Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

(Source: IMDb)

 

Usually, I would give a high amount of praise to any form of media pertaining to Star Wars after Revenge of the Sith. I am not a fan of any media before the aforementioned, and I could not get into both of the Clone Wars series.However, Rogue One; (despite taking place after Revenge of the Sith,) was underwhelming when I saw it in a movie theater during the previous week. It can be considered a "prequel" since it takes place before the beginning of the original trilogy. Matter of fact, it is partially used to bridge the gap between the prequel and original trilogy. While I did find it to be an underwhelming film in the series, I felt it was actually the best Star Wars prequel for what it attempted to convey. I classify it as such because it contains many tropes and elements of those films. Rogue One's effects placed an emphasis on CGI rather than practical effects, the locations looked to be computer-generated rather than handmade, and a higher emphasis was placed on the action than the story. The CGI looked like it was almost photorealistic, and one could almost believe the effects were practical. However, I wish there were more practical effects like in last year's The Force Awakens. As years progress, CGI begins to look outdated. However, practical effects will always look timeless, making the film timeless as well. 

The story was alright, albeit with inconsistent pacing and a lack of cohesive flow. The pacing was inconsistent with many slow moments as well as constant planet hopping. As a result, it was difficult for me to become truly invested in the story. As for tone, the film was shockingly depressing. I could not remember any of the new characters as well, aside from the droid of the group. The droid reminded me a robotic version of Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory. The original characters of this film are mostly forgettable, as seasoned Star Wars fans such as myself are fully aware of their fates. Also, there is a significant lack of character development, with the film's characters experiencing little growth as the story progressed. However, the cameos from established characters such as Tarkin and Darth Vader were excellent, but not enough to fully redeem the film. Overall, if you are wanting to watch all Star Wars films, this one can be skipped, as the film's plot is told in the opening crawl of A New Hope. It is the equivalent of a "filler episode" of a Japanese anime and does not add anything of significance to the franchise's plot. I would recommend seeing/reading the aforementioned opening crawl of A New Hope instead. May the force be with you, and have a happy new year! 

Merry Christmas!

Hello everybody,

I am making this quick post to wish you all a Merry Christmas! I hope your holidays are safe and pleasant, and once 2017 rolls around I will be back up with more reviews!

"Have a good one", as Danger Dolan of Planet Dolan would say!

Anti-Piracy PSA

To tide you all over until I am able to fully upload The Last of Us Episode 3, here is a short cartoon I made on the dangers of anti-piracy. I do not condone piracy nor do I support it, mainly because I am an artist.

News Update (12/18/2016)

Hello everyone,

 I am sending out this update to let you all know what to expect in the blog's future. To start, the next episode of The Last of Us' walkthrough is being uploaded, however technical issues are preventing YouTube from uploading completely. Next, I am trying to decide another Disney-related post. I do know it will pertain to the villains of Disney's long line of animated films. I would like to know what villain-related topics you would like me to discuss, so if you have a suggestion, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @austinmmyers19. Finally, I would like to thank you all for your support in my work, both written and visual. It means so much to me and I cannot thank you all enough! This blog has been an exciting hobby for me since the summer of 2012, and I am honored to share my opinions with my readers and viewers. This year has been a year of many milestones, such as reaching view milestones of 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000. That is simply impressive and I could not have done it without all of you! 2017 is going to be a big year for this blog, bigger than 2017 was. I am considering starting video reviews, but I am wondering if you all would like to see them or if I should stick to written reviews right now. Once again, all comments are encouraged, and I wish you all a Happy Holidays!

(Note: If you would like to support my work, feel free to check out my art shop at austinmmyers1994.deviantart.com)

Gaming Fun Fridays: The Last of Us Video Walkthrough Episodes 1 and 2

Viewer discretion is strongly advised and encouraged in this video walkthrough. The Last of Us is owned by Naughty Dog and Neil Druckmann.

 

(Prologue) 

 

(Episode 2) 

 

Review of game to follow after game is completed

Pokemon: Origins (Minor Spoilers)

 (Source: IMDb)

I will start this review off by stating that as a child, I loved Pokemon and as an adult, I still love it! I loved the anime series that aired on Kids' WB and later Cartoon Network (matter of fact, Pokemon was my introduction to anime), and I loved the video games on the Game Boy console (due to Pokemon Blue Version being the first game I owned). When I heard about an adaptation of Red and Blue being released in 2013, there was no doubt that I was brimming with excitement, and when the miniseries was released (in English and Japanese) I was far from disappointed. Matter of fact, I can say Pokemon: Origins is a better animated adaptation than the main anime series! The characters, story, and world of this adaptation are treated more faithfully than that of the main animated series.

