Columns | Opinion. Uncensored. :: Smart When Shouting

Top Nine Movies of 2012

Part of Our Academy Awards 2013 Features Unlike video games, it’s exponentially easier to come up with a list of a year’s best movies. While it’s still impossible to see everything, the simple fact of films being shorter and less costly than games means that, in general, a ‘best movies’ list can more easily be trusted to one individual. And that’s exactly what we’ve done here. The rules are simple: the movie had to have been given a wide-release in the United States for the first time in 2012, meaning re-releases are excluded, or its initial (or, in some cases, only) release must have been online. That being said, let’s get on with the list. Brave Pixar’s latest movie Brave has received a lot of… Read More →

Maiden Names Only, No Misters Allowed

Not even a name change can be easy, can it? In an “act of love,” South Florida resident Lazaro Sopena agreed to change his last name in respect to his new spouse, Hanh Dinh, and her Vietnamese family’s desire to continue on their family name, as opposed to the standard cultural tradition of the wife taking her husband’s last name. A good, un-newsworthy story, no? Well, it doesn’t end there. After updating his various official documents, which included obtaining a new Social Security card, the newly-inducted Dinh went and got a new Driver’s License from the local DMV, providing all funds and paperwork required of him. And, according to Dinh, everything went smoothly. Over a year later, however, Dinh was notified that… Read More →

Top Nine Games of 2012

It’s always hard to come up with a “best video games” list each year due to the simple fact of quantity. So many games in a huge variety of genres are released each year that it’s difficult to play all of the major releases and would be impossible to experience them all. So, we thought we’d do something different and have three of our top contributors, Michael Bush, Lei Adeline, and Matthew Renfro, work together to create a list that best represents the site as a whole. The rules are simple: the game had to have been launched in the United States for the first time in 2012, meaning HD remakes and ports are excluded, and it cannot be an add-on to… Read More →

Coordinates or Chromosomes?: Pokemon X/Y Trailer Analysis

There’s no doubt that the Pokemon series has evolved (pun intended) vastly since its initial release back in 1996. From the worlds and gameplay to the Pokemon themselves, the world of Pocket Monsters have come a long way since the days of Red and Blue. And never has this been more apparent than in the newly introduced Pokemon X and Pokemon Y, also known as “Generation VI”. Coming hot off the heels of Generation V (the Black and White series), so far we only have a trailer and few factoids here and there about this next-gen experience, but that’s certainly enough to figure out both what’s true about the new games and speculate about things Nintendo has yet to reveal…. Read More →

Kyurem vs. The Sword of Justice Movie Review

The Pokemon anime is easily one of the most odorless and unexciting video game-based cartoons of all time. From stale characters to boring storylines, it simply lacks the bite of other animes or even other Pokemon properties. Every once in a while, however, a feature film based off the show is released that tweaks the formula in such a way that the subject matter actually becomes enjoyable to watch. Though not every Pokemon movie gets it right, many do and each new release warrants excitement. The latest of these is Kyurem vs. The Sword of Justice, a fresh take on the tired formula of “follow Ash and his stupid friends” that shows just what Pokemon movies should be: about Pokemon…. Read More →

Top Nine Christmas Songs

Christmas songs have a tendency to be pretty lame. With most focusing on the same themes and following similar musical structures, and with many becoming incredibly insipid tripe upon repeat listens, it’s hard to find to many really strong, classic Christmas singles to pop on during the holiday season. Some do break the mold however and, by combining creativity with quality, reveal themselves as truly great pieces of music that just happen to bear the jovial holiday moniker. These are our Top 9 Christmas Songs. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer Musicians don’t tend to write hymns for Christmas anymore. Though there are still many covers of such hits as O’ Holy Night and Joy to the World, most… Read More →

Top Nine George Carlin Jokes

George Carlin is arguably one of the most influential comedians of all time. From his profanity-laced video specials, audio specials, and novels to his interviews and direct political statements, few comedians have reached the level of social criticism and media pervasiveness as Mr. “7 Dirty Words.” With 14 HBO specials under his belt and a sphere of influence that has affected just about all modern comedians, it’s hard to pin down his best work. But today, we’re going to attempt to do just that. These are our Top 9 Best George Carlin Bits. Death Though seen by most as extremely abrasive, Carlin has always had a certain poignancy about him, but never was it as clear as it was in the… Read More →

Consolation Prize: Pokemon and Wii U

Though many spectacular-looking first-party Nintendo titles have already been announced or are on everybody’s mind, there’s no doubt that Pokemon is among those left to speculate over. Following the track record of previous home consoles, Pokemon games that aren’t on a handheld have been vastly hit or miss. And, unlike their portable counterparts (Ranger and Mystery Dungeon included), some of them don’t follow a formula at all. So what does this mean for the upcoming Wii U and it’s relationship with Pokemon? Let’s start off with the elephant in the room and, coincidentally, what I don’t want to see on the WiiU: a main series Pokemon title following the recently-released Black Version 2 and White Version 2. While it may be a… Read More →

Top Nine Series That Need a Wii U Revival

Because the most talked about aspect of Nintendo’s new console is, undoubtedly, the intriguing new GamePad controller, many people are forgetting to discuss what the system is actually for. Though the intuitive new controls are certainly worth discussion and debate, it’s also important to talk about the system’s actual video games. And, though Nintendo will assuredly be bringing plenty of new Mario and Zelda titles to the system, other franchises aren’t as sure-fire. And today we’d like to talk about some of those. These are our top nine series that we want to see revived on the Wii U. Viewtiful Joe While not everyone’s cup of tea, Viewtiful Joe was easily one of the most interesting games on the GameCube, both in gameplay and… Read More →

Top Nine Wii Mistakes

Whether you like it or not, it’s unquestionable that the Wii did a lot of things right. From becoming the biggest selling system of the latest console generation, thanks in no small part to great advertising and the inclusion of people who didn’t play games previously, to releasing a number of quality, memorable titles, such as Super Mario Galaxy and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the Wii had a great run for a console that introduced completely new control mechanics. However, Nintendo’s golden system had many blunders surrounding it as well. And, like with everything, it’s important to look at those missteps as well. So, without further adieu, we present the Top 9 Wii Mistakes. Wii Play The quality… Read More →