In the Motherboard world, ASUS is king, and for a good reason. Few companies continue to push the boundaries of technology, versatility, and user friendliness, and the P9X79 Deluxe motherboard is electronic testament to that fact. This is a board that costs a pretty penny, yet gives so much back in return. This X79-based monster is designed for Intel's second-gen Socket 2011 LGA CPUs, and comes with a host of options to turn your next PC into a veritable powerhouse workstation. I used one of these as the groundwork for my latest PC build, and the results have been nothing short of excellent. The P9X79-D comes with ASUS' Dual Intelligent Processors 3 technology, which works with DIGI+ Power control to stabilize and streamline CPU and RAM performance. ASUS is no stranger to overclocking with their GENE-series motherboards, but the P9X79-D wasn't designed specifically with gamers in mind. It's more for workstation enthusiasts who need raw power and performance from their builds at all times. It comes with 4 PCIe 3.0 slots, 2 PCIe 2.0 slots, and 8 DIMM slots that support a maximum of 64GB of DDR3 RAM clocked up to 2400Mhz. This is fantastic news for those who are out to build a media workstation, but aren't interested in paying insane amounts of money. A P9X79-based PC won't be able to derail big workstations like the HP Z800, but it wasn't meant to. It was designed as a cost-efficient alternative without sacrificing a load of power.

I decided to go with an extremely powerful i7-3930K 6-core CPU for this build, primarily for video editing, vfx, and rendering purposes. It married to the motherboard seamlessly, and went to work without conflict. ASUS' BIOS software has gotten a lot more advanced in recent years, and has migrated to a full GUI, mouse-enabled suite, which allows for easy navigation and effortless switch between layman and advanced modes. From there, anyone can start overclocking their CPU and RAM by voltage, or several other means, including a triangle shaped power scheme that can be moved around with the mouse for optimal preferred balance between stability and speed. I slotted in 64GB of high performance G.Skill RAM into the system, and the machine has been running for the past 7 months without a hitch, glitch, or stability issue. In short......flawless. Finally, I added a EVGA GTX690 card into the system, completing my build with the single-biggest video card on Earth (though the Titan shares the same body). Everything was a go, and again, zero issues. I'm quite fond of the fact that I can add in a second GTX690 somewhere down along the road and not have to worry about unavailable and/or covered up PCIe slots. This was quite a breeze.

The P9X79-D offers a host of features packed onto its frame that make everyday tasks so much easier, as well; everything from Bluetooth V3.0+HS, 8 USB 3.0 ports, and auto-tuning technology, to USB 3.0 boost, which charges up your cellphone and other USB-powered device nearly twice as fast as conventional charging will allow. It will even charge your phone when the computer has been turned off. Updating the BIOS is no longer done within the BIOS itself, but right through ASUS software Suite II, on your operating system. This point and click app allows you to update the BIOS right off the internet, or download it from the internet to update domestically. You can even save your current BIOS settings to a file, just in case. Other software apps like Fan Xpert, SSD Caching, Q-Shield, MemOK!, and BT Turbo Remote may seem like gimmicks, or really handy tools depending on who you are, but ASUS has given you the choice regardless. You can pick and choose which apps you want running in AI Suite II, and custom-tailor your entire experience down to the finest detail.

When I built my new PC, I wanted it future-proofed, and that's precisely what I got with the P9X79-D. Sure, technology is going to leapfrog. CPUs are going to get faster, and come in different Socket configurations. RAM will change. Video cards will change form factors. It's inevitable. In total, my system ran me $3000, which is a pittance when one takes into account the hardware inside my build (including a 520-series SSD, X-Fi Fatal1ty sound card, 4TB Seagate HDD, and twin 24" 1080p ASUS LED monitors), but what's more important is the feeling of comfort in knowing that I can run this PC for the next 5-7 years without even thinking about adding another component into it. This is a machine built for the long haul, and it's all riding on the P9X79-D's framework. So far, this motherboard has performed without fail, in every conceivable way, and has made BIOS tweaking just a little bit more fun than some of us remember.

It's hard to top the Mark II lineup of Deep Purple, and their seminal trio of hit albums 'In Rock,' 'Machine Head,' and 'Fireball.' Years have gone by, and Deep Purple has swapped its personnel and musical style a bunch of times. Ritchie Blackmore's influence on Deep Purple is no longer present, our dear Jon Lord passed away last year after a battle with cancer, and Ian Gillan doesn't quite have his trademark rock-howl and aggressive style anymore. So the question, fittingly, is on the front cover of their latest offering..."Now What?"

