Vertigo Crime released The Bronx Kill this week, by Peter Milligan (Greek Street, Human Target) and artist James Romberger. As the story unfolds, we find that Martin does not want to follow his fathers’ footsteps, Martin Sr., a retired police officer. Instead, Martin becomes a writer, with varying success and a case of self-doubt that crushes his creativity. He has a beautiful wife who coincidentally looks like his grandmother, a woman who disappeared years ago right around the time his great-grandfather was killed. Martin goes through a period of self-discovery, leaving his wife and home to acquire the inspiration he needs for a breakthrough novel. A few days after he returns home, his wife goes missing seemingly right out from under his nose, disappearing in the middle of the night. Fearful and paranoid, Martin tries to piece together the reason she disappears. The story’s conclusion hinges on Martin’s discovery that his wife’s disappearance is linked to his family’s unresolved murder years before.

This all seemed the making of a good plot, but instead Milligan’s novel felt lackluster and anticlimactic. Martin is a character with an identity crisis: he knows what he does not want to be, but not sure he knows himself at all. This may be why he struggles with his creative writing: a lack of originality and personality. In fact, Martin’s character in The Bronx Kill possesses so few positive qualities that the story fizzles because of him. Martin is stubborn, weak, self-absorbed, and whiny. The success of The Bronx Kill hinged on Martin’s ability to overcome the emotional rollercoaster he endured when attempting to solve the disappearance of his wife. In fact, when the truth comes out, it does not seem to matter much at all. Certainly, there were parallels between what happened to his great-grandfather so many years ago and what happened to his wife. But Martin was so disconnected from his family history that the truth did not offer the shock value it was meant to inspire.

James Romberger’s artistry did little to relieve the weaknesses in the story. Whether intentional or not, Romberger’s illustrations gave Martin the countenance of a melodramatic flop. He excelled in broadcasting emotion and static images in the story, which worked well with respect to Martin’s emotionally unstable character. But his action scenes were weak and lacked the style necessary to evoke the noir feeling of other titles in the Vertigo Crime series.

Experimentally, Milligan attempted to pace the tension of the story and give insight to Martin’s mind embedding excerpts of Martin’s novel at critical junctures of the story. Martin’s story, presented as a typed manuscript pages with written edits on the margins, paralleled Martin’s quest for self-discovery, illustrated his writing struggles, and opened a window into his fragile psyche. These frustrating excerpts were tedious to get through. Instead of helping me understand Martin better and revealing some interesting links to main story thread, I liked Martin and the story less and less. Some devices like these help readers remain engaged, but here the content of Martin’s novel is as tedious as the main character. In the end, I cared very little for the character, his writing, his tragedy, and the family history that inspired it all. The title was the most creative and potential-filled part of The Bronx Kill. Too bad it was wasted on this uninspiring outcome.

The Bronx Kill (Graphic Novel - Hardcover)

Written by: Peter Milligan
Illustrated by: James Romberger
Cover by: Lee Bermejo
Publisher: Vertigo
Release Date: March 23, 2010
Story: 4/10
Art: 5/10
Cover: 7/10
Overall Rating 5/10

At 11:30AM, Cranston took time to shake hands and take photos with several high school students who were impressed by the premise of the show: a high school chemistry teacher turned meth maker. Go figure. Aaron Paul arrived shortly after to take photos with Cranston. Series creator Vince Gilligan later joined the duo as well as several AMC representatives dressed in yellow biohazard suits. The Breaking Bad team took a tour of the traveling meth lab with New Yorkers, showing the “city-folk” just how “real” Albuquerque dealers get down.

Click Next to check out the photo gallery.

About Breaking Bad Season 3:
This Season, Walt continues to battle dueling identities: a desperate husband trying to provide for his family, and a newly appointed key player in the Albuquerque drug trade. As the danger around him escalates, Walt is now entrenched in the complex world of drug angst.

About Justified:
Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Olyphant) is a true-blue hero born and reared in the hill country of eastern Kentucky who left at age 19 to become a U.S. Marshall. Now, years later, after shooting a gun thug in a Miami hotel and thereby incurring the wrath of his Marshals Service superiors, Raylan has been sent in punishment (and by fate?) to the one place to which he vowed he would never return - Kentucky. But, being back in Kentucky, Raylan will also have to confront a past crowded with enough skeletons to choke a graveyard.

