I've been trying to lay off DC Comics (which is still weird because the 'C' in DC stands for Comics, so it's effectively saying Detective Comics Comics, but that's a whole 'nother can of worms) during the whole "DCnU/Reboot/Relaunch" event, because, well, there wasn't any specific reason. I guess I just wanted to wait and see how this thing plays out before tearing it apart.
But then, in DC-related news, the first shot of Henry Cavill, the man who would be Superman in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, in the costume surfaced today. What. The. Heck? How come, in over thirty years, has no one been able to make a decent looking big-screen Superman suit? If you haven't seen it yet, you can see it HERE. And be sure to check out the enlarged version, where a lot more detail is visible.
Just from the shot on SHH!'s story page, the costume doesn't look half bad. But, in the enlarged shot, some things really start to stick out. First, there's the latex-scale thing going on. Spider-Man started a dangerous trend when he first appeared on the silver screen in 2001, and no one has used it to as great as success (including the last attempt at a Superman film) since.
The 'S' is still raised, but not as much. However, it also has the scaley pattern to it. It just looks...weird. It also appears to be closer to the Golden Age 'S' shield than his modern costume. That begs the question, "Why?" There's a reason that artists no longer draw the logo that way. It just looks awkward.
The sleeves have kind of a cuff to them that at first I though was how some artists have been drawing him lately. It could have been that they had already seen the costume and were trying to integrate design elements into the comics, but then I realized that Supergirl is the one with a similar pattern. Not exactly the same, but similar. I also noticed that there is piping on the legs and along the torso. Not sure what the fascination with that these days, and it appears to pop up in most redesigned costumes (I've even tried it out with the Zero character a couple of times). Hopefully, the suit doesn't have ribbing...
We haven't seen the back of the cape yet, so we don't know if it'll have the yellow S shield, but I will give them props for having what appears to be a cloth cape. Looks better than the Returns cape, anyway. I also like that the colors look to be brighter in general than the Routh costume. The reds are red, instead of a maroonish/brownish color.
Speaking of reds, I can't be certain, but from the picture it looks like Supes is missing his bright red briefs. A lot of people say that it's goofy to have a grown man in tights AND wearing his underpants on the outside of his clothes. I argue that, without the pants, the character just doesn't feel right. There's too much blue, broken up only by what appears to be a dark-colored belt. Now it looks like one, big ,scaley, blue body suit. It's a similar argument to the Wonder Woman bikini debate. People crow on and on that a person shouldn't be fighting crime in a swimsuit or with their tighty whities (or in this case, red...ies) on display for the world to see. But without these elements, the characters don't look right. They just don't seem like themselves.
To me, it always comes off as a desperate ploy to look hip and modern, just like with the armored panels and piping and ribbing. At least, however, it isn't CG alien musculature and is an actual, physical costume.
The actor looks like he could play an evil Superman. Could be the seemingly lack of eyebrows.
I went on longer about the costume than I thought I would, so I'm going to cut it off here. I'll probably tackle the DC Reboot when I have more time and energy. Also have to get in my thoughts on Captain America eventually...
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Convention Time Again!
It's August 1st already. That means in exactly one month the new school year will begin and I'll once again be assaulted by students for my GamerTag (students don't understand that I don't have an XBox 360 or that Sony calls the UserID something else on the Playstation 3). In a related note, I have a long-term sub assignemtn this year! But, before I collapse into a nervous wreck over that, there're some things I'd like to get out:
First off, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who purchased Project Zero: Bulletproof during Smashword's July sale. It's great to see people taking advantage of great offers like that. I'd also like to invite those readers (and anyone who has read Bulletproof) to take a minute or two and write a review.
Second, it is less than two weeks until Chicago Comic-Con, which I will be attending. Again. For the fifth (I think) year in a row. It's something I always look forward to, even with the decreased presence from the comic industry (seriously, it's to the point where it can't even really be called a comic convention). This year continues last year's trend of just gathering a bunch of A-C list celebrities and letting people take photos with 'em. Last year, Kelly and her friend, Kat, got a picture with James Marsters (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame). This year, I'm hoping to get a picture with Patrick Stewart. He was supposed to be there last year, but pulled out at the last minute for reasons unknown (I heard reasons ranging from scheduling conflicts to the convention company never really had him signed to appear at all. But, if that were the case, then why would he agree to come this year. That is, if he shows). Also, both Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flannery (the brothers from The Boondock Saints) are going to be there.