Those looking for a heavy dose of boogie-woogie thunder-rock in the vein of Machine Head aren't going to find it here, but Deep Purple hasn't lost much of their potency over the years. The album starts off with "A Simple Song," which sounds quite reminiscent of something that came out of Joe Satriani's recording studio. DP aren't trying to kick down the doors. In fact, it's a gradual opener with a slow build into upfront chug-rock territory. "Weirdistan" brings Don Airey's keyboards to the main stage with a quirky delivery and a strong rhythm section, pierced by Steve Morse's straightforward guitar solo and Gillan's harmonically augmented vocals. "Out of Hand" is very classic DP coming straight through the speakers, and tinted with just the right amount of 'Kashmir' to teleport the listener back to the 1970s, without ripping off Zeppelin completely. "Hell to Pay" gives Ian Gillan's pipes a workout, and though his age does betray him, he proves that he's still got the swagger of a skinny, long haired kid from the 70s. "Body Line" is a doo-wop cool down chugger with heavy emphasis on the rhythm, and Gillan conjuring the quirk he's displayed on songs like "No One Came." "Above and Beyond" brings the album to its halfway point, intermixing shrill and heavy keyboards with oddly timed rhythm notes. DP proves that they're still masters of intelligent songwriting craft, whether the tune is simple or highly complex. Things go into even slower territory with the smokey jazz-inspired "Blood From A Stone," while "An Uncommon Man" picks the pace up again with an arena-rock anthem keyboard line which would have sounded right at home in the sold out stadium shows of the 1980s. "Apres Vous" takes DP back into blues-rock territory once more, and "All The Time in the World" takes the band in an introspective direction, right down to its self-examination lyrics. Taking a cue from the Blue Oyster Cult, Deep Purple brings the album to a close with "Vincent Price," a song that will blow right by most younger listeners. Finally, the album comes to an end with "It'll Be Me," a feel good taste of classic 'Purple.'

Deep Purple have managed (somehow) to remain a consistently good band down through the years, with only the briefest of missteps. Time has caught up with these influential rock icons, but they're not about to go out without a fight. "Now What?" is a lovely tribute to Jon Lord, and all the other rockers that have since departed from us. It also proves that old guys can rock, and aren't about to stop. As the saying goes, "If it's too loud, you're too old." Clearly, Deep Purple aren't that old.

Samsung's SmartTV line is proof that you don't need to drop $4,000 to get a beautiful big screen TV. This ultra-thin 60" TV sports a back-lit LED display for dramatic brightness and clarity, but there's a lot more under the framework. Several features have been added to this full 1080p display to make it stand out from others in its class. The "SmartTV" feature blends browser-like media access to the internet, and a host of immediate ready-to-use apps such as YouTube and Netflix, making it convenient to watch your favorite movies and TV shows without having to stream from a computer or a video game box. App responsiveness is both quick and easy to use, though your experience may differ. Netflix utilizes the same structure as the PlayStation 3 version, which is quite handy and easy to use, yet lacks a genre search function. You'll have to browse Netflix's website to get a full listing of all their films and TV shows, then search for any that aren't included on the list of quick search bars. The YouTube app is passable, yet clunky and limited. Far too much attention has been put on headlining material, while the search feature has suffered. Samsung offers a host of downloadable apps as well; everything from fitness to Hulu Plus, and even Pandora.

The unit comes with 3 HDMI ports that ferry video and audio through one cable, which is a plus, though there should have been 4 for a TV of this size. It also includes Component and Optical Audio jacks to ensure compatibility across a vast array of devices. Setting up devices is quite easy, and the TV automatically detects any available media source that is turned on, and active. If you have a PC set up with a streaming media app such as PS3 Media Server, the TV will automatically detect if the program is active on your home network, and give you instant access to any of your shared music, movie, or photo folders.

The real complexity lies in the setup of the picture itself. The 6100 comes with Samsung's patented AutoMotion technology, which utilizes higher Hz rates to smooth out the picture. Essentially, this gets rid of the standard 24FPS "feel" of movies and most television shows by intelligently smoothing out the picture and creating a more realistic feel, akin to shooting on a home video camcorder. AutoMotion comes with several presets, including the ability to customize the technology to your personal liking, but in truth, it does more harm than good. Activating AutoMotion even on the lightest setting will "ghost" most TV shows and movies. Netflix's material is especially prone to this, as clearly demonstrated on TV shows like 24, where the picture appears to have been shot like a British drama series during the 1980s. The smoothness of play is eradicated, creating a wholly noticeable and altogether distracting and unenjoyable feel. AutoMotion does look extremely vibrant on Blu-Ray discs, however. I turned the technology on for a test run using Avatar on Blu-Ray, and the results were staggering and jaw-dropping, making you feel as if you were actually there on Pandora. Yet, for all its splendor, it was too difficult to get used to for the long haul, and we eventually turned it down to a lower setting. This corrupted the feel of the picture, though, and gave us the same problem as Netflix. Only by shutting off AutoMotion completely are you able to get a normal picture out of your movies and TV shows. It is ONLY recommended for high-def or Blu-Ray content, and even then, it's going to be a matter of personal preference. Some might like it, but most will undoubtedly hate it.

