Silver Screen Smackdown- Maleficent

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Movie– Maleficent

TL; DR– Great movie, but not a great retelling. 87%

 

 

Summary-How about a story from the other side?  Maleficent is the story of the evil witch from Sleeping Beauty.  Maleficent starts off as a fey creature from a land locked in war with the land of men.  She is tricked, mutilated, and driven to evil cursing the first born of the human king.  But, how does the story play out looking from the other side?

 

Story– I have mixed feelings on this one.  The movie by itself is awesome.  I liked the plot.  The world is consistent, and the characters fit it in.  BUT, this is a retelling of another movie.  All the major elements from the first movie are there, but they don’t fit with how this movie changes them.  The elements are a bit too scattered to have the two work as being from different sides of the same coin.  Wicked did a god job of making the two sides work, this one gets close but almost falls into the uncanny valley of one looking like another.  The two are there, but as mirrors of one another they just don’t “work” on some levels for me.  3.5/5

 

Actors-All the actors do an amazing job, but a lot of them are not give enough time. You have Jolie doing an excellent job being a fairy, then evil queen, and finally a redemptive angel.  Copley does a good job slowly slipping into crazy too.  Sleeping beauty gets a bit of a roll, but it feels like she’s there pretty much to move those other two set pieces around one another. 4.5/5

 

Cinematography– Looks great.  All the characters look like they should.  The kings growing madness is reflected in his castle and the queens anger is reflected in her fey world.  As those actors/characters change so does their world.  Well done CGI. 5/5

 

Summary– This is an amazing stand alone move, but it’s not a standalone movie. As a semi-sequel, I felt the plot was a bit off.  The actors and cinematography are booth great.  If you want a good Disney movie with a bit more adult themes this summer, I’d check this one out! 87%

Silver Screen Smackdown- Edge of Tomorrow

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

 

Movie– Edge of Tomorrow

TL; DR– Tom Cruise and the Konami code! 93%

 

 

Basics– Tom Cruise plays a sleazy military recruiter who through his own fault is thrown into the worst military blunder in history.  While there, he accidently eats a piece of a time traveling alien, gaining the power to reverse time when he dies.  He embarks on a quest to become the hero and save the human race one continue at a time.

 

Story– This is an excellent single serving Sci-Fi movie.  In a few short minutes, you learn the problems of the world, see how the world works, and jump right in the action.  I loved that.  Rapid pace made the fact that many scenes were direct repeats of one another very awesome and fun to watch.  I watched the same day over 3000 times and didn’t get tired of it!  Ending is a bit too much Deus ex machina for the heroes, but it will do. 5/5

 

Actors– I really liked all the major players in this one.  Cruise does an excellent asshole who learns to be a hero.  The Emily Blunt, the female lead, does a good job too, but she’s a bit too much of a tough as nails bitch through most of the movie.  The secondary characters all don’t get enough time to really develop themselves, and that truly is a shame!  Those guys are almost as interesting as the main characters! 4/5

 

Cinematography– I loved this, hands down.  Things look cool and fresh even after the 300th time through the world.  I loved everything I saw.  Robot suits and aliens are an awesome mix in big budget well done movies! 5/5

 

Summary– It’s not perfect, but it’s fun.  It’s great single serving Sci-Fi that tells a great story with great actors.  I DON’T want a sequel as this movie told all the story it needs too.  I felt this was an excellent meal from the salad course opening to the desert course.  Well worth your time to see this movie! 93%

Book Bout- Book Review of Night of the Hunter Companions Codex, I

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Story-Night of the Hunter Companions Codex, I

Author– R. A. Salvatore

Buy It Here– http://www.amazon.com/Night-Hunter-Companions-Codex-I/dp/0786965118/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1403096780&sr=8-2&keywords=NIght+of+the+Hunter

 

TL; DR– Almost TL; DR! 57%

Audiobook Extra– Well done performance. 4/5

 

Basics– Drizzit’s back!  With all his friends back from the void, Drizzit embarks on an epic quest to save his one time friend turned vampire.  Along the way, drow scheme to take over the world and kill one another.  What are the drow up to now, can Drizzit stop it, and what is Drizzit’s place in the world?

