Gloria Oliver's Blog, page 68
February 24, 2014
Mind Sieve 2/24/14
Argh! Best laid plans and all that.
Had a blast at ConDFW at least. Heh heh
Guardians of the Galaxy Trailer - Oh this is going to be fun!
Ack! It won't let me share the Fencon X Flight Safety video. This is a total hoot, especially if you've ever attended any conventions. Heh heh.
Had a blast at ConDFW at least. Heh heh
Guardians of the Galaxy Trailer - Oh this is going to be fun!
Ack! It won't let me share the Fencon X Flight Safety video. This is a total hoot, especially if you've ever attended any conventions. Heh heh.
February 23, 2014
Virtual Tourist - Neverwinter 2/23/14
Morning, all!
Trying to be on the ball this week.
Neverwinter
Pirates Skyhold
Lots of lovely and weird greenery in this zone.
Bunches of small floating islands strung together with rope bridges.
And some interesting decorating!
The lizard men who live here have a huge agro range, so this is about the only way I could try and take a pic. lol.
View of another cluster of floating rocks/islands
An old building with flowering ivy. Pretty!
And no place could rightly be called an island of pirates without a skull mountain! Booyah! Looks awesome.
Suspicious grate. Might have something to do with how the islands are kept aloft?
More of the lovely ivy.
Look at the size of this sucker!
Ooo talk about unsafe looking steps! Eek!
See ya, Monday!
Trying to be on the ball this week.
Neverwinter
Pirates Skyhold
Lots of lovely and weird greenery in this zone.
Bunches of small floating islands strung together with rope bridges.
And some interesting decorating!
The lizard men who live here have a huge agro range, so this is about the only way I could try and take a pic. lol.
View of another cluster of floating rocks/islands
An old building with flowering ivy. Pretty!
And no place could rightly be called an island of pirates without a skull mountain! Booyah! Looks awesome.
Suspicious grate. Might have something to do with how the islands are kept aloft?
More of the lovely ivy.
Look at the size of this sucker!
Ooo talk about unsafe looking steps! Eek!
See ya, Monday!
February 21, 2014
Movie Review - RoboCop
RoboCop
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K Williams, K C Collins, Samuel L Jackson, Marianna Jean-Baptiste, Aimee Garcia, John Paul Ruttan, Zach Grenier, Patrick Garrow, Jennifer Ehle, Jay Baruchel, and more.
Directed by: José Padilha Screenplay by: Joshua Zetumer Based on the Original 1987 Screenplay by: Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner Cinematography by: Lula Carvalho Music by: Pedro Bromfman
Premise: Getting too close to criminal Antoine Vallon and the cops covering up his crimes, Alex Murphy inadvertently puts himself in the line of fire and is almost killed by a bomb. Omni Corp is trying to find a product that will appeal to the American public and help them bypass the current laws forbidding the sale of robots to law enforment, so they decide to try to make a cyborg, so all parties will get what they want. All they need is a worthy candidate, and Alex Murphy is the perfect candidate for their project. (Rated PG-13)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: There were so many unexpected but wonderful actors in this film. Joel Kinnaman was well cast as Alex Murphy/RoboCop; he showed great range in his emotions as Alex struggled to reconcile himself to his new way of life. Abbie Cornish did some marvelous work as Clara Murphy. Her distress, sorrow, and anger as she attempts to deal with what has happened to her husband were palpable. Gary Oldman as Dr. Dennett Norton was fun to watch as the philanthropist got dragged down the moral ladder due to pride. Michael Keaton was a blast as Raymond Sellars. (I especially enjoyed the in-joke reference to Batman with his preference of black.)
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The special effects work on the film was great. And they stayed faithful to the 1987 film giving homage throughout. The first time Murphy gets up and does the signature turn with the matching sound effects, I almost squealed in delight. Even keeping the big OCP ED 209 robots and making them look close to the originals. Yet it's the image of Alex Murphy when they strip away all the parts of his exoskeleton that will stay with you - a horrifying and yet totally fascinating sight. The little touches with the lungs but especially the throat make it very believable.
