Gloria Oliver's Blog, page 110
March 11, 2012
Virtual Tourist - Star Wars The Old Republic and Minecraft 3/11/12
Semi chaotic last few days, so let's see what I can dig up for this week.
We'll do Minecraft first (mostly because my brain is goo and I'm having a hard time remembering where te swtor folder is. Waaaahhhh!)
Cool wall from Drew made of sandstone and wooden steps. Now that steps will go in more than one direction, it really does open the possibilities!
Cow from the mushroom biodome. Yes, those are mushrooms growing on its back. Creepy, no?
Seems you can color a sheep's wool while it is on the sheep and the sheep will always grow that color wool from then on. The kids have all sorts of colors going on.
And there are kittys now too! Seemingly will help keep creepers away. But they meow constantly. (Really weird having cats meowing at me from both the headset/speakers and around me in RL.
I find this so weird when it happens.
Orange tabby!
My siamese! In the wild they look like cheetahs, but when you feed them fish and they love you, they randomly turn into a house cat variety. The cheetahs seem quite plentiful in the jungle biodomes.
The son-in-law found a realistic texture pack called Misa's. Love what it does to the torches. From here on down it's all this texture pack. As you can see the Siamese looks more like a real cat now.
No idea what that used to be or is now! lol
The sun is back to being round and the tree leaves are more prominent.
Love the look on the wooden doors!
Sun at sunset. Look at that corona.
The rising moon. You can see my road running off into the distance. Heh heh.
Ah, here are the few Star Wars pics I made. (John felt bad during the day, then I got sick last night so didn't get to play but a few minutes. Waaaah! Weird weekend.)
Not 100% sure, but I believe that is the Balmorra space station. Weirdly enough, now that my spy finally left Balmorra and got sent to Nar Shaddaa, the opposite has happened to my Jedi! lol.
I do so love these 3D maps.
The poorest parts of Nar Shaddaa. Only got a peek.
That's it for this week! Enjoy!
We'll do Minecraft first (mostly because my brain is goo and I'm having a hard time remembering where te swtor folder is. Waaaahhhh!)
Cool wall from Drew made of sandstone and wooden steps. Now that steps will go in more than one direction, it really does open the possibilities!
Cow from the mushroom biodome. Yes, those are mushrooms growing on its back. Creepy, no?
Seems you can color a sheep's wool while it is on the sheep and the sheep will always grow that color wool from then on. The kids have all sorts of colors going on.
And there are kittys now too! Seemingly will help keep creepers away. But they meow constantly. (Really weird having cats meowing at me from both the headset/speakers and around me in RL.
I find this so weird when it happens.
Orange tabby!
My siamese! In the wild they look like cheetahs, but when you feed them fish and they love you, they randomly turn into a house cat variety. The cheetahs seem quite plentiful in the jungle biodomes.
The son-in-law found a realistic texture pack called Misa's. Love what it does to the torches. From here on down it's all this texture pack. As you can see the Siamese looks more like a real cat now.
No idea what that used to be or is now! lol
The sun is back to being round and the tree leaves are more prominent.
Love the look on the wooden doors!
Sun at sunset. Look at that corona.
The rising moon. You can see my road running off into the distance. Heh heh.
Ah, here are the few Star Wars pics I made. (John felt bad during the day, then I got sick last night so didn't get to play but a few minutes. Waaaah! Weird weekend.)
Not 100% sure, but I believe that is the Balmorra space station. Weirdly enough, now that my spy finally left Balmorra and got sent to Nar Shaddaa, the opposite has happened to my Jedi! lol.
I do so love these 3D maps.
The poorest parts of Nar Shaddaa. Only got a peek.
That's it for this week! Enjoy!
March 9, 2012
Movie Review - John Carter
John Carter
Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Moon, Willem Dafoe, Thomas Haden Church, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Bryan Cranston, Polly Walker, Daryl Sabara, and more.
Directed by: Andrew Stanton Screenplay by: Andrew Stanton, Mark Andrews, and Michael Chabon Based on the Princess of Mars by: Edgar Rice Burroughs. Original Music by: Michael Giacchino
Premise: While on a search for an elusive cave of gold, John Carter is accidentally transported to Barsoom (Mars). Once there, he finds that he has certain abilities here he didn't have on Earth. Which he comes to depend on as he struggles to survive the predatory lifestyle of the Martians and find a way home. (Rated PG-13)
Review: I've been waiting for this film for a LONG time. Haven't read the novels in 30+ years, so doing a full comparison is beyond my means. But all the mind lodged peoples and feelings of the novels are definitely there. Even I was able to catch several subtle in-jokes as they went past!
1) Acting/Voice Acting - Thumbs Up - Taylor Kitsch did a great job as John Carter. Some great subtle expressions. Loved Lynn Collins as Dejah Thoris. Samantha Moon and Willem Dafoe gave great life to Sola and Tars Tarkas and delivered some zinger lines. It did prove a little distracting when I saw Ciaran Hinds side by side with James Purefoy again - got flashbacks to Ceasar and Mark Anthony of ROME for a minute - but they were good as always. James Purefoy even showing a bit of comedy towards the end.
