SUPER LATE Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. “The Bridge” Review

Howdy ladies and gents, time for my review of episode 10 of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. entitled “The Bridge”. Man I’ve left this show for SO long its been ridiculous. After uni work got crazy and I started watching Regular Show, all of my other TV shows took a back seat. But now I’m ready to review the final episode of this  show for 2013.

As usual in these reviews I’m just gonna present the plot and then say what I liked and what I didn’t like. Cool? Okay let’s keep going.

The Plot

In this episode Agent Coulson takes the war the war back to Centipede and this time he brings Mike Peterson for some super-soldier support. As they get closer to the truth, startling secrets are revealed.

What I Liked

Firstly the introduction to the episode was pretty cool, with the break into the prison with the super-powered men coming into the prison to bust out the prisoner, Edison Po. I also liked the sense of continuity between this episode that a few of the others before, bringing back important people from the past as well as finally bringing back Centipede into the forefront. The action was nice, the fight scenes were nicely choreographed and it was great to see more of May kicking ass as well as Ward and Mike. While not too much advanced, there were some unexpected twists and turns and near the end some unlucky events go down in regards to Coulson and Mike which I did not see coming which gave the episode some dramatic weight.

In terms of characters it was great to see the return of Mike Peterson (J. August Richards), he’s definitely changed/upgraded since the first episode, now he wants to do right by the team after their last encounter and I feel like he did well using his stabilized powers to take on the other Centipede guys. Also it was nice to see the return of Edison and Raina, both seem like dangerous people and have some mysterious and intriguing personality traits. Edison Po seems like a shady guy, but what’s even more interesting all his talk about the Clairvoyant, I really wanna know who it is.

The usual crew was all on good form though some stuck out more so than others. Simmons is still gorgeous and she had some funny scenes along with Fitz when talking to Mike in the lab. Melinda May and Brett Ward were really interesting as there was a bit of screen time devoted to the way in which they conduct themselves on and off of the battlefield. The sparing session between May and Ward was nice, you could sense the sexual tension and I liked their small talk to, so saucy. And that conversation they had after their scuffle with the Centipede dudes and May mistakes Ward’s saving her as an act of compassion only for him to tell her otherwise, was interesting to see her misjudge someone. May also just had some great other moments when confronting Skye (and making her cry, yay) and in those final scenes on the bridge too.

What I Disliked

Now for the stuff I didn’t like. It has been 10 episodes since Project Centipede were mentioned, I’m not quite sure if they’re an organization or something else, but the show seems to make them come across some evil force that should be feared and is making movements. However we have yet to see them come to the forefront of the series and reveal themselves or directly affect S.H.I.E.L.D. and of course in this episode they took Coulson away from the team, but Centipede is still a mystery and I believe the show still has a lot of work to do to prove that this group mean business.

Skye again was just the least useful character, she just sat there talking about her potential parents, got bitched at by May and even when she was helping out with the mission she didn’t seem as useful as everyone else. I just don’t care for her no more. Also Coulson as cool as he is as a character, he’s just not really as cool personality-wise as he was in the films, he just seems kind of dull and uninteresting. Unless we find out what happened to him soon, his credibility will diminish soon.

Oh and lastly I don’t feel like AoS has fully utilized the material at their disposal with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the wealth of comics to pick from to do with S.H.I.E.L.D., I seriously hope this show picks up the slack in 2014 or I may cry. :S

Conclusion

In conclusion “The Bridge” is a pretty good episode that brings a good few elements from their previous episodes and brought them together in a cool, dramatic and unexpected way. The return of Mike Peterson was cool, Melinda May was badass as always and the ending made for a good finish. AoS is still far from greatness and needs a proper hook, but so far it still is making a few good steps towards success.

Rating: 8/10 (An interesting and unexpectedly good episode)

So what did you think of “The Bridge“? Also what do you think of AoS so far? Are you still watching show or did you give up long ago? Whatever your thoughts drop them in the comments below and I’ll see ya again for episode 11 in 2014! 😀

 

End of Year Review 2013

Hey hey hey ladies and gents, welcome to my annual END OF YEAR REVIEW!. And this is the 3rd edition on WordPress. 🙂 It’s that time of year again when the we reflect on the last 12 months asking ourselves where the time has gone and see what kind of stuff went down. As with previous versions I will discuss the year as I saw it, breaking it down into sections and then concluding with a summary. You cool with that? Nice, let’s go!

