So I love getting screeners in to review, not only do I get to see the film and special features early I also get to add another movie to my collection. On this go around, I wanted to do something different. I wanted to find a twilight fan surprise them with the Breaking Dawn Blu-Ray and have them review it.. Unknown to me I wouldn’t have to look too far.. Come to find out my sister-in law was just that person.. Se was so excited to see the movie and review it.. Below is her little review.. Give your comments below..

In the latest installment of the Twilight saga, Breaking Dawn pt.1. You finally get to see the much anticipated “for twilight fanatics” wedding between Bella and Edward. Much to my surprise didn’t disappoint, with fantastic special effects and slight comic relief this was definitely a solid performance by a developing cast and the best of the saga thus far. The special features include audio commentary with Director Bill Condon, a fascinating 6 part documentary on the making of breaking dawn-part 1, Take a look into Jacobs Destiny, relive all of your favorite moments of Edward and Bella’s wedding with their personal wedding video, and a jump to option to watch only your favorite scenes of the movie over and over. Blu-ray really brings this movie to life with the stunning quality and is definitely a must own for your personal library.

“My name is Trump, I’m a jazzman, and this is my story.”

I love apps that are new and different. Whether in style or mechanics, the new innovations of these things we call apps is simply intriguing. Especially when it comes to games. So when the I hear of a platform game that mixes jazz, New Orleans and the name Louis Armstrong, I am definitely curious. That story comes to life in JAZZ: Trump’s Journey from BulkyPix.

JAZZ: Trump’s Journey is set in the early 20th century, where Trump has decided to follow his dreams of becoming a famous jazz musician in New Orleans. With a rich story telling that parallels with that of Louis Armstrong and 1920′s vibe it is definitely unlike any app out there. Help Trump on his musical journey to form his group of musicians, battle against injustice and get the girl. Toting a time stopping trumpet and guidance from his grandmother Trump is off, collecting memories as he re-tells the story on his journey.

Right away JAZZ sucks you in. From the stylish main menu you can control Trump to take you places such as the options section and selecting levels. Very different from other menus but also very creative. Some might not like having to navigate their character up ladders to get to such places but I was very impressed. Along with GameCenter integration they have also added Facebook and Twitter to share achievements made in the game. Passed the menu and into the game you are immediately presented with a silent movie type story telling complete with text boxes in place of speech. It depicts Trump imagining his future as a jazz musician and his grandmother guiding him to get his head out of the clouds and go out and do it. Trump takes this advice and he is on his way. There are quite a few of story sequences in this app, all which add to the character and style, but also takes time. There is no skip button but I found if I tapped the narrators icon I was able to quicken some of the sequences up, which was helpful when I would replay a level and the story would have to begin all over again.

Trump is a great platform character. He has really great controls and accuracy about him. The standard forward and back buttons appear at the bottom of the screen but have a really great transparency on them so it makes the screen not quite as small, which is a big problem for a lot of games these days. There are also action buttons that will appear, but only when those actions are available, so they are hidden and also not taking up screen space. Trump has a lot of obstacles in front of him that makes this more like a puzzle game but with a platform feel. His unique trumpet that stops time is an added bonus but also an added obstacle as there is timing involved on when it is needed and used. He is great at jumping, climbing and swinging from a rope for sure, but lacks any actual fighting skills. There are dangers including moving platforms, spikes and bosses. But any bad guys you encounter are easily defeated by the Super Mario method of jumping on their heads. Though the levels are mostly focused on completing the story and collecting Trump’s memories more than combating any major enemy.

The soundtrack is lovely and fitting for sure, composed by jazz musicians especially for the app. It adds to the overall effect and completes the 20′s theme. As you guide Trump through his journey the music progresses and becomes richer as the story deepens.

JAZZ: Trump’s Journey is a joy to play and BulkyPix and developer Egg Ball have something to more than be proud of. It may not be as much of a challenge as some players would like, but the overall experience and story are the real gems to highlight. JAZZ is a universal app and available now in the App Store for $2.99.

4.5/5

You can also find reviews by Brihanna at tumblr and thesmartphoneappreview.com

First of all I must admit that I’m not the biggest fan of the first Downey Sherlock Holmes movie, and I’ve always loved the many incarnations of Sherlock Holmes, especially so with Steven Moffat’s Sherlock on the BBC. I was never too big on Holmes as boxing/martial arts champ, though I did like how true to the character if he was to be like that he would see the fight even before it happened. Even with that Downey and Law saved what would have been a mediocre film and made it just a little better. My huge problem with the movie was more the chemistry between that version’s Watson and Holmes. The whole movie felt like Watson as just annoyed at having to be around and Holmes and putting up with his abusive demeanor for now reason. I felt no respect from Watson for Holmes and it just felt like their relationship was forced. This is why I walked into the press screening for Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows with no high expectations and in the first few minutes of Act 1 I was beginning to feel justified as such.

Again the relationship of Watson and Holmes seemed just as baffling to me, and now Holmes was acting as Watson’s best man, from the interactions of the first movie I was amazed that Holmes was even to be invited to Watson’s wedding let alone be his best man. This coming to a head at Watson’s “stag” party which was just a ploy to get Watson to assist in solving another mystery he had come across trying to prove Professor Moriarty was a master criminal. Why this military man would put up with this was beyond me, but finally I think the writers realized what was wrong and showed us that not only does Holmes care, by getting Watson to his wedding on time, though in dubious condition but that he truly respected and cared for Watson even though he doesn’t show it. This is when finally Downey’s Holmes became a three-dimensional character for me. Almost tragic, when after the wedding he enjoys the site of the new couple from the shadows, place that he inhabits due to the way his mind works, this is the Holmes I love.

Jared Harris as Moriarty is absolutely brilliant in his role, and in true American fashion, and to make him an equal to Holmes, he is also a boxing champion so that the two’s epic “battle of wits” can take place at the closing of the film. I love the way they show Moriarty’s ability to misdirect and outwit Holmes early on in the film and just keep him down as the underdog in this showing. Truly the writing and direction have vastly improved from the 2009 film.

