Welcome

Yes, all the Live Wire blogs have finally come together (using the layout of the Live Wire Games blog) to create the ultimate in electronics news, reviews, and random opinions! I hope you enjoy this new blog, which will be updates even more often then the previous blogs. I will still have my older blogs up for the time being (livewire-movies.blogspot.com, livewire-games.blogspot.com, livewire-music.blogspot.com), but I will eventually take them down, as all the previous posts have joined together here.

Then And Now: Sonic The Hedgehog

"Then": A shot from the first Sonic game ever.

Sonic The Hedgehog's life has been complicated. He was originally created by SEGA in an attempt to beat out Nintendo's mascot, Mario. He didn't exactly succeed in crushing his foe, but he did make a name for himself with a series of classic 2D games. Unfortunately, things didn't go well after that.

While a few of Sonic's games have been adored by fans, the 3D games were bashed by critics, and most did not sell well at all. Eventually, with the collapse of their mascot, and the growing threat of the PS2, SEGA lost. They dropped out of the game console market and resorted to becoming a developer/publisher.

However, despite the major downfall, SEGA continued to release new Sonic games, even if it was for different systems. These 3D games have become infamous, as they do not capture the original Sonic "feel". However; this may have changed. Critics have recently come around and have praised the new "Sonic Unleashed". Unfortunately, the new Sonic and The Black Knight could be a backwards move into the years where Sonic was almost universally hated.

Perhaps one day Sonic will regain his old glory. If only SEGA realized what the people want: a completely 2D Sonic game for the DS. This would introduce new levels, but be very similiar to the original Genesis games (which basically shows what I want from developers: I don't want a sequel, I want a giant expansion pack!).

"Now": The official image of Sonic from Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

A Tribute To: John Williams

John Williams

Throughout movie history, many great (and some not so great) composers have come together to create original soundtracks for movies. As so many people watch the movies, the themes go down in history and become some of the most memorable pieces of music of all time. One of the greatest movie composers in our time is John Williams, the composer for the themes of Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and E.T.

I write this post not only to show the great achievements of composer John Williams, but because my high school band is currently practicing a piece entitled "John Williams: Movie Adventures" for our Spring concert. We play four of his famous themes: the Jurassic Park theme, the Star Wars theme, the E.T. Theme, and Duel of the Fates (all included in the playlist below).

John Williams' first job was conducting and arranging music for the Air Force Band. After three years of conducting, he began playing the piano for a multitude of composers. By 1959, he was composing for many movies with fellow composer Henry Mancini. He went on to compose the soundtracks for countless movies, many of which will go down in movie history.

Oscar Results

The Oscars are over, and the results weren't very impressive... Slumdog swept with multiple wins including Best Picture, and Best Actor. Penelope Cruz won Best Supporting Actress, and (thank goodness) Heath Ledger won Best Supporting Actor. The opening act, by host Hugh Jackman, was funny and entertaining, however, which made the whole thing good to watch.

Inside the DSi

The new "DSi", white (left) and black (right)
Nintendo of America recently revealed some more details on the upgraded Nintendo DS, the Nintendo DSi. It's North American release is set for April 5th, and will launch at the price of $169.99. To make it clear, this is not a brand new video game console. Like the Game Boy Advanced SP and Gameboy Micro, it is simply an upgraded version of the Nintendo DS.

The new DS boasts a wide array of new features and changes that set it apart from the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite. I'll start by getting the one major fault in the new DS - the removal of the GBA game slot. This might not seem like a big deal, but this stops anyone owning the DSi to play games with added attachments that fit in the GBA slot - namely, Guitar Hero: On Tour.
There are a lot of minor changes, like the power switch being replaced with a button, which has been moved to the bottom left of the touch screen. The screens are both .25 inches larger, and the entire system is 12% slimmer. The DSi even has 5 brightness settings (the Lite only had 4); however, the battery life has been reduced, an unattractive feature in my book.
Then, there are the big changes. Two cameras have been added to the DS. One is on the outside of the DS, on the lower left side. The other camera is on the inside of the DS, and allows you to take a picture of yourself while using the DSi. Another big change is firmware - like WiiWare, this new iteration of the DS has DSiWare, a service that allows you to download original games onto your DSi (saved on an SD Card, which the new DS is compatible with).

