Edward's January 2019 Mix

 

And so January begins another year. It’s marked big changes already. I have a daughter who left the wonderful warm south to seek her fortune here in our wintry state. It seems the traffic and the dense population of Austin, TX finally got to her. Speaking of wintry state, it has been COLD. It always makes me scratch my head when the subject of global warming comes up. Is there really such a thing? I certainly don’t see it here. I’ve been looking at new PCs. Next month my custom built Ironside Computers I7-3770k beast will be six years old. Sheesh!, even I I can’t believe that. It’s a new record for using the same PC. As a testament to the workmanship of this rig though, I feel it has life left in it. It still plays everything like silk, Grand Theft Auto V being the only game I’ve seen to cause it to chug. I picked up a new axe. Oh man, is it a beauty! Even my mistakes sound good now. This journey into music is giving me the chance to reinvent myself, and it’s given me one of the best learning experiences to date, and that’s that we should all reinvent ourselves from time to time. It’s never to late to learn.  
  
1.   Ultimate General: The Civil War on PC: I played the original Ultimate General: Gettysburg back in 2014 and reviewed it on Steam. That review has garnered more than 270 thumbs up positives. (I actually have it on my Steam profile page.) It was so good I played through it completely in one long weekend. I’ve always had its successor Ultimate General: The Civil War on my wishlist, and when I saw it on a recent sale I scarfed it up. It’s definitely the full enchilada. I started as the yanks and got my butt handed to me on broken fence planking. I guess it really does play authentically, being the north began the war at a logistics disadvantage. I restarted as the south, and so far I’m holding my own, but if history holds true I’ve really got my work cut out for me here in the not too distant future. The game plays the same, looks the same and feels the same as the original. There was a lot of love put into it by Lab-Games for sure. The solo play is a blast, and I look forward to playing against other people online. Any takers? 

2.   Dave Matthews Band “Crash” on CD: I’ve always had a soft spot for Dave and crew. I saw them in Indianapolis some years back at the Verizon Center, and even their concert had that sparky happy feel-good vibe, the same one as each of their albums, you know the one that causes you to smile while driving down the road listening to them. Crash was their sophomore album debuting way back in 1996. Unfortunately, I was not a fan back then. I thought their music sounded like a bad mix up of instruments handed out at the beginning of 5^th grade band class to be beat on and twanged until the end of the class when they would be collected up and boxed up until the next week. But something happened over the years, maybe Dave Matthews’ passion became contagious. Now I’m hooked. It’s a blend of acoustic rock mixed with a tinge of jazz and a healthy pinch of folk. I just know I can’t be in a bad mood for long listening to it. I’d suggest listening to the song, “Cry Freedom” for starters. 

3.  Lost Season 4 on Blu Ray: Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m really behind the times, but hey, better late than never, yeah? I love this series. You’ve heard me say it before, I would have watched it in the early oughts when it came out but I have such an aversion to television commercials I refrained. (Yes, I hate them that much. I don’t watch any kind of network television.) This season has me despising John Locke who up to this point has been my favorite character. I’m into about the fourth episode, and so far it’s all about this mysterious freighter several miles out that sent a rescue party to pick up the survivors, but as the cello strings and the synth keys resonate their sinister tones, we wonder if their intentions are noble or ignoble. I’ve heard the series lost its way (pun intended) somewhere in this season which remains to be seen. So far I’m really enjoying it immensely. 

4. Band of Brothers: Hell’s Highway on PC: This was the third game in a trilogy of cool strategy/shooter games hatched by Gearbox games in the early oughts. The games bleed high production values and tell a compelling continuing story. They’re not easy games. I’m playing on the middle difficulty (with no chance to play the most difficult, Veteran Difficulty without first beating the game on the middle setting) and I still die a lot. Still, despite the bulging population of them, I love WWII shooters. This game has an underlying dark story that pronounces its anti war theme in an effective manner. The music is sadly beautiful and the characters effectively emulate anybody you’ve ever watched in Saving Private Ryan or HBO’s quite popular Band of Brothers. The series is worth playing for their fun factor and the great story, not to mention the authenticity of the game where the missions are actually real missions taken from now classified operation documents. You can pick up the trilogy for under ten bucks on gog.com. 

