Straight Up Reviews: South Park: The Stick of Truth

While I know the moment is long past, I thought I'd do my take on the South Park Games. Why? Because I beat the first one over a year ago.

When I was a kid, South Park was just as synonymous with Gaming as it was today. The first South Park Game I ever played was for the N64.

The story was relatively simple, a comet effected the earth ala Maximum Overdrive and caused many catastrophes related to the show at the time. You the player was tasked with playing Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny and were armed with weapons both common with children in a quiet mountain town (Piss Snowballs, Dodgeballs and a Dart Machine Gun.) and bizarre alien contraptions (Cow launcher, Visitor's mind control device, piranha shooter). Your enemies included: Mutant Turkeys, Dr. Mephisto's abominations, Visitors and Killer Toys. The game wasn't great in every sense of the word and even the Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone were turned off at the notion of making this game let alone a series of games that were made at the time. Games such as:

Chef's Love Shack:

A Double Dare style trivia game show. 

South Park Rally:

A Mario Kart Knockoff.

It would seem like South Park wouldn't have any games associated with it, that weren't found on the net. That was until Ubisoft did a proposal to them in 2014.  One that seemed too good to refuse.

 

At this point they were in their  17th Season and producing a trilogy of episodes known as the "Black Friday Trilogy." The basic story being a Game of Thrones style LARP, where the kids were divided in factions on what to buy during Black Friday's discount day.  With Cartman wanting XBox and Stan wanting PS3. The episode kind of pissed me off because there was no faction even a parody faction that wanted Wii-U, but it was an all around entertaining romp that really stuck it to the annual Black Friday Riots.  Even going as far as splicing footage of the real riots with the ones in the show. With no one telling the difference. At the end of the episode, even when the kids agreed to one console, the bloodbath turned them off commercial gaming to the point where they preferred to keep their LARP up. Which ties directly into:

South Park: The Stick of Truth

A turn based strategy RPG game, where you're the star of it. What makes a game like this so unique is that it successfully emulates the tone and attitude of the characters within the show.  Whenever the kids do something like play Wizards and Warriors or Superheroes or Cops, they often skim the line between a child's imagination and the dangers of reality which they take just as seriously as their games. It's why they are willing to fight actual evil despite being kids playing games.

In this instance it revolves around two factions. The humans, lead by Cartman who is a Wizard and a King. Who rules the Kingdom of The Kupa Keep. (Yep, it's exactly what you're thinking of.) As well as The Drow Elves lead by Kyle. Whom have been locked in a civil war with each other over control of the titular item: The Stick of Truth.  Whoever controls The Stick Of Truth, controls the universe. A prophecy foretold of a new kid, who's arrival would turn the tides of their war depending on who gets to them first.  And that is where the reality side of the story sets in.

You play as the New Kid.  Who never speaks and rarely emotes, much to the frustration of his parents and those around him.  Because the kid is you, he is customized to your needs. So he could look whoever and whatever you want him to look like.  Unfortunately that doesn't apply to the name.  Upon encouragement from your parents, you are forced to go outside and make some friends, when you stumble upon Butters, a Paladin getting picked on by other kids.  After saving him, he in turn takes you to Kupa Keep and introduces you to the Wizard Cartman. After indoctrinating you, you get a choice of classes: Warrior, Mage, Thief or Jew.  (I picked Warrior.) and once picked you are to train in your abilities and how to handle yourself in combat.  While some RPGs now, use a system like this, it's fairly unique as it allows you to counter and defend yourself from oncoming attacks.  Which is what got me interested in this game. I got nothing against those that like turn based RPGs, but the one thing I couldn't stand was not being able to at least block oncoming attacks whenever it's someone else's turn. Hence why I don't play them after. So needless to say I got some satisfaction from this one.  After being trained you are shown the Stick of Truth and before you set out on your first mission, you are tasked with defending the kingdom from an invading Drow Elf army who come for the Stick.  While you successfully drive them off, the Stick is stolen and Clyde, who was tasked to guarding the stick is banished from space and time.  The whole game now is a huge quest to get the stick back, while at the same time participating in side missions that either further the story or give you a couple of good laughs along the way.