Instead of Ash, we follow the journey of his video game counterpart, Red. Instead of choosing Pikachu like Ash did, he chose Charmander as his starter Pokemon. (Red actually had a choice between starters unlike Ash) Unfortunately, those expecting Red to have Pikachu in his team of Pokemon will be disappointed. Pikachu makes a small appearance in the last episode of the miniseries and is not seen again before or afterwards. The miniseries' story is faithfully adapted with minor changes at certain points, as well as taking pieces of dialogue directly from Red and Blue. An example of dialogue pulled directly from the games is at the introduction, where Professor Oak (voiced by Kyle Hebert) recites the opening dialogue verbatim. I smiled when I heard this, and it brought back multiple memories of me playing and constantly restarting Pokemon Blue as a child.

 In terms of characters, do not expect Red to be a clone of Ash from the main anime. Red and Ash may have a similar personality, but the former takes situations more seriously than the latter, and is a more competent trainer than the latter. His rival Blue is essentially similar to his anime counterpart, Gary Oak. The same can be said for Professor Oak and the leader of Team Rocket, Giovanni. The latter feels more like a threat than his mainstream anime counterpart. I never thought of Giovanni as a major threat in the main anime, partially because he contributed to the plot aside from appearing at the beginning and end of each region's arc. The leaders of the other organizations were more of a threat than Giovanni, with the most threatening being Lysandre but I digress. The eight Kanto gym leaders are the same as their game counterparts (considering this is based more on the original games), though they are seldom seen in Origins. I would have loved to see the battles Red had with these gym leaders and more interaction in each battle, aside from their game dialogue in a text box at the bottom of the screen.

This miniseries had so much story from the games to tell, it should have taken more than four episodes. They should have made this into a standalone series, to tell Red's adventure in greater detail. They could have expanded upon the battles with gym leaders, the encounters with Team Rocket, and Red's battles against the Elite Four and champion Blue. This is where a later miniseries known as Pokemon Generations succeeded in the categories where Origins failed, albeit not focusing on Red as the main character. However; despite being so truncated, this series was amazing and a must-watch for any Pokemon or anime fan. It hits all points of Red and Blue's story, and includes references to the games not in the anime such as TMs, HMs, and the different types of PokeBalls aside from the standard red and white ball. Hopefully when they someday decide to end the main anime, they will reboot the series in the style of Pokemon Origins.

The Last: Naruto The Movie (Minor Spoilers)

 (Source: Wikipedia)

Next to Dragonball and the anime adaptation of Pokemon, Naruto ranks highly on my list of favorite anime and manga. Understandably, when the manga adaptation of the series ended, I was saddened but happy as well. However, Kishimoto was not done with the series as there were many loose ends to further explain. One of those loose ends was the relationship between Naruto Uzumaki and semi-romantic interest, Hinata Hyuga. This was the reason for Kishimoto to produce The Last, along with bridging the gap between the manga's concluding chapters. Out of all of the films under the Naruto label, this one is my favorite. I have always enjoyed the "NaruHina" pairing and enjoyed seeing the relationship between the two as the series progressed, and I could not wait for this film to release in English and Japanese. The film is a culmination of the relationship between Naruto and Hinata, and viewers will see the former realizing his dormant feelings for the latter. I always believed Naruto had stronger feelings for Hinata more than he had for his friend, Sakura. His feelings for Sakura were nothing more than a childlike crush in my opinion. Apparently, Masashi Kishimoto (the creator of Naruto) shared the sentiment as well as many other fans in the Naruto fanbase. If you are a fan of the "NaruSaku" pairing, then this film may be one that triggers you. As for the film's plot, all I can say is that it bears a striking resemblance to a certain video game released by Nintendo...

