Right now, Grand Theft Auto IV is having its midnight launch of the US East Coast (the time zone that matters). I never preorder games anymore, unless there’s an awesome free bonus. I still have little doubt I’ll be able to walk into Best Buy tomorrow morning and pick up a copy for my 360. I’ll check both Best Buys that are on the way to class. If that doesn’t turn out well…I guess I’ll check Walmart or something. I really do not expect such drastic measures. I even put a month GAF ban on it.

The reviews GTA IV is getting are absolutely off the charts. Pretty much the most lavishly praised game since The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, perhaps even more so. I just felt like typing that whole title out for once. I’m getting caught in the hype at the last minute, like with Halo 3. And with both series, the last iteration really didn’t do much for me. But somehow I’m sure that GTA IV won’t disappoint like Halo 3. And there’s no game coming out analogous that could overshadow GTA IV the way Call of Duty 4 showed up Halo 3 by releasing around the same time.

This upcoming weekend there is the release of Iron Man and Redbelt. (And I didn’t even realize until today that Harold and Kumar 2 was released last Friday). The former is probably known by everyone, and I’m pretty sure it will rock, if only due to Robert Downey Jr. being the star. And the special effects don’t look too bad either. Redbelt is written by David Mamet and revolves around MMA. That’s enough to get me to want to see it. In case you are unaware, Mamet wrote Glengarry Glen Ross. That’s all you need to know.

Last but not least, there was SUPPOSED to be a new The Dark Knight trailer virally leaked today, but it never surfaced, unfortunately. I think Warner Bros. was just messing with fans. Talk about blue balls. My anticipation of that movie has been much greater than that for GTA IV. Still over two and a half months away. ARGH. But hopefully by the end of the week, it will be on the internets.

Of course, this whole post will be wrong if I am not hired. But at least I’ll have GTA IV. Hopefully.