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- Review count17
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- First reviewApril 13, 2013
- Last reviewFebruary 24, 2017
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![Central Intelligence [Unrated] [Blu-ray] [2016]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/304b2327-370a-41e7-956a-951dd4939472.png)
Customer Rating
4
A little Hart, and a big Johnson.... in HD!
on February 24, 2017
Posted by: cornjakecake
from Huntington, WV
I remember hearing about this project around 2015 or so when they announced that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was cast in a new Kevin Hart movie called "Central Intelligence" with the director of "We're the Millers", Rawson Marshall Thurber co-writing and directing the project. I wasn't exactly enthused about the movie, but I decided t watch the film when it was released on my birthday in 2016 (June 17th, 2016 to be exact). My fiancee & I had a fun time, as did the rather large crowd in the theater, laughing hard and having fun. But, I knew there were problems with the movie itself, but I'll get to it in a bit.
Starting in 1996, Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart), is the most popular kid in school, who is widely beloved for his academic skills, athletic skills and just an all-around good guy. Bobby Wierdick (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) is probably the least liked kid in school, being overweight, into unicorns and just an easy target for bullies. During the last assembly before graduation, Bobby is taken from the men's locker room while showering, and tossed out stark naked in front of everybody, with everyone, even the teachers, laughing except for Calvin. Showing his kindness, he hands Bobby his letterman jacket to show him at least a little dignity, and was never seen again.
Zoom forward to 2016, and Calvin is stuck in a rut. He married his high school sweetheart after college, and has a decent job, but he is stuck in a rut, with him being passed up for a promotion, marital issues and his upcoming 20th high school reunion making him miserable. One day, he gets a Facebook friend request by a Bob Stone, asking to meet up and grab a few drinks. Later that night, he meets up with Bob Stone, with him actually being Bobby Wierdick, who lost weight and got muscular.
They reminisce about high school, and later Bob stays with Calvin, but the next morning, the CIA knock on the door looking for Bob Stone. The CIA believe Stone to be a rogue agent who is supposedly selling satellite codes to the highest bidder. Stone, having escaped the house, meets Calvin at work and tells Calvin about him going after a criminal known only as the "Black Badger" who stole the codes and is trying to stop him. Calvin is forced to join forces with Bob to nab the bad guys and save the world.
Well, to make a long review short, my fiancee & I laughed hard and often throughout. First of all, the casting of Hart & Johnson is a stroke of genius, with Johnson ably and willingly delivering laughs and having terrific chemistry with Hart, who plays it more restrained and straight and it works while Amy Ryan as CIA Agent Harris also is very fun as the hard nosed agent. Danielle Nicolet as Maggie Joyner gives a good performance and Aaron Paul is also good, yet predictable, as Bob's deceased partner Stanton. Thurber's direction flows fairly well with keeping the comedy in check, but his choices in using shaky-cam is a huge bummer during the action scenes, but still flows pretty well.
The story is my main concern, with the story being a hackneyed, lazy rehash of a plot that barely tries to tell a coherent action-comedy story revolving around secret agents and espionage. Despite the shortcomings with the story and some character deficiencies in certain characters, this is a fun film with a great comedic duo that I hope continue to make more films in the future.
The story is my main concern, with the story being a hackneyed, lazy rehash of a plot that barely tries to tell a coherent action-comedy story revolving around secret agents and espionage. Despite the shortcomings with the story and some character deficiencies in certain characters, this is a fun film with a great comedic duo that I hope continue to make more films in the future.
Moving on to the BluRay, the PQ is terrific for a regular BluRay, with it being shot digitally, has a lot of detail in the sets, fine details on skin tones and facial features and clothing being ale to make out every fuzzy pill and stitches in the clothing. The AQ is also pretty good, with decent surround activity throughout, mainly filling out during the action scenes with nice bass response with car crashes, bullets and explosions in the film.