Video Games

With video games it’s started to take more a backseat to my love for film and going to the cinema, that being said I think I did a lot more gaming this year then last year. With my 3DS gaming I played a lot of Ocarina of Time 3D, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Mutant Mudds, Steamworld Dig and I totally had the best time ever playing Pokemon X and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds this year. And in addition of playing GTA V, Terraria and all the games I played on emulators that gave me serious rushes of nostalgia and new experiences, I’ve become more of a gamer than I ever was before. However since I haven’t played enough games due to my lack of cash and lack of free time, so don’t expect any top 10 list from me lol.

Films

When it comes to films, I thought this year was a pretty disappointing especially when compared to last year. There was so much promise of awesomeness and unforgettable material, however there was just a lack impact and presence when it came to a lot of the films this year. I even wrote a post about it a while ago. Now that’s not to say that 2013 was a complete waste of time, there were some really fun and impressive films on show that were on show and luckily made those days in the cinema not as painful.

Annoyingly just like last year there are films that came out this year that I’ll have to wait until next year for (12 Years as a Slave and American Hustle come to mind), but I’ve gotten used to the fact that the UK film distribution is totally unfair.

So it’s now time for my top 10, but before that keep in mind this was a frigging hard list to do and I’m only counting films released in 2013, films from 2012 that were released in 2013 for us UK residents DON’T COUNT! Okay here’s my list:

Top 10 Films of 2013

1. Captain Philips
2. Now You See Me
3. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
4. Iron Man 3
5. Gravity
6. Saving Mr. Banks
7. Rush
8. Thor: The Dark World
9. Frozen
10. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Honourable mentions:

• Fast 6
• Despicable Me 2
• The Wolverine
• Pacific Rim
• Kick Ass 2
• Star Trek Into Darkness
• Filth

When it comes to upcoming films I think that 2014 will be better, I’m praying for it. With epic titles like Godzilla, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Interstellar, Sabotage, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, X-Men: Days of Future Past and so much more, I’m sure that it has the potential to rectify the mistakes of this year.

Music

Now let’s talk music! As with last year, I don’t care much for modern music because most of the time it sucks. I only make exceptions with established artists who have been going for a while or those odd few musicians who are good. Some of the music I’ve had to endure this year is beyond terrible, last year was the year of dubstep, this year was the year of dirty mainstream dance music bullshit. Everything sounded the same and what the hell was up with all the covers and sampling of old songs and then being raped by new artists? Is there no justice in the world?

Well outside of that, the return of Daft Punk, Justin Timberlake, AFI and Janelle Monáe was brilliant as they provided me with albums I had a lot of fun listening to. In addition to that while going back in time for music I got really into Deadmau5 over the summer, continued my love for A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip, RX Bandits and Alexisonfire, started getting into Alter Bridge, Beastie Boys and Coheed and Cambria, revisited Yellowcard, The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather.

Top 5 Song of 2013

1. Get Lucky by Daft Punk featuring Pharrell
2. Suit & Tie by Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z
3. I Hope You Suffer by AFI
4. Dance Apocalyptic by Janelle Monáe
5. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays by Issues

My Experience

Ah 2013, good gravy, as with previous years I’ve never had a good or bad year, just a mixed bag and this year was no exception. There were many highs and lows in my world and I can’t even begin to know how to describe it to you, but hell I’m gonna try.

Let’s start with the bad stuff. Well, there’s been an array of shitty situations that have befallen me this year that’s put me in the worst of places like: 1) Being financially messed up and again. 2) Almost getting kicked out of my house by my landlord. 3) Getting stranded in a random town over the summer. 4) Having the most painful dentist experience ever. So yeah it’s not been a good time at points lol.

Then let’s talk about the reverse with the good stuff. Firstly this has been one of my most adventurous years in the sense that I went out of my way to try new things like going to my first music festival, witnessing an amazing Zelda concert, doing volunteer work again, and going to the Peak District for the first time and applying for various types of jobs. Friends have also been a big part of my year, the old ones have been true blue and badass as always and now I have some new peeps in the collection too.

So it has been a crazy year, but I consider it all a learning experience and I have gained much knowledge of which I shall put to good use in the future.

Conclusion

So to summarize 2013 was a good and bad year. I had so much fun and so much tragedy go down and the world of media has given me joy and pain in many ways. Well the year is done and I’m ready to move on, hopefully 2014 will be my year, it looks promising and I’m ready for some new adventures.

