Being positive all the time is exhausting! Time to vent some frustration!
A side quest in a video game can either expand the world and be a fun break from the main story, or it can be a waste of time and you forget about it as soon as you are done. The worst side quest not only feel like a waste of time, but they also break the usual gameplay for something less endearing or enjoyable. Here are my personal top 5 worst side quest in video games.
This is a personal list and these are games I like, even with these side quest. If you don't agree with me, share with me what you think is the worst side quest. Let's get started.
#5- Blitzball (Final Fantasy X)
I love Final Fantasy as a whole. My Youtube channel is dedicated to the franchise for a reason. However, I do acknowledge that they are not all perfect. Final fantasy X in particular has only a couple side quest, and Blitzball feels like one of the biggest time killers. What do you see in the opening cutscene during the tutorial? We see action, a lot of movement, people getting hurt, it looks like Football or Soccer under water. That should be awesome. Instead, we get an over complicated and slow game that feels like it's only purpose was for the developers to try something new. We never saw something like this after X and it is for a good reason. It is the weakest part of an otherwise great game.
#4- Love Letter (Skyrim)
Most people probably have no idea what this side quest is. To put simple, a Nord Bard and a Dark Elf Archer are fighting over a woman and you have a choice to give her a letter and say who wrote it or not... That's it... We also don't really get much of a prize for doing it. The archer isn't that good and I don't even know what the Bard gives you because he is just a prick and he doesn't deserve her. In fact, it is probably best to just ignore them both and marry her yourself... I think I might do that next time. The reason it is so bad is because this is grown men fighting over her and it feels like High School Drama... In a fantasy game... About killing DRAGONS... I don't blame you if you have no idea what this side quest is, because if you are smart, you probably ignored it.
#3- Malo Mart (Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess)
If you asked me what my favorite Zelda game is, it would have to be Ocarina of Time, but Twilight Princess is a close second in my book, because of the combat and great new characters. However, one side quest stopped me from loving it more than I do, and that is the Malo Mart side quest. All you do, is donate Rupees. Nothing else, and they are constantly asking for more and more rupees when ever you go back. I lost track of how much I donated and in the end, all it did was buy a market in the city area and you could now buy magic armor that ONLY WORKS WHEN YOU HAVE RUPEES!!! In the felt, it felt like a waste of time. At least the other side quest were fun... I also just realized Malo should not be able to run a store... He's like 5 years old...
#2- Escort Missions (In General)
I remember playing Fable on the original Xbox, and I did a couple side quest in that game, because an escort mission turned me away from doing any other side quest. It was saving a little boy from some monsters... The boy died in one hit and walked like there was a cinder block tied to his ankle. This is not the first time I have encountered this. Any game can be easily ruined by an escort mission whether it is a side quest or a main quest. I asked my friends before making this list what they thought was the worst side quest and they all mentioned an escort mission in one way or another. I can't think of a single person who has ever said, "Escort missions are the best part of the game." They are not. If someone says that to you, they are lying and want to see you suffer.
#1- The Strip Club (Grand Theft Auto: Vice City)
So in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, you can buy businesses and do side quest in order for them to provide income for you. sounds fun right? Some of them include advertisement, some of them involve scandal, but one in particular is just awful. Why? Because all you do is spend money... Yup... In order to make money from the strip club, you have to watch a poorly made pixel stripper dance for you and spend money until you spent enough. You could start the mission, walk away from the TV, order a pizza, use the bathroom, and play whatever mobile game you want, and it would not be done. I was a younger kid when I played this side mission (too young to be playing it to be honest) and my friend and I wanted to unlock it and make money off the strip club (because of immaturity), and we thought it would be fun to just watch the dancer... It wasn't and we were both bored because it took ten minutes and we lost more money than we were making... I haven't played any of the Grand Theft Auto games after Vice City, and while I do still play Vice City when I'm in the mood to explore a fictional Miami, I avoid doing this one, because it is boring, does nothing for the story in the long run, and feels like a complete waste of my time.
Side Note: I'm stepping away from music and movies for a short time (Mainly due to boredom) and putting a little focus on Video Games. Not for reasons to be more popular (That is far from the reason and it wouldn't work anyways), but because i want to explore and expand my thinking more.
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Monday, January 2, 2017
Top 5 Anticipated movies of 2017
I dropped the ball on my top 10s for December. So, I decided to do a top 5 to start the new year, because some pretty cool looking movies are coming out this year, and I am excited to see them. Here are my top 5 most anticipated film of 2017. This is a personal list and you don't have to agree. It is an opinion after all. Also, feel free to check out my new Youtube channel I have started with a buddy of mine. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZoBsGNKOYcel-tuTmozhjg
Let's move on:
#5- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
As I stated previously, I'm not as big of a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I did love Guardians of the Galaxy. It felt fresh and had some characters I actually cared about. Not to mention a fun soundtrack and some great action. I am hoping for a better villain with Vol. 2, because that is what Marvel films need more than anything else. Give us a good villain and I may actually love another Marvel movie.
#4- Wonder Woman
I am more of a DC Comics fan than Marvel, and even though Batman V. Superman was a bit of a disappointment for me, Wonder Woman could be a saving grace for the struggling film universe that DC is trying to establish. With a strong character like Wonder Woman and taking it back to her first visit to America during World War 1 can be not only interesting, but we could see some great action scenes and a stronger villain. Please don't get this wrong. Wonder Woman needs a life action movie that can really make a difference.
#3- The Mummy
The Branden Fraiser Mummy movies I can only view now a s a guilty pleasure, but with Tom Cruise and strong elements of both action and horror, this can be a great movie with thrills and fun. This is a movie Legendary Pictures is hoping to use to establish a universe of monsters, but I am hoping they do the right thing and make every movie it's own story with subtle connections instead of stories that require you to see them all to understand what is going on. Please do this right. With all the bad movies I have recently seen with classic monster movie characters, we need something good and fresh.
#2- Power Rangers
I was not expecting this, but the trailer for the film actually excited me. They are taking something that may not have aged that well, and putting a modern twist to it. Not only does the cast have my attention, but every element it the trailer has shown has given us something interesting. This feels more like a rebirth and not a remake. If it is going to be done, let it be done right and I will review it. I grew up with the original Power Rangers, so this is part of my childhood.