Despite this hiccup, the display is flat-out beautiful, even for a television that costs under $2000. Detail levels are pinpoint, color saturation is staggering, blacks are deep, rich, and devoid of artifacts, and the brightness......oh, the brightness! If you're migrating from an older style LCD, Plasma, or DLP TV set in favor of an LED display, prepare yourself! The maximum brightness of the TV set will almost peel the paint off the walls. Naturally, this can be fine-tuned, and there's even an option built into the SmartTV software that will automatically dim the TV set depending on the level of light in a room. Novices may wish to download a setup disc that will walk them through the proper calibration of their TV set, but those familiar with color, brightness and contrast balancing won't have much of a problem. There are simply too many good things to say about a TV that carries such a respectable price tag. Having a 60" TV set is no longer the stuff of bragging rights, as it was 10 years ago, but Samsung has crafted a lightweight television that takes up extremely little space, and looks dynamite at the same time. We did research on this TV, and compared it to several others in the same price class. None could compare, or they lacked the SmartTV features, which we feel are essential for those who wish to have a one-stop media hub that is ready to fire on all cylinders. Our only one true gripe about the TV set was the Remote Control, with its sticky, unresponsive buttons and outdated IR technology. For a TV with this much bravado, and so many features, it's practically a sin for Samsung to have omitted a Bluetooth Remote. Shame on them! Invest in a universal remote, and you'll quickly remedy this problem, however. Once you've gone through an hour or two of setup, you'll be quite happy with your Samsung 60" SmartTV. The 7, 8, and 9 series Samsung TVs are obviously all sporting even better technologies, but you'd be hard-pressed to really care about the difference if all you want is an excellent all-around display. The UN60ES6100 is a true gem.

After the success of 'In Search of Space,' Hawkwind soldiered on into new territory with 'Doremi Fasol Latido,' the darker side of the space rock that they had invented. Indeed, as the album cover suggests, this is Hawkwind flirting with slightly more aggressive musical elements. This may have had something to do with the ejection of bassist Dave Anderson and drummer Terry Ollis, which led to Simon King and future Motorhead legend Lemmy Kilmister being invited into the band. Lemmy, a self-admitted bad guitarist, took up bass whilst onstage with Hawkwind and was essentially forced to play to the best of his ability. "Nik Turner, helpful as ever, says to make some noises in E. This is called 'You Shouldn't Do That.'" said Lemmy on BBC's Hawkwind documentary. The no rules approach gave Hawkwind incentive to play loose and free during the recording process, which was both slipshod and directionless, much like their music. Yet, it remains a quintessential album from the band's career.

'Brainstorm' opens the album up at nearly 12 minutes, taking listeners down a dark sonic passage as synthesizers hum in hushed tones, drums rush by at hypnotic speeds, 1-2 basslines hum in the background, and guitars drenched in delay add to the mix. It's not as energetic or zany as 'You Shouldn't Do That,' but Hawkwind still proved to be masters of trance-like rock. 'Space Is Deep' is a melodic dream with clean acoustic chords flanked by spiraling oscillators and soulful vocals; a definite staple of 1970s culture rock. 'One Change' is driven almost entirely by soft, low synthesizers, serving as a quick 50 second stopgap before opening up in to 'Lord of Light,' another famous Hawkwind hit reminiscent of later work in their career. 'Down Through the Night' is a galloping acoustic number mixed with Nik Turner's dreamy flute and Dave Brock's powerful vocal delivery, while 'Time We Left This World Today' is a slow-moving chugger that is best suited for smokey pool halls and biker bars. 'The Watcher' closes the album with Lemmy's first true vocal delivery on a Hawkwind album, and one he would later re-record for Motorhead's debut album. The Remastered Edition comes with four tracks, including 'Urban Guerrilla,' a Robert Calvert-led track that came out at the worst possible time, during the IRA bombings in London. 'Brainbox Pollution,' a warning song regarding drug misuse, seems largely out of place given Hawkwind's routine substance abuse, but is a strong piece from Dave Brock. There's also a single version of 'Lord of Light,' and Robert Calvert's 'Ejection.'

It may not have the snap or pomp of 'In Search of Space,' but 'Doremi Fasol Latido' is nonetheless a strong addition to Hawkwind's catalog. It references the darker and grittier tone of the 1970s, when things weren't going so good, yet it still retains enough escapism and drug-fueled rebelliousness to directly mirror the attitude of the youth of that time period.

Hawkwind's debut album may have been enough to get the band recognized as one of the newest pioneers of highly experimental rock music, but it was 'In Search Of Space' that truly put them on the map as a heavy hitting contender in the genre. Released just 13 months after the original album, 'In Search' amps up Hawkwind's sonic template by bringing electronic synthesizers to the forefront to serve as a full fledged instrument, rather than a mood setter. That doesn't mean that the rest of the band is put out to pasture, though. Opening track 'You Shouldn't Do That' is a ridiculous 15 minutes and 42 seconds of repetitive craziness whose simplicity cleverly hides the band's remarkable creative genius. Hard rock and psychedelic rock collide to create space rock, taking the listener into experimental territory never before glimpsed at that period in musical history. Nik Turner's sloppy saxophone work, which would have been jettisoned with any other band on earth, fits perfectly here, taking just the right amount of cues from the sixties, without ignoring the changing landscape of the seventies. Yet, it's Dave Brock's impeccable sense of timing that keeps musically xenophobic listeners from losing touch with what's going on amidst all the chaos. In short, this first track is little more than an excuse to drop acid, close your eyes, turn it up, and fall into every color of the sonic rainbow with free abandon, at high speeds.

