*Originally published on 3/22/12
I'm not much of a gamer, but I enjoy a good video game from time to time. Still, there are releases I hope to see sometime down the line. While these could be adapted to either the Wii or the PS3, I decided to focus on the 360 as that is the system I am most familiar with.
1. Megas XLR
This was an amazing show about a guy who piloted a giant robot via video game controllers. How was this not made into a game? Seeing as Coop, the main character, also used a car for the piloting mechanism, the game could also employ those driving controllers that they sell for racing games. It would add a level of interactivity to the game that you don't see all too often.
It might take some getting used to if you're trying to use both controllers to pilot by yourself, but I have a feeling gamers would get the hang of it. Either that or you could use that as a way to include multiplayer, having one person steer while the other person fights. It would force the two to work together to coordinate movements for the best attacks.
It would make for good times.
2. Avatar: The Last Airbender
I don't own a Kinect, but it occurred to me that this is a game that seems ideally suited for that system. With all of the fluid motions needed for bending the elements, it really lends itself to a system that uses motion controls.
3. Steel Batallion
This was a game that was released on the original Xbox. I never got to play it myself, but I heard it was fun. It's another game where you pilot a mech, but the game comes with a giant control console table with various levers and pedals that you use to pilot said mech. I honestly think this was a stroke of genius, but the downside is that it had a price tag of about $200. I tried to talk my friends into buying it, saying we could all chip in, but they wouldn't listen to reason. It was unfortunate.
It would be awesome if they released it for the current gen consoles as you would get better graphics and you could improve on the original by making the controls more fluid and the mech itself more maneuverable.
4. Ghostbusters 2
I really enjoyed the recent Ghostbusters video game and would love to see a sequel. They could change things up by making it more of a "sandbox" style game, giving you smaller missions and letting you drive around in Ecto-1 to catch the random ghosts that pop up.
Considering how much potential the franchise has, it should not be too difficult coming up with another story to act as an overall arc.
5. Justice League Heroes 2
I think it's safe to say that the franchise is dead in the water, but it would still be cool. I'm just saying.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Top 5 Artists or Bands That I Want to See Perform at the Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is one of the biggest events of the year. It's a highlight for sports fans and advertisers pay big bucks in order to feature a spot during the game.
It's even become a tradition to have a large musical interlude at halftime to commemorate the occasion. I like the idea, but lately, the half time shows have been underwhelming.
After the "wardrobe malfunction", the NFL went out of its way to find older bands like The Who and The Rolling Stones. While the music itself is good, those guys are getting up there in age and putting on a live show takes a lot of energy.
The few current pop bands who have performed have generally ended up being duds. Try as they might, they can't seem to find a balance. As such, I thought I would throw out some ideas for artists who would put on an awesome live show and give viewers the halftime show that befits a major event like the Superbowl.
1. Metallica
I've never seen the band live, but I'm a huge fan. From the sound of it, they put on an awesome live show. Their music will also get people pumped up and energized, making for a more memorable concert experience.
2. Rush
Unlike Metallica, Rush is a band that I have had the pleasure of seeing live and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. While they aren't spring chickens, they still know how to rock on stage. Everybody was pumped up, the music was great and it was an experience that I will remember for years to come.
By letting them perform at the half time show, fans all across the globe will be able to experience that same surge of energy. I would go so far as to say that it would go down as one of the best halftime shows in history, if not the best one overall.
3. Weird Al Yankovic
This seems like an odd pick, but I think it would work. His stuff is pretty innocuous so there isn't really any chance of a post-game controversy and he puts on a great live show. It would be something a bit different, but still very enjoyable.
Honestly, his Alpocalypse concert was an absolute blast to watch. I was giddy the whole time. He's a pretty big name so you would have that marquis element that they sometimes go for and he seems to have no trouble putting on elaborate performances complete with supplemental video material or lavish costumes.
If they are looking for something different, Weird Al delivers that and then some.
4. Nightwish
Much like Metallica, this is a band that I would love to see live. Their music is simply awesome. They can put elaborate stages and setups to good use and their music will keep the energy of the event going. It would be something to see.
While it would've been awesome to see the band perform while Tarja was still the lead singer, Anette would do just fine and the band is still more than capable of rocking everybody's socks.
5. Tom Waits
This is a bit of a departure from the more rock-oriented suggestions, but I'm a huge fan of Tom Waits and letting him perform at the Super Bowl would get a lot more people exposed to his music.
