Happy Halloween!!!
Friday, October 31, 2014
What is the Death Note?
*Originally published on 4/5/12
As the name would suggest, this particular item is a "note of death", or a notebook of death to be more precise.
It is a means for shinigami, supernatural death gods, to carry out their task in killing people, as well as extending their own lives. A name gets written in the book and that person dies soon afterward. If a shinigami kills a person with the death note, the remaining years of that person's life will be added to the life span of the shinigami instead.
That's the death note in a nutshell, but there are various rules that are established early on in the series, as well as other rules that are discovered later.
For example, you have to use the person's full name and have to picture the person's face as you put in the entry. This ensures that you don't kill someone else who happened to have the same name as the person you had intended to kill.
The wielder of the death note can control things like time of death as well as cause, but they need to be specified within a certain time limit after putting the name into the notebook.
The cause of death needs to be written down within 40 seconds; otherwise the person will just die of a heart attack. If a cause is put in, you will have 6 minutes and 40 seconds to specify the circumstances that lead up to it.
Light, the main character of the series, uses this to his advantage in devising strategies in order to keep his cover as well as to take care of his enemies.
While the death note is powerful, it does have limits. You can't have your victims do the impossible (like go from Japan to France in an hour) nor can you have them recall information that they don't have or reference something that they are unfamiliar with.
There are some downsides. As the notebook is linked to the shinigami who carried it, any human who picks it up will be linked to said shinigami until either the person's death or until someone else gets their hands on the death note.
More than that, ownership of the death note pretty much means that your soul is forfeit. There is no longer any question of whether you go to Heaven or Hell; you don't get either one.
It's a powerful item that can be used in a variety of ways. It's hardly the ideal thing to use, as it does forfeit your soul and generally turns you into a mass murderer with a god complex, but it is a unique item and does raise a lot of questions in regards to morality.
As the name would suggest, this particular item is a "note of death", or a notebook of death to be more precise.
It is a means for shinigami, supernatural death gods, to carry out their task in killing people, as well as extending their own lives. A name gets written in the book and that person dies soon afterward. If a shinigami kills a person with the death note, the remaining years of that person's life will be added to the life span of the shinigami instead.
That's the death note in a nutshell, but there are various rules that are established early on in the series, as well as other rules that are discovered later.
For example, you have to use the person's full name and have to picture the person's face as you put in the entry. This ensures that you don't kill someone else who happened to have the same name as the person you had intended to kill.
The wielder of the death note can control things like time of death as well as cause, but they need to be specified within a certain time limit after putting the name into the notebook.
The cause of death needs to be written down within 40 seconds; otherwise the person will just die of a heart attack. If a cause is put in, you will have 6 minutes and 40 seconds to specify the circumstances that lead up to it.
Light, the main character of the series, uses this to his advantage in devising strategies in order to keep his cover as well as to take care of his enemies.
While the death note is powerful, it does have limits. You can't have your victims do the impossible (like go from Japan to France in an hour) nor can you have them recall information that they don't have or reference something that they are unfamiliar with.
There are some downsides. As the notebook is linked to the shinigami who carried it, any human who picks it up will be linked to said shinigami until either the person's death or until someone else gets their hands on the death note.
More than that, ownership of the death note pretty much means that your soul is forfeit. There is no longer any question of whether you go to Heaven or Hell; you don't get either one.
It's a powerful item that can be used in a variety of ways. It's hardly the ideal thing to use, as it does forfeit your soul and generally turns you into a mass murderer with a god complex, but it is a unique item and does raise a lot of questions in regards to morality.
Are Zombies a Dead Concept?
Whether it's because people enjoy the idea of watching a never ending swarm of flesh eating monsters pursue hapless victims or because there is potential for profound social commentary on the human condition, people love zombies.
They're in books, movies, comics, television shows, you can't escape them. It's oddly fitting in a way, but one has to wonder if maybe the walking dead have walked for too long.
A Simple Concept Stretched Thin
Let's face it, zombies aren't all that complex. These things aren't like Dracula or Frankenstein's monster where there's some element of tragedy or humanity to be explored (for the most part, there are some exceptions). In fact, that lack of humanity is what makes zombies so scary in the first place.
There's no soul there, it's just an empty shell that desires nothing more than to feast on your delicious brains. Even what looks like your best friend or family member will show no sympathy as it bears down on you.
In fact, it's any wonder that writers have been able to do as much with zombies as they have. Some instances show them as slow, shambling, mindless beasts while others go for a more rabid and feral approach.
While most commonly triggered by a virus, some zombie outbreaks are the result of radiation, chemical spills, or even extra-terrestrial or extra-dimensional means. While this could lead to a variety in terms of tone, it is more often than not just a hand wave.
Hordes of Books about Zombie Hordes
Zombies once again found popularity thanks to books like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies or the ongoing comic The Walking Dead. They were fun or represented a callback to horror movies of old. Many readers welcomed it and read it in droves.
As entertainment tends to be a copycat market, this lead to a flood of other zombie related media. Each of the major comic companies released their own zombie series such as DC Comics' Blackest Night or the Marvel Zombies series.
More movies were made and bookstore shelves were filled with books that found ways to incorporate zombies into them by any means necessary.
On their own, each of these things was fine, but when they started piling it on, the market started to get overexposed.
You could say that the zombie craze was overwhelming to many people.
The Final Nail in the Coffin?
Some time ago, while perusing the interwebs, I came across an article regarding an upcoming movie called Warm Bodies. This is an adaptation of a book by the same name. It's basically Twilight only with a zombie in place of the vampire. Yes, that's right, a zombie love story. I guess the necrophilia cracks people were making about Edward and Bella weren't on the nose enough.
You might think that this would be the headshot that put the zombie craze down, but this has not been the case. AMC's television adaptation of The Walking Dead is still incredibly popular and We're Alive continues to be one of the more prominent audio drama podcasts on the net. While bookshelves are not as packed to the brim with zombie books as they were, they are still out there for those who want to read about the hordes of undead.
The overexposure could have killed off people's fascination with zombies, but it didn't. It faded, to be sure, and there were many who got burnt out on the idea, but the concept lives on. Fittingly enough, people's fascination with zombies doesn't die that easily.
Zombie Recovery Dream Team
*Originally published on 1/24/11
I've heard it said that once the dead rise from the grave and zombies start to roam the Earth, that that will be the end of it. There's no turning back, game over man, game over. Personally, I find it hard to believe that we'd be bested that quickly, but for the sake of argument, let's say it is the case. I got to wondering recently, what would it take to take back the world after the zombie uprising? I started to wonder what characters would be best suited to turning the tables, and I thought it would be fun to share my list with you. If you think there are characters who are better suited, do feel free to chime in with suggestions of your own. This list is in no particular order, even though I did number it.
1. Superman
He's freaking Superman, of course he'd be one of my picks. The zombies won't be able to penetrate his skin with their teeth so there's no risk of him turning. He can fly and has super-speed, allowing him to move all over the world and help where it is needed. His heat vision can also take out entire swarms of walking corpses with little trouble. For added help, we can add Supergirl and Superboy to the list.
2. The Green Lantern Squad
With power rings that are only limited by the user's will power and imagination, it's no surprise that Green Lantern would make the cut. Like Superman, GL can protect himself from infection as well as operate on a global scale. They can tear through zombies with laser beams or create giant constructs to do the work for them. Heck, they could even scoop up zombies by the thousands, carry them out to space, and shoot them into the sun. Considering how many there are, being able to dispose of the zombies en masse is a major asset.
They can also generate walls so that civilians can escape, should they be discovered by the shambling undead. Fans may be wondering which Lantern I want; Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, or John Stewart. Yeah, you know what? I'll go ahead and take all four as it only improves our chances of taking back the planet. In fact, I'll do you one better and add Alan Scott to the list.
3. The Punisher
When fighting zombies, you need guns; lots and lots of guns. What is The Punisher known for using? Guns, lots and lots of guns. Being a war vet, Frank Castle would be a great addition as this would very much be a global war. You could argue that he doesn't really play well with others, but even if he went off on his own to wage his own war; he could have a significant impact on how things turned out. It may seem like there is a never ending swarm of zombies, but The Punisher has the arsenal to tear through them.
4. Green Arrow+"Arrow Family"
Bullets are very effective against zombies, and are the go to weapon. However, bows and arrows are equally effective. In fact, they have some benefits in that they are quieter than guns, and arrows can be re-used where as bullets can only be fired once. As such, it makes sense to recruit DC's resident archer.
Like Batman, Green Arrow has built up something of a supporting cast of heroes. Like the Green Lanterns before, I'll go ahead and take all of them. That means I'll get Oliver Queen, Connor Hawke, Roy Harper, and Mia Dearden. Should I throw Black Canary in there as well? I guess her canary cry can prove useful in a dire situation. Sure, why not? Let's throw her in for good measure.
5. Hawkeye
He's Marvel's resident archer, so he gets added for pretty much the same reasons as I added the "Arrow family"
6. Iron Man/War Machine
Both characters come equipped with suits of metal armor, allowing for protection from potential bites or scratches. They can also fly, allowing for the aerial advantage. While Iron Man's suit comes equipped with laser blasters, War Machine has a variety of built in firearms. Both are equally effective against zombies.
7. Aang post season 3
Having mastered all four elements, Aang would prove a great asset in fighting back against the undead. Being able to manipulate earth is a huge bonus in terms of slowing down the horde, fire makes for great offensive capabilities, air manipulation allows him to glide as well as push oncoming zombies back, water manipulation could prove useful both offensively and defensively. If he has access to enough, he can freeze them in their track, carry them off in a tsunami, or once again freeze the water and use the ice shards as projectiles. While Aang was granted the ability to "energy bend" in the series finale, I doubt that would prove useful here. It's fine though, mastery of the four elements is plenty.
8. Goku
Is he a bit overpowered? Yes, but that's a good thing. He too can tear through hordes of zombies with little trouble. The only downside is that he could be vulnerable to infection, and a zombie saiyan would be a huge problem. Still, his instant transmission grants him the ability to move all over the world in no time, and his super strength would help in terms of creating sufficient fortification.
I know, it's not a massive army, and it was mostly comic book characters, but I think this would stand a good chance against the zombie apocalypse. The numbers are deceptively small, but each individual character (or group of characters) is capable of taking out a lot of zombies with minimal hindrance. Again, if you think that more power is needed, or that another character could prove valuable in the war against the undead, do feel free to comment. I have a feeling this could be a fun discussion.
I've heard it said that once the dead rise from the grave and zombies start to roam the Earth, that that will be the end of it. There's no turning back, game over man, game over. Personally, I find it hard to believe that we'd be bested that quickly, but for the sake of argument, let's say it is the case. I got to wondering recently, what would it take to take back the world after the zombie uprising? I started to wonder what characters would be best suited to turning the tables, and I thought it would be fun to share my list with you. If you think there are characters who are better suited, do feel free to chime in with suggestions of your own. This list is in no particular order, even though I did number it.
1. Superman
He's freaking Superman, of course he'd be one of my picks. The zombies won't be able to penetrate his skin with their teeth so there's no risk of him turning. He can fly and has super-speed, allowing him to move all over the world and help where it is needed. His heat vision can also take out entire swarms of walking corpses with little trouble. For added help, we can add Supergirl and Superboy to the list.
2. The Green Lantern Squad
With power rings that are only limited by the user's will power and imagination, it's no surprise that Green Lantern would make the cut. Like Superman, GL can protect himself from infection as well as operate on a global scale. They can tear through zombies with laser beams or create giant constructs to do the work for them. Heck, they could even scoop up zombies by the thousands, carry them out to space, and shoot them into the sun. Considering how many there are, being able to dispose of the zombies en masse is a major asset.
They can also generate walls so that civilians can escape, should they be discovered by the shambling undead. Fans may be wondering which Lantern I want; Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, or John Stewart. Yeah, you know what? I'll go ahead and take all four as it only improves our chances of taking back the planet. In fact, I'll do you one better and add Alan Scott to the list.
3. The Punisher
When fighting zombies, you need guns; lots and lots of guns. What is The Punisher known for using? Guns, lots and lots of guns. Being a war vet, Frank Castle would be a great addition as this would very much be a global war. You could argue that he doesn't really play well with others, but even if he went off on his own to wage his own war; he could have a significant impact on how things turned out. It may seem like there is a never ending swarm of zombies, but The Punisher has the arsenal to tear through them.
4. Green Arrow+"Arrow Family"
Bullets are very effective against zombies, and are the go to weapon. However, bows and arrows are equally effective. In fact, they have some benefits in that they are quieter than guns, and arrows can be re-used where as bullets can only be fired once. As such, it makes sense to recruit DC's resident archer.
Like Batman, Green Arrow has built up something of a supporting cast of heroes. Like the Green Lanterns before, I'll go ahead and take all of them. That means I'll get Oliver Queen, Connor Hawke, Roy Harper, and Mia Dearden. Should I throw Black Canary in there as well? I guess her canary cry can prove useful in a dire situation. Sure, why not? Let's throw her in for good measure.
5. Hawkeye
He's Marvel's resident archer, so he gets added for pretty much the same reasons as I added the "Arrow family"
6. Iron Man/War Machine
Both characters come equipped with suits of metal armor, allowing for protection from potential bites or scratches. They can also fly, allowing for the aerial advantage. While Iron Man's suit comes equipped with laser blasters, War Machine has a variety of built in firearms. Both are equally effective against zombies.
7. Aang post season 3
Having mastered all four elements, Aang would prove a great asset in fighting back against the undead. Being able to manipulate earth is a huge bonus in terms of slowing down the horde, fire makes for great offensive capabilities, air manipulation allows him to glide as well as push oncoming zombies back, water manipulation could prove useful both offensively and defensively. If he has access to enough, he can freeze them in their track, carry them off in a tsunami, or once again freeze the water and use the ice shards as projectiles. While Aang was granted the ability to "energy bend" in the series finale, I doubt that would prove useful here. It's fine though, mastery of the four elements is plenty.
8. Goku
Is he a bit overpowered? Yes, but that's a good thing. He too can tear through hordes of zombies with little trouble. The only downside is that he could be vulnerable to infection, and a zombie saiyan would be a huge problem. Still, his instant transmission grants him the ability to move all over the world in no time, and his super strength would help in terms of creating sufficient fortification.
I know, it's not a massive army, and it was mostly comic book characters, but I think this would stand a good chance against the zombie apocalypse. The numbers are deceptively small, but each individual character (or group of characters) is capable of taking out a lot of zombies with minimal hindrance. Again, if you think that more power is needed, or that another character could prove valuable in the war against the undead, do feel free to comment. I have a feeling this could be a fun discussion.
Cthulu's a punk
*Originally published on 11/8/10
When it comes to villains, you don't get much bigger than Cthulu, an extra-dimensional entity that is so far beyond our understanding, and so horrifyingly alien that to even gaze upon him would drive you mad. When it comes to coming up with an ultimate villain, the Big C is hard to top.
The more I think about it, the less I buy it. He's just a monster with tentacles for mouths. I'm not sure how simply looking at that would drive you insane. Maybe it would've worked decades ago when bikinis were risque and inter-racial relationships were seriously frowned upon, but in this day and age, I don't buy it. You really think that in a world where "2 Girls One Cup" has been seen by thousands, that a giant squid monster is really going to break us?
On the contrary, we've seen things that, I would argue, are likely to drive it mad.
I myself have witnessed the utter madness of Turkish Star Wars, read the inane rambling that is the My Immortal fan-fiction, endured the utter horridness of Dead Leaves, bore witness to the four Wendy's training videos, not to mention more mainstream abominations like Catwoman and Transformers 2. Oh yeah, and let's not forget the last 30 seconds of Sleepaway Camp.
Sorry Cthulu, you just don't have it anymore. In fairness, no horror can match up to the aforementioned list. You had a good run, but unfortunately, the world moved on and has seen things that were never meant to be seen.
Oh, but you're missing the point. It's not Cthulu's appearance, but his utter indifference that drives you mad. The realization that you don't matter to him will destroy your mind.
I care what he thinks because? You know, so many characters have contempt for Earth or humanity, but then do something incredibly stupid to completely ruin and negate their argument. Every villain in Dragonball Z goes on at length about how Earth is so puny and worthless, yet that's the one planet they're hell bent on conquering. Dr. Manhattan condemns humans for not doing anything significant, and then spends his time on Mars building sand castles. So pardon me if I don't really hold Cthulu's opinion in high regard.
If his mind breaking powers are based solely on the idea that we give its views any merit, than it's not that much of a power as I couldn't care less what old squid face thinks of me.
Now, were Cthulu to rise up, I'm sure I would be frightened to a certain extent. It's a giant monster, it's natural. You make anything ten stories tall and it's going to be frightening: lizard, marshmallow man, labrador retriever. However, this idea that simply looking at it will drive me insane is daffy.
I think Cthulu is very much a product of his age. You'd think that being a great Old One would give it a timeless factor, and I suppose, to an extent, it has seeing as it's still a popular figure, but society's moved on and we've gotten to a point where its going to take more than a giant monster with a tentacle mouth to drive us mad.
When it comes to villains, you don't get much bigger than Cthulu, an extra-dimensional entity that is so far beyond our understanding, and so horrifyingly alien that to even gaze upon him would drive you mad. When it comes to coming up with an ultimate villain, the Big C is hard to top.