'You Know You're Only Dreaming' is psychedelia driven by Nik Turner's flute work, heavily soaked in reverb and delay, and partnered with Terry Ollis' incessant 4/4 bass drum kicks, Brock's seething guitar licks, with Del Dettmar's frantic synthesizers that build in tempo throughout the course of a 6 minute and 38 second running time. It's a stopgap between the intensity of the previous song, and 'Master Of The Universe,' one of the band's most well known songs, and a heavy metal forerunner driven by an instantly memorable and repetitive bassline. Most of the song is instrumental, relying on the musical hypnosis, but giving its target audience more than enough reason to dance into the early hours of the morning, high on drugs and positivity. Hawkwind isn't about to let go of their influences, though, and 'We Took The Wrong Step Years Ago' is a great return to campfire-inspired acoustic rock, only this time it's fused with the space rock sound that refuses to let go. It's a great combination of elements that heightens the emotional impact of the song, and makes sure that the "trip" in question doesn't lose its momentum or feel. 'Adjust Me' is pure experimentation, sounding like an in-between jam session while other members went out for a toke. It's another marvelous example of Hawkwind's ability to stop time by using music as a testing ground. 'Children of the Sun' begins to wind the album down to its close, keeping it short and acoustically sweet with a trancelike flute to gently bring the listener down from the sonic excursion they just went through. The Remastered Edition doesn't stop there, though. There's an original version of 'Seven By Seven' followed by the band's biggest and most renowned hit, 'Silver Machine' with Lemmy Kilmister's signature vocals. 'Born To Go' is a live track from the Roadhouse, a closing number which again serves as the perhaps the weakest song on the album, but that's mostly due to a sound which doesn't quite fit with the mastering of the album.

'In Search' proved that Hawkwind was no gimmick or one hit wonder. Since its release, it has been near-universally praised for its bold excursion past music's conceived boundaries, and single-handedly changed the entire progression of rock AND electronic music genres, influencing everyone from the Blue Oyster Cult to the Chemical Brothers with a dynamic and engaging running time. Hawkwind were indeed courting the rock underground, while trying hard to avoid the limelight, but they couldn't hide forever. Their debut album put the band on the map, but 'In Search Of Space' lit the signal flares which were seen from orbit. Casual music listeners will almost certainly be completely overwhelmed by Hawkwind's material, but music veterans and boundary-pushers will be gobsmacked by what's here.

Pink Floyd may have had an early head start in progressive and experimental rock, but it was Hawkwind's trailblazing self-titled debut album which went above and beyond what was thought musically possible at the time. Arriving at the close of the swinging sixties, 'Hawkwind' blended elements of folk rock and free spirits with sonic paranoia and psychedelic relentlessness, which seemed more interested in keeping its stoner audience confused, than truly happy. Indeed, it was the epitomous creativity of team captain Dave Brock and cohorts Nik Turner, Huw Lloyd-Langton, Dik Mik, John A. Harrison, and Terry Ollis that sealed the deal...with a little help from Mary Jane and Lucy. Opening number 'Hurry On Sundown' is an acoustic campfire staple that draws upon Hawkwind's mandate of peace, love and harmony, but the listener is immediately snapped into another direction with 'The Reason Is!', a kaleidoscope of frantic guitar picking, cymbal rises, paranoid synths, haunting bass notes and childlike moans that serve no other purpose than, according to the band, to "freak out the acid-heads." Before it becomes too much to bear, however, things go straight back into rock territory with 'Be Yourself,' a hypnotic and repetitive chant that ticks down to liftoff into a fast, jazzy middle section of rapid fire tom rolls, abstract saxophone and blues-rock solos that a drug-induced audience was actually capable of dancing to back in 1969. 'Paranoia', parts 1 and 2 make up over 5 minutes of musical experimentation with intimidating minor notes, low end tom rolls and unintelligible vocals, designed to incapacitate its listener with its hypnotic aura. 'Seeing It As You Really Are' is the first true demonstration of what would later be known as "space rock," a term which Hawkwind helped coin, if not flat out give birth to. With screeching synths, an exciting tempo and only a handful of notes and chords to its credit, Hawkwind epitomized their signature style in complete telltale glory. Immediately thereafter, the band ventures back into another acoustic number, the absolutely glorious 'Mirror Of Illusion,' which seemingly stops time, even if just for a moment, to conjure up thoughts of summer Sunday drives with the top down and absolutely nowhere to go. It's the perfect way to close the album, even if there are only four actual traditional songs flanked by three experimental numbers. Thankfully, the bonus Remastered Edition includes the wonderful 'Bring It On Home,' another campfire hit with southern blues guitar and harmonica. There's also a demo version of 'Hurry On Sundown,' plus 'Kiss of the Velvet Whip' and 'Cymbaline,' a cover of the Pink Floyd original, and perhaps the weakest song on the entire album.