Thank you all for reading whether you are my regulars or fresh new face, have a happy new year and I hope you’ll join me in again 2014. Peace out! 😀

 

My Top Ten Film of 2013

Howdy ladies and gents, since the year is almost over and I have seen pretty much all the films I can see this year, I think it’s about time that I release my 10 ten list of films this year. Now the following stuff is a segment from my End of Year Review which will be up very soon, so I thought I’d upload this first as a separate thing in case people miss it in the other blog post. But anyways I’ve talked too much, here’s my list:

When it comes to films, I thought this year was a pretty disappointing especially when compared to last year. There was so much promise of awesomeness and unforgettable material, however there was just a lack impact and presence when it came to a lot of the films this year. I even wrote a post about it a while ago. Now that’s not to say that 2013 was a complete waste of time, there were some really fun and impressive films on show that were on show and luckily made those days in the cinema not as painful.

Annoyingly just like last year there are films that came out this year that I’ll have to wait until next year for (12 Years as a Slave and American Hustle come to mind), but I’ve gotten used to the fact that the UK film distribution is totally unfair.

So it’s now time for my top 10, but before that keep in mind this was a frigging hard list to do and I’m only counting films released in 2013, films from 2012 that were released in 2013 for us UK residents DON’T COUNT! Okay here’s my list:

Top 10 Films of 2013

1. Captain Phillips
2. Now You See Me
3. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
4. Iron Man 3
5. Gravity
6. Saving Mr. Banks
7. Rush
8. Thor: The Dark World
9. Frozen
10. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Honourable mentions:

• Fast 6
• Despicable Me 2
• The Iceman
• The Wolverine
• Pacific Rim
• Kick Ass 2
• Star Trek Into Darkness
• Filth

When it comes to upcoming films I think that 2014 will be better, I’m praying for it. With epic titles like Godzilla, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Interstellar, Sabotage, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, X-Men: Days of Future Past and so much more, I’m sure that it has the potential to rectify the mistakes of this year.

So what do you think of my list? Do you like it or do you believe me to be insane with my choices? Are any of your favourites in there or are there ones I’ve missed out? Gimme your thoughts down below yo.

 

Frozen Review

Okay, today I FINALLY get to review Frozen. I know I’m late to the party when it comes to giving my thoughts on this film, but you wouldn’t believe the amount of crap I’ve had to do, there’s just not been any free time with uni, work and my other extra curricular activities. But yeah I’m finally getting around to checking out the big new Disney film which is apparently like: THE BEST DISNEY FILM IN FOREVER. So does it meet the hype? Read on and find out.

Frozen film poster

So the film tells the story of a fearless princess who sets off on an epic journey alongside a rugged, thrill-seeking mountain man, his loyal pet reindeer, and a hapless snowman to find her estranged sister, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter.

I really liked the story in this film, it was very impressive and reminded me of some of the best stuff that Pixar have done in the past and some of the more classic 2D tradition Disney animations. The story is smart and is self-aware of films in this genre and makes fun of these classic elements and I like how there was a few twists and turns that kept the film from being completely predictable. There is a great deal of emotional weight in the film that makes the story and characters dramatic, sympathetic, hilarious and cool. What I love about the film is Elsa, the fractured relationship between Anna and Elsa as sisters and the adventure that Anna goes on with her companions to get her sister back. It is all very emotional and classic Disney, it works to great effect, feels very much like a good Pixar film and has a better balance of seriousness and humour than most films in this genre. The story isn’t perfect and has a few problems where a few story elements are as strong but otherwise it is a strong story throughout.

In addition to the wonderful story, the characters are the real stars of the film. Kristen Bell as Anna, was really nice. Anna is very outgoing, firm, fun and caring and I love how sassy and un-princess-like she is. She is a strong if somewhat naive lady and I enjoyed her character. Then there’s Idina Menzel as Elsa, I adored this character. I always have a soft spot for the misunderstood kinds of characters and Menzel brought so much heart to the voice of the Snow Queen. Elsa is a beautiful and tragic character who has powers that she couldn’t control and tried to keep herself away from people to prevent anyone from getting hurt. Because of her fear of her powers it makes her have to separate from Anna and makes them as siblings feel very far apart and that’s what made her story so heartbreaking. I was connected to Elsa from the very start of the film.

