The World of Downton Abbey: A Companion Book Done Right

As any fan of the British sensation Downton Abbey will tell you, the idea of waiting a whole year for new episodes (or 6 months if you're okay with that whole illegal downloading thing) is unbearable. So what to do while we wait? HOW TO FILL THE GAP?! Sure, similarly themed shows can help, but that's not the kind of filler I'm talking about. When I finished Season 2, I just wanted MORE, more of the world, more of the characters, more of the costumes, more of the Dowager Countess saying badass things, and the list goes on. Even the DVD of season two only has a half hour of extras! So what is the answer?! HOW DO WE GET OUR FIX?!

Fear not! Solution! Though it was released at the end of last year, no American dared to lay their eyes on companion book, The World of Downton Abbey until this past week, when the second series, spoiled even on the cover, had come to an end. But now that we're all of us on the same page (at least until September, when suddenly places like tumblr and twitter become a hotbed for major spoilage) I highly recommend picking up this book to make the time between now and then easier and in the process, make yourself appreciate what Downton Abbey has accomplished even more.

This companion book, by writer, editor and niece of Julian Fellowes, Jessica Fellowes, is the real deal. This history textbook meets coffee table photo book meet meets art book meets featurette meets interview meets quote book clocks in at almost 300 delectable pages. Unlike some other books for review that have landed on my desk recently, The World of Downton Abbey finds the perfect balance between being chock full of information, yet a breeze to read. It is divided into nine chapters - Family Life, Society, Change, Life in Service, Style, House & Estate, Romance, War and Behind The Scenes, plus at the very end there is a complete cast list and recommended further reading. The pages are colorful, filled with sidebars, photos, quotes and more to keep the eye engaged as well as the mind. This also allows for the option to read every word of the entire book, or if you're a guest in someone's home, or showing it to a friend, the ability to flip through, reading just side bars, excerpts from the teleplays, and quotes, and still get a sense of what the book is trying to teach.

Details after the jump!



The World of Downton Abbey has all of the regular trappings of a companion book in that respect. There is a whole section about the behind the scenes experience, accounts of a day on the set, quotes on what it's like for the actors to play these characters and play off of each other, costume sketches - the usual. But where this book really makes itself stand apart is how in depth it goes into the historical context of the show. Sure, watching it, you get a sense of, okay, clearly the Dowager Countess doesn't like how things are changing, clearly everyone has important reasons for not wanting Sybil to get involved in the suffragette movement, clearly it's absurd that Cora wouldn't get to pass her money onto her women, but it's also clear that it simply isn't an option, clearly some of these servants have aspirations beyond washing clothes, and so on. The show definitely let's us know where the conflict in class and change is, but as someone who isn't particularly educated in the massive changes Britain sustained from the turn of the century to World War II, I never had any real context for what was going on. But this book takes everything you might need to know, from the extremely relevant, like what the exact jobs of each person in the house might be, a full explanation as to why the Earl of Grantham would have an American wife, and the prominent danger of certain militant suffragette groups, to the less exactly topical but still completely important in world building, like how the cinema had evolved and when the first non stop transatlantic flight was completed. The book is littered with numerous one lines from the Dowager Countess, always relating to what is being discussed on that page, and after learning all about David Lloyd George,who would soon become PM, I suddenly understood the exchange,

Grantham: And Mr Lloyd George's new insurance measures will help"

Violet: "Please don't speak that man's name, we are about to eat."

What was a superficial understanding before became a complete one.

The book ends up useful as a manual of sorts as well, for Halloween costumes, a Downton Themed party, or if the SCA has an early 20th Century Britain division. Not only does the book go into incredible detail on the inspiration for the costumes, and how they were made or acquired, but there are sample menus for dinner or garden parties, receipies for food, shoe polish and shampoo, a guide to properly washing silver, helpful household suggestions, a breakdown of how every day would work, for both the calm upstairs and the bustling downstairs, details on the decor of the house, and what exactly each room would be used for, particulars on hair and makeup, and tips on word pronunciation.

And for those most concerned with the goings on off camera, aside from the numerous quotes from the actors, creators and production on what the experience is like, in the behind in the scenes chapter, we also get the whole story of how Downton was conceived, amazing shots of the cast shooting scenes as a cameraman moves on the dolly surrounding the dining table in a perfect circle, models of the downstairs set, which stands at Ealing Studios, and production tidbits like the reasons why we never see the characters eating at dinner Here we also get my favorite fun fact of all - that Maggie Smith has the entire cast "in stitches" whenever they are on set. I was also fascinated to learn that since the upstairs and downstairs are shot on different sets - Ealing Studios vs Highclere Castle, life imitates art in that some of the actors playing servants rarely if ever went to the castle, or when they did, suddenly felt a real life change in status that helped inform their performances. Plus did you know they often have historian Alastair Bruce on set to make sure everything happening is accurate? Or that Winston Churchill was born to an American mother who came over to Britain for an English husband who would accept new money, the way Cora did? Or that upstairs is mostly shot smoothly and downstairs handheld? Or that married women in that time got to have breakfast in bed? Or that all the actresses playing the daughters have only sisters in real life? I could go on for days. There are so many fun facts in this book. I LOVE FUN FACTS.

As you can probably tell by now, this book has A LOT to offer. Reading it not only brought me great joy, but helped me have a much more comprehensive understanding of Downton Abbey's historical context, something I was desperate for and having it all laid out, complete with parallels in the show and information on the figures that inspired particular characters was a wonderful treat. This is an absolutely must own for any fan of the show and will definitely take at least some of the sting out of waiting so damn long to find out what happens next in the world of Downton Abbey.

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Muse's Top Ten Movies of 2011

Honorable Mentions: Warrior, Pina, Kid with a Bike, The Adventures of Tintin, The Trip, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Descendants, Beginners, 50/50, Rango, Tree of Life, Drive

Definitely spoilers, at least in the Favorite Scene sections!

10. Tie: Girl With The Dragon Tattoo & War Horse (dir. David Fincher & Steven Spielberg)

Whaaat?! I know, outrageous! But for realsies. While Tattoo is not Fincher’s best and War Horse is not Spielberg’s best, both films demonstrate why the two men are masters at what they do and I loved each. War Horse is Spielberg’s old fashioned epic, paying tribute to one of his own favorite directors, John Ford, and he achieves the schmaltzy tear jerking results of this horse’s story in a completely genuine way. I was swept away and an experience that strong shouldn’t be discounted. Fincher elevates a fairly pedestrian murder mystery with a dark sensuality and the moody, raw precision he always brings to the table and creates an energy between Rooney Mara’s Lisbeth and Daniel Craig’s Mikael that make their scenes together crackle. Mara is a revelation and her Lisbeth is the heroine I’ve been waiting for.

