Gloria Oliver's Blog, page 90
February 10, 2013
Virtual Tourist - Secret World 2/10/13
Hubby felt bad again and this weekend is Sci-Fi Expo, but the daughter started playing Secret World again and taking virtual pics! So here's the fun stuff she uncovered for us.
Secret World
Creepy lighthouse!
Creepy area around the lighthouse. Eek!
Nice country road for a UFO encounter...
Eek! That can't be a good thing.
Definitely not looking like a good thing.
But it does look cool!
They do seem to have creepy down on this game. :)
A lone dark road. Definitely can't be good news.
Thanks for the help Drew!
Secret World
Creepy lighthouse!
Creepy area around the lighthouse. Eek!
Nice country road for a UFO encounter...
Eek! That can't be a good thing.
Definitely not looking like a good thing.
But it does look cool!
They do seem to have creepy down on this game. :)
A lone dark road. Definitely can't be good news.
Thanks for the help Drew!
February 8, 2013
Movie Review - Argo
Argo
Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Victor Garber, Tate Donovan, Clea DuVall, Scoot McNairy, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Kerry Bishé, Kyle Chandler, Chris Messina, Zeljiko Ivanek, and more.
Directed by: Ben Affleck Screenplay by: Chris Terrio Based on the Book by: Tony Mendez Also Based on an Article by: Joshuah Bearman Cinematography by: Rodrigo Pietro Original Music by: Alexandre Desplat
Premise: Six members of the American Embassy in Iran escaped the embassy when it was overrun in 1979. Given shelter at the home of the Canadian Ambassador, it's only a matter of time before someone figures out they're not supposed to be there. As the hostage situation in the American Embassy escalates, the US calls in Tony Mendez of the CIA to help the State Department come up with a way to get the six out of the country without getting caught or be used to aggravate an already volatile situation. (Rated R)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: On this type of film the whole cast has to be good to weave a tale which will mesmerize the audience, and the cast was good. Alan Arkan and John Goodman tried very hard to steal the show as the two Hollywood types Ben Affleck goes to for help after getting the idea on how to get the six stranded embassy members out. Once they truly get going to set up what they need, the three of them will come up with a phrase you won't soon forget. When it comes up at the end and you feel the tug on your heart, you'll know for sure they have you.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The following may not seem like special effects, but since I think they served the same purpose, I placed them here. The film used two things to instantly transport the viewers to the 70's. First, they used the Warner Brothers logo being used in 1979 rather than the latest modern version. Second, they used the same kind of film lenses as were the 'norm' in 1979, giving the entire movie a visual feel of that period. Combine both of these with the historical film clips, recreated scenes from photographs, as well as the clothing, and the hairstyles of the period, and you'll truly feel like you're back in 1979.
3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: I was a teenager when the events depicted in "Argo" occurred, so there was an odd sense of deja vu as I watched different parts of the film. Clips from different news stories at the time of the events helped solidify the concept that all this actually happened.
The story gets a quick introduction to set the historical context for the audience, but is told in a series of drawings as you'd see on a film studio's story board, connecting it from the very beginning to the idea of film and telling tales. The story then broadens and relates events from different viewpoints rather than just a one sided view of what happened.
Moments of tension were well developed, even when you expect them. It was a nice surprise when one of the people who proved most difficult during the ordeal, in the end was actually responsible for the end success of their escape.
4) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The film had many excellent shots of locations in Istanbul as well as recreated buildings and facades of what places looked like at the time of the incident. The first panned shot of the American Embassy truly drove home the difficult situation we'd stumbled upon as you're shown the crowded street at the embassy gates as well as up and down the street in both directions. The gorgeous window spanning shots of the mountains and the city proved an amazing contrast as the agent sits in his Sheraton hotel room battling internally as he gambles with the lives of the six people in his care.
One sequence, which was fabulous as well as poignant, was the crisscrossing of visual and audio between the party in Hollywood to try to legitimize the "Argo" project and escalating events in Iran. Another was the first view of Hollywood, showing the sad state at the time of the iconic letters in the hills before they were saved by donations and restored back to life.
5) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: With the old logo and old lenses lending to the creation of a 70's feel for the film, as well as the stock footage of the news of the day, the final touches to take the audience back to the past came from the costuming and the makeup departments. The clothing, the hairstyles, the huge eyeglasses, literally 'screamed' it was the 70's. Add in the vintage vehicles and the recreated locations, and we were easily transplanted back in time. A great job all around.
Conclusion: "Argo" is an entertaining and fascinating look at what went on behind the scenes at the time of the American Embassy crisis. If your friends or significant others are into history or politics, it can make for some entertaining discussion afterwards as well. Make sure to sit through the credits! They show pictures from the real fake passports side by side to the actors playing the parts and even compare side by side pictures of the original scenes in 1979 beside their recreations. Fascinating! SF fans will find all sorts of little things to giggle about as well.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Victor Garber, Tate Donovan, Clea DuVall, Scoot McNairy, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Kerry Bishé, Kyle Chandler, Chris Messina, Zeljiko Ivanek, and more.
Directed by: Ben Affleck Screenplay by: Chris Terrio Based on the Book by: Tony Mendez Also Based on an Article by: Joshuah Bearman Cinematography by: Rodrigo Pietro Original Music by: Alexandre Desplat
Premise: Six members of the American Embassy in Iran escaped the embassy when it was overrun in 1979. Given shelter at the home of the Canadian Ambassador, it's only a matter of time before someone figures out they're not supposed to be there. As the hostage situation in the American Embassy escalates, the US calls in Tony Mendez of the CIA to help the State Department come up with a way to get the six out of the country without getting caught or be used to aggravate an already volatile situation. (Rated R)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: On this type of film the whole cast has to be good to weave a tale which will mesmerize the audience, and the cast was good. Alan Arkan and John Goodman tried very hard to steal the show as the two Hollywood types Ben Affleck goes to for help after getting the idea on how to get the six stranded embassy members out. Once they truly get going to set up what they need, the three of them will come up with a phrase you won't soon forget. When it comes up at the end and you feel the tug on your heart, you'll know for sure they have you.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The following may not seem like special effects, but since I think they served the same purpose, I placed them here. The film used two things to instantly transport the viewers to the 70's. First, they used the Warner Brothers logo being used in 1979 rather than the latest modern version. Second, they used the same kind of film lenses as were the 'norm' in 1979, giving the entire movie a visual feel of that period. Combine both of these with the historical film clips, recreated scenes from photographs, as well as the clothing, and the hairstyles of the period, and you'll truly feel like you're back in 1979.
3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: I was a teenager when the events depicted in "Argo" occurred, so there was an odd sense of deja vu as I watched different parts of the film. Clips from different news stories at the time of the events helped solidify the concept that all this actually happened.
The story gets a quick introduction to set the historical context for the audience, but is told in a series of drawings as you'd see on a film studio's story board, connecting it from the very beginning to the idea of film and telling tales. The story then broadens and relates events from different viewpoints rather than just a one sided view of what happened.
Moments of tension were well developed, even when you expect them. It was a nice surprise when one of the people who proved most difficult during the ordeal, in the end was actually responsible for the end success of their escape.
4) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The film had many excellent shots of locations in Istanbul as well as recreated buildings and facades of what places looked like at the time of the incident. The first panned shot of the American Embassy truly drove home the difficult situation we'd stumbled upon as you're shown the crowded street at the embassy gates as well as up and down the street in both directions. The gorgeous window spanning shots of the mountains and the city proved an amazing contrast as the agent sits in his Sheraton hotel room battling internally as he gambles with the lives of the six people in his care.
One sequence, which was fabulous as well as poignant, was the crisscrossing of visual and audio between the party in Hollywood to try to legitimize the "Argo" project and escalating events in Iran. Another was the first view of Hollywood, showing the sad state at the time of the iconic letters in the hills before they were saved by donations and restored back to life.
5) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: With the old logo and old lenses lending to the creation of a 70's feel for the film, as well as the stock footage of the news of the day, the final touches to take the audience back to the past came from the costuming and the makeup departments. The clothing, the hairstyles, the huge eyeglasses, literally 'screamed' it was the 70's. Add in the vintage vehicles and the recreated locations, and we were easily transplanted back in time. A great job all around.