Jonathan Groff as Kristoff was pretty decent, he was a funny, very realistic kind of guy who has a few strange habits while hanging around with his reindeer but he was courageous and fun. Also Santino Fontana as Hans was delightful and very different as this prince who was a very interesting kind of guy and a delightful change from other princes in Disney films. And is pretty good as Alan Tudyk as the Duke of Weselton too. But the best character by far is Josh Gad as Olaf. This little snowman is the cutest, most funny dude ever, he’s so strange, yet self-aware and understanding. He just brings the humour in the psychical and verbal manner which is so good and leads to some of my favourite moments in the film.

When it comes to the presentation it is very good on both fronts. Visually the film is great, but that is to be expected of a Disney film these days. The lighting and use of colour is fabulous and the way the animators and artists have manipulated the snow and ice in the film is a sight to behold. As for the soundtrack it was surprisingly better than I expected. The Christophe Beck is grand and covers all emotional bases, but the songs are the real treat, for the most part all of the musical numbers are good and feel like a theatre production. There are a few songs that are a little too modern for my liking and don’t feel like they should be in a Disney film, but the rest of it is very pretty and catchy.

In conclusion Frozen is a bloody good animated film and really good Disney film, it looks beautiful, has a great story with funny and emotional characters you can connect to and a very addictive soundtrack. While it’s not nearly as great as many critics made it out to be and it still has many of Disney’s problematic story devices, it is still the best animated film I’ve seen in a while and I highly recommend it.

Rating: 8/10 (A really pretty film that looks and sounds good and has heart where it matters)

So what did you think of Frozen? Was it the most epic Disney film ever, was it alright or below average for you? Whatever your opinion is drop it in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review yo! 😀

 

The Nightmare Before Christmas Review

Howdy ladies and gents, we’re in the jolly Christmas time of year and with that in mind I want to review a film that I’ve loved since I was a kid which has gotten a lot better as I’ve gotten older. I am of course talking about The Nightmare Before Christmas.

The film tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from “Halloween Town” who has grown tired of scaring every Halloween and one day he opens a portal to “Christmas Town” and decides to celebrate the holiday, with some dastardly and comical consequences.

The story is really simple and yet at the same time is really complex and layered. Jack’s story is one that is easy to relate to and also has a few life lessons to be learnt too and it is done in a very effective way because of good pacing and interesting subplots that take place during the main story. You can really tell this has Tim Burton’s style written all over it even though he didn’t direct the film, the tone, story and characters are so rich, full of life and it feels like everything is really well-established even though it is just part of one film.

The cast also do a great job at bringing these animated characters to life and making you care about them. Chris Sarandon as Jack Skellington is great, you can see that he’s just a guy looking for a new outlet in life but doesn’t quite know what he’s looking for. Skellington is very bright,well-mannered, if somewhat misunderstood and Sarandon does a good job with the voice work (besides the singing of course). Catherine O’Hara as Sally is a truly wonderful character, Sally is a free-spirited character always under the control of Doctor Finklestein, she admires Jack from afar but can’t quite express her feelings towards him. O’Hara brings a lot of dramatic weight to the character and she is easily just as sympathetic as Jack is if not more so.

William Hickey as Doctor Finklestein is interesting as this weird scientist constantly trying to keep a hold of Sally, I think he means well but comes across as a bit of asshole. Glenn Shadix as Mayor of Halloween Town is great as he’s this very nice guy but has constant mood swings depending on his face which switches from happy to sad. Ken Page as Oogie Boogie is a super charismatic character who is evil, always up to no good and has one killer voice thanks to Page and the kick ass soundtrack. Ed Ivory as Santa Claus is nice though I wish he sounded I dunno a bit more jolly and lively.

When it comes to the presentation it is incredible on both the visual and audio side of things. The stop motion animation in this film is very intricate with loads of very interesting, creepy, dark and varied locations, along with crazy, awesome and strange character designs and some bloody good cinematography. The film moves and looks lovely. But what might be even more impressive is the soundtrack by Danny Elfman who not only composes but lends his voice talent too. For the longest time I’ve loved Elfman as one of my all-time favourite film composers and this has to be one of/if not his best one. His soundtrack is full of musical numbers which are fun, hilarious, strange, sad and so much more, there is a great level of depth to some of the music which at some points really get me emotionally, “Sally’s Song” is one of the most beautiful and melancholy songs I have ever heard, it breaks my heart and makes me teary-eyed every time. Besides the awesomeness of “This Is Halloween“, my other favourite song would be “What’s This“, it is just an incredibly fast, feel-good happy kind of song which embodies my youthful love for Christmas.