 

Story- I suffered through this because I love the realms.  There is just way too much going on at any given time to make me really interested in one thing.  Too many plots with too many moving parts made me not care about any one in particular.  Unlike the Game of Thrones, I didn’t care about any one of the plots to make me want to see them juggled.  Also, since every main character is bad ass, I never was worried about any one character in particular.  Drizzit will survive and be as self absorbed as ever as he battles monsters but still wonders if HE is the monster…like every other Drizzit book.  Honestly, the most exciting thing will happen in the last moment of the book, and even that is pulling a punch.  1.5/5

 

Characters- No one here is consistent.  All the characters want to be the good guys, but they are acting pretty neutral to evil!  Also, all the work that the characters did before is being undone (no surprise), but the actions seem massively out of place for the characters.  Most of them worship a nature god of good, but all of them are moving toward an ork genocide.  (Don’t worry; events behind the scenes are making that genocide ok!)  I felt things were just off. But, Drizzit is as much a stable rock as ever, and he gets the most screen time, so it’s a wash. 3/5

 

Setting– This is the Forgotten Realms.  People, places, and things all feel like a FR DnD Game.  I was pretty happy living in this world, but then again, I’m also a veteran of the realms.  I think your average person will need a bit more introduction to know all the background the author is playing with though. 4/5

 

Summary– This was kind of painful.  I alternated between podcasts and this story to get through it.  Nothing hooked me and the characters seemed off, but I did like the setting.  To me it seems that the author is working to dismantle his own work piecewise, and given Mr. Salvatore thoughts on 4e DnD, I believe that’s what he’s doing right now.  Will I read the next book?  Yes, but keep in mind that I also will sit and play a boss battle for four hours straight to get to the end of a video game to the point where this is now a job and no longer fun.  I want to know what’s going on in the realms, so I’ll endure the next book.  If that’s not for you, then choose accordingly. 57%

 

Audiobook Extra– The reader of the audiobook does a good job.  I’d like a bit more emotion, but he does do a decent job of making the characters come to life. 4/5

Ring Side Report- Board Game Review of Tokaido Crossroads: The First Expansion

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Game– Tokaido Crossroads: The First Expansion

Producer– Passport Games

Price– ~$20

Set-up/Play/Clean-up– 45 minutes

TL; DR– Additional choice for a great game 95%

 

Basics– Greetings traveler, what can I get you?  The Crossroads expansion for Tokaido adds more characters and location options to the Tokaido base game.  Now, each space has two options instead of the standard one.  Players can take the option from the original game or take new options such as gambling instead of working at the farm, getting blessed items at the temple instead of donations, and buying legendary items at the shops.  The game still has the same goals, and the person with the most points wins at the end of the game as usual.

 

Mechanics– This expansion adds an interesting mix to the game.  It’s fun, but some of the new mechanics are almost too different than the previous game.  The gambling mechanic doesn’t have the same euro feel as the base game as it’s a straight dice roll.  I do like what I see with this game though.  The new options add some much needed choices.  You still get a random draw for most of the locations, but now you have two decks to draw from.  Adding those new decks brings some new life to this game.  I liked it before, and I still like it now.  4.5/5

 

Theme– For theme, this is better than the original.  You’re on a journey, and this expansion really adds some new options to your adventure.  The option like buying a blessing instead of a donation does add to the feeling of being on the open road.  I don’t feel a railroaded as I did before.  I feel more like a tourist in feudal Japan now more than ever. 5/5

 

Instructions– Well done.  The new rules are explained well, and some points are really well clarified BEFORE I have to run to BGG to find some answers.  This expansion isn’t a brain buster, but the rules do tell you how to play well. 5/5

 

Execution– This expansion has the same minimalistic style of the original game.  Its sleek, white packaging is well done.  The cards are the same small, good cardstock as before.  The characters are the same hard cardboard as before.  It also adds a nice new board for the new cards which is a nice touch.  I liked what I saw before, and I like what I see now.  It is a little expensive for the amount you get in the expansion though. 4.5/5

 

Summary– I liked this one a lot.  Tokaido needed a bit of fresh life as the game can get a little stale if you play with the same players.  The base game is a good, light euro game, but this game adds a bit more randomness and some more choice.  That choice really adds a lot to the replay of this game.  The expansion isn’t more of the same, and that my affect some player’s views.  But, I liked it.  Well done instructions and components compliment the great theme and additional mechanics of the game.  A great expansion for when you want a bit more choice in a lighter game. 95%

Daily Punch 6-9-14 Faster than Anyone Quality for Shadowrun 5e

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

How about a quality for Shadowrun 5e?

 

Faster than Anyone

Cost: 20 Karma

You move like greased lightning.  Hard to see where you were let alone where you are!  For the first round of combat, if you initiative total is 11 greater than any other person in the combat, you gain one round of actions all to yourself, subtract 10, and then initiative passes as normal.

 

Thoughts?

Blurbs from the Booth- Growing Older, not Up

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

I recently turned 31, and it’s been an interesting 31 years.  Let’s see how my love of geekdome has changed over the years…..