I must admit, however, that the character who stole the show is not an actor or actress - it was Woola, the Martian reptilian dog! Her expressions and general playfulness spoke volumes without the aid of words and she was great for sprinklings of comedic relief as well. Go, Woola!
2) Animation/Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up - It's these types of films, where the majority is made of CGI, that truly flower in IMAX and IMAX 3D. The green martians were detailed and expressive. The work done with Woola and the other animals of this strange world were wonderful. And the hatching of the babies, and when they are prepared for receiving training and then sleeping, kept me utterly fascinated.
Transitions and integrations of reality and CGI were flawless. When the humans interacted with other species, you'd swear they were all really there.
Fabulous work on the gate building on the river Isis as well. It was a lot of fun watching it come alive.
The vehicles were wonderful! The mechanism and controls were incredibly imaginative, making them Barsoonian while still allowing for the audience to know them for what they were. (Ignore the Star Wars episode 6 flashbacks) I especially enjoyed the bridge of the flying ships. Great attention to detail.
3) Plot - Thumbs Up - The main characters each have simple goals, but it is the fact they aren't the same that creates a lot of the conflict, conflict that deepens the story. The added baggage of why John has changed from the hero of the Civil War is nicely layered in as well. The scenes where they're trying to "force" him to join the military at the fort on Earth to fight against the Indians were hilarious but also poignant in showing the changes in the man without having to "tell" why.
Some good zigs and zags as well as surprises in the plot. Even better, we get two very strong females in Sola and Dejah Thoris. And they had strength in more than just fighting prowess as well. Nicely done.
4) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up - Whether real or imagined, the locations in the film were top notch. From the streets in New York, to the Utah plains, to the vast wasteland of the Martian plains, they were breathtaking. John's first moments on Barsoom showed a great contrast between where he'd been and where he was now.
The Martian cities were also quite spectacular -- the griminess of the moving city, the splendor of Helium, the spectacular ruins where the green Martians made their home -- a feast for the senses.
5) Costuming/Makeup - Thumbs Up - The clothing was varied and unique. Definitely different from what would be worn on Earth and uniquely Martian, even in the items, like armor, which for humans tends to follow the same veins.
The red coloring to the human Martians tended to vary on the same person at times, but was easily overlooked. The tattoos, however, were excellent! On the humans and the green Martians - they added that little extra bit of 'alien' to both races to really sell it. Kudos!
Conclusion: Though probably not exact to the books which gave it birth, still, all around, the film was a great piece of homage to Edgar Rice Burroughs works and the fans who've always hoped to see Barsoom come alive. And for those who have never read his works, this is a great introduction. A good balance of story, action, adventure, mystery and more.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price To See It AGAIN!)
Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Moon, Willem Dafoe, Thomas Haden Church, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Bryan Cranston, Polly Walker, Daryl Sabara, and more.
Directed by: Andrew Stanton Screenplay by: Andrew Stanton, Mark Andrews, and Michael Chabon Based on the Princess of Mars by: Edgar Rice Burroughs. Original Music by: Michael Giacchino
Premise: While on a search for an elusive cave of gold, John Carter is accidentally transported to Barsoom (Mars). Once there, he finds that he has certain abilities here he didn't have on Earth. Which he comes to depend on as he struggles to survive the predatory lifestyle of the Martians and find a way home. (Rated PG-13)
Review: I've been waiting for this film for a LONG time. Haven't read the novels in 30+ years, so doing a full comparison is beyond my means. But all the mind lodged peoples and feelings of the novels are definitely there. Even I was able to catch several subtle in-jokes as they went past!
1) Acting/Voice Acting - Thumbs Up - Taylor Kitsch did a great job as John Carter. Some great subtle expressions. Loved Lynn Collins as Dejah Thoris. Samantha Moon and Willem Dafoe gave great life to Sola and Tars Tarkas and delivered some zinger lines. It did prove a little distracting when I saw Ciaran Hinds side by side with James Purefoy again - got flashbacks to Ceasar and Mark Anthony of ROME for a minute - but they were good as always. James Purefoy even showing a bit of comedy towards the end.
I must admit, however, that the character who stole the show is not an actor or actress - it was Woola, the Martian reptilian dog! Her expressions and general playfulness spoke volumes without the aid of words and she was great for sprinklings of comedic relief as well. Go, Woola!
2) Animation/Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up - It's these types of films, where the majority is made of CGI, that truly flower in IMAX and IMAX 3D. The green martians were detailed and expressive. The work done with Woola and the other animals of this strange world were wonderful. And the hatching of the babies, and when they are prepared for receiving training and then sleeping, kept me utterly fascinated.
Transitions and integrations of reality and CGI were flawless. When the humans interacted with other species, you'd swear they were all really there.
Fabulous work on the gate building on the river Isis as well. It was a lot of fun watching it come alive.
The vehicles were wonderful! The mechanism and controls were incredibly imaginative, making them Barsoonian while still allowing for the audience to know them for what they were. (Ignore the Star Wars episode 6 flashbacks) I especially enjoyed the bridge of the flying ships. Great attention to detail.