As the New Kid depending on your class you are accessed to a wide range of abilities, but the most unique of them all is your Fart Control abilities. 

Because South Park isn't without it's toilet humor, your character is able to weaponize various forms of flatulence that can get you a combative advantage or even remove obstacles from your path. From Dragonshout which will gross out your enemies and remove small obstacles to Nagasaki which can take down huge obstacles. 

Because you're not playing a specific character in South Park, as the new kid the bulk of the story revolves around you. Aliens abduct you, the government is after you and to top it off, on top of trying to help your new friends find the stick, you run afoul of rising epidemic of Nazi Zombies.  

Of course a game from South Park wouldn't be without it's call backs. One of the sidequests involves collecting Chinpokomon and you have to do missions for factions outside the wizard and warriors. From the Federation (Kevin Goddammit.) to the Girls (If it pleases and sparkles.) to the Goths (Life is pain.). The goths were my favorite part because despite their jerkish behavior they seem to warm up to the kid more than they get along with even the main characters. Showing a compassionate side to the Goth subculture rarely seen on the show as a whole.

The game was successful enough to warrant a direct sequel, which I haven't played yet:

South Park: The Fractured But Whole

Where their main shtick is involving their superhero personas. But when I do play it, I will let you know my experiences on it. Until then, enjoy Stick of Truth, have a laugh and whatever you do: Don't fart on a man's balls.

And now a word from CIEIR Music:

Are you tired of buying music without trying it first. Well you're in luck because on top of my bandcamp, CIEIR Music has it's own Youtube Channel, where it showcases some of their best work. It's most recent posting, the full album of the Royalty Free: 

 

Haunted Murder.

To Purchase this Album Click here: https://shanethemusician.bandcamp.com/album/haunted-murder

Straight Up Reviews: Joker

It's been a long time since I took the time to go to the movies. Most of the time, in order for me to watch let alone review a film, I've often waited until it was on TV or available on streaming sites and home video. But in the case of Joker I was compelled to see it in theaters. Even going as far as sitting in the front row so that whatever terrifying shit came my way, would be up close and personal.  Needless to say I was not disappointed. But before I get into it. Much like The Wall. A little history first.

Joker was first introduced in 1951, in the issue of Detective Comics #168. Created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson. Since then even to this day, he was often described as the definitive Batman villain. A clown based villain, who's main shtick is the following: Seeing vicious crimes as funny as practical jokes, revelling in the anarchy they cause, being nearly one step ahead of the Dark Knight and often always trying his best to either kill him in elaborate ways or corrupting him by any means necessary. Even in the age where Batman never killed, Joker was one of the few he admitted to be willing to make an exception of.  There were many stories, both in comic and other forms of media that often offered their own take on the villain. Such as Death in The Family, which killed off the Second Robin, Jason Todd. As well as the famous Alan Moore Graphic, The Killing Joke. He has been portrayed by many legendary actors, such as Caesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill, Heath Ledger, Jared Leto and just recently Joaquin Phoenix. The latter of which we will look into today.

The movie was directed by Todd Phillips, who got his claim to fame making the Hangover movies.  However this movie was a far contrast to his more lighthearted dark comedies.   Taking on such influences as Martin Scorsese. Whom was the first choice to direct the movie, before briefly becoming executive producers. While known for dark elements, this movie is not part of the fan nicknamed DCEU. Which housed such movies as Man Of Steel, Batman V Superman, Wonder Woman, Shazam and Aquaman. (Not Justice League, #ReleaseTheSnyderCut)

Spoilers aside.Various news mediums have often made the claims regarding the potential controversy. From using a certain song from a convicted Sex Offender. (Which I had no idea he was until I heard about it.), to the "potential" copy cat crimes in it's name similar to the controversy surrounding Clockwork Orange and the Aurora Theater Shooting. While I sympathize with the victims of those crimes, I refuse to believe this movie or any movie of similar variety is responsible. As Billy Loomis once said "Movies don't create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative." The fact that the Divided States of Trump or DST for short, would go as far as military action regarding it, is beyond asinine.

With that said, let's take a look.