The more I think about it, the less I buy it. He's just a monster with tentacles for mouths. I'm not sure how simply looking at that would drive you insane. Maybe it would've worked decades ago when bikinis were risque and inter-racial relationships were seriously frowned upon, but in this day and age, I don't buy it. You really think that in a world where "2 Girls One Cup" has been seen by thousands, that a giant squid monster is really going to break us?
On the contrary, we've seen things that, I would argue, are likely to drive it mad.
I myself have witnessed the utter madness of Turkish Star Wars, read the inane rambling that is the My Immortal fan-fiction, endured the utter horridness of Dead Leaves, bore witness to the four Wendy's training videos, not to mention more mainstream abominations like Catwoman and Transformers 2. Oh yeah, and let's not forget the last 30 seconds of Sleepaway Camp.
Sorry Cthulu, you just don't have it anymore. In fairness, no horror can match up to the aforementioned list. You had a good run, but unfortunately, the world moved on and has seen things that were never meant to be seen.
Oh, but you're missing the point. It's not Cthulu's appearance, but his utter indifference that drives you mad. The realization that you don't matter to him will destroy your mind.
I care what he thinks because? You know, so many characters have contempt for Earth or humanity, but then do something incredibly stupid to completely ruin and negate their argument. Every villain in Dragonball Z goes on at length about how Earth is so puny and worthless, yet that's the one planet they're hell bent on conquering. Dr. Manhattan condemns humans for not doing anything significant, and then spends his time on Mars building sand castles. So pardon me if I don't really hold Cthulu's opinion in high regard.
If his mind breaking powers are based solely on the idea that we give its views any merit, than it's not that much of a power as I couldn't care less what old squid face thinks of me.
Now, were Cthulu to rise up, I'm sure I would be frightened to a certain extent. It's a giant monster, it's natural. You make anything ten stories tall and it's going to be frightening: lizard, marshmallow man, labrador retriever. However, this idea that simply looking at it will drive me insane is daffy.
I think Cthulu is very much a product of his age. You'd think that being a great Old One would give it a timeless factor, and I suppose, to an extent, it has seeing as it's still a popular figure, but society's moved on and we've gotten to a point where its going to take more than a giant monster with a tentacle mouth to drive us mad.
Potential of Horror and Science Fiction Anthology Shows
*Originally published on 2/3/10
Networks have tried their hands at producing anthology series. Over the decades we've had series like Tales from the Crypt, The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. All of these were entertaining for the most part and had a unique draw. Other shows have tried to replicate the success but haven't been able to hit the nail on the head like those shows did. They even tried to relaunch a more modern version of The Twilight Zone, but it didn't meet with much success.
I was pretty excited when NBC announced a new program called Fear Itself. It was a horror anthology series that advertised itself as a series of mini-movies. They even managed to nab a few big name directors to work on some episodes.
Each episode would be a self contained story so new viewers had no need to worry about getting caught up as each episode was independent and there was no building continuity.
We gave it a shot, and there were a few decent episodes, but it was really a sub par effort. The problem lay with the writing, it was more worried about providing a last second twist and it sometimes felt like that was the sole purpose of the hour long episode.
Once you figured out that the whole episode was an elaborate set up to a twist, you could usually figure it out long before the twist actually came. Such an occurrence completely defeats the purpose of a twist. Some twists were so bad that they made no sense and actually managed to piss you off as the credits started rolling. That's not entertainment, nor is it good horror.
The idea of an anthology series has such potential. It's interesting, different, and requires no previous viewing to enjoy. Every episode is a jumping on point as each episode is independent of one another.
This makes conditions ideal for writers who want to get into television, but don't want to spend weeks getting caught up on show continuity. On the one hand, providing such an opportunity to budding writers is a great idea, but on the other hand, with writing like that, you're shooting your show in the foot. Maybe a bit more balance between veterans and rookies would've made it more palatable to viewers?
Sitcoms aren't what they used to be, people are sick of reality television, and while procedural crime dramas are entertaining enough, there are only so many you can watch. Viewers want new ideas and such a program gives them potential for said new ideas.
Hopefully some network takes another crack, because those types of programs do develop their own cult audience. If done right, it can give the TV viewing public just what they were looking for. Just don't make the same mistake that the makers of Fear Itself did and have each episode peak with the theme song (in the case of Fear Itself, the song was a track off of Serj Tankian's solo album). When the highlight of any given episode is the awesome theme song, you're in a little bit of trouble.
Networks have tried their hands at producing anthology series. Over the decades we've had series like Tales from the Crypt, The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. All of these were entertaining for the most part and had a unique draw. Other shows have tried to replicate the success but haven't been able to hit the nail on the head like those shows did. They even tried to relaunch a more modern version of The Twilight Zone, but it didn't meet with much success.
I was pretty excited when NBC announced a new program called Fear Itself. It was a horror anthology series that advertised itself as a series of mini-movies. They even managed to nab a few big name directors to work on some episodes.
Each episode would be a self contained story so new viewers had no need to worry about getting caught up as each episode was independent and there was no building continuity.
We gave it a shot, and there were a few decent episodes, but it was really a sub par effort. The problem lay with the writing, it was more worried about providing a last second twist and it sometimes felt like that was the sole purpose of the hour long episode.
Once you figured out that the whole episode was an elaborate set up to a twist, you could usually figure it out long before the twist actually came. Such an occurrence completely defeats the purpose of a twist. Some twists were so bad that they made no sense and actually managed to piss you off as the credits started rolling. That's not entertainment, nor is it good horror.
The idea of an anthology series has such potential. It's interesting, different, and requires no previous viewing to enjoy. Every episode is a jumping on point as each episode is independent of one another.
This makes conditions ideal for writers who want to get into television, but don't want to spend weeks getting caught up on show continuity. On the one hand, providing such an opportunity to budding writers is a great idea, but on the other hand, with writing like that, you're shooting your show in the foot. Maybe a bit more balance between veterans and rookies would've made it more palatable to viewers?
Sitcoms aren't what they used to be, people are sick of reality television, and while procedural crime dramas are entertaining enough, there are only so many you can watch. Viewers want new ideas and such a program gives them potential for said new ideas.
Hopefully some network takes another crack, because those types of programs do develop their own cult audience. If done right, it can give the TV viewing public just what they were looking for. Just don't make the same mistake that the makers of Fear Itself did and have each episode peak with the theme song (in the case of Fear Itself, the song was a track off of Serj Tankian's solo album). When the highlight of any given episode is the awesome theme song, you're in a little bit of trouble.
Paranormal Activity: New York Knicks Blame Loss to Oklahoma City Thunder on Haunted Hotel
*Originally published on 1/22/10
In January 2010, the New York Knicks played the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Knicks ended up losing the game. On its surface, it's a fairly mundane scenario. One team has to lose and it wasn't like this was a major upset. Things got interesting shortly after, when the players blamed the loss on a lack of sleep.
Again, this isn't that uncommon, maybe there were noisy tenants in a nearby room, or there was construction, or maybe the beds just weren't comfortable. Nope, none of these were the cause of the players' insomnia. According to the team, they got set up in a haunted hotel and they were kept all night by spiritual sightings.
By spiritual sighting, I, of course, mean ghosts. This is such an odd story. They could have so easily said that the other team outplayed them or that they just weren't playing their best, but instead they decide to come out and say that they were haunted by ghosts.
This wasn't just some story that came off of a wacky tabloid like the Weekly World News either. The topic was discussed on two ESPN shows, first on Sportsnation, then on Around the Horn the next day. Most of the coverage was kind of snickering at the idea, but I wouldn't write it off just yet.
I already talked about the likelihood of such supernatural entities existing so I won't go into too much detail on that front, but there is a distinct possibility that the players are telling the truth.
For one thing, they don't really have a reason to lie. If they did feel that they needed to lie, why come up with a story about ghosts? Sleep deprivation can be caused by all sorts of things. They could have just as easily said that they had some bad fast food and their stomachs weren't agreeing with it.
From what I can gather, the whole team had some sort of encounter. If it were just one player, I would shrug and say OK, it was probably his mind playing tricks on him or it was just a vivid dream, but if the whole team saw the ghost? I think I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
I have to give the players credit, most athletes would try to be macho and play it off like it was nothing. They'd say the ghost was making noise or something to that effect, but they came out and said the experience creeped them the hell out. This a team from New York remember, people there have a reputation for not being easily spooked.
This is a unique event where it falls under "paranormal activity", but I very easily could have labeled this under the daily dose of awesome, because it is awesome. Even if most people lean towards the skeptical side of the spectrum, it gets people talking about the idea of ghosts. It's not everyday that mainstream newscasts will discuss the idea of a haunted hotel and being a paranormal aficionado, I get a kick out of it.
In January 2010, the New York Knicks played the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Knicks ended up losing the game. On its surface, it's a fairly mundane scenario. One team has to lose and it wasn't like this was a major upset. Things got interesting shortly after, when the players blamed the loss on a lack of sleep.
Again, this isn't that uncommon, maybe there were noisy tenants in a nearby room, or there was construction, or maybe the beds just weren't comfortable. Nope, none of these were the cause of the players' insomnia. According to the team, they got set up in a haunted hotel and they were kept all night by spiritual sightings.
By spiritual sighting, I, of course, mean ghosts. This is such an odd story. They could have so easily said that the other team outplayed them or that they just weren't playing their best, but instead they decide to come out and say that they were haunted by ghosts.
This wasn't just some story that came off of a wacky tabloid like the Weekly World News either. The topic was discussed on two ESPN shows, first on Sportsnation, then on Around the Horn the next day. Most of the coverage was kind of snickering at the idea, but I wouldn't write it off just yet.
I already talked about the likelihood of such supernatural entities existing so I won't go into too much detail on that front, but there is a distinct possibility that the players are telling the truth.
For one thing, they don't really have a reason to lie. If they did feel that they needed to lie, why come up with a story about ghosts? Sleep deprivation can be caused by all sorts of things. They could have just as easily said that they had some bad fast food and their stomachs weren't agreeing with it.
From what I can gather, the whole team had some sort of encounter. If it were just one player, I would shrug and say OK, it was probably his mind playing tricks on him or it was just a vivid dream, but if the whole team saw the ghost? I think I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
I have to give the players credit, most athletes would try to be macho and play it off like it was nothing. They'd say the ghost was making noise or something to that effect, but they came out and said the experience creeped them the hell out. This a team from New York remember, people there have a reputation for not being easily spooked.
This is a unique event where it falls under "paranormal activity", but I very easily could have labeled this under the daily dose of awesome, because it is awesome. Even if most people lean towards the skeptical side of the spectrum, it gets people talking about the idea of ghosts. It's not everyday that mainstream newscasts will discuss the idea of a haunted hotel and being a paranormal aficionado, I get a kick out of it.
Stephen King and Halloween
*Originally published on 10/31/09
I came across a video on Youtube of an old interview Stephen King did on Late Night with Conan O'Brien back in 2005 to promote The Colorado Kid (you can watch the video here). I was kind of surprised King hasn't made any appearances to promote Under the Dome, none that I'm aware of anyway. That's beside the point. As it turns out, this interview took place in September, and early on in the interview, Conan brings up that Halloween is right around the corner.
Seeing as it is Halloween, I figured now is the perfect time to discuss it. King came out and said that he hates Halloween. You'd think that this was a joke, but if there was irony, I didn't detect it. It seems like he really isn't a fan.
It makes sense, I mean he's a major celebrity, one who excels at horror no less, so it's not surprising when he says that swarms of people come to his house with high expectations.
I get it, but at the same time I think it's kind of sad that he doesn't embrace the holiday, if for no other reason than to have some fun with it. If he views it like work, than it makes sense that he would avoid it, the man works enough as it is, he certainly doesn't need more.
A Stephen King haunted house does seem like a cool idea. Not at his house, that could end badly, but some other location. Actually that would be a pretty cool contest, have Stephen King design your haunted house, they could enlist volunteer actors to play the various monsters and go the whole nine.
King would get to have all the fun of setting things up without worrying about the large crowds that would gather on his lawn. I don't see that happening though. He's got enough on his plate; it's fun to think about though.
Seeing as it is Halloween, I thought I'd give you guys a little something extra. This is an AMV that uses footage from the "Magnetic Rose" segment of an anime collection called Memories and sets it to a remix of "Phantom of the Opera". It's not King related, but it does have some King-esque elements.
If nothing else, it's perfectly in keeping with the spirit of the holiday and I think you guys will enjoy it. It's really well done.
Have a happy Halloween, be safe, don't eat too much candy (don't eat too little either). I leave you now with the video, enjoy
Seeing as it is Halloween, I figured now is the perfect time to discuss it. King came out and said that he hates Halloween. You'd think that this was a joke, but if there was irony, I didn't detect it. It seems like he really isn't a fan.
It makes sense, I mean he's a major celebrity, one who excels at horror no less, so it's not surprising when he says that swarms of people come to his house with high expectations.
I get it, but at the same time I think it's kind of sad that he doesn't embrace the holiday, if for no other reason than to have some fun with it. If he views it like work, than it makes sense that he would avoid it, the man works enough as it is, he certainly doesn't need more.
A Stephen King haunted house does seem like a cool idea. Not at his house, that could end badly, but some other location. Actually that would be a pretty cool contest, have Stephen King design your haunted house, they could enlist volunteer actors to play the various monsters and go the whole nine.
King would get to have all the fun of setting things up without worrying about the large crowds that would gather on his lawn. I don't see that happening though. He's got enough on his plate; it's fun to think about though.
Seeing as it is Halloween, I thought I'd give you guys a little something extra. This is an AMV that uses footage from the "Magnetic Rose" segment of an anime collection called Memories and sets it to a remix of "Phantom of the Opera". It's not King related, but it does have some King-esque elements.
If nothing else, it's perfectly in keeping with the spirit of the holiday and I think you guys will enjoy it. It's really well done.
Have a happy Halloween, be safe, don't eat too much candy (don't eat too little either). I leave you now with the video, enjoy
All Hallow's Eve
*Originally published on 10/9/09
Pumpkins everywhere.
Children seeking out candy
Halloween springs forth.
Pumpkins everywhere.
Children seeking out candy
Halloween springs forth.
Haunted Houses vs. Living Houses
*Originally published on 9/21/09
I recently finished reading The Shining (for the third time in case you were curious), For those of you who have been living under a rock and don't know what the book is about, a family visits a hotel and, as it turns out, the hotel is a sentient being.
Living buildings have been used in fiction several times. More often than not, ghosts are involved. This would be fine, except that a vast majority of the cases of "living" buildings result in what is essentially a haunted house.
Two prime examples come from Stephen King, with his short story, 1408 and his novel, The Shining. One involves a room coming to life and another involves a living hotel. Both the room and hotel essentially function as any haunted house would.
The story makes a point to say that there aren't any ghosts involved, just an evil room. Yet, the room functions in much the same way a haunted house would. Even ghosts have been shown to have reality warping powers, making hallways extend or turning a door into a solid brick wall so the more extreme phenomenon falls under the possibility of a simple, albeit powerful, haunting.
The one instance I've come across of a true "living building" came in the CGI film Monster House. Again, a ghost was involved, but rather than simply haunt the place, the soul actually bonded with the building, turning the house in to a being that could eat, run and roar.
If you haven't seen the film, I do recommend it as it is quite good.
Ghosts seem to be the only viable means of bringing a house, hotel, or building to life. It's the only way you can add a soul or spirit to something that is inanimate. Unless somebody conjured up some other worldly entity and it either bonded with the building. Even then, you could call it a sort of haunting. Or maybe the being, whatever it was, just manifested in that shape (like Gozer manifested as Stay Puft in Ghostbusters) as a trap.
Then again, maybe sentience could be attained by having a lot of ghosts like the Overlook did. Machines have often gained sentience after collecting a certain amount of information or having certain experiences, maybe enough resident psychokinetic energy would be enough to spark life in a building. Wouldn't that be something?
If a building is given life, it should act like it. Simply mimicking a haunted building just gives people the false impression that haunted and living are synonymous when they really shouldn't be.
I recently finished reading The Shining (for the third time in case you were curious), For those of you who have been living under a rock and don't know what the book is about, a family visits a hotel and, as it turns out, the hotel is a sentient being.
Living buildings have been used in fiction several times. More often than not, ghosts are involved. This would be fine, except that a vast majority of the cases of "living" buildings result in what is essentially a haunted house.
Two prime examples come from Stephen King, with his short story, 1408 and his novel, The Shining. One involves a room coming to life and another involves a living hotel. Both the room and hotel essentially function as any haunted house would.
The story makes a point to say that there aren't any ghosts involved, just an evil room. Yet, the room functions in much the same way a haunted house would. Even ghosts have been shown to have reality warping powers, making hallways extend or turning a door into a solid brick wall so the more extreme phenomenon falls under the possibility of a simple, albeit powerful, haunting.
The one instance I've come across of a true "living building" came in the CGI film Monster House. Again, a ghost was involved, but rather than simply haunt the place, the soul actually bonded with the building, turning the house in to a being that could eat, run and roar.
If you haven't seen the film, I do recommend it as it is quite good.
Ghosts seem to be the only viable means of bringing a house, hotel, or building to life. It's the only way you can add a soul or spirit to something that is inanimate. Unless somebody conjured up some other worldly entity and it either bonded with the building. Even then, you could call it a sort of haunting. Or maybe the being, whatever it was, just manifested in that shape (like Gozer manifested as Stay Puft in Ghostbusters) as a trap.
Then again, maybe sentience could be attained by having a lot of ghosts like the Overlook did. Machines have often gained sentience after collecting a certain amount of information or having certain experiences, maybe enough resident psychokinetic energy would be enough to spark life in a building. Wouldn't that be something?