In Justified Episode 1: Pilot, gunslinging U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens faces off against his oldest friend (guest starring Walton Goggins) in Harlan, Kentucky - a 21st Century Wild West.

But does it make sense to transfer this low-budget wonder to high-definition Blu-ray? Even Kevin Smith doesn’t think so, which he acknowledges in an introduction that sounds more like an apology for cashing in one more time on the film. The only new feature to be included on the disc is “Oh, What A Lovely Tea Party: The Making of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” It seems like a strange feature, especially considering the Clerks Blu-ray was released in a 3-movie Blu-ray set with the aforementioned film, but Smith explains that he wanted something else on the disc for people purchasing the film again. It’s not much of a selling point.

The video is surprisingly clean for this budget film, but there is only so much 1080p can do for Clerks. The same goes for audio. The dialogue is always clear, but the rear channels are rarely used, and there’s nothing that sticks out about the 5.1 surround mix. In addition to the exclusive features, Clerks Blu-ray outing collects most of the special features from the 10th Anniversary DVD release. The film comes in both the theatrical and first-cut versions, with commentaries and a trivia track (for theatrical), and a bevy of extras, including the 10th Anniversary Q&A.

In the end, there’s not enough new content, and the hi-def medium does Clerks no particular favors. Fans who don’t yet own the movie might find value in all of the features collected on one disc, but for anyone who picked up the 10th Anniversary DVD collection, there’s nothing that warrants an upgrade here.

Special Features:
- The Clerks Blu-ray disc is presented in 1080p high-definition 1.85:1 aspect ratio video; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; with English SDH and Spanish subtitles
- Special features are presented in 1080p or 1080i video; English 2.0 Dolby Digital audio; with English SDH and Spanish subtitles

- Introduction by Kevin Smith
- Oh, What a Lovely Tea Party: The Making of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
- Theatrical Version
-Classic Commentary Circa ’95 – Featuring Kevin, Mos, Mewes, Brian and others
-Enhanced Playback Track – Synchronized trivia and cast and crew quotes
- The First Cut Version
-The First Cut audio commentary with Kevin, Brian, Jeff, Mos and Mewes
-2004 Kevin Smith Intro
- Clerks: The Lost Scene – Animated Short
- “The Flying Car”
- MTV Spots with Jay and Silent Bob
- Theatrical Trailer
- Soul Asylum “Can’t Even Tell” Music Video
- Clerks Restoration
- Original Clerks Auditions
- “Snowball Effect: The Story of Clerks”
- “Mae Day: The Crumbling of a Documentary” With intro by Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier
- Outtakes from “Snowball Effect”
- 10th Anniversary Q&A

Clerks (15th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray]

Starring: Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Jason Mewes, Lisa Spoonauer
Directed by: Kevin Smith
Studio: Miramax
Release Date: Nov 17, 2010
Rating: 7.5 / 10

Ninja Assassin stars Korean pop star Rain as Raizo, a ninja from the Ozunu clan. Raizo has been trained since childhood in the ways of Ozunu, the clan’s patriarch (Shô Kosugi) who recruits orphans into the family. The physical training is as deadly as the mental challenges Raizo must face growing up. These challenges eventually lead to a rift in the family, leaving Raizo the sworn enemy of Ozunu.

Unlike US made ninja movies, which seek to Americanize the genre, the filmmakers behind The Matrix and V for Vendetta decided to take this film outside of the US landscape. So instead of a threat on US soil, the ninjas are a worldwide threat. Europol agent (Naomie Harris), Mika Coretti, uncovers the potential ninja threat in her research. Through a short dialogue exchange with Coretti’s boss, the film calls out the strangeness of modern day ninjas then quickly moves on – the threat is real. However, there is one scene where Raizo practices his art with his apartment blinds open, which will make you wonder what happened to secrecy.

Mainstream viewers may not find the story to be something revolutionary, but the manner in which this tale is brought to life is exceptional. The action in Ninja Assassin is fast paced and non-stop. It is an action-packed thrill ride that grabs hold of your gut and doesn’t let go. Much like Tarantino, McTeigue upped the ante on bloody theatrics and gore. The blood levels in this movie will be even more over the top than what you’ve seen in Kill Bill. McTeigue really tried to push the envelope on repulsive and relentless violence. The director employed several camera techniques, adapted from Zack Snyder’s Watchmen, to snap viewers into and out of the combat without cutting between shots.

