tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56609831564850904172023-11-16T03:38:39.194-08:00The Random Things Floating Around In The Grey Spaces Of My SkullAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-70560474414891875742015-07-24T15:57:00.001-07:002015-07-24T15:57:08.863-07:00National Tequila Day | La Patria Shot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBoZAl_E5USirktf-VcZZJlH2SZY23CKWtaNy6sJKraUE0X_ym0ZOWqRsHtVBzy014r5fBVR72tTBiWA2X39R1l2-hXq95kpjU_LqXny4guv2ykxx0b3vops4-eQ1Ucoh_A8aqt0YYNYr/s1600/Patron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBoZAl_E5USirktf-VcZZJlH2SZY23CKWtaNy6sJKraUE0X_ym0ZOWqRsHtVBzy014r5fBVR72tTBiWA2X39R1l2-hXq95kpjU_LqXny4guv2ykxx0b3vops4-eQ1Ucoh_A8aqt0YYNYr/s640/Patron.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
In honor of National Tequila Day I give you <b><i>La Patria</i></b>:<br />
<br />
Line up multiple shot glasses<br />
<br />
Fill each one with a full shot of each of these shots:<br />
<br />
1 Shot - Patron Silver<br />
1 Shot - Patron Reposado<br />
1 Shot - Patron Anejo<br />
1 Shot - XO Cafe<br />
1 Shot - XO Cafe Dark Cocoa<br />
1 Shot - Kahlua infused Mexican Chiapas Coffee<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcaUpAB7GpBXWU_QYSjHi-jBevpl6pQLKSGogmHGZhZPVv2gfR40T_T8c5OfDqbrrZy9b5rB2y_v21E1mhVkAgB2xmbDEmDSaaCPBMHrkzSX5twZc_YyVl1cmSSjxR6DrXRiVH-L9DlEfM/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcaUpAB7GpBXWU_QYSjHi-jBevpl6pQLKSGogmHGZhZPVv2gfR40T_T8c5OfDqbrrZy9b5rB2y_v21E1mhVkAgB2xmbDEmDSaaCPBMHrkzSX5twZc_YyVl1cmSSjxR6DrXRiVH-L9DlEfM/s640/8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Now only take these if you have high tolerance for alcohol, are used to drinking shots, have had a meal and are generally well hydrated. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
with a group of your friends, make a toast to your families, and then all of you shoot your shots one at a time until they are all gone. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This is <b><i>La Patria Shot</i></b>. Shots rather...<br /><br />
Drink responsibly!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-39494248717092014742015-07-06T09:27:00.003-07:002015-07-06T09:27:36.639-07:00Random Reasons Your Hands Are Tainted By Vagina, Ass, Cock, And Balls.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlClWaQg-MuHTf5W_T1TqIJp_ytRd4WrOPt0rggz2Uk9bZngjOaoQkp3zWhhkYafhCdLw9lEeqYE2Ds1dk9umtl_K-xhzbL3aFqhZkaNHteZp7bYlZHSjU6vC2DnQ7xL-fwCNDiMrWkFY/s1600/Strippers-Dollars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlClWaQg-MuHTf5W_T1TqIJp_ytRd4WrOPt0rggz2Uk9bZngjOaoQkp3zWhhkYafhCdLw9lEeqYE2Ds1dk9umtl_K-xhzbL3aFqhZkaNHteZp7bYlZHSjU6vC2DnQ7xL-fwCNDiMrWkFY/s1600/Strippers-Dollars.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
I had another random thought recently, of the many I usually have, seemingly worse than the one I had while in a haze this past week regarding the use of the term "For Mother Russia!". The title of this blog entry should give it away but I'll elaborate.<br />
<br />
I challenge anyone reading this to handle some of their money and hopefully come out unsullied. Why? Follow me down the rabbit hole and I'll explain.<br />
<br />
The average dollar amount normal Americans carry at any one time is roughly $15 dollars in cash.<br />
<br />
Usually, at least $4-8 of it is in dollar bills.<br />
<br />
Now if you consider how many strip clubs exist in any normal city, you're looking at an average of 35 per large city and from there an average of 50 girls per location. Generally dancing every 4-5 minutes throughout a 12 to 18 hour period of time--7 days a week. The average girl making $200 a day in tips, the above average girls somewhere in the vicinity of $500-1000 a day and headliners bringing in inordinate sums.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87jR6yJ4xVfTAfdTlqlrSYW4nIiHb5bKQqH48WP9ZDoMYaIexUOPIYWuuz7_9YlnQnPDUKMvQfO7PEicYZyKG_bCGO6MkY1z-1v3_blFXlPoi_HA0LQXs3sVv4PeBJLtLP4yqJmFwJMxq/s1600/Strippers-Dollars_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87jR6yJ4xVfTAfdTlqlrSYW4nIiHb5bKQqH48WP9ZDoMYaIexUOPIYWuuz7_9YlnQnPDUKMvQfO7PEicYZyKG_bCGO6MkY1z-1v3_blFXlPoi_HA0LQXs3sVv4PeBJLtLP4yqJmFwJMxq/s1600/Strippers-Dollars_2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
So let's take that and come to a basic ballpark figure. Presuming that a modest number of only 10 girls work a shift with overlap you'd get roughly $4000-6000 dollars made in tips per 16-18 hour day.<br />
<br />
Regardless of who is taking that money home those are usually dollars stuffed in vagina's and ass cracks. Yes I know, a crude and vulgar explanation--I want the message to be formed into a solid wrinkle in your brain.<br />
<br />
Do the same math for locations with male revues, where woman tend to spend more, the average is roughly $5000-10000 per day. So much for equality right?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6UcE4HdELEG2E2rCjQSrYUfjy1z7he25XUHdgha9rA0Mg0dbkxB8eHgXNQd8i3k3iVVUDCDLPEhBinGe0CON8-3uDFOS_Se6Lx2JFbxRySmycrISGrUAu-tUxjA620riwK6iWBrJRhie/s1600/magic-mike-for-jennifer-garner-strip-club-show-doodle__oPt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6UcE4HdELEG2E2rCjQSrYUfjy1z7he25XUHdgha9rA0Mg0dbkxB8eHgXNQd8i3k3iVVUDCDLPEhBinGe0CON8-3uDFOS_Se6Lx2JFbxRySmycrISGrUAu-tUxjA620riwK6iWBrJRhie/s1600/magic-mike-for-jennifer-garner-strip-club-show-doodle__oPt.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Now, take those average numbers and apply it to the 35 average clubs in any major city. and you get an average of $175,000 per establishment with women and somewhere in the same ball park for men--which have less clubs and less male dancers to showcase by comparison.<br />
<br />
Take all of this into account and realize that there are (somewhere in the vicinity of) $300,000 dollars a day getting recirculated into the city in many forms. Banks, retail expenses, rent, gas stations, bar tabs, and any number of other places money exchanges hands and eventually back into the hands of the people who live there. Even if we try and recognize that any money hitting banks is likely sent elsewhere, we can theorize a statistical amount of money coming into any city from elsewhere stained by similar means. So for now, we'll keep it simple and state that the money we're talking about is roughly remaining in the same city.<br />
<br />
If the frightening thought has yet to enter your mind. Consider that if you live in Miami these numbers are exceptionally modest. The chances that the dollar bills you have in your very wallet right now may have been clutched in the sweaty cheeks of a male stripper or in the sweat-pole swept vagina's of random strippers are very high--if not almost a certainty.<br />
<br />
If I take account of this average across a 7 day period, we're looking at roughly $2.1 Million circulated from this industry, gained from the clutches of sweaty genitals before going back into our economy. According to Miami Census numbers as of 2014--Miami has 2,662,874 Million people. That's roughly 1 dollar per person in the city (actually it's $.79 but let's round up for fun). If we consider, or attempt to consider location density as an indicator of where this money is generally spent and where it likely goes, the average is closer to $8 per person living in the vicinity of Miami Springs all the way to Miami Shores.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjq1X3DV13eM9iXPUaGS5i_5OsDYmqM36a9jxieam3ak_-BHXrr58FFE8ENyY7UFwvFE_tsWHtvBoMNGRqildb1Fr4xng_jYXOoGQN0cKFAQvBNgbWaeYaqEwED-HWQVFBDXxYQMDceQ0/s1600/Strippers-Dollars_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjq1X3DV13eM9iXPUaGS5i_5OsDYmqM36a9jxieam3ak_-BHXrr58FFE8ENyY7UFwvFE_tsWHtvBoMNGRqildb1Fr4xng_jYXOoGQN0cKFAQvBNgbWaeYaqEwED-HWQVFBDXxYQMDceQ0/s1600/Strippers-Dollars_3.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
That's a scary thought!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00yiffBQn70QASUvUSsBYJlqiBvpOISq9KM9ngqn7p8PlLnnQtpwHNHIzq3SEg_5_8D9ccjL5kKuxVXZuefVQNsv2AI8GeVhmihkLKYIkA_wi8wRrztfuhNS_v0wb3LZJQZja4u2vek4a/s1600/Strippers-Dollars_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00yiffBQn70QASUvUSsBYJlqiBvpOISq9KM9ngqn7p8PlLnnQtpwHNHIzq3SEg_5_8D9ccjL5kKuxVXZuefVQNsv2AI8GeVhmihkLKYIkA_wi8wRrztfuhNS_v0wb3LZJQZja4u2vek4a/s400/Strippers-Dollars_4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Nevermind, the thought of my money having run through the thighs of Tila Tequila is a far scarier thought...</div>
<br />
<br />
So, I return to my original challenge. Handle some of the money, right now, in your wallets, and then get a cotton swab of your hands. I wouldn't begin to imagine how varied the cultures coming from these swabs will be. But you will likely find dead bacteria and viral strains, that can't live for long periods of time airborne, being feasted upon by hordes of staph bacteria, which through a wonderful property in biology, Griffith Law, take on traits of the dead organisms it feeds upon. Who knows what else one might find!?<br />
<br />
Considering that the issues in this city for <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article1977993.html" target="_blank">rampant sexually transmitted disease is enormous</a>, and on the rise, I'm quite content that I usually don't carry cash on me and prefer to use cards where possible.<br />
<br />
Tainted love? More like Tainted Bills from Tainted Balls...There is my #Random thought for the week.<br />
<br />
What #Random thoughts are carrying around in your heads? Comment here, on Facebook, or on twitter.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-43228617650125549112015-01-22T14:40:00.003-08:002015-01-22T14:41:39.161-08:004 More Years! ...Wait, I'm talking about my Alienware!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggh1CZttEJ1S8ROmZ1Zr40nJ_pqavi5UpOnivT4zYTnoKnLImDuvEArYM3TgfZ64ERsoVIGn0XF7lD5jvcOEWa0ogItcuYZsCNP94lcA8hus-dQVPevpOO7O2ZvUChh7xOSEJvoEoMKDGm/s1600/glasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggh1CZttEJ1S8ROmZ1Zr40nJ_pqavi5UpOnivT4zYTnoKnLImDuvEArYM3TgfZ64ERsoVIGn0XF7lD5jvcOEWa0ogItcuYZsCNP94lcA8hus-dQVPevpOO7O2ZvUChh7xOSEJvoEoMKDGm/s1600/glasses.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In a world where "The latest tech" is a feverish parade
of consumerism driven by buying everything new ravenously--I reflect back on a
massive $8800 laptop purchase I made back in 2011.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Let me add to my opening...I love my Alienware M18x
laptop...profoundly. It has paid for itself multiple times over in
productivity, power, efficiency, and style. I lost count how many random
opportunities opened up simply because I was sitting down typing or working on
this laptop in public. Most recent and memorable--Michael Rooker ran up to me
at Wizard World, yelling out in his wonderfully gruff and familiarly evil
voice: "That's the biggest fucking laptop I've ever seen!" as he ran
over and caressed the side of my monitor. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It is indeed a beautiful meld of design, of form & function,
and has amazing modular options for upgrades. I'm closing in on my 4th year of
having this amazing laptop in use. That said--all of my service and warranty
options run out in August. So I've begun researching my upgrades.
Everything from processor to GPU's, memory, and a new set of SSD HDD's—I'm
currently at 512 GB with 2 SSD drives which I got back when they were still
novel for a laptop; and they were quite expensive at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOem4XHB3PnzIEitC1aS8knOMpRHvGETJY4wTCT-CGngcGBUy1rgbytGdQuL2cQXJTF0_e7B7bQObSBrAes7O1bRSV7qxW_5og3rzx_EWWKS5fZtx6Zeb06KCn1OdXldGztuIHgLIi6dQ4/s1600/M18X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOem4XHB3PnzIEitC1aS8knOMpRHvGETJY4wTCT-CGngcGBUy1rgbytGdQuL2cQXJTF0_e7B7bQObSBrAes7O1bRSV7qxW_5og3rzx_EWWKS5fZtx6Zeb06KCn1OdXldGztuIHgLIi6dQ4/s1600/M18X.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Prior to my M18x, I had a new laptop from HP--a Dv7 Quad
Core. Which I purchased in 2009 in Boston at a local Microcenter (top of the line
at the time), during a fabled mass-insanity convention that ended in robbery,
kidnapping, and almost suicide for (and caused by) the organizer.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 18.3999996185303px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had just donated one of my Dual Xeon Workstations to an independent film
project that was present and campaigning. The campaign needed money to buy
computers and editing software. Since I had everything they needed in the
tower, I went ahead and wildly donated it (to be returned when the film was
completed) and bought myself the Dv7 I had my eye on for a couple of weeks. </span></div>
</span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Even though there have been multiple conversations to get that tower back (still
to this day) I doubt I'll ever see that pretty little beast again...but that's
another story--I digress. </span></div>
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLqGc79VeP9RkjSznaNcvRT7c_PpejXIt7_ASTA8wdts49UdznA5FqS1PpOayBxQfu5HnCufbOPdP_OSBwYayErtzhw9ofzkMm-d2rKvdBAWyp2Pp4KGqvjznRkIfFuwEjuQo0vo5XzEt/s1600/DV7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLqGc79VeP9RkjSznaNcvRT7c_PpejXIt7_ASTA8wdts49UdznA5FqS1PpOayBxQfu5HnCufbOPdP_OSBwYayErtzhw9ofzkMm-d2rKvdBAWyp2Pp4KGqvjznRkIfFuwEjuQo0vo5XzEt/s1600/DV7.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Dv7 I mentioned above, worked exceptionally well; however—right
away—started having issues with the Blu-Ray drive and wouldn't work anymore
after the first 3 months—due to a driver update by HP that was annoying to
reverse. The laptop also started to get really hot by the 9 month period...hot
as in I had a welt on my thigh where the laptop burned me. The battery which
gave me over 8 hours of normal use died after 6 months and she went from
exceptionally fast to exceptionally slow. Even with optimizations and being
completely clear of viral infections—due to a variety of issues within the
motherboard and CPU.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She ended up becoming a loaner laptop for staff in my company—as
Katie Blair calls her: “The Haven Whore”. I eventually got this Dv7 fixed up
outside of the warranty and sent her out to a few staff members that needed a
PC to work on remotely. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Because of the immediate need for a fully functional laptop to
take on the road; I already had a powerful tower to work from home. I decided
to completely replace everything, including the aging workstation in my home
office with my current M18x. Mind you I've custom built every PC I've owned
since 1997. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now--to say this was an expensive laptop is really not cutting it—it
was over $8800 (Almost over 9000!) However, because of discounts I received for
setting up a new business account with Dell. I was able to get everything for
just under $5700. Not too shabby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I find it hilarious now, almost 3 years later, when looking up the
relevant upgrades for me to keep up with new trending tech and software in
production, that people are actually upgrading (now) to the processor I
currently use which is an amazing Dual Quad core i7 2920XM (Extreme
Edition) 2.5GHz CPU that is overclocked and hits 3.2GHz. There was a
revision to the laptop down the road from M18x R1 to M18x R2 which is in the
3rd generation of i7 processors. Where my laptop sits after a free motherboard
and processor upgrade I received 2 years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It's pretty much insane in terms of its performance. The fact that
this thing has never slowed down on me is amazing. I've only had one issue, and
only one issue; which has driven me bonkers--to be fair, it has nothing to do
with the laptop, it's a Windows 7 problem. That issue is called .NET Framework
and I loathe this software with every fiber of my aging little black
heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I'll finally be upgrading this week to Windows 8 which gained
somewhat of a stable service pack in 8.1 for 64bit processing. I had delayed
myself in doing this upgrade because I really do not like Windows 8 and I
usually wait to see if software updates help or challenge a system in its
efficiency; however the .NET Framework issues don't exist in the same form
there and will give me some functionality back that I've generally been
complacent without. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What I found interesting from putting together the list of items
I'll be upgrading ended up throwing me back. In terms of cost, between the CPU,
Graphics, Memory and HDD upgrades I'll be spending close to $3300 when all is
said and done. While this would give me another 3-4 year bump, I wonder if it's
time to simply buy another laptop? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy0tkjwnPd-IXe2AJ2Xqit27iTaLhIvJg0OiZORTuTfX4F27nAY7Wl5xJ9kdLhW_Sde5FB7uxkLsIYXBPhE5OuIjqiFzxOHYkD4Lh9cPbTtAs_L903I4sYrzPYOPSCcSdPYqUK3b0bNYPX/s1600/Mac+Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy0tkjwnPd-IXe2AJ2Xqit27iTaLhIvJg0OiZORTuTfX4F27nAY7Wl5xJ9kdLhW_Sde5FB7uxkLsIYXBPhE5OuIjqiFzxOHYkD4Lh9cPbTtAs_L903I4sYrzPYOPSCcSdPYqUK3b0bNYPX/s1600/Mac+Pro.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I use both Mac and PC for work. Editing on Mac's with FCP7, Avid,
and/or usually Premiere Pro. Fuck FCPX—that is utter shit, I don’t need iMovie
Pro in my life… Besides, FCP7 is still considered industry standard. My M18x laptop
for the most part has outperformed the Macs I’ve been using. Including the Poor
Mac I was using during my time editing Metro Life TV for Channel 7. That said, I'm
already picking up a ridiculously expensive Mac Pro for work and the the damn
GPU’s are optimized for FCPX (which I think is idiotic for it not to benefit
any other software…WTF Apple!). It might be time to just cave in and get
another Macbook Pro. I don't like the homogenous look the new Alienware laptops
have but I love having the ability to work on all kinds of situations on the
road and be able to play the games that I want to play without restraint. Sabrina
already has her MacBook Pro—I’m good there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 18.3999996185303px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After pricing out the new Alienware 17, I was surprised it didn't
let me go as crazy as I did when I setup the M18x in 2011 where I nearly maxed
out every option at that time going lightly on graphics and the maxed SSD’s
because they were almost $2000 a piece at the time. This time around the full
setup without any additional peripherals, with the exception of a new backpack
(my old one is still in great shape but one of the shoulder straps is starting
to fray). This laptop came out to just over $3300. Which means I shouldn't
upgrade all of the parts of my current M18x. Doing so—I’d simply be gaining the
highest 3rd Generation processor which isn't far from the 3rd Gen processor I
have on mine at the moment. The only upgrade I should make is doubling my HDD
space, doubling the memory to 32GB and maybe hopping the graphics a bit. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Truthfully, I don't need the most up-to-date graphics, so I don't
need to spend $1500 on two GTX 880M cards. I can grab a couple of 760M for $300
and if I'm feeling like that can't handle the highest settings of what I like
to play on a PC I can always for $300 add the GPU Amplifier. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Memory is easy--I have 4 dimm's at 4GB a piece so I have to
replace all of it for the full 32GB but it's roughly $180 for 16GB of
DDR3L @ 1600 MHz. Likely what I'll upgrade first. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So I think I'll just do some minor upgrades between now and August
and when the warranty officially runs out--I'll rebuild the AW17 Laptop at that
time and max out a new one. Even if at that time there is a revision (which I’m
hoping for) and it costs closer to $4-5K I’ll likely get another big discount
with a business account and drop the price close to the $3300 I’ve seen
recently. I'll give my M18x red beauty to my eldest daughter, Raven. While
Milly, who prefers her iPad, doesn’t need a laptop yet. Sabrina has her
aforementioned new Macbook Pro and I have my Mac Pro maxed out for
production. I just need more Samsung 28” UHD screens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It's interesting how upgrade parts sometimes don't really make a
whole lot of sense. Maxing out to the current 3rd Generation of parts costs the
same as simply buying a newly minted and maxed 4th Generation Laptop. I hate
the look the new AW17 have and I hate there is no optional color choice as well
as the screen being smaller. I love my red M18x but I guess that's just how the
game is played. New has to be new and different. Trying to keep up-to-date for another
3-4 years has never been an easy thing with laptops. In retrospect I haven't
had to worry about this thing for almost 4 years and even though I want to
upgrade toward newer levels of power and efficiency, I really don't need
to...this thing sings. I've used everything from the best HP's, Macbook Pro,
the Razorblades, and Falcon Northwest Laptops...Alienware outdid all of those
applications with this masterpiece. Even when I thought she was starting
to get too hot recently (after 3 years of nearly always-on use). I just popped
the bottom open, removed the fans and cleaned them out. She runs as cool and
silent as she ran on the first day I unboxed her. I’ll still keep her on my
giant 17” cooling pad which helps keep her running nice and cold. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 18.3999996185303px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">At least in a few months it won't be like I'm completely giving her up. My kid
will be gaming and doing her online study courses from her STEAM program next
to me while I'm working and playing on my new one. </span></div>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I do need to rebuild a new monster gaming tower, but I think I’ll
leave that for Christmas in 2015. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgzwICMKpVwgD407b5i4MG0uzE0lCAxCyJ4ozYb_tMxO-FCPolOZZy1n7ub2oz2NFMjUZmF1_4H0sZsdDr9L8vS_I43QmDzhMvtM02vzrR_c8IA6dFYlh3VkYorufjo5Qvk9lcbI4p3J6/s1600/Cosmos+II.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgzwICMKpVwgD407b5i4MG0uzE0lCAxCyJ4ozYb_tMxO-FCPolOZZy1n7ub2oz2NFMjUZmF1_4H0sZsdDr9L8vS_I43QmDzhMvtM02vzrR_c8IA6dFYlh3VkYorufjo5Qvk9lcbI4p3J6/s1600/Cosmos+II.jpg" height="640" width="498" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My next random set of thoughts, which will likely be about the massive gaming table I'm building titled "The Empress" and a few other pieces of crazy furniture i'm dusting off my woodworking skills to put together are coming up. Until then I'll retire my thoughts…keep it classy internet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">M<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-25961565464967517942014-11-06T16:48:00.002-08:002014-11-07T06:04:37.814-08:00Randomness of Permanence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7o9KGfYb-_x0lldmE3pmi6xYLUs0vkBGEiWOTv3G-24tRMY-31AKOPLjka1ZbIXxe7HarejYk_TT0AzhS5nnE4J1r5-_RDJ_II6Jcqle5LF3TSv27koe9xduZ9hzSiTm4pkWUucjdxM8/s1600/Danny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7o9KGfYb-_x0lldmE3pmi6xYLUs0vkBGEiWOTv3G-24tRMY-31AKOPLjka1ZbIXxe7HarejYk_TT0AzhS5nnE4J1r5-_RDJ_II6Jcqle5LF3TSv27koe9xduZ9hzSiTm4pkWUucjdxM8/s1600/Danny.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are very few things in this world that are permanent. We certainly are not, words can be remembered but are oft forgotten. Even those we've remembered or reinterpreted over thousands of years. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our lives are short, our feats are few and those that are great remain for a short while. However, our attention spans are fleeting as are our convictions. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While all of this sounds fatalist, conclusive to a point of "what is, what will be and who cares?" These statements are more of a warning about who we are and what goes on around us. (</span>tl<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">;</span>dr<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">***)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This past week has been a very strange one indeed. Both great and awful. I and my variably connected circle of friends, throughout the East coast, lost people who were close to us. I lost a very good friend in Daniel Taraschke, "Danny T" to most, or "Big Danny T" among those in the convention circuit. To me he was just "Dan" or the "Big guy." Many of those same friends also lost another person. Someone I did not know well whose name escapes me. My good friend Diane Spyridon lost her wonderful father. My good friend and colleague Albert Basulto lost a friend, similarly to how Dan passed, heart failure. Robert Aldrich said it best in the wake of these losses.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"<i>I say with no sarcasm, Death has been busy this weekend. Tragedy abounds."</i></span></blockquote>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just finished my weekly meeting with Robert about our projects, our books, and the next steps for our publishing company; which is working hard to make a better name for itself. After speaking with him, I have to consider the good things that have also occurred this week. Robert's father who was, earlier this year, (unjustly) incarcerated for a long period of time is home as of this week. Bringing cause to celebrate. I won a literary award for my book. I took home another service award for guest speaking at an SFWA meeting. Sabrina appeared on Deco Drive on WSVN 7 (again!) and she killed it! She was awesome! My kids came home with straight A's and my daughter is among the highest in readership in the country. She just passed her 200th book since last January and is reading 2+ years ahead of her grade. Forget the curriculum she's reading normal novels now. If she isn't doing homework or playing with her sister or little friends at a park, she's reading a new book. She even got an autographed copy of <b><i>Towering </i></b>from Alex Flinn this past weekend at my SFWA meeting. I was offered producing and editing positions at other studios for in-house production work, and one of the pilot television series I'm working on just went live into its crowd funding campaign. There is a lot to celebrate, but it's hard to do when you've lost people or when tragic events take hold of your time.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We can dwell on loss or we can celebrate life and do with it what we can. All of us at one point or another have events. Events we can perceive as earth shattering, failures, struggles, losses; important enough to allocate (waste) much of our precious time towards. Ridiculously so. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My brother got into a car accident today. He irresponsibly took an improper left turn and ended up getting struck by an oncoming vehicle. Destroying most of his car (his first, a pretty convertible) that he's had for roughly a month and could have been far more devastated, had the event transpired differently. Thankfully, he walked away unscathed. Not even a scratch from what I am led to understand from my father-in-law.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have another good friend getting chemotherapy this very moment in the hospital. Going through Cancer for the second time. But after visiting him (after writing this piece), he's in excellent spirits and looking healthier. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can go on, it can almost feel like a horror show but in the end - not the finality of the end, but the figure of speech - we can understand that living in the now and taking heed of who we are is tantamount to what we have and what we want. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A wonderful Philosophy Professor once tried to prove a point about life by asking his students if a large jar, full of golf balls was full...The students all agreed it was. As all the balls reached the top of the jar. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Professor then poured into the jar small beads, pebble-like stones, which quickly filled up the small spaces between the golf balls as he slowly shook and tapped the jar while pouring them in. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He again asked his students if the jar was then full, much to their immediate agreement that it was. He then filled the jar with sand. Which filled up the far smaller spaces between the beads and the golf balls. Again repeating his question, and again gaining the same unanimous agreement. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, the professor filled the jar with a pint of beer, that filled up the rest of the spaces. The students realizing now that this was indeed a full jar started to understand what the professor was trying to say and how this jar was like their lives. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Golf Balls were representative of their family, their children, their health, friends and the things they loved in life most (their passions)...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If someone lost everything in their jar, except the golf balls, that life would still be full of wonderful things and they would be alright.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The beads were other important things of note in life. Ones home, job, major investments like a car(s).</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The sand represented most everything else. But if you were to have filled this real jar with your proverbial "everything else" first, before the golf balls or the beads, you would be bereft of the most important things in life because there would be no room for anything else. If you sweat the small stuff you'll never have room or time for the bigger more necessary things in your life.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Beer, the professor explained, no matter how full your life is, you'll always have time for a beer with a friend. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was very fortunate to have that beer with my friend Dan on my birthday. We also had a freshly hand rolled cigar to boot. I don't know what many of you are going through. I can't possibly know or understand as those feelings and emotions are usually personal and unshared. Possibly one of the reasons they burst out much harder for some. Because they're hidden deep inside. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For me the solution to despair is a simple one if not an odd analogy. I'm a shark...I move forward or I die. I think many of us are more like sharks than we realize. When something stunts our forward progress we get stuck. Some of us may even die or suffer like we're dying, because we don't know what to do. I eat or kill what's stunting my progress and keep moving forward, in rare occassions if I see the problem coming I swim around it, avoiding it...I know, sounds harsh, but if you know me, even in small doses, you'd understand. For me this means nothing ever holds me back and regardless of failure or great loss, I pull myself together and keep going forward.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take inventory of your life and of the wonderful things around us. Ignore all of those things, if not people, who belch aggressively toward you negative situations, emanating foulness into your life. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The grandest of all fatalistic concepts is that we don't matter, we're specks of dust on a speck of dust surrounded by specks of dust swirling amid trillions of specks. This swirl (itself) a speck amid trillions more just like it. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yet I like to say just because this is the harsh reality of what we are doesn't mean we don't matter to each other or can share happiness with one another. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't know why I felt compelled to write this blog post tonight. But I think there are many people out there who I call friend, family, or perhaps even acquaintance, that needed some words of honest encouragement from multiple points of view. Perhaps it was more therapeutic for myself than it was for anyone else and that's fine by me. Because the randomness of permanence needed to be talked about tonight, even if it was only a conversation with myself. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> ***tl;dr, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 'too long; didn't read' version | Hug your friends! Call those you don't get to see often and tell them what they mean to you. Hug your family. Enjoy your time with those around you. Take pleasure in the little things you do in life that make you smile. Fill your jar with amazing pebbles and sand to complete the spaces between your golf balls...Drown it in Beer! Keep all of the other junk out of your jar.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">~RIP Dan</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">EFC</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-45111564045502868752014-09-17T13:50:00.001-07:002014-09-17T13:51:10.435-07:00Z Nation, SYFY's New Zombie Series with Longtime Production Partner The Asylum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm not really sure what to make of SYFY channels jump into the Zombie TV series business with their usually garbage production companion <i>The Asylum</i> and their new series <i>Z Nation</i> -- Virtually every cell in my body is in revolt as I watch this for the first time, a pilot titled "Puppies and Kittens" preceding tomorrows episode which steals a little of its naming convention from <i>Battlestar Galactica's</i> mock expletives "Fracking Zombies".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are some interesting casting choices for various roles that caused me (at first) to be extremely interested, specifically Harold Perrineau, whose known for his very distinct style on screen, mainly his most popular role in Oz as Augustus Hill. Perrineau isn't new to this genre, if you like arguing that <i>28 Weeks Later </i>was a Zombie film (which I tend not to do) but in terms of similarity this isn't entirely new to him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After viewing the first episode I have extremely mixed feelings. I admit I may have a large bias against <i>The Asylum</i> as a production house that delivers consistently horrific films that are usually copies of popular media. Most of the time what is produced is named extremely close to the same media they are copying for the purposes of being placed on the shelf next to said films. So while I have a natural tendency to want to hate the bulk of what they produce (along with their dirty tactics), I do give them credit and respect for the ridiculous level of output they have as a company. But that's usually where my respect ends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All that said, I am a huge fan of Zombie films and of course of <i>The Walking Dead</i>. While I doubt this will ever reach the same quality or attention to detail. So far it isn't the usual Asylum production. While I can't say it is 'Good' I'm having a hard time 'completely' disliking this series. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Z Nation is like many a Zombie story. A virus outbreak started an apocalypse, called an extinction event in the pilot. a couple of years later there are very few pockets of people remaining. There's a small military outpost that has some experimental serum and in the course of the opening sequences there are doctors testing it on prisoners. As they get overrun, one prisoner remains who gets a dose and is seemingly lost to the horde that attacks and starts biting chunks out of him. Somehow, of course, after the opening credits, he is revealed surviving multiple bites and may be humanities last hope for a cure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The biggest problems here are the general awkwardly placed lines attempting at epic heroism or badassdom, I'll let people decide if either of those hold true. I'm also not completely impressed with the needless escalation of shock and awe style tactics in the horror and gore. It almost feels trendy instead of appropriate or connected with the continuity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first episode also seemingly removes the best actor on the project, Harold Perrineau late in the pilot by killing him off in the most idiotic and unceremonious manner possible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another actor I was having trouble watching on the screen was DJ Qualls, named Citizen Z in the show. He's a communications soldier left behind in another military base as soldiers were evacuating. A turn of events that seemed to be in his favor as he watched his evac flight leave him behind and subsequently crash and burn. He now remains at the coms communicating over the radio waves like a DJ to the Apocalypse at what seems to be a fully contained military bunker of sorts. Which makes me wonder why they were abandoning the location in the first place. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While there is some overall entertainment quality to this show I think this will be for audiences that understand it can't really be taken seriously. The drama is underlined with completely underwhelming characters played by actors who somehow are trying really hard to summon some gravitas and I'm not sure if i'm supposed to laugh at how badly they're doing it...it is Asylum...or if I'm supposed to be moved by the poorly executed script. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Perhaps because I love the Zombie genre I gave it a watch, expecting not to gain much. But this is truly a series for people who don't care or put too much stock in the quality of what they watch. In that respect I guess it can find an audience. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SYFY is putting out a documentary style series called "Town of the Living Dead" and I am looking forward to watching that instead. I'll still be objective and give a few more episodes of <i>Z Nation</i> a try before completely deciding if it's worth the time. Especially with all of the high quality media available today. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whatever your thoughts on this series, comment, share, tweet, pin and hit me up on social media. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By <a href="http://www.twitter.com/emanuelfcamacho" target="_blank"><b>@EmanuelFCamacho</b></a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-86871344680653512332014-07-05T12:00:00.000-07:002014-07-05T12:00:02.355-07:00Sleepy Hollow, First Impressions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was finally able to get a chance to watch <b style="font-style: italic;">Sleepy Hollow</b>.<b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>I'll admit at first I thought it was stupid, weakly putting together awkward story components. Not to mention killing off Clancy Brown, whom I was happy to see on the screen. Then I was again slightly intrigued with the added twist of the biblical connections the series was trying to make and thought it might have something to offer me (after all). Then the headless horsemen stood up in a room armed to the teeth with automatic weapons, a shotgun, and assorted handguns, as opposed to dawning his usual Ax...at which point I thought, this is garbage. I'm done.</div>
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I finished watching the first episode and caught a bit more of the meta story aspect with the biblical scenario the series will be building up toward. I laughed out loud hearing Ichabod's using a reference from revelation about how supposedly he and the other main character in the series will be waging war against evil for seven years. Which I thought was wishful thinking. No way this series would last seven seasons on the air.</div>
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The cops are written as absolutely idiotic, trigger happy and are completely inconsistent in terms of how they behave. Orlando Jones who I love as an actor slightly feels like the cliche loud and pissed off black captain archetype we've seen before; something spoofed beautifully in <b><i>Last Action Hero</i></b> if you don't understand what I mean. But Jones still delivers his character well, despite all of the above. However, there seems to be a slight amount of foreshadowing early on in his character which didn't seem deliberate by the production but could have been intended in the actors performance. It's only curious and noteworthy because I'm not sure if the series wants me to hate his character or be lukewarm towards him.</div>
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I'll keep watching to see if the show actually develops into something of note. The evil lurking in the shadows and the revelation aspect of the show is what is intriguing to me. For the most part I'm not sure I will truly enjoy this series as it's a complete departure of what these characters are supposed to be and in some invariant way my mind continues to tell me I'm watching a poorly revived version of the <b><i>Warlock</i></b> film in a televised format utilizing a much more popular story concept like <b><i>Sleepy Hollow</i></b>, which was a commercially successful film. It's all too formulaic in a way that is trying to do something unique and isn't really feeling unique at all. It feels oddly clumped together. I also have to wonder if it's a similar theft of concept from <b><i>Elementary</i></b>, in a weird I'm-possibly-reaching-sort-of-way. </div>
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All in all, I'm not impressed. I'm curious.<br />
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Let's see how it turns out.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-38833339345864663072014-06-30T16:24:00.001-07:002014-06-30T16:24:32.832-07:00Witches of East End<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Normally I don't watch shows like <b><i>Witches of East End</i></b> but for some strange reason this series, that is generally designed with specific formulaic angst for woman over the age of 18, seems to be holding my interest. Perhaps it's because intellectually I think that this show is not really that good and I'm curious none-the-less to see how it holds an audience. Regardless of its intended influence, it is supernatural fantasy, which I dig. In terms of the angst in the series, it's far better than anything we saw in <b><i>Twilight</i></b>. </div>
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Considering that the statement I made above sounds like an indictment on the audience that may love this show, it is not. It's more an accusation of my own intellectual breakdowns of a series. Either way, it has me among its audience members now and I'm extremely curious to dissect how a show like this works for the larger female community involved. </div>
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Aside from the various other ridiculously bad attempts at Supernatural fantasy in circulation today, I'd say this one is much closer to getting it right, than say <b><i>Teen Wolf</i></b>, which causes my insides to boil when I watch any portion of that show, it's just terrible and continues to insult the great film it originally was trying to re-imagine or not, as the case may be. </div>
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While I wouldn't put it soundly in the running with a series that has more serious tones and a higher degree of horror like <b><i>Salem</i></b> or <b><i>American Horror Story: Coven</i></b>; I would say that it has a larger focus on its material than <b><i>Hemlock Grove</i></b> which was confused as to what it wanted to do. Something that <i><b>Penny Dreadful </b></i>seemingly aspired to and executed with some hesitation in its own season (which ended last night). I perhaps maintain that this shows female audience is its general focus based on the historical audience that Lifetime tends to maintain.<br />
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I will admit as a guy seeing these beautiful woman on a screen is not something unwelcome, some of the more tedious issues they deal with are. Perhaps because of the cast in general it's keeping me coming back, especially for some of the more quirkier moments. I just hope that the show grows into its scenario more and ultimately does not become an aborted clone of <b><i>Charmed</i></b>. Charmed was a commercially viable and critically celebrated series. I imagine to some degree some of the formula that made that series work is going to be employed here, as is evident in its earliest episodes. But I would like to see this series maintain its own identity and keep itself unique. </div>
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I'd suggest giving it a look if you like Supernatural Fantasy.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-3695718652233406822014-05-08T07:13:00.001-07:002014-05-08T07:16:19.440-07:00From Dusk Till Dawn, The Series <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3337194/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">From Dusk Till Dawn The Series</a></b> | Intrigued me early on, hooked me to a few characters, like Zane Holts' version of Ritchie Gecko and of course Don Johnson's Earl Mcgraw. However, a good portion of the story has become so ridiculous I wonder if Rodriguez truly wrote this recently and not when he was five years old. The dialogue is so atrocious I am starting to wonder if El Rey Network is using subliminal messaging to keep me coming back. Don't get me wrong, the concept and idea for this series is there and is extremely interesting; however has come together in a fashion that is absolutely childish and immature. </div>
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I too wanted a more elaborate explanation of the Aztec Ziggurat, which kept irking Rodriguez to create this series. It was one of the coolest surprises at the end of the 1996 film. However, horrific performances by Jake Busey (among others); D.J. Cotrona unable to add a fresh approach to his role (instead) poorly attempting to channel a George Clooney impersonation has nearly started to upset my stomach. At this point, if the show is still maintaining an audience, Rodriguez should start merchandising D.J. Cotrona bobble-heads from the oft misinterpreted, overacted and poorly copied Clooney mannerisms.</div>
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The series does have sparks of imaginative and creative freshness but is peppered with stupid moments that burn away any good creativity; like reprising the stupid penis gun (Cock Cannon) that seems to appear in all of Rodriguez' films (which is idiotic and no one really cares). Seeing Jake Busey in a character that was interesting (originally) to watch Tom Savini play, now watching Busey thrusting that stupid gun, is just painful.</div>
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The vampire concept...The weird (yet awesome) and interesting version created in the film has pretty much been ignored and thrown away here in the series. These can walk in the sunlight and are not really vampires anymore, they're Were-Cobras...The term vampire shouldn't apply anymore...Some of the episode prologues are great and attempt to give interesting background on these "vampires" but what comes after is a mish-mash of failing upward story telling that is a 'greatness-steak' wrapped in 'putrefying bacon' - You may think its great at first...but then you start taking bites.</div>
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I had high hopes for this series. I normally love Rodriguez' work and I love the original film. I'm at a total loss for what is being delivered to the small screen. I can easily guess because El Rey is his network, he can do whatever he wants and continue to make these episodes until the inevitable, realizing the series needs to go, an overhaul or simply runs out of money. I like old school flicks and El Rey has a ton of them to boot, for this general reason I like the network. It's an interesting collection of old school, cult classics, Kung Fu movies and guilty pleasure films for guys (Did I just describe Netflix?) This series is Rodriguez' flag ship and perhaps he needs to understand that he is too close to the series. If he can make it out of this season without to much flack I'd suggest (quite possibly many of you the same) bringing on new writers that can carry the show into new territory and better flesh out and expand existing characters. Rodriguez may need to step out of the writers chair and remain comfortably in the Directors seat while wearing a producers hat, writing notes on a network executives notepad.</div>
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I'm still quite curious about other characters, the awkward direction this whole series is taking, making the ranger some sort of anti-were-cobra savior (i'm not calling them vampires anymore...) While I may still watch the series to its first seasons completion, i'm not expecting any real vindicating episodes or scenes to cause me to rethink my position. I'm simply a purist that prefers a complete view. If this past episode is any indication of what is to come, I weep for Rodriguez' bygone creative ability and wonder where the hell it went. A sword fighting scene against a fireman's axe...really? Is this what it boils down to? I imagine El Rey Network has marketing people that do research and demographics. Somewhere in those offices someone said in cliche fashion, in some random conference room with awkward hopeful smiles, praying whoever is sitting in the bosses chair likes their idea - "We'll use swords! We haven't used them at all for this entire season...but we will now! We'll introduce Carlos as a Conquistador and showcase his sword in that shot." BAM! The sword is in the episode, add an old school stand off with really bad stage combat training and there you have it...</div>
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Am I close? Someone (if not many) agreed that this scene was going to be a great one, or would set the stage...Just as much as someone agreed that the cock cannon + Jake Busey thrusts was cool...<br />
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Perhaps there are people (I imagine there would) that love this series as it is and to each his own. I'm genuinely hoping there might be some semblance of hope for the show. Because I do like Rodriguez and I want him to succeed, so he can get back to making really good movies.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-90883328250086005202014-04-14T18:41:00.003-07:002014-04-14T19:48:58.809-07:00The Raid 2: Berandal - Film Review<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b>The Raid 2: Berandal</b></div>
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<b><i>General Information</i></b><br />
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<b>Released:</b> March 28th (Limited Releases), April 11th (Wide Release US)<br />
<a href="http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=raid2.htm" target="_blank"><b>Box Office</b></a><br />
<b>MetaCritic: <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-raid-2" target="_blank">71 Critics 8.9 Audience</a></b><br />
<b>Rotten Tomatoes: <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_raid_2/" target="_blank">79% Critics 94% Audience</a></b><br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2265171/?ref_=nm_knf_i1" target="_blank"><b>IMDB</b></a><br />
<b><a href="http://www.sonyclassics.com/theraid2/" target="_blank">Official Website</a></b><br />
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<b>Trailer</b></div>
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<b>Editorial Bias</b><br />
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I absolutely loved The Raid: Redemption. It was a breath of fresh air with happy sprays of blood spatter with every inhalation. It was a marvelous display of what a martial arts film can be when intermixed with some solid crime drama within a bullet riddled canvas.</div>
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I was hoping for a sequel film release and its arrival couldn't have come soon enough. I loved TRR so much I would constantly show it to friends and have discussions among my contemporaries comparing it to the recent Judge Dredd entry. Because, in the end, both films were essentially the same, a 'raiding' of a large building to oust the existing drug-lord entrenched at its top floor. The difference is that TRR triumphantly did what the other tried desperately to do with a much larger budget. So with this in mind I had enormous expectations of what a second film could be and wondered how and if it could outdo its predecessor.<br />
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Even knowing that originally this film was intended to be released prior to <i><b>The Raid</b></i>, which originally was named <i><b>Inside</b></i>. I am extremely curious how this film was going to be adapted as a sequel and how it would incorporate Rama's character.</div>
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<b>The Good </b><br />
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Iko Uwais is again a charming and completely relatable young man within a world of horrendously disturbed criminal elements. A one-man-army that slowly begins to regret and realize that he is far deeper than he could have ever imagined; the only way to 'come up for air' is to go deeper and hope that he will make it out to the other side alive. This is similar to the feeling you get when watching this film. You almost forget to breathe. Because there is so much going on, from various characters that are actually being well fleshed out to a few familiar faces that return from the original film. All colliding in a wondrous ballet of appendages that bring you back to the original films remark about one of the characters "a fury of foot and fist."</div>
