Gloria Oliver's Blog, page 77
September 20, 2013
Movie Review - The Family
The Family
Starring: Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dianna Agron, John D'Leo, Tommy Lee Jones, Jimmy Palumbo, Domenick Lombardozzi, Stan Carp, Vincent Pastore, John Freda, and more.
Directed by: Luc Besson Screenplay by: Luc Besson and Michael Caleo Based on the Book by: Tonino Benacquista Cinematography by: Thierry Arbogast Original Music by: Evgueni Galperine and Sacha Galperine
Premise: Adjusting to life under Witness Protection has not been easy for the four members of the Manzoni family. After being forced to evacuate yet another location, this time they end up in Normandy, France. Each of the family members try to do their best to fit in, but being normal is contrary to their natures and they get in trouble no matter what they do. Which might inadvertently call attention to them - and this could mean their lives. Don Luchese, the mob boss Manzoni helped put in jail, is desperate to find them to exact his revenge. (Rated R)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Robert De Niro was a lot of fun as the head of the dysfunctional Manzoni family. The tone he sets for the character and the reading of the memoirs he ends up writing were delightful. Michelle Pfeiffer clearly showed Maggie's disappointment with her current life, yet also the strong drive to make it work as best she can for her family. Even more fun was watching her subtle manipulations of the CIA agents assigned to them, so she can gather intelligence on those around them and more. Dianna Agron and John D'Leo just about upstaged their older counterparts. They were just too fun to watch. Tommy Lee Jones was a great foil for De Niro, their little conversations totally amusing. The family dog even had great parts.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Though at first it might not appear to be the kind of film needing a lot of special effects, there were definitely a lot of them. Between three different explosions and a second invasion of Normandy, the department was kept quite busy.
3) Story - Neutral: The premise for the story is great. And plenty of issues are covered in the film - from Italian bias, to expected American excess, to making fun of the French (the book the movie is based on is French - and picks on his own people), to bureaucrats that hurt others more than the mob ever could. The relationships built by the story and the motivations of the characters and how they all intermingled was definitely entertaining.
The way the family gets found by Don Luchese and how it had absolutely nothing to do with Manzoni (despite Agent Stansfield certainty to the contrary) only served to show the weirdness that is life.
The film has many mafia movie related jokes. A lot of the cast is from tons of other gangster films. There are even some Scorsese in-jokes as well (He was the executive producer of this film).
Where I felt the film let the audience down was in how it kept building and building and building suspense as they teased the audience not only about the family being found, but especially about there being unusual reasons as to why a perfect mobster like Manzoni had turned snitch. And while the film has a great payoff with regards to the being found angle, they were either much too subtle in giving the answer to the second big item, or possibly never gave it at all. They'd done so much to make us want to know what had driven Manzoni to turn on his mob family, then it was yanked away as if it held no importance whatsoever. This was very disappointing. So much so, it almost ruined the film for me as a viewer.
4) Music - Total Thumbs Up: Though there doesn't seem to be an available recording (at least not any that I could find) the background music for the film by Evgueni Galperine and Sacha Galperine was perfect. Their tracks had lots of fun variations on mobster or Italian themes with some other flavors thrown in. Very nice.
Conclusion: A fun, dark comedy with a nice action payoff - as long as you don't mind being teased and not given an answer on Manzoni's motivation. Though if you go see it knowing they're not going to tell you, you might end up enjoying it all the better.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
Starring: Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dianna Agron, John D'Leo, Tommy Lee Jones, Jimmy Palumbo, Domenick Lombardozzi, Stan Carp, Vincent Pastore, John Freda, and more.
Directed by: Luc Besson Screenplay by: Luc Besson and Michael Caleo Based on the Book by: Tonino Benacquista Cinematography by: Thierry Arbogast Original Music by: Evgueni Galperine and Sacha Galperine
Premise: Adjusting to life under Witness Protection has not been easy for the four members of the Manzoni family. After being forced to evacuate yet another location, this time they end up in Normandy, France. Each of the family members try to do their best to fit in, but being normal is contrary to their natures and they get in trouble no matter what they do. Which might inadvertently call attention to them - and this could mean their lives. Don Luchese, the mob boss Manzoni helped put in jail, is desperate to find them to exact his revenge. (Rated R)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Robert De Niro was a lot of fun as the head of the dysfunctional Manzoni family. The tone he sets for the character and the reading of the memoirs he ends up writing were delightful. Michelle Pfeiffer clearly showed Maggie's disappointment with her current life, yet also the strong drive to make it work as best she can for her family. Even more fun was watching her subtle manipulations of the CIA agents assigned to them, so she can gather intelligence on those around them and more. Dianna Agron and John D'Leo just about upstaged their older counterparts. They were just too fun to watch. Tommy Lee Jones was a great foil for De Niro, their little conversations totally amusing. The family dog even had great parts.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Though at first it might not appear to be the kind of film needing a lot of special effects, there were definitely a lot of them. Between three different explosions and a second invasion of Normandy, the department was kept quite busy.
3) Story - Neutral: The premise for the story is great. And plenty of issues are covered in the film - from Italian bias, to expected American excess, to making fun of the French (the book the movie is based on is French - and picks on his own people), to bureaucrats that hurt others more than the mob ever could. The relationships built by the story and the motivations of the characters and how they all intermingled was definitely entertaining.
The way the family gets found by Don Luchese and how it had absolutely nothing to do with Manzoni (despite Agent Stansfield certainty to the contrary) only served to show the weirdness that is life.
The film has many mafia movie related jokes. A lot of the cast is from tons of other gangster films. There are even some Scorsese in-jokes as well (He was the executive producer of this film).
Where I felt the film let the audience down was in how it kept building and building and building suspense as they teased the audience not only about the family being found, but especially about there being unusual reasons as to why a perfect mobster like Manzoni had turned snitch. And while the film has a great payoff with regards to the being found angle, they were either much too subtle in giving the answer to the second big item, or possibly never gave it at all. They'd done so much to make us want to know what had driven Manzoni to turn on his mob family, then it was yanked away as if it held no importance whatsoever. This was very disappointing. So much so, it almost ruined the film for me as a viewer.
