| 'Mario Galaxy' shoots for the stars; 'Assassin's Creed' falls a bit ...
Princess Peach wants to see Mario, only the dastardly Bowser comes along and kidnaps her. This time, however, he uses a UFO to pick up the entire castle. Mario, clinging to the edges, gets taken into space and given the boot.When he awakens, Mario is in the presence of Princess Roselina, the guardian of the gate to the heavens, who wants Mario to recover the stars that Bowser stole to pull off his Peach heist. She grants him some star powers of his own to do it.Personally, I think Mario would be better off with Roselina than Peach; at least she isn't constantly getting kidnapped.Anyway, what follows is a game so full of originality and fantastic level design that players will be hard-pressed to find a platformer that does it better.Each galaxy Mario visits is unique, and each planet within each galaxy is different than the one before it.By planet, I mean semi-large spheres.
Wild Card/Vacation Day 11 of 12
Only two more shopping days until I return to the final days of the City Council campaigns. Then, we'll have fun taking apart the campaigns. Any dirt yet? Any mudslinging. You know, the good stuff. Or is everyone behaving? My wife is now looking over my shoulder -- literally -- so I have to pretend that I'm just checking ball scores. See ya in two days. Here's Wild Card ... .
Critics peek inside Oscar
If the past few years (or the past few decades) are any indication, trying to predict who will get a nod is like trying to predict Kevin Federline's musical career.So this year, Fresno Bee movie critics Donald Munro and Rick Bentley are taking a different approach. Their lists are the actors and films that they would honor if they were selecting those to get the Oscar nods. Here's how they would hand out the 2008 Academy Award nominations.Donald Munro's picksBest picture"Hairspray": The feel-good movie of the year, perfectly pitched and so giddy in its forward momentum and cheery social message that you'll be dancing out of the theater."No Country for Old Men": It captures the Wild West tinge of underlying violence that boosted the United States in its early days and to an extent still forms the framework of our society: a country of wide-open spaces, boundless opportunities and a chilling tendency toward taking what you can get."Once": A perfect little musical love story about a struggling Irish songwriter, this low-budget charmer has the best soundtrack of the year."Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street": This pared-down version of the Broadway musical is so bloody economical that the film achieves an amazing double whammy: It gives you the chills and makes you sing at the same time."Into the Wild": Sean Penn's adaptation of the Jon Krakauer book about a young man (Emile Hirsch) who naively challenges the Alaska wilderness is a taut, superbly told and ferociously filmed adventure.Best actorJohnny Depp, "Sweeney Todd": He's a cut above, no doubt about it.Chris Cooper, "Breach": A clenched and compelling performance as a traitorous FBI officer who shrouds much of himself -- motivations, back story, moral center -- and yet keeps offering intimate glimpses.Don Cheadle, "Talk to Me": An endearing and moving performance from an actor who captures the charisma of a born entertainer.Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood": Among the most chilling personifications of evil ever portrayed on the big screen.
News Minute: Hillary wins Nevada...McCain takes S.C....NFL ...
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - John McCain flies to Florida today hoping to follow-up on his big win yesterday in the South Carolina primary. McCain beat out Mike Huckabee. The Arizona senator is stopping short of calling himself the GOP front-runner, saying he likes to "run from behind." THE VILLAGES, Fla. (AP) - Republican Rudy Giuliani has been on the ground in Florida for weeks pressing for votes, now he'll have some company. The GOP contenders are converging on the state in anticipation of the crucial January 29th GOP primary. Giuliani says he's been "waiting" to take on the competition. LOS ANGELES (AP) - TV sitcom star Suzanne Pleshette has died. She was 70. Pleshette played Bob Newhart's wife on "The Bob Newhart Show" in the 1970s. The husky-voiced actress also starred on Broadway and in the movies.
Jeff Thelen's Blog
Hi everybody. I'm back from really slacking off from the blog over the holidays. This week, it's just a few random thoughts. How many people are sick at your home, office or school? Seems like everyone in this newsroom is fighting some sort of bug right now. My symptoms are a sore throat, tiredness and aches and pains. I have no congestion, but my nose only runs at night. Wierd, isn't it? Alison Struve blows her nose so much she sounds like a foghorn. Stephanie Luisier and chief photographer Randy Bise both have that "sick sound" when they talk. Was it just me or did the Badgers seem a little unfocused and unprepared for their bowl game? Perhaps it's the long layoff between their last regular season game and the contest on January 1. It was a sort of a fun game to watch, even if it was rather sloppily played.
Mail | What readers are saying
The worst thing the Mariners could do besides trading Ichiro is trade Adam Jones. He has the opportunity to become a phenom, a present-day Ken Griffey ("Keeping Jones is Mariners' best move — for now and future," The Seattle Times, Jan. 17). This young kid has the potential to have Hall of Fame numbers. At just 22 and starting for an American League contender, this kid is soon to be the face of the Seattle Mariners. Trading him for a pitcher that half of the Seattle area has never heard of is absurd. Jones still has at least 12 good years in him, and he is not even close to hitting his prime. The Mariners are infamous for signing big names, and those same big names becoming duds in the Seattle uniform. We have a good thing in Adam Jones. Don't blow it! — Tony Reavis, Covington Ramirez no answer Well, the Mariners should finally be set for 2008.
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