Honorable Mentions before we move forward-
HM #1- Beauty and the Beast- It looks interesting and they are doing some changes to the Disney classic, but too much things from the original keep me from getting excited. Please make it fresh enough and not something that will rely on Nostalgia like the Jungle Book did.
HM #2- Justice League- I love DC and I'm excited that we are getting this movie, but I haven't seen enough to get as excited for it as I have for other movies.
HM #3- Logan- I love most of the X-Men movies, and this should be a great farewell for Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart. I am waiting to see more before I get too excited this time though. I am playing it safe this time.
Now to the big one.
#1- Ghost in the Shell
I know, I know the controversy, but I have an argument against the whitewash accusation. The Japanese were also shown the same image that we saw at first and guess what they said? "She looks like the character." Let's put that crap aside and focus on everything else. This movie is already set to have some of the best Sci-Fi visuals I have ever seen. I don't care about the R-rating, or the casting controversy. I am still excited for this movie to come out. Anime to Live Action adaptations need a better example than Speed Racer, and if any story and movie can do that, let it be this one. Ghost in the Shell has enough intrigue and potential to give something that will surpass the stereotype and be a turning part for live action adaptations. That is why this is my number 1 most anticipated movie of 2017.
Let's move on:
#5- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
As I stated previously, I'm not as big of a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I did love Guardians of the Galaxy. It felt fresh and had some characters I actually cared about. Not to mention a fun soundtrack and some great action. I am hoping for a better villain with Vol. 2, because that is what Marvel films need more than anything else. Give us a good villain and I may actually love another Marvel movie.
#4- Wonder Woman
I am more of a DC Comics fan than Marvel, and even though Batman V. Superman was a bit of a disappointment for me, Wonder Woman could be a saving grace for the struggling film universe that DC is trying to establish. With a strong character like Wonder Woman and taking it back to her first visit to America during World War 1 can be not only interesting, but we could see some great action scenes and a stronger villain. Please don't get this wrong. Wonder Woman needs a life action movie that can really make a difference.
#3- The Mummy
The Branden Fraiser Mummy movies I can only view now a s a guilty pleasure, but with Tom Cruise and strong elements of both action and horror, this can be a great movie with thrills and fun. This is a movie Legendary Pictures is hoping to use to establish a universe of monsters, but I am hoping they do the right thing and make every movie it's own story with subtle connections instead of stories that require you to see them all to understand what is going on. Please do this right. With all the bad movies I have recently seen with classic monster movie characters, we need something good and fresh.
#2- Power Rangers
I was not expecting this, but the trailer for the film actually excited me. They are taking something that may not have aged that well, and putting a modern twist to it. Not only does the cast have my attention, but every element it the trailer has shown has given us something interesting. This feels more like a rebirth and not a remake. If it is going to be done, let it be done right and I will review it. I grew up with the original Power Rangers, so this is part of my childhood.
Honorable Mentions before we move forward-
HM #1- Beauty and the Beast- It looks interesting and they are doing some changes to the Disney classic, but too much things from the original keep me from getting excited. Please make it fresh enough and not something that will rely on Nostalgia like the Jungle Book did.
HM #2- Justice League- I love DC and I'm excited that we are getting this movie, but I haven't seen enough to get as excited for it as I have for other movies.
HM #3- Logan- I love most of the X-Men movies, and this should be a great farewell for Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart. I am waiting to see more before I get too excited this time though. I am playing it safe this time.
Now to the big one.
#1- Ghost in the Shell
I know, I know the controversy, but I have an argument against the whitewash accusation. The Japanese were also shown the same image that we saw at first and guess what they said? "She looks like the character." Let's put that crap aside and focus on everything else. This movie is already set to have some of the best Sci-Fi visuals I have ever seen. I don't care about the R-rating, or the casting controversy. I am still excited for this movie to come out. Anime to Live Action adaptations need a better example than Speed Racer, and if any story and movie can do that, let it be this one. Ghost in the Shell has enough intrigue and potential to give something that will surpass the stereotype and be a turning part for live action adaptations. That is why this is my number 1 most anticipated movie of 2017.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Top 10 Good Things About Modern Gaming
Well, it's December again and that time of year for love, compassion, good will towards men, and Top 10s that reminds us how good things can be.
Over the last couple of years I have heard a certain phrase get passed around the gaming community, "video games are not what they used to be." While that may be true in some cases, in others this is the best time to be a gamer.
Sometimes we focus more on what we had instead of what we have and that is the case. Nostalgia can blind us to what we believe to be good and ignore what is good now. So, here is 10 things that we take for granted today. These are the top 10 good things about modern gaming.
#10- DLC
Before everyone attacks me in the comments, let me explain. While I do acknowledge companies like EA and Capcom abuse DLC and treat it like the greedy companies they are, others can use DLC for good. Things that can add play-ability and optional items for a more personal experience. Fallout 3's Mothership Zeta is a good example, adding aliens to a world that is post-apocalypse gives the game a deeper science fiction feel and is a completely optional part of the game. This builds on the gaming experience and gives a reason to go back and replay a game you may have already beaten. Can it be abused? Yes, it can. Is it bad? No. As long as it isn't abused and forced on you, it is a fine way to expand a game.
#9- Indie Company Support
In the old days, it was hard for an indie company to stand out above others. Now, we are seeing Indie game be a huge part in gaming today. In fact, some of the most popular games right now are indie games. Games like Undertale, Stardew Valley, Five Nights at Freddy's, and Gangbeast wouldn't exist today if it wasn't for the support Indie developers get today. I may not be a PC gamer, but I still have a deep appreciation for what indie games mean for the world of gaming.
#8- Revived Classics
If anyone wants to play classic games, you can still do it. Not only do we have used game stores around that still have classic games available for purchase, but you can download them onto your modern consoles. You want an old Zelda, Mario, Final Fantasy? You can find it. This is something that makes it easier to find old games you may have forgotten and can revisit. It may be hard to find some games, but it is easier now than it ever has been.
