Seventh Son(uva)

        A film with the makings of an epic and an interesting setting ends up wasting its potential on trite clichés and even worse acting.

        Seventh Son is another in a long line of Hollywood throwing any stuff from a popular book and seeing what will stick, yet this films stuff misses the wall entirely and hits the audience right in the eye. Based on the English novel, “A Spook’s Apprentice,” Seventh Son tells the tale of Tom Ward, the last in a line of monster hunters known as “spooks” whose job it is to protect the land and keep powerful creatures at bay. Tom is sought out by an elderly spook named Gregory, whose past evil comes back to wage war on humans.

       

        Seventh Son makes the unfortunate mistake of trying to cram every piece of information from the book without giving it time to breath and a huge epic showdown between two factions is started, prepared and finished all within the timeframe of a week. This is one cliché that was hopefully abolished where an unlikely hero becomes as good, or better than a master who has been training their entire lives in no time at all.

       

        On top of this the movie also has betrayal between species supposedly, an incredibly rushed romance plot that adds nothing to the story and as stated earlier an entire army of powerful villains who all have less personality traits than lines.

        Some of the actors who are good in their own right fall flatter than the pages of the book they were based on and the adaptation wouldn’t be beloved even by fans of the series. And everyone looks as bored as possible unless you count the times they turn into ugly CG puppets that seem to defy the laws of physics.

        

        But to be fair one of the positives that the movie has going for it would be its very well handled yet still unoriginal aesthetic and set design. Peter Jackson figured out that wide shots over fields, horses and other medieval etc. was film gold. The same cannot be said for the costumes as while some are unique it just looks like the actors just raided a Halloween Express and the biggest offender was when the main character ended up in what was literally a hoodie with some string in the front.

        Another part of the movie claims to be a comedy yet the funniest lines were spared in the trailer. Any other attempts at making the audience laugh were forced beyond comprehension and just seemed like terrible ad-libbing.

   

        Seventh Son fails on almost every conceivable level and any redeeming value to be had was lost in its terrible direction, weird casting and is above all nothing more than a waste of time.  In an era where Fantasy and Sci-Fi movies can break into the Oscars and be treated with a level of seriousness this movie deserves to be forgotten.

Top Ten Games of 2014

Top 10 Games of the Year 2014

1.     Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor

2014 has been a year that broke one gaming tradition that has left a bad taste in the mouths of potential buyers since the days of the Atari. That it has featured several games based off of a particular license that chose to put in a more substantial effort and make games worthy of regard. Shadow of Mordor is the best example of this in that it fits the mystical and medieval world crafted by Tolkien’s Middle Earth with gameplay that fits just as perfectly. Featuring a huge sprawling open world to explore as the revenge hungry Talion who is banished from death and uses his connection to a wraith in order to gain information and bring down the Orc leader who killed his family. A battle system that is one part Assassin’s Creed and one part Batman Arkham Asylum make each encounter enjoyable as well as challenging. The real highlight of the game is the newly minted “Nemesis” system which does a fantastic job of randomizing each orc you might run into and giving them an artificial memory for interesting subsequent encounters. This system also gives each prominent enemy their own unique traits and weaknesses that you can exploit making no one play through feel exactly the same. Shadow of Mordor stands as a pleasant surprise and deserves the top spot of this list for the refreshing way in which a game based off of a pre-conceived property can stand in line and even above the triple A offerings.

2.     Dragon Age: Inquisition

An outstanding return to form for Bioware as the last entry in the Dragon Age franchise left fans disgusted and casual passersby confused as to what made this game series so special. Inquisition offers the tried and true Bioware experience in that every little side quest, from collecting flowers to hunting dragons, carries with them tiny story elements which is more than enough to compel the player to excitedly rush towards the next task no matter how small. Also learning from its multiple incarnations has created a fun challenging battle system tied uniquely to the species and class you chose at the start of the game, coupled with over 9 companions to fight with, interact and even take control of. and Top it off with a compelling worldly story that sees you lead an inquisition to not only stop an evil force from destroying the world but also changing it for the better and you have an expert entry from the creators at Bioware that fans have come to expect.

