannibal while he is giving a lecture on Dante's the Inferno. After the presentation the detective goes to Hannibal and wishes to make a deal with him or he will turn Lector in. Lector out smarts the detective and is able to paralyze the man. He then asks him the morbid question of "bowl in or out?" this is referencing a conversation the two shared earlier in the film where the detective reveals his genealogy is shared with a man famous for his suicide. Hannibal cuts the man's abdomen open and hangs him out the building. his bowls spill out onto the ground below.

This terrifying scene is my favorite from the movie because it shows how intelligent and brutal the character the of Hannibal can be. In one scene he goes from lecturing to slicing a man open and hanging him out the balcony. It just brings into focus how wonderful and interesting this character is even if he is a monster, he alone makes this mediocre film. also, this scene shows of the other high point of this film which is the score by Hans Zimmer. It isn't as subtle or as haunting as the score for Silence of the Lambs but it is still interesting on dark featuring haunting choir work and samples of dark operas.

Hannibal trailer:

Chase's 100 Movies/100 Scenes: 95 - Lost in Space (1998)

To preface this, Lost in Space is a bad movie. No, I mean it. The move has terrible writing from Akiva Goldsmith. Horrendous acting from William Hurt and Mimi Rogers. A third act that crumbles in on its own logic, and finally some very cheesy over blown action set pieces. With all that, I still love the hell out of this dumb movie. It never ceases to put a smile on my face whenever I watch it. I recently watched the Blu-Ray which came my way via Netflix. However, the movie is still bad, but pretty and nostalgic to my 1998 mind set. Directed by Stephen Hopkins, and is a remake of the 1960s television show of the same title Lost in Space follows a family hoping to save to human race by traveling deep in to space to find a new home for humans, but everything goes horribly wrong. Dr. Smith, played very well by Gary Oldman, sabotages the ship and he and the family end up...well lost in space.

It was very hard trying to figure out a scene that really stands out in this film simply because there are so many great moments ruined by the before mentioned issues. In the end I ended up going back to one scene that comes up around the mid point of the film. The family has just realized that they are really lost and they discover an odd "hole" in space in the system that they are in. They fly into the "hole" and discover a spaceship that is from earth, but most likely from earth in the near future. while they are looking over the ship they find another ship docked with it. This ones does not appear human. So...uh...yeah. That's it. That is my favorite scene form this movie.

Now on to the why. why I love this scene is because of the idea of space travel films in the 90s. these films had an odd quality that you never see any more or at least rarely. In the 90s filmmakers were using both models and CGI so you get a really nice bled of the two. This is one area where Lost in Space really knocks it out of the park. The only other film that I feel is similar is the far superior Serenity. The other thing that is wonderful about this moment is the discovery and the confrontation with the unknown. In this scene there are three unknowns: the "hole" in space, the human ship from the future and the alien spaceship. This sense of the comes up here and pretty much no where else in the film. It is the one aspect of the film that it really makes its own and I rarely see this in film today. This doesn't save the movie from being bad, but it certainly makes me happy whenever I watch this movie.

Lost in Space trailer (this trailer is so bad):

Chase's 100 Movies/100 Scenes: 96 - Hellboy (2004)

6 years ago feels like ancient times to me. that was a simpiler time of Half-Life 2 and high school. it was also a time when i was introduced to a filmmaker that still captivates my imagination. I'm of course speaking of Guillermo del Toro and his work on Hellboy. Like Spielberg I will be mentioning del Toro again, but early on I want to highlight Hellboy and why I love this film. Hellboy is based on the Dark Horse comic by Mike Mignola. The Film follows a demon who works for the United States government by eliminating and investigating paranormal activity. It is a fun, weird movie that even my mom loves. no seriously, I should it to her in 2006 and it became one of her favorites.

the scene that really makes this film for me is at the very beginning when Hellboy is "born." The opener follows a platoon of US soldiers as they are sneaking on to an island that is swarming with Nazi scientists. apparently the Nazis are using the island to test a portal technology and unleash a god onto the world. the US soldiers stop the test, but not before a a demon baby escapes the portal. A scientist in the platoon takes in the demon and the soldiers affectionately call him Hellboy.

why this scene is so wonderful to me is that it appeals to my most nerdy sensibilities. You've got Nazis and demons and conspiracies and dudes with swords for hands! It is a wonderful mess. I understand I'm spending very little time on this film. Watch it, it is a wonderful film, but right now the concept of 100 films is getting to me. I really can not wait till I get to my top 25.