In conclusion The Nightmare Before Christmas is a film I just love because of its unique premise, great animation that still holds up pretty well today considering the techniques used and it has one of the best soundtracks to any film ever. I’m annoyed that I don’t watch it more often. I recommend this to anyone young or old as it is one of those film you have to experience in life, period.

Rating: 8.5/10 (A bloody good bit of animated fun, watch it now!)

So what did you think of The Nightmare Before Christmas? Have you seen it (and if you haven’t shame on you!) Also do you like it or not? Whatever your thoughts drop them in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review yo. 🙂

 

Anchorman: The Legend Continues Review

Howdy ladies and gents, time for another new film review and its time to talk about Anchorman: The Legend Continues. I really liked the first film, it was weird, but creative, unexpected and funny. When I heard they were making a sequel I shook my head in disbelief, but then the trailers started to win me over. So I just watched the film a few hours ago and now I’m gonna tell ya what I thought of it.

The story goes a little something like this:

“With the 70’s behind him, San Diego’s top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy, returns to the news desk. Also back for more are Ron’s co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone, weather man Brick Tamland, man on the street Brian Fantana and sports guy Champ Kind – All of whom won’t make it easy to stay classy… while taking the nation’s first 24-hour news channel by storm.”

The story in this film is pretty decent, its funny how the film looks at the concept of news and the way it changes and develops, which obviously is normal for us now, but back then stuff like 24-news and news on random subject matters was unheard of. Also the journey that Ron goes on in this film is also pretty interesting and funny, however the story does lose some steam towards the last third of the film where something quite absurd happens which kind of ruins the whole film, its eventually rectified but is still kind of silly. Also one has to ask; was the film funny? Well as a guy who really isn’t into comedy that much I found the film to pretty hilarious and while it wasn’t consistently laugh-out-loud material, there were a few points when I laughed a lot.

When it comes to the cast, several of the actors from the original return to their characters while we’re introduced to some new ones too. Will Ferrell is still on point as Ron Burgundy, he is so charismatic, stupid and strange but he’s the guy you like because he has a personality and certain charm that you can’t help but love. Ferrell was good for the most part though there were points where I thought he was a bit over-the-top at times. The other main person to talk about is Steve Carell as Brick Tamland, he was practically the only person I’d hear people talk about in the last film and that probably won’t change with this film as Carell is just as crazy as before offering up some great moments of insane, inappropriate and downright weird behaviour.

Paul Rudd as Brian Fantana is still cool with all of his sexual references and awesome hairdo and David Koechner is just totally great as Champ Kind offering some really funny lines in the film. Christina Applegate as Veronica Corningstone was alright, she was my least liked character in the last film and that sort of continues in this one I dunno what it is that makes me not engage with her character but yeah she was just there to me. James Marsden as Jack Lime was awesome, I liked his over-confident attitude and really cruel personality, he was a good antagonist and Marsden such a good job. And then there’s Meagan Good as Linda Jackson, she was terrific as this intense, scary, confident and intellgent woman who has a way of doing things and has little time for people not playing in the same ballpark as herself. I think this has to be Good’s biggest role in years, I’ve been following her since around 2001 and she did really well and my god, she is still sexy as hell!

There were also good performances from Fred Willard as Edward “Ed” Harken, Chris Parnell as Garth Holliday and some funny moments with Kristen Wiig as Chani. Oh and by the way Harrison Ford as Mack Tannen was pretty pointless, his role could have been played by anyone. And then there are the cameos, holy crap like the first film there are some incredible cameos and I swear so many of these come right out of nowhere, some of my all-time favourite people ended up there. I don’t wanna ruin the surprise for those who haven’t seen it, but suffice to say that its badass.

In conclusion Anchorman: The Legend Continues is a pretty good sequel to the original, it has everything you liked about the first film with some new stuff thrown in the mix to make it stand out. While it does have some story issues and lacks some of the charm from its predecessor, this film is definitely recommended for fans of the last one.

Rating: 7/10 (A solid sequel with plenty of laughs but it loses its way during the last third of the film)

So have you seen Anchorman: The Legend Continues and if so what are your thoughts on it? Whatever your opinion is drop it in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review yo! 😀

 

Random Blog 08: Regular Show

Howdy ladies and gentlemen, time for another random blog instalment. Today I’m gonna be doing a quick blog post on what has become one of my favourite TV shows in recent times, Regular Show.