(Source: ZeldaShrine)

From what I have seen in this film, I have noticed multiple similarities to the game pictured above. Two massively noticeable similarities are the plot involving the moon as well as traveling to an alternate world. There is also a time limit to save the earth, along with the final confrontation being set on the moon. One would think that I would be bothered for the lack of the originality in plot. Surprisingly, I am not fazed at all by the film's unoriginal plot. I actually love this film's story, and I find it to be the best in anything related to Naruto. However, I do feel they rushed the development of Naruto and Hinata's relationship. I understand the development happening between the two has been happening in the manga, but I would have loved to see more romantic development as this movie progressed. 

As an animator myself, I cannot complete this review without giving my thoughts towards the animation. It is absolutely amazing for an anime film! The action sequences are fluid and dynamic, and the character animation is solid (once again, for an anime film).

Overall, I would definitely recommend this for fans of animation, Naruto fans, and anime fans. You do not have to be a fan of Naruto to enjoy this film. I showed this movie to a friend of mine (a casual fan of animation, not even an anime fan), and he loved it.

10 Favorite Actors/Actresses: #1

#1: Robin Williams

Best Known For: The Genie in Aladdin, Popeye in Popeye, Mork in Mork and Mindy and Happy Days, Daniel Hillard/Eugenia Doubtfire in Mrs. Doubtfire, and Theodore Roosevelt in Night at the Museum I-III.

Admit it, you all figured he was going to be somewhere on this list. I can imagine some of you saying "called it" as I type this post. Robin Williams is my favorite actor of all time! He is one of the actors that I turn to when I need a laugh, when I need to relax after a long day. I first became exposed to this actor through Aladdin and since that moment I heard him as the genie, I was an instant fan of this man's work. Williams had a wide range as an actor, and has acted in many roles that were both serious and comedic. He was never a person to follow a script "word for word". He improvised, he came up with his own jokes, his own gags, and in the case of films such as Mrs. Doubtfire, he offered some suggestions for the story. He was one of the people I always wanted to meet at a convention, along with Stan Lee, Sean Schemmel and Tara Strong. He was (and still is) one of my biggest inspirations as a writer, animator, and graphic designer. You are never forgotten on this blog, Robin Williams. You are praised, and now, you are "free at last" and free from the lamp that bound you to the earth.

 

Gaming Fun Fridays: E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (Atari VCS/2600)

Today we are looking at another game contributing to the 1983 crash, ET on the Atari VCS/2600!

10 Favorite Actors/Actresses: Honorable Mention

Honorable Mention: Rick Moranis

Best Known For: Seymour Krelborn in Little Shop of Horrors, Louis Tulley in Ghostbusters I and II, Barney Rubble in The Flintstones, Dark Helmet in Spaceballs

This actor is one I would have loved to put on the main list, but unfortunately I could not find a spot to squeeze him in. However, this does not mean he is any less of a favorite of mine than the others on the list. Moranis has an excellent acting range. He can me comedic, he can be dramatic, he can essentially be anything the director wants him to be. I enjoyed his performances in Little Shop of Horrors (to the point where his interpretations of the musical numbers are my favorite so far, but I have already mentioned that in a previous post), Ghostbusters, The Flintstones, and Spaceballs. He is one actor that can make a person laugh and cry simultaneously, because the characters he portrays are goofballs, yet you can't help rooting for them. In many of his roles that I have seen, he plays characters of the "underdog" archetype, one who starts out small and insignificant, becoming something bigger in the end. Unfortunately, Moranis is no longer pursuing an acting career. He took an extended leave of absence after his wife passed away and has not been seen or heard from since then. Will he be back someday? It is uncertain, but he will be eagerly accepted in the event of his return to the silver screen, unlike the next actor on the list who is unfortunately no longer with us.

10 Favorite Actors/Actresses: #2

#2: Tara Strong

Best Known For: Timmy Turner in The Fairly Oddparents, Ben Tennyson in Ben 10, Dil Pickles in Rugrats, Harley Quinn in Batman: Arkham City and onward


This actress is one that is pretty iconic and recognizable in my eyes, as she has voiced quite a few characters I have seen throughout my life. Matter of fact, I have heard her in so many roles that I can easily listen to a character's voice and instantly recognize it to be Tara Strong behind the microphone. If I had to pick a favorite role of hers, it would be hard to decide as I have not heard a role that I could call a "definite favorite". However, two of her roles that I do like best are Ben Tennyson in Ben 10 and her interpretation of Harley Quinn, with her role as Dil Pickles being an honorable mention. While I did enjoy her role of Timmy Turner as a child, I found the character to be grating and somewhat annoying in later years. (I mean no offense to that previous statement, Miss Strong and Nickelodeon, but Timmy has seriously gone downhill as a character.) Overall, because of her massive vocal range as well as her impressive voice-over resume, Tara Strong is my favorite voice actress as well as my favorite actress on this list.