The extras are pretty decent, starting with 2 cuts of the film: Theatrical 107-minute version, and the 116-minute Unrated cut, featuring a little more adult language and some additional scenes. Moving on, there is an audio commentary with the director and the editor (Available on both cuts), deleted scenes split into both cuts, the theatrical having around 18-minutes of deleted and/or alternate scenes, while the unrated has well over 70-minutes of different material (!). Next up is a Judd Apatow favorite, Lino-O-Rama, which, yet again, split into two cuts being 2-minutes and 3-minutes, respectively. A gag reel, yet again (!!) split into two cuts, last 5 and a half minutes, and the unrated lasts 6 minutes of missed cues, messed up lines and et cetera. Two short featurettes complete the features, the first titled "Dance Off", a 2-minute look at the actor/dancer who portrayed Robbie as a younger teen, and "Couch Time Lapse", a 1-minute look into how they shot the scene when Bob stays the night. No DVD is included, but a Digital HD code is included for the rated cut only.
Overall, a funny film with some flaws, but with a top-notch BluRay, 2 cuts and some decent extras, it is a must buy for any fan of comedies, of the stars or action-comedies in general.
My Best Buy number: 0751976050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
4
The Miller "high" life....
on May 28, 2016
Posted by: cornjakecake
from Huntington, WV
Medicinal herb comedies are nothing new. You could trace the first Mary Jane comedy back to Up in Smoke released in 1978 or even Reef** Madness released way back in 1936 (If you could classify this anti-MJ film as an intentional comedy). Most have been fairly mediocre efforts, with the films either being terribly unfunny or stereotypes of stereotypes, with a few classics thrown in there. Where does We're the Miller stand?
David Clark (Jason Sudeikis, providing a very funny performance) is a low-level dealer living in Denver, never really achieving much after high school. One night, he sees a group of boys steal a phone from a runaway named Casey (Emma Roberts). Of course in the ensuing scuffle, he loses the contraband and money which belongs to his boss, Brad Gurdlinger (Ed Helms).
Instead of meeting a grisly demise from his snafu, Gurdlinger offers David to drive down to Mexico and smuggle a "smidge" of illegal contraband (A smidge being about 2 tons) to pay off his loss. Afraid of looking too suspicious, he gets an idea from a traveling family in an RV to invent a family and draw less attention. After hiring Casey, Kenny, a nerdy neighbor of David's (Will Poulter, in a standout performance) and Rose, a local exotic dancer (Jennifer Aniston) to pose as his family, the Millers.
The smuggling was the easy part, but unfortunately the mary jane belonged to Pablo Chacon and wants it back by any means, along with meeting a couple who is seemingly square, but it turns out is the DEA on vacation. The Miller's now must keep the charade going, while trying to make it back alive and possibly grow close together.
So I asked, is this film a classic? Its really hard to say, since it's only been 3 years since it was released, but it is definitely up there as one of the funniest MJ films of all time.
The cast is really good, the Miller's effectively being funny and having good chemistry (Emma Roberts is the least effective, but still can be good here and there), and the Fitzgerald's (The DEA's family) being uproariously hilarious (Nick Offerman and Katheryn Hahn earning some of the best laughs in the film). Ed Helms, Luiz Guzman, Ken Marino, Thomas Lennon and Mark Young give us some good laughs with their limited screen time, but the villains aren't really all that dangerous.
Yes, the performances from the bad guys are good, but they're underwritten and give the main cast a few moments of grief ever few reels, but nothing to remember after watching. The direction is quite good, being Rawson Marshall Thurber's first big film in 9 years (Dodgeball was his big debut, followed up by an indie film in '08) but there are some stretches of film that could have been trimmed down or cut entirely without breaking up the flow of the film.
The screenplay, credited to four writers (!), is funny, has some good lines but the overall plot is predictable and can be seen coming from a mile away. The digitally sourced camera work by Barry Peterson is quite nice, giving us a nice bright image, with the smooth digital sheen that comedies tend to skew. The music, editing, costumes and etc are very well done and gives us the well-budgeted look and feel most Hollywood comedies out there.
Moving to the BluRay, the PQ is terrific. Though not one to plop down on your disc tray to use as demo material, the 2.35 1080p image offers a sharp and detailed image with colors that pop, terrific shadows and dark black hues and free from any defects whatsoever. The AQ is also well done, for a comedy. Mainly a front-centric track, the 5.1 DTS-HD does come alive from time to time, with gunshots, vehicles, music and dialogue balancing out nicely.
