CliqueClack

Release date and details emerge for Star Trek: The Video Game

As a devout Star Trek fan and avid gamer it is a sad fact to admit that for as popular as Gene Roddenberry’s ground-breaking science-fiction series has grown to become over the years, that the slew of Star Trek inspired video games released over the years have missed their mark more often than not in the eyes and hearts of fans and critics alike. Just when things were beginning to look gloomy for the Trek franchise’s future, director J.J. Abrams revitalized the seemingly non-ending drought of lackluster Trek installments with his 2009 reboot, Star Trek. Fortunately, for gamers that means a revitalized series of Star Trek games are headed our way.

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My top five un-Christmas films

Everyone knows the best thing about Christmas. It’s not the presents, it’s not the food and it’s not the songs. Obviously it’s not the songs. It is, of course, the films. But don’t worry, this list won’t just be The Muppet Christmas Carol, Gremlins and Die Hard, brilliant though they all are. Here are my top 5 un-Christmas films:

5. First Blood (1982)

Set around Christmas, Rambo’s first outing stars a relatively puny, high-pitched Sylvester Stallone. With breathtaking action, striking cinematography and a genuinely moving climax, First Blood is perfect post-turkey entertainment. After all, what’s Boxing Day without a little post-traumatic stress disorder?

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CliqueClack is giving away free passes to Zero Dark Thirty in Baltimore

**All passes for this screening have been claimed.**

One of the most highly anticipated movies of the year, Zero Dark Thirty, won’t be opening wide until January 11, 2013, but the film has been playing in a few major cities and has garnered several Golden Globe nominations already, including Best Picture — Drama, Best Actress in a Drama — Jessica Chastain, and Best Director — Kathryn Bigelow. You’ll probably be seeing these names again come Oscar time. If you’re unfamiliar with the film, it tells the story of the raid on the Bin Laden compound that resulted in the terrorist mastermind’s death.

If you can’t wait until January 11 to see the film, CliqueClack has partnered with Columbia Pictures and Allied Integrated Marketing to offer our readers in Maryland and the surrounding area free passes to the special advance screening to be held on January 9, 2013 at the Cinemark Egyptian theaters at Arundel Mills. Showtime is 7:00 PM. To get your two free Admit One passes, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post and we’ll email you a special code to redeem at GoFoBo.com. Passes are limited and could run out at any time, so leave your comments now!

Zero Dark Thirty is currently playing in select cities; opening wide on January 11, 2013.

**All passes for this screening have been claimed.**

Dragon’s Dogma swoops in under the radar this year

I humbly concede to the fact that after Mass Effect 3 hit the shelves back in March, I was in complete ‘tunnel vision mode’ looking forward to when the bigger titles came out later this year for the holiday season. As I look back on the year however, probably one of the most impressive games that stealthily slipped under my radar was Capcom’s Action-RPG romp Dragon’s Dogma. In today’s economy where every cent of your gaming dollars matters, does Dragon’s Dogma warrant its full price of admission? This gamer thinks so.

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This is 40 teaches us marriage is crazy … and that’s OK

So, I’m 27. Just that fact alone had me wondering if I could relate to This is 40, the newest film from Judd Apatow about a couple dealing with change. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the movie worked … more or less. Anyone who watched Knocked Up will remember Pete and Debbie (Paul Rudd and Apatow’s actual wife Leslie Mann, respectively), the brother-in-law and sister of Katherine Heigl’s character (I should note now that neither Heigl nor Seth Rogen show up in the sequel). This is 40 looks at Pete and Debbie five years later, focusing on their struggles to keep their identities and sanity as they turn 40 while also dealing with financial issues.

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Rust and Bone is a moving tale of pain and love

People can survive an awful lot. Broken bones, broken hearts. But there are some wounds that cannot heal, and some actions can never be forgiven. This is a movie about broken people.

In Rust and Bone (from director Jacques Audiard), unemployed young father Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts) must suddenly look after his young son Sam (Armand Verdure), as they travel to southern France to live with Ali’s sister until he finds some work. Working temporarily as a bouncer at a nightclub, he helps out killer whale trainer Stéphanie (Marion Cotillard) when she needs a ride home. Nothing too unusual until things change. Stéphanie has a terrible, life changing accident and loses limbs, while Ali begins working as an underground fighter to finally do something he’s good at. Passionate about. So she calls him, just to talk — at first. This is a film that strives on the slow, aching burn, building tension and relationships slowly, while at the same time throwing tiny, problematic dangers in the path to happiness. Ali wants to be a good father and provider, but he barely knows his own son and can’t deal with him. Stéphanie struggles to adjust to a life with the loss of limb, wondering if there’s anything worth living for. And then there’s the simple matter of respect, self and otherwise. Can she be in a relationship that’s purely casual?