Now to the best part of the film for me, Noomi Rapace debut to a Hollywood film’s audience as the main female lead. If you have not seen The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy you are missing one of Sweden’s best film work and you need to watch all these on Netflix’s instant queue. She is one of the best actresses I’ve seen in years and I can’t wait to see more of her. Though her part is small and they don’t give her too much to do, she still manages to still the scene from Downey again and again.

My last favorite aspect of the movie is the great Stephen Fry, I love this man with a passion. He is other great actor in the film for me. Finally Mycroft has life breathed into him. He is so funny and so essential to making this film work that I just loved every scene he was in. It was a good break from the seriousness that surrounds the rest of the film and makes for some breakout laughs, that was best captured in the closing credits.

This movie in every way is ten times the movie that the first Sherlock Holmes was in 2009. This is the film that Holmes deserved from Hollywood the first time around. I’m just glad to see that they finally made it. If there is one film you see this Holiday Season, it must be this film.

I’ll make this simple for you. If you loved the Muppets growing up, if you’ve ever enjoyed anything they’ve done, from their movies, television show, or even the odd commercial, then you must go see this movie. The Muppets is the best Muppets movie in a very long time, and I defy you to not love it.

This movie had a lot of expectations when it was announced, especially from fans who’ve grown disenchanted with the Muppets’ efforts over the past decade. This movie had to answer two big questions. Can they reclaim the Muppet magic that previous generations fell in love with? And are the Muppets even relevant in today’s world?

The answer is a resounding Yes! From the very first song, one that will stay with you long after you leave the theater, it’s clear that this movie wasn’t just some cynical attempt to cash in on the Muppets franchise. This film is not only a loving tribute to what the Muppets were, it’s about the fact that their joy and magic will never go out of style.

The plot is fairly straightforward. The Muppets have broken up and gone their separate ways, but they need to get back together and put on one more show to save their old studios from being torn down by an evil oil baron. It’s the classic “getting the band back together” movie that knows where it’s going and how to get there. There’s a few nods and winks to the audience, and plenty of jokes that the grown ups will love and the kids won’t get.

This is a movie that works on multiple levels, so much so that’s hard to tell who in the theater loved it more: the kids or the parents. If you plan to make this a Thanksgiving outing, you needn’t fear any inappropriate jokes for your children. You might have to explain why you’re tearing up when a certain song comes on towards the end of the movie, and if you’re a fan of the Muppets, you know what song I’m talking about.

After all, the Muppet performances are at the top of their game, and there are moments you’ll forget that Jim Henson is no longer there to give Kermit his voice. The Muppets are real characters, and at no point do you simply see them as felt puppets. They have heart and may even break yours thought the proceedings. That is, when they aren’t making you laugh hysterically when they bring their A-game. The gang’s back together, and this is exactly the Muppets you remember.

As for the humans, they are also a joy to watch. Chris Cooper plays the villainous oil baron, and he doesn’t just chew the scenery, he devours it whole. Jason Segel, who cowrote this film with Nicolas Stoller, plays Gary. He and his brother Walter, a new muppet played by Peter Linz, are the driving force behind trying to reunite the Muppets. Segel plays his role with excitement and childlike joy, and he’s just a big, lovable kid.

Along for the ride is Mary, played by Amy Adams. Her character is similar to her turn in Enchanted, only this time she’s not a fish-out-of-water, but the long-suffering girlfriend who grows ever more frustrated when Gary spends more time with the Muppets than her, leading to a fantastic, and in many ways brave song of her own. Adams is perfect for this movie and, like Cooper and Segel, is a welcome additions to the Muppet family.

What’s a Muppet movie without celebrity cameos, and this film’s got them. I won’t spoil them all, but one worth noting is Jack Black. He plays himself, but rather than be an obnoxious scene-stealer, he plays along with the Muppet Mayhem. Black gets what this movie is about and turns out a very enjoyable performance.

Let’s not forget about the music. The songs are fantastic, given that they were written by Bret McKenzie, best known for Flight of the Conchords. They fit in perfectly with the Muppet universe and are insanely catchy. The musical performances are delightfully old-school, the kind you’d see in movies from decades past.

The Muppets is more than just a nostalgia-fueled revival, remake, or reboot. This is a triumphant return of the Muppets for fans, by fans, and it’s the equal of any Muppet movie, including the 1979 classic The Muppet Movie. It’s got the humor, the love, and the magic that made Jim Henson’s creations more than just felt puppets. If your kids are lacking in Muppet exposure, this is the perfect chance for you to raise them right as you revisit some old friends.

It’s a rare example of a Hollywood production that isn’t the result of cynical number crunching, but genuine love and understanding for the franchise. It’s a brave film and one that isn’t quite like any other you’ve ever seen. This covers very new ground, and you’ll be riveted.

Go see The Muppets, bring the family, or just see it by yourself. This is the Muppet movie you’ve been waiting for.

Read more of what Charles B. French has to say in his regular column here.

So I am not a huge Twilight fan or part of Team Jacob or Team Edward, I am just an innocent by stander in this little craze.. So when I got the invite for the press screening I wasn’t jumping out of my seat to RSVP… As I sat there watching the trailer for the first time, I thought to myself, Someone near and dear to my heart is a Twilight fan and may just indeed enjoy going to see this film before its released.. So I contacted my Mom, which is something I sometimes neglect to do, and asked if she would be interested in going…. Her reply was as follows “Are you joking OF COURSE I WOULD LOVE TO!”, So I told her that she would have to write a review that I could post on the site. The following is my Mom’s Review of Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1.. Enjoy…

Breaking Dawn Part 1 Review
By: Debi Cisneros

Twilight fans can rejoice that Breaking Dawn – Part 1, opening Friday, is a mixture of emotions of so much they’ve waited to see: Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Bella’s (Kristen Stewart) wedding, honeymoon and their darling, little bundle of joy.

The dress is beautiful, a tasteful but fashion-forward creation; Edward looks every bit the dashing groom; the toasts are hilarious and yes, the honeymoon location is a dream. For those waiting to see how Director (Bill Condon) will portray the sexy hot love scene, well get ready to be disappointed.

The big question before the movie began was “How long will it take for Jacob (Taylor Lautner) to take off his shirt?” The answer 8 seconds!  The movie begins almost as a romantic comedy, complete with the spurned suitor showing up for a good-natured dance with the bride. Before long, though, it’s a gestation horror show with Bella somehow (I hesitate to use the term “miraculously”) pregnant with Edward’s vampire baby, the kid literally sucking the life out of her.