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<b>The Bad</b><br />
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This is a nitpick, but necessary to state; one of the showcased characters in the film is Koso (Prakoso) which is played by Iko Uwais and Garreth Evans fellow friend in film and martial arts, Yayan Ruhian. A nitpick (indeed) because he was eviscerated in the first film as its resident ultimate henchman that appeared then to be unstoppable and appears now just as slightly unstoppable. Is this a complacency on the director that these Asians may relatively look alike and expected no one to notice? I'm not going to shake a race card but its a bit insulting. Otherwise its simply tossing in a great actor that in retrospect should not have been killed and was used to fill another role? High speculation at best.</div>
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Here Koso is an interesting character in a near cameo-like role but is utilized with a few distinct plot purposes that seemed a bit awkwardly forced. Of course his action choreography is highlighted in a few scenes with wonderful Silat flair, however the flow of the character was slightly irritating. You want to like Koso because of the tidbits of who he is that are demonstrated. However, you don't get enough time with him to really understand his plight and allow the film to flow or excuse his actions. This digression ended up sacrificing the trajectory of the film and caused the experience to shift in its plight from the protagonist, Rama/Yuda to this completely new character Koso - to only then throw him away for a plot twist. A midst the suspension of disbelief breaking as you ask yourself "didn't he die in the first movie?" Even if you do realize right away its a completely different character, it's an odd thing to have cast him in this sequel. Even if we love his scenes with his extremely vicious and immediate uses of force. </div>
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<b>The Ugly</b><br />
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There are a few scenes where you have to wonder how it is possible for some of the fighting to continue based on a few moments that funnel you into reality unwittingly. I'm not sure if those moments were intended to do this, but they did so exceptionally well. In doing so it throws the air of imagination out of the window and forces you to deal with the reality of what is happening. Like getting hit with a baseball bat in the head...</div>
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Silat is a very brutal and direct martial art used gorgeously in all of the Merantau films and while we obviously know our hero is going to be victorious (as we generally hope) sometimes you have to wonder how much can a man really take? Especially if you compare some of the scenes. One example where Rama first encounters Uco and Bejo's men and fights their prime henchman. He loses relatively quick after being struck a few times and is seemingly knocked unconscious. However, later in the film after dealing with many extremely tiring skirmishes, back-to-back, his fight against the same character seemingly runs for a great period of time on top of extreme wounds and fatigue being suffered. I love watching a character have to dig deep...I love it! But there are limits to what I will accept on the screen as being honest and realistic. </div>
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<b>The Great</b><br />
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The murderous intent is palpable and the beautiful carnage of the choreography is effortlessly lyrical. While there are instances of steady-cam use in a manner that is almost distracting. It is obvious the bulk of every principle in the film did most (if not all) of their own stunts, allowing for a seamless set of camera angles to display the sweet bone-destroying opera that is Silat to unfold on the screen naturally and without the need for movie magic to trick you into thinking you just saw some martial arts action. </div>
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The singularly disturbing melee that was the prison riot scene was a joyous feast for the eyes for anyone who enjoys watching martial art films. Not because of wire-fu, or extremely graceful moments of acrobatic prowess. But for the sheer level of horrifying acts of inhumanity. A riot in the true sense of the word. It is nearly chaos personified in a few moments that slowly became difficult to determine who is who in terms of friend or foe; which left me with the distinct feeling in my mind that there is no such concept and may be a subtext in the story. </div>
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<b>...And Amazing?</b><br />
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This film doesn't simply start breaking bones in assembly line fashion or cast aside any dwindled hope for a story. Thankfully not. It has an interesting story of intrigue and heart at its core. A very solid cast of characters with great points of dialogue. The film even brings on an amazing character actor, Epy Kusnandar, who can create an atmosphere of dread simply with his eyes and also played an extremely chilling role simply titled 'Father' in the 'Safe Haven' chapter of <b style="font-style: italic;">VHS 2</b>; which is quite possibly the best chapter of the film and mostly because of his presence. </div>
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When you look at films that have the undercover concept, you get characters bogged down in multiple complacency's of right and wrong that force scenarios in the plot. This film displays with extreme ferocity a man apart from the system he is working to protect. The lines between right and wrong are not very existent. If they are I didn't notice them. It makes our hero, Rama, a very different kind of character. </div>
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<b>Overall Verdict</b></div>
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As a general action film and as a martial arts film it is a must see movie that will satisfy the most jaded of martial art film enthusiasts. This one can almost gain a subcategory in torture-porn for the ridiculous level of horrifying things that are done to the enemy mid-fight. As a martial arts film it gorgeously displays various techniques in Silat that have similarities in Wing Chun and Muay Thai. Two styles many westerners are somewhat used to seeing on the big screen and can appreciate. Whether they know its Silat or not, the vicious and brutal fighting techniques will amaze. This movie is not for the faint of heart or for people that do not like violence on a level so grandiose that it hails back to the bullet-hell films Chow Yun-Fat starred in during the 80's and 90's; like Hard Boiled and A Better Tomorrow. There is only one other star in Asian cinema currently that in my opinion matches the level of intensity of Iko Uwais and that's Tony Jaa. So if you love martial art movies, this is the only real film available to watch for the time being. </div>
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<i>4.5 out 5 Martial Art Movie Geeks</i><br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/64129253@N07/13636491174" title="4_5_geeks by Mannycamacho, on Flickr"><img alt="4_5_geeks" height="179" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3676/13636491174_b525bc826a.jpg" width="500" /></a></center>
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Have you seen <a href="http://www.sonyclassics.com/theraid2/" target="_blank"><i><b>The Raid 2: Berandal</b></i></a>? Did this review help you? Share, comment, tweet, pin, form some words...I know you can. Follow and join the conversation or spark one up <a href="http://www.twitter.com/emanuelfcamacho" target="_blank"><b>@EmanuelFCamacho</b></a></center>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-82375814229395652492014-04-10T21:18:00.000-07:002014-04-10T21:18:11.818-07:00Meanwhile...Changes that have occurred in my life since the last time I wrote into this blog are numerous and varied in scale.<br />
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Most recently I was inducted into the <a href="http://www.southfloridawritersassn.org/"><b>South Florida Writers Association</b></a> and voted into their Board of Directors. Something I am exceptionally honored to be a part of, including taking on the Director of Publications position and editing the organizations <b><i>Author's Voice</i></b>. I'll be @ <a href="http://www.philanthrofest.com/"><b>PhilanthroFest 2014</b></a> with Jonathan Rose, SFWA's Director of Community Affairs representing the organization and hope I can see a lot of <i>Miamians</i> there.</div>
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I recently became a part of the <a href="http://www.floridawriters.net/"><b>Florida Writers Association</b></a> and the <a href="http://www.miamifilmfestival.com/membership/"><b>Miami Film Society</b></a>. To say that I am keeping myself busy in my chosen professions would almost be an understatement. Although I won't be official with MFS until later this month as a listed Producer on their site. I started doing Indie outreach with UofM's Italian Film Festival with my old high school pal, Manny Rossi, who is a tenured professor at UofM and runs the festival events #UMIFF. Because of all this extra involvement in the community I got a chance to meet Billy Corben from Rakontur, the man behind the company behind the amazing documentary <b><i>Cocaine Cowboys</i></b>, which just got reloaded and released here in Miami.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhug5sTOKPoLf4pm6RaLxbJV6p40BNWrrZIfuFrrKvVdN-Mh_hUkysshgaqio6owCGRogbzy7GSNlnWtnb-uMPeU0TAVFDP9XvQOfTru28O_aTSL5wjj9hLy7GjaFj2O658V_gRqy94PXRZ/s1600/IMG_1512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhug5sTOKPoLf4pm6RaLxbJV6p40BNWrrZIfuFrrKvVdN-Mh_hUkysshgaqio6owCGRogbzy7GSNlnWtnb-uMPeU0TAVFDP9XvQOfTru28O_aTSL5wjj9hLy7GjaFj2O658V_gRqy94PXRZ/s1600/IMG_1512.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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So far I've been back in Miami and working as an Associate Producer for the last few months and oddly enough while here I'm experiencing a bit of a language barrier with the level and intricacy of my Spanish speaking and writing. Despite this awkward difficulty with one of my first languages I am doing well, even being groomed for a higher production position that I will be taking-on later in the year. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKyOTjHYQGpfyFu4Qs6EoXMNNatt9NTW1kyPUBUWiyS6wcSQx-wV9MBE-CTbpY7J1F1u7o8hu3xh0TDWH38d2pW15AIeDbqQo9n8Kw-B_yiIKUYL2NtuAMbObv_c-iGKshBtap1dtnTGBF/s1600/myofficeintheresomewhere.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKyOTjHYQGpfyFu4Qs6EoXMNNatt9NTW1kyPUBUWiyS6wcSQx-wV9MBE-CTbpY7J1F1u7o8hu3xh0TDWH38d2pW15AIeDbqQo9n8Kw-B_yiIKUYL2NtuAMbObv_c-iGKshBtap1dtnTGBF/s1600/myofficeintheresomewhere.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On set @ El Gordo Y La Flaca</td></tr>
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My first book, <b><i><a href="http://havenpublishinghouse.com/index.php/nonfiction/special-interest/god-hates-me-series/14-i-think-no-i-m-sure-god-hate-s-me" target="_blank">I Think? No, I'm Sure...God Hates Me</a></i></b> is out on the market and I couldn't be happier and more proud. Yet I continue to write and work on other books. My publishing company also put out two other novels, <b><i><a href="http://havenpublishinghouse.com/index.php/fiction/science-fiction/9-rhest-for-the-wicked" target="_blank">Rhest for the Wicked</a></i></b>, by Robert V. Aldrich and <b><i><a href="http://havenpublishinghouse.com/index.php/fiction/horror/13-the-pack" target="_blank">The Pack</a></i></b>, by Dan Coglan. </div>
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Everything has not always been sunny as bumps on the road over the last year sometimes felt like minor drops off a cliff. However, enduring failures and adapting to change has always been one of my strongest suits. I seem to amaze people that constantly ask something to affect of "How do you brush yourself off and carry on?" believing that failures can't be corrected. My simplest answer, "I don't like the floor." Whether I fall flat on my face, ass-backwards or just drop to a knee I always get up and move on. What else would I do? I'm not 'Floor-Spec' (Only World of Wacraft players will understand that last reference).</div>
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I meet a lot of folks and constantly wonder why there is so much fatalism, pessimism and general lack of motivation among them, my peers, elders and the incoming generations behind me. It irritates me that working hard, making mistakes, learning and moving on seems to be too much for most people to do; let alone comprehend. People expect a degree is their hall pass into life and things are either handed to them from there on or not. I don't get it...</div>
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<i>I digress...</i></div>
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Of the last few films I've seen I wrote an In-Depth piece, as usual, on the Comic Book Movie entry for <b><a href="http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Havencomics/news/?a=97533#comments"><i>Captain America: The Winter Soldier</i></a></b>, which is currently featured on the CBM website. If you've yet to see this amazing film you are missing out on a treat. Check out the review if you need some convincing. For UMIFF I was able to marvel at the beautifully written <b><i>Io Sono Li</i></b> by Andrea Segre, which was about two separate immigrants living in Italy. One of which was Chinese the other from the country formerly known as Yugoslavia and the various circumstances that surrounded their simple lives. From the turmoils of prejudice and ignorance to simple sacrifices and love affairs that never were. "ships passing in the night" is the phrase that comes to mind which alter each others courses ever so slightly and ever so profoundly.</div>
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Rakontur's <b><i>Cocaine Cowboy's Reloaded</i></b> was as amazing as the original, and contained over an hour of additional never-before-seen material. I was able to have a simple conversation with one of the main subjects from their documentary, Mickey Munday, who at one time smuggled well over 56 tons of cocaine into Miami within a year. The stories and ramifications of Miami growing into the metropolis it is from the billions of dollars that flooded the city from this drug money was amazingly staggering to witness come to life in the context of the documentary.</div>
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Going back to my review of Winter Soldier, I had noticed that while we (CBM) had a very large and healthy chunk of comic book reviews alongside the websites eponymous pieces; it (the website) lacked Indie Comic reviews. So I sought out to correct that void. Luckily and recently I got to meet quite a few Indie artists and writers at a small but amazing courtyard-side comic-con piggy-backing the release of the Winter Soldier film at a theater location in Miami. There I was granted an enormous trove of amazing and obscure comics by their creators that blew me away. The first of those reviews was Creature Entertainments <a href="http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Havencomics/news/?a=97601"><b>Ravenous</b></a> by Juan Navarro and John Ulloa. I also put up another review this week for Cosmic Times' release of <b><a href="http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Havencomics/news/?a=97663">Decisions #1</a></b> and recently was given access to <b style="font-style: italic;">Decisions </b>#2 and <i>#3</i> for further review. I'm currently reading through Creature Entertainments <b><i>Zombie Years</i></b> and a separate book titled <b><i>The Thirty-Six,</i></b> a graphic novel by Kristopher White. I also picked up a campy title named <b style="font-style: italic;">Old Cuban Samurai </b>which tickled my curiosity.</div>
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Other news that isn't so new but because I lazily ignored this blog for a small tick of time I will mention it. One of the films I was able to work on as an Executive Producer, <b><i>The Fellows Hip: Rise of the Gamers</i></b> was picked up by a great distributor, Phase 4, and released on iTunes, Netflix, Best Buy and Wal-Mart. Basically anywhere you can get DVD's and Blu-Rays. The film was released under a new name, <b><i>Rise of the Fellowship</i></b>. I still love seeing peoples faces light up at this wonderful family film. So I hope you get a chance to see it if you haven't seen it pop up on your Netflix or iTunes advertised films. Support #IndieFilms</div>
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My kids are growing up fast, my wife digs her toes into my legs as I type this and I continue to make the cheesy joke "I am not a writer, I 'write' on a computer, therefore I am a 'typist'!" and still get a few laughs among my peers. Until next blog post, I'll keep my adventure going and for now I leave you with the view I usually have every morning being back in Sunny #Miami</div>
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EFC</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-81816492476772100042013-09-08T19:59:00.000-07:002013-09-09T05:34:13.992-07:00Miley Cyrus Twerking And Why Many Of The People Complaining About Her Are Ignorant Lemmings!I've been reading so much about Miley Cyrus and her twerking antics as of late, and I'm admittedly irritated over its constant attempt at permanence by the media. About how she is so blatantly doing things that are so insulting, racist, exploitative...<br />
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No shit...</div>
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She's a pop starlet, you geniuses! She is using the same marketing tactics she's been taught to use by the various entities she's worked with that have used the same tactics since the beginning of the business.</div>
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I just read a small article - on <a href="http://www.thewrap.com/miley-cyrus-vogue-cover-axed-by-anna-wintour-after-vmas-backlash/"><b>The Wrap</b></a>, stating how she is losing a cover on a magazine over this.</div>
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Are people honestly this fickle, and hypocritical? I've always thought most human beings are like lemmings, in terms of any number of situations they find themselves in, but seriously. Why is Miley getting so much blatant idiotic hate over a set of behaviors that are done by any number of other people in the media. Why is she being forced to assume a standard?</div>
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First example, of why this is stupid.</div>
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Let's look at the song, aside from her own, <i>We Can't Stop</i>, she is performing with Robin Thicke, <i>Blurred Lines</i>...A song that clearly states he wants to domesticate a women, calls them animals, and explains that it's in her (their) nature. Mr. Thicke calls them bitches, and has an unrated version of the video with these women dancing topless and rubbing themselves all over him; including the giant foam finger that others argue <a href="http://www.thewrap.com/music/article/foam-finger-inventor-prefers-julie-andrews-miley-cyrus-114036"><b>Miley is using so poorly</b></a>. Morons on Twitter also were sending tweets commonly paraphrasing this statement "..Miley he's a married Man!", when Mr. Thicke (again as stated) has quite a few gorgeous naked women all over him in the video below, his wife I doubt gives a shit about Miley Cyrus performing with her husband... </div>
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I also didn't interpret any meanings with my statements, those were lyrics I stated...Not to mention it has a moment in the video that states with large balloons "Robin Thicke has a big dick" -- Come on people, think! He probably had sex with the main nude starlet in the video (yes that's speculative), delusion would be to assume he hasn't, or hasn't tried...For people to complain in tweets that he is married over Miley's performance, seriously borders on insane levels of stupid.</div>
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I'm not hating on the song, or the music, I listen to it, it has a catchy beat, with the obligatory rap, hip hop singer in the background speaking a line or two in between the melody...in this case "...everybody get up" and "Wooo!".</div>
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Sure, I'm not a victim and I listen to music like this all day long, like many of us do. But I don't point a finger at someone with such arguments as to say "She's in the wrong!" it's a damn performance! on a live stage. Truth be told, all of you watching these performances are begging for shock value, and something different. When you don't get those things over time, you don't support the artist. In truth a piece of me wants to grab some of these people and tell them they need to masturbate themselves voraciously until they forget to speak, because most of them have absolutely useless things to say about this topic (and most if i'm honest with my thinking and opinion are indeed useless). </div>
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Point in fact (I seem to have a few on this subject), look at Nascar. Many people will argue that they are not there to watch cars make left turns all day...They go for the excitement of seeing epic car crashes.</div>
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I sometimes wonder why people delude themselves into thinking they have some kind of moral high ground. I don't! I know the things that make me an asshole, and I know that I have a variety of them to contend with. I am honest enough about those things to not include myself in a mob of people that think, for one second, Miley Cyrus was doing anything other than trying to suck your attention toward her; and succeeded.</div>
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Like any other artists on the planet. Some do it with amazing amounts of taste, I can agree completely, and many also don't attract a lot of negative attention. However, how many of those that don't (actually) last in the marketplace.</div>
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Let me continue with the same performance Miley gained so much negative attention on. </div>
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2 Chains also performed. Now, I personally don't listen to his music, because I think it's the kind of music that is essential to the functions in my body toward killing my own brain cells...But that's me, it should not invalidate any of you if you like or love his music. Some Rap and Hip Hop I love, others I want to gag. </div>
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But his opening in the same performance featured a lot of black woman that were only there to shake their asses in as many specific manners as were humanly possible. All of which were very large asses, I might add...</div>
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We see this in virtually every possible Hip Hop and Rap video ever made. Perhaps that's an absolute statement and I am making a generalization - Because I am not going to research this to prove my point, let me retract the absolute and make an educated guess that possibly 95-99% of all Rap and Hip Hop music has a woman in some form shaking her ass for the enjoyment of the viewer, or for the purpose of lyrics in the song about shaking asses. Cite my source? Every music video I have ever witnessed. Don't ask me to cite a source, no one cares, i'm using broad generalization from personal experience.</div>
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I'm also not making that broad statement to shit on that kind of music; I'm only using it as a partial example, within all music, that there are a lot of situations where woman, or artists, are shaking there asses. Why is Miley getting so much negative attention over this then?</div>
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Is it because she's white? Because she's such a "perfectly clean cut" little girl formerly of Disney's Hanna Montana? Is it because she has a tiny little ass that most people would argue is not at all useful for said twerking activities?</div>
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I don't know, and I don't really care; I do think this always boils down to the two most important things in life as I understand it ...Perception and Expectation...Which if we default to a great movie quote by George Clooney will equate to the main item of importance in life, Necessity.</div>
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Getting to the end of my observational rant, I am being an asshole myself. Making a (potentially) hypocritical judgment of all the people pointing out the negative issues of Miley twerking at the VMA's, spanking an enormous black ass, laughing at it with her nose practically in it, twerking up against Robin Thicke, and so on. Because I think a lot of these people have absolutely no clue as to what they are saying. They are making a judgment on someone based on the expectations of the perception that Miley is supposed to fit, under their judgment and morality according to what they need her to be.</div>
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In truth, whether she is actually self destructing, or not; she is still a pop starlet using traditionally appropriate methods to shed her old robotically controlled, Disney mandated persona - as most starlets born and bred through their system historically have...</div>
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Some people may read this and think i'm being overly critical, that's fine. I think if those people also made those moral high ground judgments against Miley without actually understanding the point of a performance, or actually assuming that she is in the wrong, among many other wrongs. Then yes, I'm an asshole, and I think those people are idiots...Stop worrying about a starlet and go read a fucking book you lemmings.<br />
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Miley will do her thing regardless...</div>
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...End rant!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-57750252337139890262013-09-06T03:17:00.002-07:002014-07-05T21:43:20.746-07:00Random Question: "Hey Manny! Can You Tell Me About All Those Pics In Your Twitter Account? They Are All Pretty Cool! Thanks Joe D."<div>
I'm going to start using Blogger a lot more to talk about the random things that I am not necessarily writing about for other websites. So I'm going to start voicing and blogging about the random, wacky comments, and odd questions I get on my facebook and Twitter. Some of them are funny, some are tedious and strange; others just catch me by surprise, and deserve to be shared with the world. </div>