#7- Visuals and Graphics
You can not tell me that games looked better 10 years ago than they do today. Old day visuals in the early generations of games can actually hurt your eyes and be really distracting from the games. Angry Video Game Nerd makes fun of game visual before actually talking about the game play. Video Games today can be a visual art style by themselves today. Games like The Last of Us, Bioshock, and the recent Final Fantasy XV are just a couple examples of beautiful games. Not only realistic looking games, but also cartoon and anime style looks also exist in games. 2D games have never looked as good as they do today. It may not be the most important part of gaming, but it does help to be able to look at you game.
#6- Console Options
Let's go back in time to where the arcades all had big consoles that only had one game. you put in a quarter and was able to play until game over, then you had to put in another quarter. Fast forward to home consoles and we had the Atari 2600 and the Commodore 64. Neither one really stood out from one another and it didn't matter too much which one you had since games back then were limited by the technology. Now let's jump forward to the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was the console that revolutionized gaming, but didn't have much competition. SNES and Sega Genesis are what happened next and that is where it all started for Console Options. Something about that has carried over to every generation after that one. Today, the options for consoles are huge and they all have exclusive games. Not only that, but PCs have become a bigger thing in gaming and they even make them for gaming now. PlayStation has The Last of Us and The Last Guardian, Xbox has Gears of War and Halo, Nintendo is still around with Mario and Legend of Zelda, and PC has Civilizations and Sims. It is a friendly competition between companies, and a cut throat competition among fans.
#5- Online Multiplayer
Now, I don't think it replaces local multiplayer, but I must give respect to the online multiplayer feature. I have friends and family that I don't live close to, and I may want to play with them. I can do that now. I can connect with people I know online and play with them while they are in another state. That is really cool. Do people abuse this too? Yes. You can encounter people you don't know and they can be kind of jerks or the typical 12 year old kid who did something with my mom last night (you know the joke), but if used right, it helps maintain a good relationship with people who don't live close by.
#4- Expansions and Patches
Imagine back in the SNES or N64 days, you got a game that wasn't finished or had a lot of bugs and glitches. That was all you got and you couldn't get the game fixed. Today, if a game had a serious bug or glitch, companies can release a patch that can fix the problem and expand the game to add more content for a game you already paid for. Blizzard is known for this with fixing the Diablo III server issue in a day and later released expansions that made the game even better. This is the perk to gaming today and helps to further the experience to gaming.
#3- Voice Acting
Remember when we would just read text and struggle to understand what they were saying and how names were pronounced. If not, Dorkly did a video about it, look it up on YouTube. Nowadays, we have voice actors that help us understand how names are pronounce and also understand character personalities, and it is actually really good voice acting. Voice actors like Nolan North, Christopher Sabat, and Johnny Young Bosh have all kept up careers by going into Video Games and have proven to make the character even more likable. In fact, the recent Final fantasy XV has some of the best voice acting I have heard in recent memory while the Uncharted games are also praised for there voice acting. It may be seen as a minor thing, but for me, it is another way to be further involved in the game.
#2- Deep Storytelling
Before the SNES, storytelling wasn't a part of gaming. Mario's story was just, "The princess has been kidnapped. Go save her." At least if you didn't read the game manual. Today, the game tells the whole story. It is even deeper now than it has ever been. The Bioshock series has had some of the best storytelling in media and most of the Final Fantasy series is famous for the stories. Even games from the early days like Legend of Zelda have stepped up the storytelling. It is a great time to be a gamer who enjoys a good story at the same time.
#1- Variety
We have the biggest variety of games we have ever seen. Not only among home consoles and PCs, but even mobile games have stepped up from the simple Solitare or Snake. There are Puzzle Games, Fighting Games, Racing Games, 2D platformers, 3D platformers, RPGs, the list goes on and on. Everyone can play a video game nowadays, even Grandma and Grandpa can play video games and have fun. There is something for all ages. It got even bigger when Virtual Reality came into play and formed more ways to play games. I have even expanded myself into trying new types of games and even enjoying a large number of them.It is the best part of modern gaming and the variety is what gets more and more people into gaming.
Are there bad things about modern gaming? Yes, there are, but that shouldn't distract us from the good things as well. In fact, let us use the bad in order to appreciate the good things.
Over the last couple of years I have heard a certain phrase get passed around the gaming community, "video games are not what they used to be." While that may be true in some cases, in others this is the best time to be a gamer.
Sometimes we focus more on what we had instead of what we have and that is the case. Nostalgia can blind us to what we believe to be good and ignore what is good now. So, here is 10 things that we take for granted today. These are the top 10 good things about modern gaming.
#10- DLC
Before everyone attacks me in the comments, let me explain. While I do acknowledge companies like EA and Capcom abuse DLC and treat it like the greedy companies they are, others can use DLC for good. Things that can add play-ability and optional items for a more personal experience. Fallout 3's Mothership Zeta is a good example, adding aliens to a world that is post-apocalypse gives the game a deeper science fiction feel and is a completely optional part of the game. This builds on the gaming experience and gives a reason to go back and replay a game you may have already beaten. Can it be abused? Yes, it can. Is it bad? No. As long as it isn't abused and forced on you, it is a fine way to expand a game.
#9- Indie Company Support
In the old days, it was hard for an indie company to stand out above others. Now, we are seeing Indie game be a huge part in gaming today. In fact, some of the most popular games right now are indie games. Games like Undertale, Stardew Valley, Five Nights at Freddy's, and Gangbeast wouldn't exist today if it wasn't for the support Indie developers get today. I may not be a PC gamer, but I still have a deep appreciation for what indie games mean for the world of gaming.
#8- Revived Classics
If anyone wants to play classic games, you can still do it. Not only do we have used game stores around that still have classic games available for purchase, but you can download them onto your modern consoles. You want an old Zelda, Mario, Final Fantasy? You can find it. This is something that makes it easier to find old games you may have forgotten and can revisit. It may be hard to find some games, but it is easier now than it ever has been.
