Well, school has been canceled due to Hurricane Irene which a couple of hundred miles off the coast of South Carolina right now, so I figured "why not continue with my characters countdown?" We're getting close to the grand finale, so let's not waste any time and go right into the list...

#30:

Mordin Solus (Mass Effect 2)

While on the outside, Mordin is one of the upbeat and enjoyable characters in Mass Effect 2 with his lightning quick speech, experimental approach towards missions, and quirky but violent attitude. But beneath his humorous shell is a person whose emotionally conflicted over created a massive genophage to stablize the population of the Krogan species. While the genophage has crippled the Krogan, it was necessary to save the galaxy from a universal Krogan revolution. He knows that what he's done is both right and wrong, but you're never entirely sure how to feel about the genophage because Mordin isn't sure what to think himself. This creates a character that can make you laugh and keep you entertained, but is also one of the deepest characters in the Mass Effect universe.

#29:

Hopper (A Bug's Life)

A Bug's Life has always been one of my favorite animated movies, and my favorite thing about it has to be the main villain, the leader of a swarm of tyrannical grasshoppers named... well, Hopper. What makes Hopper such a great villain is that he's ruthless, tough, intimidating,uncaring of everyone but himself, and scared. That's right, what makes him so great is that he's scared. He's fully aware that the ants could take out the grasshoppers if they worked together, so he uses his own fear against them. The grasshoppers rule over the ants is clearly a metaphor for slavery, and Hopper is a great representation of the people in charge. And he gets bonus points for being voiced by Kevin Spacey.

#28:

The Dude (The Big Lebowski)

Well of course The Dude is on this list. Seeing as I'm a definitely a member of The Big Lebowski's cult following, The Dude was guaranteed to be on this list from the word "go". The Dude is one of the laziest human beings ever conjured, given that all he does is get high, drink White Russians, and go bowling. What makes The Dude such a great character isn't that conflicted or misunderstood or anything like that, he's just a lazy guy in a crazy world who says hilarious things... that's it! But it's Jeff Bridges' performance that makes him such a great character. He executes every word perfectly, and if anyone else had been cast in that role, The Big Lebowski wouldn't be the monumental movie that it is today.

#27:

Bonnie MacFarlane (Red Dead Redemption)

I've talked a lot about this character, but I can't ignore the fact that she's one of my all time favorites. As I've said before, what makes Bonnie MacFarlane such a strong character is that she's a young woman living out a man's life in a man's world. This was one of the most dangerous time periods, especially for women, but Bonnie never seems to let any of that get to her, she just keeps on moving. She's also one of the most likable people in Red Dead Redemption on a human level. She's a tough, no-nonsense woman but she's also kind and witty. She's the kind of character that you wish you knew in real life, which is an a pretty uncommon in most modern video game characters.

#26:

Raplh Wiggum (The Simpsons)

Ralph Wiggum is probably the most quotable characterin television history. The things thathe says and does are just sorandomly funny thatno one could possibly resist loving him. That's really all there is to the character, but the timing and delivery of all of Ralph's jokes are just so perfect that even though there isn't much to him, he's still one of my favorite characters.

#25:

Hans Gruber (Die Hard)

This guy is... too much. Hans Gruber is without a doubt the most entertaingly lovable villain ever put on film. He may notquite be the greatest or most complex villain out there, but he'scertainly the most entertaining. Hans is the leader of the European terroristgroupthat's taken control over a major building in Los Angeles,and he's done this for two reasons. To break otherimprisoned terrorists out of jail, and to steal millions of dollars from the building's vault.And of course, he's Alan Rickman, so that makes him twice as entertaining. He's clearly a little crazyandruthless, buthe has so many brilliant lines and mood swings that you can't help but love him.

#24:

Garrus Vakarian (Mass Effect)

Garrus is one of the best representations of a hero with a heart of darkness. While he's very likable and fun to have a conversation with, but he's also overly violent and reckless. You get the sense that while he and Shepard are very close friends, Garrus is sort of an apprentice to Shepard, and he shows those signs through his recklessness. Which makes him interesting to watch, because while his motivations can be a littleshaky, you still feel thedetermination that's constantly driving him.But that doesn't stop him from being one of the most likable characters in the Mass Effect universe.

#23:

Deadpool

Besides having an awesome costume, awesome weapons, and awesome fighting skills, Deadpool is probably the most clever of all comic book characters. He's not necessarily a hero, but he's not a villain either. He's technically insane, but still knows what to do and how to do it perfectly. And of course, he's hilarious. He's a combination of everything that's great about comic book characters. Deadpool is a perfect blend of the ridiculous abilities, dark pasts, and clever fourth wall jokes that make comics a major piece of pop culture. Now, I'm not really a comic book guy, but I've read a little Deadpool and know enough about the character to consider him one of my all time favorites.

#22:

Beast (X-Men)

I know that I just said that I'm not a comic book guy... and I'm still not. All that I know about Beast comes entirely from the 1990's animated X-Men show and the live action movies. I've never read an X-Men comic in my life. But to get back on the subject, what makes Beast such a great character to me is how he's both an unstoppable and raging animal butis alsohighly intellectual and peaceful. I've always been a sucker for characters like that, and youdon't findmany characters more true to that description than Beast.

#21:

Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of The Lambs)

While he's one of my all time favorite characters, I've been entirely sure what to think about Hannibal Lecter... but in a good way. Of course he's a deranged killer and a cannibal at that, but honestly... I really find him to be entertaining and almost fun. The way that he speaks and moves is just mesmerizing, and even when he's brutally murdering people he does it in an almost poetic way. One of my all time favorite movie scenes is his infamous escape scene, in which you're almost rooting for him... but why? That's just the genius of the character, I love the guy to death... but I don't know why.

Part VI with numbers 20-11 will be up by next weekend!

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Song of the Day:
Nada Surf - Weightless
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAtsZwoT_pU

Picture of the Day:

#40:

Yes Man (Fallout: New Vegas)

Depending on how you play it, New Vegas can be either a great and wildly entertaining experience, or an annoying blood bath. But no matter how you choose to go through the Mojave Wasteland, there's always that lovable and hilariousrobot found in the Tops Casino named Yes Man. Yes Man was one of Mr. House's securitrons, but was then reprogrammed by one of the game's main villains (Benny) in order to assist him in taking over the New Vegas Strip. But thankfully, Yes Man couldn't be farther from an enemy to the player character in New Vegas. Of course, Yes Man is always extremely positive and has that constant smile on his "face". So even when he's talking about diabolical things, he says them in the most happy go lucky of ways, resulting in some very funny moments.

#39:

Ichabod Crane (The Legend of Sleepy Hollow)

Being a creative writing major, I love short stories, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is definitely my all time favorite. And like all great stories, the key element to what makes The Legend of Sleepy Hollow so great is the central character, who in this case isIchabod Crane. Crane is the new school master in the small town of Sleepy Hollow who falls in love with the daughter of the richest man in the county, Katrina Van Tassel. What makes Crane such a great character is that unlike most scrawny new guys who arekind and misunderstood, Crane is kind of aself absorbed jerk. All he really thinks about is scoring with Katrina and he doesn't really care about who's feelings get crushed along the way. But you knowwhat they say, karma's a b**ch.