I have to put together a list of trade paperbacks (and hardcovers) to hunt for at the convention. It'd be easier if the publishers made it simple and just numbered the volumes (and logically). DC refuses to number volumes (at least it did, I recall seeing a couple that might've been numbered) and Marvel doesn't always logically number their's (The Death of Captain America is split into three volumes, but is actaully something like volumes 5-7 of Brubaker's run on the book).I have the first trade of the ongoing Nightwing series, but it's impossible to tell if any of the volumes I've found after are the next because of a lack of numbering (that and DC got a little weird with what issues were being collected in which trade).
I'm going to be hunting for: Atomic Robo volume 5 (not likely to find it because it was just released to retailers last week)
Bendis' and Brubaker's run on DareDevil (another book that's victim of bizarre numbering)
Captain America (pretty sure I have all of the trades leading up to his death plus Steve Rogers' return)
Invincible (the latest, although now that it's been pointed out how stiff the dialogue is, I'm not sure I can read it).
Also looking for: Those lil Pop things (the quasi-replacement for Mighty Muggs that are about 3 inches tall and have both Marvel and DC characters), Mighty Muggs (have a couple I want to get still and maybe a loose one for my classroom).
Other than that, just going to sit back and gawk at celebrities. Maybe even tell Lou Ferrigno that he owes me money. And that'll end up like the time that guy from Lonely Island fought Rocky. But I like my teeth, they let me eat things that aren't liquid or gelatenous, so I'll probably keep my mouth shut.
My brother, James Lynch, is going to once again have a table in Artist's Alley. He's under his name (and maybe his Hero Universe label), so stop on by his booth, say hello, maybe pick up one of his books or prints (he does commissions and I hear his prices are very, very reasonable). If you look 'im up on Wizards' website, someone (he adamently denies it was him) has pieced together a profile of him which is a picture of him from when he was twenty and his writers' profile on his website (which is one long joke). So don't hold that against him. Though if you know who did it and why, be sure to tell us at the con.
Now, if only I could get Patrick Stewart to do my voice mail message. Even if it was just him listing the things he had eaten for breakfast that day...
First off, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who purchased Project Zero: Bulletproof during Smashword's July sale. It's great to see people taking advantage of great offers like that. I'd also like to invite those readers (and anyone who has read Bulletproof) to take a minute or two and write a review.
Second, it is less than two weeks until Chicago Comic-Con, which I will be attending. Again. For the fifth (I think) year in a row. It's something I always look forward to, even with the decreased presence from the comic industry (seriously, it's to the point where it can't even really be called a comic convention). This year continues last year's trend of just gathering a bunch of A-C list celebrities and letting people take photos with 'em. Last year, Kelly and her friend, Kat, got a picture with James Marsters (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame). This year, I'm hoping to get a picture with Patrick Stewart. He was supposed to be there last year, but pulled out at the last minute for reasons unknown (I heard reasons ranging from scheduling conflicts to the convention company never really had him signed to appear at all. But, if that were the case, then why would he agree to come this year. That is, if he shows). Also, both Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flannery (the brothers from The Boondock Saints) are going to be there.
I have to put together a list of trade paperbacks (and hardcovers) to hunt for at the convention. It'd be easier if the publishers made it simple and just numbered the volumes (and logically). DC refuses to number volumes (at least it did, I recall seeing a couple that might've been numbered) and Marvel doesn't always logically number their's (The Death of Captain America is split into three volumes, but is actaully something like volumes 5-7 of Brubaker's run on the book).I have the first trade of the ongoing Nightwing series, but it's impossible to tell if any of the volumes I've found after are the next because of a lack of numbering (that and DC got a little weird with what issues were being collected in which trade).
I'm going to be hunting for: Atomic Robo volume 5 (not likely to find it because it was just released to retailers last week)
Bendis' and Brubaker's run on DareDevil (another book that's victim of bizarre numbering)
Captain America (pretty sure I have all of the trades leading up to his death plus Steve Rogers' return)
Invincible (the latest, although now that it's been pointed out how stiff the dialogue is, I'm not sure I can read it).
Also looking for: Those lil Pop things (the quasi-replacement for Mighty Muggs that are about 3 inches tall and have both Marvel and DC characters), Mighty Muggs (have a couple I want to get still and maybe a loose one for my classroom).
Other than that, just going to sit back and gawk at celebrities. Maybe even tell Lou Ferrigno that he owes me money. And that'll end up like the time that guy from Lonely Island fought Rocky. But I like my teeth, they let me eat things that aren't liquid or gelatenous, so I'll probably keep my mouth shut.