If a building is given life, it should act like it. Simply mimicking a haunted building just gives people the false impression that haunted and living are synonymous when they really shouldn't be.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
The Milgram Experiment Explained
*Originally published on 5/31/12
After World War II, German soldiers justified their actions by saying that "they were just following orders". Not surprisingly, many people were, and still are, dismissive of this particular argument.
Stanley Milgram, a Yale professor, however, decided to test how well this mentality held up. He came up with an experiment that is especially notable to those who study or have studied human psychology.
The rather obviously named "Milgram experiment" is the test where a person is told to act as a "teacher" feeding words to a "learner", a person who is, in reality, an accomplice in the experiment. The learner would go into a separate room, where he would be strapped into a chair and hooked up to electrodes. Milgram himself would don an official looking lab coat and explain that the "teacher" would feed words through a two-way communication device. Each word would be linked to another word that the learner would have to use as a response.
The teacher is told that if the learner didn't respond with the word that corresponded with the word being read, the learner would be given an electric shock. Of course, (s)he isn't, it's all a charade, but the teacher is led to believe that the whole scenario is on the up and up. More than that, with each incorrect response, the voltage would increase by a small margin, supposedly inflicting more pain on the victim.
One would think that the teacher would eventually stop and refuse to continue on moral grounds. However, while video footage shows that many protested at certain points throughout the scenario, a majority of them caved in to authority and continued, often going so far as to dish out the maximum voltage.
There are a variety of factors at play here. Some subjects rationalize it by saying that the voltage is only slightly worse than what came before it. This allows the person to steadily increase the voltage to ridiculously high numbers with no real qualms. It's sort of like the old "frog in the boiling water" scenario. A drastic jump would've resulted in people putting their foot down and stopping, but the gradual voltage increase makes it seem more tolerable. This might be a valid point were it not for the fact that the recorded screams become more anguished as the experiment continues and the learner's "pleas" become more desperate. I know my idealism contradicts the results of this experiment, but you'd think that it would be enough to get them to be firm about refusing to continue.
The fact that the study was done by a professor at Yale also seemed to play a role. It gave the test a sense of legitimacy that other scientists or professors might not have been able to replicate. This was confirmed to a certain extent when the experiment was replicated with professors from less reputable universities. Suffice it to say, it didn't take quite as well.
The scenario also gives the teacher a convenient scapegoat. It has been surmised that the fact that the professor was the one running the experiment relieves the teacher of any guilt he or she may have felt about it.
The experiment is renowned, not just for the shocking (pun not intended..well maybe a little) insight into the human psyche, but for the controversy that resulted due to the stress that the scenario put on the subject/teacher. One subject was even traumatized by what he endured. The ethical arguments regarding the experiment continue to this day. Nevertheless, it is something of a landmark in terms of learning about human psychology.
After World War II, German soldiers justified their actions by saying that "they were just following orders". Not surprisingly, many people were, and still are, dismissive of this particular argument.
Stanley Milgram, a Yale professor, however, decided to test how well this mentality held up. He came up with an experiment that is especially notable to those who study or have studied human psychology.
The rather obviously named "Milgram experiment" is the test where a person is told to act as a "teacher" feeding words to a "learner", a person who is, in reality, an accomplice in the experiment. The learner would go into a separate room, where he would be strapped into a chair and hooked up to electrodes. Milgram himself would don an official looking lab coat and explain that the "teacher" would feed words through a two-way communication device. Each word would be linked to another word that the learner would have to use as a response.
The teacher is told that if the learner didn't respond with the word that corresponded with the word being read, the learner would be given an electric shock. Of course, (s)he isn't, it's all a charade, but the teacher is led to believe that the whole scenario is on the up and up. More than that, with each incorrect response, the voltage would increase by a small margin, supposedly inflicting more pain on the victim.
One would think that the teacher would eventually stop and refuse to continue on moral grounds. However, while video footage shows that many protested at certain points throughout the scenario, a majority of them caved in to authority and continued, often going so far as to dish out the maximum voltage.
There are a variety of factors at play here. Some subjects rationalize it by saying that the voltage is only slightly worse than what came before it. This allows the person to steadily increase the voltage to ridiculously high numbers with no real qualms. It's sort of like the old "frog in the boiling water" scenario. A drastic jump would've resulted in people putting their foot down and stopping, but the gradual voltage increase makes it seem more tolerable. This might be a valid point were it not for the fact that the recorded screams become more anguished as the experiment continues and the learner's "pleas" become more desperate. I know my idealism contradicts the results of this experiment, but you'd think that it would be enough to get them to be firm about refusing to continue.
The fact that the study was done by a professor at Yale also seemed to play a role. It gave the test a sense of legitimacy that other scientists or professors might not have been able to replicate. This was confirmed to a certain extent when the experiment was replicated with professors from less reputable universities. Suffice it to say, it didn't take quite as well.
The scenario also gives the teacher a convenient scapegoat. It has been surmised that the fact that the professor was the one running the experiment relieves the teacher of any guilt he or she may have felt about it.
The experiment is renowned, not just for the shocking (pun not intended..well maybe a little) insight into the human psyche, but for the controversy that resulted due to the stress that the scenario put on the subject/teacher. One subject was even traumatized by what he endured. The ethical arguments regarding the experiment continue to this day. Nevertheless, it is something of a landmark in terms of learning about human psychology.
A Nostalgic Retrospective on Calvin and Hobbes
Comic strips are a hit or miss format. The funny pages don't seem to hold the same allure that they once did. Dilbert is consistently amusing, but even the long running Garfield strips are losing steam. Much like comic books, comic strips are capable of greatness. No comic strip demonstrates this better than one of my favorites, Calvin and Hobbes.
This strip was a literary masterpiece. The focus was on a six year old boy with an overactive imagination. He, along with his stuffed tiger, Hobbes would go on all sorts of adventures and discuss various aspects of life. The clear implication is that Hobbes is part of Calvin's imagination, however there are quite a few instances where "Hobbes" actually does seem to have an impact on the real world. For instance, when Calvin comes home from school, Hobbes always tackles him. It always leaves Calvin dirty and bruised. I'm hard pressed to come up with a "rational" explanation for that.
The comic is timeless. I recently decided to pick up and read Scientific Progress Goes Boink and I laughed just as hard as I did the first time I read it.
While a few of the characters fall into certain archetypes (parental figures, intimidating bullies etc) they all have their own distinct personalities, yet you can still see a bit of someone you know in each character. You can often see elements of your own parents in Calvin's and most kids can on some level relate to Calvin and his experiences in school and at home.
The comic makes several observations about the nature of humanity as well as both the business and art world. The strip works quite well either way. You can see Calvin's macabre snowmen as funny in their macabre wrongness, or you can see it as his take on the world of modern art.
A lot of the humor comes from watching the different characters play off of Calvin's unique personality. His dialogues with both Hobbes and his father are always good for a laugh.
Strips also delved into Calvin's imagination, frequently he would imagine himself as a fearless intergalactic explorer named Spaceman Spiff or as the superhero, Stupendous Man. These often serve as foils for reality. We would see some wacky adventure, before cutting back to real life and finding Calvin in some mundane situation. One time, he envisioned himself as an angry god, only to reveal that he was playing with legos.
Even years after the strip has ended, it still has a loyal fanbase. The collections are still available in bookstores and they even released a complete three book set containing every strip. I've been meaning to pick that up for some time, but haven't yet.
Watterson didn't want to adapt the strip into a show or make any merchandise based on the strip. This hasn't stopped people from releasing shirts and bumper stickers. In one video, internet personality Doug Walker hypothesized on the money that would be made just from the stuffed tiger dolls alone. It's such a brilliantly simple idea. I'm 25 and I would totally buy a stuffed Hobbes doll. I don't care if it doesn't really come to life, it's still awesome.
If you haven't read this strip, you really should check it out. I'd say that it's sad that it's no longer running, but Watterson didn't want to write anymore and it wouldn't be right to make him keep working on something he felt he was done with. He did give us a stellar strip for several years. While there won't be any new strips coming out, we are still able to enjoy the many that he did make for years to come.
This strip was a literary masterpiece. The focus was on a six year old boy with an overactive imagination. He, along with his stuffed tiger, Hobbes would go on all sorts of adventures and discuss various aspects of life. The clear implication is that Hobbes is part of Calvin's imagination, however there are quite a few instances where "Hobbes" actually does seem to have an impact on the real world. For instance, when Calvin comes home from school, Hobbes always tackles him. It always leaves Calvin dirty and bruised. I'm hard pressed to come up with a "rational" explanation for that.
The comic is timeless. I recently decided to pick up and read Scientific Progress Goes Boink and I laughed just as hard as I did the first time I read it.
While a few of the characters fall into certain archetypes (parental figures, intimidating bullies etc) they all have their own distinct personalities, yet you can still see a bit of someone you know in each character. You can often see elements of your own parents in Calvin's and most kids can on some level relate to Calvin and his experiences in school and at home.
The comic makes several observations about the nature of humanity as well as both the business and art world. The strip works quite well either way. You can see Calvin's macabre snowmen as funny in their macabre wrongness, or you can see it as his take on the world of modern art.
A lot of the humor comes from watching the different characters play off of Calvin's unique personality. His dialogues with both Hobbes and his father are always good for a laugh.
Strips also delved into Calvin's imagination, frequently he would imagine himself as a fearless intergalactic explorer named Spaceman Spiff or as the superhero, Stupendous Man. These often serve as foils for reality. We would see some wacky adventure, before cutting back to real life and finding Calvin in some mundane situation. One time, he envisioned himself as an angry god, only to reveal that he was playing with legos.
Even years after the strip has ended, it still has a loyal fanbase. The collections are still available in bookstores and they even released a complete three book set containing every strip. I've been meaning to pick that up for some time, but haven't yet.
Watterson didn't want to adapt the strip into a show or make any merchandise based on the strip. This hasn't stopped people from releasing shirts and bumper stickers. In one video, internet personality Doug Walker hypothesized on the money that would be made just from the stuffed tiger dolls alone. It's such a brilliantly simple idea. I'm 25 and I would totally buy a stuffed Hobbes doll. I don't care if it doesn't really come to life, it's still awesome.
If you haven't read this strip, you really should check it out. I'd say that it's sad that it's no longer running, but Watterson didn't want to write anymore and it wouldn't be right to make him keep working on something he felt he was done with. He did give us a stellar strip for several years. While there won't be any new strips coming out, we are still able to enjoy the many that he did make for years to come.
Top 10 Lines from Tommy Wiseau's 'The Room'
Tommy Wiseau’s The Room is often cited as one of the worst movies ever made. It’s weird, there are plot holes galore, and a lot of the dialogue is just goofy. Add this to the fact that you have a movie that runs out of plot about 20 minutes in and just recycles the same conversations over and over again; and you have yourself the making of a cult phenomenon.
For those unfamiliar with the work of Mr. Wiseau, brace yourself because you’re about to embark on a crash course through The Room’s most memorable lines.
“I got the results of the test back. I definitely have breast cancer”
One would think that this is a major game-changer in the overall story arc. After all, terminal illness is not something you can brush aside easily. Except, this movie does just that; aside from this one line, it never gets brought up again.
Even when it is brought up, both characters seem incredibly nonchalant about the whole thing. It’s very peculiar. Lisa has at least some justification as she’s a self-centered sociopath, but her mother doesn’t seem too phased by it.
“It’s not over, everybody betray me! I fed up with this world!”
This is supposed to be a huge dramatic moment that foreshadows the grim ending as well as cements Johnny’s status as the poor victim in all that has happened. Only with the dialogue itself, as well as Wiseau’s bizarre accent, it becomes one of the funniest things heard in the picture.
“Ha ha ha, what a story, Mark”
This has become one of Johnny’s most well known catch phrases. For some reason, he finds the idea of a woman getting beaten and hospitalized funny. Do remember that this line is uttered by the character who is supposed to be the hero of the piece.
“No, I can’t anyway. So, how’s your sex life?”
One of the many, many abrupt left turns that occur in Wiseau’s script; before this, Johnny and his friend, Mark are discussing work when Johnny decides to make this inquiry for no particular reason. It’s even funnier considering Johnny was going on about how he can’t talk about his work since it’s confidential, and he follows that up by casually asking his friend how his sex life is, ridiculous.
“I feel like I’m sitting on an atomic bomb waiting for it to go off.”
This line seems harmless enough, but in the context of the movie, it sounds really goofy. The fact that this was uttered by a character who had not been seen before until this point certainly does not help matters.
“Leave your stupid comments in your pocket!”
What.
Of all the goofy lines in this movie, this one is the most perplexing. A lot of the other lines thrive on Wiseau’s accent or delivery, but this just flat out doesn’t make any sense.
“Keep the change. Hi doggy! Bye!”
The pet store scene has become one of the more infamous clips in the film, and this final line is one of the reasons why. It’s just all over the place. You can’t fault the guy for being an animal lover, but the line still sounds silly.
“You are tearing me apart, Lisa!!!”
An obvious pick, to be sure, but it’s earned its spot on the list. Wiseau’s delivery makes this a classic. He goes so over the top that even the character he’s talking to responds by asking why he’s so hysterical.
“You not good. You like chicken, cheep cheep cheep”
In fairness, this is a callback to an earlier scene where the line is uttered in jest; however, it’s far more notable for its use in the dramatic showdown when Johnny refers to Mark as such for stabbing him in the back.
“I did not hit her. It’s not true. It’s bull$#@%. I did not hit her. I did naaht. Oh, hi Mark.”
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the greatest line in the film. It has become the most infamous, and probably the most quoted line in the film. It is the movie in a nutshell and acts as the embodiment of everything that Wiseau’s work stands for and represents. His delivery here surpasses anything anyone has ever witnessed on film and cannot be fully understood unless it is witnessed first-hand.
This isn’t even the tip of the iceberg. Try as one might, one cannot sum up the experience of watching The Room in mere words. It is a movie that needs to be seen to be believed, if for no other reason than to see how lines such as these could ever actually work in a script.
For those unfamiliar with the work of Mr. Wiseau, brace yourself because you’re about to embark on a crash course through The Room’s most memorable lines.
“I got the results of the test back. I definitely have breast cancer”
One would think that this is a major game-changer in the overall story arc. After all, terminal illness is not something you can brush aside easily. Except, this movie does just that; aside from this one line, it never gets brought up again.
Even when it is brought up, both characters seem incredibly nonchalant about the whole thing. It’s very peculiar. Lisa has at least some justification as she’s a self-centered sociopath, but her mother doesn’t seem too phased by it.
“It’s not over, everybody betray me! I fed up with this world!”
This is supposed to be a huge dramatic moment that foreshadows the grim ending as well as cements Johnny’s status as the poor victim in all that has happened. Only with the dialogue itself, as well as Wiseau’s bizarre accent, it becomes one of the funniest things heard in the picture.
“Ha ha ha, what a story, Mark”
This has become one of Johnny’s most well known catch phrases. For some reason, he finds the idea of a woman getting beaten and hospitalized funny. Do remember that this line is uttered by the character who is supposed to be the hero of the piece.
“No, I can’t anyway. So, how’s your sex life?”
One of the many, many abrupt left turns that occur in Wiseau’s script; before this, Johnny and his friend, Mark are discussing work when Johnny decides to make this inquiry for no particular reason. It’s even funnier considering Johnny was going on about how he can’t talk about his work since it’s confidential, and he follows that up by casually asking his friend how his sex life is, ridiculous.
“I feel like I’m sitting on an atomic bomb waiting for it to go off.”
This line seems harmless enough, but in the context of the movie, it sounds really goofy. The fact that this was uttered by a character who had not been seen before until this point certainly does not help matters.
“Leave your stupid comments in your pocket!”
What.
Of all the goofy lines in this movie, this one is the most perplexing. A lot of the other lines thrive on Wiseau’s accent or delivery, but this just flat out doesn’t make any sense.
“Keep the change. Hi doggy! Bye!”
The pet store scene has become one of the more infamous clips in the film, and this final line is one of the reasons why. It’s just all over the place. You can’t fault the guy for being an animal lover, but the line still sounds silly.
“You are tearing me apart, Lisa!!!”
An obvious pick, to be sure, but it’s earned its spot on the list. Wiseau’s delivery makes this a classic. He goes so over the top that even the character he’s talking to responds by asking why he’s so hysterical.
“You not good. You like chicken, cheep cheep cheep”
In fairness, this is a callback to an earlier scene where the line is uttered in jest; however, it’s far more notable for its use in the dramatic showdown when Johnny refers to Mark as such for stabbing him in the back.
“I did not hit her. It’s not true. It’s bull$#@%. I did not hit her. I did naaht. Oh, hi Mark.”
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the greatest line in the film. It has become the most infamous, and probably the most quoted line in the film. It is the movie in a nutshell and acts as the embodiment of everything that Wiseau’s work stands for and represents. His delivery here surpasses anything anyone has ever witnessed on film and cannot be fully understood unless it is witnessed first-hand.
This isn’t even the tip of the iceberg. Try as one might, one cannot sum up the experience of watching The Room in mere words. It is a movie that needs to be seen to be believed, if for no other reason than to see how lines such as these could ever actually work in a script.
Organizing Your Amazon Wish List
*Originally published on 3/28/11
Building a wish list on Amazon is quite enjoyable. It's fun looking for things that you may want to buy in the future and it acts as a good motivator in terms of working as it gives you something to aim for. As with anything else, you'll want to try and apply some sort of system to your list, lest it become unruly. The question is, how can you go about doing this?