All due credit to the special effects wizards who turn Stewart into an emaciated shell of a woman, because she truly looks as if a demon spawn were using her as a host.

The pregnancy touches off an internal fight within the wolf pack, pitting Jacob against his former brothers. The unintentionally funny business doesn’t stop there (if you serve a pregnant woman blood in a fast-food cup with a straw, people will laugh), turning the film’s second half into painful, tedious melodrama for anyone not already invested in the saga.

Not that any of that will deter fans one bit. If anything, readers may complain that the birth scene, an ocean of blood in the book, is too tamed onscreen – arguably, as is the PG-13 honeymoon. Plus, there’s not barely a hint of the war to come in next year’s final installment, which might’ve given this half more action.

Still, there’s precious little in Breaking Dawn – Part 1 that will truly disappoint the initiated – or attract anyone who doesn’t already care.

It is said those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it, but remembering everything is quite a chore these days. Luckily for most of us, there’s an app for that!

Today In History from Down-Shift Inc. is an app that gives history buffs an easy, high tech way to access historical information. Facts and trivia nuggets are spoon fed in a day to day format. Each calendar day will show you events of that date in past years, beginning with the most recent and spanning backward. It literally is an encyclopedia of historical information for each day of the year. To find out more about a certain event on the list, simply touch it to reveal a page with further insight and external links with more data. Customize the events by logging in with Facebook or create and account to add comments to the event page. Favorite those you want to keep track of or add your own events and create a personal timeline. Of course make sure you keep it social by sharing with friends on Facebook, Twitter or email.

There are over 100,000 notable events listed within the app, along with famous births and deaths of that date, plus holidays and observances. There is no internet connection required to view the information and Wikipedia links enable users to discover even more about dates and events they are interested in. Registered users can even stay connected through the accompanying website, todayhistory.net. It is a great learning tool for budding history fans as an interactive way to learn about the world and its past while also relating it to the person by allowing them to share significant history of themselves.

The interface is set up like a mini directory and navigation is simple, clean and makes sense. The background image of old parchment like paper and colors in the app are very complimentary and fit with the theme. Though there are also settings that will enable users to switch to a lighter or darker theme if they desire.

Overall Today In History is a great tool for anyone who is interested in learning something new about the past or just interested in keeping track of their own. It is available in the app store for $1.99.

Rating: 87%

Read more from App Junkie at TheSmartphoneAppReview.com

Follow me! on Twitter & Tumblr @brihannajoi

Contagion

Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion is a modern day horror film that’s as scary as any movie I’ve seen this year. It’s a film that at times comes across like the most interesting science class you’ve ever sat through because you feel like if you don’t stay till the end you won’t know how to kill the monster and save the day when it happens to you. Unfortunately there is no big bad monster in this film you can kill in the last act in the hopes of saving your friends, instead life or death decisions are left to bureaucrats and government scientists who may or may not have your best interest at heart. What makes this film so scary is that it may be happening as we speak and there is literally nothing you could do to stop it from happening.

Contagion follows a world wide pandemic as it gallops across the globe leaving a trail of death and destruction in it’s wake. Soderbergh’s camera follows multiple characters throughout the film who have all been affected in one way or the other by the deadly virus. Some are struggling with the aftermath of the disease and it’s legacy of death, some are working night and day to find a cure and save our population from certain doom while others are simply looking to strike while the iron is hot and make a quick buck while the world burns around them.

Soderbergh has gathered an ensemble cast full of great actors who deliver performance that are usually relegated to much smaller character pieces. He does an amazing job of putting quality actors in a position to deliver solid, nuanced performances that in the hands of other directors may not have been nearly as effective.

Matt Damon’s conflicted portrayal of a man who discovers his wife’s infidelity only after she is killed by the virus is both heart breaking and inspiring. Having lost his wife and step-son on the same day he is now taxed with keeping his daughter safe and does everything he can to keep her safe. His restraint and dedication to his daughter while everyone else around him is losing it is admirable and inspiring to watch.

Also excelling is Jude Law in a role that is miles from anything he’s played in recent years. Law’s character is an internet celebrity of sorts who believes in government conspiracy and world wide collusion by the elites and spends his days trying to expose the hypocrisy of the people in charge all the while trying to profit on the tragedy around him. He believes he has found a cure for the disease and it just so happens that he is set to profit wildly as the masses search for a magic cure to the threat of death that now surrounds them. Laws character is both ruthless and cunning but he also has heart and even though he is profiting off of death, he truly believes the things that he is doing are going to some how save the world.

Contagion is a master class in film making that will inflict a paranoia upon you that will have you washing your hands and avoiding sick people in your office at all cost. Lingering shots of recently touched surfaces leave your skin crawling because you know exactly what it means for the next person to touch that surface. It’s also a film full of flawed characters put in a no win situation and yet it somehow is able to draw hope and strength from such a dire situation. Soderbergh’s directing skills are in top form as he weaves a tale that is both interesting, informative, inspiring, and terrifying all at the same time. It’s a film worth seeing because honestly it is a blueprint for a very real situation and how easily it could happen and how helpless we would all be. I would certainly recommend checking this film out, just remember to wash your hands first. I would hate to think that then next great pandemic could start in a movie theater while watching a movie about the next great pandemic.

Zombie Outlaw Issue # 1

Written By: Brian J. Apodaca

Art By: B. Paul Jordan

Matt Naismith and Will Simers thought they had this College thing figured out. One trip into the depth of Irvine State University’s library has them rethinking everything!! Witness as they unearth the Tomb of the ZOMBIE OUTLAW!!!

With the recent runaway success of The Walking Dead it seems that zombie comics are suddenly everywhere again. A lot of writers are looking to jump on the bandwagon in the hopes of earning a quick buck by making something that looks like TWD but unfortunately for them they mostly comes off as what they are, a second rate knockoff. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised when I received my copy of Zombie Outlaw #1 in the mail. Zombie Outlaw is an interesting take on the zombie tale that’s not afraid to try something original and move away from what everything else is doing.

