2012 was a good year at the movies. We saw the culmination of Marvel's cinematic experiment, the climax of Christopher Nolan's Batman epic, and the return of James Bond to silver screens. And as is tradition at the end of one year and the beginning of another, people look back on the year's movies and decide which were the best. Well who am I to break tradition?
Top 10 Movies of 2012
Quick disclaimer. The Serial Wordsmith is not a professional critic, so I don't have a chance to see every movie that comes out. So if you're wondering why something like Zero Dark Thirty or The Master isn't on here, It's because I didn't see them. So without further ado...
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Top 10 reasons Santa is a total badass
Merry Christmas dear readers!
Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, I think we can all agree on spreading generosity and good will toward men. And there's no greater symbol of generosity than the big fat man himself, Santa Claus. Now as I write this, good ol' St. Nick is making his yearly trip around the world. Delivering presents to all good children. Hope you made the nice list all.
But, did you know that much like that other great spirit of Christmas, John McClane, Santa is a complete and total badass? It's true. While he's a jolly old guy most of the time, Santa isn't afraid to throw down when the occasion warrants. So in the spirit of the season, I'm proud to present...
The Top 10 Reasons Santa is a total badass
Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, I think we can all agree on spreading generosity and good will toward men. And there's no greater symbol of generosity than the big fat man himself, Santa Claus. Now as I write this, good ol' St. Nick is making his yearly trip around the world. Delivering presents to all good children. Hope you made the nice list all.
But, did you know that much like that other great spirit of Christmas, John McClane, Santa is a complete and total badass? It's true. While he's a jolly old guy most of the time, Santa isn't afraid to throw down when the occasion warrants. So in the spirit of the season, I'm proud to present...
The Top 10 Reasons Santa is a total badass
Friday, December 21, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Should have sent a poet...
Pacific Rim trailer...
Glorious.
It reminds me of the first time the EVA unit was launched in Evangelion and nearby cars and phone booths were annihilated in the shockwave of its footfall. This trailer gives the robots that same impression of weight and enormity. They feel like giant robots. Bravo sirs.
Glorious.
It reminds me of the first time the EVA unit was launched in Evangelion and nearby cars and phone booths were annihilated in the shockwave of its footfall. This trailer gives the robots that same impression of weight and enormity. They feel like giant robots. Bravo sirs.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Jeans of Steel return
Oh hi new Man of Steel trailer.
Much better. This feels more like a Superman movie. I like the scope, going from a more intimate story with Clark as a kid discovering his powers and expanding out with big superhero stuff as he reveals himself as Superman. And I like that while it's ditched the Christopher Nolan "aesthetic" of dark realism, which wouldn't work for Superman, it's maintained the Nolan "tone" of portent and character focus. This trailer is actually reminding me thematically of Batman Begins, stripping the extraneous material and going back to basics with an iconic character to show why they are so iconic. And it doesn't use the BWAAAAMMMM!!!!!! noise. Good job Warner Bros.
But what's up with Pa Kent saying Clark should have let those kids on the bus die? That doesn't seem very Pa Kent-ish.
Much better. This feels more like a Superman movie. I like the scope, going from a more intimate story with Clark as a kid discovering his powers and expanding out with big superhero stuff as he reveals himself as Superman. And I like that while it's ditched the Christopher Nolan "aesthetic" of dark realism, which wouldn't work for Superman, it's maintained the Nolan "tone" of portent and character focus. This trailer is actually reminding me thematically of Batman Begins, stripping the extraneous material and going back to basics with an iconic character to show why they are so iconic. And it doesn't use the BWAAAAMMMM!!!!!! noise. Good job Warner Bros.
But what's up with Pa Kent saying Clark should have let those kids on the bus die? That doesn't seem very Pa Kent-ish.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Happy Birthday Ada Lovelace!
The Serial Wordsmith wishes a happy birthday to the Enchantress of Numbers, the world's first computer programmer. Back before we technically had computers.
Here's to one of the great women of science!
Here's to one of the great women of science!
Review of the Jedi: A Sunny Day in the Void
Join the Serial Wordsmith every Monday as he recaps and reviews the new season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars
(sigh) I really wasn't looking forward to this week's review. When I found out we were getting another episode of Gascon and the droids, I almost tried thinking of an excuse to avoid watching it. Despite not hating last week's episode, I really didn't think we needed more of this story. It was a decent one and done story that didn't need expansion. But we did get more. And I said I'd review the whole season, so here I am.
Our episode begins with the droids on their stolen Separatist shuttle heading for Coruscant with the secret decoder chip. R2 and the other astromechs are fixing up BZ after his body got shocked last episode. And despite having his brain taken out, BZ is more or less operational. I'm kind of confused by him. The weird German alien took out his memory banks for Gascon's command center but he seems rather autonomous. How does that work? Wack is piloting when something bad happens. Their shuttle is entering a comet storm. This is really confusing because their ship is going through hyperspace. Doesn't that mean their ship is going at lightspeed? If so, what's the comet storm going to do? If they're going lightspeed they'll pass through before any of the comets can hit them. Maybe I just don't get how hyperspace works.
But I guess this is a problem because Gascon orders them to drop out of hyperspace. It seems like this would make it easier for them to get hit by comets but whatever. And lo and behold, their ship is hit by a comet knocking out their engines. Wack maneuvers them through the comets but if the engines aren't fixed they'll be smashed to bits. R2 and the other astromechs head outside to fix the engines and the one dramatic moment of the episode happens. QT gets knocked off the ship, only to be caught by Lucky the orange conehead, who is knocked off and caught by R2, who is knocked off and caught by BZ. Needless to say, they fix the engines and save each other. Unfortunately, their stabilizers are hit and they crash on a nearby planet.
More after the break,
(sigh) I really wasn't looking forward to this week's review. When I found out we were getting another episode of Gascon and the droids, I almost tried thinking of an excuse to avoid watching it. Despite not hating last week's episode, I really didn't think we needed more of this story. It was a decent one and done story that didn't need expansion. But we did get more. And I said I'd review the whole season, so here I am.
Our episode begins with the droids on their stolen Separatist shuttle heading for Coruscant with the secret decoder chip. R2 and the other astromechs are fixing up BZ after his body got shocked last episode. And despite having his brain taken out, BZ is more or less operational. I'm kind of confused by him. The weird German alien took out his memory banks for Gascon's command center but he seems rather autonomous. How does that work? Wack is piloting when something bad happens. Their shuttle is entering a comet storm. This is really confusing because their ship is going through hyperspace. Doesn't that mean their ship is going at lightspeed? If so, what's the comet storm going to do? If they're going lightspeed they'll pass through before any of the comets can hit them. Maybe I just don't get how hyperspace works.