3) Plot - Thumbs Up - The main characters each have simple goals, but it is the fact they aren't the same that creates a lot of the conflict, conflict that deepens the story. The added baggage of why John has changed from the hero of the Civil War is nicely layered in as well. The scenes where they're trying to "force" him to join the military at the fort on Earth to fight against the Indians were hilarious but also poignant in showing the changes in the man without having to "tell" why.
Some good zigs and zags as well as surprises in the plot. Even better, we get two very strong females in Sola and Dejah Thoris. And they had strength in more than just fighting prowess as well. Nicely done.
4) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up - Whether real or imagined, the locations in the film were top notch. From the streets in New York, to the Utah plains, to the vast wasteland of the Martian plains, they were breathtaking. John's first moments on Barsoom showed a great contrast between where he'd been and where he was now.
The Martian cities were also quite spectacular -- the griminess of the moving city, the splendor of Helium, the spectacular ruins where the green Martians made their home -- a feast for the senses.
5) Costuming/Makeup - Thumbs Up - The clothing was varied and unique. Definitely different from what would be worn on Earth and uniquely Martian, even in the items, like armor, which for humans tends to follow the same veins.
The red coloring to the human Martians tended to vary on the same person at times, but was easily overlooked. The tattoos, however, were excellent! On the humans and the green Martians - they added that little extra bit of 'alien' to both races to really sell it. Kudos!
Conclusion: Though probably not exact to the books which gave it birth, still, all around, the film was a great piece of homage to Edgar Rice Burroughs works and the fans who've always hoped to see Barsoom come alive. And for those who have never read his works, this is a great introduction. A good balance of story, action, adventure, mystery and more.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price To See It AGAIN!)
March 7, 2012
Picture Kaleidoscope 3/7/12
Let's feed them eyes!
A syrupy sun! We don't get those normally around here.
This was also very unusual. Finger like clouds. And perfectly aligned too. In the evening there was a cool optical illusion with the sun and the clouds which made it seem as if we were on Tattoine - two suns! But didn't get to a stop point until it went past. :(
Very feathery cloud formations, which is also not the usual around here.
The flowering trees were too gorgeous to ignore!
From Jem Salmon comes Up River. Like the mist like quality of this.
Skull Faced Photography by Carsten Witte. Weird stuff! Heh
From NASA - Eastern Seaboard At Night from ISS.
[image error]
Bizarre Photos of Stuffed Animals Turned Inside-Out from PetaPixel. This teddy reminds me of the one in Bleach. And that poor guy would get turned inside out. :P
A syrupy sun! We don't get those normally around here.
This was also very unusual. Finger like clouds. And perfectly aligned too. In the evening there was a cool optical illusion with the sun and the clouds which made it seem as if we were on Tattoine - two suns! But didn't get to a stop point until it went past. :(
Very feathery cloud formations, which is also not the usual around here.
The flowering trees were too gorgeous to ignore!
From Jem Salmon comes Up River. Like the mist like quality of this.
Skull Faced Photography by Carsten Witte. Weird stuff! Heh
From NASA - Eastern Seaboard At Night from ISS.
[image error]
Bizarre Photos of Stuffed Animals Turned Inside-Out from PetaPixel. This teddy reminds me of the one in Bleach. And that poor guy would get turned inside out. :P
March 5, 2012
Mind Sieve 3/5/12
Greetings!
And off we go!
Humboldt Squid's Impressive Dives from BBC News. Cool info!
Scrat Parodies "The Artist" In Ice Age 4 Continental Drift Featurette from Total Film
New MIB 3 Poster story from Total Film.
See Otherland's Lambda Mall In New Developer Video - story by Jef Reahard. Just looks cooler and cooler!
Medieval Mondays - Viking Trading Ships by A J Walker. Interesting info!
More Star Trek 2 Images Online from Total Films. Story by George Wales. Wait a minute! Benedict Cumberbatch is in Star Trek 2?!?!?! Woot!!!!!
From the History Blog - Viking Sword Found In Norway During Construction. And we get some historical stories to boot!
Encasing The Magna Carta from the History Blog. Utterly fascinating videos and info on preserving the Magna Carta copy we have here in the states. (Yes, I like weird stuff! It's a thing. ;P)
Shadows - Lindsey Stirling. Nice music and cute shadow games.
Ultimate Ping Pong from GakAttack. Too fun!
Beautiful Time Lapse Of The Milky Way, Auroras, and Shooting Stars - article from Peta Pixel and Michael Zhang. Absolutely gorgeous!!!!
13 Ways To Impress An Agent by Rachelle Gardner. Yay - hints!!!! (Chocolate should probably wait till they ask to see the full the manuscript. Heh heh heh.)
Amazon - Beware Of Greek Bearing Gifts from Kristen Lamb. Much food for thought! Scary food for thought. lol.
How Do Readers Find Your Books On Goodreads? by Tamara Ward.
25 Ways To UnF*** Your Story from Chuck (NSFW) Wendig. :P Hey, he speaks good truth, even if he's a little colorful. heh heh.
The Failure Of The Gatekeepers by Paul Biba. Another interesting article that is also depressing. lol. This industry is so hard!
What Finding Nemo Can Teach Us About Story Action from Kriten Lamb. Super insightful stuff!
Okay, I'm done in. That's it for this round. Enjoy!
And off we go!
