Independence Day: Resurgence Trailer, My Thoughts

This was something I didn't expect to see at all. A sequel to the 1996 alien invasion film Independence Day, twenty years afterwards. They even dropped a trailer.

I will say, I liked the first film. It was a fun little popcorn film. And I like the fact that they are taking advantage of the time passing in the real world since the last film. According to the film's Wikipedia entry, the film is about the aliens from the first Independence Day essentially wanting a little bit of payback on Earth for kicking their butts in the last movie.

However, humanity hasn't been sitting on their hands. In the twenty years since, an Earth Defense Force has been created to serve as humanity's defense against aliens, using technology reverse-engineered from remains of the alien spacecraft that crashed on Earth in the last movie. I actually think that was very clever of the writers of this film to have this device.

The trailer itself, well...there's not a lot to talk about with it One thing I thought was really cool was the usage of Bill Pullman's character's speech from the original Independence Day in the trailer. It's a great callback to the original film. And it is awesome to see Jeff Goldblum on the big screen again. I hope he gets to say "Most go faster" again. Shame Will Smith didn't want to get involved.

The trailer is mostly shots of various vehicles, the characters, and effects. But then again, isn't that was all trailers are made of? I have to admit, this looks like a really fun film to see. I think I'll especially love the dogfights between the aliens and the EDF's alien-enhanced jet craft.

I hope in the film, or at least in the eventual tie-in media, will explore how everyday life in this world has changed since that alien attack, and how it affected the generation that grew up afterwards. That is something I would like to see. How is everyday life affected by the alien tech? I hope we get some answers on that.

I have heard some people have said that a return of the aliens is impossible, as they were all destroyed at the end. Their civilization traveled from planet to planet, drain its resources, then leave. However, what if the fleet that got destroyed by Earth was just one of many? What if those aliens actually had multiple fleets traveling around the universe looking for resource-rich planets at the same time? That could explain why others are coming to Earth. They realized that the Earth is a potential threat, so they decide to take it out before they become a real power in the universe and a massive problem for them. That's how I see it.

Anyway, I hope this movie will be as fun as the trailer promises.

Star Fox Zero - The Battle Begins

Star Fox Zero is almost here. To help celebrate it, Nintendo, Wit Studio, and IG Productions collaborated on a short little film called "Star Fox Zero - The Battle Begins". And here it is.

First of all, I have to admit, I was so surprised to see this. It was also a fun little bit of animation. I loved the style. It was bright and colorful. Peppy Hare was the funniest character in this little short film with him being grumpy and yelling at the younger members of the team. I also loved that they managed to fit in his catchphrase "Do A Barrel Roll!"

As for the film itself, I think it's an adaptation of the first level in Zero, which only makes me more excited for the game itself. This was a brilliant idea for Nintendo when it comes to promotion. I was already sold on this game.

I only have one major issue with this animation. It was too short. I would love to see an actual Star Fox animated series in this style. It has been far too long since we've seen Nintendo characters in an animated series. Star Fox would make a great action/sci fi series. Get on this, Nintendo! Heck, you may be able to cross over with Metroid, too!

This was a fun little film. If you have fifteen minutes to watch something fun, watch this.

Doom Guy's Mind

I love the original Doom. It was definitely a fun game to play. After all, it involved playing a space marine who uses various weapons, most notably shotguns to blast demons back to Hell from whence they came on a space colony on Mars. It was one of the games that MADE the first-person shooter.

So, one can ask, what can be one to make it more awesome? Well, having a look into the mind of "Doomguy", as the protagonist is often known as, as he is blasting demons and having a ball doing it.

A long time ago, I found a video on YouTube by Accursed Farms that showed this. I laughed a lot watching this, and I thought it's be fun to share here. Now a couple warnings about this video. One, it has some NSFW language, so no kiddies. Two, it can get a bit gory. The guy used a mod for Doom called Brutal Doom that allowed some new stuff, I believe, including making the game bloodier. Anyway, enjoy the video!

From what I understand, this was the only episode of "Doom Guy's Mind". I have heard that Accursed Farms is not going to make any more of these. That's a shame. I mean, I can probably get why. That Doomguy voice must be rough on the throat. Also, I can bet that the gag of this crazy overly-testosterone-ridden violence-loving one-dimensional insane space marine would run itself thin over too many episodes of this thing.

At least we still got this funny little video, so we can take some comfort in that. Enjoy!

Doctor Strange Teaser Trailer, My Thoughts

The MCU is growing, and now we're going to see a new side of it: the supernatural side. Yup, they're going to pull back the veil of mystery and reveal a hidden world of magic and madness. Your guide to this wild new world? Doctor Stephen Strange, brought to life by Benedict Cumberbatch.