A view showing the camera on the outside of the DSi.
The new DS, although lacking some features, has a great many changes that I hope will make it worth the $170 price. I'll post a hands-on review of the DSi once it hits the states.

Oscars: 2009

The Oscar Award

As most of you probably know, the Oscar Awards are tomorrow. And seeing as these are one of the greatest achievements in the movie world, I've decided to post the nominees of this year's awards, along with my predictions for the winners,

Best Picture:

- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

- Milk

- Slumdog Millionaire

- The Reader

- Frost/Nixon

Best Actor:

- Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)

- Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

- Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

- Sean Penn (Milk)

- Richard Jenkins (The Visitor)

Best Actress:

- Angelina Jolie (Changeling)

- Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)

- Melissa Leo (Frozen River)

- Kate Winslet (The Reader)

- Meryl Streep (Doubt)

Best Supporting Actor:

- Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

- Josh Brolin (Milk)

- Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road)

- Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt)

- Robert Downey, Jr. (Tropic Thunder)

Best Supporting Actress:

- Viola Davis (Doubt)

- Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)

- Amy Adams (Doubt)

- Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

- Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Best Director:

- Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

- Stephen Daldry (The Reader)

- David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

- Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon)

- Gus Van Sant (Milk)

Here are my predictions for this year's winners:

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor: Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Best Actress: Angelina Jolie (Changeling)

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

Best Supproting Actress: Amy Adams (Doubt)

Best Director: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen - Thoughts And Opinions

As I'm sure you all know, the new Transformers movie is coming out this summer, and is sure to be a blockbuster hit. Being a huge fan of Transformers (thanks to my brother, who actually grew up in the 80's, I'm also a fan of TMNT), I was excited to see the first movie. The best part was, it wasn't at all cheesy - it was an exciting action movie, even if Michael Bay focused a little too much on the government part of the plot.

A "new" transformer being introduced: Soundwave.

This leads me into my next point: how will Michael Bay handle this epic sequel (or, in actuality, how did he)? On the commentary of the first film, Michael Bay stated he wanted more close-ups of the robots for a sequel. I'm really hoping this came true, because I don't think we got enough glimpses of the Transformers, which is something that should of been done. However, I am slghtly worried about the plot - did Michael Bay do a good job creating this sequel, or will it turn into the kind of sequel like Shrek?

I'm feeling hopeful that Bay did a good job, and I'm sure that Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox will play their roles well again. The animation team will no doubt impress again - the first movie's graphics were unbelievably life-like.

Stay tuned for more information and updates regarding Transformer: Reveng of The Fallen. It's definietely on my list of movies to see this summer.

Blast From The Past: Final Fantasy VII

Ah, yes, the old Final Fantasy VII. One of the greatest games of all times, it has recieved numerous awards and recognitions, and has even been credited with the popularization of RPGs (Role Playing Games) in the United States.

Although many people claim that the game was "over hyped" and many still claim it is over-rated, I believe the game deserves everything it's gotten. The gameplay is rich and exciting, and the Materia system is very in-depth. And even though the game was on PS1, the gameplay graphics are not bad, and the video graphics are absolutely stunning.
The story is long and interesting, spanning an entire 3 discs. It involves a wide range of characters, from your party to your enemies (and sometimes both).
I must state one of the best parts of the game: the music. A team of expert composers created the soundtrack to this game, which includes classical music along with more modern pieces. I strongly suggest you head over to ffonline.com to hear all of the amazing tracks in this game.
I give Final Fantasy VII a 10/10 - truly stunning. One of the greatest games in history.
** Edit: I've added some music from the game.

Joint Review: Chuck & Cake

Check out my review of Cake, the band that plays the theme song to Chuck here.