#38:

Abraham Reyes (Red Dead Redemption)

Out of the the three main regions in Red Dead Redemption, Mexico is easily the most breathtaking and entertaining. And the guy that makes the story segments south of the border so memorable is none other than the forgetful, charismatic, and constantly horny revolutionary named Abraham Reyes. What I love about Reyes is that he's adored by the people of Nuevo Pariso and has gotten hundreds to join is cause, but of course you can tell that he's a disaster waiting to happen. You don't know when or how, but it's obvious that everything is going to go downhill at some point. However that big moment doesn't occur until after the main story, and in order to find out about it, you have to purchase an in-game newspaper. And I'll just say, it's a perfect ending to Reyes' story.

#37:

Woody

Besides being one of the main icons of my childhood, Woody is a character for the ages. The most admirable things about Woody are his loyalty and caring for his loved ones. He'll go to impossible limits to save his fellow toys, and always wants what's best for them. But he also has a tendency to let his own feelings get in the way of what's best for everyone on occasion. Which actually makes him a more three dimensional character if you think about it, and it almost makes him the most human character out of the cast. But of course, he's always comes around in the end, and ultimately does what's right.

#36:

Scarecrow (Batman)

Scarecrow has always been one of my favorite villains, mainly because of how differenthe is, even for Batman villain standards. Most comic book villains are either incredibly strong,rich, or intelligent. Scarecrow is very intelligent, but he has little to nostrength or money, hethrives entirely on the fear of others. Originally, Scarecrow was a pretty goofy villain, andwas never very intimidating. But once Batman: The Animated Series came around, he's been the most consistantly creepy villain of them all. Another thing I love about him is that he always looks different inevery adaptation. Most Batman villains like The Joker, Two Face, andCatwoman always look the same, butthere are no two versions ofScarecrow that are exactly alike, and I really appreciate that kind of variety.

#35:

Vito Corleone (The Godfather)

Most people think of Vito Corleone as just the ultimate mafia don, when in reality he's much more than that. During the first Godfather movie, we see Vito as both a mafia don and a very polite gentleman, making him very likable. But in The Godfather: Part II, we find out much more about Vito as the movie shows his backstory, revealing that he came to America from Sicilyon his own after both of his parents were murdered by a mafia don. It then takes us through his journey and the evolution of a working man living in a tenament in New York's Little Italy to an all powerful mob boss. What seperates Vito from all other mafia dons is that while he still murders people who cross him and his friends, he's still a man who cares deeply about his family, thus making him a much deeper character than people believe.

#34:

Milhouse Van Houten (The Simpsons)

All great TV shows need that one guy who can never do anything right. Looney Tunes had Daffy Duck, Everybody Loves Raymond had Robert, and The Simpsons have Milhouse.Out of all the inhabitants of Springfield, Milhousehas to be the most likable as a person,and because of this, whenever something happens to him, you laugh but at the same time youkind of feel bad about it. Milhouseprobably holds the record for the most moments on The Simpsons where I actually almost hurt myself laughing,particularly whenever he uses his "whazzup" catchphraseand when he starts singing "WhenA Man Loves A Woman". He's just so pathetic, that you have to adore him.

#33:

Dug (Up)

Almost every recent smash hit animated movie has had that one character that the entire world fell in love with. Up's was of course the talking dog named Dug. And the reason why everyone loves him is because he reminds everybody of their own dogs. He says all of the things that people would expect their dogs to say if they could talk, particularly the infamous "squirrel" quote. There really isn't much else to say about him, because that's entirely what makes him such a fantastic character.

#32:

Gollum (The Lord of the Rings)

Let's face it, The Lord of the Rings movies wouldn't have been nearly as memorable without Gollum. To me, he's what made the trilogy what it is. The constant conflict between his two personalities and his obsession with the ring makes him the most interesting character in Middle Earth, and of course that's topped off with the brilliant performance by the criminally underrated actor, Andy Serkis. Throughout the The Two Towers, you're never sure whether you ought to feel sorry for him, or if you should despise him. The question is answered at the end of the movie, but it's a nagging question throughout the rest of it, which just makes the character all the better.

#31:

William Blake (Dead Man)

For those of you that don't know, Dead Man is my all time favorite movie, so it may seem a little odd that the main character is only at #31 on the list. But out of 70, that's still a pretty high spot. Blake is a young man moving from Cleveland to the small western town of Machine in order to take up a job as an accountant. He discovers that he's been cheated and after a chain of murders and misunderstandings, Blake is donned an outlaw by the richest man in town. For awhile, he fights the fact that he's a criminal, but eventually accepts his fate. You don't really get the sense that heloses his mind,it's more that herealizes that nothing he does will change anything, which is kind of a breath of fresh air, seeing as mostunintentional movie criminals just go crazy.And that's what makes him one of my favorite characters from my all time favorite movie.

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Song of the Day:
Bon Iver - Skinny Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrMmr1oMPGA

Picture of the Day:

Howdy folks. Well, just recently I made a pre-order that shatters all other pre-orders that I've ever made. And for multiple reasons. First of all, the game doesn't come out for eight months, which I think is the longest I've ever had to wait for a game. Second, I got the collector's edition, which comes with so much stuff that I just couldn't resist. Third, in terms of anticipation, this may beat out Red Dead Redemption for me, and if you knew me before RDR was released, then you know how huge that is. So what's the game, you may ask? Well wonder no longer...

That's right, Mass Effect 3! Just reading the title makes me tingle with joy! Having missed out on Mass Effect 2's Collector's Edition, I knew I had to get it this time around for ME3. It comes with so much stuff too! I would list it all, but that could take too long, and I need to get back to the countdown. So I'll just say this, it may have cost me eighty dollars, but it will totally be worth it.

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Now back to my Top 70 Favorite Characters Countdown! Once again, I must remind you all that this is a "favorites" list, so if you feel like criticizing my choices, keep them to yourself, because critiquing someone's favorite things is just flat out stupid. So without further ado, I give you #50-41!

#50:

Captain Quint (Jaws)

Captain Quint is that wonderful stereotype of all aging sea-faring men come to life. He's a looney old boat captain whose clearly been out in the sun a little too long. He obsesses overkilling the shark that's been terrorizing the town of Amity, but refuses to do it with the assistance of fancy modern day mechanisms brought aboard the ship by the only two other people willing to go after the shark, Brody and Hooper. Robert Shaw's performance in the movie adaptation brings the character to a whole new level, making him both very entertaining to watch and a little unsettling at times. And of course, who could his bone chilling story about his experience aboard The Indianapolis?