But I guess this is a problem because Gascon orders them to drop out of hyperspace. It seems like this would make it easier for them to get hit by comets but whatever. And lo and behold, their ship is hit by a comet knocking out their engines. Wack maneuvers them through the comets but if the engines aren't fixed they'll be smashed to bits. R2 and the other astromechs head outside to fix the engines and the one dramatic moment of the episode happens. QT gets knocked off the ship, only to be caught by Lucky the orange conehead, who is knocked off and caught by R2, who is knocked off and caught by BZ. Needless to say, they fix the engines and save each other. Unfortunately, their stabilizers are hit and they crash on a nearby planet.
More after the break,
Friday, December 7, 2012
Star Trek into Dark Knight
So we've had the first poster and teaser for JJ Abrams' second Star Trek sequel dropped on us. And yes, it is called Star Trek Into Darkness without a colon. As stupid as that is.
Anyway the poster. It's okay. Nice and ominous, with Benedict Cumberbatch's villain standing amidst wreckage and a big Starfleet insignia hole. Not very revealing plotwise, which is what everybody's really interested in because Abrams and Co. just won't fricking tell us anything. And like I joked in the title, this poster totally rips off The Dark Knight's poster. Big recognizable symbol hole, and the bad guy with his back turned and coat billowing much like the Joker in the other Dark Knight poster. But whatever, it's a teaser poster. Those are mostly just to remind audiences the movie is still coming out and get them interested.
Teaser and speculation after the break
Monday, December 3, 2012
Review of the Jedi: Secret Weapons
Join the Serial Wordsmith every Monday as he recaps and reviews the new season Star Wars: The Clone Wars
We take a break from our usual war antics this week with something a little different. The Republic has managed to intercept one of General Grievous' encoded messages but without the key they aren't able to decode it. Guess they don't have an Enigma machine. But they have learned that the Separatists' decoder chip is onboard the cruiser Dreadnought and have come up with a daring if unorthodox plan. Four astromech droids will infiltrate the Dreadnought and steal the decoder chip. The idea being that the battle droids won't suspect other droids to be working for the Republic. Not a bad plan actually. In addition to our four astro droids (R2, a pink girl droid named QT, an orange conehead and a green one called BZ) on this mission are a pilot droid named Wack and Col. Gascon (we'll get back to him). Wack is the only droid who actually talks so of course he's an annoying fuckup. His arrogance and slapstick get grating after not too long, though he gets less annoying as the episode continues. Col. Gascon is, well...
Tiny. Like less than a foot tall tiny. He's a little slug/frog alien who's orchestrated this secret mission. After Wack gets off on the wrong foot with him, Gascon leads the astros to get some special upgrades. From a weird tentacly German-sounding alien doctor. Seriously, he sounds like a stereotypical Nazi mad scientist. This guy comes out of nowhere and is only onscreen for a single scene but it's really immersion breaking. Anyway, the weird German alien gives R2 new rockets, QT a flying magnet in her head and the conehead a powerful laser. What about BZ? He hollows out his head so Col. Gascon can drive his body around as a disguise. And sounds way too happy about taking the poor droid's brain out.
More after the break,
We take a break from our usual war antics this week with something a little different. The Republic has managed to intercept one of General Grievous' encoded messages but without the key they aren't able to decode it. Guess they don't have an Enigma machine. But they have learned that the Separatists' decoder chip is onboard the cruiser Dreadnought and have come up with a daring if unorthodox plan. Four astromech droids will infiltrate the Dreadnought and steal the decoder chip. The idea being that the battle droids won't suspect other droids to be working for the Republic. Not a bad plan actually. In addition to our four astro droids (R2, a pink girl droid named QT, an orange conehead and a green one called BZ) on this mission are a pilot droid named Wack and Col. Gascon (we'll get back to him). Wack is the only droid who actually talks so of course he's an annoying fuckup. His arrogance and slapstick get grating after not too long, though he gets less annoying as the episode continues. Col. Gascon is, well...
Tiny. Like less than a foot tall tiny. He's a little slug/frog alien who's orchestrated this secret mission. After Wack gets off on the wrong foot with him, Gascon leads the astros to get some special upgrades. From a weird tentacly German-sounding alien doctor. Seriously, he sounds like a stereotypical Nazi mad scientist. This guy comes out of nowhere and is only onscreen for a single scene but it's really immersion breaking. Anyway, the weird German alien gives R2 new rockets, QT a flying magnet in her head and the conehead a powerful laser. What about BZ? He hollows out his head so Col. Gascon can drive his body around as a disguise. And sounds way too happy about taking the poor droid's brain out.
More after the break,
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Obscure Comics Character Pitch: The Spectre
Wherein the Serial Wordsmith takes an obscure comic book character, puts a new twist on it, and well, pitches it.
Today's Character: The Spectre
The Character: The Spectre is a Golden Age DC Superhero and founding member of the Justice Society of America, the WW2 predecessor to the Justice League. He's also an angel, sort of. This is where his powers come from. The Spectre is God's angel of vengeance and judgement, given almost unlimited holy power to exact justice on criminals. Often punishing them in ironic and creative ways. So how'd he end up palling around with superheroes in the 40s? I'll explain.
Today's Character: The Spectre
The Character: The Spectre is a Golden Age DC Superhero and founding member of the Justice Society of America, the WW2 predecessor to the Justice League. He's also an angel, sort of. This is where his powers come from. The Spectre is God's angel of vengeance and judgement, given almost unlimited holy power to exact justice on criminals. Often punishing them in ironic and creative ways. So how'd he end up palling around with superheroes in the 40s? I'll explain.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Review of the Jedi: A Necessary Bond
This week's episode hits the ground running as we pick up right where we left last week. Ahsoka and the youngling escaping from Hondo Ohnaka's fortress in a stolen tank with pirates in hot pursuit. Nice, jumping right into the action. And it's a great starting action scene. Building excitement and suspense quickly. The Pirates are about to close in on our heroes so Jeff from American Dad! calls Ganodi back on the Jedi ship. They need to get picked-up but she isn't there. She and R2 were bust fixing David Tennant-bot. Yeah, the Doctor's back!
This leads to the Jedi ship hovering over them with their gangplank out so they can jump on. But the pirates are still following. Eventually, the younglings are hanging in a human chain off the gangplank and their stolen tank is headed for a cliff. The pirates blast the ship and shock R2, who's driving it. So the Jedi ship crashes and the Jedi are forced to surrender. But when they get back to base, they find the pirates have some unexpected company. General Grievous and his army.