Favorite Scene: Lisbeth takes her clothes off and tells Mikael what’s about to happen. She continues on the path towards claiming her power by claiming her sexuality and Mikael is drawn to her intensity as much as we are.

Favorite Scene: Wire cutter scene. Wire. Cutter. Scene.

9. Footnote (dir. Joseph Cedar)

From AFI Wrap Up:

As a Jew who went on birthright this year, I have no qualms about calling this movie, Israel’s official foreign language selection for the Oscars, one of the most delightfully Jewish pieces of fiction I’ve seen in years. It’s witty, intelligent, moving, and riddled with guilt and inferiority complexes. This story about a father and son, Professor Shkolnik and Professor Shkolnik, who both work at Hebrew University in Jerusalem studying the Talmud, asks the question, when does a role model become a rival and the student become the competition? It presents the theory that in a battle of egos, he who realizes humility first is always the winner. Expect your loyalties to fly all over the place in this smart, whimsical, and ultimately tragic intellectual comedy from acclaimed director Joseph Cedar. Inventive storytelling, a jaunty score, and top-notch performances help elevate an already brilliant script (it won the Screenplay award at Cannes) to even greater heights. To delve too much into the specifics of why this tale is so riveting would be to give too much away, but it’s an absolute must-see.

Favorite Scene: It involves Uriel (the younger Shkolnik) and a tiny room full of scholars and a lawyer, and is one of the only sequences in the entire film where the score drops out completely.

8. Young Adult (dir. Jason Reitman)

A film I wasn’t expecting to make it onto my top anything, due to the fact that I tend to dislike both Jason Reitman and Charlize Theron. But leave it to Diablo “Jennifer’s Body is highly underrated and I love it” Cody to bring them together in a fashion as exciting as Young Adult. I’ve encountered more people who hate this film than perhaps any of the smaller divisive movies this year, and that’s the way it should be. The protagonist, if one can even call Theron’s Mavis Garry that, is an awful human being, and represents all that we keep repressed (and for good reason). Whether or not people this awful actually exist is beside the point. The whole movie is one ballsy choice after after, one tip of the hat and then slap in the face to every cliche that could exist in a film like this, and climaxes with one of the most upsetting scenes on the big screen this year when Mavis has a conversation with someone stuck in the same arrested development that she is (played fantastically by Collette Wolfe) and we see her grip on the doorknob to reality slowly start to loosen. We see the hero’s journey on the screen all the time, but how often do we see the hero take the journey and get talked out of learning anything from it? Controversial, and to many a poor choice, to me, was exciting and fresh, and has stuck with me weeks and weeks after seeing the film.

Favorite Scene: At the child’s naming ceremony, we find out why Buddy and his wife have been so nice to Mavis.

7. The Loneliest Planet (dir. Julia Loktev)

From AFI Wrap Up:

The winner of the Grand Jury prize at AFI, and for good reason, this story about the notion of what is masculine and feminine and the roles their fluctuation plays in our lives and relationships connected with me on a deep and immediate level. Nica (the charming Hani Furstenberg) and Alex (Gael Garcia Bernal) are on a backpacking trip together in the Republic of Georgia, happily engaged to be wed. She is goofy yet tough, he is strong yet caring, and they are the picture of perfection. While in the mountains with their tour guide, Dato, a moment occurs that is so small, so brief, so fleeting that if you look down at the wrong time you *will* miss it, but a moment so powerful that it dramatically alters the dynamic of this perfect couple, perhaps forever. Guilt, shame, resentment, and passive aggression swallow the second half of the movie, a sharp contrast from the light, adventurous beauty of the first half. A landscape which at once seemed so freeing and filled with potential becomes claustrophobic and uncomfortable. A film like this, with little dialogue and almost no action, could have easily crashed and burned in lesser hands, but Loktev’s confident direction has you completely enraptured, aching for a satisfying resolution but unsure if one could ever be possible. In a year filled with films about the huge ramifications of something tiny (A Separation, Margaret), The Loneliest Planet got to me the most.

Favorite Scene:  Directly after the “incident,” Nica and Alex walk on opposite sides of the screen, a range of emotions hanging in the air, the only sound to speak of coming from the repetitive plodding of their shoes in the muddy terrain.

6. The Skin I Live In (dir. Pedro Almodovar)

My favorite of Almodovars oeuvre, this mad scientist tale about power and identity with a B horror movie spin immediately entered my top ten the moment it ended. Beautifully stylized and disturbing in all the right ways, this is not only one of the best by Almodovar, but it also manages to comment on our expectations of him while combining many of the themes and motifs he holds so dear. The first half of the film, he takes great care to convince us he might be headed one way, a way we would expect, and then turns our expectations so on their head, it’s a type of shocking I didn’t know existed. One of many films this year that deals with the relationship between father and daughter and mother and son, but the only one featuring synthetic skin, most beautiful woman in the world, Elena Anaya, Antonio Bandares scaring the bejesus out of me, wardrobe by Gaultier, and perhaps my favorite score of the year by Alberto Iglesias, stop whatever you’re doing and go find it now before it leaves theaters.

Favorite Scene: We are simultaneously relieved and horrified to discover Vera is not Dr.Ledgard’s daughter as Almodovar had been leading us to believe, but the boy who unwittingly sexually assaulted her. Best. Revenge. Story. Ever.

5. Take Shelter (dir. Jeff Nichols)

This real world telling of the week leading up to the apocalypse and the man who sees it coming (or such is my interpretation) hit me very strongly. Michael Shannon as Curtis won we over right away. No matter how drastic or crazy his actions may have seemed to everyone else in his small town, I was with him from start to finish. The differences between dream, hallucination and reality are all in the details in a film like this and the clues are there if you can catch them. A wonderful little film with a powerful lead performance by Shannon, supported by the warm, effective Jessica Chastain, nailed exactly what it set out to do. I love it when stories are “secretly genre”. About time travel, about aliens, about a man becoming a prophet, whatever it is, but set in such a real world setting that we as an audience question which direction it will head in until the very end. Unlike movies which call themselves “superheros in a real world” but clearly exist on another plane of reality, movies like Take Shelter ring home and ring true because it’s so far from typical genre fare. The fact that it is all a strong metaphor for how the economic crisis is affecting families across the country makes the film not only powerful on its own, but a true signifier of the times, tapping into our current collective fears on the basest of levels. A wonderful outing by Nichols. I look forward to his work in the future.

Favorite Scene: We start to shift from thinking he is crazy to thinking he might be right when a lightening storm reflects on his face. If he is hallucinating, how is this visible when the camera turns around? He asks “Is anyone seeing this?” And the remainder of the film hurtles toward a conclusion that supports this glimmer.