#49:

Snake Plissken (Escape From New York)

Now, this is kind of my "stupid teenageness" getting in the way, because there really isn't anything to this character besides how awesome he is. But this is my favorites, not the greatest, so anything is acceptable. Everything that Snake Plissken does is just so cool that even Shaft wouldwet his pants upon seeing him. He's known as being an anti-hero, but in the context of Escape From New York, he doesn't really do anything wrong. Sure he can be a little cold at times, but he's still doing the right thing, even if it is against his will. And he was the inspiration for Solid Snake, so we all have him to thank for that.

#48:

Don Quixote

I'm reading this book right now for summer reading, and unlike all of my friends at school, I really like it. And the best thing about the book is of course, Don Quixote himself. The character is both comedic and tragic at the same time, because while he's lost both his library and his mind, Don Quixote's insane antics with his "squire" Sancho Panza can be very entertaining. The characterhimself really is more tragic when you get right down to it, buthis fantasies of his dream woman whom he's never seen before and his believing that windmills are giants can be as comedic as they sound.

#47:

Hal 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey)

Most of you will probably think I'm a wimp for saying that a computer on a spaceship is scary, but Hal is one of the scariest characters in movie history. Hal was designed as an AI in full control of a spaceship, and is designed to eliminate anything that could be a threat to achieving the mission. When Hal sees the two astronauts aboard the ship as a potential road block, he has no choice but to try and eliminate them. And I was always a little creeped out by his appearance, it's just a glowing red dot, but I still find it pretty intimidating. And that monotone voice is surprisingly spooky as well. What makes Hal truly scary though is that he's a danger to humanity, but humans are the ones that built him to begin with. He's not betraying people, he's just doing what he thinks is necessary. And wheneverI hear"Daisy Bell" I was scream because of him.

#46:

The Waco Kid (Blazing Saddles)

What's great about The Waco Kid (besides being played by Gene Wilder) is that he's a parody of every bada** gunslinger from westerns, while still being one himself. He's never seen the point in eating, and all he does is drink alcohol, the hand that he shoots with is always violently shaking, the other never moves, and he can disarm about eight men in literally two seconds. Blazing Saddles is obviously one of my favorite movies of all time, and it definitely wouldn't be the same without The Waco Kid.

#45:

Raphael

I love all four of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But if I had to pick my favorite, I would go with Raphael. Why? Because he's easily the most complex of the four turtles. While the otherthree are very entertaining and lovable in thier own ways, Raph has always been the deepest, and overall, best written of the four. He knows how to have fun, a cares about his brothers, but at the same time, he has his own way of doing things. You get the feeling that he wants to see justice served, but not quite in the same heroic way that Leonardo sees crime fighting. Raph was the always the most intense and conflicted, making him the best character of the four turtles. And we gets mad, he can really raise shell (sorry, I just had to say it :P)

#44:

Two-Face (Batman)

Sorry, I know the picture is kinda creepy. What makes Two-Face really stand out among comic book villains is that he originally started out as Gotham's District Attorney, Harvey Dent, who wasset on taking down organized crime in Gotham City. While Batman was solving the city's problems with his fists and gadgets, Dent was doing it with words, making him sort of the opposite of Batman. But of course, The Joker had to come along and toss acid in his face, transforming him into the monstrous criminal known as Two-Face. While the acid clearly had some effects on Dent's psyche, his main motivation is to show people how even ahero like Harvey Dent cancome crashing down andbecome something horrible. His certainly the most tragic of comic book villains, and while he is genuinely evil, you kind of can't help but feel sorry for him at times.

#43:

Tobias Funke (Arrested Development)

In one of the funniest TV shows of all time, one where every character is funny, you've really got to stand out to be the most memorable character on the show. And Tobias just might take that title for Arrested Development. While not technically part of the Bluth family (the main family of the show), he still likes to think of himself as a major player in how things work. He also took up many professions during the show's run, such as a psychiatrist, an actor, aBritish nanny,a folk singer,the world's first analyst/therapist, and a member of the blue man group. But what makes Tobias such a funny character is that he has lots of different ways to make you laugh. He has some big gut busting moments, but also very awkward and uncomfortable moments that are funny but hard to laugh at. Still, Tobias is what made the funniest show of all time even funnier.

#42:

Buzz Lightyear

I grew up the 1990's and early 2000's, I think that's enough of an explanation as to why I love Buzz Lightyear and the rest of Toy Story characters. While over the movies, we've gotten a good understanding of all of the characters, I think thatBuzz is the one thatwe got the most out of in terms of what they came from. While we got Woody's backstory, we never saw what he himself was like before he got used to normal life as a toy. For the majority of the first movie, that's all we get from Buzz. I'm always really entertained by Buzz in all three movies, becausehe's the character that we've come to expect the least amount of comedy from, so when he does do something funny, it's twice of affective. And he's also the main bada** of the movies, and it takes a lot for a toy to be a genuine bada**.

#41:

Roy Batty (Blade Runner)

One of my favorite villains from one of my favorite movies. Roy Batty is an android, and the leader of the semi-uprising of his kind, even though there are only a few left. Batty however was the prodigal son of the who built the androids, and was expected to be the perfect humanoid being. Of course, that didn't go so well. Throughout the movie, you see Batty as both a great intellect and a somewhat sophisticated being, and at other times, he seems demonically posessed. I won't give away the ending, but I'll just say that it adds a whole new level to the character. He's complex, sophisticated, and homicidal... what's not to love?

Part IV with numbers 40-31 will be up soon!

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Song of the Day:
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue - Backatown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neX7a1I6r04

Picture of the Day:

I don't have much to say except that I want everybody to keep in mind while reading this list that this list applies to every medium in which fictional characters exist, so the possibilities are endless, and this is also my personal favorites, so that means that I want absolutely no comments saying that I've made bad decisions, but besides that, feel free to say whatever you want. And on that note, let's get back to the list with numbers 60-51...

#60:

Sherlock Holmes

Okay, I've said this a million times before when talking about the 2009 Robert Downey Jr. movie, but the majority of the people who know Sherlock Holmes have a very tainted perception of the original literary character. Mainly because of the Basil Rathbone movies. But in reality, Holmes is actually much more like the 2009 movie than any other adaptation. Holmes really did seal himself away from society when he didn't have a case to work on, he did stay up until three in the morning playing his violin, he did constantly get Watson's nerves, and he was very very out there. People see him as this uptight and very proper detective, when really he's the polar opposite. And that's what makes him such a great character. He's not what you'd expect from a 19th century sleuth.

#59:

Reverend Harry Powell (The Night of The Hunter)

I've talked about this character to death over the years on my blog. He seems to show up in everything I write in one form or another. But why shouldn't he? He's a brilliant and spooky character. Powell is a greedy madman who poses as a preacher to pray on the innocent, and while you don't really get a sense of him enjoying it like other villains, you do get a sense that he's choosing to do these things on his own. And of course he has the words "love" and "hate" tattooed on his knuckles, which makes him all the more eerie. I've really sucked all I can out of this character, and I can't think of anything else to write that wouldn't be repeating past entries, so I'll just say that you need to see the movie to get the full affect.