Hellboy trailer:

Chase's 100 Movies/100 Scenes: 97 - National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

Back in the days before I was born and my parents were still in college existed some of the funniest people to ever work in Hollywood. I mainly say existed because many of them have fallen off the map, died or are no longer funny. John Belushi was god and Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd were still funny. Also, during this wonderful and mythical time that was the late 70s and early 80s was one of the only comedies about college life that is actually coherent and funny. Animal House created the sub-genre of the college comedy and excluding Revenge of the Nerds, is the only good member of the sub-genre. Animal House follows the adventures of Delta Tau chi House as they try to tear down the prestigious and snodish Omega Theta Pi house and have a good time. While this is happening, the dean of the college is trying to destroy the Delta house and have them kicked out of the school. This plot might sound cliche, but Animal House created these cliches that so many films use to sleep walk through a film.

This is going to be short since the scene which I love the most is literally a small moment in the film. The Delta house has a massive party at around halfway into the film. It is a massive toga party with many sheet clad college students running around and dancing in a decrepit old building. There is band playing "Shout," people that are completely trashed and John Belushi...pretty much the greatest party in history. There is a small moment where John Belushi is sitting in a chair by himself. He is holding a jar of mustard and is obviously drunk out of his mind (most likely in reality as well). he is staring at the mustard in this weird sneering sort of way then pours it all over his chest.

Before you as an audience member can go"What the hell?" the scene cuts away to another part of the party. I laugh every time I see this scene. it is perfect because it demonstrates the mind set of most people while they are drunk. Suddenly a jar of mustard takes on the attributes of something that is meant to be on your chest. it is stupid and wonderful all at once. The movie never seems to live up to the comedic timing of this moment. If you have not seen Animal House I suggest you get together with a group of people that share your sense of humor and enjoy this pitch perfect comedy about being stupid and in college.

The scene I was talking about is at the end of the trailer:

Chase's 100 Movies/100 Scenes: 98 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

This film is mainly on the list because I feel like it gets nothing but a bad rapt. When Indy 4 came out it broke a nearly 13 year long tension in me that had been brewing ever since I'd heard the possibility of a sequel to one of my favorite films of all time. For me, I was an Indiana Jones kid, I saw Star Wars later in my childhood. Indiana Jones was there from the beginning. I mean I was there back in the days when we thought this movie was going to be about Indiana Jones searching for the lost city of Atlantis or fighting the Chinese in San Fransisco trying to solve a mystery involving Chinese workers who built the American Rail system. I saw this film at a midnight release with many of my friends. I was so excited I could barely contain myself. It felt like I was on the edge of the biggest unknown of my younger days. Finally, I reached the end and asked my friends what they thought.

Really the plot for this film is one that I love. I have always had a thing for the stories of extra terrestrials and their involvement in shaping ancient history. Those were my bed time stories if I were to quote Indy, so I never really felt lost in this film as it seemed others were. The story takes place during the Cold War era, 1957 (just a year before my mother was born). the Soviets are hunting down the famous oblong Crystal Skull that is said to be part of a set of thirteen that once belong to a race of beings that inspired the Mayans. Indy is trying to stop them, but the Red Scare cause him to lose his job as a professor, so now he needs to stop the Russians to regain his position.

The Scene that truly reflects my feelings on this film is in the very first moments of this movie. Indy and his colleague are captured in Mexico and brought back to the states by a "rag-tag" team of Russian soldiers. They break into Area 51 where the leader of the "group," Irina Spalko, forces him to find a box that contains the remains of a creature who crashed his ship just outside of Roswell, New Mexico. Indy helps them find it, but escapes and so ensues a wonderful/classic Indiana Jones chase through the warehouse. Indy menages to escape but not after a mixture of "whip-swings," double crossing, a car chase and an interesting fist fight around a rocket sled.