The one word I can use to describe this trailer? Trippy. It is trippy. The visuals are like nothing I've seen in a Marvel movie. Kind of appropriate, considering who we are dealing with here.

The film is clearly going to be an origin film, based on the scenes of Benedict Cumberbatch's Stephen Strange working in a hospital. That does make sense. Unlike, say, Superman or Spider-Man, the general public is unaware of Dr. Strange's origins, so having this film be an origin film is a great way to educate people on how he went from arrogant surgeon to Master of the Mystic Arts.

There is one moment in this teaser that blew my mind, that made my jaw just drop. Tilda Swinton's Ancient One, with one chop, KNOCKED STRANGE'S SOUL OUT OF HIS BODY. My jaw hit the floor when I saw that moment, and I actually had to rewind that bit a couple times to see if that was real. That was so cool!

And seeing all those other wizards making things go BANANAS around them, and the bit with the city skyline duplicating and folding like Inception, that was just nuts! That was nuts, man! This is Doctor Strange! This is what he needs! This is weird stuff, and it's perfect! Based on this, and the set photos we have seen, this film is going to be awesome! I can't wait for this! I have to see this movie. I HAVE TO SEE THIS MOVIE. Oh man, it looks so cool! It's like everyone who was making this dropped a TON of acid and just wrote down what they saw on their trips, and said "Okay, let's put all this stuff in the movie! Why not?! It's Dr. Strange! It needs this!" Wow! This is gonna be a fun movie. Oh, man!

I have to admit, I was a bit worried that Strange would not fit into the more technology and science fiction-oriented MCU, but I think this, and the Ancient One's talk of parallel worlds, just may show Strange may fit right in after all.

The MCU's mystical side is showing itself. If Dr. Strange is coming, then who else from that corner of the Marvel Universe will be following? Werewolf by Night? Blade? Ghost Rider? Certainly raises some possibilities. Some very interesting possibilities...

Lego Marvel's Avengers Review

When my birthday came, I got an awesome gift. A new game for my Wii U. It was a game I had been looking forward to play since I first heard about it: Lego Marvel's Avengers.

So, what is Lego Marvel's Avengers? Well, to put it simply, it's essentially the two Avengers films told in the classic Lego style, with lots of humor. It also adds in moments from several previous Marvel Cinematic Universe films like Captain America: The First Avenger, The Winter Soldier, Iron Man 3, and Thor: The Dark World.

The game's director has said that the game is a celebration of the Avengers, and it promises a LOT of unlockable characters connected to the team in various media, and the announced list of characters is amazing, well known and obscure alike. Firebird, Fin Fang Foom, Sam Wilson Captain America, Jane Foster Thor, Miss Marvel, Wiccan, Speed, quite an amazing array of characters.

What's great about it? Well, it is addicting. I intended to play one level, and I ended up playing five. It was a real blast playing through the Avengers movie in the Lego style. It was fun from beginning to end. And guess what? DLC is coming! Yup! DLC based on Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), Masters of Evil, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Doctor Strange. Can't wait for it! I hope we get more levels! I am hoping the Doctor Strange DLC doesn't spoil the movie.

I do have a couple issues. A couple times, the game froze when I was playing. It was the part where Black Widow was trying to escape the Hulk's rampage in the helicarrier. Luckily I saved before then. It frustrated me, but then, the game worked normally. Was that a glitch?

The other criticism I have is that...well, this game doesn't add anything to the Lego Adaptation gameplay. We see no new abilities for characters. However, I never thought about that when playing the game. I was more annoyed by the freezing, and that only happened twice. I think the mentality with the gameplay here was "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." And hey, it's true. It brings nothing new to the gameplay, but what's there still works fine.

All in all, I do recommend this game. If you like Lego games, or you're a Marvel fan, pick this up. It's on a variety of consoles, and it's fun.

Rogue One Teaser, My Thoughts

A new Star Wars film is coming! No, I am not talking about Episode VIII, I am taking about Rogue One!

What is Rogue One? Well, Rogue One is the first in a series of Star Wars Anthology films, a series of stand-alone stories set in the Star Wars universe. This one is prequel of sorts to Episode IV: A New Hope. You know in the beginning when the Empire were chasing Princess Leia because she had the plans to the first Death Star? Well, this film will tell how the Rebel Alliance managed to obtain those plans.

The teaser trailer has dropped, and here it is.

It's a short little thing, but it's quite exciting to see. The coolest part had to be when the superlaser disc gets attached to the Death Star. I did feel a bit of a shudder, considering the carnage that thing managed to cause before the Rebels destroyed it.

The thing I really liked about this film is their attempts to keep to the design of the 1970s/1980s Star Wars films. That is really awesome. I think that is fantastic of the filmmakers to go that extra mile. It felt like the era of the Original Trilogy.