More after the break,
Monday, November 19, 2012
Review of the Jedi: Bound for Rescue
Join the Serial Wordsmith every Monday as he recaps and reviews the new season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Another week, another fun episode in the Younglings arc. We rejoin our intrepid young Jedi aboard their damaged spaceship trying to contact some help. Ahsoka's been kidnapped by pirates and R2 is busy repairing David Tennant so he can't help. It also means that he doesn't appear this episode. Awwww. The younglings finally get somebody on the other end of the phone and it's Obi-Wan! He says he'll be by to pick them up after he rescues Ahsoka. They protest and want to help, but Obi-Wan is the by-the-book cop so he tells them to sit and wait. But then a bunch of Separatist ships come out of hyperspace and start attacking his fleet. So he's going to be a little pre-occupied.
Of course, being kids, the younglings weren't going to listen to him anyway. With David Tennant still being fixed by R2, they get to work putting their lighsabers together for the coming rescue. And they do it with the Force. This is actually a cool scene, these kids sitting in complete meditation with all these tiny lightsaber parts floating around them and slowly coming together. Kudos to the animators. Jeff from American Dad! naturally takes lead and proposes going down to Florum (Hondo's hideout planet) to rescue Ahsoka themselves while Katooni says they should wait for Obi-Wan. But things are decided for them when Ganodi the Rodian comes in and says the ship has a coolant leak. If they don't land, they'll be permanently stranded.
More after the break,
Another week, another fun episode in the Younglings arc. We rejoin our intrepid young Jedi aboard their damaged spaceship trying to contact some help. Ahsoka's been kidnapped by pirates and R2 is busy repairing David Tennant so he can't help. It also means that he doesn't appear this episode. Awwww. The younglings finally get somebody on the other end of the phone and it's Obi-Wan! He says he'll be by to pick them up after he rescues Ahsoka. They protest and want to help, but Obi-Wan is the by-the-book cop so he tells them to sit and wait. But then a bunch of Separatist ships come out of hyperspace and start attacking his fleet. So he's going to be a little pre-occupied.
Of course, being kids, the younglings weren't going to listen to him anyway. With David Tennant still being fixed by R2, they get to work putting their lighsabers together for the coming rescue. And they do it with the Force. This is actually a cool scene, these kids sitting in complete meditation with all these tiny lightsaber parts floating around them and slowly coming together. Kudos to the animators. Jeff from American Dad! naturally takes lead and proposes going down to Florum (Hondo's hideout planet) to rescue Ahsoka themselves while Katooni says they should wait for Obi-Wan. But things are decided for them when Ganodi the Rodian comes in and says the ship has a coolant leak. If they don't land, they'll be permanently stranded.
More after the break,
On Fake Geek Girls
There will be fewer silly pictures this time because it is serious time.
Okay, so there's been a lot of talk around the net recently about "fake" geek girls. The closest I can find for an inciting incident is this Facebook post from comics artist Tony Harris complaining about cosplayers. These rather disgusting comments have prompted much discussion here on the nerdy side of the internet ranging from the sarcastic to the academic. Now I consider myself an observer of our culture, so I'm going to offer my own thoughts on this whole idea of the "fake" geek girls.
Buckle in folks, this is going to be a long one...
Okay, so there's been a lot of talk around the net recently about "fake" geek girls. The closest I can find for an inciting incident is this Facebook post from comics artist Tony Harris complaining about cosplayers. These rather disgusting comments have prompted much discussion here on the nerdy side of the internet ranging from the sarcastic to the academic. Now I consider myself an observer of our culture, so I'm going to offer my own thoughts on this whole idea of the "fake" geek girls.
Buckle in folks, this is going to be a long one...
Monday, November 12, 2012
Review of the Jedi: A Test of Strength
Join the Serial Wordsmith every Monday as he recaps and reviews the new season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars
And welcome back dear readers. This week we rejoin our young Jedi-in-training as they return from their successful trip to Ilum. With crystals for their lightsabers, Ahsoka's escorting them back to Coruscant. Yoda decided to finish his vacation, I guess, because he's not here. Instead the younglings are introduced to Prof. Huyang, the droid onboard who'll teach them to build their lightsabers. Wait, this droid's voice is familiar. Holy Shit! It's David Tennant!
And not only is David Tennant here, but that Harry Potter comparison I made last week was rather apt since he's basically playing a robot version of Mr. Ollivander. Seriously, they even do that "looking through lots f drawers for the right piece" bit from Sorcerer's Stone. But Tennant's a good actor and I'm glad he's here. So Prof. Tennant gets the younglings working on their lightsabers when we cut to outside their ship. Where a curiously familiar flying saucer approaches...
More after the break,
And welcome back dear readers. This week we rejoin our young Jedi-in-training as they return from their successful trip to Ilum. With crystals for their lightsabers, Ahsoka's escorting them back to Coruscant. Yoda decided to finish his vacation, I guess, because he's not here. Instead the younglings are introduced to Prof. Huyang, the droid onboard who'll teach them to build their lightsabers. Wait, this droid's voice is familiar. Holy Shit! It's David Tennant!
And not only is David Tennant here, but that Harry Potter comparison I made last week was rather apt since he's basically playing a robot version of Mr. Ollivander. Seriously, they even do that "looking through lots f drawers for the right piece" bit from Sorcerer's Stone. But Tennant's a good actor and I'm glad he's here. So Prof. Tennant gets the younglings working on their lightsabers when we cut to outside their ship. Where a curiously familiar flying saucer approaches...
More after the break,
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Classic Sci-Fi Reread: Ender's Game
I am conflicted, dear readers. Very conflicted. For, as I'll explain in a moment, I really enjoyed Ender's Game. But I didn't want to. And it's all Orson Scott Card's fault.
Before I get into my feelings on Mr. Card and his book, I need to explain a change in this series. Originally the Classic Sci-Fi Reread was meant for me to take another look at older science fiction books I read when I was younger. But while I was going over more lists of classic Sci-Fi novels I found there were plenty that I had never read at all. So while I'll still being looking at things I have read before, I'm expanding this series out to include looks at things I've just read for the first time.
Which brings me to Ender's Game. Yes, believe it or not, I somehow managed to avoid having to read this in my formative years. Which is a shame because I think my younger self would have liked more than I did.
Before I get into my feelings on Mr. Card and his book, I need to explain a change in this series. Originally the Classic Sci-Fi Reread was meant for me to take another look at older science fiction books I read when I was younger. But while I was going over more lists of classic Sci-Fi novels I found there were plenty that I had never read at all. So while I'll still being looking at things I have read before, I'm expanding this series out to include looks at things I've just read for the first time.
Which brings me to Ender's Game. Yes, believe it or not, I somehow managed to avoid having to read this in my formative years. Which is a shame because I think my younger self would have liked more than I did.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Happy Birthday Carl Sagan!
The Serial Wordsmith wishes a happy birthday to the great popularizer of science and space exploration. He's starstuff once more.
Here's a video montage of one his best speeches.