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To answer the question, I guess listing them is the quickest way to describe them. But here's the TL;DR answer: "They're all pics from years of convention appearances and travels." </div>
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I'll go top to bottom column by column.</div>
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Here we go, are you ready?</div>
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<b>Column 1</b></div>
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1. A friend and fan created a demotivational of me that reads <a href="https://sphotos-b-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/4487_206913810645_7213717_n.jpg">"Mangod: What If God Was One Of Us"</a></div>
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2. Me teaching a friend martial arts techniques to use in AMT Guard @ Tekkoshokan in Pittsburgh, PA</div>
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3. Me in my "Orgasm + Donor" shirt I wore only once at AMA leading a massive panel in Chesapeake, VA</div>
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4. Me with my wonderful friend Todd Rogers, King of Video Games, sexiest man alive...I'd tap that!</div>
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5. Another great friend I met doing appearances through Virginia that became one of my buds, Greg Miller, he and I are "Black and Tan" like our beers!</div>
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6. An old employee and myself having some fun in Boston.</div>
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7. Chasing Kroze with a Bullhorn at a convention in Crystal City, VA (If don't know who Kroze is, you haven't lived)</div>
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8. Not fully visible me doing a <a href="https://sphotos-a-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/16241_1262485892761_2240171_n.jpg">ridiculous aerial dive</a> onto a fellow panelist at the same event as in #7 </div>
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<b>Column 2 </b></div>
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9. Me Yelling at Kroze with a megaphone @ MagFest, expressing my disdain for how manly he is! "KROOOOZE!" (which drove Robert V. Aldrich insane...derp)</div>
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10. Saying my goodbyes at the closing events of Anime USA in Crystal City, VA</div>
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11. Hanging with my Friend Edward James Olmos</div>
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12. One of my best friends Kim Cohan, "Kimmy", showing off her tongue at an event that I appeared in, Orlando, FL</div>
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13. Taking a photo with my bud Bo Hampton, amazing Comic Book Artist </div>
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14. One of the worlds best Street Fighter Players Daigo Umehara</div>
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15. Giving out Prizes in Boston</div>
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16. Posing with Fans at SakuraCon</div>
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<b>Column 3</b></div>
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17. Posing with Fans at Dragon*Con - Thing 1 and Thing 2</div>
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18. At a release party for Tatsunoko vs Capcom with Seth Killian and one of the best Street Fighter Players in the World, my friend Sanford Kelly, as well as "Kurasa", Jeff Blyden, and "Keits", Adam Heart, (two of the countries best players for the title being released).</div>
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19. Having drinks with one of my close friends and mentors, Richard Epcar.</div>
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20. Posing with an amazing group of my friends at an event in Orlando</div>
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21. Giving out more prizes to a great gamer in the Boston Area, Matt Townsend</div>
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22. Appearing at Tekkoshokon in 2009 licking the ear of it's chairman and my friend Jim Gogal, while Jeanie (his wife) tweaks his nips...</div>
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23. Taking pictures with more fans at SakuraCon in 2009 (I think...O_o)</div>
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24. I need to move this picture higher, my good friend and colleague Chris Smith</div>
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<b>Column 4</b></div>
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25. Two of my favorite people in different aspects of the anime industry, Chinh Ly from Anime Remix, and Tommy Yune from Harmony Gold, before we got stinking drunk partying in Miami</div>
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26. Teaching MMA tactics as a self defense course with my wonderful friend and fellow martial artist, Joel Joly</div>
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27. Hanging with Brian O'halloran, also before getting stupid drunk</div>
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28. Recording a podcast in Ohio</div>
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29. Shooting at fellow nerds with Airsoft rifles @ an event in Ohio (and getting shot at back)</div>
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30. Hot tub time with friends after a convention appearance</div>
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31. SpookyFest 2008, too much partying messing with people that were drunkenly passed out in my after party at 6AM</div>
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32. Two of the most wonderful woman in my life that are not my wife, my mother, my grandmother, or my children. Diane Spyridon-Hetland and Natalie Wood-Faulhaber - if you don't know them, your life is not complete...</div>
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<b>Column 5</b></div>
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33. I setup a domino table in the middle of a hotel hallway by it's elevators, started drinking, and turned the hallway into a party...</div>
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34. My good friend and colleague Steve Downes, who I love making snort when he laughs while eating my cooking!</div>
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35. My bud over at Cox Radio, Dangerous Dave! </div>
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36. Leading a Panel, writing cosmically awesome things on the board...wait, nevermind, i'm on a rant of some kind.</div>
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37. Having drinks with fans at an event after-party</div>
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38. Dinner with friends and staff after a convention, throwing out the usual gang signs in a pose</div>
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39. Posing in Resident Evil Cosplay with some fans - I don't do this enough!</div>
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40. Posing with staff at an event in St. Louis</div>
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<b>Column 6</b></div>
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41. Greatest weekend ever, I got to guest judge in the Kansas City BBQ Societies Florida State Tournament, eating more ribs and steak than I could possibly ever hope for in a lifetime!!! FAT AND HAPPY!</div>
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42. Presenting gaming awards with Dangerous Dave to little kids</div>
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43. Two of my favorite people, Michelle, and Sammy, your life sucks if it doesn't have a little of both in it.</div>
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44. Two more of my favorite people Richard and Ellyn Epcar</div>
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45. Random Convention, i've done 1000+ hard to keep track which ones they all are from photos...O_o</div>
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46. Spookyfest in Orlando</div>
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47. Random event appearance, somewhere...lol</div>
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48. Massive audience in Eyecon</div>
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<b>Column 7</b></div>
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Same as Column 12</div>
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<b>Column 8</b></div>
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Same as Column 11</div>
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<b>Column 9</b></div>
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65. Uncensored & Unscripted @ AMA 2012</div>
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66. Some of my previously sponsored Street Fighter players.</div>
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67. E3, I love it here!</div>
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68. Gaming Event in New England</div>
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69. Pittsburgh, Tekkoshokan, I miss Jim, the Speigels, Ellyn, Hoagie! T_T</div>
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70. My audience in one of my panels at a convention in Ohio</div>
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71. Really Happy Gamers, winning tournaments</div>
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72. More Happy Gamers in Boston, Cheering! Winning stuff I'm giving away.</div>
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73. After-Party with staff, fans, and a lot of friends in Ohio</div>
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74. Wearing a Wisconsin Cheddar Head with a friend before leaving for GenCon</div>
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75. Getting Bonked on the head by fans cosplaying Ice Climbers </div>
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76. Gamer's cheering in Boston</div>
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77. Talking to the MC's Penis and seeing if it answers my cosmic questions while in main events, saying goodbye in closing ceremonies, Tekkoshokan 2010</div>
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78. My crazy game room in Virginia </div>
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79. My bigger crazy game room in Boston</div>
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80. Sitting in a Panel discussion making a guest appearance in St Louis.</div>
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81. Teaching Scorpion and Sub Zero how to really kick ass @ Dragon*Con</div>
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82. Getting some random cheering</div>
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83. Gaming @ GenCon</div>
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84. One of my panels full to the brim, doing my top 25 Mech's of all time panel</div>
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85. Pop'N Music, I suck at this...</div>
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86. More cheering fans! RAVE YOU LUNATICS RAVE! Your raucous noise warms my heart.</div>
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87. Leading an <a href="https://a2-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/94/d4edf2daf35148fca41448f9d0a8237b/full.jpg">epic panel </a>with my wonderful friends and colleagues Steve Bennett, Larry Furry, Kevin Mckeever, and Steve Yun "Teaching Anime, Gaming, and Comic Book Nerds How To Talk To Girls!" in St Louis...<a href="https://a1-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/77/b05f71361872474f9c1c5629fe84a177/full.jpg">we were invaded by fangirls</a> and I got covered in streaming paper...</div>
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88. Leading a huge panel discussion on one of my books</div>
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89. Gaming fun at an event outside of Boston; the organizer ended up kidnapping someone, after the event was over, and leading a multi-county car chase by the cops...fun...O_o (all because he couldn't pay the event bills)</div>
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90. Big Smash Bros. Tournament I sponsored</div>
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91. Street Fighter Tournament in Brooklyn</div>
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92. Massive Street Fighter Tournament in Ohio</div>
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93. Leading a crazy 18+ panel @ AMA in Chesapeake, VA 2012</div>
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94. Tourney I took 4th in Tekken. I don't compete as often as I used to, but I love competing in Tekken</div>
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95. A lot of us <a href="https://sphotos-b-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/34044_1494292047770_7233866_n.jpg">half naked and running around with Keith Apicary</a> at SGC...You had to be there. If you haven't run around naked trolling masses of people with Keith Apicary, you haven't lived. Our friends from Life and Level are also in this picture half naked as well. Same guys got to zap me in the ass with a cattle prod that weekend, demonstrating my manliness...</div>
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So there's your answer, wow, um yeah, that's a lot of picks in that background image, a lot of wonderful memories. Hopefully I never have to list them again! O_o (EDIT-> the background on this twitter has been changed but many of those images are still there just in a different order).</div>
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Feel free to comment, share, tweet, rant, and rave...Well...less ranting and raving. <a href="http://www.twitter.com/emanuelfcamacho">@emanuelfcamacho</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-65069859892385539462013-08-27T15:49:00.001-07:002013-08-27T23:25:49.557-07:00That Keyboard Sure Looks Sexy Right Now...I've been writing a lot of material lately and trying to find continued outlets for my writing. Why, well, that question is better posed in terms of what for?<br />
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I have a lot of work on my plate, but I find that when I complete certain tasks in my day to day I still end up having a good amount of time left over. Even if my normal day to day is 19-20 hours. I used to occupy my time with a myriad of hobbies that were nice. But I find that I'd rather use my time more constructively and continue to cultivate other business opportunities. Truth is, I will never be happy with anything I do unless I am in a specific set of circumstances.<br />
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<b>Teaching</b> - I was never more happy then when I was in front of a classroom. I've been in front of many types of classrooms, from middle to high school, teaching biology, mathematics, martial arts, corporate training education, teaching game design at the university level, project management to private enterprise, even hundreds of panels and seminars on genre specific materials over the last 20 years...etc I love the feeling, I love being in front of a group.<br />
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However, I get frustrated with the mundane activity of repeating the same set of functions across a prescribed period of time, which eventually hypnotize me into a stupor.<br />
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<b>Writing</b> - I adore writing...I need to serve it like a master. My fingers are slaves to this function. In truth I'm not a writer, because I don't write. I'm a typist, yet that is not the conventional thing to say, even if the colloquial term is to state a process I do not do. Fine.<br />
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I've been writing any number of pieces for a variety of websites, and companies. Things i'm used to writing on a daily basis. But I have noticed that I have become embroiled in my writing. If I am not writing, something, I am uncomfortable. I notice that if I am not working on a book, editing someones work, or writing an article for a website, I will look for things to write about.<br />
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Is any of this making sense?<br />
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Am I rambling?<br />
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I notice that my writing has become far greater now than it was three years ago, and of course come to the notion that of course it is like a muscle I am constantly keeping toned. Yet I am wondering if lately I am overworking this muscle.<br />
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Will I eventually come to a point where I will no longer have something of value to share? Will I end up hitting a floor, where the ideas no longer flow, where I have evaporated them all away?<br />
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I don't know, I guess people who write, for whatever purposes they write, struggle with this as well.<br />
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I love to write, yet I fear I will soon find my limitation.<br />
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If I don't find that limitation, will I be able to always remain relevant...<br />
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These are the thoughts floating around in the grey spaces of my world...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-2781311034430557392013-07-19T23:25:00.000-07:002013-08-28T01:23:46.883-07:00Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox Review<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
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Very little needs to be said about this animated feature film. However, I will try to put together some words of use. I usually go the route "If you are a fan..." vs "If you are not familiar with the comics..." etc, etc. It doesn't really matter here. </div>
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This is one of the best Animated Features DC has made to date. Among all the animated features between the two rivals DC and Marvel, much of the DC animated features are slightly (if not consummately) better. I say this in reference to what I thought was atrocious on Marvels behalf - <em>ULTIMATE AVENGERS</em>, and <em>ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2</em>, with some of Marvels best work in the <em>HULK VS</em>... & <em>IRON MAN: RISE OF THE TECHNOVORE</em> set of films.</div>
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<strong>To be fair both I-II were really weak films.</strong></div>
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But for the most part, we as fans starve until we get the next DC animated film. I'm still mixed over the recent <em>BATMAN: THE RETURN OF THE DARK KNIGHT PARTS I-II</em> films. I loved part 1, I am still extremely mixed over the 2nd, especially with some of the weird things we saw Superman do. SPOILER: Most folks are hung up on the Batman Killing Joker scene...END SPOILER (If you havent seen this film, what are you waiting for).</div>
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Flashpoint takes place within a comic event equally named "<strong>Flashpoint</strong>" which gives us a glimpse of Flash longing for a change from his past, but by actually accomplishing this change pretty much ruins the future - completely...</div>
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I have to dig through my comics to read Flashpoint again - without remembering much of the details I went into this film almost blind. I remember the general concept in Flashpoint, but none of the details...strange? I'm in the middle of a move, which makes it more annoying to find a set of comics that are boxed and stored away...</div>
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Perhaps its a good thing, because I was literally able to enjoy the film without the comicbook nerd judgement I always have when watching these types of films.</div>
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Let me state (if it's not apparent), It was an absolute joy to watch this film. There are elements of the Golden and Silver age variations of these characters quietly embedded in the storylines DNA. We know its there, but its not overt. The voices were done by mostly familiar artists. Among my favorite newcomers to the film were Kevin McKidd (Luscius Vorenus from the HBO series <em>ROME</em>) playing Thomas Wayne, Batman's father; dawning the cape himself. </div>
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We also got to see a variety of characters from the Superfriends era of the Justice League, most notably, Black Manta among a cornucopia of Atlantean characters.<br />
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<strong>Here is a Youtube video with a Legion of Doom Roll call </strong><br />
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This is by far the bloodiest and most violent DC animated film I have seen to date. DC spared no argument toward keeping censors at bay, taking on the killing of children as a plot point and aspect of shock value. It makes perfect sense, this is a world torn apart by war, and the characters we meet are extreme counters to what we know. Most favorably and gloriously created is the time-altered Batman Story (did I mention this already? O_o)...That I think everyone will absolutely love! I also get some screen time from one of my favorite characters, Etrigan, poetically I might add.</div>
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As much as I love Superman, I absolutely love how he did and did not play a major role in this film. Allowing all the other characters to shine in the spotlight, without a nonsensical explanation (or lack thereof) for his absence.</div>
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Overall, there is a lot I'd love to say, but shouldn't as the film releases on the 30th and I don't want to spoil it for anyone. I think I might have already stated too much. It is in my opinion, among DC's best animated films. It made me laugh, I felt like a kid again, marveling at the characters. I had moments of surprise when I saw characters I hadn't seen since I was very young, much to my personal glee. It moved me to tears with some of the very bittersweet moments between Flash and Batman. This is almost a perfect film. I found myself constantly thinking..."Too bad it's already animated, this would have been a perfect story to convert for live action...", potentially for a Flash entry, or a weird option for the Justice League film. It's not a stretch to imagine this as <em>GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT</em> is what DC based the Ryan Reynolds version of <em>GREEN LANTERN</em> upon...Either way, I'm glad it was made.</div>
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I Think you will too...Comment, Follow, Tweet with me...</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-43531330014181116002013-07-14T23:09:00.000-07:002013-08-28T01:19:06.822-07:00Pacific Rim: Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I loved this movie - It made me feel like a kid again. At the core of the film, that is pretty much what it is supposed to do - Everything else almost doesn't matter. It's hard to reminisce about films like a child, because I tend to analyze what I see, especially when our good hard earned "dinero" is thrown in...That being said, the film in my mind resonated two things - I expected both - A live action film of what I used to love playing as a teenager - "King of the Monsters"... And as my friend Shannon Baker put it "Godzilla vs Transformers" -- Now I use that phrasing loosely, but in effect, it's not too far off. A few scenes, regardless of how much, Mr. Del Toro stated (he wanted) to be away from existing Anime themes, was nearly impossible for us that know Anime and not see those themes (that obviously) inspired much of this film. I loved seeing the launch sequence for the Llagers, seeing in my mind what "Evangelion" could be like in a live action setting (especially with the remakes still in the works).</div>
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I see, to a degree, what the live action "Gaiking"might be like (if it would have actually been made) . </div>
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Overall, in terms of what was good with this film, it does exactly what its intended to do (didn't I say this already), make you feel like a kid by marveling at the crazy things that are on the screen. It's fun, and it definitely delivers a great amount of wow factor, with the crazy amount of nods to a variety of genres that it throws it you.</div>
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<strong>-- The Bad --</strong></div>
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There are very few general gripes I had with the film, one, I didn't walk in expecting Oscar performances... Anyone that does, you are deluding yourself without any purpose, and in so doing, are robbing yourself of simply a fun film. You might also simply be a pretentious hipster, and I'd warn anyone from watching movies like this with pretentious hipsters...Sorry, I'm extremely prejudiced against Hipsters (and Trolls), now you know.</div>
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In terms of some Sci-Fi concepts, there are a few things that (if you understand physics, or general amounts of scienctific concepts) will break you from the "moment" because your nerd brain (like mine) will say...that doesn't make sense...You have to jar yourself back into reality and just say..."it's a movie, who gives a crap, shut up brain!"</div>
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In general there were little developments into the characters with a few exceptions, and the focus of the development of the systems of the Llagers (themselves) left little reason for its existence, and acceptance. The best way I can describe this would be. If Tony Stark was kidnapped and placed into a cave and told "here are a bunch of spare parts, make us a missile" and he brakes out of the cave with a fully functional Mark VII type Suit, we wouldn't really believe it, there would be a disconnect in continuity and the acceptance of what we see (similar problem happened in the 1st "GI Joe" film with the level of tech used in the film, it was not believable, and scaled back to levels of reality in the sequel - especially when compared to the Transformers films)... The tech behind the concept of the suits is gorgeous and marvelous, but the innovation behind it is so extremely futuristic and evolutionary that its not believable - especially when the rest of the world is still operating on what we see is normal tech - like the choppers in the film, (mostly) older Sikorsky type helicopters...This doesn't line up...expecially if you mix in the types of interfaces they were using to monitor the Llagers. I won't spoil any scenes - but keep this in mind - Communications and Vital Signs...you'll know when you see it. While these things were complete and utter eye candy, the point is almost completely apparent to anyone watching the film.</div>