So yeah Regular Show, what can I say? It is a truly unique cartoon which is so close to reality and so far from it at the same time. For those of you not in the know, this cartoon centers on the lives of Mordecai and Rigby (pictured above in name order) , they’re two best friends who work together at this park along with an array of other colourful characters who are co-workers and superiors. And episodes mainly focus on Mordecai and Rigby’s everyday lives which always seems to go from normal to frigging insanely weird in just a few moments in each episode.

Now I think for around almost two years I’ve known about Regular Show because I sort of caught just around the time I started watching Adventure Time, and at first I thought this show was some knock-off which was alright but not nearly as good as AT. But after my flatemate told me how good RS was, every time I went home I watched a bit of it and over the course of last year it really started to grow on me, and in 2013 I feel like more appreciation for the show has gone up significantly to the point where I actually like it more than AT (I’ll discuss this more at another point).

I think what makes this cartoon so unique is that is so true to life in the sense that the two main characters are friends, their lazy, silly, bicker with each other all the time and the way they act and behave is so similar to most friends in the real world. Plus when the show’s not doing some of its supernatural-based stuff it does deal with issues that most people go through in real life like: sibling rivalry, the highs and lows of relationships, secrets, trust, father issues and so much more and while its never taken to the point where its a life-changing experience, for a kids cartoon it does get pretty deep sometimes. Oh and speaking of it being a kids show, at the same time RS rocks because it has so much stuff there that isn’t meant for kids like guns, the use of the word ‘death’, very adult references to kissing, sex and cursing, I love it. And then of course there is the over-the-top, weird, supernatural elements of the show. RS is one of the most a random shows I have ever seen, just the amount of ‘WTF?’ moments in the show are beyond counting, somehow things just go from simple to frigging unnatural in a matter of seconds and sometimes it gets worse and worse. But again that’s the reason I adore the show so much, because it leads to some absurdly funny scenarios.

In the last week and a bit I’ve been watching the show from the beginning non-stop and I can’t get enough. I’ve just started season 4 and I’m already in love with it. I have never laughed so hard at a TV show since the days when the IT Crowd used be on-air (oh and possibly PhoneShop). This is the best kind of TV for me and it is one of the few reasons why Cartoon Network (a shell of its former self) is still alive these days.

To conclude Regular Show is something I highly recommend for anyone who are either fans of Adventure Time, have lost faith in good cartoons or just fancy something weird and funny yo.

 

Marvel One-Shot Films That NEED To Happen!

This is something that has been on my mind after watching Thor: the Dark World a little while ago, the concept of there being Marvel one-shot films for minor/secondary characters. And the more I thought about it, the more I heard similar thoughts from other people online. Then IGN came along with this article which practically stole my idea with this article: http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/12/01/minor-marvel-movie-characters-that-deserve-a-one-shot-short

Even though that list exists, that won’t stop me from making my own. so here we go with my list of Marvel One-Shot Films That NEED To Happen!

Sif and The Warriors Three

So as some of you may know, Thor was one of my favourite Phase One films and one of those reasons was Sif and the Warriors Three, I mean sure they were a bit strange and had only a small impact on the first film, but I really liked them. Jaimie Alexander’s Sif was this confident, strong and awesome female warrior and the Warriors Three had their individual aspects to like, Fandral the ladies man and charismatic fencing guy, Hogun the silent but deadly warrior and Volstagg the fat, hungry yet super strong dude. The reason I’m so attached to these characters is because of their comic book aspects that make them stand out and the potential awesomeness they could bring to the MCU.

Unfortunately after Thor film, each of those characters are pushed even more to the side than before in Thor 2 (ESPECIALLY HOGUN, WHAT THE HELL!?!) So with that in mind, I think Marvel should REALLY consider making a Marvel short for these characters to allow audiences to connect with them a bit more. Dive into their personalities, see them in battle a bit more and just hanging around Asgard, possibly touch upon Sif’s real feelings for Thor that have only been looked into a tiny bit. The short could involve them taking on an ancient enemy that they have to take out on their own without Thor which would demonstrate why they’re a force to be reckoned with.

The Howling Commandos

Another group which I feel were completely wasted was the Howling Commandos. Fuck me, the more I think about it the most it pisses me off. Captain America: The First Avenger had a chance to really create some amazing screen adaptations of some of Cap’s early days and yet butchered a lot of things and the Howling Commandos was one of them. In the film the group is some of just thrown together through one conversation and they don’t really come across as a group or as proper allies because of the groups lack of screen time with Cap, plus most of their scenes are all in bloody montage! Such a waste a great group who have such a massive impact in the comics.

