Another great update: NCAA Football 11 patch #2 is out!

Here is the blog update announcing what all was addressed:

Client Update 2

Hello again NCAA Fans!

I'm Russ Kiniry and I'd like to welcome you to Client Update 2 for NCAA Football 11.  You should be able to download the update now (it will automatically download when you start the game).   Roy talked about this update coming a while back in his blog 'Thank You' and I brought it up again when we released Live Tuner Pack 1 last week.   I am happy to finally say it is here, and we've got a long list of tweaks, tunes, and fixes.   Many of these changes were requests straight from you, the fans of NCAA Football, so it was very important to us to get them in the update.   Enough words, let's get to the list!



Graphics

-          Uniform degradation has been fixed.
-          Fixed a graphical issue with TeamBuilder sideline home uniforms.
-          Fixed several camera bugs (pulled back on field goals, blurry cameras, and replays after a change of possession)
-          Fixed helmet numbers for Rice and Wake Forest

Online
-          Resolved an issue with Season Showdown, allowing us to turn it back on, so you're upload failure message every time you go in/out of game is gone!
-          Fixed a couple freezes related to lobbies
-          Fixed voice communication in Online Dynasty Hub on PS3
-          Fixed an issue that could lead to a disconnect in online play during play calling

Offense
-          Fixed an issue on a couple plays where the QB would miss a hand off and run backward
-          Reduced the chance that the ball will be knocked out when a receiver is hit at the time of the catch
-          Tuned the CPU ball carrier so that they will break to the outside more often when appropriate
-          Tuned how the CPU ball carriers utilize leans and special moves so that they won't be used in situations when they shouldn't (e.g. a HB in the open field will not put his shoulders down when running forward)
-          Tuned pass accuracy and the ability to lead a receiver
-          Tweaked sideline catch animations in the end zone so that they have a bit more room to play
-          Fixed an exploit where backwards passes could be overly effective

Defense -          Fixed defensive reaction to pump fake to be more balanced. Skilled defensive backs will not be as easily fooled by pump fakes.
-          Tuned the Aggressive Defensive Line Gameplan to have more risk of jumping offsides
-          Removed a hesitation from defensive lineman pass rush on screen plays
-          Improved flat zone and deep zone coverage
-          Tuned man coverage reaction to the run
-          Adjusted CPU pursuit angles in some specific cases where they weren't being aggressive enough

Special Teams
-          Tuned onside kicks to be less predictable
-          Fixed an issue where catching a kicked ball after hitting the goalpost would result in kicking team getting the ball back
-          Fixed an issue where the punter could line up out of place
-          Adjusted cross bar collision on field goals and extra points

Other
-          Tuned CPU clock management where they would let the clock run out in some cases they shouldn't
-          Fixed a bug with time of possession tracking
-          Adjusted substitutions to be more intelligent (previously would see some weird players in the game with lots of aggressive no huddle)
-          Fixed a couple places where the wrong custom stadium sounds would play
-          Fixed a bug that caused Road To Glory to be simulated day by day near the end of the season
-          Tuned Kick Power and Kick Accuracy of progression of kickers and punters in Dynasty Mode
-          Fixed a couple infrequent game lock-ups



Again, I want to thank you for providing us with all the feedback you have thus far, and encourage you to continue to do so. It's safe to say this is the biggest update in NCAA History.  We wanted to be sure that we continue to improve your experience while playing NCAA Football 11, so this update touches almost every area of the game.   You can look forward to more Live Tuner Packs for NCAA Football 11 in the near future.

This update is for you Mr. Passionate-NCAA-Football-Gamer.

-Russ Kiniry
Designer NCAA Football

I have played some games with the patch and it works as advertised.  The uniforms do indeed get dirty and the running back AI seems improved.  Let me tell you folks, THIS is the way to support a game.  The NCAA team has been on top of everything, has been engaged in conversations with the gaming community and has been committed to making a great game even better.  My hat's off to them for creating what may be the best sports game to date.  If you don't have NCAA Football 11, GET IT NOW!

Happy day! First NCAA Football 11 tuning pack available

Tuning packs are mini updates (as opposed to full out patches) that can tweak game play and other issues.  Here's an excerpt from the announcement that the tuning file is available:

"For gameplay you should notice that larger players cannot jump as high to swat down passes making things look and feel more authentic. In Dynasty mode, it means two things. First, the majority of the teams in Dynasty will be slightly better than before due to having access to higher rated Prospects and slightly better progression. Second, CPU teams will do a much better job of accurately filling their rosters."

