Spartan Spear-It » A&E

Fear Factor Returns

rsurana — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:29:16 +0000

Maggots, heights, water, and snakes, return for a show many people remember. This is the show everybody can remember, Fear Factor. The show features teams of two that battle their fears and other teams in order to win a cash prize of $50,000. Paul Teledgy of NBC says, “We have taken the groundbreaking Fear Factor franchise that many fans remember fondly and have ramped it up to make it even more challenging and competitive than ever before.” It will also feature host Joe Rogan that everybody who used to watch the show can recall. A few past stunts involve height challenges, eating bugs, laying down with wildlife, and claustrophobia challenges. The show began 10 years ago and it is finally back. Freshman Will Lovett said, “I think it is a hilarious show. I love all of the challenges they do and the way they react to them.” So get ready for a show with the intensity worthy enough for anybody, coming up this winter.

Madden 12 Review

joshansmith — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 19:55:18 +0000

For over 20 years, new copies of Madden have been released and enjoyed across the world. Each game has been better than the previous one and new additions are being added constantly. Out of all the Madden games, Madden 12 might be the best of them all.

This year, the creators of Madden 12 made an several new additions to the game. Playbooks are now more realistic and the computer will execute the plays more efficiently. Another new addition to the game is the appearance. The players look bigger and more realistic and the stadiums look extremely better. There are also pre-game run outs that are team specific. The time of day is accounted for in this game and there is now 3D grass. The new presentation makes you feel like you are in a real game or that you are watching an actual game on TV.

Franchise Mode is a fan favorite, and with the help of those fans, the mode is been improved. There are over 100 new additions to Franchise Mode and some major additions are expanded rosters (you can now have 75 players on the roster in the offseason), a new rookie scouting system, and a free agent bidding system. There are several more additions but these are the most prominent ones.

Another great addition is the DPP or the Dynamic Player Performance. This new feature creates realistic reactions as a player’s skill and confidence could rise or fall based on their performance. An example of this is that if your quarterback is constantly being sacked and rushed, then his DPP will make him get rid of the ball faster and that could lead to interceptions. This feature is built for game-to-game situations so it will be used more in Franchise and Superstar modes.

Madden Ultimate Team, Online Communities, and NFL.com Fantasy Sports are three more prominent additions to the game. In Madden Ultimate Team is a perfect combination of Madden NFL Football, fantasy football, and trading cards. You can earn, buy, auction off, and now trade players as you build your ultimate team of NFL stars and legends from the past. The Online Communities allows you to play head-to-head versus up to 2,000 of your friends. You can set your own rules and create your own leader boards. NFL.com Fantasy Sports allows you to access your fantasy football team on NFL.com. All three of these features are similar to the versions from last year, but they have been improved and updated.

Overall this game is very good and the changes made are for the better and not for the worse. When you play this game, you will feel like you are on the field. Madden 12 is the best of the series and you won’t want to stop playing.

Halo Reach Review

joshansmith — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 15:22:33 +0000