McTeigue respected the genre of ninja movies by diving head first into the ninja’s rich history. Instead of just being a ninja clan that assassinates for a living, McTeigue did his research and established Ozunu as a Shugenga Mountain priest. By doing this, the film involves a mental aspect to story, which would otherwise be a straight action-adventure. Employing Shô Kosugi, a ninja movie legend, as the lead antagonist helps to make the movie. Kosugi delivers a visceral performance that is compelling to watch.

This movie gets an additional ratings boost for delivering on bonus content. The Myth and Legend of Ninjas featurette dives headfirst into the historical reality of the ninja. Instead of delivering a shallow background story, Warner was able to go to the ultimate authority on ninjas, Soke Massaki Hatsumi. As the documented living air to the ninja tradition, Soke Hatsumi discusses the reality of the ninja and what it means. His students, Richard van Donk and Stephen K. Hayes, also appear in this featurette discussing the rich history. They also relate Tokugawa Ieyasu’s rise to power through the use of legendary ninja, Hatori Hanzo of Iga.

The special features also include a unique behind-the-scenes segment, The Extreme Sport of a Ninja, that doesn’t feel like a few arbitrary snippets tossed together. This featurette focuses on how the on-camera action was created through the use of extreme sport loop-kick specialists. Most of the stunts performed are done so without the use of camera tricks or wirework, which really creates a larger than life reality for the on-screen action. Also, the Training Rain featurette shows just how much physical training Rain went through to prepare for this role. The stunt choreographers and martial arts trainers state that most of the stunts the doubles perform, Rain could just as easily perform due to his intense conditioning.

Ninja Assassin may not win any awards, but it is one of the most memorable movies you’ll ever see simply for McTeigue’s intense storytelling and thoughtful attention to detail. The special features are more than just a quick add on. The producers did their research and made this one film any ninja or martial art enthusiast will want to check out.

Special Features:
- The Myth and Legend of Ninjas
- The Extreme Sport of a Ninja
- Training Rain
- Deleted Scenes
- Includes Digital Copy

Ninja Assassin [Blu-ray]

Starring: Rain, Shô Kosugi, Naomie Harris
Directed by: James McTeigue
Studio: Warner Bros.
Release Date: March 16, 2010
Rating: 8.5 / 10

Today’s Monday Madness giveaway is brought to you by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Armored, starring Columbus Short and Laurence Fishburne is coming to DVD, March 16, 2010. To celebrate SPHE and BuzzFocus are teaming up to giveaway (1) Armored DVD as our Monday Madness giveaway.

About Armored:
A crew of officers at an armored transport security firm risk their lives when they embark on the ultimate heist against their own company. Armed with a seemingly fool-proof plan, the men plan on making off with a fortune with harm to none. But when an unexpected witness interferes, the plan quickly unravels and all bets are off.

Visit the Official Site now.

Here are the Official Rules:
Entering is simple. By entering, you certify that you are 18 years of age and that you reside in the United States. The winners will be contacted via Facebook message/email or Twitter Direct Message and will have 3 days from the point of contact to claim their prize. All entries must be received before Monday, March 29, 2010 11:59PM PST!

Be sure to stop by BuzzFocus.com every Monday during 2010 for a new Monday Madness Giveaway. Each new Giveaway can feature anything from DVD/Blu-rays to Games to Books to T-Shirts to so much more. This is our way of saying thank you to all the loyal readers and fans who come back every day for more BuzzFocus in 2009. So, be sure to stop back every Monday to see what the latest Giveaway is and be sure to Tweet to your friends. The more successful this campaign is the bigger and better the prizes will be.

You heard it right. The classic arcade game, NBA Jam, is back - courtesy of EA Sports. Please feel free to say, “Boom! Shaka Laka” now. Fans have been dying for a classic return to NBA Jam action. We got a taste of what it would be like with NBA Street, which was pure three-on-three awesomeness. Will this new release of NBA Jam be able rekindle nostalgia? Most likely old school gamers will dive right in to the action. However, going back to two-on-two gameplay after experiencing three-on-three street ball may be a slight downgrade. We’ll be waiting patiently to see what additional features EA has in store for us leading up to the release.