3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: Based on the original script of the 1987 film, in many ways they definitely improved it, but in others they didn't do as well. A lot of what made the first film were the little things in the background, the advertisements, the news commentary--they more than anything spoke of the decline of society and the type of world Murphy lived in. Not a lot of this is seen in the remake, though they did use the character of Pat Novak to get a lot of the same ideas across, even using it to poke at some of what we see right now in our own lives.
Plot wise though, there were many improvements. The seduction of Dr. Norton to the 'dark side' was one of them. Letting us see more of what Clara and David went through was another. Watching Sellars and his dream team wiggle around putting out fires or coming up with ideas was fun, too. The only cheap shot on the plot was the way they set up to have to drop Alex's humanity. Who in their right mind would decide it's a good idea to dump terabytes of information and video into someones brain five minutes before a televised conference? Especially since it's never been done before? But aside from that, I very enjoyed how they changed the script.
I also give them extra kuddos for daring to have someone change their minds and yet not stupidly say so to the bad guy's face and thus avoid painting a giant target on their chest.
4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: I'm not a fan of shaky cam, but at least they kept its use to a minimum. I'm happy to say it never became an issue. The stunt work looked good regardless, which is always a plus.
5) Music - Total Thumbs Up: Special thanks to the music department and Pedro Bromfman for using the original RoboCop theme and weaving it in and out of the film's score. Just as eclectic as the original soundtrack, this one has a lot to love about it.
Conclusion: RoboCop is worth watching by both fans of the original films and those new to the franchise. Plenty of nostalgia is sprinkled throughout the film for those who saw the 1987 version. Lots of good mental fodder to ponder afterwards. Also check out Omni Corp's website. Loved the Keynote.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again.)
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K Williams, K C Collins, Samuel L Jackson, Marianna Jean-Baptiste, Aimee Garcia, John Paul Ruttan, Zach Grenier, Patrick Garrow, Jennifer Ehle, Jay Baruchel, and more.
Directed by: José Padilha Screenplay by: Joshua Zetumer Based on the Original 1987 Screenplay by: Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner Cinematography by: Lula Carvalho Music by: Pedro Bromfman
Premise: Getting too close to criminal Antoine Vallon and the cops covering up his crimes, Alex Murphy inadvertently puts himself in the line of fire and is almost killed by a bomb. Omni Corp is trying to find a product that will appeal to the American public and help them bypass the current laws forbidding the sale of robots to law enforment, so they decide to try to make a cyborg, so all parties will get what they want. All they need is a worthy candidate, and Alex Murphy is the perfect candidate for their project. (Rated PG-13)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: There were so many unexpected but wonderful actors in this film. Joel Kinnaman was well cast as Alex Murphy/RoboCop; he showed great range in his emotions as Alex struggled to reconcile himself to his new way of life. Abbie Cornish did some marvelous work as Clara Murphy. Her distress, sorrow, and anger as she attempts to deal with what has happened to her husband were palpable. Gary Oldman as Dr. Dennett Norton was fun to watch as the philanthropist got dragged down the moral ladder due to pride. Michael Keaton was a blast as Raymond Sellars. (I especially enjoyed the in-joke reference to Batman with his preference of black.)
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The special effects work on the film was great. And they stayed faithful to the 1987 film giving homage throughout. The first time Murphy gets up and does the signature turn with the matching sound effects, I almost squealed in delight. Even keeping the big OCP ED 209 robots and making them look close to the originals. Yet it's the image of Alex Murphy when they strip away all the parts of his exoskeleton that will stay with you - a horrifying and yet totally fascinating sight. The little touches with the lungs but especially the throat make it very believable.
3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: Based on the original script of the 1987 film, in many ways they definitely improved it, but in others they didn't do as well. A lot of what made the first film were the little things in the background, the advertisements, the news commentary--they more than anything spoke of the decline of society and the type of world Murphy lived in. Not a lot of this is seen in the remake, though they did use the character of Pat Novak to get a lot of the same ideas across, even using it to poke at some of what we see right now in our own lives.