5. Battle for  the Planet of the Apes on Blu Ray: The end of an era. This series was a favorite of mine through my childhood. I remember seeing the previews for this movie on TV and thinking it was so cool. I couldn’t wait to go to the movies to see it. For whatever reason I didn’t get to see it until a few years later when it made its way to television as probably a Friday night movie. To my unjaded eyes at the time, I’m sure I thought it was every bit as cool as I had perceived it when I first saw the ad for the theatrical release. In truth, the movie had a meager budget, a victim of diminutive  finances that plagued every movie made after the original. This entire movie was made on a woodsy back lot at 20^th Century Fox and the Los Angeles Hyperion sewage plant with painted backdrops filling in for the destroyed human city mauled by nuclear bombs. TV studios had acquired the rights for the TV series, and this entire movie was made halfheartedly. Still, its an important film in the series, offering hope for coexistence between the humans and the apes in the end. 
  
6. Carbon Based Lifeforms: “World of Sleepers”  on FLAC: Drum, bass, ambient chill electronics. What’s not to like? This music group is my go to for mind expanding fulfilling tuneage. I picked this up on bandcamp.com which is a site any music lover should be familiar with. You buy the digital album with the ability to download it as a flac or high quality mp3, and then two weeks later the physical CD arrives in your mailbox. Plus the money goes directly to the artist for the most part. This album is one of CBL’s best. I’d recommend it to anybody who hadn’t even heard of the group. If you like movie or video-game music it’s a no brainer. My favorite song, “Photosynthesis” is worth the price of admission alone. 

7. The Blue Moons of the Wallace Hotel  by Phoebe Stone: A young adult book loaned to me by my sister who insisted I'd enjoy it. And yes, it was a well written tale of a young girl pursuing a dream amidst a recent tragic event and how all things come to pass. The books historical setting of the early 1960s was hard for me to grasp; the book had a more modern times vibe to it. Still, Fiona, the main character held sway with the story and I found the book compelling enough to finish and give it three stars. 

8. Hell or High Water  on 4K Blu Ray: Hell or High Water received four nominations at the Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Jeff Bridges, Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing. And it won none of them. Regardless, this is a great movie depicting two brothers losing the family ranch and robbing the bank chain that holds title to their ranch deed. Chris Pine and Ben Foster are great as the two brothers. The film almost plays out like an old fashioned western. Jeff Bridges plays his role dead on, taking command of every scene in he’s in. Chris Pine is the reluctant bad guy robber only playing through his last resort to keep the family ranch. Ben Foster, his ex-con brother is only doing what he’s doing because his brother asked him to. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun Times gave the film four out of four stars, saying, "In ways large and small, Hell or High Water is a movie so beautiful and harsh and elegiac and knowing, the moment it was over was the moment I wanted to see it again.” Truer words were never spoken, Mr. Roeper.

9. Dragon Age II on PC: I’m still continuing my journey in this wonderful EA game, the second of the trilogy. I survived my jaunt through The Deep Roads. I lost a sister through it, but gained a level or two with my rogue, Edward Hawke, finally acquiring level 12. This game is right up there with The Witcher as far as enjoyable RPGs, and honestly, this is perhaps the most fun I’ve had in any RPG. Every quest is a blast to play through. Critics panned the console-like mechanics of the game, but to me the game is highly polished and plays just fine. I don’t even have a problem with the confinement of playing basically a pre-made character. I’m probably half way through the game and still each time I sit down to play it is a great experience.  

10. Project Cars on PC:  I’d been weighing this game for years. The hardcore crowd compares it to Assetto Corsa and I can easily see the comparison. So far I’m only in the beginning stages of the game, the Karting venue, and the game definitely nails the feels. (Based on my own personal experience, having driven a racing Kart.) The AI is a little off mark (like Assetto Corsa.) But notching the AI down from 88 to 85 made a big difference. I’m winning about 1/3 of my races. The graphics one up Assetto Corsa but just by a hair. But the racing campaign which involves a whole series of every car in the game rips through Assetto Corsa which is really just a succession of single player races assembled together to look like an actual campaign. I came onboard Assetto Corsa way back in early access, and I have no regrets. I just wish they hadn’t abandoned it to make their next racing game. I picked up Project Cars at the behest of my Steam buddy, Ausmerica so we could do some online racing. And we have yet to participate in a single race, but I’m definitely looking forward to it.