Surprisingly, the biggest cause for gossip didn’t stem from Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) or Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), but instead from nice guy, Rufus Humphrey (Matthew Settle). Rufus has tried to play the understanding and loving husband throughout season 3. Rufus still managed to marry Lily (Kelly Rutherford) even though she hid the truth about their love child, Scott. However, once Rufus learned that Lily spent the night with her ex-husband, while she and Rufus were engaged, Rufus decided to skip town on a soul-searching ski trip. Now, that Rufus is back, Lily’s lies may have driven him into the arms of another woman – who just happens to live in apartment 24A in their building. After Lily confesses to kissing her ex, Rufus walks out on Lily and is spotted going into the woman’s apartment.

While Rufus may be getting a little extra action on the side, his son Dan (Penn Badgley) is stuck in relationship limbo after his awkward threesome with Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) and Olivia (Hilary Duff). Although Vanessa is dodging Dan now, emotions are sure to steam up between the two in the near future.

It was only a matter of time for Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford) and Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) to get rekindle their adolescent infatuations. The two have given new meaning to the phrase “taking it slow.” Serena and Nate were spotted giving each other a slow “screw” in the coat check. Unfortunately, undressing inside of a coat check is not without its mishaps. Serena’s jacket hid a stash of Damien’s (Kevin Zeggers) pills. Jenny (Taylor Momsen) gets the coat out of Ms. Van der Woodsen’s site and inside the hands of Damien’s buyer. Serena, never comfortable leaving without making a scene, is forced to steal another woman’s jacket when Damien. Nate has fallen to the wayside on Gossip Girl as far as romances go so hopefully this latest love affair will help his character get a much needed pick-me-up. Will this be the romance to reignite the series? Without the Dan vs. Serena or Chuck vs Blaire romances of Gossip Girl Seasons 1 and 2, the show has been severely lacking in memorable emotional drama.

As for Chuck (Ed Westwick), mommy issues are the talk of the day. He’s over dealing with Blaire’s aristocratic fascinations. He tells Blaire, “I know you may find this hard to comprehend, but something’s are more important than your social climbing agenda.” Blaire makes a very grown up decision and has side stepped her own agendas to help Chuck confront the woman he thinks is his mom. Is this a rehashed plot of Scott first meeting his father, Rufus? We’ve seen one child reunited with his parent on this season on Gossip Girl. Two may just be overkill.

About Gossip Girl Season 3 Episode 14: The Lady Vanished
Rufus and Lily grow suspect of Jenny’s relationship with Damien. Chuck learns more about the woman (guest star Laura Harring) who may or may not be his mother. Dan and Vanessa struggle through the awkwardness of dating other people. Andrew McCarthy directed the episode written by Amanda Lasher & Robby Hull.

Less than a year after New Moon hit theaters, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse will strike with more Robert Pattinson (teens please feel free to start swooning now).

In The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Bella (Kristen Stewart) once again finds herself surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner) — knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella is confronted with the most important decision of her life.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse opens on June 30, 2010.

Check out the trailer now.
Click here to view the embedded video.

Check out the Interview now and see what you can look forward to on March 23:

Buy Just Cause 2 on the Xbox 360:

Buy Just Cause 2 on the PS3:

The Green Zone Prize Package includes :
- (1) Set of The Bourne Series on DVD (The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum)
- (1) Official Green Zone Poster

About Green Zone:
Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93) re-team for their latest electrifying thriller in Green Zone, a film set in the chaotic early days of the Iraqi War when no one could be trusted and every decision could detonate unforeseen consequences.
During the U.S.-led occupation of Baghdad in 2003, Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Damon) and his team of Army inspectors were dispatched to find weapons of mass destruction believed to be stockpiled in the Iraqi desert. Rocketing from one booby-trapped and treacherous site to the next, the men search for deadly chemical agents but stumble instead upon an elaborate cover-up that inverts the purpose of their mission.

Spun by operatives with intersecting agendas, Miller must hunt through covert and faulty intelligence hidden on foreign soil for answers that will either clear a rogue regime or escalate a war in an unstable region. And at this blistering time and in this combustible place, he will find the most elusive weapon of all is the truth.

Here are the Official Rules:
Entering is simple. By entering, you certify that you are 18 years of age and that you reside in the United States. The winner will be contacted via Facebook message or Twitter Direct Message and will have 3 days from the point of contact to claim their prize. All entries must be received before Thursday, March 18 2010 11:59PM PST!

Prizing provided by Universal.