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Jack Reacher is solid, but nothing special

Fans of Lee Child’s series of books have been anticipating Jack Reacher’s appearance on the big screen for some time now. Jack Reacher is a solid opening chapter to what I’m sure Paramount and star Tom Cruise would like to see develop into a franchise. While Cruise’s casting hasn’t exactly been met with universal acclaim from the Child’s fans, he turns in a solid – while not groundbreaking – performance in a film that was surprisingly enjoyable. The film’s biggest challenges were an almost comically drawn antagonist, and the unfortunate timing of being released just days after a national tragedy that not all audiences will be able to separate.

I’m not too familiar with the source material, but Reacher as a character archetype is not unfamiliar: a little too-capable, not unlike W.E.B. Griffin’s Charley Castillo or Brad Thor’s Scot Harvath. While a character like that might be more difficult to believe in the world of literature – though I’d imagine that medium, allowing for more depth, has seen a different evolution of the character – it works surprisingly well on the small screen. While he is almost too perfect – especially some of his gun work in the final act – it is fun to lean back into your seat and enjoy the ride.

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How would Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles have ended? Josh Friedman vows never to tell

I admit I was a latecomer to The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I didn’t start watching the show until it was already long dead, on recommendation from my bro-in-law, Bob. Without Bob’s recommendation, I was extremely skeptical. I was a big fan of the first Terminator movie, with my interest in them lessening with each sequel. By the time Terminator Salvation came, I was pretty uninterested and lost some faith in the franchise. The thought that a television show could do a better job than the movies felt a stretch to me, so I didn’t bother.

Then I watched the series, and I quickly became hooked. As I finished each episode, the feeling of dread worsened, as I knew this whole thing had an unresolved end that I was fast approaching. I don’t think I was quite prepared for how unresolved it would be. I was angry at FOX for killing another great show. I was almost a little angry I even bothered to watch the dead-ended series to begin with. But I was hopeful that — someday — a movie would come to wrap everything up all nice. The years went by, with rumors here and there that a movie would be made. The actors went on to new projects. The hope of seeing the show have a proper ending faded to nothing. But that didn’t stop fans from wanting answers, including me.

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Storage Wars – Do you care if it’s faked?

When you are watching a reality show, do you believe that it’s entirely unscripted? Or, do you expect at least portions of the show are pre-planned or even scripted? David Hester is suing A&E Networks for wrongful termination from his job on Storage Wars. He’s claiming he was fired after complaints that the network was planting items in storage units. Whether it’s true or false, do you care if antiques or other interesting items are added to the units?

I started watching Storage Wars after my aunt and uncle raved about it at a family gathering. Within a week, I was caught up on all the episodes to date; I was hooked. With all the scripted television I watch for my job, I rarely have time to watch any reality shows. Though, it probably has more to do with my general dislike of reality and contest programming. That left me quite surprised by just how much I enjoyed Storage Wars, even when the bidders were annoying.

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Win a free iTunes gift card courtesy of Waiting for Lightning

Waiting for Lightning is the inspirational story of visionary skateboarder Danny Way. The film follows the journey of a young boy from a broken home in Vista, CA, whose passion for skateboarding would one day bring him fame and a lifetime of accomplishments. Way’s drive has no limits as exemplified by his creation captured on screen, a ramp of prodigious and dangerous proportions, across many cultural and ideological boundaries to attempt the impossible: jump China’s Great Wall on a skateboard. It’s a film about how much abuse the body can sustain, how deep you have to dig to survive the challenges life presents, and how high and far dreams can fly. Danny Way has not only proven himself to be an incredibly talented skateboarder but also the sport’s greatest innovator. In his quest for greatness, Way continues to shape the very sport which helped save his own life.

Waiting for Lightning is currently playing in select theaters across the country, but it is available on iTunes as well and we’d like to give you the opportunity to watch the film for free! Our friends at Warner Home Video want to share Waiting for Lightning on iTunes with CliqueClack readers. Now through January 1, 2013, simply leave a comment on this post telling us if you’re a fan of Danny’s or just want to see the movie, and we will pick three comments at random on January 2. The winners will receive a $15.00 gift card good for a rental of Waiting for Lightning … or anything else on iTunes (there are no restrictions on the gift card). Good luck and happy holidays from CliqueClack!

**This offer is now closed. Winners will be notified by email. Thanks for commenting, and check back for more giveaways!**