#big love for ALL the cast members and all the myriad aspects of the characters

[notallthosewho-wanderarelost]

Haven’t been able to watch season 2 of Shadow and Bone yet, but just saw a behind the scenes video on Instagram where Genya and David were holding hands… ❤️❤️❤️

They make me so happy.

Also literally every picture and video of Paddy Gibson in costume as Nikolai. 💙 Yes. Adding years to my life!! Nikolai my beloved.

The cute photos of Jessie and Archie in costume are also making me happy!! Alina and Mal are adorable in the show and I love them together.

Plus that video of Danielle and Cal!! The HUG. The hug. And the waffles vs pancakes question lol.

We just have the best cast for this show. We really won with them.

[maxwell-grant]

So, we've talked about teaming up The Shadow with Superman, and with Batman. How would a team-up with Wonder Woman work?

I've sat on this ask for a while to catch up on the character and talked a bit with @jcogginsa about it to get some thoughts in order, although if anyone else would like to chime in feel free to do so. So here goes: I think a team up between The Shadow and Wonder Woman has a lot of ways it could go wrong for fans of either character, but if done right, I think it could be perhaps a much more substantial story than crossing over The Shadow with Superman or Batman again.

You'd be hard pressed to pair two characters as diametrically opposite to each other visually as The Shadow and Wonder Woman, a very casual viewer might even be confused as to why the hell is Wonder Woman standing next to this Freddy Krueger looking weirdo. Much of what I said about the immediate contrasts between Superman and The Shadow are applied more so here, because here we have two characters who dig back further than the superhero in their domains. Wonder Woman is a superhero, but she is rooted in a realm of folklore and myth and fairy tales, archetypal and dream-like and with strongly defined morals, with Diana as the classic heroine who takes all of the male fears of powerful women present in the old Amazon stories, and subverts them into a powerful feminist statement and a mission of love and peace minded towards a progressive future. The Shadow's stories, as I've argued in turn, were less hard-hitting crime tales and more urban fairy tales told in an urban setting, where the streets of New York City replacing the dark forests of yore and everything's gone so topsy-turvy that the Big Bad Wolf has to become the one to save us from those that would oppress and destroy us. Dracula meets King Arthur, as his creator described him, here to fight to protect us for little reason other than he can and it's the right thing to do, by turning the tools of evil against itself.

Sadly, the two of them also have a long, long and miserable history of being misrepresented and mischaracterized past their initial eras.

I've remarked often enough on The Shadow's downfall, how the clever, thoughtful, compassionate, even humorous and outright friendly (if theatrical about it) Shadow of the pulps, has been so far removed from those traits over decades of adaptations, that I have to link posts where I point out that these traits used to be there in the first place, because they've all been eclipsed by the image of a trigger-happy butcher if not outright barking fascist. And it's worse for Wonder Woman, because her main defining trait was her pacifism and kindness and loving diplomacy, the lasso as a tool for careful and non-violent submission when necessary, whose very first story goes to such lengths to describe the contrast between the Amazons and Mars, the stupid and brutish god of war who points a sword at the world where Aphrodite would point a finger proclaiming love, and now, The Sword has become an irrevocable part of Wonder Woman's image, as is the jokes about her being the member of the Justice League willing to snap necks and rip spines if necessary, the most direct anti-thesis of everything that defined her initially.

Perhaps you could tell a story about the conciliation of these traits, the how and why these have become such commonplace for the two. They may still be heroes and agents of justice and good and whatnot, but something has clearly been missing from them for decades, a spark of humanity and imagination and care that's made the two of them so, so much worse off for the lack of it.

Perhaps there could be a story about the two helping each other find it again. Perhaps no one knows better the dangers of getting lost in the darkness of man's world than The Shadow, and perhaps there's no DC hero that could cut through the darkness to pull it back moreso than Wonder Woman. Idealism and reality, light and dark, the way things are vs the way they could be, and most of all, Knowledge and Truth coming together in the fight for a better world that the two have been immersed in for so long.

There are some better opportunities for the two to meet compared to Superman and Batman, as Wonder Woman has usually been grounded in real life events around The Shadow's time period. The movie has placed her debut during The Great War, and several stories have been told about Wonder Woman fighting during World War 2, two conflicts that The Shadow lived through, the first of which being a highly integral part of his characterization. Little adjustments would be necessary to explain their intrusions into each other's worlds. Past the initial distrust and a conciliation of their differences? I could see the two getting along better actually than The Shadow might with Superman and Batman, or Wonder Woman with other pulp heroes. They are soldiers who chose to pick their battles, who only found their true calling once they've exhausted all other options as to what they could be, and who take on a myriad of roles for the sake of their missions. They confront the darkest aspects of the world in their own ways as they are both shaped by it, and they affect the world in their own ways, one far more discreetly than the other

So yeah I actually think there's a lot you could do with crossing these two, maybe more so even than crossing over The Shadow with Batman or Superman again. I was surprised over the course of researching for this ask at just how much I find myself liking Wonder Woman even better than the other two, and frustrated at the sheer mishandling of the character. I'd like these two to meet, maybe punch some Nazis together, maybe help each other reconnect with their original missions.

Or alternative, @jcogginsa pitched me the idea of Wonder Woman just taking The Shadow on a vacation to get him to chill out a little. Probably not on Themyscira, even if they let men in, the Amazons would be asking Diana why is she letting this unholy ghost from Tartarus or servant of Hades anywhere near the island, but somewhere where she knows how to set up a good party. I love when Diana's allowed to have fun, and she might be the only superhero strong enough to successfully force The Shadow to loosen up a bit, let him interact with the world on less controlling terms for a change.

Also I desperately want a crossover between The Holiday Girls and The Agents. I want Etta Candy and Margo to go shopping or shoot some Nazis together, either way works but I will not accept any crossover between The Shadow and Wonder Woman that doesn't let their long-neglected supporting casts shine.

[jrobert1698-blog]

The Mandalorian Season One Review

The Mandalorian is a Disney+ original television show starring Pedro Pascal and created by Jon Favreau.  In addition to featuring a supporting cast of Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, and Giancarlo Esposito, the show also created a legend of our time: Baby Yoda.  Logging just eight episodes in its debut season, the show follows a conflicted bounty hunter as he attempts to honor the creed of his people, the customs of his profession, and his heart’s desire.  If you haven’t seen the show yet, I highly suggest you check it out.  Some spoilers lie ahead if you wish to turn back now; otherwise, “this is the way.”

I’ll be honest: I’m a really big Star Wars fan.  I should qualify that by saying I haven’t consumed every bit of the Star Wars canon, and I’m not extremely familiar with the Expanded Universe.  I know this qualifies me as scum; force choke me if you must.  Nonetheless, it is one of my favorite franchises dating all the way back to my early childhood.  This makes it somewhat difficult to review anything Star Wars related because I’m always subconsciously rooting for it to be good.  I allowed this to get the better of me with The Last Jedi, and I defended that film for far too long.  In short, I tried to approach The Mandalorian with an open mind but without letting my inner fanboy take over my sensibilities.  I’d like to believe that this review is as neutral as possible but if I do sound overexcited please forgive me. 

Before I get into The Mandalorian in detail I want to take a brief step back to 2015.  Before The Force Awakens cam out, everybody was excited to see Star Wars again.  Despite box office success, some people dismissed Episode VII as too derivative of A New Hope.  Others were just happy to have new characters, a diverse cast, and a competent director in J.J. Abrams.  I will go to the grave believing that the single biggest mistake Disney made since purchasing Star Wars was hiring Rian Johnson to direct The Last Jedi. While he is clearly capable of creating a great film in his own right, his vision clashed significantly with Abrams’ and the end result was a very divisive movie that split up the Star Wars fan base.  It made at least half the fandom bitter and jaded towards anything Star Wars that Disney produced.  People desperately needed something to unify them and make them remember why they love Star Wars again.  I’m happy to report that season one of The Mandalorian is exactly what the fans, and Disney, needed. 

I feel as though its only proper to begin a review of The Mandalorian by discussing Din Djarin himself as portrayed by Pedro Pascal.  I liked him in Game of Thrones and I like him even more here.  Some people might assume that having a mask cover your entire face makes acting easier.  To some extent this is true.  Not having to express emotions with one’s eyes and mouth alleviates some of the burden.  However, its also a unique acting challenge to make people get invested in a character whose face they can’t see.  The fact that so many love this character is a testament to good screenwriting and Pascal’s acting ability.  The audience actually roots for Mando to keep his mask on because the writers made it a crucial part of his identity.  Additionally, Pascal has to express emotion through the intonation of his voice, the speed at which he turns his helmet, and his deliberate pace when he walks.  This is far more difficult than people realize, and Pascal deserves a lot of credit for making this season the success that it was.

