Gloria Oliver's Blog, page 26

Mind Sieve 7/11/16

Greetings all!Now that I figured out how to help with my upload issues the internet provider is having problems. Am I cursed? o.OSo needless to say this will be a short post.  Enjoy!
Inferno Official Trailer - should be fun!


Jack Reacher: Never Go Back Official Trailer - action action action!


Mechanic: Resurrection Official Trailer #1 - more action!


Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Official Trailer #2 - Should be a ton of fun.


May your week be fruitful and calm. :)

Virtual Tourist - Grim Fandango 7/10/16

Morning all!
Still slowly killing myself at the day job. Wheee!Grim Fandango
Year 1 Oh noes! Shifty eyed forger is trying to turn the tables. The gun there is one of those flower ones that kills the dead. Eek! At the lighthouse for a rendezvous!  Someone got to her first!  Not quite gone yet. But it is spreading. What a nasty way to redie. Back at the tattoo artist's place. Still icky! :P Oopsie! Someone go beddie bye. Heh heh. The plan is one step closer to fruition. The law is displeased. The plan continues apace! Such a fancy uniform for a 1 cop town. :P He's played right into my hands! Bwahahaha! He's shutting down Manny's club. Opulent office no? And so quick to hear of cash drying out. Now my buddy is out of the VIP lounge and we can move to the next step. Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!
Hope you have a lovely Sunday!

Movie Review - The Secret Life of Pets

The Secret Life of Pets


Starring: Louis C. K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Albert Brooks, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, Bobby Moynihan, Chris Renaud, Steve Coogan, Michael Beattie, and more.Directed by: Yarrow Cheney and Chris Renaud Written by: Cinco Paul, Ken Daurio, and Brian Lynch Art Direction by: Colin Stimpson Music by: Alexandre DesplatPremise: Max loves his owner. She is everything to him. Then one day she brings home a huge dog named Duke. They don't get along. Each tries to get rid of the other until they get in a situation they can't escape, except by relying on one another. If they survive, maybe they will make it back home. (Rated PG)Review:1) Voice Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Illumination picked a great cast for the film. Louis C.K. does a great job as Max. His love for his master and resentment at the intruder Duke rings clear. Eric Stonestreet also does a good job as the new dog, Duke. His warring need to fit in and be top dog was well played. Kevin Hart was a ton of fun as the rebellion leading bunny, Snowball. But it was Jenny Slate, Albert Brooks, and Lake Bell that brought the most fun to the table as Gidget, Tiberius, and Chloe. Gidget totally rocked! Dana Carvey was a hoot as Pops.2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: Illumination did awesome work as usual. The Minions Mowing story short at the beginning will have Minion fans rolling. One bit that was too cute was how the lawn gnome in the short ends up also being used during the main feature. They did several other cute segues to other Illumination films. The radio playing "Happy" which tied back to "Despicable Me 2". The poster on the back of a city bus for their next film "Sing". There are doubtless more of them to discover. :)The film pays lovely homage to the city of New York. The lovely pan across Central Park and the amazing night views from Max's apartment are but two of many amazing recreated sights. Nice work on the textures as well. They dealt with fur, feathers, scales, long hair, short hair, and even hairless. And there were plenty of lovely visual gags. Several will catch you off guard and you will find yourself laughing out loud. As that's normally rare for me, I was quite pleased. (The end of the viper sequence was a riot!)3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: Despite all the jillion commercials we've been pounded with for six months or more - they didn't give everything away. In fact, the story takes some unexpected sharp turns several times. And they didn't spoil the best jokes or moments. So there was a lot to still be discovered. Which was great!Max and Duke are rather nasty to each other when they're first forced to be together. So much so you almost don't want to root for either one. Eventually we get to know more about their true selves and we get on board. Much more surprising though was how the big heroes of the film aren't Max or Duke. The biggest hero is actually Gidget! Once she realizes Max has disappeared she is the driving force to finding a way to go look for him. Sweet puppy love! :)The Flushed Pets Rebels were a fun bunch. So were the feral cat gang. There were a lot of elements from the streets, older films/musicals, and pet behavior. It's amazing how it all came together so well. The Wiener King nirvana sequence will touch older audience members with weird psychedelic nostalgia. Even the song was perfect for the scene. Conclusion: The Secret Life of Pets is quirky, fun, and full of surprises. Lots of great laugh out loud moments for the kids and adults. There's a extra bit of fun during the end credits. :PRating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again.)