My brother, James Lynch, is going to once again have a table in Artist's Alley. He's under his name (and maybe his Hero Universe label), so stop on by his booth, say hello, maybe pick up one of his books or prints (he does commissions and I hear his prices are very, very reasonable). If you look 'im up on Wizards' website, someone (he adamently denies it was him) has pieced together a profile of him which is a picture of him from when he was twenty and his writers' profile on his website (which is one long joke). So don't hold that against him. Though if you know who did it and why, be sure to tell us at the con.
Now, if only I could get Patrick Stewart to do my voice mail message. Even if it was just him listing the things he had eaten for breakfast that day...
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Looking For Artist...
The other day, I tweeted a request to my fellow authors that I was looking for an artist to do a cover for one or more of my unreleased books and was looking for recommendations. I also said in that tweet that I'd like one that wasn't outrageously expensive. The tweet is copied below:
"any of my author friends have a cover artist/creator/maker who does good work on the cheap?"
My cousin, John, who supports my writing (which I am very thankful to have family that does) retweeted it, and that received some...responses, we'll say. One in particular struck me, because this person took offense to the phrase "on the cheap." (I've since looked up definitions for the phrase "on the cheap" and the most common one is "Relatively low in cost; inexpensive or comparatively inexpensive.") What this person assumed was that I was looking for an artist to do something of high quality and then give it to me for free. I apologize if anyone else thought that was my intent, but I assure, it was not.
What, and I'm not sure I can break it down any simpler than the initial tweet, I was/am requesting was/is recommendations from my fellow authors for names of artists who have done cover work, have done that work well, and is a good value for what they do. It's the same as if asking, "Hey, do you know a good dentist? Preferably one that isn't too expensive?" And I'd say, "Yeah, I have a really good dentist and the price is what initially attracted me to him (in terms of dentistry)." But no, seriously, I really like my dentist. And maybe you (fellow authors) have a guy who does your cover art and you really like them and feel they are a good value.
Now, I am not/was not asking for a discount. I understand that artists are professionals who charge for their work and I would not ask for anyone to reduce what they charge simply because I want them to (despite how often that is asked of me at my retail job).
Also, not sure how, but the conversation turned to contractors bidding for jobs and doctors charging less to attract new patients (which is how the above analogy about dentists was formed).
Kelly has a couple of ideas (at least one) about a cover for A Plauge Upon Thee, but that still leaves me looking for someone to create a cover for the next Project Zero title (tentatively named God Sent (I'll explain the thoughts on the title later)). Both are still in the editing phases, but I still fully expect both to be out some time before the end of the year. I also have some thoughts on what APUT is and what it is not (hint: It's not an attempt to cash in on such works as Romeo and Juliet and Zombies and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) that I'll share at a later date.
This is like, the eighth time I've promised this in the last two months, but I'm going to do my best to update regularly. I'm told more people will read it that way.
"any of my author friends have a cover artist/creator/maker who does good work on the cheap?"
My cousin, John, who supports my writing (which I am very thankful to have family that does) retweeted it, and that received some...responses, we'll say. One in particular struck me, because this person took offense to the phrase "on the cheap." (I've since looked up definitions for the phrase "on the cheap" and the most common one is "Relatively low in cost; inexpensive or comparatively inexpensive.") What this person assumed was that I was looking for an artist to do something of high quality and then give it to me for free. I apologize if anyone else thought that was my intent, but I assure, it was not.
What, and I'm not sure I can break it down any simpler than the initial tweet, I was/am requesting was/is recommendations from my fellow authors for names of artists who have done cover work, have done that work well, and is a good value for what they do. It's the same as if asking, "Hey, do you know a good dentist? Preferably one that isn't too expensive?" And I'd say, "Yeah, I have a really good dentist and the price is what initially attracted me to him (in terms of dentistry)." But no, seriously, I really like my dentist. And maybe you (fellow authors) have a guy who does your cover art and you really like them and feel they are a good value.
Now, I am not/was not asking for a discount. I understand that artists are professionals who charge for their work and I would not ask for anyone to reduce what they charge simply because I want them to (despite how often that is asked of me at my retail job).
Also, not sure how, but the conversation turned to contractors bidding for jobs and doctors charging less to attract new patients (which is how the above analogy about dentists was formed).
