Hall of Fame: Week 15

It's getting into full summertime mode here at the PtP offices. So what better way to start another amazing summer weekend than with a little HoF PtP? It's times like these that we prefer to crack open a few cold ones, while Anthony sips on his spritzer, and just enjoy the fruits of our past media consumption.

This week Matt pays homage to the king of fighting games and makes me want to get back into the old arcade, Dabs gives us a show that really probably represents the PtP crowd far too well and unfortunately was canceled far too soon. Anthony gives us an throwback to a true zombie flick where you don't have to worry about them running like cheetahs and leaping like monkeys; but damn don't you learn something about humanity. As for myself I explore a band that really reached its potential after it dumped some of its trash. Enjoy.

-Pat

The Game: Street Fighter II

Want to know if someone is a true gamer or not, ask them what is the greatest fighting game of all time…if they give you any other answer than Street Fighter II, their opinion is to be discarded and from then on they are to be considered a gaming novice. One can spend hours debating the best FPS, platformer, shmup, etc. as these are open to opinion. But in the world of fighters, it is impossible, yes impossible, for anyone to logically dispute Street Fighter II as the greatest fighting game of all time.

Question: Why go to the arcade when home consoles offer amazing titles for a one time fee? Answer: Because some arrogant shithead is at the arcade and thinks he can demoralize you in front of your friends using Blanca (Ken all the way baby!). Street Fighter II was amazing in that it was one of the few games responsible for revitalizing the arcade industry…once again lines were trailing out of your favorite arcade…enter the hardcore gamer. Sure one could take on the computer, but the real pride came from defeating your peers. SFII wasn’t the first fighting game…but it was the first to do it well, introducing several features that have become important staples of the fighting genre (multiple characters, different move lists, combos, refined one on one gameplay). Unlike any game before it, Street Fighter II promoted a player driven culture that has forever changed the world of gaming. Forget Doom WADS, forget downloadable map packs, forget Little Big Planet, Street Fighter II was one of the first games where players were responsible for game content. Instead of squashing pirating, Capcom legitimized it by adopting features of pirated SFII arcades in future updates (Championship Edition, Hyper Fighting, Super Street Fighter II).

Putting the historical importance of this game aside, Street Fighter II is as fun today as it ever was...anyone can take a shot at this fighter and enjoy it…its timeless. Released eighteen years ago, the game visually impressive; the characters still appear varied and unique, the backgrounds are still bright and colorful. In one fell swoop Capcom made Walt Disney look like a talentless hobo. Today the franchise shows no signs of slowing; Street Fighter IV, released recently has been met with great praise (…and is a blatant nod to SFII). Although we have been blessed with great franchises such as Tekken, Soul Calibur, Virtua Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and countless others, it is important to revere the king…long live Street Fighter II.

-Matt


The Show: Freaks and Geeks

How come all great TV shows are canceled prematurely? Oh, because America is stupid, I forgot.
Freaks and Greeks was a great come-drama based in 1980 that introduced some of the top names in current comedy and film: Seth Rogen, James Franco, and Jason Segel. The concept was great, two groups of friends living the real eighties of awkwardness, being dumped, ditched and doped up.
The Freaks were older, dealing with relationships and pot and the absolute shittiness that is high school. They skip class to smoke a bowl, party late night, and overall do the things I should have done in high school more often. The comedy was amazing, subtle and insulting in true PtP fashion. But even as they bitch about their dead end town and how their band should take it to the next level (and not just cover Rush), they seem to take for granted the fact that they all have each other's backs.

This element is found with the Geeks as well. Needless to say I could relate with these guys a lot. Pushed around, beat up, and completely overlooked by the female species (at least they were pursuing girls though, that is where Anthony went wrong. But at least he has Mulligan to massage him to sleep at night.) Classic moment is when lanky,coke-bottle-eye-glasses-wearing Bill drinks a bunch of beer from a keg and is rolling around on the floor. Or when he makes out with a chick. Basically everything Bill does is hilarious, including breathing.

The show reminded me of a Wonder Years for a new generation and sans the narration. There was no wise voice speaking in the background forcing the theme down your throat, it was hilariously acted out in front of you.

The show lasted a mere 18 episodes. A shame and failure for American television as we know it.
So I'm pumped to hear some Lincoln hatred on this one, bitches.

-Dabs


The Movie: Dawn of the Dead

31 years ago George A. Romero released the follow-up to Night of the Living Dead. Dawn, while not an actual sequel, was a spiritual predecessor, thematically carrying the torch of the original. This time Romero used the film’s setting, an abandoned shopping mall, to take aim on American consumer culture, as zombies wander from store to store without really distinguishing themselves much from their living counterparts that used to frequent its stores. Like any zombie film worth its salt the symbolism is there, and like any good zombie film it’s about as subtle as an axe to the head. Like the director’s original film, the movie is less about the zombies than the people trying to survive them. The survivors find refuge in the mall, and use barricades to isolate themselves from the walking dead. Romero is making the same point here as he was in the original: the living dead aren’t the biggest threat to humanity here... humanity is the biggest threat to itself. The 2003 remake of the film was well-made, but while it added faster zombies and zombie-babies it neglected the ironic humor and social satire. I prefer the latter, even though Zombie-Baby was undeniably cool. It all ends the only way that a zombie apocalypse can end... hint: It doesn’t end well.

-Anthony


The Album: One Day Remains by Alter Bridge

The formation of this band possibly was one of the greatest things that I got to follow with such amazing enjoyment words can’t even describe how it still makes me laugh at Scott Stapp. The birth of this band came from the gutted remains of what was Creed, and while that band was alright Alter Bridge took the best elements, being Mark Tremonti, Scott Philips and Brian Marshall, and left the suck that was Scott Stapp for the greatly talented Myles Kennedy.

First a little Scott Stapp disclaimer… If there is one band member above all else that I loathe it is this self serving prick. Never mind the fact that man literally licks Sanford’s nuts to increase his solo album sales, but his utter lack of talent and disrespect for his former band, music and the fans is to this day the epitome of what is a “tool”.

Back to the HoF… Alter Bridge did not disappoint with their debut album. There is literally not a bad track on it. The vocals are a far cry from the heavy grunge that Creed was known for in its early albums but rather this was more alternative with a lead singer who not only could actually sing correct notes and match chords, but also had a range that was just sick to listen to.

One Day Remains contains both fast/get up type music as well as some moderate contemplative tunes, I wouldn’t dare to call them slow, even “In Loving Memory” picks up the count shortly into the track but the message isn’t lost with it.
Bottom line was that Creed died creating the phoenix that is Alter Bridge and really nothing was lost, the only things were gains with Kennedy; a singer who these band members truly deserved, and the new sound/voice that really is enjoyable to listen to.

-Pat

Hall of Fame Week 12/100th Post

HAPPY ONE HUNDRED POSTS EVERYBODY!!!!!