'Hawkwind' showcases the band at the very first step of their equally tumultuous and illustrious career, before the notoriety of band politics, mainstream success and dollar signs ever entered into the equation. At this time, Hawkwind was too busy playing free shows instead of paid gigs, and taking their music out on the road for the sole purpose of uniting a disenfranchised youth. To paraphrase Hawkwind's manager at the time, they were out to change the world. Yet, it wasn't purely with peace, love and harmony, but also the dark side of freedom and rebelliousness as well. Hawkwind was one of the first bands to flirt with electronic instruments, and not before the release of their sophomore follow up 'In Search Of Space' would they truly solidify the space rock sound, but here, they are stripped down, inexperienced, and aimless. The resulting album is truly remarkable, because of it.

When Peter Jackson wrapped up his epic shoot for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, fan speculation began whipping up into a fervour at the possibility of a Hobbit adaptation. The road to a silver screen treatment was paved with potholes, however. After several high profile lawsuits between Jackson and New Line Cinema, followed by a revolving door of potential directors, Jackson himself decided to get back behind the camera once more, and personally take charge of the return to Middle Earth. Here we are, a decade after 'The Fellowship of the Ring' landed in theaters. Is Middle Earth still as magical?

In the hands of a less skilled director, the answer would undoubtedly be "No." 'An Unexpected Journey' is the first in a brand new trilogy detailing the events of the Hobbit, and it's the first clue that the studio minds are determined to make as much money off the franchise as possible. Simply put, there is no real good reason for the Hobbit to be sliced up into three (very long) film installments. This is obvious 1/3 of the way into the movie. Tolkien buffs and story nuts will be just fine with all the talking, but those looking for an exciting romp will no doubt be left agitated at its slow pace. As before, the incredible Tolkien mythology is spread across every single frame of the film, from the enlightening opening, to the sprawling environments and characters. What's lacking, however, is heart. In many ways, the movie goes through the motions way too much for its own good. Battle scenes are nowhere near as inspired as they were in the LOTR films, and there's no true sense of dread to be found anywhere in the film. This is due mostly in part to the Hobbit's less urgent subject matter, which is little more than a raid to take back a lost dwarven city from a terrible dragon. We all know the story. Jackson and his co-writers have gone beyond this, however, and adapted material from several sources, most notably the Silmarillion, to fill in the gaps and provide a thicker, richer backstory with the appropriate foreshadowing of future events involving the One Ring, and its master Sauron. On paper, this seems like a good idea, but it doesn't translate as well as it should on film. Jackson has also tinkered with the story, and severely altered Tolkien canon in several key spots, which may throw off fans of the book, and confuse the casual movie fan.

The good news is that Middle Earth looks the same as it ever did. Hobbiton and Rivendell are sights for sore eyes, indeed, and Jackson's crew has gone through painstaking lengths to recreate every little nook and cranny that was present in the now defunct LOTR sets. It's like revisiting a comfortable vacation spot and finding everything in order. It's not without its faults, however. The Misty Mountain's orc-infested interior is too brightly lit to be very scary, and things aren't any better down below, in Gollum's cavern. 'Fellowship's' opening sequence depicted an appropriately dark and moody environment. Here, it looks like it was lit by a giant floodlight. This robs the scene of its tension, especially given the audience's familiarity with Gollum. Worse, the scene doesn't follow the established layout of 'Fellowship's' opening narrative sequence, which may seem like a small gripe, but it's actually a severe oversight. Returning characters like Galadriel and Saruman serve to anchor the story with familiarity, but neither Cate Blanchett nor Christopher Lee seem very energized this time around. On the whole, it's a noticeably quieter, more comfortable movie than its celluloid predecessors. It remains to be seen if the excitement will begin to build in the next chapter of the series, and the groundwork certainly has been laid, but to revisit Middle Earth a full ten years later, and be underwhelmed is...quite underwhelming, indeed.

Let's concentrate on the pluses. 'Journey' was practically designed with Blu-Ray in mind. It's a pristine and crystal clear picture with an obvious bout of digital saturation and contrasting for fantasy purposes. Being so new, it's most suited to the delivery media, but credit must be given to the visual team for being just as meticulous with the film as they were on the LOTR trilogy. The highly controversial 48FPS cut is not present on the Blu-Ray, and having seen both versions, I can safely say that's a good thing. I also cannot vouch for the 3D version of the film on Blu-ray, either. The audio track is a masterful work of art, with just the slightest bit of volume drop on the dialog channels, which can contrast something nasty when an action scene suddenly sprouts up. Special features are predictably limited on this initial release of the film, with 2 hours of Jackson's production diaries, and a 7 minute featurette on the locations used to film the movie. Frothing Hobbit fans will probably have no trouble with a double-dip, but the rest of us will probably want to hold off for the Extended Edition, which is bound to be released in the next 8 months or so, if the LOTR films were any indication. A number of scenes were cut from the theatrical release, and I would rather wait for the whole pizza, rather than half of it. If you absolutely must see the Hobbit again, then by all means, pick it up.

There's a lot to like about 'An Unexpected Journey,' and a lot to be disappointed about. Jackson's magnificent return to Tolkien's universe was unfortunately reduced to a dull roar, but that hasn't stopped legions of fans from packing theaters, and it won't stop the film from being snatched up in droves for watching at home, either. It's a gloriously beautiful film that could easily outshine any of its peers, but falls short of expectations on its own home turf. It's majesty, passion and visual beauty are simply flanked by the stench of too much studio greed, which sticks to the print like glue and refuses to apologize. The Hobbit could have been done successfully in the space of two movies. Three is just too much, and the audience is forced to swallow the filler as a result.