Picture Kaleidoscope - SoonerCon 2016

2016 is for some reason just a hard year. Simple things have become difficult - especially software. It is very odd.Anyway, finally getting the pics uploaded for  SoonerCon 2016 ! From the world of Pokemon! Even dead girls come to cons! :P So cute!  He's here to Punish you! :P Princess Deadpool and Friends! Not something you'll want to grow in your garden! Eek! Ye old fashioned tea vendor. Hot water, cups, and everything! :)Hope the rest of your week is fabulous!

Virtual Tourist - The Vanishing of Ethan Carter 7/3/16

Life has been one giant mass of CHAOS lately! Whee!
Been working a ton of hours at the day job. And doing conventions, and, and, and...
Sorry for the sporadic posting.The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
(Bought some Sea Banks to help with the dizziness I get from the game. Hopefully it will allow me to keep playing it. So pretty!) View from the closed rail road bridge. A look back the way I came. As you can see, the bridge is somewhat mangled. With the tracks bent, something pretty bad happened to it. View of the lake from the bridge. You can see a dam/bridge in the distance. Love the fog! Forest view from the bridge. Railroad small service engine. Will get to play with it late. :) Such lovely details! A trail of blood from the tracks. Aside from the traps, first real sign things are not well here. Shore of the lake after following the small trail by the blood. (Also found a dead body.) Traipsing through the woods looking for clues. Isn't the sky just gorgeous? Abandoned train station I ran across following the railroad tracks. Did I mention they have gorgeous views? Heh heh Getting closer to the bridge. Off overflow section? I've reached the bridge. There are houses downstream and on the other side. Maybe answers lie there.Hope you all have an awesome 4th of July Weekend! 