#7- Visuals and Graphics
You can not tell me that games looked better 10 years ago than they do today. Old day visuals in the early generations of games can actually hurt your eyes and be really distracting from the games. Angry Video Game Nerd makes fun of game visual before actually talking about the game play. Video Games today can be a visual art style by themselves today. Games like The Last of Us, Bioshock, and the recent Final Fantasy XV are just a couple examples of beautiful games. Not only realistic looking games, but also cartoon and anime style looks also exist in games. 2D games have never looked as good as they do today. It may not be the most important part of gaming, but it does help to be able to look at you game.
#6- Console Options
Let's go back in time to where the arcades all had big consoles that only had one game. you put in a quarter and was able to play until game over, then you had to put in another quarter. Fast forward to home consoles and we had the Atari 2600 and the Commodore 64. Neither one really stood out from one another and it didn't matter too much which one you had since games back then were limited by the technology. Now let's jump forward to the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was the console that revolutionized gaming, but didn't have much competition. SNES and Sega Genesis are what happened next and that is where it all started for Console Options. Something about that has carried over to every generation after that one. Today, the options for consoles are huge and they all have exclusive games. Not only that, but PCs have become a bigger thing in gaming and they even make them for gaming now. PlayStation has The Last of Us and The Last Guardian, Xbox has Gears of War and Halo, Nintendo is still around with Mario and Legend of Zelda, and PC has Civilizations and Sims. It is a friendly competition between companies, and a cut throat competition among fans.
#5- Online Multiplayer
Now, I don't think it replaces local multiplayer, but I must give respect to the online multiplayer feature. I have friends and family that I don't live close to, and I may want to play with them. I can do that now. I can connect with people I know online and play with them while they are in another state. That is really cool. Do people abuse this too? Yes. You can encounter people you don't know and they can be kind of jerks or the typical 12 year old kid who did something with my mom last night (you know the joke), but if used right, it helps maintain a good relationship with people who don't live close by.
#4- Expansions and Patches
Imagine back in the SNES or N64 days, you got a game that wasn't finished or had a lot of bugs and glitches. That was all you got and you couldn't get the game fixed. Today, if a game had a serious bug or glitch, companies can release a patch that can fix the problem and expand the game to add more content for a game you already paid for. Blizzard is known for this with fixing the Diablo III server issue in a day and later released expansions that made the game even better. This is the perk to gaming today and helps to further the experience to gaming.
#3- Voice Acting
Remember when we would just read text and struggle to understand what they were saying and how names were pronounced. If not, Dorkly did a video about it, look it up on YouTube. Nowadays, we have voice actors that help us understand how names are pronounce and also understand character personalities, and it is actually really good voice acting. Voice actors like Nolan North, Christopher Sabat, and Johnny Young Bosh have all kept up careers by going into Video Games and have proven to make the character even more likable. In fact, the recent Final fantasy XV has some of the best voice acting I have heard in recent memory while the Uncharted games are also praised for there voice acting. It may be seen as a minor thing, but for me, it is another way to be further involved in the game.
#2- Deep Storytelling
Before the SNES, storytelling wasn't a part of gaming. Mario's story was just, "The princess has been kidnapped. Go save her." At least if you didn't read the game manual. Today, the game tells the whole story. It is even deeper now than it has ever been. The Bioshock series has had some of the best storytelling in media and most of the Final Fantasy series is famous for the stories. Even games from the early days like Legend of Zelda have stepped up the storytelling. It is a great time to be a gamer who enjoys a good story at the same time.
#1- Variety
We have the biggest variety of games we have ever seen. Not only among home consoles and PCs, but even mobile games have stepped up from the simple Solitare or Snake. There are Puzzle Games, Fighting Games, Racing Games, 2D platformers, 3D platformers, RPGs, the list goes on and on. Everyone can play a video game nowadays, even Grandma and Grandpa can play video games and have fun. There is something for all ages. It got even bigger when Virtual Reality came into play and formed more ways to play games. I have even expanded myself into trying new types of games and even enjoying a large number of them.It is the best part of modern gaming and the variety is what gets more and more people into gaming.
Are there bad things about modern gaming? Yes, there are, but that shouldn't distract us from the good things as well. In fact, let us use the bad in order to appreciate the good things.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Movie Review: Jaws (1975)
Sorry this is late. I do have a life outside of the blog. Sorry to finish Monster Month in November.
When it comes to horror movies, you usually think about directors like Alfred Hitchcock, Sam Raimi, John Carpenter... Rarely does the name, Steven Spielberg come to mind when people talk about Horror. I don't know if it is the changes in the genre or if it his work in Family Films or Adventure Films, but no one really thinks that he has a hand in Horror. Sad, because he wouldn't have the career he has today if it wasn't for a Horror movie. Jaws was one the movie that not only kick-started his career, but it also defined "Summer Blockbuster" and had such a huge impact on the audience that people didn't go in the water the same summer it came out in 1975. Has it aged well? Does it hold up?
The Pros- The use of practical effects is used at it's most effective and has aged incredibly well. There is high tension throughout, but still moments in between that are a bit more peaceful and let your body rest. That is something I appreciate from a Horror/Thriller movie because it gives you time to breath in between the tense moments, so you are not completely stressed by the end of it all. The cast does a great job capturing a natural reaction to the events that happen throughout the movie. We actually never get a full look at the entire shark. Not to mention how it actually is a realistic size to a real Great White Shark. This makes it feel more realistic. In fact, Spielberg himself never showed any of the actors the shark until the big reveal. The line, "We're going to need a bigger boat" wasn't in the script and it was the actor's actual reaction to the shark. The opening scene sets up the movie in a perfect light, instantly giving us a hint at what's to come. We see someone get grabbed and we don't see the shark. The opening scene alone is to get people nervous about going into the water. The cliches we see in Horror movies today, started here. This as influenced more films than any other in it's genre and beyond.
Warning- It's a scary movie. Just like with Super 8, but scarier and more tense. People were afraid to go in the water after watching it for a reason. I don't see this as a con, so I put it as more of a warning for anyone confused.
Final Thoughts- Whether you like Horror movies or not, Jaws has it's place in History and some of my personal favorite movies would not exist without it. Even after all the bad shark movies, sequel, and even porn parodies (don't bother, perverts), this movies stands above the rest over 40 years later. I highly recommend this movie during both summer and Halloween... And it made me thankful that I live in a land based state.