The character of the Mandalorian also stands out to me because in many ways he exemplifies the qualities of a good action hero.  Again, good screenwriting.  He comes off as a believable bad ass from the minute he slices a guy in half with a door in Episode 1.  However, unlike other Star Wars protagonists of late, he never feels overpowered either.  Audiences need to feel like their hero is in danger of getting hurt or dying in order for excitement to register.  There are many moments in this season where Mando gets his ass kicked.  He gets electrocuted by Jawas, gored by a Mudhorn, pinned down by Bounty Hunters and almost blown up several times.  However, like any good action hero, he always manages to bounce back and lives to fight another day.  This is why audiences truly respect this character who, at the end of the day, is just a human being like all of us. 

Another great, and perhaps underrated, aspect of this show is the amazing score by Ludwig Goransson.  I really liked his work on Black Panther as well and I’m looking forward to any future projects he works on.  This is the first time I can remember that anyone other than John Williams has made an original and memorable Star Wars score.  The main title is freakin’ awesome.  It’s the perfect blend of tribal mysticism and the military marches we’ve come to know and love.  Fortunately, this space opera comes with some great overtures to highlight it.

Before I sound like a total fanboy, let’s talk about a few issues I have with the show.  There are certainly issues you can nitpick from a canon perspective but that isn’t my main concern.  My biggest complaint would be the sometimes haphazard nature of the show.  Episode 5 in particular felt like a sizable departure from the main story.  Episode 6, while more entertaining, similarly broke from the overarching narrative to give us a little bit of Mando’s backstory.  I don’t necessarily have a problem with this video game mission approach to the show, but I do hope that some of these side quests get paid off more significantly in future episodes.  I also would have liked a more consistent emphasis on the supporting cast members like Carano’s Cara Dune and Weathers’ Greef Carga.  Even Kuill could have used more screen time if for no other purpose than to make us more attached to him before his untimely death.

My complaints, in the long run, are relatively minor.  Compared to my overall respect and enjoyment of this show, they pale in comparison.  One major reason why is that Disney spared no expense in making this show the best it could possibly be.  The visual effects, where I feared they might skimp, were better than a lot of feature films.  The show felt cinematic, like Game of Thrones did at its best.  The cinematography was mostly great as well.  I particularly liked Taika Waititi’s direction in the season finale.  That shot of Mando finally using a jetpack to latch onto Moff Gideon’s TIE Fighter deserves to be on a poster.  I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the closing shot of Gideon holding the fucking Darksaber.  I can’t wait to see Giancarlo Esposito in an expanded role in Season 2 and hopefully beyond.  If he can play half the villain he did in Breaking Bad it will be a success.

And, of course, I had to save the single best part of this show, by far, for last. Baby. Fucking. Yoda.  This is one of the most well-concealed plot twists in recent memory.  Disney, somehow, did a fantastic job of keeping Baby Yoda out of marketing materials and trailers in the pre-release process.  When I first saw that adorable green face for the first time I somehow screamed, laughed and cried out in excitement at once.  This character is great for so many reasons besides obviously being the cutest thing to come out of 2019.  The Child makes Mando extremely conflicted and puts him in the most difficult quandary of his life: honor his code as a Bounty Hunter or follow his instincts and protect this child in need?  Baby Yoda also kicks a lot of ass for a one-foot-tall fifty year old.  His obviously strong connection to the force presents a myriad of options for his future: will he train as a Jedi, be a powerful vigilante, or turn to the dark side?  I’m kidding, but I’m also serious; he did force choke Cara Dune after all.  And he’s grown up among a series of explosions, laser beams, and punchy storm troopers.  That’s a pretty traumatic childhood.  Clearly, Baby Yoda has turned into a phenomenon and sparked an infinite number of memes, songs, and art.  I think it’s well deserved and I can’t wait to see more adventures in baby sitting with our little green friend. 

My thoughts on The Mandalorian can be expressed very simply: it’s fucking awesome. There is a whole lot to like about where this story is going and what Favreau and the slew of directors have done so far.  They’ve managed to inject genuine excitement into the fan base for what feels like the first time in a very, very long time. Additionally, Disney needed to knock one out of the park in order to salvage their reputation and preserve fan interest in one of their most valuable franchises.  Despite a few minor missteps, season one of The Mandalorian is a fantastic and I eagerly anticipate season two whenever it comes out.  If you haven’t seen it yet, go check it out.  Baby Yoda alone makes it worth it.  I have spoken.

Rating: 9/10

[inspectorboxer]

Supergirl for the in depth questions

Twist my arm to talk about Supergirl @blinkwithyoureyes... ;)

Top 5 favourite characters:1. Alex2. Kara3. Cat4. Maggie5. J’onn

Other characters you like:I’m pretty okay with everybody on the show except…

Least favourite character:Maxwell Lord. I could watch Alex beat him up all day.

Otps:Cat/KaraAlex/MaggieAlex/LucyKara/FoodAlex/Guns

Notps:Alex/J’onn Alex/Kara(I can’t see them as anything other than family, but ship and let ship)

Favourite friendship: I’m really starting to dig Winn and Alex, but I love how Kara’s friendship evolved with Cat.

Favourite family: The Danvers, of course.

Favourite episode: Falling. Melissa was deliciously nasty in that episode, and her scenes with Chyler were fantastic.

Favourite season/book/movie: I’ll have to say season 1. Jury is still out on season 2. Loving some aspects of it, and I’m frustrated with others.

Favourite quote: “Sedative. You’re welcome.” – Alex Danvers “We should kiss the girls we want to kiss.” – Maggie Sawyer. “I’ll go get the alien. You get the girl.” – Kara Danvers

Moment that made you fangirl/boy the hardest: Both Supercat hugs. Alex and Maggie kissing was certainly a big one. I have a soft spot for Kara rescuing the plane. 

When it really disappointed you: How they handled the James/Kara relationship in season 2. They could have at least gone on the dang date…

Saddest moment: Cat telling Kara she’s leaving. Kara and Alex saying goodbye in Myriad.

Most well done character death: Hmm. Do the citizens of Krypton count? I haven’t been that wildly impressed with any of the other deaths on the show. Especially not Astra’s.

Favourite guest star: Jenna Dewan Tatum (Lucy Lane) even though technically she was recurring.

Favourite cast member: That’s like asking me to choose a favorite child. Chyler, Melissa, Calista, Floriana, and David are all faves.

Character you wish was still alive: Astra

One thing you hope really happens: That the writers don’t pair Kara off with Mon-El. Not for some time anyway. Unless the goal is to show Kara struggling with some inner demons and that’s why she’s drawn to the “bad boy.”

Most shocking twist: Cat knowing Kara was Supergirl so early in the show. I hate that they undid it so fast, but that was a pleasant surprise.

When did you start watching/reading: Season 1.

Trope you wish they would stop using: Can’t really think of one that bothers me off the top of my head other than the love triangle stuff.

One thing this show/book/film does better than others: The relationship between the Danvers sisters is beautiful and the heart of the show. Alex’s coming out story has also been well done.

Funniest moments: Alex grabbing the whiskey out of the fridge at Thanksgiving. Mon-El calling Kara’s mom a “babe.” Just about all of Cat’s name dropping moments but the Harrison Ford one gets top billing.

Couple you would like to see: I’m a Supercat shipper so… I wouldn’t have minded Alex/Lucy, either.

Actor/Actress you want to join the cast: Give me Amy Acker as the next season-long villain, please. I think Gina Torres would be a great guest star as well. I’d like more M’gann while we’re at it, so sign Sharon Leal up for a full season.

Most boring plotline: I was not a fan of the Kara/James/Lucy love triangle. Ugh.

Best flashback/flashfoward if any: Kara takes her sister flying.

Most layered character: Both Kara and Alex. Those girls are like onions, I swear. So much fun to write for them. Cat’s intriguing as well. Hope we learn more about Maggie soon.

Scariest moment: Kara tossing Cat off the balcony. I was 99% sure she’d catch her, but that 1% uncertainty made me nervous.

Grossest moment: That nasty parasite thing that crawled into the environmentalist. Yuck.

Best looking male: James. Clark ain’t half bad, either.

Best looking female: Alex. Kara. Maggie. Cat. M’gann. Vasquez… the list goes on and on. Both Lena and Lucy have some seriously gorgeous eyes while we’re on the subject.

Who you’re crushing on (if any): Alex. Alex in her thigh holster with her hands on her hips. Damn.

Most beautiful scene (scenery/shot wise): When Cat confronts Kara about being Supergirl. The lighting in that scene was gorgeous.

Unanswered question/continuity issue/plot error that bugs you: Why is Alex not more focused on finding her father? And where did Vasquez and Lucy go?? (at least it looks like we’ll see Vasquez again soon)

At what point did you fall in love with this show/book: The Livewire episode in season 1. The Danvers family dynamics at Thanksgiving hooked me. That and Cat’s “Oh crap” moment.