Conclusion: "Argo" is an entertaining and fascinating look at what went on behind the scenes at the time of the American Embassy crisis. If your friends or significant others are into history or politics, it can make for some entertaining discussion afterwards as well. Make sure to sit through the credits! They show pictures from the real fake passports side by side to the actors playing the parts and even compare side by side pictures of the original scenes in 1979 beside their recreations. Fascinating! SF fans will find all sorts of little things to giggle about as well.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
February 6, 2013
Picture Kaleidoscope 2/6/13
I accumulated some pics recently. Heh heh heh
Shimmery sunrise.
Street by work. Just found its plainness as it goes off to nowhere somewhat intriguing. :P
A gajillion birds were in the Walmart parking lot the other day.
Tree of Birds!
The gajillion birds in flight
Nasty storm moving through Texas with super speed last week. Appeared very ominous.
Trying to capture the turbulent cloud cover.
Looks so much meager in this context, no?
Panorama mode accident of DOOM! If I'd actually ever tried to do this on purpose, it would never happen. :P
A wine bottle tree! Found it at an Italian restaurant in Highland Village. Never seen the like before.
Some beautiful flower in water arrangements there too!
And this nice lamp as well.
Promise to bring back other people's better photos next time. :P
Shimmery sunrise.
Street by work. Just found its plainness as it goes off to nowhere somewhat intriguing. :P
A gajillion birds were in the Walmart parking lot the other day.
Tree of Birds!
The gajillion birds in flight
Nasty storm moving through Texas with super speed last week. Appeared very ominous.
Trying to capture the turbulent cloud cover.
Looks so much meager in this context, no?
Panorama mode accident of DOOM! If I'd actually ever tried to do this on purpose, it would never happen. :P
A wine bottle tree! Found it at an Italian restaurant in Highland Village. Never seen the like before.
Some beautiful flower in water arrangements there too!
And this nice lamp as well.
Promise to bring back other people's better photos next time. :P
February 4, 2013
Mind Sieve 2/4/13
It's February already?!?!?!?!
The video is not "listed", so I can only give a link to the cutest, most romantic short EVER! First saw it as the intro cartoon Wreck-It-Ralph in 2012. Anyway, here's Paperman.
Pics for Game of Thrones season 3 at Tor.com
Upside Down US Release Trailer - This looks rather cool!
Olympus Has Fallen Trailer - action action action! Woot!
Phantom Official Trailer - Couldn't remember if I'd shared this one.
UFO trailer - Close encounters of the BAD kind. lol.
Book Websites Are Changing by Lynne Klippel at Business Building Books. I agree with the concept, but I did not find the example websites all that attractive... Hmmm...
How to Use Youtube to Leverage Pinterest by Krizia de Verdier from Social Media Examiner (Yeah, guess what I have up at Pinterest now. Heh heh.)
3 Epiphanies About Social Media Marketing For Books by Lisa Buchan at Publishing Perspectives.
5 Twitter Top Tips from Gene Lempp. (He's baaaaaaaccccckkkkk!)
From Chuck (NSFW) Wendig - Yes, Virginia, You Can Be A Paid Writer Too.
Wow, went heavy on the social media this week. Who knew? :)
The video is not "listed", so I can only give a link to the cutest, most romantic short EVER! First saw it as the intro cartoon Wreck-It-Ralph in 2012. Anyway, here's Paperman.
Pics for Game of Thrones season 3 at Tor.com
Upside Down US Release Trailer - This looks rather cool!
Olympus Has Fallen Trailer - action action action! Woot!
Phantom Official Trailer - Couldn't remember if I'd shared this one.
UFO trailer - Close encounters of the BAD kind. lol.
Book Websites Are Changing by Lynne Klippel at Business Building Books. I agree with the concept, but I did not find the example websites all that attractive... Hmmm...
How to Use Youtube to Leverage Pinterest by Krizia de Verdier from Social Media Examiner (Yeah, guess what I have up at Pinterest now. Heh heh.)
