Daniel Woodhouse Archives

Fun with geopolitics: The forces behind the new treaty with Iran

Daniel Woodhouse | Feb 24, 2014

"Times are changing again. Enemies are becoming friends, and friends are becoming enemies. Old alliances wither and die, and new ones are born."

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Lego franchise hits it big on the big screen

Daniel Woodhouse | Feb 19, 2014

Meaningful and humorous characters as well as colorful and creative landscapes make **The Lego Movie** a soon-to-be favorite.

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State of the industry: YouTube copyright scandal

Daniel Woodhouse | Feb 13, 2014

Gaming channels and videos across YouTube are getting hit due to the site's new Content ID policy.

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Worst games of 2013

Daniel Woodhouse | Feb 3, 2014

From horrible story lines to way-too-difficult game play, we've picked the top five 2013 video games to stay away from at all costs.

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Best games of 2013

Daniel Woodhouse | Jan 31, 2014

Are you at curious what the best videogames of 2013 might have been? Read on to discover exactly what we think they were...

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2014 gets off to a mediocre start with Lone Survivor

Daniel Woodhouse | Jan 30, 2014

January is nobody’s favorite month in movies as it has been the traditional dumping ground for films Hollywood could care less about. Surprisingly, there have been quite a few critically acclaimed...

Worst movies of 2013

Daniel Woodhouse | Jan 29, 2014

Wonder what the worst pieces of film sludge were in 2013? Read on to find out just how bad bad movies can get...

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Best movies of 2013

Daniel Woodhouse | Jan 28, 2014

Each year has its high points and low points in cinema. Let’s take a look at last year’s five best films. # 5 Evil Dead: If you get the sense that modern scary movies seem to be copycats of each...

Mainstreaming games backfires

Daniel Woodhouse | Jan 22, 2014

While game producers add multiple features to games to increase appeal, this trend seems to create a dull and unoriginal experience for game players.

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Training children in the art of war in Ender’s Game

Daniel Woodhouse | Nov 25, 2013

Gavin Hood’s screenplay creates an interesting sci-fi atmosphere, complete with great dialogue and set pieces.

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‘Captain Phillips’ Faces off against Pirates

Daniel Woodhouse | Nov 16, 2013

Captain Phillips is a fun well-written action thriller that does a nice job of paying homage to its source material.

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‘The Counselor’ is a Bust

Daniel Woodhouse | Nov 15, 2013

The Road and No Country for Old Men are two of the most unique fiction novels of the modern era. Cormac McCarthy seems to have slipped up in his latest work, The Counselor.

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Retro review: Medieval 2 Total War

Daniel Woodhouse | Nov 6, 2013

This reviewer claims retro game **Medieval 2: Total War,** with its elaborate gameplay and maps, is one of the best strategy game series of all time.

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Carrie remake proves some movies should be left alone

Daniel Woodhouse | Nov 6, 2013

Carrie adds nothing new to the original and seems unnecessary.

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Getting experimental with Armored Core 5: Verdict Day

Daniel Woodhouse | Oct 29, 2013

If there’s one genre of gaming I haven’t treaded on, it’s mech action games.Even though this mech action series has 14 titles to its name, I’ve only ever met one **Armored Core** fan.

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“Gravity” presents a great case for astrophobia

Daniel Woodhouse | Oct 29, 2013

Will Gravity pull you in?

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Retro review: Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War

Daniel Woodhouse | Oct 11, 2013

The Ace Combat series is set on a parallel Earth called Strangereal -- where the continents have been reshaped and the countries have names unlike those of today. Zero takes place in 1995, fifteen...

The thrills of Formula One racing: Rush

Daniel Woodhouse | Oct 9, 2013

Rush thrills viewers with realistic cinematography and an epic score as two rival race car drivers compete to the top.

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Return to the sunny beaches of Los Santos in Grand Theft Auto 5

Daniel Woodhouse | Oct 4, 2013

Rockstar Games has once again struck gold with their latest installment to the amazing Grand Theft Auto series, with the new GTA 5.

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Insidious: Chapter 2 a chilling, creative film

Daniel Woodhouse | Oct 3, 2013

Recently released horror film **Insidious: Chapter 2** impresses with its intriguing plot and excellent set design. From a well-written dialogue to in-depth characters and creepy ghosts, this sequel notably follows its previous film.

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Return to the frozen tundra of EDN III in Lost Planet 3

Daniel Woodhouse | Oct 2, 2013

Lost Planet 3 has managed to take a step forward while also taking a step back. While Lost Planet 1 and Lost Planet 2 suffered from confusing plots, Lost Planet 3 has a straightforward story and a protagonist with a convincing character arc.

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State of the industry: The future of Nintendo

Daniel Woodhouse | Sep 26, 2013

Is Nintendo following in the footsteps of Atari?

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One last pub crawl in The World’s End

Daniel Woodhouse | Sep 19, 2013

British comedy filmmakers Pegg, Frost and Wright are at it again in The World’s End.