Humboldt Squid's Impressive Dives from BBC News. Cool info!
Scrat Parodies "The Artist" In Ice Age 4 Continental Drift Featurette from Total Film
New MIB 3 Poster story from Total Film.
See Otherland's Lambda Mall In New Developer Video - story by Jef Reahard. Just looks cooler and cooler!
Medieval Mondays - Viking Trading Ships by A J Walker. Interesting info!
More Star Trek 2 Images Online from Total Films. Story by George Wales. Wait a minute! Benedict Cumberbatch is in Star Trek 2?!?!?! Woot!!!!!
From the History Blog - Viking Sword Found In Norway During Construction. And we get some historical stories to boot!
Encasing The Magna Carta from the History Blog. Utterly fascinating videos and info on preserving the Magna Carta copy we have here in the states. (Yes, I like weird stuff! It's a thing. ;P)
Shadows - Lindsey Stirling. Nice music and cute shadow games.
Ultimate Ping Pong from GakAttack. Too fun!
Beautiful Time Lapse Of The Milky Way, Auroras, and Shooting Stars - article from Peta Pixel and Michael Zhang. Absolutely gorgeous!!!!
13 Ways To Impress An Agent by Rachelle Gardner. Yay - hints!!!! (Chocolate should probably wait till they ask to see the full the manuscript. Heh heh heh.)
Amazon - Beware Of Greek Bearing Gifts from Kristen Lamb. Much food for thought! Scary food for thought. lol.
How Do Readers Find Your Books On Goodreads? by Tamara Ward.
25 Ways To UnF*** Your Story from Chuck (NSFW) Wendig. :P Hey, he speaks good truth, even if he's a little colorful. heh heh.
The Failure Of The Gatekeepers by Paul Biba. Another interesting article that is also depressing. lol. This industry is so hard!
What Finding Nemo Can Teach Us About Story Action from Kriten Lamb. Super insightful stuff!
Okay, I'm done in. That's it for this round. Enjoy!
March 4, 2012
Virtual Tourist - SWTOR and Minecraft 3/4/12
And they say playing games isn't good for you. Bwahahahahahahaha~!
In a weird coincidental turn, BOTH of my characters are now currently at Nar Shadda despite the fact they're 11 levels apart. How's that for a weird coincidence? :)
First part is from the imperial section.
Love all the holographic neon of this place.
Lights so bright you almost can't see the world above.
A nice imperial prison area.
We really do have some of the best uniforms. Heh heh.
Loved how expansive this area was and all the giant tubing for the world's infrastructure.
Now to the higher level Republic side.
And we found another holocron! X 1954 Y 3272 Z -1951 And for the first time we got it! Nasty bugger. You have to find a way to a higher floor then take a teleporter into an incinerator room. Then run through the flames to the other side! Cunning +3. Woot!
Some nasty armaments.
Super boss at the back. With only two of us, we made sure to steer clear. Heh heh.
Love love love these holographic trees. And in this instance with real plants! lol.
Super cybernetic enhanced fighters in a glass jar, being made ready for combat. They didn't like being woken up one bit! Hah!
Now for some Minecraft.
The guys have been very busy. Pbfubar has worked up a jungle estate. Jungles are new to the game and I must say pretty spiffy.
Keep expecting Ewoks to show. :P
Totally awesome we can climb vines now.
Perelay has a wheat harvesting system for his fields.
Water washes everything down. Unfortunately, he hit both water levers and the lag was horrid. The pics for the rest of the process didn't take.
This is Perelay's pumpkin and watermelon patch. He's also got an automated system for harvesting this too. Piston rather than water based.
Pretty spiffy. Sadly everyone wants to show off what they've done since I was last on, which means my road building efforts suffer terribly each time. lol.[image error]
In a weird coincidental turn, BOTH of my characters are now currently at Nar Shadda despite the fact they're 11 levels apart. How's that for a weird coincidence? :)
First part is from the imperial section.
Love all the holographic neon of this place.
Lights so bright you almost can't see the world above.
A nice imperial prison area.
We really do have some of the best uniforms. Heh heh.
Loved how expansive this area was and all the giant tubing for the world's infrastructure.
Now to the higher level Republic side.
And we found another holocron! X 1954 Y 3272 Z -1951 And for the first time we got it! Nasty bugger. You have to find a way to a higher floor then take a teleporter into an incinerator room. Then run through the flames to the other side! Cunning +3. Woot!
Some nasty armaments.
Super boss at the back. With only two of us, we made sure to steer clear. Heh heh.
Love love love these holographic trees. And in this instance with real plants! lol.
Super cybernetic enhanced fighters in a glass jar, being made ready for combat. They didn't like being woken up one bit! Hah!
Now for some Minecraft.
The guys have been very busy. Pbfubar has worked up a jungle estate. Jungles are new to the game and I must say pretty spiffy.
Keep expecting Ewoks to show. :P
Totally awesome we can climb vines now.
Perelay has a wheat harvesting system for his fields.
Water washes everything down. Unfortunately, he hit both water levers and the lag was horrid. The pics for the rest of the process didn't take.
This is Perelay's pumpkin and watermelon patch. He's also got an automated system for harvesting this too. Piston rather than water based.