Here's a video montage of one his best speeches.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Review of the Jedi: The Gathering
Join the Serial Wordsmith every Monday as he recaps and reviews the new season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Okay, so I was wrong last week. This week's episode isn't about Padme and banks. It's about young Jedi. Our helpful newsreel narrator informs that because of the war, the number of Jedi has dwindled. As such, they've been trying to get their younglings advanced faster. And taking more babies to become Jedi. Yeah, this is something I've always found weird about the Jedi. I know they're a pseudo-religious order but I've never heard of any other religious order than trains their monks from birth. It just feels very sketchy, like if a priest showed up to take your baby because God told him to.
Anyway, our episode this week focuses on a group of Jedi younglings who are ready to advance to the next level. Ahsoka is chaperoning them to the Jedi Temple on Ilum the ice planet, where Jedi get the crystals that make their lightsabers work. Star Wars fans will remember Ilum from Tartakovsky's Clone Wars series when it was attacked by Separatists. The Jedi have learned since than and protected their temple with a giant Force door.
More after the break,
Okay, so I was wrong last week. This week's episode isn't about Padme and banks. It's about young Jedi. Our helpful newsreel narrator informs that because of the war, the number of Jedi has dwindled. As such, they've been trying to get their younglings advanced faster. And taking more babies to become Jedi. Yeah, this is something I've always found weird about the Jedi. I know they're a pseudo-religious order but I've never heard of any other religious order than trains their monks from birth. It just feels very sketchy, like if a priest showed up to take your baby because God told him to.
Anyway, our episode this week focuses on a group of Jedi younglings who are ready to advance to the next level. Ahsoka is chaperoning them to the Jedi Temple on Ilum the ice planet, where Jedi get the crystals that make their lightsabers work. Star Wars fans will remember Ilum from Tartakovsky's Clone Wars series when it was attacked by Separatists. The Jedi have learned since than and protected their temple with a giant Force door.
More after the break,
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Disney buys Star Wars
Straight from the bantha's mouth
With George Lucas officially retiring, Lucasfilm has been purchased by Disney for $4.05 billion dollars. Meaning that as of today, the entire Star Wars universe of movies and related media now belongs to Disney. And they announced Star Wars: Episode 7 for release in 2015.
Holy shit...
With George Lucas officially retiring, Lucasfilm has been purchased by Disney for $4.05 billion dollars. Meaning that as of today, the entire Star Wars universe of movies and related media now belongs to Disney. And they announced Star Wars: Episode 7 for release in 2015.
Holy shit...
Monday, October 29, 2012
Review of the Jedi: Tipping Points
Join the Serial Wordsmith every Monday as he recaps and reviews the new season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Well that was better than it had any right to be. Like I said last week, the Onderon story arc has been wearing me out and I was looking forward to it ending this week. So imagine my surprise when we got the ending and it actually turned out to be pretty awesome. But we'll get to that, we start off with where we left off last week (duh). After rescuing King Dendup (still a stupid name), the rebels fled into the mountains. Dendup gives a giant holographic message to the people of Onderon supporting the rebels and they finally start rioting in the streets against the Separatists. King Rash is at his last limit because his entire reign has gone to shit thanks to the rebels. Kalani decides the only way to turn things around is crush the rebels once and for all. And now that there outside the city, he's free to bring out the big guns. Kalani orders a squadron of droid gunships to follow the droid army and exterminate the rebels with extreme prejudice. They respond with a Battlestar Galactica reference.
More after the break,
Well that was better than it had any right to be. Like I said last week, the Onderon story arc has been wearing me out and I was looking forward to it ending this week. So imagine my surprise when we got the ending and it actually turned out to be pretty awesome. But we'll get to that, we start off with where we left off last week (duh). After rescuing King Dendup (still a stupid name), the rebels fled into the mountains. Dendup gives a giant holographic message to the people of Onderon supporting the rebels and they finally start rioting in the streets against the Separatists. King Rash is at his last limit because his entire reign has gone to shit thanks to the rebels. Kalani decides the only way to turn things around is crush the rebels once and for all. And now that there outside the city, he's free to bring out the big guns. Kalani orders a squadron of droid gunships to follow the droid army and exterminate the rebels with extreme prejudice. They respond with a Battlestar Galactica reference.
More after the break,
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Go see Cloud Atlas
Do it, go see this movie. It's incredible. Visually lush, amazing performances, makeup, effects, and editing that would make any filmmaker envious, great music. You owe it yourself to see this.
I'm not even lying or being hyperbolic when I say Cloud Atlas left me speechless. Coming out of the theater, I was stunned. I felt winded as if I had run a marathon. This movie impacts you. At least it did me.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Review of the Jedi: The Soft War
Join the Serial Wordsmith every Monday as he recaps and reviews the new season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars
God, I'm going to have sit through one more episode of this crap. I'll get more into this later, but the Onderon arc is starting to wear on me. It's just not very good. Anyway, the episode begins where we left off last week with the Onderon rebels infiltrating the capital and using guerrilla tactics on the Separatists. After attacking more droids, Steela gives a message to the people using the tried and true tactic of giant hologram to join their cause and overthrow the King Rash (who I called Young Derek Jacobi last week). King Rash is still pissed and talking over the situation with the General of his home army and Kalani, the droid general Dooku sent him last week.
The home General (who doesn't get a name so I'll call him General Moustache) seems like a nice guy, like he's with the bad guys only because he runs the army and the bad guys are in charge of the army right now. Naturally, he clashes with Kalani because Kalani works for Dooku and is therefore a huge jerk because Dooku be evil yo. Despite saying that it wasn't the case last week, King Rash still thinks the old king is running the rebels. Oh, by the way the old king's name is Dendup. Dendup. Even in the world of stupid Star Wars names, that is a stupid name.
More after the break,
God, I'm going to have sit through one more episode of this crap. I'll get more into this later, but the Onderon arc is starting to wear on me. It's just not very good. Anyway, the episode begins where we left off last week with the Onderon rebels infiltrating the capital and using guerrilla tactics on the Separatists. After attacking more droids, Steela gives a message to the people using the tried and true tactic of giant hologram to join their cause and overthrow the King Rash (who I called Young Derek Jacobi last week). King Rash is still pissed and talking over the situation with the General of his home army and Kalani, the droid general Dooku sent him last week.
The home General (who doesn't get a name so I'll call him General Moustache) seems like a nice guy, like he's with the bad guys only because he runs the army and the bad guys are in charge of the army right now. Naturally, he clashes with Kalani because Kalani works for Dooku and is therefore a huge jerk because Dooku be evil yo. Despite saying that it wasn't the case last week, King Rash still thinks the old king is running the rebels. Oh, by the way the old king's name is Dendup. Dendup. Even in the world of stupid Star Wars names, that is a stupid name.
More after the break,
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Happy Birthday Bela Lugosi
Today would have been the great horror actor's 130th birthday.