4. Midnight in Paris (dir. Woody Allen)

We all have a tendency to think we belong in another time period. That people used to have it so good. That we don’t belong here. When the fact of the matter is we are the masters of our own universe and are always capable of reaching the magic of our fantasies in the present. Owen Wilson’s Gil goes through a lot to get there. I see Midnight in Paris as almost a personification of a man going on an educational journey of sorts, reading all the greats in fiction and theory, in finding a journal of someone majestic and inserting himself into her life. But seeing his learning process played out in reality with these famous figures, and with this woman, makes the process of a life lesson all the more enjoyable. Gil learns a lot on his magical journey, but most of all that he can apply everything he has gained into the present as well and make the most of what he has and can have. Paris is the film this year that brought me the most pure joy. A brilliant company of actors having the time of their lives, locations to die for, dialogue an actor must ache to say, this charming Woody Allen flick is easily one of the best of the year.

Favorite Scene: In a clever storytelling move, Gil goes back with Adriana to her favorite era, the 1890s, and makes the decision to return to the present.

3. Melancholia (dir. Lars Von Trier)

I saw this film the earliest of every movie on this list, and it’s one that has stuck with me most through thick and thin over the past several months. From the stunning opening, to the longest wedding scene since The Deer Hunter to the inevitable inching closer of the Melancholia we all try to battle away and cope with in our own ways, the film is at once depressing and uplifting. Even if Melancholia impacting our lives and existence is inevitable, it is up to us how we respond to it and Lars Von Trier presents us with an array of attitudes to adopt and ways to go: the fatalist, the coward, the optimist, the innocent, etc. Ultimately, dealing with tragedy with a curiosity, an honesty, and an understanding are the methods that stand out most. And perhaps the best part of Melancholia? Everyone has a different interpretation and each one I read affects me just as much as the last. With stellar performances all around, deserving of a Best Ensemble award as much as any other film this year, and using the medium of cinema to its fullest degree, Melancholia would be my choice for the “artsy fartsy” slot at the Oscars,though I know it will most likely go to Tree of Life, with an outside chance  of it being Drive, if any "artsy fartsy" film is rewarded at all.

Favorite Scene: Justine’s forelorn new husband says goodbye to her as she is overwhelmed with her depression and he realizes it just won’t work. Her disinterest and his heartbreak are palpable.

2. Hugo (dir. Martin Scorsese)

Scorsese’s latest was an unexpected joy this year. A love letter to cinema much more than the other ode to silent film out this year, for the first time, a director  utilizes the medium of 3D as an integral part of storytelling, perhaps only rivaled this year in necessity, though for different reasons, by Wim Wender’s Pina. Telling a story about a man who dreamed big and put those dreams on celluloid, inspiring the rest of the world is one thing. To use the newest form of technology we have in cinema today to actually make us *feel* how Georges Méliès’ audiences felt when watching his innovative films that pushes the boundaries of what movies could be? That takes a master. We learn about one of the true early auteurs who shied away from the art he loved so for reasons based in upsetting reality, and get to see a beautiful take on this alternative universe tale of the boy who helps him rediscover his passion and the impact he made on the world. This is the film for anyone who has lost sight of their dreams, and in today’s world, that’s just as important as a movie that makes us think about war, about humanity, about the economic crisis, about family, and more, because ultimately, dreams are what keeps us going and Hugo explores this beautifully.

Favorite Scene: Hugo, Isabelle and Rene show up at Méliès’ house and play the film for his wife. Everyone in the room and the audience is moved and reinvigorated.

1. We Need to Talk About Kevin (dir. Lynne Ramsey)
No amount of nurture seems to be able to bring the titular boy in Lynne Ramsay’s bold return to the silver screen out of the darkness. This is a film so relentlessly upsetting that to even think about it is to rip a tiny tear in your soul. Tilda Swinton plays Eva, a mother dealing with her son’s unquenchable thirst for destruction. Screaming nonstop as a baby and staying in diapers till well into elementary school are signs pointing to a defect in the boy, but all the doctors deem him normal.  Still, Eva sees a side to him hidden from the rest of the world. The rot inside of him seems aimed solely at his mother and taking her down one notch at a time. But no matter how disturbed she gets by his actions, and how designed he is to ruin her, he is her son, she loves him, and nothing means more to her than his acceptance, no matter the cost.

Ultimately, Kevin feels the same way about his mother, seeking a deeper connection to the person he felt never truly loved him, as he was initially unwanted and the reason why his mother’s passion for travel had to come to an end. I’ve heard the the film described, specifically by David Ehrlich at Movies.com as a “lovestory” between Kevin and Eva,and I couldn’t agree more. Because we see the film from Eva’s perspective, we relate to her exasperation with him and it isn’t until the movie is long over that we begin to think back on her mothering skills and wonder how much they may have affected Kevin’s outcome and his idea of how to connect with her.

Tilda Swinton bears her soul with the performance of her career, John C. Riley does a fine job as her optimistically oblivious husband, and Jasper Newell and Ezra Miller shine as Kevin. Both (along with toddler Kevin Rock Duer) are stunningly beautiful and portray their up and down moments with a twisted believability.

Favorite Scene: Kevin gets sick to his stomach and for a brief evening, shows his mother the love she craves. Although he resorts to his cruel tendencies the next morning, their bond on that night has repercussions for years to come. Whether his behavior was genuine or part of a plan to upset his mother further is left to the viewer, as all dissections of the emotions running so high in this film are, but no scene better captures the heartbreak of a parent’s worst nightmare coming true, than this all too momentary look into what Eva’s life could have been.

List of films I’ve seen this year can be found here.

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Heavy Fire Afghanistan: PS Move Saves A Mediocre Shooter From Total Damnation

Cross-posted on and commissioned by Gaming Blend

With motion technology becoming more and more a part of at home gaming, we are beginning to see an influx of more arcade style titles. The latest is the railed shooter Heavy Fire: Afghanistan, which essentially exists just to try and capitalize on the success of the Call of Duty franchise. Unfortunately, this isn't Call of Duty: Motion Sensor, it's Call of Duty Knockoff: Motion Sensor, so it leaves a lot to be desired.

First off, the game opens with a painfully disconnected voiceover paired with a painfully pedestrian backstory. Yikes. Not a good sign. Both a Bukowski quote and the line "My name is Will and this is my story" make an appearance. The graphics are a little 2008, but they get slightly better in the gameplay, once you're past the insufferable cut scenes. All of the humans look more or less like cardboard, but this game isn't about humans it's about inconsequential gunfire!