Extras are fairly plentiful, starting with two versions of the film: Theatrical and Unrated. The Unrated offers us an additional 9 minutes of material here, while offering some funny material, it does slow down the movie a tad and fattens up the run time to 2 hours. Deleted and extended scenes offer us 16 minutes of extra fat, some funny but some rather long and rightfully trimmed out. Stories from the Road are 7 short featurettes totaling 17 minutes in all, which feel like a remnant of an aborted Maximum Movie Mode that couldn't cut the mustard and was designated as these featurettes. They offer some nice tidbits, focusing on the characters, filming in the RV and others.
Millers Unleashed - Outtakes Overload, isn't a gag reel, its actually an 8 minute featurette about casting improv actors and how they got free rein to add material when needed. Livin' It Up with Brad is a 4 minute featurette focusing on Helms' character and his several quirks Gurdlinger has. When Paranoia Sets In is a 3 minute satirical short about drug smuggling. The last extra is an outtakes reel, offering up 3 minutes of some minor laughs, but nothing memorable here with the exception of the ending gag which is funny as all get out. A commentary and a making-of featurette would've helped, but still a decent amount of extras to go through.
A DVD of disc one of the 2-disc special edition is included (The theatrical cut and all the extras) along with an Ultraviolet digital copy are included.
All in all, a very funny film with a great BluRay with terrific PQ/AQ along with some good extras, but nothing substantial but worth owning and sharing space on your comedy shelf.
My Best Buy number: 0751976050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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You've received your assignment, hustled into a helicopter and skillfully maneuvered into the murky abyss of a mysterious land ~ with one deadly mission on your mind. You slip and sneak through dangerous territory. You spot an enemy in the distance and raise your rifle as you aim with precision. With a nearly silent pop he drops lifelessly from view, as you press on, planting explosives to carve your way through secured fortresses, removing classified information and leaving only a trail of smoke in your wake. Welcome to a new kind of war. Tomorrow, the government will deny that your operation ever occurred. Your location will be obscured. Your alibi will be written. The war will be erased from history. But today, you bask in the glory of a perfect kill.Venture into five diverse maps that span the globe, including four multiplayer maps and a new zombie experience with the exclusive First Strike Content Pack. From the close-quarters combat of the Berlin Wall map to a trap-filled, Cold War era cosmodrome full of perk-stealing zombie monkeys and Soviet zombies, this First Strike Content Pack adds exciting, all-new gameplay to Call of Duty: Black Ops. Descend into the explosive combat with force and all-new technologies to destroy the enemy, including new Killstreaks like Napalm Strikes, a remote-controlled explosive device and controllable helicopters. A deadlier mission than ever requires the most intensive Combat Training yet ~ hone your tactics offline against A.I. bots in both Free-For-All and Team Deathmatch modes and earn COD Points to purchase equipment, attachments, perks and new customization options. Further test your nerves and weapon skills in point-gambling Wager Matches, and celebrate each epic kill in Theater Mode. You are being summoned ~ do you have the courage to answer a grave new Call of Duty?
Posted by: cornjakecake
from Huntington, WV
After the previous year's controversial MW2 that was also a huge critical and commercial success, Treyarch yet again returned to the trenches, and have brought us a sequel to World at War. 20 years after WWII, well into the 60's with Vietnam being the main focus of this story. How does it fare side by side of the other games? Pretty well, fantastic even!
Alex Mason (Sam Wothington, in his best role) is an SAD operative, who is sent to Cuba during the Bay of Pigs invasion to eliminate Castro, only to be captured and turned over to the Soviets. While in the gulag, he meets Reznov (From World at War), stage a stunning prison breakout in order to stop Mason's captor, Dragovich, from releasing a nerve agent developed during WWII called Nova-6. Mason must then travel the world searching for clues to find Nova-6 and stop Dragovich, all the while holding a secret he doesn't know he holds.
So the plot borders on the line of realism vs. Hollywood, though it does have several historical figures in the game (The aforementioned Castro, JFK, Nixon and more) but has several situations where it just gets kind of silly, but still very fun to play through and short enough to not lose interest. The graphics are top-notch, the controls are accurate and sharp, sound mix is of course a treat, and also features a first for a CoD game, 3D.