[techmagzines]

John Travolta's Top 5 Roles From Danny Zuko To Robert Shapiro

Whether it’s comedy, drama, singing or dancing, actor John Travolta has proven time and again he’s a jack of all trades when it comes to the entertainment business.

See Full Article here: Robert Shapiro

Since getting his big break in the role of Vinnie Barbarino in “Welcome Back, Kotter,” Travolta has not only been a household name but continues to prove he’s got more tricks up his sleeve with each passing year. Whether it’s critically acclaimed roles in TV or film, there’s no telling where the actor will pop up next.

On Feb. 18, Travolta turns 66 and shows no signs of stopping his illustrious career. As the star enters another year of his life, now is the perfect time to take a look back at some of the roles that made him one of the most famous names in Hollywood:

“Saturday Night Fever” (1977)

John Travolta earned his first Oscar nomination for his role in 'Saturday Night Fever.' (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, File)

After spending a couple of years on “Welcome Back, Kotter” Travolta was sitting comfortably as a TV heartthrob with countless fans. He went into the production of “Saturday Night Fever” with a lot of wind at his back. While that may sound good, Mental Floss notes that it actually harmed production on the film. When production began in Brooklyn, it didn’t take long for fans to hear that Travolta would be in their neighborhood.

Co-star Donna Pescow previously said: "The fans—oh, my God, they were all over him. It was scary to watch."

Fortunately, the producers managed to wrangle the crowd and the actor was able to give an Oscar-worthy performance. In what was his first major film role since being cast as Barbarino, Travolta shot from everyday TV heartthrob to Academy Award nominee. Although he didn’t win in his category, the role propelled his career to new, previously unfathomable heights.

It even sparked a sequel in 1983, “Staying Alive” where he reprised his role as Tony Manero.

“Grease” (1978)

Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta starred in 'Grease,' which proved to the world that the young actor was a talented singer in addition to TV heartthrob. (Paramount/Getty Images)

“Saturday Night Fever” showed the world that Travolta can dance, but “Grease” showed that he can also sing. He agreed to star as Danny Zuko in the 1978 adaptation of the 1971 musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey.

Set in the 1950s, "Grease" follows a group of high schoolers as they navigate love and class through song, dance and some pretty awesome hot rods. The film continues to grow legions of fans with every new generation, despite being marked by its decidedly dated time period. Speaking at an event for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2018, the actor posed his theory on the enduring interest in “Grease.”

“The two writers, the original writers of ‘Grease,’ were obsessed with their teenagehood in the 50s. They did a microcosm of every great aspect of the 50s. The best of James Dean, the best of Brando, the best of Elvis, they did this microcosm and put it in one communication,” he explained. “So it could be that it triggers our favorite moments of a decade all in one movie instead of separate movies… Just an idea.”

“Pulp Fiction” (1994)

John Travolta earned his second Academy Award nomination for 'Pulp Fiction.' (Miramax)

Although he worked consistently throughout the 1980s, a series of commercially successful but critically maligned films made it seem like Travolta’s career was as dead as the disco craze he’d helped start. Fortunately, he managed to secure a role in Quentin Tarantino’s smash hit “Pulp Fiction” as the drug-addicted hitman, Vincent Vega. The role would ultimately lead Travolta to his second Oscar nomination and a complete revitalization of his acting career.

However, according to a Vanity Fair article from 2013, one tried desperately to ensure he wasn’t cast in the film, now-disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.

At the time, Weinstein was given a terms sheet that he agreed to for the film, with the exception of casting Travolta in the lead role.

“And it came back: ‘The entire list is approved … except for John Travolta.’ So I got together with Harvey, and he’s like, ‘I can get Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Penn, William Hurt,’” Tarantino told the outlet.

It wasn’t until longtime Tarantino collaborator Mike Simpson put his foot down and literally threatened to walk away from Weinstein’s funding in 15 seconds that the movie tycoon was forced to relent. When the movie became a smashing success thanks in large part to Travolta, Weinstein is said to have jokingly taken credit for the decision to cast him.

“Hairspray” (2007)

John Travolta had a big say in how his character in 'Hairspray' looked. (New Line Cinema)

By 2007, Travolta had seemingly done everything there was to do in Hollywood. With a myriad of both successful and not-so-successful roles under his belt, the actor agreed to take on the gender-bending role of Edna Turnblad in the film version of “Hairspray.”

The movie tells the story of a young overweight girl in 1962 named Tracy who gets a shot on her favorite local TV show, “The Corny Collins Show.” Because of her weight, she struggles to be taken seriously, giving her a bond with her African-American co-stars, who are fighting against segregation. Tracy’s journey inspires her mother, Edna, to feel comfortable in her own body as well. The famous play originally had Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein in the role of Edna, playing it more like an over-the-top caricature. But Travolta opted to play her a different way.

According to a New York Times article written prior to the movie’s release, Travolta had countless costumers, special makeup artists and even prop masters to craft a suit and look that would make Edna feel more grounded in reality, while still upholding the tradition of having a man play her.

“American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson” (2016)

John Travolta returned to TV in a more dramatic role, playing Robert Shapiro in 'American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson.' (FX)

After immense success in the film world, Travolta decided to return to the place where he got his big break — television.

However, unlike “Welcome Back, Kotter,” his take on real-life defense attorney for O.J. Simpson Robert Shapiro had precious few laughs. Shapiro was one of the members of the famed football player’s legal team in his 1994 criminal trial for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman.

“American Horror Story” helmer Ryan Murphy dramatized the story for TV and Travolta donned heavy makeup in an effort to look the part. After two Oscar nominations, the role gave the actor his first Emmy nod. Although he lost in the supporting actor category, the show at large took home the Emmy for outstanding limited series that year.

Former Woodbridge CEO Shapiro Pleads Guilty, Faces Up To 25 Years In Prison

Robert Shapiro, a former Roaring Fork Valley resident and former CEO and president of the Woodbridge Group of Companies LLC, faces as many as 25 years in prison after pleading guilty last week to running a $1.3 billion Ponzi scheme that claimed more than 7,000 victims.

Shapiro, 61, of Sherman Oaks, California, entered his plea Wednesday in South Florida federal court. His sentencing hearing is scheduled Oct. 15 before U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga.

Shapiro pleaded guilty to orchestrating and leading a massive investment fraud scheme; he also pleaded guilty to tax evasion for his failure to pay more than $6 million in taxes due and owing to the IRS for calendar years 2000 through 2005.

According to the indictment and court documents, Shapiro spearheaded and concealed the Ponzi scheme through his business, Woodbridge. Woodbridge employed approximately 130 people and had offices located throughout the United States, including in Carbondale; Boca Raton, Florida; Sherman Oaks, California; Tennessee; and Connecticut. The scheme ran from at least July 2012 to December 2017, when Woodbridge declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and defaulted on its obligations to investors.

The pitch to investors was that Woodbridge held real estate loans that would pay them rates of interest between 5% and 10%.

In fact, the real estate also was owned by Shapiro through 270 shell companies and did not generate the necessary money for investors. Sometimes, the properties didn’t even exist.

It became a Ponzi scheme that paid older investors with money from newer ones, court records show. Five states entered cease-and-desist orders because Woodbridge was selling unregistered securities.

As part of the plea agreement, Shapiro and his wife, Jeri, agreed to forfeit assets including paintings by Picasso (“Face With Circles, Picador and Fish Subject”), Renoir (“Portrait de Rosita Mauri”), Chagall (“Le Clown Flutiste Au Coq”) and others. They also will hand over to the government numerous pieces of jewelry, including a pair of 14-karat, white gold earrings with two black diamonds, two gray diamonds, two rose-cut diamonds and 266 round diamonds as well as a platinum ring with an emerald and a variety of diamonds.

“Mr. Shapiro has taken personal responsibility for the failure of Woodbridge. His guilty plea follows his decision to voluntarily place hundreds of millions of dollars of assets under bankruptcy court supervision and the consensual resolution of the SEC enforcement investigation,” his lawyer, Ryan O’Quinn, said in a statement. “Mr. Shapiro hopes that these decisions allow the estate to focus on maximizing the value of the real estate portfolio for the benefit of Woodbridge’s creditors.”

Shapiro once lived at Aspen Glen in the lower Roaring Fork Valley. Woodbridge developed high-end properties the in upper and lower Roaring Fork Valley, as well as other parts of Colorado and California.

A number of Woodbridge homes in the Roaring Fork Valley have been or are being sold as part of Woodbridge’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Woodbridge closed its Aspen Glen office in Carbondale in November 2017.