Edward's December 2018 Mix

It’s been quite the eventful month for me. My oldest daughter came home for Christmas, and I got two weeks away from work (always a great thing!) I exceeded my 2018 Reading Challenge on Goodreads.com, and I finally beat Neverwinter Nights, a game I bought way back when it came out in 2002 and never put in the time to beat it. I watched a lot of movies this month, given I’ve had some lengthy vacation time. And I got to dive into some good music and games as well. I’ve been studying music, and it’s strange how sheet music was always a foreign language to me, and now it’s starting to make sense. Incredible how it works!  

1.      Grand Theft Auto V on PC: I've been trying to beat the story and at 26 out of 61 missions, it looks like I have a long ways to go. For the first time in my years of playing computer games I’ve had to torture a guy who did nothing to me to make me hate him. Despite “it’s just a game” it still made me feel uncomfortable and I didn’t enjoy that part of the game at all. This is one reason I finally gave up on the game. That, and never quite knowing what to do next. It didn’t help that none of the characters were sympathetic characters. If/when GTAVI comes out, I’ll probably take a pass.  I see so many screenshots of this dazzling game, but that's not what's made the big impression on me. It's the sound. This game is an aural feast. Amazing, really. Standing outside of a trashy trailer at nightfall and hearing a motorcycle on a distant freeway or a far off coyote. Arguably the best sound design I've heard since EA's ill fated but well intended, SimCity.

2.     Silversun Pickups: Better Nature on CD: One of my favorite bands from the noughts. I never get tired of listening to Silversun Pickups. This album, much like their latest album took more than one listen for it to click with me, but man, did it! I can’t say there’s a standout amazing song like “Lazy Eye” on this one, but the album will fit nicely in a rotating disc tray of other of the band’s works. There seems to be a bit more synthesizer on this album than previous ones, which certainly isn’t a bad thing. 

3.      World War II in Color  on Netflix: This has been my go to series this month while spinning on the exercise bike. It’s a series definitely designed for the layman history buff, and it’s a shame because if high schools were to air this during the typical boring history class, we’d have a lot more history majors. Compiled of archival footage, each episode is compelling and well worth watching. It’s one of those documentaries that you just can’t help but feel smarter after having indulged. Good stuff. 

4.  Abzu on PC: A beautiful little gem I picked up on a Steam sale a long time ago but just got around to playing. You are an explorer in a forever ocean surrounded by heart breakingly beautiful visuals and a soundtrack played by Heaven’s Philharmonic orchestra. A short and sweet game I swam through it in about 2 hours. It’s a game to play with a child or a grandchild perched on your lap, a read to me book done umpteen times better. This game makes me want to be buried at sea. 

5.  Olan Mill: Pine on CD: Crying cellos and pianos that tinkle as if from a ruined church with broken stained glass windows nestled in the middle of a deep dark forest. I don’t know why this CD affects me like it does, but I always have to reach for a Kleenex tissue. It makes my soul thrash inside my body as if suddenly awakened from a deep sleep. The band is a mystery at best. They’re not even on Wikipedia. And maybe that’s a good thing; I’ll just keep them as my beautiful little mystery.  

6. Without Fail by Lee Child: Book number 6 in the Jack Reacher universe, this one has Reacher rising to the cause as a security advisor seeking holes in the active defense of the President of the United States. And this time Reacher isn’t alone. He has two partners, both females, one a former Army partner, and the other a civilian in the US Secret Service who once was intimately involved with Jack Reacher’s brother in the past, ah, the plot thickens already!  This book lacks the fisticuff white knuckle action of the prior Reacher books I’ve read, but it is entertaining. 

7. Mission Impossible III on Blu Ray: So far, of the three M:I movies I’ve seen, this one overshadows the others. The plot races like a passenger train out of control, and the gadgetry, the locations, and all the intrinsic elements make this a fun movie to watch. If you’re a fan of Solid Snake or Sam Fisher, this is a must see. I directly watched it again right after, but with Tom Cruise and J.J. Adams’ (the film’s director) comments. They were entertaining, and though I’m not a fan of Cruise in the real world, he definitely harbors a genuine love for acting and puts his all into every role he does. And ever since Abrams was offered the helm of both  the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises, I just lost the little bit of fandom I have for him, but I have to admit I was pretty impressed with this movie.  
8. Dragon Age II on PC: I played the first one many years ago, back in 2010 and enjoyed it immensely. I had heard not the best of things about this one, the second title in the series. But until The Witcher III: The Wild Hunt came out, I’d read the third title in the Dragon Age series, Inquisition was the best PC game ever made. So, for me to play that one I have to make my way through the second game. Some of the graphics are a little wonky, but so far the story line is brilliant. I’ve created a character I’ve grown to love. This is like reading a fine novel that you never want to end. I wholeheartedly recommend it. 