He may not put on a huge spectacle of a show like the other bands, but it would be highly enjoyable and his unique musical style will leave enough of an impression that it might make up for the lack of pomp and circumstance.
Final Thoughts
While musical tastes vary from person to person, I am convinced that each of these bands makes music that is high enough in quality, and has a wide enough fanbase that people will tune in. They all are capable of putting on a solid live show, which is a major plus when dealing with one of the largest venues out there.
It's even become a tradition to have a large musical interlude at halftime to commemorate the occasion. I like the idea, but lately, the half time shows have been underwhelming.
After the "wardrobe malfunction", the NFL went out of its way to find older bands like The Who and The Rolling Stones. While the music itself is good, those guys are getting up there in age and putting on a live show takes a lot of energy.
The few current pop bands who have performed have generally ended up being duds. Try as they might, they can't seem to find a balance. As such, I thought I would throw out some ideas for artists who would put on an awesome live show and give viewers the halftime show that befits a major event like the Superbowl.
1. Metallica
I've never seen the band live, but I'm a huge fan. From the sound of it, they put on an awesome live show. Their music will also get people pumped up and energized, making for a more memorable concert experience.
2. Rush
Unlike Metallica, Rush is a band that I have had the pleasure of seeing live and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. While they aren't spring chickens, they still know how to rock on stage. Everybody was pumped up, the music was great and it was an experience that I will remember for years to come.
By letting them perform at the half time show, fans all across the globe will be able to experience that same surge of energy. I would go so far as to say that it would go down as one of the best halftime shows in history, if not the best one overall.
3. Weird Al Yankovic
This seems like an odd pick, but I think it would work. His stuff is pretty innocuous so there isn't really any chance of a post-game controversy and he puts on a great live show. It would be something a bit different, but still very enjoyable.
Honestly, his Alpocalypse concert was an absolute blast to watch. I was giddy the whole time. He's a pretty big name so you would have that marquis element that they sometimes go for and he seems to have no trouble putting on elaborate performances complete with supplemental video material or lavish costumes.
If they are looking for something different, Weird Al delivers that and then some.
4. Nightwish
Much like Metallica, this is a band that I would love to see live. Their music is simply awesome. They can put elaborate stages and setups to good use and their music will keep the energy of the event going. It would be something to see.
While it would've been awesome to see the band perform while Tarja was still the lead singer, Anette would do just fine and the band is still more than capable of rocking everybody's socks.
5. Tom Waits
This is a bit of a departure from the more rock-oriented suggestions, but I'm a huge fan of Tom Waits and letting him perform at the Super Bowl would get a lot more people exposed to his music.
He may not put on a huge spectacle of a show like the other bands, but it would be highly enjoyable and his unique musical style will leave enough of an impression that it might make up for the lack of pomp and circumstance.
Final Thoughts
While musical tastes vary from person to person, I am convinced that each of these bands makes music that is high enough in quality, and has a wide enough fanbase that people will tune in. They all are capable of putting on a solid live show, which is a major plus when dealing with one of the largest venues out there.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
The Top 5 Places I'd Like to Visit
I'm not much of a traveler. Back when I lived in Europe with my family, we visited a ton of places, but aside from trips home for the holidays (whether it be by flight or road trip), I haven't really gone out and visited places.
While this isn't a problem per se, there have been some places that I've been itching to visit recently. It probably won't happen for awhile, but it's something to shoot for at least.
1. The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado
This is the hotel that inspired the monstrous Overlook hotel from Stephen King's classic novel, "The Shining". It is the only real destination inside the US, but it is also the one I want to visit most.
I've been wanting to take a trip out there for years, but have never had the chance. I hear it's supposed to be haunted in real life, which just gives me more incentive to try to make the trip as I am fascinated by the paranormal.
2. Luxembourg
The idea of visiting this country struck me just recently. I was born there and lived there for a few years in my childhood. I thought it would be a cool idea to travel back out there to reclaim my birthright, as it were. I honestly don't remember a whole lot about it, so it would be kind of neat to revisit my homeland.
3. New Zealand
OK, it was the "Lord of the Rings" films that made me want to visit here, however, it was more the landscape itself than just the bragging rights about being the shooting location for a major film trilogy. It looks very scenic and it would be worth the high cost of travel to marvel at those landscapes.