Prioritizing Video Games

One of the hard parts of growing up is finding time.  I’ve become an adult, and it’s boring.  No not the parts of life where you become more responsible for everything, or the part where I’m a semi-successful researcher.  But, the part where you have to prioritize your time.  There just isn’t time to sit and play every game that comes on the market.  Heck, there isn’t time to play all the games I have!  I’ve come see all the new games on the market as very repetitive.  Call of Duty whatever and Battlefield just seem like two sides of the same coin.  It’s too boring for me to play the same game every year.  If you want to get my attention, you have to innovate or tell me an excellent story.  I LOVED Bioshock Infinite.  Sure it was a pretty middle of the road shooter, but man, that story kept me glued to my seat.  I’ve been sitting on Black Ops 1 for the longest time, and honestly, I don’t plan to start playing that any time soon.  Bravely Default?  Yep, playing that right now before I go to bed each night.  It’s now story or innovation.

 

RPGs > Board Games > Video Games

            Now this next one is hard to explain.  It’s like choosing between my children!  But, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found I love video games less and less. Oh, I still play, and when I get hooked, I’ll do the standard geek thing and play 20 hours straight.  But, if I’m given time, I tend to spend it doing RPGs over anything else.  Then, it’s board games, and finally, video games.  I guess it has to do with how I interact with others.  I see RPGs and board games as having a high degree of social interaction, but video games just don’t have the same level.  I know some strong friendships and relationships are forged online.  However, for me, it’s all about seeing the other person and talking about the game or even life in general.  I have a quote on my library wall “The best memories are made around the table”, and I hold that to heart.

 

Time > Money

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to earn more money.  10 year old me would be thrilled by being able to pick up any game (board, tabletop, and video) that I want the day it comes out.  Now, I’ve got house payments and bills, but even after all that, I’ve still got a bit of disposable income.  However, what 10 year old me had in spades was free time.  31 year old me has to go to work and spends his time organizing other things.  31 year old Ed just doesn’t have all the free time.  I’ve got stacks of video games, board games, RPGs, movies, comics, and a full steam library that I don’t have time to read, play, or do!  No matter how much I earn, I can’t earn time!  It’s taken a long time to learn this, but I understand why so many people drop out of the hobby.  I mean, heck, I don’t even have kids, and I don’t have time!

 

Geekvangalism

            I used to try to just get three other guys (and I mean guys!) together and start a home game.  We would meet in our secret area and just play by ourselves.  I’ve come to see that that’s not what I want any more.  I consider myself a geekvangalist-I want to spread my love of various geek cultures to as many people as I can.  I’m not pushy, but I try to get new people to try what I love.  Or better yet, try anything geeky.  I want as many people to play as possible.  Geek is chic now, but most people don’t know where to begin.  I want to be one of the people who introduce people where to start and give them a description of what’s out there.

 

Story > Mechanics

I now see that the mechanics of the game are much less important than the stories the system tells.  I used to love carrying over 20 3.x books around to whatever convention I was running games at to make sure that everybody knows how to play.  I love knowing minute details about each system and debating how the mechanics of action X were wrong.  I am done with that now.  I just don’t care about the small details anymore.  I’m tired of fiddly bits on a system.  I want a nice and trim system to carry my games.  I am still a card carrying member of the cult of the new.  I buy way too many things that I might never be able to get too.  But, I don’t want to spend an hour of my Saturday night debating if a goblin could grab me based on it being half underwater when it did so.  When a system is just too rules heavy, I see the system as bloated.  Give me some nice, simple  trip rules, and I’ll be happy.

 

Goals

I didn’t start being a major geek until I was in grad school.  Yes, I did play video games in high school, but I didn’t start board games and RPGs till late college.  Before, I just considered them a fun distraction.  But now, I consider them a part of my life goals.  I would like to write for a major company and add to their product line.  Now, this isn’t a goal of being complete freelancer, but I would like to have some hand in some of the games I love.  These things have given me many hours of joy, so I would like to give back to my community.

 

 

That’s where I am today.  It’s been a fun ride getting older as a gamer.  I’ve made some great friends who I see only one a year at GenCon.  Heck, I even met my wife on Yahoo Personals because she said she love DnD.  I plan to keep being a gamer, a dork, and a geek.  Can’t wait to see what happens next!

Daily Punch 6-6-14 Half-Draw Ancestor Feat for DnD Next

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

How about a half-drow ancestor feat?

 

Drow Ancestor (Ancestor)

Back in your family line, someone was a full blooded drow.

Prerequisite: You may not take any other ancestor feat.

Benefit:Gain the following benefits:

  • Gain a +1 to dexterity.
  • Gain a +1 to charisma.
  • You are Lolth-touched.  You gain access to the faerie fire and darkness spells as the drow race.  You do not gain the dancing lights cantrip.

 

Thoughts?