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<strong>-- The Ugly --</strong></div>
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For me, this may seem like a big issue, for others it is no big deal...</div>
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The music. It was underwhelming. This film is the reason a word like "Epic" exists. Of the hundreds of myriad films that are produced each year, this is the type of film most people will pay to see in the theater and not wait for a home based release. This is the type of film that keeps IMAX and 3D film theaters open.</div>
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Why would the music be so plain and boring?</div>
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Let me back up a moment, the music, was fine. It was simply not Epic, at least not to me.</div>
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Imagine if "Star Wars" was not composed by John Williams...Imagine for a moment it was composed by someone else - chances are the "Star Wars" we know and love would not be "Star Wars"...The music in those films are so Epic that its played in 4th of July fireworks sequences</div>
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...That's Epic...</div>
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Score is quite possibly the 2nd if not 3rd most important ingredient in a great film - 1st being Acting ( and Story), the other in contention for 2nd/3rd (depending on the observer) is Visuals. If the acting is bad, most people hate the film, but if the visuals and the score can somehow keep you in the moment, the acting doesn't matter anymore (basically I'm describing a Summer Blockbuster) - can we honestly say films like "Star Wars" had great acting? Hell no...But we love those films don't we? What makes it that much more frustrating for me, I'm a bit of an audiophile elitist and I love being immersed in sound. The composer of this film has put together amazing work for Iron Man, Game of Thrones, and has worked with Hans Zimmer. So I wonder if his vision...rather "Ear" for the film was steered away by other controlling entities.</div>
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My final gripe, again, depends on the observer - this movie seems to have been converted in post for 3D - it was not designed as a 3D film, ergo, its an awful 3D experience...there were 3D scenes in the Coke Commercial prior to the trailers (that were excellent) advertising the fact we were in a 3D theater, on a much better scale than the 3D conversion in this film. Had Mr. Del Toro designed this film with 3D in mind, most of the objects would have been thrown at the camera, not away from it as in most of the film. So don't waste your time watching this in 3D. </div>
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<strong>-- Overall --</strong></div>
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The film is a great joyride through an old and classic film genre, with many nods in respect to a variety of the themes that help inspire and bring it to life. The action is solid, the Kaiju are over-the-top and felt amazing. The music could have moved me more, and could have been scored to be more epic and grandiose, but it suffices.The story is interesting and will captivate a whole new generation of young minds that will now be seeking all kinds of content on the genre of Kaiju films, games, anime, and the like...and for that Mr. Del Toro I thank you - just next time get someone like John Williams, Hans Zimmer, or Basil Poledouris-esque (R.I.P. Basil)! Perhaps just let this composer do his thing without compromises, yeh... (Del Toro micromanages the entire process...So I wonder if he was driving the composition to his tunes.) </div>
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If you don't like giant monsters, robots, mechs, anime, have an imagination, or an inner child...don't see this film. If you go to the movies to see riveting award winning acting that can move you to tears and hangs you on the very words of the actor - like watching anything (say) Daniel Day-Lewis is in? ...this is not the movie for you.</div>
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If you want some mindless fun in a film worthy of your $30-40 bucks (factor in the junk food, and the obligatory round of DDR, Shooting game, or Pac Man for people like my bud Todd Rogers - who i'm sure will get a round of Pac-Man in before the trailers start) - then this is a movie perfectly intended for the theaters -- I recommend IMAX...stay away from 3D...</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-45487606551522541822012-08-01T23:38:00.000-07:002014-11-10T11:16:21.506-08:00All-Star Superman - What The Frak!?<div>
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I love watching the recent entries into the Marvel and DC Universe Animated features. Batman Superman: Apocalypse, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (Based on Crisis on Infinite Earths), Green Lantern: First Flight (seemingly the story-line for the Green Lantern film), Batman: Under the Red Hood, Hulk vs and Planet Hulk. All of these are fantastic pieces of work. When I recently added All-Star Superman I was eager to see it.</div>
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I was awkwardly surprised. </div>
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I don't need to give two perspectives on this film because both sides are thinking the same thing, well...sort of. Most may not know that this was also pretty close to the comic of the same name. Perhaps my vitriol is more specific to the comic and not the film.</div>
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I was not sure what to expect, and last night I showed this one to my friends who were relatively crashing at my house. We had just finished watching Superman Batman: Public Enemies, might as well show them this one, I was curious to see their reactions. In truth I fell asleep...It was 6:00 AM and I had seen this before with limited concern to watch it again.</div>
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The movie essentially starts out with an awkward allusion to kryptonians and then jumps to an image of Superman, to then show some scientists on an orb orbitting the sun conducting some experiments. At first, you figure you are watching another origin film on Superman until you realize it's not about that at all...</div>
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Continuing, you end up seeing a scientist morph into some strange mutant that begins to trash the ship and eventually realize Lex Luthor is behind it controlling this mutant, coordinating his movements from Earth with a few minutes of time delay.</div>
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Around this moment it shows Lois Lane typing up a story stating "Superman Saves the first Manned Mission to the Sun". Yet it's still occurring? O_o</div>
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Of course he does, but the presumption is a little odd...perhaps it's just bad writing...</div>
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Then of course in the myriad of strange abilities Superman has shown throughout his career, a new one emerges...He all of a sudden surrounds the ship with his "Bio-Electric" field, which looks more like a ton of his snot in a net, pulling it from his head to protect the ship from the Sun...wasn't the ship fine as it was already coasting very close to the surface of the sun?...XD Couldn't he have just gotten under it and pushed it away quickly...Obviously this was a "state-of-plot" device to showcase the new ability (of course originating in the comic).</div>
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Essentially it takes you to the moon where he is being checked on by the same scientists he just saved and apparently his strength has nearly tripled...</div>
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Later on, he reveals his secret identity to Lois, gives her super powers, fights with Samson and Atlas, answers riddles from the Ultra-Sphinx, yeah ok... He tours his fortress with all sorts of new hobbies he has contained inside and at one point makes dresses for Lois. Odd...</div>
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Here is where it gets interesting, in one scene while Lois is observing whats going on in the fortress, Superman is off the screen for a few seconds, then flashes back with some strange flowers..."I picked these for you from a planet near Alpha Centauri" - So, he pretty much traveled 4.365 Light Years and back (8.730 to be exact)... in under 5-6 seconds...WTF - that's faster than anything I have ever heard of in any comic (or Sci-fi for that matter) in terms of moving to and from, not jumping or teleporting...If you're like me and you want to do the math. that speed of light is 186,000 miles per second (per second) - and a light year is how much time it takes light to travel in a year. usually 9.46x10 to the 12th power (that's 12 0's following 9,460,000,000,000,000 - that's Quadrillion). in this case take the Quadrillion measure and multiply it by 8.730, you get 82,585,800,000,000,000 (Quadrillion) and he did this in 6 seconds (let's round up) that's 13,764,300,000,000,000 (Quadrillion) per second - or essentially - 74,001,612,903 times faster than the speed of light...compare this as an example to Star treks Warp 9 (just under 300 billion miles a second)...If I haven't bored you with the math yet...you understand my WTF at this ridiculous moment in the film. Don't get me started on the ramifications of his mass moving at such speed in and out of earth - which would alone ignite molecules at the nuclear level causing most of the earths destruction if he actually moved at that speed...Lois and flowers...No...Earth = ball of fire, yes.</div>
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He essentially has to fight off a few more issues, random encounters which were absolutely strange, more of Lex Luthor, and a random pact that he makes with a being to remove Superman's powers...I don't want to ruin this part that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, simply because of the essential timeline - There was no way Luthor could have been in contact with this "being"...it also makes no sense that he could be...But it's a comic, so its kind of a "Who cares, move on" kind of situation, I just accept it...</div>
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It was quite hard to watch and accept this as a film, especially because it was not Tim Daly doing the voice of everyone's favorite Kryptonian. </div>
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He even at one moment argues "What is it going to take for you to keep you hands off my girl" "Que!" as I went off in Spanish...This is not normal behavior...I would understand if they perhaps threw some red kryptonite in (among the other kitchen sinks thrown in) to make the argument, but essentially we are supposed to believe that the Sun, which has always been a good thing for him now was just a little bit too much and is affecting him in these ways...Simply because of the plot device used (that is revealed at the end of the film).</div>
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In the end this film was simply OK...it was interesting to see a Superman A.D.D. film that goes all over the place and see how they somehow pieced it together. </div>
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Personally I would tell you all to relatively steer clear of this one, it was poorly put together, moved away from the voices we all know and love; pretty much ignores the fandom completely and tries to do something in the end that is unconscionable...for those that have seen it, you already know. </div>
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In truth to be fair, the movie does take a lot of the shots from the graphic novel of the same name and utilizes it well, but this film does not do the novel any justice, it takes to many liberties that did not gel in the film. If you loved the comic this is based on, chances are you loved to see an unrestrained Superman, and for that reason I did like this film. But it was a very haphazard comic, and essentially (as a consequence) a haphazard film. I would say in terms of this one, stick to the graphic novel or wait for it to come on cable and DVR it, it's not worth the money of a Blu-Ray price tag. </div>
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Go for the movies I mentioned above or focus more on just the Superman Flicks:</div>
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<li>Superman/Batman: Apocalypse </li>
<li>Superman/Batman: Public Enemies </li>
<li>The Batman Superman Movie: World's Finest </li>
<li>Superman: Brainiac Attacks </li>
<li>Superman: Shadow of Apokolips </li>
<li>Superman (Series 1996-2000) </li>
<li>Justice League: The New Frontier </li>
<li>Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths </li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-16158002571024842652012-06-05T14:59:00.000-07:002013-08-28T03:00:33.282-07:00Cacophony of Fail vs Opera of Win: <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<b>Cacophony</b></div>
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[kuh-kof-uh-nee] </div>
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–noun, plural -nies.</div>
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1. Harsh discordance of sound; dissonance: a cacophony of hoots, cackles, and wails.</div>
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2. S discordant and meaningless mixture of sounds: the cacophony produced by city traffic at midday.</div>
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3. Music . frequent use of discords of a harshness and relationship difficult to understand.</div>
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To premise my title, you now have an idea that I am speaking about a lot of sound that fails...in this case music. </div>
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<b>Opera</b></div>
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[op-er-uh, op-ruh] </div>
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–noun</div>
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1. An extended dramatic composition, in which all parts are sung to instrumental accompaniment, that usually includes arias,choruses, and recitatives, and that sometimes includes ballet. Compare comic </div>
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opera, grand opera.</div>
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2. The form or branch of musical and dramatic art represented by such compositions.</div>
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3. The score or the words of such a composition.</div>
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4. A performance of one</div>
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Just in case there are those out there that need to break up the difference. </div>
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I am no music critic, I do not follow certain genres nor get into the breakdown of such genres into their respective groups and subgroups, all deriving their individual cultures. </div>
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I do love music, and I am pretty eclectic, almost an audiophile of sorts, in terms of how I will make sure I have the best setup for my listening enjoyment. You might, if you peruse, through my iPhone, iPad, laptop, or even my media center, find that I have anything from Andrea Boccelli to Led Zeppelin. I love Rap, but depending on the generation you belong to may not know some of the people I listen to. like Sheila E, Eddie E and Grand Master Flash. You would also easily find Run DMC, Rob Base, and Cool and the Gang, but if you don't know those two, you are missing out on cultural icons that defined their genre for my generation. </div>
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I even listen to what other guys in my circle would call "girly music", like Pat Benatar, Janis Joplin, Melissa Ethridge, and Celine Dion. Hell I had a musical love affair in the 90's with Ace of Base. Whenever the blues hit me in High School, be it a fight with the girlfriend, or a break up. There were many. I would pop Ace of Base in, "Don't Turn Around" would play, I was home.</div>
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I had debates with friends when My Chemical Romance started pitching their music onto the airwaves, because I loved it and love their videos. I thought it was very artistic, angsty, yes. But Artistic none-the-less. I was granted an Emo Brand. Emo...really? Me? I'm not Emo, so I thought, to myself. These guys are stupid, branding people for what they like. Like I need some type of personal pain or need to cut myself to enjoy someones apparent Emo music. </div>
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In that case, most of us are Emo, since a huge majority, of anyone, that was a teenager or in their 20's during the 90's, like me, would of liked Nirvana. Cobain was so Emo, he killed himself. I find it annoying to be labeled for my likes or dislikes. Granted, it is the mark of the disenfranchised to create a label to assert some semblance of their individuality by associating with something other then the norm they were raised to be.</div>
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I find now that music has some champions regardless of their genre or what you may perceive to be artistic or beautiful. There are avatars, of such variety, for each. It's when these, wondrous, people, we tune in to listen to, are featured in another music. Crossing over genres, to build on something different, or try to be new, that is when I cringe.</div>
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Back, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, there was a Rap group called Public Enemy and a Rock Group called Anthrax and they decided, why don't we do something no one has ever done before. We'll team up and make some music and combine our styles. Holy Shit...We just invented magic, sex in a cup, and all of that kind of thing.</div>
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Run DMC + AeroSmith - Walk This Way</div>
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Which gave rise to this diamond of music:</div>
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Anthrax + Public Enemy - Turn it Up</div>
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But then again, nothing has ever been better than Run DMC when it comes to rap. You have others that are amazing, but they are the top, as far as I am concerned. I am old, what do you want.</div>
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After that, everyone tried to do the crossover. We see it all the time now and we don't think much of it. A lot of times you will have partial crossovers where one superstar singer or group helps an up and comer. Simply sharing a video or a stage. Boom! Up and comer explodes Eventually doing the same thing for another rising star. It seems to be a popular model, almost a Pay it Forward set of planning. </div>
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I love crossovers, there are many that do the original pioneers justice. But every so often you have, well, flops. You can have a totally garbage crossover. You can have a totally garbage main performance, where the crossover, or the featured person, steals the show. Or the reverse, a great song where your featured person just kills it. </div>
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I see this a lot, where you have perhaps pop or rock and a rap artist featuring. Then again, I don't always go out there for new music, I'm contented with a brisk list of music I tend to listen to often. With the occasional, let me check out whats new, and absorb the music of any one person I really like.</div>
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Let's put a good example of a recent musical crossover.</div>
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Kevin Rudolf Ft. Lil Wayne When I arrive</div>
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Eventhough Lil Waynes lyrics are a little weird, the song is great and it works.</div>
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Lets look at a female variation crossover</div>
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Mariah Carey Ft Nicki Minaj - Up out my Face (Boy)</div>
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These are great and are entertaining, you don't think to yourself, some of the rap lyrics don't really make sense. Which is a plus, even though some of it is off.</div>
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Here is an example, where the Artist is fantastic, but the Rap feature...not so much.</div>
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Katy Perry Ft Kanye West - E.T.</div>
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Now, when you listen to Katy Perry sing, you almost immediately get sucked into her lyrics and her beat. Especially if you are into this particular genre, you can't avoid liking it, even if you are not a Katy Perry fan. The lyrics make a lot of sense toward the goal of her song. But, I know, there is the but, You listen to Kanye's Rap, and you have to stop and ponder, what the fuck, does any of it have to do with her song. It seemingly makes no sense. Here is a set of lyrics </div>
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<b>Katy Perry</b></div>
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<i>Your </i></div>
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<i>So</i></div>
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<i>Hypnotizing</i></div>
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<i>Could you be the Devil</i></div>
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<i>Could you be an Angel</i></div>
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<i>Your</i></div>
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<i>Touch</i></div>
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<i>Magnetizing</i></div>
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<i>Physical Imploding</i></div>
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<i>Leaves my body glowing</i></div>
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<b>Kanye West</b></div>
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<i>I know a bar out in mars</i></div>
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<i>Where they drive spaceships instead of cars</i></div>
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I don't need to go further than those two lines. The video itself is fantastic, beautiful, a spectacle. I loved it right away, but I have other motivations. It reminded me of one of my favorite fantasy characters in Anime, Sharon Apple, from Macross Plus. I thought the parallel was uncanny. Almost potentially inspired by it. To the point I sent out an email to her production label with a curious question of its inspiration. I have a friend at Capital Records, figured he might know the answer. Which most likely it's just similar, and he will ask me "Wha???". But I'm curious and inquisitive and have found no information on it online. </div>
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Either way, her music is great and the song itself is also great, but the Rap feature, kills it for me. </div>
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Lets look at a different Rap feature for someone that would normally be hardcore as a rapper but is fantastic</div>
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Far East Movement Ft Snoop Dogg - If I was you (OMG)</div>
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Although, the more I think of this one, it's not much a crossover as it's a combination of similar genres. But it is a great song featuring Snoop, the rap lyrics, which can be, related more toward Hip Hop still makes total sense. I also get a kick at how physical he is with the models ass. Nice Job Snoop...So let me look at a different example.</div>
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Taio Cruz Ft Ludacris - Break your heart</div>
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It's a great song with great rhythm for the club scene, however, while most of Luda's lyrics relatively follow the concept of the song, some of it, is so cheesy. Really guys, can we egress from the concept of "Clever" Rap, because "hey it rhymes." </div>
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You also have the concept of "Talk" Rap where its not really singing or rapping so in those instances we don't need to rhyme we just spit out there whatever we like:</div>
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<i>That's all I'm gonna do woman...listen</i></div>
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<i>Now I'm only gonna break your heart</i></div>
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<i>Shatter and Splatter it, into itty-bitty pieces</i></div>
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<i>whether or not you get it all together</i></div>
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<i>its finders keepers and losers weepers</i></div>
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Let me stop there...it's atrocious when you break it down like this.</div>
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Those lyrics are quite possibly the worst I have heard on what is actually a great song. Well, when i say great, I don't mean the concept. I'm referring to the beat, the rhythm. You can dance to it...derp.</div>
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This one was kind of weird as well and I love Gwen Stefani, never miss a concert. But personally it seemed like a complete 180 of what she does. Then again that is good, gives her a different audience to promote to. </div>
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Gwen Stefani Ft Slim Thug - Luxurious</div>
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For the record, that dude is not slim...O_o</div>
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Then you have her team up with AKon and that was awesome. More of what her hardcore fans love. but then again, she has hardcore fans across 4 genres...XD She is not a category, she is just awesome.</div>
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Gwen Stefani Ft. Akon - The Sweet Escape</div>
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But of course, his role in the song was pretty much, that of a back up singer. </div>
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How about the reverse. Rap artist featuring someone outside of Rap. Lets explore this a bit. </div>
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Nicki Minaj Ft Rihanna - Fly</div>
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This is a gorgeous song and done well, although from the beginning it feels like its a Rihanna song featuring Nicki Minaj. Who knows. </div>