Plot wise though, there were many improvements. The seduction of Dr. Norton to the 'dark side' was one of them. Letting us see more of what Clara and David went through was another. Watching Sellars and his dream team wiggle around putting out fires or coming up with ideas was fun, too. The only cheap shot on the plot was the way they set up to have to drop Alex's humanity. Who in their right mind would decide it's a good idea to dump terabytes of information and video into someones brain five minutes before a televised conference? Especially since it's never been done before? But aside from that, I very enjoyed how they changed the script.
I also give them extra kuddos for daring to have someone change their minds and yet not stupidly say so to the bad guy's face and thus avoid painting a giant target on their chest.
4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: I'm not a fan of shaky cam, but at least they kept its use to a minimum. I'm happy to say it never became an issue. The stunt work looked good regardless, which is always a plus.
5) Music - Total Thumbs Up: Special thanks to the music department and Pedro Bromfman for using the original RoboCop theme and weaving it in and out of the film's score. Just as eclectic as the original soundtrack, this one has a lot to love about it.
Conclusion: RoboCop is worth watching by both fans of the original films and those new to the franchise. Plenty of nostalgia is sprinkled throughout the film for those who saw the 1987 version. Lots of good mental fodder to ponder afterwards. Also check out Omni Corp's website. Loved the Keynote.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again.)
February 19, 2014
Picture Kaleidoscope 2/19/14
You'll all be shocked! I'm running late! hah!
Snowstorm by Bartosz Dubiel at Earthshots.org Like the beginning of a quest or movie. :)
He's got more cool photography at his blog.
Secret Rapids by Matt Anderson. So surreal looking! Love it! He's also got some truly vibrant fall pictures too.
This Contest Winner Looks Like A Movie Poster (And That's Good) by Allen Murabayashi at PetaPixel. Photograph by john Stanmeyer. What's even funnier is what the article says this is a picture of. lol.
Enjoy!
Snowstorm by Bartosz Dubiel at Earthshots.org Like the beginning of a quest or movie. :)
He's got more cool photography at his blog.
Secret Rapids by Matt Anderson. So surreal looking! Love it! He's also got some truly vibrant fall pictures too.
This Contest Winner Looks Like A Movie Poster (And That's Good) by Allen Murabayashi at PetaPixel. Photograph by john Stanmeyer. What's even funnier is what the article says this is a picture of. lol.
Enjoy!
February 17, 2014
Mind Sieve 2/17/14
Welcome!
Chaos ruled the weekend so I missed blogging on Sunday.
Not sure it will be much better today, but who knows!
Hopefully you had a great Valentine's Day!
Mine could have been better...Sunday made up for a lot though. Heh heh.
Before I forget...Inner Demons currently has book give aways through 2/21/14. I tried them out once before for a month and while many people signed up to try to get one, there was little follow through later. I'm hoping 1 week will entice enough yet not be so long they forget they had an interest. Who knows! Luck is a fickle mistress.
Anyway, here they are in case you want to throw your name in. All I ask is if you win, please post a review (even if just stars) when you read it. (Sooner being better than later, since I'm trying to get some reviews for people to see.) :P
Sadly, the trade paperback on Amazon still hasn't worked in getting the book cover up. Makes this look a little sad, doesn't it?
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; background: white; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget img { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0; color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:visted { color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:hover { color: #660; text-decoration: underline !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink { display: block; width: 150px; margin: 10px auto 0 !important; padding: 0px 5px !important; text-align: center; line-height: 1.8em; color: #222; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; border: 1px solid #6A6454; border-radius: 5px; font-family:arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layo... background-repeat: repeat-x; background-color:#BBB596; outline: 0; white-space: nowrap; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover { background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layo... color: black; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; }
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Inner Demons by Gloria Oliver Giveaway ends February 21, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
At Librarything the giveaway list is here. Then just do a Control+F and type Inner Demons to get you to the right line. I do believe you have to have sign up to get giveaways for theirs.
Fan Fun
Joe Trailer - Looks like a darned if you do, darned if you don't film. lol.
Transcendence Trailer 2 - YEAH!
A Long Way Down International Trailer 1 - looks adorable!