There are 24 missions in total, 12 in Rookie and 12 in Veteran. This will run you under five hours to play the whole game. Though it is designed for repeatability, giving you the stat screen after every mission with your rank, your accuracy percentage, time played, rounds fired, headshots, etc, I can't imagine anyone caring enough to actually go back and attempt to beat a score.

I get the intention, I get the conceit, and for that arcade rush, Heavy Fire is certainly a fine enough time. The controls are very instinctual, I figured out how to shoot, reload, take cover and throw a grenade without ever consulting a guide of any kind, but the gameplay gets a bit bizarre when using the PS Move for anything other than combat enters the equation. A water tower is about to fall on you, move your controller to the right to not die! Move up to jump! Repeatedly move the controller vertically in an upwards motion to climb the ladder! And so on. Sure, they created a game based around a new technology, so they wanted to use it as much as possible, but honestly, these bits here and there did absolutely nothing to make the game more fun, if anything, the added movement hindered the experience, confusing me every time an icon said to move the controller in a random direction. And when I didn't do it, were there even consequences? At least thanks to the PS Move having lots of awesome potential with its accuracy, the gun movement is exceptionally fluid and stands out as easily the best aspect of the game.

Every two missions you beat, you get an armory point, which allows upgrades like holding more grenades and clips, faster reload, extra health, so on and so forth, for you to choose from. So once you're past the basic beginning levels, things get a little more exciting, as you actually have some options. The game starts to engage you a little bit more by, for example, having an enemy with a machine gun be killable by blowing up the car beneath him. This shooter, while mostly blah, does allow some room for strategy in terms of where you throw a grenade or how quickly you can take out the guys before they take cover or what parts of the environment you can destroy to make taking the enemies out happen a bit more efficiently. Little things that move it beyond being god-awful.

But being happy that a game has a sliver of strategy, strategy that doesn't even enter the gameplay until halfway through, isn't saying much. Aside from the accurate gun controls, the game is pretty worthless. As if the laughable voiceover and "storyline" weren't bad enough, there's never a sense of danger. The enemies just look like they are holding sticks that light up, and if their guns are making any sounds of any kind, it's news to me. I never thought the enemies had the potential to kill or even damage me until the last level. But after being so used to flying through the entire game, the sudden repeat deaths of the final level made me lose all interest entirely. Consistency, people. At least put health out when we need it instead of arbitrarily or try BUILDING in difficulty to adapt the player to what is to come.


Would I recommend buying this? No. Would I recommend renting it? If no other PS Move shooter is available and you're dying to try out the controls, well, sure. The shooting is great fun and that's no easy feat. I've played my fair share of frustratingly impossible-to-handle motion based games this year, so props to Teyon for their work in that department at least. Ultimately though, as much as it pains me to give a hard time to a small company, Heavy Fire: Afghanistan is a completely run of the mill knockoff filled with a little too much Marine propaganda for my taste. Your time can definitely be better spent elsewhere.

Players: 1-4

Platform(s): Playstation 3

Developer: Teyon

Publisher: Mastiff

ESRB: Teen

Rating: 4/10

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The Gunstringer: Proving Kinect May Not Be Useless After All

Crossposted and commissioned by Gaming Blend

Earlier this week marked the release of The Gunstringer, the first Kinect title from studio Twisted Pixel. The Austin-based company was looking to create a game that went past the casual nature of most Kinect titles and appeal more to the core players. As someone who has generally been unimpressed with how games have been using this motion technology, I was curious to see if one could actually break out of the box and hold my interest longer than five minutes. So did it? Let's break it down.

The basic concept of The Gunstringer is that we are participating in a puppet show starring the titular marionette with no name. The game opens following a woman into Austin's Paramount Theater as she takes her seat in a packed audience. The camera takes us back stage, where we see the actual, wooden puppet and follow it and its puppeteer through the hustle and bustle of opening night, and up on to the stage for the start of the game. From then on, there are occasional cuts to reaction shots of the audience to remind us where we are and provide a bit of comedy. Some have complained that this reminder completely takes them out of the game, but it didn't bother me in the slightest.

This charming concept lends itself extremely well to the Kinect because of how it figures in to gameplay. You use your left hand as if you were holding a marionette, lifting it to make the Gunstringer jump and moving it from side to side to make the Gunstringer, well, move from side to side. You use your right hand to engage in combat, whether it be with a gun, sword, flame thrower or fist. Knowing that you are "controlling a puppet" makes the idea of holding your hands out for 4 hours much more tolerable. The mere fact that logic is backing up the gameplay goes a loooong way.

Full review after the jump



The tale being played out in this puppet show you are controlling is one of the classic Western variety. The Gunstringer used to be a part of a posse. The posse betrayed him. Now he is taking his revenge, going after them one by one. This is divided into a prologue, four "plays", each with four "acts" and a boss battle, and an epilogue. Each "play" has a different theme - the Old West (posse villain = big oil baron), the New Orleans Bayou (posse villain = brothel madam), the East (posse villain = elderly ninja), and the Land of the Dead (posse villain = voodoo priestess). Each section takes roughly 45 minutes, but be warned, 45 minutes is a long time to continuously move your right arm in what can only be referred to as a "shooting motion". I had Gunstringer elbow after a mere hour. To continue, I had to both enlist the help of someone else for co-op play *and* throw an ice pack on my elbow. Note: I'm a healthy, fit 25 year old. Effing Kinect.

Even though the mimed act of shooting a gun can get painful, it was my favorite mechanic of the game. You move your hand over a total of six targets at a time, then pull your arm back, as if to fire, then you watch all six targets go down in one fell swoop. You really feel the force behind the shots you take. Which is why it was a damn shame when the physical act of doing it began to hurt too much to go on. I highly recommend taking your time with this game, as with *any* Kinect title. Elbow fatigue is infinitely more unpleasant than thumb fatigue.

Luckily, a Player Two came to the rescue. The co-op in this game is an interesting cat, equal parts necessary and pointless, exciting and boring. This is because the only function player two can serve is to assist in shooting. This is great on the one hand, because shooting is hands down the most fun aspect of the game, and not having to worry about moving around and dodging boulders, trees, bombs, sheep, walls, spikes, death (seriously, why the hell is there so much crap to dodge constantly), all you have to focus on is aiming and shooting. But this is simultaneously bad because it means when *anything* else is going on, such as punching (the focus of a few "acts") or the endless levels that involve nothing but jumping and dodging, player two just stands around, bored. But, as I said earlier, my elbow simply said no at a certain point, so having someone to focus on the shooting while I just worried about the Gunstringer's movement was essential to my enjoyment of the game. And as long as your player one stays the same, you can switch different friends in and out as player two.