The standard way of playing it is terrific, but the 3D adds so much to the gameplay, with the aiming down the sights, debris, and explosions benefitting the 3D presentation immensely. Last, but certainly not least, is the multiplayer. Yet again it does have the standard stuff, but there are some new challenges to complete and of course Zombies return along with arguably the best multiplayer map ever created, Nuketown.
These maps, the challenges and dozens of hours playing on Nuketown with local and online support is truly reason enough to buy this game. Sure there are other maps that offer a great time, but Team Deathmatch on Nuketown is the best reason, and for $20, its an absolute must for your shelf.
My Best Buy number: 0751976050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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SynopsisFight for survival and shoot your way to mission success as the acclaimed Call of Duty franchise makes its triumphant return. Exploding with the realism and intensity that have become the hallmarks of this gripping series, you'll lay waste to your enemies as hails of gunfire erupt. Move out for intense action and make sure you're prepared to answer the Call of Duty.This harrowing sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare thrusts you once more into the haze of battle. Arm yourself with sophisticated tools of destruction and get ready to stare death in the face as you enter a raging conflict. Experience the rigors of battle and struggle against long odds to seize victory. The awesome power of war comes alive in all its grit and glory in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
Customer Rating
4
A sequel that matches its predecessor....
on May 14, 2016
Posted by: cornjakecake
from Huntington, WV
After the huge critical and commercial success of CoD 4: Modern Warfare, there was bound to be a sequel sooner rather than later. After Treyarch did their story the year after, Infinity Ward came back with a vengeance with another classic game.
After defeating Zakhaev, his followers seized Russia, making him a martyr and committing acts of terrorism in the name of revenge against the West. The story then splits in two: the first following a US Army Ranger PFC Allen, the second following "Roach", Task Force 141 member along with "Soap" and Cpt. Price. Allen is infiltrating the ultranationalists to stop their new leader, while "Roach" and his squad infiltrate a Russian military base to retrieve an American ACS from a fallen satellite.
Unfortunately, tragedy strikes, tables are turned and warfare gets modern-er when Russia stages a full-scale attack on the US east coast, and will take the military know-how and ingenuity to bring an end to the bloodshed.
Coming off the heels of the first game, I was afraid that 2 years was too soon to release a follow of equal, if not superior, follow-up to a GOTY classic. This game brings a fun, if short, campaign mode, terrific visuals, sound that is amazing, tight controls and all around fun time. The multiplayer is the main reason to purchase this game, and every CoD game, really.
The maps are awesome throughout, with a few classic standouts that are still amazing after 7 years since it was released. The classic modes are back, with (Of course...) Deathmatch being the best and most frantic fun to be had. The DLC is really fantastic as well with more maps and weapons to add hours of fun to your multiplayer game. The only thing I miss is WoW's Zombies. I wonder if that will ever come back...?
Overall, a fantastic game that is an absolute must on any system you can get it on, even on the Wii and DS! Its that good and comes highly recommended.
My Best Buy number: 0751976050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Continents erupt in flames and hails of gunfire as war breaks out on an unprecedented scale. This is World War II, where a massive conflict rages on two fronts: Europe and the South Pacific. Answer your nation's call and travel to distant lands where you'll take part in devastating battles that gripped a generation and laid the foundation for the world as we know it today. Do you have the courage, the cunning and the commitment to fulfill your duties and see the war through to its harrowing end?Prepare for global conflict presented in all its terrible grit and immediacy. In Call of Duty: World at War, you assume the role of a U.S. Marine or a Russian soldier in the waning days of the Second World War. Travel to the far reaches of the conflict, from war-plagued Berlin to the dense jungles of the Pacific theater, as you confront enemies who refuse to contemplate surrender or retreat and who fight all the more desperately ~ and more dangerously ~ knowing the end is near. Employ the weapons at your disposal, including a flamethrower and other new infantry and vehicle-based weapons, and fight to complete your mission as battles explode around you with all the terrible chaos of real war.
Customer Rating
4
A tough act to follow but still tons of fun....
on May 14, 2016
Posted by: cornjakecake
from Huntington, WV
CoD 4 revolutionized FPS's for good, with its realistic graphics, tight gameplay and most importantly, the multiplayer, being simply amazing, that it changed the popularity of war games from the WWII storylines to that of modern and future warfare. Even Medal of Honor and Battlefield, mainstays of the WWII FPS, switched over to a modernized setting after the success of Modern Warfare to varied results (Battlefield, successful, MoH not so much...). Being the last (Currently at least) game in the series to use such a setting, does it do so with flying colors or does it sink with the Missouri during Pearl Harbor?
