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Sunday, October 7, 2012
Don't Forget! MONSTROUS MONDAY
Don't forget, MONSTROUS MONDAY is coming up.
The LinkyList is now fixed and working, so sign-ups may resume!
Please link back to http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/
You can sign up here now.
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October Challenge: Blade (1998)
Blade (1998)
So my son wanted to watch a horror movie, but he is not a fan of horror films. But he does like action and Marvel. So we decided on Blade.
I have seen this one before and it is stupid fun. Vampires killing each other. Ancient vampire gods. Good times.
Blade is one of the few Marvel characters I still like. Maybe because he created by Marv Wolfman who would also be responsible for the New Teen Titans.
A couple of points of interest.
This is one of the very first "Cinematic Marvel Universe" movies, though I am not sure if it fits into it proper.
Udo Kier is in this as the head of the vampire council. I think you can do a horror movie fest just on movies he was in. I might have to do that sometime.
Tally: Watched 7, New 5
What are you watching?
I have seen this one before and it is stupid fun. Vampires killing each other. Ancient vampire gods. Good times.
Blade is one of the few Marvel characters I still like. Maybe because he created by Marv Wolfman who would also be responsible for the New Teen Titans.
A couple of points of interest.
This is one of the very first "Cinematic Marvel Universe" movies, though I am not sure if it fits into it proper.
Udo Kier is in this as the head of the vampire council. I think you can do a horror movie fest just on movies he was in. I might have to do that sometime.
Tally: Watched 7, New 5
What are you watching?
Saturday, October 6, 2012
October Challenge: The Omen (2006)
The Omen (2006)
Generally speaking remakes of horror movies are not very good. Every so often you get one that is better than the original. The Omen (2006) is not really any better, but it looks better and it is certainly better acted.
The original Omen I watched as a kid and it was goofy fun with the Anti-Christ. But a lot of the movie was very stiff. The new Omen is a better movie, even if the story is exactly the same (give or take).
Famously released on 06-06-06, I remember the ads for this one well. Fitting for my 6th movie.
The best I can say about this is that I like Julia Stiles a lot better in this one. Pete Postlethwaite did a good job as Brennan and did (I'll admit) a better job than Patrick Troughton who I have said before was the best actor in the Original Omen.
If you know the original story you know this one. Thankfully we were spared the sequels that followed.
Tally: Watched 6, New 5
What are you watching?
The original Omen I watched as a kid and it was goofy fun with the Anti-Christ. But a lot of the movie was very stiff. The new Omen is a better movie, even if the story is exactly the same (give or take).
Famously released on 06-06-06, I remember the ads for this one well. Fitting for my 6th movie.
The best I can say about this is that I like Julia Stiles a lot better in this one. Pete Postlethwaite did a good job as Brennan and did (I'll admit) a better job than Patrick Troughton who I have said before was the best actor in the Original Omen.
If you know the original story you know this one. Thankfully we were spared the sequels that followed.
Tally: Watched 6, New 5
What are you watching?
Zatannurday: Deviant Art
Here are some artists. Make sure you go to their DA page as well and tell them how good they are.
Commission: Zatanna by *Offworldtrooper on deviantART
Zatanna Con Commission by *olivernome on deviantART
Zatanna by *shoot-o on deviantART
Zatanna by *SeanE on deviantART
Zatanna and Constantine commission detail by *MarcLaming on deviantART
July 20 - Top hat by *CallMePo on deviantART
Zatanna Motor City Con 2012 by *ComfortLove on deviantART
Zatanna - Comic Con Paris 2012 by *MahmudAsrar on deviantART
Zatanna bust by *MichaelDooney on deviantART
Zatanna by ~Klatte on deviantART
zatanna by *crisdelarastudio on deviantART
Zatanna by =ExoroDesigns on deviantART
Friday, October 5, 2012
October Challenge: Solomon Kane (2009)
Solomon Kane (2009)
Pity poor Robert E. Howard. Considered one of the best of the pulp writers of the age, the movies made from his works, Conan and Solomon Kane, have languished. In the case of Conan, three movies across two franchises and not a one is considered true to the character. Then there is Solomon Kane. His movie is out in theaters now despite being filmed over three years ago.
Now I have just started reading some Solomon Kane, so I will say this. The movie is brutal but it holds close to the books at least as far as I can tell.
While this could have descended into the pits of hell know only as "made for the SciFi channel" this is actually a very good movie. James Purefoy is almost Hugh Jackman like in his portrayal of Kane.
The build up to the end is slow, but it starts with a very bloody fight, so it does pull you right in.
While it could be classified as horror, dark fantasy might be a better term for it.
Tally: Watched 5, New 4
What are you watching?
Now I have just started reading some Solomon Kane, so I will say this. The movie is brutal but it holds close to the books at least as far as I can tell.
While this could have descended into the pits of hell know only as "made for the SciFi channel" this is actually a very good movie. James Purefoy is almost Hugh Jackman like in his portrayal of Kane.
The build up to the end is slow, but it starts with a very bloody fight, so it does pull you right in.
While it could be classified as horror, dark fantasy might be a better term for it.
Tally: Watched 5, New 4
What are you watching?
Review: Doctor Who Defending the Earth (2012)
This book is the UNIT source book, "Defending the Earth".