3 Epiphanies About Social Media Marketing For Books by Lisa Buchan at Publishing Perspectives.
5 Twitter Top Tips from Gene Lempp. (He's baaaaaaaccccckkkkk!)
From Chuck (NSFW) Wendig - Yes, Virginia, You Can Be A Paid Writer Too.
Wow, went heavy on the social media this week. Who knew? :)
February 3, 2013
Virtual Tourist - Star Wars The Old Republic 2/3/13
Morning!Hubbins felt real bad last Sunday so we played at being 'Couch Potatoes'. Not as many pics as usual this week. :P
Star Wars The Old RepublicImperial Spy (I'd been missing her!)Taris
Construction bot. That looks like one nasty laser.
Prisoner of a Sith. She knows a lot about Rakghouls.
As a subscriber you get a certain amount of Cartel bucks a month. Both times I've bought a package with each of my 2 characters, I've gotten wheels! (Packages have random rares and other goodies) Here's the newest one. Isn't she pimp? (Poor hubby has gotten 0 transports)
When I first spotted these two at the Cantina, I thought the Sith was doing the Macarena. lol.
Beasties in the water. In the far back (click to make the image bigger) you can see Sith lightning cooking up a few. Heh.
My pimp ride!
Weird little bugger. Had not noticed his kind around on Taris before.
Have an awesome Sunday!
Star Wars The Old RepublicImperial Spy (I'd been missing her!)Taris
Construction bot. That looks like one nasty laser.
Prisoner of a Sith. She knows a lot about Rakghouls.
As a subscriber you get a certain amount of Cartel bucks a month. Both times I've bought a package with each of my 2 characters, I've gotten wheels! (Packages have random rares and other goodies) Here's the newest one. Isn't she pimp? (Poor hubby has gotten 0 transports)
When I first spotted these two at the Cantina, I thought the Sith was doing the Macarena. lol. 
Beasties in the water. In the far back (click to make the image bigger) you can see Sith lightning cooking up a few. Heh.
My pimp ride!
Weird little bugger. Had not noticed his kind around on Taris before.Have an awesome Sunday!
February 1, 2013
Movie Review - Warm Bodies
Warm Bodies
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Analeigh Tipton, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, John Malkovich, Cory Hardrict, and more.
Directed by: Jonathan Levine Screenplay by: Jonathan Levine Novel by: Isaac Marion Cinematography by: Javier Aguirresarobe Original Music by: Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
Premise: A teenage zombie questions his lack of life and odd thoughts and habits as he moves through the confines of his existence now that he is no longer human. But his spark of oddity flares when, on a normal zombie raid for human flesh, he falls in love at first sight. Thus unknowingly setting off a slow chain reaction that might save him as well as others. (Rated PG-13)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Nicholas Hoult made for a truly adorable zombie. His facial expressions and long dead stares were great. His body movements were a little more limber here and there than one would expect from zombies, but this is a minor 'nit-pick'. Teresa Palmer as Juliet was incredibly believable in both her fear and lack of excitement for the emotionally barren area of what her father called 'home'. Rob Corddry added a lot to the film as R's best zombie friend M. The scene where he stares at the picture of the couple holding hands was very poignant.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The creatures that zombies turned into once they despaired of their unlife had great detail and were very creepy. The scene where the bonies land on top of the glass canopy and start pounding on it really brought home how far removed from the others they were. The scenes showing the zombiefied hearts coming back to life looked great.
3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: "Warm Bodies" is a darling idea, especially with the undertones of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Zombies in most stories and films just 'are', with no real science to support their existence, so taking the extra step to believe they're not truly dead at that stage, won't be much of a mental reach for most viewers. Half the fun is watching the zombies evolving back to what they used to be.
Several themes run throughout the film -- that not all (emotional) zombies are undead, and that people need to connect with others to feel alive. I loved the use of eating brains as a means for the undead to steal memories and feelings from their victims so that they could feel momentarily alive themselves, and how it was used in the telling of the story.
The film felt a little slow in spots, but only a few, and not for long. There were plenty of fun, amusing moments throughout.