Normally, one of my main frustrations with Kinect games is how inaccurate they can be, being either way too sensitive to movement, or not able to pick up on movement nearly fast enough. But the game engine for The Gunstringer all but eliminated that concern. Sure, once or twice the undead cowboy didn't jump when I lifted my hand, but for the most part, he did exactly what I wanted him to. Pro tip: When dodging things aiming to kill you, keep an eye on the wooden control handle where the Gunstringer's strings come from, as opposed to keeping an eye on the Gunstringer himself. Focusing on the location of the handle will help you navigate more smoothly.

Unfortunately, no amount of precise movement could help the "jump and dodge" levels from feeling repetitive and shoehorned in to an otherwise fluidly fun game. These frustrating levels seem like they only exist because they feature something the Kinect can do, as opposed to providing a fresh new angle to the story or gameplay. The variations I *did* enjoy were when the act of "pulling the trigger" was eliminated and you simply held your hand over what you wanted to shoot while the Gunstringer fired madly away, and the more classic arcade style of play, where you didn't have to worry about movement at all, as the screen moved for you, and you only had to wait for enemies to pop up so you could shoot them down.

But aside from certain frustrating elements (And to be honest, the "jump and dodge" element to video games always bothers me. Let me shoot something, come on.) and my Gunstringer elbow, the gameplay was a huge step up for Kinect. I felt in control, I felt powerful, and I felt the need to keep coming back, to see if I could do better.

One of my favorite elements to the game was the ever important (especially for any game that bridges on the redundant) death-not-meaning-you-must-replay. If you die, you simply select continue and pick up right where you left off. You lose all your points from that level as punishment, but that is a punishment I would GLADLY take over having to replay a level I didn't get through the first time. I have mentioned how much I hate jumping and dodging, right? I was very grateful for this element - many points to the game developers for knowing not to push their luck. They also get points for allowing the shooting of civilians to be counted toward your score, not against it. Just a side note.

The story and elements were surprisingly strong as well. Narrated by voice actor R. Bruce Elliot in an exaggerated Western style, The Gunstringer struck me as the perfect gaming companion piece to the surreal animated film Rango, another subversive 2011 spin on Western tropes. The humor in The Gunstringer is exceedingly bizarre, some of it way off the mark, some of it chuckle-worthy (at one point a bilboard within the game reads "All your land are belong to us"), all of it in weirdo territory. Some of this is explained when all of a sudden quotes from Troma's Lloyd Kaufman start popping up. Soon thereafter, it becomes very clear that these game developers have a soft spot for Troma (an entire subplot of the Bayou level involves a lumberjack-alligator love child), but just how much of an influence Troma had on this project would give away something I'd like you to discover for yourselves.

The design too, is top notch. Since this world is one of a puppet on stage, the other characters and items are created to look handmade as well, with stuffed enemies, cattle made of beer cans, push pins, paper dolls, card board cut outs and more. And every so often a hand comes down from the sky to manipulate something on the screen, either helping or hurting the Gunstringer in his journey. He becomes increasingly aware of this mysterious hand, which leads to a fantastically meta ending that must be seen to be believed. It had our whole participating group laughing out loud. The ending alone is almost worth the entire price of the game.

Additionally, The Gunstringer is rather fleshed out for a Kinect title. I'm not used to multiple menus and options, 50 potential achievements, DLC, "Hardcore Mode" and more. There are even optional commentary tracks you can unlock if you play enough of the game, that you can choose to listen to as you replay levels.

Overall, The Gunstringer is easily one of the most original, seamless and entertaining uses of the Kinect technology to date. The whole thing only took a few hours to play, in which 34 achievements were unlocked fairly naturally (leaving 16 slightly more challenging ones to go back and conquer if I ever felt the need) and I had a pretty damn good time doing it. Throw in the free DLC and code for Fruit Ninja, and it's not a bad buy. If you own a Kinect, here's your chance to own a game you may actually play. Fingers crossed other studios developing games for Kinect step it up the way Twisted Pixel has. Lionhead and Fable: The Journey, I'm looking at you. Don't let me down.

Players: 1-2
Platform(s): Xbox 360
Developer: Twisted Pixel Games
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
ESRB: Teen
Rating: B+

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Blu Ray Review: Insidious

 I shouldn't have watched this right before bed. I really shouldn't have watched this right before bed.

Today marks the DVD/Blu-Ray release of Insidious, an original horror film from Saw writer/director team James Wan and Leigh Whannell, produced by Oren Pell of Paranormal Activity fame. I found this unexpectedly genre bending film to be kind of delightful in its originality. Equal parts naturalism and theatricality, I must say I had no idea where it would end up when it began. Even though at every twist I'd think to myself "I knew it!" then wonder, "Wait...did I?" (And sometimes, yes I did, thanks for spoiling part of the whole movie, blurb on the back of the DVD case...) Somehow the structure of the film is such that it completely envelops you and often tricks you into thinking you're one step ahead.

But don't worry, this isn't a film based in twists and turns. What makes it truly terrifying is the slow burn, the build, the tension, the glimpses of what's truly going on, and some very disturbing imagery bringing up the rear. For me personally, I'm glad I saw it at home for the first time, rather than in the theater, because haunted house movies are practically meant to be watched at home. That's when they become the most tangible and frightening. And this film was no exception.

Another plus of watching at home was utilizing my surround sound system to enhance such an unsettling score paired with incredibly dynamic sound design. The sounds were so effective, we kept finding them bleeding into reality, becoming increasingly convinced that some of the creaks were coming from outside of the screen. It helped create an all too terrifying atmosphere.

Now this movie wasn't perfect for me. It was almost too dark at times to see what was going on and the comic relief fell a little flat as it was just too little too late and almost unwanted at that point but despite those small gripes, the film is worth seeing, for its interesting blend of genres alone. Then throw in the fact that it's low budget, well made, original and legitimately scary and it becomes a full on recommendation.

But to buy the Blu-Ray? I'm not sure I'm convinced.

There are only three extras, Horror 101: The Exclusive Seminar, which gives a little background on the idea of the film and the genres it delves into, On Set with Insidious, which features behind the scenes footage and bits about the on-set relationships, stunts, bits that were cut and more, and Insidious: Entities, a closer look at all of the Entities. While these extras aren't bad, they are nowhere near enough. The total under a half hour and only feature interviews with six people - a very enthusiastic Wan & Whannell in all three, and in Insidious: Entities, the Production Designer, Costume Designer, Head of the Makeup Department and Head of the Hair Department as well. The featurettes are are all informative and fun to watch, but ultimately don't go as in depth as I've come to expect from my blu-rays. There is no commentary, and no equivalent. Plus you're practically forced into watching multiple trailers before even getting to the main menu. Weren't we past that, as a people?