4. Scotland
Much like New Zealand, this country makes the list based on sheer visual appeal. From what I've seen, it too has beautiful landscapes. Also, since I'm terrible at golf, I won't be tempted to make any sort of joke regarding the sport, so it's win win.
5. Australia
I jokingly say that the only reason I want to visit Australia is to see the toilets flush the other way, but there are plenty of reasons to visit (though yes, I would make a point to observe the reverse flow of the toilets because I'm odd like that).
So, there you have it, the 5 places I would love to visit. Unfortunately, international travel is expensive as all get out, so the odds of me managing all of this is slim, but it is something to consider when I do have the time and money to be able to travel again. It also gives me an incentive to work harder in order to make these trips happen, so if nothing else, they make pretty effective goals to shoot for.
While this isn't a problem per se, there have been some places that I've been itching to visit recently. It probably won't happen for awhile, but it's something to shoot for at least.
1. The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado
This is the hotel that inspired the monstrous Overlook hotel from Stephen King's classic novel, "The Shining". It is the only real destination inside the US, but it is also the one I want to visit most.
I've been wanting to take a trip out there for years, but have never had the chance. I hear it's supposed to be haunted in real life, which just gives me more incentive to try to make the trip as I am fascinated by the paranormal.
2. Luxembourg
The idea of visiting this country struck me just recently. I was born there and lived there for a few years in my childhood. I thought it would be a cool idea to travel back out there to reclaim my birthright, as it were. I honestly don't remember a whole lot about it, so it would be kind of neat to revisit my homeland.
3. New Zealand
OK, it was the "Lord of the Rings" films that made me want to visit here, however, it was more the landscape itself than just the bragging rights about being the shooting location for a major film trilogy. It looks very scenic and it would be worth the high cost of travel to marvel at those landscapes.
4. Scotland
Much like New Zealand, this country makes the list based on sheer visual appeal. From what I've seen, it too has beautiful landscapes. Also, since I'm terrible at golf, I won't be tempted to make any sort of joke regarding the sport, so it's win win.
5. Australia
I jokingly say that the only reason I want to visit Australia is to see the toilets flush the other way, but there are plenty of reasons to visit (though yes, I would make a point to observe the reverse flow of the toilets because I'm odd like that).
So, there you have it, the 5 places I would love to visit. Unfortunately, international travel is expensive as all get out, so the odds of me managing all of this is slim, but it is something to consider when I do have the time and money to be able to travel again. It also gives me an incentive to work harder in order to make these trips happen, so if nothing else, they make pretty effective goals to shoot for.
The X-Men's Sentinels Make No Sense
One of the first articles that I wrote centered around the faulty metaphor that acts as the lynch-pin for the X-Men franchise. However, that isn't the only thing that doesn't work about this comic. After giving it some thought, I realized that the sentinels make no sense whatsoever.
For those unfamiliar with the comic, sentinels are giant robots that are designed to hunt down mutants. Yes, you read that right. I have a question, who's paying for this? No, really, our government spends a lot of money on relatively simple things like planes and tanks. Can you imagine how much it would cost to build just one of these things? They're five stories tall for crying out loud. Yet, here there are hundreds, if not thousands of them being produced en masse.
Even if you were to ignore our current government's fiscal woes and pretend that the U.S. government of the Marvel Universe has no debt or deficit so that they would even have a chance of being able to fund this, this is a gross misuse of taxpayer dollars. No one on either end of the political spectrum would go along with this.
Going back to the money problem, you can't even say that it would be funded by private corporations because there's no profit in it unless there's some sort of military contract, which brings us back to the government.
Speaking of which, why doesn't the military use this technology? Could you imagine the sort of advantage we would have against enemies if we just sent our army of giant robots to rain down fiery death? Why aren't other countries terrified about the existence of these things? You'd think that the U.N might have something to say about a country having a vast army of death robots.
While creating counter-measures to combat mutants when they want to wreak havoc is understandable, this just doesn't seem like the way to do it. The Marvel Universe has established that there is technology capable of suppressing powers, whether it's via "cure" or an electronic collar. I would think that you would be better off putting your money into things like that rather than something as outlandish as giant robots. Giant robots are cool and all, but it just doesn't seem feasible.