4) Stunts - Thumbs Up: There was gun play in several sections of the film. Juliet's side slide and shotgun use, won't be forgotten by the guys anytime soon. "Warm Bodies" also had some decent hand to zombie combat. The zombies versus bonies scene, where the zombies are played by people and the bonies by CGI, probably took a lot of work to synchronize.
5) Locations/Cinematography - Thumbs Up: There were several skyline shots, a few made more impressive by the addition of the wall the humans erected over a large part of the city to keep the zombies and bonies out. The use of the airport as a main zombie hangout was very apt, for incorporating a few of the themes and the wide variety of locations all in one place.
6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: The department did some really nice work on the zombies. Between the changes to the skin, virus made tracks on the body, and the eyes, they made for a huge contrast as R changed over time. The changes were even more telling on M and a few of the others. The scene where we see R's scars from previous human encounters looked great.
Conclusion: Zombies, tragedy, and romance - an odd mix, but one that was surprisingly cute and satisfying. As hubby pointed out, "Warm Bodies" is the perfect date movie - a mixture of genres that will give both guys and gals something to enjoy.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Analeigh Tipton, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, John Malkovich, Cory Hardrict, and more.
Directed by: Jonathan Levine Screenplay by: Jonathan Levine Novel by: Isaac Marion Cinematography by: Javier Aguirresarobe Original Music by: Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
Premise: A teenage zombie questions his lack of life and odd thoughts and habits as he moves through the confines of his existence now that he is no longer human. But his spark of oddity flares when, on a normal zombie raid for human flesh, he falls in love at first sight. Thus unknowingly setting off a slow chain reaction that might save him as well as others. (Rated PG-13)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Nicholas Hoult made for a truly adorable zombie. His facial expressions and long dead stares were great. His body movements were a little more limber here and there than one would expect from zombies, but this is a minor 'nit-pick'. Teresa Palmer as Juliet was incredibly believable in both her fear and lack of excitement for the emotionally barren area of what her father called 'home'. Rob Corddry added a lot to the film as R's best zombie friend M. The scene where he stares at the picture of the couple holding hands was very poignant.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The creatures that zombies turned into once they despaired of their unlife had great detail and were very creepy. The scene where the bonies land on top of the glass canopy and start pounding on it really brought home how far removed from the others they were. The scenes showing the zombiefied hearts coming back to life looked great.
3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: "Warm Bodies" is a darling idea, especially with the undertones of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Zombies in most stories and films just 'are', with no real science to support their existence, so taking the extra step to believe they're not truly dead at that stage, won't be much of a mental reach for most viewers. Half the fun is watching the zombies evolving back to what they used to be.
Several themes run throughout the film -- that not all (emotional) zombies are undead, and that people need to connect with others to feel alive. I loved the use of eating brains as a means for the undead to steal memories and feelings from their victims so that they could feel momentarily alive themselves, and how it was used in the telling of the story.
The film felt a little slow in spots, but only a few, and not for long. There were plenty of fun, amusing moments throughout.
4) Stunts - Thumbs Up: There was gun play in several sections of the film. Juliet's side slide and shotgun use, won't be forgotten by the guys anytime soon. "Warm Bodies" also had some decent hand to zombie combat. The zombies versus bonies scene, where the zombies are played by people and the bonies by CGI, probably took a lot of work to synchronize.
5) Locations/Cinematography - Thumbs Up: There were several skyline shots, a few made more impressive by the addition of the wall the humans erected over a large part of the city to keep the zombies and bonies out. The use of the airport as a main zombie hangout was very apt, for incorporating a few of the themes and the wide variety of locations all in one place.
6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: The department did some really nice work on the zombies. Between the changes to the skin, virus made tracks on the body, and the eyes, they made for a huge contrast as R changed over time. The changes were even more telling on M and a few of the others. The scene where we see R's scars from previous human encounters looked great.
Conclusion: Zombies, tragedy, and romance - an odd mix, but one that was surprisingly cute and satisfying. As hubby pointed out, "Warm Bodies" is the perfect date movie - a mixture of genres that will give both guys and gals something to enjoy.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
January 30, 2013
Picture Kaleidoscope 1/30/13
Happy Wednesday!
Curiosity Shoots First Nighttime Photos On The Surface of Mars from PetaPixel. Go, Curiosity, Go!
