April 2007
The Archives
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Movies
MOVIES: The Summer Movie Season
One of my favorite times of the year is the Summer Movie Season. Growing up it was always an excursion to the nearest movie theater (usually on post) to catch the latest and the greatest. Some of my fondest childhood memories were my father taking his kids to watch the movies. I’ve been a summer movie nut ever since.
I still prefer watching movies the old fashioned way: in the theaters. Sure, you get those who insist on talking on the phone during the movie, the people who insist on holding conversations, and in one case, the guy who snores so loud the whole theater can hear him (true story). But there are those times when you get in, get in with a good crowd who are really into the movie. It’s fun when the entire theatre cheers at a movie’s high points, and if the movie was really good, there’s a standing ovation at the end.
Here’s a list of stuff that’s coming up, for all those interested. I put a lot of filler movies in just to catch all the weekends, but generally if I’m interested in it, it’s on this list. This list will most likely change before the season is out. The movies I marked blue are the ones I’m particularly excited about.
My biggest disappointment? Nothing I’m interested in is coming out on my birthday! Oh, well…
May 4
Spider-Man 3
May 11
28 Weeks Later
May 18
Shrek the Third
May 25
Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At Worlds EndJune 1
Knocked Up
Gracie
Mr. Brooks
June 8
Hostel II
Ocean’s 13
June 15
Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer
June 22
Evan Almighty
Black SheepJune 27
Live Free or Die Hard
Ratatouille
July 4
TransformersJul 13
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
1408
July 20
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
Hairspray
Jul 27
The Simpsons MovieAug 3
The Bourne Ultimatum
Underdog
Aug 10
Rush Hour 3
Stardust
Aug 17
The Invasion
Aug 24
The Last Legion
One Missed Call
Aug 31
Halloween -
General
GENERAL: To Write Or Not To Write
I’ve been reading a lot of backlash lately about traditional writers insisting that anything put up on the web is not “real” writing. I’ve also been reading online, rather absurdly, that anyone who puts their stuff on the web for free are not “real” writers, since they’re not being paid and the free stuff cuts into the market of the “real writers.” Why the backlash?
Writing on the internet is writing in its most raw form. It’s not perfect, but nothing ever is. You do get the hacks, who can deal out endless tirades of junk that really has nothing to do with nothing except self-glorification. Then there are those who put up propaganda, and those who just write just to write. Then there are those who brilliantly craft words into paragraphs into pure works of art, the real undiscovered talents. Maybe these are the ones that the “real writers” fear, those whose raw talents will one day take over their space. And they’re doing it for next to nothing, and have a wider audience.
You’d think that all writers would embrace the internet as a new way to get their material out there. You do reach a huge audience: an international one. You can get your stuff up quickly and painlessly, cutting out any major publishers. You can put out the material you want with out an editor hacking out the pieces they don’t like because, in their opinion, the book won’t sell. You can put out endless amounts of material: hard drive space is relatively inexpensive nowadays, and there’s plenty to go around. You can even get paid for it through donations or well placed ads (there’s an idea that no one’s thinking about- placing ads alongside your stories. Come on people get to it!) You can even get instant feedback about what you’re putting up. Current copyright laws even protect your work- if it’s up, and on the internet, its copywritten. So, what’s the fuss again?
I’m not a writer (most would agree), I consider myself a comic-book guy (some would argue this point). I do notice that the comic book community is openly embracing the Internet rather than lashing out against it. I’ve not found a comic professional who is anti-internet yet, most comic professionals embrace it because it’s a good way to promote your work and get in touch with their fan base. Fans eat this stuff up because before they couldn’t directly connect with their favorite creators (besides going to the conventions), and now many are just a mouse click away. The point is, we, as fans get it. And the creators, even their companies, get it too.
So internet writers, bloggers, what have you, keep it up. You have a big fan in me. You have bigger fans out there, just waiting to eat up your work. Who cares what the traditionalists say- keeping your work offline is a greater offense than not putting your work out at all.
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Video Games
GAMES: Marvel Trading Card Game (PSP)
I’ve been clocking a lot of time with this one, so I figured I’d do a write up because of the negative reviews this one has been getting.
I was a fan of the Vs System card game from Upper Deck. I think I have a deck buried somewhere in my things. The problem was I never had anyone to play with. Most of my friends were into role playing games, never really being into card games. Rather than spending time with card games we’d play RPG’s instead. But still this game fascinated me, and I collected a few cards before I abandoned the idea of ever getting anyone interested in it.
I was pretty excited to learn that there was a PSP game in the works. At last, I could finally play the game with someone! (even if it was an “artificial” someone.) Of course, I couldn’t use the deck I bought and built, but still I wouldn’t have to pay for anything else- just the price of the game.