#58:

Evelyn Mulwray (Chinatown)

All film noirs have to have a femme fatale. And to be honest, Evelyn Mulwray really is your standard femme fatale. You don't know who she's really siding with, you don't know what her motivations are, or really anything else about her. But seeing as Chinatown was made about twenty years after the height of film noir, they could get away with a lot more than they could in the 1950's, and that's used to their advantage, as it really amplifies the character of Evelyn Mulwray. She becomes more of a tragedy than most femme fatales, which as usual, makes her a stronger character. And the performance by Faye Dunaway is the icing on the cake.

#57:

Norman Bates (Psycho)

Again, this is a character that I've analyzed and talked about to endlessly. And like with Harry Powell, you really have to see the movie to get the full affect of how creepy but fascinating this character is. I really can't say anthing else about him without repeating myself so I'm just gonna cut this one off early.

#56:

Samus Aran (Metroid)

I recently stated a couple of entries ago that I think Samus the all time greatest female video game character, and I stand by that. I think what proves how good of a character she is is that in the original Metroid, you never expected for one moment that she was a woman. And anyone who can fool hundreds of thousands of people without even trying deserves a lot of credit. And unlike most video game characters of her time, Samus actually had a pretty rough and gripping backstory. She's one of the greatest video game characters ever, and also one of my favorite characters overall.

#55:

Guido Anselmi (8 1/2)

Guido Anselmi has a lot in common with the movie 8 1/2 itself. Both are deep, a little odd, and still keep your attention throughout. Guido is a movie director trying to make a science fiction film, but is constantly being conflicted by his past and all of the important women in his life. His marriage is failing, and there are multiple women that he could easily run off with. His fantasies and constant internal conflict are what really drive 8 1/2's story, and are a key part in what make it one of the greatest films ever made.

#54:

The Tramp (Charlie Chaplin's Recurring Character)

There isn't really all that much to The Tramp except that he's just a friendly, clumsy, and lovable little homeless guy. But in the context of the movies that he appears in, that's what makes him a good and iconic character. Sure he's a little over the top and his antics would kill most people, but he still has that innocent side of him that makes you like him him on a more emotional level and sometimes actually feel sorry for him. Despite all of his bad luck throughout the movies he's in, he never really gives up on anything, so he's kind of a role model in some ways too. He may not appear to be much besides a comedic time bomb, but beneath his goofiness, there's a strong an determined human being.

#53:

Calvin (Calvin & Hobbes)

What makes Calvin such a great character is that he's the perfect symbol of life as a six year old boy. He day dreams constantly about spaceships, dinosaurs, and being taller. He tries to be a con artist to get out of trouble with his teacher and parents, he overreacts to everything, and of course, he has crazy adventures with his plush tiger whom he assumes to be real, Hobbes. Calvin represents every young boy and does his job perfectly, and without him, we wouldn't have one of the greatest comic strips of all time.

#52:

John Marston (Red Dead Redemption)

Bet all of you were expecting him to be higher weren't you? Still, 52/70 isn't that bad, especially when there are hundreds of characters out there that I really like. Anyway, John Marston really is a fantastic video game character. In an age where most characters are just filler for cursing and shooting stuff up, John Marston was a nice breath of fresh air. You're really invested in the character for the entire game, and he's easily one of the most likable heroes in gaming history. He can be a polite gentleman when in the company of good people, but when he's around the many questionable characters in the world of Red Dead Redemption, he can be pretty intimidating. I guess you could say that John Marston really is the best of both worlds.

#51:

Han Solo (Star Wars)

How can you not love this guy? He doesn't have any backstory or indication of how he became who he is, he's just a smug space pirate with an overgrown boykin spaniel as a best friend. If you really think about it, Han Solo supplied all of the fun moments in the original trilogy. Yoda and the droids had their moments, but it was Han who made the experience as enjoyable as it was. But he could still be a bada** when he needed to be one.

Part 3 with #50-41 will be up soon!

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Song of the Day:
Bad Rabbits - Stick Up Kids
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEVpWJCkryM

Picture of the Day:

Well folks, it's been quite some time since I did a big multi-blog countdown. And I figured that I should make up for that lost time by doing my biggest countdown yet. That is if you consider a Top 70 list to be big. But what I could possibly count down 70 of? Well ladies and gentlemen, I give you...

MY TOP 70 FAVORITE CHARACTERS OF ALL TIME!

That's right folks! I'm covering the broadest category of all; characters! If the character is a work of fiction, then they could show up on this list! It's completely unpredictable! You'll see characters from literature, film, comics, andvideo games! The possibilities are endless!So without further ado, let's get started with numbers 70-61!

#70:

Hellboy (Hellboy Comics & Movies)

Like most people, I was introduced to everyone's favorite demon through the Guillermo Del Toro movies that came out in the past decade. And I instantly fell in love with the big red monster. He's destined to destroy the world, but keeps fighting it by sawing off his horns and fighting the supernatural. And while he does have an understanding of how potentially dangerous he is, he still has a lot of fun. He loves beer, Baby Ruth bars, and TV. And all while kicking paranormal a** with his arsenal of over sized weapons and his boulder of a right hand. What's not to love?

#69:

Sirius Black (Harry Potter)

In a world of all magical inhabitants, you've really got to earn your right to be smoothest and coolest guy around. And Sirius Black takes everyone else to the cleaners. And to tell the truth, he's really the only bada** in the Harry Potter universe. The second closest would have to be his friend Remus Lupin, but Sirius still takes the cake for coolness among wizards. First off, he's played by Gary Oldman, which gives him a pretty big advantage. But as it's revealed in the books, Sirius is really the only person in the wizarding world who really seemed like a normal teenager. Heloved motorcycles and hot chicks, which youdon't really get fromany of the other characters. Hee's also very down to earth despite being, you know... a wizard. What else can I say? He was one in a million, and for that, he's my favorite Harry Potter.

#68:

Mattie Ross (True Grit)

Having read the book and seen both movies, I have a really strong appreciation for this character. Mattie Ross is a fourteen year old girl whose father is murdered, and she seeks revenge by hiring the aging Marshal Rooster Cogburn, while also getting the assistance of Texas Ranger LeBoeuf, to hunt down her father's killer, a slow witted alcoholic named Tom Chaney. Despite being surrounded by quite a few colorful characters, Mattie is still the most interesting and well written. She has such an extreme level of determination that everybody wishes they could possess, but no real person could really have. And that's what makes her so fascinating and original. The original book and the 2010 Coen Bros. movie have a very bitter ending, while the 1969 movie ends like any other traditional western. And while it really is kind of despressing, the more bitter ending just makes Mattie an even more interesting but tragiccharacter.

#67:

Landon Ricketts (Red Dead Redemption)

One of the biggest themes of Red Dead Redemption is modernization, and how the world changes with time. And the one character that refuses to let time swallow him is Landon Ricketts, the elderly gunslinger living out his final years in Mexico. While Red Dead Redemption is technically set in the Old West, it's more of the twilight years of the Old West. The Wright Bros. had already flown, motion pictures were coming into play, etc. But Landon Rickettsis the final piece of the American West that refuses to fade away. He can still handle himself in a fight, still considers himself to be the fastest gunslinger around, and plays a mean game of poker. And he's based on Sam Elliot, which just adds to his coolness.