3.     South Park the Stick of Truth

There’s something to admire about a game that can sport some of the most shameless toilet humor, not only present it in a completely straightforward and clever manner, but also make it actually a part of the plot. Of course if anyone can commit to such a feat it’s the brilliant minds behind the long running South Park Franchise. While most licensed games sport some of the laziest game designs applicable in order to catch a quick buck from the popularity of a new film or T.V. series Stick of Truth shows how to recreate the feel of the original product while making a game that can still stand on its own merits whether or not you’re a fan. Brilliantly executed RPG combat developed by Obsidian meshed with the crass but expertly handled portrayal of South Park make Stick of Truth set the bar in terms of effort for anyone willing to take the time and make a game that’s not only good but worthy of game of the year awards.

4.     Infamous Second Son

As paint by numbers as Second Son feels it still represents a game company that isn’t just filling out a check list but crafting something they can be proud of. Sucker Punch Studios crafts a true representation of the fabled “next gen” graphics Second Son dazzles with particle and lighting effects that are impossible to not notice. From reflections on rainy streets to the vibrant but not distracting neon powers, a huge city scape playground in the Emerald city and a wide array of powers to have fun with. With seemingly never ending enemy variety and a protagonist who can actually smile at the prospect of using these new powers make Second son a great start in making a new age of super hero games. 

5.     Far cry 4

It’s a double edged sword that you shouldn’t fix what isn’t broken and Ubisoft knows this parable more than anyone in the industry. The fourth in the Far Cry family seems to ironically break tradition in that it’s a game that is literally Far Cry 3 in the Himalayas. This is both bad and good as it technically shares the fun of Far Cry 3 but it suffers from “sequelitis”. What made Far Cry 3 brilliant weren’t just its amazingly unique gameplay and setting but its presentation and story that mixed with the gameplay perfectly. That being said it’s still the quality game we’ve come to expect and with its own twists and turns to keep the player guessing and enough things to do to warrant a full price not to mention that you can ride an elephant into battle and that never gets old.

6.     Watch_Dogs

While an endless stream of P.R. problems and informational mishandling plagued this new I.P. from Ubisoft,  a very unique and incredibly fun game still lies at the heart. Ubisoft stays true to their basic Assassins Creed formula of a huge city to explore and towers to find and climb to unlock new areas and multi layered story to inspect. Despite this Watch_Dogs keeps its own flavor of hacking everything within range to affect the environment to your advantage and the extremely robust identification system which scans every NPC you cross and gives you basic info into their lives giving the city a life that has yet to be matched by other games. While this game came out with Ubisoft going through growing pains it shows that the high production expected from Ubisoft is still present and ready to give us surprising yet familiar experiences.

7.     Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze

The second Donkey Kong offering from Retro Studios packs quite the chilling punch. This installment pits the titular Kong Family against a legion of marauding Vikings called the Snomads who turn the tropical DK Island into a frozen wasteland fit for fun platforming. Tight gameplay, colorful design and beautifully composed music make this latest entry into the DK franchise stay true to its revolutionary pedigree and definitely earn a spot on this list.

8.     Hearthstone

The card game genre, at least in video game form, has remained unchallenged and dominated by Wizard’s Magic the Gathering, whose offerings were passable until Blizzard’s Hearthstone came along. Leave it to the creators of World of Warcraft, a game you never stop playing or paying for, to create the most formulative example of how to create a free to play experience without feeling paltry. Using WoW’s decade of lore and characters to make a compelling card game that is so uniquely designed that every turn you feel a great sense of excitement. Laying down a big creature with a satisfying oomph or seeing a fireball physically shoot at an opponent never gets old and makes the somewhat mundane act of playing a card game that much more satisfying. Hearthstone sets the example for not only creating a compelling strategy game but one that is equal parts accessible, affordable and fun.

9.     Shovel Knight

Retro platformers are a dime a dozen in today’s independent market but Shovel Knight was a success story no one could expect. The people at Yacht Club games, after a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign, takes tips from classic platforming staples, such as Mega Man and Duck Tales the game, and uses them to create its own unique flavor. Shovel Knight does more than pay homage and creates one of the most beautiful experiences to come into the genre. Memorable and challenging boss fights, hilarious character moments and music to rival the old masters make this game one not to be snubbed and deserve a look from even the most jaded gamers. 

