Sendusia

Welcome! My name is Sandy and I am a blogger, journalist, bookworm, gamer, movie enthusiast and self-proclaimed nerd. Hasta la vista, baby!

[sendusia]

Sendusia's Got Books || Bladerunner, Thirteen Reasons and Japanese Literature

I like to think that I'm a fast reader or at the very least a "decently quick" reader. Since the beginning of April, I've read about 11 books (give or take). As I am an avid reader, I'm often asked for advice on books and I'm terrible at recommendations. I know what genres and styles work for me (read: all) but I'm genuinely awful at judging someone else's. For those of you seeking book recommendations, I've decided to compile a list of my top 3 from my recently read and let you decide. My (short) list comprises books from young adult to existentialism.

If you wish to read all of my quickie reviews, follow me on Goodreads (updated almost daily).

Sendusia's Top Three (for April, that is...)

"My schedule for today lists a six-hour self-accusatory depression"  -- Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

4 out of 5 STARS (****)

Oh, Bladerunner.... Oops, my bad! I discovered Philip K. Dick by watching the Ridley Scott (loose) adaption of his book, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Like most readers, I was interested to see what parts of the book made it into the movie and which were deemed too complicated, too silly or too much. I like to think of the book and movie as two separate entities that are trying to tell a similar premise: what it means to be human. Empathy is what separates humans from androids, empathy towards any living creature and at times, even towards the androids. The androids long to be human while humans appear android-like with their empathy machines (that instruct how they should feel). What is it that makes us human? Try answering that in two sentences or less. That is what makes this novel or Bladerunner such a modern classic and chills you to your bones. I find myself constantly reviewing what Dick brought up during the book. I found myself having to re-read certain sentences, passages or chapters over and over again just to understand what Dick was actually trying to say. What was he trying to insinuate between the words? Behind the story? Who is Deckard? Are the androids really "evil," so to say? What is Mercerism?  Ah, so many questions brought up. This will definitely require a reread and a proper examination. When I first finished the novel, I was confused and wasn't sure what I thought of it. Upon giving myself the morning to reflect upon the story and message, I began to uncover the questions raised and try to answer them. When a novel leaves such a lasting effect, it has to be praised. Philip K. Dick, you, sir, are a genius (for lack of a better description). I look forward to examining this more in the future reread and possibly adding more this particular review. 

"If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking."  -- Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood

4 out of 5 STARS (****)

I'm still recovering from being inside Watanabe's head. Once I found myself in the right atmosphere and mindset, this book just flowed smoothly. I was deeply invested in his world and ways that it always took me too long to get readjusted to my own reality. It's quite rare for a book to engulf me in its story so deeply that I'm almost sad that I finished it so quickly. Almost. Focuses solely on the thoughts and experiences of one Toru Watanabe, a Holden Caulfield-esque character. Definitely not an easy book to absorb but one that I recommend that everyone attempt at least once. Watanabe falls in love with his best friend's girlfriend, Naoko, an equally strange and introspective character. That is where I'll end my reflections of the book as if I continued I would continue until the entire plot of the novel was written. I will say it is a wonderful book about the tragedies and hardships most go through. Be aware, the book is very descriptive and erotic (har har). The eroticism adds to Watanabe's character and rarely makes it seem awkwardly included.  This being my first Haruki Murakami novel, I can better understand the praise and love for his work. His way of writing and establishing his characters seemed as natural as they were strange. This will definitely be one I will mark for a reread when I'm a few years older and have experienced more. Now, I think I need to nap for a while and return to my own world for a little bit.

"No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people. Oftentimes, we have no clue. Yet we push it just the same."  -- Jay Asher, Thirteen Reasons Why

3 out of 5 STARS (***)

What? You mean the Netflix Original Series was based off a book? Obviously. And this may be one of those times where I loved the TV show more than the book. (And yes I am using the poster for the TV show rather than the book because... I just like it better.) The story occurs over the course of a night. Clay Jensen listens to his high school crush give thirteen reasons why she committed suicide. Throughout reading the story, I felt a disconnect from the characters. The whole premise relies upon you, as the reader, to have sympathy for Hannah. Hannah is the girl who commits suicide, btw. And no, this book does not glamorize suicide as I read in previous reviews nor does it explain the devastation that it brings to those connected to it. Sure, we hear Clay's reactions but I just wanted more. But it does make you realize one thing, how the tiniest things can mean the world to someone else and drive them to the conclusion of suicide. And the lack of support (err lack of trained or experienced instructors). If this book sends a message, I hope it sends the message that we need trained professionals working in our high schools and helping the students. With bullying (and now cyber bullying), these kids need it more than ever. As for the show, it showed the after effects of the tapes and how it changes everyone's life. It may have been slow to get to the point, but you felt more for Hannah and the circumstances that happened to her were more devasting. How everything just kept piling on. How even a nice guy like Clay couldn't help her.  The book is a short read but should be read. The TV show is short and should be watched. Chose your poison and do it. Understand it, and learn from it.

You may notice a common three links these three works: they've all been adapted to the screen (whether that screen is small or big). I'm a big believe in reading the original material to understand the story. Due to time restraints, essential materials tends to be left over that add to the overall story (i.e. "Mercerism" and "kipple" in Do Android Dream of Electric Sheep? vs Bladerunner). I'll add my top two honorable mentions below. Be sure to comment below and let me know what you think! 

Honorable Mentions:

[sendusia]

If I Could Turn Back Time | Tornados, Butterfly Effect and Photography: Life Is Strange Review

FYI: ONE OF THE EASIEST GAMES TO GET A PLATINUM, JUST SAYING.

Life Is Strange is yet another of those choice dependant games that seem to be quite popular these days (thanks, Telltale).

What makes LIS stand out amongst its peers is its "Butterfly Effect rewind power" (cue Ashton Kutcher). Unlike most of the "episodic interactive drama graphic adventure" video games, LIS is strange allows you to make most of your choices, see the immediate result and rewind time and chose the better option. You are not stuck in the first choice that you make. There is a catch to all this Ashton power -- once you advance in the scene, your chosen choice is locked in. 

Life Is Strange follows Maxine "Max" Caulfield, a photography student attending the prestigious Blackwell Academy. Attending Blackwell marks the return to her childhood home of Arcadia Bay (a fictional town in Oregon), and her childhood best friend, Chloe Price. Early in the game, Max discovers she has the power to rewind time and has a vision of a large tornado destroying the town. Max OBVIOUSLY assumes it's up to her to stop the tornado and save her best friend. 

Despite the slow pace, bad acting, and SUCH SLOW MONOTONOUS DIALOGUES, LIS has a rich story and complex characters. The game chooses to focus more on its characters arcs rather than the supernatural elements. 

The game also takes on a more detective mode in the beginning with the hunt to discover what happen to Rachel Amber, a missing student (and Chloe's best friend/[possible girlfriend?]). As you uncover more clues, discover the backstories of the supporting characters (poor Kate Marsh) and slowly piece together the story, the game takes a super DUPER dark turn. (I'm talking Girl With The Dragon Tattoo dark).

The mixture of all these different elements (i.e. friendship, blossoming romance, coming-of-age, detective, supernatural and photography) really make for a fantastic game. And maybe one of the more emotionally taxing that I've played this year. (ESPECIALLY THAT LAST CHOICE, damn you Dontnod!)

BUT.... As with most games, there is some setbacks and boy does this one have many. The pacing of the story changes too often within the game. Without revealing any spoilers, the ending of the game presents a huge story reveal where everything that has been building for the past four episodes finally climaxes. But then it just stops and it seems to slow down again. It goes back to the relationships and blah blah blah. The big AH-HA climax moment loses steam when you have to run away with people with flashlights. 

The voice acting is just meh (read: boring, lame, monotonous). While Chloe Price is on point throughout most of the game (thanks to Ashly Burch), the rest of the cast seems to fall short. Getting through conversations is a chore. The emotions and reactions in the voice acting often feels off or nonexistent (it's as if the actor didn't know what they should portray -- so they portrayed nothing). In episode 5, when you talk to each of the characters in the Diner is such a pain to get through.

It took me out of the game. It's a gigantic hole (read: flaw) in an otherwise phenomenal game. NOTE TO DONTNOD: IF YOU'RE PLANNING A SEQUEL, CHOSE BETTER ACTORS -- (OR AT LEAST TELL THEM WHAT EMOTION TO PORTRAY IN THEIR SPEECH).

Sidenote: the game has this wonderful "sidequest" of collecting polaroid pictures (since you know... Max is going to a prestigious school for her photo taking ability). It can get tedious, but I found it to be a nice little addition to Max's character. (It also inspired me to buy my very own Fujifilm polaroid camera -- I snap daily pictures of my life now, thanks to this game. If this game did anything for me (other than help me earn me a platinum), it got me back into photography. So... woo!)

Final Verdict: Life Is Strange is a game everyone should experience. Emotionally rich and realistic, the three-dimensional characters are the forefront in this episodic game. The game voice acting and pacing drags the story and can ruin the gaming experience. Two very enthusiastic thumbs up for the soundtrack (S Spotify playlist on repeat).

Interesting take on Life Is Strange | Only watch if completed game | Spoiler Alert:

[sendusia]

Sugar, Spice & Sailor Moon | Zodiac Starforce Review

HOW CUTE IS THIS THOUGH?

As a lifelong Sailor Moon fan (read: obsessed), I was drawn to this graphic novel. 

Bright colors? Check. Kickass girl team in cute costumes? Check. Evil badies from outer space (alternate dimensions)? Check.

I'm not one to judge how the comic is drawn. If it looks good and I can understand what is going on, I'm usually okay with it. The story was also not one that was anything special. Basic synopsis: four kickass girls are chosen to be guardians of the innocent (or you know, Earth) and their leader gets infected by one of the badies. Now the girls have to figure out how to work together without their leader WHILE saving their leader's life.  This type of story has been done over and over again but hey, at least it's cute right? And honestly, who doesn't need more Sailor Moon in their life?  

This comic boasts that it's targeted for fans of "Sailor Moon" and "Buffy." Buffy and Sailor Moon fan here but the only Buffy-ness I see in here is girls that kick ass and supernatural creatures. What makes "Buffy," well "Buffy" is the wit and humor, which this seems to be lacking. Final Verdict: Enjoyable, quick and full of adorbs. While it's definitely one of my favorite random pick-ups at B&N, it's candy. The sweetness is delicious at first and then you can feel the sugar sticking to your teeth. It's adorable fluff. The diverse characters make it a nice contrast to modern female "superhero" stereotypes found in most media.

Would I like more? Sure, I'd love some more sugary goodness of the Starforce. Sequel? I'd read it but it's not necessary.

[sendusia]

Sex, Teens and MURDER | Until Dawn Review

This review was written in tandem by Sandy and Matt.

While on the surface it seems like your cliche slasher movie (sorry, game), Until Dawn has a more profound and lasting message… if you’re willing to look for it.

The story starts out like any other slasher: a bunch of teens are alone in a cabin in the mountains (but seriously, what kind of parents just let their kids stay there ALONE. With no power. Either these kids are either waiting to be murdered or just like the dark). The teens pull a horrible prank on their friend who (surprise) runs off into the dark woods in an unbuttoned shirt. Smart. Her sister runs after her and they die.

One year later, the friends are back at the cabin to commemorate the memory of the twins and to support their grieving older brother. Then a bunch of weird shit starts happening and it’s literally up to you (as the player) if the teens make it UNTIL DAWN (ha...ha...ha…). 

The game starts sets up a promising story full of horror and scares introducing its stereotypical teen players: an athlete, a basket case, a princess and yet none of them are the brain. The first half pulls you right into the story, into the emotions of the characters. The quick time events (QTE) gets your heart racing making you feel similar emotions to the characters.

Certain choices in the game create a sort of “Butterfly Effect” or ripple that will either help or bite you in the ass later in the game. While not every decision is dire, they should all be chosen carefully.

At first, I thought the choices here wouldn't matter. Maybe they would affect which path a character takes and who survives at the end, but I didn't think they would literally shape the story. Every decision you make, every direction you make the character go, and every line of dialogue affects who survives and makes it to the end.

It was a nice change from the Telltale games where there are decisions but they really have no impact on the overall story. Whereas the decisions in the Telltale games are more for fun, the choices in Until Dawn truly have an impact on how the game ends. Telltale games have a clear beginning and end where Until Dawn does not.

The chapters are broken up by appearances of the mysterious Dr. Hill (and by mysterious, I mean creepy as clowns chasing you with knives). Dr. Hill (played by the wonderful Peter Stormare) questions you about your fears and emotions towards the characters. The doc eventually falls into obscurity and sadly becomes a wasted supporting character.

This game is probably best enjoyed with friends, where everyone can shout what decisions should be made. It has the same effect when a group of friends are watching a horror movie except here everyone can decide who dies or not. It’s a lot of fun.

The tongue in cheek humor of the game is dumbed down by the incredible stupidity of the characters and BORING(ish) second half. The actions and situations surrounding the characters are amplified to showcase the cliche of the genre. Hayden Panettiere’s Sam runs around in just a towel, the characters go to obscure lengths just to have sex, and scary legends THAT COME TO LIFE.

About two-thirds of the way the story takes an “interesting” (read: unusual) turn. The sudden change in the story quickly kicks you out of the game. At a certain point, I just wanted the game to just finally end but it kept dragging on (True Lies anyone?).

It seems that the writers weren’t sure how to handle the final or third act of the story. All the suspense and tension built up to that point seemed to quickly unravel. Dr. Hill becomes a pointless supporting character that no longer brings the same creepiness. The “tongue-in-cheek” humor gives way to horribly cliched dialogue and an ending that seems undeserving. While the ending was explosive (read: literally), it didn’t leave a lasting impression.

The third act is redeemed by its grieving older brother, Josh. Oh poor, poor Mr. Robot. Without spoiling too much, Josh has to deal with a lot of shit, never gets to find peace within himself and basically gets shit on. He is literally the only character you cannot save. This “game theory” forced me to look at the game in a different light and like it a whole hell of a lot more. Check out the “theory” here:  

The facial animation here is fantastic. The characters look like the actors that portray them and you can tell when they feel happy, sad, angry, or scared (which they feel a lot). It makes you relate to these characters more because you see what they feel. Its some of the best I’ve seen in a game.

Final Verdict: Until Dawn is a fun party game where every choice could result in death. The story is too cliched and vapid with its supernatural turn in the boring third act. A certain (side)story arc delivers a deeply profound and meaningful message. Multiple playthroughs are encouraged but not necessary. 7.5/10

(Honestly… without the lure of that platinum, I would not be replaying this game)

Check out the trailer for the "Semi" DLC. It just additional content specifically made for the new Virtual Reality system hitting the PS4 later this month:

[sendusia]

I'll Be Watching You (And You Suck) | Blair Witch (2016) Review

!SPOILER ALERT! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK:

Oh, Blair Witch Project how you terrified me when I was ten. You terrified me to the point that I was scared to go camping or even walk outside of my house in the dark (FYI: I live in the semi-woods). 

Oh, Blair Witch (the 2016 sequel) how you terrified me with your jump scares and gore for your total run of an hour and a half. You made me realize how much I missed the brilliance of the first film. You did, however, introduce interesting lore into the Blair Witch legend (but more on that later).

The Blair Witch (sequel) is bad. Horrible. Garbage. Disappointing. Maybe I'm biased? I enjoyed what the first one represented. Blair Witch Number 2 lacked the mystique that its predecessor had.

For those of you unfamiliar with The Blair Witch Project:

The year is 1999. Found footage was not ruined by the likes of Paranormal Activity and viral marketing had not been fully utilized. The Blair Witch Project is released (as a documentary it would seem). They ran with what they had going for them: found footage. They made websites, released news stories, created this "Blair Witch" legend and made everyone believe that Heather, Josh, and Mike were real. They were teenagers that had gone missing in search of this "Blair Witch." I mean... the characters had the actual names of the actors GODDAMN. 

What made Blair Witch (1999) so fantastic was the work that was done behind the scenes. It was brilliant and had never been used before. The movie itself is terrible. Nothing happens and it's super boring. The part that was terrifying was the thought that this was REAL found footage. Man, was the joke was on little ten-year-old me.

And that is precisely where Blair Witch (2016) fails. It offers nothing new. It is basically a rehash of the original with newer technology (aka droid, head cam, etc.) It shows glimpses of the Witch and the acting is significantly better (not saying much here...). But it's still found footage and it lacks what the first had: that viral campaign behind it that made it seem so real. 

What I did like about the new one was the relationships between the characters: they seemed more human and had a real purpose of why they were in the woods. You felt for them (damn you James!) and felt the connection between the characters. Plus it introduced this new concept in the BW legend: the time warp (it's just a jump to the left!)

Basically: you learn that the characters are stuck in a night that never ends. You see one of the characters age faster than the others even though they entered at the same time. When James is looking for his sister, Heather and actually sees her at the house (supposedly) he may actually be seeing her. This would also explain why Lane and Talia had that video of Lisa inside the house. 

Perhaps the Witch controls how fast time passes for each of her victims and they're stuck in a neverending nightmare. It's a theory of my own variety. While it doesn't make me like the movie, it does make me respect the thought that went into it (if that was what the writers intended that is). 

Final verdict: 4/10. Blair Witch relied too heavily on its audience love of the story and lacked the mystery and general creepiness of its predecessor. This may be due to the overwhelming amount of "found footage" horror movies but Blair Witch didn't introduce anything new into the genre. It followed a typical jump scare/found footage cliche. At least it was better than Book of Shadows.

[sendusia]

So Kingdom Hearts Still Exists and It's Been Delayed | KH 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue

Kingdom Hearts still exists peeps and the third one is a long way away. The newest introduction to the series, Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue (yes folks, that is the actual name. It's the Dark of The Moon of Kingdom Hearts), has been delayed from a December release to January. But who really cares? 

Let's take a poll here: who is actually upset (or surprised) by the delay? When the Disney-Square mashup was first released, it was something new and unheard of. Being able to play alongside your favorite Disney and Final Fantasy characters... are you kidding? How awesome was that? Simple and Clean was my jam back in 2002. 

As KH became popular, Square began to crank out multiple sequels and side stories of this game with a multitude of KH only characters: Sora, Kairi, Roxas, Rikku, Axel, etc. They were released on smartphones, Nintendo 3DS systems, Playstation.... basically every console but Xbox and Gamecube. Then there are mangas as well. WHO IS BUYING THIS STUFF?

The story itself is so convoluted that I stopped playing midway through the sequel (Kingdom Hearts 2 BTW: I didn't bother with any of the handheld versions, fuck that). The basic premise is that these characters are just looking for their friends across different Disney "planets" and fighting the "Heartless" at the same time.... I think. Honestly, I think that the team behind KH don't even know what they're writing at this point.

Seriously, though: if anyone can explain the story behind this whole KH universe, that'd be grand. I gave up. I even bought the Remastered versions for the PS3 and played it for two weeks before I realized that just didn't give a shit and had other things to do -- i.e. The Last of Us, Bioshock Infinite.

Final Chapter Prologue is part remaster and part collection. It will include an HD remaster of the 3DS "classic" Dream Drop Distance and two new "experiences" called Back Cover and A Fragmentary Passage (how douchey do those titles sound? Also, confusing.) 

A Fragmentary Passage, a new playable chapter following Aqua in the Realm of Darkness (who is this Aqua? Should I care?). Back Cover will be a "cinematic" experience aka a movie that tells the backstory of the "Foretellers," which is connected to the smartphone game, Kingdom Hearts Unchained X. So that'll fun. 

Watch the newest trailer here (hey, it's a new Simple and Clean remix! So original!):

Don't freak if you don't understand what is happening: no one does. But let me be honest here --  I secretly hate myself, I will probably buy this convoluted mess and attempt to finish it (read: I won't). Well, at least we have a plethora of games to choose from to hold us over until January.

Happy Keyblading Everyone.

Side Note: Previous trailer for your viewing pleasure:

[sendusia]

Remember That Time We All Asked For Another Underworld Movie?

The trailer for the next installment of Underworld dropped today and well: 

You know the movie is going to be shit when they have to heavily borrow scenes from the previous installments to try to sell it.  With the vampire and werewolf subgenre being as saturated as it is, I'm surprised that Underworld still got the budget to make a final (PLEASE LORD) installment .

Basic synopsis: werewolves (sorry... Lycans) and vampires are fighting over stupid shit (aka they hate each other and want the other race completely wiped out). Selene (Kate Beckinsale) gets thrown into the middle of it and everyone comes after her. Sound familiar?

PROBABLY BECAUSE EACH OF THEM HAVE THE SAME GODDAMN PLOTLINE. 

WHO WATCHES THESE MOVIES? 

Okay... I do and I totally hate myself for it. By no means great, the first Underworld had a new(ish) and refreshing take on the whole "vampire vs werewolves (LYCANS)" story. The success of the first one was understandable. Plus Kate Beckinsale is gorgeous (and in a super tight leather outfit no less. Gee I wonder if they did that on purpose). 

There's some decent talent in this film: from Tobias Menzies (Outlander, Game of Thrones) to Charles Dance (Game of Thrones) and even Theo James (this guy LOVES to be in terrible movies but damn 😍). Where you at Scott Speedman? (Not here!)

While we're on the subject of terrible movie series' that should die: Resident Evil. Milla Jovovich, you're talented and I get your husband is behind (heh heh) most of these movies BUT you need to move on babe. (Let's be honest here for a moment: Does Leeloo still have a career left without these apocalyptic films?)

The message behind my rant on the laziness (dreariness, repetitiveness, insipidness) of "blockbuster" Hollywood movies being marketed toward us: PLEASE STOP SUPPORTING THEM. Watch at home when they come on TV or Netflix. Demand some high-quality entertainment! 

P.S. Can we stop with the remaking (or creating unnecessary sequels) of old classics (in particular, Arnold Schwarzenegger films: Predator, Conan, Total Recall, Terminator (aka 2009 version), Kindergarten Cop, etc. -- If it ain't got Arnie, it ain't gonna work).

Side note: Listen Khal Drogo, you are one attractive man but Conan did not work out for you. For the love of all that is cinema brilliance, please leave The Crow alone.

[sendusia]

The Blind Man Is King | Don't Breathe Is Terrifying

Preface: I dislike modern horror movies. That's not to say that the older horror flicks are better and that modern flicks suck. I, personally, hate the direction the genre has taken. Most rely too heavily on jump scares (Paranormal Activity anyone?) or disgusting gore fests (Saw, Hostel, 2013's Evil Dead?). Where is the suspense of Alien (Sci-Fi horror still counts!) or the quirkiness of Wes Craven's (RIP) films. I may be completely wrong in my assessment but many mainstream entries into the horror genre just lack that "horror" element and reek of laziness. 

Don't Breathe was most excellent. By playing on one of our (read: my) scariest nightmares of being alone in my house during a home invasion, the plot immediately sets the mood without doing much. The plot is simple -- break into a blind man's house and steal his money -- turns the movie into one of the most warped movies you'll see (this year).

Three friends -- Rocky (Jane Levy), Money (Daniel Zovatto) and Alex (Dylan Minnette) want to escape their dead-end lives in Detriot for the bright light of California. Rocky's arc is a common one -- a druggie who wants to leave her shit parent for greater pastures and a better life. The only problem? Money. 

Rocky's boyfriend, Money (who has no background story or arc -- you know what that means) convinces the other two to rob an old blind veteran with a small fortune from a legal settlement stashed somewhere in his house. (The character's name is The Blind Man. Stupid yet terrifying eh?) And thus the story begins.

What follows is a cat and mouse chase between the three youngsters and the guy from Avatar (Stephan Lang). The blind man proves to be more than capable of defending himself despite his disability and the thieves find themselves locked in his house. 

Suspenseful? Yes. Predictable? Definitely.

Despite its predictability and simplistic plot, the film keeps you engaged and terrified. While you feel sympathy for the young thieves, they are breaking into a guy's to rob him of his money (that he received after his daughter was run over) -- so the blind vet has every reason to defend himself.... that is until you realize the gruesome truth. (I will never look at a turkey baster the same way... ew ew ew). 

Halfway through, the film enters the realm of disbelief. (e.g. the girl falls from a high distance, lands on her neck and she's perfectly A-OKAY -- sorry but nah, there's no way). 

Final Verdict: Don't Breathe preys on multiple primal fears -- dark, home invasion, etc. -- that helps elevate the simple plot to something more sinister and twisted. Stephan Lang's portrayal of the mostly silent Blind Man and the brilliant directing from Fede Alvarez and his cinematographer cement this film as a modern horror classic. 7/10

[sendusia]

Batman: Yer Parents Are Dead, Episode 1 | A Telltale Series

"Step out of the shadows. And be Bruce Wayne tonight. Don't let tombstones be your family legacy."  -- Alfred Pennyworth | Batman: The Telltale Series

Early August, Telltale released their newest series that I've been anxiously waiting for: 'BATMAN - The Telltale Series' (wonder how long it took them to come up with that title?).

On its own, Telltale Batman is a well in-depth and engaging story. The characters have clear motivations that push the story forward and set up what is sure to be an interesting tale. Being able to control Batman/Bruce Wayne's every decision (from who he trusts to what he says) is extremely exciting. But therein lies the draw of these Telltale games, is it not? And playing as freaking Batman? The world's greatest detective (sorry Sherlock)? Fun-fucking-tastic.

The problem? Batman. There have been so many different iterations of Batman's story that one can't help but refer to them. What path will Telltale follow? The Killing Joke? Year One? The Long Halloween? The Dark Knight Returns? It's hard to separate this version from the others even though it's clear that Telltale is trying to forge it's own Batman tale. 

Another issue? THE ANTAGONIST? As in, who is it? As much as I enjoyed delving into the story of Batman (but seriously, who doesn't?), there was not much that happened. Introduction after introduction after introduction (Telltale, I get you're trying to make your own story but goddamn if people don't know who these characters already then get the hell out of Dodge already.) 

AND SPOILER: BATMAN'S PARENTS ARE DEAD. If you weren't aware of this insignificant fact then prepare for Telltale to remind you EVERY. FIVE. MINUTES.

Following the typical Telltale formula: characters are wonderfully introduced, you have no idea what is going on and you make some super tough decisions.

In typical Batman formula: Super sleuthing and detecting? Check. Depressed Batman (even though he's rich as hell)? Check. Meaningful Alfred quotes? Check.

All jokes aside, the first episode truly did a wonderful job of setting up the story and leaving many (read: too many) unanswered questions -- causing you to cough up the extra cash for the season pass. (Side note: if you just pay for one episode, it's a waste of money. Either buy the season pass or skip it altogether.)

Verdict: This is simply an introduction to the Telltale version of the Batman story. Characters are introduced, the conflict is set up and Batman's parents are dead. (Oh shit, did you forget too?). The story presentation is excellent, the playable fun factor is not. 7/10

The story features the talents of Troy Baker (what isn't he in?), Laura Bailey (Fetch!), Bailey's husband (aka Travis Willingham) and Erin Yvette (Telltale game MVP).

[sendusia]

No Man's Sky | Hello Hermit Sandy

 I just want to note that I'm on vacation in Punta Cana right now while writing this post. That is how good of an impression this game made on me.

No Man's Sky is a completist's dream, which is basically me (it took me an entire year to finish Dragon Age: Inquisition with all those side quests...) There are many galaxies to explore and planets to harvest to extinction. It's perfection! It's beautiful! I want to live there. There is just so many aliens and SO MUCH GOLD TO BE MADE. Once I started I just couldn't stop. Forewarning: this game may cause addiction and loss of sleep.

I had no intention of buying NMS until after I finished my long list of games to finish (which by the way, is just too long 😭 -- looking at you Witcher and Fallout). But it just looked so pretty that I couldn't resist, ahh!

At first, it seemed boring with its mundane tasks. It literally just throws you into the game with no explanation. The idiot that I am -- I didn't get that there were objectives to complete. Sooo, I spent a better part of my first hour walking around and hacking stuff. (I'm still confused how I lasted an hour). 

When I finally managed to fly up into the air, I realized the sheer vastness of the game and how much there was to do. There really is no point to the game other than exploration and discovery. By meeting different aliens, you learn the weird language. By mining different crystals, you survive. You get your frustrations out by killing off those pesky sentinels. I named each planet after various members of my family, so if you ever run into the Jiji galaxy, that'd be me.

This is what Destiny or Star Wars: Battlefront should have been. Exploring different planets and fighting through hordes of aliens. Not just sticking to two or three planets doing the same tireless missions over and over. And then having to pay to attempt a new mission?? Dislike, lame and no thank you. (Also fuck you both for costing $60 bucks for nada).

Verdict: I can't give No Man's Sky a proper rating until I've played it fully. I've only explored about, like what, 2% of the game? But as a first impression, it definitely impressed the pineapple off this girl. 🍍

[sendusia]

Suicide Squad | Sorry Puddin, Try Again.

"Oh, I'm not gonna kill you... I'm just gonna hurt you really, really bad."  -- The Joker | Suicide Squad, 2016

Sorry puddin, but Suicide Squad was just so disappointing. I'm actually really upset about how incredibly disappointing it was. It was so bad, I don't even know where to begin. I had such high hopes for it too: Jared Leto, Viola Davis, Will Smith, Margot Robbie -- so much wasted potential. 

(Side note: HUGE Jared Leto fan over here. Jordan Catalano <3) 

That's not to say that the movie wasn't entertaining -- because it was. The first half was solid. Humor! Joker! Batman! Heartwrenching Deadshot daughter scene! Viola Davis being all badass. But when the suicide squad finally gets together, it takes a sharp freaking nosedive. Only two (three?) characters remain interesting. It becomes repetitive, predictable and SUCKS. 

Guardians of the Galaxy you are not, Suicide Squad. Stop copying Marvel and start doing your own thing DC! Goddamn.

At no point did I feel that the suicide squad was actually embarking on a "suicide" mission. Slipknot is the only character to "explode" (literally) off the scene and he was only in the movie for a total of ten minutes? Show of hands who actually gave a shit -- no one. 

The battles were too easily won and badly shot. The villain was probably one of the worst I've seen -- and I though Apocolypse was a bad villain. Too much exposition and talks of how "badass" these protagonists are but there is no evidence to back those assertions. Show don't tell my friends.

Enchantress/June Moone, ugh. This is all I have to say about that -- Cara Delevigne is a gorgeous women and a fantastic model but an actress she is not. (Scary thought -- she is starring in Valerian with Dane Dehaan and directed by Luc Besson. Dear lord.)

And the Joker -- what a pathetic joke. His character was reduced to nothing more than a psychotic romantic lead and... a gangster? Seriously, can someone explain that scene with Common -- cause no. For hyping up a character so much and making it seem like he was a lead to maybe 15 minutes of screen time -- what's up with that? 

Harley Quinn saves the movie. Harley being my favorite villain in the Batman universe -- I was being especially skeptical of Margot Robbie's portrayal of Harley. My only complaint -- I wish they would have gone into more detail of how she could fall in love with Joker. BUT THEY INCLUDED TANGO OF EVIL, ALEX ROSS FRIENDS: 

Final Verdict: With the studio cuts and terrible editing, there was no solid fluidity to the story. The villain posed no real threat or sense of danger. Ultimately, the film wasted its cast's talents on subpar writing and awful direction. Feeling some low expectations for Justice League. 5/10

SIDE NOTE: As my friend, Matt pointed out, they should have done a quick montage of different missions solidifying the "twisted family" vibe  that they were going for. There was no real comradery between the squad -- aside from Deadshot and Harley -- which caused the second half to suffer.

P.S. Did Katana even talk? Aside from her sword and backstory, totally forgot she was there.

[sendusia]

Clash of the Mediums | iZombie: Gwen vs. Liv

"So 'you are what you eat' isn't just a bitchy thing my mother says about fat people."  -- iZombie TV Show, Pilot

 Graphic Novel

(side note: this review is solely based on Vol. 1 of the series.) 

If I could review this story in one word: BOOORING. 

It was nothing more than a brief introduction to the series and the characters. Much of the story is spent learning each of the character's traits and the death of a nonsignificant character. Listen, I love dialogue-heavy books. Let's be honest. I spend most of my time "dialoguing" with other people but damn, there is so much I can take. I want some action, some movement of the plot, SOMETHING. 

The only character that really stood out to me was Ellie, but only because she was a ghost (Beetlejuice anyone?). This is, in the most basic terms, a fluff story. A zombie fluff story. 

Let's be honest here: when I don't like something, I can be a bit (read: overly) harsh. I will admit that the seeds that were planted for the next story installment will pick up the pace. Plus it's beautifully drawn. That's the main attraction for graphic novels right? How it's drawn? I enjoyed looking at it more than I did reading it ha.

Will Gwen hook up with the guy who could (and would) kill her? Who is this mysterious Egyptian dude and what did he promise Gwen? Will Tan spill Spot's secret? All this and more in the next installment of iZombie! ..... but is it really worth it? 

Final Verdict: BORING BORING BORING. 😴 Will I read the next installment? Sure, but only because I have to finish something once I start it. My advice: skip the graphic novel and watch the show instead. 2/5 stars.

  TV SHOW

One word: APPETIZING (see what I did there 😂)  

Huge fan over here. The show is the reason why I even read the graphic novel originally. But only after reading it did I realize: it's very loosely adapted from its source material. The main character doesn't mean have the same name for God's sake! (Gwen vs Liv) 

Here's what you need to know about the show:

It's created by Rob Thomas aka the man behind Veronica Mars. (aka my favorite TV show marshmallows).

The only "paranormal" character on the show is Liv (and the other zombie). Whereas the graphic novel has ghosts, were-terriers (I shit you not), the show does not. Thomas wanted to solely focus on Liv's experience as a paranormal living in this world.

The opening theme is drawn by the original artist of the graphic novel... so that's cool.

Did you like Warm Bodies? Well, iZombie is similar in the sense that Liv takes in a part of the person when she eats their brain (e.g. their memories, skills, and personality). Personally my favorite part of the show. It gives each episode a different twist on Liv and Rose McIver is quite talented.

The second season just ended and it's been picked up for a third, so there's no better time to start watching it. Best part? It's on Netflix 😎

Final verdict: Funny, imaginative and refreshing. A new spin on an old tale. By no means perfect, the crime solving "psychic" zombie twist keeps the show from ever getting boring or repetitive. 4/5 stars.

Side note: Does anyone else not care for Major? Yeah, I get it dude, you're hot. But please get a new personality. Lowell + Liv 4ever.  

  When it comes down to it, the TV show has wittiness, plot development, and interesting (though a bit static) characters. The graphic novel has static characters and were-terriers (and vampires and mummies and ghosts and...). Too much paranormal is not a good thing, graphic novel iZombie: focus more on the girl and less on the zombie. 

[woodendreams]

(by Photos of Thailand ….)

[dboybaker]

[bombprincessart]

[chillhopsenpai-deactivated20220]

[stbernard]

Seuss Wars

[sizvideos]

Things Disney Characters Do That’d Be Creepy If You Did Them - Video

[lyssadanielle8]

YES IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS GIF

[ntg-0511]

I’m crying😂😭