The main character of the film is named Jyn Erso, an orphaned rebellious youth portrayed by Felicity Jones, an English actress who has appeared since childhood on various TV shows there and on film. We do learn a bit of her backstory in the trailer, lost her parents, became a rebellious criminal...you know, it's funny. Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Rey, Jyn Erso...what is it with heroic protagonists in Star Wars losing their parents? I know Star Wars is cyclical, but it seems that in the Star Wars universe, you can't be a hero unless you lose the parents. Weird.

There was this quick scene with a guy whacking a stormtrooper with a staff. That was awesome.

Another awesome moment was the appearance of the AT-AT walkers, and the Rebels running by them. That was incredible to see. The scene showed just how utterly MASSIVE those monsterous things truly are, and how deep in trouble our heroes were. And Forrest Whitaker's voiceover was chilling.

It has been said that this film would not have any Jedi in it. That...actually makes a lot of sense. At the time of this film, the Jedi were all but extinct. If the Jedi Purge didn't get a Jedi Knight, the Knight would be DEEP in hiding, probably so far in hiding you'd never see said Knight again. And it would be neat to show that when it comes to kicking Empire butt, one does not always need to be Force sensitive or use a lightsaber. It will be really cool to see how the Rebels have to make do without the Force.

The only quibble I really have with this is the title, and that's a minor one. You see, the full title of the film is Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. I think the full title Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One sounds cooler, but it's not a big deal. It was a fun teaser, and I want to see this thing!

Voltron: Legendary Defender: My Thoughts

Voltron is back, baby! Yup, the classic anime from the 1980s is making a comeback thanks to Netflix and DreamWorks.

For many people my age, Volton was one of the big things that made childhood awesome, whether you originally saw it in the 1980s, or like I did, in the 1990s thanks to Toonami. It was an incredible series, five space heroes piloting a group of robotic lions that could transform into giant robots. It was a fun action series, with one punchy theme song.

The show is going to be ran by the same people who ran Avatar: The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra. I've never had the opportunity to watch those series, but I have heard a lot of good things about them. Hopefully, their third time will be another charm. However, I have heard they will portray this more seriously than other incarnations. I hope that doesn't mean they won't go really far into the dark and gritty. I do want this series to have some moments of lightness and humor.

I also have heard they will pay homage to previous incarnations of Voltron. That's really cool. That will be nice for long-time fans.

We also got to see how this new Voltron will look.

I have to admit, I LOVE this new Voltron design. It looks like the original got heavily upgraded ad it comes off as incredibly powerful. I also love that it's instantly recognizable. You KNOW that is Voltron. I didn't even mind that the royal crest was not on the chest. To be honest, I didn't notice it was missing at first.

We also got to see the Voltron Force's new look.

I will say it, I like these new designs for the Voltron Force. The thing I like about the designs is yes, they are modernized, but they are still recognizable. I immediately recognized Pidge, Hunk, Lance, and Keith. The one in black admittedly threw me off, but I learned he's named Shiro...like one of the characters in the original anime GoLion, the anime that became Voltron. He's a nod to Shirogane, which I think is rather nice, and shows the creators of this series respect the series' roots. It's also a clever way to bring some diversity to the Voltron Force.

The group's look has a look similar to the style of Avatar and Korra, which makes sense. The show is being run by the same people who made those series, after all. I'm guessing they're using the same studio to animate it, too. Based on Voltron's appearance, I think it can be assumed that the show will be a mixture of traditional and CGI animation, traditional for the characters, and CGI for Voltron and possibly the Robeasts. It's a cool idea, but there's that concern that it may be a bit jarring.

All in all, I am excited to see Voltron return. Hopefully, this series will be very good, and a new generation will get to look at Voltron as one of the big heroes of their childhood, too. Good luck, Voltron Force! Good luck, Netflix! Let's go, Voltron Force!

2nd Anniversary

Today is my 32nd birthday. It's also this blog's 2nd birthday. Wow. Two years old. My little blog is growing up fast, heh heh.

The last couple of months have been VERY productive for this here blog, entries coming out the wazoo. It helped I had some paid vacation saved up from work, so I was able to put out a lot of entries for this thing.

I have been trying to put more effort into making entries for this blog. I also wish to make an effort to improve my ability to put out comic book reviews. That has not been easy thanks to my knack for procrastination, heh heh. The fact I just got my paws on Lego Avengers Assemble as a gift is not going to help things I'm afraid. Maybe I'll write a review of that game. The demo seemed to be a lot of fun, so I am excited to finally play the full game.

As for my coming plans in the coming year? Well, I hope to put out more comic book reviews, and get back to Adventures in Pokémon Y. It would be nice if I could capture footage on my 3DS, which would make things easier than typing everything out. I also hope to put out more entries giving my thoughts on things, too.

That's kind of it, really. I hope everyone has a wonderful day today!