I know that comics require a certain suspension of disbelief. Maybe it's unfair to chide something like this when I'm more than willing to buy into the functionality of the Green Lantern ring, but that's how suspension of disbelief works. Fantastical elements can work in a franchise that has it, whereas something as quasi-realistic as giant robots makes no sense in the context of a somewhat real world setting.
For those unfamiliar with the comic, sentinels are giant robots that are designed to hunt down mutants. Yes, you read that right. I have a question, who's paying for this? No, really, our government spends a lot of money on relatively simple things like planes and tanks. Can you imagine how much it would cost to build just one of these things? They're five stories tall for crying out loud. Yet, here there are hundreds, if not thousands of them being produced en masse.
Even if you were to ignore our current government's fiscal woes and pretend that the U.S. government of the Marvel Universe has no debt or deficit so that they would even have a chance of being able to fund this, this is a gross misuse of taxpayer dollars. No one on either end of the political spectrum would go along with this.
Going back to the money problem, you can't even say that it would be funded by private corporations because there's no profit in it unless there's some sort of military contract, which brings us back to the government.
Speaking of which, why doesn't the military use this technology? Could you imagine the sort of advantage we would have against enemies if we just sent our army of giant robots to rain down fiery death? Why aren't other countries terrified about the existence of these things? You'd think that the U.N might have something to say about a country having a vast army of death robots.
While creating counter-measures to combat mutants when they want to wreak havoc is understandable, this just doesn't seem like the way to do it. The Marvel Universe has established that there is technology capable of suppressing powers, whether it's via "cure" or an electronic collar. I would think that you would be better off putting your money into things like that rather than something as outlandish as giant robots. Giant robots are cool and all, but it just doesn't seem feasible.
I know that comics require a certain suspension of disbelief. Maybe it's unfair to chide something like this when I'm more than willing to buy into the functionality of the Green Lantern ring, but that's how suspension of disbelief works. Fantastical elements can work in a franchise that has it, whereas something as quasi-realistic as giant robots makes no sense in the context of a somewhat real world setting.
My Top 5 Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies I'd Like to see get Made after 'The Avengers'
*Originally published on 3/3/12
Introduction
Since 2008, Marvel Studios has been building up a cohesive universe with it's recent batch of superhero films. From the two Iron Man movies, to The Incredible Hulk, to Thor, and most recently, to Captain America, seeds have been planted that show that all of these movies are taking place in the same continuity.
From the beginning, it was planned to cap it all off with an Avengers movie where all of the heroes teamed up to fight off a major threat. That movie is set to hit theaters this May.
Fortunately, this won't mark the end of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as another Iron Man sequel is planned as well as sequels to Thor and Captain America.
While it hasn't been announced yet, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that a sequel to The Avengers would be coming later on down the line.
This is all well and good, but I can't help but feel like there are other movies and franchises that can be incorporated into this growing universe. I'm more of a DC guy, but I still have some ideas for movies that would work out rather well.
1. The Incredible Hulk 2
Every other hero is getting a sequel. I think it's only fair that Hulk gets one too. The recent movie was good and did so much right. More than that, it had an awesome sequel hook, setting up the creation of major Marvel baddie, The Leader.
Some say that he might show up in an Avengers sequel, but that's not a guarantee, and I would hate to see such a loose end left wide open.
While I'm guessing that Ed Norton wouldn't be returning to the role, it would give new Hulk, Mark Ruffalo a chance to cement his status as the new Bruce Banner by working with the cast and characters introduced in the 2008 film.
2. Doctor Strange
I recall hearing a while back that there were loose talks about bringing Doctor Strange, Marvel's sorcerer supreme, into the ongoing filmverse. As this is one of the few Marvel characters I check in on from time to time, I'm all for the idea.
More than that, there was talk that the script would be written by Neil Gaiman and directed by Guillermo Del Toro. Honestly, you could not come up with a more perfect pairing for this movie.
Between the two of them, the end result is guaranteed to be a feast for the eyes. It will certainly deliver something unlike any of the movies seen before it.
The one downside is that it would have to incorporate magic and even Thor sort of hinted at the idea that there is no magic, just really advanced science, but I'm sure that they could work something out.
3. Black Panther
I know very little about this character to be quite honest. From what I've read, he's a bit of a Marty Stu and the BET animated series was, quite frankly, not very good.
Still, I feel like there's potential for the character. As long as the writers handle him well and don't go overboard, he should make an interesting addition. He does have a unique backstory and he would add a bit of flavor to the hero roster.