[entergamingxp]

Sakura Wars Review (PS4) — The Dream is Back

April 29, 2020 10:00 AM EST

While it has been a long wait, Sakura Wars is a satisfying blend of everything that the franchise has done well for a new generation on PS4.

Claiming that Sakura Wars (aka Sakura Taisen) is a huge franchise is an understatement. The steampunk, East meets West stylized series featuring courageous women who act as a theater revue by day and fight demons at night left a huge mark on Japanese pop culture and on anyone who encountered it. When Sega and Red Entertainment released the first Sakura Taisen game on Sega Saturn in 1996, it made history with its peculiar aforementioned mix of genres and atmospheres. Most notably, it mixed various dating simulator, tactical RPG, and adventure elements (what we commonly call visual novels in English) together. By far, it wasn’t the first game that strove to create mixes like these. Red Entertainment themselves weren’t at their first attempt, as Sakura Taisen followed in the footsteps of games such as the Galaxy Fräulein Yuna series.

Sakura Taisen, however, is the first franchise of its kind that managed to reach such mainstream stardom, at least in Japan. This is in part thanks to a very unorthodox idea back then that the franchise pulled off. The seiyuu, Japanese voice actresses and actors, of Sakura Taisen would all regularly hold “Kayou Shows”–musicals similar to the ones that players experienced in-game–that greatly contributed to establish the franchise’ cult status. Putting the seiyuu themselves in the spotlight through stage events, streams and radio shows is usual nowadays, but it was a very novel idea back then, as Sakura Taisen‘s original author Oji Hiroi recently pointed out. Today, many game and anime franchises all do their own stage play musicals in the same vein.

While the Sakura Taisen series reached a conclusion with Sakura Taisen 4 in 2002, followed by a standalone Sakura Taisen V in 2005 (the sole episode that officially left Japan), the series never truly stopped. Indeed, the mainline game part stayed dormant, but anime, manga adaptations and spinoffs, mobile games, apparitions in crossovers such as Project X Zone, and real life events such as art expositions kept it rolling around over the years. And last but not least, the Kayou Shows continued for all these years. Fan demand for a new game never relented, and Sakura Taisen is such a big piece of Sega’s (and gaming) history that culturally and business-wise, a game comeback was only a matter of time. When, and how, were the main questions. And the answer is this brand new PlayStation 4 game, titled Shin Sakura Taisen/New Sakura Wars in Japan, and simply rebranded as Sakura Wars overseas.

Sakura Wars brings back the franchise that everyone loved in a magnificent way, all while making it accessible to neophytes.

Sakura Wars, the PS4 game, is the first main game of the series in 15 years. Officially announced in March 2018 and revealed in March 2019, Sakura Wars is Sega’s attempt to fully relaunch the franchise worldwide, hence why a localization in multiple languages was announced from the get-go. The game is accompanied with its own novel, manga, and a multitude of new crossover collaborations and goods. Seeing the game is already available in Japan since December 2019, an anime sequel also started this April. A stage play was planned as well, but was sadly canceled due to COVID-19.

To be honest, as I relentlessly covered Sakura Wars news via the monthly streams that Sega organized for the game, part of myself was scared. I asked a lot of different questions to myself: “What if the game sucks? What if they only show the good parts on stream? What if I end up hating it?” I’ve rarely been this scared of being disappointed when it comes to my hobbies. It would have been incredibly painful to see the series fail its comeback and fall into oblivion. As I grabbed the game in Japanese, part of my doubts were dispelled after spending some time on it. I even attempted live translating part of the game to show my enthusiasm and spread awareness. Now with this English version, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time with the game, and I can finally affirm this now, with conviction: Sakura Wars brings back the franchise that everyone loved in a magnificent way, all while making it accessible to neophytes.

“Sakura Wars is an ADV, a pure and thorough Adventure game akin to what we call visual novels, and should be approached as such.”

Sakura Wars works both as a sequel and as a reboot. The game’s intro explains how the cast from the previous games all disappeared after a decisive battle against the demons, and introduces instead a brand new cast of main characters. Players are put in the role of Seijuro Kamiyama, a young, talented ex-marine ship captain, who’s now assigned as the captain of the Flower Division. The Flower Division is the core battle and theater unit of the Imperial Combat Revue, protecting Tokyo from demons. All big cities in the current world of Sakura Wars similarly have their own Combat Revues, and they are about to participate in a big tournament to hone their skills. However, the Imperial Combat Revue is facing both a financial and identity crisis, and it’ll be up to Kamiyama to give the Flower Division members the trust they need to overcome their issues and win the tournament, all while fighting off a new demon threat.

You might be wondering why I’ve yet to touch upon the gameplay aspect of Sakura Wars in this review, but you’ve actually been experiencing it already if you’ve read this far. Just like its predecessors, Sakura Wars is an ADV, a pure and thorough Adventure game akin to what we call visual novels, and should be approached as such. You’ll be spending the vast majority of your time in the game reading the dialogue and events unfolding as you control Kamiyama and interact with the characters.

The game reintroduces the series’ LISP system, which are short-timed dialogue choices selected with the directional stick. This aims to make the players realistically think about their words and strengthen immersion. Most of the time, players will have a clear choice between either acting in a positive and gentle way (Top Choice), in a harsh and stern way (Left Choice), or being some kind of creep or clown (Right Choice). Beyond these obvious dialogue choices, you’ll have to do your best to figure out the characters’ feelings, as always picking cliche anime lines about friendship and love won’t work. Kamiyama himself isn’t a self-insert; he has his own personality, and will choose his own words in certain crucial moments, where you’ll instead be urged to pick the intensity of said words.

“All of the concepts and mechanics unique to the Sakura Taisen series have been tirelessly thought over by the development team. They have all been improved and adapted to 3D.”

The true difference in Sakura Wars compared to its predecessors isn’t the change from a tactical RPG system to action RPG elements for its battles; I’ll get to that later. It’s the fact that the game has switched to full 3D. This is a revolution for the series, and Sega made the best out of it. The past games let you roam around the Imperial Theater, which is the Imperial Combat Revue’s base of operations, via a 2D map where characters were represented in Super-Deformed, SD style. When you triggered dialogue with other characters, the games switched to a visual novel-like style, with the characters illustrated with 2D artworks and occasional anime cutscenes. It had (and still has) its charm.

On the opposite side, Sakura Wars lets you explore its environments in full 3D. This choice wasn’t simply fueled by a desire to make the series more appealing to a new generation of players. All of the concepts and mechanics unique to the Sakura Taisen series have been tirelessly thought over by the development team. They have all been improved and adapted to 3D. Exploring the Imperial Theater and the city has never felt so rewarding and immersive. While each area barring the Imperial Theater is quite small, they are packed with small details, fun NPCs, and points of interests. Kamiyama’s own thoughts and observations when inspecting elements will evolve together with the story. Sakura Wars is full of intricate world-building, most notably thanks to the contribution of military specialist and world setting advisor genius Takaaki Suzuki. Simply heading to your next main objective pointed out on the Teletron, Kamiyama’s steam-technology powered smartphone, will probably only make you experience half of the game. You’ll end up missing a myriad of optional events, which aren’t necessarily pointed out on the map, Bromides to collect (photographic portraits of the characters), minigames, and lore.

The most striking aspect introduced thanks to 3D is how Sakura Wars handles its dialogue and events. Nearly all the dialogue is presented through in-engine cutscenes, and each one is stunning. Except during their pre-rendered cutscenes, I dare you to find any other typically Japanese game with as much camerawork, screenplay, and especially lively characters during dialogue. Be it Yakuza, Persona, the Tales series, Ni no Kuni, or any offerings from smaller independent studios like Falcom or Nippon Ichi Software, the characters will most certainly simply be standing there when chatting. Most of the time in several of those games, you will be cycling through minimal, prepared in-advance movements and expressions.

Meanwhile, Sakura Wars feels as if specific movement patterns and facial expressions were tailor-made for every single dialogue in the game. They’re always on-point with the discussion and emotions conveyed by the characters. This is so disconcerting compared to what Japanese games usually offer that I’m convinced some players will dislike how the characters in Sakura Wars are constantly in movement. In-universe it makes perfect sense, as the members of the Combat Revues are all used to performing arts and expressing themselves with their bodies.

“Only 60% to 70% of Sakura Wars‘ dialogue is voiced, and it’s the biggest disappointment that I have with the game. It’s especially jarring to see such incredible vivid dialogue scenes being left unvoiced.”