And in other terrific news, a full blown patch will be available for the game in about 2 weeks.  Included in the patch will be uniforms that get dirty as the game as is played, one of my pet peeves from my review.  The NCAA team has really stepped up this year.  Their commitment to the game and the community has been outstanding.  If you are a sports gamer, you simply must get NCAA Football 11.  It's the best video game representation of the sport I have ever played.

Baraka (Blu-ray)

Made in 1992 and shot in 24 countries around the world, Baraka is a dialogue free, visual interpretation of man's relationship with nature, technology, spirituality, and each other. Or something like that. Its themes are explored through a series of stunning images, some beautiful and some disturbing, with frequent use of breathtaking time lapse photography. Though difficult to describe in words, it is a truly moving experience.

When people speak of reference quality Blu-ray, this is what they're talking about. I expected Baraka to look spectacular and it does, every single frame of it. From the deeply saturated colour to the ultra fine detail and spot on contrast, Baraka is a visual delight. What I hadn't expected, though, was an audio track this good. The global music and sound effects not only provide a perfect backdrop to the visuals, they are delivered in a very forceful and active surround mix. Also much appreciated is the excellent 75 min. documentary on the making of Baraka. They are no overlays on the film itself to indicate the location of each shot (though it's easy to make educated guesses), so it's nice to find out where many were taken and to get some insight into the subjects as well.

Quite simply, I cannot recommend Baraka highly enough. It is one of a small handful of films that belongs in every Blu-ray collection.

The Last Temptation of Christ (Criterion Collection DVD)

It's been years since I've watched Scorsese's Last Temptation, and Joyce was keen to see firsthand what all the controversy was about. She had a very religious upbringing which extended well into her adult life and is well versed in bible stories, so it was very enlightening to have her alongside to separate "fact" from fiction for me.

The film begins with Jesus' adult life as a carpenter and follows his progression from self-realization as an unlikely messiah to death on the cross. However it's the balance between human and divine that Scorsese seemed most eager to explore and he did so by filtering the story through the interrelationships of Jesus with Mary Magdelene and Judas, brilliantly played by Willem Dafoe, Barbara Hershey and Harvey Keitel, respectively.

The story travels through several familar biblical events, all depicted with a gritty, human reality, to the inevitable, gruelling crucifixion (no whistling here, folks). But it was the subsequent coda of the last temptation that enraged Christian zealots the world over. I won't spoil it for those who have yet to see the film but, if you have any interest in Christianity, it deserves to be seen. Based on Joyce's reaction, chances are you won't be offended regardless which side of the theological fence you sit on.

The DVD ain't no Blu-ray but, as always, Criterion does a fine job, and the disc includes a very informative commentary among other features.

NCAA Football 11 review

After spending a good amount of time with this game (but alas, not as much as I would like!), I am happy to report that the NCAA Football series is back in a big, big way.  This version blows all others on this current generation of consoles completely out of the water.  That's not to say it doesn't have a few niggling problems that will hopefully be addressed in a patch, but that game plays incredibly well as it is now, after having already been patched on release-day.  Here are the major positives and negatives from the game:


Positives:

• The graphics and animations in this game are off the chart.  They simply must be seen to be believed.  Even average, ordinary plays are filled with animations so like-like that you find yourself reviewing them over and over.  The replays are wonderful as well, shown from a new Broadcast Camera (other camera views are available as well) that takes you right into the action.  You can really get lost in the game and find yourself completely immersed in the world of college football.  Amazing.  Check out this replay of a rather ordinary play, a 16 yard pass completion:

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

 Check out the animations.  From the initial camera angle behind the QB, see the receiver leap for the ball, which is thrown high and slightly behind him.  See how fluid his leap is, how realistic it looks?  You really see him push off to get airborne.  Suddenly the camera angle changes and now it is isolated on the receiver.  You see him time his leap, make the catch, set his feet to run and then get swallowed up by defenders.  It's a simple play, it's life-like and it's a thing of beauty.  The new progressive lighting system works beautifully as well, giving some really striking settings at game time.