Amazon does provide you with some sorting options, though they aren't quite as helpful as one would hope. The default mode just goes by the date you added the item. This makes some sense as it keeps the newer items at the top. You can also sort it by price (either high to low or low to high). You can also prioritize the items on your list, by noting how much you want a certain item. This is grants you some control over how the list is sorted, but even this has shortcomings.
Recently, Amazon added a feature that allowed you to create multiple wish lists. At first, I figured this function was superfluous. What would be the point in breaking my wish list up in to smaller "mini-lists"? I figured it was better to keep it all consolidated. However, once your wish list starts to hit item totals in the hundreds, or even thousands, that feature becomes far more appealing.
This grants you the greatest degree of control as you can sort your list however you want. The categories are yours to choose and you can scroll through your wish list and transfer them over in such a way that all similar items are clustered together and items that are meant to be purchased in a specific sequence can be organized as such.
This is especially helpful if you are a comics fan like I am. Trade paperbacks make up a large portion of my wish list, as such, this tool not only allowed me to grant them their own section, but it also enabled me to group all of the books together in their respective titles. Of course, once I passed that initial step, than I fell in to the same pitfalls, as new trades are released and kept separate from the rest of their ilk.
A "click and drag" feature would be pretty cool, allowing you to move items up and down your list at will. At first, I thought that it would only limit you to moving items on individual pages, but that could be solved by adding "move item to next page" and "move item to previous page" buttons.
My guess is that the issue is so oddly specific that it isn't worth the trouble for them. Then again, I suppose you could apply that principle to movie or book series as well. I don't know, it would still be a cool feature.
Considering you can just buy the items in said order, it probably isn't that big a deal, but it helps to have everything organized.
You'd think that this would be a good way to sort of trim the fat from your list; that going through your list to categorize them would grant you an opportunity to delete items you no longer want. That may be the case, but with me, the opposite held true. Once I had everything moved to where I wanted it, I found that I ended up adding more items afterwards as each individual list was smaller, thus allowing me to go browse for even more stuff. At the end of the day, it's harmless, but if you are one who strives to one day acquire all the items on your wish list, thus knocking the total count down to zero, it can be a bit vexing.
With most wish lists, this is a moot point. If your wish list is only a page or two, than organizing it really isn't worth the hassle, but for shopaholics and collectors in general, organization for things such as this can be a great boon. While the site doesn't grant you total control over the item order, you can find ways to tweak it and set it up so that the set up is a bit more to your liking.
Building a wish list on Amazon is quite enjoyable. It's fun looking for things that you may want to buy in the future and it acts as a good motivator in terms of working as it gives you something to aim for. As with anything else, you'll want to try and apply some sort of system to your list, lest it become unruly. The question is, how can you go about doing this?
Amazon does provide you with some sorting options, though they aren't quite as helpful as one would hope. The default mode just goes by the date you added the item. This makes some sense as it keeps the newer items at the top. You can also sort it by price (either high to low or low to high). You can also prioritize the items on your list, by noting how much you want a certain item. This is grants you some control over how the list is sorted, but even this has shortcomings.
Recently, Amazon added a feature that allowed you to create multiple wish lists. At first, I figured this function was superfluous. What would be the point in breaking my wish list up in to smaller "mini-lists"? I figured it was better to keep it all consolidated. However, once your wish list starts to hit item totals in the hundreds, or even thousands, that feature becomes far more appealing.
This grants you the greatest degree of control as you can sort your list however you want. The categories are yours to choose and you can scroll through your wish list and transfer them over in such a way that all similar items are clustered together and items that are meant to be purchased in a specific sequence can be organized as such.
This is especially helpful if you are a comics fan like I am. Trade paperbacks make up a large portion of my wish list, as such, this tool not only allowed me to grant them their own section, but it also enabled me to group all of the books together in their respective titles. Of course, once I passed that initial step, than I fell in to the same pitfalls, as new trades are released and kept separate from the rest of their ilk.
A "click and drag" feature would be pretty cool, allowing you to move items up and down your list at will. At first, I thought that it would only limit you to moving items on individual pages, but that could be solved by adding "move item to next page" and "move item to previous page" buttons.
My guess is that the issue is so oddly specific that it isn't worth the trouble for them. Then again, I suppose you could apply that principle to movie or book series as well. I don't know, it would still be a cool feature.
Considering you can just buy the items in said order, it probably isn't that big a deal, but it helps to have everything organized.
You'd think that this would be a good way to sort of trim the fat from your list; that going through your list to categorize them would grant you an opportunity to delete items you no longer want. That may be the case, but with me, the opposite held true. Once I had everything moved to where I wanted it, I found that I ended up adding more items afterwards as each individual list was smaller, thus allowing me to go browse for even more stuff. At the end of the day, it's harmless, but if you are one who strives to one day acquire all the items on your wish list, thus knocking the total count down to zero, it can be a bit vexing.
With most wish lists, this is a moot point. If your wish list is only a page or two, than organizing it really isn't worth the hassle, but for shopaholics and collectors in general, organization for things such as this can be a great boon. While the site doesn't grant you total control over the item order, you can find ways to tweak it and set it up so that the set up is a bit more to your liking.
Novel Review: 11/22/63
You can read my review of the novel here.
Related articles
New Stephen King novel announced with release date and synopsis
Book Signing Dates for 11/22/63 Promotional Tour Announced
11/22/63 Hits Shelves
Word broke recently that best selling author, Stephen King will be releasing a new novel later this year. It's called 11/22/63, and it involves an attempt to go back in time in order to prevent the assassination of former president John F. Kennedy. While the title would seemingly tell you when the book is coming out, it will actually be released on November 8th. I guess they figured that releasing it on the 22nd would be tacky.
The book is said to be about 1,000 pages, which is not surprising considering many of the author's works are doorstoppers. The length, as well as the general premise, means that there are tons of directions that the story could go in to.
For example, the story could go into a 12 Monkeys-esque plot, where the efforts of the heroes repeatedly fail due to various circumstances, forcing them to try and try again until they get the desired result. It could also have the heroes succeed, only to return to a future where things are much worse as a result of some unforeseen chain reaction.
There is also a strong possibility that one of the many varous conspiracy theories will come into play in the story. I find it hard to believe that King would come up with this premise and completely ignore them.
The book may also possibly combine these ideas into one narrative. Have the conspiracy somehow become aware of the dark future that lies ahead and use that as their motivation for shooting him. It would be a nice way to merge narratives while also making for some interesting anti-heroes.
On the other hand, going that route may make it seem like a rehash of The Dead Zone. I know he got some flack after writing For a Buick 8 by people who thought it was just a Christine redux (though those who read the book would realize that it wasn't). He may want to try and avoid going down that road again, giving us a premise that he hasn't touched on in previous works; a rather daunting task considering how much he's written over the years.
Of course, this is all just wild mass guessing on my part. Then again, that's part of the fun of being a pop culture junkie. Whether it be books or film, it's quite enjoyable to throw out possible ideas for what's to come next. If we really want to find out what happens, we readers are going to have to simply wait until the book comes out so that we can read it ourselves and let the narrative unfold as the author intended.
While a part of me is sad that I have to wait until November for this to be released, considering the size of my to-read pile of books, I could definitely use the next few months to try and chip away at it so that I have time to get to this book when it does come out.
Related articles
New Stephen King novel announced with release date and synopsis
Book Signing Dates for 11/22/63 Promotional Tour Announced
11/22/63 Hits Shelves
Word broke recently that best selling author, Stephen King will be releasing a new novel later this year. It's called 11/22/63, and it involves an attempt to go back in time in order to prevent the assassination of former president John F. Kennedy. While the title would seemingly tell you when the book is coming out, it will actually be released on November 8th. I guess they figured that releasing it on the 22nd would be tacky.
The book is said to be about 1,000 pages, which is not surprising considering many of the author's works are doorstoppers. The length, as well as the general premise, means that there are tons of directions that the story could go in to.
For example, the story could go into a 12 Monkeys-esque plot, where the efforts of the heroes repeatedly fail due to various circumstances, forcing them to try and try again until they get the desired result. It could also have the heroes succeed, only to return to a future where things are much worse as a result of some unforeseen chain reaction.
There is also a strong possibility that one of the many varous conspiracy theories will come into play in the story. I find it hard to believe that King would come up with this premise and completely ignore them.
The book may also possibly combine these ideas into one narrative. Have the conspiracy somehow become aware of the dark future that lies ahead and use that as their motivation for shooting him. It would be a nice way to merge narratives while also making for some interesting anti-heroes.
On the other hand, going that route may make it seem like a rehash of The Dead Zone. I know he got some flack after writing For a Buick 8 by people who thought it was just a Christine redux (though those who read the book would realize that it wasn't). He may want to try and avoid going down that road again, giving us a premise that he hasn't touched on in previous works; a rather daunting task considering how much he's written over the years.
Of course, this is all just wild mass guessing on my part. Then again, that's part of the fun of being a pop culture junkie. Whether it be books or film, it's quite enjoyable to throw out possible ideas for what's to come next. If we really want to find out what happens, we readers are going to have to simply wait until the book comes out so that we can read it ourselves and let the narrative unfold as the author intended.
While a part of me is sad that I have to wait until November for this to be released, considering the size of my to-read pile of books, I could definitely use the next few months to try and chip away at it so that I have time to get to this book when it does come out.
Pixar vs. Dreamworks
*Originally published on 2/20/12
When it comes to animated films as of late, there are two studios that immediately come to mind: Pixar and Dreamworks. Now, many people are quick to praise Pixar, rightfully so as they do great work, but this also leads to a feeling of bitterness towards Dreamworks. Some people go so far as to say that they can't stand the studio.
I will be quick to admit that I think that Pixar is the better of the two, I don't think the studio warrants the ill will that it gets. By and large, they produce good movies. They may not be as poignant or artistic as some of Pixar's recent work, but they are highly entertaining.
I haven't seen the film myself, but I have heard nothing but good things about The Prince of Egypt. You're welcome to write this off as hearsay (as that's what it is), but it's supposed to be a very well crafted film.
The more recent movies to tend to put more of a focus on silliness, but that's not a bad thing per se. Movies are meant to entertain. There's nothing wrong with a little over the top escapism. I defy you to watch Over the Hedge, Madagascar, or Flushed Away and not crack a smile. I don't think it can be done. The movies embrace the fun of animation and make films that can be enjoyed by the whole family; I can't fault them for that.
Granted, not every movie succeeds on the level of those films, but by and large, the movies do what they set out to do. No studio can bat a thousand, so the occasional dud from time to time should be forgiven. Then again, their more recent films have gotten more praise as of late. How to Train Your Dragon and Megamind both have dedicated fandoms and have been well received by critics.
I think that Dreamworks' biggest problem is their rush to turn everything into a franchise. Ever since Shrek, all of the big names in Dreamworks' library were given sequels. Granted, Shrek 2 turned out to be pretty good, but they really beat that idea into the ground, putting out two more movies, several television specials, and a planned spin off film.
A sequel to Madagascar was also made and a third film is being made as we speak. The first film was quite a bit of fun, but I honestly don't see how you make that into a trilogy. Oh, and there's talk of a spin off movie for this series featuring the penguins.
There are also plans to release sequels to both Kung-fu Panda and the recent How to Train Your Dragon. Admittedly, both of these movies were very well received, but not every good movie needs a sequel. On the contrary, the fact that you can let a story end and let a film stand on its own would probably be seen as more admirable.
You might be able to get away with one sequel from time to time, but when you push things to the extent that they have, they're bound to lose their charm. It also becomes more apparent that the primary focus is trying to find a cash cow to milk as opposed to just putting out good content.
Despite this not so subtle setback, they have managed to produce several entertaining movies that make for a great afternoon out (or in if you're renting). Their eagerness to push a franchise is vexing, but there are still plenty of things to like about the studio. They may not topple Pixar as the king of modern animated films, but I think that they do deserve more credit than they get.
When it comes to animated films as of late, there are two studios that immediately come to mind: Pixar and Dreamworks. Now, many people are quick to praise Pixar, rightfully so as they do great work, but this also leads to a feeling of bitterness towards Dreamworks. Some people go so far as to say that they can't stand the studio.
I will be quick to admit that I think that Pixar is the better of the two, I don't think the studio warrants the ill will that it gets. By and large, they produce good movies. They may not be as poignant or artistic as some of Pixar's recent work, but they are highly entertaining.
I haven't seen the film myself, but I have heard nothing but good things about The Prince of Egypt. You're welcome to write this off as hearsay (as that's what it is), but it's supposed to be a very well crafted film.
The more recent movies to tend to put more of a focus on silliness, but that's not a bad thing per se. Movies are meant to entertain. There's nothing wrong with a little over the top escapism. I defy you to watch Over the Hedge, Madagascar, or Flushed Away and not crack a smile. I don't think it can be done. The movies embrace the fun of animation and make films that can be enjoyed by the whole family; I can't fault them for that.
Granted, not every movie succeeds on the level of those films, but by and large, the movies do what they set out to do. No studio can bat a thousand, so the occasional dud from time to time should be forgiven. Then again, their more recent films have gotten more praise as of late. How to Train Your Dragon and Megamind both have dedicated fandoms and have been well received by critics.
I think that Dreamworks' biggest problem is their rush to turn everything into a franchise. Ever since Shrek, all of the big names in Dreamworks' library were given sequels. Granted, Shrek 2 turned out to be pretty good, but they really beat that idea into the ground, putting out two more movies, several television specials, and a planned spin off film.
A sequel to Madagascar was also made and a third film is being made as we speak. The first film was quite a bit of fun, but I honestly don't see how you make that into a trilogy. Oh, and there's talk of a spin off movie for this series featuring the penguins.
There are also plans to release sequels to both Kung-fu Panda and the recent How to Train Your Dragon. Admittedly, both of these movies were very well received, but not every good movie needs a sequel. On the contrary, the fact that you can let a story end and let a film stand on its own would probably be seen as more admirable.
You might be able to get away with one sequel from time to time, but when you push things to the extent that they have, they're bound to lose their charm. It also becomes more apparent that the primary focus is trying to find a cash cow to milk as opposed to just putting out good content.
Despite this not so subtle setback, they have managed to produce several entertaining movies that make for a great afternoon out (or in if you're renting). Their eagerness to push a franchise is vexing, but there are still plenty of things to like about the studio. They may not topple Pixar as the king of modern animated films, but I think that they do deserve more credit than they get.
'Carrie' Returns to Broadway
*Originally published on 10/29/09
An article on CHUD reported that Carrie will be returning to Broadway.
You may remember that I mentioned that the novel had been turned into a musical in the late 80's. It bombed terribly and closed down after only three days and five performances.
Now, there are two possible options here. Either they're doing it again to try and mimic The Producers and Springtime for Hitler, using Uwe Boll-esque tactics to still make a profit on a bad show. There's also the possibility that they think they can put on a show so bad, so terrible that people will feel like they have to go watch it just to see how bad it is.
On the other side, they could be trying to clear Carrie's name and put on a good show to redeem the last one. The first attempt was plagued with problems so perhaps it was just a matter of luck. Let's cross our fingers and hope that it's the latter.
A few years ago, I probably would've been dead set against this. Lately though, musicals have started to grow on me. When done right, they can be very fun. Even if the property doesn't seem like it would lend itself to a musical. I mean, from what I've heard, the Evil Dead musical is really good and a blast to watch. I wouldn't dismiss this yet. Maybe the producers can learn from the mistakes of the first one and deliver. I'm rather curious to see how this all plays out.
You may remember that I mentioned that the novel had been turned into a musical in the late 80's. It bombed terribly and closed down after only three days and five performances.
Now, there are two possible options here. Either they're doing it again to try and mimic The Producers and Springtime for Hitler, using Uwe Boll-esque tactics to still make a profit on a bad show. There's also the possibility that they think they can put on a show so bad, so terrible that people will feel like they have to go watch it just to see how bad it is.
On the other side, they could be trying to clear Carrie's name and put on a good show to redeem the last one. The first attempt was plagued with problems so perhaps it was just a matter of luck. Let's cross our fingers and hope that it's the latter.
A few years ago, I probably would've been dead set against this. Lately though, musicals have started to grow on me. When done right, they can be very fun. Even if the property doesn't seem like it would lend itself to a musical. I mean, from what I've heard, the Evil Dead musical is really good and a blast to watch. I wouldn't dismiss this yet. Maybe the producers can learn from the mistakes of the first one and deliver. I'm rather curious to see how this all plays out.
Preview for 2010 MTV Video Music awards
*Originally published 8/27/10
Once again, MTV's annual Video Music Awards are upon us. The most popular artists in music will go head to head to claim the titles in various categories and walk away with the iconic moon-men trophies. The awards show airs on September 12 at 9/8 C, though it will probably be re-aired several times as is the standard operating procedure when it comes to these award shows.
The ceremony this year will be held in Los Angeles this year, making it a West coast counterpoint to last year's awards, which were held in New York. Chelsea Handler takes the reins in hosting duties this year. While hosting is a heavy responsibility, she will have help from presenters like Ne-Yo, Ke$ha, Emma Stone, Selena Gomez and others.
There will be performances by Justin Bieber, Eminem, and Kanye West along with some other lesser known performers.
The aforementioned performers are also slated as guests in addition to celebrities like Usher, Trey Songz, Nicki Minaj, Ashley Greene, and B.o.B.