The main character, Chuck, played by Zachary Levi.

Starting quite recently (2007 in fact), Chuck has become very popular since it's Pilot episode, Chuck Versus the Intersect. The show tells the story of Chuck's (played by Zachary Levi) life as an awkward nerd working at the Buy More (Chuck's version of Best Buy) after he was expelled from Stanford University. He had been framed of cheating by his former best friend, Bryce Larkin. However, his entire life changes when Chuck recieves an e-mail from Bryce, containing images, videos, and information that are all absorbed instantly into Chuck's mind.

This information is called the "Intersect", and it had been stolen from the government. Once the government realizes this, two agents, John Casey (Adam Baldwin) and Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski), are sent to protect him.

Agent Sarah Walker, played by Yvonne Strahovski.

The show provides a great amount of drama and action, as well as some good comedy during the "down time" (around the beginning of the show, before the plot has been revealed). I give Chuck an 9/10.

Joint Review: Chuck and Cake

Check out my review of Chuck, the hit TV series with one of CAKE's songs as it's theme song, here.

The band's members.

The band Cake (technically written as CAKE) is an alternative rock band that never quite hit the "big time", but definitely became popular, and has gained a cult following, especially after their hit song, "Short Skirt/Long Jacket", became the theme song for the hit show Chuck.

They continue to make music today, and have a new album planned. They made news recently after converting their music studio to solar energy, and have claimed that their next album will be "recorded using 100% solar energy."

The band consists of John McCrea (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, organ, vibraslap), Vince DiFiore (trumpet, keyboard, percussion), Xan McCurdy (electric guitar), Gabe Nelson (bass guitar), and Andrew Griffin (joined in 2007 on percussion).

CAKE is a great band, with an original sound that everyone should hear; so click below to listen to "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" and other CAKE songs.

Review: The Snails

A local band, The Snails, has quickly skyrocketed in popularity recently. Although they are still "only local", with a tour coming up this summer, that will change. The Snails are original in that they have a completely different sound from other popular bands right now. To here a sample of their sound, go here. Although I do not have any followers at this time, I hope that you may see this and start "following" this band!

Flash Game Review: Dogfight 2

Like I said, here is another flash game review, this one also created by Rock Solid Arcade. I will not be reviewing the older Dogfight because I have played Dogfight 2 first and I would be much too harsh if I rated the first one.

Click here to play Dogfight 2

The first time I played Dogfight 2, I wasn't expecting much. I had never heard of Rock Solid Arcade, so I didn't know how good they were, and I had also never played a flight game (at least, not in flash). I was amazed at what Flash was capable of. Rock Solid Arcade has taken online games to the next level.

Dogfight 2 will blow you away with it's amazing attention to graphics and details. When you fire at an enemy plane (by pressing Space), you will see the holes appear in the plane. When more damage is dealt, you will see white smoke being released from the plane. When even more damage is dealt, the smoke will turn black. This isn't all; the graphics are also very sharp (just like Robokill), and the explosions are realistic.

Each level is unique in it's own way. For example, while the first level simply has you fighting two planes, another level might have you facing bomber planes, defending your camp, escaping a hail of gunfire, or even bombing down a zeppelin. The possibilities are endless, and Rock Solid Arcade has taken advantage of that.

The attention to detail, coupled with the originality of each level make for a truly astounding game.

Dogfight 2 also has another thing going for it that is sadly lacking in many flash games: sound. The background music of the game is intense and very fitting, while the action sounds are highly realistic. You can hear the sound of your guns firing, but you can also hear a new sound when they make contact with an enemy. Your bombs even sound realistic as they drop and explode.

I give Dogfight 2 a 9.5/10. The only reason I could think of to take that .5 away was the easiness. Dogfight 2 has many easy levels, but unfortunately, no difficulty settings. That is it, however; the game is entirely perfect other then that one simple fault.