Now this incarnation of the Clown Prince of Crime, goes by the name Arthur Fleck. A struggling Stand-up comic and part time clown, living in Gotham City in 1981.  He lives with his ailing mother in a rundown apartment with only one known neighbor. Sophie Dumond. A single mother whom Arthur has an attraction too.  In the beginning we get a glimpse into Arthur's life as he struggles with  overbearing bosses, apathetic citizens petty thugs and a series of symptoms of mental disorders not fully defined, but require him to be heavily medicated and attending sessions with a psychiatrist. All the while determined to land his dream gig on a comedy based talk show, hosted by Murray Franklin, played by Scorsese regular Robert DeNiro. After a recent incident involving his sign stolen by thugs, who in turn lure him into an alley to assault him; one of Arthur's colleagues, Randall gives him a pistol to defend himself. Which later gets him into trouble when he entertains sick kids. During a fateful subway ride home, he encounters three men hassling a woman who turn their attention to him due to his spontaneous laughter. When they try to harm him, Arthur snaps and shoots the three dead. Causing the third to suffer.  Upon returning home, he uses his newfound confidence to woo Sophie and gain fame through his stand-up routine.  However his fame turns into infamy when his murders reach the news and he finds to his shock the three men were part of a scholarship program run by Billionaire Thomas Wayne. In his bid to run for mayor of Gotham, Thomas derives the murders and calls anyone envious of their success "Clowns". Prompting ordinary citizens to don clown masks and protest his bid, while further causing themselves and Gotham to slip into Anarchy.  As if things weren't screwed up enough, Penny whom used to work for Thomas, believes him to be Arthur's biological father. Prompting his own search for the truth, by stalking Thomas and his son Bruce.  Penny suffers from a stroke and much to Arthur's joy he finally gets noticed by Murray Franklin.  Only for the joy to become sorrow when Murray only shows clips of his Stand-Up to belittle and mock him.  As Arthur continues to unravel, the funding for his medication and sessions were cut prompting him to slip further into insanity. Fortune smiles however when Franklin offers to have him on the show to perform a routine. Unfortunately news of the crimes coupled, his past incidences, with his mother's failing health have lead Arthur to run afoul of two detectives who suspect him. Upon visiting Arkham Asylum after a violent confrontation with Thomas Wayne, Arthur finds out the truth. He is not Thomas' biological son and Penny is not his biological mother. The latter of which both abused and allowed her boyfriends to abuse him as well.  Which prompts him to euthanize Penny with a pillow.  When he returns to Sophie's apartment, he finds to his horror, that they only met this time and that all the other times she's interacted with him were delusional hallucinations. It is unclear whether or not he killed Sophie upon discovering him in her house. While preparing for the show, he dons make-up and wears the trademark crimson purple suit. Arthur kills Randall for kickstarting his downward spiral, but spares his other colleague Gary. As the latter was the only one that treated him nicely.  While on route, the detectives chase him, prompting him to take shelter in a subway among clowns who were inspired by his crimes, to take a stand against the rich society of Gotham. Which he uses to evade them, causing the clowns to injure the detectives in the process.  Upon his arrival he agrees to Murray's terms on the condition that Murray refers to him from then on as: Joker.  After fumbling through his act, he makes a speech about how society doesn't  notice people like him and berates Murray for making fun of him and confesses to the killings before shooting Murray dead.  Which kickstarts a city-wide riot that causes the deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne. In turn kickstarting Bruce's journey into becoming Batman. Initially Joker gets arrested, but then freed, by his followers embracing them as the people that matter to him.  However in the end he is incarcerated at Arkham, before he plans his escape fulfilling his journey as the Clown Prince of Crime.

Now on the surface, the movie comes across as a dark, gritty deconstruction on the Coming of Age Genre. With Arthur portrayed for the most part as a sympathetic character who tries to make something of himself. Which he does. However due to the nature of the character he becomes, there are many hints that things aren't all they seem.