9. Saving Private Ryan on 4K HD: This makes the 9^th time I’ve seen this? And the fourth iteration of it I’ve seen. I first saw it on the big screen, and then DVD, and then Blu Ray, and now I have the 4K HD. Honestly, I saw little difference between this one and the standard Blu Ray version. I’d say if you have it on Blu Ray, keep it. There’s no need to upgrade. It’s still a spectacular movie, but I think I’ve finally reached that point where I’m just watched out. I won’t soon forget the impact this movie had on me over the years, however, through the many PC games I've stormed Normandy beach over time and time again thanks to the influence of this movie.

Edward's November 2018 Mix

Winter is here. We’ve had some really brisk nights. But you know what? That’s okay. It’s just the excuse I need to stay inside and dive into my love of CDs, Blu Rays, books, and PC games. I’ve been hitting my guitar more than I ever have before. Each little conquest is hard fought, but it’s like scaling over the top of a mountain. You’ve heard me say this before, but my biggest regret is that I didn’t delve into this much younger in life. I hail from a family of musicians. I could have been a contender! Seriously kids, buy a guitar or a piano now and practice, practice, practice! I guess the old adage might be true, however. You’re never too old to learn, yeah? And who knows, maybe I just wasn’t interested when I was younger. Maybe this is where I am supposed to be at this point in my musical universe.


1.      The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly on Blu Ray: Finishing up my Man with No Name trilogy, this is the last movie in the series. But you already know that, you probably also know it’s one of the coolest westerns in the history of movies. Sergio Leone who made mythical westerns based on what was mythical in the first place, created a magnum opus with this one. I don’t know if Eastwood’s taciturn observant character or Eli Wallach’s scoundrel rapacious Tuco Ramirez is my favorite character. Both of them have earned a spot in my book of coolness. The Blu Ray treatment is okay, nothing special. The film now has a gritty yellowish tint to it. From what I read, it’s the look Leone wanted. I’m okay with it, but beside the yellow tint, the film itself isn’t substantially different than the DVD version. Still, this version contains some great interviews with Eastwood and Wallach and two commentaries by noted film historians. It’s definitely worth the rewatch just to catch these great commentaries

2.     Blackstar HT-1RH Stack Amp: When I discovered there were only 750 of these made, and it was a tube amp my interest was piqued. And then I found out it was only a 1 watt amplifier. I was like, huh? And then I read the reviews. It was the multitude of 5 star reviews that urged me to pull the trigger. I ordered it from Sweetwater based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and I had it the next day. (As an aside, a company with some of the best customer service of any company I’ve ever dealt with.) When I plugged my guitar into it and strummed the strings the first time, it was then I was wholly convinced. This thing sounds incredible! I never would have believed 1 watt would have me keeping the volume on the down low to prevent awakening the household. And then there are the aesthetics. With its vintage good looks, this thing looks like a wedding cake stolen from a Lawrence Welk show. 

3.      Created By by Richard Christian Matheson: Who would have known a writer who penned screenplays for early 80’s television shows like The Incredible Hulk, Knight Rider, B.J. and the Bear, and Three’s Company could spin out one of the best novels I’ve read this year. A young screenplay writer, Alan White creates a television series that tops the ratings. The show exudes state of the art death and dazzle, full frontal nudity and geysers of blood. Alan’s made it, enjoying success beyond his wildest dreams. But then terribly strange things begin to happen. The morning headlines start to read like grisly reruns of his action hit. And then plots which Alan White hasn’t written or spoken of yet begin to blood-blossom into reality. The main action anti hero that White has created takes on a dastardly life of his own outside of television. Matheson has talent and I'm surprised it's taken me this long to discover him.

