My favourite track of 2011 right here, beautiful.

Title: Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Format: XBLA (Originally Sega Mega Drive/Genesis)
Released: 1994
Developers: Sonic Team, Sega Technical Institute
Publisher: Sega 

Much like i’m doing with the movies I watch this year, I’ve decided to document the videogames I complete. The first entry into 2012’s Videogame Odyssey is Sonic The Hedgehog 3, the second sequel to the classic 2D, side-scrolling platform. Originally released back in 94’ on the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis) this time round I went through it on my 360 courtesy of XBLA. It’s been god knows how long since I first or even last played Sonic 3, but from the very first level of Angel Island I was flooded with nostalgia. From the level design, enemies and especially the music. 

Much like the previous two Sonic games it fits a basic model but that dosent stop it from being a lot of fun. At times it can even be a little challenging, having to dodge traps and enemies at high speed with knee jerk reactions can have that effect. Especially if you’re all out of rings and feeling vulnerable. But for the most part you can zip through the game quickly and with relative ease. But still it’s a pretty fun and rewarding experience, whether your playing it for the first time in nearly twenty years or for the first time period.

Movie: One Day In September
Starring: Michael Douglas (Narrator), Ankie Spitzer, Jamal Al Gashey
Director: Kevin MacDonald
Released: 1999 

One Day In September is a pretty interesting and informative documentary on the Black September group, who held Palestinian athletes hostage at the 1972 Olympics. I knew a little about the event, but this doc digs deeper into the subject.

Movie: Dog Day Afternoon
Starring: Al Pacino, John Cazale, Charles Durning
Director: Sidney Lumet
Released: 1975 

First time watching this and I really enjoyed it. Al Pacino plays a man who goes into rob a bank but finds himself being caught up in a media whirlwind. Im a big of situational dramas and this peels it layers off nicely revealing more as it continues, a definite recommended watch.

Movie: Misery
Starring: James Caan, Kathy Bates
Director: Rob Reiner
Released: 1990 

James Caan plays novelist Paul Sheldon, after crashing his car in a snow storm Sheldon is rescued by Annie Wilks, a crazy, obsessive fan. I love human based horror, I find that sub-genre genuinely frightening if done right and Misery is done right. Kathy Bates fully deserved her best actress Oscar she is both creepy and terryfifying as Wilks. 

Movie: Not Another Teen Movie
Starring: Chyler Leigh, Jaime Pressly, Chris Evans
Director: Joel Gallan
Released: 2001 

I was in the mood for something mildly entertaining and disposable and this fit the bill. For the most part this was pretty bad but there were some pretty good jokes here and there.

Movie: The Artist
Starring: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo
Director: Michel Hazanavicius
Released: 2012 

The Artist, the film everybody seems to be talking about lately and with good reason too. It follows the career of silent movie star George Valentin, a cinematic sensation. That is until sound comes into the movie business, a proud and stubborn man George refuses to conform and in doing so see’s his career spiral downwards. I really dug this movie a lot, it’s funny, light hearted yet takes a somewhat tragic and sad turn in places. Great writing, great performances, if the fact it’s in black and white and silent dosent bother you, go see it.

Movie: Up In The Air
Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick
Director: Jason Reitman
Released: 2009 

Up In The Air is about Ryan Bingham, a man who fires people for a living, a man who is socially disconnected from the world, a man who’s backpack is empty and who’s life is lived between hotel rooms. However Binghams world is about to change for good when his company employs a new method leaving him grounded in the real world. This is far from my favourite Jason Reitman film but it does make for a good watch. Mainly because of the chemistry Clooney and Farmiga, Anna Kendrick’s presence dosent hurt either.