“Halo: Reach” is publisher Bungie’s final Halo game, and it represents the product of a decade of development by Bungie on the series. As a package, it comes with more gameplay options than any other game in the franchise and arguably the most out of any console first-person shooter to date. After all, it raked in over $200 million in just one day.
There are three main forms of content in “Halo: Reach,” each with the potential for countless hours of enjoyment depending upon your own personal preferences. They are campaign, multiplayer and content creation (known as Forge).
First, I dived into campaign. Out of all of Bungie’s Halo campaigns, Reach’s is easily the best of the bunch. Completely new mechanics are introduced, such as space combat. Even though the story of Reach is known —“Halo: Combat Evolved” begins right after the fall of the planet Reach — there are plenty of surprises here. Reach feels like a living, breathing planet. You’ll fight amongst civilians and wildlife as you switch between besieged cities and secluded locations. Your squad (known as Noble Team) rarely fights as a complete unit, choosing instead to pair you off with single members throughout the game’s missions. This helps characterize each member and keeps the game balanced.
Multiplayer is the heart of Reach’s legacy. This is where it will live on with the many thousands that will be playing for years to come. The sandbox presented here represents the best console multiplayer package to date. The tried and true Halo gameplay model is back with enough tweaks and changes to make it feel like a new game.
New equipment has radically changed the game’s feel from Halo 3. The Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) is, in my opinion, not a worthy successor to the Battle Rifle. It suits its purpose with its single shot, but I do miss the old three-bullet burst that would make for an easier kill. Also, the pistol has returned to its “Halo: Combat Evolved” glory with its lovely scope. The rocket launcher’s tracking has also returned, making those pesky long-range shots a bit harder to dodge. The new armor abilities and loadouts add a lot more depth and customization to the combat. When you find yourself wishing that you could take two or three armor abilities at a time, you know that Bungie did a good job designing them.
The new matchmaking system is phenomenal. Players are able to vote on three different gametypes and map combinations or none of the above, resulting in a new vote on three new combos. It results in a lot less disappointment in vetoing a game only to get a less-desired setup. Returning gametypes are as good as ever with Reach newcomer game types Headhunter and Stockpile bringing some new flair.
Forge World is just beautiful. I began roaming the map, and thought it was nice. I happened to glance over and see a tunnel that left my cozy box canyon. What I saw blew my mind. Bungie has combined five maps into one gigantic sandbox, and the updated map editing tools will mean that Reach’s player-created maps should blow away anything we thought was amazing in Halo 3’s Forge Mode. Though I’m certain Microsoft will want to release DLC (Downloadable Content) maps for Reach, Forge World ensures that new arenas will be created throughout the game’s life.
Looking at everything provided by Bungie and the potential for user-generated content, Reach is the biggest shooter to ever hit a console. The game is just downright fun from start to finish, especially if you’re going to be playing online. It has been constructed to be playable for many years; it is a fine send off for the fantastic series. You need to get this game.

MOVIE REVIEW: Alice’s Wonderland

gacsadviser — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:11:56 +0000

MOVIE REVIEW: Alice in Wonderland

Valentines’ Day Revisited

gacsadviser — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:01:37 +0000

Have you ever wondered how many A-list celebrities you can fit into one movie? This February’s box office sensation Valentines’ Day proves that many of us, myself included, were vastly underestimating Hollywood. The sheer number of big names and characters in general in this movie made it simpler to refer to each one as the actor’s name than the character’s and the many overlapping plotlines were often confusing.
However, after getting past the confusion and the overwhelming number of celebrities, I actually found myself enjoying the movie. There is definitely something in there for everybody! This film really showcased their talents and reminded me why some of these people became celebrities in the first place. Many of the couples were absolutely adorable and, once the plot was unraveled, this reviewer came to the decision that the movie was a holiday favorite and enjoyable film. I give it a 4 out of 5!

Movie Review: The Lovely Bones

gacsadviser — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:57:19 +0000

HAVE you ever thought about what it would feel like to die? The Lovely Bones depicts Susie Salmon, a young, fourteen-year-old girl, who is murdered by a so-called friendly neighbor. Susie’s spirit leaves her body and instead of going to heaven or hell, it goes to the “in-between.” As the movie progresses, viewers follow Susie on her journey into the afterlife and how she helps her family solve her open case.

Even though Susie is dead, viewers witness her transformation. Viewers also see her learning the lessons of forgiveness, forgetting, and letting her family members move on with their lives. Susie wants the murderer, George Harvey, to be caught and convicted. Susie’s desire for his capture and conviction leads her dad into being seriously injured while in pursuit of George Harvey.

Susie sees the negative outcome of her strong hatred against the killer and she also sees that she must forgive George Harvey and move forward in her afterlife. Close to the conclusion of the movie, Susie witnesses her family’s acceptance of her being gone. Susie sees the healing of her parents’ marriage, her little sister’s first kiss and first love, and her high school crush’s finding happiness away from her.

Susie feels it is almost time to go to heaven after seeing all of these events. There is one last thing she wants to do. This reviewer won’t spoil that for you.

The moral values one can learn from The Lovely Bones are quite rewarding. The view of death and afterlife makes viewers rethink how death truly should be, an ease into a new life rather than a radical change. The movie also helps with the understanding of the importance of closure to situations in our lives.

Movie-goers also have the opportunity to see the amazing visuals as well. The cinematography is superb and the special effects are top-notch. The acting is not necessarily “award-winning,” but most critics agree that Saoirse Ronan, who plays Susie Salmon, is quite talented. Rated PG-13, this reviews gives it a 4 out of 5.