As far as origin stories go it was certainly nothing I’ve seen in any other comics before. It’s a bit of a romantic comedy setup mixed in with some wild west zombie attack flashbacks and what may be a promising bromance. When Matt Naismith is paired with the girl of his dreams as his lab partner he looks to his friend Will Simers in the hopes of getting some help wooing the lovely lady but Will’s research for his thesis does not go as planned and now they all find themselves on very unfamiliar turf.

I enjoyed reading this comic very much. Like I said before it’s an interesting and original take on the tired zombie concept. I enjoyed the quick pace of the writing and found the art style to be interesting and original which is not something you see every day in the comic world. I would certainly recommend picking this up and I hope to see more work from these guys in the future.

You can find more info on this comic at http://zombieoutlaw.com/

Junkies, the app world peaks my interest so naturally because I am a gamer at heart. Maybe this dates me, but Nintendo and Sega Genesis were popular babysitters at my house. Sega being my favorite console because it had such great games. They were challenging and looked better than any other games I had played. I especially loved the arcade turned console games where there wasn’t as much skill involved as it was button mashing fun. Sega has definitely translated some of this genre to the app store and one that kept me reminiscing was Virtua Fighter 2.

Virtua Figher 2 for iPhone is a throw back to the original. You won’t find too many changes here as it seems Sega’s approach is to be completely classic. While I like this about the app, some may not. No elevated graphics or additional levels, just a true game to app conversion. 2D graphics, 8 classic fighter characters and 8 themed stages are what you get. It transports me to another time where I could do battle with my brothers in my living room, and win!

The game is quick to load with Play, Options and Help buttons available on the home screen. The Help will give you instructions on how to play and control settings. Unfortunately the controls can not be changed. When beginning the fight you can play alone with a new game or continue your previous one as your progress is saved. The one new innovative feature to this app is the ability to play a multiplayer game through Bluetooth, which allows you to play against another iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch opponent.

The game is played in the classic arcade mode. The controls are a familiar directional pad and A, B and C buttons to kick, punch and block. Before your game has begun you can also configure options such as setting your enemy level at Easy, Normal or Hard. You can even change the time limits and size of the life gauge. Once the fight is set as you like you will choose your fighter. Then punch and kick your way to victory to challenge the perfect fighter, Dural. Each fighter has over 25 unique moves and if you unlock the final boss Dural, you can play him in future challenges.

Virtua Fighter 2 is definitely a fun to play button masher for the iPhone. At least with this version, it won’t leave your thumbs sore! At a bargain price of $1.99 it is sure to bring back memories that are priceless. Now all you have to ask yourself is – “Do you have what it takes to become champion?”  

Rating: 4/5

Brihanna has been a tech fanatic and computer nerd nearly all her life. When she isn’t chasing around kids or glued to her iPhone, she is updating app junkies like herself on where to find the latest go-to apps. Brihanna is the creator of the App Junkie column at The Smartphone App Review. You can also follow her on Twitter & Tumblr @brihannajoi

Gogo Navigator USA & CAN
By: EnGIS Communications, Inc.
Price: $29.99 

Now all of us iPhone user’s know that the iPhone comes equipped with a Google Maps app.Very convenient and works very well. Until… it sends you to the WRONG place! Say, the other side of town! What an inconvenience. What you have to realize is the maps aren’t always updated and the app is free after all. If you are a constant traveler, a good navigation system is a must. But why carry around another clunky GPS device when you can use your phone? Well there’s an app for that!

Gogo Navigator USA & CAN by EnGIS Communications, Inc. is a GPS turn-by-turn navigation app for iPhone. It’s fully featured, including Real 3D map with latest cutting-edge OpenGL graphics technology, turn-by-turn voice navigation, and built-in menu for custom searches and more. The menu gives you a plethora of options, enabling searching by address, look for points of interests (POI), route to contact addresses, save favorites, etc, etc… Gogo Navigator is very customizable. From changing between walking and driving modes to routing and guidance settings to language options: US English, Latin Amer. Spanish, CA. French and Korean. The list of custom options is SO long, I’m just going to list the rest of them for you here:

FEATURES:

• Live Traffic*
• Text-To-Speech (speaks street names)
• Real Signpost display
• Lane Guidance
• Auto re-routing
• Pedestrian Mode
• Multiple routing options; faster time, shorter distance
• Intelligent POI searching: search by phone number, Address, Category, POI name, partial word
• Ability to save and edit favorites
• Recent destinations stored
• Quick POI features (Home, Office, and Emergency POIs)
• Auto zooming (at intersection & on speed)
• Route Planning: create and save route itineraries
• Fuel cost calculator (customizable)
• Route summary for trip information
• Speed Limit warning: adjustable audio/visual warning
• Map data from Tele Atlas onboard (offline maps): covers USA, Canada, Hawaii and Puerto Rico
• iPod Sound Control
• Automatic day/night mode
• Multiple Day and Night modes
• Multiple vehicle symbols
• Control safety alerts

Whew! That’s a lot of features! I must mention that the Live Traffic feature is an in-app purchase of $8.99 that can be added, though everything else comes standard with the app. Gogo has over 12 years of navigation and digital mapping experience and is updated regularly for free. Considering other GPS units require subscriptions, this is a great asset. It is a bit pricey at $29.99 in the app store and will take up quite a bit of space at 1.83 GB. Even so, compared to a separate GPS unit plus subscription services, this is a steal. I would also recommend the Live Traffic feature, even at its added price point mostly because it would optimize the routing options and save time by working around the traffic. For those who travel, time is priceless.

My only criticism would be that it is a bit overwhelming. The options are fantastic, but it takes getting used to figuring out where everything is, and what everything does. Though once set up to your preference, it works flawlessly. I used it on several trips and was very happy with the amount of time it gave for warnings on upcoming turns and changes. I was also very impressed with the speed limit warnings as I drove. I also used the POI option to locate a nearby gas station. The map was very accurate and I had no issues with my routes. Gogo Navigator USA & CAN is a great find and very reasonably priced for the many advantages it brings.

Rating: 4/5

You can also find me at thesmartphoneappreview.com and brihannajoi.tumblr.com

Google+ for iPhone
By: Google
Price: FREE!

In case you have been living under a rock, Google’s new social media venture Google+ came upon the internet scene last month, launching with an invite only member program. It’s been the buzz of the social media community and the hype is good. All it needed to seal the deal was an app. Well Tuesday, it came to iOS.