All awards are determined by fan vote, which could be done either on MTV's website or by phone. Voting for all categories outside of "best new artist" has been closed. The nominees for the various categories are as follows
Best New Artist
The Ghost Inside by Broken Bells
In My Head by Jason Derulo
Baby by Justin Bieber feat. Ludacris
Tik Tok by Ke$ha
Massive Attack by Nicki Minaj
Best Collaboration
My First Kiss by 3OH!3 feat Ke$ha
Airplanes by B.o.B feat Hayley Williams
Video Phone by Beyonce feat Lady Gaga
Empire State of Mind by Jay Z feat Alicia Keys
Telephone by Lady Gaga feat Beyonce
Best Dance Music Video
Evacuate the Dance Floor by Cascada
Sexy Chick by David Guetta feat. Akon
I Like It by Enrique Eglasias feat. Pitbull
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
OMG by Usher feat. Will. I. Am
Best Female Video
Video Phone by Beyonce feat Lady Gaga
California Gurls by Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg
Tik Tok by Ke$ha
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga by
Fifteen by Taylor Swift
Best Hip Hop video
Airplanes by B.o.B feat Hayley Williams
Forever by Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Eminem
Not Afraid by Eminem
On to the Next One by Jay-Z and Swiss Beatz
Pursuit of Happiness by Kid Cudi feat. MGMT and Ratatat
Best Male Video
Airplanes by B.o.B feat Hayley Williams
Find Your Love by Drake
Not Afraid by Eminem
In My Head by Jason Derulo
OMG by Usher feat. Will. I. Am
Best Pop Video
Nothing on You by B.o.B feat Bruno Mars
Video Phone by Beyonce feat Lady Gaga
California Gurls by Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg
Tik Tok by Ke$ha
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Best Rock Video
Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds to Mars
Dog Days are Over by Florence + The Machine
Flash Delirium by MGMT
Uprising by Muse
Ignorance by Paramore
Video of the Year
Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds to Mars
Airplanes by B.o.B feat Hayley Williams
Not Afraid by Eminem
Dog Days are Over by Florence + The Machine
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Telephone by Lady Gaga feat Beyonce
Best Art Direction
Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds to Mars
Video Phone by Beyonce feat Lady Gaga
Not Afraid by Eminem
Dog Days are Over by Florence + The Machine
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Best Choreography
Video Phone by Beyonce feat Lady Gaga
Tightrope by Janelle Monae feat Big Boi
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Telephone by Lady Gaga feat Beyonce
OMG by Usher feat. Will. I. Am
Best Cinematography
Not Afraid by Eminem
Dog Days are Over by Florence + The Machine
Empire State of Mind by Jay Z feat Alicia Keys
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons
Best Direction
Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds to Mars
Not Afraid by Eminem
Empire State of Mind by Jay Z feat Alicia Keys
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Funhouse by Pink
Best Editing
Not Afraid by Eminem
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Animal by Mike Snow
Funhouse by Pink
Rude Boy by Rihanna
Best Special Effects
Symphonies by Dan Black
Not Afraid by Eminem
21st Century Breakdown by Green Day
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Uprising by Muse
Breakthrough Video
Tighten Up by The Black Keys
Strawberry Swing by Coldplay
Symphonies by Dan Black
Stylo by The Gorillaz feat. Bobby Womack and Mos Def
Once again, MTV's annual Video Music Awards are upon us. The most popular artists in music will go head to head to claim the titles in various categories and walk away with the iconic moon-men trophies. The awards show airs on September 12 at 9/8 C, though it will probably be re-aired several times as is the standard operating procedure when it comes to these award shows.
The ceremony this year will be held in Los Angeles this year, making it a West coast counterpoint to last year's awards, which were held in New York. Chelsea Handler takes the reins in hosting duties this year. While hosting is a heavy responsibility, she will have help from presenters like Ne-Yo, Ke$ha, Emma Stone, Selena Gomez and others.
There will be performances by Justin Bieber, Eminem, and Kanye West along with some other lesser known performers.
The aforementioned performers are also slated as guests in addition to celebrities like Usher, Trey Songz, Nicki Minaj, Ashley Greene, and B.o.B.
All awards are determined by fan vote, which could be done either on MTV's website or by phone. Voting for all categories outside of "best new artist" has been closed. The nominees for the various categories are as follows
Best New Artist
The Ghost Inside by Broken Bells
In My Head by Jason Derulo
Baby by Justin Bieber feat. Ludacris
Tik Tok by Ke$ha
Massive Attack by Nicki Minaj
Best Collaboration
My First Kiss by 3OH!3 feat Ke$ha
Airplanes by B.o.B feat Hayley Williams
Video Phone by Beyonce feat Lady Gaga
Empire State of Mind by Jay Z feat Alicia Keys
Telephone by Lady Gaga feat Beyonce
Best Dance Music Video
Evacuate the Dance Floor by Cascada
Sexy Chick by David Guetta feat. Akon
I Like It by Enrique Eglasias feat. Pitbull
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
OMG by Usher feat. Will. I. Am
Best Female Video
Video Phone by Beyonce feat Lady Gaga
California Gurls by Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg
Tik Tok by Ke$ha
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga by
Fifteen by Taylor Swift
Best Hip Hop video
Airplanes by B.o.B feat Hayley Williams
Forever by Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Eminem
Not Afraid by Eminem
On to the Next One by Jay-Z and Swiss Beatz
Pursuit of Happiness by Kid Cudi feat. MGMT and Ratatat
Best Male Video
Airplanes by B.o.B feat Hayley Williams
Find Your Love by Drake
Not Afraid by Eminem
In My Head by Jason Derulo
OMG by Usher feat. Will. I. Am
Best Pop Video
Nothing on You by B.o.B feat Bruno Mars
Video Phone by Beyonce feat Lady Gaga
California Gurls by Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg
Tik Tok by Ke$ha
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Best Rock Video
Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds to Mars
Dog Days are Over by Florence + The Machine
Flash Delirium by MGMT
Uprising by Muse
Ignorance by Paramore
Video of the Year
Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds to Mars
Airplanes by B.o.B feat Hayley Williams
Not Afraid by Eminem
Dog Days are Over by Florence + The Machine
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Telephone by Lady Gaga feat Beyonce
Best Art Direction
Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds to Mars
Video Phone by Beyonce feat Lady Gaga
Not Afraid by Eminem
Dog Days are Over by Florence + The Machine
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Best Choreography
Video Phone by Beyonce feat Lady Gaga
Tightrope by Janelle Monae feat Big Boi
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Telephone by Lady Gaga feat Beyonce
OMG by Usher feat. Will. I. Am
Best Cinematography
Not Afraid by Eminem
Dog Days are Over by Florence + The Machine
Empire State of Mind by Jay Z feat Alicia Keys
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons
Best Direction
Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds to Mars
Not Afraid by Eminem
Empire State of Mind by Jay Z feat Alicia Keys
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Funhouse by Pink
Best Editing
Not Afraid by Eminem
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Animal by Mike Snow
Funhouse by Pink
Rude Boy by Rihanna
Best Special Effects
Symphonies by Dan Black
Not Afraid by Eminem
21st Century Breakdown by Green Day
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Uprising by Muse
Breakthrough Video
Tighten Up by The Black Keys
Strawberry Swing by Coldplay
Symphonies by Dan Black
Stylo by The Gorillaz feat. Bobby Womack and Mos Def
October 21st big day for Stephen King comic fans
*Originally published on 10/20/09
I haven't really announced the release of new issues of King based comics. I wanted to today because we have not one but two new series starting up.
We have the first issue of Soul Survivors, the next mini-series in The Stand comic saga. Our heroes travel to meet Mother Abagail and Nick and Tom run into a woman named Julie Lawry.
We also have issue 0 of The Talisman comics. This comic, unlike the others, isn't being produced by Marvel, but by a smaller company called Del Rey. I haven't seen any comics by this company on the shelves (then again I never thought to look for it) so hopefully it's widely available for purchase.
It would've been awesome if they had scheduled the new Dark Tower series to start tomorrow as well, just to complete the tri-fecta.
Still, two new King comic releases is a pretty good day.
We have the first issue of Soul Survivors, the next mini-series in The Stand comic saga. Our heroes travel to meet Mother Abagail and Nick and Tom run into a woman named Julie Lawry.
We also have issue 0 of The Talisman comics. This comic, unlike the others, isn't being produced by Marvel, but by a smaller company called Del Rey. I haven't seen any comics by this company on the shelves (then again I never thought to look for it) so hopefully it's widely available for purchase.
It would've been awesome if they had scheduled the new Dark Tower series to start tomorrow as well, just to complete the tri-fecta.
Still, two new King comic releases is a pretty good day.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
What's In Store for DC's Earth One Line?
After Marvel achieved some level of success with its "Ultimate" line, a new series of comics that launched a whole new continuity that allowed readers to jump in with a fresh slate, DC tried to replicate that formula. Their first effort was the "All Star" line that consisted of two titles: Superman and Batman; one was great and the other was terrible. Quality aside, the line hit a snag as both were intended to be limited series.
Years later, DC made another attempt with a new line called "Earth One". Like Marvel's "Ultimate" line, this would give new readers a chance to jump into new stories without having to worry about decades of convoluted continuity. Unlike "All Star", this would be an ongoing series that had no set endpoint. To add to the differentiation, DC decided to try and release this series directly to trade paperback. This would cater to buyers who waited for trade as well as potentially catch the eye of someone browsing in their local bookstore.
Like it's predecessor, DC decided to launch this line with its two biggest characters: Superman and Batman. So far, only three trades have been released (two volumes for Superman and one for Batman), but other titles are said to be forthcoming. It just makes you wonder what sort of titles we could see later on down the line.
According to the rumor mill, there's a whole laundry list of titles said to be in the works. Batman will be getting a second volume and Superman will get a third volume. "Wonder Woman: Earth One" is also slated to be in the works, which would round out the company's big three. "Teen Titans: Earth One" is another title that has been added. The first volume of that is set to come out in November of 2014.
There is also talk of giving Nightwing and Green Lantern titles under the banner. The addition of Nightwing is a tad perplexing. He's a popular character, no doubt, but it seems a bit early considering the evolution that Dick Grayson goes through to get to that point. Then again, they could have it play out differently. There is also mention of a "Justice League" title, which, again, seems premature.
Now, a lot of this should be taken with a grain of salt. After all, we saw a similar thing go down with the aforementioned "All Star" line. There was talk of an "All Star" book for characters like Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Batgirl. None of these ever came to light. I could have sworn there was also talk of "All Star Aquaman", but that was a long time ago.
Still, one hopes that these do get made. If there is one complaint to be made about the line so far, it is that content is coming out far too slowly. Having more series released would help alleviate that problem to a certain extent.
In addition to the possible titles mentioned above, one can't help but wonder what other titles DC could release.
They would want to try to start with their more iconic characters, so you have to figure that Flash would be in there. While an "Aquaman" title could be really good if handled properly, he still struggles with his "Superfriends" image, which might make for a tough sell on mainstream consumers.
For more female representation, Zatanna could be a possible candidate for a title. Batwoman and Batgirl could also work, though I wouldn't mind seeing DC try to push non-Batman related characters a bit more.
If they wanted to expedite the process of introducing characters, they could go for more ensemble books like "Justice Society" or maybe even "Green Lantern Corps".
With all of the characters at their disposal, DC certainly has options. While this could be a great chance to give lesser known characters a chance to shine, they don't want to go too obscure as people won't buy a book about a character they've never heard of. Hopefully the line continues to sell well as it provides a great opportunity for readers who are daunted by continuity and a great opportunity for writers to take familiar characters in different directions.
Years later, DC made another attempt with a new line called "Earth One". Like Marvel's "Ultimate" line, this would give new readers a chance to jump into new stories without having to worry about decades of convoluted continuity. Unlike "All Star", this would be an ongoing series that had no set endpoint. To add to the differentiation, DC decided to try and release this series directly to trade paperback. This would cater to buyers who waited for trade as well as potentially catch the eye of someone browsing in their local bookstore.
Like it's predecessor, DC decided to launch this line with its two biggest characters: Superman and Batman. So far, only three trades have been released (two volumes for Superman and one for Batman), but other titles are said to be forthcoming. It just makes you wonder what sort of titles we could see later on down the line.
According to the rumor mill, there's a whole laundry list of titles said to be in the works. Batman will be getting a second volume and Superman will get a third volume. "Wonder Woman: Earth One" is also slated to be in the works, which would round out the company's big three. "Teen Titans: Earth One" is another title that has been added. The first volume of that is set to come out in November of 2014.
There is also talk of giving Nightwing and Green Lantern titles under the banner. The addition of Nightwing is a tad perplexing. He's a popular character, no doubt, but it seems a bit early considering the evolution that Dick Grayson goes through to get to that point. Then again, they could have it play out differently. There is also mention of a "Justice League" title, which, again, seems premature.
Now, a lot of this should be taken with a grain of salt. After all, we saw a similar thing go down with the aforementioned "All Star" line. There was talk of an "All Star" book for characters like Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Batgirl. None of these ever came to light. I could have sworn there was also talk of "All Star Aquaman", but that was a long time ago.
Still, one hopes that these do get made. If there is one complaint to be made about the line so far, it is that content is coming out far too slowly. Having more series released would help alleviate that problem to a certain extent.
In addition to the possible titles mentioned above, one can't help but wonder what other titles DC could release.
They would want to try to start with their more iconic characters, so you have to figure that Flash would be in there. While an "Aquaman" title could be really good if handled properly, he still struggles with his "Superfriends" image, which might make for a tough sell on mainstream consumers.
For more female representation, Zatanna could be a possible candidate for a title. Batwoman and Batgirl could also work, though I wouldn't mind seeing DC try to push non-Batman related characters a bit more.
If they wanted to expedite the process of introducing characters, they could go for more ensemble books like "Justice Society" or maybe even "Green Lantern Corps".
With all of the characters at their disposal, DC certainly has options. While this could be a great chance to give lesser known characters a chance to shine, they don't want to go too obscure as people won't buy a book about a character they've never heard of. Hopefully the line continues to sell well as it provides a great opportunity for readers who are daunted by continuity and a great opportunity for writers to take familiar characters in different directions.
What are Clarke's Three Laws?
*Originally published on 3/5/12
When science fiction fans hear the words "three laws" there is a pretty good chance that they will bring up the name of Isaac Asimov. After all he did create the infamous three robot laws. As it turns out, Asimov is not the only writer to come up with his own set of laws. Fellow writer Arthur C. Clarke also came up with a trio of laws. Whereas Asimov's three laws pertained to behavior by nigh-sentient robots, Clarke's laws discuss more wide spread concepts present in science fiction.
Clarke's first law states that "When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong." While this might be a subtle dig at that sort of character archetype, the more prominent aspect of this law is that it basically says that anything is possible.
Considering that idea is more or less the background of the science fiction genre as a whole, it is surprising that this law is not brought up more frequently. A verbatim recitation isn't necessary, but the general concept should be acknowledged more frequently.
Clarke's second law states that "The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible." This is an interesting one as there are many works of science fiction and horror that center around the idea that science went too far, resulting in some sort of catastrophe that the characters have to deal with. I do get the idea to a certain extent. After all, it is by constantly pushing the envelope that we discover new things and expand our realm of knowledge. Even so, it's an interesting addition to the list.
It's also interesting as a follow up to the previous law. If anything that's impossible is, in reality, possible, than how exactly is this law supposed to be executed? Very curious.
Clarke's third law is the most well known and the one that is referenced most frequently. It states that "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". This is another one where I understand the concept and acknowledge it to a certain extent, but there are some science fiction writers who push it. It just seems like they try too hard to tap dance around the issue with semantics instead of just saying "it's magic".
So, there you have it, Arthur C. Clarke's three laws. Again, these are not to be confused with Asimov's three laws as they cover completely different ideas and concepts. While Asimov's may be more well known, Clarke's make for far more interesting conversation.
When science fiction fans hear the words "three laws" there is a pretty good chance that they will bring up the name of Isaac Asimov. After all he did create the infamous three robot laws. As it turns out, Asimov is not the only writer to come up with his own set of laws. Fellow writer Arthur C. Clarke also came up with a trio of laws. Whereas Asimov's three laws pertained to behavior by nigh-sentient robots, Clarke's laws discuss more wide spread concepts present in science fiction.
Clarke's first law states that "When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong." While this might be a subtle dig at that sort of character archetype, the more prominent aspect of this law is that it basically says that anything is possible.
Considering that idea is more or less the background of the science fiction genre as a whole, it is surprising that this law is not brought up more frequently. A verbatim recitation isn't necessary, but the general concept should be acknowledged more frequently.
Clarke's second law states that "The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible." This is an interesting one as there are many works of science fiction and horror that center around the idea that science went too far, resulting in some sort of catastrophe that the characters have to deal with. I do get the idea to a certain extent. After all, it is by constantly pushing the envelope that we discover new things and expand our realm of knowledge. Even so, it's an interesting addition to the list.
It's also interesting as a follow up to the previous law. If anything that's impossible is, in reality, possible, than how exactly is this law supposed to be executed? Very curious.
Clarke's third law is the most well known and the one that is referenced most frequently. It states that "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". This is another one where I understand the concept and acknowledge it to a certain extent, but there are some science fiction writers who push it. It just seems like they try too hard to tap dance around the issue with semantics instead of just saying "it's magic".
So, there you have it, Arthur C. Clarke's three laws. Again, these are not to be confused with Asimov's three laws as they cover completely different ideas and concepts. While Asimov's may be more well known, Clarke's make for far more interesting conversation.