 

Gaming Fun Quickie: Pac Man (Atari VCS/2600)

A small "review" of a game known for contributing to the "Video Game Crash of 1983". The only reason this video of mine is being posted is because it is a review. Be sure to watch, rate, comment and subscribe if you wish! Also, feel free to suggest games for me to review in the comments of YouTube or blogger.

10 Favorite Actors/Actresses: #3

#3: Masako Nozawa

Best Known For: Son Goku, Son Gohan, Son Goten, Bardock, and Turles in Dragonball, Guilmon in Digimon Tamers 

Number three is essentially Stephanie Nadolny and Sean Schemmel's Japanese counterpart in terms of voicing Son Goku and the male members of his family, however she also voiced the character's youngest son and father. At her old age, she is still voicing these characters as well as she did in the 1980s and 1990s, voicing them in their child and adult years. She began her involvement with the Dragonball franchise in 1986, after being selected to voice the main male protagonist, Son Goku. In those thirty years, she only made subtle changes to how she portrayed her characters; such as changing her vocal pitch to reflect their personality and the characters' aging. It is difficult to imagine anyone else voicing these characters, and it will be difficult to accept a replacement if Nozawa were to pass or retire.

10 Favorite Actors/Actresses: #4

#4: Bill Murray

Best Known For: Dr. Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II, Frank Cross in Scrooged, Phil Connors in Groundhog Day, and Baloo in Disney's The Jungle Book (2016)

What do all of these characters mentioned above have in common? They speak in a monotone and sarcastic voice, and they are all characters who can be placed in a category known as "lovable jerks". It is this aspect of the characters Bill Murray portrays that keeps me laughing until I cannot breathe. I first became exposed to the character through Ghostbusters and the live action adaptation of Garfield. Speaking of Garfield, the original voice actor for Garfield (the late Lorenzo Music) portrayed the animated version of  Peter Venkman (Bill Murray's Ghostbusters character), and Bill Murray portrayed the live action version of Garfield. However unlike some of the actors on this list who have a wide range of characters to portray, Murray unfortunately portrays the same character each time. That is not a bad aspect of the actor, though. Murray is simply putting his actual personality into the character, making the role his own.

Batman: The Killing Joke

 (Blogger's Note: This story and its film adaptation is not meant for younger Batman fans, and is darker than most Batman stories. Reader/viewer discretion is definitely advised, for children and adults. Seriously, this story is good, but it is messed up! You have been warned!) 

Let me ask you all something before we begin, have you ever had a "really bad day"? Have you ever had a day which pushed you over the edge, and changed your life forever? If so, then you could probably relate to the tale of a man whose bad day caused him to become one of the biggest comic book villains of all time. The Killing Joke is a 1989 Graphic Novel written by Alan Moore and published by DC Comics, as it is a Batman story. The graphic novel has two stories seamlessly running throughout. The first of the two stories involves Batman working to stop Joker after Barbara Gordon is shot in the spine for the purpose of driving Commissioner Gordon to insanity. The second story interspersed throughout the main story is the origin of Joker, depicted through sepia-toned flashbacks. The Killing Joke is definitely a recommendation for any Batman fan, and is considered by many to be the best Batman story ever written. The story also explains at the beginning how Barbara Gordon was confined to a wheelchair in many modern depictions, something I was curious about after playing through the Arkham video games. When reading the story, one will notice the tone and structure is mostly cinematic, almost as if the graphic novel is a collection of storyboards. I know that when I read it, I kept picturing the story as a film in my head and I was reading a visualized script. Luckily, those waiting for a film adaptation of The Killing Joke (such as myself) would soon have their wish granted.