4.   Gun on PC: Supposedly a good game with its all star voice cast: Lance Henrickson, Tom Skerritt and Kris Kristofferson. And not to mention an award winning screenplay writer at the helm of the game’s story. In truth, it’s a six hour game artificially lengthened by its outlandish difficulty spikes. For being a shoddy PlayStation 2 port back in 2005 with its mud graphics and wonky control scheme (made slightly better with an Xbox Controller) I could forgive its shortcomings. But I can’t. I got to the penultimate boss, a crazed outlaw in the guise of a bible toting preacher out to deliver God’s justice. The fight was nigh impossible. This “mini” boss hides out and his health regenerates. So, as you expend your bullets and health flasks (comically in the form of bottles of whiskey) he becomes impossible. I called up the last boss fight on YouTube and realized there was no way I was going to spend 30 minutes taking him down, especially not being able to take out the boss before him. This makes the 3^rd attempt I’ve taken to beat this game since it came out. I’m done. This game stomped me. I guess I'll fire up Read Dead Redemption on the household PS3.

5.   S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat on PC: It took me two rage quits and three installs to finally beat S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl but it was a ride well worth it. Now I’ve finally gotten to this game, the second in the series. It took me 39 hours to beat, which is good considering it’s a 40 hour game. The story line was a little slow to start but escalated to a great ending. The game looked pretty amazing in 1440P resolution, and it exuded the same haunting bleak look of the first game which helped with the immersion factor. I’ll look forward to moving onto the Metro games now.

6.   Sasha Airdrawndagger on CD: Alexander Paul Coe (born 4 September 1969), known musically as Sasha is a Welsh DJ and record producer. He is best known for his live events and EDM as a solo artist. I picked up this CD years ago and was at first put off by its heavy drum and bass. I remember thinking, “Is this all there is?” And then toward the end is two songs that sound amazingly good. Reviewer Glenn Swan gave it four stars out of five, summarizing his review with "Airdrawndagger has a sharp blade, and hovers with threat, but it takes almost half the album before it draws blood" But those two songs near the end, boy howdy! “Requiem” and “Wavy Gravy.” Both songs are the epitome of upbeat EDM, but imagine being in a starship and passing Heaven, and being physically able to see it, the beauty and the grandeur. This song is the sound of that.

7.   Conquest of the Planet of the Apes on Blu Ray: I’d seen this way back as a kid in the ‘70’s and not since. Detailing the ascent of the apes over man, this film is probably the most brutal of the series, and the screenplay was somewhat inspired by the racial riots of the 1960s. The violence in the movie almost caused it to earn an R rating, but producers were able to "trim" some of the rough scenes down and the movie was able to be shown to a full age audience.

Roddy McDowall plays Caesar, a less than friendly version of his usual Cornelius character. The transition to Blu Ray from DVD is gorgeous and a must have for any fan of this outstanding 1970s action series.

8.   Neverwinter Nights on PC: I finally beat it. I had to cheat on a few fights, and you know how I hate cheating, but if that’s what it takes. I just wanted to get the game over with. It took me 102 hours which is quite a lot for a 60 hour game. You can probably see why I was ready for the game to be done with.

Edward's October 2018 Mix

Another year almost over just when I’m getting used  to writing 2018 on my checks. This was a busy month for me, but not really gaming (for once.) It seems my latest obsession has been my guitar. The more I discover, the more I realize I have so much to learn and this is the most difficult thing I’ve ever undertaken. I wish I’d started 30 years ago. It’s probably my life regret truth be told. Some say it’s never too late to start. I cling to that statement. 

1.       Chariots of Fire on Blu Ray: An independent film made in 1981, this is a great story about two runners of different faiths who aspire to the 1924 Olympic games in Paris. The music brilliantly done by Vangelis is a masterpiece. And this Blu Ray transition is a masterpiece unto itself. If you’ve never seen this movie, it ranks right up there with The Natural and Hoosiers as one of the best sports movies made. And I don’t even like sports!

2.      A Few Dollars More on Blu Ray: This was Sergio Leone’s second in his spaghetti western trilogy. After having made the first film on a shoestring budget, and the movie being an overwhelming success, Leone and crew were given crap tons of money to make this film. And it shows. The production values are much more apparent. Leone chose to use many of the same actors he used in the first film (and subsequently in the third film as well.) Lee Van Cleef was actively recruited by Leone himself to be a part of this film, and his solid performance as a former Civil War officer turned bounty hunter is a strong suit of the film. The Blu Ray transfer highlights some stronger colors, much more so than the first movie, A Fistful of Dollars. Definitely a part of my favorite western series of all time, not to be missed.