Long Live Dracula!
Long Live Dracula!
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
Review of the Jedi: Front Runners
Join the Serial Wordsmith every Monday as he recaps and reviews the new season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars
We pick up this week with Part 2 of the Onderon story arc. Our heroes and their rebel buddies from last week are going around the capital city and messing up the droids' business. The new douchebag Separatist king (who looks like a young Derek Jacobi) is understandably pissed about this and drags his predecessor out of jail to get some answers. Gotta say, I didn't think the old king would still be alive. Wouldn't it make more sense to kill him? Anyway the old king doesn't have answers about the rebels because he's been in jail, but King Derek Jacobi just thinks he's full of shit. Jacobi says call the rebels off or else.
Meanwhile, our heroes (Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and Rex) and the rebels led by Steela, Saw and Lux return to their hidden base. They're celebrating their success but Obi-Wan warns them about perception. They need to get the public on their side if they're going to win back their planet. Anakin and Rex say they've been trained enough and can handle things on their own. Ahsoka's staying behind to supervise the rebels but the rest are heading back to Coruscant.
More after the break,
We pick up this week with Part 2 of the Onderon story arc. Our heroes and their rebel buddies from last week are going around the capital city and messing up the droids' business. The new douchebag Separatist king (who looks like a young Derek Jacobi) is understandably pissed about this and drags his predecessor out of jail to get some answers. Gotta say, I didn't think the old king would still be alive. Wouldn't it make more sense to kill him? Anyway the old king doesn't have answers about the rebels because he's been in jail, but King Derek Jacobi just thinks he's full of shit. Jacobi says call the rebels off or else.
Meanwhile, our heroes (Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and Rex) and the rebels led by Steela, Saw and Lux return to their hidden base. They're celebrating their success but Obi-Wan warns them about perception. They need to get the public on their side if they're going to win back their planet. Anakin and Rex say they've been trained enough and can handle things on their own. Ahsoka's staying behind to supervise the rebels but the rest are heading back to Coruscant.
More after the break,
Friday, October 12, 2012
Top 10 Monsters who deserve more Media exposure
Well dear readers, it is October once again. Meaning that Halloween is not too far away. I love Halloween, hands down my favorite holiday of the year and one of my favorite things about Halloween is the reappearance of all the classic monsters. Vampires, Werewolves, Mummies, all of them. But human history and legend is full of weird and wild monsters who sadly get overlooked. That's a shame and I think it's time these offbeat horrors had their time in the sun. So without further ado, the Serial Wordsmith is proud to present...
The Top 10 Monsters who need more Media Exposure
The Top 10 Monsters who need more Media Exposure
Monday, October 8, 2012
Review of the Jedi: A War on Two Fronts
Our episode this week begins with the newsreel-esque narrator telling us that Weird Jungle Planet #256 (or Onderon as they're calling it this week) has got a new king and he's sided with Separatists. But not everybody is onboard with this and a rebel group has popped up to oppose him. And they're not weird aliens this time, they're dark-skinned humans! ZOMG! I didn't know those existed in Star Wars.
I kid, I kid. Anyway, these rebels call up the Jedi for help overthrowing their new jerk king. Anakin suggests they can train the rebels in guerilla tactics and attack the Separatists on two fronts (title drop). The other Jedi are unsure about this, fearing their involvement will create terrorism against a legitimate government. I've got to say, they have a point. This situation reminds of the Iran-Contra affair from the 80s, where the Soviets were propping up an abusive government in Nicaragua so we started supporting the rebels there because Soviets be bad y'all. But then it turned out the rebels were bigger bastards than the other guys.
More after the break,
Monday, October 1, 2012
Review of the Jedi: Revival
Join the Serial Wordsmith every Monday as he recaps and reviews the new season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
And so we begin Season 5 of Clone Wars with Revival. The episode starts where the previous season left off, Darth Maul is back and totally pissed off. He and his brother/apprentice Savage are going around wrecking people's shit on the run from the Jedi. Maul realizes they can't run forever and if they want to survive, they're going to need a plan. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan Kenobi and fellow Jedi Adi Gallia are hunting down the two rogue Sith. They arrive at the space station Maul and Savage were fucking up and find out they fled to the Planet Florrum, homebase of Hondo Ohnaka and his pirates.
More after the break,
And so we begin Season 5 of Clone Wars with Revival. The episode starts where the previous season left off, Darth Maul is back and totally pissed off. He and his brother/apprentice Savage are going around wrecking people's shit on the run from the Jedi. Maul realizes they can't run forever and if they want to survive, they're going to need a plan. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan Kenobi and fellow Jedi Adi Gallia are hunting down the two rogue Sith. They arrive at the space station Maul and Savage were fucking up and find out they fled to the Planet Florrum, homebase of Hondo Ohnaka and his pirates.
More after the break,
Monday, September 24, 2012
Happy Birthday Jim Henson
Thanks to Tor for the heads up.
Today would have been Muppets creator Jim Henson's 76th birthday. There's no way I can quantify how much Henson, his studio, and the Muppets' impact in just a few lines. So I'll just run this...
And not to ruin the solemnity of it, but I also have an excuse to run this too...
Today would have been Muppets creator Jim Henson's 76th birthday. There's no way I can quantify how much Henson, his studio, and the Muppets' impact in just a few lines. So I'll just run this...
And not to ruin the solemnity of it, but I also have an excuse to run this too...
Saturday, September 22, 2012
New Robocop is more Generic Future Armor Man
This is the new Robocop suit from the upcoming remake of that 80s classic. Lame. This has to be one of the most generic, unoriginal futuristic armors I've ever seen. Overly detailed, all black, full visor. He doesn't look like an unstoppable cyborg. He looks like a villainous footsoldier in a better sci-fi movie.
But you know, both this underwhelming design and the Bayformer-ish look of the new ED-209 has led to an interesting theory I've heard. It says that much like how the original Robocop satirized the hyper-violence and bulky technology look of the 80s, this new Robocop will be satirizing the sanitized, derivatively designed PG-13 sci-fi action movies of today. I don't how much water that holds, but it's an interesting idea.
And the funny thing is, this armor doesn't look as bad when you color it right...
Going on an adventure (and Doctor Who jokes)
Nice to see that it's different than the last one. The first Hobbit trailer gave more of "Oh crap, Lord of the Rings is back" feeling and scale of epicness, this one is more about setting up The Hobbit's actual story. This is especially good for people who only know this series through the movies and have never actually read the books. I also like how it has a more lighthearted tone than Lord of the Rings did. The Hobbit is a much more lighthearted book than LotR and it's good to see that carried over into the movies.
And this trailer gave us our first glimpse at Gandalf's fellow wizard Radagast the Brown, played by former Doctor Sylvester McCoy. More on him after the jump...
