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_Kick-Ass kicks ass! A perfect combination of artistic style-bending and gory exploitation

Angela Espinoza

dapting a comic book to film A: like covering someone

else’ song; it all depends on how the source material is treated.

In the case of Kick-Ass however, the

Kick-Ass in turn questions the sanity of all the on-lookers standing around and, in several cases, actually filming the fight. I’m begging to hear the argument about how that set-up isn’t realistic.

At this point that Kick-Ass ended for me; from that moment on, we got a movie I call Superheroes, where

Hit-Girl is the R rating in this movie; she’s a foul-mouthed, ultra- violent, pig-tailed 11 year old, who, whether sipping cocoa or cutting people’s limbs off, will literally blow your mind.

film was green-lit before the comic had even been published, so the writers got the rare opportunity to write the screenplay consistently with the comics. This kind of process is awkward to work with since, despite

how simplified the origin may be, they

never end the exact same way.

Ever since 2000’s X-Men, comic book movies have been trying to take themselves more seriously. Films like Batman (1981) and The Crow (1994) attempted to bring their comics to life, which is different. In bringing a

comic to life, you’re taking literal two-

dimensional characters and placing them into a one-dimensional setting; you’re basically watching a cartoon. With recent comic book movies, we see the original material modified for realism.

Again, Kick-Ass had the

advantage of being written specifically

for a modern day setting, so you weren’t feeling completely removed from the scenes, e.g. Kick-Ass/Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) buys his costume off eBay and becomes famous through YouTube. Many more references throughout tend to feel heavy handed at times, but manage to implement the film as a period piece. What got the film to feel like a true period piece for me though was how realistically the people were portrayed. It’s been argued that not a single person shows any morals in this film, implying that our culture is generally, for lack of a better word, soulless. A crucial moment in the film points out exactly that: Kick- Ass, being beaten to a pulp, defends a helpless man from three attackers. When one questions Kick-Ass’ sanity,

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we’re introduced to Big Daddy/

Damon Macready (Nicolas Cage), Hit-

Girl/Mindy Macready (Chloé Grace Moretz), and to a lesser extent, Red Mist/Chris D’ Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). When Big Daddy and Hit-Girl are brought in, the film doesn’t just show them as side characters, it actually starts a second, inter-connected storyline. The Big Daddy/Hit-Girl story actually almost steals the show, and if Kick-Ass weren’t such a unique character, I’d wish the movie were just about this father-daughter vigilante duo.

If the sight of Nick Cage makes you wish you were in a Saw trap, I

don’t blame you. In fact, he’s the exact

reason I almost didn’t see this film. In terms of a Nicolas Cage performance though, that’s exactly what makes Big Daddy’s character so great. You really have to applaud the bond Moretz

and Cage create on screen, and how

it brings their unbelievable situation to life. As for Mortez... I’ve formed several theories that she may be the illegitimate daughter of Quentin Tarantino. Hit-Girl is the R-rating

in this movie; she’s a foul-mouthed, ultra-violent, pig-tailed 11 year old, who, whether sipping cocoa or cutting people’s limbs off, will literally blow your mind.

Kick-Ass is one of those films you’re going to either love or hate. Personally, I loved it; the story was balanced, most of the characters were real, it provides morale without burdening the audience, and it proves itself as homage to comic books. 7.5/10

More than a Quarter Circle Forward

Capcom proves what’s old is still new

By Cody Klyne

ideo games, like

many other forms of

entertainment, exist in many ways almost independently within their respective genres. What I’m saying is, while it’s easy to argue that many modern games blend and combined mechanics a la Frankenstein’s monster—see the continuing flood of first-person shooters with RPG elements— when it comes down to it, there exists a series or game play standard within each of these microcosms that remains tied to a person’s expectations of what a genre is. Final Fantasy, Mario, Quake and Battlefield, all of these are series that embody their respective expertise: role-playing, platforming,

is no minor update.

Described by SSFIV producer Yoshinori Ono as “Street Fighter 4.9”, the distinction between the additions to this newest release and the plethora of iterations—and reiterations — that the series has come to be known for is clear from the start. With the addition of ten characters, two brand-new and eight fighters from previous games, the amount of new game play possibilities in the form of unexplored matchups is a key bullet point that will draw in players both new and old.

But Capcom didn’t stop there; new multiplayer modes are far and away a highlight and promise for a more involved and varied online experience. The endless battle mode, for example, allows

Street Fighter’s endless battle mode, for example, allows for up to eight players to duke it out ina rotational, “You fight, then I fight” system that lets those who aren't fighting to spectate and learn from their opponents before their next match.

and shootin’ dudes. Important franchises, certainly, but even these colossi pale in comparison to the impact that one series has had on a genre from the very beginning. Get hype, I’m talking Street Fighter. Picking things back up in 2009 with the console release of a sequel ten years in the making, a reinvigoration occurred that can fittingly be described as Capcom dishing out a dragon punch to the nervous system of the fighting game scene. Building off of the existence of a niche fighter following, Street Fighter IV (SFIV) almost single- handedly re-popularized a genre that had found itself trapped. It had become impenetrable; perceived by many at best, as a cool kids club. Bolstered by this batch of fresh faces, Street Fighter has propelled itself into the limelight and into the minds of gamers worldwide once more with the recent release of Super Street Fighter IV (SSFIV). Old rivals and new challengers; the world warriors are at it again. This

for up to eight players to duke

it out in a rotational, “You fight, then I fight” system that lets those who aren’t fighting to spectate and learn from their opponents before their next match. Furthermore, the addition of team play introduces

an interesting twist to the classic competitive fighter formula. The implementation of these new modes on top of the increased navigational accessibility of menus across the board seem to streamline many of the issues that plagued the archaic and clumsy matchmaking system of its predecessor without creating new problems.

The list of features goes on. From the new ultras, various balancing tweaks, bonus stages, and new levels; to the better (though still imperfect) replay system, this is a must buy for anyone with even a passing interest in Street Fighter. It’s never too late to throw your first hadouken or FADC your way to victory. Whatever the case may be.