Actor: Shia LaBeouf

Described as "the next Tom Hanks", actor Shia LaBeouf has made quite a name for himself (an odd name. "Shia"?) since his less-then-glamorous beginnings on Even Stevens (for the record, he had many one episode appearances on other TV shows before this). He landed a few small/supporting roles in films like I, Robot and Constantine before hitting the big time as a lead actor in movies such as Surf's Up, Disturbia, and of course, Transformers. However, he hasn't quit yet; he rocked the theatre in the thrilling action movie Eagle Eye, and is assured to get another box office hit with the release of Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen hitting theatres this summer, which should make up for the disappointment that was Indiana Jones, even if LaBeouf and Harrison Ford had nothing to do with it's failure.

Flash Game Review: Robokill

While I did plan to have console game reviews on this blog (and still do), this recession has made it impossible to have access to a large amount of console games. So, in the meantime, I can review another type of game, arguably just as fun: flash games.

My first flash game review is of Robokill, an exciting "WASD" shooter (meaning you use the W, A, S, and D buttons to move) from Rock Solid Arcade.

Click here to play Robokill

Now, before I start, I would like to mention the one major flaw with the game: you have to pay to play! This is only for the later episodes, however, and not the first episode. I will only be reviewing the first episode because I refuse to pay for a flash game, no matter how good it is.

The difference between Robokill and other flash games is apparent when you begin playing. The graphics are crisp and sharp, almost enough to be on a portable game console like the DS. The game is also much more in-depth then others. As you collect money from destroying rooms full of robots, you can spend the money to upgrade your weaponry. However, instead of just having one weapon you upgrade ridiculously, you can choose what weapons to use.

The shop screen

You have four slots available for your weapons, as well as four slots to use healing and defense items. The most interesting part in my opinion is the different weapon types. You start off with a light blaster, but there is also shotguns, grenades, and the most powerful laser. Each one has it's own benefits and disadvantages.

Robokill is a great game, and Rock Solid Arcade should be proud. I give Robokill a 9.5/10 simply because of a few tiny faults that could have been fixed up.

Blast From The Past: A Bug's Life

Just a few short years after the box office hit (not to mention the first three dimensional animated movie) Toy Story, a great (and in my opinion under-rated) movie was released: A Bug's Life. This movie told the story of the ant Flick and his attempt to warn and protect his colony. Now, the reason I bring this up is because there has been recent news on a Toy Story 3, 11 years after the second one was released. I feel that A Bug's Life should have a sequel; however, I am also not sure a sequel would benefit the movie. While I understand that not enough people have seen this movie, a sequel could introduce a bunch of a brand new characters with no real "meat". An idea I had was to simply create a new villian - spiders. It could be done easily, but this could bring it on a bad road... like Shrek, the once potential animated classic, with half a dozen sequels and spin offs to suck the money out of it like a vacuum operated by an anteater. Although it's obviously old, I'd like to give A Bug's Life an 8/10.

Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Being a big fan of action movies, I felt slightly apprehensive about going into The Curious Case of Benjman Button, but I can surely say that after seeing this movie, my mind has been completely changed.

The movie begins with Daisy, an old woman who is on her deathbed in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, along with her daughter, Caroline. Daisy's last request is for her daughter to read the journal of a dear friend of hers, the man who lived life backwards: Benjamin Button.

The movie explores Benjamin Buttons life from when he was born as an old man, to when he eventually closes his eyes as a baby. When Benjamin is born, on the day World War I ends, his father is rushing to the delivery room. The doctors tell him that his wife will not make it, and she makes him promise that he will "have a place". This scene displays incredible emotion as Button's father realizes the monstrosity that killed` his wife, and decides to abandon the child.

Benjamin's life is explored in detail as this 2 hour 48 minute movie progresses. We get to see as he meets Daisy, a young child, in his seemingly older days, and as they continue to interact as their ages get closer to meeting. The sheer emotion and drama of each scene in his life, and especially the final scene, is amazing. I give this movie a 9/10 because it is truly one of the most amazing movies I have seen in my life time.