As for the ever-changing expressions of the characters, you might have heard how multiple artists have worked on Sakura Wars. The original character design of the main cast was handled by Bleach‘s Kubo Tite. Other original character designers handled side characters in the game, and we have K-On‘s Yukiko Horiguchi, Sword Art Online‘s Bunbun, Strike Witches‘ Fumikane Shimada, Pokemon‘s Ken Sugimori, Haruhi Suzumiya‘s Noizi Ito, and Persona‘s Shigenori Soejima. However, it’s important to note that similarly with an anime’s production, another single character designer redrew all the designs so that they’re easy to animate and more uniform. That task was handled by Masashi Kudo, who did a terrific job. In fact, Masashi Kudo in the past did the exact same job with Kubo Tite’s designs on the Bleach anime. As such, there’s absolutely no sense of disunity when it comes to the characters’ designs, despite the various artists.

Sadly, overall, I’d say only 60% to 70% of Sakura Wars‘ dialogue is voiced, and it’s the biggest disappointment that I have with the game. It’s especially jarring to see such incredible vivid dialogue scenes being left unvoiced. Sega’s auditioning for the game, which included singing���seeing as each character has their own theme song–brought us an all-star and talented cast of seiyuu. It’s a huge shame they didn’t get to fully demonstrate their skills. Pre-rendered anime cutscenes are back too, and are in 3D as well. These were handled by famous 3D anime studio Sanzigen. Ironically, the sole lackluster visual aspect of Sakura Wars lies in some of its 2D illustrations used to depict certain scenes in the game, with some of them being of varying quality. Going out of your way to interact with the characters and experience as much of the dialogue as possible, the core gameplay will have a direct influence on the minor gameplay elements, the battles.

“Rather than the battles, what makes Sakura Wars so good is definitely its cast. It’s a purely character-driven experience.”

Each story chapter in Sakura Wars follows a typical mecha anime pattern, with the characters heading to sortie near the chapter’s conclusion, setting up a fight scene for the climax. Characters in the Sakura Taisen franchise fight demons using Combat Armors, which are mecha powered by steam and magical spirit energy, mixing steampunk and fantasy elements. This is where a stern warning is due: you definitely shouldn’t expect to be playing a traditional JRPG. Sakura Wars and its predecessors do not feature numbers to grind, equipment to maintain and skills to learn. The only variable which makes your characters stronger, or weaker, are their Trust Levels, the only way to influence Trust Levels are through your dialogue choices. There’s no real changes to the battle system throughout the whole game, except for Team Attacks that you’ll unlock as you increase Trust.

The battle stages aren’t that big and are globally pretty easy. If you do get a game over, you’ll always be able to restart with extra help. While there are many different types of enemies, none of them will stay etched in your memory. The only exception are the bosses, all introduced with huge on-screen Kanji, following Sakura Taisen tradition, and something you might be acquainted with through Skies of Arcadia and Valkyria Chronicles.

As an important note, the battle system of the original Japanese release of the game had no lock-on system and instead used an automatic homing function, which made it hard to hit flying enemies, most notably. This isn’t a problem anymore as a patch has long been released, adding a lock-on system, a better radar, limited button remapping, being able to save anytime, and last but not least, a dialogue log with voice playback. These improvements will be included in the Western version, so make sure to download the day one patch. However, the patch was only made available to reviewers a little bit before embargo, so some reviews might mistakenly point out these faults, even though they are now patched.

In any case, you’ll only be fighting for around 20 minutes for about every 3 hours of gameplay, and despite being so simple, the battles are still fun and do their job well. The battles, like the rest of the game, are also filled by cool dialogue and incredible cutscenes, including dialogue choices. The music by the legendary Kohei Tanaka (One Piece, Gravity Rush, among others) is always on-point as well, and it’s the combination of these factors that makes these climaxes so awesome. But ultimately, the battle system of Sakura Wars in itself is marginal. Rather than changing from a tactical RPG to action RPG, the battle system might as well have switched to Sega’s match-three puzzle game Columns, and it wouldn’t have changed a thing.

Rather than the battles, what makes Sakura Wars so good is definitely its cast. It’s a purely character-driven experience. Japanese games tend to traditionally include a stereotypical cast, which gradually shows its uniqueness as you play. Sakura Taisen is and always was the culmination of this concept. The protagonists fight to protect the world and follow huge cliches based on their country of origin. The villains simply wish to see humans suffer for no reason. Everything is cheesy, but it works terribly well. The original script, written by 428 Shibuya Scramble‘s director Jiro Ishii, doesn’t stray from these traditions of the Sakura Taisen series, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Each chapter mostly focuses on a single main character, but all the others will play a role too. This is especially true for the second half of the game, when all the characters have already gone through a good chunk of development. Each character’s individuality slowly unveils itself through the multitude of dialogue events, and you just can’t help but fall in love with the characters.

Ultimately, while we might call it a dating sim, Sakura Wars is quite different from most. Of course, in the same vein as its stereotypical characters and plot, Sakura Wars is also filled with cliche anime situations. Kamiyama often finds himself in “lucky pervert” incidents depending of your choices. I’d add Sakura Taisen is one of the few franchises that manages to make sexual fan service moments and “romantic comedy” misunderstandings like these actually comedic and funny. Still, you shouldn’t expect anything steamy to happen, as even the unlockable optional flirting scenes are very tame. Indeed, your true goal in Sakura Wars isn’t to whoo girls, it’s to make the team members feel at home and have a place where to belong. I believe this is why the nomenclature of the series always used “Trust Levels” instead of “Affection” or “Love” levels.

Moreover, while we control Kamiyama, the true protagonist of this new Sakura Wars is Sakura Amamiya, the most devoted member of the Flower Division, who aims to restore the Imperial Combat Revue to its former glory. While the game includes a dive into each main character’ psychology and worries, everything revolves around Sakura Amamiya. She’s the sole character on the game’s case artwork, the first character you see in the opening anime sequence, and she’s the one getting a typical mecha anime midseason upgrade. It’s not a baseless choice as to why the ongoing manga version and sequel anime both put the spotlight on her.

Sakura Wars might even be too much centered around Sakura Amamiya at times. Most side characters, and those who belong to the other Combat Revues fought during the tournament, barely interact for most of the game with the main cast besides Kamiyama and Sakura Amamiya. Moreover, while the tournament battles are centered around 3 vs 3 team battles, only two members of each Combat Revue we face off against are introduced. Their third combatant is always a nameless, faceless character we’re never introduced to.

Nonetheless, in Sakura Wars the girls are always the true stars of the stage. This approach is one of the many reasons why the franchise as a whole is so inspiring and attractive to anyone, despite being a dating simulator for hetero male anime otaku. Furthermore, Sakura Amamiya idolizes Sakura Shinguji, one of the main characters of the past games in the series, which brings us to the final important point; how meta this Sakura Wars is.

“Overall I’ve rarely seen a game manage to deliver a commentary on itself, all while handling fan service perfectly, brimming with love and respect for its own legacy.”

The first part of Sakura Wars‘ story features an obsolete Imperial Combat Revue shunned by all and on the verge of shutting down. It’s almost as if the game is reflecting the image of the franchise itself in the eyes of younger folks who didn’t live through it. Then, you’d be amazed at the numbers of NPCs who trashtalk the new characters while singing the praise of the old ones. Sega is fully aware of grumpy fans who claimed on social media that instead of a new cast, they’d rather have the ex-main characters back even if they were into their senior years. Players can regularly learn about the previous cast via the Imperial Theater’s archives, with Kamiyama sharing words of admiration. And then you have Itsuki, an embodiment of the good fan, with whom you can fangirl with while chatting about both the old and new characters.

As a newcomer or as an oldtimer, your overall opinion of the game and its characters will grow positively as you play, exactly mirroring how the Imperial Combat Revue slowly regain its fame through the main story, making for a unique experience. Overall I’ve rarely seen a game manage to deliver a commentary on itself, all while handling fan service perfectly, brimming with love and respect for its own legacy. I clearly remember the excitement I’d feel when I was a kid looping the Sakura Taisen games’ anime opening sequences while dreaming of playing the series. Experiencing Sakura Wars on PS4 feels exactly like that. The dream is back.

Before concluding, I’d also throw in a word regarding the English localization of Sakura Wars. As I mentioned earlier on, I’ve partly played the Japanese version, and I must say that the English translation is amazing. Despite the Japanese heavy setting, It doesn’t go with the simple choice of keeping Japanese terms and honorifics, and yet still retains what makes the series’ atmosphere so unique, and conveys everything that needs to be conveyed. Every ten lines I was in awe and reminded of how much I suck as a translator.

In conclusion, while Sakura Wars never feels like it cuts corners, you can clearly tell, with the lack of full-voice acting or the nameless third combatants thing, that Sega didn’t fully believe in themselves. Sega is incredibly eager to make the series reach glory again, and brought to the development team all-star artists, writers and seiyuu, but at the same time was reluctant and wary. They believed in this comeback but lacked conviction to put more resources on the table, which is slightly disappointing. A more ambitious and polished sequel would definitely have the potential to become one of the most iconic Japanese games in years, similarly to Persona 5. With full voice acting this time, even denser content, more interactions between the main and side casts, and an attempt to make the battle parts into something more than narrative climaxes, you’d have the formula for a masterpiece. Sales would follow suit, boosting the franchise’s popularity worldwide, and we could even see the past games finally get official localization.