Kelly has a couple of ideas (at least one) about a cover for A Plauge Upon Thee, but that still leaves me looking for someone to create a cover for the next Project Zero title (tentatively named God Sent (I'll explain the thoughts on the title later)). Both are still in the editing phases, but I still fully expect both to be out some time before the end of the year. I also have some thoughts on what APUT is and what it is not (hint: It's not an attempt to cash in on such works as Romeo and Juliet and Zombies and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) that I'll share at a later date.
This is like, the eighth time I've promised this in the last two months, but I'm going to do my best to update regularly. I'm told more people will read it that way.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
It's Summer summer summer, etc...
Before I get to the main bulk of my blog for today, I'd like to take some time out for an announcement. I said for weeks (and months) that a new edit for Project Zero: BulletProof was coming. Anyone who started reading it before May/June and then came back to it recently may have discovered that there's differences. Some huge, some minor. I've talked about it before, but the book has a new opening.
Because of the new edition, I'm participating in the July sale at Smashwords. Use coupon code: SSW50 at checkout before July 31st to receive half off Project Zero: BulletProof.
Yeah, I know, it's already into the month of July, and I've already written a couple of entries in July, but I figured I should write something about the summer. And...well, really don't have much to say about the summer yet, so I'm going to talk about some of the things I've seen, listened to, played, and read.
Some of the following I've already touched on before now, so I'll keep those brief...er.
Thor: Liked it. Sad they're getting the guy who wrote Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer to write number two. A+
X-Men: First Class: Liked it. Not sure if they're doing another one. Confused on whether this was a sequel or reboot since it was kinda both. A
Green Lantern: It was ok. Could've been better, but it could've been worse. Ryan Reynolds was Ryan Reynolds, but with a Green Lantern ring. C+/B-
Horrible Bosses: Haven't said anything about this one at all. I was expecting a raunchy comedy about wanting to and plotting to kill horrible bosses. That is what I got. That might not sound like praise, but it was damn funny. I like Jason Bateman. He has that...comedic timing that other actors don't always have. It got kind of silly towards the end and I, for the life of me, figure out why Jason Bateman and Jason Sudeikis are friends with Charlie Day. B+
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Not the movie, the book series. It's been pretty good. I read through Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters pretty quickly. I was a little sad when I discovered it's in the Juniors section at Barnes and Noble. I mean, I'm reading it because so many students I've had have read it, and I try to read at least some of what they're reading (which is a miracle after I was goaded into reading Twilight. I try to understand the appeal based on the fact that the demographic is 10-16 year old girls, but it was 500 pages of the same thing), but still, I had to have an employee show me to the Juniors section.
Lightning Thief gets an A, Sea of Monsters gets a B because it was slow to get moving and not much happened except for at the end.
The Chronicles of Vladmir Tod: I started reading this way back in September when I was proctoring the MAP test and got through the first three. I picked up the fourth a week ago. I remember why it took me so long to get to Eleventh Grade Burns. This was, however, in the Teen Fiction section and B&N. Not sure what the difference is since both this and Percy Jackson are fantasy novels with fair amounts of violence, teen characters, and hints of innuendo. C
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Multiplayer Beta: I subscribed to PlayStation Plus (I was going to before the outage, and they were offering the extra months as part of the anniversary. It had nothing to do with the free trial as part of the "Welcome Back" package. I swear.) and thus got into the Beta a week earlier than most. If you played the second game, you'll feel at home once you get used to the control changes (they aren't major, but there are a few). My biggest problem is melee and I'll go into what I like and dislike about the game at a later date (probably). B (with potential to be higher at release)
Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3: Let's be honest, if you've played one DW game, you know what you're getting. That said, if you're a fan of the first two and of the Gundam Universe (and if you're not, then you probably have no interest in the game, anyway). The new cel-shaded graphics make the suits pop out more than they did in the past games. The new art style also adds cool splash effects to the beam weapons.
The mission structure is similar to the first in that the main story is just a poor excuse to jam popular characters from the various TV shows (and the series continues to stick only to the shows, no OVA characters here). However, the various modes from DWG2 make a return, but they aren't blocked off from the story mode this time around, so now everything counts for something (whether it be G point currency, MS plans (replacing the parts system from 2), or pilot level). Yeah, a lot of this affected the story mode the last time around, but it's even more integrated in 3.
Score for Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3? Fan of the series/Gundam: A. Other Players: not even on your radar.