I love this scene for many reason. Right off the bat it was god damn Indiana Jones through and through. Several years had been leading to this and the opener did not disappoint. Second, by combining Roswell Mythos and Indiana Jones in a clear cut manner was nothing more than pure nerd-gasm for me. Thirdly, it is just an all around wonderful scene. It is daring, intriguing, mysterious and above all else incredibly fun. Now, I'm not saying this film is perfect or that it is the best Indiana Jones film, but I still call it a highly underrated film.

I do have many issues with this film as well, anything that I could tell George Lucas's hands on (Monkey's on vines, "I've got a bad feeling about this," many of the CGI sequences) I had a real issue with. Also, I feel like Spielberg should have made this film in the 90s. However, Harrison Ford comes back in prime fashion, John Williams creates a wonderful score and there are some impressive scenes that feel like an Indiana Jones film instead of just acting like it. I have this movie along with the other Indiana Jones films on my iPod. If I'm in a bad mood, I'll watch this film and instantly feel better, because sometimes waiting really does pay off. I really enjoyed this movie and overall I'm happy I live in a world where it exists.

I swear my next film will have nothing to do with aliens.

Chase's 100 Movies/100 Scenes: 99 - Signs (2002)

Okay...right off the bat, I don't like M. Night Shyamalan. After this film he started to fall off the map into the sinking vapor filled hell of the creative nutjob. This is more or less another film on this list that is a bad movie. I really like this movie for multiple reasons, but it isn't a good film. To sum up the story, it is about a family who live on a secluded farm that is in the middle of an alien invasion. They are stuck in their home while the world is decimated by the extra terrestrial force. What works in this movie is the sense of claustrophobia and isolation that comes from following one family. It works very well for some key scenes and adds some really interesting horrifying tension. However, the film falls apart due to its too perfect climax.

One of the strong moments in this film comes in around the halfway point where we are still uncertain as to what is happening. the family has just come back from a day in town. The boy has been carrying a baby monitor with him, commenting that odd noises are coming from it. When they reach the house the baby monitor starts to emit some very distinct weird sounds. The boy believes it is from the aliens. the father disregards this, but very soon wonder and curiosity leads the family to crawl onto the hood of the car to get a better signal. It quickly becomes obvious that what you are listening to are the communications between two extra terrestrial beings. Then, the signal is lost.

This scene is compelling for one reason; the horrifying reality that this is the first alien language heard by humans. This is where the film really shines. It is about horror coming from what you hear rather than what you see. You imagination paints a terrifying picture of these unknown beings as they talk to one another miles above the earth. It is extremely effective and still creeps me out today. However, when you start to really study the scene it starts to fall apart. the idea that a baby monitor would be able to pick up an alien transmission is preposterous, but it still remains an effective scene in a film that snowballed in to chaos very quickly. On a side note, James Newton Howard's score for this film is among the best work he has ever done. The track that plays during the Baby Monitor Scene is among my favorites and really add to the near perfect atmosphere of this film.

I'm going to start including the trailer to all the films I talk about:

Chase's 100 Movies/100 Scenes: 100 - War of the Worlds (2005)

Over the next few/several months, I'm going to be going through my 100 favorite films and my favorite scenes from those movies. I will be counting down from 100, but overall the order does not matter until I reach around the last fourth of the list. I hope all the readers will find this interesting. This list isn't really full of "good" or "timeless" films, but rather what I love.

To kick off the list I will be talking about Steven Spielberg's 2005 sci-fi "remake" War of the Worlds. Now, I'll be the first to say that this is not a good film. In fact, I have a lot of issues with this movie. For one it exists in too many Spielberg cliches such as broken up families, crazed righteous fathers, so on and so further. the film has a lame ending, poor casting and Dakota Fanning...you get what I'm saying. Where War of the Worlds fails on the big storytelling elements, it makes up in perfect small moments. Spielberg gets family dynamics in big bad way, most of the dialogue is fluid and natural and the special effects are really amazing and terrifying in many ways.

I like this movie, but it is bad. this is my 100 because of one scene that is one of the most amazing and compelling moments in sci-fi film history. The scene is around 15-20 minutes into the film. We've gotten to know the characters, we get the family dynamics and such. Then a massive lightening storm takes place just down the street from the main character's house. The Tom Cruise character, Ray, leaves the house and follows a massive crowd of people to a hole in the middle of an intersection caused by the lightening storm. suddenly the ground begins to crack and split open and a massive alien/tripod ship...thing comes out of the ground and starts vaporizing people.