But because the film is such an interesting little combo of unique and bone chilling, I at least recommend a rental. To be watched at night. With the surround sound on high. I guarantee you will have trouble sleeping. And according to Wan & Whannell, that's the mark of a horror movie doing its job. So, mission accomplished boys. I'm using a night light tonight.

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Blu Ray Review: Lord of the Rings: Extended Editions

Cross-posted and commissioned by Film.com

Today marks the release of one of the best things to happen to Blu-ray since Blu-rays blu made their blu way into existence: The Blu-ray Extended Editions of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Digitally remastered from the films’ original 2K files (unlike the theatrical cut Lord of the Rings Blu-ray release), these movies can now look as beautiful on a television as they did in theaters, no matter the size of your screen. My breath was just as taken away with the stunningly crisp picture (approved personally by Peter Jackson) on an 82-inch TV as it was on a 42-inch, as it was on a 23-inch. And the sound, now presented in 6.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, is powerful, all encompassing, sleek and dynamic. Watching with surround or not, I still felt like I was chillin’ (or as the case mostly was, fighting/traveling/arguing/rescuing) in Middle Earth. The quality is definitely maintained here partly because the film is still on more than one disc, allowing more room for the smallest of details to come through in both picture and sound.

Including the two containing the film itself, each title brings with it five discs. The nine discs of extras are perhaps the most extensive I’ve ever seen. The first disc of extras for each film focuses on the process of book to screen/pre-production. The second disc of extras for each film focuses on the production itself, post production, and theatrical release. The third disc of extras house each correlating part of the Costa Botes documentary.

Now, are the 26 hours of extras also in HD? No. They aren’t Blu-ray, just DVDs. But I almost wonder if this is a sneaky way of immediately pointing out how impressive the remaster actually is. Going from 1080p to DVD-upgraded-by-Blu-ray-player is a very noticeable switch. An even bigger shock is going from the films’ rich HD images to the behind the scenes video footage, so low quality, even the faces in the foreground are slightly blurry. But because you get used to the low quality rather quickly, it thankfully doesn’t remain a nuisance.

Another important note here is that the 26 hours of extras are all exactly the same as the ones on the Extended Edition DVDs, save digital copies and some trailers for Lord of the Rings: War of the North. The downside here, obviously, is if you already own the DVDs, you are paying a lot of money *only* for the Blu-ray discs. But at the same time, I almost appreciate the lack of new extras as it means those who aren’t fortunate enough to own Blu-ray players don’t have to fear that they are missing out on any actual additions to the set they cannot own.

But for those of you who haven’t memorized the extras on the original extended editions, here is a handy dandy breakdown of what you’ll be getting for your $120.

Disc 1/Disc 2 – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Extended Edition
-The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition in HD/6.1 DTS-HD Part One (105 min) and Part Two (123 min)
-Four Commentaries, Directors/Writers, Design Team, Production/Post-Production team, Actors
-War of the North Trailer on Disc 1
-MTV Movie Awards Clip on Disc 1
Council of Elrond spoof with Jack Black and Sarah Michelle Gellar

A recommendation here that applies to each of these movies – because each commentary so specifically touches on different aspects of the films, they really allow you to create your own educational experience. Curious about the lighting and absence of color in Moria or about any of the digital effects? Click over to the Production track. Want to know how on earth Faramir and Eowyn holding hands could have been cut or why certain other elements were added or deleted? Listen to the Director/Writers track. Want to learn about Elijah Wood’s love of beer or hear what was going through each character’s head after Gandalf’s fall? Switch to the Actors track. And if you are curious about the design of the Ringwraiths or what was done to Frodo’s Elvyn cape to make it look like a rock, click over to the Design Team track. Although the names of those speaking only pop up based on which commentary you selected at the beginning, so if you *do* go track hopping, you won’t necessarily know who is speaking when. My personal favorite track was the Actors because not only do you get fun anecdotes and get to hear about the acting process, you also get bits and pieces of what would appear on the other tracks. For example, if you’re curious about King Theoden’s transformation, you’d think you’d get the most info from Design or Production, but it’s actually Bernard Hill on the Actors track that goes into it the most.

Disc 3: The Appendices, Part 1: From Book to Vision

-JRR Tolkien: Creator of Middle Earth (22min)
Brief biography on Tolkien and history of books & fandom
-From Book To Script (20)
Hear the relationship of many of the actors and crew members to the books, then learn about the process of initially adapting the books to screenplays.
-Storyboards and Pre Viz: Making Words into Images (20)
Learn about the importance of story-boarding and the many different ways of creating them
-Three Storyboards that didn’t quite make it into the film (11)
-Two Pre Viz Animatics (3)
-Two Storyboard/Pre-Viz to film side by side comparisons (4)
-Bad End Set Test (6)
FAVORITE ALERT. Peter Jackson and some crew members act out a couple scenes that take place in the newly built (but not yet dressed) home of the Baggins’. The highlight is getting to watch Peter Jackson throw his all into his performance of Bilbo.
-Designing Middle Earth (41)
Going through the production design of the film from start to finish
-Weta Workshop (43)
In depth look at all of the armor, weapons, special makeup effects, prosthetics, creatures and miniatures, it’s the coolest doc on the disc. I swear, co-founder of Weta, Richard Taylor with his loud, bizarrely accented voice could lead a really eccentric cult or something. And, well, I guess he kind of does.
-Costume Design (12)
Learn about the design for many of the characters’ costumes and get some perspective on just how much work goes into costumes for a project like this. If you’d like to know why 40 duplicates had to be made of every single costume, this is the one to watch.
-Galleries with optional slideshows of people and realms
If you ever plan on dressing up as a character from Lord of the Rings, this feature is your saving grace. Sketches, close ups of detailing, the actual pieces on actors – the best reference guide you could possible ask for
-Middle Earth Atlas
Interactive map of Earth. Pick the path of either Frodo or Gandalf and follow their journey on the map, complete with clips
-New Zealand As Middle-Earth (8)
Your guide to visiting Lord of the Rings set sites when you visit New Zealand! A map pointing out which realms where shot where, with location scouting footage and thoughts from location scout and Supervising art director, Dan Hennah

More - way more - after the jump!