Aliens: Colonial Marines has been in development for about 5 years now. That should have given Gearbox the necessary time to spit-polish the game down to its most minute and intricate details. Unfortunately, what we're left with is a great license, with a lot of blemishes that simply can't be overlooked.

'A:CM' takes place after the events of James Cameron's classic terror-fest, 'Aliens,' and explores the aftermath of the Hadley's Hope disaster. It's the perfect setting for an Aliens game, drawing upon the most successful and well-known installment of the franchise. The Sulaco, the atmospheric processor...even the derelict "boneship" are all present. It's a trip down memory lane, and an excuse to stroll around the locales of the beloved movie in first person perspective. Like the movie upon which it based, however, 'A:CM' is just as dated, and falls into the snare of relying too much on classic FPS shooter fundamentals, which robs the game of both challenge and a sense of impending doom. First, it's too easy. The normal 'Soldier' mode is a literal cakewalk, allowing you to stream through rooms while squeezing the trigger to dispatch foes. Each level is littered with ammo, so there's no danger of running out. Second, you can store a multitude of weapons, instead of modern shooter conventionality which forces the player into using only two or three at a time. And finally, we have the practically nonexistent A.I., which is perhaps the worst I have ever seen in an FPS shooter. While you can't quite fault the xenomorphs for rushing head-first into gunfire (it's what they do, after all), the same can't be said of human foes, who dance around in circles while looking for cover, or walk straight past you in the middle of a gunfight for no apparent reason. It's shoddy and inexcusable. As such, 'A:CM' feels too easy, and in some respects, it reminds me of the original DOOM, which was all about shooting without any sort of tactics involved.

Thankfully, the game makes up for it in presentation, but just barely. Careful attention has been put into crafting the Aliens universe, and nowhere is this more apparent than on the surface of LV-426, where it turns into a blender of nostalgia and giddiness. Atmospheric effects are quite nice, and so is the lighting, though it can't compete with modern contemporaries. Once again, the PC outshines its console siblings, and proves that it's the number one gaming platform. Reports have surfaced that the X-Box and PS3 versions of 'A:CM' are plagued with rotten textures, clipping, and a host of other glitches, which I can't confirm, nor deny. The PC version's textures are admittedly muddy, but I've seen FAR worse as of late, in games like 'Rage.' I chalk this up to the 5 year development period, but it's extremely disappointing to see that Sega's other crack at the franchise, 2010's 'Aliens Vs. Predator' has much better, cleaner, and sharper textures than Colonial Marines. After all, that game is only 3 years old, now, and it was also cross-platform. That being said, character models and textures seem lopsidedly detailed and crisp in comparison to environment textures. The xenomorphs, for instance, have rarely looked this detailed. Despite its lack of visual panache, the game does have its shining moments of shimmering xenomorphs under floodlights, crawling up cooling pipes to get the drop on Weyland-Yutani mercenaries, and other stylish and screenshot-worthy moments. 'A:CM' does hit the nail on the head when it comes to sound, however. From familiar music cues, to pristine duplicated sounds lifted straight from the movies, everything is in working order, here. Nods to the film are literally everywhere, from Hick's shotgun, to Bishop's severed legs lying on the flight deck of the Sulaco. The game is partially ruined by a bad sense of pacing, however. The first chapter of the game takes place on the Sulaco, which has made its way back to LV-426 under mysterious circumstances. Soon after learning that there's a xenomorph infestation on board, it becomes a rather tedious exercise in navigating cramped passageways that herd the player to the appropriate destination, by design. I expect this in story-driven shooters of this sort, but if you're going to corral me to my goal, at least speed up the process so things don't become mundane. The game also incorporates stock hide n' seek features, lifted straight from 'Aliens Vs. Predator,' (ie: locate dog tags and audio logs), as well as a Call of Duty-style rank system that promotes your player even in single-player mode, unlocking new weapons and character customization options. Multiplayer is, so far, extremely limited, with a sparse amount of maps, and some admittedly jerky and awkward xenomorph controls, but it was good of Gearbox to incorporate a "story" driven multiplayer mode, a la 'Left 4 Dead.'

It's hard to gauge PC performance on my overly powerful rig, comprised of an i7-3930K hex-core, 32GB of RAM, and a GTX690 video card, but it's a safe bet that 'A:CM' will run on most dual and quad-core machines with even a budget-level gaming card, and still achieve excellent framerates. The game's setup options are rather scarce, but there's an option for FXAA in there, and VSync if you're so inclined. Even with both enabled, I experienced zero slowdown. This is a light game, running on a light engine. The lack of any serious volumetric or particle effects means that your system will never become particularly taxed, even under the heaviest of circumstances. Unfortunately, the tradeoff is a less immersive game. Squeeze off a grenade from the marine pulse rifle, and you'll see a small explosion with a burn decal on the surface of whatever you struck, and...not much else.