#66:

R.P. McMurphy (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest)

I read the book One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest before I saw the movie, and in both, you're not really sure whether you like or dislike this guy. He does try to upset the dictator-like establishment that Nurse Ratched holds over the mental hospital, and he cares about his comrades, but there are some moments where you really want to not like himbecause of his behavior towards... well, everything. But this kind of makes him a stronger character. He's ultimately a hero, just not what you really expect from one. That doesn't keep him from being a good character though.

#65:

Roy Earle (L.A. Noire)

Roy Earle is actually a lot like R.P. McMurphy in the sense that you really don't know how you feel towards him. He's a corrupted cop, but he still has a sense of how to serve justice. He knows how everything works in Los Angeles and has connections to everyone. But what makes me like him so much is that he has all of the best lines in this game. L.A. Noire has barely any funny moments, but the ones that are there, belong to Roy Earle. He's just such a snarky bastard that you can't help but love him.

#64:

John Henry Eden (Fallout 3)

I decided not to use an actual picture ofhim, because I don't want to spoil his appearance for those who haven'tplayed Fallout 3.President John Henry Eden is one the best villains invideo game history, and with good reason. First off, he's voiced by Malcom McDowell. Second,for the majority of the game, almost everything about Eden remains a mystery. You can find out things about The Enclave (the remains of the U.S. government) and listen to Eden's radio broadcasts, which arejust him going on about the good old days of America, when a man's bestfriend was his dog, and baseball wasking. You can tell that The Enclaveis going to be evil from the very beginning, but when you find out Eden's master plan,things get a lot more serious. I can't really say anything else about him that wouldn't spoila lot of the game, so if you want to get the full experience, you've got to play Fallout 3. Whicheveryone should do anyway because of how great it is.

#63:

Gandalf The Grey (The Lord of the Rings)

Now this is specifically Gandalf The Grey! NotGandalf The White! Why? Because he's so much better as Gandalf The Grey! He'smore intense, but stillmore fun andmore elderly, which makes the character better. Seriously, all of the great Gandalf moments are when he's grey.But overall, what makes Gandalf great is that he's a powerful wizard with insight on everything, but he's still a clumsy and fun loving old man. Heknows exactly when there's time for work, and when there'stime for play.

#62:

Daxter (Jak & Daxter Series)

While Jak may have been the hero of the series, Daxter was easily the heart and soul. With Jak's cool smugness, we needed Daxter to give us all of the jokes and get on every other character's nerves. And he did his job perfectly. The entire series was memorable already, but Daxter made it one of the most memorable for anyone who had a PlayStation 2 in the early 2000's. And despite being a blabbering nuisance to pretty much everyone around him, he still cares about Jak, and will do anything to help his buddy out, no matter how unpleasant the situation.

#61:

Tyler Durden (Fight Club)

Tyler Durden is probably the most quotable character in movie history. And why wouldn't he be? He's the main character of Fight Club for crying out loud? I haven't read the book, so I don't know how much similarity there is between him in the book and the movie, but his strange antics and magnetic personality make him one of the most memorable characters ever. Ihonestly can't say that much else about him, Ipretty much just summed him up. He really isone of those characters that you have to see or read to believe.

PART 2 OF THE LIST FEATURING #60-51 WILL BE UP ASAP!

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Song of the Day:
Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekdq1jbZLFU&ob=av2n

Picture of the Day:

Howdy everyone,

First off, just a little news about two huge concerts coming my way soon. The first one is this Monday, and it's...

Oh right, I soubt any of you know who that is :P. This Monday I'm seeing Elvis Costello, whom I'm a life long fan of. I've already seen him once, and he was great, but I'm anticipating this one to be better because he's with his band The Imposters this time around. And the second big concert is...

Yup, I gottickets to see Pixies this November. I can't wait! It's going to be such an awesome show!

But enough about that, let's get to the main event...

Women in video games is an interesting topic isn't it? Male characters are almost the same thing in games, they're either a herioc bada** or a slimy villain. Women on the other hand have been every kind of character. You have the crowd pleasing skanks, the innocent assistants, the tough heroins, the femme fatales, and the sexy villains. So today, I've come to you to reveal my list of who I think are the Top 10 Best Female Video Game Characters. And no this isn't based on appearance... well, not entirely :P.

#10:

Sonya (Mortal Kombat)

The reason why I find Sonya to be superior to all of the other ladies of Mortal Kombat is because she's really the only one who has more than one side to her character. We see different emotions from her and we get more of a sense of humanity from her than the others. Seeing as all of the other women in Mortal Kombat are therejustso you cangawk at how hot they are. And while some people may see Sonya as being the same as the others, I think that she's a much more three dimensional character, mainly because she's very devoted to her profession and carrying out her mission, but also shows a lot of care and compassion towards her allies.

#9:

Miranda Lawson (Mass Effect 2)

Now, if you've played Mass Effect 2, then you know how friggin' hot Miranda is. I'm going to go ahead and get that out of the way. But despite being probably the hottest thing in the galaxy, Miranda has a surprisingly interesting backstory as well. She was bred to be a perfect human being (shocking, I know) by her power hungry father. She later inlisted with the organization known as Cerberus in order to escape from her father and is now devoted to the organization. But of course, she also has time for Shepard as well. She knows that despite being physically and mentally perfect, she's a still a human, and still has her flaws, which can make for some very interesting conversations between her and Shepard.

#8:

Elena Fisher (Uncharted)

Out of all of the characters on this list, Elena is probably the most fun. She knows how to kick a** and makes snarky comments towards Nathan Drake and Sully, so of course, what's not to love? And we also see two very different sides of her in the first Uncharted game. At the beginning, she comes across as just an innocent nuisance who was getting in the way of Nate and Sully's awesomeness. But over the course of the game, she becomes the Elena that we know and love. The one that shoot better than most men and tan your hide with insults at the same time. How could you not love her?

#7:

Zelda/Sheik (The Legend of Zelda)

I'm pretty sure that all of you are going to hate me for this. Either because Zelda is only #7, or because she's on here at all. But notice that I have her listed as both Zelda and Sheik. That's why she's on here at all, because of when she disguised herself as Sheik. I know that a lot of people dislike Zelda because she's constantly getting kidnapped etc. etc. But when she became Sheik in Ocarina of Time, she was flat out awesome. And how can you not kind of like Zelda? Sure she's always getting captured, but she's a symbol of gaming like Mario or Sonic. Cut the chick a break.

#6:

Laura Croft (Tomb Raider)

I'M SORRY. I'm so so sorry that I only have Laura Croft at #6. I know that it's a set in stone fact among most gamers that Laura Croft is the undisputed queen of the video game world. And yes, she is insanely awesome in every way shape and form. But I just think that in terms of character, there are five female characters who are superior. It's a well known fact that Laura Croft is a sexy bada**, but... in all honesty... that's really all she is. She'sextremely good atbeing what she is, but she really isn't the most interestingcharacter. That's just my opinion though. She's an icon of gaming, and she'll neverdie... but because I didn't put her at number one, I'm sure I'll die pretty soon.