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Diddy Dirty Money ft Skylar Grey - Coming Home</div>
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Fantastic song. Diddy knows how to do it. I expect nothing less from a guy who got the approval of Led Zeppelin to play with him. Although there are those that hate it, most likely, due to the Godzilla film itself. I love Godzilla, but I love them all, and that one was entertaining, it made relative sense, so I dug it.</div>
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I, at this moment, am going blank in regards to finding one where the rap stole the performance. I am sure I will think of one when I hit my bed at some point next year. For now, I did think of, a song I loved where the musicians were great but essentially the Rap aspect "out-showed" it, slightly.</div>
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David Guetta & Chris Willis Ft Fergie & LMFAO - Gettin' Over You</div>
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O.K., actually after watching LMFAO, whom are quite awesome, and stole the show, I remembered a great song of theirs, but it was stolen by none other than Lil Jon.</div>
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LMFAO Ft LIl Jon - Shot</div>
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While we can all mostly agree this is a great party song. I sure there is footage of me and my crews blowing rooms up with this song. I'm certain. But, I think most will agree with me, if there is no Lil Jon, this song would not be what it is. </div>
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However, both of those above do not really fit the proper bill for what I was looking for, I was trying to research songs that were train wrecks yet the Rap feature gave it some credit. </div>
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I hope the industry out there truly considers what they are shoveling, and understands you cant slap two awesome artists together and expect to get amazing music. Most of us, I believe, are downloading music and that in itself should be a statement. That we will get it to listen to it, but we won't buy it. </div>
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I had hoped after 10+ years of the digital download age that the industry would pay attention. Most people will buy what they like If they don't like it, but it's tolerable, well you didnt pay for it. There are tons of ways the Industry can measure what you like and what you don't. </div>
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I like a little bit of everything, but it has to blow me away, for me to love it. I don't care if it's Pavarotti singing Rap with Khia...if the song is good, awesome! Speaking of which, the concepts I have been talking about, a lot of times are fixed by, none other than, mash up artists. Girl Talk and Super Mash Bros have turned music that some of us otherwise would not care for and make it into instant hits. Personally, Khia. I hate her music, but Super Mash Bros has a great track with Khia included in it</div>
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Super Mash Bros - Stop that Booty (Here we Come)</div>
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Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to get a lot of these performers to come to a concert and perform with these mash up artists. I think it would be quite epic. </div>
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I hope you all are listening to music, or watching something that puts a smile on your face, something that gets your head grooving. Raise your voices, the industry has to bend to our will, not the other way around. Remember that.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-45956757301389235482011-06-12T00:05:00.000-07:002014-11-10T11:26:29.880-08:00Spectacular Spider-Man A Retrospective<br />
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I have been slowly absorbing as much material as is possible with my heavy work load lately. Landing new projects has been the theme of the month for myself as a PMP. However, the child inside cannot be suppressed and of course neither can the Comic Book fan. </div>
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After finishing <b><i>The Avengers: Earth Mightiest Heroes</i></b> I decided to watch the <b><i>Fantastic Four: Earths Greatest Heroes.</i></b> To be honest, I have never been much of a fan of that particular comic book, even though I have many of those publications in my collections --Reading them is something I need to do (eventually). This particular series as I started to watch it, something inside me went "Bleh..." and I had to turn it off...</div>
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<i><b>Fantastic Four: Earths Greatest Heroes</b></i> - Did not readily inspire much enthusiasm for me. But I will get to it...</div>
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Perhaps it was my mood, the amount of work I had in front of me or simply my lack of interest in those characters. I decided to go toward one of my favorite series and look up Spider-Man. I have always loved the old school variations. Specifically <b><i>Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends</i></b> from the early 80's. I even remember watching the 1978 live action <b><i>Amazing Spider-Man</i></b> --Which I loved as a kid. I loved it so much, a close friend of my family who served in the Marines with one of my uncles who started a comic shop after the service gave me some of my first set of Spidey comics, among them a glass encased edition of #1 (but that's another story).</div>
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Some of my earliest comic book love and later purist and completest collecting behavior has stemmed from this early access to Spider-Man. Among the comics as many of you know from reading my notes and mini-blog posts (some not so mini) that it also goes toward collecting the animated series and films.</div>
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When I bypassed Fantastic Four for some Spider-Man I found <b><i>The Spectacular Spider-Man</i></b>. At first, I felt like I was watching something directly geared toward children and very young teens, of course most of these series are for those audiences; Yet finding it relevant and purposeful is a delight in itself.</div>
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Similarly scripted as <b><i>The Avengers: Earth Mightiest Heroes</i></b> much of the premise follows along the Silver age storylines with a variety of those early characters coming into play. Much of it also springing forth from either of two centralized characters the Kingpin via proxy in Tombstone and Oscorp. So the tech angles definitely pop up but most of it is very low key and focused mostly on the relationships that Peter Parker has with his closest friends and of course his struggle to help his Aunt May and maintain his responsibilities as Spider-Man and live up to his notion of what Ben Parker wanted him to be. </div>
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I have thoroughly enjoyed the first 4 volumes, the first of which is titled <b><i>Spider-Man: Attack of the Lizard</i></b> the other volumes following <b><i>The Spectacular Spider-Man: Volume 2</i></b> and so on.</div>
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I am looking forward to watching the next set of volumes for the second season then I will jump over to <b><i>Spider-Man Unlimited</i></b> which I never got a chance to get on DVD but with the entire series on Netflix I can watch the entire thing with my children. </div>
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Like with any animated variations of a series there are always details that are either added, omitted or adapted for an audience, in this case certain things are conceded for a TV-Y7 audience. But even with that it is still a very solid series and the Symbiote Suit arc is easily among it's best stories. A few characters that are minor nuisances in the Marvel Universe yet part of the origins of Spidey are showcased nicely and it definitely adapts a young audience to a great comic book series that will slowly bring them into our world of comics (It has already worked for my girls).</div>
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It will be a week or two before I get it out of the way and move on to Unlimited and eventually I will get to the Fantastic Four series.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-25344321605378374662011-06-11T11:00:00.000-07:002014-11-10T11:32:33.156-08:00The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been catching up on all kinds of comic book series with my kids. Most recently we saw all 26 episodes of <b><i>The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes</i></b> which aired on Disney XD and just recently in April completed airing. </div>
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I will definitely say this, for a show that is roughly translating a lot of comic book events into a 26 episode series I found it entertaining. You can definitely feel the young teenage level of the story (it is on Disney after all). </div>
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But you can also feel a solid connection to the characters we are getting used to, specifically the Robert Downey Jr. voice we know from the film. Thor was a little more on the RPG side of things, it felt very British chivalry to be honest. Hulk spoke much more often but was interesting to see. </div>
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I like how essentially in this series you see a general thread connecting all the episodes where it demonstrates more and more how they tend to create their own problems. It is also quite interesting to see how the season slowly progresses toward Secret War / Civil War as well as toward the Skrull/Kree wars. </div>
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Granted there are a few issues, like with any interpretation of a comic book into a series, but most of it is small and of no circumstances.</div>
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I actually had a very early gripe with a character Thor was fighting in the second episode <b><i>Thor the Mighty</i></b>. The character name was Wrecker. Now, I find out later this was a normal thing as is intended, however the audience (which is mostly kids and teenagers, some of which never read the earlier comics) won't know the connection.</div>
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Funny thing is, while I caught it, I didn't know enough about this character that it forced me to look him up and see if he appeared in any of the comics I had, which he did - but those are from Silver Age and I haven't opened them since the early 1990's. </div>
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Wrecker carries a crowbar...</div>
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Nothing fancy, just a crowbar, yet when Thor charges at him with Mjolnir and strikes him from above, wrecker blocks it with the crowbar...</div>
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At first thought, this also being episode two...I of course yelled out, "That's a load of Bull!" thinking to myself that the producers of the series created a gaping hole in their plot if Thor's hammer could not best a simple crowbar...</div>
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I found from reading a few of my older comics and from some research online (to find these comics) Wrecker's crowbar is bestowed with similar enchantments to Mjolnir...O_o</div>
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OK, that's a new WTF moment...</div>
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He also bestowed some of that power to him crew and lost some of his total power. Later being restored. So you can imagine I was blown away that something so simple was actually a lot more than it really was. I'm more amazed at the weirdness of the weapon and the character - He is essentially a lower level nobody. He does appear again later on in this series and given more power by the Leader with Gamma irradiated booster technology. </div>
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However, any kid, teen or comic fan like myself getting a fix from this series will catch it right away and rage at the potential for a crowbar to actually stand against Mjolnir...Wrecker and his obviously whoa WTF awesome crowbar has no back end story or explanation (unless you know the comics). </div>
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There are a lot of other cool little tidbits in the series what I like to call the "Thing's that make you go Hmm..." moments. </div>
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While I couldn't help but slightly compare it to the higher production value of <b><i>Iron Man: Armored Adventures</i></b> it was a great show, even if the Iron Man series was a re-imagining as Tony Stark in his teenage years. the Art was cleaner and the CGI was well done.</div>
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The Avengers are rooted in the old interpretations of some of the comic characters and is true to the background of those characters, for the most part (which I liked a lot) - Specifically a scene that made me chuckle where Captain America is teaching Tony Stark how to fight. Tony completely getting his ass kicked. Wanting to rely solely on his armor as opposed to any skills. Where Rogers relies on training hard work and tactical skill. </div>
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As the series carries on it introduces larger and more grandiose scenarios as they have to save the world more and more often. Keeping in mind with this as anyone watches it, and then sees a film like <b><i>X-Men:First Class</i></b> you will immediately notice a specific character plot hole in the Wasp...specifically her powers and abilities, and the fact that she was a wealthy socialite, not a penniless girl that needed to strip for money...Not to bash the film, I did like it as a film, not as an X-men film. </div>
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My only other gripe is the same most comic books that share the earth normally face. The storylines are not in a vacuum. If the world is being taken over by a race of aliens, there are other mutants and super heroes that will pop up and give a lending hand. Excluding many of them is awkward sometimes. </div>
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Again, this is just an animated series and is designed more toward a younger crowd. I recommend giving it a look, it certainly helps waiting out the eagerness to watch <b><i>The Avengers</i></b> coming out next year.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-68140187433882026962011-06-05T02:00:00.000-07:002014-11-10T11:44:41.594-08:00X-Men First Class: Two Points Of View Review<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
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I didn't originally get to review this film, my advanced screening opportunity fell on the night I had work @ AIU, so I figured I wouldn't be reviewing this one. After watching it last night, I decided to change my mind and at last talk about the film from two different perspectives.</div>
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<li><i>I am going to give you two perspectives. </i></li>
<li><i>One of a guy watching a movie. </i></li>
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<b>Perspective I | A Comic Book Fan and Collector:</b></div>
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One that knows just about everything there is to know about these characters. (Well, almost everything). </div>
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As a guy watching a movie, First Class delivers a fantastic journey into the world of the X-Men at their birth. The actors are fantastic and you can connect with them right away, especially the flirtatious and not usually seen behavior of Charles Xavier; who is a genius very early on and highly compassionate. The story while connected to Charles, as much as it is with Erik Lensherr, does feel more of a focus on Magneto's life and his plight above everyone else.</div>
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I enjoyed the connections and I enjoyed the action. Overall it was very satisfying even were I not a comic book fan, I could enjoy it and essentially understand from a mainstream concept what was going on and why certain things connected together. It felt almost like a reboot in the spirit of <b><i>Smallville</i></b>. The writing and direction took this film into a place that made it believable and utilized a more humanizing touch. Especially in the concept of good vs evil, frailty, life, and death.</div>
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The special effects were excellent although some of the concepts behind the effects on Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) were a little strange, it still did not completely detract from the story and what was going on. Again, akin to the <b><i>Smallville</i></b> like story telling, the climax was a little unsatisfactory and seemed to finish too quickly for my taste. I would have (perhaps) liked to have seen more of a struggle. I won't issue details that will ruin it, but you will understand from my parallel to <b><i>Smallville</i></b> especially where the character Doomsday was concerned in that series' finally.</div>
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Overall it was enjoyable, it had a good amount of action without dumbing it down with monotonous chatter, yet some of the drama poured through especially with Magneto's story. I would recommend anyone in the mainstream to see this as it will give you a good movie for your monies worth.</div>
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<b>Perspective II | From the eyes of a Fan:</b></div>
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First Class made me shrug and shake my head often. Despite the movie being well done and having a variety of excellent story features that made sense and allowed for a proper flow that would leave no stone un-turned, rather the plot holes were not apparent to the laymen...to me as an avid fan and historian of comic books all I saw were holes.</div>
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For starters. Professor X and Mystique do not meet in their youth, Mystique is also not part of the <b><i>First Class</i></b>. Mystique is said to be potentially over a hundred years old, putting her age completely off in this timeline. Sebastian Shaw does not encounter the X-Men until well past the Phoenix Saga. I don't recall Alex Summers being in prison? Azazel being in this film made no sense, especially since they never explored the connection between he and Mystique...If you knew Nightcrawler was the product of a fated Azazel and Mystique union, and figured well perhaps they would have an encounter here to build on that possibility - it's not going to happen. Azazel is more a drone than an active member. A sentry would be a better description. In truth I felt that the producers and directors had this conversation behind closed doors:</div>
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Bryan Singer - "You know...the nightcrawler scenes in X-men 2 were pretty badass..."<br />
Matthew Vaughn - "I agree, totally kicked ass"<br />
BS - "We should do that again...in this one...but it can't be nightcrawler...who do we use?"<br />
MV - "I know...we'll use his dad...fuck it...we'll make it work!"<br />
BS - "Totally Bro!"</blockquote>
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Because that is really what Azazel provided, an easy kick-ass factor, where they delved nothing into his character and didn't even consider the utilization of his story. </div>
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Another Immediate plot hole. <b>NOTE</b>: <b>***Spoiler***</b> While interesting and cool to see Logan (Hugh Jackman) in this film, for a few seconds, his one line "Fuck Off!" seemed impressively fitting if not perfectly appropriate. </div>
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Can't find the reasoning yet? During <b><i>X-Men Origins: Wolverine</i></b>, you had of course Hugh Jackman as Logan, but you also see in that particular film a very young Emma Frost, aka The White Queen. I will say first I loved January Jones in First Class...Dear God, she was an exquisite Emma Frost, but by throwing in Logan, you now completely threw any normal continuity attempt (as if there was any regardless) out the window because of the age differences. </div>
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Granted, we all know that Emma Frost can use her abilities to manipulate what you see her as, however this films timeline predates <b><i>X-Men Origins: Wolverine</i></b>. She uses none of that ability in that film, and it can't be stated as that as a cop-out, seriously now... </div>
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So this is a bit of a fanboy raging on my part (whether it's rational i'll leave to you to deem). Beyond this I can reveal quite a few other issues but it would in effect take away from the film if you happen to watch it, so I will keep that to myself. I could reveal and spoil the Wolverine cameo because chances are you already knew he was popping in the movie, just not where, when or how.</div>
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While my inner Comic fanboy screamed and raged, my inner film fanboy was perfectly content. It's a duality I have when it comes to watching movies. I can understand the necessity to work with content and derive more stories from it by adding a little embellishment here and there. I can also cry out in frustration to state the obvious and unnecessary aspects of a producer and directors need to make something their own. When in truth it is not their own, it is something the fandom has loved for generations. </div>
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This is a story that has multiple elements comprised that are not necessarily told in the comics we have read, however in pieces they are their own respective stories from separate timelines and separate characters. Considering how comics, as they are, can many times branch out into a variety of storylines without regard for others, it almost makes sense to allow the films to do the same. I can paraphrase the last paragraph into "Ah, fuck it! it works."</div>
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I would still suggest those entrenched in the fandom to watch this film and formulate their own opinion. While it frustrated my inner fanboy on many levels it still somewhat held some relative intrinsic value. </div>
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<b>Film Fanboy</b> | 4 out of 5 Geeks will love it<br />
<b>Comic Fanboy</b> | 3 out of 5 Geeks will love it<br />
<b>Overall</b> | 3.5 out of 5 Geeks </blockquote>
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<strong><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">--- This is a rant, this rant will be long, this has been a warning of the emergency rant system ---</span></i></strong></div>
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<strong>Why are Gamers leading the way Camacho? Are you on another rant?</strong></div>
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We gamers are a voracious bunch, regardless of the genre of game we are playing, we make harsh demands on developers and for the most part we get what we want. Because when we don't, oh god...Run!</div>
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And yes, this is a damn rant!? XD</div>
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<strong>Oooh a Rant...O.K. I'm Reading</strong></div>
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We lead the way in voicing our opinions, we lead the way in breaking the molds of racism, and prejudices, because we play online with all kinds of people everyday. Men, women, black, white, yellow, red, gay, straight, bi, transgendered, OMG Cat, and Sign me off Piano Cat...It doesn't matter. All that matters is the game.</div>
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When we want more gaming we demand it online and we eventually (usually) get it (in time). Even the failed attempts since the late 80's to connect us to the internet with consoles. The random modem slot underneath our GameCube's that were being worked on, we might not have gotten it then (at least not completely), but developers and companies kept pushing the envelope to make it happen.</div>
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When the Gaming world started to venture into the Digital world (Yes I know games are all kind of Digital...well, mostly) Publishers and Developers could have kept selling them only from Brick and Mortar locations and not provided online direct2download options. But we pushed, and they delivered. We save more because of it, they make more because of it! </div>
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Overall, we as gamers from a small perspective have helped pave the way for some progress...</div>
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Here is where I think we can help the rest of the world...</div>
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<strong>Ok Camacho? So you're crabby about something that's outdated and think we should all bitch about it for you?</strong></div>
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In a word...Yes.</div>
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There are few things we as a people (as a society) or perhaps not us, but "it's" certain organizations that are trapped in the stone age with certain outdated items we should not have to deal with anymore...</div>
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<strong>Snail Mail, Faxes and Sending Signatures via Mail</strong></div>
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I have been fighting for 3 years now 8 intrusions into my identity. Some occurred on the road during our convention tours (SGC, AUSA, Anime Boston, etc. etc.). Others while sitting in a restaurant. In two separate occurrences someone gained my information via a WiFi scanner.</div>
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Of course I have fought them and got most of my money back, I am still fighting for 2 of those intrusions. One maxed out a credit card and bought a ton of LCD Panels...Especially in my business, when the credit card company sees the history and argues - "We are not paying you back, those were your purchases, you buy a lot of TV's with this card." <strong>XD RAGE@!!</strong></div>
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Needless to say, money mostly regained and credit being repaired, but it's taking years.</div>
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I keep getting these phone calls from one particular company, West Asset Management - Number comes up from Desoto, Texas. The calls have been coming since January to the new house in Port St. Lucie. </div>