So if there were a documentary about the blog, Anthony and I would have a bigger rivalry than Lennon and McCartney. Some will say I am weak for giving in and releasing this Hall of Fame that has been collecting digital dust for nearly a week, but I say I am a champion of you, the reader. I came to this blog late in the game, but I knew I was joining a site that was dedicated to providing useless, demeaning and somewhat trivial information on various forms of media for your internet browsing pleasure. Some of us, *ahem* Anthony *ahem*, don't realize that you, the reader, are our bread and butter. Without you we wouldn't be able to afford anything. We wouldn't make money from all the advertisements and we...wait a minute. We don't make shit. Most of you read our blog out of pity. Fuck.

Well, better late than never. Hall of Fame week 12. Anthony explores perhaps the best text on post-apocalyptic Earth since the term post-apocalyptic was coined; Matt reveals his secret training regimen for the zombie apocalypse; Pat beams himself up to the final frontier; and I let you all know that you are stupid if you haven't heard one of the best albums of all time. Enjoy, bitches.

The Book: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The greatest stories, the kind with lasting appeal and a driving message are typically simple in theme. The writing in The Road is simple and beautiful, a stark contrast to the content, which is the bleak grays of humankind on the brink of extinction. It is powerful, and managed to effect my mood for the few days that I read it. To say that the novel is post-apocalyptic conjures up the idea of a overexposed genre typically far from high art. McCarthy uses the setting to bring out the father-son relationship that is truly the heart of the story. The road is about the father and son searching for food and shelter along the road. We see the worst in humanity, brought on by the end of the world, cannibalism, cultism and greed as people fight for the scraps left to sustain the dregs of humankind: no humanity remains, spare that of the little boy. Messianic overtones aside, the young boy represents what is good in us, with his youthful optimism in the worst of circumstances. The book is about growing old, and making that journey with your father, and all that encompasses. I’m not even ashamed to say it got a little dusty in the final pages. This is one of the greatest books I have ever read.

-Anthony

The Game: DOOM

I spent a few days thinking…contemplating…pondering…and the end result of my three day thought experiment was a conclusion that is both profound and controversial: the conclusion that I reached was that the PC game DOOM was one of the greatest creations in the history of mankind, right next to the wheel and cheese-in-can. Let’s review: DOOM was a game about a space marine sent to explore mars after a portal was opened up to hell. To reach the end, the player would blaze through an arsenal of weapons while spewing demon guts all over the Martian moon bases.
Marines…demons…mars…hell…guns…gore, for an eight year old this was the shit wet dreams were made of (before they had any idea what a what dream was). Without question, DOOM had more in common with alcoholism that an actual video game. You could very easily spot the tell tale signs of DOOM player at school…the pale skin suggested that they spent very little time outside…the bags under the eyes suggested days of continuous eye strain…the odd odor coming from their body suggested they sacrificed a shower for twenty minutes of demon slaying before school. Medically speaking, Doom was disease, and damn did it feel good to ride the downward spiral of illness.
At the time of its release in 1993, Doom was cutting edge, a first person shooter that went well beyond anything before it in the graphics department (Wolfenstein 3D, I still love you babe). The levels were well designed, crisp and fluid; running through the Martian moon bases never felt so real…or looked so good. DOOM’s soundtrack is also quite possibly one of the most recognizable in the history of videogames, standing one the same pedestal as the theme from Super Mario Bros. The second the first level opens up, you know two things: 1. shits going down, 2. it’s your job to kill everything. Even the sound effects were nothing short of incredible: the ambient chatter of Imps, the hissing sounds of Cacodemons, that oddly porn sounding grunt you make when you can’t open a door. Aesthetics aside, where DOOM truly shines is in the gameplay. Sure the game shows signs of aging compared to today’s FPS’s, but what DOOM lacks in flash today it makes up in character. This may be grumpy old man Matt sitting on the porch throwing empty beer bottles at kids again, but I would much rather play DOOM than any FPS released in the past fifteen years. Whereas modern FPS’s concentrate on strategy and resource management, DOOM boldly pushes run-and-gun in a manner that has often been imitated but never duplicated. Run, shoot, and don’t die…simple as that. In the end, DOOM is one of the crowing achievements of man. Sure fire was cool and all, but c’mon, this is fucking DOOM we’re talking about…
On a final note, what game today boasts having a “Big Fucking Gun”…that’s right, just DOOM.

- Matt

The Movie: Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country

Since this being the weekend that the Star Trek series gets a much needed reboot and since it harkens back the good ole’ days with Bones, Kirk, Spock and the rest of the legendary crew; I thought it would be appropriate to post one of my favorite old crew flicks.
Let’s be honest, with most of the Star Trek films, unless you’re a real Treky or at least trying to be, you’re not going to get much out of the movie or care too much about it. This last installment of the original Star Trek crew is the way a franchise of this caliber should end; on a high note. The film might not be much for deep interpretation or huge dramatic scenes but what the film does do is bring out the best of what the series has to offer.
Scenes such as where the Klingons are dinning with the Star Trek crew while Kirk and the One-eyed Klingon general Chang, played by Christopher Plummer which is amazing by the way, trade quick insults at each other’s cultures; some go as so far as to reference Hitler. Which if that doesn’t get you to chuckle I don’t know what will. Even Spock had to smirk at that one.
The story presents the case that the ultimate enemy of the Federation, The Klingon Empire, needs help. Their planet and their species are dying. And the man chosen to begin talks on how to save not only the peace between the two races but one’s very existence is Captain Kirk. The man, whose only son was killed by Klingons is a tragedy which he has never forgotten nor forgiven. This underlying sense of mistrust from the start leads to sharp talk and eventually assassination of the Klingon High Chancellor; who strange enough for a Klingon was actually promoting peace. For this crime Kirk is accused of if not being involved but at least complicate in the outcome. Both Kirk and Bones are arrested and brought back by the Klingons where they are convicted of their charges and given essentially a death sentence within a labor camp.
All the while crafty Spock knows that there has to be another explanation… which leads to the discovery of a massive conspiracy to assassinate the Federation president and keep the Klingon and Federation at war indefinitely. The crew races to save their beloved captain and doctor and also discover the truth to who is really behind the chaos.
The flick is definitely well done and while it may have one slow point, the majority of the film is either in high suspense or action mode. Not a bad way for the old cast and crew to go out. Definitely something to see before or after you check out this latest installment of the Star Trek dynasty.

-Pat

The Album: Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Deciding which album to add to the Hall of Fame for my first selection was almost painful. I knew my first choice would give everyone a full flavor of my musical taste, and I didn't know if I wanted to go with a classic or with something really new and undiscovered. In the end, I chose an album that has a little of both qualities: Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

When I first spun this disc so many years ago I dug it, but not nearly as much as I thought I would. It grew on me like warts on Anthony's you-know-what. Even now I listen to the album and am amazed at the layers in each song, which sometimes can only be described as structured ambience - if such a thing exists.

Singer Jeff Tweedy does everything right in this album. Ranging from the solemn Radio Cure to the poppy Heavy Metal Drummer he hits all his notes perfectly. I say perfectly because no other word aptly describes his vocals excepts for "perfect" on this album.