10.  Five Nights at Freddie’s

At first glance FNF might seem like the most obvious YouTube bait but there’s more to this game then a few jump scares. The game features a compelling gameplay mechanic in that the experience isn’t getting a jump scare but trying to avoid them with the limited tools at your disposal. Each of the four monsters trying to give you a nasty surprise have their own pattern you must learn and combat as you try to survive the night at a haunted Chuck E. Cheese homage and each of the five nights you feel compelled to survive unfurls more of the interesting story that bases itself of real world events.

Top Ten Movies of 2014

1.     How to Train Your Dragon 2

Words can hardly describe the beauty this film secretes in every scene as a simple children’s story book is transformed into one of the most jaw dropping franchises to hit the big screen. After the success of its first film the How to Train Your Dragon creators decided to go for a more personal move, having just as much heart and drama if not more than action and comedy. To call this film a children’s movie would be an insult and anyone shying away from this and the other latest offerings from DreamWorks should feel ashamed. HTTYD 2 makes the top of this list because it shows that no matter how you make a film it can be engaging to everyone and that building a great story around a fantastical setting may be hard but never impossible.   

2.     The Wind Rises

It’s not surprising to see the latest offering from the legendary Hayao Miyazaki be an exquisite experience but from a cursory glance the film itself may seem uninspired. When people hear the name Miyazaki the expect something like Howl’s Moving castle and Spirited Away, giant epic movies with an otherworldly mysticism about them. The Wind Rises is a much more down to earth plot about a Japanese aeronautics engineer who designs and builds airplanes for WW2. This may seem weird but it works as a story of a man who never wanted his machines to be used for war but simply doing what he loved in the hopes that his creations could be for the benefit of mankind and not simply warfare.    

3.     Guardians of the Galaxy

A true underdog story, Guardians of the Galaxy became one of the years most beloved movies and paved the way for Marvel to expand their movies to the stars and beyond. What’s easy to forget is that all of Marvel’s current big hitters started out like this, bringing somewhat known people in to a somewhat known world and turning it into box office platinum and shooting the actors in those films to A-list status. Guardians of course was a huge risk for Disney and Marvel but it paid off both literally and conventionally and its success should be a testament to hard work, dedication and maybe just a little bit of fun.

4.     X-Men Days of Future Past

Marvel movies not made by Marvel films always seem like a risky venture. The X-men series especially has been hit or miss in terms of quality story and production which without the unified direction the Marvel has can create movies that have the same teams but could come up stinking like wolverines pits or shining like Xavier’s head. This film is of the latter quality as it takes its comic book premise and runs with it. A more dramatic story gives way to more enjoyable film that knows how to use its actors, technology and give us exactly what we want in an X-men movie.

5.     The Lego Movie

No one could expect what would come from a film simply titled “The Lego Movie” but what came was one of the most imaginative films to come out in recent history. And of course what better subject to infuse this imagination than the blankest slate toys known to man. From face value the movie may seem like a lighthearted adventure but what people might not see is the intriguing messages placed throughout the film. This film also sports some of the best looking animation utilizing a system that made everything in the film be completely made out of pre-existing Lego designs.

6.     Captain America Winter Soldier

Not surprising but still immensely enjoyable film that brings the Captain out of the 40’s and into the 21^st century. The prevailing fact with all Marvel cinematic universe films is that while their all grounded in the same continuity they are not the same films. The first Captain was a period war film, Thor is a fantasy film, and Iron man movies are all action packed science fiction affairs. The fact that all these films can fit into their own groove and still leave us wanting more deserves all the credit. The Winter Soldier fits perfectly with the espionage motif and while Marvel movies may be getting over exposed they’re definitely not becoming boring.

7.     22 Jump Street

Buddy cop movies have all been demolished as a plot template because the formulas been done to death, and even younger actors may line up to these affairs and claim that they’re also getting to old for this. That’s where the 21 Jump Street franchise comes to prove that though the formula may be old it still has potential for a great hit. Focusing on the comedic aspects of this genre, 22 Jump Street continues the story of the two unlikely heroes played brilliantly by Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill as now they tackle a college level threat. The films astute self-awareness asks whether the film should do the same thing or change for the better and the meta narrative blends perfectly amidst a series of gut busting scenes until the movie decides when it’s time to be over.   