Conspiracy Theories Surrounding Princess Diana
*Originally published on 8/27/10
I'm a sucker for conspiracy theories. Even if they make no sense and only cause me to cringe at the ridiculousness, I find them fascinating. Whether it's UFO's, Kennedy's assassination, George W. Bush being behind 9/11, Bill O'Reilly being a member of the Illuminati, or Obama's administration being the culmination of 40 years of communist plotting and subterfuge to bring down America, I can't help but be fascinated by the ideas that some people come up with. Often times, the more ridiculous the theory, the better.
Even Princess Diana has a few conspiracy theories surrounding her, more specifically, her death. The most mainstream one is that the paparazzi were behind it. It seems logical as they were in hot pursuit of the princess, trying to get photographs as they are wont to do. In an attempt to evade them, the driver sped up and became more reckless causing the crash. Considering they didn't seem all too shook up about it, on the contrary, they raced to get pictures even after the crash, it was pretty easy to blame them. One could have made the argument that they did it on purpose to sell papers. There don't seem to be any holes in this particular theory, although one site brings up that the limo driver was well over the legal B.A.C limit.
One of the zanier plots concocted is that it was an elaborate assassination plot by the royal family. The reason for this alleged hit? She was set to marry a Muslim, and was possibly even pregnant with his child. The tabloids talked about a mysterious figure posing as a press member. There was talk of a mysterious white Fiat Uno that blocked the path of the limousine to cause the crash. Diana's would be father in law was a major proponent of this theory as he refused to believe that it was a mere accident.
There was even talk of altering surveillance tapes to cover up the incident. Further analysis showed that Diana was not pregnant and the idea that the two were set to wed has also been called into question. The cameras whose tapes were allegedly altered weren't even positioned in such a way that they could record the crash anyway, making tampering a redundant process.
Another possible theory is that Dodi Al Fayed, the aforementioned Egyptian "fiance" was the true target and Diana happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's an interesting theory and not totally outside the realm of possibility, though if such a plot were set in motion, certainly there would be some way to verify it. Either that or they're just that good.
As with all celebrity deaths, there are certain factions that believe that the whole thing was staged and that Diana is still alive and well, living in hiding. She wouldn't be the first, Elvis, Tupac, and Kennedy are also said to still be alive somewhere. It also makes a fair bit of sense as she was not comfortable being in the spotlight, but forced into it constantly. Given that an examination was performed on her body, this seems rather unlikely.
Mankind is naturally curious, so it's not surprising when we question something that's been told to us. It's something to be encouraged, even if the results are somewhat wacky.
I'm a sucker for conspiracy theories. Even if they make no sense and only cause me to cringe at the ridiculousness, I find them fascinating. Whether it's UFO's, Kennedy's assassination, George W. Bush being behind 9/11, Bill O'Reilly being a member of the Illuminati, or Obama's administration being the culmination of 40 years of communist plotting and subterfuge to bring down America, I can't help but be fascinated by the ideas that some people come up with. Often times, the more ridiculous the theory, the better.
Even Princess Diana has a few conspiracy theories surrounding her, more specifically, her death. The most mainstream one is that the paparazzi were behind it. It seems logical as they were in hot pursuit of the princess, trying to get photographs as they are wont to do. In an attempt to evade them, the driver sped up and became more reckless causing the crash. Considering they didn't seem all too shook up about it, on the contrary, they raced to get pictures even after the crash, it was pretty easy to blame them. One could have made the argument that they did it on purpose to sell papers. There don't seem to be any holes in this particular theory, although one site brings up that the limo driver was well over the legal B.A.C limit.
One of the zanier plots concocted is that it was an elaborate assassination plot by the royal family. The reason for this alleged hit? She was set to marry a Muslim, and was possibly even pregnant with his child. The tabloids talked about a mysterious figure posing as a press member. There was talk of a mysterious white Fiat Uno that blocked the path of the limousine to cause the crash. Diana's would be father in law was a major proponent of this theory as he refused to believe that it was a mere accident.
There was even talk of altering surveillance tapes to cover up the incident. Further analysis showed that Diana was not pregnant and the idea that the two were set to wed has also been called into question. The cameras whose tapes were allegedly altered weren't even positioned in such a way that they could record the crash anyway, making tampering a redundant process.
Another possible theory is that Dodi Al Fayed, the aforementioned Egyptian "fiance" was the true target and Diana happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's an interesting theory and not totally outside the realm of possibility, though if such a plot were set in motion, certainly there would be some way to verify it. Either that or they're just that good.
As with all celebrity deaths, there are certain factions that believe that the whole thing was staged and that Diana is still alive and well, living in hiding. She wouldn't be the first, Elvis, Tupac, and Kennedy are also said to still be alive somewhere. It also makes a fair bit of sense as she was not comfortable being in the spotlight, but forced into it constantly. Given that an examination was performed on her body, this seems rather unlikely.
Mankind is naturally curious, so it's not surprising when we question something that's been told to us. It's something to be encouraged, even if the results are somewhat wacky.
UST and Shipping in Television
*Originally published on 10/6/09
It's pretty common practice in television to give the lead character a love interest. Some times it will be a guest star (recurring or otherwise) but other times it can be another regular cast member, usually the opposite lead. Once in a while, the supporting characters will develop a budding romance, but it's usually the leads.
The usual practice with this is to have the two be good friends. This leads to the possibility for several cute moments where you see how close they are. They then get tangled up with the trope dubbed UST, or Unresolved Sexual Tension. Things usually escalate until finally, a romance develops.
I say finally because there are always complications that keep them apart. It makes sense from a writing perspective, complications create conflict and thus add some element of drama. The problem lies in the fact that they draw it out so much.
A prime example would be The X-Files. Throughout a vast majority of the show, Mulder and Scully are very close friends. They're about as close as two people can get without any romantic involvement. They rely on each other and are there for each other through thick and thin. This led to a lot of fans engaging in what is referred to as "shipping', that is to say that they imagined that those two would make a good couple and should get together.
It's not always fan driven, but eventually the two characters get together. By the time they do, the couple loses some of it's allure.
It happened in The X-Files, and it happened in Frasier with Niles and Daphne, two supporting characters. They spent so long teasing and shipping the two characters that when you do finally see them get together, it doesn't seem right.
Almost every show seems to make this mistake. I know, logic dictates that you want to see the characters get together, but usually by the time the writers get to the actual romance, viewers have almost lost interest. It's one of the downsides of Bones. It's in it's fifth season and they are still shipping the two leads. I can tell right now that they're making the same mistake Chris Carter made with Mulder and Scully.
This even happens in cartoons. The Teen Titans animated show did this with Robin and Starfire. To be fair, those two actually were an item in the comic so it stays true to the source material in that sense, but they only get together in the post script movie. It wasn't bad, but you watch it and just go "meh".
It's a thin line to walk. You can't have the characters get together too early, but stringing it along doesn't help either. More often than not in those situations, it turns out the two characters work out better as friends than as a bona fide couple.
It's pretty common practice in television to give the lead character a love interest. Some times it will be a guest star (recurring or otherwise) but other times it can be another regular cast member, usually the opposite lead. Once in a while, the supporting characters will develop a budding romance, but it's usually the leads.
The usual practice with this is to have the two be good friends. This leads to the possibility for several cute moments where you see how close they are. They then get tangled up with the trope dubbed UST, or Unresolved Sexual Tension. Things usually escalate until finally, a romance develops.
I say finally because there are always complications that keep them apart. It makes sense from a writing perspective, complications create conflict and thus add some element of drama. The problem lies in the fact that they draw it out so much.
A prime example would be The X-Files. Throughout a vast majority of the show, Mulder and Scully are very close friends. They're about as close as two people can get without any romantic involvement. They rely on each other and are there for each other through thick and thin. This led to a lot of fans engaging in what is referred to as "shipping', that is to say that they imagined that those two would make a good couple and should get together.
It's not always fan driven, but eventually the two characters get together. By the time they do, the couple loses some of it's allure.
It happened in The X-Files, and it happened in Frasier with Niles and Daphne, two supporting characters. They spent so long teasing and shipping the two characters that when you do finally see them get together, it doesn't seem right.
Almost every show seems to make this mistake. I know, logic dictates that you want to see the characters get together, but usually by the time the writers get to the actual romance, viewers have almost lost interest. It's one of the downsides of Bones. It's in it's fifth season and they are still shipping the two leads. I can tell right now that they're making the same mistake Chris Carter made with Mulder and Scully.
This even happens in cartoons. The Teen Titans animated show did this with Robin and Starfire. To be fair, those two actually were an item in the comic so it stays true to the source material in that sense, but they only get together in the post script movie. It wasn't bad, but you watch it and just go "meh".
It's a thin line to walk. You can't have the characters get together too early, but stringing it along doesn't help either. More often than not in those situations, it turns out the two characters work out better as friends than as a bona fide couple.
Paranormal Activity: Paris Hilton puts a Curse on her Ex
*Originally published on 11/2/09
I'm a big fan of Sightings. It's unfortunate that we don't have another show like that out right now. I've been intrigued by this sort of thing since I was a kid.
A story has been circulating that Paris Hilton hired a warlock to put a curse on soccer player Cristiano Rinaldo. Normally, this would be the sort of headline that belongs on an issue of the weekly world news. This story, however seems to have gained some legitimacy.
I came across the story during a recent episode of Sportsnation. Co-host Colin Cowherd was skeptical, but others aren't so sure. After all, the soccer player did suffer an injury shortly after. The sorcerer's name was even revealed to be Pepe.
This is an odd story. I don't care about celebrities' spiritual beliefs for the most part, but Paris never came off as a fan of black magic. On the other hand, there have been hints that she finds this sort of thing fascinating. She has, after all, starred in a few horror movies and even guest starred on a recent episode of Supernatural. If nothing else it's a fascinating story.
I'm still unclear on if it was in fact Paris. Sportsnation said it with certainty that Paris hired the warlock, but The Spoiler said that she was only a prime suspect given the warlock's description of who hired him to put the kaibosh on Rinaldo's soccer abilities.
The timing is also fitting. With these events unfolding just before Halloween, it becomes either awesome or suspiciously convenient. It would seem like a stunt for Paris Hilton to gain some publicity, but somehow this has gained steam and legitmacy in the press.
According to The Spoiler, the mage is willing to inflict more magical harm and won't relinquish the curse even if his mother came and begged him.
You don't see too many warlocks nowadays. You'll see some Wiccas, but even they aren't as mystical as television sometimes makes them out to be. You don't even really see any paranormal investigators outside of the reality television circuit. It's sad as this always makes for some intriguing stuff.
I'm a big fan of Sightings. It's unfortunate that we don't have another show like that out right now. I've been intrigued by this sort of thing since I was a kid.
A story has been circulating that Paris Hilton hired a warlock to put a curse on soccer player Cristiano Rinaldo. Normally, this would be the sort of headline that belongs on an issue of the weekly world news. This story, however seems to have gained some legitimacy.
I came across the story during a recent episode of Sportsnation. Co-host Colin Cowherd was skeptical, but others aren't so sure. After all, the soccer player did suffer an injury shortly after. The sorcerer's name was even revealed to be Pepe.
This is an odd story. I don't care about celebrities' spiritual beliefs for the most part, but Paris never came off as a fan of black magic. On the other hand, there have been hints that she finds this sort of thing fascinating. She has, after all, starred in a few horror movies and even guest starred on a recent episode of Supernatural. If nothing else it's a fascinating story.
I'm still unclear on if it was in fact Paris. Sportsnation said it with certainty that Paris hired the warlock, but The Spoiler said that she was only a prime suspect given the warlock's description of who hired him to put the kaibosh on Rinaldo's soccer abilities.
The timing is also fitting. With these events unfolding just before Halloween, it becomes either awesome or suspiciously convenient. It would seem like a stunt for Paris Hilton to gain some publicity, but somehow this has gained steam and legitmacy in the press.
According to The Spoiler, the mage is willing to inflict more magical harm and won't relinquish the curse even if his mother came and begged him.
You don't see too many warlocks nowadays. You'll see some Wiccas, but even they aren't as mystical as television sometimes makes them out to be. You don't even really see any paranormal investigators outside of the reality television circuit. It's sad as this always makes for some intriguing stuff.
Batman vs. Edward Cullen
*Originally published on 11/25/09
You know, for someone who many claim can defeat Galactus as long as you gave him time to prepare, the Dark Knight is getting pummeled by a vegetarian vampire who sparkles in the sun. First, The Dark Knight loses to Twilight at the MTV movie awards. And now the sequel, New Moon, has broken its midnight box office sales. I think it beat the one-day ticket sales too, but I'm not sure on that one. Batman is 0-2 when his movie was pit against Cullen's. But how would the characters fare in a battle? Given recent events, I thought it apt to pit these two against each other in combat.
Now, Batman's taken on vampires before. There was a story arc called Red Rain, where vampires attack Gotham city. I haven't read it myself, but I believe it ends with Batman being turned into a vampire himself.
There was also an animated Batman vs. Dracula direct to video movie based on the WB series that aired after Batman: The Animated Series ended. While the show never really grew on me, I have to admit that the movie was quite good. I was no fan of that "interpretation" of the Joker, but turn that into a vampire and all of a sudden it's one of the creepiest things ever.
Now, common sense would dictate that Batman would win. He doesn't even really need time to prepare as the weaknesses of vampires are well documented. However, in a bit of fridge brilliance, Stephanie Meyer removed almost all of those weaknesses when she crafted Edward Cullen. Sunlight doesn't kill him, and I don't think religious items like crosses have any effect. I doubt even a stake through the heart would really kill him. Does garlic have any effect on these vamps? I don't believe so, but I'm no expert. Let's just say that it doesn't for the sake of argument. This means that decapitation is, most likely, the best bet in taking the win.
One element from the aforementioned animated movie that I rather liked was the fact that Batman tried to develop a "cure" to vampirism. It stayed in line with Batman's refusal to ever take a life. As such, I doubt Batman would be willing to cut off Edward's head, even though he is quite skilled with a sword.
On the contrary, he would most likely try to develop a cure as he did in the film. I know, this goes against my previous argument where I called that prerequisite out on being complete BS, but in this case it is sort of justified as vampirism is a disease in the books if I recall correctly. I remember there being mention of some kind of venom that gets into your blood so I'm calling extenuating circumstances in that regard.
However, in the interest of fairness, let's remove that from the equation. Let's say Batman has no cure and he's come to rescue Bella from the evil monsters and Edward will have none of it. The two face off in a one on one bout, maybe not to the death, but to the point where the other is clearly defeated.
Cullen does have the advantage when it comes to both strength and speed. One hit from Cullen will send Batman flying into a wall. While he's resilient, there are only so many hits against cement that a guy can take. However, Batman is no stranger to overcoming great odds like this. Bane was much stronger than Batman, and even managed to break his back, but Batman came back and now regularly defeats him in combat. Bane, of course, has an obvious weakness that Cullen doesn't. However, Killer Croc is another enemy that grossly outmatches the Dark Knight when it comes to strength and he has no such weakness. Even so, Batman manages to gain the upper hand in those confrontations.
I think it depends on the setting. If it's a straight fight in broad daylight, than Cullen has it, Batman wouldn't be able to keep track of Cullen's great speed and he would just get continuously tossed around like a ragdoll. But if you had it in the forests that the vampires frequent, than Batman would be able to use his stealth and guile to throw Cullen off his game and engage in ninja like guerilla warfare, striking quickly, only to return to the shadows. It would also give Batman a better opportunity to put his gadgets to use, disorienting the vamp with either explosive or electric batarangs and smoke pellets to give him a further edge. Though if Batman does get hit, he'll get thrown into oak trees, which is no less painful than a wall.
I tried to put aside my own biases and look at this rationally. I'm sure many will disagree with my assessment, but that's just the way I see it. You wouldn't think it, but this is actually a fairly fascinating crossover and I wouldn't mind seeing these two character go mono e mono.
You know, for someone who many claim can defeat Galactus as long as you gave him time to prepare, the Dark Knight is getting pummeled by a vegetarian vampire who sparkles in the sun. First, The Dark Knight loses to Twilight at the MTV movie awards. And now the sequel, New Moon, has broken its midnight box office sales. I think it beat the one-day ticket sales too, but I'm not sure on that one. Batman is 0-2 when his movie was pit against Cullen's. But how would the characters fare in a battle? Given recent events, I thought it apt to pit these two against each other in combat.
Now, Batman's taken on vampires before. There was a story arc called Red Rain, where vampires attack Gotham city. I haven't read it myself, but I believe it ends with Batman being turned into a vampire himself.
There was also an animated Batman vs. Dracula direct to video movie based on the WB series that aired after Batman: The Animated Series ended. While the show never really grew on me, I have to admit that the movie was quite good. I was no fan of that "interpretation" of the Joker, but turn that into a vampire and all of a sudden it's one of the creepiest things ever.
Now, common sense would dictate that Batman would win. He doesn't even really need time to prepare as the weaknesses of vampires are well documented. However, in a bit of fridge brilliance, Stephanie Meyer removed almost all of those weaknesses when she crafted Edward Cullen. Sunlight doesn't kill him, and I don't think religious items like crosses have any effect. I doubt even a stake through the heart would really kill him. Does garlic have any effect on these vamps? I don't believe so, but I'm no expert. Let's just say that it doesn't for the sake of argument. This means that decapitation is, most likely, the best bet in taking the win.