Enemy Trailer - Creepy!
Okay, I think that's it. Yeppers, lame.... :P
Chaos ruled the weekend so I missed blogging on Sunday.
Not sure it will be much better today, but who knows!
Hopefully you had a great Valentine's Day!
Mine could have been better...Sunday made up for a lot though. Heh heh.
Before I forget...Inner Demons currently has book give aways through 2/21/14. I tried them out once before for a month and while many people signed up to try to get one, there was little follow through later. I'm hoping 1 week will entice enough yet not be so long they forget they had an interest. Who knows! Luck is a fickle mistress.
Anyway, here they are in case you want to throw your name in. All I ask is if you win, please post a review (even if just stars) when you read it. (Sooner being better than later, since I'm trying to get some reviews for people to see.) :P
Sadly, the trade paperback on Amazon still hasn't worked in getting the book cover up. Makes this look a little sad, doesn't it?
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; background: white; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget img { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0; color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:visted { color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:hover { color: #660; text-decoration: underline !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink { display: block; width: 150px; margin: 10px auto 0 !important; padding: 0px 5px !important; text-align: center; line-height: 1.8em; color: #222; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; border: 1px solid #6A6454; border-radius: 5px; font-family:arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layo... background-repeat: repeat-x; background-color:#BBB596; outline: 0; white-space: nowrap; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover { background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layo... color: black; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; }
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Inner Demons by Gloria Oliver Giveaway ends February 21, 2014. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
At Librarything the giveaway list is here. Then just do a Control+F and type Inner Demons to get you to the right line. I do believe you have to have sign up to get giveaways for theirs.
Fan Fun
Joe Trailer - Looks like a darned if you do, darned if you don't film. lol.
Transcendence Trailer 2 - YEAH!
A Long Way Down International Trailer 1 - looks adorable!
Enemy Trailer - Creepy!
Okay, I think that's it. Yeppers, lame.... :P
February 14, 2014
Movie Review - The Lego Movie
Lego Movie
Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Alison Brie, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, Nick Offerman, Keith Ferguson, Will Forte, Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, and more.
Directed by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Story by: Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman, Phil Lord, and Christopher Miller Screenplay by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Cinematography by: Barry Peterson and Pablo Plaisted Music by: Mark Mothersbaugh
Premise: Lord Business steals the world's greatest weapon from its guardian Vitruvius. Vitruvius warns Lord Business of a prophecy in which a very special person will discover an artifact, and with it bring him to ruin. Eight and a half years later, the one who was prophesied finally appears. Yet he's not exactly what anyone expected. (Rated PG)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: The film had a totally fun cast. Chris Pratt as the empty headed Emmet was fun. Elizabeth Banks made Wildstyle both tough and secretly insecure. But it was Batman, voiced by Will Arnett, who stole the show. His dry delivery of Batman's lines was perfect. Liam Neeson wasn't far behind with his rendition of Bad Cop/Good Cop. Recording for this film must have been a blast.
2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: Using Legos as a film medium was a stroke of genius. Between the versatility of all the things you can make with them and all the great colors, they made the imagination flow. Especially as we move from the seemingly normal city, to the other worlds also present in the Lego realm, but which had been cut off from each other by Lord Business and his mechanical minions. We're even teased with glimpses of even more amazing and different worlds than the ones we're eventually shown. (That was a Mark 5 I saw flash by, right?)
The Wild West area with it's canyons and Death Valley feel was great. Cloud Cuckooland was even more amazing and full of chaos. (I saw Ducky Momo!) The turbulent sea scene was awe inspiring not just in execution but in the amount of work that must have gone into creating that scene alone.
The animation itself moved smoothly and there's so much going on you can't keep track of it all. I aodred that even the usual intro slides on who made the film were done in Lego. Visual in-jokes and pop culture references from the 80's to modern times abounded. The range on the facial expressions was excellent and utterly complimented the voice acting.
3) Story - Total Thumbs Up: While the plot appears simple at first glance, it has a lot more going on than is immediately apparent. Emmet is also not the only one with things to learn about himself during the journey. And while several plot point resolutions are totally expected, others will catch the audience totally by surprise. I would say more, but I don't want to spoil it.