Early reviews of 'A:CM' have been very unkind, and when one factors in the amount of time spent crafting the game, it's not hard to understand. Nevertheless, I personally feel that these early reviews were a bit too harsh, and driven more by frustration and disappointment than actual consideration. Colonial Marines is an admirable installment in the Aliens franchise, and Gearbox obviously believed a lot in the game, and the atmosphere within. It is simply marred by too much inconsistency, outdated play mechanics, and horrendous A.I. It's also blessed with responsive controls, some solid design work, and an excuse to go back and re-visit the Aliens timeline all over again.

PRESENTATION: 7/10
GRAPHICS: 6/10
SOUND: 9/10
CONTROLS: 8/10
FUNFACTOR: 5/10

OVERALL: 70%

PROS: Picks up where 'Aliens' left off. Solid atmosphere, great use of the license.
CONS: Outdated FPS mechanics. Graphics can't compare with other competitors. Terrible A.I.

'Schindler's List' could be called many things, but subtle is not one of them. Aside from a handful of films like 'The Color Purple,' director Steven Spielberg's filmography up until that point had focused mostly on surreal fantasy and adventure films. 'Schindler's List' broke the mold, and catapulted Spielberg into an entirely different class of director by focusing on the immense horrors of World War II, and one man's determination to save the lives of people he had no affiliation with, whatsoever.

Set in 1939 at the beginning of World War II, the story revolves around Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a native German businessman who arrives in Poland to start a company which directly sponsors the Nazi war campaign against Europe. He does this by enlisting the help of Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley), a Jew with ties to the local business community who assists him in running this new venture. Funded by local Jewish investors, Schindler gets down to business, and begins hiring Polish Jews, a cheaper alternative to Polish Catholics. This inadvertently saves the lives of the same Jews which were to be sent to Nazi concentration camps. Schindler profits immensely, and strengthens his relationship with the Wehrmacht and the SS. Things change dramatically with the arrival of psychopathic SS Lieutenant Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes), who arrives in Kraków to effect Operation Reinhard within the Polish ghetto. Schindler witnesses the horrible atrocities committed by the Nazis against the Jews, and his entire perception about himself, and the war, changes. Schindler manages to build a camp for his workers to save their lives, all under the guise of keeping his factory running in optimal condition. Goeth continually pokes his nose in Schindler's affairs, however, making it difficult for Schindler to keep up his facade. Nevertheless, Schindler largely succeeds in protecting his workers from Goeth's murderous compunctions, while profiting at the same time. It is not long before the Jews are ordered shipped off to Auschwitz to meet certain death, however, and Schindler is forced to think fast in an attempt to save the lives of his workers. Both he and Stern create a master list of skilled workers which can be used to justify their lives being spared. Schindler's List is born. As the war continues to go badly for the Germans, Schindler's wealth deteriorates significantly to the point of possibly losing everything. Yet, his greed is far outweighed by his determination to save the lives of over one thousand people, even at the cost of his own.

Technically speaking, 'Schindler's List' is a miracle of filmmaking. Very few films have been able to achieve this kind of visual accuracy, replicating WWII-era Germany in such pristine and uncomfortable detail. Spielberg's decision to shoot without storyboards and (to a large degree) hand held cameras, was a bold move that has paid off. This prevents the movie from looking like a movie, but rather, from the perspective of someone who was actually there, witnessing the events. Spielberg and cast members speak openly about the crushing difficulty in filming such a joyless, yet vitally important film. It shows. Nothing has been glamorized or dressed up in 'Schindler's List.' It's a horrible looking film, on purpose, to spread the message by using shock in an appropriate and altogether responsible manner. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes steal the show as two powerful players in a struggle for so many innocent lives. Neeson commands the role with poise and power, up until the final scene where he ultimately breaks down and wishes he could have saved "just one more person." It's terribly difficult to watch, yet strangely uplifting at the same time.

'Schindler's List' is one of those films that needs to be seen. It's an appropriate lesson in just how important it is to remember history, for fear of repeating it. More importantly, it's a classic example of how even the most seemingly selfish of human beings has the potential to change, for the greater good.

NOTE: More content will be added to this review once the Blu-Ray is released in March.

Comic book anti-hero Judge Dredd has been brought to the silver screen before, in the notably loathed 1995 film adaptation starring Sylvester Stallone. That movie was critically panned due to a tangled script, bad lines, and too many liberties taken with Dredd source material. In 2012, Hollywood took another shot with the franchise, and managed to give Dredd the live-action presentation that he justly deserves.