Please be sure to follow us @BuzzFocus on Twitter or friend us on Facebook.com/buzzfocus so that we have a secondary means of contacting you. Email delays or getting stuck in your junk mail folder can result in you losing your prize to the next runner up.

2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa Key Features:
• Win the 2010 FIFA World Cup — Compete as one of 199 teams from qualification right through to the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final. Play in all of the 10 official stadiums that come to life with the pageantry and festivity of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
• 2010 FIFA World Cup Online — The first-ever full and authentic FIFA World Cup online tournament. Compete as your favourite country against rivals in the group stage through the knockout rounds to be crowned 2010 FIFA World Cup champion.
• Captain Your Country — Create from scratch, choose an existing top player or import your FIFA 10 Virtual Pro and play with up to three friends, all playing individual positions on the pitch. Compete collaboratively to win games and rise from a B-team player to earn the captaincy of your country and to lead your nation in South Africa.
• Spectacular Presentation: 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa comes to life in spectacular fashion with all the emotion and pageantry of the official tournament, including all 10 official licensed stadia. Experience confetti cannons, streamers, giant banners, seat cards, flags and fireworks as if you were in South Africa.
• Battle of the Nations — Represent your country in the 2010 FIFA World Cup online tournament against your rivals to win global supremacy. Earn individual and team points and prove your nation is the best. Every performance is rated, recorded and uploaded and your ratings all count towards player and nation leaderboards.
• New Penalties — Experience the brand new analogue penalty kick feature with the elation and agony of a penalty shootout. Outwit the goalkeeper with a stutter shot and compose your nerves to score the goal that could win the FIFA World Cup.
• Home & Away Tactics— CPU mimics international football by creating strategic, defensive formations for weaker teams playing away from home. Plus, weaker teams raise their level of play on their home pitch.
• Authentic Stadiums — Compete in all 10 official stadiums of 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

Buy 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa on the Xbox 360:

Buy 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa on the PS3:

Buy 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa on the Nintendo Wii:

About Capitalism: A Love Story
In presenting a “fireball of a movie that might change your life” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone), Moore “skewers both major political parties” (Claudia Puig, USA Today) for selling out the millions of people devastated by loss of homes and jobs to the interests of fat cat capitalists. Moore has “dug up some astonishing dirt” (Brian D. Johnson, Macleans), stories told in the faces of the foreclosed and evicted, in the food stamps received by hungry airline pilots, and in the courage of fired factory workers who refuse to go quietly. But more than a cry of despair, Moore’s film raises the possibility of hope. Capitalism: A Love Story is “The most American of films since the populist cinema of Frank Capra (It’s a Wonderful Life)” (Dan Siegel, Huffington Post ), “a movie that manages shrewdly, even brilliantly, to capitalize on the populist anger that has been sweeping the nation” (Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal).

Capitalism: A Love Story Bonus Features:
- Harvard Professor Elizabeth Warren on How Wall Street Got Away with Murder
- The Man Who Might Save Flint
- U.S. Congressman Elijah Cummings on Why We Should Consider Discarding Capitalism
- Pulitzer Prize-winning NY Times Reporter Chris Hedges on Capitalism: the Killer
- Father Dick Preston on Why the Rich Man Can’t Buy His Way Into Heaven
- What if We had Listened to Jimmy Carter?
- Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma) and People Who Grow Food Without Capitalism
- “You Talkin’ to Me?” - Taxi Drivers in Wisconsin Go All Crazy for Democracy
- The Ideas Behind a Worker-Owned Business
- Here’s an Idea: The People’s Bank of North Dakota
- Miami Max Has a House for You

Here are the Official Rules:
Entering is simple. By entering, you certify that you are 18 years of age and that you reside in the United States. The winner will be contacted via Facebook message or Twitter Direct Message and will have 3 days from the point of contact to claim their prize. All entries must be received before Thursday, March 18 2010 11:59PM PST!

Prizing provided by Anchor Bay.

Please be sure to follow us @BuzzFocus on Twitter or friend us on Facebook.com/buzzfocus so that we have a secondary means of contacting you. Email delays or getting stuck in your junk mail folder can result in you losing your prize to the next runner up.