Taking place in the Pacific theatre and Eastern front of WWII, the story follows a US POW freed from captivity to help push the Japanese out of Peleliu and towards Japan itself, and a Russian infantryman who meets Victor Reznov (This name will pop up in later installments) who team up to push the Germans back to Berlin and bring an end to this deadly war.
I was finally happy a WWII game finally had a Pacific setting and was actually good (Didn't play Battlefield 1943, nor did I play MoH:Pacific Assault since I fail to have a powerful PC to run it effectively at the time or could afford it on PSN) and satisfied my WWII itch with perfection. Sure it fails to surpass, or even match up the previous title in the series, but WoW still impresses me every time.
Graphically, it looks great, especially with the flames, sound is top notch, the controls are tight, and is an all around joy to play. Multiplayer, on the other hand, is one area this game improves upon the previous game. The previous modes appear here, with Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and other standard modes are here, but it also has full game Co-op for the first time ever in a CoD game, but it has an ace up its sleeves: Zombies.
Seemingly included as a fun throwaway addition, this mode is the main reason to buy this game. Addicting to the point of buying every map just to have more levels and variety, this mode is challenging, creative, actually makes players use teamwork and is just plain ol' fun. Playing solo or as a team to see who can last the longest amount of rounds, seeing who has the highest kill count and just surviving make this mode probably one of the greatest multiplayer additions of all time.
All in all, not as good as Modern Warfare, but with solid gameplay, a change of pace from the usual European settings of WWII and terrific multiplayer, makes this game a must own!
My Best Buy number: 0751976050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Greatest Hits Edition delivers thrilling combat action. Take on the world as both a U.S. Marine and a British S.A.S. Soldier. You'll travel across the globe, relying on your wits and weapons to launch all-out assaults and accomplish invisible missions of stealth. Day or night, be ready to do what must be done. It's the most up-to-date collection of firepower, machinery and military vehicles in the Call of Duty series. Prepare to experience the sophisticated technology and unbelievable graphics of an incredibly realistic warfare experience.Experience tomorrow's war today in an immersive series of land and air strikes. Get the job done using the 70 new advanced weapons at your disposal. Make it to the next skirmish via choppers, jets and gunships before the battle is over. Conceal yourself and lie in wait with such accessories as night-vision goggles and ghillie suits, then bust through enemy strongholds in a display of powerful weaponry. It all comes together in a saga of cinematic intensity.
Customer Rating
5
One of the greats.... a must own....
on May 13, 2016
Posted by: cornjakecake
from Huntington, WV
How has anyone not played this yet? It amazes me how some people have yet to play this masterpiece of modern console gaming. The level design, the beautiful graphics, tight game play, legendary multiplayer maps, and then some and still haven't picked up a copy?
Anyways, the story follows the SAS's newest recruit "Soap" McTavish joining Capt. Price and his squad boarding a vessel holding Russian weaponry of the nuclear kind, but stolen by Al-Assad, an anti-Western terrorist who is causing unrest in the Middle East trying to take over a small, oil-rich country.
The US invades the country to find Al-Assad, while the SAS hunt for him in Russia, following up a tip from fellow Russian Armed Forces. After a shocking twist and the plot unravels deeper and deeper, it all concludes in one epic conclusion that will satisfy fans of CoD and action games alike.
I seriously urge anyone to pick this game up on any system or PC (Even the DS has a fun version of the game!) and experience some terrific multiplayer, fantastic graphics and one terrific twist that will shock you to pieces. Buy it now, or wait til the remaster comes out in November, but still pick it up!