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I have answered and talked to them and 4 different times they want someone that is not part of our household. So I have pointed out to them who I was, to help them understand they have the wrong number. Today I got that call again and now a 5th persons name...Does this company have any clerical or operational organization? </div>
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Really, 5 different people, constantly removed from the list...come on people, get it right.</div>
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I finally speak to a management person and it turns out they had me as someone that owed a debt. I have been clearing out all debts for years and have nothing left except some personal debts, and medical bills (that don't appear on a credit report). Then I learned it was some kind of debt from Sprint that was "supposed" to have been corrected last year. I have it all documented, receipts and confirmation numbers. So now begins the long and tedious process of clearing it from my credit report.</div>
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So instead of letting me email copies or scanned documents. I have to write a letter to them, sign it and then send my original paperwork???</div>
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No...I'm not giving up original paperwork. <strong><em><span class="fbUnderline" style="text-decoration: underline;">You get copies you dumbasses...</span></em></strong></div>
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<strong>Why in our world of technology do I have to </strong></div>
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<li>Waste paper and ink printing out a letter</li>
<li>Waste more paper with envelopes and copies of paperwork</li>
<li>Spend time and money mailing out these forms (which also spends money on vehicle fuel to get these parcels to their location, adding to higher green house gasses)</li>
<li>Wait the time it takes for it to get there</li>
<li>Wait for them to open the envelope and read my letter (to only throw away the envelope, further killing trees and effecting greenhouse gases by reducing the population of plants that absorb Carbon Dioxide and breath out Oxygen...)</li>
<li>Wait for them to send paperwork to Sprint (repeating virtually the same process above on it's way back to Sprint)</li>
<li>Wait for Sprint to Repeat #4-5 and then send it back starting the process again to West Asset Management </li>
<li>For West Asset Management to Repeat #4-5</li>
<li>Wait for West Asset Management to realize, they are a bunch of Derps. Starting their version of my process to send the proper paperwork to Experian, Trans Union and Equifax to tell them this needs to be removed.</li>
<li>Wait for these three companies to experience #4-5 and then remove this issue off of my credit.</li>
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It's a nasty amount of waste that can take months, even years...and it has! These scenarios I have had to clear on my credit (as I'm sure others have had to as well).</div>
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<strong>If they followed their business strategy the way gaming industries think...It would literally be this way..</strong></div>
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<li>3:20PM I get the call...</li>
<li>4:00PM I understand they actually do have me on a list and I explain the issue.</li>
<li>4:10PM I scan my paperwork, email it to the clerk at West Asset Management.</li>
<li>4:15PM He sees I am telling the truth - he forwards it over to Sprint, along with the Copy of the Sprint Letterhead I have apologizing to me for the issue with associated reference numbers.</li>
<li>4:20PM An Account Manager at Sprint Corporate opens their email (because I would still be on the phone with West Asset Management and have them call to let them know of incoming traffic to their inbox).</li>
<li>4:30PM Sprint Account Manager replies, "close account, there is no debt owed." </li>
<li>4:35PM West Asset Management Clerk - Forwards this reply from Sprint to the three Credit Agencies. I remain on the line as he contacts each one to inform them of the incoming traffic into their inboxes.</li>
<li>4:50PM West Asset Management has cleared me from their system and gives me confirmation from the three credit agencies that my credit report no longer shows this issue.</li>
<li>4:51PM I am online checking my credit reports and verifying this information while I still have West Asset Management on the Line.</li>
<li>I verify it's cleared and print out the record as a backup for myself with all associated reference numbers. The info of the West Asset Clerk, I spoke with, and store it all properly to use later on if I have to report money owed to me in taxes from associated companies that inappropriately reported negative credit.</li>
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My Credit would be reflected instantly online on the three reporting bodies.</div>
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Not even two hours to solve a simple problem without the bureaucracy and redtape associated with personal finances that hurt and effect people everyday (in effect, harming the entire global economy, as the US sets the economy)...</div>
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We as Gamers need to help the push to "easier-use" technology and force companies to remove their obsolescence. And help the economy to boot!</div>
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<strong>Dude the Government screws us too!</strong></div>
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The government has so many stupid idiotic criteria on small things that it's crippling itself and burning more money on wasteful micro-government and we all pay for it in taxes.</div>
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<strong>Whoa, slow down Camacho, we have no control over that...</strong></div>
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Yes...Yes you do!</div>
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VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! correctly. Actually, correctly is a personal choice...<strong><em><span class="fbUnderline" style="text-decoration: underline;">Just frakking vote!</span></em></strong></div>
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The more we as gamers (Most of us in the 18-25 age ranges do not vote [56-67% of that population] according to the US Census). To use a phrase that is not politically correct...<strong>That's retarded</strong>...</div>
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We are an enormous community that can swing votes in our own direction if we put our collective minds together and are focused in our efforts.</div>
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<strong>Here is an example of stupid micro-government in a wasteful and obsolete manner.</strong></div>
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We had a recent car accident, on my way to AIU (Where I was consulting a Gaming Design Program). Sabrina got a ticket. It also happens to be that time of year to renew insurance, tags, etc.</div>
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With the ticket, they suspended her license...all because an idiot cut us off and caused a small pile up...we got the blame...I wanted to knock out the cop who was an idiot (but the statute is not his fault, he was just a jerk), but alas I was a good boy. (I was polite, I stayed in the car XD) </div>
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To fix this problem Sabrina had to go pay for the ticket, so she could reinstate her license (her license was taken at the scene). Side note: This ended up causing me to have a friend Jules Casanova drive me to AIU (I'm still on some medication, can't drive), Jules is a life saver, shout out! *hugs*. </div>
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Sabrina paid for her ticket. </div>
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Now to get her license back. To accomplish this simple task, she had to walk into the DMV with a birth certificate...easy enough. DMV told her...nope, you need a Certified Birth Certificate...So her "Birth Certificate" doesn't work...WTF!</div>
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She then figured, fine, I'll go get it in Miami. She would for now, go renew the insurance, which I did. Now to renew the tag(s)...</div>
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"Sorry Ma'am you need an ID" - the clerk stated to her.</div>
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When she walked in (Both our cars are in her name, I was on the road most of the time so Sabrina takes care of stuff like this). She shows them her Birth Certificate, same argument...needs to be a Certified Birth Certificate...</div>
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These people are seriously at risk of Sabrina ripping them to shreds...</div>
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She goes to get her Certified Birth Certificate...</div>
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"Can I see your ID" <strong>XD XD XD XD</strong></div>
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<strong>So...Everyone in Miami is now killed, as Sabrina goes thermonuclear due to this stupidity...</strong></div>
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This is a circular and paradoxical problem caused by insanely stupid and ineffective micro-government. </div>
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It would be far simpler to think like a gamer and get with the times and move forward with Retinal ID's, Biometric Scanners, and the like. I'm not talking about "Gattaca" where you prick your finger all day long giving blood for all kinds of ID purposes. No...I'm talking about simple options (that already exist). Most of our lives are already online, our images, records, education, credit, to the point of reductio ad absurdum...</div>
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It's there...how about we tether that info to us, our body, not a piece of paper or plastic we can lose; That gets taken away. </div>
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This would make life a lot easier in a number of ways...not to mention shrink all that garbage micro-government, everyone hates anyway, and save us a ton of tax dollars...</div>
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It would even make life a lot easier in terms of Identity theft...Imagine paying for your bill by scanning your eye or pressing your thumb on a scanner...paying for bills with your social security or simply a credit card number associated to your biometrics. </div>
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Sure, theft of this kind would occur, nothing is perfectly safe; it would for certain be a lot harder to accomplish.</div>
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<strong>So what now?</strong></div>
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I have no clue, we need to raise our voices and help push technology and our opinions toward progress, because a lot of what surrounds us is completely obsolete and outdated. </div>
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I can go into other examples, like the large amount of people standing around and watching one guy work on a road that endlessly never gets finished...When we know there is equipment that takes one guy to run and another set of boots on the ground to manage a path and can deliver one mile of road every hour...But hey, that's progress. And our world makes progress and profit out of halting progress.</div>
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Rant over...Derp</div>
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<M></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-44941963412548023882011-05-14T09:33:00.000-07:002013-08-28T02:08:13.799-07:00GPX Top 25 8 Bit Games Of All Time...My Mom Agrees With Me!<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Oh how we love lists! I have been playing and collecting games since I was barely walking, it was something my uncle and older brother surrounded me with. I had all kinds of gadgets from an Apple II and Commodore VIC-20 to Odyssey, Intellivision, Microvision, and Atari. But of course none of those would compare to the late birthday present I got on October 19th 1985. My Mother and Aunt took me into Manhattan to get a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)...</div>
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I almost exploded, the joy this system gave me as a child is immeasurable. They instantly had a tool to keep me in line (always)...All it took was one threat "Do your homework or no Nintendo" - Bam! Homework done. "Eat your vegetables or no Nintendo!" Damn it! They got me, swallow that damn Broccoli.</div>
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It's no surprise there are so many popular blogs, emulators, musical groups, and conventions that celebrate the 8bit era. I can probably say with little argument, from most people, the NES is the greatest console ever made. The amazing thing of it? It was actually created in 1982 with a release in 1983 as the Famicom. Short of a recall and replacement of the motherboard, the Famicom, soon to be, the Nintendo we know and love, was an enormous success. Atari at one time was going to be the releasing agency in North America. I think Atari still feels the burn on their assess from walking away from that decision.</div>
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The console itself isn't the greatest because of itself (if that makes any sense)...it's the games and the characters many of us related to or loved to play with. From the amazing R.O.B. accessory - which, of course, most of us didn't get too much out of; although I (at least) played with it often. Everything before this system was very awkward and not really compelling (So much for us kids being entertained by basic colors and flashing lights).</div>
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Fuck MTV - I want my Nintendo!</div>
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<span class="photo photo_left" style="clear: left; float: left; max-width: 180px; padding: 2px 10px 5px 0px;"><img alt="25. Afterburner" class="photo_img img" src="https://fbcdn-photos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/223284_1992269496895_4548372_a.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 580px; padding: 0px;" title="25. Afterburner" /></span></div>
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<b>25. Afterburner</b></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">After Burner was an amazing game simply because if was one of the first great experiences we as children got in the arcade with the rolling cockpit. While we didn't get the same experience playing the game at home. It didn't stop many of us playing, at controller cord length, jumping up and down on the edge of our beds turning our heads as we banked and rolled in the game. Notoriously difficult, it gave way for many other titles like it and helped pioneer everything we see today for games of this type. Someone might try and confuse this as a shooter similar to Gradius or R-type - they would be mistaken - this was the closest we as children got to feel what it was like for Tom Cruise in Top Gun. Sure that might not have been for a kid my age, Mom took me to see it anyway. So this game is here more for it's inspiring of our next generation of games, how hard it was and the decent port it had from arcade to the NES and the Master System.</span><br />
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<span class="photo photo_left" style="clear: left; float: left; max-width: 180px; padding: 2px 10px 5px 0px;"><img alt="24. Festers Quest" class="photo_img img" src="https://fbcdn-photos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/228249_1991849846404_6324161_a.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 580px; padding: 0px;" title="24. Festers Quest" /></span></div>
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<b>24. Festers Quest</b></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">There was something compelling in this game that caused me and my friends to continue to play. Was it a shooter, was it a Zelda game with funky shooter weapons. I have no clue. But it was so much fun, we couldn't deny it. even with the weird spiraling ability that seemed to sometimes miss the enemy...we didn't care, even if The Angry Video Game Nerd raged on it - Keep shooting, don't suck and you'll get it!</span><br />
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<span class="photo photo_left" style="clear: left; float: left; max-width: 180px; padding: 2px 10px 5px 0px;"><img alt="23. Blaster Master" class="photo_img img" src="https://fbcdn-photos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/227777_1991852006458_5525917_a.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 580px; padding: 0px;" title="23. Blaster Master" /></span></div>
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<b>23. Blaster Master</b></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">One of my personal favorite games growing up, Blaster Master was a great story of a boy trying to find his frog that fell in some radioactive substance (I have no idea...) jumps out his window into a giant hole in the ground, follows, falls in and finds himself staring at one of the coolest video game vehicles we have ever seen - Sophia the 3rd...Oh Sophia...we blew some shit up together nicely didn't we! The game provided action that was similar to Metroid where you would have to advance in 8 levels of maze like areas to beat bosses and gain the abilities necessary to continue to newer areas, but had the ability to go back and forth to all the levels. You were also able to get out of Sophia and walk into small overhead view scenes, which seemed to be in 3D modeling to fight against mutants and bosses. No Save points or passwords...That was one hell of a difficult game. Invite some friends, get some pizza and go for it!</span><br />
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<b>22. Abadox</b></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">This game was a very strange game indeed. One which was given to me by my uncle returning from the military, then taken away by my grandmother when she saw me playing it...to be returned by Mom later trying to explain to my Grandmother "He is not worshiping the Devil, let him play his games in peace" - Thanks Mom! Abadox certainly was a strange game - I mentioned it in one of my Random Gaming sessions that if the film "Event Horizon" could have been a good game of what happened to the people in hell, this was it. The truth of the matter - you are in a space suit and you fly into a giant planetoid with a huge mouth on the side...Think Star Wars, instead of a giant worm, just imagine the hole was a giant mouth, and everything you encountered inside was hellish and parasitic...Fun...To add to the awesomeness, if you died you start again from the beginning or from a mid point. In similar style to R-Type, Abadox afforded power ups you picked up on the way, like speed ups, weapons and orbs that float around you and absorbed bullets and energy pellets from enemies. But if you are hit by 1 - you die. Insanely tough game. Good luck. </span></span></span><br />
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<b>21. Tecmo Bowl</b></div>
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20. Gradius</div>
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<b>19. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</b></div>
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<b>18. Dragon Warrior</b></div>
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<span class="photo photo_left" style="clear: left; float: left; max-width: 180px; padding: 2px 10px 5px 0px;"><img alt="17. Little Nemo: The Dream Master" class="photo_img img" src="https://fbcdn-photos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/224735_1994006540320_6245301_a.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 580px; padding: 0px;" title="17. Little Nemo: The Dream Master" /></span></div>
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<b>17. Little Nemo: The Dream Master</b></div>
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<span class="photo photo_left" style="clear: left; float: left; max-width: 180px; padding: 2px 10px 5px 0px;"><img alt="16. Contra" class="photo_img img" src="https://photos-b-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/231066_1994012060458_2238181_a.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 580px; padding: 0px;" title="16. Contra" /></span></div>
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<b>16. Contra</b></div>
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<span class="photo photo_left" style="clear: left; float: left; max-width: 180px; padding: 2px 10px 5px 0px;"><img alt="15. Ninja Gaiden" class="photo_img img" src="https://fbcdn-photos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/228354_1994054941530_2825291_a.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 580px; padding: 0px;" title="15. Ninja Gaiden" /></span></div>
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<b>15. Ninja Gaiden</b></div>
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<b>14. Punchout!! (Mike Tyson's Punch Out)</b></div>
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<b>13. Renegade</b></div>
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<b>12. Tetris</b></div>
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<b>11. Double Dragon</b></div>
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<b>10. Battletoads</b></div>
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<span class="photo photo_left" style="clear: left; float: left; max-width: 180px; padding: 2px 10px 5px 0px;"><img alt="9. Ghost'N Goblins" class="photo_img img" src="https://fbcdn-photos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/230309_1994068821877_4679464_a.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 580px; padding: 0px;" title="9. Ghost'N Goblins" /></span></div>
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<b>9. Ghost'N Goblins</b></div>
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<span class="photo photo_left" style="clear: left; float: left; max-width: 180px; padding: 2px 10px 5px 0px;"><img alt="8. Donkey Kong 3" class="photo_img img" src="https://fbcdn-photos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/230914_1994069101884_6199909_a.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 580px; padding: 0px;" title="8. Donkey Kong 3" /></span></div>
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<b>8. Donkey Kong 3</b></div>
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<b>7. Mega Man</b></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I had exhausted my family and allowances keeping up with the many sequels of Mega Man. At One point I am pretty sure I convinced 4 relatives to buy me 4 different versions 2 on my birthday and 2 for Christmas confusing my parental units. Mega Man is a long standing fan favorite and has been included in more titles than I can think of without turning this entire article into a Mega Man documentary. From his own titles to add on characters in popular games like the Marvel Vs Capcom series, Mega Man will be with us for a long time. The original still holds up to the newest generation of titles and games with beloved enemies like Cut Man, Bubble Man, etc. Some of our friends love Mega Man with such passion they have made careers out of Mega Man, our good friend Brentalfloss add all kinds of awesome lyrics to Mega Man music you can catch his records on </span></span></span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.screwattack.com&h=pAQF3Qz1O&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">www.screwattack.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. There is even more music at </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ocremix.org&h=wAQFrE52-&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">www.ocremix.org</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> where are friends there and the ridiculously huge pool of talent that remixes gaming music. </span><br />
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<b>6. Castlevania</b></div>
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<span class="photo photo_left" style="clear: left; float: left; max-width: 180px; padding: 2px 10px 5px 0px;"><img alt="5. Final Fantasy" class="photo_img img" src="https://fbcdn-photos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/229374_1994070181911_7412724_a.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 580px; padding: 0px;" title="5. Final Fantasy" /></span></div>
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<b>5. Final Fantasy</b></div>
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<b>4. Metal Gear</b></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Oddly enough I have never really been a big player of the Metal Gear series, I would play them and beat them and move on, but I loved and respected them for what they were. This title added so much ability to do things in the game you felt like you were really there. from all the weapons, the gadgets and tech you needed to survive to the equipment you needed to move on. It was almost a military RPG. Gamers loved it. It is still a beloved title today and still as hard to complete now as it was then.</span><br />
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<b>3. Metroid</b></div>
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<span class="photo photo_left" style="clear: left; float: left; max-width: 180px; padding: 2px 10px 5px 0px;"><img alt="2. Super Mario Bros." class="photo_img img" src="https://fbcdn-photos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/224714_1994072701974_7595784_a.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 580px; padding: 0px;" title="2. Super Mario Bros." /></span></div>
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<b>2. Super Mario Bros</b>.</div>
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<span class="photo photo_left" style="clear: left; float: left; max-width: 180px; padding: 2px 10px 5px 0px;"><img alt="1. The Legend of Zelda" class="photo_img img" src="https://fbcdn-photos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/227574_1994073261988_3631947_a.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 580px; padding: 0px;" title="1. The Legend of Zelda" /></span></div>
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<b>1. The Legend of Zelda</b></div>
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<b><i>Here are some of the other choices that I was toughing out for top 25 in no specific order.</i></b> </div>
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Romance of the Three Kingdoms</div>
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Monster Party</div>