• The running game has been significantly improved by enhancements made in the blocking AI.  Now guards will pull effectively, fullbacks will hit someone on lead blocks and real holes will emerge.  You can run inside or outside and the effectiveness is based on a combination of your skills as a gamer and the ratings of your players versus those of your opponent.

• The passing game has been tweaked for more realism.  No longer are all incomplete passes the result of balls either being dropped by receivers or batted down by defenders.  Passes are now realistically under thrown, over thrown or the timing may simply be off.

• The  "120 ways to win" stuff works as advertised.  Every teams runs it's real offense and at the real tempo.  You'll see Michigan run the no-huddle spread, tiring out the defenses by not allowing time for substitutions.  You'll see Nevada run their funky Pistol formation and UCLA run their pro offense.  It's awesome to behold.

• The atmosphere has been taken up a few notches as well.  Finally there is a real college atmosphere at the games.  The crowd is livelier, the bands peppier and the presentation (by ESPN) is more professional.

• Dynasty mode has been much improved because recruiting is no longer the monotonous chore it used to be.  EA has made it more interactive and much more engaging.  I used to despise recruiting.  Now I actually enjoy it, which makes Dynasty mode the most rewarding career mode in any sports game, in my opinion.

• You can have an online dynasty same as last year.  But new this year is the ability to manage your team online from outside the game.  You can now do your recruiting from your computer or iPhone.  This is a tremendous new feature that I hope EA will have in all future sports games.  And what's even better is that you can have your own single player online dynasty.  You can have all the features of online dynasty while still playing by yourself.  Too sweet.

• Teambuilder remains an absolutely addictive addition, where you can custom create your own schools and play them in any mode in the game.  I have spent many, many hours on my four teams (that's my Affton Cougars in their 1st alternate uniforms in the video above) and I love seeing them in action on the field.  There is a great community on the Operation Sports forums that will assist you in making the uniforms you want.  Trust me when I say I have benefited greatly from their generosity.  If you have the Xbox 360 version, look up my teams under my gamer tag, Quint75, and let me know what you think!

Negatives:

• In a game where so much detail has been lovingly recreated, it is just plain silly that the uniforms do not get dirty.  Not in the rain, not in the mud.  Speculation is that this may have been sacrificed to keep the frame rate up to snuff.  Whatever the reason, it's silly.  But I must say it does not bother me nearly as much as I thought it would when I first heard about it in the early reviews.

• The set of sliders given to help tweak game play is pretty darned generous and for once they actually seem very effective right out of the box.  But why oh why does EA make everything adjustable by sliders except fumble frequency and injury frequency?  They do this every year.  You can adjust the frequency of interceptions, but not fumbles?  Makes no sense.  Never has, never will.

• The blocking on kickoff returns leaves much to be desired.  Neither the CPU nor myself can muster any sort of nice returns; the ball carrier is met by tacklers almost immediately.

•  By far my biggest complain with the game is the AI of the CPU ball carriers.  There are a number of specific problems that keep them from being anywhere near as effective as they should be, which is a real shame as the blocking is done so well.  Don't get me wrong, the CPU can and will get an effective ground game going against you. They will even beat you with it.  But it still is not what it should be.  To sum up the main problem, the CPU doesn't handle open space properly.  For example, a RB will burst through the hole and have only the DBs to deal with.  Rather than kicking into that extra gear, he may do a number of things that will take away what could have been a game breaking run.  He may juke for no reason, slowing him down and allowing him to be caught from behind.  He may keep the ball covered with both hands even though he is in the clear, which causes him to run much slower than if he was sprinting, again allowing him to be caught more easily.  He may have a clear path if he would veer toward the sideline, but he doesn't; he cuts back inside.  It can be really obvious at times, and frustrating for someone who sometimes likes to just do the recruiting and let the CPU play the games out on the field by itself.  However, there is reason to be cautiously optimistic that this can and will be fixed with a patch.  A few years ago, an NCAA game was released with this very same issue and it was improved via a patch.  I can't recall if it completely fixed the problem or not, but I do remember it was much improved.  Hopefully EA is getting an earful about this issue and will address it in an upcoming patch.  If so, this game will simply be unreal.  