A song that has always stood out for me on the album is "Jesus etc." The violins, bass line and lyrics are soft and smooth and just feel good going down:

" Jesus, don't cry
you can rely on me honey
you can combine anything you want
I'll be around
you were right about the stars
each one is a setting sun

tall buildings shake
voices escape singing sad sad songs
tuned to chords strung down your cheeks
bitter melodies turning your orbit around "

I am a big fan of albums - that is when artists that do more than just put a bunch of singles on a disc and call it good - and this is one of the best. YHF has a great pace to it, starting out strong with the anti-love song I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, slowing down with The Ashes of American Flags, getting right back into it with Heavy Metal Drummer and finishing out with Reservations, one of the best final songs to an album ever:

"Oh I've got reservations/about so many things/but not about you"

Oh Jeff Tweedy, if only you were talking about me.

The album almost never happened, which would have been a travesty. The band nearly broke up during its recording and their record label dropped them after hearing it (I guarantee all of them have the worst music taste ever, and, without having met any of them, I can declare that I hate them). If you like the album check out the companion DVD that chronicles the album's making, I Am Trying To Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco. If you haven't heard the album, stop being an idiot and go buy it.

-Dabs

Pixels to Polys Hall of Fame - Week 10

In a rebellious and direct slap in the face to my fellow Pixels to Polys writers I actively procrastinated in the writing and posting of this week’s Hall of Fame.  I was bored all weekend, and even wanted to write it on Friday, but resisted the urge in order to twist the knife of my most hated friends; Pat, Matt and Intern.

This week Dabs inducts a libraries worth of books in a single week, Pat spams scoped pistol, and Matt wraps a flannel around his waste and broods his way through whispered verses and screamed choruses.  I’ll bring it all home with a movie that will have sex with your mind.

The Book: The Dark Tower Series - Stephen King

So my first induction of a book into the hall of fame is not one book, but seven. 

Stephen King is considered by most critics to be a pulp writer, with not much talent for writing literature, but rather scary novels that people like to buy in airports. I can buy into that. Some of his stuff offers no more than cheap thrills.

The Dark Tower series is a complete departure from King's usual horror shtick. In fact, one of the main reasons this series stuck out to me as a HoF candidate for this site is that it is truly a compilation of popular culture and existential adventure.

The story begins with The Gunslinger, which introduces readers to the series hero, Roland of Gilead. Roland is Clint Eastwood from the Outlaw Josey Wales or High Plane Drifter or The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, take your pick. He is a gristeled cowboy from a forgotten time that is chasing a man he truly doesn't understand or really even know. Roland is mysterious and a fucking bad ass. He is a Gunslinger, a true and trained killer that could blow any specific part of your body off at any given time (Anthony, this might not hold true for you. Some things are just too small.) 

Roland's story overflows through time and space and through the next six books we are introduced to the group of people - a twelve year old boy from the fifties, a coke fiend from the eighties and a schizophrenic amputee from the sixties - that will assist Roland in saving not only our universe, but all universes connected to it.

The journey is intense. King mixes up every book with a new style and focus. The second installment, The Drawing of the Three, almost plays like an action movie, you can see the bullets being fired and taste the Pepsi that Roland drinks for the first time. The fourth book, Wizard and Glass, puts the whole story on hold and brings the reader back to Roland's childhood in his first official case as an ancient Gunslinger.

I won't describe every book because it would just take too long. 

King takes advantage of his detailed writing style and introduces a universe that connects Indiana Jones, the Good the Bad and the Ugly, Blade Runner and 2001: A Space Odyssey all in one. Any lover of modern American film culture will appreciate many of the references King has in this series and will enjoy the originality this book brings to the usual book "series" formula. Any lover of Stephen King will appreciate how he included nearly his entire repertoire (He wrote the Gunslinger in the late seventies, finished the final book "The Dark Tower" in 2003) in this series, tying almost all of his works together in a very neat knot.

So take the time to read this series. All the books are listed below and almost every library in Maine has fifty five copies of every Stephen King book ever written, so no excuses. Get to it.

The Gunslinger

The Drawing of the Three

The Waste Lands

Wizard and Glass

Wolves of the Callah

Song for Susannah

The Dark Tower

-Dabs

The Game: Halo: Combat Evolved

I really expected this game to be one of the first things on the HoF but then I realized that Matt really isn’t a first person shooter, Anthony is hit or miss when it comes to that type of game and well Dabs, I got nothing to compare to.

If you haven’t played Halo the only excuse I can assume one would use is that they are trying to avoid “consumerism” or “the crowd”. Sounds like another pitiful excuse I have heard for such triumphs of media, such as say, Star Wars. But that is an entirely different post. Halo, on the other hand was a massive launch game that at the time was to be one of the big titles for the launch as the Xbox was Microsoft’s first foray into the gaming console arena. I have to say; the crew at Bungie might have single handedly assured the survival of that first generation of consoles. 

Halo was a new type of game in that we didn’t really have much of any understanding of what the games true meaning was. Halo? What the heck does this have to do with a bunch of aliens and a kick-ass robot Spartan? The game gave you just enough to think you knew that this was the basic routine of humanity vs. bad alien guys. That story line most likely would have been a game killer, had it not been for the immense scale, multiplayer, and operatic cut-scenes and music which made the game so amazing when you first stepped into the world of Halo.

The twist in Halo was one of my favorite of any modern game, not at all what I expected, especially since I was up like a 2am in the dark and all of a sudden this music gets much more eerie and I avoid horror games like the plague. (even in daylight I need at least a body count of 2 or more to brave one) The sheer scale and amazing operatic music that was put into the game really paid off to the whole experience, taking what we thought was going to be the next Golden-Eye and really giving it not only the multiplayer but a stunning campaign as well. I still think the best campaign was in Halo 2 but again that’s another post. 

So if your still a hold out on some game (or movie) cause you think it shows that you have some discipline or maybe even a little more character than the average flunkey; get over yourself and your consumer celibacy. Go play it on your little brothers/sisters console like you know you’ve always secretly wanted to, we won’t taunt you because of it… too much.

- Pat

The Album: Doolittle by Pixies

Statement: we could sit here all day and argue which Pixie’s album I should have inducted today. Statement: that argument would be futile because all Pixies albums are great, even the ones critics say aren’t so good (looking at you Trompe le Monde). So how did I decide to induct Doolittle and not their other albums? Well, because I liked Doolittle just a hair better than Surfer Rosa and Bossanova…nothing real scientific there. For me, Doolittle gave the greatest bang for my buck. Tracks like Debaser, Wave of Mutilation, Monkey Gone to Heaven, and Hey are staples of alternative rock…and like vitamins should be received daily. I can’t stress enough that Pixies should be in every music lovers collection...quite possibly one of the few things I can praise from the 80’s. The whether it be the obscure lyrics, the “loudQUIETloud” dynamics, or the sheer fact that Black Francis can scream like a monkey with a car battery wired to its balls, Pixies are a phenomenal and influential band the reeks of Hall of Fame…and Doolittle…well, listening to Doolittle is comparable to huffing turpentine and seeing Jesus. Sure you’ll get a headache eventually, but damn was the spectacle worth it.