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G-Loc</div>
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Excite Bike</div>
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Robocop</div>
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Prince of Persia</div>
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River City Ransom</div>
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Rygar</div>
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Skate or Die!</div>
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Spyhunter</div>
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WWF: Wrestlemania</div>
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Batman</div>
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Batman Return of the Joker</div>
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Choplifter</div>
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Phantasy Star</div>
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Rampage</div>
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Shinobi</div>
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Wonder Boy</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-88335455226305828892011-05-07T01:46:00.000-07:002013-08-28T02:09:20.057-07:00Thor - Mini Film Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEXxFv2Ch5on06j_W-YcyofaCvDTeMp4SqEyeuAOSVd3-VtsUyeD46fwFm77s2sOvu91xXu8q8UH98Ul3JUj2Ued8AkbfPfYJD8gkkbM87L3pbARso0aCgIDOSlWzh9Re2ehd5sJ-GCBM/s1600/thor1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEXxFv2Ch5on06j_W-YcyofaCvDTeMp4SqEyeuAOSVd3-VtsUyeD46fwFm77s2sOvu91xXu8q8UH98Ul3JUj2Ued8AkbfPfYJD8gkkbM87L3pbARso0aCgIDOSlWzh9Re2ehd5sJ-GCBM/s640/thor1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Thor! Finally, right?</div>
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Yes! Apparently so. We get a movie experience that we want from an amazing comic book character always believed to be to difficult to bring to life. There have been all types of films on the mythical Norse God, most of which are pretty horrible, or generally low brow. Even interpretations in science fiction, like the alien Thor from the planet Asgard in Stargate SG-1.</div>
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Thor is a beloved character, and Marvel's interpretation has taken that character and brought him down to earth, literally. The film does a great job of humanizing Thor and connecting him to us. I especially loved the manner in which "The Warriors Three" were placed into the film (Hogun, Fandral, and Valstagg) which helped in this process. The only issue I had was simply wanting more. </div>
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The special effects in the film were fantastic and Chris Hemworth did what I thought was not doable without a giant bodybuilding focused actor, like the Arnold Schwarzenegger's of the world. He made you feel like he was Thor. A film like this is incredibly difficult to make. To keep in line with Marvel and appease the fans, hit the mainstream, and tie it into a larger story (coming next year). So why was it one hour and forty-five minutes long? </div>
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I think that Hollywood underestimates our attention spans - A.D.D. is what some of us suffer when dealing with boring and tedious subjects. Put a comic book in front of us or a comic book movie and we sit at attention. So why give us a shorter film? This movie could have entertained us more inside of Asgard, and given more insight into those characters (specifically, Odin and Thor) with another forty-five minutes. </div>
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Perhaps the producers felt it was long enough to tie him into Avengers and wanted to leave other surprises. That's a big "IF?". Actually, it's more like a big "Perhaps?" since that is what I typed...derp.</div>
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Natalie Portman was great - coming off two other productions from "Your Highness" and last years "Black Swan" she is amazingly versatile. I remember a lot of arguments over Idris Elba as Heimdall and the issues of casting someone black for this role. He was awesome. Directed well, and utilized in his role appropriately...Again, I'm certain the audience wanted more.</div>
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Lets consider this for a moment. It's not that the movie was a complete two - two and half hour film, and we wanted more, simply because it was so awesome. The film was fifteen minutes short of two hours and slowly rushed (if that makes sense) through the storyline. </div>
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Overall, I still enjoyed it thoroughly as one of my favorite characters came to life. It is an interesting thing to see Thor finally in the limelight. Realistically, Thor is one of the most powerful beings in the marvel Universe, he is a God, he is just about as strong as the Hulk, but for all that power he is usually overshadowed by other characters. I feel a little slighted that he didn't get a longer film. He will be key in the "The Avengers" next year, but he is also not it's principle character, that falls on Iron Man and Captain America - getting pushed back as the muscle. </div>
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While that falls in line with the comics, I guess I loved the film so much, I wanted more and felt cheated. I do not want to give plot points out like other reviews. We all know Odin is angered when Thor goes to war against his wishes, as a consequence to this recklessness Thor stripped of his power and cast down to Earth. We all know that S.H.I.E.L.D. finds the hammer and so on. Go watch the film and learn the rest. It's worth the viewing and your eight bucks.</div>
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There are a few changes from the comic books, but those changes are not bad, and the amount of action given to us is solid with great storylines wrapping around that action. We get to see him kick ass as a man and we get to see him WTFPWN as a God...We could always use more, as I mentioned my one big gripe is literally we want more.</div>
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So I have a thumbs up for the film, it was a great spectacle, even though fleeting, and a thumbs down because of that fact. It was shorter than it should have been, and slightly rushed in a variety of areas where we wanted more. Specifically, the gorgeous bizarre of eye candy that was Asgard and the bifrost.</div>
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If you need more of a Thor fix as your excited little hearts can't get enough (like mine). Check out the "Hulk vs Thor" Animated feature which has an amazing battle between both of the title characters and has some great insight into Baldur, among others of Thor's comrades. Don't forget Thor: Tales of Asgard and the amazing Thor & Loki: Blood Brothers Motion Comics by Marvel Knights, all three are available on Netflix.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-60395252239660787952011-04-16T01:00:00.000-07:002013-08-28T02:22:16.293-07:00The Comic Book Question. "To Live Action or To Not Live Action?"<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
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Growing up in the late 70's and 80's I had my fair share of comic book films. </div>
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Many of us now are living and growing up in what can be considered reboot heaven. In some cases a Renaissance. When you consider Amazing works of cinematic art like "The Dark Knight" and the placement of Film Operas when you actually combine the epic puzzle that is "The Avengers" with all the pieces that have gone into making it. Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor. Also leading toward a Nick Fury film. </div>
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You almost wonder how it is possible for comic films to fail when being made in this time. Whether the failure is financial or in artistry, it's a failure none the less. And it does happen, quite often. I recently, during my night owl habits, while many of you were sound asleep, caught "DareDevil" on cable. I had also recently caught "Ghost Rider".</div>
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It was mostly in the background, while I worked, I wasn't actually watching this one. I think it's atrocious. After watching DareDevil I decided to rewatch "Elektra". Why? Well, Jennifer Garner is easy on the eyes. I was also curious, because it nagged at me. She got her ass totally whooped by Bullseye in the DD film, but her own, she was an insane feral force of martial prowess. I wanted to go back to understand the producers concept of the character, her development and her tie in to the DD story as well as her comic book roots.</div>
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I noticed they did follow the comic story, as closely as they could. So why did that movie generally suck? </div>
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I then started to think about other comic book movies. The one offs, and the older films that were considered horror fests of fail. Films like Nick Fury: Agent of Shield that starred David Hasselhoff. A film force that I </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">can only imagine is acceptable if you are smoking crack or perhaps sucking on multiple joints to maintain a level of "Phuck it"...To be somewhat forgiving, it was a made for TV movie and the Hoff has a solid resemblance to the comic book version.</span></div>
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Some folks may even remember the original "Punisher" film from the 80's, it isn't that good. but the problem with the Punisher is that Hollywood portrayed him all wrong. Look at Batman. Something, rebooted many times over 50 years, the bulk of which in the last 20. You have the Adam West Batman. Or, as I call it, "Shatner Detective Knight". You have the Micheal Keaton Batman, which was relatively Dark and aloof, socially awkward but he wanted to reconnect. Almost defeated in his attempt. But he remained dark, hidden. Contrived. The Val Kilmer Batman. The Gadget fiend. This film was only saved by Jim Carrey's amazing performance of Riddler. Tommy Lee Jones was</div>
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The George Clooney Batman. Clooney is a great actor, he shows emotion well and even behind a mask his body language and facial expressions demonstrate a lot of his heart. That is not Batman...Worst possible choice in casting. To make it worse Arnold, which conceivably could make a solid Mr. Freeze, was showcased as the lead in the film, and his one liners were so awful it made the movie unwatchable. I completely set blame for that "tour de farce" of films on Schumacher. Thankfully, Christian Bale and Chris Nolan understood the comic on many levels, including the character and the psychology behind the mask. Brought it back to life brilliantly, only to blow us away with Heath Ledger's Joker in the sequel film...</div>
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I see this type of problem in a lot of the comic films we watch. Let's go back to Punisher for this example. Hollywood takes the concept of this character and focuses on the ultra violence. The wow factor of someone like him with no powers and is able to survive horrendous odds and situations. The Thomas Jane version of the film almost caught the emotion behind the man, his mental break. Ray Stevenson was a robot. A total killing machine. Dolph Lundgren had a glimpse of Frank Castles Insanity. The sewer scenario was almost perfect until the film almost made it feel like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". Each version had the right glimpses, but they were separate and in vacuums. We needed to see a man apart, who in his grief, lost his mind, fractured. Struggling to regain a piece of his life but torn with the need to kill his enemies, to punish them for his pain. The Thomas Jane version failed in this because it also made him to touchy-feely, humanized too much, more than likely a directorial or producers outlook on a happy ending. I enjoyed that film, but as a piece of entertainment not as a piece of canon. Chances are why a reboot come so quickly. </div>
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Let's look at Ghost Rider. I felt throughout the film that the special effects were second rate, which didn't make sense. Even with a mild amount of origin story, I felt no connection at all, and Ghost Rider is one of my personal favorite characters. I loved Sam Elliot, and felt he was the strongest aspect, but the writing was simply too atrocious. It felt like the Ghost Rider version of Constantine. The Son trying to take over from the Father. It was a cliche story to use for this rich and deep comic character. </div>
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How about Ang Lee's Hulk. Personally, the story was stranger than fiction. Nick Nolte was extremely forced and the ending of the film was awful. But everything upto that was actually pretty amazing. I think most people were not used to seeing the hulk using all of his abilities. </div>
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Most people are not accustomed to seeing him running like the flash or leaping across states in one bound. It was Ang Lee's vision, and it was stated as different from the beginning. However it was necessary to reboot it for the Avengers...well, twice... The Norton version is pretty good and entertaining, although it has some cheese to it. I wish they would simply go crazy and epic. If you want more monsters and creatures throw in the Leader and his weird hulk creations. Hopefully after the Avengers, we can see a sequal to that affect. Now that Mark Ruffalo is rebooting it.</div>
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How about DareDevil and Elektra? Both films were mildly entertaining. I actually liked Bed Affleck for Matt Murdock. I thought he fit the role really well, and looked great in the suit. Jennifer Garner was not too bad, but the contacts took away the focus. You knew right away they were fake and that is an issue. I'm sure someone else could have fit the role with natural eye color. The scene with him first meeting Elektra, the awkward fight in a playground. That was quite masterfully bad. Really... Collin Farrell, who could have been an interesting Bullseye, I am guessing he was told to be over the top, was doing that all on his own. I still blame the director and producers for not noticing he looked stupid and obnoxious. I don't mind when the studios get creative and use a black guy for a white character or vice versa, point in fact, Sam Jackson is amazing as Nick Fury. Idris Elba looks amazing as Heimdall, But The Kingpins character was killed by Michael Clark Duncan. </div>
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There are so many others that could have fit the role properly. Don't get me started on Halle Berry and her Catwoman! A movie that should have never been made. If they really wanted such a thing, they should of looked at Vixen, she could have fit that character more fittingly. Perhaps Feral from the X-Force, on the Marvel side. </div>
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Going back to "Elektra" it was simply an ok movie. It was more tit for tat than a solid comic book film. Possibly why we havent seen sequels are any endeavor to reboot it. It's more the," leave that in the past and never speak of it again" type of project. But a reboot could be possible with the 2014 reboot in pre-production for DareDevil coming up.</div>
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Creative license aside, directors and producers want to put their signature on things. We need to have some accuracy with how live action portrays the fidelity of characters. Perhaps Watchmen was very specific and done in such a pulp style that it beautifully handled itself in a live action setting. If I remember correctly it was called the best comic book adaptation ever made by many critics. It was unfortunate it didn't do as great during its opening in the theaters. I loved the film. Perhaps it was it's R rating that held it back. Which is the common fear in Hollywood for most projects now. They want as much audience as possible. </div>
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There are many comic films I can think of that were horrid and did not stand the test of time. I can also think of some that were insanely cheesy yet resound as cult classics. Like Flash Gordon. That is a film I love to watch, still to this day. Perhaps it was Max Von Sydows portrayal of Ming the Merciless (who is supposed to be an "Asian'ish" Character). However, Ming is an alien, I guess they can get away with it??? Mr. Sydow was still awesome. So I won't give him any beef. When you consider films like Star Wars accomplishing what it did in 1977 to see a film like Flash Gordon, at that time. You couldn't help but compare it and say "This looks like shit." But we somehow loved it. Maybe it was the catchy music...FLASH!!!! AH AAAAAH...</div>
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O.k. I'll spare us the singing.</div>
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So what makes a live action film stand out? What makes us love it? I think a genuine understanding of the characters is a huge help. But most of these films are trying to reintroduce themselves to this generation. Perhaps people that know the characters, just don't know their stories. I like how Disney handles themselves in this respect. They hide certain things for a period of time, then they re-release it again. It is a system I would have thought not to be viable were I around in the 60's. But it works, beautifully. Only a few of their properties they allow to be remade. Now they are at the Helm with Marvel and I think the direction being taken is amazing. What is possible with other films under their control?</div>
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How about X-Men? The Fantastic Four? I am a huge fan of X-Men. I have been reading those comics since I was able to read. I also love Fantastic Four. Because they tend to overcome insane situations. Specifically, Galactus. The "Rise of the Silver Surfer" could have been such an amazing film. I say could of. The casting in this and the first film were absolutely atrocious. I love Jessica Alba, but she made no sense in this role. Micheal Chiklis and Chris Evans are the only saving graces for the film. They matched the characters and played them well. Chris Evans might as well have been the star. The Surfer was a fantastic fit and he was done beautifully. But there are too many fundamental problems that would have pulled the fans away from the film. While there storyline followed, somewhat closely to the comic book. The translation to live action was too rushed. The basic changes to the story ignored the concepts of the character. Understandably so, Silver Surfer could kill anyone on earth from light years away. However the translation and use of knowledge and technology was on the same level as in GI JOE. It just wasnt believable. You find yourself questioning the film instead of allowing yourself to enjoy it. That's bad. </div>
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Now we also hear the rumors about X-Men sequels continuing where we left off on "Last Stand". Fans have already up-roared over the horrible mish mash of comic stories, the misuse of the Phoenix/Dark Phoenix Saga. The killing or, disintegration of Scott Summers. The Death of Jean Grey and Professor X. Granted, I'm sure the allusion to his return and the potential return of Jean is there. But I think the damage has already been done. Why is this director being given the opportunity to continue? </div>
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More so, the Reboot of Ghost Rider, reboot, operative word. Is bringing back Nick Cage for the role. Why? He was part of the reason many of us hated the film. I'm a purist in the sense that I will go and support the films and watch them all. Whether I think they will suck or succeed. I will point them out to those that will like them and those that will hate them. In the end, much of Hollywood is stuck with the thought "we have to change it a bit, or you will know the outcome"</div>
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Hi Hollywood...Yes, we don't mind you changing the stories. But, here's the thing. You're not comic book writers. Stick with the stories we know and love, focus in on nature of the characters and you'll be fine. </div>
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I guess in the end it's the World of Warcraft business model. I have to throw a gaming reference in there...WoW caters to everyone, it stems from beloved characters and stories to attract the hardcore, but it makes it more general so anyone and everyone can understand and enjoy it, versus the Final Fantasy Online model that is more for a very specific and small clientele.</div>
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We will make this true to its nature and story, we won't fuck with it, because it has enough of an audience and enough background to draw in the numbers we want. Like Watchmen or The Dark Knight. Art over Bullshit politics. They come or they don't...</div>
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I could get into Spider-man, which started the amazing jump into high quality Comic films, in my opinion. But I could also nerd rage on the fact that for all their awesome work they left open real stupid plot holes. For example. We can accept that Spider-man is amazingly strong and powerful, he can lift about 20-50 tons. </div>
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We see it when he stops a speeding train with his webs and is ranked and stretched until he completely stops it. His strength is not in question. So why then when someone of such strength punching a much older man, who has no real powers of healing ability, does his head not explode. Or at the least cause hemorrhaging of such devastating nature he dies as a result. </div>
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Perhaps the concept that is also not in question, the black suit, causes him to lose control. Combined with the basic concept that his strength is not in question. When he turned to slap Mary Jane, which is in itself a loss of control. Why did her head not completely spin on it's access. Loop holes that just don't make sense. </div>
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But the movie is enjoyable and fun. Perhaps we can forgive the third installment for the superior first and second films. </div>
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However you slice it. Comic Book films are dominating Hollywood, whether it is the main stream characters we know like Wolverine and the X-Men or lesser known comics like "The Losers". We will continue to see them, good and bad. Some will derive their cult followings, other will fade away as horrible mistakes, like X-Men Origins: Wolverine (I can't start on this one, I love it and hate with equal levels of fail).</div>
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I hope you are watching all kinds of comic book films, don't just watch what is being put out there now. Look for older material, look at serials from the 40's and the 50's. Go buy the Adam West Batman series. Sit down with some friends, some popcorn and watch the cheesy films of our comic book past, essentially, some of them paved the way for the better versions we see today. </div>
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I look forward to re-watching the Incredible Hulk with Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby, which I recently got. I havent seen it since I was only a few years old. Which comic film is your favorite? Which is your most hated? Which one do you constantly re-watch, or have in the background while you are doing other things?</div>
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I'll be looking forward to the Avengers, I expect it to be great. Normally I would hold off on expectations, but it is almost impossible not to expect it to be epic.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660983156485090417.post-77070890083676296552011-04-12T02:35:00.000-07:002014-11-10T11:59:49.005-08:00My First Book Is Written! Now It's Time For A Glass Of Wine.<br />
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I have been awake throughout the night, (more so) because of excited energy, versus my usual night owl behavior. I completed something I have had in the back burner for some time, something that started in 2006 and popped up a few times through the years. I finally grew up and realized it would begin the next chapter in my life. Finally doing so, I focused all my energy with immense seriousness toward its completion. To sit down and (virtually) not move away from my desk until this task was done. Finally, it has been.</div>
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I am extremely proud, to literally, have before me a manuscript that is ready to be polished by a couple of editors. I have put a lot of thought into this book, and I followed the advice of people far more skilled in this craft than I. I simply stopped fighting the concept, I sat down. I wrote. I didn't stop until it was finished. </div>
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I wanted to thank (preliminary) the small group of people that were part of my intial focus groups; all of your input and feedback helped me tighten the stories and improve on my conversational style of writing. I wanted to thank Joe Peacock for inspiring me with his book, Mentally Incontinent, to finish mine. Joe also dropped various and invaluable tidbits, tips and a wealth of knowledge on me. I appreciate all the help.</div>
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I have the editorial process now to complete, a few good editors will be handling the rest of this dirty business. I am working now on the cover with some professional help, William Icquatu (photographer) and hopefully in the next few months "I Think? No, I'm Sure...God Hates Me!" will be available anywhere books are sold as well as iBooks and Amazon. I am simply just overjoyed. I am sure the moment I get my proof copy I will be just as giddy as I am right now. There will be something powerfully visceral to see my name on the cover of a book I published that isn't a student paper or an abstract --but a novel. The first major hurdle is over, I wait for the next one to scale. I'm sure there will be many.</div>
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I am still working on a number of other books and pieces of writing, hopefully I will have a few drafts completed by September. While I edit the current book.</div>
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Thank you all. </div>
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Manny Camacho</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06194658486388102556noreply@blogger.com0