'Dredd' is played Karl Urban, who brings his clockwork grimace and growl to a character that actually makes the best use of them. As part of an elite law enforcement unit known as The Judges, Dredd is tasked with patrolling the sprawling post-apocalyptic mega-tropolis called Mega-City One, dispensing quick and brutal on-the-spot justice according to established law. Armed with a sophisticated multi-functional sidearm called a Lawgiver, Dredd is both judge, jury, and if need be, executioner. As the story begins, Dredd is tasked with investigating Peach Trees, a 200 storey building which houses some of the worst known violent offenders in the city. At the top of the hill is Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), a cruel and sadistic psychopath who peddles the new designer drug "Slo-Mo," which seems to slow down a user's sense of time while giving them a euphoric high. Ma-Ma orders the brutal skinning of three dealers who are then unceremoniously thrown from the top of the building to the ground floor. Dredd arrives to investigate, but he isn't alone. Paired with him is Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), an unseasoned young Judge who failed initial aptitude tests, and is now being personally evaluated in the field by Judge Dredd. When Anderson and Dredd raid an apartment being used as a drug den, Anderson is able to use her powerful (and rare) psychic abilities to determine that one of the thugs was responsible for the execution of the three dealers. Fearing reprisal, Ma-Ma orders the lockdown of the entire Peach Trees building before Dredd and Anderson can exfiltrate their prisoner back to headquarters for interrogation. Alone and without backup, Judge Dredd becomes a one-man army against legions of Ma-Ma's armed criminals, while Anderson undergoes the biggest and most important test of her entire life.

As a comic book adaptation, 'Dredd' nails the source material quite well. Urban's Dredd is a singular-minded war machine, masquerading under the thin pretense of a law enforcement officer, and he's a great actor to bring the character to life, despite his narrow and largely linear progression. I had less faith in Olivia Thirlby and her petite body as ever being able to withstand the rigors of life as a Judge, but at least her character develops in a realistic and well thought out manner. Lena Headey is once again a standout, playing another socio/psychopath with stunning clarity and conviction. There's little that's sexy about her character, even when she's high on Slo-Mo and relaxing in a bath. Very good character choices, all around. The movie's plot is itself a rather straightforward one. There's little in the way of plot twists or complexity. It's essentially a movie about Dredd fighting his way to the top of a building, but that singular plot device is peppered with some fantastic and varied action sequences. Director Pete Travis has a tendency to go overboard on Slo-Mo (pardon the pun) shots, however, which are there seemingly as a means to drape the movie in a particular visual style. Dredd is also an extremely (and graphically) violent movie from start to finish, which will please hardcore action buffs. If you have a weak stomach, be warned. Explosive blasts tear through bodies, people are shot through their cheeks and mouths, and heads are cooked from the inside out by incendiary rounds. That's just some of the violence which continues to try and desensitize our society, and it's done realistically, not comic book-esque. It fits well with the gritty and nihilistic tone of the future Cursed Earth, and is certainly in line with the character of Judge Dredd, and what he must deal with on a daily basis. The movie is shot in a perfectly plausible tone. Mega-City One looks and feels like something that could definitely exist, and that's largely due to the people who inhabit it. The film's opening freeway chase is devoid of anything outlandish, and feels grounded in reality. This sets the tone for the main stage in the Peach Trees building, which befits today's culture of high rise condominiums and the need to pack a growing population into tighter and tighter spaces. In other words, what 'Dredd' lacks in substance, it more than makes up for in style. I would have liked to see a bit more ambition in the plot, however. No matter how you slice it, Judge Dredd is a wooden character with singular intent, and that's largely by design, but unless he's shooting things up, he isn't the most riveting character to watch. If nothing else, props should be given to the filmmakers for keeping Dredd's helmet on throughout the entire film, just as he does in the comics.

'Dredd' is hard to mark visually, due to being shot natively in 3D. I can't speak for the 3D experience as I don't have a 3D-equipped TV, but the standard 2D transfer is dirty. Very dirty. This could be seen as a benefit, given the nature of the film and its material, but if you're a fan of pristine transfers, this is going to be difficult to swallow. I'm told that the 3D edition doesn't have these problems, and it actually looks and feels more natural and realistic than the 2D transfer, thanks to stereoscopic design. I'm not the biggest advocate for 3D, as only Avatar has really managed to wow me with its deep and compelling visuals. I did see Dredd in 3D at the theaters, though I don't possess the memory of the experience well enough to make a direct comparison. I'm sure it's good, but I'm also sure that any film shot natively in 3D is going to look better in 3D. To each their own. Once again, the audio benefits tremendously from Blu-Ray technology. 'Dredd' is presented with nothing less than a DTS HD Master Audio 7.1 track, which can be expanded to utilize Neo:X technology for 11 channels of total sound. Overkill? Perhaps. My (admittedly) older speaker set isn't able to tackle anything on the scale of Neo:X, but it must be fantastic, given how great the standard 7.1 mix is. I dare say you can hear EVERYTHING in this film with crystal clear clarity. No expense was spared to make audiophiles wet their pants, and this is apparent once the louder action sequences fire up. Outside of those scenes, the sound mix becomes so atmospheric that it creates an immediate and effective grip on the viewer, which more than makes up for the spotty 2D video transfer. Special features get the shaft, clocking in at a dismal 40 minutes. Ironically, the topics I was most curious about, such as Dredd's gear, the design of Peach Trees, and filming in 3D, are all 3 minutes or less. Talk about a disappointment!

It's light years beyond the 1995 Stallone flick, that's for sure. 'Dredd' won't win any awards for being unique, or trying something new, but it's a damn fine action film which eclipses bigger 2012 contenders like the Expendables 2, John Carter, Wrath of the Titans, and Resident Evil: Retribution.