Movie Review: The Blind Side

gacsadviser — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:08:45 +0000

THE END is good, the beginning is good, even the middle is good. The Blind Side is a complete movie. The movie begins with the famous clip of Lawrence Taylor’s career-ending tackle of Joe Theismann and provide a good background for the film.

The movie ends with a clip show of actual photos of the real Michael Oher which really shoots home the “based on a true story” tagline. The middle…well I can’t give it away, I’ll just say its good. John Lee Hancock (The Rookie) is no newbie to the true, sports story adaptation of movie. He did extensive research on the real story and his work pays dividends; of course he doesn’t have a lousy supporting cast either.

Basically every actor in the film does a fine job. Sandra Bullock, most recently in The Proposal, who even with a new blonde hairstyle, shows off the toughness of a mom in her great performance. Tim McGraw, the country singer, has a surprisingly good show as Leigh Ann’s (Bullock’s) husband Sean. McGraw has a somewhat minor role, but does well in his scenes.

Jae Head, Hancock, brought many laughs as the child in the family who provides perfectly timed comic relief. Kathy Bates (The Waterboy) plays the tutor who never wants anything less than the best and, like always, Bates delivers an amazing performance.

Finally the star of the movie, Quinton Aaron, in his first major role, plays the seemingly oversized boy with a rocky past and little future. He communicates perfectly the shyness of a boy who has no family to go home to but, on the other hand, the dominating strength of someone who “scores a 98% in protective instincts.”

The film has true emotion whether it has to do with anger, sadness, or love. The movie is hands-down the best movie I have seen this year, and I give it a near perfect 4.9 out of 5.

Even more important than the movie’s theme is the story of Leigh Ann’s true following of Christ’s commandments to love and have compassion for others. We should all try to exemplify that. I highly recommend this movie.

photo attribution: Nelso/Warner Bros./nydailynews.com

A Christmas Carol: Classic Tale Comes Alive

gacsadviser — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:44:24 +0000

THE old fairy tale by Charles Dickens came to the big screen November 6 with much anticipation. The story is about Scrooge and his journey through his past, present, and future to a change of heart. Jim Carey plays Scrooge and he does a believable job displaying Scrooge’s grumpy and unapproachable character. He is funny and plays the role well, but the flashback segments leave something to be desired.

Some material is left out from the original which is disappointing. Viewers don’t see much of Scrooge’s side of the story. The special effects are decent. The spirits are displayed vividly. Out of five, I think A Christmas Carol gets a three. I wouldn’t consider it a premier blockbuster but it didn’t disappoint. The classic story if one for all ages and it continues to tell the tale of the true meaning of Christmas. Rated PG

Movie Review- GI Joe: Rise of Cobra

gacsadviser — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:47:59 +0000

GI Joe is definitely filled with action, but, unfortunately, most of it is completely unrealistic and animated in nature. The dialogue is predictable and the plot utterly convoluted.

Director Stephen Sommers (Mummy 1&2, Van Helsing) knows how to use special effects, but in GI Joe he over-uses them. Although most of the acting lacks depth, Marlon Wayans (Dance Flick, Scary Movie 1&2) stands out. He plays the stereotypical, overconfident and comedic partner, but does succeed in adding life to the otherwise dry acting by Dennis Quaid (Vantage Point) and Channing Tatum (Fighting).

Movie-goers might find some excitement in the film while the back stories do add some depth. Overall, if you just want an action movie with thrilling fight scenes and over-the-top gadgets, GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra is for you. I give it 2 out of 5 stars. Rated PG-13

Movie Review: This Is It

gacsadviser — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:37:52 +0000

This Is It, the behind-the-scenes story of Michael Jackson’s life off-stage shows insight into the normal guy hidden away inside the pop legend. In some ways, maybe directing his own choreographers and pianist and having cameramen take videos of people just chewing bubble gum and eating lollipops could be considered not-so-normal to some.

The film does what it can to make the King of Pop seem as normal as possible, however. His humility in the film does go to the heart-warming extent giving guitarists their moments on stage and inadvertently furthering their careers.

Fans of Michael Jackson will enjoy video remakes of some of the King of Pop’s hits such as: Earth Child and the infamous Thriller. Number two in the box office in its second week, I’d give This Is It a 3.5/5. Rated PG