Movie Review - The Legend of Tarzan

The Legend of Tarzan



Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Christoph Waltz, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson, Rory J. Saper, Christian Stevens, Sidney Ralitsoele,  Djimon Hounsou, and more.Directed by: David Yates Screenplay and Story by: Adam Cozad and Craig Brewer Based on the Novels/Stories by: Edgar Rice Burroughs Cinematography by: Henry Braham Music by: Rupert Gregson-Williams Premise: Lord Greystoke is invited by the King of Belgium to tour the innovation and advances put in place in the Congo in Africa. Greystoke turns the invitation down. Until an American convinces him it would be the perfect cover to investigate growing rumors of slavery there. Unbeknownst to Greystoke (aka Tarzan) there is a deeper plot afoot - one in which he plays a major part. (Rated PG-13)Review:1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, Alexander Skarsgård, and Margot Robbie all gave great performances for the film. They made for a great cast combination.  Everyone involved did a great job. Due to how the story unfolds, Mr. Skarsgård show us different facets of Lord Greystoke. Including the battle he wages internally between the life his parents wanted for him and that which he lived in his youth. Margot Robbie plays the American raised in the Congo and Tarzan's love, Jane. Fighting her own battles during the adventure, Margot does a great job going toe-to-toe with Christoph Waltz. Samuel L. Jackson added a lot of the comedic touches as well as pulled out pieces of Tarzan's story for the audience. Watching him deal with his wounded pride as the 'ignorant natives' prove much more hardy and crafty than he expected was fun to watch.2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Multiple companies were employed for the special effects and they were well worth it. The gorillas, the elephants, the lions, they all looked fantastic. The head rubbing scene between Tarzan and a lioness he'd know as a cub was awesome to behold. (I was so jealous!) The Mangani apes were fabulous. Each was distinct enough the audience could easily tell which was which. Kala's, Kerchak's and Kala's ape son's expressions and body language spoke volumes. The scene with the ostriches was cool and a lot of fun. All the animals were amazing. The fog special effects in the region of Opar were very well done. Several explosions, a ton of bullets, and some massive destruction filled the special effects docket. :)But the most impressive special effect, in my opinion, had to do with Tarzan's hands. Living among the apes since he was a baby, Tarzan's muscles and bones developed differently from the human norm. The hands appear more like a gorilla's. Though an unspoken thread in the plot, the fact Kala gave him a rock to help him shape his hands so they could be more effective makes a large impact. It is quietly referenced several times and is a facet of his inner struggles. 3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: Per the Edgar Rice Burroughs website there have been 41 Tarzan films and 57 one-hour television episodes made. So rather than do the expected origin story in this film, the writers took a different route to get us acquainted with the characters. One that I think made the film different from other retellings and worked well to craft a good film. Rather than as the Lord of the Jungle, we meet John Clayton as Lord Greystoke. He's been years away from the Congo and has been serious in taking care of his duties as the heir of Greystoke. John has embraced the land of his birthright as if he'd never been anywhere else. He is refined, well educated, intelligent. With small flashes back to his time in the jungle, we do get bits about his origin. But they take a back seat to the overall story arc, so it enhances what is going on, but doesn't over shadow it.Jane's love for the people and country she was raised in was a lovely surprise. Her relationship with the small village her father taught in was bright and heartfelt. You could feel they were all family.There are hidden bits of homage and in-jokes sprinkled through the film for both the books and the previous films/tv shows. There are also bits of humor interspersed throughout. (My favorite was the warriors leaning out of the way on the back of the train. lol. You'll know when you see it. :) ) A lot of themes are explored. The meaning of family, not quite fitting in, what it is that makes us who we are, how actions have repercussions, and more. 4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: While many of the stunts are CGI, there were still plenty of real stunts to keep the department quite busy. Fights, gunplay, avoiding stampeding animals - they had plenty to keep them occupied.5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: Between several locations in England and those in Africa, there is much to delight the eyes. Add in some CGI and all the vistas were quite impressive. Long panned views of the grasslands, aerial shots of the jungle, or just pockets in the trees - every shot told its own story. In fact, towards the end, they actually do.6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: From presenting Lord Greystoke in his finery to slowly divesting him of clothes, the department did some nice costuming work. The makeup was excellent as well. They gave the different tribes their own distinct looks, helping to show their diversity. The work on Tarzan's bite from both the special effects and makeup department was outstanding. Conclusion: The Legend of Tarzan is a lovely new take on the old tale. There is lots of action, cool vistas, villains, and heroes.  All the fun things that have made Tarzan the icon he's been since the first story hit the stands back in 1912.Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Pay Full Price to See Again!)

Mind Sieve 6/20/16

Morning!




Fan Fun
Anthropoid Official Trailer - Oooh! Prague! 


Storks Official Trailer #2 - this looks so CUTE!


Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life Official Trailer #1 - this looks like it will be a BLAST! Lol.



Social Media/Author PlatformMonthly Newsletters/Blog Post from a couple of my publishers - It is social media! And helping promote them will also help promote me! :P Zumaya Publications - June 2016 News and Uncial Press Letter June 2016. :)

Launch Strategy: A Case Study in How to Move People to Action by Michael Stelzner at the Social Media Examiner. This is actually a little depressing. lol. I need me like 50 clones! :P



Writing AdviceGrammatical Malpractice by John E. McIntire at the Baltimore Sun. Oh! Very eye opening article.


Have a fabulous week!

Virtual Tourist - Final Fantasy XIV 6/19/16

Morning and a Happy Father's Day!Work is still crazy, but doing what I can.Final Fantasy XIV
Vesper Bay/Black Shroud/South Shroud Getting info!Little Solace These are Sylphs. Plant beings? They are super cute! Unique little homes of the Sylph.  Love the lamp and pole.  Inside one of the tree platforms Sylph closeup shot! Her name is Komuxio. Little Solace in daylight. You can see the tree platforms now. Buscarron - owner of Buscarron's Druthers. lol The outside of  Buscarron's Druthers. Sounds so naughty! lol Some neat looking ruins down there. Trent at rest...Shshshshsh Town of Quarry Mill Look at the weird twists on this road! lol.
Have an awesome Sunday!