One element from the aforementioned animated movie that I rather liked was the fact that Batman tried to develop a "cure" to vampirism. It stayed in line with Batman's refusal to ever take a life. As such, I doubt Batman would be willing to cut off Edward's head, even though he is quite skilled with a sword.
On the contrary, he would most likely try to develop a cure as he did in the film. I know, this goes against my previous argument where I called that prerequisite out on being complete BS, but in this case it is sort of justified as vampirism is a disease in the books if I recall correctly. I remember there being mention of some kind of venom that gets into your blood so I'm calling extenuating circumstances in that regard.
However, in the interest of fairness, let's remove that from the equation. Let's say Batman has no cure and he's come to rescue Bella from the evil monsters and Edward will have none of it. The two face off in a one on one bout, maybe not to the death, but to the point where the other is clearly defeated.
Cullen does have the advantage when it comes to both strength and speed. One hit from Cullen will send Batman flying into a wall. While he's resilient, there are only so many hits against cement that a guy can take. However, Batman is no stranger to overcoming great odds like this. Bane was much stronger than Batman, and even managed to break his back, but Batman came back and now regularly defeats him in combat. Bane, of course, has an obvious weakness that Cullen doesn't. However, Killer Croc is another enemy that grossly outmatches the Dark Knight when it comes to strength and he has no such weakness. Even so, Batman manages to gain the upper hand in those confrontations.
I think it depends on the setting. If it's a straight fight in broad daylight, than Cullen has it, Batman wouldn't be able to keep track of Cullen's great speed and he would just get continuously tossed around like a ragdoll. But if you had it in the forests that the vampires frequent, than Batman would be able to use his stealth and guile to throw Cullen off his game and engage in ninja like guerilla warfare, striking quickly, only to return to the shadows. It would also give Batman a better opportunity to put his gadgets to use, disorienting the vamp with either explosive or electric batarangs and smoke pellets to give him a further edge. Though if Batman does get hit, he'll get thrown into oak trees, which is no less painful than a wall.
I tried to put aside my own biases and look at this rationally. I'm sure many will disagree with my assessment, but that's just the way I see it. You wouldn't think it, but this is actually a fairly fascinating crossover and I wouldn't mind seeing these two character go mono e mono.
All Star Comics vs. Earth One
*Originally published on 12/16/09
Trying to follow comic book continuity can be a bit of a chore. With decades worth of stories and continuity, it's become rather tricky for new readers to jump on and enjoy a story. Marvel has had a similar problem, but DC is notorious for it's confusing continuity. Ironically, most of this is due to several attempts to hit the reset button to clear out continuity and every time, it only makes it more confusing.
Marvel has had a fair amount of success with it's "Ultimate" line. This second continuity basically started from scratch and returned all of the characters to their roots. It has no ties to the mainstream Marvel universe, although one was hinted at during the Crossover arc, that didn't turn out to be the case as it introduced the Marvel Zombies.
DC tried a similar thing with it's All Star Line. They announced titles for Batman and Superman that would take place outside of main continuity and would allow new readers to jump in without worrying about years of continuity.
While other titles were announced and the imprint had a ton of potential, only the two titles were ever released. All Star Superman was met with critical acclaim, won awards, and is generally loved by fans of the Man of Steel. It took awhile, but Grant Morrison finished the 12 issue run. This comic succeeded in telling a great story that distilled the characters and it did what the imprint set out to do.
All Star Batman and Robin, on the other hand, stunk to high heaven. It was hyped up as a new entry in Frank Miller's Batman universe, tying in to well renowned classics like The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One. Like All Star Superman, the comic was supposed to run for 12 issues. The comic was so derided and ripped by critics that DC has put it on hiatus. While there are supposed to be 2 more issues, who knows if we'll ever see them.
Taking the "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again" mantra to heart, DC is taking another crack at the out of continuity series with it's Earth One series. Once again, we're going to see out of continuity stories that tell stories about the characters with a clean slate.
As mentioned before, the Earth One series will not be released in individual issues rather it will go straight to trade. That's not to say that it's a limited series, on the contrary, it will be an ongoing series, just in graphic novel form.
It's interesting that the limited series got individual releases while the ongoing series went straight to trade. I think it would've been pretty cool to release the All Star books in trade first. Since they were only 12 issue runs anyway, you could release them in one volume and get a whole story. Going this way would've also negated the delay problems as they could announce and release it when it was done as opposed to still being worked on.
Unlike the All Star series, the "Earth One" will be it's own continuity. With the All Star line, each book was it's own continuity. So while Superman appeared in All Star Batman and Robin, it wasn't the same Superman we saw in All Star Superman. As I said before, crossovers probably won't happen for some time, but it's interesting to note for when the time does come.
Hopefully this new project turns out better than All Star did. I remember DC was talking about releasing other titles under the All Star title and nothing ever came of it. With trades becoming more and more popular, this is a logical (and some say necessary) experiment to reach out to a wider audience.
It's hard to compare the two books as the Earth One books haven't been released yet, but it seems like a promising idea. We can only hope that it reaches the same heights as All Star Superman did. With writers like Geoff Johns and J. Michael Stracynski on the projects, we can take comfort in knowing that it won't reach the lows of All Star Batman and Robin.
I hope it's closer to the prior rather than the latter as this is a project that should be supported. It would be sad to see an idea with such potential get botched twice.
Trying to follow comic book continuity can be a bit of a chore. With decades worth of stories and continuity, it's become rather tricky for new readers to jump on and enjoy a story. Marvel has had a similar problem, but DC is notorious for it's confusing continuity. Ironically, most of this is due to several attempts to hit the reset button to clear out continuity and every time, it only makes it more confusing.
Marvel has had a fair amount of success with it's "Ultimate" line. This second continuity basically started from scratch and returned all of the characters to their roots. It has no ties to the mainstream Marvel universe, although one was hinted at during the Crossover arc, that didn't turn out to be the case as it introduced the Marvel Zombies.
DC tried a similar thing with it's All Star Line. They announced titles for Batman and Superman that would take place outside of main continuity and would allow new readers to jump in without worrying about years of continuity.
While other titles were announced and the imprint had a ton of potential, only the two titles were ever released. All Star Superman was met with critical acclaim, won awards, and is generally loved by fans of the Man of Steel. It took awhile, but Grant Morrison finished the 12 issue run. This comic succeeded in telling a great story that distilled the characters and it did what the imprint set out to do.
All Star Batman and Robin, on the other hand, stunk to high heaven. It was hyped up as a new entry in Frank Miller's Batman universe, tying in to well renowned classics like The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One. Like All Star Superman, the comic was supposed to run for 12 issues. The comic was so derided and ripped by critics that DC has put it on hiatus. While there are supposed to be 2 more issues, who knows if we'll ever see them.
Taking the "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again" mantra to heart, DC is taking another crack at the out of continuity series with it's Earth One series. Once again, we're going to see out of continuity stories that tell stories about the characters with a clean slate.
As mentioned before, the Earth One series will not be released in individual issues rather it will go straight to trade. That's not to say that it's a limited series, on the contrary, it will be an ongoing series, just in graphic novel form.
It's interesting that the limited series got individual releases while the ongoing series went straight to trade. I think it would've been pretty cool to release the All Star books in trade first. Since they were only 12 issue runs anyway, you could release them in one volume and get a whole story. Going this way would've also negated the delay problems as they could announce and release it when it was done as opposed to still being worked on.
Unlike the All Star series, the "Earth One" will be it's own continuity. With the All Star line, each book was it's own continuity. So while Superman appeared in All Star Batman and Robin, it wasn't the same Superman we saw in All Star Superman. As I said before, crossovers probably won't happen for some time, but it's interesting to note for when the time does come.
Hopefully this new project turns out better than All Star did. I remember DC was talking about releasing other titles under the All Star title and nothing ever came of it. With trades becoming more and more popular, this is a logical (and some say necessary) experiment to reach out to a wider audience.
It's hard to compare the two books as the Earth One books haven't been released yet, but it seems like a promising idea. We can only hope that it reaches the same heights as All Star Superman did. With writers like Geoff Johns and J. Michael Stracynski on the projects, we can take comfort in knowing that it won't reach the lows of All Star Batman and Robin.
I hope it's closer to the prior rather than the latter as this is a project that should be supported. It would be sad to see an idea with such potential get botched twice.
Who is Mechakara?
*Originally published on 12/10/09
Web entertainment has become a major industry. One of the forerunners is the website, thatguywiththeglasses.com an online network of online reviewers who find the dreck of various media and lampoon it for laughs. One of the breakout "stars" of Channel Awesome (the overall company that encompasses the site to my understanding) is Lewis Lovhaug aka Linkara, an "angry" critic who finds dreadful comic books and points out the flaws by giving a run-through of each issue he reviews.
Back in June of 2009, Linkara introduced a subplot where a mysterious robotic double of him has appeared. This nefarious entity (who Linkara has dubbed "Mechakara") has popped up at the ends of various reviews. According to Lewis himself, every appearance is a clue as to what his ultimate goal is.
The arc opened in the episode where Linkara reviews Superman vs. Terminator 1. In that episode, Linkara is transported to the future as a result of Dr. Insano screwing with hypertime (an event that occurred earlier in the series). He returns and does the review as normal. At the end of the episode, Dr. Insano (a recurring character played by fellow critic Noah Antwiler, and arch-nemesis of Linkara) appears to taunt Linkara about his new device. He announces his plan only to exclaim that the person he's talking to isn't Linkara. The robotic duplicate insists that he is Linkara..more or less.
With this knowlege, we can assume that the hypertime ripples have brought this entity to our world. The easy answer would be that Dr. Insano built him to battle Linkara, but even Insano had no clue what this thing was. The fact that he appeared in a Terminator based review suggests a parallel, so he could be from the future as well.
The figure returns at the end of Linkara's first review of Countdown to Final Crisis. Here, he simply turns off the lights in Linkara's room. Linkara, fed up with the comics he's reviewing joyously says that he can't review them anymore and leaves. At this point, Mechakara lurks onscreen and says that that wasn't the reaction he was expecting.
In the Countdown finale, Mechakara brings the comics themselves to life to attack our hero. After a long struggle, and with some assistance from his trusty dragon dagger, Linkara brings the comics down and tears them to pieces.
When Linkara reviews the first issue of Cable, the character himself comes back from the future to pay Linkara back for making fun of his book. Linkara teleports him away (but manages to keep Cable's huge gun) and Cable finds himself face to face with the robotic villain. Cable is quickly overpowered and killed with Mechakara telling Cable that Linkara is "his".
There's about a month where Mechakara remains unseen, but he finally makes another appearance at the end of Linkara's review of Zero Patrol. Aptly enough, Linkara's talking about robots when his continuity alarm flashes "I know who he is! I know what he's after!" repeatedly before exploding. Linkara complains about someone messing with the alarm and wonders if he can even fix it as he leaves the room. Mechakara appears and says that it's one less electronic entity for him to abuse.
The next week, in a collaborative special, Linkara briefly battles a newly resurrected Spoony (who died in an earlier episode of The Spoony Experiment) courtesy of a black lantern ring. After a brief battle, Linkara brings him back to life with a Phoenix down, restoring him to human form. The two then review a series of comic book based video games. When Spoony discovers that Linkara cloned him and the clone is now hosting his show, he resolves to take it back. Before he can do so, Mechakara sucker punches Spoony and snaps his neck. Spoony is once again turned into a zombie black lantern, who Mechakara notes will be very useful for his plans.
While not canon, a reference is made to Mechakara in the alternate endings to Linkara's review of Silent Hill: Dying Inside. Linkara talks to his robot buddy, Pollo but is met with incoherent babbling about someone who's soul is blue, who's heart is steel and who sees nothing but red. That all fits the doppelganger, heart of steel is obvious, the robot has repeatedly displayed red eyes and a blue soul...maybe he's sad? Nah, more likely, it's referring to a cold existence.
Mechakara's latest appearance came in Linkara's review of Doom #1. Linkara loses his magic gun, which Mechakara tries to grab for himself. Before he can, Linkara finds it and reclaims it. Mechakara says that he'll get it eventually.
For a recent charity drive, Linkara aired a trailer for the upcoming year (similar to what he did the year before when they were raising money for their one year anniversary event). While the first half showcased some of the comics he was going to be reviewing, the second half focused on the subplot and showed clips from the final confrontation (which will be seen in mid-February). To put it lightly, it's epic. I was already pretty excited about this showdown, and the trailer only enhanced that feeling.
At first I thought that Mechakara wasn't going to stand a chance. Sure he had a black lantern, but Linkara had captured a Pyramid head. He also has a much bigger arsenal now, not only does he have the magic gun, but he has the dragon dagger, Cable's gun, and a mini-gun he picked up at the end of the Silent Hill reviews.
From the looks of it, Hypertime will come into play as Ensign Monroe (a character from a video game that Linkara is doing a Let's Play of) appears as does an elseworlds version of Dr. Insano, played by Lewis himself.
So, with all of this, what can we gather? For whatever reason, he wants Linkara's show to stop. Most of his appearances have been sabotage related. He did make a note of pointing out how Linkara was "abusing" electronic entities. People have been guessing for awhile (Lewis himself challenged his fans to figure it out). We know, the robot wants the magic gun, and he has been establishing a sort of power base, enlisting a black lantern, but if that were the case, why not enlist Cable as opposed to killing him?
My guess is that the other world's Dr. Insano built him as a Plan B should his plan to destablize hypertime fail. Why Mechakara is so interested in the gun (besides the fact that it's magic) is beyond me.
Whatever the end turns out to be, I'm sure the payoff will be worth it. To be honest, I'll be sad to see it go. I was rather excited about this arc. I don't know what Lewis plans afterward, there may be aftermath, there may be further story arcs he has in mind or he might just go back to basic reviews. I'm kind of rooting for some combination of the first two because this arc is one of the reasons I'm so excited to watch the show every week. The climax will be awesome, but I don't want to lose that excitement and anticipation as well.
Web entertainment has become a major industry. One of the forerunners is the website, thatguywiththeglasses.com an online network of online reviewers who find the dreck of various media and lampoon it for laughs. One of the breakout "stars" of Channel Awesome (the overall company that encompasses the site to my understanding) is Lewis Lovhaug aka Linkara, an "angry" critic who finds dreadful comic books and points out the flaws by giving a run-through of each issue he reviews.
Back in June of 2009, Linkara introduced a subplot where a mysterious robotic double of him has appeared. This nefarious entity (who Linkara has dubbed "Mechakara") has popped up at the ends of various reviews. According to Lewis himself, every appearance is a clue as to what his ultimate goal is.
The arc opened in the episode where Linkara reviews Superman vs. Terminator 1. In that episode, Linkara is transported to the future as a result of Dr. Insano screwing with hypertime (an event that occurred earlier in the series). He returns and does the review as normal. At the end of the episode, Dr. Insano (a recurring character played by fellow critic Noah Antwiler, and arch-nemesis of Linkara) appears to taunt Linkara about his new device. He announces his plan only to exclaim that the person he's talking to isn't Linkara. The robotic duplicate insists that he is Linkara..more or less.
With this knowlege, we can assume that the hypertime ripples have brought this entity to our world. The easy answer would be that Dr. Insano built him to battle Linkara, but even Insano had no clue what this thing was. The fact that he appeared in a Terminator based review suggests a parallel, so he could be from the future as well.
The figure returns at the end of Linkara's first review of Countdown to Final Crisis. Here, he simply turns off the lights in Linkara's room. Linkara, fed up with the comics he's reviewing joyously says that he can't review them anymore and leaves. At this point, Mechakara lurks onscreen and says that that wasn't the reaction he was expecting.
In the Countdown finale, Mechakara brings the comics themselves to life to attack our hero. After a long struggle, and with some assistance from his trusty dragon dagger, Linkara brings the comics down and tears them to pieces.
When Linkara reviews the first issue of Cable, the character himself comes back from the future to pay Linkara back for making fun of his book. Linkara teleports him away (but manages to keep Cable's huge gun) and Cable finds himself face to face with the robotic villain. Cable is quickly overpowered and killed with Mechakara telling Cable that Linkara is "his".
There's about a month where Mechakara remains unseen, but he finally makes another appearance at the end of Linkara's review of Zero Patrol. Aptly enough, Linkara's talking about robots when his continuity alarm flashes "I know who he is! I know what he's after!" repeatedly before exploding. Linkara complains about someone messing with the alarm and wonders if he can even fix it as he leaves the room. Mechakara appears and says that it's one less electronic entity for him to abuse.
The next week, in a collaborative special, Linkara briefly battles a newly resurrected Spoony (who died in an earlier episode of The Spoony Experiment) courtesy of a black lantern ring. After a brief battle, Linkara brings him back to life with a Phoenix down, restoring him to human form. The two then review a series of comic book based video games. When Spoony discovers that Linkara cloned him and the clone is now hosting his show, he resolves to take it back. Before he can do so, Mechakara sucker punches Spoony and snaps his neck. Spoony is once again turned into a zombie black lantern, who Mechakara notes will be very useful for his plans.
While not canon, a reference is made to Mechakara in the alternate endings to Linkara's review of Silent Hill: Dying Inside. Linkara talks to his robot buddy, Pollo but is met with incoherent babbling about someone who's soul is blue, who's heart is steel and who sees nothing but red. That all fits the doppelganger, heart of steel is obvious, the robot has repeatedly displayed red eyes and a blue soul...maybe he's sad? Nah, more likely, it's referring to a cold existence.