My Best Buy number: 0751976050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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SynopsisWorld War II changed lives, changed countries and changed history. The Normandy Breakout Campaign was the most intense and dangerous action of the entire conflict, as young soldiers from America, Britain, Canada and Poland struggled with the fear and fatal force of the Nazi army. It was a time when the world held its breath as tyranny was confronted. Bravery was tested, tactical expertise meant the difference between life and death, and battle was often up close and personal. Bold heroes were needed as Europe fell under the shadow of death. Step back into that world, if you dare, and see how you would perform in this time of crisis. The Germans are marching toward world domination ~ will you step up and stop this assault against the free world? Will you answer the Call of Duty?Call of Duty 3 thrusts you into the thrilling landscape of the second World War. This latest addition to the popular Call of Duty franchise features all-new close-quarters combat, environmental physics and a host of ways for you to take down your enemies. Vivid graphics immerse you into a realistic world, where special tactics must be employed against your enemy if you expect to forge a path to victory. Intense, team-based multiplayer options offer multiple-occupancy vehicle combat, so climb aboard a tank or Jeep with your friends and team up to take down the Nazi forces once and for all.
Customer Rating
4
No half stars for a 3.5? Okay.... Still worth it!
on May 13, 2016
Posted by: cornjakecake
from Huntington, WV
Hot off the heels from CoD 2's success, Activision rushed a sequel in development for Holiday 2006 release across all platforms (Except PC, which still is the sole CoD not on the PC), with developer Treyarch, Activision happy with their work on Big Red One, given 8 months to give us a sequel. Was it worth it?
The story yet again is in the European theatre of WWII, this time focusing on the US, the British/French resistance, Canadian and Polish armies, defending the world from the evils of the Third Reich, now with Sixaxis! So the story is pretty much a rehash of previous WWII titles, though with a different perspective than usual, and the drifting protagonists is nice though it pretty much makes us disconnect from the story rather than enhance. It's basically a set of objectives in a linear order to a linear end goal, with a very weak ending. So the short development time hurt the story, but I have a feeling the next game might be better (Hmmmm....).
The graphics are very solid, retaining the same style from the last title, with very little improvements, if any. The controls are still terrific and accurate, though on the PS3 version, you get terrible implementation of the SIXAXIS controls. Sure, I like interactivity as much as the next bloke, but when the main use is planting C4 and literally tossing the controller in the air does the same function as the motions showed on screen, you're gonna lose me. And sadly, it cannot be turned off so its annoying but not overly so, just don't throw the controller against the wall.
Multiplayer is on hand, and it is the main reason to play this game, and every other CoD game. The maps are fairly fun overall, though 8 months doesn't give a lot of time for this mode, it still very fun and with the addition of vehicles, it gets very crazy on a PvP match and very addicting. Additional maps are also available to download to help sweeten the deal, and yes, people still play the mp 10 years later.
Overall, a fun title, though not a rush out and get it, its still a worthy edition to your library regardless of console, though if you hate motion controls, avoid this and the Wii version at all costs.
My Best Buy number: 0751976050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Learn more about Call of Duty 2: Game of the Year Edition. (Flash demo) From the desert sands of northern Africa to the ransacked streets of Russian cities, you'll be at the center of WWII's deadliest combat zones. Step into the shoes of an average soldier and learn what it means to truly fight for justice, honor and freedom in this intense simulation of some of the greatest battles ever waged. In a game where every decision is a matter of life or death, you need to rely on your squad to back you up. With innovative new gameplay, your fellow soldiers will know when to draw enemy fire, lay down cover, use foxholes, move tanks and warn you of incoming troops. They even communicate vital information using the new context-sensitive battle chatter system.Call of Duty 2: Game of the Year Edition lets you watch an exclusive behind-the-scenes video with the game's developer. Learn about the history of the actual assault on Point du Hoc in "Rangers Lead the Way." Enjoy a gallery of dynamic production art and discover how Call of Duty 2 went from vision to video game. Take mission walkthroughs accompanied by developer commentary.
Customer Rating
5
One of the best CoD and WWII shooters... ever.
on May 13, 2016
Posted by: cornjakecake
from Huntington, WV
In 2005, I was familiar with Call of Duty, namely through gaming mags and forums saying it was a blast to play online. Unfortunately for me, I lacked a PC for the original game and hadn't played the console version United Front since I was too busy replaying Medal of Honor: Frontlines (Rising Sun, less so...) to notice. November saw the unveiling of the Xbox 360 and with it, Call of Duty 2. I saw screen shots, TV ads, live gameplay footage and was amazed at how the game looked. Unfortunately I never got a Xbox 360 during launch (Thankfully, but eventually got one) though playing the demo of this game at GameStop made me wish I had. Sure, the older consoles got a CoD 2, though it was a different story based around the Big Red One (Great game unto itself, though not one I'm talking about here) and they also released another MoH game called European Assault but I wanted this game.