Movie Review - Finding Dori

Finding Dori



Starring: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O'Neill, Kaitlin Olson, Hayden Rolence, Ty Burrell, Diane Keaton, Eugene, Levy, Sloane Murray, Idris Elba, and more.Directed by: Andrew Stanton and Angus MacLane Original Story by: Andrew Stanton Screenplay by: Andrew Stanton, Victoria Strouse, and Bob Peterson Cinematography by: Jeremy Lasky Music by: Thomas NewmanPremise: Dori has issues with her short term memory. A small accident causes her to remember things she'd forgotten from her childhood - like her parents. For a brief moment, she actually remembers where she came from. And Nemo keeps the name for her. Dori helped Marlin find his son when he was lost. Now Marlin and Nemo will help Dori to find her forgotten family. (Rated PG)Review:1) Voice Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Though it's been 13 years since "Finding Nemo" hit the theaters, you wouldn't know it from watching the sequel. Ellen DeGeneres and Albert Brooks reprise their roles as Dori and Marlin as if they'd never been away. Some of the characters from the first film make an appearance, but we're also introduced to a slew of new and memorable characters. Ed O'Neill was a ton of fun as the octopus named Hank. The kids will get a blast from his awesome chameleon powers. :) (They can also try to spot him during the first part of the end credits!)2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: "Piper" is the name of the short film that plays before the main feature of "Finding Dori". It is beyond adorable! And the animation for it was fantastic. The water, the bubbles, the sand and more were super detailed - the beach looked real. The birds, too. And Piper was so cute!
Here's a taste!

"Finding Dori" itself also had superb animation. Some lovely transitions between the ocean and surface worlds. Some 'jaw-dropping' moments as well. The art was phenomenal in several places. Did some fabulous work with textures, too. From Hank's pitted, semi-slimy skin to the hard tortoises shells, you could visually feel the textures. Great work!The end credits (stay all the way to the end!) have the algae filled water in the middle section and it is populated with all manner of species of fish who swim lazily by as the names roll past. The variety of fish represented was amazing. It was like going to the aquarium without ever leaving your seat. Kudos guys!And Becky was one weird, but fun bird. lol. (So was the third seal - even with those creepy, shifty eyes of his. Heh heh.)3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: When I heard they were doing a sequel to "Finding Nemo" and that it would center around Dori, I had my doubts as to what we would get. But my worry, much like Marlin's, was unnecessary. By introducing flashes of Dori's returning memories as events moved along, they got the audience invested in the quest and finding more about Dori. And we got a chance to see a side of Dori we'd not seen before. (She was also the cutest baby fish EVER!) As in the original, the film dives to different depths to explore themes and emotions during the story. There were some quite poignant moments which get revealed during the tale without being heavy handed. It also gave us a true taste of what it would feel like to have Dori's condition, and how strong and determined she truly is.A range of themes are woven through the film as well. The meaning of family, of belonging, perseverance, trust, friendship, and more. There are also all sorts of gags through the movie. Watching Hank moving through the MLI was a ton of fun. They even build on a few of the jokes in tiny bits - stay till the end of the credits for the final one. :)Conclusion: "Finding Dori" is a great sequel to "Finding Nemo". The animation is fabulous and there are lots of fun characters to fall in love with. You'll probably also find yourself thinking: "What would Dori do?" :)Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)

Picture Kaleidoscope - Fan Expo Dallas 6/15/16

Had meant to share these last week, but life has been mighty "interesting" so had to change plans.Have to do this quickly as I am drowning in work. :P Deadpool Chimichanga truck - the menu is a hoot! Geredos from Pokemon as a Chinese dragon! How cool! So Cute!A lot more pics at the Piwigo site. You can see them here.Out of time!