There are plenty of comedic moments, as well as in-jokes and pop culture references in the script. Long time followers of DC super heroes will find much to be amused by. Batman pretty much steals the show. (As he should.) He even wrote a song. Yes, Batman sings.
The old battle of a thousand wars is here as well - Chaos vs. Order. And in a world made with Legos, what could be more awesome?
Conclusion: "The Lego Movie" is a lot of fun. There's plenty there to keep the kids occupied and the adults amused. Yes, like it or not, you'll probably be singing the Awesome song by the time you go home. (You can pick from the Awesome, the Remix, Saloon, or the Unplugged versions!) Just to see all the amazing things they do with the Legos made the film worth going to see.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Alison Brie, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, Nick Offerman, Keith Ferguson, Will Forte, Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, and more.
Directed by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Story by: Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman, Phil Lord, and Christopher Miller Screenplay by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Cinematography by: Barry Peterson and Pablo Plaisted Music by: Mark Mothersbaugh
Premise: Lord Business steals the world's greatest weapon from its guardian Vitruvius. Vitruvius warns Lord Business of a prophecy in which a very special person will discover an artifact, and with it bring him to ruin. Eight and a half years later, the one who was prophesied finally appears. Yet he's not exactly what anyone expected. (Rated PG)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: The film had a totally fun cast. Chris Pratt as the empty headed Emmet was fun. Elizabeth Banks made Wildstyle both tough and secretly insecure. But it was Batman, voiced by Will Arnett, who stole the show. His dry delivery of Batman's lines was perfect. Liam Neeson wasn't far behind with his rendition of Bad Cop/Good Cop. Recording for this film must have been a blast.
2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: Using Legos as a film medium was a stroke of genius. Between the versatility of all the things you can make with them and all the great colors, they made the imagination flow. Especially as we move from the seemingly normal city, to the other worlds also present in the Lego realm, but which had been cut off from each other by Lord Business and his mechanical minions. We're even teased with glimpses of even more amazing and different worlds than the ones we're eventually shown. (That was a Mark 5 I saw flash by, right?)
The Wild West area with it's canyons and Death Valley feel was great. Cloud Cuckooland was even more amazing and full of chaos. (I saw Ducky Momo!) The turbulent sea scene was awe inspiring not just in execution but in the amount of work that must have gone into creating that scene alone.
The animation itself moved smoothly and there's so much going on you can't keep track of it all. I aodred that even the usual intro slides on who made the film were done in Lego. Visual in-jokes and pop culture references from the 80's to modern times abounded. The range on the facial expressions was excellent and utterly complimented the voice acting.
3) Story - Total Thumbs Up: While the plot appears simple at first glance, it has a lot more going on than is immediately apparent. Emmet is also not the only one with things to learn about himself during the journey. And while several plot point resolutions are totally expected, others will catch the audience totally by surprise. I would say more, but I don't want to spoil it.
There are plenty of comedic moments, as well as in-jokes and pop culture references in the script. Long time followers of DC super heroes will find much to be amused by. Batman pretty much steals the show. (As he should.) He even wrote a song. Yes, Batman sings.
The old battle of a thousand wars is here as well - Chaos vs. Order. And in a world made with Legos, what could be more awesome?
Conclusion: "The Lego Movie" is a lot of fun. There's plenty there to keep the kids occupied and the adults amused. Yes, like it or not, you'll probably be singing the Awesome song by the time you go home. (You can pick from the Awesome, the Remix, Saloon, or the Unplugged versions!) Just to see all the amazing things they do with the Legos made the film worth going to see.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
February 12, 2014
Picture Kaleidoscope 2/12/14 - The SciFi Expo 2014 Edition
Yeppers, last weekend was SciFi Expo!
I didn't see any of the stars (wah) but there were some really great costumes. And I probably only saw 10% of them.
Isn't that cool? He made it himself.
Super cool Green Hornet. :)
My daughter made several unique creations during the show. :)
Luke was well dressed for the shindig. It was super cold outside and the inside stayed that way most of Saturday. Eek!