4. Namor
At first glance, you'd think that this guy was just Marvel's even lamer iteration of Aquaman. While I haven't read any of the comics, I've heard from a variety of sources that Namor is one bad dude and many fans actually hold him in high regard.
5. She-Hulk
I considered using Ms. Marvel (and quite frankly, I wouldn't mind seeing a movie made about her either) but I decided to go with She-Hulk. With Hulk already established, one doesn't need to go too far into her origin story, allowing more time to tell a story.
She Hulk is also one of the more light, fun oriented characters out there. Considering that seems to be the tone that Marvel is going for with these movies (in contrast to DC's attempt to make everything gritty and realistic), I think that she would fit in quite well.
Final thoughts
As said before, I'm a DC guy, but I still see a boatload of potential with this cohesive universe. Sadly, a lot of other Marvel characters are owned by other studios, meaning that they can't get incorporated, but Marvel still has a bevy of characters in their respective sandbox to play with. Let's hope that they get the chance to use them at some point down the line.
Introduction
Since 2008, Marvel Studios has been building up a cohesive universe with it's recent batch of superhero films. From the two Iron Man movies, to The Incredible Hulk, to Thor, and most recently, to Captain America, seeds have been planted that show that all of these movies are taking place in the same continuity.
From the beginning, it was planned to cap it all off with an Avengers movie where all of the heroes teamed up to fight off a major threat. That movie is set to hit theaters this May.
Fortunately, this won't mark the end of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as another Iron Man sequel is planned as well as sequels to Thor and Captain America.
While it hasn't been announced yet, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that a sequel to The Avengers would be coming later on down the line.
This is all well and good, but I can't help but feel like there are other movies and franchises that can be incorporated into this growing universe. I'm more of a DC guy, but I still have some ideas for movies that would work out rather well.
1. The Incredible Hulk 2
Every other hero is getting a sequel. I think it's only fair that Hulk gets one too. The recent movie was good and did so much right. More than that, it had an awesome sequel hook, setting up the creation of major Marvel baddie, The Leader.
Some say that he might show up in an Avengers sequel, but that's not a guarantee, and I would hate to see such a loose end left wide open.
While I'm guessing that Ed Norton wouldn't be returning to the role, it would give new Hulk, Mark Ruffalo a chance to cement his status as the new Bruce Banner by working with the cast and characters introduced in the 2008 film.
2. Doctor Strange
I recall hearing a while back that there were loose talks about bringing Doctor Strange, Marvel's sorcerer supreme, into the ongoing filmverse. As this is one of the few Marvel characters I check in on from time to time, I'm all for the idea.
More than that, there was talk that the script would be written by Neil Gaiman and directed by Guillermo Del Toro. Honestly, you could not come up with a more perfect pairing for this movie.
Between the two of them, the end result is guaranteed to be a feast for the eyes. It will certainly deliver something unlike any of the movies seen before it.
The one downside is that it would have to incorporate magic and even Thor sort of hinted at the idea that there is no magic, just really advanced science, but I'm sure that they could work something out.
3. Black Panther
I know very little about this character to be quite honest. From what I've read, he's a bit of a Marty Stu and the BET animated series was, quite frankly, not very good.
Still, I feel like there's potential for the character. As long as the writers handle him well and don't go overboard, he should make an interesting addition. He does have a unique backstory and he would add a bit of flavor to the hero roster.
4. Namor
At first glance, you'd think that this guy was just Marvel's even lamer iteration of Aquaman. While I haven't read any of the comics, I've heard from a variety of sources that Namor is one bad dude and many fans actually hold him in high regard.
5. She-Hulk
I considered using Ms. Marvel (and quite frankly, I wouldn't mind seeing a movie made about her either) but I decided to go with She-Hulk. With Hulk already established, one doesn't need to go too far into her origin story, allowing more time to tell a story.
She Hulk is also one of the more light, fun oriented characters out there. Considering that seems to be the tone that Marvel is going for with these movies (in contrast to DC's attempt to make everything gritty and realistic), I think that she would fit in quite well.
Final thoughts
As said before, I'm a DC guy, but I still see a boatload of potential with this cohesive universe. Sadly, a lot of other Marvel characters are owned by other studios, meaning that they can't get incorporated, but Marvel still has a bevy of characters in their respective sandbox to play with. Let's hope that they get the chance to use them at some point down the line.
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