 As it is right now, I would say it is still the best looking, best playing football game I have had the pleasure of getting my mitts on.  It has everything you could ever want: great game play, depth, superior visuals and audio (even if the play-by-play is getting beyond stale at this point, and this without Lee Corso in the booth) and the fun factor is through the roof.  Right now NCAA football rates an extremely impressive 9.2 out of 10 for me.  And it may get better yet.

In the meantime, here are 2 more videos to keep you satisfied, both of which once again show off the Broadcast replay cam.  The first shows a nice QB animation as he completes a pass on a rollout.  Notice how fluid his throwing motion is and how he seems to actually put force behind the throw.  And I love how he subtly uses his arms to regain his balance after making the throw.

In the 2nd video, notice the QB starts off with a fake hand-off in play action.  The camera then shifts to the safety, again at the start of the play, and you see him bite on the fake and then get beaten for the TD.  Beautiful!

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

The Fly (Blu-ray)

Another horror classic from the '80's, this one a re-imagining of the original through the twisted mind of David Cronenberg. Actually, that's probably not a fair comment in this case since, at its core, The Fly is perhaps the most humanistic of all his films. The relationship between Jeff Goldblum's obsessed scientist/inventor and Geena Davis' ambitious journalist is the thread that ties the film together from beginning to end, even after things begin to go horribly awry. In some ways, it may not even be fair to label The Fly a horror film (science fiction may be more apt), though the grotesque special effects may leave you thinking otherwise. But in spite of it all, it's Goldblum and Davis who create the emotional resonance that makes The Fly so special.

Like The Shining, The Fly is given a very nice treatment on Blu-ray. Visually, it doesn't have quite the wow factor of The Shining but, make no mistake, this is still a very, very good transfer. And the audio track is surprisingly powerful, especially for a 25 year old film. A highly recommended upgrade or addition to your library.

The Shining (Blu-ray)

Stanley Kubrick's adapation of The Shining was initially greeted with extreme disappointment by fans of the novel, but in the 30 years since its release, has become appreciated as a classic of the horror genre. Without the advantage of modern CGI technology, it was through camera and character that Kubrick created the isolation and claustrophobia that lead to the terror of Jack Torrance's descent into madness.

At this point, I think I've owned just about every home video version of The Shining that's been released and in all aspect ratios (4:3, 1.66:1, 1.85:1). I thought the Kubrick Collection DVD was extremely well done and, to be honest, didn't expect the Blu-ray release to be much of an improvement. Wrong. The visual presentation, while not quite reference quality, easily exceeds that of many current films. Kubrick's primary colour palette is brought to eye-popping life with remarkable detail throughout. Unfortunately, there's only so much you can do with a 30 year soundtrack. It's thin and weak but cranking the volume fills things out to acceptable levels. All things considered, this is an absolute must-own for fans of the film.

True Blood Season 2 (Blu-ray)

Back following a too long hiatus with the first in a series of recaps of some films we've watched over the last six weeks or so...

In preparation for the Season 3 premiere back in June, we burned through the Season 2 the week beforehand. While I enjoyed the second season the first time around, it ultimately failed to expand on the promise of Season 1. The first season centered in and around the town of Bon Temps, and there was a certain voodoo mystique and sense of discovery that wasn't sustained throughout Season 2. Instead, the elements of the story veered into camp and, while great fun, ultimately over-reached itself.

On second viewing, however, I came away with a much greater appreciation for Season 2. Sure, the Mary-Anne storyline was taken past the point of no return, but Jason's foray into the Fellowship of the Sun was hilariously entertaining, as was his unlikely alliance and friendship with Andy Bellefleur. But there was also much more visceral excitement and dramatic depth to Season 2 than I'd remembered, most notably the story around Eric's maker, Goderich. Season 2 also serves to establish several plot point that have proven important to the story as it unfolds in Season 3 (which has been fabulous through four episodes).

The Blu-ray presentation of True Blood is an absolute treat. As terrific as the show looks in HD, the Blu-ray is a noticeable cut above. Most scenes look jaw-droppingly good, with a few exhibiting noticeable grain that gives the picture a film-like appearance rather than detracting from it. The visuals are ably supported by a surprisingly powerful and active surround mix. The package is topped offer with a bevy of bonus materials including several entertaining commentary tracks, and an hour and fifteen minute panel discussion featuring series creator Alan Ball and all of the regular cast. A very impressive box set on every level.