#5:

Bonnie MacFarlane (Red Dead Redemption)

Red Dead Redemption probably takes the cake for having the best written cast of side characters (Mass Effect 2 is a close second). And the best of all of those side characters has to be Bonnie MacFarlane. She such an interesting character that I'm almost jealous of Rockstar because I wish that I had come up with her first. She's a woman living in a hostile environment full of disrespecting, lust filled men. And she manages to keep her dignity and stand strong despite living in the most savage of places for a woman. She also has the biting wit andweapon skill of Elena Fisher, which is a very nice touch.

#4:

Rayn (Jak X: Combat Racing)

Rayn is definitely the least known character on here, so I'll fill you all in on her backstory. Rayn is the only child of a notorious crime lord named Krew, whose despised by everyone who's accquainted with him. At the reading of Krew's will at the beginning of Jak X, Krew reveals that he's poisoned everyone who attended the reading, including Rayn. The only way that they can be saved is to win the Kras City Grand Prix, and that's where the game begins. What makes Rayn such a great character is because she's the complete opposite of Krew. She's polite, beautiful, and friendly. *SPOILER ALERT* But at the end of the game after the group has been cured, Rayn takes over her father's position as the head crime boss of Kras City. It's sort of a parallel to Michael Corleone from The Godfather. She never wanted any of this for herself, but in the end, she feels that she doesn't have a choice, and that her family legacy has to stay alive. Despite being very unknown she still manages to be one of the most interesting and tragic of all video game characters.

#3:

Jack (Mass Effect 2)

Yeah, I know I've used two characters from Mass Effect 2 on this list, but I couldn't leave one of them off. And out of all of the women in the Mass Effect universe, I find Jack to be the most interesting. She's not the most attractive, or even the friendliest, but she's such a tight and well written character that she's impossible to ignore. At first, she just seems like a homicidal maniac, but once you get her onboard The Normandy, you discover how deep of a character she is. It's revealed that she was imprisoned for no reason as a child, and was tortured and experimented on for the majority of her life. And even though she tells you her life story, you still want to know more about her. She's mysterious and tragic, but still sarcastic and handy in a fight, just like you expect from her. When you talk to her, you don't know if you'll get the sorrowful Jack who lost her childhood to torture, or the tough and witty Jack. That just makes her character all the better.

#2:

The Boss (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)

Like Jack, The Boss is just one of those characters who even after you know everything about them, they still seem mysterious. I really can't say that much about The Boss, because she's so deep and fascinating that it's honestly pretty hard to write about her. She was a long time mentor and mother figure to Naked Snake, in fact their relationship is literally so intimate that it's impossible to explain. The Boss is known as the greatest soldier of all time, she has a chivalric code as to how to act in the face of battle. It's practically a religion to her. *SPOILER ALERT* For the majority of the game, you hate her because she seemingly betrays Snake and joins the Russians. But later in the game, it's revealed that she was in fact a double agent, but in order for Snake to fully achieve his mission, he has to kill her. The fight with her results in one of the most tear jerking moments in video game history. And actually, if it weren't for her, there never could've been a Metal Gear Solid series, as it's revealed in Metal Gear Solid 4.

#1:

Samus Aran (Metroid)

What makes Samus the #1 best female video game character? The fact that she has everything that makes all of the other characters on this list great. She can kick your a** in a millisecond like Laura Croft, she's mysterious like The Boss, beautiful like Miranda,has an interesting and tragic past like Jack, and is an icon like Zelda. Samus really is the ultimate video game character, she can do it all. She doesn't talk much, but you still get a good idea of what's going on with her both mentally and emotionally. She's also extremely determined, and doesn't let anything get in her way, but she does it without being too reckless. What can I say? Samus is practically perfect in every way.

I would also like to apologize one last time for putting Laura Croft at only#6. I love her, I just think that the other five that I put ahead of her are more interesting characters :oops:

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Song of the Day:
Pixies - Where Is My Mind?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrdpliMfoAM

Picture of the Day:

First off, I'd like to wish a happy belated Fourth of July to all of my fellow Americans. I hope that you scarfed down many apple pies, hot dogs, and other things that we claim to have been ours originally. Seriously, Germany has had hot dogs for like aeons, we just put them in a bun. But, that's not why I'm here, I'm here to tell you all about...

The Uncharted franchise has taken the gaming world by storm. When the first Uncharted game came out in 2007, it got solid reviews and was well recieved by every day gamers, but no one was expecting it to turn into a worldwide phenomenon. Then Uncharted 2 came out and everything changed. Now Nathan Drake is the posterboy of PlayStation and Sony fanatics (such as myself) are foaming at the mouth for the release of Uncharted 3. Well we got our first taste of it with the multiplayer beta, which (unsurprisingly) has taken over PlayStation Network. Now, I'm not really an online multiplayer junkie like most people, but I think that it's always an interesting addition to a game. So how does the online multiplayer for one of the most hyped games of 2011 add up?

The Good

• I'll admit that I didn't play the Uncharted 2 multiplayer, but even though I hadn't, I got used to the mechanics and gameplay very quickly and easily. So even for someone like me who hasn't played Uncharted in a long time or has never played it, it's very easy to get into the swing of things.
• The first thing that really pops out at you are the graphics. Uncharted 2 was one of the most visually impressive games of all time, and they managed to top it with their new installment.
• Unlike other online multiplayer games like Call of Duty where you can succeed by just running around aimlessly, in Uncharted 3 you really have to work with your team in order to do well. Which makes the experience all the more realistic.
• The game manages to bring over the standard Uncharted humor into the multiplayer with things like Taunts and high fives. You can high five a teammate after achieving something like collecting treasure or taking down an enemy. Taunts are little victory moves that you can do after getting a kill.
• It feels almost as much like a story mode mission as a multiplayer match, which is a good thing! The action is just as intense and over the top as the previous Uncharted story modes, right down to the insane parkour jumps and instant neck snappings.
• Getting a kill through melee is both fun and satisfying.
• The Co-Op Arena is a great way to practice, as well as a lot of fun.
• The two maps are creative and well designed.

The Bad

• Perks, boosts, and weapon modsdon't feel like they have much of an impact on your performance.
• In order to attack through melee, you practically have to be leaning on an enemy in order to make contact, and of course by that time, they've already seen you, making the melee unfortunately pointless.
• Snipers areuseless because seeing as this is an Uncharted game, everyone is constantly moving.
• Anyone armed with an RPG is unstoppable.
• In the Co-Op Arena, you're given 10 lives, but after one death, it will give a random number between one and ten, and that's how many lives you're stuck with.