Friday, September 14, 2012
RIP Nostalgia Critic
If you've spent any time on the Internet, there's a good chance you've heard of Doug Walker and his site That Guy with the Glasses. If you haven't, it's a conglomerate site for people who do video reviews of various things. Movies, Video Games, Comics, etc. Since its inception, the flagship show of the site has been Walker's own Nostalgia Critic where he plays a cartoony Gen X-er who angrily rants about movies from the 80s and 90s. If you haven't seen it, go check it out. It is hilarious.
Well, all things must come to an end. At the end of their latest anniversary special, called To Boldly Flee, the Nostalgia Critic character and show were officially retired. I won't reveal how because of spoilers and Walker himself explains what this means for the future of That Guy with the Glasses here.
I just wanted to say thank you to Mr. Walker. The Nostalgia Critic has given me hours of enjoyment and always something to look forward to on Wednesdays. His precedent in Internet media has given a lot of people a platform to share their views and work and he's an inspiration to any online independent filmmakers.
So in honor of the character's retirement I present my favorite Nostalgia Critic episode, his review of Stephen King's It.
Well, all things must come to an end. At the end of their latest anniversary special, called To Boldly Flee, the Nostalgia Critic character and show were officially retired. I won't reveal how because of spoilers and Walker himself explains what this means for the future of That Guy with the Glasses here.
I just wanted to say thank you to Mr. Walker. The Nostalgia Critic has given me hours of enjoyment and always something to look forward to on Wednesdays. His precedent in Internet media has given a lot of people a platform to share their views and work and he's an inspiration to any online independent filmmakers.
So in honor of the character's retirement I present my favorite Nostalgia Critic episode, his review of Stephen King's It.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Obscure Comics Character Pitch: Firestorm
Wherein the Serial Wordsmith takes an obscure comic book character, puts a new twist on it, and well, pitches it
Today's Character: Firestorm, the Nuclear Man
The Character: Firestorm is a C-list DC superhero and on-again, off-again member of the Justice League. His powers include flight, radioactive blasts and the ability to transmute the molecular structure of matter. So he can turn lead into gold, water into air, and the hardest steel into liquid mush. He's basically a living Philosopher's Stone. He's also got a doozy of a secret identity. See Firestorm isn't just one guy, he's two.
Today's Character: Firestorm, the Nuclear Man
The Character: Firestorm is a C-list DC superhero and on-again, off-again member of the Justice League. His powers include flight, radioactive blasts and the ability to transmute the molecular structure of matter. So he can turn lead into gold, water into air, and the hardest steel into liquid mush. He's basically a living Philosopher's Stone. He's also got a doozy of a secret identity. See Firestorm isn't just one guy, he's two.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Happy Birthday Freddie Mercury!
Today would have been Freddie Mercury's 66th birthday. He died in 1991 from AIDS and pneumonia and it's still a shame we lost him so tragically.
Here's a happy birthday to The Great Pretender.
Here's a happy birthday to The Great Pretender.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Top 10 NuWho Episodes
Man, it's been too long since I did one of these.
As I've mentioned a few times recently, Doctor Who is coming back from a long, LONG absence tonight. And to commemorate this wonderful event, I present my...
Top 10 Favorite Doctor Who Episodes
And before anyone jumps on me, these are my favorites since the show came back in 2005. I haven't seen enough Classic Who to pass judgement. Now, without further ado...
As I've mentioned a few times recently, Doctor Who is coming back from a long, LONG absence tonight. And to commemorate this wonderful event, I present my...
Top 10 Favorite Doctor Who Episodes
And before anyone jumps on me, these are my favorites since the show came back in 2005. I haven't seen enough Classic Who to pass judgement. Now, without further ado...
Happy Birthday Hatsune Miku!
Yesterday (August 31st) was artificial Japanese pop star Hatsune Miku's 5th birthday.
Here's a happy birthday to our favorite little idoru from the Serial Wordsmith.
Here's a happy birthday to our favorite little idoru from the Serial Wordsmith.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Dalek Court, now in session...
It's official. Doctor Who returns this Saturday, September 1st.
God, it's been too long since this show's been on.
God, it's been too long since this show's been on.
Neil Armstrong 1930-2012
Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, has passed away at the age of 82.
The moon landing is, in my opinion, the human race's greatest achievement. I'll just let the moment speak for itself.
The moon landing is, in my opinion, the human race's greatest achievement. I'll just let the moment speak for itself.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Man Without Fear
There's been some legal wrangling between Marvel and Fox. Go here for more details, but basically Marvel was going to let Fox hang on to their Daredevil rights in exchange for Galactus. Fox passed and now Marvel is getting the rights to Daredevil back. That's a shame really because director Joe Carnahan (Smokin' Aces, The A-Team, The Grey) was in talks to take over the project and had a vision for the movie that would have been great.
Check out his sizzle reel after the jump...
Check out his sizzle reel after the jump...
Ooooh, Pretty
Below, the trailer for Cloud Atlas
Now can anybody tell me what the hell is going on here? All I know about this movie is apparently it's based on a novel, it's being directed by the Wachowskis and Run Lola Run's Tom Twyker, it's full of incredibly talented actors and it is fucking GORGEOUS! Seriously, I have no idea from this what the story is but I want to see this movie just to see more of these beautiful visuals.
If anybody knows more about this, sound off in the comments.
Now can anybody tell me what the hell is going on here? All I know about this movie is apparently it's based on a novel, it's being directed by the Wachowskis and Run Lola Run's Tom Twyker, it's full of incredibly talented actors and it is fucking GORGEOUS! Seriously, I have no idea from this what the story is but I want to see this movie just to see more of these beautiful visuals.
If anybody knows more about this, sound off in the comments.
Wood Paneling
My friend over at Very Fancy Pants Media on Youtube has begun a new series. It's called Wood Paneling and he reviews old forgotten Atari games. Man, does anybody remember the Atari?
Check out another after the jump
Check out another after the jump
Thursday, August 2, 2012
So Many Daleks
I love Doctor Who. It's probably my favorite TV show and the wait for the new season has been excruciating. But the BBC has temporarily relieved me with this...
Oh so many Daleks. Doctor Who returns to BBC America in August.
Oh so many Daleks. Doctor Who returns to BBC America in August.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Jeans of Steel
So here's the first teaser for Zack Snyder's new Superman movie Man of Steel. And I have to agree with everybody who says this looks like a jeans commercial. Lots of somberly shot stuff with wind blowing and saddish music playing. Not exactly exciting super human adventure. Honestly, if you watched this would you even know it's a Superman movie until the end. At least that sonic boom at the end is cool.
I've also included the International version after the jump. Most of the footage is the same, but this one has a voiceover from Russell Crowe's Jor-El. It's got that nice Marlon Brando hidden depths vibe going that the domestic version lacks.