Matt

The Movie: Adaptation

Film’s most fascinating active screenwriter Chalie Kaufman (Eternal Sunshine, Being John Malkovitch) piles on the layers in this mind bending comedy-drama-thriller.  Try and keep up, because I’m likely to get lost myself, and start weeping openly from trying to explain it.  Kaufman writes himself into the script as the star, an artsy screenwriter struggling to write a movie adaptation on a non-fiction nature-study buck called “The White Oleander.”  The book is real, as was Kaufman’s original attempt to write that movie.  Charlie Kaufman’s goofy and funny counterpart is his twin brother, Donald.  Both are played by Nick Cage, but Donald, the person, doesn’t actually exist outside the movie, but is given real credit as co-screenwriter for Adaptation (and he is the only fake person to win a real Academy Award when the film won for best screenwriting).  In “Being John Malkovitch,” another instant classic, Kaufman somehow got the actor John Malkovitch to play himself in a risky role that could have easily turned out terrible in the wrong hands.  Here he gets nature author, Susan Orlean, to allow herself to be portrayed in a negative light on film (played by Meryl Streep) as her interaction with Charlie moves far past his meager efforts to adapt her novel to film.  The movie could have simply been an exercise in cinematic flexing, as Kaufman turns the script inside out in almost indecipherable layers.  However, the writer never loses sense of action and humor, and the movie remains entertaining throughout.  He uses narration, and the semblance of reality, to be critical of the act of screenwriting, his own idiosyncrasies, and the idea that his attempts at an art-house-film all somehow build to a totally sell-out climax in the film.  If you understand anything that I just wrote, you’re a step ahead of me.  

- Anthony

Pixels to Polys Hall of Fame - Week 9

(Official Seal to change soon)

Wow, we're getting sloppy with the Hall of Fames guys, real fucking sloppy! I'm disappointed in all of you, and its a good thing Dan doesn't have internet right now or he'd rip right into you lethargic Teds...don't ever make me wait like that again! Now that I've berated my fellow writers for my own failures, (taking responsibility for your actions is lame) its time to get down to business. This week: Anthony, like a delicate songbird, sings the praises of arcade style basketball at its finest; Dabs goes on to induct a collaboration between my two favorite actors, and in the process makes me want to steal things; Pat touches base on the fine line between listening to an album 1000 times and going insane; and examine the Bible of panicked government hating crazies in our first ever book inductee. Sick week guys! And for the record, Blogger lets me change time and retroactively post (I like to think of myself as Doc Brown right about now). So looking at the publishing date, we were in a sense on time...just don’t make me do that ever again...

The Game: NBA Hang Time

Hook up your multitap, find 3 friends with a SNES controller each to their name, and you will have a hard time beating this for pure gaming bliss. NBA Jam revolutionized sports-arcade gaming by tuning up the excess that makes sports great, while cutting off the technical fat (fouls, free throws, out of bounds... uh, you know, the rules) that often gives the games a big barrier of entry for less enthusiastic fans. The less popular, but far superior, Hangtime follow-up may have missed the NBA Jam trend, but it perfected the formula. The create-a-player option lets you ball as some real freaks, and the record holders provide some real bragging rights, which are at the hart and soul of the experience. It takes a timeless game to make the PtP halls, and Hang Time is as fun today as it was more than a decade ago. My palms are sweating just thinking about it.

-Anthony

The Movie: Heat

You can tell when watching this movie that Michael Mann was really running on all 8 cylinders. It didn't hurt that he had an all star cast - including DeNiro, Pacino, Kilmer, Sizemore and Ashley Judd to name a few - to bring his screenplay alive.
This movie has, in my opinion, the best bank heist scene ever. It makes M-16's look freaking awesome (which they are) and the music, sound and action all swing together like some apocalyptic symphony of death. Watching DeNiro and Kilmer just rattle off rounds that blow through cops and their cars while running around the streets of LA with millions of dollars strapped to their backs definitely gets the adrenaline pumping.
But what makes this Michael Man film memorable - like all great films - is the small things. The plot, acting and big action is obviously key, but the seemingly insignificant details that Mann included flush out some already great characters. Take for instance Al Pacino's character, Det. Vincent Hannah. For just a moment, after an argument with his wife, he makes a move to go and console her, then sits back down and turns on the tv and pours some whiskey. First off, what a man move. But this is probably a half a second part in the movie and pretty easily missed, especially if you are looking down for some popcorn or a raisinet. However, that small action describes so much regarding Hannah's relationship with his wife and his past two marriages. It is this type of character nuance and detail that separates a great movie from a good one. Every character has moments like this during Heat and all the actors have their chance to shine.
The plot may be a bit predictable, but Mann adds his own style to make an interwoven series of events that is required in a true "crime saga", as the movie was promoted.
If you haven't seen it, rent it or Netflix it. It's worth the investment. And you can see DeNiro deliver some ominous dialogue. My favorite:

DeNiro: What am I doing? I'm talking to an empty telephone.
William Fitchner: I don't understand.
DeNiro: 'Cause there is a dead man on the other end of this fuckin' line.
*click*

-Dabs

The Album: Meteora by Linkin Park

You know those days where you just want to say to hell with the world or that there is something you want to work out in your mind but need some good tunes but at the same time maybe a little anger/self reliance thrown in there, then Meteora is your ticket.
Back in the day I wasn’t really one to care much about Linkin Park, but then this album came around and I must have listened to the whole thing at least 1,000 times. It has a flow to the songs that makes it an easy progression throughout the entire performance and it has its re-occurring themes of “screw you, I’m doing this for myself, and self discovery”. Granted I think if you listen to it too much you could fall into a state of self-loathing so listener beware. But if you need a little angry music with an interesting pissed off motivational tinge, then this just might do the trick.
Just trying on “Breaking the Habit” or “Somewhere I Belong” for size and end the ensemble with a little dash of “Numb” and you’ll feel like you’re ready to tear down some fools or at least look like a tough guy for a minute before you step back into reality. If that happens just tune into “It’s Easier to Run” and rinse, wash, and repeat.

-Pat

The Book: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell

Wow! Our first book inductee into the Hall of Fame...and quite possibly the reason why last weeks post was delayed until now...sorry guys. At any rate, I struggled to find a book to induct, mainly because whatever I wrote would in someway detract from Anthony's ability to vomit poetic majesty about literature later on. All the while fighting my demons, Pat was consistently bitching at me. Telling me to hurry up, telling me to get to work, trying to get in my head, trying to control my thoughts... totalitarian prick! And that’s when it hit me...Nineteen Eighty-Four. I am living Nineteen Eighty-Four...taking some liberties of course: Pat is definitely Big Brother, Dabs can be the Outer Party, and Anthony, well I was hoping he’d be my beautiful red-sashed Julia...That disturbing statement aside, Nineteen Eighty-Four is a truly powerful novel that makes us question the very nature of government, language, censorship, and sexual repression. George Orwell's dystopic masterpiece is at the very core, a warning against excessive control...something gives my bombastic political side an arousing groin rub. That’s not to say I'm one of those crazies who thinks I'm being bugged...hell if I was PtP would have more hits and we'd all be better off, but it is a cautionary tale for ages if one can actually discuss it would attracting anarchist dingbats. Every government-hating-conspiracy-theorist-lunatic out there has at some point looked to Nineteen Eighty-Four for guidance. It is without question their Book of Revelation. A battle chant, a podium to stand on, a language to converse, a shoulder to cry on, a book that understands their fears and like a cheap hooker to a wealthy John says “use me honey, use me til’ I’m dry". I’ll give the nut jobs credit, good taste in books guys, double plus good!