8.     A Walk Among the Tombstones

Liam Neeson is not a stranger to cop centered thrillers but this film will take people by surprise and make something to be remembered passed a lengthy one liner. Based off the Book series of the same name this adaptation creates a washed out world filled with crooks and hard folks but the monstrous crimes of a pair of serial killers sends shockwaves through this film that shook not only the characters but what it really means to not judge a book by its cover. Keeping with clichés the film makes them its own and will have anyone looking for a cheap ride pleasantly surprised by one of the years surprise hits.

9.     The Box Trolls

Anyone with the slightest idea of how a movie such as The Box Trolls is made will want to give it all the rewards based on the painstaking process that is stop-motion animation. But when studio Laika, the same group that brought snap masterpieces Coraline and Paranorman to life, try their hand at a fairy tale film with some steam punk added in they make animation gold. A movie with as much character as it has puppets every seen might leave you breathless either by how good it looks or by how funny the film is.

10.  Book of Life

Fans of the animated series, “El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera” will find an unequivocal treat in the design and look of this animated adventure. Directed by the creator of El Tigre this film explores a more hilarious look at the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead or Dia de Muertos to be exact. The Book of Life is filled with amazing designs, great performances and a nice moral to tie it all together Book of Life stands out amongst the usual from the animation mainstays.

Sample Cover Story- Lexington Comic Con 2013

March 16^th and 17^th marked the second annual Lexington Comic and Toy Convention which had Power Rangers, Pro wrestlers, actors, artists, cosplayers, gamers and more in attendance.

The convention was organized by local promoter Jarrod Greer who planned the event along with his wife. He wanted to do something in line with his interest in toys and comics but wanted to go somewhere where there wasn’t already a similar convention, so he chose Lexington.

“I’ve been doing things like this here and there but this was the first time I planned something this big and I didn’t expect as many people as last year so it should be even more people this year.”  Greer said.

The convention was nothing less than a bustling crowd comprised with fans coming out of the woodwork to support their beloved mediums, get a photo op with their favorite actors, and to spend as much money on merchandise as possible.

The convention invited dozens of notable media personalities like Pro wrestler Jim Duggan and Carel Struycken who portrayed the character Lurch in the Addams Family movies.  

This year the biggest attraction was of course two cast members from the original Star Wars movies including Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca, and of course Billy Dee Williams, better known as Lando Calrisian. The lines for both actors were massive and had to be adjusted as to not clutter the hall any further.

The usual staple of Power Rangers alumni were also featured including fan favorite Jason David Frank and the actors Paul Schrier and Jason Narvy, who both played the popular comedic duo Bulk and Skull respectively.

“We love doing conventions. It still blows our minds that so many people still watch our stuff and love what we do.,” said Schrier.

Of course after several hours of crowded convention walking people opted to take an incentive break inside one of the many panels and workshops where attendees can rest their feet while hanging out with their favorite celebrities. Different panels included a Star Wars panel with Mayhew and Williams, a Power Rangers panel headed by Frank and other originals, and even a panel with just Bulk and Skull that had just as many if not more people than the actual Power Rangers.

Other guests were notable comic book writers and artists including Frank Brunner, Janet Lee, Mike Grell, and Roger Stern. They were there to answer questions, sign and sell their work to their fans, and give comic creating advice to anyone who wanted to listen.

“I love conventions, I think it’s a wonderful crowd of people and I always tell people that this is the best jobs I’ve ever had.” said Stern.

Another attraction to the convention would be more than 100 personalized booths of store owners and freelance artists selling their work ranging from super hero fan art drawn in story book form to grotesque Giger-esque sculptures. Another form of art would be the abundant cosplayers, or people who dress up as fictional characters, ranging from convincing storm troopers to gigantic cardboard Megazords. Cosplayer model, Maria Ramos, with the moniker of Marie doll who was dressed as Black Cat from Spiderman, held a booth at the convention.

“I love to cosplay, and becoming that character that you love and have fun in the costume and making it too.” Ramos said, co from Houston, TX.

The event is only two years old but has gotten as big as other notable conventions and according to a ticket sale proximity map had people from all over the country in attendance.  With lots to see and lots to do the 2013 Lexington Comic and Toy convention went off without a hitch and has ensured its continuing success.