Pretty spiffy. Sadly everyone wants to show off what they've done since I was last on, which means my road building efforts suffer terribly each time. lol.[image error]
March 2, 2012
Movie Review - The Secret World of Arriettty
The Secret World of Arrietty
Starring: Bridgette Mendler, Will Arnet, David Henry, Amy Poehler, Moises Arias, Carol Burnett, Gracie Polleti, and more. (US Version)
Directed by: Hiromasa Yonebayashi From the Novel "The Borrowers" by: Mary Norton Screenplay by: Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa Original Music by: Cecile Corbel
Premise: Arrietty has come of age and gets to go on her first "borrowing" trip with her father. Unfortunately, she is seen by a sickly human named Shawn, one of the greatest taboos of her tiny race. Yet Arrietty finds herself strangely drawn to the boy and he to her. (Rated G)
Review:
1) Voice Acting - Thumbs Up - Bridgette Mendler is perfect as the brave and inquisitive Arrietty. David Henrie also does a great job, Shawn's despondency at his possible fate yet his need to connect coming through quite nicely. Carol Burnett is a hoot as the maid Hara. Amy Poehler was a lot of fun as Arrietty's overprotective mom. Nice job by all involved.
2) Artwork/Animation - Thumbs Up - There's a reason why Disney likes to import Studio Ghibli's works. Not only are the stories great and appealing, but their unique art style with the gorgeous backdrops are a feast for the eyes. Major kudos to the creativity by Miyazaki's people in creating a believable world of little people. The physics of normal liquid drops for those of that size was well done and helped give their lives a unique flavor, which pulled you that much further into the secluded family's miniature world.
An amazing amount of well thought out details. And just enough diversity in the glimpses of the city and the location of Aunt Jessica's house that this could be just about anywhere if you don't look too deeply. Maybe even your own home.
3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up - A simple seeming story with very deep subtext. A number of points are touched upon, yet the adult viewers are left to realize some of the harsh realities behind them by the hints given, yet not spelled out to slow the pace of the fun for the kids.
Loved the coverage of a lot of points of view; how the concept of little people affected not only the Borrowers but the humans who came to believe in them as well. And also seeing for ourselves the inherent dangers in discovery for all involved.
If you ever cry at movies, like I do, make sure to take some tissues. You'll probably need them. I did!
Conclusion: A lovely film by Ghibli Studios! With the cat, the crow, and the bugs, should have enough action to keep the younger kids entertained as the older ones thrill at all of Arrietty's adventures. Definitely enough fodder and depth for the adults to enjoy the experience as well.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)[image error]
Starring: Bridgette Mendler, Will Arnet, David Henry, Amy Poehler, Moises Arias, Carol Burnett, Gracie Polleti, and more. (US Version)
Directed by: Hiromasa Yonebayashi From the Novel "The Borrowers" by: Mary Norton Screenplay by: Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa Original Music by: Cecile Corbel
Premise: Arrietty has come of age and gets to go on her first "borrowing" trip with her father. Unfortunately, she is seen by a sickly human named Shawn, one of the greatest taboos of her tiny race. Yet Arrietty finds herself strangely drawn to the boy and he to her. (Rated G)
Review:
1) Voice Acting - Thumbs Up - Bridgette Mendler is perfect as the brave and inquisitive Arrietty. David Henrie also does a great job, Shawn's despondency at his possible fate yet his need to connect coming through quite nicely. Carol Burnett is a hoot as the maid Hara. Amy Poehler was a lot of fun as Arrietty's overprotective mom. Nice job by all involved.
2) Artwork/Animation - Thumbs Up - There's a reason why Disney likes to import Studio Ghibli's works. Not only are the stories great and appealing, but their unique art style with the gorgeous backdrops are a feast for the eyes. Major kudos to the creativity by Miyazaki's people in creating a believable world of little people. The physics of normal liquid drops for those of that size was well done and helped give their lives a unique flavor, which pulled you that much further into the secluded family's miniature world.
An amazing amount of well thought out details. And just enough diversity in the glimpses of the city and the location of Aunt Jessica's house that this could be just about anywhere if you don't look too deeply. Maybe even your own home.
3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up - A simple seeming story with very deep subtext. A number of points are touched upon, yet the adult viewers are left to realize some of the harsh realities behind them by the hints given, yet not spelled out to slow the pace of the fun for the kids.
Loved the coverage of a lot of points of view; how the concept of little people affected not only the Borrowers but the humans who came to believe in them as well. And also seeing for ourselves the inherent dangers in discovery for all involved.
If you ever cry at movies, like I do, make sure to take some tissues. You'll probably need them. I did!
Conclusion: A lovely film by Ghibli Studios! With the cat, the crow, and the bugs, should have enough action to keep the younger kids entertained as the older ones thrill at all of Arrietty's adventures. Definitely enough fodder and depth for the adults to enjoy the experience as well.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)[image error]
February 29, 2012
Picture Kaleidoscope 2/29/12
Pictures, pictures, pictures!
From Pelfusion the 30 Best Examples of Jump Photography by Ferman.
Rhea Before Titan - NASA's Pic of the Day.