Unless you religiously scorn the act known as reading, there is absolutely no reason to avoid grabbing Sakura Wars on PS4. If you’ve read the integrity of this review, you need to hurry up and grab the game right the hell now. It’ll make you discover a fresh universe full of surprise. If you’re a complete stranger to this culture, it will surely be the game that makes you realize what’s so good about Japanese games, anime and manga. In an era where the most exported Japanese cultural products are battle stories inspired by Dragon Ball, playing Sakura Wars can be a gateway that will definitely broaden your horizons.

April 29, 2020 10:00 AM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/04/sakura-wars-review-ps4-the-dream-is-back/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sakura-wars-review-ps4-the-dream-is-back

[doctorwhonews]

Third Doctor Adventures Volume 4

Latest Review: Writer: Guy Adams, Marc Platt Director: Nicholas Briggs Featuring: Tim Treloar, Katy Manning, Rufus Hound, Mina Anwar, Joe Sims, Carolyn Pickles, Nicholas Briggs Big Finish Release (United Kingdom) Running Time: 5 hours Released by Big Finish Productions - March 2018 Order from Amazon UK​ Before we begin, a quick housekeeping query: is everyone sufficiently bucked up and ready for further old-school 1970s (or 1980s, depending on whom you ask) sci-fi escapades? Wonderful. Perhaps emboldened by the success of their Dalek revival in Volume 3, Big Finish isn’t skimping in the slightest on classic villains in their newest pair of Adventures for the Third Doctor. In fact, they’ve introduced not one but two returning antagonists into the fray for Volume 4 in the forms of the Meddling Monk and – for the first time ever in a Jon Pertwee-era tale, so better late than never – the Cybermen. Admittedly this reviewer took umbrage with how intent “The Conquest of Far” seemed with simply reliving Dalek glory days, rather than seeking to develop how we perceive Skaro’s finest in any notable way, last time around. Will Guy Adams and Marc Platt’s next efforts to immortalise the late Pertwee’s beloved Doctor – now revitalised via Tim Treloar’s loving aural homage – fall into the same traps, then, or can their connective thematic tissue surrounding the ever-complexifying concept of human nature elevate proceedings? “The Rise of the New Humans”: “Look, Bessie’s a lovely car Doctor, I mean a really lovely car, but have you ever thought about investing in a little roof rather than a flappy tarpaulin to keep you dry?” “Don’t you listen, old girl – she knows you’re beautiful really!” Had we ever told diehard fans of all things Doctor Who after watching the divisive “The Woman Who Lived” in 2015 that supporting star Rufus Hound would go on to resurrect a long-overlooked classic antagonist to tremendous acclaim, the best case scenario, most would have justifiably scoffed in our faces. Between his infrequent appearances in the Short Trips and Doom Coalition ranges along with the British comedian’s headline role in Volume 4’s opening tale, however, that’s all changed and the results could hardly feel more satisfying than in the case of “The Rise of the New Humans”. A whirlwind four-parter that’s by parts thought-provoking, hilarious – as if we’d expect anything less of Hound – and thrilling, “Rise” fits into the mold of the Third Doctor era perfectly, posing a fascinating metaphysical concept as human test subjects find themselves transformed into supernatural beings capable of withstanding nearly any affliction. Naturally, though, Doctor Who wouldn’t be Doctor Who without an audacious experiment gone wrong, and sure enough the side effects – not to mention the technology recklessly co-opted by the Monk to achieve his not-so-altruistic goal – quickly lead listeners and the major players alike to question the limits of science’s oft-perceived god complex. If this all sounds too grim and sombre an affair to warrant the Monk’s involvement, then rest assured that Hound alleviates any such concerns with unmistakable ease from the outset. It’s thanks to his sinister, almost sickly, charisma and brilliantly earnest haplessness in the face of just about any danger that Adams’ borderline gothic – certainly Frankenstein-esque – script never gets too bogged down in its contemplations on evolution and the increasing risks of intervention in this natural process for financial gain, with the Monk’s attempts to disguise his seemingly benevolent intentions so delightfully inept that the audience should barely mind sitting through the humour-laden first half before discovering his true ambitions. At the same time, though, Adams thankfully also realises the supreme value and drawing power that Tim Treloar and Katy Manning both hold in the eyes of the Adventures range’s fandom, peppering in a wealth of understated conversations between the pair which perfectly encapsulate their bubbly, at times teacher-student-style dynamic. Whether they’re arguing over Bessie’s temperamentality on a rain-swept road – a subtle homage to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, perhaps? – or the Doctor’s comforting Jo upon her poignant realisation that rumours of us only accessing 10% of our brain power may have been exaggerated, every exchange that the characters share could’ve been ripped straight out of a 1970s serial, with Treloar’s righteously confident and Manning’s sweetly innocent line deliveries both as completely pitch-perfect as ever. The only noteworthy misstep on the wright in question’s part, then, comes with Part 4. While by no means a deal-breaker, the final installment of “Rise” does succumb to an all-too-familiar virus plaguing myriad audio and TV Who adventures – hightailing it to the finish line and ditching any intriguing ideas laid along the way in the process. One can’t help but notice the superior running time afforded to the boxset’s second story – the individual episodes of which run for around 30-35 minutes each compared to this serial’s 20-25 – and wonder if Adams struggled to give ideas like humans struggling with their deadly mutations full due, hence the final 25 minutes descending into the usual catastrophic monster mash and retconning a hugely tantalising cliffhanger regarding Jo within moments of its occurrence. Maybe Adams simply needs to keep honing his stabs at the four-part format instead, but it’s food for thought in terms of whether he might better befit a five- or six-episode serial should he contribute another script for the recently-announced Volume 5. “The Tyrants of Logic”: “Doctor, what are they?” “Cybermen!” Reading the above lines of dialogue alone will, for many fans, surely prove a cathartic experience in and of itself. After all, despite coming into contact with Daleks, Silurians, Sea Devils, Sontarans, Ice Warriors and Autons over the course of his four-year tenure, not to mention the Master on a near-weekly basis, Jon Pertwee’s Doctor never earned himself the chance to battle arguably Doctor Who’s second most iconic monster, joining Paul McGann, John Hurt and Christopher Eccleston’s as the only such incarnations faced with this unspeakable on-screen plight. But, as Hurt’s War Doctor proclaimed in 2013’s similarly Cyber-lite 50th anniversary special “The Day of the Doctor”, no more. Setting down on an initially near-deserted human colony dubbed Burnt Salt, the now exile-free Time Lord and Jo soon discover that they’re far from alone; quite to the contrary, a nearby saloon houses a wild assortment of rogues and ex-soldiers, all of whom bear a secret inevitably doomed to surface as the Cybermen make their presence on Burnt Salt known with their destructive efforts to secure a vital hidden weapon. Prior to us proceeding any further, though, a word of warning – with its Cybermats, Cyber Wars fallout and attempted Time Lord-Cyber conversions, Marc Platt’s latest script represents a quintessential story for everyone’s favourite Mondas residents, for better and for worse. Unless this boxset somehow marks your first encounter with Who, many of the twists in “Logic” will likely seem rather familiar; from characters mistakenly willing to sacrifice their humanity to the robotic menaces escaping supposed extinction yet again, from the Doctor needing 10 minutes to alleviate his companion’s dismay at their latest foe’s near-human nature to Part 4’s predictable final duke-out, there’s nothing particularly fresh to speak of in what’s a fairly run-of-the-mill nostalgia tour. Nothing, that is, save for the continuing thematic strand surrounding what it truly means to call oneself a member of the human race. If “Rise” explores this existential concept through a metaphysical exploration of our species’ DNA being evolved to a supposed higher state, then “Tyrants” – as with many Cyber-tales, although to more emotional effect a la Spare Parts – does so by presenting members of our species on the brink of having every aspect of their personalities stripped away. Can we possibly still define someone as human when they’re clinging to any remains vestiges of their Id / ego / super-ego? Sure, it’s a line of inquiry also recently pursued by TV serials like “Asylum of the Daleks”, but without spoiling too much, Carolyn Pickles achieves wonders as her character Marian Shaeffer’s cold exterior peels back to reveal her heartbreaking motivations in this regard. Indeed, even if “Logic” doesn’t exactly break a great deal of new ground compared to a recent TV Cyber-outing like “World Enough and Time / The Doctor Falls”, it’s not for want of the central and supporting cast alike doing their utmost – with director Nicholas Briggs’ support and guidance, no doubt – to provide an entertaining 2-hours of pseudo-base-under-siege action. That Treloar and Manning’s insatiably endearing chemistry injects humour and charm at every turn likely goes without saying at this point, but look out too for Briggs’ finest turn yet as the ever-hauntingly impassive invaders standing in Burnt Salt’s doorway as well as a contrastingly vulnerable performance from Deli Segal’s Skippa, another innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of a seemingly unyielding, constantly destructive conflict. The Verdict: Above all, this stellar new boxset for Treloar’s Third Doctor marks a vast improvement on Volume 3, offering a far more consistent pair of serials that seldom cease to provide gripping listening no matter your chosen venue of aural consumption. Does “Logic” still follow the roadmap presented by Cyber-tales gone by a little too rigidly at times? Sure, but its stirring explorations of warped human psyches – combined with Adams’ own study in “Rise” of our dangerous strides towards godhood of late – ensure that it’s nonetheless a far superior beast to “Conquest of Far”, particularly with Briggs taking such unnerving pride in chronicling Pertwee / Treloar’s proper first encounter with the Cybermen. This reviewer has spoken before on the matter of whether Big Finish’s abundant New Series productions – see Tales from New Earth, The Churchill Years Volume 2, Gallifrey: Time War and The Diary of River Song Series 3 in 2018’s opening quarter alone – threaten to overshadow their Classic Series output if they’re not careful. Provided that the studio keeps producing such captivating jaunts into the lives of Doctors past, though, then their listeners, stars, scribes and directors should have nothing to worry about in terms of the job security that Hartnell-McGann’s incarnations will maintain going forward. And buck down…see you next year for Volume 5 at the same Bessie-time, same Bessie-place! http://reviews.doctorwhonews.net/2018/03/third_doctor_adventures_volume_4.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[itsiotrecords-blog]