When it comes to horror movies, you usually think about directors like Alfred Hitchcock, Sam Raimi, John Carpenter... Rarely does the name, Steven Spielberg come to mind when people talk about Horror. I don't know if it is the changes in the genre or if it his work in Family Films or Adventure Films, but no one really thinks that he has a hand in Horror. Sad, because he wouldn't have the career he has today if it wasn't for a Horror movie. Jaws was one the movie that not only kick-started his career, but it also defined "Summer Blockbuster" and had such a huge impact on the audience that people didn't go in the water the same summer it came out in 1975. Has it aged well? Does it hold up?
The Pros- The use of practical effects is used at it's most effective and has aged incredibly well. There is high tension throughout, but still moments in between that are a bit more peaceful and let your body rest. That is something I appreciate from a Horror/Thriller movie because it gives you time to breath in between the tense moments, so you are not completely stressed by the end of it all. The cast does a great job capturing a natural reaction to the events that happen throughout the movie. We actually never get a full look at the entire shark. Not to mention how it actually is a realistic size to a real Great White Shark. This makes it feel more realistic. In fact, Spielberg himself never showed any of the actors the shark until the big reveal. The line, "We're going to need a bigger boat" wasn't in the script and it was the actor's actual reaction to the shark. The opening scene sets up the movie in a perfect light, instantly giving us a hint at what's to come. We see someone get grabbed and we don't see the shark. The opening scene alone is to get people nervous about going into the water. The cliches we see in Horror movies today, started here. This as influenced more films than any other in it's genre and beyond.
Warning- It's a scary movie. Just like with Super 8, but scarier and more tense. People were afraid to go in the water after watching it for a reason. I don't see this as a con, so I put it as more of a warning for anyone confused.
Final Thoughts- Whether you like Horror movies or not, Jaws has it's place in History and some of my personal favorite movies would not exist without it. Even after all the bad shark movies, sequel, and even porn parodies (don't bother, perverts), this movies stands above the rest over 40 years later. I highly recommend this movie during both summer and Halloween... And it made me thankful that I live in a land based state.
Friday, October 21, 2016
Movie Review: Super 8
Every generation or so, we tend to have a film maker (writer, director, producer) that stands out and speaks directly to that generation. Now imagine a director of the modern generation working with a producer who directed some of the best movies of the previous generation, and you can get what is probably the best mixture of both retro films and modern films. That movie, for me, is Super 8.
The title comes from the type of camera and film that is used in the plot, but that is not the main focus. The reason I picked to talk about Super 8 is not because it is the combined effort of J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg, but because it is my favorite Science Fiction Thriller movie and a movie that is in my top 3 favorite films of all time.
Pros- The film tells of one major plot, with many others that are a part of it as well. This style of story telling gives depth and backstory to these characters that you wouldn't get in a straightforward story. Just like in real life, more than one thing tends to be going on with someone's life. That is part of how great this film is in terms of storytelling. It feels like a realistic story, even if it is technically Scifi.
This film also has some of the best actors I have ever seen. Even the children do a fantastic job capturing moments that even some adult actors struggle with. The film does less dialogue and more facial expressions and actions that help pace and tell the story. Just look at facial expressions and personal interactions. It is astounding. Even when they do talk and interact, it feels realistic. The language style fits what the characters are feeling, and it fits the time period the film takes place in, 1980.
I'm not going to spoil the ending, but it fits the movie perfectly and brings things together in a realistic ending. Not everything becomes perfect for the characters, but it is a realistic ending because of that.
The actual Alien in the movie is only shown completely in the last scene of the movie, leaving a mystery as to what it looks like and keeps the tension high. If we were shown everything at once, the mystery wouldn't be there and we would know what to be scared of. By not showing the entire monster, it lets our imagination run around a bit and we get to feel what the characters feel and actually get scared.
Cons- I have to mention this as a con, because I don't want to get in trouble. This movie can be scary and people who jump easy will have a hard time watching it.
Final Thoughts: This movie captures everything I love about films today. It is a great balance of emotion and has the best of retro films and modern films. I can't recommend it enough. See this movie. If I had the ability to mentally project a movie into people's brains, it would be this one.
The title comes from the type of camera and film that is used in the plot, but that is not the main focus. The reason I picked to talk about Super 8 is not because it is the combined effort of J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg, but because it is my favorite Science Fiction Thriller movie and a movie that is in my top 3 favorite films of all time.
Pros- The film tells of one major plot, with many others that are a part of it as well. This style of story telling gives depth and backstory to these characters that you wouldn't get in a straightforward story. Just like in real life, more than one thing tends to be going on with someone's life. That is part of how great this film is in terms of storytelling. It feels like a realistic story, even if it is technically Scifi.
This film also has some of the best actors I have ever seen. Even the children do a fantastic job capturing moments that even some adult actors struggle with. The film does less dialogue and more facial expressions and actions that help pace and tell the story. Just look at facial expressions and personal interactions. It is astounding. Even when they do talk and interact, it feels realistic. The language style fits what the characters are feeling, and it fits the time period the film takes place in, 1980.
I'm not going to spoil the ending, but it fits the movie perfectly and brings things together in a realistic ending. Not everything becomes perfect for the characters, but it is a realistic ending because of that.
The actual Alien in the movie is only shown completely in the last scene of the movie, leaving a mystery as to what it looks like and keeps the tension high. If we were shown everything at once, the mystery wouldn't be there and we would know what to be scared of. By not showing the entire monster, it lets our imagination run around a bit and we get to feel what the characters feel and actually get scared.
Cons- I have to mention this as a con, because I don't want to get in trouble. This movie can be scary and people who jump easy will have a hard time watching it.
Final Thoughts: This movie captures everything I love about films today. It is a great balance of emotion and has the best of retro films and modern films. I can't recommend it enough. See this movie. If I had the ability to mentally project a movie into people's brains, it would be this one.
Now that we have seen both Supernatural Monsters and Extraterrestrial Monsters, now we need to look at a Real Monster... 'Til Next Time!!
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Movie Review: Van Helsing
It is the month of October! Bring on the Spooky and Scary. Time to let people freak out at what goes bump in the night. Since I have made a point that I don't review R rated movies, I decided to focus solely on Monster movies this month instead of Horror movies. What better way to start than with my biggest Halloween guilty pleasure, 2004's Van Helsing.