Photographer Shoots Scary Self-Portraits Showing Himself Falling from PetaPixel. Photos by Kerry Skarbakka. Such a weird concept, no?
Creepy Doll-Like Photography at Trendhunter. Photography by Guim Tio Zarraluki.
Mata Guanaco by Andrew at Earthshots.org
Galea by Matthew Feeser at Earthshots.org - looks way cool! Nice stuff at his website as well.
UnderWater Realm - Shooting Underwater Has To Be Creative Both Artistically and Technically from DIY Photography. There's even a trailer for the series the pics are for. Kinda cool!
Have a great one!
Curiosity Shoots First Nighttime Photos On The Surface of Mars from PetaPixel. Go, Curiosity, Go!
Photographer Shoots Scary Self-Portraits Showing Himself Falling from PetaPixel. Photos by Kerry Skarbakka. Such a weird concept, no?
Creepy Doll-Like Photography at Trendhunter. Photography by Guim Tio Zarraluki.
Mata Guanaco by Andrew at Earthshots.org
Galea by Matthew Feeser at Earthshots.org - looks way cool! Nice stuff at his website as well.
UnderWater Realm - Shooting Underwater Has To Be Creative Both Artistically and Technically from DIY Photography. There's even a trailer for the series the pics are for. Kinda cool!
Have a great one!
January 28, 2013
Mind Sieve 1/28/13
Greetings!
Family Therapy: Learning To Love Mercury and Pluto by William Ledbetter at Baen.com. Cute family allegories and great info on current missions too!
The Call Trailer - this one looks mighty disturbing. Eek!
42 Official Trailer #2 - Harrison Ford, Alan Tudyk, and more in this one!
Identity Thief Trailer - I don't even know what to make of this one. lol. Hubby will probably love it.
Star Wars 7 Sneak Peek from Barely Political. I couldn't look...away...
Emperor Official Trailer #1 - Oooo! This looks good! I'm in!
7 Libraries of Sensational Photographs You Can Use For Free by Johnathan Gunson at BestSellerLabs. Primp those blogs!
You Can Now Easily Add Media To Your Linked In Profile by Viveka VonRosen
From the Wise but not safe for work - Chuck (NSFW) Wendig - 25 Hard Truths About Writing and Publishing. He's spot on, peeps!
Enemies of the Art pt 1 - Approval Addiction from Kristen Lamb.
Family Therapy: Learning To Love Mercury and Pluto by William Ledbetter at Baen.com. Cute family allegories and great info on current missions too!
The Call Trailer - this one looks mighty disturbing. Eek!
42 Official Trailer #2 - Harrison Ford, Alan Tudyk, and more in this one!
Identity Thief Trailer - I don't even know what to make of this one. lol. Hubby will probably love it.
Star Wars 7 Sneak Peek from Barely Political. I couldn't look...away...
Emperor Official Trailer #1 - Oooo! This looks good! I'm in!
7 Libraries of Sensational Photographs You Can Use For Free by Johnathan Gunson at BestSellerLabs. Primp those blogs!
You Can Now Easily Add Media To Your Linked In Profile by Viveka VonRosen
From the Wise but not safe for work - Chuck (NSFW) Wendig - 25 Hard Truths About Writing and Publishing. He's spot on, peeps!
Enemies of the Art pt 1 - Approval Addiction from Kristen Lamb.
January 27, 2013
Virtual Tourist - Worms Pinball and Star Wars The Old Republic 1/27/13
Happy Sunday!
Worms Pinball
Hubby uses Steam for a lot of his playing and game buying, so he ran across this sucker when it was on special (He also got Worms Golf, but that one is proving hard to take pics of). He also plays regular Worms with his buds.
They did an awesome job making it look like real pinball. And it really acts like and has a lot of the features of some of my favorite real machines! It also has a ton of extra little games you can stumble over for the little screen at the top. Still struggling to figure out several of those. Doh!
Star Wars The Old Republic
Jedi Consular
Corellia
Corellian tranportation systems
Doesn't he look badass!
Whoosh!
They do like to use this machine for all sorts of creepy looking places. Heh heh
Destruction is everywhere.