Dead Spock from DuggGraves. Even has the ears. Heh heh
Doesn't the griffin just look fabulous?!
Scarecrow and the Joker. His mask was awesome!
This one is fantastic too. And the attitude totally sold it. Medusa!
Judge Dredd is in the house!
From the Princess Bride - the looked great! He even said "As you wish." But no threats from Indigo Montoya. Guess I didn't look like the guy who killed his father. Heh heh
Super blast from the past - She-ra!
Kiki from Kiki's delivery service. I spotted her with a broom earlier too.
Best part of this costume was how she sold it with attitude. So cute!
The Riddler - he was fabulous! Even hit us with a riddle.
Best Donna Noble look alike ever!
Our 4th Dalek mesh from Taylor Lymbery. Isn't she awesome? Meet Chief Cher Dalek. Hee!
More ChibiChains creations
These I loved so much, I stole them for myself. Bwahahahaha!
Here they are in bronze and red.
Another chainmailer definitely knew how to think outside the box. Aren't these adorable?
Chainmail dragons too! How cute!
With this great costume turnout at SciFi Expo, I can't wait to see what happens during Dallas ComicCon in May! (Stan Lee, William Shatner, and Nathan Fillion will be at this one!) Woot!
I didn't see any of the stars (wah) but there were some really great costumes. And I probably only saw 10% of them.
Isn't that cool? He made it himself.
Super cool Green Hornet. :)
My daughter made several unique creations during the show. :)
Luke was well dressed for the shindig. It was super cold outside and the inside stayed that way most of Saturday. Eek!
Dead Spock from DuggGraves. Even has the ears. Heh heh
Doesn't the griffin just look fabulous?!
Scarecrow and the Joker. His mask was awesome!
This one is fantastic too. And the attitude totally sold it. Medusa!
Judge Dredd is in the house!
From the Princess Bride - the looked great! He even said "As you wish." But no threats from Indigo Montoya. Guess I didn't look like the guy who killed his father. Heh heh
Super blast from the past - She-ra!
Kiki from Kiki's delivery service. I spotted her with a broom earlier too.
Best part of this costume was how she sold it with attitude. So cute!
The Riddler - he was fabulous! Even hit us with a riddle.
Best Donna Noble look alike ever!
Our 4th Dalek mesh from Taylor Lymbery. Isn't she awesome? Meet Chief Cher Dalek. Hee!
More ChibiChains creations
These I loved so much, I stole them for myself. Bwahahahaha!
Here they are in bronze and red.
Another chainmailer definitely knew how to think outside the box. Aren't these adorable?
Chainmail dragons too! How cute!
With this great costume turnout at SciFi Expo, I can't wait to see what happens during Dallas ComicCon in May! (Stan Lee, William Shatner, and Nathan Fillion will be at this one!) Woot!
February 10, 2014
Mind Sieve 2/10/14
Time got away from me and SciFi Expo was this past weekend, so this one will be shorter than usual.
Hope to get back on track for next week. :)
Spider-man 2 Enemies Unite Sizzle - Multiple villains? That has NEVER worked for films. Guess we'll see. (I don't understand why they keep doing it if it doesn't work!!!!)
Veronica Mars Theatrical Trailer - I've not seen the series. But after seeing this preview, I went and watched 2 episodes last night. lol. Should be fun!
Smitten - Simon's Cat Valentine Special - kinda cute!
Winter's Tale Official Trailer 2 - this should be fun.
Have a great day!
Hope to get back on track for next week. :)
Spider-man 2 Enemies Unite Sizzle - Multiple villains? That has NEVER worked for films. Guess we'll see. (I don't understand why they keep doing it if it doesn't work!!!!)
Veronica Mars Theatrical Trailer - I've not seen the series. But after seeing this preview, I went and watched 2 episodes last night. lol. Should be fun!
Smitten - Simon's Cat Valentine Special - kinda cute!
Winter's Tale Official Trailer 2 - this should be fun.
Have a great day!
February 9, 2014
Virtual Tourist - Dishonored 2/9/14
Morning! Running off in a bit to the last day of SciFi Expo!
