#sally's outstanding adventure!

[duckapus]

So you know how I said in the tags of my Mario Family Reunion episode post that Emmy wouldn't be able to keep her promise to get her glitching fit checked out? Well, that won't just be because of the Meat Moss Malware progressing. It's also because around that time is when SMG33 and 34 are supposed to go online, so things are going to be pretty hectic in Adminspace both in preparation for that and...well...After.

[guillotineman]

Inglourious Basterds (2009, dir. Quentin Tarantino)

[skull001]

Something I find funny when people talk about Amy Rose's character, is how they akways follow a very predictable pattern:

"Amy back then was a stalker and useless"

"Her character is soo much better now"

"She now has a personality"

And so on.

These are just of the same phrases parroted by THOSE western fans who think that characters should be outstanding role models and not fictional people with virtues, but also flaws.

Frankly, I never understood WHY Amy in the 2000's was seen as "annoying". Either I'm very patient or those people are easily offended as they are spineless.

Or maybe it's the cultural clash between how western media sees girly girls like Amy VS how the Japanese see the same type of character.

In Japan, they aren't afraid of having feminine characters, let alone of allowing said feminine characters to do things that clash with western ideas of "that is not very lady like" or "girls shouldn't fight" and the such.

For the last years, something I never liked was seeing my favorite character be sanitized in her characterization for the sake of people who can't appreciate a good character since what they want is a safe, idealized, non-offensive take that saddly, results in Amy losing so much of what made her character fun. This approach is, if anything, the exact opposite of being "progressive", as it calls for Amy's feminine traits to be suppressed. Even Tyson Hesse has expressed in the Sonic Retro forums how writers are afraid of letting Amy express her affection for Sonic, something she used to do very openly (though understandibly childish in how she handled things, as a very young girl like her would) because of this silly fear that the western audience might be annoyed… the hell with that.

Only very recently has games like the one where the gang celebrates Amy's birthday and Sonic is "killed" or Sonic Dream Team have displayed the sassy, energic and even feisty sides of Amy's character… a character who deserves better characterizations that allows for her to be herself without writers acting like they're walking on thin ice due to a spoiled, entitled and over-sensitive western audience that hates fun.

"But we want Amy to mature…"

First, most people don't even understand what that word truly means.

Second, Amy doesn't need that. Why does she has to be the only one in the group who is not allowed to have some dumb silly fun with the boys? Especially when Amy is a mirror to a lot of things Sonic does, like loving adventures and excitement and who energy can even overwhelm him (see for example their specual victory animation in the Olympics or even as early as SA1). Like, where did people got this idea that Amy is a killjoy/partypooper who gets annoyed at the dumb boys for not being as smart as she is? That's not Amy… that's a very different character more akin to Sally, whose schtick was getting frustrated that she didn't had control.

Heck, even on the topic of Amy expressing her affection, I think the real problem is not her, but Sonic himself and the way he sometimes is written to act in ways that if not ruse, can come off as insensible towards an Amy who IMO doesn't deserve to be treated like a Meg Griffin.

That Amy is childish, bratty, sometimes a bit aggressive/hot tempered are things that balance her sweet, bubbly and compassionate side, making her feel more like a "real" person (at least within the confines of fiction). I love and adore Amy as a character with both admirable virtues as well as a flawed side that not only makes her a fun and amusing character (even when she does embarrassing things), but most importantly, it humanizes her. I don't lie when I say this: if Amy were a one-dimentional, highly idealized character who is only all-virtues with none of her flaws, I wouldn't like her at all, for that type of characters are not only impossible and unrelatable, but also come off as condescending and offer no entertainment value.

Amy is perfect by being imperfect. And both writers and audiences need to grow up and let my girl be all she can be, never again having her personality be suppressed for any reason.

[pcttrailsidereader]

Death by Lightning on the PCT/JMT

By Carmen George

Excerpted from the Fresno Bee

First came an immense flash of bright white light, then a sound like a cannon exploding feet away.

Four backpackers’ thoughts quickly turned to the youngest member of their group, Nicholas Torchia, who was just behind them on their high Sierra backpack trip through the John Muir Wilderness of eastern Fresno County.

“He’s been hit,” said a man who dashed by the hikers, running toward nearby Muir Trail Ranch on July 30 to get help.

Nick Torchia

Torchia was just up the trail, lying beside a tree struck by lightning along the Sallie Keyes Cutoff, between the John Muir and Florence Lake trails. The electricity also traveled through the 37-year-old Fresno man.

A pastor and his friend, who ran for help, reached Torchia first, within 20 seconds of the lightning strike around 1:25 p.m. Torchia told them he was badly injured. The pastor, Andy Cornett, took his hand and assured him they were getting help.

“He thanked me and asked me to straighten out his legs,” Cornett later told his family. “That was the last he spoke.”

Cornett asked if Torchia could feel his fingers, feet and toes. He nodded. Cornett checked his body for external injuries, helped him lie flat, covered him with a blanket, and started attending to a head wound.

Around this time, Torchia stopped breathing and lost his pulse. The four people Torchia was backpacking with — three of his uncles and one of their friends — were now also by his side.

For hours after, however, his uncles and other hikers held out hope that Torchia could be revived. A group of around 10 people, including a pastor, a nurse, doctor, firefighter and emergency medical technician, took turns administering CPR for more than three hours. Some of those hikers came up from Muir Trail Ranch, located east of Florence Lake and about three quarters of a mile from where Torchia was hit.

Other hikers worked to keep Torchia’s body warm and dry, and an ultramarathon runner darted up and down trails retrieving supplies from Muir Trail Ranch.

“Their cooperation, compassion and patient work over those hours was a testimony to me of some of the best of what human beings can do and be for each other,” said Cornett, associate pastor of families at Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church in Tennessee.

The group hoped a search and rescue team might eventually deliver an automated external defibrillator that could jump-start Torchia’s heart, but ongoing storms and their remote location in roadless wilderness delayed an emergency response.

Jeff Holbrook, one of Torchia’s uncles who started the CPR, finally asked one medical professional what chance there was of an AED device being effective if delivered within a couple more hours. He quickly received an answer: “Zero.”

The group decided to stop the CPR. Torchia’s death was recorded at 4:41 p.m. July 30.

Nick (Center) with his three uncles and a friend

The group prayed over his body, and then carried him down to Muir Trail Ranch. A California Highway Patrol helicopter landed nearby that evening during a break in the storm and retrieved Torchia’s body.

‘No one made a mistake’ hiking back from John Muir Trail in Sierra

Torchia; his uncles Jeff, Tom and Bill Holbrook; and friend Terry McCurdy were returning from a backpack trip to Sallie Keyes Lake on the JMT/PCT in the John Muir Wilderness when Torchia was hit.

It was sunny when the group started their descent from the lake that morning. They had planned to camp at Muir Trail Ranch that night and then catch a boat ride across Florence Lake the next day to return home. The group started their trip together earlier that week.

Torchia and his uncles had been working to complete the entire 211-mile John Muir Trail over the past 10 or so years via annual backpack trips together.

Torchia’s uncles said he was struck when he was just seconds behind them on the trail, after the group stopped briefly to put on rain ponchos.

“He was the last to put on a rain jacket and go catch up with Bill, but he didn’t,” his mother Kathy Torchia said.

His family and Cornett aren’t sure how close Torchia was to the tree when it was hit, or how long he was near it. Jeff Holbrook thinks his nephew might have been adjusting some of his gear or eating a snack when he was struck.

Tom Holbrook described the incident as a freak accident from a sudden storm.

“No one made a mistake. ... We dealt with extreme conditions before,” he said.

The lightning bolt that took their nephew’s life was the only one Jeff and Tom said they saw that day in that area, estimated to be around 8,000 feet in elevation. Cornett said other lightning strikes seemed much further away.

“It was terrifying,” Cornett said of the lightning that narrowly missed him. “It was brilliant white, and the sound was felt as much as heard.”

The lightning blew items out of Torchia’s pockets, ripped off some of his clothes, and tore bark off the tree that was struck. Jeff said its force moved his own body forward a couple inches.

The Fresno County Coroner’s Office announced a few days later that Torchia died by electrocution caused by lightning. No one else was injured by the lightning strike.

There’s only been 14 other fatalities and 72 injuries from lightning in California since 1950, according to data through this spring from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information. The National Weather Service reported that only about 10% of people struck by lightning die from the voltage.

Torchia is remembered as exceedingly kind, with a genuine concern and sensitivity to the feelings of others that sometimes caused him pain. One of his two brothers, Ben Torchia of Clovis, said he sees his brother’s passing as God deciding to free his “good soul” from that pain.

