a weekly recommendations email
Written by J.S. Lewis
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PLUG IN
I realize that the AllMoPs release dates haven't been consistent. In fact, each time I've waited later in the week to get the issue sent out. But at least it has been weekly eh? That's what counts in "a weekly recommendations email." Don't try to argue Sunday being the start of a new week with me. It is the last day of the week and this time around I am using it. Perhaps in the not-so-distant future AllMoPs will claim a day of the week to always come forth.
Well, I've got a brief issue for y'all today, which could be due to my starting school again this week. Shorter issue hitting the stands in the final hours of the week... I know, sketchy and risky, but an issue nonetheless. They say third time's a charm folks. So, prepared to be charmed!
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MVOTW
Like the old TV show "Happy Days"? Yeah? Well, apparently Weezer does too. It's pretty impressive how they pulled this off... some parts still leave me scratching my now closer scalp (that's just my way of saying I got a haircut on Wednesday). Anyways, this MV was directed by the infamous Spike Jonze. He now directs fantastic feature films ("Being John Malckovich," "Adaptation," and "Where The Wild Things Are").
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GAMERAIN
Zombies and video games go together like Sunchips and a Subway sandwich, very well. One of the most refreshing zombie video games to ever hit the shelves was Capcom's "Dead Rising." It pits the player against hundreds of the walking corpses in the most ideal of locations, a shopping mall (a la "Dawn of the Dead"). Besides simply trying to survive, you help others to do likewise all while trying to get to the bottom of the mysterious epidemic (you play as a photojournalist named Frank West). Besides being a somewhat free-roam survival horror experience, most of the game's allure came from a fun and unique element: nearly every object you encountered (and a shopping mall is chock full of stuff!) could be used against the zombies. Potted plants, skateboards, traffic cones, and a toy gun that shoots tennis balls are just a few of the available arsenal. While "Dead Rising" isn't quite the one to rule and end them all (come talk to me if you really want to know what that game should be like), it comes closer than anything else out there. So, why am I praising a game that's been out for four years? "Dead Rising 2" will infect the world on September 28th. This time around you play as Chuck Greene, a former motocross champion, who tries to protect himself and his daughter in Fortune City (based on Vegas, viva la zombie). Technical advancements have been made for this new game (as they well should have). In the original a maximum of 800 zombies could be seen onscreen at one time, now it is possible for over 7,000 living dead to be seen around you. That's scary. That's cool. If you just can't wait to get a taste of this new zombie action I have good news for you (I'd bet big bucks they can't wait to get a taste of you too!). Earlier this week Capcom released a small game on Xbox Live Marketplace entitled "Dead Rising: Case Zero." It serves up a slice of the story leading up to the next game, you'll even play as Greene in a small desert town. At a great price of just five dollars, it is enough to satisfy until much more arrives later this month.
Speaking of zombies... the addicting and charming "Plants vs. Zombies" (currently available on PC, Mac, iPhone, and iPad) comes out on Wednesday on Xbox Live Arcade. If you've never played the amazing game before, now is the time to try! If you have played the game before, the new features and gameplay modes are worth checking out. If you want a less graphic and less violent method of dealing with zombies (than say the likes of "Dead Rising"), this is a great game for you.
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THE FILM TOME REPORT
Seen the trailer for "Devil" yet? It has Shyamalan's name attached so many people are likely hesitant to get onboard or don't really know what to think of it. In all honesty, I'm still a diehard Shyamalan fanboy. "Devil" is based a story by M. Night and produced by him. What's more, it is the first in what is being called "The Night Chronicles" (yes, a trilogy). What really has me excited is the following statement from Shyamalan: "The third 'Night Chronicles' is what would have been the sequel [to 'Unbreakable']." For whatever reason he wasn't able to make "Unbreakable 2," but the story and characters he had in mind for the project will be the third installment of the what starts the week after next.
I wish to shed some light on a new doc coming out soon, "Freakonomics." Based on the book of the same and made by the directors of some of the most prolific documentaries of the past few years ("King of Kong," "Super Size Me," and "Jesus Camp"), it's got a lot to say about a lot of things. Check this out to see if it's something for you!
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UNPLUG
That's a wrap! If you have any comments, questions, requests, complaints or threats please let your voice be heard by allmops@gmail.com. If you wish to be removed from the AllMoPs send-list, let me know. If you wish to add someone, let me know. Until next week, enjoy the start of September sweetness and thanks for plugging in!
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