Spain reigns supreme at World Cup

Congratulations to Spain, the 2010 World Cup champs.  I was pulling mighty hard for Holland, but Spain was clearly the better side.  They were the aggressors the entire match and really controlled play all day, especially at midfield.  Even so, Holland had 2 golden opportunities to steal the game in the second half, but winger Arjen Robben, who had an otherwise magnificent tournament, couldn't quite finish on 2 glorious chances.  Holland played aggressive defense that included a lot of physicality and fouls.  Nigel de Jong planted a foot right into the chest of Spain's Xabi Alonso and by all rights should have been sent off with a red card.

Spain continued to press, even late in the game when many teams would have been content to try their luck in a penalty kick shootout.  It turned out to be a very wise decision, as the late goal in extra time gave them their first World Cup.  It also saved us the pain of seeing another World Cup decided by penalty kicks, so major kudos to Spain for that as well.  By the time the winning goal came, Netherlands was playing shorthanded, having lost John Heitinga (deservedly) after he picked up his second yellow card.  It was only a matter of time before Netherlands was going to have to play shorthanded; the way they attacked Spain physically was going to cost them in due time.

So congrats again to Spain, deserving World Cup champs!

Operation Sports NCAA Football 11 review

A very positive and thorough review. Essential reading for any sports gamer.  It seems as though EA has finally hit pay dirt on the current generation of consoles with the NCAA series and I could not be more excited.  I'll have to wait until Tuesday for my copy and my anticipation is at a fever pitch.

Random thoughts

- Netherlands defeated Uruguay 3-2 today to advance to the World Cup final.  I have been rooting for them all along (they have long been my favorite international team) and now they are just one step away.  My 2nd favorite team, Germany, plays Spain for the other spot in the final.  Germany is playing brilliant soccer right now and if they get by Spain they will be favored to win the Cup.  Netherlands was quite sloppy with the ball today, especially late in the first half through midway in the second half.  That will not get the job done against either Germany or a very talented Spain.  I am hoping the boys can tighten things up a bit before the final.  As for my other 2 favorite teams, England and the United States, well, the less said the better.

-NCAA Football 11 is one week away from release.  I am totally amped up for this game and have very high hopes for it.  I have my 4 custom teams all ready to go (go to username Quint75 on the Xbox 360 version of Team Builder to find them) and of course the Maize and Blue of Michigan will get a thorough workout as well.  It will be a little while before the community rosters are finished being named and adjusted, but once that starts it will be Dynasty Mode city.  Especially nice is the ability to do all of your Dynasty Mode stuff online now, including over your iPhone.  Hot tamale!

-My wife and I have started a new 4th of July tradition which I am embarrassed to say should have started about 25 years ago: we will now watch Jaws every July 4th.   After all, a great deal of it takes part over the July 4th holiday.  Plus it's been my favorite movie since I was 9 years old.  I give full credit to Barb for the idea of making this a tradition.  And I smack myself in the head because I did not think of it first.  As a certified Jaws fanatic, I hang my head in shame.

-Watched a few more movies in the last couple of days.  Here are some quick ratings, on a scale of 1-10:

• Jaws - 10 (duh!)
• Cobb - 6.5
• Session 9 - 7.0
• Zombieland - 7.5 (but quite entertaining)
• The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made - 5.0 (ironic, huh?)
• Tales From The Script - 7.0

That's it for now.  Go Germany tomorrow and Go Netherlands on Sunday!
       

Rating some recently seen movies

I have been in movie watching mode for a while, so I thought I'd just rate what I have seen on a scale of 1-10.  No comments, just ratings.

Zulu: 8.5

The Machinist: 8.0

Streets Of Laredo: 8.0

The Wolfman (2010): 7.0

Capturing The Friedman's: 8.5

The Red Baron: 6.0

Harvard Beats Yale 29-29: 8.5

Sense and Sensibility: 9.0

Suspect Zero: 6.5

Right At Your Door: 8.0

The China Syndrome: 8.5

NCAA 11 improvements from demo to retail version

Thanks to Pastapadre for listing these on his site, which we are happy to link to from Memory Almost Full.  The list of improvements that will be implemented for the retail version is stunning.  If these changes are delivered as promised to what is already a terrific playing demo version of the game, we are in for a real treat with NCAA Football this year.  Hopefully the sliders will also work fully so we can configure the game to our personal tastes.