Disc 4: The Appendices, Part 2: From Vision to Reality

-The Fellowship of the Cast (35)
FAVORITE ALERT. Actors on actors. Curious why Ian McKellan and Hugo Weaving got along so well? Or what everyone thought of Viggo Mortenson? Or in which ways Sean Astin went above and beyond to relate to Elijah Wood the way Sam related to Frodo?
-A Day In The Life of the Hobbit (13)
What it is like for the actors playing Hobbits on a typical day
-Cameras in Middle Earth (50)
Behind the scenes footage of production
-Gallery of production photos with Slideshow option
-Scale (15)
How they made a bunch of people who are more or less all the same height, look like hobbits and dwarves, elves and humans, all in the same shot
-Big-Atures (16)
Details on the incredible miniatures
-Weta Digital (25)
Goes over the 550 digital shots in the first film
-Editorial: Assembling an Epic (13)
A look at the editing process. One of my favorite facts here is that Peter Jackson and the editing crew would watch 3-4 hours of dailies every night. Every night!
-Editorial demo – Council of Elrond
Six windows of raw footage, featuring 36 takes in all. An example of what it’s like in the editing room. Nice to see some of the actors takes unedited – the moments between the moments.
-Digital Grading (12)
Explanation for why they went with digital color grading, plus editing bay demonstrations and mind blowing side by side comparisons
-The Soundscapes of Middle Earth (13)
Specifics on the sound mixing and editing process, the team for which ended up winning two Oscars. This especially makes sense when you realize the dialogue in the film is 85% ADR. This is what to watch if you’re curious about what was used to create the aural landscape of individual creatures, as well as the ring and freaky outy Galadriel
-Music for Middle Earth (12)
Goes through different themes, explaining the origins of each and how they were recorded. My favorite is The Fellowship Theme, duuuuuh.
-The Road Goes Ever On…(7)
Footage from the various premieres and a few retrospectives.

Disc 5: The Fellowship of the Ring: Behind-the-Scenes 

The Fellowship of the Ring: Behind-the-Scenes Doc (85)

The first of three Costa Botes documentaries, really makes you feel like you are on set, highly recommended. But as the docs are widescreen without being anamorphic, multiple sources have advised me to zoom in on the picture when watching with my BR player in order to get the most out of the images. I personally didn’t mind, but thought I should impart that knowledge onto you just in case.

Disc 6/Disc 7 – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – Extended Edition

-The Two Towers Extended Edition HD/6.1 DTS-HD Part One (107) Part Two (129)
-Four Commentaries, Directors/Writers, Design Team, Production/Post-Production team, Actors (this time with 100% more David Wenham, Mirando Otto, Karl Urban, John Noble, Brad Dourif, Bernard Hill and Andy Serkis!)
–War of the North Trailer on Disc 6
-MTV Movie Awards Andy Serkis Acceptance Speech on Disc 6

I must take a moment here to note the actors commentary in particular once again. During the credits, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan talk about every name as it comes up, then start listing which movies to watch next and it’s nothing short of hilarious. During the flashback scene between Faramir, Boromir and Denethor, John Noble speaks to Denethor’s motivations for disliking Faramir so and it sounds like you happened to step into an acting master class for a moment. And almost nothing on any of the commentary on any movie is better than hearing Andy Serkis speak about his extremely unique experience on set.
Disc 8: The Appendices, Part 3: The Journey Continues

-J.R.R. Tolkien: Origins of Middle-Earth (30)
More on Tolkien, specifically on how he drew from his experience in the war in writing Two Towers and his relationship with C.S. Lewis
-From Book to Script: Finding the Story (21)
FAVORITE ALERT. Learn about the reasons behind the changes from book to movie, including giving Faramir a proper Hero’s Journey, and the change that almost happened involving Arwen that thankfully got pulled.
-Designing Middle-Earth (46)
-WETA Workshop (44)
-The Taming of Sméagol (40)
FAVORITE ALERT. Tracing the development of Gollum from start to finish. Andy Serkis is a revelation / genius / greatest human being ever. But the animators who ultimately brought Gollum alive are nothing to sneeze at either. If you can only watch one extra for some reason, this is the one. Even Andy Serkis’ audition makes me want to throw up out of sheer admiration and awe.
-Andy Serkis Animation Reference (2)
Animation and Serkis’ performance, side by side. What would they have done without him?!
-Gollum Stand-in (3)
A look at the day producer Rick Porrus had to stand in for Andy Serkis
-Middle-Earth Atlas
Follow the paths of Sam and Frodo, Merry and Pippin, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, or Gandalf
-New Zealand as Middle-Earth (15)
-Production design galleries
-Gollum design gallery

Disc 9: The Appendices, Part 4: The Battle for Middle Earth

-Warriors of Middle-Earth (21)
FAVORITE ALERT. All about the stunt men and combat training for the actors. As someone who was once certified in both broadsword and hand to hand combat, I was helplessly glued to the screen during this one
-Cameras in Middle-Earth (68)
Just like the behind the scenes featurette of the same name on Fellowship, but taking us through Two Towers instead, which was a completely different experience, now tracking more than one storyline and containing more than one epic battle.
-Big-atures (22)
FAVORITE ALERT. Wow. I’ve never seen that many toy soldiers in my life. Holy crap, the detailing of these structures! This people are magicians.
-WETA Digital (28)
Learn about the roughly 791 digital shots in The Two Towers, over 200 more than the number in Fellowship
-Editorial: Refining the Story (22)
Featurette on cutting The Two Towers, featuring editor Mike Horton. Fascinating to see how many decisions that affected the whole movie were made in the editing room, including making the choice to do extensive Gollum pick-ups with Andy Serkis, that ended up truly defining the character
-Music for Middle-Earth (25)
In depth look at the score and individual themes for The Two Towers, the most difficult movie to score of the three, as it has no real beginning, middle or end
-The Soundscapes of Middle-Earth (21)
A look at the creation of specific sounds in this film, including Treebeard, the blended ADR introduction of the White Wizard and the wolves of Isengard. Plus, get to watch some Foley work in action
-The Battle for Helm’s Deep is Over… (9)
On the film’s release with footage from various premieres
-Production photo gallery
-Big-atures galleries
-Pre-Viz Animatic – The Flooding of Isengard
There is something particularly sweet about this animatic, especially when watching it side by side with the sequence from the finished film
-Abandoned concepts galleries
-Interactive sound demonstration
Listen to seven different audio tracks including on set, live effects with foley, computer sound effects, dialogue and music, then hear the finished product at your leisure. VERY cool. I particularly recommend track 4 during the close combat. Weapon sounds are epic cool on their own.