http://ift.tt/2rAmiNP

What many people don’t realize is that not all social media platforms are the same. This should become blatantly clear with the way Myspace was completely pushed to the side in order to bring forth Facebook. Rather than copying code to get your Myspace page to look like poster boards to describe your personality, Facebook arrived to offer a simplistic mode of interacting with friends and family all over the world. Yet, that doesn’t mean that other social media sites have to follow the same sort of model. Twitter doesn’t work in the same manner, but it offers a whole new way of interacting. Retweets allow messages to be spread throughout the Internet, and strangers are able to interact with one another without being “friends.” When the prototype for Snapchat was first cultivated under the name “Picaboo,” people couldn’t understand the concept of wanting photos and videos to delete automatically. In fact, it took awhile for people to grasp the idea that short-lived content would actually encourage people to use it more. While Instagram has started to become far more orchestrated and contrived, Snapchat brings a realism aspect from its “Live Stories” and video chat. The platform has become hugely popular with celebrities, especially since they can continue their stories without getting overly obsessed with whether or not each snap is “perfect.” Snapchat encourages frivolous posts, which is great for celebrities who like to share anything and everything. Check out our list of the 10 hottest celebrity Snapchats (and the 5 worst), and see what you’ve been missing.

#1 Bella Thorne Bella Thorne has recently made headlines due to her latest trip to Cannes. While there, photographers snapped pictures of her hanging out by the pool with Scott Disick, and the world couldn’t get over the relationship between this 34-year-old and the 19-year-old. While the snuggling photos didn’t exactly prove that they’re in a relationship, it did get the world talking a bit more about Thorne. For those that haven’t already heard, Thorne’s Snapchat account is definitely worth following. She makes sure to post a myriad of scantily clad photos (including some where she’s showing off her new nipple piercing), and she mixes in videos that keep things interesting. She made huge headlines over the Snapchat video where she showed everyone the experience of getting a bikini wax (being barely covered).

#2 Chrissy Teigen While models are often known for being incredibly beautiful, they’re not always thought of as the wittiest women in the world. Oftentimes, they’re shown devoid of personality and stoic in their appearances. Yet, Chrissy Teigen has completely torn down that analogy. She already started winning over the public with her bubbly personality before she married the famed singer, John Legend, and then the public began seeing much more of her. She landed roles as a television personality and created a huge fan base due to her ever-popular social media accounts. Her Snapchat is constantly updated, and the photos and videos just keep getting better. Besides the adorable and sexy filter pics, she’s also been known to post some great intimate moments between her and Legend during their private life at home.

#3 Bella Hadid While the world was once only interested in getting to know the blonde daughter of Yolanda Foster, her dark-haired daughter has become just as popular. Bella Hadid has become a favorite to walk the fashion runways and has landed some coveted endorsement deals. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that she’s a huge force to be reckoned with on social media since she’s evolved to become thought of as one of the world’s most beautiful women. Yet, there are some surprises that come, and that’s just what her Snapchat followers love about her. She constantly updates her Snapchat with photos and videos of her and her famous friends, and it’s often the elite of young Hollywood. If you’re looking for a behind-the-scenes look at Bella Hadid’s life as a celebrity, her Snapchat is definitely a win.

#4 Ashley Benson Ashley Benson may have started off acting through the soap opera Days of Our Lives, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t know her way around in the big leagues. She’s appeared on the big screen and various television shows, but her best-known role is on the hit series, Pretty Little Liars. Her Hanna Marin character is a favorite of fans, which is a big selling point for following her on Snapchat. Rather than limiting herself solely to selfies, her Snapchat isn’t just about showing off her amazing beauty and physique. She often mixes in the behind-the-scenes fun from the set and showcases other favorite cast members on the series. This is a great way to see the cast in a natural and more intimate way and gives a boost to fans wanting to see her outside of her character.

#5 Selena Gomez The power of social media is starting to reveal itself due to the newest features on Snapchat. While it was once only used to show off individual “stories” and promote updated posts, it’s become the latest new route in releasing never before seen content. Selena Gomez used it to share a snippet of her newest song and uses her Snapchat to continue to build her brand. She’s already solidified herself as one of the hottest celebrities on Instagram, so her Snapchat has a hard act to follow. Yet, she seems up for the challenge with her constant updates. She gives her followers behind-the-scenes access to her life in the fast lane, and the selfies and videos are always fun and just the right amount of sexy.

#6 Kylie Jenner While Kylie Jenner was once thought of as the forgotten little sister in the Kardashian/Jenner clan, she’s since become the new “It” girl when it comes to social media. People have criticized her for the evolution of her look, but that hasn’t stopped her from garnering a huge fan base. People think of her as the next generation version of Kim Kardashian, and her social media constantly delivers. She obsessively updates her Snapchat, which is great for those looking to follow a celebrity account that’s always changing. She shows pictures from behind the scenes at photo shoots, as well as the inner workings of her lip kit endeavors. Yet, the best of all is the fact that her followers can be up-to-date on the hottest new looks she dons in real time.

#7 Ashley Graham Ashley Graham is a plus-sized model who’s defied all sorts of barriers when it comes to moving up in her career. She was the first-ever plus-size model to grace the cover of the famed Swimsuit Issue of Sports Illustrated and has become a celebrated television personality. She’s commended for promoting a positive body image for women of all sizes and even more so for being successful in the modeling world. While there’s still a standard of the typical size zero for models, Graham has started to open people’s eyes in terms of what can be deemed a beautiful physique for a woman. Her Snapchat offers a constant reminder that not all women have to be toothpick thin in order to be considered beautiful. She’s known for posting scantily clad photos and even showing off her bubbly personality whenever she can. If your version of sexy is a bigger woman with a lot of spunk, this is the Snapchat celebrity account for you.

#8 Kate Upton When Kate Upton first started making a name for herself in the modeling world, there were already a lot of things going for her. She had a natural beauty that was reminiscent of Old Hollywood beauties like Marilyn Monroe and a body that seemed to defy the laws of gravity. The videos of Upton doing the “Dougie Dance” circulated on the Internet and created an instant buzz surrounding this up-and-coming actress. Upton even started to branch out and was featured alongside Cameron Diaz in the film, The Other Woman. Visions of Upton frolicking on the beach were like a gift for moviegoers, and her Instagram page was the same. When Upton finally opened a Snapchat account, it became an instant favorite with fans. From scantily clad photos and videos to a few controversies to make it interesting, Upton will never disappoint.

#9 Demi Lovato Demi Lovato started out with the stigma of being a Disney kid since so many before her succumbed to the trials of fame. Once she transitioned into a full-blown pop star, there were rumors of Lovato fighting her own demons. From signs of cutting on the red carpet to dealing with substance abuse and mental illness, fans were worried that she would never again return as she was. Yet, she managed to beat the odds and seemed to come out even stronger. She’s become a champion for body positivity and often shares photos of herself sans airbrushing or makeup. This is what makes her Snapchat the most interesting because she likes to lift the veil from many of her glamorous photo shoots. She gives her fans a behind-the-scenes peek at her life when the cameras aren’t rolling, and there’s an incredible amount of sex appeal in a woman that can be confident in her own skin.

