GAME REVIEW
By Bareesh
Call of Duty is the stereotypical first person shooter. But there's a reason for that. It's so successful that it now defines the whole genre. There are no other FPS out there that can quite match the flair and the addictiveness of its multiplayer. The Modern Warfare scion has its successful formula and sticks to it religiously again in MW3. Breakneck action in an explosive campaign (quite literally. Watching choppers crash into buildings they blow up sky high while a massive firefight goes on underneath is epic), the game is exciting. It's easily the best in the series.
But due to the homogeneity of the Call of Duty games, Modern Warfare loses some of the lustre of its predecessors, all the fun in the game is familiar and there are no new thrills. But, it's utterly enthralling and very satisfying, so rejoice. The story is climatic as it ties up all the loose ends of the first two Modern Warfares but once more, the story-telling is muddled and very hard to follow. It picks up where MW2 left off with our heroes Soap and Price in bad shape and our villain Makarov still wreaking havoc. You'll be globe-hopping behind him and it takes you through some stunning locations. The vehicle chases, inserted to break the monotony of run-crouch-shoot-run, are probably the best parts of the game, with my personal favourite being the high-octane rampage through the streets of Paris. But then they try a pitiful attempt at wrenching some heartstrings when they kill of one of our heroes but the outcome is so obvious from the beginning of the mission that you just might get up and go make yourself some coffee waiting for the melodrama to end.
Even though the failed emotional twist may have you yawning, in Veteran settings the game turns formidable enough for you to fist-pump in achievement when you finish. The single player campaign is typically short, taking all of 7 hours to finish the game in medium difficulty (I'm not a hardcore gamer. If I was, it would've taken 5).
If the campaign leaves you thirsting for more AI blood, then get on what made COD famous. The multiplayer. If you have the internet speed that is. Let's face it, COD multiplayer doesn't get old. And if you have low bandwidth, well then, never fear, the Special Ops mode is there to please your hunger. Survival mode has you battling wave after wave of enemies, dogs, choppers among other things. And it also features 16 missions that complement the storyline to embroil you deeper into the global carnage of the game.
If you want something different, then you have no business playing the generic Call of Duty games. If you want a good FPS game, then get this. Among the best of the COD lot. Just try to ignore the problems with the storytelling.
MOVIE REVIEW
Battlestations!
By Orin
War movies are some of the best pieces of cinema ever produced, but they are the toughest to get right. Too realistic and it becomes horrifying, too much make-believe and it's apparent. This Independence day, we paid tribute to the best war movies about our liberation war. Now we give you the best war movies of all time, which are a must-see for everyone who values peace.
Saving Private Ryan (1998): After arriving in Normandy, a group of US soldiers were sent to the war-torn countryside to rescue Private Ryan, whose three brothers had already been killed in the war. From the blood drenched opening scenes to the emotional journey of epic proportions that takes place within the next two hours, this is one of those movies that must be seen to understand what goes on in a war.
Schindler's List (1994): Schindler's List is Spielberg's ultimate masterpiece. Based on the true story of a greedy German businessman who turned his factory into a refugee camp and saved the lives of a thousand people, Schindler's List is an incredibly powerful movie that portrays the good and evil in a war, showcasing a stellar performance by Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson. An absolute must-see, not just because this is a great historical movie, but because this is one of the best pieces of cinema ever made.
The Pianist (2002): Not all war movies are about conflicts in the battlefield. War movies are also about the personal battle the warfare throws at us. The Pianist is another true story that came to life with Roman Polanski's brilliant directing and Adrian Brody's superb acting. The movie tells the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a polish pianist who lost his friends and family in the war and managed to survive in the ruins of the Warsaw ghetto.
Full Metal Jacket (1987): 'Goodbye my sweetheart, hello Vietnam' is played in the opening scenes as the soon-to-be US marines go through the dehumanising process that turn them into undefeatable killing machines. Stanley Kubrick is a master filmmaker, but Full Metal Jacket speaks for itself.
Downfall (2004): Downfall is based on the memoir of Hitler's assistant Traudl Junge. The movie starts when the war is almost over, with the Allied Forces surrounding Germany. Hitler and his associates have retreated to the bunkers in Berlin. The movie feels like a documentary at some points, but it explores the bitter consequences of such a long and excruciating war.
Apocalypse Now (1979): Francis Ford Cappola takes on Vietnam War. US army captain Willard is sent out on an 'unofficial' mission to Cambodia to eliminate Green Beret Colonel Kurtz, who is running his men like an independent hit-and-run army. While men turn on men for reasons beyond the battleground, the surreal movie reaches its height.
Letters from Iwo Jima (2006): Directed by Clint Eastwood, the movie depicts the Battle of Iwo Jima from the Japanese perspective. The movie was shot entirely in Japanese and Ken Watanabe shows his mettle. After a barrage of Americanised WWII and Vietnam movie, this is one of the few good movies that show things from the other side of the coin. The twin movie, Flags of our Fathers, is not as good, but still watchable.
