Mr. Muffin starts counting down 2007.... finally

I've been working on these lists in my free time. Thought I'd post what I have right now, and add to it when I get my notes done on the other categories. So here you are to enjoy.

Video Games:

1.) BioShock – If you actually read this blog every now and then, you might have read my lengthy review of Ken Levine’s masterpiece. A game where the story is so powerful and dark, you have to keep pushing forward to know what is next. Plus, the world of Rapture may be one of the best designed places I’ve ever experienced in a video game.

2.) Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – I never was one for FPS games until this year. Who would have thought that in the year of Halo 3, someone managed to put out a vastly superior game in its online multiplayer. The leveling system and challenges push you to using all the weapons in your arsenal along with trying to become more accurate with them. Personally, I haven’t switched back since I got it.

3.) Assassin’s Creed – Initially this game was number 5 on my list. Then I finished the game. Though the game has a few dry spots, and some walls of repetition that you need to press through, the last third of the game is so good for this game that is so fresh and original that I had to move it up on my list. This series can only get better.

4.) Guitar Hero 3 – I never have been that good at the Guitar Hero games until this one. After hours of playing and practice.. I’ve become tolerable at the game. I don’t suck it up too much and the game lets me finish most of my songs now. This game is good by itself. But the multiplayer is why you keep going back for more.

Note: I did not get a chance to play Rock Band.

5.) God of War 2 – What’s this? A last generation game making a best of list? You’re damn right it is. The God of War games are so fun to play, and provide such a good story to follow while playing. Plus the game is visually amazing, even running on a PS2. God of War 3 is a reason why I’m debating on a PS3.

Clab's 07 Round Up Part 1: Music

So what do you know it's 2008 and we're finally getting around to our best of 2007 lists. You know the kind of stuff we like around here. Movies, music, games, and television. Expect some sort of list covering the best of all that. I'm starting out with my favorite albums of 2007 and let me say it was hard to narrow it down to ten. There are a lot of honorable mentions.

1.The Graduate- Anhedonia (April)
By far my favorite new band to come out this year. I won't put this album away for a while because even if I tried I would still have the songs in my head. This is my favorite kind of music, mixed with solid production to make a great album.

2.Jimmy Eat World- Chase This Light (October)
This band never dissapoints me. Every album they have put out has been solid and Chase this Light is no exception. I hope they keep doing albums for many years to come.

3.Down to Earth Approach- Come Back to You (July)
This band plays the perfect kind of music. Honest, catchy and easy to keep coming back to (no pun intended unless you think thats clever, then it was intended).

4. The Starting Line- Direction (July)
I've loved The Starting Line for a long time and they hold my affections by continuing to put out music like Direction. Clearly a step towards a mature sound, Direction shows a great improvement in the band.

5.Minus the Bear- Planet of Ice (August)
Wow this album rocks in a very unexpected way. It's Minus the Bear with bits of great bands like Pink Floyd mixed in. Probably the best band to come out of Seattle right now.

6.The Rocket Summer- Do You Feel (July)
The Rocket Summer is a total sugar rush. One guy who knows how to write poppy hooks and play all the instruments to make it happen. Honest lyrics cap off the keys to making a great album.

7.Hot Rod Circuit- The Underground is a Dying Breed (March)
Good rock with a little country sound thrown in, what more could you ask for? I wish there was room for this album to be higher but its a tough year.

8.Band of Horses-Cease to Begin (October)
This is a band I had written off after the first time I heard them but that was before Cease to Begin came out. With a new lead singer this band has quickly become a current favorite and good enough to make my 'best of' list.

9.Sherwood-Different Light (March)
It seems like this album came out years ago because I have been listened to it a lot since it came out. It was everything I expected from this hard working band.

10.Chase Pagan- Oh, Musica! (November)
My most recent find on this list just barely squeaked in but this album can't be ignored. Quite an amazing cd for someone just getting started.

Honorable Mentions: Say Anything, The Almost, Emery, Mae, Yellowcard, The Used, Thrice, Anberlin, Crime in Stereo, Sea Wolf

Almost Time to Get Lost Again

I am so excited. If you haven't started watching this show yet you have until January 31st to catch up. Take my advice and do it.

The Golden Compass Leads Us Nowhere

I had no expectations going in to The Golden Compass. All I knew was that it was based on books and there were animals involved. I could almost say I came out with the same amount of information I went in with. It's the kind of movie that has cool parts but fails to execute them on a grand scale. Take for example the idea that the humans souls manifest themselves as an animal that walks beside them for life. Cool idea, especially if you get a cool animal like a panther or something. So we see these animals having all kinds of interaction all the way up to the big battle scene, then all we see of them is death, left and right.It's the big climax and you leave out the cool thing that sets your movie apart in a sea of fantasy movies? What the hell? But this is not the part of the movie that gets to me, most of this movie is entertaining and it was wrecked in the last ten minutes. Which brings me to the point of this long rant.

The last ten minutes of this movie is all setup of the next movie(s) to come out. They spell out all of the unresolved issues almost taunting you with all the stuff you didn't get to see in this movie. I'm sick of the sequel mentality, it's becoming lazy. This movie cannot stand alone, there is not enough character development, note enough plot, just plain not enough. Give me a movie that can be amazing in itself. Make me want to see the next movie because the first one was so great, not because I have to see it to figure the first one out. Some stories are so big they need more than one movie, that's understandable. That being the case, shouldn't the first movie be good enough to justify seeing the others to come? Come on Hollywood, I'm not asking for much here, just quit thinking of movies in two's and three's and more on the one that is out. It is the one that counts after all.

Mr Muffin tests out Hulu...

Many moons ago, I was chit chatting with a buddy and he mentioned to me that NBC was working on its own YouTube replacement. Being very partial to NBC shows (Seinfeld, the Office, Scrubs, old SNL), I was very excited about this. This project has grown from a just NBC to NBC/Fox, expanding the amount of content that can be available. Yesterday I got my invite to the Hulu beta, and I thought I’d give a few thoughts about it.

First, I do not plan on using this beta too much. With the ongoing WGA strike, and through conversations I’ve had with the Clab, I’m going to support the writers and not use the full potential of hulu, seeing as the networks are making advertising money from each view.

Now, to my thoughts:

First to the shows and guide.

Seeing that you have two networks like NBC and Fox, we also are able to get content from some of their other stations like USA and FX. Keeping in mind that this is still in beta, they have a rather large selection of shows, even though some of them are only a couple of episodes. Navigation through the site to the show you want and then to the episode is a simple and very intuitive process.

Now to the video quality and player.

Seeing as this is the most important part of an internet TV service, I think they’ve done a very good job with the video quality. Shows look rather sharp in the very nicely designed video player. The shows also load rather quick allowing you to watch almost immediately. The only real negative that I could see with it is the graininess that comes about when you go to full screen mode, but that could be something I see them fixing by 1.0 release. The raise/lower lights feature is also a very nice add in which allows you dim the page around your show.

Just a few more thoughts on Hulu. I have no problems with 30 second ads in my shows for a service like this, somehow they have to generate a little money, that is very obvious. It does get a little irritating if they keep with the only one ad per show plan they are currently using. I don’t want to see Hitman, 6 commercials later, I really don’t want to see Hitman. All in all, Hulu is a very well designed service that should be great once they tighten things up and get to a final release. Lets just hope this WGA strike gets over with so there can actually be new content to be added to it.