Bind. Silver screens are set to shine The who and what of VIFF 2010 By Cody Klyne, Arts Editor ou won’t be busting out the popcorn bowl for this movie marathon. Instead, don your favourite blazer, slick back your hair, or put on your critics cap; it’s time again for the Vancouver International Film Festival. Whether you’re a diehard cinema-junkie or casual observer, VIFF 2010’s vast and varied lineup looks to have something for everyone. With hundreds of films sorted by series—from Films for Youth Under 18 to the Asian-Pacific focused Dragons & Tigers series—spanning every genre, there’s lots to see over the course of this tightly-packed two-week period. Kicking off with an opening gala film on September 30", screenings run from morning till night daily across 10 locations until the festival’s closing on October 15". So, what’s there to look forward to at VIFF 2010? For starters, there’s the Africa Today series. New to the festival in 2010, the series has a unique focus on the people of Africa as well as larger societal concerns. Intentional or not, the films being presented as part of this series really seem to come together and provide an interesting glimpse into the heart of modern African culture. Of this series Bush League, by Cy Kuckenbaker, is looking to be the one to watch out for. Bush League is an on-the-ground documentary that looks into the lives of a local Malawian soccer team and in turn provides a sharp and cold realization regarding the state of progress in the country. Gritty and uncompromising, it’s this sort of film- making that makes attending festivals (large and small alike) interesting and important. Next up, a film with significant local importance, Into the Wind: A Celebration of Terry Fox looks to tell Fox’s inspirational tale under less glamorous, more natural lighting. While the idea of picking apart something as quintessentially Canadian as the story of Fox may be something of limited appeal, this raw and human look at Terry, his struggle, and his cross-Canada journey, breathes new life into a piece of Canadian history that seems to have gotten lost in the swaddling clothes of legend. Pulling back the curtain on this one, I think the film gains something with the close involvement of Steve Nash—of basketball fame—who teamed up with his movie-making cousin to see the project through. Into the Wind might seem like familiar territory, but it’s a Canadian affair that shouldn’t be overlooked. And while there are many more films that warrant a mention, and some more that just don’t, here’s a quick rundown of a few suggested should-sees: Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, a hot- topic art house film from Thailand, Wasteland, a grungy look into the lives of landfill dwellers on the outskirts of Rio, and Heartbeats, an award winning triangle affair that’s steaming up festivals at an international level. With a few different deals and packages to satisfy your ticket purchasing needs, including a money- conscious student bundle, the VIFF 2010 is set to light up local silver screens in a big way by week’s end. Weekly Freebie: League of Legends Riot Games brings a fresh rendition of the popular DotA mod By TK Kwon et’s face it, it’s the end of [seen and paying out of your pocket for tuition and books have left your wallet sore and your summer job savings empty, nevertheless, you have to keep yourself entertained in between those long arduous study sessions. But what is a student to do when they are completely broke and left with a void only a game could fill? But don’t worry, we here at The Other Press have got you covered: every week we'll be highlighting a game that you can play without costing you a single penny. It’s the Weekly Freebie. This week’s highlight is Riot Games’ League of Legends. Taking from the popular Warcraft III mod Defence of the Ancients (DotA) game model, Riot has made the game their own, while at the same time, keeping the game fundamentals the same as not to disappoint the fans of the original. To that point, to ensure that they are taking the right steps to create a fun and balanced game, Riot has even gone as far as recruiting some of the DotA-Allstars developers. To those of you who are not familiar with DotA, the game plays out as follows: you choose a champion to play as and are one member on a team of 3 or 5 players (depending on your choice). Once formed, your team will spawn at your base; this is where the fun begins. The match objective is to destroy the enemy team’s head building called the “Nexus,” which is located at the other end of the map at the enemy’s base. But that’s not all, blocking the routes are enemy turrets, support NPCs called “minions,” and last but not least, the opposing group of player-controlled champions. In order to come out on top players must cooperate with each other, formulate plans of attack, and efficiently use their support NPCs and collected resources to purchase equipment. Keep in mind, utilizing effective teamwork is a key component and can often mean the difference between a win and a loss. When a player initially starts they are offered a set of predetermined champions they are able to use for matches. This champion set changes weekly so players are offered the full range of champions to experiment with, to find one they are most comfortable using. By playing matches, players are awarded Influence Points (IP), with bonus IP being awarded when/if a match is won. With their collected IP, players are then able to unlock champions (so they can use them regardless of the weekly set), buy runes (passive power-ups that give you an edge early-game), and various other things at the marketplace. For players who are willing to spend money on the game, there are also Riot Points (RP) which can be purchased through PayPal or credit card. With RP, players are able to purchase anything IP can buy, along with custom skins for champions and boosts that increase their IP and experience gain for a set duration of time. Whether you’re a seas med DotA pro, or an utter newbie, boasting practice, normal, and ranked game modes in solo and team flavours, League of Legends has something to offer to everyone. Being one of the most comprehensive free-to- play games out there, Riot Game’s League of Legends is definitely one to check out. For more information or to download the game; visit www. leagueoflegends.com.