[image error]
The Amazing Photo Manipulation Work of Erik Johansson from Peta Pixel by Michael Zhang. Too cool!
[image error]
Ripped Photo Collages That Show People In Locations Across Time from Peta Pixel by Michael Zhang. Neat idea!
[image error]
Stunning Photos of the Northern Lights Floating Over An Icelandic Volcano from Peta Pixel by Michael Zhang. WOW!
My-Still Life Photography Adventure by Valerie Jardin. Making stories with still life photography.
That's it for this week. Enjoy!
P.S. This is the last week for the Zumaya Publications Thriller Kindle Sale, and specifically my novel Vassal of El! (Pictures with words! :P) FYI!
From Pelfusion the 30 Best Examples of Jump Photography by Ferman.
Rhea Before Titan - NASA's Pic of the Day.
[image error]
The Amazing Photo Manipulation Work of Erik Johansson from Peta Pixel by Michael Zhang. Too cool!
[image error]
Ripped Photo Collages That Show People In Locations Across Time from Peta Pixel by Michael Zhang. Neat idea!
[image error]
Stunning Photos of the Northern Lights Floating Over An Icelandic Volcano from Peta Pixel by Michael Zhang. WOW!
My-Still Life Photography Adventure by Valerie Jardin. Making stories with still life photography.
That's it for this week. Enjoy!
P.S. This is the last week for the Zumaya Publications Thriller Kindle Sale, and specifically my novel Vassal of El! (Pictures with words! :P) FYI!
February 27, 2012
Mind Sieve 2/27/12
Greetings!
Yes, it's time for another exciting link overdose on Mind Sieve! Bwahahahaha!
Damsels In Distress movie preview and article at The Hollywood Reporter. Funky looking movie.
Firefly cast at SciFi Expo 2012! I was there, but never got that close. lol. Trevor's figurines look really nice! Wait till you see Jayne's! Even has a hat. lol.
83 Animal Mummies Found At Abydos from the History Blog. Don't normally hear about animals as mummies. Cool! (In a morbid curiosity way, not because I think it's cool they made some! :P)
Designing From Bones - A Story Of Tragic Love from Gene Lempp. Once again proving that communication is key! Eek!
Day In The Lyfe: Castle Star In The Music Lab by Jon Huertas. The boy can sing! Nice!
Space Launch System: Future Frontier a neat little video with a peek at the future with NASA.
New Jaden Smith Image for M Night Shyamalan's After Earth by Total Film
Girl Plays Vader For Kinect Star Wars Video from The Mary Sue. This is freakin' awesome! lol. You won't see where it's going, I assure you. lol
Hitler Hears About The End of Chuck Finale. ROFL! (Be warned! It has spoilers!)
Scientists Build The First Single Atom Computer from Mashable Tech by Stan Schroeder.
YES!!!!! Space Battleship Yamato 2199s New Promo Video article by Anime News Network. (The preview has the original music! YES! Hope they keep it for the series!!!!!)
56 Ways to Market Your Business on Pinterest by Beth Hayden. Noooo! Not another place I'm going to be putting myself! Eek! (But since I was totally clueless on Pinterest, this was a darn nice article~!) :)
Supercharge Your Social Media Strategy By Getting Back To Basics by Stanford Smith. Dang it, I really really need a clone!!!!
6 Reasons For Writers To Be Optimistic by Rachelle Gardner.
Don't Eat The Butt #3: Persistence Can Look A Lot Like Stupid by Kristen Lamb.
From Chuck (NSFW) Wendig - 25 Things I Want To Say To "Asprigin" Writers.
That's it for this week. Enjoy!
And because I gotta - Zumaya Publications Kindle Thriller Sale is still on, so my novel Vassal of El is only $2.99! FYI! :P
Yes, it's time for another exciting link overdose on Mind Sieve! Bwahahahaha!
Damsels In Distress movie preview and article at The Hollywood Reporter. Funky looking movie.
Firefly cast at SciFi Expo 2012! I was there, but never got that close. lol. Trevor's figurines look really nice! Wait till you see Jayne's! Even has a hat. lol.
83 Animal Mummies Found At Abydos from the History Blog. Don't normally hear about animals as mummies. Cool! (In a morbid curiosity way, not because I think it's cool they made some! :P)
Designing From Bones - A Story Of Tragic Love from Gene Lempp. Once again proving that communication is key! Eek!
Day In The Lyfe: Castle Star In The Music Lab by Jon Huertas. The boy can sing! Nice!
Space Launch System: Future Frontier a neat little video with a peek at the future with NASA.
New Jaden Smith Image for M Night Shyamalan's After Earth by Total Film
Girl Plays Vader For Kinect Star Wars Video from The Mary Sue. This is freakin' awesome! lol. You won't see where it's going, I assure you. lol
Hitler Hears About The End of Chuck Finale. ROFL! (Be warned! It has spoilers!)
Scientists Build The First Single Atom Computer from Mashable Tech by Stan Schroeder.
YES!!!!! Space Battleship Yamato 2199s New Promo Video article by Anime News Network. (The preview has the original music! YES! Hope they keep it for the series!!!!!)