4) Music - Total Thumbs Up: Though there doesn't seem to be an available recording (at least not any that I could find) the background music for the film by Evgueni Galperine and Sacha Galperine was perfect. Their tracks had lots of fun variations on mobster or Italian themes with some other flavors thrown in. Very nice.
Conclusion: A fun, dark comedy with a nice action payoff - as long as you don't mind being teased and not given an answer on Manzoni's motivation. Though if you go see it knowing they're not going to tell you, you might end up enjoying it all the better.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
September 18, 2013
Picture Kaleidoscope 9/18/13
I'm late! Sorry about that. Been one of those weeks... :)
Now that the year is moving toward the end, I can start taking sunrise pics again! Sweet.
Some mornings are almost too beautiful to believe.
Texas has an awesome array of clouds and colors
Game of Thrones, anyone?
This is a pic of some construction in The Colony, TX. It's for a big project called GrandScape. The Nebraska Furniture Mart is going to be the cornerstone of the zone. 400+ acres! These pics are only of the distribution center and store for NFM. This project is just HUGE!
HUGE!!!
Have an awesome day!
Now that the year is moving toward the end, I can start taking sunrise pics again! Sweet.
Some mornings are almost too beautiful to believe.
Texas has an awesome array of clouds and colors
Game of Thrones, anyone?
This is a pic of some construction in The Colony, TX. It's for a big project called GrandScape. The Nebraska Furniture Mart is going to be the cornerstone of the zone. 400+ acres! These pics are only of the distribution center and store for NFM. This project is just HUGE!
HUGE!!!
Have an awesome day!
September 16, 2013
Mind Sieve 9/16/13
Morning!
Supernatural Season 8 Gag Reel and a cute article by Michelle Carlbert on it at SheKnows.com.
Homefront Official Trailer - Man, talk about something getting way out of hand. Eek!
Grudge Match trailer - oh yeah Rocky 30 lol. Actually this looks really cute. A ton of Rocky jokes and more too. Stallone vs DeNiro. Heh heh heh.
Escape From Tomorrow trailer - this one look WEIRD!
Facebook AD Changes: This Week in Social Media by Cindy King at Social Media Explorer. The part about Google and Wordpress.com will probably make a lot of you very happy. :)
Why I don't Like to Negatively Review Other Authors' Books by Chuck (NSFW) Wendig. I have to pretty much agree with this!
And he's on a roll too! For here's his 25 Steps To Edit The Unmerciful Suck Out of Your Story from Chuck (NSFW) Wendig. Great stuff. I've had to set aside crits for weeks before I dared look again. It's always when you think the 'baby' is good that 'BAM - Surprise!' you find out it had giant holes all over it. Waaaahhhhhh!
Supernatural Season 8 Gag Reel and a cute article by Michelle Carlbert on it at SheKnows.com.
Homefront Official Trailer - Man, talk about something getting way out of hand. Eek!
Grudge Match trailer - oh yeah Rocky 30 lol. Actually this looks really cute. A ton of Rocky jokes and more too. Stallone vs DeNiro. Heh heh heh.
Escape From Tomorrow trailer - this one look WEIRD!
Facebook AD Changes: This Week in Social Media by Cindy King at Social Media Explorer. The part about Google and Wordpress.com will probably make a lot of you very happy. :)
Why I don't Like to Negatively Review Other Authors' Books by Chuck (NSFW) Wendig. I have to pretty much agree with this!
And he's on a roll too! For here's his 25 Steps To Edit The Unmerciful Suck Out of Your Story from Chuck (NSFW) Wendig. Great stuff. I've had to set aside crits for weeks before I dared look again. It's always when you think the 'baby' is good that 'BAM - Surprise!' you find out it had giant holes all over it. Waaaahhhhhh!
September 15, 2013
Virtual Tourist - Neverwinter 9/15/13
Morning!
Neverwinter
Cemetery Section
Some nice purple flowers!
Love all the great creepy components. :)
They even have lichen/mold - the artists really go all out.
One neat thing about stopping to take virtual photos is that it makes me look around. And added bonus is that it helps me find stuff hubby missed on his previous times around. Heh heh
The light coming down was almost a shield of sorts.
While turning on clocks to get to the area we needed before the bad guys found a way through, we were sent to a shadowrealm to find several to activate. Watchmakers guild around here is super hard core!
So gloomy!
Look real hard at the area with the sun. The black cloud beside it is actually being generated by a dragon flying across the sky. You can see it's head and one wing on the left of the cloud.
A player dress. Had seen it in white, but not red. Not sure why she's glowing though. Heh
So deliciously creepy. Notice the shield on the right - Watchmaker's symbol.
Better close up of the Watchemaker's building.
I so LOVED this! A glass floor clock face with the clock gears below - beautiful!
The shaft ran up from the clockface to the ceiling. Gorgeous.
As we keep setting and turning on clocks, secret doors are revealed into long unused corridors. Look at the giant gears!
One of the clocks after we started it up. Water driven even!
More of the insanely sized clock works here.
Another opened dark passage.
This looked totally cool. The ward actually turns like a clock. :)
The baddie we were trying to beat here still beat us. Her goal? The blue dragon on the right. The goal we didn't know about? Getting the information on how to create a Dracolich. She teleported out with her gains before we could do anything.
She did leave us a present though. A giant poisonous spider to play with. o.O
Final clock face. Isn't it the coolest?
There's just so much awesome stuff out in the world!
Neverwinter
Cemetery Section
Some nice purple flowers!
Love all the great creepy components. :)
They even have lichen/mold - the artists really go all out.
One neat thing about stopping to take virtual photos is that it makes me look around. And added bonus is that it helps me find stuff hubby missed on his previous times around. Heh heh
The light coming down was almost a shield of sorts.