Google+ for mobile is the compliment to it’s web counterpart. The design is very uniform, sticking to the Google color scheme on a white background. The new black bar is also present, as a notification bar. This bar is on the home page along with the Stream, Huddle, Photos, Profile and Circles options. Simply choose an icon to take you to the option. The Stream is much like
the familiar Facebook news feed, consisting of all the updates from your Circles. Swiping right or left gives you two more options, Nearby and Incoming Messages. Nearby displays updates and check-ins near your location and Incoming Messages will store exactly that.

The newest and most talked about inventions of Google+ is its organization feature Circles and messaging system Huddle.  Circles allow you to assign people you add to categories, making your updates available to only those circles you choose. What is so revolutionary about this is that it essentially brings the formats of Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr all in one. There is no restriction on characters for posts, and by giving the user the power to choose who sees it makes the message into whatever that user wants it to be, whether personal message, or blog post. Categories given are; Acquaintances, Family, Following and Friends. Circles can also be added and renamed to the user’s specifications.

The Huddle is a new way to text groups of people and individuals. When a new message is received in Huddle, a push notification is sent to your phone. It is definitely a big improvement on the chat services of the past and I love how you can message a group of people at one time.  You can also access your Profile from the home screen, but this will just show you how your profile is displayed to everyone else. You can’t change your profile information from the mobile app as of yet. The one thing that is missing from the app that is included on the web is the Hangout feature which allows you to use live video chat with your friends in one room.  Not sure if we will see this added in the future.

So to sum it all up, Google+ has a lot of things going for it, and the app compliments what is already there perfectly. It is super simple, which is just as it needs to be. Will it take over the popular social media empire? Only time will tell. But one thing is for sure, having access to your network of choice on the go is essential, and a well working app is a step in the right direction. (Hint, hint, Facebook…). Only one suggestion for now, share button please? Google+ app plus iPhone user equals one great experience.

Rating: 4/5

You can also find me at:
brihannajoi.tumblr.com
thesmartphoneappreview.com

Video Time Machine for iPhone
By: Original Victories, Inc.
Price: $0.99

Lately I have been perusing the Entertainment section of the app store. It is filled with wonder and yet asinine concepts. There are some true time killers among the selection, and some true wastes of time. After finding the highly stimulating Songify earlier this week, I went back looking to find some more entertainment gold. And then, eureka!

Video Time Machine. (Is there a more intriguing title?) Literally travel through time with this awesome video app that has been loaded with over 10,ooo hand picked clips spanning the years from 1860 to 2011! Simply launch the app as it takes you to a video viewer and dial. Pick a year from the dial and then a category – either Movies, Music, TV, News, Sports, Games, or Ads. You can even choose All if you’d like to see every category from that year. Once selected a spontaneous video from the category and year will be there to play for your enjoyment. There are usually several to choose from and you can click the arrow keys to scroll through. If you can’t decide on what you’d like to see, you can tap the button with the dice for a random selection. This feature proves to be hours of fun.

The videos play through YouTube and load very quickly. It’s Airplay enabled and universal on iOS. It does require an internet connection to run, but that isn’t any different than the YouTube or other video apps. In fact, I found it to be faster loading than any video app I have. The clips chosen range from the informative, bizarre and just plain fascinating! And of course who doesn’t love to reminisce by selecting the years of their youth and watching the ads for toys and movies. As any good video app should, you can also share via Facebook and Twitter.

Video Time Machine is one of the most fun apps I’ve seen in a while, and definitely worth adding to your collection. It is a steal at $0.99 cents and will surely take it’s place on the coveted first page of your iPhone. Here’s to reminiscing!

Rating: 5/5

You can also find me at:
brihannajoi.tumblr.com
thesmartphoneappreview.com

Falling Stars by Trident Vitality Gum for iPhone
By: Kraft New Services, Inc.
Price: FREE

Now sponsored apps are sprinkled around the App Store, whether trying a new “hip” way to raise awareness of their brand or just think it’s good advertising to have their hand in a little bit of everything. Not really sure a free app could really change what flavor soda I drink or clothes I wear, but I get the agenda. There have been very few that interested me, until this one.

Falling Stars from Trident Vitality peaked my interest when I saw the amount of five star ratings it received. For one, it was a featured new title in the App Store, and two, people seemed to love it. Reviews are raving about its uniqueness and simple enjoyment factor. For a free app, and a sponsored one at that, it seemed like a people pleaser. I had to try it out, and Junkies, I am here to tell you they were right.

Falling Stars from Trident Vitality lets you create a world of music in seconds. On the first screen opens an advertisement for Trident Vitality gum and two options. One is to view the tutorial, the other to play. The tutorial shows how to access the toolbar, draw and delete vines, control stars, erase composition, save and load compositions, share and choose vine types.

After viewing the tutorial you are taken to a serene outdoor scene with a starry sky and blue green theme. To begin simply select a type of vine from the toolbar and draw across the background. Put as many different vines as you would like and touch the stars to make them rain droplets onto the vines to create sounds. Each vine makes a different type of sound, some being rhythmic and others booming with bass. The vines wiggle with every drop, changing the beats and notes as they go. The tempo can even be sped up by touching the stars to increase the number of droplets. And if you love your new rhythmic song you can save it to listen to again later, or share to Facebook, Twitter or even email.

It’s a creative app for sure and one that will keep one busy for hours. And as an app for advertising, well, there are no banners, no annoying pop-ups or loud audio files to deal with. Just an opening screen and a small logo in the corner. With over 150,000 downloads so far, it’s definitely grabbed people’s attention.

Rating: 4/5

You can also find me at:
thesmartphoneappreview.com
brihannajoi.tumblr.com

Tiny Tower for iPhone
By: NimbleBit
Price: Free!

Games, games, games. Since the immense success of Angry Birds, the App Store is flooded with games. Some good, some bad. It has turned this little gadget we call a phone into a portable gaming system. And with most at .99, or even free, it’s a great alternative to buying a system for on the go. NimbleBit is the creator of some great games on the iPhone, and they just keep getting better. Their newest is Tiny Tower.