Pics on Wednesday. Heh heh
Dishonored
Master Assassin
Mission 2
They've hid some of the power stones in sneaky places.
Dark and dreary
Railroaded prisoner
Why the mask? No idea. But boy does he want revenge against the lawyer. Heh heh
Some good ol' graffiti
This bust looks so smug. No?
Wind is howling and the clouds moving at a brisk pace.
Another altar to the Other. My compatriot is rather curious, wondering if she might hear him. I'm getting a rather strange suspicion about my companion.
He is pleased with how I took care of the previous dude, but is still saying I'm doomed.
Loved the detail on the cloth.
Closer view of the altar.
Found another power stone in Delilah's work room. Here's a statue of her.
And it talks! And moves! She's telling me to not get in her way. But killing the lawyer is okay. Hah!
Dome of her painting work. I like it!
Ornate fireplace. Room for the lawyers mother. He kept her from getting treatments so he could keep her in his thrall. What a nice guy!
And he's in the room with the white arrow. Need to figure out how to swipe some papers. Not going to be easy! Wheee!
Till next time!
Pics on Wednesday. Heh heh
Dishonored
Master Assassin
Mission 2
They've hid some of the power stones in sneaky places.
Dark and dreary
Railroaded prisoner
Why the mask? No idea. But boy does he want revenge against the lawyer. Heh heh
Some good ol' graffiti
This bust looks so smug. No?
Wind is howling and the clouds moving at a brisk pace.
Another altar to the Other. My compatriot is rather curious, wondering if she might hear him. I'm getting a rather strange suspicion about my companion.
He is pleased with how I took care of the previous dude, but is still saying I'm doomed.
Loved the detail on the cloth.
Closer view of the altar.
Found another power stone in Delilah's work room. Here's a statue of her.
And it talks! And moves! She's telling me to not get in her way. But killing the lawyer is okay. Hah!
Dome of her painting work. I like it!
Ornate fireplace. Room for the lawyers mother. He kept her from getting treatments so he could keep her in his thrall. What a nice guy!
And he's in the room with the white arrow. Need to figure out how to swipe some papers. Not going to be easy! Wheee!
Till next time!
February 7, 2014
Movie Review - Vampire Academy
Vampire Academy
Starring: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky, Gabriel Byrne, Dominic Sherwood, Olga Kurylenko, Sarah Hyland, Cameron Monaghan, Sami Gayle, Ashley Charles, Claire Foy, Joely Richardson, Dominique Tipper, and more.
Directed by: Mark Waters Screenplay by: Daniel Waters Based on the Novel by: Richelle Mead Cinematography by: Tony Pierce-Roberts Music by: Rolfe Kent
Premise: After a year living among normal people, Lissa Dragomir and her protector, Rose Hathaway, are found again by the Guardians of the Vampire Academy. Lissa and Rose are the only survivors of a terrible car accident two years prior. One which has made Lissa the sole remaining Dragomir, and one who is in line for the throne. Not that the way she's treated by everyone at the academy makes her feel like she's actually anyone important. But her special bond with Rose, which goes beyond their survival of the crash, might be the one thing which will keep her out of evil's clutches. (PG-13)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Zoey Deutch was so much fun as Rose Hathaway. As the main character, her delivery of Rose's 'snark' and general 'speak her mind' attitude gave the film a lot of zing. Lucy Fry played a very convincing Lissa, demure and reserved yet slowly flowering into the queen she might yet be. Dominic Sherwood did great as the first smitten, later spurned, then boyfriend and Rose's 'frienemie'. Sarah Hyland and Sami Gayle were very convincing as their roles slowly changed through the film.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Since the Moroi are magic wielders, this gave ample opportunities for the special effects department to show us some neat little special effects. The change in Rose's eyes whenever she tuned in to Lissa looked great. And so did the Strigoi - the truly undead vampires in this universe. Their wolves were all right, though most special effect groups do seem to have a hard time with them. But definite praise should be given for the transformation which occurs late in the film - it was so seamless you almost didn't even realize it happened. A very impressive piece of work.
