Jack Attack Tuesday – Pats Vs. Ravens, Dark Souls 2 and Whiplash
Well, we’re into the one-week season as playoff football is in full swing. If you asked me who I want to see the Pats play, I’d be lying if I told you another tilt with the Ravens would have been my first choice, but after giving it some thought I couldn’t be more excited for the matchup. You see, the past few years I’ve been really luck to see a couple games at Gillette, but my first game is the one you see me pictured at below:
About three years ago now, I got to see the Pats take on the Ravens in the AFC title game. This probably doesn’t matter to most of you, but you football fans may remember this play:
I got to see that happen live and in person. It was an amazing experience, not because it was the Patriots, and not because it was to go to the Super Bowl (although all of that helped), but more so because it was the simultaneous reaction of 80000 people all losing their fucking minds at once. It’s a high I can’t describe, but anyone who has seen something like this in person gets it. Despite the season not going our way in the end, this was an incredible moment for me, and it’s stuck with me since it happened. It’s part of why I love football, and it’s moments like this one that get me extra excited for this Saturday’s matchup.
These days I’m not as big into video games as I used to be, but I fucking love me some Dark Souls. The first one was one of the best games I’ve ever played, and for my style of play it seems like they perfected the formula with Dark Souls 2. Anyone who has played it knows the style, but I’ll give you an idea of the difficulty curve, which is just as demanding/rewarding as you might have heard it is. Basically, you are a “hollow”, or a soulless husk/zombie that is exploring the world of Drangleic. The world is inhabited by bad guys varying from demons to evil knights and other humanoid characters. You have a health bar, which is sparse and a stamina bar that dictates your ability to sprint, block, swing your sword, cast your spells or dodge an attack. You have to manage your stamina and health in a battle of wits with each and every enemy in the game. Make the wrong move and you will fucking die. Try to rush through an area without thinking and you will fucking die. Do all of these things properly but make a small misstep and you will fucking die. However, when you beat an area and progress there is absolutely nothing better than the feeling of knowing you beat the FUCK out of it. Patience and persistence are key for this game, but it is one of the best.
Last week I gave you my yearly rankings of the films of 2014 that I got a chance to see. Whiplash was high on my must-see list, but because of where I live and the fact that God hates me I was not presented an opportunity to see the flick last year. Luckily, anonymous movie guy delivered it today and I gave it a watch. This is, without question, exactly the kind of movie I love. A tightly-written, skillfully performed story with great characters, pitch-perfect direction, a dynamite soundtrack and some really fantastic moments throughout. Whiplash hit me the same way Birdman did, and had I seen it last year it would have been the second 10 on 10 rating of the year. I hate Miles Teller but here, well, he’s perfect. The kid gets across the angst and discomfort of mediocrity and the lack of recognition some of his family and friends give to him. J.K. Simmons is winning AT LEAST the Oscar for Supporting Actor this year and I can’t see the director not getting noticed for his work. Whiplash is the kind of movie that maintains its timelessness by planting its feet firmly in the emotion and feeling of its characters rather than the conventions of the time in which the story is set. Movie like Whiplash come around MAYBE once a year, if you’re lucky, so get on that shit if you haven’t already.
Get your hands on Whiplash and see it NOW. I cannot stress this enough. Go Pats and Binge On!