Tiny Tower is a Sims like game that lets you manage – wait for it – a tiny tower! You are the manager and must run the building, tenants and businesses alike. That means keeping tenants happy, stocking shelves and employing those tenants to run your businesses. Starting with a tutorial level, you are given a lobby and shown how to build a new floor level, the first being a residence. You can speed up the building process by paying extra Towerbux, tips you earn for bonuses. Once built you will have citizens, referred to as “Blitzens”, come to the building to rent out your residences. You control the elevator that helps the Blitzens get to their destinations in the tower. The key here is to keep these little guys busy so your tower runs smoothly.

I really like how each Blitzen has a personality. They are given a rating system on their perfect job. Put them in a lower rated occupation and that Blitzen will not be very productive. Since the businesses rely on your Blitzen’s stocking and service abilities, placement is vital. Their preferences and demand of business type make you the one to balance those decisions of what other type of floor to add and who you put there. You can also see what is on your Blitzen’s minds by reading their status updates in the BitBook. There are some hilarious things in there and their insights really help.

The graphics have a fun old school feel. Very simple and 8-bit like. The little characters are similar but just enough color and accessory differences to tell them apart. You earn money pretty simply which keeps game play interesting and easy to continue to upgrade. The tower will also get VIP visitors that can increase business or even speed up construction. Playing the game will definitely earn you more bonuses and keep your tower running, but putting it down doesn’t hurt either. The tower will continue to run and notify you when to restock items.

Tiny Tower is definitely a fun time waster and the maintenance and options keep you engaged. Like NimbleBit’s Pocket Frogs, the changing environment keeps you coming back for more. At the intro price of free, it’s definitely not to be passed up.

Rating: 5/5

There has been a lot of talk over the last few months that Michael Bay was learning from the shortcomings of Transformers 2 and that part 3 would redeem him and his previous efforts. This movie was going to get away from the silly stuff (racist robots?) and other nonsense that turned people off so much regarding T2 and focus on creating interesting characters and telling a story that would make people forget how bad his previous effort really was. Well in my humble opinion, the rumors of Michael Bay’s growth as a filmmaker have been greatly exaggerated. The entire “he’s a different filmmaker now” schtick is apparently a marketing ploy to lure you back to the theaters because from my point of view there is nothing different in T3 that we haven’t see before in the previous sequels, except for the fact that it was shot in 3d and they made it about 30 mind numbing minutes longer. Transformers 3 is no better or no worse that the previous films and only exist as an extravagant example of everything that is wrong with Hollywood film making today.

Early in the film we find out that a secret Autobot ship crashed on the moon in the 60′s and our entire space program was built around the fact that we wanted to get what was on that ship before the Russians did, and we did it. We went to the moon with a secret plan to investigate the crash site and we were able to fool everyone and no one ever told a soul. They were so good at keeping this a secret that not one even told the Autobots that the ship was there in the previous two movies because if they had these sequels would not be necessary, but I digress. The secret items on the ship would have allowed the Autobots to defeat the Decepticons on their home planet and they would have never reached our planet. The next 2 hours are spent confusing us with double cross after double cross as robots jump sides, humans jump sides, and in the end an entire city is destroyed as the Autobots try to prevent another planet from being tele-ported into our atmosphere. That’s right, the secret weapon that was on the moon would allow the Decepticons to transport their planet to our atmosphere so they could force us to rebuild it for them. Really? Another planet right on top of ours? This is the best you could come up with? Hollywood pays people millions of dollars to write stories that are ultimately thrown in the trash and this is the best of all those ideas? Someone needs to check that trash can because I’m sure something that was thrown away had to be better than this.

Transformers 3 is an uneven mess of plot holes, dead ends, characters who are introduced and disappear without reason, and some of the worst robot acting seen since the old go-bots cartoons. The “robots” when left on screen to interact are lifeless and dull. We’ve grown accustomed to human emotion. When someone is angry we don’t just hear it in their voice, we see it in their face and their body language. There was none of this in regards to the Autobots or Decepticons. Just shiny robots with dull voice acting. Oh how I wish that was the worst thing about this movie. Let’s move on.

There are whole sequences in T3 that just seem to defy logic. There’s a sequence near the middle of the film where in the span of about five minutes the Autobots are the saviors of the universe, then kicked off the planet for no apparent reason (humans sided with the Decpticons who had previously been trying to destroy the planet. Really?), killed by a Decepticon who was hanging out in space just so he could shoot down their spaceship, only to have them return a few minutes later to save Shia and friends at just the right time. They spend the first hour of the movie setting up this scene, it all builds to this, then in the space of five minutes everything Bay has built up to this point is wiped clean and he ends the movie with an hour long battle scene that really has very little to do with the first hour and thirty minutes you already sat through. For fans of film making who enjoy a well thought out plot unfortunately this is not the movie for you. I’m sure the guy sitting next to me in the theater thought that something was wrong with me because of the sheer amount of groaning and sighing I was doing in the last hour of the movie.

The only redeeming feature this movie has is the way it was shot. This is probably the best live action movie I’ve seen in 3D. Bay did a really great job of shooting this film and the attention they paid to creating depth instead of just having gimmicks fly at the screen is to be commended. With that being said, I still hate 3D. The hyper violent fight scenes between the Autobots and Decepticons is often a blur of flying metal, fire, and explosions and it is often really hard to tell who’s who in the major battle scenes and the 3D doesn’t help. It all becomes a big mess and I just have to wait until the fight’s over and if the idiot sitting behind me is cheering then I know the Autobots won.

When it comes to remaking childhood cartoons into big budget films it’s never a sure bet. Transformers never really translated well from what I remember watching and reading as a child into what Michael Bay put on the big screen and I don’t really blame him, it’s just a type of story that people can’t really relate to anymore. We are surrounded by technology on a daily basis and artificial intelligence doesn’t seem like such a foreign concept but there was a time when that idea only existed in comics and cartoons and that was what the Transformers were to me in the 80′s. They represented what the future was going to be like for a kid who didn’t even have a color TV until he was in his teens and didn’t own a computer until he was in his twenties. For the teens of today who are inundated with technology on a daily basis, this movie is made for you. Me, I’ll stick with my comics and my old cartoons and do my best to forget what a mess was made of a story that I once believed could have been our future.