“He just had this struggle internally – some things that are probably pretty simple for you or me were not simple for him,” his brother said. “He had a struggle that people in America owned houses while people in third-world countries didn’t. He had a tough time accepting the status quo. He could never get over things like that.”

Torchia crossing Muir Pass (on a 2019 trip)

Cornett said the experience of caring for Torchia in his final moments made him feel “profoundly humbled at how vulnerable life is.”

“Obviously you realize that when you’re in the mountains and outdoors,” Cornett said, “but it’s true of our given life at any given moment, and it causes you to reflect.”

Torchia was one of six children and had an 11-year-old daughter, Makayla, who lives in South Africa with her mother.

He graduated from Ridgeview High School in Bakersfield and joined the Navy when he was 18 years old, serving for almost six years. He also previously worked as a driver for Community Food Bank and senior citizens in Clovis.

Torchia most recently was a student at Clovis Community College. He hoped to become a psychologist and counselor, his mom said.

Douglas Houston, interim chancellor of State Center Community College District, recalled Torchia as an “outstanding student” in a recent email to staff, encouraging condolences for his family.

His mother said he loved hiking, backpacking, swimming, rock climbing and cycling, and had many other talents.

“I call him the Renaissance man,” Kathy Torchia said. “He could do anything.”

Torchia was the youngest on last week’s backpack trip. The other four in his group are in their 60s.

“He was like our safety chain,” Jeff Holbrook said. “We were all getting older and he was still viable and young and he looked after us, and we always felt safe with him by our side.”

Torchia made a separate trip up to Sallie Keyes Lake the week before the trip with his uncles to haul a tent and other gear up the mountain so they wouldn’t have to carry as much. Among the gear was a cushion and hammock he insisted they use.

Family said the compassionate Torchia also had a way of infusing fun into even the simplest of tasks.

“What a great spirit this young man had,” Tom Holbrook said of his nephew. “We loved him.”

Friend Pete Debruynkops, who went on previous John Muir Trail backpack trips with Torchia, said Torchia loved being in the wilderness, and that his friend’s adventurous spirit earned him the hiking nickname of “Stray Dog” because he was always straying off the trail to check things out.

Jeff Holbrook said he recently experienced some joy thinking of Torchia.

Jeff Holbrook’s phone started playing music when he and others were trying to revive Torchia on the trail. It took him a while to realize the sound was coming from his pocket because he said his phone rarely plays music, even when he tries.

He pulled it out and hit pause. The song was “Neon Pegasus” by Parry Gripp, about a mythical, divine, winged horse soaring over troubles. It made him think of his nephew and a herd of horses that ran by them on the trail earlier in their trip.

Some of the lyrics: “Unbreak your heart, Neon Pegasus, and go climbing through the stars, out there with your dreams, your sparkly dreams. ... Never again to be lonely, never again to be without a home. ... Soaring over it all, high up in the clouds.”

Jeff Holbrook accidentally dropped his phone in water later at Muir Trail Ranch. When it turned on the next day, the song was still paused on Neon Pegasus.

He played it later and sobbed. He said it was a beautiful release of “just joy.” He felt like his nephew was telling him, “I’m in a beautiful place and I’ve got wings and I’m flying, and I’m happy as can be.”

[onhbomax]

What's New on HBO Max this May

Get ready to hone your survival skills with Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie in the intense thriller “Those Who Wish Me Dead,” debuting in theaters and on HBO Max May 14. The Warner Bros. film follows Hannah (Jolie), a smoke jumper still reeling from the loss of three lives she failed to save from a fire when she comes across a traumatized 12-year-old boy with nowhere else to turn.

Sci-fi lovers can rejoice as Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson makes its streaming debut. To top it off, “Wonder Woman 1984” flies  back to HBO Max in the month, giving viewers another opportunity to catch Diana Prince wield her Lasso of Truth against a new set of villains.

An outstanding line-up of original programming also arrives this May, kicking-off with new comedy series “That Damn Michael Che” and “Hacks,” which explores a dark mentorship that forms between Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), a legendary Las Vegas comedian, and an entitled, outcast 25-year-old (Hannah Einbinder). This month also brings season two of “Legendary” and two-part documentary “The Crime of the Century” from Academy Award-Winning director Alex Gibney. In addition, the long awaited “Adventure Time: Distant Lands - Together Again” special also makes its way onto HBO Max alongside the limited series finale of “Mare of Easttown,” the Part One finale of “The Nevers,” the film premiere of “Oslo,” and the season four debut of the HBO Max International drama “Gomorrah” premiere.

Queue up some A-list movies including “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “Dumb & Dumber,” “Life of Pi” “The Personal History of David Copperfield,” and “Magic Mike.”

On May 6-9, the 2021 TCM Classic Film Festival comes to HBO Max, featuring an extensive lineup of more than 100 films and over 30 special guests across Turner Classic Movies premiere on the platform. Film fans of all ages will love this deep dive into classic films paired with exclusive talent interviews and behind the scenes access.

[aliveandfullofjoy]

1997, 2008, 2010, 2014

oh wow!

1997

Happy Together (dir. Wong Kar-wai) One of the most beautiful romantic dramas, like, ever? Tony Leung and Leslie Cheung are both astonishing. 

L.A. Confidential (dir. Curtis Hanson) I haven’t seen this in forever but I looooooved this movie in high school. Such a sleek and thrilling neo-noir with some great performances. 

Princess Mononoke (dir. Hayao Miyazaki) I’m hoping to watch this again soon, but it’s one of the most fascinating and frustrating Miyazaki films purely because I didn’t really know how to handle it. Even still, while I may not have fully understood it on my first viewing, I found it emotionally overwhelming and to be, of course, a work of genius. 

2008

In Bruges (dir. Martin McDonagh) I’m not sure if this is a fluke or not considering McDonagh’s other movies, but In Bruges is such a special movie. A soaring and operatic tragicomedy with a trio of outstanding performances from Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes.

WALL-E (dir. Andrew Stanton) It literally doesn’t even matter how less-than-perfect or frustrating the human subplots are, the first half of WALL-E and EVE on Earth alone is just pure transcendent cinema. And then once the rocket takes off! WALL-E literally touching the stars! The “Define Dancing” sequence! There’s just nothing like it. It’s a work of supreme grace and beauty (even if I don’t really care about the humans). 

Happy-Go-Lucky (dir. Mike Leigh) One of Leigh’s most deceptively heartbreaking works buoyed by two phenomenal performances from Sally Hawkins and Eddie Marsan. I think this movie is so smart and so complicated and I just adore it.

2010

The Social Network (dir. David Fincher) I’m basic and predictable, I’m sorry!! It’s one of my ten favorite movies ever made. I just love it. 

True Grit (dir. Joel Coen & Ethan Coen) This is one of the Coens’ best films and one of the best westerns ever made. A rewatch a few months ago only confirmed that for me. Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld are excellent, but the stars are the Coens’ gorgeous work adapting a straightforward action-adventure story into an elegiac meditation on vengeance and faith.

Another Year (dir. Mike Leigh) Maybe my favorite film from one of my favorite directors. There are dozens of great performances in Mike Leigh movies, but this one has the very best in Lesley Manville’s Mary. What a shattering, fearless performance! And such a haunting, empathetic film! Ugh.

2014

The Grand Budapest Hotel (dir. Wes Anderson) This movie is fucking immaculate. Every second of it works beautifully, like an intricate clock. The expansive cast is great, but Ralph Fiennes gives one of my favorite performances of all-time in this. Every single thing about it is perfect. 

Mommy (dir. Xavier Dolan) This movie is really something special. A trio of great performances from Antoine-Olivier Pilon, Anne Dorval, and Suzanne Clément keep Dolan’s script grounded and honest. Operatic, joyful, crushing cinema. 

Gone Girl (dir. David Fincher) This movie fuuuucks. Everyone knows it. A thrilling, startling, pulpy thriller for the ages. Rosamund fucking Pike!!

[thecomicsnexus]

The Judge of All the Earth

WATCHMEN #3 NOVEMBER 1986 BY ALAN MOORE, DAVE GIBBONS AND JOHN HIGGINS

SYNOPSIS (FROM DC DATABASE)

Doctor Manhattan is having problems with his relationship with Laurie when he multiplies himself and she finds out that 'one of him' had been working while she was being romantic with another. Laurie walks out on Manhattan, going to meet up with Dan Dreiberg.

Meanwhile, Manhattan's ex-wife Janey Slater is giving an interview with a news editor of the Nova Express. She states that she has cancer that she presumably received through connection with Manhattan.