Mascot Madness
Last night the 2012 London Olympic Games or whatever they're called began. I don't care much about sports but I was curious about the opening ceremony. I mean, how can you top China's thousand-man synchronized drumming? Balls-out Insanity apparently. They had kids singing, Kenneth Branagh reading Shakespeare, angry Celtic drumming, an elaborately choreographed ring forging, The Queen jumping out off a helicopter with James Bond, a 100-foot Voldemort, Mr. Bean, a retrospective of British pop music, fireworks, the whole shebang. But amidst all the crazy, I noticed one glaring absence...
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Friday, July 20, 2012
Dark Knight Rises Tragedy
From Badass Digest
In case you hadn't heard. At a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado, a man pulled out a gun killing 12 people and injuring 38 more. The man, James Holmes, is now in custody. His motivation is still unknown.
This is a tragedy. A midnight show is a celebration of love from movie fans and to have one become a horror show is truly awful. My thoughts and condolences go out to the victims and their families and I ask that you keep them in your thoughts.
In case you hadn't heard. At a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado, a man pulled out a gun killing 12 people and injuring 38 more. The man, James Holmes, is now in custody. His motivation is still unknown.
This is a tragedy. A midnight show is a celebration of love from movie fans and to have one become a horror show is truly awful. My thoughts and condolences go out to the victims and their families and I ask that you keep them in your thoughts.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Comic-Con 2012 News!*
*a.k.a. Stuff from the Con I'm excited about
San Diego Comic-Con is the biggest nerd event of the year. All the big companies save their biggest stuff for this four-day convention in July and this year was no different. Not many big surprises at the con this time but still lots of exciting stuff. Unfortunately I could not attend, but this is the news I heard that I'm most excited about.
San Diego Comic-Con is the biggest nerd event of the year. All the big companies save their biggest stuff for this four-day convention in July and this year was no different. Not many big surprises at the con this time but still lots of exciting stuff. Unfortunately I could not attend, but this is the news I heard that I'm most excited about.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Friday, July 6, 2012
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
Classic Sci-Fi Reread: Foundation
Welcome to the first of a semi-ongoing series here at Confessions of a Serial Wordsmith. As a huge fan of science fiction, I've taken it upon myself to read the classics of the genre. Unfortunately, this was back when I was in Middle and High school and I was young and stupid and couldn't really appreciate them at the time. So the point of the Classic Sci-Fi Reread is to reread these classic sci-fi novels and give them a second look. And the first book we're going to take a look at is The first in Isaac Asimov's classic series, Foundation.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Top 10 Princesses
There's just something about Royalty. Even here in America, a democracy, we find the idea of nobility fascinating. Especially Princesses. People seem to love princesses. They pop up all the time in fiction and they're one of those archetypes that everyone can immediately picture in their mind. After all, the Disney Princess cliche exists for a reason. I guess people just find it appealing to be ruled by a young, beautiful virginal girl. But there can be more to a princess than beauty. Princesses can be smart, crafty, kickass, sexy and everything in between. So in honor of Pixar's new movie Brave (their first to feature a princess as a main character)* I present...
The Top 10 Princesses
The Top 10 Princesses
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Big Things have Small Beginnings
Ridley Scott is considered one of the greatest science fiction filmmakers of all time despite only making two sci-fi films in his illustrious career. But those two films are Alien and Blade Runner, both classics. So when it was announced that Scott was returning to science fiction, anticipation was high. Especially since he was also returning to possibly make an Alien prequel. The trailer for Prometheus promised big ideas and horrific monsters, sci-fi we hadn't seen in a long time. And it is something.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Update 06/12/12
Apologies, dear readers, for the lack of updates. Other projects have taken precedent and i've been distracted by some IRL business. In addition, I've been preparing two new series for this very blog I think you'll enjoy. So you needn't worry, we shall be returning to regular updates shortly. Stay tuned this week for a new Top 10, a review of Prometheus, a new anime review, and maybe even the beginning of one of those new series if I get lucky.
Keep watching this spot, dear reader. More interesting things are on the way.
Keep watching this spot, dear reader. More interesting things are on the way.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Great Hera!
So a little while back DC Comics said that in the wake of their company-wide reboot last September, they were going to announce that an established character was actually gay. "Major" and "Iconic" were the words they used for the character. It was a good progressive move to sure. And good publicity too, as everybody started guessing games as to who the character could be. Some were even guessing that Batman or Superman could be it. Well today the lucky character was announced. The winner?
The original Green Lantern, Alan Scott.
The original Green Lantern, Alan Scott.
Friday, May 25, 2012
A long time ago...
Today, Star Wars is 35 years old. Without it, I'd be a far different person. And we'd be living in a far different world.
Celebrate accordingly,
Happy Geek Pride Day.
Celebrate accordingly,
Happy Geek Pride Day.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
In the Navy
Hey! We've got the movie rights to a board game!
Which one?
Battleship!
Okay, want to make a Battleship movie?
Yeah! And let's put aliens in it!
....what?
Which one?
Battleship!
Okay, want to make a Battleship movie?
Yeah! And let's put aliens in it!
....what?
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Vampires, Soap Opera & the 70s
I meant to get this out a day or two ago but have been busy IRL. Sorry for the wait.
Dark Shadows began life as an ABC soap opera in 1966. It concerned the sordid lives of the Collins family, an old-money New England family living in a decaying mansion in Maine. The show started off pretty much like every other soap opera albeit with a bit more Gothic tone but started introducing more overt supernatural elements 200 episodes in with the introduction of Barnabas Collins. Barnabas was one of the original Ensemble Darkhorses, the family's patriarch from back in the day who was also an immortal vampire. Dark Shadows was kind of melodramatic and silly, but there was a charm to it that garnered a cult audience. Two of those fans? Tim Burton and Johnny Depp.
And so...
Dark Shadows began life as an ABC soap opera in 1966. It concerned the sordid lives of the Collins family, an old-money New England family living in a decaying mansion in Maine. The show started off pretty much like every other soap opera albeit with a bit more Gothic tone but started introducing more overt supernatural elements 200 episodes in with the introduction of Barnabas Collins. Barnabas was one of the original Ensemble Darkhorses, the family's patriarch from back in the day who was also an immortal vampire. Dark Shadows was kind of melodramatic and silly, but there was a charm to it that garnered a cult audience. Two of those fans? Tim Burton and Johnny Depp.
And so...
Friday, May 11, 2012
Top 10 Tim Burton Movies
Tim Burton is a divisive filmmaker. People seem to either really like his work or completely despise it. There isn't much middle ground. This hasn't gotten easier in the last few years as most of his output has ranged from mediocre to terrible, coming across more as ads for Hot Topic merchandise and artistic masturbation on his part. Thankfully, this trend looks like it'll reverse this year with the silly supernatural soap opera Dark Shadows (which I'll have a review of in a few days) and Burton's return to stop-motion animation with Frankenweenie.