Anyway, here is a link to the list.  Be sure to check it out.

Quick gaming thoughts

• I finished Red Dead Redemption a while back and loved every second of it.  A serious, serious contender for Game Of The Year that will be hard to knock from the top spot.  Once you finish you can keep playing (but with a twist that I must admit is a bit disappointing to me) so I plan to put more and more time in just because of the sheer fun of it.  This is one game that will be fun to pop in and play when nothing else seems compelling.
• I have put quite a bit of time into UFC 2010 Undisputed.  It is quite enjoyable, especially the career mode.  I finally got my fighter the welterweight championship belt, but this is on easy mode so it's hardly an accomplishment.  The controls become pretty natural once you invest some time into the game.  I may start a new career on the next higher difficulty level pretty soon, but we'll see.  It's still fun to play with the real fighters and see their different strengths and weaknesses.  While solid, I can't see this game being considered for GotY.
• I returned to my 2009 GotY, Borderlands, to check out the expansion DLC The Secret Armory Of General Knoxx.  What I had read about it holds true; it is insanely difficult.  I am definitely out of practice so that may have had something to do with it, but I died multiple times at the same spot, before I really got very deep into the action.  My character is at the highest possible level (pre-DLC) so it shouldn't be this crazy, but it is.  I'll give it a shot again later, but I was very frustrated to keep running into such problems so early in the episode.
• Other than NCAA Football 11, the only other game on my radar now is Mafia 2, which looks a whole lot like Red Dead Redemption set in the late 1940's/early 1950's.  With a release date set for August, this is a must-buy for me.

That's it for now!

NCAA Football '11 demo out

I downloaded the demo yesterday and played a few games last night.  At first glance, this game seems much improved.  The new locomotion system makes a huge difference; players move much more life-like and you have better control over them.  They don't seem as stiff and seem to react better to the input you give them.  Bravo to EA for that.

Also, the much ballyhooed improved run-blocking AI is indeed a great addition.  Pulling guards actually carry out their assignment and all blockers look for someone to hit.  It makes the running game seem much more realistic and enjoyable.  This was another sorely needed update.

The myriad gameplay improvements are there to be seen.  I was impressed with the sideline catches made by receivers, the overturned plays as a result of replay, the much more realistic passing (throwing on the run is no longer so accurate), etc.  I was able to get a decent pass rush going against the CPU as well, which is a big deal.

The game also looks terrific.  The presentation has been amped up quite a bit.  The graphics and animations are improved and the crowd seems more into the game.  It all adds up to what looks to be a terrific package.  I did have one bug rear it's ugly head when I picked off a pass and returned it for a TD.  The audio dropped out during the return and after the player celebrated the score the game froze.  I quit the demo and restarted and still had no audio.  I had to reboot the XBox in order to get the demo back to normal.

If the AI sliders work correctly when the full game is released then we are looking at a revolutionary game in the NCAA series.  This series, once my absolute favorite, has grown stale over recent years, especially on the new generation of consoles.  Of course no game will be perfect and I am sure this game will have some small nagging problems somewhere; they all do.  But I am as excited about NCAA '11 as I have been about any game in a long while.  That took a lot of doing by EA, but so far they seem to have answered the challenge.

Our Airman Zach

Here is Zach snapping his family a salute before we had to leave the base for the last time.  He is now in Biloxi, Mississippi getting training for his job.  We won't see him again until late September/early October.  We could not be prouder of the way he came through basic training.  Way to go Zach!

Back from San Antonio, Texas

To quote Lindsey Buckingham: Never going back again.

Will have an update on Zach later. He's doing very well and looks terrific.

Zach & Jess

I didn't know how best to get this to you guys, but here's a great photo of Zach and Jess (and Brody) from May '04 in St. Louis. It deserves to be seen.

Pete

UFC 2010 Undisputed

As a change of pace, I thought I'd give this game a whirl.  I have been slowly getting into the UFC world thanks to my neighbor Jason, who gets all of the Pay Per View events.  It's a brutal sport, but no more so than boxing, which I have always had an appreciation for.  I am really new to UFC so I don't know a lot about the fighters or the lingo, but it's entertaining and the first UFC game, Undisputed 2009, had a huge fan base.