Mechakara's latest appearance came in Linkara's review of Doom #1. Linkara loses his magic gun, which Mechakara tries to grab for himself. Before he can, Linkara finds it and reclaims it. Mechakara says that he'll get it eventually.
For a recent charity drive, Linkara aired a trailer for the upcoming year (similar to what he did the year before when they were raising money for their one year anniversary event). While the first half showcased some of the comics he was going to be reviewing, the second half focused on the subplot and showed clips from the final confrontation (which will be seen in mid-February). To put it lightly, it's epic. I was already pretty excited about this showdown, and the trailer only enhanced that feeling.
At first I thought that Mechakara wasn't going to stand a chance. Sure he had a black lantern, but Linkara had captured a Pyramid head. He also has a much bigger arsenal now, not only does he have the magic gun, but he has the dragon dagger, Cable's gun, and a mini-gun he picked up at the end of the Silent Hill reviews.
From the looks of it, Hypertime will come into play as Ensign Monroe (a character from a video game that Linkara is doing a Let's Play of) appears as does an elseworlds version of Dr. Insano, played by Lewis himself.
So, with all of this, what can we gather? For whatever reason, he wants Linkara's show to stop. Most of his appearances have been sabotage related. He did make a note of pointing out how Linkara was "abusing" electronic entities. People have been guessing for awhile (Lewis himself challenged his fans to figure it out). We know, the robot wants the magic gun, and he has been establishing a sort of power base, enlisting a black lantern, but if that were the case, why not enlist Cable as opposed to killing him?
My guess is that the other world's Dr. Insano built him as a Plan B should his plan to destablize hypertime fail. Why Mechakara is so interested in the gun (besides the fact that it's magic) is beyond me.
Whatever the end turns out to be, I'm sure the payoff will be worth it. To be honest, I'll be sad to see it go. I was rather excited about this arc. I don't know what Lewis plans afterward, there may be aftermath, there may be further story arcs he has in mind or he might just go back to basic reviews. I'm kind of rooting for some combination of the first two because this arc is one of the reasons I'm so excited to watch the show every week. The climax will be awesome, but I don't want to lose that excitement and anticipation as well.
DC Announces New Earth One Project
*Originally published on 12/10/09
DC has announced a new project called "Earth One". This will consist of two lines of stories that take place outside of current DC continuity. It seems like an attempt to redo what the All Star line tried to do, in creating a new line of comics and stories not muddled by decades of complex continuity. So far, only Batman and Superman titles have been announced, but if all goes well, it's likely that we'll see more. I know that was the idea with the All Star line, but I think it's a pretty safe bet that those projects are dead in the water.
The kink is that rather than be released in individual issues and then put to trade, these will be going straight to the graphic novel format. It will also be ongoing where as the All Star titles were limited to 12 issue runs (Batman never even finished, only making it to 10 before fading into obscurity).
Also unlike the All Star line, all of the "Earth One" titles will share continuity, making it much closer in tone to Marvel's Ultimate line. I don't remember who it was, but I remember some writer talking about comic continuity saying that each title should be it's own world, so while Green Lantern would appear in Flash, it wouldn't be the same Green Lantern that appears in Green Lantern. That was the case with All Star Batman and Robin. While Superman does appear there, it's pretty well established that it's not the same Superman seen in his own All Star title. While it is simpler in theory, and with DC acknowledging a multiverse, it's within the rules of the story, I think that would get more confusing as time went on.
I doubt any crossovers are going to happen anytime soon. Eventually, I'm sure they will but right now the focus is on telling the stories of the early days of the respective heroes and getting the titles and characters established.
Writing the Superman titles is J. Michael Stracynski of Babylon 5 and The Real Ghostbusters fame. The artwork will be done by Shane Davis. I haven't read much of his comic work, though many people praise him. The best I can do is praise the episodes of the aforementioned Real Ghostbusters that he wrote as they were quite excellent.
Fan favorite veteran writer Geoff Johns will be writing Batman: Earth One with Gary Frank, who worked with Johns during his run on Action Comics. As Geoff is familiar with, and has been shown to really understand, Superman, DC decided to change it up to allow him to write a character he hasn't worked with before. Given his track record, I'm really not worried about it. It'll be interesting to see his take on the characters.
While the origins of both characters have been well covered, both writers promise to bring something new to the table while maintaining respect to the character's iconic background. Given how well Geoff has done in recent years on the comics he's written, and how well much of Stracynski's work is well received, I'm not at all worried. Both put the characters and stories ahead of other superfluous distractions.
Sadly, there is no release date, though I imagine it will come out some time next year. I read somewhere (though i can't remember where) that there will be two releases a year. Between the fact that the crew is already working on the comics, the lack of release date, and the wide gap between releases, I really don't see any reason for delays.
Some worry that this marks the beginning of the end for comics, well the individual issues anyway. I know more and more readers are "trade-waiting" but I don't see comics dying down anytime soon. I like going into comic stores and hunting for issues. It's part of the fun. I do, however, support this venture and will definitely be picking these titles up. I like the idea of some stories going straight to trade, and I like the idea of some stories taking place outside the main continuity to appeal to new readers who don't want to spend time backtracking through Wikipedia to get the necessary background information.
DC has announced a new project called "Earth One". This will consist of two lines of stories that take place outside of current DC continuity. It seems like an attempt to redo what the All Star line tried to do, in creating a new line of comics and stories not muddled by decades of complex continuity. So far, only Batman and Superman titles have been announced, but if all goes well, it's likely that we'll see more. I know that was the idea with the All Star line, but I think it's a pretty safe bet that those projects are dead in the water.
The kink is that rather than be released in individual issues and then put to trade, these will be going straight to the graphic novel format. It will also be ongoing where as the All Star titles were limited to 12 issue runs (Batman never even finished, only making it to 10 before fading into obscurity).
Also unlike the All Star line, all of the "Earth One" titles will share continuity, making it much closer in tone to Marvel's Ultimate line. I don't remember who it was, but I remember some writer talking about comic continuity saying that each title should be it's own world, so while Green Lantern would appear in Flash, it wouldn't be the same Green Lantern that appears in Green Lantern. That was the case with All Star Batman and Robin. While Superman does appear there, it's pretty well established that it's not the same Superman seen in his own All Star title. While it is simpler in theory, and with DC acknowledging a multiverse, it's within the rules of the story, I think that would get more confusing as time went on.
I doubt any crossovers are going to happen anytime soon. Eventually, I'm sure they will but right now the focus is on telling the stories of the early days of the respective heroes and getting the titles and characters established.
Writing the Superman titles is J. Michael Stracynski of Babylon 5 and The Real Ghostbusters fame. The artwork will be done by Shane Davis. I haven't read much of his comic work, though many people praise him. The best I can do is praise the episodes of the aforementioned Real Ghostbusters that he wrote as they were quite excellent.
Fan favorite veteran writer Geoff Johns will be writing Batman: Earth One with Gary Frank, who worked with Johns during his run on Action Comics. As Geoff is familiar with, and has been shown to really understand, Superman, DC decided to change it up to allow him to write a character he hasn't worked with before. Given his track record, I'm really not worried about it. It'll be interesting to see his take on the characters.
While the origins of both characters have been well covered, both writers promise to bring something new to the table while maintaining respect to the character's iconic background. Given how well Geoff has done in recent years on the comics he's written, and how well much of Stracynski's work is well received, I'm not at all worried. Both put the characters and stories ahead of other superfluous distractions.
Sadly, there is no release date, though I imagine it will come out some time next year. I read somewhere (though i can't remember where) that there will be two releases a year. Between the fact that the crew is already working on the comics, the lack of release date, and the wide gap between releases, I really don't see any reason for delays.
Some worry that this marks the beginning of the end for comics, well the individual issues anyway. I know more and more readers are "trade-waiting" but I don't see comics dying down anytime soon. I like going into comic stores and hunting for issues. It's part of the fun. I do, however, support this venture and will definitely be picking these titles up. I like the idea of some stories going straight to trade, and I like the idea of some stories taking place outside the main continuity to appeal to new readers who don't want to spend time backtracking through Wikipedia to get the necessary background information.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2' Movie Review
You can read my review here.
Pros
- While a lot of the jokes fall flat, there are still some funny bits to be seen.
- The movie does try to give Floyd a character arc so that he can grow throughout the movie, but it was flawed in its execution
Cons
- Lacks all of the things that made the first film so delightful. This comes off as a blatant cash in as there isn't any effort to add the heart, charm, or even same levels of humor as its predecessor.
Overall
I wanted this to be worthy sequel, but I didn't find it to be the case at all. I still highly recommend going out and watching the first movie, but you can pass on this one.
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What is the Grandfather Paradox?
*Originally published on 3/5/12
Stories about time travel can often prove frustrating. You go along with the story and then something happens and you start over-thinking things. Soon you find yourself going in loops trying to figure out how it would work.
This frustration would later be embodied in something called "The Grandfather Paradox". While it may sound overly scientific, the general concept is pretty straight forward.
Essentially, the paradox presents a scenario where a person goes back in time. Maybe they're like the Doctor from Doctor Who and just want to look around or maybe there's some wrong that needs to be made right. In any case, during the traveler's stay, he or she kills their grandfather.
Whether it was by accident or on purpose doesn't really matter. Who knows, maybe they never even meet their grandfather, but their presence triggers some long Rube Goldbergian chain reaction that results in his death.
This proves problematic as, if the traveler's grandfather dies before he's supposed to, then he never gives birth to your parent, which means you were never born. Now, while it's possible that he could have already given birth to your eventual parent depending on when you meet him, for the sake of the theory, it's assumed that he hasn't borne a child yet. In this case, the traveler was never born, but if that happens, then how is he able to go back in time and kill the grandfather in the first place?
See? It becomes a mess. Try as they might, writers still haven't been able to think of a way out of this paradox. In his recent novel, 11/22/63, Stephen King hand waves the idea early on. The main character asks about that possibility, only to be met with the simple question of "why would you do that?". It's a funny line, and it was probably King's way of saying "don't over think this", but it avoids the actual concept behind the scenario.
The classic film, Back to the Future also deals with this paradox in a sense. Through no fault of his own, Marty McFly interferes with the courtship of his parents. As they never met, he was never born. Slowly, but surely, Marty's future family is erased from the timeline. He has to set things right before he fades away too.
As Marty sets things right, it becomes moot, but one does have to wonder why it took so long for Marty to be erased outside of plot convenience. In theory, he should have vanished instantly, no? Besides, the same problem comes up. If Marty is erased from the timeline, then he never went back and meddled, which means that his parents did together, meaning that he could go back and meddle and, yeah this could go on forever.
Time travel, and the futile endeavor of trying to wrap your head around it, is a nuisance. Even when it is well thought out and consistent, there are still paradoxes and headaches to be had.
Stories about time travel can often prove frustrating. You go along with the story and then something happens and you start over-thinking things. Soon you find yourself going in loops trying to figure out how it would work.
This frustration would later be embodied in something called "The Grandfather Paradox". While it may sound overly scientific, the general concept is pretty straight forward.
Essentially, the paradox presents a scenario where a person goes back in time. Maybe they're like the Doctor from Doctor Who and just want to look around or maybe there's some wrong that needs to be made right. In any case, during the traveler's stay, he or she kills their grandfather.
Whether it was by accident or on purpose doesn't really matter. Who knows, maybe they never even meet their grandfather, but their presence triggers some long Rube Goldbergian chain reaction that results in his death.
This proves problematic as, if the traveler's grandfather dies before he's supposed to, then he never gives birth to your parent, which means you were never born. Now, while it's possible that he could have already given birth to your eventual parent depending on when you meet him, for the sake of the theory, it's assumed that he hasn't borne a child yet. In this case, the traveler was never born, but if that happens, then how is he able to go back in time and kill the grandfather in the first place?
See? It becomes a mess. Try as they might, writers still haven't been able to think of a way out of this paradox. In his recent novel, 11/22/63, Stephen King hand waves the idea early on. The main character asks about that possibility, only to be met with the simple question of "why would you do that?". It's a funny line, and it was probably King's way of saying "don't over think this", but it avoids the actual concept behind the scenario.
The classic film, Back to the Future also deals with this paradox in a sense. Through no fault of his own, Marty McFly interferes with the courtship of his parents. As they never met, he was never born. Slowly, but surely, Marty's future family is erased from the timeline. He has to set things right before he fades away too.
As Marty sets things right, it becomes moot, but one does have to wonder why it took so long for Marty to be erased outside of plot convenience. In theory, he should have vanished instantly, no? Besides, the same problem comes up. If Marty is erased from the timeline, then he never went back and meddled, which means that his parents did together, meaning that he could go back and meddle and, yeah this could go on forever.
Time travel, and the futile endeavor of trying to wrap your head around it, is a nuisance. Even when it is well thought out and consistent, there are still paradoxes and headaches to be had.
Top 5 IDW Comic Book Crossovers I Want to See
*Originally published on 3/1/12
Owning the comic publishing rights to such popular franchises as Doctor Who, Transformers, G.I. Joe, Ghostbusters, Godzilla, Silent Hill, Star Trek, True Blood, Angel, Dick Tracy, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles among others, it is no surprise that they would take advantage of this by publishing stories that involve the characters from different franchises meeting up and having adventures. They recently published a "crisis" story called "Infection" that featured the Ghostbusters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, G.I. Joe, and Star Trek characters all battling a multi-versal zombie outbreak. There is also a planned Doctor Who/Star Trek: The Next Generation comic set to come out in May of 2012. Since the company seems to be making a niche for itself as a crossover hub, I decided to take it upon myself to throw out some suggestions of my own.
5. Transformers/Godzilla
A comic that features giant robots and giant monsters throwing down as people flee in terror? Consider my issue bought. While something like this lends itself more to the big screen, it is still something people would want to see.
4. Doctor Who/Silent Hill
The setup is easy enough, just have the TARDIS appear in the ghost town and let things roll from there. The monsters there aren't really up for much talk, which puts the Doctor at a disadvantage, but he is good at running and is quite wily. It would be interesting to see how he and his companions handle the horrors that the town throws at them. Considering the psychological way in which the town operates, it should make for some interesting character growth as well.
3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters*
These are the two big franchises that I grew up loving. I loved the cartoons, I loved the movies, these were my geek franchises before I even knew that I was a full on geek. Seeing these two pop culture titans meet up is well worth the cost of purchase.
2. 24/G.I. Joe/Godzilla
Where both Jack Bauer and the military are used to human threats, this will put them completely out of their element against a foe that boggles the mind. The beauty of this is that you could have Godzilla return to his antagonistic role, or come to the other characters' aid when guns and enhanced interrogation fall woefully short of being capable of defeating whatever giant monster or evil force threatens them.
1. Silent Hill/Ghostbusters
This is a crossover I've wanted to see for some time. It seems like a match made in heaven as the team is given a foe unlike anything they've ever faced before. Even renowned web entertainer Noah Antwiler made a comment on Twitter on the idea of having these two franchises clash.
If IDW really is marketing itself as a hub for official crossover fan-fiction, they certainly have enough material to keep the geek community happy for years to come. Let's hope that they take full advantage of their unique circumstance and live up to the potential.
*I read a while back that this one actually came to fruition. Called it.
Owning the comic publishing rights to such popular franchises as Doctor Who, Transformers, G.I. Joe, Ghostbusters, Godzilla, Silent Hill, Star Trek, True Blood, Angel, Dick Tracy, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles among others, it is no surprise that they would take advantage of this by publishing stories that involve the characters from different franchises meeting up and having adventures. They recently published a "crisis" story called "Infection" that featured the Ghostbusters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, G.I. Joe, and Star Trek characters all battling a multi-versal zombie outbreak. There is also a planned Doctor Who/Star Trek: The Next Generation comic set to come out in May of 2012. Since the company seems to be making a niche for itself as a crossover hub, I decided to take it upon myself to throw out some suggestions of my own.
5. Transformers/Godzilla
A comic that features giant robots and giant monsters throwing down as people flee in terror? Consider my issue bought. While something like this lends itself more to the big screen, it is still something people would want to see.
4. Doctor Who/Silent Hill
The setup is easy enough, just have the TARDIS appear in the ghost town and let things roll from there. The monsters there aren't really up for much talk, which puts the Doctor at a disadvantage, but he is good at running and is quite wily. It would be interesting to see how he and his companions handle the horrors that the town throws at them. Considering the psychological way in which the town operates, it should make for some interesting character growth as well.
3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters*
These are the two big franchises that I grew up loving. I loved the cartoons, I loved the movies, these were my geek franchises before I even knew that I was a full on geek. Seeing these two pop culture titans meet up is well worth the cost of purchase.
2. 24/G.I. Joe/Godzilla
Where both Jack Bauer and the military are used to human threats, this will put them completely out of their element against a foe that boggles the mind. The beauty of this is that you could have Godzilla return to his antagonistic role, or come to the other characters' aid when guns and enhanced interrogation fall woefully short of being capable of defeating whatever giant monster or evil force threatens them.
1. Silent Hill/Ghostbusters
This is a crossover I've wanted to see for some time. It seems like a match made in heaven as the team is given a foe unlike anything they've ever faced before. Even renowned web entertainer Noah Antwiler made a comment on Twitter on the idea of having these two franchises clash.
If IDW really is marketing itself as a hub for official crossover fan-fiction, they certainly have enough material to keep the geek community happy for years to come. Let's hope that they take full advantage of their unique circumstance and live up to the potential.
*I read a while back that this one actually came to fruition. Called it.
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