Manhattan gets dressed and transports from his home to his television interview where he meets up with a government official named Forbes telling him what to, and what not to say. One of his questions that he cannot say is about his involvement with the Russians in Afghanistan. Then, one of the audience members is Doug Roth of Nova Express who ask Manhattan of his relationships with his colleague Wally Weaver, Slater, and his former nemesis Edgar Jacobi, if he knew that all of them had a fatal form of cancer, among others. Forbes quickly intervened and stopped the interview, but while he and Manhattan were leaving Manhattan became overwhelmed by questions. A very distressed Manhattan yells "I said leave me alone!" and transported everyone outside of the building.

Laurie meets up with Dan who gave her some coffee and they talked about her troublesome relationship and where she will stay that night. She decided on a hotel and walked him to Hollis Mason's place, but while walking through an alleyway they were almost mugged by a gang of knot-tops. They take out the entire group. Leaving the alleyway, Laurie decides to go find a hotel and to leave Dan alone. Once arriving at Hollis' place, Hollis shows Dan the interview of Manhattan's incident on television.

Manhattan arrives back at his home to find out that it is being quarantined. He decides that he is leaving, telling a soldier to leave a message for Laurie and his superiors. He said he is going to Arizona, and then Mars. He goes to the Gila Flats test base in Arizona, where he took a picture of himself and Janey Slater many years ago at a carnival. On Mars he explores in a childish excitement and then finds a rock to sit on.

Laurie goes back to the base to find that everything is being taken away by military personnel in hazmat suits and she is told by Forbes that she is ordered to undergo a cancer scan and is ask about whether she has put Manhattan in emotional stress. Unaware of Manhattan's incident, she is offended by Forbes for considering herself responsible for something until the man, deeply exasperated, snaps to her that she is no longer welcome to the base, since his superiors believe that Manhattan is not coming back in which his absence has severe global consequences.

The next day, Dan awakes from his bed to find Rorschach has broken into his home (again), whom shows Dan a newspaper with the front page of Manhattan's departure from Earth. This news also makes Rorschach being more convinced of his mask killer theory.

That night, the news vendor receives the evening edition and is shocked to read from the headlines. Anxiously, he gives the kid a copy of Tales of the Black Freighter for free, and even his cap. The headline he read is "Russians Invade Afghanistan".

Tales of the Black Freighter A young mariner is the sole survivor of a battle with pirates and wakes up on a deserted island where dead bodies are piled next to him. The mariner recalls the disaster of the attack and about thinks about the pirates of the "black freighter" bearing down on his home and his unsuspecting family. He then begin the arduous task of burying his shipmates throughout the entire day.

UNDER THE HOOD

Chapter V Hollis described the 1950's as cold and bleak, both for himself and for masked adventurers in general. The Minutemen have become irrelevant in society as their exploits were being reported less frequently and treated as a joke. Sally Jupiter have her daughter Laurie in 1949, when her marriage began to deteriorate. Her marriage ended in 1956, and since then Sally has been successful in raising her daughter. The Comedian remained the only member of the Minutemen who has been treated seriously in the eyes of the public partly due to his government connections, and was turning into a patriotic symbol.

During the height of the McCarthy era, the remaining active masked adventurers testified before the House UnAmerican Activities Committee, and were forced to reveal their identities. The Comedian was excepted because of his allegiance. This doesn't present any immediate problems for most of the Minutemen, such as Captain Metropolis' outstanding military record and Hollis' service in the police force. But Mothman met with more difficulty due to his associations with left-wing friends during his student days. He was eventually cleared, but the investigations were both lengthy and ruthless, and Hollis speculates that the pressure may have prompted his drinking problem that later contributed to his mental ill-health.

Hooded Justice remained the only masked adventurer who refused to testified, on the grounds that he was not prepared to reveal his true identity to anyone. When pressed, he vanished. Hollis presumed that the Hooded Justice retire rather than revealing his identity. But almost a year after Hooded Justice vanished, the New Frontiersmen publish an article about the disappearance of a circus strongman named Rolf Muller, who quit his job at the height of the Senate Subcommittee hearings. Three months later, a badly decomposed body was found washed up on the coast of Boston. The body was identified as Muller's that was shot through the head. The article further stated that Muller, whose family was East German, had been on the run for fear of being uncovered during the Communist witch hunts, and implied that Muller was executed by his Communist superiors. Hollis speculated that Muller and Hooded Justice are the same person, but find this troubling to accept his fellow costume fighter was a spy, and leaving him to wonder who had killed them. This has took Hollis a long time to realize to accept it as a mystery.

Another problem that contributed to the downfall of costumed adventurers was the absence of costumed criminals. These criminals turned in their costumes along with their careers, but some opted for a less extroverted and more profitable approach as "ordinary men in business suits" who ran drug and prostitution rackets.

By March of 1960, Doctor Manhattan came, whose presence make the term "masked hero" and "costume adventurer" obsolete. Hollis recalled how the public reacted with feelings of disbelief of an actual superhuman being with incredible powers. The presence of Manhattan made Hollis to conclude that the regular heroes are replaced. In the closing months of 1958, Ozymandias first appear after busting a major opium and heroin smuggling racket, and earned a reputation amongst the criminal fraternity for his boundless and implacable intelligence and a large degree of athletic prowess.

Hollis first met Manhattan and Ozymandias during a Red Cross relief in June of 1960. His encounter with Manhattan was described as a strange experience which lasts for a short time until it almost seems normal. It was then that Hollis decided to retire his heroics and opened his own auto repair business. Soon, he was visited by a young admirer who proposed to borrow his identity as the new Nite Owl. After visiting his admirer's home and seeing his technology that will be use on the war on crime, Hollis permitted. Hollis also learned of Sally Jupiter's daughter, who was also carrying on her mother's legacy. Hollis conclude that the super-hero has become a part of American life for better, or for worse.

REVIEW

Tales of the Black Freighter is still the thing about Watchmen that I don’t like. I understand “why it’s there”, but it doesn’t make it more entertaining to me.

There is one thing that I can take home of that, and it’s the relationship between the news vendor and the young reader. When I started reading comics, newsstands was the only accessible place for kids to get them. As a result, you would cultivate some sort of friendship with your local news vendor. That is very similar to what we’ll see during Watchmen. It is interesting that this comic book came out through the direct market (I assume because of its content, quality and lack of bar code), so that relationship is a bit ironic.

Narration in this issue is sometimes coming from a comic-book, and other times it’s other people’s dialogues. Usually when people talk, we see something that tends of be the opposite of what they’re saying.

This is the first time we see full frontal nudity in the comic. According to the annotated version, this may very well be the first time in a mainstream comic-book... but I hardly doubt that. Even for mainstream, this is 1986.

To be continued...

[duckapus]

So I've worked out what the two games from this post will be. Both of them are my own ideas.

Sally's Outstanding Adventure!

A point-and-click adventure game that starts out looking like a cute little edutainment game in a bright, cheerful nonsense world. The main cast consists of Sally herself, a little girl who enjoys exploring, Miss Morning, the game's narrator who Sally is able to hear and talk to, a large hairy creature with a surly disposition named Grumfrey who accompanies Sally on her adventures to keep her safe, and Scrub, a strange, vaguely ducklike-creature who stays in Sally's house. In the game, Sally goes out on her biggest adventure yet, heading out further than ever before. But as the journey goes on, strange things begin happening, and dark cracks begin to appear in the happy facade of this world.

As the game goes on, it's revealed in bits and pieces that almost everything Sally thinks she knows about her world, and herself, is wrong. She's actually Survey Android 13, a malfunctioning research drone deployed to study a hostile alien jungle, with the malfunction being the result of damage from an incident a few months ago, which horribly scrambled her programing and traumatized her to the point where she ran away from reality. Miss Morning is actually her base's computer, who developed the narrator persona so that they could relay instructions for Sally's research missions in a manner that could be understood and accepted through the delusion. Scrub is actually a floor cleaning device. Grumfrey turns out to be a massive, dangerous apex predator native to the jungle that happened to decide to use SA-13's base as its den. The big adventure they're on is a mission to find and rescue the crew of a ship that crashed nearby.

And yet, even with the reveal that her world is a lot darker than she thought it was, there's still plenty of light as well. The whole reason the illusion is breaking is because the scientists who deployed her finally managed to develop a patch that would fix her programing. It was supposed to do its work all in one go while she was in standby mode, and would have if it hadn't been for the rescue mission requiring she reactivate early. Morning gradually drops the narrator schtick as the game goes on, with their instructions becoming more direct and computer-like, but their tone stays just as kind and gentle as it was at the start, still giving little bits of encouragement when she stumbles and congratulating her on tasks well done, because they genuinely care for the little robot they're in charge of, to the point where during moments where Sally's in genuine danger they're as terrified as a parent seeing their child in such a situation. Scrub is...well, its honestly just a Space Roomba but that's really not too different from before. And despite how terrifying Grumfrey's true nature is, he really is Sally's big, grumpy, protective friend, and stays just as helpful in the second half of the game as he was in the first.