Also, the manager at the GameStop I bought it at (don't like GameStop, but I had gift cards and it's the only store selling the game) insulted me because I said I was going to preorder Arkham City at BestBuy to get the Robin character. I don't care if you like Robin or not, but yeah, insulting customers is not good customer service.
I started watching Camelot since it's on the streaming service on NetFlix (grr to NetFlix raising its prices, even if it had to to remain a viable business). The series is enjoyable, even knowing it won't be back for a second season. I really like seeing the guy from Shakespeare in Love as Merlin (the dude looks good bald and he's a good actor). My biggest problem is Arthur. I had a hard time believing this whiny little weirdo is going to become the king of legends.
Because of the new edition, I'm participating in the July sale at Smashwords. Use coupon code: SSW50 at checkout before July 31st to receive half off Project Zero: BulletProof.
Yeah, I know, it's already into the month of July, and I've already written a couple of entries in July, but I figured I should write something about the summer. And...well, really don't have much to say about the summer yet, so I'm going to talk about some of the things I've seen, listened to, played, and read.
Some of the following I've already touched on before now, so I'll keep those brief...er.
Thor: Liked it. Sad they're getting the guy who wrote Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer to write number two. A+
X-Men: First Class: Liked it. Not sure if they're doing another one. Confused on whether this was a sequel or reboot since it was kinda both. A
Green Lantern: It was ok. Could've been better, but it could've been worse. Ryan Reynolds was Ryan Reynolds, but with a Green Lantern ring. C+/B-
Horrible Bosses: Haven't said anything about this one at all. I was expecting a raunchy comedy about wanting to and plotting to kill horrible bosses. That is what I got. That might not sound like praise, but it was damn funny. I like Jason Bateman. He has that...comedic timing that other actors don't always have. It got kind of silly towards the end and I, for the life of me, figure out why Jason Bateman and Jason Sudeikis are friends with Charlie Day. B+
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Not the movie, the book series. It's been pretty good. I read through Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters pretty quickly. I was a little sad when I discovered it's in the Juniors section at Barnes and Noble. I mean, I'm reading it because so many students I've had have read it, and I try to read at least some of what they're reading (which is a miracle after I was goaded into reading Twilight. I try to understand the appeal based on the fact that the demographic is 10-16 year old girls, but it was 500 pages of the same thing), but still, I had to have an employee show me to the Juniors section.
Lightning Thief gets an A, Sea of Monsters gets a B because it was slow to get moving and not much happened except for at the end.
The Chronicles of Vladmir Tod: I started reading this way back in September when I was proctoring the MAP test and got through the first three. I picked up the fourth a week ago. I remember why it took me so long to get to Eleventh Grade Burns. This was, however, in the Teen Fiction section and B&N. Not sure what the difference is since both this and Percy Jackson are fantasy novels with fair amounts of violence, teen characters, and hints of innuendo. C
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Multiplayer Beta: I subscribed to PlayStation Plus (I was going to before the outage, and they were offering the extra months as part of the anniversary. It had nothing to do with the free trial as part of the "Welcome Back" package. I swear.) and thus got into the Beta a week earlier than most. If you played the second game, you'll feel at home once you get used to the control changes (they aren't major, but there are a few). My biggest problem is melee and I'll go into what I like and dislike about the game at a later date (probably). B (with potential to be higher at release)
Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3: Let's be honest, if you've played one DW game, you know what you're getting. That said, if you're a fan of the first two and of the Gundam Universe (and if you're not, then you probably have no interest in the game, anyway). The new cel-shaded graphics make the suits pop out more than they did in the past games. The new art style also adds cool splash effects to the beam weapons.
The mission structure is similar to the first in that the main story is just a poor excuse to jam popular characters from the various TV shows (and the series continues to stick only to the shows, no OVA characters here). However, the various modes from DWG2 make a return, but they aren't blocked off from the story mode this time around, so now everything counts for something (whether it be G point currency, MS plans (replacing the parts system from 2), or pilot level). Yeah, a lot of this affected the story mode the last time around, but it's even more integrated in 3.
Score for Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3? Fan of the series/Gundam: A. Other Players: not even on your radar.
Also, the manager at the GameStop I bought it at (don't like GameStop, but I had gift cards and it's the only store selling the game) insulted me because I said I was going to preorder Arkham City at BestBuy to get the Robin character. I don't care if you like Robin or not, but yeah, insulting customers is not good customer service.