I have only played around with UFC 2010 for about an hour or so.  I did the tutorials, or most of them anyway, and dived into an exhibition fight on Beginners mode.  Using one of the few fighters I know, Georges St. Pierre from good old Canada, I took the fight to another welterweight and had a blast.  I ended up winning by TKO 37 seconds into the 2nd round and the fight was action-packed all the way.  I won't lie, the controls seem really daunting at first blush.  They are quite complex but everyone I know says that after a couple of hours they feel like 2nd nature.  I know that I had a good enough handle on them to throw punches where I wanted them to land, block punches thrown my way, I threw my opponent to the mat and tried a submission hold on him.  Not bad after so little time spent learning the controls.

As I said, the fight itself was terrific.  I have a lot to learn, but I am looking forward to it.  There are tons of fighters available and plenty of modes to play, including a career mode where you create your own fighter and move him up the ranks.  Along the way you pick up fans, give interviews and so on.  I am sure that this game, along with Red Dead Redemption, will keep me plenty busy until NCAA Football is released in mid-July.

Blu-ray Round-up

With hockey season winding down, we found time to squeeze in a few movies over the past couple of weeks.

There Will Be Blood

This one has sat on the shelf for far too long waiting for the right opportunity to watch it. A big fan of the rest of P.T. Anderson’s work I was anxious to finally check out TWBB. I’m pretty patient when it comes to film, and like to be challenged (hey, I loved Magnolia and am a big fan of David Lynch), but I never did fully come to grips with the pedantic pace of Anderson’s latest. I kept waiting for something, anything to happen that would energize the story. It never came, in spite of the inevitable, darkly comedic finale. Daniel Day Lewis, in a fine performance, may have walked away with the Oscar, but it was Paul Dano’s turn as the obsessive preacher with an ulterior motive, Eli Sunday, that brought much needed energy to every scene he was in. Lovely cinematography too, but I’d rather revisit Days of Heaven than watch TWBB again. There Will be Blood isn’t a bad film by any estimation, but it’s not worthy of a place in my permanent collection either.

My feelings about the Blu-ray presentation mirror that of the film itself. In a word, lacklustre. As always, bright scenes look best with decent detail, but shadow detail is lacking in the numerous dark scenes that populate the film. And while the film is obviously no audio showcase, the track included here is simply missing the dynamics and fidelity that you’d expect of a current release. Disappointing.

Ratatouille

From one end of the spectrum to the other, next up is Ratatouille. If you’re a fan of Pixar and/or have any of their other Blu-ray releases in your library, you know exactly what to expect here. Ratatouille may not resonate with very young children to the same degree that many other Pixar films do (A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo, Toy Story 1&2, Cars), but it's a hoot and a half for we adults in the crowd, chock full of the clever wit and charm that we've come to expect from Pixar.

The transfer is top-notch with incredible detail, vividly saturated colours and an overall look that's almost film-like (which seems strange to say about an animated film). The lively soundtrack is punchy and dynamic with a very active surround mix and surprisingly forceful .1 track. Very highly recommended on all levels.

Boogie Nights

The disappointment of There Will Be Blood provided the urge to revisit Boogie Nights. Joyce had never seen it and was surprisingly game, and I was due for a repeat viewing. Perhaps not P.T. Anderson's most creative endeavour (that would be Magnolia, IMHO), but easily his most entertaining and the film that put him on the map as one of the hottest up and coming young directors in the business (along with the likes of David Fincher, and that other Anderson kid, Wes). Populated by a great ensemble cast, fantastic soundtrack and plenty of P.T.'s trademark long tracking shots, it's clear that this style of film is his comfort zone and where he operates best. Boogie Nights is a tour de force and absolute delight from beginning to end.

I had very high expectations for this Blu-ray release and have to admit that I came away somewhat disappointed. I'm willing to cut it some slack due to the film's age, but it's not that old and I've seen films older than BN look better than this. That being said, it's still a pretty good looking picture overall. The Audio track is more of the same, good but not great. We found that we needed to crank the volume much higher than normal to catch all of the dialogue, and the cool tunes don't pump out with quite as much authority as you'd wish they did. Even though it doesn't have quite the wow factor I'd hoped for, the Blu-ray is an easy recommendation for fans of the film. I'd just be inclined to wait out a price drop before shelling out.