On July 22, 2016, attendees of San-Diego Comic Con would be treated to a film adaptation of The Killing Joke. The film adaptation premiered to mixed reviews, and a similar reception was given in the theatrical and home video releases. The main reason for the film's mixed reception was the thirty-minute prologue of the movie. The film's prologue was unnecessary and had nothing relevant to The Killing Joke. If it had to be released, it should have been released as a separate short film on the DVD. However, when it transitions into adapting the graphic novel's story, the adaptation is nearly shot-for-shot and word-for-word aside from a musical number by Joker. Aside from faithfully adapting the story (thank you DC, you did an amazing job), fans are also treated to an amazing voice cast headlined by the popular Kevin Conroy as Batman, and Mark Hamill as Joker. Longtime Batman fans may recognize these two voices from their aforementioned roles in Batman: The Animated Series and the Batman: Arkham series of video games. Tara Strong also reprises her role as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl from the former of the two series. This film was definitely a gift to fans, as The Killing Joke has been requested to be adapted into a film fin the years since the graphic novel was released. 

Many interpretations of Joker have taken inspiration from the version in The Killing Joke, such as Jack Nicholson's and the late Heath Ledger's. Mark Hamill's interpretations of Joker from Batman: Animated and Arkham were also inspired by this story, as well as the interpretation from his soundalike, Troy Baker. 

Overall, the story and film adaptation are something I would recommend checking out. However, as I have stated before in the "blogger's note", I would not watch or read in front of younger audiences. This is a story that could significantly scar a younger Batman fan, making the film adaptation well-deserving of the R Rating it received upon release. What do you all think of this story? What did you think of the film? Feel free to post your responses in the comments below.

Little Shop of Horrors

I have a confession to make... I like musical films, especially those with music created by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman. Menken and Ashman use the songs they write for their productions as a method of progressing the story. Matter of fact, all of the films they have worked on (whether together or separately) are known for their music! Beauty and the Beast would not be as well-known if not for its musical score and Broadway-style songs! It is the same result with Aladdin's score, as well as the deleted score for the film written by Ashman before his unfortunate passing. (If you wish to learn more about Howard's passing and the events leading up to it, I encourage you to read History of Aladdin: Part 4) It is also no exception to Menken and Ashman's 1986 masterpiece, Little Shop of Horrors. I must admit, this musical film is a guilty pleasure of mine, not because of the musical score or its production history (which I will discuss in greater detail later on), but because it is an amazing film overall. The cast lead by Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene is spectacular, and it is this film where Moranis became one of my favorite actors. He embodies the role of Seymour Krelborn and is an excellent singer, his take on the songs Suddenly Seymour, Grow For Me, and Feed Me are my favorite interpretations of those musical numbers. However, there is an actor in this film I do not particularly care for, Steve Martin. I must honestly say that I have never been a huge fan of this actor, and this film is no exception. I do not mean to offend, but I find Steve Martin to be somewhat obnoxious in the roles he plays, and in Little Shop his obnoxious level is unbearably high. His role as the sadistic dentist and the female protagonist Audrey's boyfriend is one I do not look forward to whenever I watch the movie. The song Dentist has always made me cringe, but the film's version in particular is one I usually skip. The puppetry and voice for the alien plant, Audrey II is spectacular, and I applaud the many hours of work the puppeteers put into animating all of the plant puppets. According to various featurettes and news articles, the puppets were animated using stop motion. As a result, the actors had to sing slowly so the footage would look normal in conjunction with the puppet's animation when the footage's speed was increased. Overall, this is a film I would highly recommend that you should check out for yourself. This is the reason that I have left the plot out of the review so you could enjoy the movie with "fresh eyes".

10 Favorite Actors/Actresses: #5

Here we are at the halfway point of the list!I deeply apologize for the extended hiatus. Once again, I have been busy with obligations at home and at school, therefore being prevented from updating the blog. Now that the semester is winding down in terms of workload, let us get back into the list of favorite actors and actresses!

#5: Stephanie Nadolny

Best Known For: Son Goku in the Dragonball franchise, as well as his son in the same series.

I must say that despite her retiring from voicing these two characters, she will always be the definitive voice in my eyes.  When Funimation started using their own voice cast for the Dragonball franchise, Stephanie Nadolny was thrust into the spotlight as the child voice of the protagonist, Son Goku. When I think of Goku or his oldest son, Gohan, Nadolny's voice is the one that I think of them using. It is sad that she did not reprise her role for everything after the english dub of Dragonball Z: Kai. The last time we have heard her voice was in archival recordings used for Ultimate Tenkaichi. Miss Nadolny, if you are reading this post, I wish you the absolute best in life and I wonder why you did not reprise your roles. Colleen Clinkenbeard is good as Goku and Gohan, but she does not hold a candle to Stephanie Nadolny.