While the movie was not an adapation of any comic, it has taken inspirations from other works.  Such as implying Joker's involvement in the Wayne Murders similar to the 1989 Tim Burton Batman Film. But, the struggling comedian angle takes major inspiration from The Killing Joke.  And for those who have not read that comic or seen the adaptation it spawned, there was one key element in the Joker story that causes the movie to be seen in a different light. During his confrontation with, Joker laments that even he doesn't know who he is anymore. Reciting this immortal quote.

And since this movie overall has taken place in Joker's POV, for all we know some if not all of it was either at best an outright lie or at worst, choice C of his multiple choice past. Rather than have a full on origin story, we may have just merely taken a glimpse of the titular clown's damaged psyche.  And there have been several moments that show his delusions.  From the moment he imagined himself among Murray's audience, to the twist regarding Sophie.  With that in mind, how much of the story if not all of it was true or false? We may never know. And that is what scares us the most.

The movie was at first released in film festivals, winning several awards including but not limited to 3 Venice Film awards and one Actor Tribute Award in the Toronto International film festival.  Upon it's theatrical release it has broken many box office records and as of today has grossed a world wide total of $281.6 Million. $14.99 of it I myself have proudly personally spent on it.

And to those still convinced that this may incite some kind of violence I say this. If you truly believe it's going to happen, then congratulations, much like Harley Quinn you fell right into Joker's plans.

The movie is full of thrills, chills and will keep you on the edge of your seat. You'll laugh, you'll cry, but most of all you'll have something to talk about. But I'm not gonna lie, the movie will scare the living shit out of you.  Enjoy.

And now a word from CIEIR Music:
S.T. Musician here, if you want music for your projects. Whether it's short videos, feature length, reviews or just simply want something to listen too. Then look no further than http://cieirmusic.blogspot.com/  Here you will listen to a variety of synth, orchestral or chiptune based music depending on your preference.  Of course if you want to skip straight to the buy, look no further than here: https://shanethemusician.bandcamp.com/ where you can for yourself listen to the music before you make your decision.

Straight Up Reviews: Pink Floyd The Wall

It's been a while since I did a review on this site, I thought I'd do it the old fashioned way because I am so mad that I may break every microphone I use.  As you no doubt of guessed, Nostalgia Critic has done a "Review" of The Movie Adaptation of The Wall. Years ago my counterpart S.T. did a written CIEIR on it back when he thought he was a real person. (Long Story.). But since CIEIR was more or less dedicated to finding out if concepts of fiction could exist for real and NC pissed me off that much, I thought it'd be the proper time to give a proper review of this movie. 

First off a little history.  Pink Floyd started out as a Psychedelic/Space Rock band in 1963, it's members at the time Syd Barret, Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Bob Klose.  Over time the band changed it's course in both member and music, with the most prominent leaving being Syd Barrett. Rumors of drugs and a lingering insanity on his part.  However none was so infamous than the 1977 Spitting Incident in Montreal. It was during a concert where the Band was promoting Animals and two things among most happened. The first sparked by a fan, who let off a firework, while the Band was performing "Pigs on the Wing." prompting Waters to rant on stage to the fan and the screaming fans that follwed. The second the aforementioned incident. Most concerts often have a fence or a barrier that allows the fans to see the musicians, but can't get near them. More or less out of fear of being swarmed or worse, some angry Misery style fan wanting to harm them one way or another. This concert was no exception. However one "Brave" individual decided to take it upon themselves to climb said barrier and meet the band face to face.  They got their wish, but on top of that, in the heat of his anger, Roger Waters spat directly in the fan's face.  However as justified in his anger he has been in this instance, Waters felt disgusted with himself afterwards. And while history shows the band didn't last long after, The Wall was meant to be his first stepping stone in redeeming himself. 

Now it's not uncommon for music to tell a story, that's part of the medium. Whether it's a personal story or a fictional story. It makes no difference so long as it's entertaining. And this Album was no exception.  The Wall was made in 1979 and after it's astounding success it spawned many concerts, a feature film and is considered won of Pink Floyd's most well known, well liked albums along side Dark Side of The Moon.  And this story is just as important as the music used to entertain us. Which is why I was immediately shocked and disgusted the way Nostalgia Critic handled the "review", but I'll get to that later.