BackStab for iPhone
By: Gameloft
Price: $6.99

In Gameloft’s BackStab, the gamer becomes Henry Blake, an officer in the Royal Navy currently battling the Spaniards. Immediately thrust into battle, the beginning of the game gives a good tutorial in moving and battling with your new found hero. Armed with only a sword at first you thrust and slash your way through enemies, even sparring sword to sword with them in defense. You are tutored through your companion Kane, who you follow throughout the beginning levels. The missions involve multiple weapons including cannons and pistols, all which allow for a slow reloading time, giving it more of the period feel. You can aim at targets at a distance and are even challanged with adjusting for moving enemies.

The controls are very well done, giving you the feel of a console version, complete with analog stick control and attack buttons. I especially liked that that the analog button was able to be moved depending on your thumb’s placement. This made for less mistakes when moving the character around the world. The graphics are definitely Gameloft’s best, with the opening sequence a beautiful scene to watch. The world is 3D and as you move Blake you are able to adjust the camera. Though this is a nice touch, sometimes the camera angle would would cause you to fall if it wasn’t placed right. The option of an automatic follow for the camera, or at least a way to center it behind the character would have been helpful. There are a few other gliches with the geometry of the levels and some characters floating in air, but nothing that messed with the actual gameplay.

As the storyline progresses Blake finds out his buddy Kane has flipped sides, thus the name BackStab, and Blake is captured and imprisoned. On his day of his execution he is rescued by a busty heiress and escapes. Once back in his hometown, Blake changes his appearance and becomes a rogue killer seeking revenge. The story is basic but a good one to layer gameplay on. Once in the town the world is open and Blake is free to roam around, buying goods, weapons, houses – or even getting frisky with the ladies of the night. Though be careful, not all characters are as they seem and will rob you at the drop of a hat! The open world is very familiar bringing back all the enjoyment of a Grand Theft Auto type game with the freshness of a new time period and storyline. It makes for excellent replay value as there is always more to discover. At the price of just $6.99, BackStab is a great value and is sure to keep you coming back for more.

Rating: 4/5

Splashtop Remote Desktop for iPhone
By: Splashtop Inc
Price: $1.99

Junkies, the land of iOS is a vast and beautiful one, we can all agree. It definitely has quite a lot of strengths. But like anything else, there are some weaknesses. For one, the lack of Flash ability. Now I know, or I keep hearing, that Flash is on it’s way out, but there are still so many that use it. Much of the sites that do are still very popular. There’s nothing I hate more than to click a link for a video on my iPhone only for the error that it is not compatible. Now there have been a few apps that have tackled this problem in the form of a browser, but my favorite multi-function app that tackles this problem and several others is Splashtop Remote Desktop.

The Splashtop Remote Desktop app works with Splashtop Remote software to give you access to your computer remotely. This allows you to access your computer from a totally different location, whether it be for a file you left for work or to watch Hulu from your computer’s browser. You can also listen to music and run your programs such as Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc. Work on anything right from your phone! The best part is that it will do this on not only WiFi, but 3G and 4G as well! Just sign in with a GMail account to use the internet to discover your computer.

The setup is minimal and super easy. Download the software for your version of Windows or Mac and then the app from the app store. Once the software is running and app is configured you are off and running. Now the software must be running and your computer be on for you to gain access, but when you do, it works really well. There are built in touch control shortcuts for scrolling, drag and drop and right click. There is also a little button in the bottom right corner to bring up the keyboard. It is so simple and works exactly as advertised. I also think it works great if you’re one of those that use your computer as and entertainment center. It gives you a true universal remote to play your internet videos and music.

Now the description for this app does say that it streams “smooth, high-res video and audio”. I had no trouble hearing and understanding any audio for sure, and I could type in Hulu and definitely watch a video. Was it smooth? Not exactly. Now maybe if you have movies stored on your computer, running them would be easiest as you would be using the computer to process, but the buffering made the online videos lag. Of course this all depends on your network and process speed of your computer and Splashtop does recommend a computer with dual-core CPU for best performance. With the right hardware this app could definitely make the iPad a definite multimedia dream.

Overall Splashtop Remote Desktop is a great multi-task app that anyone could find useful for a number of reasons. Get it now as they celebrate their #1 app status in 49+ countries and have knocked the price from $4.99 to $1.99! Splashtop also comes in iPad and Android versions, all which are also on sale. Junkies, add it to your collection and never be more than a click away from your home PC.

Rating: 4/5

I am not a fan of the Green Lantern Comic. I don’t really dig the superhero ethos and I find the DC Universe that the Green Lantern Corp exists in a bit confusing and at times even a bit overwhelming (after all it does contain over 7200 members). I know they are not all featured but they do tend to get in the way when it comes time to tell a good story. All of this plays a major role in the main reason I was not exactly excited to see Green Lantern. The trailers didn’t exactly blow me away and the general lack of interest on my own part mixed with the fact that early review were trashing this movie from top to bottom certainly left me with a bit of trepidation regarding Hal Jordan’s big screen adventure. What I found was a movie that was somewhere in the middle of high expectations (from others not me) and the worst of the worst reviews that have been going around. Green Lantern is a middle of the road super hero movie that at times delivers some nice action-adventure style entertainment, but generally failed to keep my interest due to two of the weakest super villains I’ve ever seen as well as a script that seemed more interested in establishing Ryan Reynolds as a ladies man with daddy issues than a superhero worthy of wearing the ring of the Green Lantern Corp.

The story is a familiar one, Hal Jordan is a cocksure test pilot/ full time jerk who is struggling to follow in his father’s footsteps. He’s constantly pushing himself to the limit to live up to the legacy left for him by his dead father but is secretly scared to death of failing to live that standard. At his lowest moment he is chosen by a dying alien to become his replacement in the Green Lantern Corp. He ultimately must prove to himself and to the other Green Lanterns that he is worthy of the ring as well as capable of saving us all from the evil Parallax who (suprise) feeds on fear.