If you are a fan of satire, Kubrick's anti-war movie “Dr. Strangelove: How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb“, is for you. Hailed as one of the most brilliant comedies of all time, its dark humour reveals the inane political tactics and the absolute absurdity of war. We also recommend The Deer Hunter as well as The Best Days of Our Lives.
There you go guys, a collection of the most brutal, the most courageous and breathtaking war movies ever made.
ALBUM REVIEW
By Shaer Reaz
Since 2005's Onnesshon, Nemesis fans have been left unattended album-wise, although the shows they did were more than enough to cover up for that. On 23rd November, 2011, Nemesis gifted us Tritio Jatra, their second studio album, under Deadline Music and in association with ABC Radio and Cats Eye.
Tritio Jatra starts off with “Kobe”, a song with a huge amount of hype riding behind it, with countless plays over the last year on radio shows. The music video made people drool and added to the hype. Needless to say, it's a great song, with Zohad and Maher doing a brilliant job of coordinating beautiful vocals with progressive guitar work. It's a lot similar in feel and sound to The Watson Borthers' song “Rong”, which is no bad thing.
“Bir” has an edgier feel to it and less of the sunny disposition that “Kobe” seemed to be infused with. Faster, more frantic guitar work from Maher and Omayr coupled with spirited drumming from Dio gives this song most of its oomph. Overall, “Bir” is not quite as “in your face” music as “Kobe” or a few other songs in the album, but still, a good song.
The title track “Tritio Jatra” comes in third down the playlist, and the start instantly tells you this is going to be a great song. The guitar riff has an 80's rock'n'roll feel, with progressive drumming carrying it along brilliantly. Zohad's vocals are restrained in the beginning, but its let off the leash gradually till the chorus is hit, and the audience is left wanting more. More is given, in a ripping solo by Maher, showing us the reason why he is one of the best guitarists in the country. This is one of those songs that will get a lot of repeated plays over the next few years, till Nemesis gives us a replacement.
“Kolporajjo” starts nicely, but settles into a generic tune that almost makes it an easy-to-forget track, despite it being a good song. “Egiye Nao” runs in the same grain as the previous track, soft-ish vocals coupled with generic guitar work, but ultimately feeling a little out of synch compared to the other great songs in the album.
“Oboshobash” is a slow track, and yes, it is awesome. Ratul's bass gets preference here, leading the song throughout. Zohad takes the song like a ballad and sings accordingly. The lead guitars pick up towards the end, with Maher playing the song out in great style.
The rhythm in “Nirbashon” initially feels awkward and slightly jumbled up, but the chorus sets it straight. Might require a few replays. At 6:38, it's a bit too long though.
“Hold on”, if you haven't guessed already, is an English track. Instead of sounding like an awkward copy like other songs from other bands, “Hold on” actually sounds quite nice. It may not be a lyrical goldmine, but it plays nicely and has a decent enough tune.
“Sesh gaan” is the last song of the album. Yes. Surprisingly, this song sounds like something Arnob would make instead of Nemesis, and the vocal style sounds pretty much the same. The melancholic feel of the song is a brilliant ending to a great album.
Some have complained that Nemesis songs sound too generic and that it's hard to tell them apart. Well, bands have their own sounds. You wouldn't confuse Artcell with Aurthohin, or Guns N' Roses with Iron Maiden. Why? Because the songs and the styles of the bands are externally unique but internally similar.
Nemesis has the talent, the focus and the fanbase to become a legend. Let's not try and deter that.
COMIC REVIEW
Anya's Ghost Graphic Novel
By Munawar Mobin
Fist off all let me tell you that I do not know the difference between 'manga' and 'anime' and frankly I don't care. All I know is that I picked this book up from the 'manga' section of the store, so let's leave it at that. It was also in the 'fourteen year olds' section, but a friend's recommendation and a judgment of the book by its cover (which you should never do!) had me buying it.
Anya's Ghost is a graphic novel written by Vera Brosgol. Yes, this is her first novel, and her debut at that, which is probably why you have not heard of her. Oh and also, she's Russian and writes manga, maybe that's a contributing factor as well. Anya's Ghost is a fat little book, which when picked up feels a bit heavy and quite promising; and in the end that is exactly how it turns out to be.
The story revolves around high school student 'Anya' and the first few pages give us a good picture of what her life is like. Like any other high school student in a book, Anya is a loner, and just like any other high school girl in a book, love is hard to come across. Her school mates don't pay much attention to her other than a few jabs at her being Russian and how she should be best friends with the only other Russian kid in school (who obviously is a nerdy little boy). Anya's days are filled with hanging out in the bathroom with the only friend she has, a tough girl called Siobhan, and wondering how she'll ever get her crush to notice her. Things change when she falls down a hole/well and finds the dead body of a little girl. Things get weirder and much more fun when the ghost of the little girl starts following her around. Towards the end, things just get messed up. This isn't a book for fourteen year olds. The black and white art isn't done with perfection but they're not so bad either.
Overall, it's quite a good read. It's not life changing but it's a fun book to pick up on a lazy Friday and spend the afternoon reading. As always, like all the other comics previously reviewed, this one can be found online as well.
Long live torrents.
