Manga Review – Avril Lavigne’s Make 5 Wishes

Avril Lavigne’s ‘Make 5 Wishes’

Publisher: Random House/Del Rey Manga
Story by: Camilla d’Errico and Joshua Dysart
Concept by: Camilla d’Errico
Script by: Joshua Dysart
Art by: Camilla d’Errico
Rating: T 13 +
Genre: Shoujo

Reviewed by Julie Gray
Review originally published March 31, 2007

“No. Not invisible. Being invisible would’ve been cool. I just wasn’t worth noticing”…

Yes, this is a manga starring Avril Lavigne. Whatever your thoughts may be about the music artist/movie star and now manga star, one thing is undeniable; Avril Lavigne seems to be everywhere.

So what does a pop star want with a manga title? Well, as it turns out, ‘Make 5 Wishes’ is great reading and the art work is just divine.

The story begins with a lonely girl named Hana who is going through a tough time when she doesn’t fit in at school. Hana’s life revolves around a virtual reality where she assumes different identities to avoid the loneliness of rejection. Hana stumbles upon a website that claims to be able to make people’s wishes come true. With Hana’s inability to feel anything other than loneliness and depression, the website reaches out to her through her despair and Hana, excited by the prospect of having all of her wishes come true, clicks away.

Camilla d’Errico brings the characters to life with an unmistakable innocence in her art work, it really works well in this manga. The likeness in her drawings of Avril Lavigne is quite impressive.

Once the mysterious parcel arrives, Hana’s life unexpectedly takes a turn for the better but it’s very short lived. Throughout the manga, you feel like you can relate to Hana’s pain but at the same time, there seems to be an annoying feeling nagging away at you – the feeling of knowing the difference between what seems like the right thing to do and what clearly isn’t. Hana seems to have issues differentiating between right and wrong and Avril’s character poses as the ‘righteous’ side of Hana’s psyche, desperately trying to guide her towards making the right decision. In the end, it’s Avril versus the Demon which is a neat little story twist.

At times the dialogue in this manga seems a little too mature to be aimed at 13 year olds and some of the interactions between Hana, her parents and the imaginary ‘Avril Lavigne’ just didn’t seem to synch very well. Perhaps Hana is extremely mature for her age but I felt that it was difficult to relate to her youth when the complexities of her life seemed a little too far fetched to be believable at the age of 13.

The plot, the characters and the general flow of the manga all work well but the artwork in this manga really gives it something special. The glossy, full colour pages are a joy to behold. I was quite unsure of what to think of the manga at first, but now I am very much looking forward to reading the next installment of this series. And regardless of Avril’s real word superstar status, in this manga, Hana is the true starlet.

Avril Lavigne’s Make 5 Wishes comes complete with sketches by the artist and information about the artist, author and Avril Lavigne. If you’re really keen to take a look at this series, you can do so by visiting Del Rey’s website here.

Art Work: 8/10
Story: 8/10
Overall Rating: 8/10

You may view the original published article here.

Game Review – Ultimate Ghosts n’ Goblins for PSP

Ultimate Ghosts n’ Goblins

Developer: Capcom

Publisher/Distributor: Capcom

ESRB Rating: 7+

Genre: Arcade/Platform

Official Website: http://ww2.capcom.com/ugng/

Reviewed by Julie Gray
Review originally published October 28, 2006

The first Ghosts n’ Goblins game was released in 1985. Since then, there have been a couple of sequels; Ghouls and Ghosts in 1988 and in 1991, Super Ghouls and Ghosts. Ultimate Ghosts n’ Goblins debuts for the first time on the PSP but back in the day, this game used to be one of the more popular games found at your local video games parlour.

Capcom have really done retro gamers proud by releasing the next game in the series that has had such a great following over the years. And to ensure its prosperity, releasing this title for the PSP is nothing short of ingenious. Now you can play this classic game anywhere, anytime and wireless if you want too. Certain titles are made for the portable experience and Ultimate Ghosts n’ Goblins is no exception.

The background to this game is not entirely authentic but it’s extremely well done and entertaining. The main character in the game is the noble Knight Arthur. Arthur has a mission to rescue the princess Prin Prin who has been kidnapped. Along the way, Arthur encounters all sorts of challenges and beasties and as Arthur; you get to fight your way through it all – just like in the arcade version of the game. And that’s about the extent of the storyline. Short and sweet but that’s okay.

The graphics of UGnG’s will probably be the first thing you notice. Based around a side scrolling arcade view, UGnG’s now utilises a brand spanking new 3-D engine. It’s amazing what a new graphics engine can do for a game. Ultimate Ghosts n’ Goblins really looks like it has had a major facelift, and that’s just the beginning.

The weapons in the game have also been upgraded, bringing Arthur’s arsenal into the 21st century. The Vince Whip is a great addition as well as the ability to also use shields in the game. Arthur really has been upgraded! Magic is also another element that is introduced in many different ways throughout the game, whether it’s part of a special weapon you pick up or as a trinket you might find or locate on your journey.