They do manage to rescue the survivors of the crash, and Sally ends up accepting her restored reality...though she does decide to keep her new name.

Diamind 6: Stars Go Out

A space-age JRPG about a young man named Cole going on an adventure to save his galaxy from two major threats; a multi-system empire that's attempting to expand their rule across the entire galaxy (with Cole actually being part of an official Resistance that formed to fend off this empire), and the titular Diamind, an ancient powerful demon that awakens every 10,000 years and attempts to bring about the apocalypse (all the Diamind games take place in the same universe, with Diamind being a major threat in all of them). Cole has a mysterious connection to Diamind that gives him unusual powers and marks him as the only person who can re-seal Diamind when it awakens.

One of the major reoccurring antagonists in the game is a scientist with a grudge against Cole and an interest-bordering-on-obsession with his Diamind powers. He betrays the resistance during the prologue, beginning Cole's adventure in the first place, and shows up periodically to cause trouble for the party. One of the most interesting things about him is that he actually does figure out how Cole's powers work, using that knowledge to create a robot with all of Cole's weapons and abilities, including a forced connection to Diamind so it could genuinely have all of his abilities. The party calls it RepliCole because it pisses the scientist off. It's a reoccurring boss throughout the game, until after the fifth or sixth time where the party manages to shut it down and take it back to resistance HQ.

This becomes relevant again about 3/4ths of the way through the game when Cole is mortally wounded and their best chance of saving him is to upload his mind into RepliCole. So now he's a robot, but there's no time for existential crises 'cause we got a galaxy to save!

Anyway, we've got typical JRPG climax stuff after that. Empire is toppled, demon is sealed, day is saved, Cole's still a robot. Roll Credits.

Anyway, as far as the activation attempt goes, I'm gonna have it so the games get merged together, with Sally's planet getting integrated into Cole's universe, and the Avatar programming gets split between them like it did with the Arles. 33 ends up as Sally's recolor while 34 ends up as Cole's, because the idea of the inherently violence-prone odd-number SMG getting the body of a tiny defenseless research drone while the can't-fight-to-save-their-life even-number SMG gets the extremely powerful and full of weapons jrpg protagonist body is funny to me.

[skull001]

A thing I’ve been thinking lately is how with Sonic, Tails and even Knuckles (despite him being the more inconsistent character in regards of what Sega / ST wants him to be) there are hardly any topics talking about what said characters “should be” like.

In general, most of the fandom accepts them the way they are as a whole and are aware that their good points still outweight any flawed execution they may had experienced in the past. In short, they don’t see any reason why these characters should be changed or modified from how they are.

However, this has never been the case with Amy.

It is kind of annoying how with Amy, there is simply no winning. Either she gets compared with other “better” females like Sally (blatant Mary Sue) or Blaze (an OK character... but IMO one that hardly does anything truly outstanding and unique to her gender like Amy or Rouge do)... or even against other versions of herself, like how people fawns that Boom Amy is a better, more mature and independent version or Classic Amy from Mania Adventures was never annoying and more endearing and kind while essentially spitting on the modern version of Amy.

To this very day and ever since Sonic Aventure 1 came out to establish and define Amy’s personality, I never understood what exactly is supposd to be wrong with this character.

If it’s not the people that fucking refuse to let go of SatAM and Archie comics (aka “AmY IS a sALLy cloNe!1″ and other maliscious bullcrap), it’s the people from the “progressive west” who want to make her a role model at the expense of having some actual character. People like that editor from Fleetway who wanted to use Amy to promote her “girl power” brand of positive discrimination that even one of the comic book’s writers referred to as insulting.

I too am a person born in the western hemisphere of the world. I live in Mexico, right on the very border with Texas. I get a LOT of both countries cultures... so how come I (and a lot of other people in the fandom) can understand this character, yet the ones who are supposed to be professionals, can’t?

IMO, the problem was never Amy, but rather it’s the people in the west. You have the ones that feel the need to give Amy preferential treatment because of her gender (something that I think is just as bad as Sega/ST ignoring her for not being a Genesis trilogy character like Tails and Knuckles), the fans that see everything through the lenses of sarcasm and cynicism (especially in the US), to the ones spreading lies, half-truths and gross exaggerations out of spite because they have deluded themselves into believing that (tin foil hat time!) this one character replaced their bloody chipmunk princess as some kind of scheme from the evil racists masterminds in Sega of Japan.

How does someone struggle so much to understand a character from a children’s franchise that is suppose to embody positive values like love, kindness and compassion? The fact they want to change or modify her character is nothing more than evidence of their terrible lack of understanding for something so simple.

To add to what is essentially an already frustrating situation, you also have to add Sega into the mix too. They’re the ones who continued with the “classic trio” thing that should had ended a long in favor of a quartet. But no, gotta pander fast to the S3&K nostalgia even if it means excluding Amy. They made bad decisions too like turning Cream into a watered-down Amy 2.0 (even IDW had some of this the very moment Cream got onboard), essentially stealing many of the things Amy adds to the cast, such as the emotional aspects. 

Someone once said here that being an Amy fan is like waking up in the morning everyday being ready to argue with ten people. Well, how about we also add the  official Sonic twitter account? Mocking Amy for being left out of the Sonic Mania game (aha! so much for ‘we support female characters”... just your typical, disingenuous corporate virtue signaling bull crap), as if further needing to rub it on the face of Amy’s fans who were hoping she might appear as playable.

I really wish that enjoying Amy were more like with Sonic, Tails (the whole “Forces cowering” thing is nothing compared) or even Knuckles, since neither of them are judged for being themselves, they always are the first in line when a new project is to be announced, nor do they have to drag for 27 years the ghost of that one non-canon character created by SoA and DIC Productions, and whose life was perpetuated thanks to the Archie comic staff of stubborns fanboys who threw every jab they could at Amy with total and complete impunity.

But that is also why Amy fans are stronger, because we endure what the fans of other characters can’t. I still have hope for this character to one day have her moment to shine again, and show all of her potential.

[jmsa1287]

A Year in Review: The 21 Best TV Shows of 2018

Peak TV may be over and the bubble may be about to burst. Unlike the past few years, 2018 yielded fewer outstanding shows. There were plenty of good-to-great series that aired this year but there were less exceptional programs when compared to the last five years. With the field being so competitive, talent is spread thin — not just those in front of the camera but folks who create and craft shows. We may be reaching a breaking point of quality vs. quantity but 2018 did offer some stellar series.

I watched just over 80 shows this year. I gave up on about 21/22? I liked a lot of shows. I loved only a few; pretty much the top 11. Most disappointing TV was "Deutschland 86," "Claws" Season 2 and "Little Drummer Girl." i hope 2019 is better!! lots of good stuff coming!!!

Below are the best 21 TV shows of the year. 

21. "The Haunting of Hill House" Season 1 Netflix

20. "High Maintenance" Season 2 HBO

19. "Black Mirror" Season 4 Netflix

18. "The Deuce" Season 2 HBO

17. "Baskets" Season 3 FX

16. "Channel Zero: Butcher's Block" Season 3 SYFY

15. "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" Season 1 Netflix

14. "Insecure" Season 3 HBO

13. "Mosaic" Season 1 HBO

12. "Channel Zero: The Dream Door" Season 4 SYFY

11. "The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell" Season 1 Netflix

10. "Forever" Season 1 Amazon

Starring "Saturday Night Live" alums Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen the tiny comedy "Forever," created and written by Emmy Award winners Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard, packs a powerful and emotional punch. It's hard to talk about "Forever" without giving away its unexpected and hilarious premise (make sure to watch past the second episode) but the show takes on what it means to be in a long-term relationship in a fascinating and refreshing way. "Forever" also serves as a showcase for Rudolph, allowing her to act and to do something interesting, nuanced and lovely.

09. "Sharp Objects" Season 1 HBO

"Big Little Lies" this was not. The fever dream summer show "Sharp Objects" boasted a similar pedigree to the 2017 hit (both series are directed by Jean-Marc Vallee, are based on hit novels, aired on HBO and starred movie stars), but was totally different in almost every way. This mood piece, starring a wonderful Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson, is a haunting exploration of memory and trauma, wrapped in a Southern Gothic mystery.

08. "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" Season 2 Amazon

Bright, bubbly and delightful, "The Marvelous Mr. Masiel" returned at the end of 2018 to remind us the best TV doesn't always need to be dark and twisted. In its second season, the Amy Sherman-Palladino comedy took risks, traveling in Paris, the Catskills and around the East Coast. And of course, like last year, the cast (Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Michael Zegen, Marin Hinkle, Tony Shalhoub) remains absolutely fabulous.