On a side note, the idea of Anthony as a girl is suspiciously appealing...

-Matt

Hall of Fame - Week 8

Easter weekend. Some may start thinking about bunnies, eggs, chocolates, maybe a little time with the fam and some Easter dinner. You might be going to your local church service, but don't forget that PtP is here for you once again to serve you up some of the best media you can find. This week Matt has adolescent fantasies of a 2D woman wearing a metal parka, Anthony listens to another album that will eventually grind you into submission, and I let Morgan Freeman serenade me with his sensual voice. Enjoy.

The Game: Super Metroid

Super Metroid, in my opinion, was the pinnacle of SNES platforming, it was also "arguably" the pinnacle of SNES gaming (Anthony and I once put each other in the hospital arguing this vs. Final Fantasy III, but for the sake of PtP I won't rip open that painful wound). Sure Mega Man X, Castlevania VI, and Super Mario World were all welcomed successors in their renowned franchises, but none provided the exponential improvements as seen in this title. I’ll be the first to admit it, the original Metroid kinda' blew. Revolutionary as it was, it sucked balls spending countless hours running through worlds that all looked the same. Seriously, If I'm gonna' battle confusion and tedium at least give me something different to look at! But Super fixed this, and then some... The game was gorgeously spooky; only in the survival horror genre has isolation been such key element of a game. It also features some of the best controls I've ever seen in a game: I wall kick like it’s my job! The original Metroid featured powerups, and you know what, Super took those upgrades and spent the whole night with them doing crack off a stripper’s ass: they got pretty redic real fast! If perfection was attainable, there would be two things in the world to achieve it: this blog and Super Metroid.

One final note: aside from kicking ass in all measurable ways, Super Metroid was one of those games that indulged your teenage hormone filled desires: allegedly if you beat the game in under so much time, you got to see the Samus naked. For the first time ever, guys were rewarded for being quick. (Not me however...Samus was such a cock tease, always got her down to her underwear but never in the buff...fucking puritan) For those not disgusted and still reading, it was epic lie; along the lines of the moon landing and the Kennedy assassination (PtP will now cater to conspiracy theorists to grow our base readers). Out of this spastic and Ritalin craving post, there are two things you should walk away with: I was a really weird kid, and playing Super Metroid was like seeing God...It’s just that good.

-Matt

The Movie: The Shawshank Redemption

Being a local and within spittin’ distance of his mansion, or should we say haunted house; you gotta love Stephen King living within a 50 mile radius. It’s seriously a requirement, I mean fail at that and you might as well get ready to see Jack Nicolson tearing down your front door with an axe, and I don’t need to tell you how that story is going to end.
While some of King’s adaptations of his books to film have been great, let’s be honest, there have been a number of duds in there too. (Ref. “Langoliers” – Sure it was made for TV but you get the point) This weeks choice was a tough one for me as I just saw another one of his flicks that I really adore but when it comes to Stephen King flicks, this truly is my first love. Shawshank Redemption.

If you haven’t seen it, stop reading and go grab it… now. I will wait.

Shawshank Redemption is possibly my favorite if not the best prison movie ever made. Chronicling the story of a man falsely imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, only this man isn’t just some run of the mill flunky. He’s an intelligent, well educated, and very cunning individual, which begs the question; how are good honest folk like us here at PtP to understand him and his actions? Just our luck that Morgan Freeman is there to narrate us through the darkness and show us the true meaning of the character that is Andy Dufresne.
In all seriousness this is an amazing story of one man facing the loss of his entire life to rot in prison and creating so much out of the little lot that, not only for himself, but for his compatriots at the prison as well. Ultimately Andy talents are discovered and he is used to benefit the corrupt prison administration and their dirty dealings, however with Andy you find that things aren’t always what they seem.
Overall it’s a great flick and you get to hear Morgan Freeman serenade you for a good two hours so what have you got to lose?

-Pat

The Album: Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

It’s a challenging indie-rock masterpiece, the caliber of your OK Computer’ and Loveless’. It could be accurately referred to as a controlled racket, but repeated listens reveal hidden melodies beneath the fuzz, strange instrumentation, and nasally-strained vocals. The opening track, King of Carrot Flowers Part 1, is also the album’s most accessible, letting you in gently to the chaos that is soon to follow. If you can survive the first listen, following trips through the album will reveal layers, and it can work its way under your skin, like a good poem. Or a knife. Thematically it is a strange combination of religion, love, and sex. Tracks fade into eachother, and the album is always moving. Holland, 1965 has a urgent drive to it, and when Jeff Magnum sings “The Earth looks better from a star, that’s right above from where you are” it doesn’t even sound corny. The lyrics have a poetic flow to them, but at times are so abstract that they feel stream of conscious. It’s an album that you hesitate to recommend. You will not like this album the first time through. But I would be surprised if you didn’t love it by the tenth listen.

-Anthony

Pixels to Polys Hall of Fame - Week 7

I’ll be honest, I was tempted to post this weeks Hall of Fame tomorrow out of protest for last weeks tardiness (Anthony…), but there’s no sense in punishing our three faithful readers by making them wait an extra day just because some negligent person decided to have a life away from this blog…seriously Pixels to Polys is a lifestyle! At any rate, this week Pat explores the emergence of 3D platforming plumber-style, Anthony watches a film starring the man with the coolest voice in Hollywood, and I struggle to do a great album justice after academia brutally had its way with me for an entire week…I don’t want to talk about…Here’s this weeks Hall of Fame

The Game: Super Mario 64

Talk about not only game that was great but was a major force in changing the way we play video games. Super Mario 64 took the proven formula of the Mario franchise and evolved the game from a 2D environment into a free-roaming 3D wonderland with large areas to explore and brand spankin’ new mechanics that for the most part were really enjoyable. Miyamoto had actually developed the concept for a 3D Mario game 5 years prior with “Super Mario FX”, but due to the limitations of the then current system it wasn’t really feasible to release the game at that time. I think he made the right choice in waiting as Super Mario 64 gave Miyamoto and the rest of his development team the time to refine that to create a game with great graphics and levels that grave the user an entirely new way to explore the Mario universe. While there has been some criticism of the free camera movement of the game, and I can’t deny at some points it was a real pain in the ass, but it definitely was cool to have the ability to make the character look where you wanted him to look and also see in that direction if not all around him. This is definitely one of my favorite games and one I think I might have to go back to and try and finish completely. Could be a challenge…

-Pat

The Movie: Rear Window

Rear Window is Alfred Hitchcock’s best film. I’ll hear arguments for Vertigo, but nothing else comes close. The 1954 film takes place almost entirely in the apartment of L.B. Jefferies (James Stewart). Jefferies has just been injured, and he is confined to a wheelchair, trapped in his apartment. We are trapped with him. Our perspective is from his window, and like him, we watch the people in his apartment complex, and they become characters in a silent play as we peep into their lives. There is the lonely woman, a beautiful dancer, a tortured artist, and a mysterious man who may or may not have killed his wife. Hitchcock uses the film to comment on the voyeuristic nature of film, but the movie is exciting at it’s base level. Stewart plays Jefferies as a man obsessed, so much so that he barely notices the affection of his (sorta) girlfriend Lisa Freemont (Grace Kelly). If Grace Kelley isn’t the most beautiful woman to ever walk the Earth than she is without a doubt in the top 5. Even Pixels to Polys can respect a classic.