Disc 10 – The Two Towers: Behind-the-Scenes

-The Two Towers: Behind-the-Scenes Doc (106)
The next part in the Costa Botes documentary

Discs 11/12 – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Extended Edition

-The Return of the King Extended Edition HD/6.1 DTS-HD Part One (128) Part Two (135)
-Four Commentaries, Directors/Writers, Design Team, Production/Post-Production team, Actors
-War of the North Trailer on Disc 11
-Dominic Monaghan as Hans Jensen interviewing Elijah Wood on Disc 11
This. Is. Hilarious. Watch it now.
-MTV Movie Awards Spoof on Disc 12
Vince Vaughan and Ben Stiller pitching Lord of the Rings sequels to Peter Jackson

Disc 13 – The Appendices, Part 5: The War of the Ring
-J.R.R. Tolkien: The Legacy of Middle-Earth (30)
More on the life of Tolkien and his experience writing and developing Lord of the Rings, including the creation of the Elvysh languages and dialects
-From Book to Script: Forging the Final Chapter (25)
Goes through combining the end of The Two Towers with the beginning of Return of the King so the events actually play out chronologically, as well as other adaptation tidbits like the choice to separate Sam and Frodo before Shelob’s lair and the choice to add, then remove, a physical fight between Aragorn and Sauron and how the footage was re-purposed. And yes, the multiple endings are addressed.
-Aragorn Battles Sauron abandoned animatic concept
-Designing Middle-Earth (40)
-WETA Workshop (47)
-Big-atures (20)
Can I just have these? And play with my action figures and/or cats on them all day? I’m in awe.
-Costume Design (12)
This featurette mostly addresses characters introduced in The Two Towers, as well as the costume changes the main characters finally get to experience in Return of the King. MAN, the attention to detail on these costumes is staggering. And MAN do I want to own everything Eowyn wore. FYI, Ngila Dickson (and Richard Taylor) would finally and rightfully win an Oscar in 2003 for her work on Return of the King.
-Home of the Horse Lords (30)
FAVORITE ALERT! All about the horsies! Training, riders, the two Shadowfaxes and the best part, the bond Viggo Mortensen developed with Uraeus, the horse who played Brego. Viggo loves him some horsies.
-Middle-Earth Atlas
This time follows the journies of Frodo and Sam, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, Merry, or Gandalf and Pippin
-New Zealand as Middle-Earth (16)
The final destinations you need to know about in order to fully design your Lord of the Rings tour
-Design galleries
For costumes, realms and an entire one dedicated to miniatures!

Disc 14 – The Appendices, Part 6: The Passing of an Age
-Cameras in Middle-Earth (73)
Finally, the behind the scenes footage that contains one of my absolute favorite bits of Lord of the Rings production lore – that the scene where Sam and Frodo separate before Shelob’s lair took over a year to shoot. Sean Astin’s half was shot in November of 1999 and Elijah Wood’s half was shot in December of 2000. To know why, be sure to check out this feature. Another favorite bit is about how Viggo and Billy tried to help Sean Astin with the Sam/Rosie wedding scene, which leads into the reveal that for some reason Billy Boyd has kissed five members of the Fellowship. Hilarious section around the 40 minute mark. I highly recommend watching this one in its entirety as it ends with the emotional conclusion to production. I promise the hug between Peter and Elijah after his last shot of the pick ups will have you in tears.
-WETA Digital (42)
Detailing the 1500+ digital shots of Return of the King
-Mûmakil Battle Demo
Visual effects demo w/ optional commentary. Breaks down the steps of the effects intro Pre-Viz, environment, live action, animation, massive, rough composite and then the final film.
-Editorial: Completing the Trilogy (22)
This time around with longtime Jackson collaborator Jaime Selkirk editing, the featurette chronicles the work done on the three million feet of film chronicling five different storylines produced by the third film
-Music for Middle-Earth (22)
More of the same, but for Return of the King, this time including a look at Howard Shore’s cameo shot during pick ups and details on my personal favorite piece, Pippin’s Song, which I used to listen to on repeat because I’m a cool person.
-The Soundscapes of Middle-Earth (22)
-The End of All Things (21)
Chronicling the completion of Return of the King in post-production, which was barely finished in time
-The Passing of an Age (25)
FAVORITE ALERT! Extensive footage of the World Premiere in Wellington, which most closely resembled a royal wedding, but bigger. For realsies. WTF. It’s awesome. Here you will also find footage from the rest of the premieres, the most impressive of which is oddly Oslo and the sweep at the Oscars. It’s quite an emotional thing to watch after being engrossed of 26 hours of behind the scenes footage, seeing each department win their Oscar, recognizing every face. Plus, when is the last time a film won Best Picture and everyone on stage was crying? Nothing gets me like teary eyed Hobbits.
-Cameron Duncan: The Inspiration for “Into the West” (32)
Two shorts directed by Cameron Duncan, DFK6498 and Strike Zone

Disc 15 – The Return of the King: Behind-the-Scenes
-The Return of the King: Behind-the-Scenes Doc (112)
The third and final installment of the Costa Botes documentaries.

So what does this all add up to? A box set that is a must own for any movie lover. No question.

I still love these films so much. Cate Blanchett’s booming voice during the prologue of Fellowship still knocks me on my feet, and the fight on Weathertop still legitimately terrifies me. (Plus, after watching Game of Thrones for so many weeks, I got a lot of joy out of seeing young Ned Stark in action.) The very existence of Gollum in The Two Towers is just as impressive now as it was ten years ago and the friction he causes between Sam and Frodo is just as painful. Return of the King is still a sob fest of epic brilliance and my favorite of the trilogy.

All in all, despite one or two effects that seem somewhat outdated, particularly the admittedly rushed CGI of the wolves of Isengard, the Merry, Pippin and Treebeard blue-screen shots and that one shot in Return of the King of digital Legolas climbing up the Mûmakil, the effects in these films hold up outstandingly. This trilogy is truly a landmark, so many firsts, so many effects invented and perfected. It’s easy to forget, because of the effects heavy blockbusters that have now become commonplace and the relative ease with which epic fantasies can now be created, even for television. But these films paved the way for so much, it’s important to remember and honor that from time to time. It is also astonishing to realize that cameras were on set and taping for almost the entire process, pre-production, production, post-production, and pick-ups. How wonderful to know that we can safely expect something similar with The Hobbit.

On that note, yes, in five years I wouldn’t be surprised to see a a brand new twenty five disc set combining both Hobbit films as well as the three Lord of the Rings movies released today. I’d even expect more extras that time, retrospectives perhaps, the one thing really missing from this set. (You’d think there would be more advantage taken of the fact that these are being released ten years after Fellowship came out. My only explanation is that these will pop up on that inevitable Ultimate Crazy Complete Blu-ray Collection, out sometime in 2015.) But five years is a long time to wait to re-watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy, especially if you intend to revisit the world before seeing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey at midnight, December 14th, 2012. So with that in mind, I absolutely recommend this box set, duplicate extras and all. Because damn, are they good extras and daaaaaaaaaaamn, are these amazing movies.

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