While turning on clocks to get to the area we needed before the bad guys found a way through, we were sent to a shadowrealm to find several to activate. Watchmakers guild around here is super hard core!
So gloomy!
Look real hard at the area with the sun. The black cloud beside it is actually being generated by a dragon flying across the sky. You can see it's head and one wing on the left of the cloud.
A player dress. Had seen it in white, but not red. Not sure why she's glowing though. Heh
So deliciously creepy. Notice the shield on the right - Watchmaker's symbol.
Better close up of the Watchemaker's building.
I so LOVED this! A glass floor clock face with the clock gears below - beautiful!
The shaft ran up from the clockface to the ceiling. Gorgeous.
As we keep setting and turning on clocks, secret doors are revealed into long unused corridors. Look at the giant gears!
One of the clocks after we started it up. Water driven even!
More of the insanely sized clock works here.
Another opened dark passage.
This looked totally cool. The ward actually turns like a clock. :)
The baddie we were trying to beat here still beat us. Her goal? The blue dragon on the right. The goal we didn't know about? Getting the information on how to create a Dracolich. She teleported out with her gains before we could do anything.
She did leave us a present though. A giant poisonous spider to play with. o.O
Final clock face. Isn't it the coolest?
There's just so much awesome stuff out in the world!
September 13, 2013
Movie Review - Riddick
Riddick
Starring: Vin Diesel, Jordi Mollà, Matt Nable, Katee Sackhoff, Dave Bautista, Bokeem Woodbine, Raoul Trujillo, Conrad Pla, Danny Blanco Hall, Noah Danby, Neil Napier, Nolan Gerard Funk, Karl Urban, Keri Hilson.
Directed by: David Twohy Written by: David Twohy Based on Characters Created by: Jim Wheat and Ken Wheat Cinematography by: David Eggby Original Music by: Graeme Revell
Premise: Betrayed by the people he ruled, Riddick finds himself stranded on a merciless world filled with predators. Surviving despite the odds, he finally spots a foe he won't be able to beat. Running across an old mercenary outpost, he triggers the emergency beacon for a rescue. The downside is that he's still a wanted man in this side of the galaxy, so getting the mercs who'll be coming after him to cooperate, won't be easy. Especially when the bounty on his head will be doubled if he's brought in dead. (Rated R)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Vin Diesel plays Riddick once again. This Riddick goes back to the basics. Vin Diesel used the cool shiny eyes to great effect in this film, adding a subliminal extra layer to his acting because of them. His deadpan delivery worked extremely well in several surprisingly cute, comedic moments. Jordi Mollà gave Santana a sense of complexity, showing competence and bravery going hand-in-hand with leers and immorality. Matt Nable was fun to watch as he moved through the beginning of the film as cool, ordered, and in control to finally revealing why he'd come to the far off world - and how the telling of it, showed the true conflict hidden inside. Katee Sackhoff pulled off being super tough and also feminine with great aplomb. I do have to wonder if her name Dahl, which they all pronounced as 'Doll' was some kind of joke in and of itself.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: I loved the creatures the special effects department came up with for the isolated world. The 'dogs' were fascinating - a cross between a hyena and a great dane. Even more fascinating were the guardian beasts, with their long tails with blades and air holes to mimic a face and keep the prey distracted. Nasty little things.
Inventive and varied weapons added variety to the normal assortment of handguns and knives. It was interesting comparing 'the rich' mercenary toys and the more 'average Joe' equipment. Even the ships owned by each group were of similar makes, yet markedly different at the same time. The weird motorcycles with horse saddles, and which seemed to move a lot like horses, were very interesting. The CGI didn't mesh as well with the bikes as with some of the other effects, but were still very cool.
The planet itself was fascinating. It had obviously gone through some great calamity long ago, the remnants of a bygone era still visible here and there.
3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: I haven't seen the two previous Riddick films (and the animated shorts) in some time, so I was fuzzy on specifics of the backstory, but it's not really necessary to have seen the previous films to enjoy this one. For people with no knowledge about the character, this might actually work in their favor as they will feel more of the pressure Johns is under as he tries to make out the truth about Riddick. But for those who do know the story and the other films, it would probably be worth while to rewatch both "Pitch Black" and "The Chronicles of Riddick" before seeing "Riddick" as both are touched on in this new section of the character's evolving tale.
A lot of things are hidden in the background and are never actually spoken of, so keeping an eye out and actually studying the cave paintings, will tell you much. I did miss a few, but those I did notice gave me the sense the guardian creatures were made and somehow later got away from their maker's control. Also, if you look at the eyes of the 'dog', they're both different, but one actually looks human. So there's a chance the 'dogs' were actually the sentient dominant race at some point. They're definitely smart, even in their current state.
Something else possibly implied, but never shown, is that the planet has a population of large herbivores. Riddick at one point has a giant leg he's using for emergency rations. By making the assumption it came from something large, it is then understood how the world could support the large number of 'dogs' and guardians that we see. I wish they'd shown one at some point so those watching could be sure. It would have easy to do, just show one or two giant herbivores walking off on one of those spanning sweeps across the surface. The simple glimpse would have explained how the planet could support the current lifeforms. Sadly, though, they didn't.
Two major weak points in the overall plot - 1) To avoid what was coming, why didn't Riddick just continue on his journey? If he'd avoided the path of the storm, he would have been safe. 2) While most of the character motivation made perfect sense, Diaz's at the last part of the movie did not. Turning against Riddick would have been understandable, but not with what he actually did.
I did totally love the mind twisting scene of "Fair Trade'. It was a beautiful ploy. Well played. The film had several instances of this type of mental combat. Loved them.
4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Though Vin Diesel ends up fighting a lot of CGI, all the battles looked smooth and were well choreographed. The fight with Johns, Riddick, and the guardians was a great scene.