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Retro review: Secret Weapons over Normandy

Daniel Woodhouse | Sep 18, 2013

Secret Weapons over Normandy proves to be a captivating retro game. In this arcade flight simulator, players engage in World War II conflict as they navigate planes, engage in air-to-air combat and bomb ground targets.

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The struggles of racism in The Butler

Daniel Woodhouse | Sep 12, 2013

The Butler tells the tale of Cecil Gains, an African-American who starts out working in the cotton fields as a boy and works his way up to being a butler in the White House.

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The future looks bleak in Elysium

Daniel Woodhouse | Aug 24, 2013

After having success with his last film, District 9, writer/director Neill Blomkamp is back with another movie, Elysium, depicting the traditional haves versus the have-nots story in a refreshing way. The visual effects, acting and plot are all strong, making Elysium another successful film to add to Blomkamp's collection.

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2 Guns has terrible aim, no ammunition

Daniel Woodhouse | Aug 24, 2013

Buddy cop movies rely on strong on-screen chemistry and dynamic action scenes, 2 Guns has neither. The movie comes off as cliche and forced.

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Friends are few, enemies are abundant in The Last of Us

Daniel Woodhouse | Aug 18, 2013

The Last of Us is another game revolving around a zombie apocalypse, but it sets itself apart through its fantastic gameplay, character development and storyline.

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Lost in space with Capsized

Daniel Woodhouse | Aug 5, 2013

Capsized is a side-scroller game featuring a protagonist, who gets shipwrecked in space. It's colorful and somewhat entertaining, but nothing too special.

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State of Decay: A guide to surviving zombie apocalypse

Daniel Woodhouse | Aug 4, 2013

With the zombie craze all over pop culture, it's nice to see there are some good products coming out of the fad. State of Decay is not only fun to play, but realistic in many different ways.

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The Conjuring: a good old fashioned ghost story

Daniel Woodhouse | Aug 4, 2013

Director James Wan stikes fear into the hearts of many again in The Conjuring. The film is scary good to its core without the implementation of cheap scare ploys or too much phony CGI.

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The East: A tale of mystery, complicated morality

Daniel Woodhouse | Jul 23, 2013

Indie films are hit or miss, and The East makes direct contact. The indie political thriller takes the audience through a tumultuous plot ride, challenging the concept of morality every step of the way.

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Pacific Rim: perfect summer blockbuster

Daniel Woodhouse | Jul 22, 2013

If you've been hungry for an action film of monsters and machines tearing each other to shreds, than look no further than Guillermo Del Toro's Pacific Rim.

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Deadpool: below average, still fun

Daniel Woodhouse | Jul 19, 2013

Deadpool proves to be an entertaining gameplay experience with an interesting plot, despite its poor graphics and briefness.

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Mercs take over Pennsylvania Avenue again in White House Down

Daniel Woodhouse | Jul 19, 2013

Roland Emmerich successfully creates a visually strong movie in White House Down. The film proves to be a surprisingly fun action comedy with a solid story line.

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The next generation of gaming consoles

Daniel Woodhouse | Jul 6, 2013

The long awaited next generation of consoles is here. As always, Microsoft and Sony will duke it out to see which has the better console, and here we examine some pros and cons of each.

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Superman’s second reboot is slightly more successful

Daniel Woodhouse | Jun 27, 2013

Man of Steel proves to be a semi-successful reboot film. Zack Snyder does what he does best in creating strong action scenes, but the plot lacks substance.

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Fuse proves that sometimes you should stick to the original idea

Daniel Woodhouse | Jun 27, 2013

Fuse offers a lackluster sci-fi experience through its gameplay and sub-par plot.

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Remember Me fails to leave positive experience

Daniel Woodhouse | Jun 22, 2013

Remember Me for the most part is a boring game with an illogical plot. The entire experience proves to be easily forgettable.

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The Purge: A $3 million “snuff” film

Daniel Woodhouse | Jun 13, 2013

The Purge creates a strange world in which utopia meets apocalypse. The film attempts to portray a unique take on crime and civility within society, but doesn't completely succeed in doing so.

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Hope for the first person shooter genre survives with Metro: Last Light

Daniel Woodhouse | Jun 9, 2013

Metro: Last Light is the second game in the Metro series, which revolves around a post-apocalyptic world where society functions in the underground metros. Last Light takes the player on a journey involving different clans and enemies, and dazzles the player with dark aesthetics.

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Star Trek: Into Darkness Review

Daniel Woodhouse | Jun 8, 2013

The second installment of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek series doesn't disappoint. The film provides dazzling aesthetics along with gritty action sequences to keep its audience entertained.

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First impressions of “Defiance”

Daniel Woodhouse | Apr 16, 2013

Spinnaker game critic Daniel Woodhouse breaks down his initial experience of "Defiance."

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“Evil Dead” rises from the grave to a new generation

Daniel Woodhouse | Apr 10, 2013

All remakes suck? Not this one. The remake of the ‘80s horror classic is a fine film.

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Disney shuts down LucasArts

Daniel Woodhouse | Apr 10, 2013

Rest in peace, LucasArts: Disney’s purchase of the company will have an effect on future Star Wars games.

