Double Down Reviews

I will begin by saying that I switched to Android from iOS with the HTC One M7. I loved that device, and with a few exceptions, the M8 delivers the same experience and improves upon it. What makes the HTC One such a great device is the physical design - what features or bells and whistles it might lack are made up for with a durable, efficient and beautiful build. The HTC One is a great device for anyone due to its ideal size - the screen is large enough that it is fine for all but the most-demanding games, but it uses most of the face of the device so it is not too large and cumbersome. The switch to on-screen function keys helps this. It might be a small thing, but the symmetrical face of the device makes it good for switching between vertical and horizontal orientation. The speakers are equally placed on either side of the screen so that when viewing content in horizontal orientaion the speakers project to your ears with balance. The one complaint I would make about the screen is th...

I must preface this review with two things. First is that I am a fan of the Rabbids, a humorous and continued spin-off of Rayman that have come to be their own series. Second is that this game has similarities to Angry Birds Space. I am unsure of the similarities between the games as I only became aware when a friend said that the game looked like a knock-off of Angry Birds Space. In the future I will play that and perhaps change this review accordingly. However, this review is of Rabbids Big Band as a game in and of itself. The game is nonsensical. The Rabbids games are usually based on some silly premise in order to have gameplay that is different. I'm still not sure what genre I would call this game. It's action in that it is based on timing and reflex. But at the same time it is strategic in that completing challenges requires some planning, trial and error. The game is setup into worlds (as I will call them), of which each is composed of 15 missions on the same map. The ga...

Pokémon Red - the game that started what would go on to be the international titan of multimedia success that it is today. At its core is engaging, (mostly) well-balanced role-playing game with a consistent learning curve to progressively intricate obstacles to overcome. Combined with the challenging goal of completing the PokéDex, the game had incredible depth for its time. [Matching PKMN Red & GameBoy Pocket. Also, just because I had Red doesn't mean I prefer Charizard over Blastoise. But I do love snagging an Electabuzz over Magmar.]  The multi-player functionality features both competitive (battling) and cooperative (PokéDex) modes. It could be argued that another version (Blue Version) is a gimmick; however, the version exclusives and trade-evolutions made interacting with other players essential to the experience. Furthermore, the game was perfect for the handheld GameBoy which allowed for grinding anytime, anywhere and allowed easier interaction with other play...

Phantom Thread is one of those films that you don't see every day. It defies expectations, and I had to think for a while to determine how I felt about the film. In other words, it's very much a Paul Thomas's Anderson film. This stylish and confused "love story" is the type of script that makes me wonder how it came to be. It is a bit difficult to discuss Phantom Thread without encroaching the magic and mystery that defines it. In short, the story follows a prestigious, eccentric dressmaker who charms a young woman. The film centers on these two characters, and that is the essence of the film. While this may seem to be an unremarkable premise, the nature of these characters drive the film. Unique, mysterious, and unexpected, the twists and turns of their sentiments and decisions keep the plot moving subtly along. Daniel Day-Lewis maintains complexity and depth that makes him one of my favourite actors, and his performance here does not fail to impress. Mean...