So in honor of Dark Shadows release this weekend, I present
The Top 10 Tim Burton Movies
So in honor of Dark Shadows release this weekend, I present
The Top 10 Tim Burton Movies
Monday, May 7, 2012
Long Live the King
So I saw The Avengers the other day. Needless to say, it was awesome. Great action, great character moments, great witty dialogue. It was all around pretty great. And I was going to write a post about the characters, you know backstories, details from the comics, etc. But a friend of mine gave me a better idea.
My friend and I had both just seen The Avengers. He isn't much of a comic book fan like myself, so he was asking me about how faithful the movie was to the comic. I got into all the minutiae and esoterica and brought up Jack Kirby. My friend had no idea who he was. And I figured not many of you who saw The Avengers this past weekend know who he is either. Allow me to rectify that if you would, dear reader. Let's talk about the King of Comics.
My friend and I had both just seen The Avengers. He isn't much of a comic book fan like myself, so he was asking me about how faithful the movie was to the comic. I got into all the minutiae and esoterica and brought up Jack Kirby. My friend had no idea who he was. And I figured not many of you who saw The Avengers this past weekend know who he is either. Allow me to rectify that if you would, dear reader. Let's talk about the King of Comics.
Friday, May 4, 2012
I've been a bad nerd
I was so excited about seeing The Avengers tonight I totally forgot it was Star Wars Day.
If you don't know, Star Wars Day is a celebration of Star Wars every May 4th. Because May 4th sounds like "May the Fourth be with you". Yeah I know it's a bad pun, but I didn't come up with it.
As some penance, here's a funny video
If you don't know, Star Wars Day is a celebration of Star Wars every May 4th. Because May 4th sounds like "May the Fourth be with you". Yeah I know it's a bad pun, but I didn't come up with it.
As some penance, here's a funny video
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Some "Dark Knight Rises" Speculation
So there's a new Batman movie coming out. Is anybody excited about it?
Well yes, it is a Batman movie so of course people are looking forward to it. But is anybody waiting with baited breath? I don't know, it just seems like the hype for The Dark Knight Rises isn't there. I think it has to do with The Avengers. Marvel has spent the last few years building up this huge universe-building movie and it's kind of left Christopher Nolan's swan song out in the cold.
At any rate, I'm sure the movie will be good if the previous two are any indication. And there's a new trailer out for The Dark Knight Rises and it has prompted some speculation on my part...
(This is just my hypothesis but it could still be a SPOILER, so it's after the jump)
Well yes, it is a Batman movie so of course people are looking forward to it. But is anybody waiting with baited breath? I don't know, it just seems like the hype for The Dark Knight Rises isn't there. I think it has to do with The Avengers. Marvel has spent the last few years building up this huge universe-building movie and it's kind of left Christopher Nolan's swan song out in the cold.
At any rate, I'm sure the movie will be good if the previous two are any indication. And there's a new trailer out for The Dark Knight Rises and it has prompted some speculation on my part...
(This is just my hypothesis but it could still be a SPOILER, so it's after the jump)
Monday, April 23, 2012
Top 10 Star Wars Aliens
I am a huge Star Wars fan, going back to the Special Editions. There's something just so fun and entertaining about the mix of old-school swashbuckling, mythic archetypes, and retro pulp sci-fi. And one thing Star Wars does great is aliens. Unlike say Star Trek where most of the aliens are just regular people with bumpy foreheads, Star Wars has aliens that look, well, alien. I mean just look at the first movie. in that we had gibberish-spouting desert midgets, hairy gorilla-bear guy, whatever the hell that thing in the Death Star's trash compactor was.
So in honor of that, I am proud to present the first in a new recurring series...
The Top 10 Star Wars Aliens
Monday, April 16, 2012
Spoilers and "The Cabin in the Woods"
As I said in my last post about Armitage III, It is the policy of this blog to not give spoilers. The only exception being if whatever I'm spoiling is over 10 years old. This is because I don't think it's fair to you to have a great twist or surprise ruined. I don't like to get spoiled so I will extend that courtesy to you. I'll do my best to articulate my point without giving anything away. If I do have to give spoilers, you will see a big bold SPOILER ALERT! to warn you.
Which makes it really hard for me to talk about The Cabin in the Woods.
Which makes it really hard for me to talk about The Cabin in the Woods.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
"If humans didn't want me, why did they create me?"
As things go, I'm relatively new to anime. Oh, I've seen stuff like Pokemon and Digimon before but those are so widespread they don't even really count. It was only about two years ago I really got into anime, watching stuff on Netflix and Hulu. Coincidentally, this was around the same time I became friends with a lapsed anime fan whose brain I picked for recommendations. One of the first things he brought up was something he called "Anime Blade Runner". Or its actual title Armitage III.*
Friday, April 6, 2012
Mission Statement
Greetings. I am the Serial Wordsmith.
Until now, I have merely been an observer of this bizarre and often confusing world of our collective imaginations. But I feel the time is come for me to impart my own view on matters through the venue of this blog. If you have been so kind as to read the little "About Me" paragraph to the right, you know I am a huge nerd. So prepare yourself dear reader, for you shall soon be subjected to an opinionated view on a great many nerdy things! Yes, we'll be talking about everything. Movies, Comic Books, Anime, TV, Books and generally whatever the hell I feel like talking about.
With that in mind, I hereby make a promise to you dear reader. I, as the writer of this blog, promise to never give you anything other my completely honest opinion. Agree with it, disagree with it, don't give a crap either way, whatever you feel just know that what you're reading is just my opinion. I'll do what I can to explain why it's my opinion, but it's still just my opinion.
All right, mission stated. Now let's do this thing.
Stay tuned to this spot dear reader. You're in for some strange stuff.
Until now, I have merely been an observer of this bizarre and often confusing world of our collective imaginations. But I feel the time is come for me to impart my own view on matters through the venue of this blog. If you have been so kind as to read the little "About Me" paragraph to the right, you know I am a huge nerd. So prepare yourself dear reader, for you shall soon be subjected to an opinionated view on a great many nerdy things! Yes, we'll be talking about everything. Movies, Comic Books, Anime, TV, Books and generally whatever the hell I feel like talking about.
With that in mind, I hereby make a promise to you dear reader. I, as the writer of this blog, promise to never give you anything other my completely honest opinion. Agree with it, disagree with it, don't give a crap either way, whatever you feel just know that what you're reading is just my opinion. I'll do what I can to explain why it's my opinion, but it's still just my opinion.
All right, mission stated. Now let's do this thing.
Stay tuned to this spot dear reader. You're in for some strange stuff.
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