-Anthony

The Album: Jar of Flies by Alice in Chains

Ok here's a confession: when I judge how great a particular band is, I always look to their slow song; all bands worth listening to can craft a deeply personal slow track. Sure this is a flawed critical approach, and yeah, many will call me a depressing person for thinking this way, but there’s something uniquely transparent about a band that can successfully play an acoustic ballad: a talentless band cannot bullshit a slow song. Alice in Chains is one of those bands that screams to be inducted into any Hall of Fame. As I have said before, AIC may very well be the greatest harmonizing band to ever grace rock n’ roll. Throughout their entire discography Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell successfully showcased their ability to craft pain stricken and often eerie tracks with their signature complementing vocals. Every AIC album is a gem, but honestly, their 1994 EP Jar of Flies steals the show. Like Led Zeppelin III, my previous music inductee, Jar of Flies was distinguished for its departure from the hard rock sound to a more acoustic sound: the whole album is the bands defining “slow song” that I continually search for when listening to music. Jar of Flies can best be described as haunting, and for those that can get into it, it shows that AIC was not just another Seattle-sound group, but a band that could stand on their own two feet in the pantheon of great rock acts.

-Matt

Hall of Fame

What we (did I say ‘we’... I meant me) lack in punctuality, we make up for in quality of picks in this weeks Hall of Fame inductees.  Better late than never, right.  This week three sexy men bring you three sexy picks.  Matt gets bitter over gritty Bond, Pat sings in his car, and I mope about a childhood that has passed me by.

The Movie: Goldfinger

I’m going to throw out a controversial statement here: Bond is dead. Sure, some idiots without taste will run around praising the Daniel Craig movies for reinventing the series, but you know what, they’re wrong and the new movies are Borne rip-offs. I say this without hesitation, if you liked Quantum of Solace, you have about as much taste for Bond flicks as vegetarians do for veal. Bond is about fulfilling everyman’s dream in one film: whether it be saving the world from a near unstoppable villain, landing three hotties in a day, driving the best car, having the best gadgets, being witty, being tough…the old flicks had a perfect mixture of these qualities. In the new ones, Daniel Craig just beats shit up. It is with this in mind that Goldfinger should be the ONLY Bond flick ever inducted into a hall of fame. Period. There is no Bond without Goldfinger. Whereas the first two flicks brought Bond to the big screen, Goldfinger made him the staple that he is today, introducing the world to vodka martinis, gadgets, and Q. As film, Goldfinger is brilliant, giving us iconic characters like Auric Goldfinger (one of the greatest villains of all time) and Pussy Galore (the dame who pushed the limits of 60’s censorship). Goldfinger is THE Bond flick because it somehow gives us everything we want while remaining incredibly balanced and well paced; all other Bond films struggle with maintaining this equilibrium, oftentimes leaning too heavily on gadgets, one-liners, or brutality. I say to the world that Sean Connery is the best Bond, and Goldfinger is the best of his flicks. To think otherwise is absurd and frankly laughable.

-Matt

The Album: Coldplay - Parachutes

I might have said this earlier, but I love an album that you can just put on, listen to the whole thing and really enjoy it. Coldplay has done it for me with this album. I’m a big fan of these guys and they have some amazing songs all around and all their albums I think are very good, but Parachutes just has so many songs and a flow that just makes me crave for more.  Like I said albums like “Rush of Blood to the Head” make it really hard to nit pick these guys, they just have a sound that the more you listen to it the more you fall in love with the lyrics and Chris Martin’s particular voice that just makes the songs feel like they have so much emotion. If you don’t believe me listen to “Sparks” or their big hit “Yellow”.

Parachutes has many great songs throughout the album, but in the end is really the sum of all its parts which makes for an album the flows consistently and with a sound the listener won’t tire of. Its really just one of those albums that if you need to you can pop it in the car and drive until the disc runs out. I think its time for a drive…

-Pat

The Game: Final Fantasy VI

Originally released in the US as Final Fantasy III on the SNES, this game marked the first role playing game (RPG) that I ever played.  I remember playing through the 60-plus hour game over the course of countless Thursday to Saturday rentals at the local video store, AMB Video.  FFVI stands as the pinnacle of gaming.  For my money, it is the best game on the best gaming system.  Going back to it now, after 6 or 8 or 11 playthroughs, the game is pure nostalgia.  The music reminds me of a more whimsical age where I could spend three times a games actual value re-renting it from the video store while pumping countless hours.  What I’m saying is; either this is the best game ever, or I really just wish that I never had to grow up.  Could it be both?

-Anthony

From Pixels to Polys Hall of Fame - Week 5

Just when you thought the weekend was never going to get here. Pixels to Polys is here to kick start your weekend off right. As always offering you our top three picks for the week to be added to the halls of glory and possibly your Netflix/Gamefly queue. This week Matt explores the joys of chuckin' bombs and controllers, Anthony listens to a depressing album of electric jazz, and I decide its time to take a day off. Enjoy the weekend kids.

The Game: Mega Man II

Mega Man II is one of those games that miraculously seems to climb Top 100 game lists as the years go on…kind of like the Blade Runner climbing movie lists. Unlike Blade Runner, however, I won’t be satisfied until it ends up in the Top 5. Hope I’m not sounding like a grizzled old man, but most games these days are planned out for years with full support from huge gaming corporations; they offer a relatively easy challenge, convoluted play control, and enough cut scenes to induce suicide. Not worth remembering. Back in the day, however, II was different. Mega Man II was a labor of love, made afterhours without pay due to the poor sales of the first title. It’s extra attention shows. I actually don’t know where to begin praising this game; the list could go on for days. Without question there hasn’t been a game made in the past 10 years that could stand toe to toe with II. It’s damn near flawless. Impeccable play control, decent NES graphics, and the best soundtrack of that generation, Mega Man II had it all. But of all the things to praise Mega Man II for, I find its unrepentant love of difficulty the most worthy. I dare you to play this game without throwing a controller, it's just not possible. In the end, the blue bomber has earned its place in the pantheon of great games: Mega Man II is God.

-Matt

The Album: Radiohead - Kid A

The constant need to change and grow throughout a career is typically a contentious issue among fans of that band. Like Metallica’s move from thrash and speed metal to hook-laden-hard rock, as a band changes they will inevitably face backlash from fans screaming sellout. Try and imagine Radiohead, returning in 2000 after a 3 year hiatus after the release of art-rock classic OK Computer, arguably the greatest album of the 90’s. A sequel to the guitar rock of OK Computer must have seemed assured, but the opening track “Everything In It’s Right Place” plays up the strange electronic and jazz stylings that comprise the bulk of Kid A. From the beautiful and haunting “How to Disappear Completely” to the driving electronic beats of “Idiotique,” Kid A is less about the individual tracks than the album in it’s entirety. Radiohead released no singles from the album, but it still was their first to debut at the top of US sales charts. The fact that lead-singer Thom Yorke said that the album is partly about “the generation that will inherit the earth after we’ve wiped it out” is indicative of how cheery the music is. Like all great albums it is depressing. Like all great albums it gets better with each listen. It is challenging, rewarding, fascinating music.