3.      Halloween on 4K Blu Ray: This was probably the fourth time I’ve seen this movie over the years, but admittedly I’ve never seen it look so crisp, bright or clean. I don’t have a premium sound setup on my television, (not yet anyway) but this 4K is proof that it’s a medium that has indeed surpassed Blu Ray which in itself has left DVD far behind.

4.      Pirate Latitudes by Michael Chricton: A fictional (or “factional” account being this was penned by Michael Chricton.) This was Chricton’s last work before he passed on. It was supposedly a rough draft discovered on his computer. It seems to be a work he had fun creating because this book has been a blast to read. The historical intrinsics seem accurate, and the characters are almost over the top. I could see Stephen Spielberg making this into a blockbuster film. Think Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean for adults. I’ve got a hundred pages to go to the end and I’m racing to get there.

5.      Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk: I’ve generally found Palahniuk to be a compelling writer. It’s not his plots or his characters. It’s his writing style. He has a knack for putting one word in front of the other quite unlike anybody else in the trenches. This book, though. It’s reminiscent of a Tom Robbins novel, but I think Tommy did it better. The story concerns a fashion model who ends up blowing her jaw off with a shotgun, and her descent into abject ugliness and the fallout that succeeds it. It’s the first Palahniuk book that’s made me gag.

6.      Need For Speed: Pro Street on PC: I’ve played car racing simulations for three decades now. I’m a stickler for realism, but I’m also a sucker for a good arcade racer. EA’s Need for Speed series has always scratched that itch for me. Pro Street almost, operative word being “almost,” carries over into more serious simulation territory, but not really. Maybe more so than any other EA racer before it. This involves a series of street type racing (e.g. drag, drift, time trials, etc.) in which you earn cash and upgrade cars or buy new ones. The goal is to unseat the current leader in each racing style. I’m about ¾ of the way to completion and having the time of my life.

7.      Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 4 on Blu Ray: I just finished the season. The show’s writers seem to think this is when the series started getting stellar. They said at this point they had a staff of regular writers and there was no more musical chairs. Michael Pillar had basically formed the equivalent of a team of Olympians. We got such great character insight with this season. We got to see Picard’s home on Earth. We got to meet Data’s creator father. We even got to see Worf’s human parents. I don’t think I have a favorite season, not yet anyway, but this is a testament the series is getting better with each season. The Blu Ray treatment is excellent. Sell your DVD set on eBay or Amazon and pick this up on Blu Ray. It will be a keeper.

8.      The Great Escape on Blu Ray: I remember watching this movie as a kid on a local Indiana channel, WTTV Channel 4. This was one of those movies that would air late night New Year’s Eve. I was fascinated by WWII as a kid, and it was movies like this that fostered that interest. This movie, with its all star cast (James Coburn as an Aussie was perhaps the only mis-cast in my opinion that stood out glaringly.) Elmer Bernstein’s musical score is perfect. The Blu Ray transfer is excellent and well worth it for any Steve McQueen fan or anybody interested in World War II films.

9.      A Star is Born at the movie theater: I watched the great version of this with James Mason and Judy Garland many years ago. When I saw the previews to this remake I was immediately interested. Seeing it at the theater I was not disappointed. Bradley Cooper is good as a famous singer/performer who has descended into a world of narcotics and alcohol. Along the way he becomes enamored with a struggling musician, Stefani Germanotta (aka Lady Gaga.) (*SPOILER ALERT*) Cooper tries to sober up through rehabilitation and seems to be successful until Gaga’s manager pays him a visit and informs Cooper it’s a matter of time until he fails and he should just do the right thing to quell any impedance to Gaga’s career. I thought that could have been played better; it just seemed a bit too contrived. I would have punched the manager and thrown him out of my house. Instead, Cooper lugubriously acquiesces. I call bull****.

10.   Dirty Rotten Scoundrels on Blu Ray:  I’m not a fan of comedies. Comedies are just not something America is good at, but seriously, is Britain really? But I am a fan of Michael Caine, and he shines gloriously in this film. Steve Martin does a great job as well as a con man out to oust Caine as the better man at his shady craft. This is a fun movie, with a feel good ending. I watched the Blu Ray and immediately afterwards put in the DVD for scene by scene comparisons. Yes, there is a noticeable difference.