The Ugly

• The second to last thing that I filed under "The Good" was how enjoyable the Co-Op Arena is. Well guess what, THEY REPLACED IT WITH THE STUPIDEST GAME MODE I'VE EVER PLAYED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! It's called Co-Op Hunter Arena, in which you're competing against both NPC's and acutal online players. What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Why don't the NPC's die when they're shot? Why does it reset the character that you've designed? NONE OF THESE QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED, YOU'RE JUST SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH IT! Why on earth would they get rid of the best game mode that they had to offer, and replace it with this confusing pile of garbage?

So, yeah, the Uncharted 3 multiplayer beta is worth downloading overall. It's a lot of fun, and really makes you think about what's going to be in the final product. Just ignore the Co-Op Hunter Arena and you'll be happy with it.

P.S. I'm also going away for a few days this weekend to spend time with my family at a resort in the mountains, so I won't be on GameSpot or PSN at all this weekend.

PLEASE COMMENT!

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Song of the Day:
Jim James & Calexico - Goin' To Acapulco
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl3vss2bgv4

Picture of the Day:

Remember my farewell blog? Well you can forget it now because for the time being, I'm back. I doubt that I'll be nearly as active as I used to be, and once school starts again I'm almost positive that I'll rarely post anything, but I just think that calling it off entirely might have been a little too much. So you could say that I'm making a slight return. And how should we celebrate my resurrection? With another one of my Top 10 lists of course!

This time around I've decided to do the Top 10 Best Acting Performances That Were Overlooked By The Academy Awards. These are the best performances that weren't nominated for Oscars, and the rankings are based entirely on quality of the performances, not on how much they were robbed by the academy. And I'm not counting performances in foreign films, seeing as they never get nominated to begin with.And without further ado, here we go...

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#10:

Johnny Depp (Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas)

This is one of those movies that's almost impossible to watch because of how crude and surreal it looks, but at the same time is surprisingly entertaining. And what really makes this movie entertaining is Depp's performance as Raoul Duke (an alter-ego of Hunter S. Thompson). Just the way that he moves is fun to watch, and you kind of feel on edge the whole time about what he's going to do next, seeing as he's high most of the time. Depp's performance is just as chaotic and strange as the rest of the movie, but he's still extrememly captivating.

#9:

Jeff Bridges and John Goodman (The Big Lebowski)

Because I'm technically part of The Big Lebowski's cult following, this is a little biased. But how could anyone deny how great both Jeff Bridges and John Goodman were in this movie? I decided to put them both on here because I couldn't really choose one over the other seeing as they're so different. Jeff Bridges as The Dude is a very laid back and lazy guy who just wants to save his "johnson". Goodman as Walter Sobchak is a foul mouthed and high strung Vietnam veteran who wants to help out The Dude but just gets on his nerves most of the time. Both performances are hilarious and fantastic in their own ways and are just something that you have to see to get the full affect.

#8:

Val Kilmer (Tombstone)

Tombstone is one of those movies witha practically perfect cast. Everyone in this movie does a superb job. But the one actor that I think really stands out in Tombstone is Val Kilmer as the famous gunslinger Doc Holliday. To be honest, I'm really not that crazy about Val Kilmer in anything else. But his performance in Tombstone makes up for all of his mediocre films. Throughout the majority of the movie, Holliday is either drunk or extremely ill, but that doesn't stopKilmer's performance from being great. Even when he is drunk or sick, he's still really charismatic and entertaining. So even though all of Tombstone's cast really delivered, Kilmer left everyone else in the dust.

#7:

Armie Hammer (The Social Network)

It must take a lot of effort to play two people who are on screen together for the majority of a movie. Well technically, Armie Hammer only played one of the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network, on set the other was played by Josh Pence, but you see Hammer as both of them. But that doesn't matter, because Armie Hammer gave one of the best performances of 2010, and got robbed by the academy, plain and simple. The Winklevoss twins had the majority of The Social Network's best lines, including one of my favorite quotes of all time,"We can do that ourselves. I'm 6'5', 220, and there's two of me." Brilliant.

#6:

Robert Mitchum (The Night Of The Hunter)

It's funny how today people consider this to be a legendary performance, and yet Mitchum didn't even get an Oscar nomination for it. And why wouldn't it be considered legendary? It's a chillingly great performance by one of the greatest actors who ever lived. Mitchum plays Harry Powell, a greedy and homicidal killer posing as a preacher who comes to a small town after hearing about a large sum of money that's been hidden in the town. He then begins to hunt down the children of the man who once posessed the money (the children being the only people who know where the money is). It really is a bone-chilling performance, and while the movie as a whole isn't that scary, Mitchum's performance is, and is very worthy of an Academy Award.

#5:

Jimmy Stewart (Vertigo)

If you've seen Vertigo, then you're probably as surprised as I was when I found out that Jimmy Stewart didn't even get nominated for Best Actor for his performance in this movie. It really is one of the greatest performances of all time. Stewart plays a semi-retired San Francisco detective who's assigned to follow a man's wife whose been acting strangely. He then gets sucked into a chain of events and becomes obsessed with the woman and preserving her image. If you're a Stewart fan, then you probably won't like seeing him just on the verge on insanity, but that's what makes the performance great.

#4:

George C. Scott (Dr. Strangelove)

What fascinating about this performance is that the film's director (Stanley Kubrick) actually tricked George C. Scott into giving an over the top performance for this movie. Scott wanted to make the performance subtle and realistic, but Kubrick wanted him to be unrealistically eccentric. So Kubrick said that he wanted Scott to try the performance over the top first, but he promised that he wouldn't film it. Of course, Kubrick ended up filming it and we got one of the greatest performances ever put on film. I guess you could say that because the performance was unintentional, it shouldn't have gotten an Oscar nomination, but I think that itdoes, just because it really is one of those unforgettable roles that really stands out.

#3:

Anthony Perkins (Psycho)

If you know me well, then you're probably a little surprised that this is only number three, seeing as Psycho is one of my top 5 favorite movies of all time. And what makes Psycho such an incredible movie (besides the cinematography, brilliant twist ending, and great direction) is Anthony Perkins' performance as Norman Bates.When you first see him, you feel kind of sorry for him. He seems innocent and insecure, but still a little strange. And then as the plot unfolds you see what kind of twisted person he really is. I hope that's not giving too much away. Perkins does a fantastic job of making the character mousy and innocent, but also keeps it serious enough that we don't really know how he's going to act towards things. Psycho is just one of those movies that you have to see to believe, and the same goes for Perkins' performance.

#2:

Malcom McDowell (A Clockwork Orange)

It's pretty rare for a movie to be nominated for Best Picture and yet the lead isn't nominated for Best Actor/Actress. And out of all of the movies where I would expect that to happen, A Clockwork Orange is probably the last. Malcom McDowell's performance as the violent, Beethoven loving Alex DeLarge has become one of the iconic roles in cinema history. And why wouldn't it be? He's brilliant! The character is just so despicable and unpredictable that you can't help but kind of like him. He's a terrifying individual and McDowell makes it all the more scary. Especially during the more violent scenes, mainly because of how he's so obviously loving what he's doing. No matter how horrible the things he's doing are, he's full of glee, and that makes an already scary person all the more terrifying.