This movie was made to be kind of a tribute to the classic monster movies of the 30s and 40s. In fact, if you manage to get your hands on the Special Edition DVD, it came with the original Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Wolfman, all three being fantastic movies. This movie however, didn't fair that well with critics and nowadays has more of a cult following. Could it be that it wasn't based on any classic monster movie? Let's find out.
The Pros- The overall set design can be very appealing in terms of eye candy. Costumes and scenes are very well made and have an overall great design to them. It creates this world of people living in fear and someone who is living to fight against fear. Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale play the two main characters, Van Helsing and Anna Valerious, and they are just a joy to watch during this movie for the most part. The design for the Frankenstein Monster is also very good. You can watch it just for the overall design and tone of the film, since the music is also enjoyable. I actually went through the entire credits watching it again just to have the music play in the background. The ending isn't perfect, but it is complete. You watch it and come out of it feeling fulfilled, like you say all that was intended and none of the sequel baiting we see in cinema today (looking at you, Marvel).
The Cons- There really isn't a lot of story behind this movie. It feels like Director Stephen Sommers went away from the original Monster books and went to the Castlevania games instead for motivation. The story is more fitting for a video game than a movie. Too bad the game that tied into the movie wasn't a good game. I know a graphic novel and an anime movie exist to help explain things in the story, but I haven't seen that movie or read the novel, so I can't say if they are helpful or not. There is some over the top acting in this movie, especially with the Vampire Brides. Where Richard Roxburgh's over acting can sometimes fit the Dracula character, the Vampire Brides are borderline comical and they should be threatening. Though the CGI was impressive for 2004, it hasn't aged well. The CGI scenes look like a game you should be playing on the PS3 or Xbox 360. It is kind of distracting for a movie like this, especially in the final battle which is mostly CGI.
Final Verdict- I admit it isn't a well put together movie, but I still enjoy it. I compare it to eating Trail Mix, or a bowl of Lucky Charms. You don't like everything in it, but when you find that thing you like, it is all you can think about. I know it isn't everyone's Halloween Guilty Pleasure (I'm not reviewing that movie), but I do enjoy it during this time of year.
Next Time: I am going away from Supernatural Monsters and bringing in something Extraterrestrial. Til Next Time.
This movie was made to be kind of a tribute to the classic monster movies of the 30s and 40s. In fact, if you manage to get your hands on the Special Edition DVD, it came with the original Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Wolfman, all three being fantastic movies. This movie however, didn't fair that well with critics and nowadays has more of a cult following. Could it be that it wasn't based on any classic monster movie? Let's find out.
The Pros- The overall set design can be very appealing in terms of eye candy. Costumes and scenes are very well made and have an overall great design to them. It creates this world of people living in fear and someone who is living to fight against fear. Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale play the two main characters, Van Helsing and Anna Valerious, and they are just a joy to watch during this movie for the most part. The design for the Frankenstein Monster is also very good. You can watch it just for the overall design and tone of the film, since the music is also enjoyable. I actually went through the entire credits watching it again just to have the music play in the background. The ending isn't perfect, but it is complete. You watch it and come out of it feeling fulfilled, like you say all that was intended and none of the sequel baiting we see in cinema today (looking at you, Marvel).
The Cons- There really isn't a lot of story behind this movie. It feels like Director Stephen Sommers went away from the original Monster books and went to the Castlevania games instead for motivation. The story is more fitting for a video game than a movie. Too bad the game that tied into the movie wasn't a good game. I know a graphic novel and an anime movie exist to help explain things in the story, but I haven't seen that movie or read the novel, so I can't say if they are helpful or not. There is some over the top acting in this movie, especially with the Vampire Brides. Where Richard Roxburgh's over acting can sometimes fit the Dracula character, the Vampire Brides are borderline comical and they should be threatening. Though the CGI was impressive for 2004, it hasn't aged well. The CGI scenes look like a game you should be playing on the PS3 or Xbox 360. It is kind of distracting for a movie like this, especially in the final battle which is mostly CGI.
Final Verdict- I admit it isn't a well put together movie, but I still enjoy it. I compare it to eating Trail Mix, or a bowl of Lucky Charms. You don't like everything in it, but when you find that thing you like, it is all you can think about. I know it isn't everyone's Halloween Guilty Pleasure (I'm not reviewing that movie), but I do enjoy it during this time of year.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Top 10 Death Battles Episodes I Want to See.
So... About this Summer... It's been crazy. I have no current movie reviews planned and I am not doing anymore Superhero movies on the blog. I have shared my thoughts on both Marvel and DC Comics and I don't like repeating myself.
However, 2 albums I was really looking forward to are out and I will be writing reviews for those this week. For anyone who is curious about those, look forward to it.
In December, I did some Top 10 list and I enjoyed doing them so much, I decided to do it more often and go into some fun, geeky territory. Just something for fun until a movie comes up I want to review or a new Rock Album comes out and I get enough request for it.
If anyone is wondering what Death Battle is from the Title. It is a series created by the group, Screw Attack, and I will post a link to the YouTube playlist of all the episodes of Death Battle they have done over the years. To put it simple, they take two characters from multiple forms of fiction and do research and decide not only who would win, but also add an animated fight between the two to show the scenario.
Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB833073B659FD65A
It is one of my favorite things to watch on YouTube and it is always fun to go back and look at old videos. Even though the research is not always perfect, I have found myself enjoying the majority of the videos they do. I have ended up thinking about this myself and who would win between two characters I really like. In the end, I thought up 10 and decided to do a top 10.
2 rules here:
1) No characters that were previously in Death Battle. I wanted to push myself.
2) No Marvel/DC characters. The Marvel versus DC crap is getting old, and I want something different.
So, here is my top 10 Death Battle Episodes I want to see.
#10- Sailor Moon Battle Royal
This is a fight that will have a lot going on and is something multiple fans of the series have debated on who would win between them all. I would love to see and let someone who does the time and research to decide who would win. They have done Battle Royals in the past with The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Pokemon, so it would be interesting to see another one in the future. Not to mention how much carnage we will see in this one video. Seriously? What Sailor Moon hater wouldn't want to see some of these characters die? There will be something or everyone right?