The Wall itself revolves around a protagonist by the name of Pink.  Pink serves as an amalgamation of life stories based around key members of the band. The most prominent being Syd Barret, who long since left before the conception of the album. Roger Waters, who insists that at least %75 of it is based around him and some shades of David Gilmour. 

Ever since the day of his birth, Pink always felt like he got the shit end of the stick.  His father dying in World War II, before he had a chance to meet him.  His teachers constantly abusing him, while they themselves have to go home and deal with similar abuse from their fat and psychopathic wives.  Then we have his mother, a woman with a severe case of abandonment issues, who smothers and shelters Pink in fear he may leave or die like his father.  All these moments, inspire him to build the titular wall. A barrier between his own mind and all of reality, with realities woes serving as the bricks used to build the wall.

The Album time skips to Pink's adult life, where he is now a successful Rock Musician.  However his past insecurities along with the empty spaces of his wall, being filled with Drugs, Sex and Fame cause him to neglect his wife.  In an attempt to make up for his behavior he tries to call his wife during a post-concert party in Los Angeles.  Only to find out through the operator, that his wife cheated on him with another man. He brings one of his groupies home, in an attempt to revenge lay. However his repressed rage at his wife, not only halts said attempt, but causes him to go violent and trash the hotel room he was staying at.  All the while, imagining his wife as no longer a human being, but a monster out to hurt him.  He finishes his wall and cuts himself completely out of the real world.  Only to realize his mistake not too long after. While trapped, he reminisces about his past, specifically a moment where he among many families in Post-WWII England are waiting for word of their loved ones returning.  Eventually his manager comes in with a doctor in tow.  He gives Pink a drug in hopes to bring him out of his catatonia.  Only for Pink to transform into a Neo-Nazi persona with a surrogate band.  In essence he's become everything he's hated about the world and the very bricks in his wall. As his persona he rallies his concert goers to weed out anything he deems undesirable and gets them to take to the streets. Whether or not this actually happened or is a hallucination is uncertain, but the movie implies it was a hallucination.  At the height of his Reich he orders everything to stop and realizes that he is mostly to blame for the problems in his life. Specifically how he chose to deal with them.  He puts himself on trial where he puts caricatures of his Teacher, Wife and Mother on the stand who lay out their version of why he's the problem.  The teacher thinks he's undisciplined. The mother simply wants him home. His wife, the only one who actually has a right to be pissed, tells it flat out. ("You should have talked to me more often than you did. BUT NOOO!!!") The Judge, Worm Your Honour, who started out as a worm, but then morphed into a literal giant ass on two Legs, only takes the Wife and Mother's testimony into account and sentences Pink to be exposed before his peers. Pink tears down the wall, but it's left ambiguous to whether or not he lived through it and if he did, whether he learned his lesson or is doomed to repeat the cycle. ("Isn't this where we came in?")

The Wall, in all it's forms, the Rock Opera, The Concert, The Movie, has the themes of: Loss, Paranoia, Insecurity, Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll, Alienation and most of all, the endless cycle of conformity and anarchy. Pink shrived to be an anarchist, because he was angry at the conformity on both sides of the war which he believed resulted in his father's death. Only for him to become a conformist just as bad if not worse than the Nazis and teachers he hated as a child. He was afraid of getting smothered by his wife, which as a result alienated him from her and vice versa. He saw every perceived negative influence as monsters out to get and change him and thought trying to wall up his true feelings would make him feel better as he tried to fill the void with Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll. Only to realize that had he opened up more to the people that loved him he would have been able to let go of his past and become a better person. Which was ultimately what the monsters within his wall also wanted him to do. And whether or not he succeeded, died or was doomed to repeat the cycle, is up to us.

Now this is where I never got why Nostalgia Critic did what he did here.   All of this could have been easily addressed even with his clip-less review of the matter.  But instead he opted in a shallow, hollow parody that misses the mark on what the original work was meant to convey. And to top it off, you stole music from them. You changed the lyrics, but the instrumentals were the same and sold it as though it's your own.  Walker Brothers, I hope Waters sues you back to the stone age for this. Fair use does not apply to what you did here.