#1:

Christian Bale (American Psycho)

This just might be my favorite performance of all time. It's not as monumental of a movie as Psycho or A Clockwork Orange, but it's still pretty damn good. First of all, I'm a big Christian Bale fan. I know that sounds weird, but come on, the guy's an incredible actor! And American Psycho is easily his best performance, and that's saying a lot. I love how he changes moods so quickly from a fun loving guy in his late 20's to a complete homicidal maniac in a matter of seconds. As well as how many different ways of delivering lines Bale uses. He can be smug, suave, over the top, eccentric, bitter, and completely insane. You never know what you're going to get out of him. And if you don't believe me, just watch this clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwicLgOGJOI). But be warned, it gets pretty brutal. This really is an incredible performance, and it deserves more than just an Academy Award.

P.S. I realize that are no performances by women on this list. I looked around a lot to try and find one that fit into the list, but literally all of the truly great performances had either gotten Oscar nominations or were from foreign films. There are probably quite a few from films that I haven't seen, but I just wanted everyone to know that I'm not sexist;)

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Song of the Day:
Interpol - Untitled
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejoxw_xrTJc

Picture of the Day:

Well, it's almost May and I have just one more exam to go before school's out! And then that treasured season of summer will begin. And unfortunately, I believe that my time on GameSpot will be ending as well. I'm sure that all of you will be much less active during the summer, as will I. But once school starts up again, I'll just be too busy to be active on the website. Next year I'm taking a college level history cla$$ (and I'm only going to be a sophomore :?)and my school's massive production of The Music Man will be starting, which I'll be devoting a lot of time to seeing as I have a big role, and third and most importantly, I'm finally going to start pursuing my dream girl next year (not in a stalkerish way :P). So with next school year being jam packed and with summer coming up, I just won't have any time for GameSpot. Will I be leaving the site forever? Probably. I may pop up every now and again, and I'll probably continue to rate games, but besides that, you most likely won't be seeing the likes of me anymore. GS has been a big part of my life for the past two years, and I'm sad to leave, but it was going to happen sooner or later. And to close out my time here on this wonderful website, I'll be posting pictures of some of my favorite things.

And now for my last bits of thanks to the people who made this experience so special.

@Jak_Napier: My first friend on GameSpot and the guy who showed me the ropes. I never would've gotten this far without you my friend ;)

@grunt1096: My most consistant reader and someone who popped up in some of my favorite unions. As well as an all around really friendly person.

@Every member of the Film Appreciation Union: A big thanks to all of you guys (even though I doubt most of you are reading this :P) for putting together the best union on the site and giving something to read whenever I got online.

@tntkng: One of the friendliest people on the internet in general and a guy with a hell of a taste in music and movies.

@dylan417: The guy who has almost too many things in common with me :P. Another really nice guy and someone who always read what I had to say and I would always return the favor ;).

@ShootumUP26: Ryan my friend, you are what made this ride so enjoyable.Who would've thought that a guy from South Carolina and a guy from Ohio would become such good friends through a gaming website? And we need to have some more game nights once school gets out mi amigo ;)

And now I must ride off into the sunset, with one last Song and Picture of the day. Which are both my favorite song of all time and a very fitting image from my favorite video game of all time.

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Song of the Day:
Wilco - I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlxH9-TYseY

Picture of the Day:

Thanks for the memories guys. May the force be with you.

Signing off,

blazingsaddle95

Hello out there to all of my beloved followers :P! Well, as I'm sure all of you have heard, the third installment of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series has been officially announced and is scheduled to be released on November 8th. Being a big Call of Duty fan (and especially of MW) I can't wait for this game's release. The only problem is that they couldn't have picked a worse date for me than the middle of November. First of all, my birthday is eight days later, so I would have to wait a week to get it, but what makes this much worse is that Uncharted 3 is scheduled for release on November 1st! And if I've just gotten Uncharted 3, then there's no way that I'm going to get MW3 for my birthday. So, I never thought I'd said this but... I need MW3 to be delayed. I'm sure that most of you want to chain me up to a medieval torture device right now, but I really need MW3 to be delayed until around Christmas.

Well, enough of that, now it's time for the important stuff...

I've decided that because there are SO many games that I intend on getting in 2011, why not go ahead and start doing an entire impressions segment? So here it is,

Fancy ain't it? :P

Welcome to Hard To Erase, my brand new impressions segment.

Today's Game:

For those of you who know me well, you know that I'm a huge Rockstar fan, and that I'll buy any release of theirs. Their latest game, L.A. Noire, has been one of my most anticipated games of the last five years seeing as I'm both a R* nut and a fan of film noir. So just like with last year's Red Dead Redemption,the concept was just too good to be true. Now, L.A. Noireis a very unique game. Not just in it's setting, but in the way that the game is played.This game is all about investigation and interviewing suspects; your typical Rockstar stamps such as third personshooting and free roaming are both present,but aren't really key parts of the game's core. Now that's not to say that you can't have fun with them, they just aren't as important. So how has L.A. Noire compared to Rockstar's previous games so far?

The Good

• As shown in the trailers, the graphics are incredible, particularly the facial animations, which play a big part throughout the game
• All of the game's performances are great,but of course the real standout is Mad Men's Andrew Staton in the leadrole of Cole Phelps
• Investigations are interesting and test your real life detective skills
• Interrogations arevery entertaining, but you've got to be good at both remembering clues and reading faces
• All of the side characters, whether they're a fellow member of the LAPD or a man presumed to have killed his wife, are very interesting and well written
• Cole Phelps is a solid protagonist, being both your typical good cop as well as a no-nonense tough guy
• All of the cases are gripping, and you feel as if it's entirely your responsibility to make sure that justice is fulfilled
• The reconstructed city of 1947 Los Angeles is gorgeous and it's scale is very impressive
• Combat and gunfights are the same as GTA and RDR, but that's not at all a bad thing
• The soundtrack is fantastic, both the original score and theold jazz songs featuring Bing Crosby, Thelonious Monk, and Duke Ellington are great. And if you've played Fallout 3, you just might recognize a couple of tunes

The Bad

• Street crimes (a.k.a. Side Quests) are short and underwhelming
• While still enjoyable, gunfights are a rarity and don't come around as often as they should

The Ugly

• The driving segments are horrendous and your car will be randomly thrown into obstacles when you'rechasing a suspect

Well, there's still a lot of game left to play, but so far L.A. Noire is looking to be a very enjoyableand memorable experience despite a couple of bumpsin the road, but if you're one of those peoplewho playsvideo games just to shoot stuff upand call people noobs, thenthis is not your game.Will it live up to Grand Theft Auto IV or Red Dead Redemption? Probably not. Butit's stillan excellent game so far.

Current Rating:

A-
(9/10)

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Song of the Day:
Kid Cudi feat. Cee-Lo Green - Scott Mescudi vs. The World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaznTjmUwTo

Picture of the Day: