Nerd Style Reviews

TV, VIDEO GAMES, MOVIES AND MORE!!

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Jacqui Briggs: Time Is Money

Twitch.tv/stardustcrusade

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Halloween 2018

Halloween has seen several different story lines in movies that has taken Michael Myers in too many different directions. The Rob Zombie films try to explore Michael Myers his humanity and why he kills period wall Halloween's 4 through 6 try to examine why the Strode family is cursed with a mental illness. The new only movie from 2018 focuses on Laurie Strode and her family. Michael Myers in this film is more of a force and a metaphor on how one traumatic event brings trauma for many others. While Halloween's brand identity is wrapped up in Michael Myers brutally killing people. The new Halloween movie focuses more on three different generations and how they deal with trauma. Closest narrative dna I can give to this new Halloween movie is that is similar to Get Out how to explore social themes and commentary by using its characters and its setting. Halloween 2018 is is a good movie and I recommend anyone to check it out on a $5 Tuesday at AMC or when it comes out on Netflix. Why the movie's narrative and ideas aren't at Get Out's level this mature and complex enough to communicate it's ideas.

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Castlevania Netflix

Castlevania on Netflix has been a surprise in quality and in substance. The first season of the series starts off pretty slow but ends off on a strong note. The sad thing is about the first season at it's only 4 episodes. The second season however is way better. Twice the amount that of the first season and a lot more focus on each group. We have characters like Trevor Belmont and disgrace normal who's now trying to do the right thing. Alucard the half-vampire half-human son of Dracula is trying to stop his father's genocidal suicide run. And Dracula the big bad himself who's arguably the most complex character of the series. Castlevania on Netflix is beautifully animated and expertly well-written. The big highlight and season 2 is Isaac and Hector the two devil Forgemaster's that take center stage in this season. Hector is more of a softy with a complex morality and a childish mentality. Isaac however carries deep dark traumatic scars of the past and has an actual genuine friendship with the dark of Lord Dracula. The relations of the characters will have you questioning ,wondering and relating to each one of them. Isaac's friendship with Dracula mirrors as a stark contrast to alucard's relationship with Dracula. Castlevania does that with several of its main cast. I implore any fans of Game of Thrones, the original Castlevania lovers and anyone who loves vampire tales to check out this amazing series on Netflix.

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Persona 5

Phantom thieves steal the hearts of gamers!

The Persona series is rpg line of games. I am not a big fan of rpgs. Persona is a long-running series over 20 years. Persona 5 is the recent addition to the family. And Persona 5 you take on the role of a high school student who is now living in a foster home. Soon after you find yourself involved in the world of persona. The main character has to fight demons and entities made by warp human desire and consciousness. But the game also adds edition of being a student and living they did they live in Japan. You get to add on to your Social Links and try to improve your social life with your friends, family and many more. Some Social Links are really surprising such as find out your teacher might be a prostitute. While others are trying to help out that character to improve their life. I'll recommend anyone to play Persona 5 and see what the its all about.

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Miles Morales : How a rare new unique and original concept inspires creativity.

Miles Morales the newest Spider-man on the block duted back in 2011. His creation was inspired by changing cultural climate with Donald Glover trying to cast in the Amazing Spider-man films and Barack Obama’s now historic campaign president of the united states. Miles and his supporting cast were created by Brain Micheal Bendis and Sara Pichelii. 

What led to Miles creation was a number of things.

1. Disney Era of Marvel content. Marvel ,Sony and Fox movie universes 

 Brain Micheal Bendis had success revitalize main stream and unknown Marvel entertainment properties such as Avengers, Luke Cage, creating Jessica Jones , Daredevil and  creating the universe.  When Disney bought Marvel there was a council of six people in the company who bought due love, history, and business understanding of comics. Kevin Feige (now current president of the Marvel movie studios), Brain Micheal Bendis and four other bought on to help bring ideas on how to make Marvel accessible to the public. Marvel back in the day nearly bankrupt due to the comics crash of the nineties . The company try to stay afloat by selling the rights to it's characters. Blade was development hell since 1992 and later co own by New Line Cinema . Fox bought the rights to X-men and Fantastic Four and Sony had the chance to buy all of Marvel's heroes but only wanted Spider-man.  Blade debut with actor Wesily Snipes and made over 130 million. Blade later spawn two more movies, a tv show, video games, an anime and much more  Blade's success lead to Fox making the X-men franchise in 2000 to this day remains strong with Deadpool and it's sequel together making billion dollar property. Fox struggle with getting Fantastic four off the ground which lead to more a dead on arrival . Sony had made the Spider-man film franchise back in 2002 which comprise of three films. Sony's Spider-man was a major hit making a billion dollar franchise  Marvel didn't have their heavy hitters so decided to focus on B-list, and even lower D-list heroes from the Avengers Franchise.. Disney looking to make more action films after several critical and financial flops( due to their kid friendly brand) was bought the Marvel company back in 2009. The companies already had good relationship after making the first Iron man together and convince Disney to buy Marvel to produce more content and revue, 

2.Ultimate Marvel: the basis for the future and a hero's end

Marvel saw a come back as a company with it's Iron man, Captain America and Hulk films doing well. Fun fact Brain Micheal Bendis wrote the after credit scene in the first Iron man movie making him the creator of the after credits scene trend in current movies. The Marvel movies were inspired, and model from the ultimate comics. The ultimate line was more modern takes on Marvel characters without the needs backstory and confusion that plague most comics. The ultimate line had a black Nick Fury base off Samuel Jackson, and a younger Spider-man compare to the white Nick Fury and older marry Spider-man in the main line. The ultimate line would kill characters and they would stay dead unlike the main line. Ultimate Spider-man comic was the main seller and lasted compare to it's sister series. 

Brain Micheal Bendis plan to end his long historic run on Ultimate Spider-man by killing it's main character. He was trying to figure out what do with the book after and  back in 2010 was inspire by Donald Glover trying to run as Peter Parker for Sony's reboot Spider-man series. Glover's campaign was met with a positive and negative reaction. Glover got the acceptance of Marvel legend and Spider-man creator Stan Lee and Bendis agree that Spider-man can be black since anyone can be under the mask. Bendis inspire by his film experience, the change in politics, Glover's campaign and being a adopted father to two little african-american daughters decide to make Miles Morales.

First he created an emotional and gripping send off to his Peter Parker having him face the emotional, mental and physical commiting admitting his love to Mary Jane, build his trusted in the super hero community,and  then face a super hero civil war. Ultimate Peter was shot by a bullet meant for Captain America but couldn't get medical attention due to his arc enemy the Green Goblin with Electro, Sandman, Kraven, and Vulture  ,attack his friends and family . Peter fought and defeated all of them except Green Gobin who he fought until he and the Gobin mutual kill each other. The final story of Ultimate Peter  overshadow his main stream counter parts and got even worse when Marvel comics announced that a new Spider-man was going take over.

To be continued with

Part 3: 2011 Miles debut and people's reaction

https://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/455/355

Ulitmate Peter dies and Miles morales steps up

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/peter-parker-replaced-by-mixed-race-spiderman/2011/08/03/gIQAyQQ6rI_blog.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.8259d6be1e4b

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/peter-parker-to-be-replaced-by-new-york-teen-in-marvels-ultimate-spider-man

Sony not wanting a black spider-man

https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/02/spider-man-to-marvel-can-corporate-synergy-lead-to-real-diversity/385345/

http://www.konbini.com/us/entertainment/spider-man-cant-black-gay-screen-says-sonymarvel-email-leak/

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles coming back in 2018

Tmnt are coming for 2018 in their new show Rise of the Tmnt. A prequel focusing on the turtles before they came crime fighting ninjas.The new series focus more on fast pace comedy,visual gags and a shorter eleven minute format. Older series were 30 minutes long, focus on action and character development with comedy taking a back seat. The new series is switch the narrative DNA with making the traditional spiritual, older brother figure Leonardo by making  the second youngest and rebellious character. This new Leonardo has more in common the 1980′s Raphael than past version. Raphael is now the leader, Donnie is more confident( a much needed change) and Mikey is the same but much more tone down. The turtles are a lot more jovial and jokey. The first episode did little to set them apart. However new episodes are showing character tics Leonardo's lack of confident, Dontello's exasperation and temper, Mikey's positive attitude and Raphael's blandness. Hopefully this leads to show don't tell kind of writing with the incarnation of the heroes in the half shell. If can clearly definite each member and give them a character arc while without ignoring the rest of cast ( usually Donatello is the least focus but 1980's Leonardo, 2003 Raphael, and 2012's Michelangelo) then it can go down as a success. That's not to say it's all bad. This version has actually improve on the animation. The turtles are a lot more vibrant colorful and distinct. You can tell each Turtle apart compared to pass series. The creators have worked on stuff shows such as Samurai Jack, Dexter's Laboratory and Disney's Mickey Mouse. This version of turtles has potential but time will see if it comes out on top.

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Game Look back: Devil May Cry 3

Welcome to Game Look Back! A series looking back at series or certain games and it’s impact. If a game is good then we are looking at what makes it unique, special and refreshing. If a game is bad then it’s are going to tear it to pieces. 

Devil May Cry is a series for its high pace action, responsive control and stylish game play. Devil May Cry help definite and create a genre and influence combat mechanics in other video games. The series games inspire like God of War, Prince of Persia, Sonic Unleash, Bayonetta, PlayStation 4 Spider-man and many more. The series cemented itself as the grandfather of action games. 

Dante is the main character of the series. His attitude is devil may care, witty one liners and sometimes with a sprinkle of seriousness. Dante is known for his signature red coat, white hair, two handguns and broad sword.  While he a popular character most people are familiar with his younger, brash and slight lovable cool loser version that apperances in Devil May cry 3.  

The first game in the series was a spin off Resident Evil 4. Resident Evil’s influence can be felt with it’s tight and small hallways, enemy encounters in small spaces and enemy designs looking grotesque undead creature. The first game had a great atmosphere but lacking on narrative content and control scheme that hasn’t age well.

The second game took what the first game had and expanded it with new features. However it the second game poorly executed it’s ideas. The art style for characters and some enemies were the best in the series but wasted for it’s limited story, responsive but awkward control and excessive padding. 

The third game took the best bit of the other two games and refined it. Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awaking brought a focus back on Dante and expanded it’s narritive themes. A big change was bringing in Vergil and Lady as foils to each and as Dante in the game’s story. The story is fun and can take it’s serious when needed to. The gamelay introduce styles which gave players the options to how they want to play. Sword master for offensive, Gunslinger for range, Royal guard for Defensive and Trickster for mobility and these allow players to play how they want to play. Devil May Cry 3 had better executed and fully realized it’s ideas. 

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Doubt

The film version of doubt has a common theme of Winds of Change. From the open sermon of  the Father Flynn to the changing of seasons.  The coming storm is slowly foreshadow with the Frosty the Snowman scene. Father Flynn brings up that they should allow the kids to dress up and have fun with Frosty the Snowman. Sister Aloysius slowly becomes annoyed with this pet peeve. She disagrees and she points out that they the church or not the kids family or the friends. The nun shows a cold aloofness that thrives in tough love and Authority while father Flynn is trying to be more open and accepting. The Sister Aloysius' stem mountain of authority slowly unravelling with the disagreement on how to interact with the students. The movie ads more seems to show the interactions between relationships of the students with the nun and the priest. The father scenes are painted with a warmer light and calm tone. While the sisters scenes are quiet ,no music, and more of natural sounds. Both figures represent the time periods of the church.  The contrast between the two brings drama, tension and historic commentaries.