07. "Homecoming" Season 1 Amazon

Based on a podcast and created for TV by Sam Esmail ("Mr. Robot"), "Homecoming" fires on all cylinders. Starring Julia Roberts in her best role in recent memory, this psychological and conspiracy thriller is one of the best-looking shows of the year. Riffing on Hitchcock, De Palma and more, "Homecoming" is a hypnotic mystery that's gripping as it slowly unfolds, featuring additional brilliant performances from Bobby Cannavale, Stephan James, Shea Whigham, Alex Karpovsky and Sissy Spacek.

06. "Pose" Season 1 FX

"Pose" is not only a beautiful show but a groundbreaking one. Featuring the largest cast of trans actors in TV history, this period piece centers on the ballroom scene in 80s New York City and shines the spotlight on a number of unknown actors who proved themselves to be some of the finest performers on TV this year. At the center of "Pose" is MJ Rodriguez's Blanca, a warm and heartbreaking character that is the through line of this stunning drama.

05. "Succession" Season 1 HBO

No show was funnier and more demented this year than "Succession." Centered on an incredibly wealthy family, which runs one of the largest media conglomerates in the world, "Succession" outdid itself week after week. Each episode was sicker and more hilarious than the last, building up to an over-the-top season finale that was as mean-spirited as "Veep" and as ridiculous as "Billions."

04. "Killing Eve" Season 1 BBC America

"Killing Eve" is a glamorous cat-and-mouse game that pops off the TV screen, thanks to stellar performances from leads Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer. Developed for the small screen by Phoebe Waller-Bridge ("Flea Bag"), "Killing Eve" did an incredible job at turning an espionage thriller inside out, making the show humanistic, hilarious and addictive.

03. "Atlanta: Robbin' Season" Season 2 FX

The second season of Donald Glover's "Atlanta" knocked it out of the park. A number of episodes blended the absurd with reality and humor. The hilarious horror story "Teddy Perkins" is the finest example of what "Atlanta" can do. Episodes were narratively disconnected, allowing the show to fling its top-notch cast (Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, Lakeith Stanfield, Zazie Beetz) to enter truly bizarre situations — from partaking in a Fastnacht celebration to a party at Drake's mansion. Episodes were also incredibly touching, like "Woods," in which Henry's character Alfred goes on a spiritual journey to reconnect with his late mother, and the flashback episode "FUBU."

02. "Maniac" Season 1 Netflix

The dazzling sci-fi drama "Maniac" was like nothing else on TV. It's world-building, courtesy of writer/creator Patrick Somerville and director/writer Cary Joji Fukunaga is incredible. A considered and specific show, the 10-episode miniseries took on mental health in trauma in a fresh way, resulting in one of the most creative shows in recent memory. It also featured a number of stellar performances from its two leads Emma Stone and Jonah Hill as well as its supporting cast, including a totally off-the-wall Justin Theroux, a diabolical Sally Field, and a compelling Sonoya Mizuno.

01. "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" Season 2 FX

Told like a collection of short stories the second season of "American Crime Story," "The Assassination of Gianni Versace," examined homophobia in the 90s via one deranged and broken man. Though the show features a number of big names, it's Darren Criss's portrayal of gay serial killer Andrew Cunanan that stole the show. Expertly written by Tom Rob Smith, "Versace" explored a headline-grabbing story that somehow slipped away from America's consciousness. Unlike other true crime series, "Versace" made sure to highlight its victims, digging into their past and how their fate brought them to Cunanan, a victim of sorts too but a storm of evil who ended the lives of at least five men.

[joeygoeshollywood]

My 25 Favorite Films of 2017

It’s hard to believe that 2017 is already coming to a close. Here’s my 25 favorite films from the year!

25. Girls Trip

Perhaps it’s the Bridesmaids or The Hangover of 2017, Girls Trip is a fun, buddy comedy about a group of women who try to rekindle their friendship during a trip to New Orleans. Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith are always reliable and Regina Hall is an underrated lead, but it’s breakout star Tiffany Haddish that gets the biggest laughs. 

24. All The Money in the World

All The Money in the World is a good film on its own, but what makes it historic is what went on behind the scenes. Ridley Scott pulled off the impossible by replacing its disgraced star Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer with only roughly a month ahead of its original Christmas release. The film is based on the events of the 1973 kidnapping of John Paul Getty’s grandson. All The Money is a highwire thriller, but it’s Plummer’s brilliant, cold-hearted performance that steals the show. 

23. Okja

Korean director Bong Joon-ho behind such films as The Host and Snowpiercer debuted this gem. Okja follows a girl’s battle to protect her “superpig” from a juggernaut company that plans on turning her pet into food. This action adventure was easily one of Netflix’s strongest original films to date. The stellar cast includes Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Jake Gyllenhaal, Steven Yeun, Lilly Collins, and newcomer Seo-hyeon Ahn. 

22. Battle of the Sexes

Emma Stone and Steve Carrell face off as Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in the most historic tennis match in history. Battle of the Sexes is a fun, empowering, nostalgic sports dramedy from Little Miss Sunshine’s Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. 

21. Stronger

Based on the incredible true story, Stronger follows Jeff Bauman and his struggle for normalcy after surviving the Boston Marathon bombing. Time and time again, Jake Gyllenhaal proves to be one of Hollywood’s most under-celebrated actors today as he arguably gives the most challenging performance of his career. Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) also deserves praise for her raw, emotional supporting role. Stronger is a powerful, moving biopic that reminds us that there’s always hope even in the darkest moments. 

20. Split

After releasing numerous duds, it appears that M. Night Shyamalan is finally making a comeback. Split kicked off 2017 with a wild psychological thriller surrounding the kidnapping of three young women who’ve been imprisoned by a man with multiple personality disorder. James McAvoy gives a memorable performance as he channels well over a dozen personalities. 

19. Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman broke the glass ceiling on many fronts: one being the first female-lead superhero blockbuster and such a blockbuster was directed by a woman. Gal Gadot made her big-screen debut as the Amazon princess in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but she absolutely nails it in her first solo flick. Many have considered this film to be the strongest film in the DC Cinematic Universe yet. 

18. Alien: Covenant

Ridley Scott certainly kept himself busy this year. In the latest chapter of this deep-space horror franchise, a colony ship makes a fatal detour on a planet filled with our favorite aliens. Accompanied by an all-star cast, Michael Fassbender is on double duty with two fantastic performances. While Prometheus settled the groundwork, Alien: Covenant returned to its heart-pounding roots that made these films such a big success. 

17. It

Very rarely do remakes exceed its predecessors, but the 2017 remake of Stephen King’s It really deserves praising. Bill Skarsgård managed to make Pennywise his own with his terrifying interpretation of the murderous clown. That being said, the film heavily relies on the tremendous cast of young actors including Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, and Jeremy Ray Taylor. Filled with good scares and disturbing imagery, It will have a new generation afraid of clowns. 

16. Darkest Hour

Gary Oldman gives a transformative, Oscar-worthy performance as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. The film takes place during the chaotic transition period the United Kingdom face in the midst of WWII and gives a glimpse of Churchill’s bumpy start to his successful era of leadership. Darkest Hour is a captivating drama with sprinkled humor throughout. 

15. Get Out

Part horror, part thriller, part social satire, Get Out marks the directorial debut of funnyman Jordan Peele. An interracial couple is put to the test when the black boyfriend visits the white girlfriend’s family, but once he gets there, he’ll learn that her family may have something sinister planned for him. While it’s sort of hard to explain it, Get Out is a unique, thought-provoking, movie-going experience unlike any other in 2017 that’s carried by a strong cast and an intriguing plot. 

14. The Wedding Plan

Chances are you haven’t heard of The Wedding Plan, but it’s one of the most relatable films of the year. This Israeli romantic comedy follows an anxious bride-to-be who decides to keep her wedding date after her fiancé dumped her just weeks before and literally relies on faith in order to find a groom before she walks down the aisle. Yes, the plot’s that zany, but Noa Koler’s heartwarming and heartbreaking performance truly carries the film. 

13. Dunkirk

It’s been three long years, but Christopher Nolan returned with an immersive war flick Dunkirk, which depicts the underdog WWII rescue effort of the British military that was surrounded by German troops. While there isn’t exactly a straight-forward plot, the incredible cinematography, editing, and sound design keep audiences on the edge of their seats. 

12. War of the Planet of the Apes

An epic conclusion to one of the strongest trilogies in recent memory, War of the Planet of the Apes was a rare reboot that actually exceeded its predecessors. For three films, Andy Serkis brilliantly humanizes the lead ape Caesar as the climax escalates the brutal battle between human and ape. 