#9- Jan Lee (Street Fighter) vs. Johnny Cage (Mortal Kombat)
We have had so many Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat debates, but I have never heard a debate between the two movie stars in the series. It is also a tough call since they both have had training in many styles of martial arts and have some unique abilities. Basically, it would be high kicks, versus punching in the balls. What is the better strategy?
#8- Paul (Tekken) vs. Bass (Dead or Alive)
On the topic of fighting games, when was the last time Death Battle did an Brawl Fights. Grappling, Heavy Hitting, One Punch knock outs, that is something I would love to see again. Bass and Paul are two heavy hitters from their games and it would be nice to see them duke it out in the ring or even in the street. I would enjoy seeing it and they are both completely human. I think it would be nice to see and a good fight for wrestling fans. I know you are out there! Screw Attack does have Wrestling Fans. This can happen!!
#7- Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin) vs. Mitsrugi (Soul Calibur)
As things stand, Soul Calibur hasn't gotten a lot of love from Death Battle recently. In fact, I have two entries on this list that have 2 Soul Calibur characters. Anyways, we have seen Ninjas in Death Battle more than once, but we haven't seen Samurai. How about a classic Samurai fight between two of the strongest samurai in fiction right now. Both of them have accomplished a lot in their franchises and it would be a close and hard call to decide who would win based on technique alone. I think it would be a good mix to see who's overall sword technique would surpass the other. They also existed around the same time period too, so it would make it easy for them to encounter each other.
#6- Vampire Hunter D vs. Alucard (Hellsing)
Who wouldn't want to see a vampire fight? Besides Twilight fans! I already appealed to you! I mean real vampires. The walkers of the night. The creatures that have inspired many works of fiction and storytelling that are sometimes good and sometimes bad. Both of these characters are known to Anime fans will recognize both characters and the question is who would win? The Vampire Hunter, or the Lord of all Vampires. Both of which have been mentioned of being immortal and have incredible power. It would be a cool fight to see and I would love to see the guys behind Death Battle settle this debate.
#5- Ike (Fire Emblem) vs. Siegfried (Soul Calibur)
Sword fighting is one of the things that has been interesting and overused in fiction, especially Middle Ages era of sword fighting. So, why not put two knights against each other. We have seen some sword fights in the past, but I think this one would be an interesting fight overall since they are both human with a little magic ability in them. It is one of those fights I can't decide who would win. Since they already gave us Guts from Berzerk fighting against Nightmare from Soul Calibur, let's see two noble knights fight each other.
#4- Voltron vs. The Megazord (Power Rangers)
This is a fight that needs to happen! Not just because of the Power Rangers movie coming out next year, but because Voltron got rebooted on Netflix (It is really good by the way. Go watch it.) With a return of 80's and 90's franchises I think it would be great to put two of the biggest Giant Robot icons in America, that isn't Gundam related, against each other. Also, they are both marked as Ultimate Weapons in their fictional universes. It is also 5 pilots against 5 pilots. It feels like the combination would be a perfect battle with many things to look at and consider on who would win.
#3- Lloyd (Tales of Symphonia) vs. Roxas (Kingdom Hearts)
Two dual wielding warriors against each other. Swords will clash against Keyblades. Physical Strength against Magic. Two teenagers with personal issues fighting out their aggression. It is something I have debated and thought about for quite some time and if nothing else, it would be a really flashy fight and I really couldn't think of anyone else besides Roxas to fight against Lloyd. Not to mention it would be Square Enix versus Namco/Bandai. The creators of Final Fantasy against the creators of the "Tales of..." franchise. Oh, the comments would be beautiful. I just want to see what group of fans will take it personal when a character loses.
#2- Erza Scarlet (Fairy Tale) vs. Lightning (Final Fantasy XIII trilogy)
I am going to say this right now. I love both these character. They are both incredible women and they are also incredible warriors. That is why I want to see who would win against the other. Erza and her armor and sword switching against Lightning who knows all styles of magic and swordplay. I can imagine this being not only flashy, but also a huge controversy no matter who wins... Because both fan bases are crazy!! All humor aside, I really can't decide who would win with this one either. No matter what though, my opinion on these two incredible women in fiction will never change.
A little warning: I didn't choose the most popular characters for my number 1. instead I picked two character with similar features and the debate on who would win has kept me awake at night sometimes whenever I am home alone. I have struggled with this one and want it the most.
#1- Vyse (Skies of Arcadia) vs. Captain Harlock (Old Anime Icon)
PIRATES!!! We haven't seen any love for pirates from Death Battle, and they have gone on record to say a few of them love Skies of Arcadia. A forgotten Video Game character (Who is amazing) versus every Old Otaku favorite character, Captain Harlock. I want to see a battle between ships and a melee battle between the two as well. Neither character is experienced fighting against someone like the other. They all have strengths and weaknesses and they have accomplished world changing task in their universes that they are both legends. Legend against Legend. Blue Rogue Sky Pirate versus Space Pirate. A clash between worlds. I want them to see the ships, the crew, the characters abilities and equipment as a whole. I want this to be the Pirate fight to satisfy all pirate lovers. Make this happen.
I hope you enjoy and if you are willing to predict winners to these fights, go ahead and leave it in the comments. And if anyone who is in touch with Screw Attack reads this, please? At least no more Marvel/DC fights for season 3? Please?
However, 2 albums I was really looking forward to are out and I will be writing reviews for those this week. For anyone who is curious about those, look forward to it.
In December, I did some Top 10 list and I enjoyed doing them so much, I decided to do it more often and go into some fun, geeky territory. Just something for fun until a movie comes up I want to review or a new Rock Album comes out and I get enough request for it.
If anyone is wondering what Death Battle is from the Title. It is a series created by the group, Screw Attack, and I will post a link to the YouTube playlist of all the episodes of Death Battle they have done over the years. To put it simple, they take two characters from multiple forms of fiction and do research and decide not only who would win, but also add an animated fight between the two to show the scenario.
Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB833073B659FD65A
It is one of my favorite things to watch on YouTube and it is always fun to go back and look at old videos. Even though the research is not always perfect, I have found myself enjoying the majority of the videos they do. I have ended up thinking about this myself and who would win between two characters I really like. In the end, I thought up 10 and decided to do a top 10.
2 rules here:
1) No characters that were previously in Death Battle. I wanted to push myself.
2) No Marvel/DC characters. The Marvel versus DC crap is getting old, and I want something different.
So, here is my top 10 Death Battle Episodes I want to see.
#10- Sailor Moon Battle Royal
This is a fight that will have a lot going on and is something multiple fans of the series have debated on who would win between them all. I would love to see and let someone who does the time and research to decide who would win. They have done Battle Royals in the past with The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Pokemon, so it would be interesting to see another one in the future. Not to mention how much carnage we will see in this one video. Seriously? What Sailor Moon hater wouldn't want to see some of these characters die? There will be something or everyone right?
#9- Jan Lee (Street Fighter) vs. Johnny Cage (Mortal Kombat)
We have had so many Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat debates, but I have never heard a debate between the two movie stars in the series. It is also a tough call since they both have had training in many styles of martial arts and have some unique abilities. Basically, it would be high kicks, versus punching in the balls. What is the better strategy?
#8- Paul (Tekken) vs. Bass (Dead or Alive)
On the topic of fighting games, when was the last time Death Battle did an Brawl Fights. Grappling, Heavy Hitting, One Punch knock outs, that is something I would love to see again. Bass and Paul are two heavy hitters from their games and it would be nice to see them duke it out in the ring or even in the street. I would enjoy seeing it and they are both completely human. I think it would be nice to see and a good fight for wrestling fans. I know you are out there! Screw Attack does have Wrestling Fans. This can happen!!
#7- Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin) vs. Mitsrugi (Soul Calibur)
As things stand, Soul Calibur hasn't gotten a lot of love from Death Battle recently. In fact, I have two entries on this list that have 2 Soul Calibur characters. Anyways, we have seen Ninjas in Death Battle more than once, but we haven't seen Samurai. How about a classic Samurai fight between two of the strongest samurai in fiction right now. Both of them have accomplished a lot in their franchises and it would be a close and hard call to decide who would win based on technique alone. I think it would be a good mix to see who's overall sword technique would surpass the other. They also existed around the same time period too, so it would make it easy for them to encounter each other.
#6- Vampire Hunter D vs. Alucard (Hellsing)
Who wouldn't want to see a vampire fight? Besides Twilight fans! I already appealed to you! I mean real vampires. The walkers of the night. The creatures that have inspired many works of fiction and storytelling that are sometimes good and sometimes bad. Both of these characters are known to Anime fans will recognize both characters and the question is who would win? The Vampire Hunter, or the Lord of all Vampires. Both of which have been mentioned of being immortal and have incredible power. It would be a cool fight to see and I would love to see the guys behind Death Battle settle this debate.
#5- Ike (Fire Emblem) vs. Siegfried (Soul Calibur)
Sword fighting is one of the things that has been interesting and overused in fiction, especially Middle Ages era of sword fighting. So, why not put two knights against each other. We have seen some sword fights in the past, but I think this one would be an interesting fight overall since they are both human with a little magic ability in them. It is one of those fights I can't decide who would win. Since they already gave us Guts from Berzerk fighting against Nightmare from Soul Calibur, let's see two noble knights fight each other.
#4- Voltron vs. The Megazord (Power Rangers)
This is a fight that needs to happen! Not just because of the Power Rangers movie coming out next year, but because Voltron got rebooted on Netflix (It is really good by the way. Go watch it.) With a return of 80's and 90's franchises I think it would be great to put two of the biggest Giant Robot icons in America, that isn't Gundam related, against each other. Also, they are both marked as Ultimate Weapons in their fictional universes. It is also 5 pilots against 5 pilots. It feels like the combination would be a perfect battle with many things to look at and consider on who would win.
#3- Lloyd (Tales of Symphonia) vs. Roxas (Kingdom Hearts)
Two dual wielding warriors against each other. Swords will clash against Keyblades. Physical Strength against Magic. Two teenagers with personal issues fighting out their aggression. It is something I have debated and thought about for quite some time and if nothing else, it would be a really flashy fight and I really couldn't think of anyone else besides Roxas to fight against Lloyd. Not to mention it would be Square Enix versus Namco/Bandai. The creators of Final Fantasy against the creators of the "Tales of..." franchise. Oh, the comments would be beautiful. I just want to see what group of fans will take it personal when a character loses.
#2- Erza Scarlet (Fairy Tale) vs. Lightning (Final Fantasy XIII trilogy)
I am going to say this right now. I love both these character. They are both incredible women and they are also incredible warriors. That is why I want to see who would win against the other. Erza and her armor and sword switching against Lightning who knows all styles of magic and swordplay. I can imagine this being not only flashy, but also a huge controversy no matter who wins... Because both fan bases are crazy!! All humor aside, I really can't decide who would win with this one either. No matter what though, my opinion on these two incredible women in fiction will never change.
A little warning: I didn't choose the most popular characters for my number 1. instead I picked two character with similar features and the debate on who would win has kept me awake at night sometimes whenever I am home alone. I have struggled with this one and want it the most.
#1- Vyse (Skies of Arcadia) vs. Captain Harlock (Old Anime Icon)
PIRATES!!! We haven't seen any love for pirates from Death Battle, and they have gone on record to say a few of them love Skies of Arcadia. A forgotten Video Game character (Who is amazing) versus every Old Otaku favorite character, Captain Harlock. I want to see a battle between ships and a melee battle between the two as well. Neither character is experienced fighting against someone like the other. They all have strengths and weaknesses and they have accomplished world changing task in their universes that they are both legends. Legend against Legend. Blue Rogue Sky Pirate versus Space Pirate. A clash between worlds. I want them to see the ships, the crew, the characters abilities and equipment as a whole. I want this to be the Pirate fight to satisfy all pirate lovers. Make this happen.
I hope you enjoy and if you are willing to predict winners to these fights, go ahead and leave it in the comments. And if anyone who is in touch with Screw Attack reads this, please? At least no more Marvel/DC fights for season 3? Please?
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