#10 Rihanna While Rihanna was first seen as a fresh-faced girl from Barbados with an amazing voice, she’s since evolved into one of the most controversial music artists in the industry. The years have definitely hardened Rihanna, and she doesn’t ever feel the need to censor her online posts. She’s known for posting outlandish photos of her at the strip club, partying on expensive yachts, and letting her freak flag fly, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that her Snapchat is definitely one to follow. It seems like even when she’s just updating her followers with her regular activities, she can’t help but look sexy. In this particular Snapchat story, Rihanna was using her finger in order to stir her alcoholic drink. The snippet video on Snapchat was worth the price of admission.

#11 Chelsea Handler Chelsea Handler is often thought of as a pioneer when it comes to her success as a female comedian and actress. She’s best known for her late-night talk show, Chelsea Lately, but calling it like she sees it on television hasn’t been the only time when she’s garnered attention from the public. She’s never been a stranger to controversy, especially since many claim that the only reason why she got her talk show was through the romance between her and E! Entertainment chief, Ted Harbert. She’s actually had a few romances under her belt, including a very public affair with 50 Cent. While all of these factors may make it seem like she would be the perfect candidate for an exciting Snapchat account, Handler has utterly disappointed her followers. She often released videos of her attempting to rap horribly, and no amount of sexy photos can erase that from your memory.

#12 Kim Kardashian The world seems completely out of whack when Kim Kardashian has fallen into the “worst celebrity Snapchats” category, but recent events have definitely made an impact on her presence on social media. Kardashian’s robbery in Paris seemed directly related to the live photos she shared of her newest piece of jewelry, and it caused her to take a step back from social media. Yet, this wasn’t the only snafu that was caused by Snapchat. While the world already knew about the drama between her husband, Kanye West, and Taylor Swift, it wasn’t until the infamous video that they began to see Kim’s involvement in their feud. Kardashian released recordings on her Snapchat during a phone call between West and Swift, presumably to tarnish Swift’s reputation. Yet, it backfired and people began to question the ethics of recording someone without their knowledge and then releasing it on Snapchat. Nowadays, Kardashian’s Snapchat seems quite guarded and isn’t exactly the most exciting to follow. Perhaps she’ll one day return as the Queen of social media, but many wonder if people will still be interested once she does.

#13 Paris Hilton There was a time when Paris Hilton was thought of as the hottest celebrity in young Hollywood. From her reality TV series to her endless romance drama, people just couldn’t get enough of this hotel heiress. Yet, a lot of time has passed since her days cruising around with Nicole Richie. The public has grown tired of her contrived baby voice and the same old photos of her jet-setting around the world. There seemed to be some animosity between her and Kim Kardashian, and Hilton pretty much lost the hidden competition they were in on who would become the Internet’s most sought-after celeb. Although Hilton has managed to remain in the limelight through her successful endeavors outside of the U.S., she’s by no means as popular as she once was. Her Snapchat stories try and play up the fact that she’s still being sought out for being a DJ, but it just seems completely played out at this point.

#14 Anna Ewers The best Snapchat accounts are from people who are willing to share their lives as they happen and post continuously to keep an updated account of what’s going on in their world. The accounts that aren’t updated are pretty boring to follow, and they don’t keep their “Story” interesting. The 24-year-old German model, Anna Ewers, has made the choice to limit what she shares on social media. There’s no denying that she’s a beautiful woman and a major contender in the world of modeling. There are some who have compared her to a young Brigitte Bardot due to her stellar look. In an interview with Independent, Ewers talked about her conscious decision to limit her social media accounts. She stated, “I’m very lucky. I’m not too exposed to social media and is [sic] going quite well for me. I like to have my privacy.” So, if you’re looking for a celebrity account that will really give up the dirt, this one isn’t the one for you.

#15 Dani Mathers As a rising figure in the modeling world, Dani Mathers was starting to garner some real celebrity attention. After getting the label of being a Playboy model, she was a favorite to follow on her social media accounts. The gorgeous blonde continuously posted scantily clad photos of herself, and it was easy to see why Playboy would want her for their own. Yet, that all changed when Mathers chose to share a photo of an elderly woman changing in the women’s locker room at an LA Fitness gym. The caption read, “If I can’t unsee this then you can’t either.” Mathers claimed that she only meant to send it privately and blamed being new to Snapchat as the reason why it was released online. Mathers pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charge of invasion of privacy and has taken some time away from social media. Yet, if she ever decides to truly come back, this is a Snapchat that definitely wouldn’t be worth following.

Source: TheRichest

[twoontheaisle]

“The Christians” at SF Playhouse

Let’s get this out of the way first: if you don’t take the opportunity to see The Christians while it is in production at SF Playhouse, I fear for your immortal soul. Not because I believe in hell (like Pastor Paul, the lead character in Lucas Hnath’s brilliant play, I’ve put that dogma to sleep), but because if you like insightful, thought-provoking theatre, acted and directed with passion and verve, The Christians is a little slice of heaven.

The Christians takes place in a megachurch, the sort of thing one sees on CBN that are more like arenas and less like sanctuaries. As Pastor Paul boasts, his once-storefront church now has a baptismal font “as big as a swimming pool.” (Bill English’s set, with its contemporary stained glass and marble cross, does a terrific job of expanding the relatively restricted confines of SF Playhouse, fooling you into thinking you are actually in a much larger space.)  But unlike so many popular preachers, Pastor Paul (played to perfection by Anthony Fusco) exhibits a warmth, humility and sincerity that make him instantly likeable. When he first appears (backed by a choir from San Francisco’s First Unitarian Universalist Church) Pastor Paul gently and lovingly greets his associate, Pastor Joshua (Lance Gardner), a church elder (Warren David Keith), his wife (Stephanie Prentice), and even several of the choir members. When he opens his sermon with a prayer, he pleads to God to “make us one.”

The rest of his sermon, however, does anything but. For Pastor Paul is about to drop a bomb on his congregation that threatens to tear apart the church he lovingly built over two decades. While at a conference with other preachers, Pastor Paul was told a story by a missionary in a non-Christian country of an act of truly selfless sacrifice: a young boy who dies while saving his sister from a fire following a terrorist attack. Pastor Paul is shocked to learn that what most upsets the missionary is not the loss of a precious life, but that he failed to convert the boy to Christianity, so he must now be burning, yet never consumed, in eternal flames. This story sends Pastor Paul into a spiritual spin, which includes an imagined conversation with God, who asks Paul “Why don’t you listen when I tell you you’re all saved?” Pastor Paul ultimately comes to a resolution: there is no hell. Christ’s sacrifice redeemed everyone on the planet, believer or not. Good or bad, loving or hateful, generous or selfish, all can count on their names being written in the Book of Life at the last day. As one might imagine, this does not sit well with the rest of the church, who don’t all take kindly to being told even Adolf Hitler will be part of the heavenly throng.

One fascinating aspect of Hnath’s play is how all dialogue is spoken through microphones. This begins naturally as Pastor Paul delivers his sermon from the lectern, but soon enough it becomes clear that action has moved off the church stage, yet every character continues speaking into their microphone. This has the fascinating effect of framing every conversation within the confines of the church. It serves to remind the audience that every one of the characters defines themselves – to a greater or lesser degree – as a member of the Body of Christ, and that their every utterance and behavior is dictated, to a certain extent, by their faith. It narrows and focuses their conversations – and their path through life. There is a marvelous moment when Pastor Paul and a congregant are discussing a Bible verse and the congregant says “It’s almost as if you have a choice in how to read it” and the audience roars with laughter, thinking (I’m projecting here) “exactly – that’s exactly the point.” But despite Pastor Paul’s sincere attempts, opening the minds of his flock may turn out to be a far bigger challenge than he imagined.

Given the power and timeliness of Hnath’s text, even a less-than-stellar production of The Christians would have significant impact. But under Bill English’s direction, and the combined efforts of his SF Playhouse production team, the power of that text is magnified, and the play delivers an intellectual punch like few others. The cast is wonderful: focused, genuine, truly inhabiting the lives of these characters for 90 intense minutes. Somehow they manage to make us believe the action on stage has the deepest meaning for them: the fate of their eternal lives.

The Christians (both the play and this brilliant production of it) work on so many levels that it’s hard in these few paragraphs to communicate its myriad pleasures and challenges. But as Pastor Paul says, “Don’t worry about figuring it out now – it will make more sense later.”

The Christians is playing through March 11 at SF Playhouse, 450 Post Street, San Francisco. Performances are Tuesday-Thursday at 7:00pm, Friday-Saturday at 8:00pm, with 2:00pm matinees Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $20-$125, available at www.sfplayhouse.org or by calling the box office at 415-677-9596.