“Having the opportunity to participate in the Olympics and play in front of my home crowd was one of the best experiences of my life. To now be chosen as the next cover athlete for NHL 2K11 is another dream come true,” said Kesler. “It was awesome to work with 2K Sports last year on the NHL 2K10 commercial shoot and the outdoor motion capture session on the Las Vegas strip was incredible to be a part of. I’m looking forward to having just as much fun again, and helping them make another great hockey game this year.”

The finale features the return of serial killer extraordinaire, Mr. Yang (Ally Sheedy). As the series only recurring villain, Yang will once again face off against Shawn in a calamity filled battle of wits. Psych Season 4 Episode 16, “Mr. Yin Presents,” is co-written and directed by Psych star, James Roday and pays tribute to some of the great Hitchcock films such as Psycho, North by Northwest, Vertigo, and Rear Window.

Check out the latest clip from the finale:
Click here to view the embedded video.

The Psych Season 4 finale airs Wednesday March 10th at 10pm. Psych Season 5 is scheduled for 16 episodes and set to begin Summer 2010.

About the Collection:
Gracefully molded of Silkstone, a material that resembles the look and weight of porcelain, each doll is stylized in iconic costumes from the series, and comes with accessories true to their show counterparts. Don Draper wears his classic, polished red-lined suit and comes accessorized with a hat, overcoat and brief case; Betty Draper’s classic look is captured with unparalleled detail, from her faux pearl necklace to her pumps; Joan Holloway looks chic in a purple skirt suit and perfectly styled coif with her staple accessory - a pen necklace; and Roger Sterling is looking dapper in his monogrammed shirt

The Barbie Fashion Model Collection “Mad Men” Barbie dolls will be available for a suggested retail price of $74.95.

Devil May Cry + Sexy, Kickass Female Lead + Incredible Refinement = Bayonetta

Not only does that equation show exactly what fans can expect in Bayonetta, and whether it is the style of game they’ll enjoy, but also works as sincere praise to anyone who knows the compared series. Bayonetta is a full-throttle action game, from Platinum Games and director Hideki Kamiya (who actually created Devil May Cry, as well as Viewtiful Joe, for Capcom), that focuses on a mixture of gunplay, swordplay and melee action, giving Sega one of the best titles in its catalog in years.

Players take control of Bayonetta, an Umrbra Witch who has only pieces of her memory intact as she finds herself in the middle of a battle between good and evil, light and dark, as these forces appear in a place they were never meant to be seen. Bayonetta kicks ass with two guns strapped to her feet and another two in her hands. These guns can be used to fire from a distance, but they’re also unleashed in brutal melee combos up close (so most of the time). The two up top can later be replaced by different guns, a sword, whip and even huge claws, as well as weapons taken from downed enemies, offering different moves, speeds and power.

The combination of gun and melee battle keeps it planted firmly in the realm of Devil May Cry, as does the scoring system that features medals for each “Verse” of a level, as well as overall level trophies awarded based on speed, combos and lack of damage taken, as well as deductions for deaths and items used. Gamers interested in a single playthrough of the story can largely ignore these rankings, but for the hardcore action purists, these are the elements that keep gamers working for better rankings long after the story is done.

Bayonetta might be a little more accessible to the average gamer than the Devil May Cry titles. The game starts players with the options of Very Easy, Easy or Normal difficulty. Normal can definitely be a challenge at times, but its format of power-ups and checkpoints should leave it playable to many gamers. It’s the second playthrough on the unlockable Hard difficulty when hardcore fans will truly be put to the test. Bayonetta is kind enough to let players carry over all upgrades, collectibles, currency and everything else earned from the first playthrough. But it starts packing on, from the very start, the enemies that only show up later in the Normal playthrough. It definitely is hard.

What separates Bayonetta from Devil May Cry, if only slightly, is its main character. Bayonetta’s costume is actually comprised of her hair. It starts to come detached as she gets into deep combos, but gamers will be too busy to ogle and it never reveals her most private of areas. Still, it adds to the sexy badass appeal of the witch. More importantly, for climactic sequences, the hair turns into gigantic monsters to help dispose of the bosses.

The action is unrelenting, and Platinum Games throws in enough surprises and shake-ups to the formula to keep it interesting. The argument that players can get through much of the game with a mastering of the evade button – which timed right sends things into Witch Time, when everything but Bayonetta slows, allowing her to kick some extra ass – holds some sway. Despite an incredibly well-flowing and refined combat system that rivals anything on the market, many of the fights can be completed with a good deal of button mashing. But that actually helps make the game accessible to more, while the hardcore players looking for the platinum rankings won’t be able to rely on such tactics. That’s where the game requires a little more mastery of the control scheme. So it strikes a nice balance.