This game is definitely for the fan, since the mechanics can get a bit complex. I had to re-read some of the rules from the original box set to get a fell of the game mechanics again. The game’s built in tutorials included are adequate, but I never really learned the rules until I used the box set’s manual. Then I went back over the tutorials, and figured out how to play the game again.
The controls are clunky. You sometimes forget where the cursor is and have to move it around to see where it is. Sometimes you may end up hitting buttons you don’t intend to, which is problematic when you make a move you didn’t intend to (like pass a phase), and there is no take back especially when the computer begins its phase. This forces you to make sure you’re paying attention to who’s doing what, but I would’ve liked a “take back” feature included until you got used to the controls, or at least a better control scheme.
The game looks okay, after all it is a card game shrunk down to the size of a PSP. It’s not too difficult to follow once you get the hang of things. I do wish the artwork on the cards was a bit clearer, but I take it they had to save space on the UMD by downgrading the quality of the images. Not a huge strike against it, but still nothing to entice you to want to play the game. Also, to read the text on the cards requires you to move the thumbstick. Nothing major, but it is a good idea to read the entire card being played so you can figure out the effects during gameplay, and how and when to use the card.
Now to the “actually playing the game” part. It can be frustrating at times because of the controls. Once you get the hang of it the game can be a blast. The computer plays a decent game (I’m guessing) but there is that random factor about which cards come into play, so if you looking for more strategy you may be disappointed. Once you can figure out what the your opponent has in his deck (usually by losing, yelling at the PSP then chucking the UMD across the room…oh, wait, that’s just what I do), you can formulate a good enough strategy to and build a decent enough deck to beat him into submission. Once again, that randomness factor still comes into play, so if you’re looking for that pure strategy game look elsewhere.
Overall, this is a pretty decent game, and it has me hooked. I have to stress: if you are not a fan of either Marvel Comics, card games, or the Vs System, your money may be better spent elsewhere. The price point is decent ($29.99 in some stores). But if you think you are up for it, rent before you buy is a good option.
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General
GENERAL: April Fools Day
April Fools Day: the day when all the pranksters and closet pranksters come out and play. Online it’s a party of fake stories and online items that’ll never see the light of day. Last years favorite: the My Little Pony RPG from Wizards of the Coast (so funny, in fact that Slashdot now has a “omgponies!” tag to their article) and the 1UP mushroom from ThinkGeek.
This years pranks don’t quite measure up to last year’s but some of my favorites include:
The Wiimote Helmet
Woot!’s deal of the day: $1,000,001 worth of random crap (immediately sold out and there were three available)
WOTC’s remote-controlled Beholder
The Secret Identity Podcast announcement that issue 55 would be their last show (so deadpan its delivery that I almost erased their feed from my podacatcher!)
Google’s ‘commode-based router’ and their new ‘GMail paper’
A lot of these may still be online. Have fun looking them up. See you next year!
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TV
TV: Battlestar Galactica Season Finale
I’m a week behind Battlestar Galactica this week, so this review is a little late, however…
SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t seen the Season Finale, then you’re like me, behind. STOP READING HERE!
Holy smokes. Talk about an intense episode. It wasn’t plodding like this week’s Lost (in which they introduced two “new” characters which they promptly killed. Ehh, they promised someone would die soon in this episode, but IT WASN’T ANY OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS! What a cop-out).
There have been a lot of complaints about this season, but I’m still a fan, I like a lot of the meat they’ve been adding to the characters (that and I listen to the podcast, so I know the difficulty they’ve been having writing a lot of the ideas they want into the show, so it’s easier for me to forgive them with this insight) Although some of this season has been “what’s-the-point-of-getting-them-off-New-Caprica-when-they’re-pretty much-back-to-where-they-started” some of the stuff has been pretty good me-screaming-at-the-television stuff.
First off, the trial of Baltar was going on, and I had some interest in it, just to see where it was going and how Lee and his father were going up against each other. Somehow, you knew Baltar would get off scott-free, but true to form, he was smug about it- which made me like him even less (not a negative “hate”, but sort of the kind of character you love to hate). Put in a corner once again, Baltar prevails.
Then the really cool stuff started happening. The Cylons streamed in for the kill, Lee climbed back in the pilot’s seat, after giving up his wings because of his conflict with his dad.
While all this was happening, they revealed who the Cylons were. Yep, Cylons- plural. When you thought they were going to just slowly and painfully reveal the final five one at a time- they revealed four of them -and it was a shocker! Talk about glued to my TV. This also leaves room for the “final” Cylon reveal, which makes you salivate for next season.
Finally, during the “almost” battle, Apollo drops out of formation because some is behind him, and it’s revealed that it’s the thought to be dead Kara. No big shocker (I thought she would be one of the Cylons), but she reveals she’s been to Earth, and she’s going to lead the fleet there.
The final shot showed Earth, although still far away, it seemed that the fleet was definitely closing in on it.
Overall, the last few moments of the show made it worth the price of admission. I really can’t wait until 2008 now!