Like all the Who books this one is full color. While it skews more to the new Who series, there in a lot of Classic Who material here including stats for the 3rd Doctor (Jon Pertwee).
The UNIT (Unified Intelligence Taskforce) is tasked by the UN with protecting the Earth from Alien threats. This book allows you to create UNIT bases, personal and comes with two sample adventures.
In many ways a UNIT based game can be more interesting that a Doctor-based one. In this everyone can have a nicely defined role. You have field scientists, soldiers of all sorts and even civilians.
Among the features of this book are the expanded firearms and mass combat rules. The History of UNIT. Personnel, which includes plenty of new traits for military, science and civilians. And two UNIT based adventures.
This is one of my favorite sourcebooks for DW so far. Not just because of the limitless possibilities, but also because there is more attention paid to the older series than other books (note I am not saying this is a flaw of the other books, but it is a nice feature of this one).
I also see this as one of the more flexible books. You can set up a small UNIT command base and let the wackiness ensue. In fact, my own playtests adventures with DW could easily be converted into a UNIT game. Think back to the 3rd Doctor's adventures, these were mostly Earth based with UNIT. All of those are great ideas for a game. Or even the Sarah Jane Adventures.
I would be remiss if I didn't point out the cross-game compatibility with this and Primeval. While such a thing is never stated in either book and I am certain that it was not design consideration, there is nothing the ARC can't do that UNIT can't also do and visa-versa. By adding them together you get something very cool AND adventures to last for a couple of campaigns.
As with all books in this line, it is full color, well laid out and full of stills from the show.
A great addition to the collections of gamers or Who fans.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
October Challenge: Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead (2008)
Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead (2008)
I might be stretching the definition of "movie" here, but at just about 2 hours I challenge you to find something more frightening than the Vashta Nerada aka "The Shadows that Melt Flesh".
We have mysterious deaths, a monster that hides in the shadows that can strip your flesh bare in seconds AND then use your bones and space suit as a means to walk around. This is the scariest monster in the Doctor Who universe. Daleks, aim for the eyestalk. Sontaran, back of the neck. Cybermen, gold in their chest plate. Vashta Nerada, just run.
Doctor: "Almost every species in the universe has an irrational fear of the dark, but they’re wrong, because it’s not irrational. It’s Vashta Nerada."
All against the man that monsters have nightmares about;
The Doctor. When they come after him this is the exchange.
Doctor: Don't play games with me! You just killed someone I like, that is not a safe place to stand! I'm the Doctor, and you're in the biggest library in the Universe. Look me up.
The monsters move back.
This is a pitch perfect horror episode and no one comes out of it scarred. I think this quote near the end sums it up.
Donna: How about you, are you alright?
The Doctor: Oh, I'm always all right.
Donna: Is "All right" special time-lord code for... not really all right at all?
The Doctor: Why?
Donna Noble: Because I'm alright too.
Plus not only did this give us one of the scariest monsters for a show known to send kids hiding behind the sofa. It also gave us River Song who might be one of the most interesting characters in the history of Doctor Who.
"When you run with the Doctor, it feels like it'll never end. But however hard you try you can't run forever. Everybody knows that everybody dies and nobody knows it like the Doctor. But I do think that all the skies of all the worlds might just turn dark if he ever for one moment, accepts it. Everybody knows that everybody dies. But not every day. Not today. Some days are special. Some days are so, so blessed. Some days, nobody dies at all. Now and then, every once in a very long while, every day in a million days, when the wind stands fair, and the Doctor comes to call everybody lives."
- River Song.
Tally: Watched 4, New 3
What are you watching?
We have mysterious deaths, a monster that hides in the shadows that can strip your flesh bare in seconds AND then use your bones and space suit as a means to walk around. This is the scariest monster in the Doctor Who universe. Daleks, aim for the eyestalk. Sontaran, back of the neck. Cybermen, gold in their chest plate. Vashta Nerada, just run.
Doctor: "Almost every species in the universe has an irrational fear of the dark, but they’re wrong, because it’s not irrational. It’s Vashta Nerada."
All against the man that monsters have nightmares about;
The Doctor. When they come after him this is the exchange.
Doctor: Don't play games with me! You just killed someone I like, that is not a safe place to stand! I'm the Doctor, and you're in the biggest library in the Universe. Look me up.
The monsters move back.
Donna: How about you, are you alright?
The Doctor: Oh, I'm always all right.
Donna: Is "All right" special time-lord code for... not really all right at all?
The Doctor: Why?
Donna Noble: Because I'm alright too.
Plus not only did this give us one of the scariest monsters for a show known to send kids hiding behind the sofa. It also gave us River Song who might be one of the most interesting characters in the history of Doctor Who.
"When you run with the Doctor, it feels like it'll never end. But however hard you try you can't run forever. Everybody knows that everybody dies and nobody knows it like the Doctor. But I do think that all the skies of all the worlds might just turn dark if he ever for one moment, accepts it. Everybody knows that everybody dies. But not every day. Not today. Some days are special. Some days are so, so blessed. Some days, nobody dies at all. Now and then, every once in a very long while, every day in a million days, when the wind stands fair, and the Doctor comes to call everybody lives."
- River Song.
Tally: Watched 4, New 3
What are you watching?
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