I started watching Camelot since it's on the streaming service on NetFlix (grr to NetFlix raising its prices, even if it had to to remain a viable business). The series is enjoyable, even knowing it won't be back for a second season. I really like seeing the guy from Shakespeare in Love as Merlin (the dude looks good bald and he's a good actor). My biggest problem is Arthur. I had a hard time believing this whiny little weirdo is going to become the king of legends.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
We are the Corps!
I saw Green Lantern (like anyone expected me not to) and I liked it. I thought it was fun, even if the movie had some problems. My problem was more with the family (or at least one adult supervisor and a mess of kids) that sat down in the row behind us right before the movie started. The movie is not (as IGN claims here) a kid's movie. Sure, there are tons of brightly colored alien creatures (for about 10 minutes), but even those scenes aren't really for kids. And judging by the reaction of the squirly bunch behind me, they seemed to agree with me.
Half the kids (there were four) were bored and complained about being bored to anyone who didn't want to listen, and the other half were shrieking at any loud noise or bright light. And there was language I wouldn't want a little kid to pick up. Hal calls several people a$$holes (which totally goes against his character, but we're not focusing on the quality of the film itself here) and Kilowog refers to Hal as a female dog. Now, the film is rated PG-13, and I'd still wince if there were kids that young in the audience. But these were children who looked to be between the ages of 6-10. And not to mention the violence. Sure, there are colorful aliens in the film, but a good number of them die in horrific ways (well, ok, one gets part of his chest blown off and the rest have their essence ripped out in the forms of really painful looking, screaming skeleton).
This isn't the next Star Wars. It's an adventure that takes place mainly in one locale, not the across galaxies space-farrin' adventures of the Star Wars films (or planet/sea of the Indiana Jones or Pirates movies).
This isn't the next Star Wars. It wants to be. It wants you to believe it is. But it isn't (though with the over use of CG, I'd be hard to press to blame you if you mistook it for one of the prequels). It isn't for kids.
It does, however, have Bzzd. And that makes me smile.
Half the kids (there were four) were bored and complained about being bored to anyone who didn't want to listen, and the other half were shrieking at any loud noise or bright light. And there was language I wouldn't want a little kid to pick up. Hal calls several people a$$holes (which totally goes against his character, but we're not focusing on the quality of the film itself here) and Kilowog refers to Hal as a female dog. Now, the film is rated PG-13, and I'd still wince if there were kids that young in the audience. But these were children who looked to be between the ages of 6-10. And not to mention the violence. Sure, there are colorful aliens in the film, but a good number of them die in horrific ways (well, ok, one gets part of his chest blown off and the rest have their essence ripped out in the forms of really painful looking, screaming skeleton).
This isn't the next Star Wars. It's an adventure that takes place mainly in one locale, not the across galaxies space-farrin' adventures of the Star Wars films (or planet/sea of the Indiana Jones or Pirates movies).
This isn't the next Star Wars. It wants to be. It wants you to believe it is. But it isn't (though with the over use of CG, I'd be hard to press to blame you if you mistook it for one of the prequels). It isn't for kids.
It does, however, have Bzzd. And that makes me smile.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
A New Class
The end of the school year is upon us, and as such, I haven't had as much time as I've wanted to sit down and write new musings, reviews, etc. Just been too busy is all.
So it's fitting that my first post of the summer is about a summer blockbuster film: X-Men: First Class (I'll try to work on my lead-ins, I swear). If you want to skip all of my little nitpickings on the film (it's a great temptation sometimes, I know), then let me say this: It's the best X-Men film to date (X2 is a very, very close second).
The story-telling and character-building is excellent. Most of the characters are well developed, though the villains still suffer from the same problems Magneto's minions did way back in the first X-Film. That is, to say, they are just random villains pulled from the X-Men universe and stuffed together to serve as henchman to the main baddie. The X-Men have plenty of actual teams of villains (like the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (yes, I know they used that name in the first film, but they were a hodgepodge of characters operating under that name) and the actual Hellfire club, although they got two members. So there is that) I don't think they ever say the name of the guy who makes tornados during the movie. I had to wait for the credits to figure that out.
The film has its problems, too (aside from the underdeveloped badguys). The special effects suffer in the same way Wolverine's did. Some just seem...unfinished. Though, nothing in this movie is as bad as in XO:W. And that's not to say all the effects were laughably bad. Most were very effective, though I found myself drawn to the character moments more than the action pieces.
