So, I got Grand Theft Auto IV the other day, like every other gamer who knows anything about quality did.

First of all, this is so far the single greatest video game I've ever played. I can literally just stand there in game and find something to be entertained by, whether it be watching someone walk by eating a hot dog and seeing there mouth actually move, or watch a cop chase a gang member down the sidewalk. As fun as it is to stand there, playing the game is ten times as exciting.

Of course, the video game gods would not be so kind as to let this travesty of complete gaming euphoria to go unnoticed, so my 360 decides to go into hardware failure.

This is the second time this year I've gotten the red rings of death, and it really makes me mad. Especially when I was in the middle of a really badass high speed chase! Some people just turn the console back on and live with the random turning off of the console, but I can't.

Oh well, I guess I'll send in my 360, along with my Rock Band drums, which have been broken forever and I am dying to play.

Oh, and go see Iron Man. Even if you aren't a fan of the comic, it will be worth your while I guarantee it. 10/10.

Rock Band is simply one of the best party games I've ever come across. If you're a solo gamer, then it's still worth getting the drums. As a former drummer myself, itactually makes me want to go out and buy a real drum set (which it encourages you to do while playing). For solo play, the guitar part isn't as incredible as GH3, and the singing part is just awkward alone. But for small and large gatherings alike, Rock Band will never fail to be a hit.

I did have one of the malfunctions highly talked about; my drum pedal snapped. But the website has a great automatic system and I should be getting a new pedal within the next two days. In the meantime, I can always beat it on guitar.

I highly recommend putting this game on your Christmas wish list.

IMDB Score: 8.4/10

My Score: 9.3/10

Short Summary: Bruce Willis + Justin Long + awesome action = *drools*

Review: I reluctantly went to the midnight premiere of this movie last night; reluctantly because I had work this morning and let me tell you I'm tired as sin right now. But it's dang well worth it to be tired for what I got to see last night.

Let me start off by saying that I'm not the biggest Die Hard fan. I've seen the movies, but it's been a while andI don't remember enjoying them too much. This movie, however, was a 2 hour explosion of... well, awesomeness, for lack of a better word. It was good old John McClane meets cyber terrorism. He partners with hacker Justin Long to help defend America.

There aren't many words besides awesome I can use to describe this film. The acting was great, the comedy was hilarious, and the action was at par, if not better, than any other action film of the day.

Some people might be angry because of the much talked about censorship of the famous line, "Yippee ki yay mother f*****," I say that it was tasteful. It got the point across, and it allowed an entirely new age group of people to see a true American hero in action. Granted, McClane doesn't say f*** a thousand times like its predecessors, but one gets the feeling that the character has matured and maybe softened with age a little bit, so it's ok.

I'm not going to give you any spoilers, because this is a movie you need to go see for yourself. You will not regret it, I guarantee it.

IMDB Score: 7.9/10

My Score 9/10

Short Summary: A solid Stephen King film that does justice to the horror film genre.

Review: First off, if you're looking for a review that compares the movie to the book, then this is not it. I have not read any of Stephen King's books nor do I plan to. But as a stand alone project, 1408 is a very entertaining film that is well worth the money spent to get in theaters.

The movie is a pyschological thriller that keeps the audience guessing, for the most part. While there were times where I could obviously see what was coming next, there were others where I thought I had it figured out and I was smacked in the face with a surprise that changed everything. Combined with excellent acting, big name stars, a well written script, and the screams of everyone else in the audience, this movie lives up to Stephen King's previous works.

*SPOILERS*

The movie starts off introducing John Cusack's character. The movie does a good job of making the audience empathize with this character from the get-go, and it makes it all the more horrible for the audience when he seals his impending fate by checking into room 1408. His character is a paranormal investigator/author who writes about haunted places for his readers. He receives a postcard one day from the Dolphin Hotel in NYC that simply says "Do not enter 1408." Good advice, if you ask me.

Of course, the movie would go no where if he didn't check into 1408. A brief but solid performance from Sam Jackson, playing the hotel manager trying to convince Cusack not to stay in 1408, further draws the viewer into the story.

The thing I loved most about this movie was the fact that it didn't go for the blood and gore scare tactics a la Hostel and Saw. It chose to go with good old shocking moments. However, my favorite scary scene had no scare to it at all. Cusack's deceased daughter appears before him, "alive," and starts to hug him. Everyone in the audience is touched... and then the daughter simply falls limp. Dead. Everyone in the audience was expecting her to turn into a zombie child and scare the bajeezus out of everyone, but this much simpler tactic sent shivers down my spine and everyone in the theater was quiet, mouths open. It was a kind of horror that movie-goers nowadays aren't used to, and that is why I absolutely loved it.

*END SPOILERS*

All in all, if you're looking for an exciting night that will have you at the edge of your seat, I definitely recommend this movie.

In other news: Playing through God of War 2, I'm about half-way through. I also saw Evan Almighty. It was good, but I'm not going to write a review. I'll give it an 7.7/10. Good movie for the family to go see together.

That's all, folks.

I don't understand why, but everyone is so riled up about the whole Manhunt 2 controversy. My reasoning is it probably deserved its rating. I didn't play its predecessor, but it's been compared to Hostel. I hate Hostel with a fiery passion. On Conan O'Brian Last night John Cusack called it Hostel "torture porn". I agree.

Now, I'm not going to say that I hate the Manhunt series, seeing as how I've never played it. As a matter of fact, I enjoy the Saw movies very much, and it has also been compared to those films. Now, the only reason I like Saw and not Hostel is because people really do get tortured, but I've never heard of a case of an old man forcing people to play a game for their lives. If there is, sue me, but I still enjoyed Saw.

What I'm trying to say is, Manhunt 2 is a game. It's not nearly as bad as a movie showing murders in my opinion. Is the AO rating fair? I don't know, I don't work for the ESRB. I didn't see the game in action. Obviously it must be a tad bit hardcore if the ESRB is willing to go that far. As for Take-Two's decision to take it off the shelves, I say it's a good move! It's their only move. All that will happen is that they will tone down the game just enough to still dance on the edge between an "M" and "AO" rating.

And I don't want to hear the whole bulls*** saying, "Oh, but people will imitate what this game does! Especially kids!" It's been said a thousand times on the boards and in blogs, and I'll say it one more. It's the parent's responsibility to make sure that their kids don't play it, not the ESRB. And if an adult is messed up enough to imitate something in the game, then they were messed up enough to do something horrible in the first place.

So my opinion? In the end, Take-Two will come out on top. Why? This thing has given them a crap load of publicity. People will buy this game out of curiosity; and also, there will be the hardcore gamers buying Manhunt 2 when it comes out to make it a bestselling game and shove it in the face of the ESRB. Boo yah!

What's New: I recently traded in Oblivion for my 360 and got it for the PC. It's pretty cool, but I'm having problems getting the mods to work and it's going to take time for me to get used to the controls.

I also go Forza Motorsport 2 and God of War 2. I have to say I've only been able to play Forza for about thirty minutes, but I'm pretty impressed with it thus far. And God of War 2? Well let's just say if I didn't have work this morning I wouldn't have slept last night.

On the Agenda: No more new games in store for this week, the three new ones I got pretty much ate up my GameStop credit. I really want to see Mr. Brooks this weekend, and Evan Almighty when it comes out.

I also want to get two new CD's. I still plan on getting Icky Thump by The White Stripes, and I plan on getting something by Blink 182. Don't know why, I'm just feeling nostalgic. Do they have a greatest hits CD?