Surely enough, 7 years later I did and boy was it worth the wait!
The story takes place across the European/African theatre during WWII focusing on three armies: The Soviets, the British and the Americans. It varies from the defense of Moscow, to the Afrika Korps campaign to post- D-day assaults. No originality here, but boy is it fun.
Graphically, when it was released, it was a terrific showcase of what the Xbox 360 could do, and it did not disappoint. 11 years later, it does look dated, but still holds up well considering how Black Ops III for the 7th gen systems turned out. The ambiance and sound are terrific and will pull you into the war. The controls are also fantastic with very similar control schemes to the current set ups now, with a few differences here and there.
But lets not forget the ol' staple of CoD.... Multiplayer! Yes, the multiplayer made this game a huge seller on the 360 and PC, with people still playing to this very day, just not in the magnitude of something like Destiny or other CoD games, but log on to Xbox Live and have fun sniping at your buddies with an old bolt action rifle. Just like old times! Even the maps are stellar and memorable and I wish they would do a re-release in 1080p with every map and item on the newer gen consoles.
The GOTY edition includes a bonus DVD with interviews, a Making-of the game and mission walkthroughs, but no bonus maps or weapons or skins unfortunately. Still, at $14.99 its an absolute must, for those who want to relive 2005, those new to FPS's or console gaming or just need a classic in their collection. Go and get it now!!
My Best Buy number: 0751976050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
4
Can Chris Pratt really go wrong at this point...??
on May 8, 2016
Posted by: cornjakecake
from Huntington, WV
After 14 years since the last Jurassic Park film and 22 years after the first dazzled audiences everywhere finally arrives Jurassic World and earned decent grades from critics but was a monster box office hit with it holding the largest opening ever in North America and the entire world ($208 million in N.A., and over $500 million worldwide) and grossing over $1.5 billion (!) with more coming in through DVD and BluRay rentals and sales, tons of merch and even a Lego game that has sold rather well. But how is the movie once you get past the glitz of the Almighty Dollar?
Well, the story starts off on the mainland in the US where two brothers are sent to Isla Nublar which contains the hottest them park in the world, Jurassic World. They are sent to spend time with their Aunt Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), while the parents supposedly are entering the first stages of splitting up.
Claire runs the park and is always extremely busy, trying to keep things flowing smoothly and keeping operating costs down. While always busy, she can't dedicate herself to her nephews, pawns them on her assistant while she presents the newest attraction to her boss and owner of InGen (And the park),Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan).
The newest attraction? A rollercoaster? A museum dedicated to dinosaurs? No, its a genetically modified dinosaur dubbed Indominous Rex designed to scare and amaze at the same time. Wanting to evaluate their genetic specimen (Created by Dr. Wu, played by B.D. Wong, the only returning cast member from any of the films) they use the trainer of the raptors, Owen Grady (Chris Pratt).
Of course he says its dangerous to keep an animal isolated from others, the dinosaur starts adapting to its surroundings surprisingly well, able to mask its heat signature, camouflage its body and is very smart and dangerous ably escaping into the rest of the park pitting the dinosaur vs. thousands of walking liability lawsuits in cargo shorts.
Oh and some stuff about the nephews escaping from their guardian and stray from the beaten path and a crazy military man wanting to use raptors as weaponry (Don't ask.) and Dr. Wu spearheading the entire thing, yada, yada, yada.
Ok, I'll start off by saying the plot is terrible. I love the idea that there is an operating dinosaur park and is like every theme park with a mix of Disney, Universal and Sea World all rolled into one with the usual commercialism that comes with these establishments (Which is a slightly underused aspect of the film, such as seeing a Dave and Busters and Starbucks on the main drag, Verizon owning the naming rights to Indominuous Rex, etc). The main idea of a dinosaur adapting to nature and we having to hunt it down is fun enough but it gets bogged down by the subplot of Vincent D'Onofrio's character wanting to weaponize dinosaurs for combat that makes me more stupid for having wrote that statement. But thinking back, this film feels like the I, Rex in many ways, it blends different traits to make a new animal, which looking out of the viewing glass, you can see huge chunks of Jurassic Parks 1 and 3 throughout with some Lost World filling out the rest of the helix, which suits the film perfectly. A mashup.