3) Story - Total Thumbs Up: Viewers are rushed about a little as a lot of information is fed to us very fast. Rose's continued commentary, however, helps with the transition. For the short 104 minutes of the film and the amount of history needed to be imparted to viewers to give them a sense of the world they were viewing, the screenplay did a pretty good job. I've not read the series the film is based on, but overall I felt I was given enough information to have a decent 'clue' on what was going on and why.
This is film based on a young adult series, so it brings up a lot of the usual issues in high school, except these are between living, magic using vampires and the half breeds who protect them. But there's also deeper machinations going on, like the fact Rose was compelled to get her and Lissa to run away the year before in the first place.
It does take some getting used to to think of the vampires at the academy as being alive and of another, very dangerous group who are actually the true undead. But as with any good story, the obvious bad guys aren't always the ones you really need to worry about. Not at first.
4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Some neat training scenes and some definitely cooler combat scenes kept the stunt team quite busy. Add a few bits of magic later on, and the fights got even more of a kick.
Conclusion: "Vampire Academy" is a fast, fun ride. Some twists and turns and not all of them obvious. A cool introduction to a convoluted world.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
Starring: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky, Gabriel Byrne, Dominic Sherwood, Olga Kurylenko, Sarah Hyland, Cameron Monaghan, Sami Gayle, Ashley Charles, Claire Foy, Joely Richardson, Dominique Tipper, and more.
Directed by: Mark Waters Screenplay by: Daniel Waters Based on the Novel by: Richelle Mead Cinematography by: Tony Pierce-Roberts Music by: Rolfe Kent
Premise: After a year living among normal people, Lissa Dragomir and her protector, Rose Hathaway, are found again by the Guardians of the Vampire Academy. Lissa and Rose are the only survivors of a terrible car accident two years prior. One which has made Lissa the sole remaining Dragomir, and one who is in line for the throne. Not that the way she's treated by everyone at the academy makes her feel like she's actually anyone important. But her special bond with Rose, which goes beyond their survival of the crash, might be the one thing which will keep her out of evil's clutches. (PG-13)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Zoey Deutch was so much fun as Rose Hathaway. As the main character, her delivery of Rose's 'snark' and general 'speak her mind' attitude gave the film a lot of zing. Lucy Fry played a very convincing Lissa, demure and reserved yet slowly flowering into the queen she might yet be. Dominic Sherwood did great as the first smitten, later spurned, then boyfriend and Rose's 'frienemie'. Sarah Hyland and Sami Gayle were very convincing as their roles slowly changed through the film.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Since the Moroi are magic wielders, this gave ample opportunities for the special effects department to show us some neat little special effects. The change in Rose's eyes whenever she tuned in to Lissa looked great. And so did the Strigoi - the truly undead vampires in this universe. Their wolves were all right, though most special effect groups do seem to have a hard time with them. But definite praise should be given for the transformation which occurs late in the film - it was so seamless you almost didn't even realize it happened. A very impressive piece of work.
3) Story - Total Thumbs Up: Viewers are rushed about a little as a lot of information is fed to us very fast. Rose's continued commentary, however, helps with the transition. For the short 104 minutes of the film and the amount of history needed to be imparted to viewers to give them a sense of the world they were viewing, the screenplay did a pretty good job. I've not read the series the film is based on, but overall I felt I was given enough information to have a decent 'clue' on what was going on and why.
This is film based on a young adult series, so it brings up a lot of the usual issues in high school, except these are between living, magic using vampires and the half breeds who protect them. But there's also deeper machinations going on, like the fact Rose was compelled to get her and Lissa to run away the year before in the first place.
It does take some getting used to to think of the vampires at the academy as being alive and of another, very dangerous group who are actually the true undead. But as with any good story, the obvious bad guys aren't always the ones you really need to worry about. Not at first.
4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Some neat training scenes and some definitely cooler combat scenes kept the stunt team quite busy. Add a few bits of magic later on, and the fights got even more of a kick.
Conclusion: "Vampire Academy" is a fast, fun ride. Some twists and turns and not all of them obvious. A cool introduction to a convoluted world.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