I think this might be the first movie where I wanted the fight scenes to end so they could go back to talking. And that is a huge credit to the writing. The story has been told before. We get a glossed-over version in the X-Men films of the fallout between Xavier and Magneto, but here we see the two develop their powers independently before they meet and that's when things got really interesting. The moment, teased in the trailer, of Xavier pulling a gun on Magneto, played out in an entirely different manner than I thought it would. Which is good, since I though Charles would've been smarter than to try to shoot Magneto with metal bullets.
Mystique was another character I really liked in First Class. She only ever wanted to be accepted as who she was and she looked to her "brother" for that assurance, but he was too blind/stupid/self-absorbed to see it. And then with Hank, for someone that smart, he really was dumb (in a natural way. I mean, pretty blond girl makes men do stupid things) with Mystique. It was clear she was hurting, but he couldn't see it. He just wanted to cure his thumb-toe (and turn blue in the process, which, in a roundabout way, hurt Mystique. Again). All Mystique wanted was some lovin' as her blue self, and only Magneto (and if the films follow the comics at all, Azazel) was willing to give it to her. That also solidified his character as a man who believes that he (or anyone) shouldn't have to hide what he (or they) is (are).
The other issue I took with the movie was it didn't know what it was or wanted to be. By that, I mean, was it a prequel or a reboot. The opening was an almost shot for shot remake of the opening to X-Men with Erik being separated from his parents and then using his powers to pull on the gate (though it expands on this), but there was a lot in this film that openly contradicts the others. Kelly summed it up with one name: Jean Grey.
***SPOILERS***
In Last Stand, Erik and Charles recruit a young Jean. Charles is still walking here, so the spinal injury he receives at the end of First Class doesn't really jive with that. Unless he gets healed and Erik becomes an instructor at the institute in the next film. The second is Emma Frost's age. Though different people say different things about Silverfox's sister being Emma in Wolverine, it seemed pretty clear to the makers of the film that it was (and Vaughn reportedly considered the actress to reprise the role in FC), which means Frost would've had to have stopped aging for about five years and then gotten fifteen years younger. The relationship between Xavier and Mystique was never hinted at in the first trilogy and as someone who were raised as siblings, that seems like something that should've come up.
I recommend this film for anyone who has ever liked the X-Men ever. Continuity from the other films be damned, First Class is good enough that I can put that aside and enjoy the ride. With its lower-than-expected box office returns, here's hoping this class will return for another go-round.
Note: I tend to talk about the social aspect of the viewing more, but I'm tired from a long day of driving (went to a video games in education symposium) and I need to get back in the habit of writing more.
So it's fitting that my first post of the summer is about a summer blockbuster film: X-Men: First Class (I'll try to work on my lead-ins, I swear). If you want to skip all of my little nitpickings on the film (it's a great temptation sometimes, I know), then let me say this: It's the best X-Men film to date (X2 is a very, very close second).
The story-telling and character-building is excellent. Most of the characters are well developed, though the villains still suffer from the same problems Magneto's minions did way back in the first X-Film. That is, to say, they are just random villains pulled from the X-Men universe and stuffed together to serve as henchman to the main baddie. The X-Men have plenty of actual teams of villains (like the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (yes, I know they used that name in the first film, but they were a hodgepodge of characters operating under that name) and the actual Hellfire club, although they got two members. So there is that) I don't think they ever say the name of the guy who makes tornados during the movie. I had to wait for the credits to figure that out.
The film has its problems, too (aside from the underdeveloped badguys). The special effects suffer in the same way Wolverine's did. Some just seem...unfinished. Though, nothing in this movie is as bad as in XO:W. And that's not to say all the effects were laughably bad. Most were very effective, though I found myself drawn to the character moments more than the action pieces.
I think this might be the first movie where I wanted the fight scenes to end so they could go back to talking. And that is a huge credit to the writing. The story has been told before. We get a glossed-over version in the X-Men films of the fallout between Xavier and Magneto, but here we see the two develop their powers independently before they meet and that's when things got really interesting. The moment, teased in the trailer, of Xavier pulling a gun on Magneto, played out in an entirely different manner than I thought it would. Which is good, since I though Charles would've been smarter than to try to shoot Magneto with metal bullets.
Mystique was another character I really liked in First Class. She only ever wanted to be accepted as who she was and she looked to her "brother" for that assurance, but he was too blind/stupid/self-absorbed to see it. And then with Hank, for someone that smart, he really was dumb (in a natural way. I mean, pretty blond girl makes men do stupid things) with Mystique. It was clear she was hurting, but he couldn't see it. He just wanted to cure his thumb-toe (and turn blue in the process, which, in a roundabout way, hurt Mystique. Again). All Mystique wanted was some lovin' as her blue self, and only Magneto (and if the films follow the comics at all, Azazel) was willing to give it to her. That also solidified his character as a man who believes that he (or anyone) shouldn't have to hide what he (or they) is (are).