5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The views of different parts of the world the story takes place at were mesmerizing. The location looks and feels very different from what we know, which added a lot of flavor to the film. These were even enhanced as we got to see several of these as how Riddick actually saw them with his special eyes. Even after he finds a kinder area on the planet, it still looked harsh. There was no denying he was the sole humanoid on that planet.
Conclusion: If you can see past the few flaws, "Riddick" is quite entertaining. Cool toys and cool gear, as well as some surprisingly funny or suspenseful moments, will make the experience worthwhile.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
Below is a treat I found while looking for info on the movie. The voice over is pretty much what you get at the beginning of the movie, but this has more a bit more story to it. Enjoy!
Starring: Vin Diesel, Jordi Mollà, Matt Nable, Katee Sackhoff, Dave Bautista, Bokeem Woodbine, Raoul Trujillo, Conrad Pla, Danny Blanco Hall, Noah Danby, Neil Napier, Nolan Gerard Funk, Karl Urban, Keri Hilson.
Directed by: David Twohy Written by: David Twohy Based on Characters Created by: Jim Wheat and Ken Wheat Cinematography by: David Eggby Original Music by: Graeme Revell
Premise: Betrayed by the people he ruled, Riddick finds himself stranded on a merciless world filled with predators. Surviving despite the odds, he finally spots a foe he won't be able to beat. Running across an old mercenary outpost, he triggers the emergency beacon for a rescue. The downside is that he's still a wanted man in this side of the galaxy, so getting the mercs who'll be coming after him to cooperate, won't be easy. Especially when the bounty on his head will be doubled if he's brought in dead. (Rated R)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Vin Diesel plays Riddick once again. This Riddick goes back to the basics. Vin Diesel used the cool shiny eyes to great effect in this film, adding a subliminal extra layer to his acting because of them. His deadpan delivery worked extremely well in several surprisingly cute, comedic moments. Jordi Mollà gave Santana a sense of complexity, showing competence and bravery going hand-in-hand with leers and immorality. Matt Nable was fun to watch as he moved through the beginning of the film as cool, ordered, and in control to finally revealing why he'd come to the far off world - and how the telling of it, showed the true conflict hidden inside. Katee Sackhoff pulled off being super tough and also feminine with great aplomb. I do have to wonder if her name Dahl, which they all pronounced as 'Doll' was some kind of joke in and of itself.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: I loved the creatures the special effects department came up with for the isolated world. The 'dogs' were fascinating - a cross between a hyena and a great dane. Even more fascinating were the guardian beasts, with their long tails with blades and air holes to mimic a face and keep the prey distracted. Nasty little things.
Inventive and varied weapons added variety to the normal assortment of handguns and knives. It was interesting comparing 'the rich' mercenary toys and the more 'average Joe' equipment. Even the ships owned by each group were of similar makes, yet markedly different at the same time. The weird motorcycles with horse saddles, and which seemed to move a lot like horses, were very interesting. The CGI didn't mesh as well with the bikes as with some of the other effects, but were still very cool.
The planet itself was fascinating. It had obviously gone through some great calamity long ago, the remnants of a bygone era still visible here and there.
3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: I haven't seen the two previous Riddick films (and the animated shorts) in some time, so I was fuzzy on specifics of the backstory, but it's not really necessary to have seen the previous films to enjoy this one. For people with no knowledge about the character, this might actually work in their favor as they will feel more of the pressure Johns is under as he tries to make out the truth about Riddick. But for those who do know the story and the other films, it would probably be worth while to rewatch both "Pitch Black" and "The Chronicles of Riddick" before seeing "Riddick" as both are touched on in this new section of the character's evolving tale.
A lot of things are hidden in the background and are never actually spoken of, so keeping an eye out and actually studying the cave paintings, will tell you much. I did miss a few, but those I did notice gave me the sense the guardian creatures were made and somehow later got away from their maker's control. Also, if you look at the eyes of the 'dog', they're both different, but one actually looks human. So there's a chance the 'dogs' were actually the sentient dominant race at some point. They're definitely smart, even in their current state.
Something else possibly implied, but never shown, is that the planet has a population of large herbivores. Riddick at one point has a giant leg he's using for emergency rations. By making the assumption it came from something large, it is then understood how the world could support the large number of 'dogs' and guardians that we see. I wish they'd shown one at some point so those watching could be sure. It would have easy to do, just show one or two giant herbivores walking off on one of those spanning sweeps across the surface. The simple glimpse would have explained how the planet could support the current lifeforms. Sadly, though, they didn't.
Two major weak points in the overall plot - 1) To avoid what was coming, why didn't Riddick just continue on his journey? If he'd avoided the path of the storm, he would have been safe. 2) While most of the character motivation made perfect sense, Diaz's at the last part of the movie did not. Turning against Riddick would have been understandable, but not with what he actually did.
I did totally love the mind twisting scene of "Fair Trade'. It was a beautiful ploy. Well played. The film had several instances of this type of mental combat. Loved them.
4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Though Vin Diesel ends up fighting a lot of CGI, all the battles looked smooth and were well choreographed. The fight with Johns, Riddick, and the guardians was a great scene.
5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The views of different parts of the world the story takes place at were mesmerizing. The location looks and feels very different from what we know, which added a lot of flavor to the film. These were even enhanced as we got to see several of these as how Riddick actually saw them with his special eyes. Even after he finds a kinder area on the planet, it still looked harsh. There was no denying he was the sole humanoid on that planet.
Conclusion: If you can see past the few flaws, "Riddick" is quite entertaining. Cool toys and cool gear, as well as some surprisingly funny or suspenseful moments, will make the experience worthwhile.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
Below is a treat I found while looking for info on the movie. The voice over is pretty much what you get at the beginning of the movie, but this has more a bit more story to it. Enjoy!
September 11, 2013
Picture Kaleidoscope 9/11/13 - WorldCon Pt 2
WorldCon (LoneStarCon 3) pt 2!Camera pics
Really did have a lovely view from the hotel room.
Lots of interesting architecture.
And of course, a lovely view of the river walk.
This is one of my favorite pics.