-Anthony

The Movie: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

This is the quintessential movie to cutting away from the day. While it's an old flick starring Matthew Broderick when he is seemingly not old enough to grow a stache, and I think he still struggles with that, it is one of those oldies that has to be seen and appreciated.
What better way to spend a day than to skip school and involve your obsessively pessimistic best friend as well as your girlfriend. Throw in some very devious methods for getting around the administration and not only hoodwinking them about your own absence but getting them to release your compatriots to take off in a “borrowed” 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California.
The flick is filled with everything the ultimate hooky day would be. Messing with the system, driving around in an amazing car, going to a ball game, and add in the fact that your dodging an over zealous principle who knows that something is going on, but is never quite there enough to prove it. With the added fact the Ferris turns out to be a jokester genius; turning what seems to be every failed attempt to enjoy the day to the fullest into something even more grand than he originally planned. Of course there are some hiccups that come up along the way, but it wouldn’t be exciting if everything went according to plan…

-Pat

From Pixels to Polys Hall of Fame - Week 4

TGIF baby! You know the drill, time to elevate some picks to Hall of Fame status. This time around, From Pixels to Polys dropped its aggressive tendencies from last week, and got back to what we do best: selecting the top notch game, movie, and album to kick off your weekend. This week, Pat finds out what its like to turn dream cars into scrap, Anthony learns what a Quarter Pounder with cheese is called in France, and I rediscover a staple of 70's rock. Enjoy kids.

The Game: Burnout 3: Takedown

Usually I’m not a huge fan of racer games, except Mario Kart. Burnout 3: Takedown definitely changed my perspective on the racing genre. The addition of crash mode and the “takedown” tool which not only would knock your opponents out of the running or at least set em’ back a peg definitely added one of those game mechanics that I fell instantly in love with. Sure the reality of hitting someone in the rear and seeing them fly ass over tea-kettle may not be that realistic, but it sure makes for some great entertainment. Throw in a few specialty takedowns such as driving someone off a cliff or sending them flying into a support pillar and the game just gets better. Possibly the biggest mode that can’t be ignored is the crash mode where there are specific vehicles and power ups placed along a small section of road and you have one goal in mind… Cause as much damage as possible. This is a fantastic mode for a bunch of friends and some good competition. Nothing more satisfying when you start seeing those dollar signs start racking up and heading into the upper millions. Toss in the fact that if you do enough damage in a certain amount of time and you get to set off a huge final bang and direct your heaping pile of wreckage to cause more havoc with the a kinda bullet-time crash mechanism it makes for a really great racing game.

-Pat

The Movie: Pulp Fiction

An accidental murder. A dangerous date that almost ends tragically. A hilariously vulgar wallet. A discussion on European fast-food. Pulp Fiction is greater than the sum of it’s parts, and is better the 5th viewing than the 4th, the 6th than the 5th, and so forth. When Tarantino released this follow-up to his Reservoir Dogs debut, expectations were high and he vaulted beyond them. Later people would try to duplicate the movie’s cool with fancy editing and irreverent pop-culture references. What they didn’t realize was that the coolness was more than just phony techniques; it was the sum of QT’s efforts. The writer/director has always had a penchant for showing the scenes missing from standard genre films. Here he gives us a conversation before a stake out. The night after a fixed fight. The chronology is jumbled, but it’s not a gimmick, it serves to highlight themes in the movies and add weight to scenes that wouldn’t exist if it had simply moved forward in time. The best film of the 90’s. Bring out the gimp.

-Anthony

The Album: Led Zeppelin III by Led Zeppelin

Statement: For every legitimate Led Zeppelin fan out there, there are at least five or six posers. These hacks that run around thinking that Stairway to Heaven and Kashmir are the only two songs the band ever made. It’s sickening, if you own less than three Zep albums take off Zep T-Shirt and get the hell out of my face…your fashion statement is a fraud. For those real Zep fans out there, (and those who wish not be fakes) I chose to induct Led Zeppelin III, perhaps the bands most tragically most overlooked album (fear not, all Zep Albums except Presence and In Though the Out Door are Hall of Fame material). Zep III was a radical change of pace from the hard rock/blues sound of the previous albums. Sure Immigrant Song carried on the hard rock torch, but III forged a folksier new direction that was both unexpected and welcomed. Tracks like Friends and Tangerine showed off Zeppelin’s folk prowess, and for the record, Gallows Pole seals the deal. Without question, however, the most important track from album is Since I’ve Been Loving You, a ball buster of a blues song that is the anthem of any man with lady problems. If you’ve never heard this song, crank it. You’ll be in bar, five drinks deep within no time. Led Zeppelin III is pure greatness, period.

-Matt

From Pixels to Polys Hall of Fame - Week 3

Once again this week we will try to bring you our Hall of Fame selections, that is, if superposter/coach Dan M. W. will allow us to do it without his hateful tirades--words hurt man. The way we tend to look at the hallowed PtP Hall is finding the different media that has left an impression on us over the years. This week Matt puts on his cowboy hat, Pat has a sing-along with a bunch of dudes, and I reveal the family gaming treasure.

The Movie: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Dan M. W. felt the need to criticize last weeks inductees… felt the need to cry about our picks and tell us how to do our jobs…well infant, here’s your pacifier, I give you the quintessential spaghetti western, one that transcends the genre and can legitimately stand on its own two legs as a truly great movie. The Good the Bad and the Ugly is one of those films that survives on rock solid acting and impeccable direction, as the plot is somewhat simple: three criminals searching for a gold shipment buried by a Confederate soldier during the Civil War. Clint Eastwood reprises his role as Blondie, the man with no name, whose signature glare and lightning fast quick shot have become iconic. Acting opposite of him is Lee Van Cleef, a ruthless mercenary named Angel Eyes whose penchant for brutality is seen throughout the film. Although this is widely known as one of Eastwood's best westerns, it would be a crime to not mention Eli Wallach’s portrayal of the half-witted murderer Tuco, who in my opinion steals the show. But this film isn’t about acting so much as it is about atmosphere. What’s important about this film is not what is said, but what left to the camera vocalize; Sergio Leone loves his gritty close-ups, and more importantly, loves to draw out a scene to create suspense (the shootouts are brilliant). Sure the films a tad too long and dubbing is a little off, but in the end, any Hall of Fame that omits this film is a sham, a hack job, and a joke; here’s to influential and deserving inductees…can baby coo for Daddy, that’s a good boy…

-Matt

The Album: Hootie & the Blowfish: Cracked Rear View

Say what you might about Hootie, but watch your words carefully my friend. There is something strangely heterosexual about 5 guys crammed into a blue 1992 GMC Jimmy singing… make that yelling the lyrics to “Hold My Hand”. You can’t deny that if there is one album that if you get a bunch of white men together with either copious amounts of alcohol in their system or the vague security that no one can hear them or at least know what they are singing as they go flying by at 60 miles an hour singing out “I only wanna be with you…”

The amazing thing about this album was just the fact that almost all the greatest songs were just stuffed into it. It is the album that defined the band; that unfortunately floundered after producing such a masterpiece of masculine freedom.