11. The Shape of Water

If Beauty and the Beast and Creature From The Black Lagoon had a beautifully weird baby, it would be Guillermo del Toro’s latest film The Shape of Water. The story surrounds a mute janitor who forms a relationship with a creature trapped in the laboratory she works at and her personal mission to help him escape. She doesn’t even speak a word, yet Sally Hawkins gives one of the best performances of the year and she’s joined by a spectacular supporting cast including Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, and Michael Stuhlberg. Visually stunning and emotionally enthralling, this is del Toro’s best film since Pan’s Labyrith. 

10. Call Me By Your Name

An emotionally complex film, Call Me By Your Name tells the story of a romance that blossoms between a 17-year-old boy and his father’s 24-year-old research assistant. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, such an inappropriate relationship would/should be frowned upon, but as viewers, you sympathize with Elio and Oliver not just because they’re likable characters but for the powerful performances that came with them, particularly from breakout star Timothée Chalamet. 

9. The Killing of a Sacred Deer

The closest thing to an Alfred Hitchcock film in 2017, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is a suspenseful, psychological thriller that virtually no one saw. The film follows teenager who gets brutal revenge after a doctor failed to save his father’s life. Newcomer Barry Keoghan, who you’ve might have seen in Dunkirk, gives a unsettling, outstanding performance. Between this and his last film The Lobster, writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos is proving to be a filmmaker Hollywood should watch out for. 

8. The Disaster Artist

If you haven’t seen The Room, it’s a 2003 film that has earned a cult following because it’s so incredibly bad, it became unintentionally hysterical. The Disaster Artist is about the making of that film with James Franco starring, producing and directing the film. Franco manages to earn big laughs and also give a transformative performance as the infamous Tommy Wiseau. With tons of A-list cameos and a brutal glimpse of the film industry, The Disaster Artist made the making of a painfully bad film painfully funny. 

7. The LEGO Batman Movie

Not only was this a great animated movie, it was also a great Batman movie. The LEGO Batman Movie allows its self-awareness to drive the narrative that examines Batman’s relationship on a psychological level. Filled with tons of fun Easter eggs and references to previous Batman films, this LEGO movie will leave you nostalgic and laughing til it hurts. 

6. Lady Bird

Actress Greta Gerwig makes a strong directorial debut with this down-to-earth coming of age comedy about a Sacramento teen transitioning into adulthood. In film after film, Soirse Ronan shows that she’s one of the best actresses in the millennial generation and Laurie Metcalf, who may win the Oscar playing her heartfelt but judgmental mother, shows that she’s one of the most under-celebrated actresses of our time. 

5. The Big Sick

The greatest romantic comedy since Silver Linings Playbook, The Big Sick is a rare film because it feels authentic and real... and that’s probably due to the fact that it’s based on the stranger-than-fiction true story behind Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon’s relationship. Nanjiani essentially stars as himself (which he does a terrific job) and has great chemistry with his co-star Zoe Kazan. Ray Romano and Holly Hunter give hilarious, heartwarming performances as the parents who meet Nanjiani as their daughter is in a coma. From the culture clashes, the comedy industry, to the modern era of dating, The Big Sick feels more relevant than ever and can resonate with any audience. 

 4. Coco

Disney/Pixar has a gift of continuously melting people’s hearts. And they do so again with their beautifully-animated latest, Coco. Miguel is an aspiring musician in a family that has banned music after his great grandfather abandoned them for pursue stardom. And after being transported into the Land of the Dead, Miguel must track down his ancestor in order to return home. The importance of art is obviously a theme, but the heart of the film is about family, pursuing our dreams, and the significance of leaving a legacy. Coco is rich with a cast of lovable characters, great music, and a satisfying ending that may leave you in tears. 

3. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri may be a mouthful, but it’s also masterful work from writer/director Martin McDonagh. Frances McDormand gives an Oscar-bound performance as grieving, no-nonsense mother determined to pressure the police to solve the murder of her daughter. She is accompanied by a strong ensemble cast which include strong supporting performances from Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson. Three Billboards is the only film this year that will make you laugh, cringe, and anxious all at once. It’s the closest thing to Fargo since Fargo... and the Fargo TV series. 

2. Baby Driver

Edgar Wright, the mastermind behind Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, finally found commercial success with Baby Driver, a terrifically-edited heist film with the greatest film soundtrack in recent memory. Aside from the uncomfortable fact this will go down as Kevin Spacey’s last great film, Ansel Elgort proves he’s got the chops for a leading role. With lots of well-choreographed action sequences and even some laugh, Baby Driver is absolute fun and is why we go to the movies. 

1. I, Tonya

Who would have thought that it would take a dark comedy to make Tonya Harding look sympathetic? I, Tonya is a unique, Goodfellas-like biopic that gives multiple, not entirely reliable perspectives surrounding the infamous attack of Nancy Kerrigan. Margot Robbie offers a layered, grounded depiction of someone who was painted as a cultural villain. Allison Janney also knocks it out of the park as her cruel yet hilarious mother. The works of director Craig Gillespie and screenwriter Steven Rogers have spanned decades, but their collaboration here is the best of their careers. Combined with great editing and an awesome soundtrack, I, Tonya is a rare film in 2017 that isn’t just another remake, sequel, or ripoff; it skates on its own. 

[killscreencinema]

We Happy Few (PlayStation 4)

When I watched the trailer to We Happy Few, I was instantly fascinated by the concept.  The impression I got from the trailer was that the game would involve a gameplay mechanic centered balancing using a hallucinogenic drug in order to fit in with a dangerous dystopian society with taking the risk of being off it in order to more accurately perceive, and therefor navigate, the reality of the world you live in.  I figured you would have to be high on “Joy” in order to solve certain puzzles, or more likely, be completely sober to solve puzzles but risk the wrath of the scary Bobbies. 

As it turns out... nah.  Not so much.

We Happy Few, developed by Compulsion Games, takes place in an alternate version of 60s Britain, where it’s illegal to be sad and everyone must take a drug called “Joy” to prevent becoming a “downer”.  You play as one of three rebellious downers who seek to escape from their happy hellhole of a country, while also unearthing the secret reason behind the compulsory use of Joy.  You begin the game as Arthur Hastings, a mild-mannered clerk who stops using Joy as memories of his long lost brother Percy begin resurfacing, causing him to embark on a journey to leave Britain so he can find his estranged sibling.  You also eventually play as Sally Boyle, a professional chemist as well as former flame of Arthur’s; and Ollie Starkey, a Scottish soldier who has almost utterly gone mad. 

I’ve heard that the gameplay subtly changes with each character, but I wouldn’t know as I only got to play through most of Arthur’s story and the game crashed before I could finish it.  As a matter of fact, the game crashed multiple times during my play through before terminally crashing towards the end of Arthur’s campaign.  By “terminal”, I mean that I could no longer load up the save file without the game immediately crashing again.  I tried updating both the game and the PS4, but both were already updated. 

So... game over, I guess.  I suppose “We Happy Few” refers to those who managed to get through the game without it crashing.

This really sucked, because despite my significant reservations about the game, I was beginning to mildly enjoy it! 

My first and most significant critique, as hinted at above, is with the basic gameplay.  From what I understand, Compulsion Games initially set out to make We Happy Few a “Rogue-like” survival game similar to Don’t Starve (though, perhaps, not as INSANELY DIFFICULT) with a very minimal story.  However, after the trailer was released, and people began comparing the game’s vibe with BioShock, the developers realized a lite survival game would be a huge let down and immediately went back to the drawing board.  They stripped down, or wholly “nerfed” the survival aspects so that not eating, staying hydrated, or well-rested only affected your stamina as opposed to health.  They rebuilt the game to be more narrative intensive, with more side quests to round out the experience.  The end result feels like a hastily put together mish-mash that doesn’t quite satisfy one way or another. 

As a survival game, it’s very superficial, while as an action adventure game it’s adequate at best.  The combat isn’t very fun and feels a bit buggy (I once managed to punch an enemy several yards away for no discernible reason), while the stealth takedown options are nice but hinge on a somewhat flawed enemy AI.  It takes an inordinately long time before you get to the point in the game when you have to take Joy to blend in, and it’s a neat effect how the world becomes cheerfully bright and colorful, as opposed to the normal drab look, but I feel they could have done more with this on even just an aesthetic level.  I would have loved to have seen more hallucinations, such as cartoonish characters who aren’t really there and ruined houses looking like shiny mansions.  It would have been neat to, as the player, have to discern what is and isn’t real while on Joy.  Also, there should have been more consequences for taking too much Joy.  As it stands, if you take too much Joy, you lose memory.  What happens when you lose memory?  It’s not made very clear, but I think it would have been neat to lose a skill that you unlocked (perhaps even permanently).  I suppose the vague threat of memory loss served its purpose, though, as I minimized the use of Joy for fear of finding out the hard way what happens. 

