Sunday, July 29, 2012

Real Movie of the Decade

Last year I think I said that the last Harry Potter was movie of the decade because of how it riled the emotions in so many of us. I said that because the Return of the King, a movie released early into it's decade, was bound to be that decade's movie. The real movie of the decade is The Dark Knight Rises, whether or not it wins Oscar's. This movie brought out more emotions in me than Harry Potter. This movie was excellency. Last post of the day and its short because my hands are freezing.

Charon's Claw Sample Chapter

One more to go.

So, its been out for about two (three?) weeks now, but since the book arrives in about a weeks time, I think this is a nice reminder. This is the final novel in the prologue to the Neverwinter game series, and THE final appearance of Artemis Entreri.

Find it here:
http://www.rasalvatore.com/data/pics/98402000_FRB_CharonsClaw_HC_CH1.pdf

Now I personally think that this series has at least six to three more books left in it. With D&D 5e coming out in a year and half worth time, I'm guessing we'll jump ahead about half a hundred years. Drizzt is at about age 200 and most Drow live to 400. Drizzt won't since it is quite obvious he'll die in battle, like Rambo. So after this series, expect at least one more and at most two more, since Salvatore is getting older now, he might get tired of writing the same character for twenty years.

 That or he'll pass the character off after this book, kind of like Bourne but more believable. That second option would be welcomed by me, a new fresh take on the character.

WWE '13 - Attitude Mode

I shouldn't post today either, but 3 posts today to make up for missing 2 days ago.

So the Attitude Mode in WWE '13 is unique, its like the MJ mode in 2K11. Its essentially a story mode that pans out through the 5 years of the Attitude Era, 1996-2001. Its like Road to Wrestlemania, in a way, that you play through the stories of different characters through the Attitude Era, which makes it akin to everything SvR 08 and before, but, like Road to Wrestlemania, you have to win the matches. Now, originally I was disappointing by that, I wanted to play through something RPG akin like the old games where depending on your actions, the Era ends, now how it actually ended. But, I'm still very happy with what is going to be in the Attitude Mode.

Now the characters, they probably have all of the original Attitude Era characters except for Chyna and some WCW ones too. Now, they basically need all the important Attitude Era WWE superstars, none from WCW. By important, I mean that era's equivalent to Trent Barreta, superstars like that do not need to be included, so the mode can be adjusted to fit better AND work more smoothly.

Another important factor is WCW, as I mentioned, for the Attitude Mode, it would be nice to play through WCW, but chances are, with half of those superstars signed to TNA, it's not happening. But its not necessary either, you see, in the Attitude Era, WCW might have been a big part, but it really only needs to be mentioned casually and really only seen when DX invades Nitro. You see, characters like DDP and Ric Flair can show up during that DX's segment, becauase their WWE property now.

Not showing WCW characters would be better as well, because only playing through WWE would be a great first start, and it would allow people to understand more about WWE during that time, because a lot of people seem to think that Raw is War was just WCW vs WWE. Mentioning WCW frequently would be good, because then people could get a grip around why what was happening was happening, and mentioning stars that are currently signed to WWE would also be better.

One way that they could incorporate WCW that would work that doesn't let the player play through Nitro and Thunder would be to have Raw compete against Nitro. Lets say you see Nitro's ratings, you've got to beat THOSE ratings. If you are consistently low, have a segment at the end saying: "HA WCW WON YOU SUCK!" While this is possible, it would have to work in the way that Road to Wrestlemania worked, you have to win your matches BUT having the ratings there like that would be a good way for WWE '14, when the Attitude Mode expands into something akin to RPG story modes.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

SPOILERS - Batman Incorporated 3

How I got the spoilers of this issue, lets just say I have a friend who we'll call BTB.

So since, FHIZ (Who is far better at this than I) couldn't read this issue yet, I'll do it for him.

So the issue basically starts with Bruce disguised as Matches Malones and he's hanging around a midget gang boss named Fry, formerly Small Fry. Basically he wants an inside contact in Leviathan, after getting one, Dick, disguised as Batman, goes for it and Bruce ends up thinking of the recent events afflicted upon him and how Talia was manipulating them. Turns out the contact is Goatboy and the Assassins League has infiltrated Gotham, with the members of Leviathan slowly replacing the members of everyday lives and such, taking over the GCPD, Judicial Court and Schools. So eventually the hints given by Goatboy, and another female singer, go awry and Matches ends up getting captured and tortured by Levi. Damian, who is hidden by Bruce to ensure that he stays safe, as Robin is thought dead, dons the identity of Redbird and goes to save "Bruces" Malones.

Movie Casting: The Savage Hawkman

Carter Hall -Brian Austin Green - He's got the Physique
Professor Ziegler - Timothy Dalton
Gentleman Ghost - Neil Patrick Harris - YES YES YES YES YES.
Emma Ziegler -Rosamund Pike - again, why not?

All my info on Hawk comes from Daniel and Liefelds New 52 comic.