I feel like a Marvel short would be definitely be necessary for these characters, where you see them doing some mission back in WWII with a bit of action and stealth. Possibly give us the group’s individual names and gives us a sense of their personalities and show why they were the group that Cap chose in the first film. And hey if Peggy Carter can get one then there’s no reason why these guys shouldn’t either.

War Machine

Colonel James Rhodes is one of the cool guys from the MCU (mainly in the first and third film), but I feel like some time with him doing his own thing would be cool. Maybe have an adventure where Tony’s out-of-town which requires Rhodey to take on the threat alone and show off his own badassery. Don Cheadle has proved he’s a useful partner for Tony, but I would like to see how useful he is when it’s just him on his own.

And in truth that’s it, those are the only characters I feel really require the extra screen time in shorts so that you can get a better feel for them in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So what are your thoughts on the matter? Drop them in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review yo. 🙂

 

What Nintendo Need To Do To Succeed In The Future

Howdy ladies and gents, today I have a blog post I’ve been meaning to make now for about 2 or 3 months now. Basically I’ve been a Nintendo fan in the world of gaming since the days of the Super Nintendo and Game Boy and have grown up with the companies consoles and while Nintendo have always been playing catch up in the world of technology since the Wii and DS came around, they’ve always have the software a loyal fanbase to carry them along. However since the release of the Wii U, Nintendo struggled severely to get same success and good software than their previous home console did, and while the 3DS is keeping them afloat, Nintendo still aren’t in a winning position yet.

So with that in mind I thought I’d share my thoughts on what I believe Nintendo should do to survive and succeed if they wish to be relevant in the next 2 years especially.

Annoyingly IGN already beat me to the punch with their article on this subject matter a little while ago which you can read here: http://uk.ign.com/videos/2013/12/04/game-scoop-the-state-of-the-wii-u

Now keep in mind this is just my opinion and are options that I think the company should consider, don’t go trying to murder me with violent words if your one of those crazy gamers, okay? Cool. Let’s go.

In no particular order, this is what I think Nintendo need to do in the future:

1. First Party Content Must Be A Priority!

This one may be obvious but it is true, Nintendo need that 1st party software that makes their games unique to the console which will entice fans new and old towards the console. Now obviously Zelda and Mario sells, that’s common. But Nintendo have many other franchises like Metroid, Pokemon, and many others that they need to make in order help make their Wii U console worth talking about. Sure we have Zelda: Wind Waker HD, Rayman Legends and the recent Super Mario 3D World along with the upcoming Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. games, but we need much more Nintendo content like that which they know fans want and WILL buy.

2. Nintendo Need More New IPs!

As I said before I know that Mario sells, so does Zelda and so does Metroid, those franchises are the money makers. However that doesn’t mean you should continuously keep falling back on them for new games Nintendo, give us something new! This is a company that I feel have been playing it safe for the last few years releasing an absurd amount of Mario games in its many different formats and forgetting about the creation of new material. even though the Wii didn’t have that much in the way of new IPs, there were at least a few that were tried. Games like MadWord, No More Heroes 1 & 2, Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, Pandora’s Tower, Boom Blox 1 & 2, Epic Mickey and GoldenEye 007 (2010) to name a few. Nintendo needs this type of variation and fresh material from its developers both 1st and 3rd party based.

Now of course they’ve tried with The Wonderful 101 and have Bayonetta 2 on the horizon and recently the announcement of Hyrule Warriors looks promising/interesting, however they need so much more in order to stay relevant and make themselves noticeable to not only their fanbase, but also developers and critics not convinced that the Wii U is a good bit of hardware.

3. Get That Third-Party Support Back!

This is a tricky one. Nintendo looked like they were onto something prior to the Wii U’s release last year with all of the ports they were gonna release. But since the sales for the console have been so shit, loads of 3rd party developers have cut their ties with the console and have expressed their lack of enthusiasm towards creating future games (besides a minor future who still see a light at the end of the tunnel).

I believe Nintendo needs to make great games that aren’t Mario or Zelda which will show they have more versatility and then make sure that the games in question sell a considerable amount. They really need to shift units for not only the consoles but the games too. Then and only then will developers start to recognize that the Wii U is relevant and worth making games for.