Either way, you can eventually unlock enough stackable skills that you don’t even need joy to avoid suspicion, effectively making the whole Joy mechanic, arguably the centerpiece of the entire game concept, a moot point.  Ultimately the combination of the game’s failings that I mentioned above is can be blamed on one thing: the lack of a clear vision of what the game is supposed to be.  In comparison to BioShock (which in all fairness, the developers never intended, nor had reasonable expectations, to make We Happy Few a spiritual successor to BioShock in any way, shape, or form - that onus was put on them by fans craving a new BioShock game), that game had both the benefit of an insanely driven game developing auteur in the form of Ken Levine, who had a very clear vision of what he wanted and even a rough draft to work from in System Shock 2, not to mention the luxury of a triple A development company budget.  While the art direction of the game is clearly outstanding, from the creepy masks worn by the Bobbies, to the overall retrofuturistic look of alternative 60s England, one is left feeling there wasn’t a strong enough hand at the helm of the development process to bring it all together into a solid package. 

What you get instead is a game with an interesting story, but gameplay that is moderately entertaining at best when it’s not completely broken due to incessantly crashing. 

I guess what I’m saying is We Happy Few is a bit of a downer.

[naturecoaster]

NatureCoaster.com wins Six Excellence-in-Craft Awards

The Florida Outdoor Writers’ Association held its 2021 Conference in Venice, Florida, and hosted its Excellence-in-Craft awards on August 21. Sponsored by Visit Sarasota County and Discover Crystal River and the Plantation Resort, Ascend Hotel Collection, the Florida Outdoor Writers Association 2021 Excellence in Craft awards recognize FOWA members who produced outstanding content in the form of broadcast, digital, and print media during 2020. NatureCoaster.com had six of its 2020 feature stories chosen for these coveted awards, making it the publication to receive the most awards received at the Conference! “We are so honored to have such talented writers working with NatureCoaster to connect readers to the best Florida’s Nature Coast has to offer,” said Publisher and Founder, Diane Bedard. You can read the stories that won below: Conservation Story, sponsored by West Volusia Tourism - Second Place: Diane Bedard - Saving Crystal River Family Participation in the Outdoors, sponsored by Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau - First Place: Sally White - Levy County's Best Kept Secret: the Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve - Third Place: Sally White - Hiking the Blue Run Historic Railway Trail Outdoor Travel & Destination Story, sponsored by Florida’s Adventure Coast - First Place: Sally White – Dunnellon’s Rainbow Springs Then and Now - Third Place: Paul Presson - Discovering Anclote’s Hidden Treasure Online Blog Post, sponsored by Misty Wells of Let's Take it Outside - Second Place: Diane Bedard - Bringing the Butterflies Back to Dade City About NatureCoaster.com's Award-Winning Writers Sally White is an avid kayaker and spring hunter. Sally won three awards for her feature stories in NatureCoaster.com, as well as Best of Conference! Image by Sydney White. Sally White is an avid kayaker and spring hunter. She is also an award-winning outdoor writer, photographer, and artist with 20+ years of experience. Sally’s contributions are found in publications world-wide. A member of Florida Outdoor Writers Association, she enjoys exploring the wilder side of Florida and believes introducing families to the wonders of the outdoors is key to saving these natural resources for future generations. Sally also publishes Adventures of Mom and Florida for Families. Paul Presson is an award-winning cartoonist and writer. He won third place in FOWA's Excellence in Craft Awards for his story, Discovering Anclote's Hidden Treasure on NatureCoaster.com. Image by Janice Presson. Paul Presson is an award-winning writer, cartoonist, and American Veteran. He is a passionate fisherman who takes vets on wade-fishing excursions and loves outdoor adventure. Paul is an artist. He created the map in Discovering Anclote’s Hidden Treasure from scratch and enjoys upcycling and gardening. Diane Bedard, founder of NatureCoaster.com proudly displays her two awards for stories published in 2020 on NatureCoaster.com. Image by Dennis Bedard. Diane Bedard is the creator of NatureCoaster.com and a passionate advocate for Florida’s Nature Coast and the small businesses and organizations that make it home. Diane formerly published the local edition of Travelhost magazine, and has won numerous Excellence-in-Craft awards for her stories about the area. “ I love to share my favorite places, and the stories behind them with NatureCoaster’s audience,” Diane said. About Florida Outdoor Writer's Association Florida Outdoor Writer’s Association is a statewide 501(c)3 paid membership organization of professional outdoor writers who seek to continuously increase their skills through education, maintaining the highest standards of journalistic excellence. Its membership is made up of the outdoor industry’s top communicators, conservationists, and industry-related companies. NatureCoaster.com has earned Several Awards NatureCoaster.com is an award-winning online magazine that began in 2014. Some of the magazine’s previous awards include • Best Local/Events Blog 2018 Sunshine Blog Award from Florida BlogCon• Top 3 Community/Events Blog 2019 Sunshine Blog Award from Florida BlogCon• First Place Outdoor Travel & Destination Story – Florida Outdoor Writer’s Association Excellence-in-Craft Award 2019• First Place Conservation Story – Florida Outdoor Writer’s Association Excellence-in-Craft Award 2020• First Place Outdoor Video category – Florida Outdoor Writer’s Association Excellence-in-Craft Award 2017• Second Place Self-promotion category – Florida Outdoor Writer’s Association Excellence-in-Craft Award 2017• Third Place – Family Participation in the Outdoors Story – Florida Outdoor Writer’s Association Excellence-in-Craft Award 2020 NatureCoaster.com has won several awards since its inception in 2014. It was also featured in the book, Blog for Bucks by Jaqueline Bodnar. Additionally, NatureCoaster was featured in the book, Blog for Bucks by Jaqueline Bodnar, published in 2019. NatureCoaster.com has a Mission to Connect the World with the best of Florida's Nature Coast NatureCoaster.com’s mission is to connect readers with the best of Florida’s Nature Coast through feature stories, a directory of local businesses, and an extensive events calendar covering Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco Counties. Pat Manfredo, an award-winning local photographer, contributes a nature photo daily to the site. Interested visitors can sign up for the weekly e-zine on the homepage. The White Heron Tea & Gifts attracts visitors from throughout the Nature Coast and Tampa Bay. Image by Dawne. Our Partners Make the Publication Possible Businesses and organizations who are interested in partnering with NatureCoaster.com to get the word out about their offerings can find more information on our demographics here. Our current partners include: - Florida's Adventure Coast - Discover Crystal River - Southwest Water Management District - City of New Port Richey - Cavallo Farm and Market - Chinsegut Hill Retreat - The White Heron Tea & Gifts - The Red Brick Place - Shamrock Restoration & Painting - Chop Block Grill - Heartwood Preserve - Citrus County Chamber of Commerce - Just Amuse Me - Whittel and Melton - Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters - The Kumquat Festival/Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce - The Tampa Bay History Center/Chinsegut Hill Historic Property - Jason Biggs, Realtor, Century21 Alliance Realty And many events and organizations that promote their offerings with us. We couldn't do this without you! Please contact us about how we can best work together to get your information out to our readers. Read the full article

[filminvasion]

Top 10 List

I’ve been doing a huge watch through of many films from the 80′s and I actually just got done watching everything i’ve wanted to watch from the year 1989. Here is my 10 Best. New reviews will be coming soon so be sure to follow to keep up with those. Much appreciated. 

Honorable mentions: Field of Dreams, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Casualties of War, Sex Lies and Videotape, Parenthood, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Say Anything, Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Born on the Fourth of July, The Bear, My Left Foot, Roger and Me, Vampire’s Kiss, Fabulous Baker Boys

10. War of the Roses- One of Danny DeVito’s greatest successes as a director and he deserved this one. A dark comedy on divorce, this re-teaming of DeVito with his “Romancing The Stone” and “Jewel of the Nile” co-stars Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner starts out funny but gets viciously savage by the end. 

9. When Harry Met Sally- Doing a total 180 from #10, this is simply the best romantic comedy ever made. Nora Ephron’s dialogue is fast, witty, and I never feel more like a mush mouth than when I listen to it. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are great together, Ryan especially for reasons that are all too apparent for anyone who’s seen the film 

8. The Abyss- Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio are perfect together in what is the real, best, romance that James Cameron has ever created. But more to the point, this is a claustrophobic, tension-filled, underwater delight, the best of its kind by far, holding scenes that put me in rapt awe every time I watch it. The ending is still not great and the aliens don’t really help but this still holds Cameron out as the special talent he is. 

