R.I.P. Irvin Kershner, 1923-2010

Irvin Kershner, director of "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" (among other films, but who cares?) died earlier today in Los Angeles.

The Kersh will, of course, best be remembered for directing the sequel to "Star Wars," a daunting task if there ever was one. But I'll be damned if he didn't knock it right out of the park. Fanboys will no doubt debate the rankings of the "Star Wars" films for years to come, but we can all agree that ESB was the best. It will remain a shining example of the franchise, and sci-fi/fantasy in general.

I'm grateful that the Kersh lived long enough to see the 30th anniversary of his landmark film and the joy it's brought to millions of people (including myself) around the world. Really, what greater legacy can an artist ask for?

There is no death, there is the Force.

"The Clone Wars" jumps the Hutt

[Disclaimer: this entry contains strong language, both literally and figuratively]

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” has finally jumped the shark… er, Hutt.

As a long time Star Wars fan, I’ve suffered a few indignities along the way. Sometimes, I find myself agreeing with detractors and naysayers. Yes, the prequel trilogy wasn’t as good as the original. I don’t hate Jar Jar Binks or Ewoks, but I wouldn’t mind them being stricken from canon.

“The Clone Wars” is no different. Ostensibly, it’s a show for children. Just look at all the merchandizing. Older fans like me are mostly invested for the story. But even that is tenuous at best; for every enjoyable throwback to the original films, we’re subjected to the same scattershot crap that plagued the prequels.

GoldenEye: Source OST Review

For the longest time, I listened to the GoldenEye: Source Original Soundtrack on YouTube. I probably stumbled upon one of the tracks by accident. Anyway, I’ve never played the game, which is a multiplayer deathmatch mod for Half-Life 2. But the basic premise is a reimagining of the Nintendo 64 classic using Valve’s Source game engine.

Like the game itself, the soundtrack is also a reimagining. All the classic tracks from the game are here in one shape or form. In some cases, they sound just as good – if not better – than the original. There are also some new takes on everything from the original movie’s opening music (the hilarious “Golden Pie!”) to the music from the watch menu (a funky “Ghetto Remix”).

I'm Shippin' Down to Cincy...

 ... to find my wooden leg. Wait, that's not right. Does anybody else hear accordions?

Starting next week, I will moving from Columbus, Ohio to Cincinnati (also known as "Cincy" or "CinciNasty"*) for an extended period of job training. Once again, it seems that my dear electronic gaming media and I will be parting ways, at least for a while.