No idea what this building is. But I loved the green.
Some old world style stuff. Not what you'd expect to find this far south in Texas. :P
Weird but super cool looking lamp at the hotel!
Now this is more like Texas. heh heh
I braved the river walk the first day. Never had time later!
I wanted a pic of this bridge, but people just kept coming and coming and coming!
Goth! They have Goth stuff in San Antonio! o.O Later found out it is a German built church. They brought a little of home with them. :)
Just like the ones in Puerto Rico! They even had the yellow daisy like ones. (Never did get a pic though...)
Like I said, interesting architecture all over the place.
Each section of the river walk was made unique in some way. Kind of cool!
My attempt to get a pic of the ducks?
Different outside pics of the Convention Center.
They had some cool exhibits inside LoneStarCon 3.
From Heinlein's Have Spacesuit Will Travel. Hee!
Game of Thrones Throne - a very popular spot once the doors opened. heh heh
Never made it back to really look at it more. But seemingly this chaos generator engine was added onto by convention peeps during the weekend. Neat stuff!
Have a great day!
Really did have a lovely view from the hotel room.
Lots of interesting architecture.
And of course, a lovely view of the river walk.
This is one of my favorite pics.
No idea what this building is. But I loved the green.
Some old world style stuff. Not what you'd expect to find this far south in Texas. :P
Weird but super cool looking lamp at the hotel!
Now this is more like Texas. heh heh
I braved the river walk the first day. Never had time later!
I wanted a pic of this bridge, but people just kept coming and coming and coming!
Goth! They have Goth stuff in San Antonio! o.O Later found out it is a German built church. They brought a little of home with them. :)
Just like the ones in Puerto Rico! They even had the yellow daisy like ones. (Never did get a pic though...)
Like I said, interesting architecture all over the place.
Each section of the river walk was made unique in some way. Kind of cool!
My attempt to get a pic of the ducks?
Different outside pics of the Convention Center.
They had some cool exhibits inside LoneStarCon 3.
From Heinlein's Have Spacesuit Will Travel. Hee!
Game of Thrones Throne - a very popular spot once the doors opened. heh heh
Never made it back to really look at it more. But seemingly this chaos generator engine was added onto by convention peeps during the weekend. Neat stuff!
Have a great day!
September 9, 2013
Mind Sieve 9/9/13
Welcome!
Sorry I didn't have a post last week. Just didn't have time. I'd hoped I could sneak it in while at WorldCon, but that didn't work out. Actually, that I only missed one post is probably a miracle. :P
Robocop Official Trailer 2014 - Oooo! And I do love the black. What's funny is the in-joke about who's picking the color - Batman. lol.
Under The Skin Trailer - Talk about a super creepy trailer! Dang!
Thor: The Dark World Official Trailer 2 - News stuff in this one. Sweet!
LEGO The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - ROFL! The Hobbit Trailer done with Legos. AWESOME!
14 Social Media Tools Used by Marketing Pros from Social Media Examiner
Tips To Make US Stronger Authors from Kristen Lamb. It really is a scary world out there...
Writing Resources from Gene Lempp for 07 September 2013. He also has a great post on Structural Flexibility: Time and Productivity #2.
Ack, mean old headache. Closing now. Have an awesome Monday!
Sorry I didn't have a post last week. Just didn't have time. I'd hoped I could sneak it in while at WorldCon, but that didn't work out. Actually, that I only missed one post is probably a miracle. :P
Robocop Official Trailer 2014 - Oooo! And I do love the black. What's funny is the in-joke about who's picking the color - Batman. lol.
Under The Skin Trailer - Talk about a super creepy trailer! Dang!
Thor: The Dark World Official Trailer 2 - News stuff in this one. Sweet!
LEGO The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - ROFL! The Hobbit Trailer done with Legos. AWESOME!
14 Social Media Tools Used by Marketing Pros from Social Media Examiner
Tips To Make US Stronger Authors from Kristen Lamb. It really is a scary world out there...
Writing Resources from Gene Lempp for 07 September 2013. He also has a great post on Structural Flexibility: Time and Productivity #2.
Ack, mean old headache. Closing now. Have an awesome Monday!
September 8, 2013
Tales From A Lone Star Anthology - Excerpt from the original story "The Tower"
Now that the Future Classics Anthology Tales From a Lone Star is out, I figured I'd give you guys a taste of one my contributions. "The Tower" is a brand new story just for the anthology.