56 Ways to Market Your Business on Pinterest by Beth Hayden. Noooo! Not another place I'm going to be putting myself! Eek! (But since I was totally clueless on Pinterest, this was a darn nice article~!) :)
Supercharge Your Social Media Strategy By Getting Back To Basics by Stanford Smith. Dang it, I really really need a clone!!!!
6 Reasons For Writers To Be Optimistic by Rachelle Gardner.
Don't Eat The Butt #3: Persistence Can Look A Lot Like Stupid by Kristen Lamb.
From Chuck (NSFW) Wendig - 25 Things I Want To Say To "Asprigin" Writers.
That's it for this week. Enjoy!
And because I gotta - Zumaya Publications Kindle Thriller Sale is still on, so my novel Vassal of El is only $2.99! FYI! :P
February 26, 2012
Virtual Tourist - SWTOR and Minecraft 2/26/12
Hubby's back and I had no conventions so I figured we'd be doing some Rebel playing again, but life got in the way and only got a little time to play my spy. We also had the latest updates for Minecraft installed so I snapped some shots of that. Figured I'd give everyone a little variety. :)
Glowing green ooze that's filled one entire valley due to all the fighting on Balmorra. (This planet's upload song has also been my favorite. Fits my chara so well I think of it as her theme song. :P)
Dead bug in Bug Town. That place was like being in my own Starship Trooper's movie without the heavy suits. They were everywhere!!! Mean suckers too.
Love the look of the wild flowers
Dead igua.
Sabotaged canon in mid explosion. :)
I've finally finished all I needed to do in Balmorra and the fifty tons of extra quests there. lol. I've left the planet. Wasn't sure I'd ever get done. :P
Minecraft pics. There was new stuff to see!
This is one of the randomly made villages the kids have decided to make their own. The villages now have Golems. My understanding is you get 1 for every 15 villagers. Occasionally one will have a flower and will give it to a village kid. (In-joke time!)
The new AIs for the villagers is still whacko though. That's like 80 villagers all trying to cram into one little house and then suiciding off the roof. They also love to just open and close doors. It's insane.
The golems get a little crazy too.
The kids new place. With the last two patches we lost all the stuff that had been built before so everyone is starting from scratch again. (And I'd just almost finished my house! Waaahhh!)
The new jungle areas. The trees look pretty cool.
Trying to chase down the locations for hubby and the kids, I ran across this funky peak with empty bottom. I may have found a possible place. Bwahahahaha.
I think hubby and Steve made that weird water hill.
Snow is so pretty here. Just weird when you're being rained on, take a step, and it's all snow.
Glowing green ooze that's filled one entire valley due to all the fighting on Balmorra. (This planet's upload song has also been my favorite. Fits my chara so well I think of it as her theme song. :P)
Dead bug in Bug Town. That place was like being in my own Starship Trooper's movie without the heavy suits. They were everywhere!!! Mean suckers too.
Love the look of the wild flowers
Dead igua.
Sabotaged canon in mid explosion. :)
I've finally finished all I needed to do in Balmorra and the fifty tons of extra quests there. lol. I've left the planet. Wasn't sure I'd ever get done. :P
Minecraft pics. There was new stuff to see!
This is one of the randomly made villages the kids have decided to make their own. The villages now have Golems. My understanding is you get 1 for every 15 villagers. Occasionally one will have a flower and will give it to a village kid. (In-joke time!)
The new AIs for the villagers is still whacko though. That's like 80 villagers all trying to cram into one little house and then suiciding off the roof. They also love to just open and close doors. It's insane.
The golems get a little crazy too.
The kids new place. With the last two patches we lost all the stuff that had been built before so everyone is starting from scratch again. (And I'd just almost finished my house! Waaahhh!)
The new jungle areas. The trees look pretty cool.
Trying to chase down the locations for hubby and the kids, I ran across this funky peak with empty bottom. I may have found a possible place. Bwahahahaha.
I think hubby and Steve made that weird water hill.
Snow is so pretty here. Just weird when you're being rained on, take a step, and it's all snow.
February 24, 2012
Movie Review - Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Violante Placido, Ciaran Hinds, Idris Elba, Johny Whitworth, Fergus Riordan, Anthony Head, Christopher Lambert, Spencer Wilding, and more.
Directed by: Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor Story by: David S Goyer Screenplay by: Scott M Gimple, Seth Hoffman, and David S Goyer Based on: The Marvel Comics Ghost Rider Original Music by: David Sardy
Premise: Johnny Blaze has been running from place to place, trying to deny the demon inside him access to the living world. When he's tracked down by an unusual, motorcycling priest, Johnny is given the first glimmer of hope that his curse could be brought to an end. But in order to get that chance, he has to help a young boy to a special sanctuary to keep him out of the Devil's hands. (Rating: PG-13)
Review: (Going to try a slightly different format this week, so please bear with me. If you like it, do let me know!)
1) Acting - Thumbs Up - Nicolas Cage was good as usual. And he did add just a little extra something during some cool transformation scenes. Enjoyed Idris Elba as Moreau. He was quirky and had just enough going where you couldn't tell if he was a good guy or a bad guy for a while. Violante Placido was convincing and Fergus Riordan was good with snark. It was swell to see Anthony Head and Christopher Lambert as well.