Where it’s harder to excuse the game is the story and its presentation. It is unapologetically old-school Japanese in its style, which is to say a bit crazy. The overall battle between good and evil, as well as Bayonetta piecing together the past, are simply there, and mostly inconsequential. By the time it comes down to incredibly long exposition scene near the end, explaining absolutely everything, it’s likely most gamers will want to skip it and play rather than finding themselves invested in the story. That’s not to mention the sporadic way in which it is presented.

There are some truly funny moments in the game – many of the references made by a certain store owner down in hell – but the overall presentation of Bayonetta’s story seems like something where everyone on the team pitched interesting ideas, and no one had the heart to say “No” or realize that they wouldn’t all mesh together. Instead, everything and the kitchen sink are tossed in. For example, cutscenes sometimes start in fully animated sequences, then turn to still shots over which the dialogue and sounds still carry out as normal, and then those bits appear on pieces of film strips on a smaller portion of the screen. There seems to be little rhyme or reason to the madness. Sometimes over-the-top can be done well in a campy manner, sometimes it’s just over-the-top and ridiculous. Bayonetta’s presentation often falls under the latter category.

But again, many won’t really give a damn about the story by the end. And that’s not an excuse for its quality, but gamers who pick up Bayonetta will do so for the action, and in that area it rarely falters. It feels like something we’ve experience about four times already, but in the hands of Platinum Games, it is worked to near perfection, for a relentless action experience that’s one of the best in the genre.

Bayonetta

Genre: Action-Adventure
Platform: Xbox 360
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Platinum Games
Release Date: Jan 5, 2010
Rating: 7.8 / 10

Sidibe, who guest starred in the pilot episode, just signed on as a recurring guest star in the half-hour series, which is headlined by multiple award-winner Laura Linney as Cathy, a repressed suburban wife and mother who reclaims her life after a terminal cancer diagnosis. Oliver Platt (2012) stars as her immature, but well-meaning husband. Sidibe will play a smart-alecky student in Cathy’s class.

About The Big C
The Big C which will begin shooting 13 episodes in May for a late summer premiere, is created and written by Darlene Hunt, who will serve as executive producer, along with Linney, Neal H. Moritz and Vivian Cannon. It is produced by Original Film in association with Sony Pictures Television. Acclaimed writer/director/producer Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) directed the pilot.

Today’s Monday Madness giveaway is brought to you by Sony and The Boondock Saints.

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day is coming to Blu-ray and DVD on March 9, 2010. To celebrate the home video release, Sony and BuzzFocus are teaming up to giveaway (1) The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day Prize Package as our Monday Madness giveaway.

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day Prize Package includes:
- (1) copy of The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day DVD
- (1) Beanie
- (1) Official Poster

About The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day:
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day is the much-anticipated sequel to the indie cult classic, The Boondock Saints. The film is the continuation of writer/director Troy Duffy’s tough, stylized cutting edge saga of the MacManus brothers (Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flanery). The two have been in deep hiding with their father, Il Duce (Billy Connolly), in the quiet valleys of Ireland, far removed from their former vigilante lives. When word comes that a beloved priest has been killed by sinister forces from deep within the mob, the brothers return to Boston to mount a violent and bloody crusade to bring justice to those responsible. With a new partner in crime (Clifton Collins Jr., Star Trek) and a sexy FBI operative (Julie Benz, TV’s “Dexter”) hot on their trail…the Saints are back!

Here are the Official Rules:
Entering is simple. By entering, you certify that you are 18 years of age and that you reside in the United States. The winners will be contacted via Facebook message/email or Twitter Direct Message and will have 3 days from the point of contact to claim their prize. All entries must be received before Tuesday, March 23, 2010 11:59PM PST!

Prize Package courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Be sure to stop by BuzzFocus.com every Monday during 2010 for a new Monday Madness Giveaway. Each new Giveaway can feature anything from DVD/Blu-rays to Games to Books to T-Shirts to so much more. This is our way of saying thank you to all the loyal readers and fans who come back every day for more BuzzFocus in 2009. So, be sure to stop back every Monday to see what the latest Giveaway is and be sure to Tweet to your friends. The more successful this campaign is the bigger and better the prizes will be.