Here's a taste of "The Tower":
As Lorne skulked towards his faceless victim in his dream, Sharrah watched from the shadows. Jules, the Tower's organic computer, fed her bursts of compressed information, which Sharrah compiled in her mind, waiting for the moment to strike. With a cruel smile, the burly boy grabbed the cloaked figure from behind and twisted him around, punching him in the stomach. Lorne then pulled back the cloak's hood, his excitement reaching its peak. Taking command of the bully's dream, Sharrah changed the parameters. The terrified face of the young boy under the cloak suddenly turned hard. His body grew in size until he towered over Lorne, his expression mirroring the latter's exactly. This was the sixteen year old's hundredth session. And while previous sessions had at least stemmed the extent of the fantasies he played out while awake, the lessons and empathy she'd tried to instill in him weren't taking permanent hold. This time, she would let it run its full course. Lorne tried to pull away as he realized things had changed, but it was too late. The victim now turned predator had him in a tight grip. "I'm going to indulge you with all those marvelous things you had planned for me. Won't that be fun?" It wasn't long before the screaming started. It was the one thing she hated about her duty – the awful screaming. Not that they'd have cause to scream if they'd just learn their lessons. Despite the two centuries she'd intruded into others' dreams and guided them, taught them -- when those who'd earned the nightmares struggled to wake, when they had to experience the very things they'd hoped to inflict, they screamed. And though they deserved it, when they did, it made guilt grate her soul. Extraction sequence complete. Sharrah opened her eyes, though she had no real need to do so in order to able to see what was around her. With the semi opaque cover over the Thought Union Bath, or TUB, not using her own eyes would let her see better, but sometimes you just had to do without the ocular feeds. She stared at the cover for a while without actually seeing it, then finally sighed and sent the mental command for it to open. The thought travelled from her to the green gel covering most of her body on out through the TUB’s interface and into the Tower’s organic mainframe. The cover slid back almost simultaneously, the speed of transference one of the miraculous properties of the gel and the TUB. She stared at the room's dark ceiling, procrastinating against what she knew must come next. Yet she never tired of this sight – of seeing the dark metal above her, of the twinkling, multicolored lights flashing through it, each one a life, a thought, a memory of those living and of those who’d come before. There had once been billions of them - breathing, living, loving, hating - who now were no more. Those who’d come from Before – a millennia ago, much farther back than her own extended existence. Is everything all right? Do you require assistance? Sharrah flexed her throat a moment, forcing herself to speak, though her communications implant would have worked just as well. "I'm fine, Jules." Sighing, she caved to the inevitable and raised her hand out of the gel. It slewed off her hand and arm like water, though beneath and to the sides it felt almost solid, just one of the many odd properties of the compound. She grabbed the side of the tank and pulled herself up, assisted by Jules, who remolded part of the container’s bottom to prop her up. The first few moments out of the gel always seemed to seep the heat away from her, leaving her shivering with cold. Grunting with effort, she half climbed, half slipped out of the TUB. Her joints feeling stiffer than usual, she hobbled to the fresher. She’d stayed in too long again – a year, maybe two? Jules would know down to the minute, but Sharrah wouldn't ask, she didn't really want to know. But she also couldn't afford to avoid her secondary duty any longer, no matter how much she wanted to. At most, she had three years to teach all that must be taught – and it would barely be enough time – assuming she even found a proper candidate. Repeating her last failure was not an option. The mist in the fresher washed her with warm, polarized water to drag away any remaining dead skin and other waste molecules not already absorbed or converted by the TUB into fodder for the Tower. When her time was done, rather than rot in the ground, her matter would be added to the Tower as well, her last contribution to the cause. Multidirectional jets dried her skin and she ran a hand over her shaved head, the green goo removing the hair from her scalp as it grew. It’d been one of the hardest things to give up when she’d fully committed herself to the Tower, to her task -- the long, curling brown locks her one true pride and joy. She sometimes dreamed they flowed from her to circle the entire district in a protective cocoon -- which, since it had gone to feed the Tower, it did in a way. The thought made her smile. Stepping out of the fresher, she reached for the injector, already prepped and laid out for her use thanks to Jules, and injected the tailor made concoction into her arm. A burning sensation tingled through her extremities for a moment then dulled. Despite the miraculous properties of the gel and everything else about the Tower, only so many effects for the life she led could be overcome or delayed by the TUB. You're going out…yes? "Yes." As long as they'd been together, Sharrah could easily hear the computer's subtext, even when she pretended to be polite. Jules would be keenly aware of how past due her exit from the tank had been. They both recognized how important it was, and how much more vital it would become -- even though Sharrah continued to try to hide from it. As amazing as Jules was, the computer wouldn't be able to carry the mission of guiding and safe guarding humanity on her own. The Ancestors had made sure of it. The human element must always be preserved. Yet it made her very nervous. The weight of her unfinished task growing each time she left the tank and came back empty handed. The first time she'd chosen had been hard enough, but with all the doubts plaguing her after her first colossal failure, she found herself cowering from a second attempt. A lot of the tests were conducted on their own, but the human factor was the one thing even a machine as powerful as Jules couldn't truly quantify on her own. Yet even with all the information at Sharrah's command, with the fact she could look in on her people's most private thoughts, put them all through psychological tests inside their dreams, she feared making a decision. Her previous failure had already cost them so much time. A dull, faded black dress and cloak rose from the floor to where she could easily reach for them. She put them on, enjoying the feel of the coarse fabric on her skin. Mostly made of cotton, there were other organic elements woven between the folds. They made the two garments more than anyone would believe. Because of it, those who saw her wouldn't truly see her, which was as it should be. I believe in you.
Sharrah laughed out loud, hearing more of Jules' subtext. What the computer really meant was for her to get her butt outside and get this done before she'd have to start nagging her about it. She headed to the open elevator and the transport system deep below.
Tales From a Lone Star is currently available at Amazon (Kindle) and Smashwords. Soon a paperback version will also be available. Enjoy!