Ciaran Hinds always makes a great bad guy and does not disappoint. Johnny Whitworth was also fun as the unsuspecting baddie who gets a job that ends up involving more than he ever signed up for. Some good snark from him as well.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up - It's one thing to make a person look like a flaming skull with CGI, it's a whole other level to sell it to where it looks real. Special effect guys did an awesome job. A lot of the work was subtle but added up in a big way. They helped sell the effects and the story very well. Things like the smoke trails to the hell fire, the look of coated brimstone on the Rider's clothes, the cool LOST'esque chittering sounds advertising the Rider's arrival, and the reflection of the Ghost Rider on his target's eyes as he looked into the depths of their souls were a perfect touch to name a few.
The decomposition sequences were also nicely done. The paper cutouts for the flashbacks with voice over worked well. The giant Hellbagger was too awesome.
3) Plot - Thumbs Up - Simple and convincing, with the occasional unexpected turn. No major hiccups that I saw. The only one that seemed present is actually explained but indirectly. We're left to connect the dots on our own.
Some minor changes in the background info from the first film, but not enough to give anyone much trouble.
4) Stunts - Thumbs Up - Done off and on with a combination of special effects, they came across very well. A couple really helped convince the audience they were dealing with supernatural forces while making them still look natural and real. Some nice work here.
Explosions, car chases, chains, hell fire, gun play, a nice varied platter of fun.
5) Locations/Cinematography - Thumbs Up - Mainly in Romania and Turkey, the locations gave the needed authentication for ancient prophecy, which was a major driving point of the plot. Great panning shots of the different ruins or run down industrial areas were in abundance. Excellent touch ups on the sky views for subtle hints of the forces gathering around them as the time of the prophecy came near.
There were also some lens changes which created funky effects. Add that to some inventive filming and it made for several unique moments.
Conclusion: Overall, it was a fun and fast paced film. Fans of the comics should be well pleased with this new installment. You will also never think of flamethrowers in quite the same way again. I guarantee it. lol.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission.
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Starring: Nicolas Cage, Violante Placido, Ciaran Hinds, Idris Elba, Johny Whitworth, Fergus Riordan, Anthony Head, Christopher Lambert, Spencer Wilding, and more.
Directed by: Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor Story by: David S Goyer Screenplay by: Scott M Gimple, Seth Hoffman, and David S Goyer Based on: The Marvel Comics Ghost Rider Original Music by: David Sardy
Premise: Johnny Blaze has been running from place to place, trying to deny the demon inside him access to the living world. When he's tracked down by an unusual, motorcycling priest, Johnny is given the first glimmer of hope that his curse could be brought to an end. But in order to get that chance, he has to help a young boy to a special sanctuary to keep him out of the Devil's hands. (Rating: PG-13)
Review: (Going to try a slightly different format this week, so please bear with me. If you like it, do let me know!)
1) Acting - Thumbs Up - Nicolas Cage was good as usual. And he did add just a little extra something during some cool transformation scenes. Enjoyed Idris Elba as Moreau. He was quirky and had just enough going where you couldn't tell if he was a good guy or a bad guy for a while. Violante Placido was convincing and Fergus Riordan was good with snark. It was swell to see Anthony Head and Christopher Lambert as well.
Ciaran Hinds always makes a great bad guy and does not disappoint. Johnny Whitworth was also fun as the unsuspecting baddie who gets a job that ends up involving more than he ever signed up for. Some good snark from him as well.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up - It's one thing to make a person look like a flaming skull with CGI, it's a whole other level to sell it to where it looks real. Special effect guys did an awesome job. A lot of the work was subtle but added up in a big way. They helped sell the effects and the story very well. Things like the smoke trails to the hell fire, the look of coated brimstone on the Rider's clothes, the cool LOST'esque chittering sounds advertising the Rider's arrival, and the reflection of the Ghost Rider on his target's eyes as he looked into the depths of their souls were a perfect touch to name a few.
The decomposition sequences were also nicely done. The paper cutouts for the flashbacks with voice over worked well. The giant Hellbagger was too awesome.
3) Plot - Thumbs Up - Simple and convincing, with the occasional unexpected turn. No major hiccups that I saw. The only one that seemed present is actually explained but indirectly. We're left to connect the dots on our own.
Some minor changes in the background info from the first film, but not enough to give anyone much trouble.
4) Stunts - Thumbs Up - Done off and on with a combination of special effects, they came across very well. A couple really helped convince the audience they were dealing with supernatural forces while making them still look natural and real. Some nice work here.
Explosions, car chases, chains, hell fire, gun play, a nice varied platter of fun.
5) Locations/Cinematography - Thumbs Up - Mainly in Romania and Turkey, the locations gave the needed authentication for ancient prophecy, which was a major driving point of the plot. Great panning shots of the different ruins or run down industrial areas were in abundance. Excellent touch ups on the sky views for subtle hints of the forces gathering around them as the time of the prophecy came near.
There were also some lens changes which created funky effects. Add that to some inventive filming and it made for several unique moments.
Conclusion: Overall, it was a fun and fast paced film. Fans of the comics should be well pleased with this new installment. You will also never think of flamethrowers in quite the same way again. I guarantee it. lol.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission.
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