Delano revisits his perennially crotchety semi-good-guy, Constantine, in this Vertigo hardcover graphic novel. Constantine is coerced by the secret service into helping them deal with an uncommon threat. Somehow an insurgent is affecting the sanity of soldiers and must be kept under deep sedation in order to avoid the deadly effects of his influence. Suspecting supernatural involvement, Constantine’s skills were believed useful. Since he is a proverbial thorn in the side of authority, Constantine was thought an appropriate, yet dispensable, remediation.

Though treading on some potentially controversial contexts including Constantine’s sexual relationship with a Muslim woman, Aseera, two interesting themes emerged. One central theme was that of war as a game. This metaphor has been used in many war genres such as in cult favorite movie “Cloak and Dagger” and sci-fi novel, now comic book series, “Ender’s Game”. In the Hellblazer world, a touch of horror and mysticism is in the mix. In order to defeat the creature possessing the insurgent, Constantine and Aseera took on a who’s who of underworld demons in a high-stakes poker game, inferno-style. Using human souls as betting chips, Constantine bluffed and outsmarted the demons into giving him control of the rouge demon. In true Constantine-style, not only does Constantine save the day, but gives his human oppressors their just desserts.

The tone of the story was moody and contemplative; the dialogues between Constantine and Aseera, taunt but sensitive. Jock pulled the full range of emotional expressions from Constantine, who normally distances himself from real emotions through humorous deflections and insults. But here, Aseera touches a cord, a reminder of the all-too-human frailties associated with life on the fringe of conflict, bodies scarred by the unimaginable, and psyches struggling between perseverance and resignation. A worthy read in any period, Hellblazer: Pandemonium reaches us at a precarious time of our history. How do we reconcile the spoils of war with the value of life? Is this all worth it, or has it all been a game played by invisible evil?

Perhaps 2008’s The Hurt Locker does not provide all the answers, but it certainly raised some more interesting questions in the face of war’s horrific affect on human life. The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal, did not go so far as to provide an opinion about war and its evils. In fact, the movie limited the propaganda associated with war and instead focused on the emotional and psychological composition of a special EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team. Lead by a maverick Sergeant First Class (SFC) James, the trio was assigned to a 39-day mission in Iraq, with the responsibility of finding and defusing bombs. The story jumps forward in time detailing mission after mission in which James appeared to place his team in jeopardy in order to satisfy his thirst for adrenaline. And it is true that James behavior resulted in several unfortunate outcomes directly affecting him and his team. However, what I call to question was the implication of the opening scene which concluded “war is a drug”. Was James addicted to war and the rush associated with being in such close proximity to death? James seemed to have a wife and child back home. Why would he place himself at such risk? Interestingly, for someone seemingly unaware of the consequences of his actions, James appeared to have a sensitivity and empathy that he displayed not only to his squad members but to the nebulous Iraqi threat that could kill him. He gave a drink to Sergeant Sanborn in the desert when pinned down for hours under sun by the threat of enemy fire. James was the first to reach Specialist Eldridge, when the distraught Eldridge is mourning the death of LTC Cambridge, his psychiatrist, killed by an enemy bomb. James recovers the body of a young man he mistakenly takes to be a local he befriended on the base. So how can he go so wrong, when he appears to have his heart in the right place?

If we assume that war is drug, then that drug must be feeding a need; an emptiness. In James case, James appeared to dealing with an unstable marital relationship perhaps strained by the uncertain paternity of his son. Not stated in the movie, it appeared that James may be filling a void in his life with the satisfaction gained by doing something he knows he loves, rather than living a life full of doubts and resentment. Was James’ Hurt Locker that moment after being hit by an explosive shockwave, or the pain of his mundane life after his tour ends? This movie was deep, honest, and profoundly human; well worthy of the Best Picture Award.

War is a drug, war is a game. Delano and Bigelow/Boal both got it right. Though these vehicles did not tell the same story, they are both worthy of the accolades for their successful depiction of human addiction to war and the dangerous game it can become.

Hellblazer: Pandemonium (Graphic Novel - Hardcover)

Written by: Jamie Delano
Illustrated by: Jock
Cover by: Jock
Publisher: Vertigo
Release Date: Feb 16, 2010
Story: 9/10
Art: 8/10
Cover: 8/10
Overall Rating 9/10