Here's a taste of "The Tower":
As Lorne skulked towards his faceless victim in his dream, Sharrah watched from the shadows. Jules, the Tower's organic computer, fed her bursts of compressed information, which Sharrah compiled in her mind, waiting for the moment to strike. With a cruel smile, the burly boy grabbed the cloaked figure from behind and twisted him around, punching him in the stomach. Lorne then pulled back the cloak's hood, his excitement reaching its peak. Taking command of the bully's dream, Sharrah changed the parameters. The terrified face of the young boy under the cloak suddenly turned hard. His body grew in size until he towered over Lorne, his expression mirroring the latter's exactly. This was the sixteen year old's hundredth session. And while previous sessions had at least stemmed the extent of the fantasies he played out while awake, the lessons and empathy she'd tried to instill in him weren't taking permanent hold. This time, she would let it run its full course. Lorne tried to pull away as he realized things had changed, but it was too late. The victim now turned predator had him in a tight grip. "I'm going to indulge you with all those marvelous things you had planned for me. Won't that be fun?" It wasn't long before the screaming started. It was the one thing she hated about her duty – the awful screaming. Not that they'd have cause to scream if they'd just learn their lessons. Despite the two centuries she'd intruded into others' dreams and guided them, taught them -- when those who'd earned the nightmares struggled to wake, when they had to experience the very things they'd hoped to inflict, they screamed. And though they deserved it, when they did, it made guilt grate her soul. Extraction sequence complete. Sharrah opened her eyes, though she had no real need to do so in order to able to see what was around her. With the semi opaque cover over the Thought Union Bath, or TUB, not using her own eyes would let her see better, but sometimes you just had to do without the ocular feeds. She stared at the cover for a while without actually seeing it, then finally sighed and sent the mental command for it to open. The thought travelled from her to the green gel covering most of her body on out through the TUB’s interface and into the Tower’s organic mainframe. The cover slid back almost simultaneously, the speed of transference one of the miraculous properties of the gel and the TUB. She stared at the room's dark ceiling, procrastinating against what she knew must come next. Yet she never tired of this sight – of seeing the dark metal above her, of the twinkling, multicolored lights flashing through it, each one a life, a thought, a memory of those living and of those who’d come before. There had once been billions of them - breathing, living, loving, hating - who now were no more. Those who’d come from Before – a millennia ago, much farther back than her own extended existence. Is everything all right? Do you require assistance? Sharrah flexed her throat a moment, forcing herself to speak, though her communications implant would have worked just as well. "I'm fine, Jules." Sighing, she caved to the inevitable and raised her hand out of the gel. It slewed off her hand and arm like water, though beneath and to the sides it felt almost solid, just one of the many odd properties of the compound. She grabbed the side of the tank and pulled herself up, assisted by Jules, who remolded part of the container’s bottom to prop her up. The first few moments out of the gel always seemed to seep the heat away from her, leaving her shivering with cold. Grunting with effort, she half climbed, half slipped out of the TUB. Her joints feeling stiffer than usual, she hobbled to the fresher. She’d stayed in too long again – a year, maybe two? Jules would know down to the minute, but Sharrah wouldn't ask, she didn't really want to know. But she also couldn't afford to avoid her secondary duty any longer, no matter how much she wanted to. At most, she had three years to teach all that must be taught – and it would barely be enough time – assuming she even found a proper candidate. Repeating her last failure was not an option. The mist in the fresher washed her with warm, polarized water to drag away any remaining dead skin and other waste molecules not already absorbed or converted by the TUB into fodder for the Tower. When her time was done, rather than rot in the ground, her matter would be added to the Tower as well, her last contribution to the cause. Multidirectional jets dried her skin and she ran a hand over her shaved head, the green goo removing the hair from her scalp as it grew. It’d been one of the hardest things to give up when she’d fully committed herself to the Tower, to her task -- the long, curling brown locks her one true pride and joy. She sometimes dreamed they flowed from her to circle the entire district in a protective cocoon -- which, since it had gone to feed the Tower, it did in a way. The thought made her smile. Stepping out of the fresher, she reached for the injector, already prepped and laid out for her use thanks to Jules, and injected the tailor made concoction into her arm. A burning sensation tingled through her extremities for a moment then dulled. Despite the miraculous properties of the gel and everything else about the Tower, only so many effects for the life she led could be overcome or delayed by the TUB. You're going out…yes? "Yes." As long as they'd been together, Sharrah could easily hear the computer's subtext, even when she pretended to be polite. Jules would be keenly aware of how past due her exit from the tank had been. They both recognized how important it was, and how much more vital it would become -- even though Sharrah continued to try to hide from it. As amazing as Jules was, the computer wouldn't be able to carry the mission of guiding and safe guarding humanity on her own. The Ancestors had made sure of it. The human element must always be preserved. Yet it made her very nervous. The weight of her unfinished task growing each time she left the tank and came back empty handed. The first time she'd chosen had been hard enough, but with all the doubts plaguing her after her first colossal failure, she found herself cowering from a second attempt. A lot of the tests were conducted on their own, but the human factor was the one thing even a machine as powerful as Jules couldn't truly quantify on her own. Yet even with all the information at Sharrah's command, with the fact she could look in on her people's most private thoughts, put them all through psychological tests inside their dreams, she feared making a decision. Her previous failure had already cost them so much time. A dull, faded black dress and cloak rose from the floor to where she could easily reach for them. She put them on, enjoying the feel of the coarse fabric on her skin. Mostly made of cotton, there were other organic elements woven between the folds. They made the two garments more than anyone would believe. Because of it, those who saw her wouldn't truly see her, which was as it should be. I believe in you.
Sharrah laughed out loud, hearing more of Jules' subtext. What the computer really meant was for her to get her butt outside and get this done before she'd have to start nagging her about it. She headed to the open elevator and the transport system deep below.
Tales From a Lone Star is currently available at Amazon (Kindle) and Smashwords. Soon a paperback version will also be available. Enjoy!
Virtual Tourist - Angry Birds Star Wars and Neverwinter 9/8/13
I enjoyed WorldCon, but I am so very glad to be home as well. So behind on so many things! Wheee!
Angry Birds Star Wars
Cloud City
Hadn't played in a bit but when I opened it there were new updates. With the new updates were new puzzles! The story now continues in Cloud City!
Can't wait to see what skill they gave Lando. Heh heh heh
Definitely fighting in the clouds.
The smoke exhaust on the side? It will push you up!
Bouncing in the air to get those hard to reach targets. Whee!
Not as easy as it looks...
Neverwinter
A boar horsey!
Definitely not in Kansas anymore...
Okay, you can't tell from the pic, but these are the coolest lamps ever! The skull is trying to gravitate away, but can't as it is perforated and chained to the floor. So cool!
Morini cripts. Dang, the family does didn't scrimp on the ancestors.
Weird when the cemetery zone is more impressive than the city proper. lol
An actual cleric magic item in use. Protecting the zone from the dead.
Creepy....
Is this not gorgeous?!
This section of dungeon was so amazing!
Gorgeous!
Squee!
Nothing there till you finally see no choice but to try to cross, then the ghost bridge appears. The beings move as you walk across. Eek! (But so cool!)
Things are definitely not as they should be around here.
Is that majestic or what?
Area for the big bad. Awesome!
Caught the summoning in a perfect spot. Zoom in to the the skeletons in mid summon and a big nasty. Sweet!