But this film still gave me the wonder I had as a child watching Jurassic Park for the first time when I was six. Sitting down after renting the VHS from Movie Max, staring at dinosaurs come to life right before my eyes. I loved seeing the dinosaurs here, though largely CG, but very beautiful CG, and when I saw the new Rex and the water dino, I could feel myself wearing Barney slippers and PJ's watching the tape on our old 19" Quasar.
The actors are all solid with Chris Pratt being a well-suited hero in Owen, being charming and funny but tough enough to handle the action scenes with flair and also giving us the pose of 2015 (You know the one). Howard was very good as Claire, giving us a strong willed and smart woman who can handle herself, and wearing heels while running to boot! D'Onofrio is suitably villanious, Wong is as charismatic as always as Dr. Wu and Khan stole the show as a CEO who is like the audience, just looking for the next thrills. The kids, however, while not annoying didn't bring much to the film, though the characters didn't do much for the film.
Colin Trevorrow had never done a blockbuster-sized film before (Heck, he never directed a moderately budgeted film. His previous film was Safety Not Guaranteed for less than a $1 million) but manages to handle action extremely well, showing off the big budget capably and directs the actors with skill. The camera work (Shot on film!) editing, CGI, sound and score (Man that score..... Giacchino you rock!) all scream big budget and huge talent.
And that blockbuster treatment follows through over to the BluRay 3D with impressive results. Starting with the PQ, the film looks simply phenomenal. The picture (Shot on film) is as sharp as you can as from a day-and-date release, retaining the rich textures, sharp colors and detailed images you could ever ask for, at least til the 4K release. The 3D on the other hand is surprisingly docile for such a movie such as JW. Yes, this film retains all the perks of the 2D disc, but adds depth to every scene in the film, but doesn't have a lot of pop-out moments either. Where it being the scene where raptor and trainer ride side by side to the crowd-pleasing sea-dino shot of it leaping out of the water lack the punch to fully immerse the viewer. Audio wise will knock your house off the foundation while also accurately replicating dialogue, music and effects in a surround sound accurate way.
Extras are also surprisingly light for such a major hit. I wish this had a full-on making of documentary or a commentary, whats included here is fine but longs for a major double-dip to include more stuff. Included are:
Deleted Scenes - 6 minutes of ok scenes
Chris & Colin Take On the World - a 9 minute piece where star and director interview each other
Welcome to Jurassic World - The biggest and best extra is a half hour look at the making of the film with plenty of BTS footage.
Dinosaurs Roam Once Again - A 17 minute look at the VFX
Innovation Center Tour with Chris Pratt - a 3 minute look at the minor details in the main center of the park
Jurassic World: All-Access Pass - a 10 minute insiders look at the making of the film (Seems like an aborted P-in-p commentary)
Lastly and rather ironically given the subject manner....
Jurassic's Closest Shaves -- Presented by Barbasol - This a 3 minute look at all the close calls throughout the series.
Chris & Colin Take On the World - a 9 minute piece where star and director interview each other
Welcome to Jurassic World - The biggest and best extra is a half hour look at the making of the film with plenty of BTS footage.
Dinosaurs Roam Once Again - A 17 minute look at the VFX
Innovation Center Tour with Chris Pratt - a 3 minute look at the minor details in the main center of the park
Jurassic World: All-Access Pass - a 10 minute insiders look at the making of the film (Seems like an aborted P-in-p commentary)
Lastly and rather ironically given the subject manner....
Jurassic's Closest Shaves -- Presented by Barbasol - This a 3 minute look at all the close calls throughout the series.
Also included is the DVD and a Digital HD copy of the film and a nice slipcover to round of the package. All in all, a rather decent movie with excellent PQ and AQ, though with muted 3D effects (Still a nice 3D disc but not demo worthy) and slim extras, wait til this is on sale, but still comes recommended.
My Best Buy number: 0751976050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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5
A fun way to buy a few Virtual Console games...
on May 8, 2016
Posted by: cornjakecake
from Huntington, WV
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My Best Buy number: 0751976050
I would recommend this to a friend!
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