Why this scene is so amazing is in how intense everything is. It seems like such a cliche scene, but these cliches are revitalized in such a brilliant ways where we get something that is more like Saving Private Ryan than an alien invasion film. When people are being vaporized by the alien death ray it is terrifying. The way Spielberg shoots the scene and the effects used make the moment someone is blown to dust horrifying. When I first saw this film I was shaking from fear, the scene truly unnerved me. I watched this film recently and it still holds up in a big way. Again, War of the Worlds isn't a good film, but it has a scene that holds some hope for the future of alien invasion film.

Chase's Review of Toy Story 3 *Spoliers for Toy Story 1 and 2*

I love movies, I always have and I have a feeling I always will. In 1993, I was 4 years old. My parents took me to see Jurassic Park. I loved the film. I still to this day hold Jurassic Park in high regard. I'm writing this to get the picture across that there are films that I love in my life and I remember fondly. One of these films was 1995's Toy Story.

I'm not going to go into the experience of seeing the film, but I will say that it made a lasting impression on me. However, I only loved it at surface level then. The same goes for Toy Story 2. It took seeing the films recently that opened my eyes to the idea of the Toy Story films as the most important character driven stories to every be put to film. Let us say that Toy Story is about the importance of identity.

Take for example the first film. It is the story of Buzz Lightyear, a new toy, coming to terms with what he is in the world. Also, you have the character of Woody who is trying to gain a sense of self while he feels he is being replaced. In the end Buzz and Woody work together and become friends. The part of the film that always gets me is where Buzz and Woody are locked away in Syd's room. Woody tells Buzz to leave him saying that Andy doesn't need him anymore. Buzz saves Woody and has him realize that Andy still loves him and always will. Toy Story is a film about existential identity. Realizing who you are and living with yourself.

Toy Story 2 continues this logic flawlessly. In Toy Story 2 Woody is stolen by a toy collector and Buzz is searching for him. Woody discovers that he is a rare doll that is being sold to a Japanese toy museum. Buzz finally reaches Woody who is now completely for leaving Andy behind, all in the name of Andy will one day grow up and no longer love him. Buzz, however, tells Woody that one day Andy will grow up, but it isn't now. Andy still needs them. Toy Story 2 is about the possibility of existential death. One day we all will lose meaning in the world.

Now we come to Toy Story 3. Toy Story 3 takes place 11 years after the events of Toy Story 2. Andy is moving, going off to college and the Toys are coming to terms with living in the attic. However, due to unforeseen events, they end up at a daycare where they are continuously abused by toddlers. Woody wants to get out to Andy, but the others feel forsaken by him. Existential death has come to them, they feel as if they have no purpose in the world. This is why Toy Story 3 is so great, and so perfect. It is about facing the demise of one's purpose and even soul.

I was an emotional train wreck from the beginning of this film to the end. At first I was tearing up because I felt at home with these characters. However, I was eventually crying for the fact that this film was about the lack of importance we all have. In the end the toys are made of plastic and are loved and then forgotten by children. This statement made by one character hit me very hard. Though, the film answered a question that was being asked since Toy Story, "There is no purpose for a toy, what do we do?" the answer comes as a resounding, "You make your own purpose." Toy Story 3 is about the inevitability of losing the drive to live, and that there really is no meaning in the world. But, we have to make our own meaning.

Toy Story 3 is a perfect film to me. It is my favorite in the trilogy. It is a wonderful story with dark themes that were all handled flawlessly. It is a film that knows exactly what it is doing at every minute and executes its rationale in perfect fashion. I will hold this film and the others in high regard for what they stand for. It is odd that this film comes out now, I feel as if the creators weren't making a film for the children of this generation, but for mine. I love this film, and I hope you will as well.

I don't like giving scores much, but I have to give the film a 10/10.