Other side of the big room once we could breathe again
The stag is for the Summer Festival stuff being done at the moment in Neverwinter. (We finally got enough cash to get horses and went back to town!)
Oh! Who's the pretty kitty?
I swear, these people know how to treat their dead. lol.
That's it for this Tourist trip. Hope you guys all have a great week!
Angry Birds Star Wars
Cloud City
Hadn't played in a bit but when I opened it there were new updates. With the new updates were new puzzles! The story now continues in Cloud City!
Can't wait to see what skill they gave Lando. Heh heh heh
Definitely fighting in the clouds.
The smoke exhaust on the side? It will push you up!
Bouncing in the air to get those hard to reach targets. Whee!
Not as easy as it looks...
Neverwinter
A boar horsey!
Definitely not in Kansas anymore...
Okay, you can't tell from the pic, but these are the coolest lamps ever! The skull is trying to gravitate away, but can't as it is perforated and chained to the floor. So cool!
Morini cripts. Dang, the family does didn't scrimp on the ancestors.
Weird when the cemetery zone is more impressive than the city proper. lol
An actual cleric magic item in use. Protecting the zone from the dead.
Creepy....
Is this not gorgeous?!
This section of dungeon was so amazing!
Gorgeous!
Squee!
Nothing there till you finally see no choice but to try to cross, then the ghost bridge appears. The beings move as you walk across. Eek! (But so cool!)
Things are definitely not as they should be around here.
Is that majestic or what?
Area for the big bad. Awesome!
Caught the summoning in a perfect spot. Zoom in to the the skeletons in mid summon and a big nasty. Sweet!
Other side of the big room once we could breathe again
The stag is for the Summer Festival stuff being done at the moment in Neverwinter. (We finally got enough cash to get horses and went back to town!)
Oh! Who's the pretty kitty?
I swear, these people know how to treat their dead. lol.
That's it for this Tourist trip. Hope you guys all have a great week!
September 6, 2013
Movie Review - The World's End
The World's End
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan, Rosamund Pike, Pierce Brosnan, David Bradley, and more.
Directed by: Edgar Wright Written by: Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright Cinematography by: Bill Pope Original Music by: Steven Price
Premise: Gary King wants to recapture his glory days from High School. Lying, cheating, and scraping, he convinces his old friends to agree to relive (and this time hopefully complete) the Golden Mile - a drinking marathon through the twelve pubs in their home town ending at The World's End. Yet as they begin the crawl, and all his friends want nothing more than to go home, an unexpected obstacle comes their way - androids. (Rated R)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Simon Pegg was funny and pitiable in his role as Gary King. Nick Frost did great work showing his disgust for all that had been lost and later fighting for it. Martin Freeman was adorable as Oliver, the realtor. It was awesome seeing Pierce Brosnan again.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The special effects might not be up to the standards of big productions, but what they had was definitely well done. The androids looked great, especially the walking behemoths. The work with Oliver's head was fantastic. A real nice job on the final view of the town, too.
3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: Though filled with definite humor, the story of the film has several serious themes running through it - longing for times past, regrets, unrequited love, the guilt of mistakes. Until the androids show up, the story had turned rather somber - perhaps too much so. There are a few repeated jokes that were quite amusing - especially the one about Gary's Mom.
For a bit of unexpected depth, several of the characters have secrets. These get slowly peeled back, one at a time, and are revealed through the long night.
For those who've enjoyed other Simon Pegg and Nick Frost films, there's the added treat of several in-jokes tying back to their previous films.
4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: I heartily applaud the great choreography on the fight scenes - especially the one in the bathroom. Probably the best and smoothest fights I've seen all summer - and I've seen a lot of them. Android Fu for the win!
5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: There's a super nice shot of the town as the guys drive to their destination - makes a nice contrast for when we see the same view towards the end. The look and feel of several of the pubs were great. They even had fun with the locations which added to the humor.
Conclusion: "The World's End" is a quirky, slightly depressing, yet also amusing film. Definitely one to see with your buddies.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Better for Matinee)
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan, Rosamund Pike, Pierce Brosnan, David Bradley, and more.
Directed by: Edgar Wright Written by: Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright Cinematography by: Bill Pope Original Music by: Steven Price
Premise: Gary King wants to recapture his glory days from High School. Lying, cheating, and scraping, he convinces his old friends to agree to relive (and this time hopefully complete) the Golden Mile - a drinking marathon through the twelve pubs in their home town ending at The World's End. Yet as they begin the crawl, and all his friends want nothing more than to go home, an unexpected obstacle comes their way - androids. (Rated R)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Simon Pegg was funny and pitiable in his role as Gary King. Nick Frost did great work showing his disgust for all that had been lost and later fighting for it. Martin Freeman was adorable as Oliver, the realtor. It was awesome seeing Pierce Brosnan again.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The special effects might not be up to the standards of big productions, but what they had was definitely well done. The androids looked great, especially the walking behemoths. The work with Oliver's head was fantastic. A real nice job on the final view of the town, too.
3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: Though filled with definite humor, the story of the film has several serious themes running through it - longing for times past, regrets, unrequited love, the guilt of mistakes. Until the androids show up, the story had turned rather somber - perhaps too much so. There are a few repeated jokes that were quite amusing - especially the one about Gary's Mom.
For a bit of unexpected depth, several of the characters have secrets. These get slowly peeled back, one at a time, and are revealed through the long night.
For those who've enjoyed other Simon Pegg and Nick Frost films, there's the added treat of several in-jokes tying back to their previous films.
4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: I heartily applaud the great choreography on the fight scenes - especially the one in the bathroom. Probably the best and smoothest fights I've seen all summer - and I've seen a lot of them. Android Fu for the win!
5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: There's a super nice shot of the town as the guys drive to their destination - makes a nice contrast for when we see the same view towards the end. The look and feel of several of the pubs were great. They even had fun with the locations which added to the humor.
Conclusion: "The World's End" is a quirky, slightly depressing, yet also amusing film. Definitely one to see with your buddies.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Better for Matinee)