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“G.I. Joe: Retaliation:” return of the Hasbro toys

Daniel Woodhouse | Apr 3, 2013

The Hasbro franchise apparently inspires lifelong interest in its toys, and sub-par movies in Hollywood.

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“BioShock: Infinite” twists the fabric of reality

Daniel Woodhouse | Apr 2, 2013

Bioshock: Infinite hits the gaming scene and a 5 out of 5 star rating for Spinnaker Game critic Daniel Woodhouse.

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Rebooting the “Tomb Raider” series

Daniel Woodhouse | Mar 28, 2013

The Tomb Raider series brings something fresh and exciting to the gaming world.

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‘Oz The Great and Powerful:’ high on visuals, low on substance

Daniel Woodhouse | Mar 13, 2013

We’re off to see the wizard: Seeing him might be great, but there’s not much to him.

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“Aliens: Colonial Marines” deserves to be throw out the airlock

Daniel Woodhouse | Mar 10, 2013

The newest addition to the "Aliens" gaming series strays from the story it's supposed to be based on. Spinnaker movie and game critic discusses "Aliens: Colonial Marines."

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Fee-fi-fo-fum, Jack the Giant Slayer is the exception this once

Daniel Woodhouse | Mar 6, 2013

Giants on the loose: No need to fear, Jack the Giant Slayer is here! But he looks better in 2D.

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Crysis 3 is nice to look at, hollow on the inside

Daniel Woodhouse | Mar 3, 2013

"Crysis 3" focuses on the visual aspects of gaming more than it does the gaming itself.

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A Snitch with a noble cause appears on the big screen

Daniel Woodhouse | Mar 1, 2013

Looking for action? You might want to look elsewhere. But "Snitch" is a good crime drama, nonetheless.

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“A Good Day to Die Hard,” but not a good day for “Die Hard” fans

Daniel Woodhouse | Feb 20, 2013

Some of us were surprised with the third "Die Hard", many of us with the fourth, and most us were just wondering how they could keep it interesting with a fifth installment, and now we see that they couldn't.

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No scares to be found in “Dead Space 3”

Daniel Woodhouse | Feb 20, 2013

Third time’s a charm? Dead Space 3 attempts to continue the horror, but despite being a good shooter, it isn't very scary.

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The cure is worse than the disease in “Side Effects”

Daniel Woodhouse | Feb 15, 2013

Providing more than well-produced entertainment, "Side Effects" taps into the prescription medication pandemic affecting our culture.

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An old, but still great, gem of a game: “Rise of Nations”

Daniel Woodhouse | Feb 14, 2013

Spinnaker game critic reviews "Rise of Nations," a game that didn't receive much attention for its debut, but which is still holding up after all these years.

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The death of a giant in the gaming industry

Daniel Woodhouse | Feb 11, 2013

Gaming developer and publisher THQ declared bankruptcy and, as of Jan. 22, is defunct. For years, THQ brought us games like Saints Row, Red Faction, MX vs. ATV, Company of Heroes and Dawn of War....

Zombie in love, caught on film

Daniel Woodhouse | Feb 11, 2013

With a few fresh takes on the zombie genre, and few more decent laughs to boot, "Warm Bodies" won't bore you to death... or living death.

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International renegade Jason Statham in “Parker”

Daniel Woodhouse | Feb 4, 2013

Jason Statham as outlaw is a scenario that Spinnaker movie critic Daniel Woodhouse looks forward to. In "Parker," some elements of the film hit their mark while others could have been refocused or left out entirely.

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“Mama:” Another film of a decidedly played-out genre

Daniel Woodhouse | Jan 30, 2013

Horror film "Mama" is definitely horrifying — but not necessarily in a good way. Spinnaker movie critic claims the film is yet another Hollywood blunder of a tired genre.

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A Knight out of his element in the Xbox Live Arcade

Daniel Woodhouse | Jan 29, 2013

Reviewing a smaller name this week, Spinnaker game and movie critic Daniel Woodhouse picks out, and picks on, Black Knight Sword from the Xbox Live Arcade.

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Zero Dark Thirty: taking down bin Laden on the big screen

Daniel Woodhouse | Jan 23, 2013

Spinnaker film and video game critic Daniel Woodhouse reviews "Zero Dark Thirty," the film chronicling the pursuit and purging of Osama bin Laden.

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The best and worst video games of 2012

Daniel Woodhouse | Jan 16, 2013

Spinnaker game critic Daniel Woodhouse celebrates the better games of the year, and tears apart the games that left much to be desired.

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The art of murder in ‘Hitman: Absolution’

Daniel Woodhouse | Jan 10, 2013

Spinnaker critic and gamer Daniel Woodhouse breaks down the merits and weak points of the latest release of the 'Hitman' game series.

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Coming up short in the call of duty: Black Ops 2 leaves much to be desired

Daniel Woodhouse | Nov 28, 2012

Another edition of Black Ops has been released, adding to an exhaustive list of games in the Call of Duty series. Contributing columnist Daniel Woodhouse plays his way into a critique of the game.

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