More furry dudes!
My new pet! Super creepy!
Robot manufacturing plant
Some of the assembly lines at the robot plant
Hard to say if all that dust/smoke in the distance is normal industrial yuck or part of what's been destroyed.
New emote I got in one of the random prize packs you can buy. Like a Sith power glare. Heh heh.
Doesn't he look nasty? Are supposed to be like construction/disaster relief droids.
More of the Corellian transportation system en route.
Han, your world is really in a bad way.
The pic in the background of the woman? It's very popular in this sector of Corellia.
More weird status. Eek!
Wonder if we'll get some sunshine by this afternoon? Have an awesome day!
Worms Pinball
Hubby uses Steam for a lot of his playing and game buying, so he ran across this sucker when it was on special (He also got Worms Golf, but that one is proving hard to take pics of). He also plays regular Worms with his buds.
They did an awesome job making it look like real pinball. And it really acts like and has a lot of the features of some of my favorite real machines! It also has a ton of extra little games you can stumble over for the little screen at the top. Still struggling to figure out several of those. Doh!
Star Wars The Old Republic
Jedi Consular
Corellia
Corellian tranportation systems
Doesn't he look badass! 
Whoosh!
They do like to use this machine for all sorts of creepy looking places. Heh heh
Destruction is everywhere. 
More furry dudes!
My new pet! Super creepy!
Robot manufacturing plant
Some of the assembly lines at the robot plant
Hard to say if all that dust/smoke in the distance is normal industrial yuck or part of what's been destroyed.
New emote I got in one of the random prize packs you can buy. Like a Sith power glare. Heh heh.
Doesn't he look nasty? Are supposed to be like construction/disaster relief droids.
More of the Corellian transportation system en route.
Han, your world is really in a bad way.
The pic in the background of the woman? It's very popular in this sector of Corellia.
More weird status. Eek!
Wonder if we'll get some sunshine by this afternoon? Have an awesome day!
January 25, 2013
Movie Review - Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Pihla Viitala, Derek Mears, Robin Atkins Downes, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Joanna Kulig, Thomas Mann, Peter Stormare, Rainer Bock, and more.
Directed by: Tommy Wirkola Written by: Tommy Wirkola and D W Harper Cinematography by: Michael Bonvillain Music by: Atli Övarsson
Premise: Hansel and Gretel were left alone in the woods at night by their father and were almost eaten by a witch. Rather than give in to the horror of their childhood trauma, the two siblings decide to save others from suffering their same plight and become witch hunters. Years later, a series of child disappearances brings the siblings to a small town where an unknown evil is gathering for a very special night. (Rated R)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton are great as the famous siblings. I loved the little touches in visual cues or silent looks that spoke of the siblings close relationship and also their different personalities. Famke Janssen was delicious as the evil Muriel.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: From the unique touch-ups on the witches, to the glowing of wands, to the great work on Edward, the special effects were great. Throw in some super cool weapons and colorful zapping spells and there's plenty to keep the eyes occupied. And wait till you see the candy cottage! The frosting on the roof even dripped.
The title sequence where we're given a quick flash through of Hansel and Gretel's life with the moving paper cutouts was great. And like the original fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm, the sequence gets bloody. The rest of the film also had its share of bloody splatters.
3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" is a fairy tale about a fairy tale, so normal rules do not apply. The spin on the well known story was a lot of fun. But even better were the couple of unexpected story loops that got thrown in as well. I'd talk about them, but I don't want to spoil them for you.
Several great one liners in the script! And since there were no rules, we get lots and lots of anachronistic but still very fun weapons.
4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Lots and lots of hand to hand combat with lots and lots of fun weapons. All the fights were fast, well choreographed, with many little surprises. Several great strategies for dealing with witches on their brooms (which in this film, it looked like any kind of stick would pretty much do as one - some were even quite bizarre looking). A lot of trees had parts and pieces scraped, cracked, or blown up, making the 'gags' more amazing with all that wood shrapnel for the stunt people to avoid during filming.