It has begun! - Welcome

Welcome to our official blog spot. The Warp Zone Nerds started as a radio show that could be heard in Fayetteville on 88.3FM. Over time as they left the University radio station and the University itself they continued their show through podcasts. Our show is about all things media and all things nerd. We cover N
ews, Reviews, and Previews and also have topics, such as Censorship in the Media, Portrayals of and What it Means to be a Hero (or Villain) in the Media, Star Wars, Marvel vs DC, etc. Our previous guests include Web Comic Creator Mookie (Dominic Deegan) and Comic Creators Conor McCreery (Kill Shakespeare [IDW]) and Erik Northfell (Mercy Me). We are always looking for more guests and if your are interested email us at WarpZoneNerds@gmail.com. Also, please check out twitter.com/WarpZoneNerds where we tweet reviews and whatnot as well as previews to our future shows. This blog will also share any relevant news and topics as well as more in depth reviews that are too big for twitter.

I am now in the process of updated our website to make it more efficient and easier to find what you are looking for. There will be a News section, Reviews section and a section for each of us to write any article we would like to share with you. If you want to submit a story and contribute to our website we will have a section just for that, as well as for episodes that we have special guests on. More importantly I am in the process of making separate episode lists for the shows

included in the Warp Zone. This will take a while to update so please be patient, and as always, thank you for visiting and stay tuned for more!

Michael

(from left to right: Corey, DJ Roboto, Michael, Chase, Thomas, Bobbie)

Michael - Co-Founder of the show. The comic guy and knows a bit about many other things too. Likes to argue and is completely awesome. Also, if you follow our twitter it's probably him tweeting and if you couldn't tell this is him making this first post (back when this was the website´s first post. Michael is currently teaching English at a bilingual school in Spain and has a double bachelor´s degree in English, with a Concentration in Creative Writing, and Communication. (M)

Thomas - Co-Founder of the show. The gamer guy. Thinks he's always right, and he usually is....USUALLY (just don´t tell him that, it´ll go to his head more than it has already). He has graduated from the University and has continued his education to get a Law degree. (T)

Chase - The movie and Myst guy. He also either knows a great deal about everything or is making it up and likes to hear himself talk...haven't decided yet. We invited him on and now he won't leave, so we decided to recruit him. ;P. In all seriousness though he is an invaluable part of the team. He records and edits all our podcasts and I honestly do not know how we would get by without him. (C)

Bobbie - The journalist of the show. Well rounded knowledge of a great many things. If there´s something going on in the world she´ll know about it. She is the journalist of the group. (B)

Corey - Another movie guy in the group. Why? Because we can´t have too many, that and he just to awesome not have. Knows a great deal about a great deal and brings it all to the table. (Co)

Feel free to make as many copies of this and advertise the life out of our show.

Chase's Top 10 Films of 2010

As always this is still a work in progress as I've still yet to see around 6 important films from this year. These are my favorite films from this year.

10. I'm Still Here

9. Monsters

8. Catfish

7. Exit Through the Gift Shop

6. The Fighter

5. Scott Pilgrim v.s. The World

4. Toy Story 3

3. Inception

2. The Social Network

1. Black swan

If I had to make a top 20, these would be 11-20

11. Enter The Void (The first hour and a half)

12. Kick-Ass

13. MicMacs (2009)

14. How To Train your Dragon

15. TRON: Legacy

16. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1

17. Sweetgrass

18. Legend of the Guardians

19. Despicable Me

20. ...I honestly can not think up a 20th one.

Disappointments and plain bad films:

1. Alice in Wonderland

2. Never Let Me Go

3. Enter the Void (the last hour)

4. Cop Out

5. True Grit

6. Green Zone

7. Survival of the Dead

8. Youth in Revolt

9. the Book of Eli

10. Iron Man 2

Movies of note coming out this year: The Green Hornet 1/14, Apollo 18 and Rango 3/4, Battle: LA 3/11, Paul 3/18, Sucker Punch 3/25, Source Code 4/1, Your Highness 4/8, Thor 5/6, Priest 5/13, Pirates 4 5/20, The Tree of Life 5/27, X-Men: First Class 6/3, Super 8 6/10, Green Lantern 6/17, Cars 2 and Rise of the Apes 6/24, Transformers 3 7/1, Harry Potter 7 and Winnie the Pooh 7/15, Captain America 7/22, Cowboys and Aliens 7/29, The Smurfs 8/3, Piranha 3DD 9/16, The Thing 10/14, The Muppets 11/23, Mission Impossible 4 12/16, Tintin 12/23, War Horse 12/28