4. Sort Out Those Controls!

This is has been an issue since the Wii came out. But besides Nintendo and a few other developers, no one knows how to make games that don’t have questionable controls. With the motion controls of the Wii there’s always been some sort of problem that’s made the experience tedious or frustrating. The Wii Remote has been in some real stinkers where the control was either broken, lazy, overly complicated or completely unresponsive. And now some games on Wii U have suffered from the same control issues again, Nintendo really need to be smart/careful and make sure that developers are aware of the hardware they’re using and make sure that they’re creating controls for it that are good.

5. Tell Us Why The Console & GamePad is Relevant

This is something that Nintendo have only started doing in recent months, but I still don’t think the message has gotten through to consumers not in the know. The Wii U is mainly looked at in one the following ways:

• It’s an expansion of the Wii (because of the stupid name)
• It’s just the GamePad on its own
• It’s just a HD Nintendo console with no games

Those are legitimate statements I’ve heard several times online from different people. Nintendo really need to drive the message home to all who aren’t in the know that the Wii U is a console they NEED, not want, but REQUIRE. Like make an advert that says: “YO, THE WII U IS AWESOME, YOU NEED THIS CONSOLE IN YOUR LIFE, GET ONE OR BE LEFT IN THE DUST!” Plus Nintendo have to talk about the benefits of the GamePad, how it improves on current gaming experiences and separates itself from other gaming consoles. and there just needs to be an overall mentioning of all the features that make Wii U better than the last console.

6. Bring Back Old Franchises!

This is something that has been bugging me for years and honestly I want it to get done sooner rather than later. I love Nintendo but I feel like Mario is constantly on-show and the rest of some of Nintendo’s other franchises hardly get as much love.I don’t think the Big N is truly aware of the back catalogue they can draw from. There are plenty of Nintendo series’ that have been left on the shelf of history just waiting to make a comeback and the 2 key franchises that are being so clearly ignored and they are of course F-ZERO and STAR FOX! WHY IN THE HOLY MOTHER OF HELL HAVEN’T WE GOTTEN A NEW GAME IN EITHER OF THESE SERIES YET?

Why Nintendo chooses to ignore these KEY franchises that have clearly made them money in the past and that fans have ADAMANTLY cried out for is something I’ll never know. They would clearly lend themselves to the technology, online gameplay and everything and with help from another developer it could be something special. But they choose to continuously ignore these franchises like they don’t existence and it pisses me the hell off. Nintendo just need to take a look and pay attention to what their fanbase are talking about and communicate with them before it falls through.

Well there’s my two cents on the matter. I hope that this has been a least informative to you all who are reading and if you feel the same or differently, drop your comments below and I’ll see ya on the next post yo.

 

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Trailer #1 Review

Alrighty then, besides seeing the trailers for Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Godzilla, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the one film I’ve wanted to see a trailer for, for a long-ass time. I’ve literally been continuously asking myself, “When will the trailer actually come out? ” Well luckily the teaser came out this week so let’s talk about it!

But prior to that, have a look for yourselves below:

Okay so initial thoughts after seeing the teaser? Pretty cool, though, I wanted more apes. At least this trailer did more than the Interstellar teaser did. So what do we see in this trailer? Well there is a really dark and misty atmosphere, shit has happened, the human race are in a really bad place and are looking to possibly go to war and the apes are in the forest ready for battle. Interesting stuff yo.

This teaser heavily emphasizes the humans and their struggle as you can hear from the beginning from the voice over from Gary Oldman (who looks and sounds very much like Commissioner Gordon from the Chris Nolan Batman films), he speaks of the troubles of the humans, how they’ve struggled, had some shit go down for 4 years and how they’re gonna band together to take back their land. There are shots of the forest and some city locations, it’s all run-down and looks like things have happened. Gary Oldman looks cool, some random shots of people happen and we see Jason Clarke (this film’s new leading human) walking into the forest and shouts “I need to speak to Caesar.” Then we get a look at Caesar in the trees looking all badass along with the rest of his comrades, just waiting to give the go ahead and as soon as that arm drops, the apes spring into action as the trailer ends.

The teaser seems cool and shows that there’s been a lot of time that’s pasted and many developments for the humans, I just wish there was more time for the apes, this is after all their film. Especially all the build up in the last film. I guess their still working on the special effects so I shouldn’t expect too much apes at this point but I just wanted to see more of Caesar because he’s my boy and he’s badass!

So what did you think of the teaser? Sound off your comments below. 🙂