There may be many detractors who will out of their own shame try to deny that they once sang these songs not only because they knew the words but because they just had to give into the Hootie. To those who would deny that they enjoyed this album, to you I say shame on you; and I’ll see you at the bar next week to practice “Time”.

-Pat

The Game: Super Mario Bros. 3

It’s so difficult to write a paragraph about a game comprised of sheer joy. Like seriously, game-maker Shigeru Miyamoto took the legendary original Super Mario Bros game and improved upon it. Play through it today and the level design still impresses. The controls are perfect. The suits are still cool, and the graphics and worlds are varied and excellent. I remember saving up the $50 dollars for this game on my $2 dollar-a-week allowance. Quick math tells me it must’ve taken 37 weeks, but it was the best purchase of my young adolescent life. My father recently admitted to me that he and my mother were strictly enforcing my bedtime after I bought the game because they couldn’t wait to play it after I went to my room. So I no longer am on speaking terms with my family. Thanks Super Mario Bros. 3!

-Anthony

Hall Of Fame

In continuing our mission to tell you about some of the best media on the planet! Here is this weeks Pixels to Polys: Hall of Fame

The Game: ActRaiser

Once upon a time, Square Enix was two separate companies that made games people could actually enjoy…games that were unique and didn’t all end in “inal Fantasy.” One of these rare titles was ActRaiser for the SNES, a unique little concoction that married a traditional side scroller with a city building sim. Weird, you bet it was. Awesome…definitely. During the game the player fills the role of Master, a not so ambiguous God knockoff set on reviving civilization. You spend half of the time being omnipotent, helping your idiotic followers and such, until trouble strikes and you have to go down and wallop a demon or something. Perhaps my only complaint about this game is that I can’t be an “angry-fire-and-brimstone” God, sending plagues and shit…oh well. In the end ActRaiser proved to be one of most enjoyable games for the SNES and the fact that Square Enix has abandoned this franchise is travesty; perhaps a sin against God...actually, maybe the concept’s a sin against God, but who cares? Blasphemy’s the rave these days…

-Matt

The Movie: Layer Cake

“You're born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take more shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Till one day you're up in the rarefied atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake son.”
Those lines really do seem to carry some weight. This is seriously one of my favorite flicks, one of those that if I feel like I just can’t decide, this will do the trick. It charts the path of a character, (whose name is never reveled and you really might not notice that until he points it out in the end) who has gotten into the middle-man drug business but has as he calls it “a plan”. A nice round million and he is out, and we’re talking pounds not dollars. Daniel Craig plays a character that puts aside the reality of the illegality of drugs and runs it like a business, with a plan, rules, and an exit strategy. The thing that makes this movie so great over all those other drug movies is the way, like in most drug movies, even the best laid plans by the most thorough individuals can go awry from sources beyond our control. The result is death, betrayal, a little bit of comedy and the enough twists and turns along the way to make you wonder what is really happening behind all the noise. It happens in such a way that it keeps you hanging on for the whole ride and really enjoying all the events that seem like noise but in the end just seem to weave into the whole story in fluid motion. This really is a great flick for any person who is looking for a little action, suspense and drugs thrown into the mix. Cheers.

-Pat

The Album: Weezer (Blue Album)

There was a time when argyle-nerdcore had become a mainstream identity package that you could buy at Old Navy and Hot Topic and being a hipster-geek kind of sucked. I wouldn’t know, because I have always been the man, but people tell me. In the heart of the grunge era came one of the greatest pop-rock albums ever recorded. Weezer’s self titled classic, aka The Blue Album, dared to be catchy and sing-songy in an musical climate drenched in overdrive, flannel and greasy hair. The album was the counterpart to Nirvana’s Nevermind, the other logical extension in post-Pixies loudQUIETloud age of rock. There are no throw-away songs, and any one could be your favorite: The Sweater Song with its overt metaphor, Only In Dreams dripping with whimsy, No One Else with its ridiculous demands, and the dynamic/fantastic Say It Ain’t So. Nearly 15 years old, the album remains a timeless piece of distilled joy.

-Anthony

From Pixels to Polys Hall of Fame

Hall of Fames are great…eh…well no…Hall of Fames are usually awful because they're over commercialized events where less than deserving nominees get inducted for financial, political, and PR reasons…but not anymore baby! From Pixels to Polys doesn’t screw around and we’ve made it our mission to reverse this trend: to forever save Hall of Fames from the dark depths suck-dom. From here on out Fridays will be reserved for Hall of Fame posts, where we take a look at the games, movies, and music that are the best of the best. Here are this week’s inductees:

The Game: Super Smash Bros.: Melee

There have been few games that can bring a whole group of people together to sit in front of a TV and play for a straight hour long match or more. (Picture a stock 99 match) All the while kicking and screaming and chanting curses and other verbal attacks on those who bore you; while at the same time having some of the best times ever gaming. Super Smash Bros.: Melee took this series to another level; with new characters, weapons and modes that really made the game so enjoyable I had trouble escaping its grasp whenever someone suggested it. Really it was the probably the only reason someone would want to buy the Game Cube back in the day, before Resident Evil 4 decided to show up. Seriously would you have bought it for Super Mario Sunshine? I didn’t think so.

-Pat

The Movie: High Fidelity

While most Oscar nods for acting performances involve grandiose portrayals of extreme emotions, many of my favorite performances occur when you feel like the actor is simply playing himself. “High Fidelity” may not even be John Cusack’s best movie: that title probably belongs to “Say Anything,” but both movies give you the sense that he is playing himself, at the time they were made. In “High Fidelity” he narrates his story, and it seems to reflect the peaks and valleys of the music he loves so much. The movie is a romantic comedy only in the sense that it deals with relationships, and is a comedy. It defies the genre by not being formulaic, and actually being funny. Aside from his women issues, Cusack spends most of the movie with his other elitist friends, played wonderfully by Jack Black and Todd Luiso, making top 5 lists (ya, we stole the idea) and thumbing their nose and the inferior music tastes of the masses: sound familiar?

-Anthony

The Album: Raw Power

I have always held the firm belief that every second of your life can be complemented with music. There are situations for chill mellow tunes, there are times for upbeat pop jingles, and there those “other moments” where life demands a cacophony of distortion that spews unadulterated aggression. For those instances where you feel the need to break something, there’s Raw Power by The Stooges. Raw Power is brilliant tribute angst, danger, violence, and rebellion that stares you down before knocking you out. When the album isn’t in your face, it carries onward with an arrogant swagger that can best be described as reckless. Between Iggy Pop’s visceral screams and James Williamson’s screeching guitar work, Raw Power is the battle cry for anyone who’s ever been pissed off. My only suggestion is to crank up this highly influential album and break something…oh…unfortunately the American Psychology Association in no endorses this album as a productive way to manage anger…damn.

-Matt