5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: Since the film dealt with witches, it seemed apt that several of the sweeping views over the forest and the town appeared to have been shot from the point of view of a witch riding her broom. As I mentioned earlier, the candy cottage was marvelous. The candy designs on the door was cool until you realize that the outer circle look like giant teeth, which then made it utterly creepy. The gloomy, rotted inside of the cottage made for a great contrast. The woods, the hidden ponds, and the waterfalls were perfect.
6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: Between the CGI and great makeup, the witches all had unique looks of their own. Wounds received in battle by the brother-sister team didn't just disappear in the next scene, but were kept. And I was quite impressed with the bruising we could see, along with the scars Hansel's accumulated over the years, during a quiet moment in the film. (Though with all the fighting sequences and stunts, there's a chance those bruises were actually the real thing.)
Conclusion: "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" is a great romp if you're looking for some fun fights, an unexpectedly decent story, and super cool weaponry. Like the original Grimm fairy tales, the film is graphically bloody in places, so I wouldn't recommend it for younger viewers. If you can afford it, definitely go see it in IMAX 3D.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price To See Again)
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Pihla Viitala, Derek Mears, Robin Atkins Downes, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Joanna Kulig, Thomas Mann, Peter Stormare, Rainer Bock, and more.
Directed by: Tommy Wirkola Written by: Tommy Wirkola and D W Harper Cinematography by: Michael Bonvillain Music by: Atli Övarsson
Premise: Hansel and Gretel were left alone in the woods at night by their father and were almost eaten by a witch. Rather than give in to the horror of their childhood trauma, the two siblings decide to save others from suffering their same plight and become witch hunters. Years later, a series of child disappearances brings the siblings to a small town where an unknown evil is gathering for a very special night. (Rated R)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton are great as the famous siblings. I loved the little touches in visual cues or silent looks that spoke of the siblings close relationship and also their different personalities. Famke Janssen was delicious as the evil Muriel.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: From the unique touch-ups on the witches, to the glowing of wands, to the great work on Edward, the special effects were great. Throw in some super cool weapons and colorful zapping spells and there's plenty to keep the eyes occupied. And wait till you see the candy cottage! The frosting on the roof even dripped.
The title sequence where we're given a quick flash through of Hansel and Gretel's life with the moving paper cutouts was great. And like the original fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm, the sequence gets bloody. The rest of the film also had its share of bloody splatters.
3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" is a fairy tale about a fairy tale, so normal rules do not apply. The spin on the well known story was a lot of fun. But even better were the couple of unexpected story loops that got thrown in as well. I'd talk about them, but I don't want to spoil them for you.
Several great one liners in the script! And since there were no rules, we get lots and lots of anachronistic but still very fun weapons.
4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Lots and lots of hand to hand combat with lots and lots of fun weapons. All the fights were fast, well choreographed, with many little surprises. Several great strategies for dealing with witches on their brooms (which in this film, it looked like any kind of stick would pretty much do as one - some were even quite bizarre looking). A lot of trees had parts and pieces scraped, cracked, or blown up, making the 'gags' more amazing with all that wood shrapnel for the stunt people to avoid during filming.
5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: Since the film dealt with witches, it seemed apt that several of the sweeping views over the forest and the town appeared to have been shot from the point of view of a witch riding her broom. As I mentioned earlier, the candy cottage was marvelous. The candy designs on the door was cool until you realize that the outer circle look like giant teeth, which then made it utterly creepy. The gloomy, rotted inside of the cottage made for a great contrast. The woods, the hidden ponds, and the waterfalls were perfect.
6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: Between the CGI and great makeup, the witches all had unique looks of their own. Wounds received in battle by the brother-sister team didn't just disappear in the next scene, but were kept. And I was quite impressed with the bruising we could see, along with the scars Hansel's accumulated over the years, during a quiet moment in the film. (Though with all the fighting sequences and stunts, there's a chance those bruises were actually the real thing.)
Conclusion: "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" is a great romp if you're looking for some fun fights, an unexpectedly decent story, and super cool weaponry. Like the original Grimm fairy tales, the film is graphically bloody in places, so I wouldn't recommend it for younger viewers. If you can afford it, definitely go see it in IMAX 3D.
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price To See Again)