Movie Casting: God of War

So, here we go:

Kratos - Tom Hardy - Just watch The Dark Knight Rises
Hades - Steven Brand - He fits the role of menacing
Hera - Jennifer Aniston - I guess?
Aphrodite - Ellen Page - sure...
Athena - Amy Adams - Go Lois Lane...
Ares - Jason Bateman - With CGI, he could look intimidating

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

How Guardians of the Galaxy Can Work

Sorry for skipping 3 of the 12 days, I'll make it up by posting 3 times tomorrow with 2 of the promised casting ones.

This post is about Guardians of the Galaxy. How can it work? Its not like the Avengers, as the characters are not as well known and thus need no real buildup. So the best way to introduce them would be like in Serenity, a Whedon film which I found okay. Even though Serenity was the sequel to Firefly, you didn't need to watch that to watch this film. So basically, you shouldn't need the Avengers for Guardians.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Movie Casting: Team 7

And I mean the New 52 Team 7.

Amanda Waller - Robin Givens - Black, yeah, that pretty much sums this up.
Steve Trevor - John Cena: Because he's your everyday Superman.
Grifter - Burn Gorman - Saw him in The Dark Knight Rises, he's a good choice.
Slade Wilson - Bob Backlund - No, no I'm kidding, its actually Steve Borden
Fairchild - Jessica Nora Kresa - All I can say is not wrestling, but its the one thing this movie would be missing: BOOBZ.
John Lynch - Tom Hardy - Another TDKR choice, as I've never cared about Lynch, I'll screw him over.
Dina Lance - Blake Lively? Fuck this choice.

I'm taking out the director and producer crap for now.

Friday, July 20, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises

21 days since my last post, its been a while guys, so the way I see, one post a day for the next 12 days is what I owe you guys, starting with movie casting posts three days in a row.

Saw the midnight premiere last night at the local theatere and I am starstruck. Oh and to a side note, after the Man of Steel trailer showed, I shouted, though nobody responded in their awe, a couple laughs sure, but they were amazed at my audacity. I shouted, "WHERE'S AQUAMAN!"

The film begins off very slow and flooded, making it seem as if Nolan just wants to get his ideas out there and not do anything about them. But the way these ideas are intricately connected and the way they come together, such as the Two-Face dilemma from the previous film, makes the film, about twenty minutes through seem amazing. I initially, after the Bane intro, thought the film was shit and then twenty minutes through, the way it pulled itself together, like a suspense and mystery novel, made my feeling about the whole movie change to amazing and that the beginning, not shit but instead excellence. That is the power of Nolan, he makes us believe a piece of his film is shit, and then just later that it was wonderful.

The acting in the film definitely goes to Anne Hathaway, whose performance as Selena Kyle steals the show. By showing different personalities, sweet, hating, caring and approving, she pulls off the most fantastic performance in the film, though she still falls short of Heath Ledger. Going on to the hero, Bale and his comments about a not very healthy crusader do not fail to deliver, the saddened man, under grief for eight years, returning to action once at the plea of his friend decides that the city does need him after learning the true nature of Bane. How he pulls the man Who Doesn't Fear Death, but Fears Where He Dies, is spectacular, the transition from Begins to Knight to Rises is made so clear in this film by Michael Caine's character, Alfred Pennyworth, that you can literally watch this film alone. And because of that transition, Bale's acting is even more clear and amazing than it was in The Fighter.

And the antagonist... Bane... played by Tom Hardy is menacing, chaotic and intelligent, everything promised by Nolan. In Begins, you never really had an opinion of Liam Neeson's Ra's al Ghul (Resh al Ghul?) but figured him to be a father figure to an extant. In Knight, we all loved Heath Ledger's Joker, but in a way, that was the villain we wanted to meet, but feared, even though it was a film. Hardy's Bane, the opinion of him is that you should hate him, fear him and not want to meet him. In this way, his performance is much better than Neeson's and far different, though less varied, than Ledger's. Simple moments such as the two fights against Bane get you crying and going "Kick his Ass Batman! KICK HIS DAMN ASS!"

The directing by Nolan, how he pulls off such a story, such an emotional tale, it gets you to feel very sad, tearing up near the end, and then saying: "Ha. Easter Egg...!" The first film was definately an origin story, so it set up the themes for the sequels, which are different through the fine line known as Goyer. Under direction of Nolan, Goyer and Jonah manage to weave an emotional picture that is so different from the chaos and tragedy that was The Dark Knight.

And of course, the score. It isn't so different than Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, but what it still is and that folks is fantastic. Thank you for blessing us with your music again Hans, thank  you for pulling it all to a dramatic and wonderful close.

My score: 8.5/10.


Update: While The Dark Knight is undoubtedly the Best Batman Movie, comicbookmovie too, I am going out and saying, this one is My Favorite.

And I hope that the 60 people injured in Colorado get better and are able to watch the film in peace and to the families of the 15 dead, it'll get better someday, I'm going through a situation similar myself right now. Don't worry, you will miss them because you loved them and I hope that you, someday, feel better. And just because the shootings, who gives a fuck about the box office gross, the highest thing talked about before the release.