There are six levels in total to complete in the game and three different difficulty modes; Novice, Standard and Ultimate. If you’re someone who is old enough to remember this game (20 odd years back at least) when it was in the arcades, you’ll know that even back then, Ghosts n’ Goblins was a challenging game to play and a difficult game to master. UGnG’s is no different and carries on the same tradition as the original. So, if you wanna get kicking some A’ as Arthur in this latest install of the classic Ghosts n’ Goblins franchise, it’s out now and waiting at a retailer near you!

You can view the original published review here.

Movie Review – Tristan and Isolde

Tristan and Isolde

Distributor: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX [US]
Director: Kevin Reynolds
Writer: Dean Georgaris
Producers: Moshe Diamant, Lisa Ellzey, Giannina Facio, and Elie Samaha

Starring: James Franco, Sophia Myles, Rufus Sewell, David O’Hara, Henry Cavill

Rating: MPAA – PG-13 for intense battle sequences and some sexuality.

Running time: 125 minutes

Reviewed by Julie Gray
Review originally published March 17, 2006

Why you might like this:
· James Franco – as Tristan, this is a role with a little more grit and scope than the role he played in Spiderman. He doesn’t look too bad with a sword, either.
· If you enjoyed King Arthur, you will more than likely enjoy this.
· A different take on the old ‘Romeo and Juliet’ story with an interesting twist and Rufus Sewell brings a bit of depth to the story as Lord Marke

Why you might not like this:
· Historians may want to avoid this movie for the sames reasons they would probably avoid a movie like King Arthur. Facts and myth quite often get intertwined.
· Too many pretty people with not enough gore
· The American accents somehow managed to creep into the script even though this movie is supposed to be set in Britannia during the Dark Ages.
– Although semi-believable as Tristan, James Franco is just a little too pretty and a little too teary-eyed and broody as Tristan.

Synopsis:
The movie begins with Tristan (James Franco) as a young lad living in war ravaged Britain shortly after the Romans have withdrawn. England is under Irish rule and Ireland’s King (King Donnchadh played by David O’Hara) is depicted as a ruthless and blood-thirsty man who will stop at nothing to keep the English insurgents at bay. Lord Aragon (Tristan’s father) organises a secret meeting with the other English noblemen to discuss the idea of opposing the Irish ruler. As the meeting takes place, the Irish arrive at the castle, attacking the guards and burning down the castle and village. Many are killed, including Tristan’s parents. Tristan is heroically saved by Lord Marke (Rufus Sewell) who loses one of his hands trying to save him. Lord Marke takes the remaining survivors back to his castle in Cornwall along with Tristan whom he adopts as his son. We are then briefly introduced to a very young Isolde, who is attending the funeral of her mother, the Queen of Ireland.

Nine years pass and Tristan has become a skilled swordsman. The English nobles are still scattered and divided through-out England without a ruler. Lord Marke tries again to bring the noblemen together as a united front against the Irish ruler. This time he entrusts the responsibility to Tristan to lead the men against the Irish, much to the disdain of Lord Marke’s nephew, Melot.

After a brief yet successful clash with the Irish where Tristan kills the man betrothed to Isolde, Tristan is struck with a sword laced with poison. He quickly succumbs to the poison and is believed to be dead. Tristan is given a King’s burial and his body is sent out to sea in a boat set on fire. Days later, he is found on the seashore by Isolde and her maid. Isolde hides him from her father and nurses Tristan back to health. As the days pass, their attraction for each other turns into something much more. Isolde, destined to marry a man she did not love and thinking her betrothed to be dead, gives into her feelings for Tristan. Isolde’s nurse warns her against giving Tristan any details about who she is and when Tristan finally asks for her name, she lies and gives him the name of her nurse instead; Bragnae.

King Donnachadh, angered by the defeat of his men and by the death of his daughter’s betrothed, comes up with a cunning plan to try and separate the thin allegiance between the nobles by holding a Warriors Tournament. Word of this tournament spreads throughout Britannia. Tristan approaches Lord Marke and promises to fight for him so that he can win the competition and in turn, strengthen their volatile bond with the Irish. The tournament’s prize being the hand of the Irish King’s daughter.

At this stage in the movie, we can see the inevitability of the doomed lovers slowly coming to fruition. Without giving too much away, the rest of the movie will be appealing if you enjoy watching people’s lives unravel; deceit proving to be the killer of true love after all. Other movies such as ‘Excalibur’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ come to mind as obvious influences. Perhaps too much of an influence in parts. Rufus Sewell does well as Lord Marke, carrying off the role like many others he has played in the past, with understated skill and precision. James Franco as Tristan also appeals, especially when we get to see what all the fuss is about under that shirt! A huge step up from the role he played in Spiderman. But for entertainment value, the role of Wicktred (played by Mark Strong) is well worth watching as his masterful ability to deceive takes on a life of its own.

Overall, the movie slowly winds down, the story of Tristan and Isolde’s doomed love comes to an end and we are left wondering just how James Franco managed to stay teary eyed for so many hours of filming. It’s amazing what a little drop of clear-eyes can do.

You may view the original published review here.