Yes it’s as garbled and convoluted as it sounds. At times I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on as there were huge chunks of the movie that were apparently cut to get this movie down to a reasonable (watchable) time. There seemed to be huge leaps in logic that got Hal Jordan from point A to point B plot wise but left me completely confused. How did he learn the Green Lantern Oath? One moment he’s stammering like an idiot trying every oath he can  remember from the Boy Scouts oath to the pledge of allegiance before suddenly knowing exactly what to say to gain his powers. Did the lantern tell him what to say? And how did he know what the lantern actually did? No one told him it charged the ring, so how did he know? It’s things like this that ultimately drove me crazy throughout this entire movie.

Let’s talk about villains. Villains are what make the superhero world go around. Every good guy has to have a bad guy to go against. The bad guys in this movie were a giant blob from space named Parallax who’s only actual menace to Hal Jordan was taken care of in about four minutes of actual screen time and Hector Hammond, a brain damaged scientist with daddy issues as well who becomes posses by Parallax and grows a giant head. He presented little to no danger to Hal Jordan as their big show down toward the end of the movie actually took place with Hammond in a wheel chair. In the end, he was actually outsmarted by Hal Jordan. Let that sink in. Hector Hammond, the gifted yet misunderstood scientist with telekenitic powers who grew a giant brain so large that he couldn’t walk any more was out smarted by Hal Jordan. Ryan Reynolds outsmarted Peter Sarsgaard. Never in a million years would I believe this possible.

Don’t get me wrong about Ryan Reynolds, he was by far the best thing in this movie. He played the love ‘em and leave ‘em fighter pilot as well as anyone has since Tom Cruise in Top Gun. He does a decent job portraying the struggling super hero who has the weight of the world thrust on his broad shoulders as well as Chris Hemsworth in Thor did, but both these guys fell trap to a far bigger problem than super villains and that villain is a weak script. In Warner Brothers’ eyes this movie was a throwaway. It’s an opportunity to establish Reynolds as the new Green Lantern, then throw him into the mix in the forthcoming Justice League movie and hope that surrounding him with other actors and a bigger story will make people forget about everything that stunk in this movie. Well Warner, you’ve done exactly that because 2 years from now no one will remember this movie. Hell, there isn’t a scene in this movie that probably won’t be forgotten the moment the opening credits roll for Captain America.

If you’re looking to be entertained this weekend skip this one and go see Super 8, or if you really want to see a superhero movie that will stay with you  seek out James Gunn’s Super. It will still be talked about years after this movie is long forgotten.

TweetDeck for iPhone
By: TweetDeck, Inc
Price: FREE!

Hello again Junkies! Now if you didn’t already know this about me, I’m not only a self proclaimed App Junkie, but a total social media addict. Twitter has begun to consume my life, and if you are an avid user, you know what I’m talking about. (Follow me @brihannajoi btw). I am always on the search for the perfect Twitter app. Previously, I have recommended HootSuite. While it is abundantly adequate, I find it is better for business than for personal. And though I use several apps just for Twitter, my most used is definitely TweetDeck.

TweetDeck was acquired by Twitter in late May of this year. Right before this there was a major update. The new update rebuilt TweetDeck from the ground up. You can set up TweetDeck with an existing account or simply sign in with Facebook or Twitter and get started. The sleek dark colored dashboard has all features supported by Twitter including: Update, Retweet –both styles, Favorites, Mentions, Direct Messaging and Searching. You can add multiple Twitter accounts and update them simultaneously and switch between them easily.

The thing that differentiates TweetDeck from the competitors for me is the personalized navigation. TweetDeck allows you to create columns of content, any content, whether it be within your Twitter profile or someone else’s that you frequently visit. You can have as many or few columns as you like, and if you have multiple accounts, this makes checking them all so much simpler. Just pinch columns to change settings, and to add to that simplicity, you can also add your Facebook stream. The Home column stitches the two together where you can check all your updates in one place. Before TweetDeck I had only one app that did this, and I won’t mention it because it didn’t do it well. I especially love that you can retweet updates to your Facebook profile. I always hated having to link the two accounts and this makes things much easier.

One feature I have seen complaints on was swiping from left to right to see additional information. I happen to love this design.  It may be a bit of a hassle to swipe all the way back after digging into someone’s profile, but it’s no worse than Twitter’s classic app and having to button click in and out of everything. TweetDeck also includes Deck.ly support for longer tweets, autocomplete for @mentions and link shortening using j.mp.

TweetDeck is all about the Twitter user experience, that means customization, organization and personalization. It is truly a super powered mobile app that compliments its desktop counterpart and I am sure with it being a new addition to the Twitter organization, it can only get better from here.

RATING: 5/5

George, a lonely and fatalistic teen who’s made it all the way to his senior year without ever having done a real day of work, is befriended by Sally, a popular but complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit.

Director:
Gavin Wiesen
Writer:
Gavin Wiesen
Stars:
Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts and Michael Angarano

I am a sucker for these kind of movies, the loser ultimately gets the girl. I think its because I really wanted to see that happen to me in high school.. All in all “The Art of Getting By” found a way just to get by..   One of the good things the studio did was schedule its press screening the day before the Green Lantern screening.  It made me almost forget what I hated and liked about it completely.

I did find it entertaining at times but very predictable and formulaic. Which I cant hold against them, over the course of my career and working here at The Noob News, I feel that the studio makes all creatives fit into this mold of mediocrity. I can say that it was shot very well. Ben Kutchins did a great job of shooting this film. The visual texture, depth, and emotion kept me in this film. Not to pull anything away from the writing and acting.

Freddie Highmore did a great job of showing emotion and filling the shoes of the typical lazy kid that is whipped into shape by the normal struggles of life. Its nice to see even rich kids have problems too sometimes. I just hate seeing movies where teens talk like a 30 year old Brown graduate with a degree in creative writing. I mean yeah they are kids in a prep school in New York so I guess they should be smart, but come on… I am just lost in the teen culture of New York City, there are several scenes that these “teens” are drinking and openly have beers, champagne, or shots at a bar or club.. Did I miss something when I was growing up? I had to either sit outside of the grocery store and bribe someone to buy us beers or pay double at the bootlegger that sold us warm Milwaukee’s Best. I just found it a little unbelievable, which always pulls me out of a movie quick. I was expecting a better movie after seeing the trailer.

Dont get me wrong, your girlfriend or wife will love it.. I just have to say, if you have seen the trailer, you’ve basically see the best of the movie.. Definitely a must wait, until Netflix or Redbox..

2 Stars out of 5