7. Crimes and Misdemeanors- A cynical tale from Woody Allen that gets two great performances, not only from himself but from the even better Martin Landau, who gets a whole storyline in examination of morality and is never not compelling in it. Allen gives himself the funnier role. Alan Alda, Jerry Orbach, and Sam Waterston also each have pivotal roles and are phenomenal in what is a flawlessly written, honest look at humanity. 

6. Heathers- A great dark comedy, if not the best of all time, which satirizes that weird time known as high school where popularity is key...and can be a real killer. Winona Ryder and Christian Slater are both great in it- a sure fire classic of the High School genre. 

5. Lethal Weapon 2 and Back to the Future 2- I put these two together because i’m weak and this was another really outstanding year but they belong together, both really build on the greatness that came before- the plots feel very fresh, the humor in both cases is done with much more ease this time around, the characters continue to grow, and both definitely know how to thrill. 

4. Little Mermaid- The start of something grand- leading Disney into the 90’s with a blend of new animation techniques, outstanding music, and some of the best and most urgent story-telling the studio has ever created. 

3. Batman- Pound for pound still a wonderfully dark and gritty take on the Batman character- from the production, make-up and costume design Burton has made something beautifully gothic here, despite not proceeding exactly according to lore, and he couldn’t have done better than Nicholson and Keaton in the lead roles. 

2. Do The Right Thing- Though hard to find the clear message, Spike Lee creates a pivotal and volatile piece of work that asks good questions in the hopes we can see all the differing viewpoints he presents here. That’s why this is still the best film ever made about race relations in this country. 

1.Glory- Powerful from first frame to last, everything about this film is worthy of utmost respect, from a story of pride and sacrifice, to incredible battle sequences (especially the finale march on Fort Wagner, which is one of the bravest things ever captured on film), to the riveting performances, and James Horner and The Harlem Boys Choir’s soaring, patriotic, and beautiful musical score- certainly in the top 5 ever produced. I feel moved and filled with deference every time I watch this story play out and i’ve maybe watched it a hundred times over the years. One of the best war movies of all time.

[reaganreads]

She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton - Historical Fiction

Publication Date: May 30, 2017

Rating:4.5/5

Justification: Chelsea Clinton’s She Persisted was created at a very historical time in our nation’s history, when Hillary Clinton was running as the first female presidential candidate of a major political party. This book is still relevant today, but may need some updating as our country has a female Vice President for the first time in our history. As I watched Kamala Harris get sworn in as Vice President, this book was at the forefront of my mind, for she too persisted against all odds. Written by Hilary Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea, this book has a clear emotional foundation as well. Overall, I am very pleased to be able to read this book and share this important message with young children, a message I wish I had when I was younger. This book is appealing due to the inspiring and hopeful nature of the narrative, as well as the historical accuracy associated with the contents. 

Evaluation:

Illustrations The illustrations in this text do an outstanding job at overall adding to the narrative by creating separate stories within the main plot. For example, on the very first two pages a little girl is inside a museum with many paintings and statues surrounding her. If you look closely you will notice that the paintings within this illustration are stories themselves. There is a painting of Hillary Clinton waving, an image of Harriet Tubman leading slaves through to safety, and many other similar paintings that depict the narratives of the characters within the story. Although Hilary Clinton is not mentioned within the narrative, her presence, and her tenacity are present due to the illustrations. Additionally, when discussing Sally Ride, an astronaut who travelled to space, the illustrations depict young children watching her adventure on television. This small illustration is an extremely powerful one, it shows how representation matters and how children truly pay attention to the people present within the media. Lastly, on the final page of this text, the three young girls who are present with the corner are each standing under a painting that is depicting what they hope to become as an adult. Many of the things mentioned are not clearly stated in the text themselves, but can be inferred from the illustrations associated with said text.

Characters The characters within Clinton’s text are extremely diverse, accurate, and overall very enjoyable. I was pleased to see a large amount of diversity present within the fictional characters, such as the three young girls on the cover, and the many other children throughout the book. However, I was slightly disappointed that a few key people were not included in this narrative such as Mae Jemison, who was the first African American woman in space, or Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for presidency back in 1872. Despite these few exceptions, I was overall pleased at the characters and individuals chosen to be represented within this text, including the women such as Hilary Clinton, who are mentioned through illustration, but are not considered characters to the overall story.

Accuracy: Although I am a fairly educated individual there are many people present within this text that I first learned of when reading this book, such as Nellie Bly and Virginia Apgar. Upon reading these summaries, I had to dive deeper to understand these women and their outstanding lives, and I discovered that Chelsea Clinton did an accurate job at depicting these women and their accomplishments. Accuracy is extremely important to ensure a book is of good quality, especially when that book is considered historical fiction or contains historical facts. Clinton’s text does an outstanding job at introducing young readers to important historical figures with a great deal of accuracy. 

Conclusion: This book was a very important part in children’s literature within my own personal life due to the moments that sparked its existence, Hilary Clinton’s run for presidency. The characters present within this narrative are very outstanding women, many of whom I learned about from this book myself. The accuracy and historical background associated with this text are extremely important to the overall success of the work, it is what makes this book credible. However, my favorite part about this text is the illustrations and the way in which they enrich the original narrative. As stated previously, these illustrations are telling a story themselves that both supports and adds to the narrative the text itself is telling, which I find makes this book even more enjoyable. Ultimately, this book was a very good read, as it planted a seed in my mind to be aware of women like this, while giving me the desire to research them further, and also reminding me of my own capabilities. I also find it important to note than many young children are growing up with books such as these to be considered normal, which is something I am very delighted about as this means we are closer to reaching equality than before. 

Reference: Clinton, C., & Boiger, A. (2017). She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World (First Edition, First Printed.). Philomel Books.

Sources: Young, T., Bryan, G., Jacobs, J., & Tunnell, M. (2019). Children’s Literature, Briefly (7th ed.). Pearson.

https://www.britannica.com/story/who-was-the-first-woman-to-run-for-president-of-the-united-states

https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/11-female-astronauts-who-pioneered-spaceflight

*NOT MY PHOTO*

[wallpapernifty]

15 Things You Didn’t Know About Juliet Rose | Juliet Rose

THIS week’s Bloom! anniversary is not the abandoned annual appearance in boondocks this summer.

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For ten weeks, Sally Tierney’s Elizabethan Garden is bushing Shakespeare’s Village with aroma all-powerful at Europe’s aboriginal anytime pop-up Shakespearean theatre on the Castle car esplanade (and it has a acknowledgment in Bloom! too).

Sally, a Silver-Gilt badge champ at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Annual Show, has fatigued afflatus from Romeo And Juliet, one of four plays actuality staged at Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre until September 2.

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“I’ve created an Elizabethan ‘Knot’ garden, which commonly has a actually intricate shape, and in the amplitude I’ve been accustomed I’ve put in adorned box-edged beds of awful ambrosial cottage flowers, roses, lilies, honeysuckle and herbs, with a bubbler and lavender in the middle, and a garden abour anniversary for Juliet and Romeo at either side,” says Sally, who has advised area and run her aggregation Yorkshire Garden Designer for 20 years.

“”Elizabethan area would accept been productive, with herbs, fruits and vegetables and flowers to accomplish their homes aroma fragrant, and they actually admired beautiful-smelling plants and flowers, appropriately roses and lavender were accurate favourites as Elizabethan activity was rather smelly.”

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Juliet’s garden has soft, adventurous colours, not atomic the white rose of Yorkshire; Romeo’s colours are stronger, added striking, masculine, with the red rose of Lancashire to the fore. “Roses were admired for their healing powers, august scents and admirable blooms and accept apologue in abstract and adoration too,” says Sally.

“In Elizabethan times, these were the abandoned two colours of rose, so we accept put in a third rose: Rosa Mundi [meaning ‘the rose of the world], an old white and red array that would accept been about in those days, as an adapted amassed to symbolise their love.” An espalier tree, meanwhile, stands at the aback to represent “Romeo and Juliet’s aboriginal affair abandoned in a admirable orchard”.

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“It’s absurd to be allotment of Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre,” says Sally, who has lived in York aback 1991 and abounding the gala-night achievement of Macbeth aftermost Wednesday. “I aloof adulation the abstraction of a pop-up Shakespeare theatre in York, area they can about-face a car esplanade into a theatre for ten weeks and again it’s aback to how it was. Here we are, at a theatre that Shakespeare would accept been altogether at home in. How wonderful!”

In Sally’s Elizabeth Garden can be begin thyme, sage, excellent and marigolds that would accept been broiled for affable or acclimated by an apothecary, such a baleful access on the aftereffect of Romeo and Juliet, but added generally a basic force in alleviative illnesses.

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“Given the accent of adulteration in Romeo And Juliet,

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