The other issue I took with the movie was it didn't know what it was or wanted to be. By that, I mean, was it a prequel or a reboot. The opening was an almost shot for shot remake of the opening to X-Men with Erik being separated from his parents and then using his powers to pull on the gate (though it expands on this), but there was a lot in this film that openly contradicts the others. Kelly summed it up with one name: Jean Grey.
***SPOILERS***
In Last Stand, Erik and Charles recruit a young Jean. Charles is still walking here, so the spinal injury he receives at the end of First Class doesn't really jive with that. Unless he gets healed and Erik becomes an instructor at the institute in the next film. The second is Emma Frost's age. Though different people say different things about Silverfox's sister being Emma in Wolverine, it seemed pretty clear to the makers of the film that it was (and Vaughn reportedly considered the actress to reprise the role in FC), which means Frost would've had to have stopped aging for about five years and then gotten fifteen years younger. The relationship between Xavier and Mystique was never hinted at in the first trilogy and as someone who were raised as siblings, that seems like something that should've come up.
I recommend this film for anyone who has ever liked the X-Men ever. Continuity from the other films be damned, First Class is good enough that I can put that aside and enjoy the ride. With its lower-than-expected box office returns, here's hoping this class will return for another go-round.
Note: I tend to talk about the social aspect of the viewing more, but I'm tired from a long day of driving (went to a video games in education symposium) and I need to get back in the habit of writing more.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
This Was a Triumph
A few days after the whole debacle with the PlayStation Network, I purchased a video game. Not just any game, but one of the most hotly anticipated games of the year. No, not Mortal Kombat (though the demo was pretty entertaining even if I could never get the X-ray moves to work right), but Portal 2.
The original Portal was more or less a short, little distraction (and I use that term loosely, as none of Valve's games are throwaways) introduced in The Orange Box as an extra game to entice buyers. Looking at the history of the game (they hired designers specifically for Portal), it's difficult to understand that decision. But hey, can't complain about the results. The first Portal was given all kinds of love in the gaming community, so a sequel had to be close behind.
And in terms of Valve development time, it was. I mean, three and a half years to get a sequel out is akin to Infinity Ward/Treyarch getting a new Call of Duty game out every twelve months. That almost seems like they rushed it out (not really true, since I think the gap between the two Left 4 Dead games was much shorter than this).
So how is Portal 2? Delightful. I didn't even play much of the single player (Kelly did that), but even as a spectator I was constantly entertained. The dialogue among Chell and GLaDOS and Wheatley was amazing (yes, Chell never speaks, but that doesn't stop her from being part of the conversation). There are so many little details and connections (I found blue paint in one of the test chambers during co-op and didn't stop laughing for twenty minutes) that upon completion, I wanted to go through it again.
I don't think I can be more indepth than any of the game review sites, but I will say this: buy it. And buy the PS3 version, you get the PC version with it. Assuming the PSN is still around, of course.
The original Portal was more or less a short, little distraction (and I use that term loosely, as none of Valve's games are throwaways) introduced in The Orange Box as an extra game to entice buyers. Looking at the history of the game (they hired designers specifically for Portal), it's difficult to understand that decision. But hey, can't complain about the results. The first Portal was given all kinds of love in the gaming community, so a sequel had to be close behind.
And in terms of Valve development time, it was. I mean, three and a half years to get a sequel out is akin to Infinity Ward/Treyarch getting a new Call of Duty game out every twelve months. That almost seems like they rushed it out (not really true, since I think the gap between the two Left 4 Dead games was much shorter than this).
So how is Portal 2? Delightful. I didn't even play much of the single player (Kelly did that), but even as a spectator I was constantly entertained. The dialogue among Chell and GLaDOS and Wheatley was amazing (yes, Chell never speaks, but that doesn't stop her from being part of the conversation). There are so many little details and connections (I found blue paint in one of the test chambers during co-op and didn't stop laughing for twenty minutes) that upon completion, I wanted to go through it again.
I don't think I can be more indepth than any of the game review sites, but I will say this: buy it. And buy the PS3 version, you get the PC version with it. Assuming the PSN is still around, of course.
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